to sinners and vnbeleeuers turne vnto me repent and beleeue the Gospell he sheweth vnto sinners that they ought to repent and turne vnto him and that vnbeleeuers ought to beleeue but to beleeue to repent and to turne to the Lord is not of our selues it is of God it is of the grace of God as S. Paul sayth n 2. Câ—r 3. 5. Not that we are sufficient of our selues to thinke any thing as of our selues but our sufficiencie is of God This of the Efficient and inward working cause of Faith The second is the Instrumentall cause of faith which 2 The instrumentall cause of faith The word of God is the word of God of this S. Paul saith o Rom. 10. 17. faith commeth by hearing and hearing by the word of God He had sayd before how shall they call on him in whom they haue not beleeued and how shall they beleeue in him of whom they haue not heard and how shall they heare without a Preacher and how shall they preach except they be sent And hereupon inferreth that faith commeth by hearing and hearing by the word of God Heer 's the ordinarie meanes of begetting faith God of his mercie sends a Preacher to a people the Preacher preacheth Christ crucified by preaching Christ the people heare of Christ and by hearing they beleeue So then faith commeth by hearing and hearing by the word of God Now the word preached and heard which is powerfull to beget faith is vnderstood to be the whole word of God the Law and the Gospell for And that First to the begetting of faith in the heart it 's necessary 1 The law that a sinner heare the Law to the end that he may see and know his sinnes for p Rom. 3. 20. by the Law is the knowledge of sinne and not onely see and know his sinnes but likewise the punishment due to him for his sinnes which in the iustice of God is the malediction and curse of the Law for it is written q Gal. 3. 10. Cursed is euery one that continueth not in all things which are written in the booke of the Law to doe them Likewise death and condemnation for the r Rom. 6. 23. wages of sinne is death Yea and to bee depriued of the Kingdome of God for Å¿ 1 Câ—r 6. 9. the vnrighteous shall not inherit the Kingdome of God And this part of the Word the Law laies open a mans sinnes so plaine and euident that it prickes the heart and wounds the conscience of a sinner insomuch that being truely and throughly touched with the sence and feeling of his owne particular sinnes he hath no peace in himselfe but is disquieted in conscience and now he beginnes to thinke with himselfe what hee may doe to finde ease to his conscience and rest to his soule an example whereof wee haue in those Iewes to whom S. Peter preached Christ crucified and vrged it vpon their consciences that they had crucified Christ for hee saith t Acts 2. 36 37. Let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God hath made that same Iesus whom ye haue crucified both Lord and Christ Now when they heard this they were pricked in their heart and sayd vnto Peter and the rest of the Apostles Men and brethron what shall wee doe they were so touched in conscience for their great and bloudy sinnes of crucifying Christ that they knew not what to doe Now when the Law hath thus wrough vpon a sinner humbling him and bringing him vnder a sence and feeling of his sinnes and the wrath of God due to him for his sinnes when hee findes himselfe in this distressed case and vnderstands in how great neede hee stands of 2 The Gospell helpe and comfort then the other part of the Word of God the Gospell of Christ being preached and heard together with the working of the Spirit inwardly in the heart doth open the eyes of his minde and inlighten his vnderstanding and shewes vnto him Christ crucified and makes the sinner see and know that there is remedy to heale his sicke soule that there is saluation to bee had in Christ Iesus and in him alone and that t Joh. 3. 16. whosoeuer beleeueth in him shall not perish but haue euerlasting life This is that word of consolation which S. Peter gaue to those Iewes now pricked in heart wounded in conscience and groning vnder the burthen of their sinnnes u Acts 2. 38. Repent and be baptized euery one of you in the name of Iesus Christ for the remission of sinnes And now the sinner knowing that saluation is to bee had in Christ Iesus and that there is x Acts 4. 12. no saluation in any other heereupon he ficeth to Christ for helpe and succour by the eye of faith he lookes vnto Iesus by the hand of faith he takes hold on Iesus and by faith applieth the merits of the death and passion of Christ vnto his owne soule being now assured of the mercy of God through Iesus Christ for the remission of his sinnes and saluation of his soule The sinner hath y Acts 15 7. heard the Word of the Gospell and beleeueth Thus faith is ordinarily procured by the Word of God And seeing that the ordinary meanes of begetting Vse faith is the Word of God this serues to reproue those Against those that boast of their faith and yet contemne and lightly regard the hearing of the Word the ordinary meanes of obtaining faith who despise and contemne or greatly neglect the hearing of the Word and yet boast that they haue faith Diuerse there are that seldome come to the house of God and very seldome heare Sermons who if they be questioned whether they haue faith will not sticke to answer euery one for himselfe yea I haue faith and doe beleeue I haue a good faith to God I hope to bee saued aswell as the best and hope to come to Heauen as soone as they that follow Sermons But I demand of thee ô vaine man if thou hast so good a faith and so good hope of saluation how and by what meanes camest thou by this thy good faith The Scriptures tels vs plainely that the meanes of obtaining faith is by hearing the Word of God And seeing thou doest not frequent the house of God nor heare the Word of God preached except it be at some times and by starts how can it be that thou hast true faith or if thou hast it how was it wrought in thee and by what meanes hast thou obtained it it is the great blindnesse of many ignorant soules to thinke they haue faith when they haue it not And they haue it not because they doe not vse the ordinary meanes to obtaine it I know and deny not God is not tyed to any meanes and therefore can extraordinarily worke faith in the hearts of men euen in whom be will according to his good pleasure but it is not safe for any
without faith we cannot be saued True 3 Without faith we cannot be saued faith is so necessary that if a man haue the true faith he is saued he cannot perish but if he want the true faith he is damned he cannot be saued The Scripture witnesseth the truth of this Our Sauiour Christ saith g Mark 16. 16. he that beleeueth and is baptized shall be saued but he that beleeueth not shall be damned Againe he saith h Joh. 3. 18. he that beleeueth on him is not condemned but he that beleeueth not is condemned alreadie because he hath not beleeued in the Name of the onely begotten Sonne of God So great is the necessitie of true sauing Faith The consideration of this great necessitie of Faith is Vse profitable for instruction it teacheth vs to be carefull To get faith into our hearts by all meanes to get faith into our hearts If we would haue any true assurance that we are not still dead in sin but are quickned by the Spirit and liue in Christ if we would haue our workes our seruice and sacrifices to be acceptable to God or if we would escape condemnation and come to life euerlasting then it s necessarie that we labour to haue true sauing Faith for without faith as I haue proued we are but dead in sinnes and trespasses and haue no true life of grace in vs without faith nothing that we doe can please God and without faith we cannot be saued Seeing then that faith is so necessarie how doth it stand euery one in hand to labour for true sauing faith The Apostle to the Hebrews saith i Heb. 3. 18. 19. to whom sware he that they should not enter into his rest but to them that beleeued not So we see that they could not enter in because of vnbeliefe And hereupon he exhorteth to labour for true faith lest wanting faith we k Heb. 4. 1. 2. 3. come short of that euerlasting rest of our soules When Martha had receiued Christ into her house and was diligent in prouiding for him and her Sister Marie in the meane time was sitting at Christs feete hearing his word Martha was offended that her Sister should sit downe and not put to her helping hand whereupon Martha comes to Christ and saith l Luk. 10. 38. 39. 40. 41. 42. Lord doest thou not care that my sister hath left me to serue alone bid her therefore that shee helpe me And Iesus answered and said vnto her Martha Martha thou art carefull and troubled about many things but one thing is needfull and Mary hath chosen that good part which shall not be taken away from her There are many both men and women like Martha verâ—e busie yea cumbred and troubled about many things the world ouercomes them and the cares of the world carrie away their minds that for the most part they neglect that which is most needfull That one needfull thing is with Mary to heare the word of Christ to get true faith that by true faith in Iesus Christ our soules may be saued and we may come to life euerlasting This one thing is needfull and whosoeuer they are that haue set their hearts to seeke the Lord to heare the word of Christ and to get true faith whereby they may saue their soules they haue made a good choice they haue with Mary chosen the better part euen that good part which shall not be taken away from them CHAP. XIII Of the benefits of Faith shewing what great good comes to a Christian through true sauing Faith HOw necessary true sauing Faith is hath beene shewed The seuenth thing in the treatise of Faith is 7 The benefits of true faith Which are diuerse concerning the benefit and good that comes thereby The benefits of true sauing Faith are exceeding great and many First I mention the benefit of Iustification True faith 1 Iustification apprehending Christ Iesus iustifieth a sinner in the sight of God acquitteth and dischargeth him from his sinnes and causeth him to bee accepted righteous not for his owne righteousnesse but for the righteousnesse of Christ imputed vnto him So witnesseth S. Paul to the Galatiaus a Gal. 2. 16. Knowing saith hee that a man is not iustified by the workes of the Law but by the faith of Iesus Christ euen wee haue beleeued in Iesus Christ that wee might bee iustified by the faith of Christ and not by the workes of the Law The third and fourth chapters of the Epistle to the Romans stand vpon this argument affirming that we are iustified by Faith without the workes of the Law and proouing in the example of Abraham that righteousnesse is imputed vnto vs by Faith If it be obiected that S. Paul speaking of Iustification Obiect 1 by faith without workes speakes of workes done before a mans conuersion before he be regenerate and of those workes which goe before faith and not of those which follow after I answer that not onely the workes which are done Answ before faith are excluded from our Iustification before God but also workes done after faith euen in the state of grace for S. Paul writing both to the Romanes and Galatians writes to them that had receiued the Gospell and did now beleeue And speaking of Abrahams faith saith b Heb. 11. 17. By faith Abraham when hee was tryed offered vp Isaak Heere was a worke pleasing God namely the offering of his sonne Isaak when God commanded him and this was done by faith when Abraham had true faith it was a worke proceeding from faith and a fruit of faith But did this worke of Abraham iustifie him be fore God No c Rom. 4. 2 3. For if Abraham were iustified by workes as saith S. Paul he hath whereof to glory but not before God For what saith the Scripture Abraham beleeued God and it was counted vnto him for righteousnesse If it be further obiected out of S. Iames that workes Obiect 2 doe iustifie because S. Iames saith d Iam. 2. 21. Was not Abraham our father iustified by workes when he had offered Isaak his sonne vpon the altar And againe he saith e Verse 24. Yee see then how that by workes a man is instified and not by faith only I answer first there is a twofold Iustification the one Answ 1 before God the other before men The former Iustification before God or in the sight of God is by faith onely without workes and so we are iustified f Apprehensiuè apprehensiuely that is by apprehending the righteousnesse of Christ for our iustification for to speake properly only the Righteousnesse of Christ doth iustifie a sinner and faith is but the instrument whereby we lay hold on the righteousnesse of Christ for our iustification and of this Iustification it is that S. Paul saith g Rom 4. 3. Abraham beleeued God and it was counted to him for righteousnesse There is also a Iustification before men and this is by workes
faith is p. 14. 2. Titles giuen therunto 4. 1. Precious faith ibid. 2. Sauing faith ibid. â— Iustifying faith ibid. 4. Faith of Gods Elect. ibid. 3. Properties belonging vnto it 3 1. Knowledge of the Word of God p. 15. 2. Assent vnto the Word of God ibid. 3. Perswasion of the Mercy of God ibid. Vse 1. Against implicite faith p. 16. Vse 2. To labour for a particular faith p. 17. Vse 3. Consolation to them which haue the true faith p. 19. 4. Wherein true Faith consisteth Chap. 7. True Faith consisteth in two things 1. In the right knowledge of the true God pag. 20. two-fold 1. The generall knowledge of God two-fold 1. To know that there is a God which is discerned by 1. The light of nature pag. 21. 2. The works of the creation ibid. Vse Against Atheists which deny God three wayes 1. In heart pag. 22. 2. In words pag. 24. 3. By their deeds p. 25. 2. To know that there is One onely true God Cha. 8. Acknowledging 1. The vnity of the God head p. 26. 2. The Trinity of persons ib. Vse Against Idolatry two-fold 1. Outward two-fold 1. Open plain p. 28. 2. Close couered p. 29 2. Inâ—ard or spirituall p. 31. 2. The particular knowledge of God And what it is chap. 9. wherin foure things are to bee considered 1. How necessary it is For 1. God requireth it p. 34. 2. God complaineth of the want thereof ibid. 3. It s better then sacrifice p. 35. 4. Without it wee cannot bee saued ibid. 2. How profitable it is For 1. It maketh peace amongst men of contrary dispositions ibid. 2. Eternall life commeth thereby p. 36. 3. How dangerous the want thereof is For it causeth 1. Mourning and desolation ibid. 2. A reprobate minde ib. 3. Punishment p. 37. 4. Meanes whereby wee may come to the right knowledge of the true God Two fold By 1. The Scriptures that by 1. Reading the Scriptures p. 38. 2. Hearing the Word ibid. 3. Meditating vpon the Word ibid. 4. Praying for a blessing vpon the meanes ibid. 2. The Spirit of God ibid. Vse To reprooue 1. Those who content themselues with a generall knowledge of God p. 39. 2. The Romists who will not suffer the people to read the Scriptures in a language which they vnderstand ibid. 3. Those who wilfully liue in ignorance p. 41. 2. In the knowledge of the mistery of the Incarnation of Christ chap. 10. And in the knowledge of Christ consider 2 things 1. The sorts and kindes of it two-fold 1. Externall and visible p. 43. 2. Internall spirituall two-fold 1. Generall ibid. 2. Particular p. 44. 2. The Necessity thereof three-fold 1. Hee that wanteth the knowledge of Christ is ignorant ibid. 2. In regard of the knowledge of Christ all things else are but base pag. 45. 4. Without it wee cannot bee saued ibid. Vse Against those that denie Christ by 1. Infidelity as Infidels Pagans Turkes Iewes p. 46. 2. Heresie denying 1. The Natures of Christ his 1. Godhead p. 47. 2. Manhood ibid. 2. His offices of 1. King p. 48. 2. Priest p. 49. 3. Prophet p. 50. 3. Apostasie or falling away 2-fold 1 Particular 1. Into sinne ibid. 2-fold A falling 2. From the profession of Christ through 1. Infirmity p. 51. 2. Security ib. 2. Vniuersall two-fold A falling away 1. From a mans former righteousnesse holinesse to prophanesse and wickednesse p. 52. 2. By sinning against the Holy Ghost Where foure things 1. What it is to sinne against the Holy Ghost p. 52. 2. Why so called ibid. 3. The nature and quality of it shewed in six things p. 54. 4. The punishment thereof three-fold 1. Finall impenitency ibid. 2. Neuer forgiuen ibid. 3. A fearefull end p. 55. 5. Who are partakers of the true Faith chap. 11. Shewed 2 wayes manifesting 1. Who haue not true Faith and that two wayes 1. In generall Reprobates p. 57. 2. In particular 1. The Enemies of the Gospell ibid. 2. Prophane people ibid. 3. Hypocrites ibid. 2. Who haue the true Faith and that two wayes 1. In generall the Elect. p. 58. 2. In particular 1. They that are effectually called ibid. 2. The Regenerate p. 59. 3. They that call vpon God ibid. 4. They that shew their faith by their workes ibid. Vse 1. Not to maruell that vnregenerate men are so wicked for they haue not faith p. 58. Vse 2. Consolation to them that haue true Faith for they are of Gods Elect. pag. 60. 6. The necessity of hauing the true faith ch 12. For 1. Faith is the life of the soule p. 60. 2. Without faith nothing can please God pag. 61. 3. Without faith wee cannot bee saued pag. 62. Vse To get faith into our hearts ibid. 7. The benefits of true faith cha 13. and they are seuen 1. Iustification p. 64. 2. Adoption p. 66. 3. Purifying the heart ibid. 4. A happy life p. 67. 5. Victory ouer the world p. 68. 6. Victory ouer the Deuill ibid. 7. Saluation ibid. Vse To vse all possible meanes to obtaine the true sauing faith p. 69. 8. How true sauing faith may bee obtained chap. 14. By two meanes 1. The efficient cause of faith the Spirit of God p. 70. Vse Against mans free-will in spirituall good things p. 71. 2. The instrumentall cause of faith The Word of God pag. 72. two-fold 1. The Law p. 72. 2. The Gospell p. 73. Vse Against those who boast of their faith and yet lightly regard the Word of God the ordinary means of obtaining faith pag. 74. 9. Meanes wherby true faith is increased and preserued Chap. 15. they are three 1. The Word of God that by 1. Reading the Scriptures p. 75. 2. Hearing the Word of God p. 76. 3. Meditating vpon the Word p. 77. 4. Conference about the Word ibid. 2. The vse of the Sacraments which 1. Nourish the soule ibid. 2. Confirme the promises of the Gospell p. 78. 3. Prayer pag. 79. Vse Diligently and conscionably to vse these meanes whereby faith is increased and preserued p. 79. Quest Whether may true saith be so preserued that it may continue for euer and not vtterly faile Chap. 16. 1. The decree of Gods election is sure pag. 82. 2. They are built vpon a rocke ibid. 3. They are ingrafted into Christ ibid. 4. They haue Gods promise not to fall away for euer ibid. 5. Christ hath prayed for the Elect that they may perseuere to the end p. 83. 6. They are within the golden chain of Saluation ibid. Answ They that haue the true faith their faith cannot altogether faile nor they vtterly fall away For Vse 1. To make our calling and election sure pag. 87. Vse 2. Consolation to the children of God because their faith shall not vtterly faile pag. 88. 10. Signes of true faith chap. 17. two-fold 1. Inward 5. 1. The witnesse of the Spirit p. 89. 2. A feeling of grace p. 90. 3. A Desire to obey Gods commandements ibid. 4. Deuout prayer ibid.
c. 6. to them that beleeue This is called an historicall faith For they that haue this faith doe acknowledge the History of the Bible and all things contained therin to be true by this faith they acknowledge that what God hath done is true and what he hath sayd and promised shall surely come to passe they haue a generall knowledge they haue their vnderstanding inlightned with knowledge but not with renewing grace nor sauing knowledge this bare knowledge alone may bee in Reprobates and wicked men yea in the Deuils In wicked men for it is sayd of Simon that p Acts 8. 13. hee beleeued Did he beleeue what faith had hee was it a true faith No his faith was but a generall knowledge with an assent to the things which hee heard the Apostles preach that they were true but they wanted the true sauing faith as appeares by Peters sharp rebuking of him for that his q Verse 21 23. heart was not right in the sight of God but was still in the gall of bitternesse and in the bond of iniquity yea this generall faith is in Deuils as S. Iames witnesseth r Jam. 2. 19. thou beleeuest that there is one God thou doest well the Deuils also beleeue and tremble That is the Deuils haue a generall knowledge of the Word of God and the things contained therein and beleeue that whatsoeuer is written in the Word of God is true they beleeue according to the Scriptures that God is a iust God and will punish sinners yea they know and beleeue that God hath prepared Hell for the tormenting not onely of wicked and vngodly men but for the euerlasting tormenting of the Deuill and his Angels this they beleeue and beleeuing tremble but they want the true faith to apprehend the mercy of God in Christ Iesus Wherefore one saith of the faith of Deuils that it is Å¿ Fides in Daemonibus coacta Tho. 1. q. 64. ar 2. not voluntary but forcibly drawne from them Secondly some haue not onely a knowledge of the 2 Temporary faith Word and doctrine deliuered in the Scriptures but do giue their assent thereunto by open profession of the Gospell and that with ioy and delight but it is onely Parae explic catech Vrsin for a time and in time of trouble and temptation their faith failes and they go away and fall backe from their faith and profession This is called a Temporary faith because it is but temporary it is not permanent it continueth not These are resembled by the stony ground vpon which the seed of Gods Word falleth and they receiue it with ioy yet haue no root in themselues and therfore t Matth. 13. 10 21. dure but for a while for when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the Word by and by they are offended as our Sauiour speakes in the Parable of the seede And as S. Luke hath it u Luk. 8. 13. for a while they beleeue and in time of temptation fall away Thirdly some haue had power giuen them from aboue 3 Miraculous faith to doe wonders and worke miracles and that by the gift of Faith which faith was a speciall gift of God either to doe some strange and extraordinary worke Parae which could not be done by ordinary meanes or else a gift of fore-telling things to come by diuine reuelation By this faith Peter restored the x Acts 3. 9 7. lame to his limbs And raised y Acts 9. 40. Tabitha from death to life And by this faith Paul healed the man that had beene z Acts 14. 8 9 10. a Cripple from his mothers wombe But this faith alone though it bee great in power and mighty in working doth not iustifie a sinner nor saue a soule and therefore wee finde that wicked men and such as haue not had true sauing faith haue had power to doe miracles and to worke wonders It is held that Iudas wrought miracles as did also the rest Pola Synt. t. 2. l. 9. c. 6. of the Apostles for Christ gaue this power to the a Matth. 10. 1. twelue Disciples and yet Iudas was a Deuill and so Christ calls him b Ioh. 6. 70 71. Haue not I chosen you twelue and one of you is a Deuill he spake of Iudas Iscariot Our Sauiour hath told vs that very Hypocrites and wicked men may doe wonders and will glory in the same and plead for themselues at that great day what wonderfull things they haue done c Mat. 7. 22 23. Many will say to me saith Christ in that day Lord Lord haue we not prophesied in thy name and in thy name haue cast out Deuils and in thy name done many wonderfull workes and then I will professe vnto them I neuer knew you depart from mee yee that worke iniquity And S. Paul speaking of Antichrist saith that d 2 Thess 2. 9. his comming is after the working of Satan with all power and signes and lying wonders Fourthly some haue faith whereby they doe not 4 Iustifying faith onely beleeue the Word of God to be true and giue assent thereunto with ioy for a time but the Spirit of God worketh such grace in their hearts that they doe apprehend Christ Iesus for their Iustification and are perswaded of the mercy of God in Christ for the remission of their sinnes and saluation of their soules and in this faith they continue to the end these haue a true iustifying and sauing faith Of this faith and the nature of it more is to be spoken in the next place where I come to shew what the true faith is CHAP. VI. Shewing that there is but one true sauing Faith and what it is with the titles giuen vnto it and the properties belongging thereunto THe diuerse sorts and kinds of Faith being made 3 There is but one true faith knowen the order of the Treatise requires that in the third place I make it manifest that notwithstanding there bee diuerse kindes of faith yet there is but one true faith For concerning Faith we are to consider two things the one is touching the things about which faith is conuersant which is the obiect of faith the other is concerning the subiect persons in whom faith is Faith is as hath beene shewed diuersly in diuerse men some haue a great and some a little faith some haue a strong and some a weake faith some haue an effectuall working faith a liuing faith and some haue but an vnfruitfull faith a dead faith some haue a fained and some an vnfained faith some haue but an historicall some a temporary and some a true iustifying and sauing faith In regard of men therfore faith is diuerse but inasmuch as the a Cum obiectum fidei sit prima veritas fides necessario vna Tho 22 a. q. 4. ar 6. obiect of faith is as one saith the first truth because faith is conuersant about the Truth and that there is but one Truth from
hence it is that there is but one true faith by which wee can be saued This is verified by that saying of the Apostle to the Ephesians b Ephes 4. 5. one Lord one Faith one Baptisme And this one true sauing faith is thus defined True sauing faith is a gift of God whereby we apprehend What true sauing faith is Christ and his merits for our iustification and eternall saluation Or more largely thus True sauing faith is a gift of God wrought in the heart by the Spirit of God whereby we doe not onely assent to the Word of God which we know and vnderstand that it is true but also being perswaded of the mercy of God in Christ doe apprehend Christ and apply vnâ—o our selues the promises of the Gospell for remission of sins and euerlasting life through the merits of Christ This is the true Titles giuen to true sauing faith faith which for the excellency of it is called by S. Peter c 2 Pet. 1. 1. precious Faith It is called also sauing Faith because through it a sinner is saued d Ephes 2. 8. by grace faith the Apostle you are saued through Faith It is also called iustifying Faith because that by this faith we are iustified from our sinnes and accepted as righteous in the sight of God Thus S. Paul speakes to the Romanes e Rom. 5. 1. being iustified by Faith And lastly it is called f Tit. 1. 1. the Faith of Gods Elect because it is proper to the Elect. And in this true sauing faith there are three things Three things properly belonging to true sauing faith Pola Synt. t. 2. l. 9. c. 6. necessarily required which doe fully containe the nature and declare the properties thereof The first is a knowledge of the word of God and the promises of the Gospell The second is an assent thereunto The third is a perswasion of obtaining grace and mercy promised Touching the first To true sauing faith there is necessarily 1 Knowledge of the Word of God required a knowledge of the word of God necessary it is to know God and his sonne Christ Iesus whom he hath sent necessary it is to know and vnderstand the Articles of faith in a word necessary it is for euery one that will be saued to know all things necessary to his saluation g Rom. 10. 17. Faith commeth by hearing and hearing by the Word of God as saith the Apostle Now then if a man know not the Word of God how shall he beleeue to saluation Secondly in true faith there is required an assent vnto 2 An assent vnto the Word of God the Word of God that is to euery word of God in generall and in particular to the promises of the Gospell made to them that beleeue because it is sayd h Marc. 1. 15. Beleeue the Gospell And this assent to the word of God and promises of the Gospell is to be yeelded of vs not in respect of any euident reason that we see to cause vs to assent thereunto but in regard of the authority of God whose word it is for faith is not grounded vpon reason neither is it exercised about things visible to the eye of man but about things inuisible for faith as the Apostle saith is the i Heb. 11. 1. substance of things hoped for the euidence of things not seene And therefore whatsoeuer is written in the whole Word of God we are to giue assent thereunto and to beleeue it for a certaine truth because it is the Word of God though we see no reason to perswade vs thereunto Thirdly in true saith there is required a perswasion 3 A perswasion of the mercy of God of the mercy of God in Christ for the remission of sins and euerlasting saluation through the merits of Christ with a particular application of the same whereby the true beleeuer is perswaded that the promises of God made in the Gospell to them that beleeue doe aswell belong vnto him as vnto others and assuredly beleeueth that through the merits of Christ he himselfe shall be saued Of which particular faith Paul speakes thus to the Galatians k Gal. 2. 20. I am crucified with Christ neuerthelesse I liue yet not I but Christ liueth in mee and the life which I now liue in the flesh I liue by the faith of the Sonne of God who loued me and gaue himselfe for me In that he speakes of his faith in the Sonne of God and saith that God loued him and gaue himselfe for him hee speakes of a particular faith applying Christ vnto himselfe These are the properties of true sauing faith which being duely considered may serue First for confutation of that Romish implicite faith Vse 1 which stands in a bare assent to the Word of God and Against implicite faith the articles of faith in generall without a particular distinct knowledge of what is beleeued beleeuing according to that which the Church beleeueth Thus the Church of Rome leads the poore people in blindnesse perswading them that it is sufficient for them to assent to the faith of the Church whatsoeuer it be and to beleeue as their Pastors beleeue though they vnderstand not what they beleeue Yea Bellarmine himselfe a Cardinall of Rome doubteth not to say that iustifying faith is l Neque fiducia in Deo per Christum neque vera aliqua rerum diuinarum notitia sed simplex sâ—â— merus generalis verbi diuini assentus Bellar. de Iustis neither any confidence in God through Christ neither is it any true knowledge of things diuine but a meere generall assent of the Word of God But I haue prooued that besides the assent that wee are to giue to the Word of God in true faith there is required a knowledge and vnderstanding of the truth which we assent vnto yea moreouer a particular application of the promises of the Gospell For if a bare assent to the Word of God without knowledge of the same and to beleeue as the Church beleeueth and not to inquire in particular what the Church beleeueth were sufficient to the sauing of mens soules Wherefore then is it that our Sauiour saith m Ioh. 5 39. search the Scriptures And that S. Paul saith n 1 Thess 5. 20 21. Despise not prophesyings prooue all things hold fast that which is good The Bereans are commended not onely for that when they heard the Apostles preach they receiued the Word with readinesse of minde but also because they o Acts 17. 11 12. searched the Scriptures datly whether those things were so And it followeth therefore many of them beleeued These Bereans heard the Word of the Apostles but they did not giue assent therunto to beleeue what they heard for a certaine truth till they had searched the Scriptures to see whether the things which the Apostles preached were agreeable to the Scriptures and then they beleeued Wherefore this implicite faith is to bee reiected
is the true knowledge of God this is eternall life to know thee the only true God in the later part there is contained the mystery of the incarnation of Christ and Iesus Christ whom thou hast sent And because the true sauing faith which brings life eternall c In two things stands in these two the knowledge of God and of Iesus Christ for this cause one saith that d Fides est vita aeterna Bren. in Ioh. 17. Faith is life eternall Because by faith we apprehend Christ and possesse Christ who is our Righteousnesse our Saluation and our Life Againe concerning the former the knowledge of God S. Paul saith e Heb. 11. 6. he that commeth to God must beleeue that God is Of the later the knowledge of Christ our 1 In the right knowledge of the true God Which knowledge of God is two-fold Sauiour Christ himselfe saith f Ioh 14. 1. Yee beleeue in God beleeue also in mee The first thing then wherein true faith consisteth is the right knowledge of the true God Now the knowledge of God is two-fold Generall and 1 The generall knowledge of God two-fold Particular The generall knowledge of God is also two-fold The first generall knowledge of God is to know and 1 To know that there is a God Which may be knowne acknowledge that there is a God which generall knowledge of God men may attaine vnto not onely by the cleere light of the Scriptures but by the very light of Nature and not onely by the Word of God but also by the workes of the Creation First by the very light of Nature men haue a generall 1 By the light of Nature knowledge that there is a God for naturally the knowledge of God is written in the mindes of men and euery mans conscience doth couince him that there is a God and no nation was euer so rude and barbarous but hath acknowledged that there is a God as some Heathen men themselues haue testified Of this generall knowledge of God the Scripture speakes thus g Rom. 1. 19. that which may be known of God is manifested in thē for God hath shewed it vnto them Againe the Apostle saith h Rom. 2. 14 15. When the Gentiles which haue not the Law do by nature the things contained in the Law these hauing not the Law are a Law vnto themselues which shew the worke of the Law written in their hearts their conscience also bearing witnesse and their thoughts the meane while accusing or else excusing one another Secondly men may come to this generall knowledge 2 By the workes of the creation of God by the workes of the Creation when men lift vp their eyes towards the Heauens and behold the Firmament the Sunne the Moone and the Starres those rious lights and consider the excellent frame of Heauen Earth take a view of the things contained therein they may in the workes of God as in a faire large booke read in capitall letters that there is a God which made Heauen and Earth the Sea and all things therein Of which the Apostle thus speaketh to the Romanes i Rom. 1. 20. The inuisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearely seene being vnderstood by the things that are made euen his eternall power and God-head The consideration of this generall knowledge of Vse God that there is a God both by the light of Nature Against Atheists which deny God and by the book of the Creatures may serue for the iust reprehension of Atheists who deny God Of which there are three sorts The first are such as deny God in heart 1 In heart The second which deny God in words The third which deny God by their works Touching the first sort There are some so much wanting in the knowledge of God and so farre from acknowledging the very true God that they deny God and though some dare not be so wicked to blaspheme the Deity with open mouth to say there is no God yet in their hearts they thinke so and say so secretly within themselues Of such it is sayd in the Psalmes k Psal 14. 1. the foole hath sayd in his heart There is no God This Atheisme of the heart is when men conceiue euill thoughts and imaginations against God as when they see the diuerse conditions of men in the world and marke how some liue in prosperity and others in aduersit◠how some flow in wealth and others spend their dayes in misery how for the most part wicked men flourish and haue what their heart can wish and good men are afflicted they begin to thinke with themselues if there be a God where is his Prouidence that should rule and gouerne all things in the world why doth God suffer things to bee so heere the foole saith in his heart there is no God because he cannot discerne the Prouidence of God which extends it selfe to all things in the world so that not so much a◠a Sparrow can fall to the ground l Matth. 10. 29. without your father as saith our Sauiour When men see and perceiue that wicked and vngodly men through pride exalt themselues aboue others and grow to be oppressors of the poore wronging the righteous hurting the fatherlesse and the widdowes they say within themselues where is the Iustice of God if God be a iust God why are not such wicked men punished why doth not some iudgement fall vpon such cruell oppressors thus the foole saith in his heart there is no God because hee hath not patience to waite the appointed time of Gods Iustice to see the end of the wicked and to consider that though the wicked prosper for a time yet the Lord hath set them m Psal 73. 18. in slippery places and in the end will cast them downe Further when wicked men commit sinne and doe not feele the hand of God vpon them punishing and plaguing them for their sinnes they begin to deny the knowledge of God and the presence of God and conceiue wicked thoughts against God that God sees not that God knowes not all the wickednesse that they do and therfore they are bold to continue in sinne and to goe on in their vngodly course of life and say n Psal 10. 11. in their heart God hath forgotten he hideth his face he will neuer see it Again o Verse 13. he hath sayd in his hert thou wilt not require it Moreouer they say p Psal 73. 11. How doth God know is there knowledge in the most High now to deny the prouidence of God the Iustice of God the knowledge of God and presence of God to deny that God knowes all things and sees all things is to deny God Wherefore to the end that this sinne of Atheisme in the heart may be remedied it behooues euery one to looke carefully to his heart to watch ouer his heart that no such wicked thought against God
doe arise in the heart and if at any time such euill thoughts doe arise to labour to suppresse and beat them down by acknowledging Gods diuine prouidence that hee rules and gouernes all things in the world and that most wisely by acknowledging Gods Iustice in punishing sinners and rewarding euery man according to his deedes by acknowledging Gods omniscience and omnipresence that God knowes and sees all things that are done vpon the face of the earth according to that saying of Salomon q Prou. 15. 4. the eyes of the Lord are in euery place beholding the euill and the good And therefore not to bee so foolish nor so sinfully wicked as to say with the foole though it bee in his heart There is no God The second sort of Atheists are they which in plaine 2 In words words deny God The former did but thinke euill against God they sayd but in their heart there is no God But these blaspheme God with their mouths r Psal 73. 9. They set their mouth against the Heauens These kinde of Atheists are a most wicked generation hauing mouthes full of blasphemies odious to God and hatefull to good men Traytors they are to Gods Maiesty they deny Gods Supremacy they deny God to be supreme Gouernour of the world attributing all things to Nature These deserue rather to be punished then confuted But if the Atheist would diligently consider the glorious Reasons against Atheisme frame and orderly composing of the things in Heauen and Earth if he would lift vp his eyes towards the Heauens aboue and take a diligent view of the things below hee should bee stricken with admiration and say Å¿ Psal 104. 24. O Lord how manifold are thy workes in wisdome hast thou made them all Besides the Atheist might know that there is a God by his Prouidence so wisely and orderly gouerning all things in the world Indeede we see that there is a naturall course of things in heauen and earth the Sunne knoweth his rising and falling Summer and Winter keepe their naturall course but there is a first Moouer euen that Heauenly Moouer who sits in his throne in the highest Heauens and giues motion to the things in heauen and earth whose name is t Exod. 3. 14. I am who hath a being of himselfe giues being to all creatures in whom we liue and mooue and haue our being and that must needes bee God who rules and gouernes all things in their naturall course Lastly let the Atheist knocke at the doore of his owne conscience and aske what that meaneth that at the hearing of thunder-claps at the flashing of lightning and at the mighty moouing of the earth hee is so afrayd and trembleth Yea let him aske againe and enquire what that meaneth that the worme is still gnawing and biting and will giue him no rest And his owne conscience will tell him that in all these there is something aboue nature that there is a God who sheweth his mighty power in the clowds and by the same mighty power shaketh the foundations of the earth that there is a God who because hee is a iust God will not suffer wicked men to goe vnpunished and the gnawing worme of a guilty conscience in the meane time will giue the sinner no rest but accuseth him of the transgression of the Law of God his owne conscience is as a Sergeant arresting him and summoning him to appeare before Gods Tribunall Seat there to answer for the deedes that hee hath done The Atheists owne conscience telleth him that there is a God so that he may say u Psal 58. 11. Verily there is a reward for the righteous verily he is a God that iudgeth in the earth The third sort of Atheists are they who deny God 3 By their deeds by their deedes of which denying of God S. Paul speakes to Titus x Tit. 1. 16. They professe that they know God but in workes they deny him being abominable and disobedient and vnto euery good worke reprobate Heere is mention of denying God but who deny him they that professe they know God How may that bee that they which professe God should also deny God they professe him in words but deny him in deedes Such Atheists as these there were in the Apostles time I would there were not cause to complaine of such in our time Many yea the most men professe that they know God they acknowledge there is a God and they acknowledge that God is to be worshipped yet many deny God by their workes Consider this first in prophane people Demand of the greatest Swearer Prophaner of the Saboth Quarreller Adulterer Drunkard c. whether he know God Hee will professe that he knowes God but look to his deeds and you shall finde that they are vile and abominable his workes are such and his manner of life such as if he rather thought in his heart there were no God neither God nor Deuill neither Heauen nor Hell Secondly consider this in Hypocrites they professe that they know God they worship God publikely and it may be priuately too in the Church and in the house they read the Scriptures heare the Word and receiue the Sacraments in a word they will not be behinde in any outward religious duty of piety and holinesse And all this is godly and religious What then is wanting one thing is wanting the practice of godlinesse a good life a godly conuersation answerable to their profession this is wanting For consider in regard of the performance of the duties of piety how some doe all in outward shew and for vaine-glory pray and fast to be seen of men and giue almes to haue praise of men consider their workes of righteousnesse their dealing towards men how farre they are from doing vnto others as they would that men should do vnto them further let it be obserued how diuerse will take their times and opportunities when they are out of the company of the godly they be for all companies to doe as others doe to sweare among Swearers to game with Gamesters to drinke with Drunkards to bee partakers with the Adulterers and as the saying is among Good-fellowes to play the Good-fellow to carowse and drinke healths c. and by these things it may euidently appeare that though they professe they know God yet by their works they deny him These are no good Christians no sound Professours because their words and their workes doe not agree together their conuersation is not answerable to their profession but these are Hypocrites yea Atheists denying God They professe that they know God but in workes they deny him To conclude seeing that wicked life and a bad conuersation rankes a man either amongst the prophane or amongst Hypocrites and such as deny God my exhortation to all that know God aright and to those that make a good profession is that of the Apostle Paul to the Philippians y Let your conuersation be as it becommeth
euen wicked men Reprobates yea Deuels 2 Against the Romists who will not suffer the people to read the Scriptures in a language which they vnderstand haue a generall knowledge of God they know that there is a God yea they know there is one God as witnesseth S. Iames g Iam. 2. 19. Thou beleeuest hat there is one God thou doest well the Deuils also beleeue and tremble Secondly seeing that the meanes of attaining to the true knowledge of God is as hath beene shewed by the Scriptures by reading and hearing the Word of God and meditating thereon this reproues the Romish Church which will not suffer the Lay-people to haue the Scriptures in a knowne tongue nor to read them in a language which they vnderstand but locke vp the Scriptures from them in a strange language and so will not suffer the simple people to come to the knowledge of the truth contrary to the word of Christ h Ioh. 5. 39. Search the Scriptures contrary to the practice of those noble Bereans who i Acts 17. 11. searched the Scripture and contrary to the doctrine of the Fathers of the Church in former times for Chrysostome exhorteth the people to k Comparate vobu Biblia c. Chrysost in Col. 3. Hom 9. prouide them Bibles or the New Testament and exhorteth Parents to teach their children to sing Psalmes Heere then consider what great wrong and manifest iniury the Romish Preists doe to the poore people for in keeping the Scriptures from them they take from them both their light and their weapons Their light Dauid saith l Psal 119. 105. Thy word is a lampe vnto my feet and a light vnto my path The Word of God is to a man for the direction of his life as a lampe as a torch as a light shining befâ—re him in a darke night to direct and guide his feet in the way wherein he is to walke Now to depriue the people of the Scriptures in their vulgur tongue is to take away their lampe to put out their candle to depriue them of the light and to cause them walke in darknesse so the blind lead the blinde and both fall into the ditch This is also to depriue the people of their spirituall armour wherwith they should defend themselues against the assaults of the Deuill The Word of God is part of that armour of God appointed for a Christian-souldier it is his sword so the Apostles cals it m Eph. 6. 17. Take the helmet of saluation the sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God With this sword of the Spirit Christ our Sauiour â—ought against the Deuill and ouercame him for when the Deuill tempted Christ hee answered n Matth 4. 4. It is written the Word of God was the weapons wherwith he fought by the Sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God Christ draue away the Deuill and this sword of the Spirit the Word of God is appointed for eueey Christian to take vnto himselfe to defend himselfe against his spirituall aduersaries yea against that great aduersary of our soules the Deuill and therefore whereas the Church of Rome will not suffer the Lay-people to read the Scriptures in a language which they vnderstand they send them to fight against the Deuill that strong aduersary and take their weapons from them and so lay them open to the assaults of the Deuill Thirdly seeing that the knowledge of God is as hath 3 Against those who wilfully liue in ignorance beene shewed so necessary so profitable and the want thereof so hurtfull and dangerous and that there are also meanes to come to the knowledge of God this reprooues those who notwithstanding these things yet still liue in ignorance and doe not labour to come to the knowledge of the truth that they may bee saued though the light shine they walke still in darknesse and though meanes of saluation be offered yet they refuse or at least neglect the meanes inasmuch as they doe not diligently read the Scripture nor attentiuely heare the word of God preached neither by meditation ponder it in their hearts inasmuch as they doe not suffer it to take rooting in their hearts but suffer it to slip out of their mindes and doe not pray vnto God for a blessing vpon their hearing and reading of the Word of God For certainely there is no man hauing reason and capacity to vnderstand but vsing these good means might attaine to the knowledge of God If a man that is as yet ignorant of the true knowledge of God would diligently apply himselfe to the reading of the Scriptures and to the hearing of the Word read and preached when he hath heard the Word of God if he would lay it vp in his heart and meditate thereon and lastly if he would earnestly pray vnto God for the obtaining of the Spirit of God to inlighten his vnderstanding with true sauing knowledge and that God by his holy Spirit would sanctifie his heart sanctifie his vnderstanding and memorie if he would when he reades the Scriptures pray that God would o Ephe. 1. 18. inlighten the eyes of his vnderstanding and p Psal 119. 18. open his eyes that he might behold wondrous things out of the law When he heareth the word pray that God by his holy Spirit would open his heart as he did q Act. 16. 14. Lydia's that he might attend to the things which are spoken of the Preacher and when he hath either heard or read the Scriptures pray that he might with the Mother of Christ r Luk. 2. 51. keepe all those sayings in his heart by these holy and sanctified means a man might attaine to so much knowledge as would be sufficient for the sauing of his soule by these meanes he might be able to giue an account of his Faith and to render a Å¿ 1. Pet. 3. 15. reason of the hope that is in him In a word by these meanes a man may t 1. Tim. 2. 4. come vnto the knowledge of the truth that he may be saued CHAP. X. Of the knowledge of Iesus Christ Generall and particular How necessary the true knowledge of Iesus Christ is against those which denie Iesus Christ by Infidelity Heresie and Apostasie HItherto of the first thing wherein true Faith consisteth the knowledge of God Secondly true sauing Faith consisteth in 2 In the right knowledge of the mysterie of the Incarnation of Christ the right knowledge of the mysterie of the Incarnation of Christ of this our Sauiour Christ himselfe saith a Ioh. 17. 3. this is life eternall to know thee the onely true God and Iesus Christ whom thou hast sent Againe he saith to his Disciples b Ioh. 14. 3. ye beleeue in God beleeue also in me In the knowledge of Iesus Christ I consider two things First the sorts and kinds of it Wherein two things Secondly the necessitie of it For the first 1 The
Quest Iesus Christ Yea S. Iohn saith t 1 Ioh. 2. 22. Who is a lier but he that denieth that Answ Iesus is the Christ And Iude saith u Iude 4. There are certaine men crept in vnawares who were before of old ordained to this condition vngodly men turning the grace of our God into laciuiousnesse and denying the onely Lord God and our Lord Iesus Christ And Christ is denied three wayes By Infidelity Christ is denied three manner of wayes Heresie and Apostasie First Iesus Christ is denied by Infidelity Infidels 1 By Infidelity Pagans Heathen men doe not know God nor acknowledge Iesus Christ The Turks vtterly deny Iesus Christ yea despise Christ so that they persecute Christians that professe the name of Christ And therfore their religion is a false religion and the worshipping of God a false worship because they worship God out of Christ for S. Iohn saith x 1 Iob. 2. 23. Whosoeuer denieth the Sonne the same hath not the Father The Iewes also to this day deny Iesus Christ For although it be true that they expect the Messias and looke for Christ to come yet they deny that Iesus Christ which was borne of the Virgin Mary and suffered vnder Pontius Pilate is the Messias this they constantly deny And to deny this is to deny Iesus Christ As S. Iohn also saith y 1 Ioh. 2. 22. Who is a lier but hee that denyeth that Iesus is Christ Againe S. Iohn saith z 1 Ioh. 4. 2 3. Euery spirit that confesseth that Iesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God And euery spirit that confesseth not that Iesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God Thus Infidels Turkes and Iewes deny Iesus Christ Secondly Iesus Christ is denied by heresie Heretikes 2 By Heresie deny Iesus Christ by erring from the truth some denying the natures and some the offices of Christ First concerning the natures of Christ 1 Denying the natures of Christ his God-head and Man hood The Person of Christ is one in which there are two natures the God-head and Man-hood of Christ whereby Christ is God and Man true God and perfect man as he is the Sonne of God he is true God equall to the Father for S. Iohn saith a Ioh. 1. 1. In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God And as he is the sonne of man he is true man for as the Apostle saith b Heb. 2. 16. Hee tooke not on him the nature of Angels but he tooke on him the seede of Abraham And these two natures of Christ the God-head and Man-hood make but one Person CHRIST God and Man And these two natures are not turned one into another neither are they separated and diuided one from another nor confounded one with another but these two natures are vnited together by an Hypostaticall Vnion Which c Vnio est personalis non personarum naturarum est vnion non naturalis sed omninò supernaturaliis Pola Synt. t. 2. l. 6. c. 16. Vnion is personall but it is not a vnion of persons and it is a vnion of the natures of Christ but yet is it no naturall vnion but altogether supernaturall And notwithstanding that these two natures of Christ be vnited togethed yet are they distinguished there remaine in one Person Christ two distinct natures the God-head and Man-hood so that the God-head of Christ hath all the essentiall properties belonging to the diuine nature and the Man-hood of Christ retaineth all the naturall properties which are properly belonging to the humane nature But contrary to this receiued truth concerning the natures of Christ certaine Heretikes haue risen who haue denied some the God-head of Christ as d Ruffin lib. 1. â— cap. 1. Arrius who denied that the Sonne of God was of the same substance with the Father who was condemned by the first e Concil Nicaen 1. Niceno Councell where it was concluded and decreed that Christ the Sonne of God was f 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ruff. liâ— 1. cap. 5. of the same substance with the Father equall to the Father touching his God-head Some Heretikes haue denied the true Man-hood of Christ g Sozom. lib. 6. cap. 27. Apollinarius held that Christ did not take a true body of the Virgin Mary his mother but that hee had it from eternity h Euagr. l. 1. c. 2. Nestorius diuided the natures of Christ the God-head from the man-hood who was condemned by the i Concil Ephesin Ephesine Councell And Eutyches another Heretike confounded the natures of Christ affirming that Christ after the assumption of the humane nature had no more two natures but one who was condemned by the k Concil Chalced. Chalcedon Councell Now these Heretikes and all that hold of their part in that they deny either the God head or the Manhood of Christ in that they either diuide or confound the natures of Christ they erre from the true faith of Iesus Christ they doe not beleeue aright concerning the incarnation of our Lord Iesus Christ And in that they deny the God-head or Man-hood of Christ in that they diuide or confound his natures they deny Iesus Christ And as Heretikes haue erred from the truth touching 2 Denying the offices of Christ the natures of Christ so also some haue erred from the truth concerning the offices of Christ The offices of Christ are three for he is CHRIST that is anoynted a King a Priest and a Prophet to his Church The errours concerning the offices of Christ are in the Romish Church true it is the Romists in words confesse Christ to bee a King a Priest and a Prophet yet in deede and in truth by their doctrine and practice they deny his offices for confirmation heereof Of First concerning the regall or kingly office of Christ 1 A King we hold that Christ is a King and therefore hath absolute rule and power ouer his Church hee rules in the hearts and consciences of men by the scepter of his Word and by his boly Spirit hee onely hath power to make lawes to binde the conscience but contrary to this the Church of Rome holds that the Pope hath power to make lawes to binde the consciences of men and that in things pertaining to l Bellarm. de Pontif. lib. 4. Faith and Christian life Secondly for the Priesthood of Christ they confesse Christ as we doe to be a Priest for euer after the order of 2 A Priest Melchisedech but yet oppugne the Priest-hood of Christ specially in three things First by offering in the Masse an m Bâ—llar de sa-Miss lib. 5. vnbloody sacrifice for sinne and this is done often whereas the Apostle saith n Heb. 9 28. Christ was but once offered to beare the sinnes of many Againe he saith o Heb. 10. 10. Wee are sanctified through the offering of the body of Iesus Christ once for all
Pet. 2. 20. 21. 22. If after they haue escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ they are againe intangled therein and ouer come the latter end is worse with them then the beginning For it had beene better for them not to haue knowne the way of righteousnesse then after they haue knowne it to turne from the holy Commaundement deliuered vnto them But it is happened vnto them according vnto the true prouerbe the dog is turned to his owne vomit againe and the Sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire This is a very dangerous falling away but yet heare and consider of a more dangerous backsliding and a more fearfull falling away The second vniuersall falling away is when a man 2 By sinning against the holy Ghost What it is to sinne against the holy Ghost hauing beene inlighted by the holy Ghost with the knowledge of God and his Sonne Iesus Christ and hauing made a profession of Christ doth afterwards deny the truth against his owne knowledge and conscience doth maliciously oppose himselfe against the knowne truth and euen persecute those that professe the truth This is properly called the sinne against the holy Sinne against the holy Ghost why so called Ghost not because sinne can be so committed against the holy Ghost but it is also against the Father and the Sonne and when the holy Ghost is offended the Father is offended and the Sonne is offended for the Godhead is one But it is called the sinne against the holy Ghost because this sinne is committed against the proper and immedrate working of the holy Ghost which is to inlighten the minds and vnderstandings of men with the true knowledge of God and his Sonne Iesus Christ Now when the holy Ghost hath inlightned any one with the true knowledge of Iesus Christ and afterwards he so fall away from the truth that he deny Iesus Christ and malicously persecute the knowne truth this is to sinne against God and against Iesus Christ but properly and after a speciall manner it is to sinne against the holy Ghost inasmuch as he sinneth against the immediate inlightning of the holy Ghost Of this sinne against the holy Ghost with the fearfull state of those which fall into this sinne the Scripture euidently speakes the Apostle to the Hebrewes saith i Heb. 6. 4. 5. 6. It is impossible for those who were once inlightned and haue tasted of the heauenly gift and were made partakers of the holy Ghost and haue tasted the good word of God and the powers of the world to come if they shall fall away to renue them againe vnto repentance seeing they crucifie to themselues the Sonne of God afresh and put him to an open shame Againe he saith k Heb. 10. 26. 27. 28. 29. If we sinne wilfully after that we haue receiued the knowledge of the truth there remaineth no more sacrifice for sinnes But a certaine fearfull looking for of iudgement and fieric indignation which shall deuoure the aduersaries He that despised Moses law died without mercie vnder two or three witnesses Of how much sorer punishment suppose ye shall he be thought worthy who hath troden vnder-foote the Sonne of God and hath counted the bloud of the couenant wherewith he was sanctified an vnholy thing and hath done despite vnto the Spirit of Grace From which words of the Apostle two things may be gathered Two things herein to be considered The one is the nature and quality of the sinne against the holy Ghost The other is the punishment due to the same First the nature and qualitie of this sinne is set forth by sixe things 1 The nature qualitie of the sinne against the holy Ghost shewed in sixe things They that sinne against the holy Ghost are 1 First inlightned with the knowledge of the truth 2 Secondly they haue a taste of the heauenly gift 3 Thirdly they are made partakers of the holy Ghost 4 Fourthly they haue had a taste of the good word of God 5 Fiftly they haue had a taste of the powers of the world to come 6 Sixtly after all this they so fall away that they crucifie the Sonne of God afresh they trample and tread vnder foote the bloud of the Couenant and count it an vnholy thing and doe despite vnto the Spirit of Grace Heer 's the Sinne. The second thing is the punishment which vsually 2 The punishment of them that sinne against the holy Ghost befals those that sinne against the holy Ghost and that 's three-fold The first is finall impenitencie they that sinne against the holy Ghost are stricken with a marueilous hardnes of heart so that they cannot repent they are past repentance 1 Finall impenitencie wherefore the Apostle saith l Heb. 6. 4. 5. 6. it is impossible for those who were once inlightned c if they shall fall away to renue them againe vnto repentance The second is neuer to be forgiuen they that sinne against the holy Ghost can haue no remission no forgiuenesse 2 Neuer forgiuen of sinnes they can haue no mercie shewed them m Mat. 12. 31. 32. All manner of sinne and blasphemie shall be forgiuen vnto men saith our Sauiour but the blasphemy against the holy Ghost shall not be forgiuen vnto men And whosoeuer speaketh a word against the sonne of man it shall be forgiuen him but whosoeuer speaketh against the holy Ghost it shall not be forgiuen him nether in this world nor in the world to come And in St Marke it s said n Mar. 3. 29. he that shall blaspheme against the holy Ghost hath neuer forgiuenesse This second punishment followeth vpon the first one is the cause of the other they that sinne against the holy Ghost shall neuer haue forgiuenesse because they haue not grace to repent true it is the mercie of God is great aboue all our transgressions and God denieth mercie to no sinner that doth truly repent and therefore if a sinner whosoeuer or whatsoeuer he be haue grace to repent him truly of his sinnes to beleeue the remission of his sinnes and to call and cry to God for mercy he may haue mercie but he that sinneth against the holy Ghost his heart is so hardned that he cannot repent but dies without repentance and therefore cuts himselfe off from mercie and forgiuenesse and so is the cause of his own damnation The third is a miserable and fearfull end They that 3 A fearfull end sinne against the holy Ghost vsually die a fearfull and shamefull death We haue two memorable examples hereof the one is of Iudas Iscariot one of the twelue who was inlightned with the knowledge of Iesus Christ he was the Disciple of Christ he preached Christ and wrought myracles in the name of Christ and yet afterwards fell away and that fearefully for he betrayed Christ for money but what was his end He came to a shamefull end for when
he saw that Christ was condemned he brought againe the thirtie pieces of siluer to the chiefe Priests and Elders and went and o Math. 27. 5. hanged himselfe and p Act. 1. 18. falling headlong he burst asunder in the midst and all his bowels gushed out such was the shamefull end of Iudas The other example is of Iulian the Emperour who by reason of his great Apostasie and falling away from the truth is called Iulian the Apostata This Iulian q Iuuenili aetate suxit lac pioe doctrinae Theo. hist Eccles l. 3. c. 1. 2. in his young age was trained vp in the true Christian religion and fauoured the Christians notwithstanding afterwards he denied the faith fell away from the truth denied Christ sacrificed to Idol became a most sore enemie to Christians and a vile reproacher of the name of Christ calling him the Galilean and Christians Galileans and many despitefull things did he against the Christians and that of very hatred and malice But what end came he to It is recorded that when he made war against the Persians he was wounded but no man knew how his wound came but so sore was the wound that he died of it and dying tooke a handfull of his owne blood and cast it vp into the ayre saying r Vicisti Galilae Theod. l. 3. c. 25. O thou Galilean meaning Christ thou hast gotten the victory Such was the miserable and fearefull end of Iulian. Be warned then all ye that know and professe Christ that ye denie not Christ Beware of backsliding and falling away from the truth Å¿ Heb. 3. 12. 13. Take heed brethren lest there be in any of you an euill heart of vnbeliefe in departing from the liuing God But exhort one another daily while it is called to day lest any of you be hardned through the deceitfulnesse of sinne And t 1. Cor. 10. 12. let him that thinketh he standeth take heed least he fall CHAP. XI Shewing who are partakers of the true sauing Faith whether all haue it or but some and who they are IT hath beene declared wherein true sauing Faith 5 Whether all men haue true faith or but some and who they are consisteth The next thing in order to be handled which is the first generall point in this Treatise of Faith is concerning the persons in whom true sauing Faith is to know who are partakers of it whether all men haue true Faith or but some and to discerue who they are The ground of this inquirie is from the words of the Apostle St Paul to the Thessalonians a 2 Thes 3. 2. All men haue not Faith that is aâ— learned b 〈…〉 est fides â—oc est non omnes eredunt Theo. Zanch. c. Shewed two waies Diuines expound it All men doe not beleeue And that it may appeare who are indeed partakers of the true sauing Faith who doe truly beleeue and who not I will shew first in the Negatiue part who haue not faith Secondly in the Affirmitiue who haue faith Touching the first Faith is not vniuersall nor common 1 Who haue not true faith to all All men haue not Faith This I manifest First in generall Secondly in particular First in generall Reprobates haue not true sauing 1 In generall Faith The reason whereof is a secret iudgement of God lying vpon them being smitten with hardnesse of Reprobates heart and blindnesse of minde that they cannot beleeue as St Iohn speakes of the incredulous Iewes c Ioh. 12. 37. 38. 39 40. But though he that is Christ had done so many myracles before them yet they beleeued not on him That the saying of Esaias the Prophet might be fulfilled which he spake Lord who hath beleeued our report And to whom hath the arme of the Lord beene reuealed Therefore they could not beleeue because that Esaias said againe he hath blinded their eyes and hardned their heart that they should not see with their eyes nor vnderstand with their heart and be conuerted and I should heale them Secondly in particular diuerse haue not faith for 2 In particular as First All that are as yet aduersaries to the truth and enemies to the Gospell of Christ haue not Faith Secondly profane people notorious wicked men in 1 Enemies of the Gospell whom sinne rules and raignes haue not faith Thirdly hypocrites haue not faith These may haue 2 Prophane people an historicall and a temporarie faith but true sauing faith they haue not The reason is because as yet and as long as they are in their naturall vnregenerate state 3 Hypocrites they are without they are not as yet in Christ they are not ingrafted into Christ they are not as yet members of the mysticall bodie of Christ they are not of the flock of Christ they are not the sheepe of Christ and therfore they do not beleeue in Christ As Christ himselfe speaks to the vnbeleeuing Iewes d Joh. 10 26. Yee beleeue not because yee are not of my sheepe All men then haue not faith for Reprobates haue not faith the enemies of the Gospell of Christ haue not faith prophane people haue not faith and Hypocrites haue not faith Thus it appeares who haue not faith Secondly for the affirmatiue who haue faith and 2 Who haue true faith who doe beleeue Though Reprobates aduersaries to the truth prophane persons and Hypocrites haue not faith yet many there are who haue true faith This I manifest First in generall Secondly in particular First in generall the Elect and all the Elect doe beleeue 1 In generall The Elect. yea euery one of the elect Children of God hath true sauing faith and do beleeue according to that saying in the Acts of the Apostles e Acts 13. 48. as many as were ordained to eternall life beleeued For this cause true sauing faith is called the * Tit. 1. 1. Faith of Gods Elect because it is peculiar to Gods Elect. The Elect haue it and all and euery one of the Elect and none but onely the Elect haue it Secondly in particular these haue faith 2 In particular First they that are effectually called inwardly by the gracious working of Gods Spirit sanctifying their 1 They that are effectually called hearts and outwardly by the preaching of the Gospel according to that saying of the Apostle to the Thessalonians f 2 Thess 2. 13 14. God hath from the beginning chosen you to saluation through sanctification of the Spirit and beleefe of the truth whereunto he called you by our Gospell Where sanctification of the Spirit and beleefe of the truth are meanes whereby they that are truely called come to saluation whence it followeth that they and all they that are effectually called of God haue true sauing faith Secondly all that are truely regenerate and borne anew 2 The regenerate haue true faith for they are g Iam. 1. 18. begotten with the word of
one to venture the saluation of his soule vpon the extraordinary working of God when as God in great wisdome and mercy to mankinde hath appoynted ordinary means to beget faith and to worke our saluation which ordinary meanes is the hearing of the Word for faith commeth by hearing and hearing by the Word of God CHAP. XV. Of the meanes by which true sauing Faith may be increased continued and preserued AS Faith hath it meanes whereby it is begotten and procured so hath it also meanes whereby it is nourished increased continued and preserued This is the ninth point in the Treatise of Faith 9 Meanes wherby true faith is increased and preserued Three The meanes whereby Faith is nourished increased and preserued are three The Word Sacraments and Prayer 1 The Word of God And that by Touching the first The word of God is a meanes to increase faith and that diuerse waies First by reading the word the diligent reading of the Scriptures is necessarie for them that doe beleeue to 1 Reading the Scriptures the increasing and preseruing of their faith St. Paul writing to the Colossians who had receiued the faith and did now beleeue giues them commandment concerning the reading of his Epistle and chargeth that others should read it also for he saith a Coloss 4. 16. When this epistle is read amongst you cause that it be read also in the Church of the Laodiceans and that ye likewise read the Epistle from Laodicea and S. Paul chargeth young Timothie to b 1 Tim. 4. 13. giue attendance to reading to exhortation to doctrine Secondly by hearing the word of God for as the 2 Hearing the word of God hearing of the word of God is an effectuall meanes to beget faith so is it also a powerfull meanes to nourish strengthen and preserue faith It is a rule in nature c Ex ijsdem nutrimur ex quibus sumus we are nourished by the same things of which we are begotten Now spiritually we are begotten by the word of God as saith S. Iames d Iam. 1. 18. of his owne will be gate he vs with the word of truth and therefore we are spiritually nourished by the word of God For this cause the word of God is said to be the meate of the soule it is both milke for young babes and strong meate for strong men They that are but young children in religion babes in grace may suck milke out of Gods word to nourish their soules they that are strong in faith and growen in grace may from the word of God receiue strong meat to strengthen them more Of which the Apostle speakes to the Hebrewes e Heb. 5. 13. 14. euery one that vseth Milke is vnskilfull in the word of righteousnesse for he is a babe but strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age S. Peter giueth this exhortation f 1 Pet. 2. 1. 2. Therefore laying aside all malice and all guile and hypocrisie and enuies and euill speakings as new borne babes desire the sincere milke of the word that ye may grow thereby as a new borne babe desires the mothers breasts and by sucking wholsome milke out of her breasts is nourished and growes thereby so a Christian though he be but newly begotten by the word of truth be but a young christian a beginner and be but as yet a weake christian yet if he diligently heare the word of God and if his soule doe earnestly desire to sucke the sincere and wholsome milke of the word this is a powerfull meanes to nourish his soule to strengthen his faith and make him grow in grace Thirdly by deuine meditation It is noted to be a property of a godly man to meditate on the word of Diuine Meditation God g Psal 1. 2. His delight is in the law of the Lord saith the Psalmist and in his law doth he meditate day and night the word of God is compared to meate which to the end that it may giue nourishment to the body its necessarie that it not onely enter into the mouth and be chewed with the teeth but that it go downe into the stomacke and be digested so likewise to the end that the word of God may giue true and substantiall nourishment to our soules its necessary not only that we heare the word with our outward eares but suffer it to enter into our heart and inwardly digest it by meditation It was one propertie of cleane beasts mentioned in the leuiticall law to h Leuit. 11. 3. chew the cud and he is such a cleane creature who hauing heard the word of God and committed it to his memorie doth afterward meditate vpon the same ponder it in his mind to the end that his faith may be increased that he may be nourished in the truth grow in grace Fourthly by Godly conference the two disciples to 4 Godly conference whom Christ appeared after his resurrection and talked with them said one to another i Luk. 24. 32. did not our heart burne within vs while he talked with vs by the way and while he opened to vs the Scriptures the spirituall communication and heauenly conference which Christ had with the Disciples did heate them inwardly and made their hearts burne within them godly conference spirituall speech and heauenly communication doth inflame the heart with the loue of God doth stirre vp the affections and kindle good desires yea increaseth knowledge and strengthneth faith thus the Word of God which begetteth faith doth also increase nourish and preserue the same The second meanes of increasing faith is the vse and 2 Vse of the Sacraments partaking of the Sacraments For First the Word and Sacraments are as the two brests of the Church whereout the faithfull soule suckes spirituall 1 Nourishing the soule nourishment strength of faith and increase of grace Baptisme giues a Christian admission and entrance into the Church of God whereby he is ingraffed into the mysticall body of Christ and made a member of Christ and by the Sacrament of the Lords Supper the members of Christ are nourished to eternall life Of which nourishment receiued spiritually by faith it is that our Sauiour saith k Ioh. 6. 53 54. Except yee eat the flesh of the sonne of man and drinke his bloud yee haue no life in you Who so eateth my flesh and drinketh my bloud hath eternall life Secondly the Sacraments are a meanes of increasing 2 Confirming the promises of the Gospell and strengthening our faith for they confirme the promises made vnto vs in the Gospell for which cause they are called Seales for like as a man making a grant to another in writing of house or lands for the better confirmation and strenthening of the deede he puts to his seale so the Lord our God to his gracious and mercifull promises made vnto vs in his written Word hath annexed the Sacraments as seales to assure vs of
people and they grudge within themselues repine and fret because the hand of God is vpon them afflicting them this was the sinne of the Israelites going out of Egypt When they came to the wildernesse and found no bread they g Exod. 16. 2. murmured against Moses and Aaron and when they wanted water they murmured h Exod. 17. 3. againe Such murmurers are likened to swine which make a great noise and grudge if they be not satisfied Secondly when men will not waite Gods leasure nor 2 Limiting God stay his good time but will appoint themselues a time and limit God this was likewise the sinne of Israel of whome its said in the Psalmes i Psal 78. 41. The turned backe and tempted God and limited the holy one of Israel This was the sinne of those k Iudâ—th 7. Bethulians who when their citie was besieged would not waite the time of the Lords deliuerance but set a certaine time that if the Lord did not send them helpe within the space of siue daies then they would deliuer vp the City to the enemie But to keepe vs from this kind of impatience we ought rather to l Psal 130. 5. 6. 7. Wait for the Lord and to hope in him for with the Lord there is mercie and with him is plentuous redemtion as saith the Psalmist Thirdlycby fainting vnder the crosse being wearied 3 Fainting vnder the crosse with the burthen of afflictions hence it is that many in time of tribulation cry out of the greatnesse of their crosse and grieuosnesse of their paine nâ—uer was any so crossed neuer was any so much troubled neuer had any such paine and such like words of impatience and diuerse hereupon out of discontentment and through impatience wish themselues out of the world that they might be rid of their trouble and eased of their paine But I wish and desire that such people would first examine themselues and consider well aforehand whether they be ready and well-prepared for death before they so much desire the comming of death lest death come vnlookt for and take them vnawares And I demand of all such as are any way impatient either by murmuring against God or are not content to wait the Lords leisure or that faint vnder their afflictions and crosses where is your patience and where is your faith certaine it is if faith were in the the heart it would help to strengthen our hearts that we should not faint in tribulation and the triall of our faith would worke patience and our patience in suffering would be a testimony and a witnesse of our faith that as it is giuen vnto vs in the behalfe of Christ to beleeue in him so also to suffer for his sake CHAP. XIX Of Patience in suffering wrongs and iniuries HItherto of Patience in suffering afflictions in 2 In suffering wrongs and iniuries from men And therein two things generall There is also Patience to be shewed in suffering wrongs and iniuries from men In handling whereof I will shew First what the wrongs and iniuries are which a Christian may or can suffer from men that so hee may see how farre his patience is to extend and stretch it selfe Secondly I will make it manifest that a Christian is to suffer wrongs and iniuries from men For the first All wrongs and iniuries that one man 1 The sorts and kindes of wrongs and iniuries Three-fold may or can doe to another may bee reduced to these three heads They are either touching First a mans body and so concerne his person or Secondly a mans goods or Thirdly a mans good name And these wrongs and iniuries to others are or may Which may be done two wayes be done two waies either Secretly or Openly First Secretly by the euill imaginations thoughts 1 Secretly of the heart When an enuious or malicious minded man thinkes euill of his neighbour in his heart concerning which the Prophet Zachary hath this admonition a Zach. 8. 17. Let none of you imagine euill in your hearts against his neighbour Secondly more openly and manifestly and that 2 Openly both by Word and Two manner of wayes Deed. For both by word and deede a man may do wrong to his neighbour three wayes In regard of First his body Secondly his goods Thirdly his good name First a man may doe wrong to his neighbours body 1 To a mans body And that and that First by word discommending and disgracing his person or speaking disdainefully and scornefully of the shape and proportion of his body 1 By word Secondly by deede as smiting his neighbour hurting and wounding his body or shedding his bloud also 2 By deede by abusing the body of any through fornication or any manner of vncleannesse Secondly wrongs and iniuries may bee done to a 2 To a mans goods And that man concerning his goods First by word when any one speaks the worst of his neighbours goods dispraising his corne or cattell or wares or any thing that his neighbour hath with a purpose 1 By word to bring others in dislike with his neighbours goods and so to hinder him in the sale of them Secondly by deede when any one offers any personall 2 By deede wrong to a mans children or seruants by smiting and hurting them or when any one doth steale and purloyne any mans goods or violently take them from him when any one goeth about to hurt and hinder another of his right and when one doth trespasse against his neighbour and either spoile or hurt his neighbours corne or cattell or any thing that is his Thirdly men may doe wrong to others in regard of 3 To a mans good name And that their good name And that First by word by railing termes reuiling speeches and false accusations by slandring and back-biting 1 By word and by any manner of words which may tend to the defaming and discrediting of a mans neighbour Secondly by deede by the act of bearing false witnesse 2 By deede before a Magistrate for there not only the tongue speakes but the hand acts a part and both tongue and hand agree together to testifie an vntruth against his neighbour These are the sorts and kindes of wrongs which any man may or can doe vnto another Now in the second 2 To suffer wrong patiently place I am to prooue that it is the part of a good Christian when he is iniuried and wronged to suffer wrong and iniury and that patiently whether the wrong bee touching his body goods or good name Which I Motiues thereunto manifest First by testimonies of Scripture Secondly by example in Scripture For the first The Scripture is plentifull in precepts 1 Testimonies of Scripture and exhortations to patience in suffering wrongs Our Sauiour Christ saith b Matth. 5. 44. Loue your enemies blesse them that curse you doe good to them that hate you and pray for them which
to the p Gen. 19. 1. c. two Angels which came to Sodome at euen in the likenesse of two men And Iob was a man giuen to hospitalitie for he saith that he did q Iob 31. 17. not eat his morsell himselfe alone but the fatherlesse did eat thereof Now vpon diligent inquirie what shouldbet he cause The cause of the decay of Hospitalitie in our Land that hospitality is much decaied in our land I can finde no other cause but Sinne and the iudgement of God vpon men and their houses for Sinne. If this be too generall 1 In generall Sinne. an answere I come to particulars and affirme that first one cause of the decay of auncient hospitalitie is contentious suing at law from whence it commeth 2 In particular to passe that both he that sueâ—h and he that is sued he that troubleth and he that is troubled is made more 1 Contentious suing a law vnable to maintaine hospitalitie It were good that such would be warned by that saying of the Apostle r Gal. 5. 15. If yee bite and deuoure one another take heed ye be not consumed one of another Secondly another cause is excesse in eating drinking 2 Excesle in cating and drinking gluttonie and drunkennesse whereby many are brought to such a poore state and beggerly condition that they are not able to keepe hospitalitie Of this Solamon saith Å¿ Pro. 23. 20. 21. Be not amongst Wine-bibbers amongst riotous eaters of flesh for the drunkard and the glutton shall come to pouertie The third cause is Whoredome Iob saith of Whoredome and Adulterie t Ioh. 31. 12. it is a fire that consumeth to destruction 3 Whoredome and will root out all a mans encrease The voluptuous riotous prodigall mispends so much in reuelling banquetting drinking and whoring that all that he can rake and scrape from his poore ract-tenants is not sufficient to maintaine himselfe much lesse to keepe hospitalitie The fourth is Pride in apparell when men weare apparell 4 Pride in apparell past decencie and goe farre aboue their degree This Pride is a deuourer They carry so much wealth vpon their owne backes that the poore are robd and pincht both of backe and bellie The fift is violence and oppression when men enter 5 Oppression vniustly into the possessions and inheritance of other men this puls downe the iudgement of God vpon their owne heads u Isa 5. 8. 9. Woe vnto them sayth the Prophet Esay that ioyne house to house that lay field to field till there be no place that they may be placed alone in the midst of the earth in mine eares saith the Lord of hosts of a truth many houses shall be desolate euen great and faire without inhabitant All faire and stately houses are not so happie as to enioy the end of their building habitation much lesse hospitalitie The sixt is Sacriledge worldly and vnconscionable 6 Sacriledge minded men thinke if they can with-hold and keepe any thing backe from Church-men those sheaues and those tithes will helpe well towards the maintenance of their house-keeping and make them more able to keepe hospitalitie but it s quite contrarie for the tithes and sheaues vniustly with-held and vnconscionably taken from the Church are so laid vp in the barnes and garners of those that spoile the Church that they secretly though the iust iudgement of God eat into and consume the rest of their wealth and substance Like as x Iosh 6 19. And Chap. 7. 21 24. 25. Achans wedge of gold which he tooke being consecrated vnto the Lord was the cause of the destruction of all that he had And although many Lay-men haue great yearly-profites comming in by vniust gathered tithes yet see the iudgement of God vpon them they are thereby neuer a whit the richer but rather in poorer state then their auncestours who kept as great or greater hospitalitie then they doe and yet robd no Churches So that their deuouring of consecrated things doth no whit helpe their hospitality and it hinders Church-men from keeping that hospitalitie which otherwise they might and ought Against this Sacriledge the Lord himselfe complaines by the Prophet Malachie y Mal. 3 8. 9. Will a man robbe God Yet ye haue robbed me But yee say wherein haue we robbed thee In tithes and offerings Ye are cursed with a curse He saith not barely ye are cursed but ye are cursed with a curse He doubleth the curse to shew the certaintie and greatnesse of the curse Whosoeuer robs God of his tithes and offerings drawes a curse vpon himselfe when he binds vp the sheafe vniustly taken he binds in the curse and when he layes it vp in his barne he layes vp the curse with it and the cursed sheafe eats in and spreads it selfe into the rest of the sheaues and corne and substance like the plague of Leprosie infecting all the rest These are the true causes of the decay and present want of Hospitalitie Now if there be no Hospitalitie then mercie and compassion is not shewed to the poore and needie to the strangers to the fatherlesse and widdowes and if mercy and charitie be not shewed at least in some sort and in some measure more or lesse as euery mans abilitie will extend I demand then Where is Faith Is that true Faith that hath no workes Can that Faith saue Nay For z Iam. 2. 17. Faith as St Iames sayth if it hath not workes is dead being alone And * Ver. 26. as the body without the spirit is dead so faith without workes is dead also CHAP. XXII Of confession of Christ before men and of the profession of the Gospell THe fourth and last outward signe of true sauing Faith is the Confession of Christ before men 4 Confession of Christ before men with constancy and boldnesse standing to our faith and profession for the loue of Christ S. Paul makes this a signe of his faith saying to the Corinthians * Ex his discimus confessionis matrem esse fidem Calu. We hauing the same spirit of faith according as it is written I beleeued and therefore haue I spoken we also beleeue and therefore speake a 2. Cor. 4. 13. From hence we learne that faith is the mother of confession Faith breedes confession according to that saying of S. Paul to the Romanes b Rom. 10. 10. With the heart man beleeueth vnto righteousnesse and with the mouth confession is made vnto saluation And this Confession of Christ is two-fold Two-fold The one in time of peace 1 In time of peace Two-fold The other in time of persecution The Confession of Christ in time of peace is two-fold The first is not to be ashamed of the profession of the 1 Not to be ashamed of the profession of the Gospell For Gospell but to make an open confession and manifest profession thereof And this is necessary For First God requireth
cannot escape the iudgement of God And many in this agonie being not able to deliuer themselues and their soules refusing comfort are swallowed vp with abundance of worldly sorrow and without the great mercy of God are plunged into the gulfe of despaire But there is also an Euangelicall sorrow for sinne 2 Euangelicall Two-fold which is properly Godly sorrow and this is twofold Inward and Outward Inward sorrow for sinne is called Contrition Outward is mourning lamenting and weeping for sin First of Contrition or inward sorrow for sinne In 1 Contrition or inward sorrow for sinne handling whereof I will shew First what Contrition is Secondly how it is wrought in vs. Thirdly the signes and markes of it Fourthly the motiues to perswade vnto it For the first Contrition or inward sorrow for sinne 1 What Contrition is is a sorrow of the heart specially for this that a sinner hath offended God and being truely humbled with a sence and feeling of his sinnes is displeased with himselfe for his sinnes and doth now not onely dislike but from his heart detest and abhorre sinne This is properly called c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sorrow according to God or sorrow after a godly sort and godly sorrow and sorrow to repentance It is called d 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Cor. 7. 9 10. compunction of heart It is also called the e Acts 2. 37. renting of the heart And it is called a f Ioel 2. 17. broken spirit g Psal 51. 17. a broken and a contrite heart For the second How Contrition is wrought in a sinner The meanes whereby a sinner is brought to Contrition 2 How Contrition is wrought in a sinner and inward hearty sorrow for his sinnes are two The one is the gracious working of the Spirit of God giuing a sinner a liuely sence and feeling of his sinnes giuing him grace to see and know how by his 1 By the working of the Spirit of God sinnes he hath offended God and grieued the Holy Spirit of God soâ—ming also his hard heart that hee may greeue lament and mourne for his sinnes after a godly manner This is that which the Lord saith by his Prophet Zachary h Zach. 12. 10. I will powre vpon the house of Dauid and vpon the Inhabitants of Ierusalem the spirit of grace and of supplications and they shall looke vpon me whom they haue pierced and they shall mourne for him as one mourneth for his onely sonne A sinner looking vpon Christ whom by his sinnes he hath pierced and wounded and hauing a true feeling of his sinnes greeueth and mourneth he is sorry after a godly manner but how is this godly forrow wrought in him the Lord saith that he will powre the spirit of grace and of supplications vpon the sinnefull soule and when the Lord hath put such grace into the soule of a sinner to see his sinnes and to perceiue how that by his sinnes hee hath offended God and pierced the Sonne of God then hee is inwardly grieued at the heart then his heart melts into teares This is the first meanes whereby a sinner is brought to Contrition The second meanes is the preaching of Christ crucified 2 By preaching Christ crucisied as appeareth in the example of those first Conuerts to whom Peter preached Christ crucified For hauing testified against them that they had crucified Christ i Acts 2. 37 38. They were pricked in their hearts and sayd vnto Peter and the rest of the Apostles Men and brethren what shall wee doe their consciences were so stricken with the terrour of this that they should be guilty of shedding the innocent bloud of the Sonne of God that they were at their wits end they knew not what to doe yet were they desirous to finde ease to their troubled consciences but knew not how till they called to remembrance the words of the Apostle how that Iesus of Nazareth whom they had crucified and slaine was the Sonne of God whom God raised vp who ascended to Heauen and is exalted at the right hand of God and hearing also that he is Iesus the Sauiour that he is the true Messias Christ the Anoynted of the Lord heereupon they are pricked in their hearts and touched in their consciences with a feeling of their sinnes yet so as they doe not despaire of all mercy but trusting in the goodnesse and mercy of God through Christ and being desirous to know how they may finde comfort to their troubled consciences they said to Peter and to the rest of the Apostles Menand brethen what shall we doe ô teach vs what we must doe to be saued Now they are sorrowfull after a godly manner now they are of a contrite spirit and an humble soule now they are exceeding sorrowfull that they haue crucified the Lord of life now they haue bleeding hearts for that they haue shed the bloud of the innocent Lambe of God now they are exceedingly displeased with themselues for that they haue done so wickedly and now they so abhorre their sinnes and wickednesse that they purpose neuer to doe wickedly againe So that their compunction was not onely a bare pricking of the heart such as Cain and Iudas had but as they had a feeling of their sinnes so also had they a feeling of the mercy of God in Christ Iesus Moreouer to the compunction and pricking of their hearts there was ioyned a readinesse to obey the will of God and to doe whatsoeuer the Lord should command them and therefore it is that they say Men and brethren what shall we doe to the end that a sinner may be brought to Contrition its necessary that the Word of God which is k Heb. 4. 12. quicke and powerfull and sharper then any two-edged sword piercing euen to the diuiding a sunder of soule and spirit and of the ioynts and marrow and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart doe pierce the heart and wound the conscience making the sinner to feele his sinnes to know that by his sinnes he hath offended God who hath beene so gracious a God and so louing and mercifull a Father vnto him and to acknowledge that by his sinnes he hath pierced and wounded the Sonne of God who was content to be pierced and wounded yea and to suffer his bloud to be shed for his sinnes The Adamant the hardest stone which will neither bee bruized with iron nor melted with fire is notwithstanding dissolued with l Gemin lib. 2. cap. 26. Goats-bloud What heart is there so hard and stony so adamant-like that will not bee mollified and softned that will not be rent and broken yea dissolued into teares being washed and soaked in the bloud of Christ this ô man this must or nothing will soften thy hard heart Thus Contrition is wrought in the heart The third thing is concerning the signes and marks 3 Signes of contrition or inward godly sorrow of Contrition Contrition or
two sorts 2 The sorts and kinds of it Two-fold Generall and Particular Generall when a Sinner doth onely in a generall manner confesse that he is a sinner that hee hath offended 1 Generall God that he hath broken Gods commandements and done wickedly c. Particular confession of sinne is an acknowledgement 2 Particular of our particular sinnes when hauing made diligent search by the law of God to finde out our sinnes we doe then confesse those sinnes which our owne conscience witnesseth against vs that we are guilty of as Dauid when hee had committed adultery with Bathsheba confessed his sinne in particular saying d Psal 51. 4. Against thee thee onely haue I sinned and done this euill in thy sight The Iewes confessed their sinnes both in generall and particular In generall e Isa 59 12. Our transgressions say they are multiplyed before thee and our sinnes testifie against vs for our transgressions are with vs and as for our iniquities wee know them And in particular they confesse and say f Vers 13. in transgressing and lying against the Lord and departing away from our God speaking oppression and reuolt conceiuing and vttering from the heart words of falshood The third thing in Confession is the manner how a 3 The manner of making Confession aright sinner is to make confession of his sinnes that his confession may be acceptable to God Dauid saith g Psal 32. I said I will confesse my transgressions vnto the Lord. The vulgar Latine translation readeth it thus g Psal 32. I said I will confesse against my selfe mine vnrightousnesse vnto the Lord. From whence sixe things are obserued to bee necessary in the confession of sinne First that our Confession of sinne be done with premeditation 5 h Dixi confitebor aduersum me iniustitiam meam Domino Six things are necessary in the Confession of Sinne. that we doe not rashly and rudely thrust our selues into the presence of the Lord but first search our hearts try our wayes finde out our sinnes take notice of them view them consider them and haue them before our eyes when wee come to make confession of them This is noted in the beginning of the sentence i Dixi. I said before I confessed my sinnes I first thought with 1 That it be with premeditation my selfe I considered in my minde the sinnes which I was to confesse I said within my selfe I will confesse my sinnes Secondly Confession of sinne must be in truth without 2 That it be in 〈◊〉 guile not hiding sinne but plainely and truely confessing our sinnes wherfore he saith k Confitâ—bor I will confesse I will make knowne my sinne I will hide nothing I will search euery corner of my heart I will lay open all and euery sinne I will confesse my sinne Thirdly our Confession must be accusing not excusing 3 That it be accusing not excusing noted in the next words l Aduersum me against my selfe Our confession must be against our selues Howsoeuer it be dangerous for any one to accuse himselfe before men yet euery sinner must accuse himselfe before God iudge himselfe to haue broken the commandements of God and condemne himselfe to be worthy of death For this cause a sinner must come before the Lord in all humility and lowlinesse of mind with shame and confusion of face being ashamed to lift vp his eyes to heauen for the multitude of his sinnes and transgressions saying with Ezra m Ezra 96. O my God I am ashamed and blush to lift vp my face to thee my God for our iniquities are encreased ouer our heads and our trespasse is growen vp vnto the heauens And must be like the penitent Publican who comming before the Lord to confesse his sinnes n Luk 18. 13. Stood a farre off and would not lift vp so much as his eyes to heauen but smote vpon his breast saying God be mercifull to me a sinner Fourthly Confession must be made of sinne and iniquity 4 Confession must be of Sinne and iniquity noted in the word o Iniustitiam vnrighteousnesse or transgresgressions Wee must not with the Pharisee boast our good deeeds and praise our well-doing but with the Publicane confesse our sinnes and our selues sinners and earnestly pray for the pardon of our sinnes Fiftly Confession must be made of our owne sinnes 5 That we confesse our owne sinnes wherefore he saith I will confesse against my selfe p Meam mine vnrighteousnesse or my transgressions Sâ—xtly Confession of our sinnes must be made vnto the Lord our God wherefore he saith I will confesse my 6 That our confessioÌ„ be made vntâ— God transgressions q Domino vnto the Lord. Confession must be made vnto God to the honour of God that God may haue the glory and we the comfort Of this Dauid speakes thus in another place r Psal 51 4. Against thee thee onely haue I sinned So also when he had numbred the people his heart smote him and Dauid said vnto the Lord Å¿ 2 Sam. 24. 10. I haue sinned greatly in that I haue done Daniel said t Dan. 9 4. 4. I praied vnto the Lord my God and made my confession and said O Lord we haue sinned and committed iniquitie and haue done wickedly c. Chrysostome taught the same doctrine u Deâ— sâ—luendis peâ—catum Chrys de paeâ—it Hom. 9. Tell thy sinne onely vnto God Againe he saith * Sâ—luâ—te Deus confiâ—entâ—m vidâ—aâ— Chrys de paeâ—it confâ—s Let God onely see the confessing of thy sinnes After this manner we are to make Confession of our sinnes In the fourth place I come to the motiues which may perswade vs to confesse our sinnes vnto God Which I take 4 Motiues to coÌ„fesse our sinnes vnto God First from the necessity Secondly from the benefite thereof For the first Confession of Sinne vnto God is necessary 1 〈◊〉 necessâ—ry For for First God is chiefly and principally offended by our sinnes wherefore it is that Dauid hauing committed 1 God is principally offâ—nded by our sinnes adultery and thereby hauing not onely offended God but wronged man comming to make confession saith y Psal 51. 4. Against thee thee onely haue I sinned Now because sinne is chiefly and principally committed against God therefore it 's necessary that wee make our confession chiefly and principally vnto God Secondly without confession of sinne we can looke 2 Without Confession we can haue no remission for no remission of sinne Salomon saith z Pro. 28. 13. He that couereth his sinnes shall not prosper but who so confesseth and forsaketh them shall haue mercy Giuing vs to vnderstand that he onely obtaineth mercie of the Lord that confesseth his sinnes but if any one will not confesse but hide and couer his sinnes he shall not prosper it shall not be well with him the Lord will shew him no fauour nor mercie
Lord promised mercie and comforted his soule with the assurance of saluation y Luke 19. 8. 9. This day is saluation come to this house Herein is that saying verified z Non tollitur peccaâ—â—m nisi restâ—â—uatur ablatum Sinne is not remitted vnlesse that which was vniustly taken away be restored Fourthly they are here reprooued who forsake sinne onely for a season and afterwards either wittingly and 4 Against those who leane sin for a season after fall to their sins again wilfully or of infirmity and by occasion fall into sinne againe If men after that they haue seemed to repent and to cease from sinne doe willingly and wilfully fall into sinne againe and euen run themselues headlong into sinne their repentance is no better then the repentance of Pharaoh this is with the Dog to returne to his vomite with the Sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire And then as S. Peter saith a 2 Pet. 2. 20. 21. 22. The latter end of such is worse with them then the beginning But if their falling into sinne againe be of infirmity and by occasions though I denie not but such sinners may be restored by repentance yet ceâ—taine it is their case is dangerous by reason of their falling againe into sinne For like as a sâ—cke man hauing recouered his sicknesse if hee afterwards fall sicke againe that relapse is very dangerous and shewes a very weake state of his body So a sinner if vpon occasion and prouocation if through infirmity he fall into the same sinne againe This is very dangerous and if it be often the more dangerous it shewes the state of that soule to be very weake it argueth a great weakenesse of grace in resisting of sinne and if there be no resisting of sinne no striuing against inward corruptions but men giue way to their passions and lusts and yeeld the reines to their vnruly affections those wild horses I demaund where is the forsaking of sinne where is ceasing from euill wherefore a Christian feeling this infirmity in himselfe that he is subiect to often falls should be diligent to search and trye his owne wayes to finde out the deceitfulnesse of his owne heart and be exceeding warie ouer himselfe watching ouer his thoughts ouer his words and ouer his actions that hee offend not As our Sauiour said to the lame man whom he had healed b Ioh. 5. 14. Behold thou art made whole sinne no more lest a worse thing come vnto thee So a sinner hauing repented of his former sinnes and being washed from his sinnes should say vnto himselfe Behold thou art made whole sinne no more lest a worse thing come vnto thee And he may fitly turne the words into a Prayer Lord I confesse I haue sinned and done wickedly but vpon my true repentance thou hast pardoned my sinne and healed my soule Now Lord keepe mee I beseech thee from falling into sinne any more I am now made whole Lord strengthen me with thy grace that I sinne no more lest a worse thing come vnto me CHAP. IX Of Reformation or amendment of life THe fift step of grace whereby a sinner returnes 5 Amendment of life from sin vnto God and riseth higher towards Heauen is Reformation or Amendment of life In handling whereof I will First shew by what meanes a sinner may come to amendment There in three things of life Secondly declare how and after what manner amendment of life is wrought 1 Meanes whereby a sinner may come to amendment of life Thirdly vse motiues and perswasions whereby a sinner may be mooued to amend his life Touching the first The meanes whereby a sinner may come to amendment of life are two The first is the operation and working of the holy 1 The working of the holy Spirit Spirit of God renuing the minde and putting new life of grace into the soule Of this the Lord speaketh thus by Ezechiel a Ezek 36. 26. 27. A new heart also will I giue you and a new spirit will I put within you and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh and I will giue you an heart of flesh And I will put my spirit within you and cause you to walke in my Statutes It is the Spirit of God that makes our spirit new that softneth the heart and giueth grace to walke in the statutes in the wayes and commaundements of the Lord. The second is the word of God whereby we are begotten 2 The word of God to a new life Of which S. Iames faith b Iam. 1. 18. Of his owne will begate he vs with the word of Truth The second thing concerning amendment of life is 2 After what manner amend ment of life is wrought in a sinner How and after what manner this blessed change of life is wrought in a sinner Reformation or amendment of life is wrought thus First before amendment of life there must goe an vnfained forsaking of our former euill conuersation wee 1 There must be an vtter forsaking of our old euill conuersation must first die to sinne before we can be quickened to a new life we must first cease from dead workes before we can doe good workes First cease to be bad trees bearing euill fruit before we can be good trees bringing forth good fruit Of this S. Paul saith c Ephe. 4. 22. 23. 24. put off concerning the former conuersation the old man which is corrupt according to the deceitfull lusts and be renewed in the spirit of your minde and put on the new man which after God is created in righteousnesse and true holinesse d Non potest ficri homo noâ—â—us nisi desierit esse vetus Author operis imperf in Math. 6. Hom. 15 Before we can put on the new man we must first put off the old man We must first put off the raggs of sinne before we can put on the robe of righteousnesse This must necessarily first be before we can be renewed and reformed Secondly amendment of life is wrought in the whole 2 It must be in the whole man man in soule and in bodie in the minde in the will and affections in the cogitations and thoughts of the heart in the eye in the eare in the tongue and in the hands in life and conuersation As the mind must be renewed so the life must be reformed Thirdly amendment of life must haue it beginning within By Ezechiel the Lord saith e 〈◊〉 36. 26. 27. A new heart will I It must haue it beâ—inning wiâ—hin giue you and a new spirit will I put within you c. and I will put my spirit within you and cause you to walke in my statutes Causing the people henceforward to walke in the statutes of the Lord is their reformation and amendment of life But this reformation and amendment of life was first begunne within A new heart will I giue you and a new
a new heart and a new spirit for why will ye die ô house of Israel And Iohn Baptist preaching repentance and exhorting to amendment or life doth thus threaten all such as wil not amend their liues a Mat. 3. 10. euery tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewen downe and cast into the fire By which it is manifest that except a sinner doe so repent and so cast away his sins as that he be renewed and reformed as that he amend his life and bring forth better fruits he shall die in his sinnes and shall be cast into hell fire And thirdly as reformation and amendment of life 3 The benefit of amendment of life is great is verie necessarie so the benefit that comes thereby is exceeding great for it is a meanes to bring downe blessings of three sorts Temporall Spirituall and Eternall The first benefit that comes by reformation and amendment 1 Outward prosperitie of life is a prosperous and happie state on earth the enioying of temporall good things as peace and plentie and such like blessings euen as God shall see it good for his children The Psalmist saith b Psal 37. 27. depart from euill and doe good and dwell for euermore The LORD speakes thus to the Iewes by Ieremie c Ier. 7. 5. 6. 7. If you throughly amend your wayes and your doings c. then will I cause you to dwell in this place in the lend that I gaue to your Fathers for euer euer And Moses from the mouth of the Lord shewes the people of Israel what great prosperitie they shall haue if they will d Deut. 28. 1. 2. 3. 4. c. hearken diligently vnto the voice of the Lord to obserue and doe all his Commandements Blessed shalt thou be in the cittie and blessed shalt thou be in the field Blessed shall be the fruit of thy bodie and the fruit of thy ground and the fruit of thy cattell the increase of thy kine and the flockes of thy sheepe The second is spirituall happinesse Reformation and 2 Spirituall happinesse amendment of life brings a sinner into the happie state of grace for a sinner that hath forsaken his sinnes and amended his life is awaked out of the sleepe of sinne yea is raised from the death of sinne to the life of righteousnesse and is deliuered from the feare of eternall death this is called the first Resurrection of which St Iohn saith e Reu. 20. 6. Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first Resurrection on such the second death hath no power The third is eternall glorie and euerlasting peace 3 Eternall glory they that are reformed and lead a new life they that bring forth the fruit of good workes and are exercised in doing of good shall inherite eternall felicitie and euerlasting happinesse at saith the Apostle f Rom. 2. 10. glorie honour and peace to euery man that worketh good Now whereas God requireth amendment of life and seeing that euery sinner ought to be renewed in minde and reformed in life as hath beene prooued by the Scriptures and seeing that the necessitie and benefite thereof is so great as hath beene declared the consideration hereof is profitable First for Instruction to teach and admonish vs to prooue our selueâ— to search our hearts and examine our Vse 1 liues whether we can finde this blessed change and holy To trie our selues whether we be come to amendment of life alteration in our selues which the Scripture so callâ— for at our hands without which a sinner remaines still in his old state of corruption and without which hee shall neuer see the kingdome of God but shall die in his sinnes and perish euerlastingly How greatly then doth it concerne euery one of vs to search our hearts and examine our liues to finde out whether we be the same in heart in mind in will in affection the same in thought in word and deede that we haue beene heretofore whether our hearts be as greatly puft vp with pride whether they be as malicious and as lustfull as they haue beene and whether we be as earthly minded as we haue beene whether our tongues be the same that they haue beene for swearing and cursing and lying and slandering and euill speaking whether our hands be the same for violence and wrong In a word whether we liue still in the transgression and breach of the commandements of God as we haue done and find no change O then let vs know that our state is miserable and fearfull And therefore let vs with all speede make hast to set about this worke of Reformation and Amendment of life And to encourage vs herein let vs set before our eyes the examples of such penitent sinners as haue not onely forsaken their sinnes but haue also amended their liues Manasseh was a very Idolatrous and wicked King yet vpon his repentance he reformed himselfe and amended his wayes he puld downe his idoles and set vp the worship of the true God Peter though through infirmitie he denied Christ yet repenting he boldly confessed Christ And Paul though first a bloodie persecuâ—our yet afterwards repenting became a zealous preacher These were all changed in mind and in life they came to amendment of life S. Ambrose exhorteth euery one to g Scipsum sibi homo abnâ—get totus mutetur Amb. de poeâ—it l. 2. c. 10. denie himselfe and to be wholy changed And hereupon reporteth the strange alteration of a young man who hauing liued in lust and wantonnesse wantonly dallying with the strange woman afterwards absenting himselfe from her was in processe of time changed and reformed at his returne meeting with his olde familiar passeth by her but shee impudently calls vnto him saying It is I. He answered h Sed ego non sumego ibid. But I am not I. I am not now the same that I was I am changed I am become a new man Happie is he that is so changed Let vs therefore follow these good examples and not rest our selues content till we haue attained to that state of grace that we may euery one truly say of himselfe I am not now the same that I was I am changed I am become a new man Moreouer to encourage vs yet more to redresse our wayes and to amend our liues let vs consider the benefit of amendment of life Amendment of life you haue heard procures outward prosperitie it brings a sinner into a farre better state of grace and promiseth eternall glorie Wherefore if we would be either happy in this life or blessed in the life to come we must be changed from our former euil conuersation and come to amendment of life Secondly this reprooues those who hold it sufficient Vse 2 to cease from their former euill life though they henceforward Against those who onely cease from some euill but doe no good doe no good and thinke they haue amended their liues well enough
perseuere and continue to the end then through the mercy of God and the merites of Christ our Sauiour wee shall obtaine saluation inherite a Kingdome and be crowned with glorie CHAP. XI Of the time of Repentance HItherto of the manner how a Sinner may truly repent and of the steps of grace whereby a sinner returneth vnto God and ascendeth vp to the high mountaine of heauen The fourth thing in the treatise of Repentance is 4 The time of Repentance concerning the time of repentance And the time when a sinner ought to repent is threefold The First is the time of this present life Threefold The Second is the time of grace The Third is the time present Touching the First The time of this present life euen 1 The time of this present life the short time that we haue to liue heare on earth is the time yea the longest and largest time that God hath granted vnto vs for our repentance as is euident by the Scriptures Dauid saith a Psa 6. 5. In death there is no remembrance of thee in the graue who shall giue thee thanks Christ our Sauiour saith b Iâ—h 9. 4. I must worke the workes of him that sent me while it is day the night commeth when no man can worke where by day is meant the time and space of this present life and by night the time after this life c Diâ— sumê° in hac vita nos iuuari a vobis possumus vos potestu in nos conferre beneficia cum autem abierimus illuc ibi neâ— amicus neque frater neque pater idoneus erit ad liberandum cum qui â—uplicijs deputetur aeternis Chrys de coÌ„punct cordis l. 2. while we are in this life saith Chrysostome you may helpe vs and doe vs good but when we shall depart thither there neither friend nor brother nor father will be found fit to deliuer him that is deputed to eternall torments Theophilact vpon those words of our Sauiour Christ d Luk. 52. 4. Quandâ—â— super tâ—rram sumus potermus peccata nostra at posiquam eterra migrauerimus non vltra c clausa enim est ianua Theophil in Luk. 5. The sonne of man hath power vpon earth to forgiue sinnes saith e while we are vpon earth we may haue our sinnes blotted out but not after we are departed out of this life for then the gate is shut and another saith * either here saluation is won or lost Now whereas the time of this present life is the time of our repentance yea the longest largest time that God hath granted vnto any one to repent and amend his life this serues for confutation of that Popish doctrine of Purgatory whereby they make the simple people beleeue that their sinnes may be purged away after this life that satisfaction may be then made for temporall punishment whereas the true purging away of sinnes is onely in this life Now in this life while God giueth vs time and space to repent while the light of the Gospell shineth and whiles that God offereth vs the meanes of saluation is the onely time for vs to worke f Aut his salus acquiritur aut amittitur Cypr. out our saluation now is the time for vs to runne that we may obtaine now is the time to fight against our Vse spirituall enemies that we may ouercome and winne Against Purgatorie the crowne of righteousnesse now is the time either to winne of loose the kingdome of heauen and now is the time to aske seeke and knock afterwards when the gate is shut it will be to late Secondly the time of our repentance which God 2 The Time of Grace hath granted vnto vs in this present life is not any time of our life when we our selues will but it is the time of Grace euen that blessed time wherein God doth gratiously offer vnto vs the meanes of saluation calling vs to repentance and all that space of time wherein God sheweth his patience and long suffering forbearing vs and waiting when we will turne vnto him S. Paul preached thus to the Athenians who had liued in idolatrie and ignorance saying f Acts. 17. 30. the times of this ignorance God winked at but now commandeth all men euery where to repent Now when Christ is reauealed and the Gospell preached it is time for all men euery where to repent And to the Corinthians he saith g 2. Cor. 2. 6. behold now is the accepted time behold now is the day of saluation the h Gen. 6. 3. hundred twenty yeeres while the arke was preparing was the time of repentance for the old world wherein Noah a preacher of righteousnesse warned them to repent And the i Ion. 3. 4. forty dayes granted to the Niniuites was their time of repentance whiles that Ionah the prophet of the Lord threatned them with the ouerthrow of there city except they repented The consideration whereof may admonish vs not to Vse harden our hearts against the word of the Lord but to Not to harden our hearts against the voice of the Lord calling vs to repentance hearken to the voice of the Lord calling vs to repentance that we doe not willfully passe ouer the time of grace offered vnto vs and that we doe not despise the patience and long suffering of almighty God inuiting vs to repentance this carelesse passing ouer the time of grace and not turning to the Lord when he called to repentance was the sinne of Ierusalem noted by our Sauiour Christ in his dolefull lamentation for them saying k Luk. 19. 42. If thou hadst knowne euen thou at least in this thy day the things which belong vnto thy peace but now they are hid from thine eies In that he saith in this thy day he giueth vs to vnderstand that they had their day and time of repentance wherein God offered them grace and mercie hauing long and often called them by his prophets and now in the last daies hauing sent his owne sonne to call them to repentance but they regarded it not and therefore wofull misery befell them and their citie l Ver. 43. 44. For the daies shall come vpon thee saith our Sauiour that thine enemies shall cast a trench about thee and compasse thee round and keepe thee in on euery side and shall lay thee euen with the ground and thy children within thee and they shall not leaue in thee one stone vpon another because thou knewest not the time of thy visitation Let their example be our warning to take heede of neglecting or despising the meanes of our saluation that we doe not refuse grace offered but hearken to the voice of the Lord calling vs to repentance as the Apostle exhorteth m Heb. 3. 15. 16 To day if ye will heare his voice harden not your harts as in the prouocation for some when they had heard did prouoke When the Lord said n
almightie God e Rom. 2. 4. 5. despisest thou the riches of his goodnesse and forbearance and long-suffering not knowing that the goodnesse of God leadeth thee to repentance But after thy hardnesse and impenitent heart treasurest vp vnto thy selfe wrath vnto the day of wrath Giuing vs to vnderstand that if a sinner will not repent when the Lord graciously calleth him to repentance yea whiles the Lord sheweth his patience and long-suffering towards him waiting for his repentance but obstinately refuseth grace and despiseth the patience and long suffering of God the Lord may so strike him and that iustly with hardnesse of heart that he cannot repent Thus it befell that man who leading an vngodly life was wont to boast that he could repent at the last houre And if he had but time to say three words f Domine miserâ—â—â— mei Stapl. prâ—mp Mor. Dom. 7. post pentect 3. Lord haue mercie on me it was enough this wicked wretch as he was riding ouer a water vpon a broken bridge his Horse stumbled and Horse and Man fell into the water and were drowned yet before their drowning he had leasure to pronounce three words but not those three words which he spake of in his life time Lord haue mercie on me but three other words more fearefull g Capiat omnia Damon The Deuill take all and so perished in the water So fearfull a thing is it to deferre repentance till the last houre Fiftly a sinner who hath all his youth-full dayes giuen 5 He that hath serued sin all his life time knoweth not whether God will accept his seruice in his old age himselfe to his lusts and pleasures who in his best dayes hath serued the flesh the world and the Deuill if in his old age he offer his seruice vnto God knoweth not whether God will accept it h Rom. â—2 1. I beseech you brethren sayth the Apostle by the mercies of God that you present your bodies a liuing sacrifice holy acceptable vnto God God must haue a liuing sacrifice holy and acceptable and if it be of the worst sort as i Gen. 4. 3. 5. Cains was it is not acceptable to God now to giue the youth and strength of our dayes to serue the flesh the world and the Diuell and to reserue the weakenesse of our dayes euen our old age for God is to giue him of the worst sort of our offerings To denie vnto God the best of the flocks and fattest of the heards for sacrifice and to offer him the blind the lame and the sicke will not be acceptable to God as he saith by Malachie k Mal. 1. 8. If ye offer the blind for sacrifice is it not euill and if ye offer the lame and the sicke is it not euill offer it now vnto thy gouernour will he be pleased with thee or accept thy person saith the Lord of hoste Now to serue sinne all the dayes of a mans life while he hath health and strength and to beginne to serue God when he is sicke and diseased when he is lame and blind and deafe will God be pleased with this seruice will he accept thy person What great thing is it for thee to giue away thy goods when thou canst keepe them no longer to leaue drunkennesse when thou art come to pouertie and wantest meanes to maintaine thy drinking or what praise is it for thee now to put away thy Concubine when lust faileth and not to leaue sin till sin leaue thee For l Jam te peccata dimittunt non tu illa now it may be rather said thy sinnes leaue thee then thou thy sinnes And although it be true that late repentance if it be sound and serious is neuer too late yet late repentance is seldome sound repentance For m Sâ—ra poenitâ—â—ia aut nulla aut ficia aut dâ—ffiâ—â—â—s late repentance is either none at all or fained or very hard and difficult But some may say the theefe on the Crosse repented at the last houre and was saued I ansâ—ere the sauing Obiect of the theefe on the Crosse at the last houre was an extraordinary Luk. 23. 42. 43. act of Christ to be reckoned amongst his Answ wonders and is left recorded for our consolation letting vâ— thereby know that God is mercifull to sinners that doe repent though it be late and that it is possible for a sinner to be saued at the last houre onely vpon this condition if God then giue him grace to beleeue and repent Wherefore it is said n Vâ—â—s misericordiam invenit hora vâ—tima ne quis despâ—reâ— vnicus ne qâ—i prâ—sumâ—t Aug. one found mercie at the last houre lest any should despaire of the mercies of God and but onely one lest any should presume of Gods mercie Now seeing that there is such folly and danger in deferring repentance let the counsell of Solomon be acceptable vnto vs o â—ccles 12. 1. Remember now thy Creator in the dayes of thy youth And let vs not make light of the counsel of the wise sonne of Syrach saying p Eccles 5. 7. make no tarrying to turne to the Lord and put not off from day to day for suddenly shall the wrath of the Lord come forth and in thy securitie thou shalt be destroied and perish in the day of vengeance S. Ambrose thus reasoneth with the sinner that would still deferre his repentance q Agens poenitentiam ad vltimum reconciliâ—tus si exterit an seâ—â—rus â—â—nc exâ—at â—go non sum securus c. nunquid dico damnabitur non dico Sed nec liberabitur dico c. vis te fraterâ—a dubio liberari vis quod incâ—rtiâ— est euadere age poenitentiam dum sanus es Si enim agis poenitentiam dum sanus es inuenerit te nouissimus dies securuses quia egisâ—â— poenitentiam eo tempore quo peccare potuisti Amb. ad poenitentiam agendam exhort he that repenteth at the last houre and is reconciled and so departeth out of this life whether he be secure and safe from condemnation I am not certains Doe I say he shall be damned I say not so Neither doe I say hee shall be saued But wilt thou my brother be out of doubt concerning thy saluation And wilt thou be deliuered from vncertaintie Repent while thou art in health For if thou doest truely repent in thy health and the last day so finde thee then thou art safe because thou hast repented whilst yet thou mightst haue sinned I wiâ—h that this good counsell of this good Father were receiued of all then would not men be so foolish to hazard their soules to the last houre and venture their saluation vpon vncertaintie then would they not deferre their repentance nor make any tarrying to turne to the Lord but with holy Dauid would r Psal 119. 60. make hast and would not delay to keepe his Commaundements CHAP. XII Of the impediments of Repentance of
deserued punishment of sinne St Paul saith of the Gentiles p Rom. 1. 23. 24. 25. 26. 27. 28. they changed the glory of the vncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man and to birds and foure footed beasts and creeping things wherefore God gaue them vp to vncleannesse through the lusts of their owne hearts c. For this cause God gaue them vp vnto vile affections c. And God gaue them ouer to a reprobate minde to doe those things which are not conuenient Againe in his Epistle to the Ephesians he sheweth that the q Ephe. 4. 17. 18. 19. Gentiles walked in the vanitie of their minde hauing the vnderstanding darkned being alienated from the life of God through the ignorace that is in them because of the blindnesse of their heart who being past feeling haue giuen themselues ouer vnto lasciuiousnesse to worke all vncleannesse with greedinesse Pharaoh's r Exod. 4. 21. heart was hardned that he would not let Israell goe And to the sinner that hath despised the riches of Gods goodnesse and forbearance and long-suffering which should haue led him to repentance the Apostle saith Å¿ Rom. 2. 5. after thy hardnesse and impenitent heart treasurest vp vnto thy selfe wrath against the day of wrath shewing thereby that when God hath shewed his patience and long-suffering towards a sinner and the sinner repenteth not but still deferreth his repentance in the end the Lord will lay a heauie and sore iudgement vpon him hardnesse of heart so that now his heart is hardned he hath an impenitent heart a heart that cannot repent And sometimes the impenitent sinner is so forsaken of God and left to himselfe that he growes to desperation and then through the strong temptations of the Deuill he workes meanes to bring himselfe to some vntimely death as t 2 Sam. 17. 23. Ahitophel and u Mat. 27. 5. Iudas Now whereas the Lord doth iustly punish impenitent Vse sinners with such spirituall iudgements blinding To pray that God would soften our hard hearts their minds hardning their hearts and leauing them to themselues this should teach vs to pray vnto the Lord that he would giue vs grace to lay aside all pride of heart and stubbornnesse of minde and that the Lord would take away from vs our hard and stonie hearts and that by his good Spirit he would soften our hard hearts that we might be mooued to repentance when God calleth vs to repentance and that we might humble our selues before the Lord and tremble at his word For x Isa 66. 2. to this man will I looke faith the Lord euen to him that is poore and of a contrite spirit and trembleth at my word To this end let vs heare and receiue the exhortation of the Apostle to the Hebrewes y Heb. 3. 12. 13 take heede brethren lest there be in any of you an euill heart of vnbeliefe in departing from the liuing God but exhort one another daily while it is called To day lest any of you be hardned through the deceitfulnesse of sinne CHAP. XXII Of the eternall punishment of impenitent sinners and of the paines of hell And how this ought greatly to mooue vs to Repentâ—nce THe third punishment belonging to impenitent 3 Eternall Herein Two things sinners is eternall punishment concerning which I consider these two things First the place of their punishment Secondly the greatnesse and grieuousnesse of their punishment The place of punishment appointed for the wicked 1 The place of eternall punishment Two fold eternally to be punished and tormented is two-fold The one is the place from whence they shall be excluded The other is the place whither they shall be cast Touching the first The place from whence the wicked shall be excluded is the kingdome of God a 1 Câ—r 6. 9. The 1 The place from whence the wicked shall be excluded vnrighteous saith S. Paul shall not inherite the kingdome of God The wicked shall haue no possession or inheritance in heauen they shall be shut out of the kingdome of heauen they shall be cast from the glorious presence of God they shall be depriued of the cleare vision of God and they shall not see the face of God but shall be b 2 Thes 1. 9. punished as the Apostle saith with euerlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his power And this losse of the kingdome of heauen to be depriued of the glorious presence of God neuer to see God to be excluded from the fellowship of the holy Angells and blessed Saints in heauen in a word to be thrust out of the place of happinesse neuer to see good day neuer to haue comfort any more is an vnspeakeable punishment yea a very hell In so much that a Father saith c Nâ—â—i autem quâ—a 〈◊〉 pâ—rtâ—â—escanâ— Gelienâ—â—nt ego tâ—men gloriae amissiâ—nem multo amarius 〈◊〉 ipsius Gelâ—enâ—â—â— dicâ—â—sse supplicium Chrysâ—n Math. Hom. 24. I know that many doe greatly stand in feare of hell but I say that the losse of glory in heauen is more bitter and grieuous then the punishment of hell it selfe This of the place from whence the wicked shall be excluded For the second the place whither they shall be cast 2 The place whither the wicked shall be cast is into vtter darkenesse as our Sauiour saith d Mat. 25. 30. cast ye the vnprofitable seruant into outer darkenesse there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth And of this place our Sauiour againe saith e Mat. 13. 49. 50. at the end of the world the Angels shall come forth and seuer the wicked from among the iust and shall cast them into the furnace of fire there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth This is that f Isa 30. 33. Tophet which is ordeined of old yea for the king it is prepared he hath made it deepe and large the pile thereof is fire and much wood the breath of the Lord like a streame of brimstone doth kindle it as saith the Prophet Isaiah And this place is said in the Reuelation to be a g Reu. 19. 20. lake of fire burning with brimstone And the h Reu. 20. 10. lake of fire and brimstone Now if the place prepared for the tormenting of the wicked and vngodly after this life be a place of outer darknesse where there is weeping gnashing of teeth if it be a furnace of fire if there be fire and much wood if the breath of the Lord like a streame of brimstone 2 The greatnesse and grieuousnesse of the punishment of the wicked in hell Their torment shall be doth kindle it and if it be a lake of fire and brimstone O then sure this must needs be a most fearefull place a place full of intollerable paine and torment And such is the place whither all impenitent sinners euen all wicked and vngodly men which haue liued wickedly and haue
dye in impenitencie and hardnesse of heart Secondly this is profitable for instruction to all that know there is a hell and heare of the paines and torments Vse 2 To feare God of hell that they learne to feare God to stand in awe of him and not to sinne against him to this our Sauiour Christ exhorteth vs vpon the consideration of the paines and torments of hell saying Feare not them which c Mat. 10. 28. kill the body but are not able to kill the soule But rather feare him which is able to destroy both soule and body in hell Because there is a hell and because that God is able to cast the soules and bodies of all impenitent sinners into hell for this cause see that ye feare God stand in awe of God tremble before him and sinne not against him for as God is mercifull to penitent sinners and will pardon the iniquitie and transgressions of them that repent and turne from their sinnes and returne vnto God So also is he a God oâ— iustice and fierce wrath for as the Apostle saith d Heb. 12. 29. God is a consuming fiâ—r and he will cast both the bodies and soules of all impenitent sinners into hell-fire there to be tormented for euermore as it is also written e Reu. 21. 8. The fearefull and vnbeleeuing and the abhomminable and murderers and whore-mongers sorcerers and idolaters and all lâ—ers shall haue their part in the lake that burneth with fire and brimstone which is the second death O then sinfull man who soeuer thou art now betimes repent and returne vnto the Lord least death vnawares seize vpon thee and suddenly thou be cast downe into hell and there shalt finde thy case to be remedilesse and thy torment endlesse CHAP. XXIII Of the benefit of Repentance how it remooueth Iudgements temporall spirituall and eternall Which may perswade vs to Repentonce HItherto of the motiues to Repentance taken from the necessitie thereof The fourth and last motiue to Repentance 4 The benefit of Repentance I take from the benefit thereof Repentance brings much good to the penitent sinner he shall be blessed with manie blessings I reduce them to these two heads True Repentance Two-fold First remooueth iudgements Secondly procuteth blessings First Repentance remooueth iudgements and those 1 It remooueth iudgements Three fold three-fold Temporall Spirituall and Eternall Touching the first Repentance is a meanes to remooue 1 Temporall temporall iudgements either threatned against sinners or else deseruedly drawne vpon them for their sinnes The Lord sendeth Ieremie the Prophet to the people of Israell saying a Ier. 3. 12. Returne thou back-sliding Israel saith the Lord and I will not cause mine anger to fall vpon you for I am mercifull saith the Lord and I will not keepe anger for euer Isaiah the Prophet is sent to King Kezekiah with this message b Isa 38. 5. 6. Goe and say to Hezekiah Thus saith the Lord the God of Dauid thy Father I haue heard thy prayer I haue seene thy teares beholde I will adde vnto thy dayes fifteene yeeres and I will deliuer thee and this Cittie out of the hand of the King of Assyria and I will defend this Cittie Ionah the Prophet is sent to Niniueh to threaten them and their Cittie with destruction and ouerthrow except they did repent within the space of fortie dayes c Joh. 3. 4. Yet fortie dayes and Niniueh shall he ouerthrowne But vpon this threatning Niniueh did repent for the King and the whole Cittie put on sackcloth and fasted and cryed mightily vnto God and repented of their euill wayes and d Ver. 10. God saw their workes that they turned from their euill wayes And God repented of the euill that he had said hee would doe vnto them and he did it not When God saw the people repent of their sinnes he repented of the iudgement which he had threatned against them According to that saying of the Lord in Ieremie e Ier. 18. 7. 8. At what instant I shall speake concerning a nation and concerning a kingdome to plucke vp and to pull downe and to destroy it if that nation against whom I haue pronounced turne from their euill I will repent of the euill that I thought to doe vnto them Thus Repentance remooueth temporall iudgements Secondly Repentance remooueth spirituall iudgements 2 Spirituall as blindnesse of minde hardnesse of heart and horrour of conscience It remooues blindnesse of mind When God giueth the grace of illumination for before that a sinner beleeueth and repenteth he liues in blindnesse and darknesse but beleeuing and repenting he is inlightned with the knowledge of the truth and walkes no more in darkenesse but in light as the Apostle speakes f Ephe. 5. 8. ye were sometimes darknesse but now are ye light in the Lord. Repentance also remooueth hardnesse of heart when God giueth the sinner true contrition softning the hard heart For when God giueth grace to repent he giueth also a mollified and melting heart as it is said in Ezechiel g Ezek. 36. 25. 26. I will sprinckle cleane water vpon you and ye shall be cleane from all your filthinesse and from all your Idoles will I cleanse you A new heart also will I giue you and a new spirit will I put within you and I will take away the stonie heart out of your flesh and I will giue you an heart of flesh Yea Repentance also remooueth horrour of conscience and the intollerable burden of sinne when God giueth to the penitent sinner peace of conscience and rest to the soule h Mat. 11. 28. Come vnto me saith our Sauiour all ye that labour and are heauie laden and I will giue you rest Now the conscience neuer hath true peace neither doth the soule euer enioy quiet rest til sinne be done away by Repentance Thirdly Repentance remooueth eternall iudgements 3 Eternall so that neither death nor hell nor condemnation can hurt them that doe truly beleeue in Christ and haue vnfainedly repented of their sinnes and doe now lead a new life So saith St Paul to the Romanes i Rom. 8. 1. There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Iesus who walke not after the flesh but after the spirit And St Iohn saith k Reu. 20. 6 Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection on such the second death hath no power Thus it is apparent that great benefit commeth by Repentance for it remooueth from the penitent sinner punishments temporall concerning the bodie and outward state it deliuereth from spirituall iudgements and it Vse freeth from eternall condemnation That may escape the iudgements of God we must repent of our sinnes The consideration of which benefit of Repentance in remoouing Iudgements temporall spirituall and eternall serues for instruction to teach and admonish euery one that would escape these iudgements that would haue temporall iudgements remooued from
him that would be deliuered from spirituall or freed from eternall iudgements and that would be saued from hell and condemnation to repent of his sinnes to purge and cleanse his heart from wickednes that he may be saued as saith the Prophet Ieremie l Iere. 4. 14. O Ierusalem wash thine heart from wickednesse that thou maist be saued Consider then O man if the hand of God be vpon thee afflicting thee with any outward calamitie and affliction in thy bodie goods and outward state thy remedie is to humble thy selfe before the Lord with Hezekiah to pray vnto thy God and to weepe for thy sinnes with the Niniuites to fast and weepe and pray and to turne from all thy euill wayes that so the Lord may be gracious vnto thee and turne away his anger from thee that thou maiest be preserued Moreouer if the Lord lay vpon thee spirituall iudgements afflicting thy soule and wounding thy conscience with the bitter remembrance of thy sinnes the way to finde rest and comfort to thy soule is to seeke to Christ to come to Christ by faith and repentance confessing thy sinnes and earnestly suing for the pardon of thy sinnes that so Christ may giue thee rest And if thou standest in feare of hell and condemnation if thou bee fearefull of that lake of fire the way and meanes to escape hell and condemnation is now to repent of thy sinnes now to cleanse thy heart from wickednesse now to rise from the death of sinne to the life of righteousnesse and now to haue thy part and portion in the first resurrection and then the second death shal I haue no power ouer thee In a word if we would be preserued from the wrath of God in this life and saued from hell and condemnation in the life to come we must now repent and returne to the Lord now be renewed in minde and reformed in life or else we cannot be saued CHAP. XXIIII Shewing that Repentance procureth blessings Temporall Spirituall and Eternall where of the ioyes of Heauen how these ought to be a most forcible motiue to perswade euery one to repent and to serue God and what comfort they bring THat Repentance remooueth Iudgements hath beene shewed Secondly repentance is also profitable for 2 It procureth blessings Threefold the procuring of blessings And those also threefold Temporall 1 Temporall Spirituall and Eternall Repentance is a meanes to procure First temporall blessings The Prophet Esay hauing exhorted to repentance and amendment of life a Isa 1. 16. 17. Wash ye make you cleane c. Annexeth this promise b Vers 19. If yee be willing and obedient ye shall eate the good of the land So Ieremie c Jer. 7 5 6. 7. If ye throughly amend your waies and your doings c then will I cause you to dwell in this place so likewise the Prophet Ioel hauing exhorted to repentance d Ioel. 2. 12. 13. therefore now saith the Lord turne ye euen to me with fasting and weeping and with mourning c. annexeth a promise of temporall blessings e Vers 19. The Lord will answere and say vnto his people behold I will send you corne and wine and oyle ye shall be satisfied therewith Secondly spirituall blessings as mercy pardon and 2 Spirituall forgiuenesse of sins the Lord by his prophet Isaiah exhorteth to repentance and vpon repentance maketh a large promise of forgiuenesse of sinnes f Isa 1. 16. 17. 18. Wash ye make you cleane put away the euill of your doings from before mine eyes cease to doe euill learne to doe well c. Come now and let vs reason together saith the Lord though your sinnes be as scarlet they shall be as white as snow though they be red like crimson they shall be as wooll Againe g Isa 55 7. Let the wicked forsake his way and the vnrighteous man his thoughts and let him returne vnto the Lord and he will haue mercie vpon him and to our God for he will abundantly pardon S. Peter in his Sermon to the Iewes hauing laid to their charge the crucifying of Christ exhorteth them to repentance with a promise of mercie and forgiuenesse h Acts 2. 38. Repent and be baptized euery one of you in the name of Iesus Christ for the remission of sinnes Againe he saith i Acts 3. 19. Repent ye therefore and be conuerted that your sinnes may be blotted out Mercie is promised to penitent sinners yea and that free mercy and forgiuenesse so promiseth the Lord by Ezekiel k Eze. 18. 21. 22 If the wicked will turne from all his sinnes that he hath committed and keepe all my statutes and doe that which is lawfull and right he shall surely liue he shall not die All his transgressions that he hath committed they shall not be mentioned vnto him And by Ieremy hee saith l Ier. 31. 34. I will forgiue their iniquitie and I will remember their sinne no more Thirdly eternall blessednesse Which eternall blessednesse 3 Eternal where of is to be considered First in regard of the excellency of the place of happinesse prepared for all those that haue repented of their 1 The excellency of the place of happinesse sinnes and are washed from their wickednesse The place of eternall happinesse is Heauen whither Christ ascended S. Marke speaking of the ascension of Christ saith m Mar. 16. 19. Hee was receiued vp into Heauen And whither Christ the head is ascended thither shall his members also ascend they shall be where he is As hee himselfe saith n Iohn 14. 2. 3. I goe to prepare a place for you And if I goe and prepare a place for you I will come againe and receiue you vnto my selfe that where I am there ye may be also Many excellent things are spoken of this heauenly place It is called a Kingdome o Mat. 25. 34. Come ye blessed of my Father inherite the kingdome prepared for you It is called the kingdome of God p 1 Cor. 69. Know ye not saith S. Paul that the vnrightous shall not inherite the kingdome of God It is called the kingdome of Heauen q Math. 7. 21. Not euery one saith our Sauiour that saith vnto me Lord Lord shall enter inthe kingdome of heauen And it is called an r 1 Pet. 1. 4. Inheritance incorruptible and vndefiled that fâ—â—deth not away reserued in heauen for vs And this place of happinesse is all glorious and beaâ—fuâ—l So S. Iohn describeth the heauenly Ierusalem the Cittie of God Å¿ Reu. 21. 18. 19. 20. 21. The building of the wall of it he saith was of Iâ—sper and the Cittie was pure gold like vnto cleaâ—e glasse And the foundations of the wall of the Cittie were gaâ—â—â—shed with all manner of precious stones c. And the twelue gates were twelue Pearles euery seuerall gate was of one â—earle and the street of the Cittie was pure goâ—â— as it were transparent
vpon the name of the Lord shall be saued After Faith and Repentance then Order requires that I entreate of Prayer In handling whereof I will shew The partition of this Treatise First what Prayer is Secondly the sorts and kinds of Prayer Thirdly the persons whom Prayer doth concerne Fourthly the subiect or matter of Prayer Fiftly the time of Prayer Sixtly the place of Prayer Seauenthly the manner how we are to pray aright Eightly the efficacie and power of Prayer Ninthly the helpes and furtherances of Prayer Tenthly I will vse motiues to perswade vnto Prayer These are the things whereof by the guiding of Gods holy Spirit I purpose to entreate And first I will shew what Prayer is CHAP. II. Shewing what Prayer is with the diuerse sorts and kinds thereof PRayer is a religious worship of God whereby we 1 What Prayer is doe with all humilitie and lowlinesse of heart make knowne vnto God the secrets of our heart through the direction of the Spirit of God calling vpon God in the name of Christ in faith according to his will First I say that Prayer is a religious worship of God for it is a a Inâ—â—â—â—tiâ— potissima est pars cuâ—tus Dei Bucan de orate principall part of the worship of God in so much that in the Scriptures it is sometimes vsed for the b 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pro toto Dei cultu accipitur Buca ibid. whole worship of God So St Paul describes the worshippers of God by their inuocation and calling vpon God saying c 1. Câ—r 1. 2. vnto the Church of God which is at Corinth to them that are sanctified in Christ Iesus called to be Saints with all that in euery place call vpon the name of Iesus Christ our Lord. So Ananias saith of Saul d Act. 9. 13. 14. Lord I haue heard by many of this name how much euill he hath done to thy Saints at Ierusalem and here he hath authoritie from the chiefe Priests to binde all that call on thy name That is all that beleeue in Christ all that professe the Gospell of Christ all that worship God and call vpon God in the name of Christ Secondly I say that in Prayer we make knowne vnto God the secrets of our hart for Prayer is a diuine speech a holy and heauenly talking with God whereby we open our minds vnfold our thoughts and reueale our griefes vnto God yea manie secret things lie hid in the heart which we will not and are afraid or ashamed to make knowne vnto men yet we may safely and doe securely make manifest vnto God by Prayer and as God vouchsafeth to speake vnto vs by preaching so he is pleased to suffer vâ—to speake vnto him and to vtter the secrets of our heart by praying Wherefore one saith e Oratio tuâ— locâ—tio est ad Deum Quando legis Deus tibi lequitur quando oras cum Deo loqueris Aug. in Psal 85. thy Prayer is a speaking vnto God When thou readest the Scriptures God speaketh vnto thee when thou prayest thou speakest with God Thirdly in Prayer I mention the Spirit of God as our guide our teacher and helper Fourthly I say that in praying we must call vpon God for our prayers must be made and directed vnto God and to him alone Lastly our prayers vnto God must be made in humilâ—tie in the name of Christ in faith and according to Gods will which because they belong to the manner of framing our Prayers aright the handling of them more at large with diuerse other things also belonging thereunto I referre to their proper places in the Treatise following and come to the Second thing propounded in this Treatise which is 2 The diuerse sorts and kinds of Prayer Three-fold concerning the diuerse sorts and kindes of Prayer For Prayer is diuerse in regard of First the subiect matter of Prayer Secondly the affection of him that prayeth Thirdly the place of Prayer First Prayer in regard of the subiect matter thereof In regard of is foure-fold 1 The matter of Prayer Foure-fold The first is a Prayer made for the remouing of euils these kinde of Prayers are called deprecations or supplications 1 Supplications The second is a Prayer made for the procuring of good things for the obtaining of blessings needfull for 2 Prayers our soules or bodies Such Prayers are called precations petitions and by a generall name Prayers The third is a Prayer made for the good of others 3 Intercessions when we come vnto God by prayer in the behalfe of others as we would doe for our selues in the like case These kinde of Prayers are called intercessions The fourth is a calling vpon God with an acknowledgement 4 Thanksgiuings of Gods goodnesse towards vs for blessings and benefits receiued These kinde of Prayers are called Thankesgiuings These foure sorts of Prayers St Paul setteth downe in his first Epistle and second Chapter to Timothie saying f 1 Tim. 2. 1. I exhort therefore that first of all supplications prayers intercessions and giuing of thanks be made for all men Secondly Prayer in regard of the affection of him 2 The affection of him that prayeth Fourefold that prayeth is foure-fold The first is a fearefull Prayer when he that prayeth feareth and doubteth lest he shall not be heard this is not a godly Prayer neither is the partie that prayeth so 1 A fearefull Prayer well affected in Praying because St Iames bids vs g Iam. 1. 6. aske in Faith nothing wauering The second is a luke-warme Prayer such a Prayer as commeth from one that hath little deuotion in praying 2 A luke-warme Prayer and small feeling of what he prayeth for neither is this a good Prayer because S. Paul saith h 1 Cor. 14. 15. I will pray with the spirit and I will pray with the vnderstanding also The third is a rash Prayer when any one prayeth vnaduisedly 3 A rash Prayer not considering aforehand to whom he prayeth nor for what he prayeth onely he rashly casteth out words which come from his lips and were not first in his heart Neither is this a good kind of Prayer because Salomon saith i Eccles 5. 2. be not rash with thy mouth and let not thine heart be hastie to vtter any thing before God for God is in heauen and thou vpon earth therefore let thy words be few The fourth is a feruent Prayer when one prayeth 4 A feruent Prayer with zeale and feruencie of spirit without fainting and without ceasing This is the best kinde of Prayer This is that which St Iames so commends k Iâ—m 5. 16. The effectuall feruent 3. The place of Prayer Two fold Prayer of a righteous man auaileth much Thirdly Prayer in regard of the place is two-fold The one publique in the Church before the Congregation 1 Publique and assemblie of the people The other priuate and that 2
the Sea-shore and of Ionah in the Whales belly in the depth of the sea And for those that lie sicke on their beds or are diseased with any infirmitie and paine of bodie so that they cannot come to the Church but necessarily remaine at home herein is their comfort the Lord can heare and doth heare in secret in the house and chamber as well as in the Church as the Lord seeth in all places so doth he also heare at all times and in all places and if they lift vp as the Apostle saith holy pure hands without wrath and doubting no doubt but the Lord heareth their prayers though through necessitie they pray at home The place hinders not euerie place is pure if the heart be pure it is the mind the heart and the affection of him that prayeth which God regardeth more then the place where he prayeth And this concerning the place of Prayer CHAP. XIII Of the manner how we are to pray aright and First of preparation before we pray and of Attention in praying THE Seuenth thing in the treatise of Prayer is concerning the manner how we may pray aright 7 The manner how we may pray aright Nine things required therevnto that our praiers may be acceptable and well pleasing vnto almighty God And in the framing of our praiers aright their are nine things required all of absolute necessitie to the making of a good and acceptable prayer The first whereof is Preparation 1 Preparation Standing in two things And the preparing of our selues aright for prayer stands specially in these two things First in withdrawing the minde from the buisie cares 1 A with drawing the mind from the world of the world Secondly in setting the heart vpon God thinking with our selues and seriously meditating both of the Lord God to whom we pray as also for what we pray 2 A drawing the heart vp vnto God considering with our selues in whose presence we are to appeare when we fall downe to praier praying to the Lord to direct vs by his holy spirit that we may pray aright and aske such things as are agreeable to his will Now when the minde is not buâ—ie about the cares of the world and the thoughts of the heart are thus drawne vp vnto God then is the soule more fit and better prepared to pray vnto God To this preparation Salomon exhorteth vs saying a Eccles. 5. Be not rash with thy mouth and let not thine heart be hastie to vtter any thing before God to which agreeth the saying of the sonne of Syrach b Ecclus 18. 23. Before thou praiest prepare thy selfe and be not as one that tempteth the Lord. Where the wise man sheweth two things the one is the dutie required namely to prepare our selues for praier before we pray the other is the necessitie of this preparation for if we doe not prepare our selues before we pray we are to be reckoned in the number of those that tempt God This serues to reprooue all rash suddaine and hastie manner of praying when men come to pray and doe Vse Against hastie rash praying not prepare themselues before hand but come to the performance of that dutie rashly without meditation and due preparation Consider with me if a man haue a petition to preferre to the Kings Maiesty and hath that fauour granted him that he may haue accesse into the Kings presence or if his suite be but to some great Lord and honourable person what preparation will that man make before hand how carefull will he be to looke to his apparrell that it be handsome to see to his hands and face that they be cleane and how carefull will he be of his gesture and behauiour thinking with himselfe how shall I behaue my selfe when I come into the presence of so great a man and how circumspect will he be of his words to place his words aright that so he may receiue a good answere And if a man be thus carefull and circumspect to prepare himselfe when he shall come into the presence of an earthly King or before some great Lord ô how carefull and how circumspect ought euery one to be when we come to appeare before the Lord the great God and King of â—â—â—he earth when we come to tread in the courts of the 〈◊〉 house and to call vpon his holy name either publiquely or priuatly how carefull ought we to be to looke to the inward garment of our conscience that it be white and cleane to wash our hands in innocency before we come to the altar of the Lord to looke to our gesture and behauiour that it be with all reuerence and to be watchfull ouer our words that we be not rash with our mouth nor hastie to vtter any thing before God and this of preparation before we pray The Second thing required in the framing of our 2 Attention in praying praiers aright is Attention in praying Before we pray we must make preparation for prayer and in praying we must be carefull to pray with attention to pray with the heart affection lest we be in the number of those who c Isa 29. 13. Standing in three things draw neere to God with their mouth and with their lips doe honour him but haue remooued their heart farre from him And this attention in praying stands specially in three things 1 Attending the matter of prayer First in praying wee must carefully attend to the words which we vtter lest we erre in the matter of praier and so may pray amisse Secondly in praying wee must haue regard to the 2 Hauing respect to the sence vnderstanding what we pray sence and meaning of the words which we vtter vnderstanding what we pray that we may pray as the Apostle saith d 1 Cor. 14. 15. With the Spirit and pray with the vnderstanding also Thirdly in praying our mind must be aboue and 3 The heart must be fixed vpon God our heart so fixed vpon God that it do not wander from God through by-thoughts These three things are requisite for our attention in praying The consideration of this attention in praying reprooues Vse those who in time of praying either publiquely Against those who in praying giue liberty to their wandring thoughts or priuately haue many wandring thoughts and worldly cogitations So that although they bow their knees yet their hearts are little mooued though their bodies be in the Church their minds are abroad and though their mouths vtter words and their lips mooue apace yet their hearts are on the world and the things on the world either on the profits or pleasures of the world Here some may say it is true I confesse in praying whether in publique or priuate I haue sundry distractions Quest and many wandring thoughts which trouble mee and hinder my deuotion how should I be rid of them or what remedie is to be vsed against them I answere the best remedy is earnestly to
prayeth in feruencie of spirit e Dan. 9. 19. O Lord heare O Lord forgiue O Lord hearken and doe Where the doubling and trebling of their requests argueth the feruencie of their Praiers The two blind-men mentioned by S. Mathew hearing that Iesus passed by cried out saying f Mat. 20. 30. 31 Haue mercie on vs O Lord thou sonne of Dauid And when the multitude rebuked them it s said They cryed the more saying haue mercie on vs O Lord thou sonne of Dauid Thus earnestly did the woman of Canaan pray for her daughter Shee comming vnto Christ g Mat. 15. 22. cried vnto him saying haue mercie on me O Lord thou sonne of Dauid my daughter is grieuously vexed with a Deuill But he answered her not a word Then his Disciples pittying her spake vnto him in her behalfe beseeching him to helpe her and he giues a cold answere saying h Ver. 24. I am not sent but vnto the lost sheepe of the house of Israel Notwithstanding this she commeth againe and cries vnto him saying i Ver. 25. 29. 27. Lord helpe me but he answered and said It is not meete to take the childrens bread and to cast it to dogs And she replied saying truth Lord yet the dogs eate of the crummes which fall from their masters table By which it is euident that his woman was verie feruent in making her petition and verie earnest with the Lord for the obtaining of her request And although at the first the Lord did not grant her request yet at the last he did though Christ did at the first refuse to giue her of the childrens bread yet at the length k Tamâ—n dedit quia illa etiam vehementer exegit Chrys in Math. Hom. 23. he did giue her because as a Father saith shee did so earnestly craue it Elias also is an example vnto vs of praying feruently St Iames saith l Jam. 5. 17. 18. Elias was a man subiect to the likâ— passions as we are and he praied earnestly that it might not raine and it rained not on the earth by the space of three yeeres and sixe moneths And he praied againe and the heauen gaue raine and the earth brought forth her fruit Elias praied and the Lord heard his Praier But how did Elias pray he praied earnestly He m 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 prayed and prayed he praied with great feruencie Thus it is manifest by the Scriptures that feruencie is required in praying And here it is to be considered that this feruencie in praying is shewed and appeareth diuers waies Sometimes by the lifting vp of the hands as Dauid doth saying n Psal 28. 2. heare the voice of my supplications when I crie vnto thee When I lift vp my hands toward thy hâ—ly Oracle Sometimes by lifting vp of the eies and looking vp to heauen Which also Dauid vsed o Psal 5. 3. In the morning saith he will I direct my praier vnto thee and will looke vp Sometimes with smiting on the breast as did the Publicane who p Luk. 18. 13. smote vpon his breast saying God be mercifull to me a sinner Sometimes this feruencie of praier is expressed by crying a lowd as we may finde Dauid in sundrie Psalmes praying crying to the Lord in his Praier q Psal 18. 6. In my distresse saith he I called vpon the Lord and cried vnto my God So the Niniuites in their distresse fasted and praied and in their praiers r Ion. 3. 8. cryed mightily vnto God Sometimes this feruencie is shewed by teares and weeping so Christ Iesus our Sauiour in his Agonie praied with teares as witnesseth the Apostle Å¿ Heb. 5. 7. who in the daies of his flesh saâ—th he when he had offered vp prayers and supplications with strong crying and teares And sometimes a feruent praier may be made with fewer outward signes and with lesse noise euen with inward groanes and sighes without voice and words heard when the heart being deuoutâ—y affected sendeth forth requests vnto the throne of grace such was the Praier that Moses made when the Lord said vnto him t Exod. 14 15. wherefore criest thou vnto me We finde not that Moses vttered any words when he praied onely his heart prayed and that earnestly and the lowd crie of his heartie Prayer entred into the eares of the Lord. Such was the praier of deuout Hannah of whom it is said u 1. Sam. 1. 13. shee spake in her heart onely her lips mooued but her voice was not heard Hannah spake not alowd when shee praied onely her heart praied and that feruently S. Luke recordeth that a x Luk. 7. 37. 38. woman in the citie which was a sinner that notorious sinfull woman stood at Christ's feete behinde him weeping And by the ansâ—ere of our Sauiour Christ vnto her y Ver. 48. Thy sins are forgiuen it is euident that she wept for her sinnes and praied earnestly for the pardon of her sinnes yet we heare no words that she vttered onely her eies wept and her heart praied z Legâ—mus quae â—â—cit noâ— lâ—gimuâ— quae dixit Stell in Lu. We read saith one what she did but we read not what she said This dutie of praying is performed oftimes more with sighs and groanes then with words and more with weeping then with speaking Now whereas in praying it is required that we pray feruently the consideration hereof serues to stirre vp Vse our deuotion to enflame our zeale to make vs more earnest in Praier For as it hath beene shewed before in the kinds of Praier there is a luke-warme Prayer some in praying are neither hote nor cold but luke warme neither so cold in deuotion as to make no praier at all nor yet so hote in deuotion as to make an earnest Prayer But such luke wâ—rme Prayers are vneffectuall and obtaine nothing at Gods hands but the praier that obtaineth any thing of God is the effectuall feruent and earnest Prayer The feruent Prayer is such as is able to pierce the clouds neither can the stormie winds blow it away nor the thicke clouds keepe it backe nor yet the spirits in the aire hinder the passage of a feruent earnest and deuout prayer but it mounteth vp to the throne of grace and returneth not emptie of the blessings of God Whosoeuer then would obtaine mercie with the Lord and find grace to helpe in time of neede must come to the Lord by Prayer but he must not content himselfe to pray sleightily and carelesly but feruently and earnestly striuing with God by earnest Prayer as Iacob wrestled with the Angell and preuailed to whom he also said a Gen. 32. 26. I will not let thee goe except thou blesse me b Haec vis Deo grata est Chrys in Mat. Hom. 23 This forcible striuing with God by earnest Prayer is as a Father saith acceptable and well pleasing vnto God Like as a Father when his child commeth vnto him to
helpeth vs in our prayers three wayes I will powre vpon the house of Dauid and vpon the inhabitants of Ierusalem the spirit of grace and supplications Now the Spirit of God helpeth vs in our prayers three waies First teaching vs to pray aright to aske things lawfull and according to the will of God For we know not 1 Teaching vs to pray aright saith the Apostle what we should pray for as we ought but the spirit it selfe maketh intercession for vs with groanings which cannot be vttered Secondly in praying we haue manie distractions 2 Causing vs to attend to the things which we pray for wandring thoughts vaine imaginations which trouble vs and draw away our mindes and herein the Spirit helpeth our infirmities the Spirit helpeth vs to withdraw our minds from the world and to draw vp our hearts vnto God and causeth vs to be more attentiue vpon the things that we pray for Thirdly many are the afflictions tribulations and 3 Stirring vp the heart to pray with sighs and groaning temptations of the godly they haue many perturbations which so trouble and distemper them of times that they finde a marueilous vnfitnesse to pray and if they set themselues to pray cannot pray as they would herein the Spirit helpeth our infirmities in this case the spirit it selfe maketh intercession for vs with groanings which cannot be vttered that is the Spirit doth stirre vp in the soule deuoutly affected holy sighes and spirituall groanings which crie alowd in the eares of the Lord. This hath vse First for instruction to teach vs before we pray to Vse 1 pray for the assistance of Gods good spirit to be with Before we pray to craue the assistance of Gods holy spirit vs to guide and direct vs to aide and helpe vs in praying to teach vs what to pray for and how to pray and to helpe vs from wandring in our thoughts while we are praying Secondly for consolation to the children of God Vse 2 when as in regard of afflictions and temptations they The righteous receiue comfort that the good spirit of God helpeth them to pray finde an vnfitnesse to pray and in regard of their infirmities they haue many distractions and wandring thoughts in praying or by reason of great griefe and heauinesse of heart they cannot vtter words or cannot expresse their mindes in such words as they desire from hence they may gather consolation comfort to their troubled soules the Spirit of God is our helper the Spirit helpeth our infirmities the Spirit causeth vs to pray and crie c Rom. 8. 15. Abba father and if words faile then the Spirit stirres vp deuotion in the heart causing the heart to pray and crie alowd The Spirit it selfe maketh intercession for vs with groanings which cannot be vttered CHAP. XIX Of the second helpe and furtherance of Prayer Fasting REligious Fasting is the second helpe and furtherance 2 Religious fasting Therein three things of Prayer In handling whereof I will First shew the right manner of obseruing a Fast Secondly I will set downe the right vse and the chiefe ends of Fasting Thirdly I will make it manifest that such fasting in the right manner and to the right end is a great helpe and furtherance to our prayers To the first In the right manner of obseruing a Fast 1 The right manner of obseruing a true fast To which foure things are required that it may please God there are foure things required First when we fast either publiquely or priuately it is required that we abstaine from all meate and drinke so long as the fast is continued The greeke word which signifieth to a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fast is asmuch in signification as b 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not to eat giuing vs thereby to vnderstand that all the time of 1 To fast from all meate our appointed fast we must not eate Thus we finde Dauid fasting till night and would eat nothing till the Sunne was downe for c 2. Sam. 3. 35. when all the people came to cause Dauid to eate meat while it was yet day Dauid sware saying So doe God to me and more also if I taste bread or ought else till the Sunne be downe Notwithstanding herein there must be a respect had of the constitution of the bodie how the bodie is able to continue and hold out the set time of the fast without fainting whtrefore one saith d Dometur caro non interimatur let the flesh be tamed not destroyed For God doth not require that we should destroy the flesh and hurt the body with fasting but onely that we tame the flesh and humble the body Secondly in fasting we must abstaine not onely from 2 To abstaine from all sinne all meat but likewise from all sinne for want of which abstinence from sin the Lord dislikes of the abstinence from meat the people say c Isa 58 3. 4. wherefore haue we fasted and thou seest not Wherefore haue we afflicted our soule and thou takest no knowledge And the Lord answereth them behold in the day of your fast you find pleasure and exact all your labours Behold ye fast for strife and debate and to smite with the fist of wickednesse The Lord reproued them for fasting on this manner Chrysostome saith f Non ciborum abstinentia ieiunium oporatur sed abstinentia peccatorum Chry. ad pop Antioch Hom. 22. It is not the bare abstaining from meates that makes the good fast but abstaining from sinnes as well as from meats Not onely the stomacke should fast from meats but all the members of the bodie should fast from sinne the heart should fast from hatred and malice and enuie the tongue should fast from blasphemous words from slanderous speeches and from all corrupt and filthie communication the eyes should fast from beholding vanitie the eares should fast from receiuing tales the hands should fast from working wickednesse and the feete should fast from walking the pathes of vnrighteousnesse When we fast we should not taste of the bread of malice that 's sowreleauened bread nor touch the daintie meat of carnall pleasure that 's a surfetting meat but we ought to abstaine from euill thoughts sinfull words and wicked deeds for these are all vncleane meat and defile a man as saith our Sauiour g Mat. 15. 19. 20 out of the hart proceed euil thoughts murders adulteries fornications thefts false-witnesse blasphemies These are the things which defile a man Thirdly in the day of our fast we ought to be exercised 3 To be exercised in doing of good Two-fold in doing of good doing workes of Pietie and Charitie First workes of Pietie spending that day in holy 1 To doe works of pietie and religious duties as praying and praising God reading the Scriptures meditating vpon the word of God and his workes as did Cornelius for he saith vnto Peter h Act. 10. 30. foure dayes agoe I was fasting
either to pray vnto God or to praise God Secondly the word of God if we meditate thereon 2 Concerning the word of God will stirre vs vp to praier whether we meditate on the law or the Gospell If on the law and the iudgements threatned against impenitent sinners the consideration thereof may moue vs to pray that we may haue grace to repent vs of our sinnes that so we may escape those iudgments threatned against vs and if we meditate on the Gospell and consider the promises of mercie and saluation made to all that truly beleeue and repent the consideration thereof may mooue vs to pray that we may haue grace to beleeue and to repent that so we may be partakers of those sweete and comfortable promises Thirdly meditations vpon the workes of Creation 3 Concerning the workes of Creation may stirre vs vp to Inuocation and calling vpon the name of the Lord either to pray to God for some blessing or to praise God for his goodnesse whether we consider the things created In heauen or In Earth or Threefold In the Seas and waters For so the Psalmist hath distinguished the workes of Creation p Psal 146. 6. Which made heauen and earth the Sea and all that therein is Touching the First The workes of creation in the 1 In the heauens heauens may stirie vs vp to call vpon the name of the Lord. As when we thinke on the Angels in heauen consider how they are q Heb. 1. 14. Ministring Spirits ready to r Psal 103. 20. doe his commandements hearkning to the voice of his word It should cause vs to pray that we also may endeauoure to lead such an angelicall life here on earth as that we be carefull to doe the will and obey the commandement of the Lord as the Angells doe When we looke vp to the heauens aboue see the firmament and behold the Sunne the moone and the starres those glorious lights the beholding thereof may cause vs to praise God for giuing vs sinfull men such glorious-bright-shining lampes to lighten vs in this vale of miserie as also to pray that after this life ended we may shine in the heauens as those glorious lights now shine for Daniel saith ſ Dan. 3. They that be wise shall shine as the brightnesse of the firmament and they that turne many to righteousnesse as the starrs for euer and euer And our sauiour Christ saith t 〈◊〉 13. 43. Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sunne in the kingdome of their father When we looke vp and see the cloudes we may meditate on Christs second u Mat 24. 34. Commming in the cloudes of heauen and how we shall be x 1 Thes 4. 17. caught vp in the cloudes and then pray that we may be ready and prepared * Versab to meete the Lord in the aire that so we may euer be with the Lord. When we heare it thunder and see the lightning flash in our faces we should meditate on the mighty voice of the Lord and the sound of the last y Vers 16. trumpe which shall cause the dead to rise as also of the suddainnesse of Christs second comming to iudgement compared to z Mat. 24. 27. lightning and then pray that we be not found sleeping but a Luk. 12. 36. 37 watching like to good seruants which Watch and wait for the Lords comming When we see the dew raine falling vpon the earth and perceiue that thereby the drie earth is refreshed bringeth forth hearbes and grasse and corne for the vse of man and beast we may meditate on the dew of grace and the sweete and comfortable raine of Gods word dropping vpon the hearts of men and refreshing their soules and then pray that as the raine falling vpon the earth maketh it fruitfull so the word of God dropping vpon our hearts may soften our hard and stonie hearts and make vs fruitfull in good workes When we consider the b Math. 6. 26. Foules of the aire how they sow not neither doe they reape nor gather into barnes and yet as our sauiour Christ saith Your heauenly father feedeth them we may meditate on the prouidence of God of his goodnesse prouiding for all liuing creatures and then pray that we may rest vpon God and depend vpon his prouidence for the things of this present life as foode and raigment and all other things needfull for the preseruation of our life c 1 Pet. 5. 7. Casting all our care on God and praying that we may d Math. 6. 33. First seeke the kingdome of God and his righteousnesse that all needfull thing may be added vnto vs. Thus meditations to stirre vp our deuotion may be taken from things aboue Secondly from things on earth as when we looke 2 On the earth vpon trees consider how some trees beare good and plentifull fruite others either no fruite or bad fruite we may meditate on the seuerall sorts of men in the world and thinke with our selues how good men are like good trees doing good and bringing forth in their liues the fruit of holinesse and righteousnesse contrariwise that wicked men are like bad trees yeelding either no fruite or no good fruite who either liue Idly and are vnprofitable members doing no good or bringing forth e Isa 5. 4. wilde grapes liue wickedly and doe naughtily offending God and wronging men then pray that we may be good trees bringing forth good fruite because Iohn Baptist saith f Math. 3. 10. Euery tree which bringeth not forth good fruite is hewen downe and cast into the fier When we looke vpon the grasse in the field or flowers in the garden we may be put in mind of our mortalitie and shortnesse of life for as the Prophet Esay sayth g Isa 40. 6. All flesh is grasse and all the goodlinesse thereof as the flower of the field The grasse withereth the flower fadeth And when we are thus meditating on our mortalitie and shortnesse of life then we should pray that we may at all times be readie and prepared for the day of our death for we are but as the grasse and as the flower we know not how soone we may be cut downe pluckt vp and withered when we thinke or looke on beasts and cattell they may stirre vp our deuotion as when we perceiue the h Isa 1. 3. Oxe knowing his owner and the asse his masters crib as saith the Prophet we should pray that the Lord would make vs obedient and thankfull vnto God lest we be worse then the Oxe or the asse When we see a Lambe brought to the slaughter and the sheepe lying vnder the hand of the shearer dumbe we may meditate on the meeknesse patience of Christ our Sauiour in suffering for as the Prophet Esay saith i Isa 53. 7. he was oppressed he was afflicted yet he opened not his mouth he is brought as a Lambe to the
slaughter and as a sheepe before her shearer is dumbe so he openeth not his mouth and then pray that the Lord would endue vs with meekenesse and patience in suffering And when we see a sheepe going astray we may meditate on the state of a sinner going astray like a lost sheepe yea on our owne wandring from the commaundements of the Lord and pray with Dauid saying k Psal 119. 17â— I haue gone astray like a lost sheepe O Lord seeke thy seruant Such like meditations as these to stirre vp our deuotion may be taken from these and other creatures and workes of God on earth Thirdly from the waters and things therein we may 3 In the waters haue meditations to raise our affections on high as when we see and consider how euerie little brooke runs into the greater riuer and all riuers runne into the Sea whence they came as Solomon saith l Eccles 1. 7. All the riuers run into the Sea yet the Sea is not full vnto the place whence the riuers come thither they returne againe this should cause vs to thinke on our mortalitie and to meditate that euen as the riuers runne into the Sea whence they came so doe all men returne to the earth whence they came and this meditation should put vs in minde of our last end and make vs to consider how we euen hasten to our graue and then we should pray that we may be carefull to remember our last end and thinke much and often of the place whence we came and whither we are going When we see fishes caught with the angle or taken in the net vnawares as they are securely swimming and seeking their prey this may cause vs to meditate on the suddennesse of death and how it takes many vnawares according to the saying of Solomon m Eccles 9. 12. man knoweth not his time as the fishes that are taken in an euill net and as the birds that are caught in the snare so are the sonnes of men snared in an euill time when it falleth suddenly vpon them And then we should be mooued to pray that now while we liue and haue time and space to repent we may so prepare for death that whensoeuer that day commeth it may not n Luk 21. 34. 35. 36. come vpon vs vnawares Hitherto of meditations that concerne God The second sort of meditations which may helpe and 2 Concerning our selues Two-fold further vs in prayer concerne our selues and they are of two sorts The first are taken from the consideration of our 1 In regard of our state Three-fold three-fold state Past Present and To come First in regard of the time past we may meditate and 1 Past what we were call to minde what we were how we o Ephe. 2. 3. were by nature children of wrath p Psal 51. 5. Shapen in iniquitie and conceiued in sinne The meditation whereof should cause vs to pray that we may be renued may be made children of God by adoption and grace and may be q Ioh. 3. 3. borne againe that so we may enter into the kingdome of God Secondly in regard of the time present we may seriously 2 Present what we are thinke with our selues what we are and we may find that we are first fraile brittle euen dust and ashes which should humble vs in prayer and cause vs to say 1 Fraile with Abraham r Gen. 18. 27. I haue taken vpon me to speake vnto the Lord which am but dust and ashes Secondly sinfull hauing much naturall corruption 2 Sinnefull within vs and preuailing against vs so that oftimes Å¿ Rom. 7. 19. the good that we would we doe not and the euill which we would not that we doe Which meditation should cause vs to pray with the Apostle t Ver. 24. O wretched man that I am who shall deliuer me from the bodie of this death Thirdly in regard of the time to come we may meditate 3 To come what we shall be what we shall be For we shall be In death corruptible In the resurrection glorious The one may humble vs the other may raise vs vp with consolation and both may teach vs to pray that when our bodie dieth our soule may liue and at the resurrection both soule and body may liue with God and be with the Lord for euer These and such like meditations may be taken from the consideration of our threefolde state Secondly meditations concerning our selues may be 2 In regard of our dayes and houres taken from the dayes and houres and time which God hath giuen vs here on earth We may euery day and euery houre of the day find some opportunitie for godly and diuine meditations And that Three fold In the morning In the day time and In the euening First in the morning as when we awake and see the 1 In the morning light we may meditate on the u Joh. 1. 9. true light which lighteth euery man that commeth into the world And pray that we may x 1. Cor. 15. 34. awake to righteousnesse and that the Lord would lighten our darknesse that we may come out of the darknesse of ignorance to the true light When we rise from our beds we may meditate on our two-fold rising from the death of sinne in this life and from our graues at the last day and then pray that we may no longer lye dead in our sinnes but may rise from the death of sinne to the life of righteousnesse and that we may haue our y Reu. 20. 6. part in the first resurrection so that the second death may haue no power ouer vs but when we z Dan. 12. 2. awake out of the dust of the earth we may rise to euerlasting life And when we put on our apparrell we may fitly meditate on the putting on of the a Ephe. 4 24. new man and pray that we may b Rom. 13. 14. put on the Lord Iesus Christ and may c Colos 3. 12. put on bowells of mercies kindnesse humblenesse of minde meekenesse long-sufferiâ—â— Such meditations as these we may haue in the morning Secondly in the day time in our affaires and buisinesse 2 In the day time in the world euery man in his place in his vocation and calling may haue some good cogitations and diuine meditations as the husbandman when hee is plowing his ground may meditate on the plowing and d Iere. 4. 3. breaking vp of the fallow ground of the heart and when he soweth his seed may thinke on the e Luk. 8. 11. seed of Gods word and then pray that his owne heart may be like good ground fitted and prepared to receiue the seed of Gods word that it may enter into his heart may take deepe rooting there and bring forth the fruit of good workes So also in the day time when we are walking going in the way or trauelling we may fitly