Q. What is the meaning when wee say we beleeue in God the Father A. Wee professe thereby that whereas God the Father was displeased with vs for our sinnes now he is reconciled to vs in the blood of Christ so that we dare boldly trust him with our whole state and perswade our selues that as wee call him Father so we shall finde him a Father euen most tender and fatherly affections in him Q. Wherein are wee to perswade our selues wee shall finde him a father A. First as a Father feeds his children and cloathes them and prouides things needfull for them though happily they deserue it not So we are to perswade our selues that God being become our gratious and good Father in Christ will feed vs cloathe vs and prouide for vs though wee deserue it not Math. 6. 31. Secondly as a father turnes not his children out of doores for euery fault So wee must not thinke God will cast vs off for euery sinne if there bee any hope of amendment in vs Iohn 8. 31. Thirdly as a father makes his sonne his heire and leaues him his lands and his liuing though hee keepe him short and vnder for a time So howsoeuer our portion bee but small in this world yet we are to beleeue God will make vs his heires and one day bestow his Crowne and Kingdome on vs Luke 12. 32. Q. What are wee to beleeue concerning God the Father A. Two things First that he is Almighty Secondly that hee Created Heauen and Earth Q How is God said to be Almighty A. Two wayes first because hee hath all might and all power in his hand and is able to doe whatsoeuer hee will in Heauen and in Earth no power being able to hinder his work and to hold out against him Psal. 114. 3. Q. God cannot doe all things for hee cannot sinne A. It is true that God cannot doe any thing that is contrarie to his Nature to doe Heb. 6. 18. hee cannot lye 2. Tim. 2. 13. hee cannot denie his word and yet he is Almighty Because these things imply not power but want of power Q. What meane wee when wee say Wee beleeue in God Almighty A. We beleeue not onely that God is Almighty in himselfe but that he is Almighty for our good and wee shall feele the benefite of that Almightie and infinite power that is in him Q. What vse may wee make of this A. It serueth to strengthen our faith not only concerning the things of this life but also of the life to come Qu. How for the things of this life A. Seeing God is Almighty that is able to do all things Wee know we are neuer so poore but God is able to enrich vs neuer so lowe but God is able to exalt vs neuer so heauy but God is able to reioyce vs neuer so entangled but God is able to loose vs Rom. 4 21. Q. How for the things of the life to come A. Seeing God is Almighty wee know that though our weakenesse be great and our corruptions many yet God is able to carrie vs comfortably through the vast and warring Wildernesse of this world into the land of happinesse and eternall rest Ioh. 10. 29. Qu. How is God secondly said to be Almighty A. Because all the might and power that is in any of the creatures is from God the least thing in the world being not able to moue it selfe but by the strength and power which it hath from God Q. What gather wee of this A. That the Sparrow lights not on the ground that a hayre falls not from the head that a leafe dropps not from the tree but it is ordered and disposed by the mighty hand of God Math. 20. 29. 30. Q. Doth nothing then happen by fortune and chance A. Surely no these are tearmes brought in to robbe God of his glorie in the gouernment of the world For euer that which seemes to be most casuall is caried wholly by a secret hand of God Prou. 16. 33. Q. What vse may we make of this A. First it will teach vs patience For seeing all things are wrought by the hand of God we make our account that sicknesse losses miseries they are all from God and therefore must be borne contentedly vnlesse in the pride of our hearts we wil lift vp our selues against the Lord 2. Sam. 16. 10. Qu. What is the second vse A. It will teach vs comfort for seeing nothing is able to lift vp it selfe without the Lord wee are to make our account that a dogge cannot wagge his tongue a wicked man cannot mooue his hand against vs without his leaue and licence who is our Father Ioh. 19. 11. Q. What is the third vse A. It will teach vs thankfulnesse For seeing it is God that worketh all in all it is God alone who is to bee blessed for all the comforts that we haue because it is he that enclineth mens hearts to vs and causeth this or that thing to doe vs good 1. Sam. 25. 32. Q. Why is God called the Creatour of Heauen and Earth A. Because he made Heauen and Earth of nothing all the power in this world being not able to worke vnlesse it haue some matter to worke vpon Heb. 11. 31. Q. How did God Create the world A. Wee must not thinke that the Lord lay labouring and soyling at it as wee see men doe when they build an house but as Psalme 35. 6. by the word of God were the Heauens made c. Q. What is meant by Heauen and Earth A. By heauen is meant Heauen and euery Creature in Heauen and by Earth is meant the Earth and all things in it so that the meaning indeed is that God created all Q. What learne we by this A. That if wee haue any comfort in any thing in this world in the earth that beares vs in the heauens that couer vs in the fire that warmes vs in the water that cooles vs in our eyes that wee see with in our eares that wee heare with in our legges that wee goe with God alone is to be thanked and blessed for it Q. Why is Heauen set before Earth A. Heauen is mentioned first to teach man to seeke it first and to begin our worke at heauen as God begun Q. What vse may wee make of this A. Hee that made all is able to destroy all And therefore in a moment God is able to strip and turne the wealthiest of vs out of all wee haue Q. What is the next Person we must beleeue in A. In Iesus CHRIST Q. What doth he Creed teach vs concerning Christ A. Two things 1. What his Person is 2. What his Office is His office is set our two wayes 1. By the Titles 2. By the actions of it Qu. What is the first Title A. Iesus which signifieth a Sauiour according to that Math. 1. 21. Thou shalt call his name Iesus Qu. What doth hee saue vs from A. From sinne and the punishments thereof
our Repentance daily for so farre as a man is from Repentance so farre hee is from the Grace of life Now in Repentance wee must not take this libertie to suppose that some sober and sad thoughts as wee tearme them of Repentance will serue the turne O what doe wee in such slight accounts but euen cast away the saluation of our owne soules For as we heare Repentance is such a necessarie grace that whosoeuer casts away Repentance casts away the saluation of his owne foule Wee reade Ruth 4. 5. 6. that when offer was made to the kinsman to redeeme the land hee was contented till it came to the purchasing of Ruth the Moabitish woman at the hands of Naomi then hee gaue ouer and resigned his interest to Boas euen so it is with a number of men they would willingly come to heauen to purchase the field that is come to the happy estate of saluation and the kingdome of God but they will not haue it at the hands of Repentance they will not be humbled for their sinnes they will not forsake the world this is the reason why a number will lose eternall life rather then forsake the pleasures of the world and these sinfull vanities which continue so short a time and produce nothing but bitternesse and vexation of minde in the end Vse 2 A second vse is that seeing Repentance is such a necessarie grade without which none can be saued That all those who haue not alreadie repented must now repent if they desire to come vnto God to bee saued and behold God in his glorie or looke to stand justified before Christ seeing that without this Repentance there is no promise that doth belong vnto thee Indeed if a man care not for these things saluation and eternall life if hee doe not desire to be saued to see God on his glorie stand before Christ c. then let him line as hee lift and inioy the pleasures of this world But if hee care for these things looke after the glorie of the life to come desire the benefite of Saluation then let him repent if hee haue not repented already lest it come too late and a worse thing befall him for it is a dangerous thing to withstand and let slip the fit seasons of Repentance when Gods extraordinarie calls and mercies inuite vs thereunto and when hee inlightens the eyes to see better things As Act. 17. 30. the holy Ghost shewes And the times of this ignorance God wincked at but now commandeth all men euery where to repent The meaning of this is that howsoeuer hee did lesse regard this in the times of Ignorance when men tooke no care of these things yet now that they know from the light of the Gospell what is to bee done euery man must repent and come vnto God It must be our care to prouoke our selues vnto Repentance for our sinnes to pray God that wee may bee healed and humbled as wee shall heare hereafter Euery sinne that wee commit in this world must haue a Repentance for if wee repent not here on earth wee shall not repent either in Heauen or hell And therefore seeing Repentance is so necessarie let vs now repent if wee haue not repented already for delayes are dangerous and repentance is not in our power besides that diuers accidents may come which may hinder vs in this great worke of Grace Vse 3 A third vse is seeing Repentance is so necessarie a grace If a man haue not truly Repented hee must seeke to mend it wee see in Nature that if a bone be set awry the Surgeon hath no way to helpe it but to breake it againe and to set it right And euen so must a man doe by his Repentance if hee haue not truly repented his sinnes hee must renew his Repentance conceiue new griefe shed fresh teares and practise all the good Rules of Penitencie Wee see in reason if a man come to a great ditch to leape ouer if hee misse his rise yet hee will goe backe againe and againe and take his best aduantage rather then hee will fall in the midst Euen so must we doe rather then fall into the midst of Hell of eternall death to be damned with the deuill and his angels Wee must be contented to set vpon our Repentance againe and againe goe choose and practise new griefe sorrow and compunction rather then to perish for euer II. THE ORDER OF REPENTANCE with other Graces The second thing wee are to consider in the doctrine of Repentance is The Order of it compared with other Graces For this I conceiue that in order of Nature Faith is before Repentance but ordinarily Repentance shews it selfe before Faith in the life of a Christian. Euen as when a candle is brought into a roome the candle light first shewes it selfe before the candle come into the roome though it bee true there was the candle before there was light so it is with these two Graces Faith and Repentance first there must be Faith before there can bee Repentance and yet commonly wee see the fruits of Repentance before wee can see the fruites of Faith And so they are vsually so placed in the Scriptures Act. 20. 21. Repentance towards God and faith towards our Lord Iesus And Heb. 6. 1. saith hee Not laying againe the foundation of Repentance from dead workes and of Faith towards God Now that Faith is before Repentance in order of Grace it is made probable by this one Reason in stead of many Repentance as wee know is a sanctified Grace of God for no man can repent vnlesse hee hate sinne and no man can hate sinne vnlesse hee be sanctified But there can be no sanctified Graces in a Christian without Faith Heb. 11. 6. But without faith it is impossible to please God for hee that commeth to God must beleeue that hee is and that hee is a rewarder of those who diligently seeke him So then wee see that there can bee no Repentance without faith and Faith in order of nature is before Repentance So it may bee a generall comfort to a man that howsoeuer hee doe not feele Faith in himselfe yet hee may assure himselfe that hee hath Faith if hee haue Repentance for his sinnes and a desire to reforme himselfe from a sorrow and shame that hee hath thus long offended God because there is no Repentance without Faith Therefore be assured whosoeuer thou art if there bee a Repentance and Humiliation for sinne make no doubt of thy faith though as I said thou dost not feele it seeing Faith goes before Repentance Now for the better consideration of this wee must know The Difference betweene the workes of Faith and true Repentance First the Act or worke of true Faith is generally to beleeue the promises of the Gospell that all men who repent and beleeue shall bee saued The second Act or worke of Faith is to beleeue that the promises bee proposed
The other ground of Faith is A perswasion of the power of God for if he be willing to helpe and yet not able as wanting power what are wee the better but remaine euen weake people such as Isaiah speakes of Chap. 3. 7. In that day he shal sweare saying I cannot be an helper for there is no bread in mine house And it makes vs vncomfortable in that we goe about but Christ sheweth that all power abideth in God and all things are subiect vnto him whether in Heauen or in Earth or vnder the Earth yea he rules and gouernes all and is able to supply whatsoeuer man stands in need of As may be seene Psal. 50. throughout and Psal. 115. 3. But our God is in heauen he doth whatsoeuer he will and Deut. 33. 26. There is none like God O righteous people which rideth vpon the Heauens for thy helpe and on the Cloudes in his glory c. So that in truth all that he doth is to shew forth his goodnesse and power in helping vs. Of which he hath giuen sufficient testimony in Scriptures that he both can and will supply our wants in whatsoeuer we stand in need of Indeed earthly fathers they may be willing to helpe their children but they are not alwayes able as we may read 2 King 9. 14. When the little child cryed out to his father My head my head he could doe no more then command one to carry him vnto his mother and so the child died but the Prophet came and by the power of God restored him So in all things else the power of God as it is manifest in things aboue our reach so it is extended euen in this world when it pleaseth him to fulfill all things that men can desire And therefore wee see the leper cryed out Matth. 8. 2. Master if thou wilt thou canst make me cleane So Dauid Psal. 8. attributeth all things to the power of God Yea Christ himselfe confesseth this in his prayer when he saith Matth. 14. 36. Father Omnia tibi possibilia all things are possible to thee So that these be the two pillars of faith to aide and giue wings to our prayers A perswasion both of the will and power of God to helpe vs thus haue we done with that first affection we must pray with in Faith The second affection we must pray withall is loue for Christ teaches vs to say Our Father and not my Father Giue vs not me teaching thereby that wee must not pray for our selues onely but for others also We must take in the whole body of Saints all that loue God all that thinke God their Father yea all the world that are the children of God So Dauid Psal. 122. 6. saith Pray for the peace of Ierusalem and Jam. 5. 6 Pray one for another c. So that Christians must not onely pray in faith but in loue and that for the communion of the whole body of Christ whereof he himselfe is a member for as the sicke man in the Gospell when he could not come vnto Christ Marke 2. 3. vpon his owne legges though his faith was great and that hee beleeued Christ could heale him was borne vpon the shoulders of foure men who let him downe at the house top and brought him to the presence of Christ So must we doe by our brethren howeuer they can pray in faith themselues yet must wee pray in loue for them If this course were kept amongst vs that we did thus pray one for another O what a comfort would this be to afflicted and distressed soules to think that whensoeuer they went about to pray vnto GOD there were many thousand hands and hearts lifted vp to God in their behalfe I am perswaded it would much animate euery Christian to goe forward in this Christian duty thus you may see how efficacious this affection of loue is but hereby is not meant euery sudden wish for the good of some particular persons or priuate respect of friends riuals allyes acquaintance or such like wherein we may exercise our selues but the generall care of the Church of God and loue to our brethren as hauing feeling of our fellow members The third affection that we must pray with is feare and that for especiall reasons First Because it is our Father that we haue to deale with Secondly Because hee is in Heauen the place vnto which all Maiestie reuerence and glory is due Now we know that all reuerence is due to our earthly fathers yea when they are sharpest vnto vs as Hebr. 12. 9. We haue had the fathers of our bodies which corrected vs and we gaue them reuerence c. So then if our earthly fathers must haue reuerence much more our heauenly Father most highly aduanced in dignity and power aboue this world Wherefore this is a caution for vs Eccles. 5. 1. To take heed what we vtter before God For He is in the Heauens And in another place Wee must looke to our feet when we enter into Gods house For God is not onely a Father but such a Father that wee haue to deale withall in Prayer one so eminent and so high lifted vp that he is as high as heauen therefore we must labour as much as may be to be abashed and fall downe before him So Abraham Gen. 18. 2. Bowed himselfe to the ground So Jacob humbled himselfe Gen. 32. 10. To this purpose Rudinius in his History vpon Gen. 24. saith thus If Rebekah rode vpon the Camels amongst the seruants but when she came into the presence of Isaac shee lighted downe from the Camels So must we doe howsoeuer in the world we beare vp our heads aboue our brethren and are bold and carelesse when we are to deale with men yet when wee once come into the Lords presence and are to deale with the Lord of heauen and of earth wee must all come downe from our Camels be as humble lowly and base in our owne eyes as possible we may If a man would conueigh water from a Fountaine if hee lay his Leades too high that is be not deiected in spirit stoope in humility be not low in the Lords sight he shall be defeated of all the blessings and comforts that he lookes for so that it must be our care to come into the Lords presence with all reuerence Feare and Humiliation But here the Papists doe so dazzle mens eyes with the greatnesse of God that they run beyond the marke On the other side saying that sinfull men must not bee so bold to approach and come to Gods presence but they must send a farre off and send in others to bee sutors and mediators for them But our Sauiour Christ shewes vs that all this high Maiestie of God must not driue or chase vs from his presence but it must onely qualifie vs in our comming vnto God that we doe not rudely and bluntly rush in before him but that we
vp his hands and eyes vnto heauen intreating that God will may be done and yet haue no care to doe it being vnwilling to repent of sinnes and to lay hold on the promises of Christ to which purpose it was a waighty speech of a learned man Wee may as well spit vpon CHRIST buffet Him beate Him with roddes bow before Him with cursed mocking say Hayle King of the Iewes c. as kneele in His Church in our Pew and say Thy will bee done and yet neuer haue any care to doe it but grieue God with our sinnes adde wickednesse to wickednesse day by day neuer thinking of reconciling our selues and examining our hearts and consciences toreformation and newnesse of life The third generall part of this Petition is In what manner wee must doe the will of God You see wee pray that we may doe it in Earth as they doe it in Heauen that is as the Angels and blessed Spirits doe it which are in the presence of GOD and the reason of this is because as we haue heard before in all duties the manner of a thing in regard of gratefull acceptation is as much as the thing it selfe As if one build a man a house yet if he doe not build it to the minde of the owner if it bee too high or too low too wide flat or such like he thinkes all his charges lost So if one plough a field what is all his labour and paines if it be not to the will of his Master So in holy duties howsoeuer we doe the will of God yet if wee doe it not in such and such manner as God prescribeth he will not accept it Yea Schoolemen say that the ground of this is because The manner of the thing is as well commanded as the thing it selfe So Jeremy Cursed be he who doth the worke of the Lord negligently Though it be the worke of God yet cursed is hee yea so much the more if hee doe it negligently not in such sort as he should It is said of Noah to his praise that hee not onely did all things but also in the very same sort and manner as the Lord had commanded Moses was commanded to doe all things according to the patterne shewed him in the Mount this is that we pray for in the last clause of this Petition In which two things are especially to be considered 1 Why the Lord fetcheth vs a Patterne from Heauen and not rather from good men in this world 2 How and in what manner the Angels doe the will of God Concerning the first There are fowre speciall Reasons of it why the Lord fetches vs a Patterne from heauen rather then from Earth First Because a rare example doth most moue vs. Few examples in this world be rare and those few that be are so darkned and clouded with contrary examples that they hardly moue vs. To this effect Dauid saith The Lord looked from Heauen and saw that none did good no not one So Isa. 64. 6 7. the Prophet brings in the people confessing Wee haue all been as an vncleane thing and our Righteousnesse is as filthy cloutes c. And hee concludes for there is none that stirreth vp himselfe to call vpon thee Yea also of this Saint Paul complaines affirmatiuely Philip. 2. 2. For all seeke their owne and not that which is Iesus Christs So because there is such a rarity of good examples in this world therefore our Sauiour Christ sends vs as farre as Heauen to take our example from thence as Marriners on the Sea who are alwayes guided by the Starres because they want in the Sea firme markes to direct them home to their owne Countrey So must we doe because we want firme and sure examples in this world to raise vp our thoughts by into heauen and mount vs beyond the clouds we must take our patterne from those blessed Spirits and powers that continually doe serue in the presence of God The second is because those fewe examples that are in the world be not pure and perfect but haue their defects Saint Paul as I haue said likeneth the examples of holy men to the cloud that led the people out of Egypt which had two parts one bright another darke somewhat to be followed somewhat to be declined Now because the corruption of our nature is such that wee are more prone to imitate euill then good to follow Dauid in his sinnes rather then in his teares to follow Peter in deniall of Christ rather then in his repentance therefore to helpe this our Sauiour Christ directs vs to the example of holy Angels which be pure and perfect Thirdly Because these earthly examples be but of men terrestriall like vnto our selues But Angels be the most noble spirits of God the glory and beauty of all creatures so that the direction is forcible If Angels eleuated and lifted vp to such a high degree be alwayes ready and willing to doe the will of God then much more we that be men much meaner and lower then they be Saint Paul tels vs that God when he bringeth his first begotten Sonne into the world he saith Let all the Angels of God worship him why giues hee such a charge vnto Angels was there any doubt but that the Angels were ready to stoupe and doe seruice to the Sonne of God The answer must be that it was especially to raise vp men to doe the like that if the most noble spirits of God fall and sinke downe at the feet of Christ then much more we that be but dust and ashes wormes-meat and wretched men must be still ready to fall before him and to doe him seruice Thus our blessed Sauiour in this place shewes how prompt and ready the holy Angels bee to doe the will of God and therefore doth the more incite and stirre vs vp to bee like them Fourthly That we may make our conuersation heauenly while we be vpon earth That though our bodies bee here vpon ground yet that we might conuerse aboue the Starres amongst Angels and Archangels and all the blessed spirits continually attending to doe Gods will According as Saint Paul speakes Phil. 3. 20 But our conuersation is in heauen from whence also we looke for a Sauiour euen the Lord Iesus Christ c. And of men thus eleuated he sayes Ephes. 2. 19. Now therefore wee are no more strangers and forraigners but Citizens with the Saints and of the houshold of God Thus as I say though we liue vpon earth yet in affection we must labour to be ioyned to this heauenly troope of Caelestiall and blessed Spirits which attend to doe the will of God The next thing to be considered is How the Angels doe the will of God and in what manner for seeing Christ hath set them for our example it is good for vs to know what altitude and height wee must aspire to and ayme at though we be not able to
But when God had denyed him this request and told him he must die in the wildernesse hee went as willingly vnto the place of his death as wee doe to a feast or banquet So old Simeon when he had once gotten Christ into his armes became most willing to die Luke 2. singing that Song Now Lord let thou thy seruant depart in peace for mine eyes haue seen thy saluation this is the first thing in this holy disposition to be willing to die Wherefore it is a lamentable case that a number professing Christianitie should so hang vpon the world at that time like naturall men mentioned Psal. 17 14. Which haue their portion in this life whose bellie thou fillest with thy hid treasure c. It is wonderfull that worldlings doe thus but that Christians should doe so who haue layed vp their hope in God the comforts of saluation in Christ and expect this as thechiefest happinesse it is a wofull thing The good people Numb 13. when they saw the clusters of grapes which were brought vpon a barre betweene two men they made hast towards the land of promise and incouraged one another to rise vp and enter euen so when God hath giuen vs some first fruites of the Spirit some taste of the ioyes of the life to come some little grapes of our heauenly countrey what should we doe but make haste and dispatch speedily to enter into the full possession of the same Secondly One must then let all goe and apply himselfe wholly to the saluation of his soule So wee see the good theefe did when hee came to die all his care was for the saluation of his soule though hee hung in paine and torment yet hee prayes to Christ not for reliefe from death or to ease his paine but onely that Christ would remember him when hee came into his kingdome Euen so must wee doe when we come to die wee must not looke after our paines nor after our ease or worldly accounts but that our soules may bee saued how wee may stand before God with an vpright conscience If a mans house be on fire and hee cannot in this danger saue all his goods hee will yet apply himselfe to saue his best things carry out his jewells plate and money with some of his best houshold stuffe that if any perish the worst may burne first Thus must a man doe at the day of death when hee sees that he cannot saue all because he must lose his soule or his goods the best way then is to let all goe and wholly to apply ones selfe to saue his soule at the day of death Thirdly One must labour to die in faith as hee hath liued therein as Heb. 11. 13. It is said of the Fathers all these died in faith They died not all in their beds nor of a lingring sicknesse nor amongst their friends for some were sawen asunder some stoned but all died in faith And our Sauiour Christ wee know when hee came to die and his very greatest extremities of death vpon him on the very agonie of death hee did wholly rest vpon God crying out My God my God so must wee doe in the greatest paines and calamities of death yea in torments wholly cast ourselues vpon Gods loue and fauour as our surest hold wee should shut vp our eyes and cast our selues on his mercie with full perswasion that though wee shall dwell in the dens of death for a little while yet one day he will raise vs vp and make vs partakers of Heauen where wee shall haue the comfortable presence of God and his holy Angels and blessed Saints for euer It is obserued that when a man is in danger of drowning looke what they haue in their hands they hold fast and neuer part with it no not when life leaues them so must a Christian soule doe in the time of death cast vp his armes and lay hold vpon Christ neuer part with him no not when the last breath leaues him The Faith a Christian must die in consists in three things First He must die in the faith of his owne Reconciliation with God that God is at peace with him and become his good Father by the meanes of Iesus Christ and therefore boldly to go vnto God as vnto our Father knowing that no childe can be so welcome to his father as we shall be vnto the Lord our God which is the comfort that the Church hath left vnto her by Christ Ioh. 20. 17. Goe vnto my brethren and say vnto them I ascend vnto my Father and your Father and vnto my God and your God As if hee should say Let it be your comfort that God is your Father heauen is your home he is not a stranger vnto you but your God is more compassionate then any earthly father can be This way onely the Prodigall sonne took for mercie when his case was desperate Luk. 15. 18. For hee thus disputed with himselfe whatsoeuer I haue beene or wheresoeuer I haue liued it is no matter yet because he is my Father I will goe home and craue pardon in hope of mercie So must a man thus by the meanes of faith say I will goe to God as to my Father Though I walke in the midst of the valley of the shadow of death yet will I feare none euill for my Father will haue a care of me in all estates I am his this man may depart with comfort and finde ioy and peace accompany his passage Secondly A man must die in the faith of his owne happie and comfortable estate after death that being a true penitent death shall be nothing else but a doore to let him into euerlasting life So that as Christs death Luk. 9. 31. is tearmed Transitus a departing a passage onely a passing from one place to another so death is but a departing a passing from earth to heauen from sinfull men to be with God Saints and Angels and with the spirits of iust men come to perfection from things transitorie to things euerlasting To this effect Iob speakes Iob. 14. 14. If a man die shall hee liue againe and all the dayes of my appointed time will I waite vntill my change come So Paul Philip. 1. 23. I desire to bee dissolued and to bee with Christ. Againe For wee know that if our earthly house of this Tabernacle bee dissolued wee haue a building of God an house not made with hands which is eternall in the heauens Whereby is signified the state of eternall glorie and life euerlasting and therefore as old Iacob reuiued when hee saw the Chariots and horses come which should carry him into Aegypt so because death is the fierie chariot of Almightie God whereby all his children and chosen are carried home vnto eternall life let vs comfortably lay hold vpon faith when wee see the chariots of Almighty God stand ready at our doores and reioyce
the grace of iustification we must labour to ioyne sanctification T. 2. p. 120. Scriptures how knowne to be the Word of God T. 1. p. 8. their drift T. 1. p 10. how to reade them with profit T. 1. p. 67 68 Seruants their duty T. 1. p. 61 62 c. Sinne Our sinfull estate T. 1. p. 11. of sinne originall and actuall ibid. three sorts of actuall sinnes T. 1. p. 12. the misery of our sinnefull estate p 12 13. by what meanes wee become sorrowfull for sinne T. 1. p. 14. no man able to free himselfe from all sinne T. 1. p. 24. how a man may know his darling sinne ibid. how to kill sinne T. 1. p 25. sinnes why called debts T. 1. p. 121. T. 2. p. 99. the meanes that God vseth in deliuering vs from sin T. 1. p. 127. originall sin what T. 1. p. 130. how taken away in baptisme ibid. that vpon pardon of former sinnes the diuell is ready alwayes to fasten new vpon vs T. 2. p. 120. Sit what is meant by Christs sitting at the right hand of God T. 1. p. 92. Sobriety what T. 1. p. 30. in meates ibid. in apparell T. 1. p. 31. and in other creatures T. 1. p. 32. c. of other things wherein sobriety should bee shewed T. 1. p. 33. Sonne why Christ is called Gods ONELY Sonne when as wee also are called sons T. 1. p. 84. Sorrow vide mourning by what meanes wee may become sorry for our sinnes T. 1. p. 14. how to bee moderate therein T. 1. p. 33. sorrow for sinne requires fiue qualifications T 3. p. 74. Spirit vide Holy Ghost T. 1. p. 95 96 97. the markes whereby we may know whether wee haue the Holy Ghost or no T. 1. p. 98. Subiection the wiues subiection to her husband declared T. 1. p. 55. Suffer of Christs sufferings T. 1. p. 86. Supper the Lords Supper vide Sacrament T. 1. p. 132. the needfulnesse of it ibid. the resemblances betweene the Bread and the Body in the Lords Supper T. 1. p. 133. whether wee receiue nothing but a signe in the Lords Supper T. 1. p. 135. the resemblance betweene the Blood and the Wine in the Lords Supper T. 1. p. 137. T. TEares they are not alwayes true tokens of repentance T. 3 p. 120. how to find comfort in teares T. 3. p. 121. three things for which a man may shed teares T 3. p. 123. hinderances of penitent teares T. 3. p. 127. that a man may truely repent and yet not shed teares T. 3. p. 128 129. the reasons why some men weepe sometimes and others reioyce at the first conuersion T 1. p. 132. Temple what are wee to doe before in and after we goe into the Temple T. 1. p. 72 73 74 c. Temptation of that Petition Lead vs not into temptation T. 1. 123 124. God tempts no man ibid. how God workes in temptation and yet is free from sinne ibid. the euils that we pray against in that we say Lead vs not into temptation T. 1. p. 125. that wee may pray not to be tempted T. 2. p. 121. two kinds of temptations that a man is subiect vnto T. 2. p. 122. that we are exceeding apt to yeeld to temptation T. 2. p. 123. how God may be said to tempt how not T. 2. p 125. the vses of it T. 2. p. 126. whether a man may resist temptation by the power of Nature T. 2. p. 129 130. Testament what T. 1. p. 139. the tenour of both Testaments ibid. Tryall we should daily try our estates T. 1. p. 67. U. VNregenerate a fourefold vse of the Law to the vnregenerate T. 3. p. 2 3 4 5 6. Vowes the remembrance of them are helpes to an holy life T. 1. p. 69. Vsury what T. 1. p. 40. how allowed by our Lawes ibid. why not condemned in the New Testament ibid. c. IV. WAtch we must watchouer our life T. 1. p. 67. Wife her duty T. 1. p. 55 56. her subiection how declared ibid. Will of that Petition Thy will be done T. 1. p. 115. what the will of God is ibid. how done of of vs ibid. how of the Angels T. 1. p. 116. Will and Testament what T. 1. p. 139. how many Wils God did make ibid. three motiues to subiect vs to the Will of God T. 2. p. 48 49. whose will must be done T. 2. p. 58. Gods will opposed by three wills T. 2. p. 59 60. what will of God must be done T. 2. p. 62. foure speciall wils that God requires in his Word T. 2 p. 63 64. In what manner wee must doe the will of God T. 2. p. 65. why Christ fetcheth a patterne from heauen for doing his wil T. 2. p. 66. Wisedome wherein Gods wisedome appeareth T. 1. p. 3 spirituall wisedome wherein consisting T. 1 p. 28 Witches running to such reproued T. 2. p. 81. Word what it is T. 1. p. 8. how we may know the Scriptures to to be the Word of God ibid. The end of the Table SMITHS GROVNDS of Religion Question WHy was man made Answer To serue God Pro. 16. 4. Acts 17. 27. Q What gather wee of this A. That our first and chiefest care must bee to serue God Math. 6. 33. Pro. 4. 7. Q. Whom doth this Doctrine meere withall A. First with those that thinke it enough to liue ciuilly and honestly in the world hauing no loue to Religion no care of seruing God Secondly it meeteth with those who though they haue some care of it yet make it not their first and chiefest care but let euery worldly businesse take place before it Q. How doe wee know there is a God A. First by the Scriptures Secondly by the light of Reason Q. What bee the reasons A. The first is drawne from the Workes of God The second is taken from the Testimonie of our owne Conscience Q. What is the first A. When wee see a faire and a goodly Tower though we saw not the workman when he built it yet wee easily conceiue that there was some Architect that framed it and set it vp So when wee see the glorious frame of Heauen and Earth wee easily conceiue that there is a God who made it though wee see him not Q What is the second A. When as a man hath committed any horrible fact as murder theft blasphemie and the like Though he hide it from men yet hee feeles then especially when he is wakened vp with some iudgement continuall gripings and gnawings and fearefull terrors in his heart which is nothing else but a secret guiltinesse and a close feeling that there is a God who will reuenge it Q What is God A. God is a Spirit or a spirituall substance hauing his being of himselfe Iohn 4. 24. Q. What gather wee of this that God is a Spirit A. That they that conceiue God to bee like an old man sitting in heauen worship an horrible Idol in stead of the true God Luke 24. 39. Numbers 23. 19. Q.
greatest enemies No man will doe so much for his friend as God doth for his foes Wee came into the world with neuer a penny in our Purse with neuer a sheare in our Barnes with neuer a sheepe in our folds with neuer a Coate on our backe and yet the Lord hath filled our liues with great abundance Thirdly in sparing of our 〈◊〉 and that diuersly First in hiding many of our sinnes from the eyes of the world For if the world knew as much by vs as God knowes the best man that liues would blush to shew his face Secondly in giuing vs a time to repent for if God should damne euery sinner so soone as hee sinnes against him wofull were our case for none would be saued it is Gods mercy that wee liue and breathe vpon the Earth being guiltie of so many rebellious mutinies and treasons against our heauenly King as Ieremtah saith Lament 3. 22. Thirdly in vsing all meanes to draw vs to repentance like one that would gladly vndoe a doore he tries key after key till he hath tryed euery key in his bunch So God hath tryed by Mercy and tryed by Iudgement he hath tryed by pouertie and tryed by plenty because he would gladly by some meanes bring vs to him Esay 5. 4. As when a great fish is caught vpon the hooke the fish pulls and the man pulls and the fish pulls againe So God and the sinfull soule lie wresting together the soule drawes to Hell and God pulls to Heauen so fâ—ine God would haue vs who care too little to be saued of him Q. What vse may wee make of this Propertie A. First that men haue good cause to loue God seeing hee doth more for them then the deerest friend in the world will do If we should iniure your friend but halfe so much as we iniure God he would sooue cast vs off Psal. 27. 10. Secondly they doe the Lord of Heauen great wrong who pray to the Virgin Mary or to any of the Saints as if they were more fauourably inclined to Mercie then the Lord Psal. 50. 15. Q. What is the last Propertie of God A. Hee is Infinite Wherein appeareth the infinitenesse of God A. In two things First in respect of Time Secondly in respect of Place In respect of Time because hee is euerlasting without beginning and without end beyond all time Esay 51. 5. In respect of place because he filleth all places with his presence Psalme 139. 7. 8. Qu What vse doe wee make of this Propertie A. First to walke with feare and reuerence all our daies because God is an eye-witnesse of all we doe or say and therefore wee ought to walke with as great shamefacednesse and bashfulnesse before him as before the greatest Prince or power in the world Prou. 15. 11. Secondly not to be dismayed in any trouble because God is euer at hand to take our part As a childe will not care for the seruants so long as hee is in his fathers presence Psal. 23. 4. Thirdly that the diuine Nature ought rather with reuerence to be adored then curiously to be searched for seeing God is infinite in all his nature so mightie that none can conceiue how mightie he is so wise that all the wits in the world cannot tell how wise he is Wee are no moreable to comprehend his excellent Nature then wee are to graspe the Mountaines in our armes or to span the broadest of the Sea with our fingers 1. Tim. 6. 16. Qu. How many persons be there in the Godhead A. Three the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost Qu. Is it needfull for vs to know the distinction of the Persons A. Very needfull for the Turkes and the Iewes confesse one God but because they denie the distinction of the Persons they neither acknowledge the Sonne of God their Redeemer nor the holy Ghost their Sanctifier Secondly the Maiestie of God is vnsearchable and cannot be apprehended but as it commeth forth and reueales it selfe in the Person of the Sonne and therefore they that know not the Sonne of God they in very deed know not God Iohn 1. 18. 1. Ioh. 2. 23. Qu. What is the Father A. The Father is that Person in the Godhead who begetteth the Sonne Psal. 2. 7. Qu. What is the Sonne A. The Sonne is that person who is begotten of the Father Iohn 1. 14. Qu. What is the Holy Ghost A. The Holy Ghost is that Person who proceedeth from them both from the Father and the Sonne Iohn 15. 26. Gal. 4. 6. Qu. Was not the Father before the Sonne A. The Sonne is euerlasting as well as the Father for the Sonne is the Wisdome of the Father and therefore as wee cannot say there was any time when God was without wisedome So wee cannot say there was any time when God was without a Sonne Pro. 8. 23. Qu. Are there not three Gods as there are three Persons A. No for all the three Persons are but one and the selfe-same God so that as the Root and the Body and branches of a tree are all but one tree So the Father the Sonne and the Holy Ghost are all but one God and therefore they that conceiue the three Persons to be so distinct as threemen are they entertaine a false conceite of the liuing God Cor. 8. 4. Qu. What vse may wee make of this A. That whosoeuer worshippeth one of the diuine Persons worshippeth them all because they are all but one and the selfe-same God And therefore men may not thinke when they pray to one of the diuine Persons the other is passed by but hee that honoureth one honoureth all and hee that prayeth to one prayeth to all Iohn 5. 23. Qu. How must wee serue God A. According to his Word not after our fancies but as God himselfe will be serued Deut. 12. 32. Qu. What gather wee of this A. That all will-worship brought in by men without warrant of the Word of God is to be condemned Mark 17. 17. Qu. What is the word of God A. That which is contained in the holy Scriptures in the Bookes of the old and new Testament there God speakes vnto vs and breakes his minde familiarly how and in what sort hee will be serued of vs 2. Tim. 3. 16. Qu. What vse may wee make of this A. To remember that as oft as the Bible appeareth the blessed mouth of God is open to instruct vs and that they which regard not the Scriptures regard not the voyce of God and they that suffer the Bible to lye clasped and shut in their houses doe as it were seale vp the mouth of God that hee may not speake vnto them Qu. How know wee that the Scriptures are the word of God A. By the power of them for God alone is able to conuert the soule of a sinner and to beget faith and therefore seeing the preaching of the Scriptures hath begotten faith in vs. and conuerted vs vnto God wee must needes confesse euen from
wring them off hurts himselfe more then the Irons doe Luke 21. 19. Q. What is the fourth point of godlinesse A. Wee must be diligent in commending our whole estate by earnest prayer vnto God For therein we doe the Lord this honour that we acknowledge our whole welfare to depend on him and it is he alone that blesseth all things that wee take in hand And therefore we must neuer begin any thing without prayer Wee must not eate vnlesse wee first pray God to blesse that we eate Wee must not giue vnlesse wee pray God to blesse that wee giue 1. Thessalonians 5. 17. Q. What is the Reason A. There is a double vse of the good things of God A lawfull vse An holy vse Q. What be they A. As when a man eateth or refresheth himselfe or sleepeth moderately when he vttereth his Comodities at a reasonable rate then he doth these things lawfully But when he sanctifieth and performeth all these things with holy prayer vnto God Then he vseth them not onely lawfully but holily too So that by this meanes our thoughts are holy and our workes holy our recreations holy yea and our sleepe is holy to the Lord 1. Sam. 3. 5. Q. What thinke you then of giuing thankes before meate A. It is a holy vse sanctified by the example of Christ and much commended by the Scriptures our Sauiour Christ looked to heauen and blessed the loaues and fishes Math. 13. 19. So did Paul Acts 27. 35. And wee reade of the people in the 1. Sam. 9. 13. That they would not eate of the Sacrifice till Samuel had blessed it And therefore their boldnesse is great that dare vse the creatures of God with greater boldnesse then Paul or Samuel yea and the Sonne of God himselfe would vse them Q. Is it not good to haue certaine sette times of Prayer in our houses A. It is very needfull the rather thereby to draw our selues into Gods presence and to bring our selues in remembrance of this great dutie that lyes vpon vs as Daniel 6. 10. Q. What are the fittest times to set apart for Prayer A. The Morning and the Euening In the morning we must pray that the Lord will leade vs throughout the day That hee will shrowd vs and shadow vs vnder the wings of his grace and be with vs in euery thing we take in hand And this may be termed the morning Sacrifice of a Christian Psal. 5. 3. At night againe we must reckon with the Lord for the sinnes of the day that we lye not downe in Gods displeasure but hauing reconciled and as it were made euen for our faults wee may sleepe in the lappe and bosome of the loue of God And this may be termed The euening Sacrifice of a Christian Psal. 141. 2. Q. How is this further declared A. As Noahs Doue hauing wandred all day abroad yet returned in the Euening to the Arke So we hauing toyled and laboured all day in the world yet at night we must bee carefull to returne and take vp our rest as it were with God Q. Are wee to rest our selues in this thing A. Wee must not thinke our selues discharged when these sett times of prayer be performed but many times in the day we must lift vp our hearts to God in the heate of all our businesse bethinke vs of the Lord who alone can prosper and blesse that which we haue in hand Q. What is the fift Point of godlinesse A. Wee must lift vp our hearts with great thankfulnesse vnto God for all his blessings and benefites that are vpon vs. For therefore Moses declareth in the first of Genesis how God made the Heauen and the Earth the Sunne and the Moone and all things here below To shew that if we haue any comfort in any thing in this world God the Creatour is to be blessed and thanked for it 1. Thess 5. 18. Q. Is it enough to thanke God for his mercies A. Surely no but as we are thankfull for his blessings so we must be thankfull for his iudgements too and therefore we must blesse God as well for our pouerty as we doe for our plenty as well for our weakenesse as we doe for our strength as well when we lose our comforts as when we haue them Iob 1. 21. Q. What is the Reason that so few are thankefull for their troubles A. Because men are not able to looke through the present euills that are vpon them into the speciall fauour and loue of God who by this meanes compasseth and procureth their greater good And therefore men thinke it an vnreasonable thing that they should thanke God for the losse of their wealth of their peace of their libertie and the like because they see not into that good which the Lord by this meanes will bring vpon them Rom. 5. 4. Q. How may we prouoke our selues to thankefulnesse A. First if we keepe a faithfull Register of the blessings of God and engraue them as it were vpon the gates of the soule that wee may behold in one sight and in one view all the rich blessings of God that are vpon vs Psalme 103 1. 2. c. Secondly if we consider how vnworthy we are of the least of those blessings which we inioy For we are not worthy the earth should beare vs the heauens should couer vs the Sunne should shine vpon vs. And therefore it is the Lords exceeding fauour that we are blessed in any measure and regarded of him 2. Sam. 7. 18. Thirdly if we consider our preferment in many of our blessings aboue other men and how they are thankfuller for halfe our happinesse then we are for the whole Math. 13. 17. Fourthly if wee consider how the number of Gods blessings groweth daily towards vs. So that if wee had cause to thanke God yesterday we haue greater cause to thanke him to day And if we haue cause to thanke him this yeare wee shall haue greater to thanke him the next yeare the Lords mercy still more and more increasing on vs Ezek. 36. 11. Q. What is the last Point of Godlinesse A. The sanctifying of the Sabboth which is one of the chiefest duties of a Christian as being the very sinnewe and the life of all the rest For though a man be neuer so sicke and diseased yet so long as he lyes at Physicke and vseth good meanes of health there is some hope he may doe well but when he lets his disease runne and will not come vnder the Physitians hands then his case is desperate wee haue little hope that hee will euer mend Euen so though a man be neuer so sicke and diseased in his soule yet so long as he hath care to sanctifie the Sabboth to partake in the holy Prayers and the Ministry of the Church there is some hope that in time these good things may worke vpon him But if he will not come to ioyne in these exercises of the Church if he haue no care to heare to
according to that trust and faithfulnesse that they finde in them as Cornelius cast speciall fauour on that souldier that feared God making him his Iewell and treasure aboue the rest Acts 10. 7. Qu. What is the seruants duty to their Masters A. Seruants must be obedient to their Masters not their owne men but liuing wholly at their becke and at their command as the Centurion saith to his seruant come and he comes So when wee say to our seruants come they must come c. Ephes. 6. 9. Qu. What is their second Duty A. Seruants must be diligent to please their Masters hauing a tender care that nothing may slippe through their fingers which may offend them They must seeke euen to fit themselues to them so farre forth as they may with an vnstained Conscience to the honour and not whole dishonour of their Masters with whom they dwell Tit. 2. 9. Qu. What reason is there to stirre them vp to this A. In seruing their Masters they serue the Lord Christ. And therefore if a man would bee ashamed to serue Christ slothfully or idly or grudgingly he must be ashamed to serue his Master so his Master being but Christs deputie and Lieutenant in the house Col. 3. 24. Qu. What is their third Duty A. They must not murmure nor answer againe when they be reproued but in silence and patience commend their cause to God Tit. 2. 9. Q. What is their fourth Duty A. They must not filtch or purloyne the least point or pinne nor make hauocke and spoile of their meate or of any thing else that comes into their hands Ioh. 6. 12. Q. What is the fift Duty A. Seruants must shew all good faithfulnesse to their Masters discharging their places with all trust in the places committed to them not beseeming themselues whiles their Masters are in sight and proclayming loosenesse and libertie when they are gone but carrying themselues with as great trustinesse in their absence as if they were present with them Ephes. 6. 5. 6. Q. What reason is there to bring them to this A. To consider that that which they hide from their Masters they cannot hide from God for though their Masters see them not yet God lookes vpon them from heauen with a bright and a shining eye and he sees them maintaining and gaming and trifling out their time and therefore when their Masters backe is turned they must still thinke the Lords backe is not turned vpon them Heb. 4. 13. Q. What is their sixt Duty A. Seruants must tender the credite of their Masters burying their priuate faults within the priuate walls by no meanes publishing the secricies of the house no not then when they are departed from them 1. Prou. 11. 13. Q. What is their last Duty A. They must settle themselues in their seruice and not vpon euery light displeasure be flitting to a new A good seruant is not then going euery day but is sometimes 20. yeares in a place together as Iacob was But now in 20 yeares the greatest part will haue 20. seruices by their Wills Gen. 16. 8. 9. Q. What generall reasons are there to edge them on to these Duties A. Christian seruants must so behaue themselues that they may be an honour to the Gospell that as Potipher was glad of Ioseph So men may say there are no such seruants as the seruants of Christ for faithfulnesse care and diligence and honestie they may carry the torch vnto all the rest 1. Tim. 6. 7. Q. What is the Duty of those that be in office A. They must be men of courage they must not let euery bold-face dash them and beare them downe but stoutly oppose themselues to the discontinuancing of euery disorder that raignes Deut. 1. 17. Q What gather wee of this A. That as men wish all things were well so they must haue courage for the truth to oppose themselues against all those that be hinderers of their goods Ier. 9 3. Q. What is their second Duty A. They must bee men fearing God and therefore they must make a conscience of their Calling and bee content rather to displease their dearest friend then to displease the Lord rather to lose mens fauours then Gods rather the whole world should frowne then God should frowne vpon them 2. Chron. 19. 9. Q. What is the reason hereof A. Because this is a great damping and a great cooling to them that are in place they dare not execute their office lest men should be angry with them and therefore Gods feare must be opposed as a brazen buckler to the feare of men to thinke that as men will be angry if we doe it so God will be angry if wee doe it not as men will vexe vs if wee presse it so God will vexe vs and be terrible and fearefull to our soules if wee presse it not And who art thou that fearest the face of men and fearest not the face of the mighty God who is able with one blast of his mouth to blowe thee into hell and with the least touch of his finger to fling downe the pillers of heauen and earth about thine eares Iob 32. 22. Qu. What is their third Duty A. They must be men hating couetousnesse they must not bee so greedily set vpon their gaine that they will spare neither time nor money to discharge their duties But they must be content many times to passe ouer all regard of themselues and euen to let their owne businesse sleepe that the causes of God and the people may be set on foot Exod. 18. 21. Qu. What is their fourth Duty A. They must not be ready to doe all vpon a braine but in matters of moment and beyond their reach bee glad to aduise with those that be wiser and skilfuller then themselues Exod. 18. 22. Q. What is their last Duty A. They must apply themselues to their office that is euer set and buckle themselues to performe the duties of it Heb. 12. 2. Qu. What learne wee by this A. That they haue much to answer for who being chosen to the offices of a Towne sleepe in them and slubber them ouer they care not how as if Magistracie were a chaire of ease Q. What is the duty of Priuate men A. They must make choyce of fit and able men to rule among them Deut. 1. 13. Qu. What gather wee of this A. That it is a great sinne to cast our offices wee care not where neuer regarding the fitnesse and abilitie of the parties that wee name So we set vp officers in the Church like scarreâ—rowes in a field Idoll officers like Idoll sheepheards That haue eyes and see not eares and heare not mouthes and speake not against any thing that is amisse Qu. What is their second Duty A. They must not shift out themselues from the offices of the Common-weale or of the Church finding some reasonable fitnesse in themselues to discharge them For what is this but to bury our Talent in a napkin and
the Godlie die dayly A. But their death is not a punishment for sinne but a passage to Heauen and Eternall life And therefore it is one of the greatest blessings that God can bestow vpon a godly man Phil. 1. 23. Q. What Fruit haue we by Christs Death A. Remission for our sinnes for Iustice will not suffer that one offence be twice punished And therefore seeing God hath punished all our sinnes in Christ vnlesse we renounce the benefit we haue by Christ hee cannot now punish them in our selues againe Psal. 53. 5. Mortification of sinne Christs death obtaining not onely pardon for sinnes past but also strength and grace to weaken and bring vnder those corruptions that are yet behinde 1. Cor. 1. 30. Q. What is the fourth degree of Christs humiliation A. He was buried Q. Why was Christ buried A. For two causes First the more to assure vs of his death for dead men and not liue men be put into the graue To confirme vs the more That Gods wrath is appeased thorough Christ as the Sea was calme when Ionas was cast out of the Ship Q. What Fruit haue we by Christs buriall A. By Christs buriall sinne is buried in vs so that we haue strong hope that it neuer shall arise Rom. 4. 6. Q. What is the last degree of Christs Humiliation A. Hee descended into hell Q. What is the first Degree of Christs Exaltation A. The third day hee arose againe from the dead Q. What is the meaning hereof A. That as a man that chops vp a morsell that is too hot for his mouth cannot hold it but is glad to giue it vp againe So death hauing swallowed vp our Sauiour Christ and finding him too hot for him could not hold him but was glad to render him vp againe Acts 2. 24. Q. When did Christ rise A. The third day not the first day lest the Iewes should thinke he had not beene dead indeed but had been in a trance Not the fourth day lest his Disciples should haue despaired if Christ had beene longer absent from them Luke 24. 21. Q What difference is there betweene Christs rising and ours A. Christ rose by his owne power but wee shall rise by the power of Christ as in a shipwracke one swimmes to the bank and a many hang at his heeles and hee drawes them all out to the shore 1. Cor. 15. 22. 23. Q. What are the fruits of Christs rising A. Wee are assured hereby that Christ hath discharged for all our sinnes For if Christ had not payd our whole debt if but one sinne had beene left behinde Christ could not haue risen from death the guiltinesse of that one sinne would haue kept him downe And therefore God in raising Christ hath declared himselfe to be fully satisfied and contented for all our sinnes Rom. 4. 25. Secondly by Christs rising we are raised vp to newnesse of life As it is a shame for the Seruants to lye in bed when the Master of the house is vp So seeing Christ is risen it shall bee our shame if wee lye still sound a sleepe in sinne Rom. 6. 4. Thirdly wee are assured thereby that our bodies shall rise againe being parts and members of Christ and liuing by the same Spirit which raised Christ out of the graue 1. Thess 4 4. Q. What is the second degree of Christs Exaltation A. Hee ascended into heauen Q. What is the meaning hereof A. That Christ left the Earth and went vp to Heauen so that he is no longer in Earth according to his bodily presence either visibly or inuisibly Ioh. 16. 7. Qu. What thinke you then of the Reall Presence of Christs body in the Sacrament A. It is directly contrary to the Articles of our Faith as Christ himselfe shewes Ioh. 6. 62. For aske them of our faith where Christs body is They will answer it is ascended and gone into Heauen aske the Aduersaries they will say it is still on Earth in this Sacrament on the Altar c. So that if the Articles of our faith be true their doctrine of the Reall Presence cannot be true Math. 24. 23. Q. How doth Christ say then hee will bee with vs to the end of the world Math. 28. 20. A. Christ will be with vs alwayes according to his Godhead according to his grace according to the effectuall working of his Spirit as St. Marke expounds it Cap. 16. 20. but according to his bodily presence he is not alwayes with vs as himselfe saith Math. 26. 11. Q. Whither did Christ ascend A. Into heauen as all the Scriptures shew Marke 16. 19. Luke 24. 51. Act. 1. 11. Q. What fruit haue we by Christs ascention A. First Christ ascended into Heauen hath carryed the hearts of the Godly into Heauen with him So that though they liue here belowe yet they haue their mindes continually raised and lifted vp to Christ that is aboue Phil. 3. 20. Secondly wee by Christs ascending into heauen are already possessed of Heauen For as one friend takes possession in an others name and it is as good in Lawe as if he had done it himselfe So Christ in our name and in our right hath entred into heauen and made it as fine as if wee our selues were already seised of it Ephes. 2. 6. Thirdly Christ ascended into Heauen that hee might appeare in the sight of God to make intercession for vs. So that now wee haue a friend in the Court of heauen who keepes vs in fauour with God and obtaines many blessings for vs Hebr. Q. What is the third Degree of Christs Exaltion A. Hee sitteth at the right hand of God Q. What is meant by the right hand of God A. To speake properly God hath neither a right hand nor a left For God is a Spirit and therefore hath no bodily parts as wee haue but the right hand of God is the power of God and the Maiestie of God as the Scriptures expound it Luke 22. 69. Heb. 1. 3. Q. What is it then to sit at the right hand of God A. To be next to him in Maiestie and in Power for as Kings and great personages cause them to sit downe on their right hand whom they will haue honoured as second to them in the kingdome and next to themselues So Christ is set down at the right hand of God Because God hath lift him vp euen in his humane Nature farre aboue men and Angels and made him in glory and honour next vnto himselfe Q. Why is Christ said to sit A. First to shew that he is the Iudge of the world and all causes must be brought before him Secondly to shew that he hath finished the worke of our Redemption as a man that sits downe when his worke is done Heb. 10. 12. In the Sanctuary there was no stoole for the Priests to sit downe c. Q. Shew yet more fully the meaning of the Creed in this sitting A. The sitting downe of Christ at the right hand of
Word The Sacraments And Prayer Q. What is Prayer A. Prayer is a pouring forth of the Soule before God in the feeling of our wants together with an earnest desire of remedy for the same Qu. How many things are required in Prayer A. Three things 1. That a man knowe his wants 2. That hee earnestly desire to haue them supplied 3. That for this end hee put vp his sute to God Q. Why did the Lord teach vs a set forme of prayer A. Because wee are not able to looke into the bottome of our owne hearts nor to carry our selues in such a wise course as becommeth speakers to so great a King Therefore the Lord vouchsafed to direct vs with his owne mouth that keeping our selues to the rule that hee hath set vs wee might be assured that our prayers should be to his good liking and well accepted Q. How many parts be there of the Lords Prayer A. Three 1. The Preface 2. The Petitions and 3. The Conclusion Q. Why doth the Lord vse a Preface to the Prayer A. To teach vs that wee may not pray without reuerence till wee haue in some holy and heauenly sort fitted and prepared our selues for it My heart is fixed c. my heart is fixed Psal. Qu. What learne wee by this A. That their sinne is great who rush bluntly and boldly vpon the Lord without due consideration and most holy regard of the excellent and high Maiestie before whom they stand Eccles. 10. 1. Q. What other reason is there A. To teach vs that wee may not pray without zeale till wee haue quickened and wakened vp our hearts to it Q. What learne we by this A. That they sinne in prayer who let their prayere fall from them without zeale and without life For why should God care for those prayers which wee ourselues care not for Q. How must wee prepare our selues to Prayer A. By a serious meditation of the great mercy and power of God his mercy will teach vs how willing and ready hee is his Power how able and mightie he is to helpe vs in our needs Q. How is the mercy of God set forth A. In tearming himselfe our Father For in calling God Father wee bring our selues in minde that wee shall finde him a Father euen fatherly affections in him ready to heare vs and encline to our demands Q. What will this worke in vs A. An vndoubted assurance that wee shall bee heard For where shall a man speed himselfe if hee speed not with his Father And therefore seeing wee come to God in prayer not as to a stranger that knowes vs not not as to a stately person that regards vs not but as to a most louing and tender Father whose eare hearkeneth whose eye pittieth whose hand is helpfull to our needes wee may assure our selues that wee shall not come emptie handed and with faces cast downe from his presence Q. How is God our Father A. By nature wee are become the children of the Deuill But through Christ God hath adopted vs and taken vs for his owne sonnes intending to bestowe his crowne and kingdome on vs. Q. Why doth Christ direct this prayer to God alone A. To shew that none but God is to be prayed vnto neither Saint nor Angell nor any other Q. What gather wee of this A. That the Papists in praying to Saints and Angels pray amisse because their prayers be contrary to the rule of prayer Indeed they knocke oft and lay loade vpon the doore but they knocke at a wrong gate and they mistake the doore Two little rappes at Gods gate would doe more good then all their crying like Baals Priests to them that heare them not c. Q. Why are wee taught to say our Father A. First to teach vs that wee must pray for our brethren as well as for our selues and that their miseries must bring vs many times vpon our knees Secondly to shew that if wee bee true members in the body of Christ wee haue a part in euery mans prayer so that when wee are heauy and troubled and cannot pray for our selues we may then remember that a 1000. hands are lifted to heauen and a 1000. mouthes are speaking to God in our behalfe Q. How is the Power of God set forth A. In saying that hee is heauen for thereby we are brought in minde of the heauenly Maiestie and power that is in him whereby hee is able to goe through with his owne worke and to accomplish whatsoeuer shall be for our good Deut. 33 26. Q. What gather wee of this A. That God is able to speed vs and wee need goe no further for any thing we want Q. What else doe these words teach vs A. First to lift vp our hearts to Heauen when wee pray Secondly to thinke that God sits in the Watch-Tower of the world and therefore hee sees vs and markes how and in what sort and how oft wee pray vnto him Q. How many Petitions are there A. 6. Whereof The three first concerne the glory of God The three other our owne good Q. What learne wee by this A. That nothing must bee more pretious and deare vnto vs then the Name and Glory of our God and therefore that we must alwayes begun our suite in the earnest desire that the Lord may haue a wonderfull name among vs that wee may set forth his glory whatsoeuer become of vs. Q. What gather wee of this A. That the prayers of such shall neuer bee heard to any benefit or comfort of themselues who are wholly taken vp with a care of their owne good and neuer thinke what honour and glory may come vnto the Lord thereby Q. What thinke you then of the Prayers of the Common sort A. That for the most part they please not God for it is not the care of Gods glory but the onely feeling of their owne wants that makes them pray For if it were not more for their owne good and for their owne comfort then for any care they haue of Gods glorie they would neuer pray Q. What doe wee pray for in the first Petition A. We pray for the hallowing or sanctifying of the Name of God Q. What is the Name of God A. It is the report of him his remembrance and his memoriall amongst men so that when wee pray Hallowed bee thy name wee pray that the Lord may haue a glorious and a great Name among vs that wee may neither thinke nor speake of him but with high reuerence and feare with holy admiration of the excellent and great things that be in Him Q. What are the speciall good things wee pray for A. First we pray that God would make his Mercy Iustice Loue c. so knowne vnto the world that euery one may bee forced to admire it and wonder at it That the Lord would shew forth such euident and cleere tokens of the great might and wisedome and Iustice and power that bee in him that all men
Q. What doe wee here pray for A. That God would make an end of this wicked world and hasten to Iudgement to the vtter confounding of the wicked and the more full and perfect Saluation of those that belong vnto him Qu. Why are wee to pray for the day of Iudgement A. Chiefely for this end that the name of God may be no more dishonoured in the world but the kingdome of sinne and Sathan may haue an end Q. Doe all wish for the day of Iudgement A. No many had rather it would neuer come For O! if God should come to Iudgement what should become of a number in the world they should cry to the hills couer vs and to the mountaines fall vpon vs. And therefore though they say Thy kingdome come yet they would be glad in their hearts that Gods kingdome might neuer come Q. What is the second thing wee pray for A. Secondly wee pray for the day of our owne death for no other end but that wee may make an end of sinning and displeasing of God For seeing how prone wee are to euill and how the number of our sinnes increaseth euery day like old trees that gather mosse This must make vs weary of the world and so to sigh and groane in our selues desiring to bee dissolued and to be with Christ. Q. May a man then pray for his owne death A. A man may not pray for it of impatience as a number doe who bee running out of the world so soone as they feele the crosse But onely in the desire to be disburdened of the body of sinne and to serue God in the holy heauens with greater freedome and libertie of spirit then here they can doe Q. What are the Euills that wee pray against A. First wee pray that whereas wee haue kept open house for sinne and Satan these many yeares they may no longer ouercome vs and preuaile against vs. Secondly wee pray against all the letts and hinderances of Gods kingdome both at home and abroad as the Turkes and the Pope Thirdly wee pray against the loue of this world that wee may not dote vpon it desiring to prolong our dayes in it but that wee may be alwayes ready to depart in peace and to haste hence to our heauenly home Q. What doe wee pray for in the third Petition A. That wee may doe Gods will in Earth readily and willingly as the Angels doe in Heauen Q. How doth this Petition depend vpon the other A. Before wee prayed that God would rule vs and now wee pray that God would giue vs sort and plyable hearts that wee may yeeld our selues to be ruled by him Q. What is the will of God A. The will of God is that which is reuealed in his Word and may bee considered in three things First it is Gods will wee should leaue our sinnes before they leaue vs. Secondly it is Gods will wee should lead a Christian and a godly life 1. Thess. 4. 3. Thirdly it is Gods will wee should beare quietly and contentedly whatsoeuer it shall please him in his wisedome to lay vpon vs. So that wee pray that Gods will may be done A nobis both of vs De nobis nostris and of vs and ours Qu. What are the good things wee pray for A. Wee pray that wee may leaue our sinnes that wee may leaue our swearing because it is Gods will wee should not sweare our coueting because it is Gods will wee should not couet Qu. What is the second thing A. Wee pray that wee may liue righteously and holily in the world that wee may loue our brethren because it is Gods will wee should loue them that wee may make conscience of all our wayes because it is Gods will wee should make conscience of them Q. What gather wee of this A. That they which pray that they may doe Gods will and yet haue no care to doe it They that pray against sinne and yet hugge it and keepe it warme in their bosomes doe but mocke God in their prayers Q. What is the third thing wee pray for A. That wee may humble our selues with patience and contentment to those seuerall troubles and tryalls which the Lord shall bring vpon vs. Q. What learne we by this A. That their sinne is great who pray euery day that Gods will may be done on them And yet when it is done fret and fume and rage against it and had rather a great deale their owne wills were done then the Lords Q. How must wee doe the will of God A. As the blessed Saints and Angells in Heauen doe it though not in the same measure yet in the same manner Q. How doe the Angells doe it A. First they doe it willingly and chearefully and therefore they are described to bee winged to shew that they flie about it Secondly they doe it faithfully and not by halfes Thirdly they doe it constantly as well at one time as at another Qu. What then doe wee pray for in this later part of the Petition A. First wee pray that wee may cheerefully obey God like Christ that said it was meate and drinke to him to doe his Fathers will Secondly Wee pray that wee may not doe Gods will by halfes but faithfully obey God in euery dutie required of vs. Thirdly wee pray that wee may be constant in this course not to serue God by moodes and fits but at all times and in all companies as well in one state as in another Q. Wee cannot possibly doe the will of God so perfectly as the Angels doe it A. Indeed we cannot so long as wee dwell in these weake houses of clay Yet wee must still aspire to a better life desiring in a greater measure to serue God Q. What gather wee of this A. A cleere difference between the godly and the wicked For the wicked euer thinke they haue religion and good liues enough though they haue neuer so little But the godly neuer satisfie themselues in it but still desire to walke more obediently faithfully and vprightly with God Qu. What doe wee aske in the fourth Petition A. All things needfull for this life Q Why doe wee pray for the things of this life first A. First to the end that being dispatched of our worldly eares and hauing things necessarie aforehand wee might with more libertie seeke after those things which concerne the soule Secondly that finding the Lord easie to yeeld in these things of lesse good wee might bee the more imboldened to sollicite him for the greater For hee that will not trust the Lord for his meat and drinke will not trust him for the sauing of his soule And hee that thinkes the Lord will stand with him for a peece of bread will easily thinke that God will stand with him for eternall life Q What is meant by Bread in this place A. Not onely bread but whatsoeuer is as needfull and as comfortable as bread as health and strength to worke in our Callings houses to
and not quickened vp wee shall goe from the Sacrament as emptie as wee came Q. How can wee receiue Christs Body that is absent in heauen A. By Faith wee may make it present setting Christ 〈◊〉 liuely before the inward eyes of our Soules as if wee saw him hanged nayled crowned bleeding vpon the Crosse So Abraham by faith had as liuely a sight of Christ as if with his bodily eyes hee had looked vpon him Iohn 8. 56. So the Israelites did eate and drinke Christ in the Desart 1. Cor. 10. 3. 4. and yet Christ was not borne till 1500. yeares after Q. How are the godly said to eate Christ A. As a man is said to eate the meate that hee liues by which hee doth apply and appropriate to his body to the nourishing and feeding of the same euen so when by speciall faith wee doe apply Christ vnto our selues and make him ours so that wee liue by Christ as a man liues by meate then wee are said to eate Christ. Qu. How is the Bread the body of Christ A. It is not verily and indeed his body For Christs body is in Heauen onely Act. 3. 21. but it is his body Sacramentally that is a certaine pledge and token of his body For as the Rocke is called Christ because it signifies Christ 1. Cor. 10. 4. So here the bread is called Christs Body because it signifies his body Q. Doe wee then receiue nothing but a Signe of his Body A. Yes wee receiue the very body of Christ by Faith for the bread which wee receiue with our mouthes is a true token that Christs body is receiued by faith For as a man that takes a key in signe of possession takes not the bare signe but the very possession together with the signe So they that worthily Communicate receiue not a bare signe of the Body but the very body it selfe spiritually and by faith Q. What difference is there then betweene the Papist opinion and ours A. They thinke that they eate Christ corporally and carnally with their teeth and therefore they cage him vp in the consecrated Host and hold that a cat or a mouse may deuour him But we knowing that Christ is now food for the belly but food for the soule affirme that Christ is not 〈◊〉 caâ—alâ—â— with the teeth but spiritually by faith Iohn 6. 63. 1. Cor. 10. Q. Why doth Christ adde My body which is giuen for you A. To shew that it is not Christs body glorious in Heauen 〈◊〉 downe in great Maiestie vpon the Throne of God but it is his wounded body his bleeding body his dead body that our faith must feed vpon So that here we are led backe to the crosse of Christ that wee may lay to our mouthes and euer sucke life and Saluation out of his bleeding sides Q. How may wee feed vpon the dead body of Christ A. By faith wee must set our selues vpon Mount Caluery and there behold our Lord vpon the Crosse with his shoulders trickling with his head spinning with his hands streaming with his sides gushing all his body running downe with blood and then say Behold this is the Body that is giuen for mee These sides were whipped that mine might bee spared These hands were nayled that mine might bee freed These cheekes were buffeted that mine might be kissed This head was crowned with Thornes that mine might be crowned with glorie These torments Christ suffered on Earth that I might not suffer greater things in Hell Zach. 12. 10. Q. What is the second Reason A. To shew that wee were the Authours and causes of the death of Christ. It was our sinne that brought all these punishments and these paines vpon him As an vnthrift that comes behinde hand and his suretie is made to pay for all So all our sinnes were charged vpon Christs head and hee was faine to suffer whatsoeuer wee should haue suffered for them Psalme 53. 5. Q. What learne wee by this A. That if wee detest Iudas that betrayed Christ and Pilate that condemned him and the Iewes that killed him Much more should wee hate our sinnes that were the chiefe causes of his death Q. To what end must wee celebrate the Lords Supper A. To stirre vp our faith to a more liuely consideration of the death of Christ. Q. Is there any that forget the Death of Christ A. Too many forget it or very coldly consider it First they that will doe nothing for their brethren little considering how much Christ hath done for them Secondly they that liue in sinne little consider what Christ suffered for it Thirdly they that will beare no disgrace for Christ little remember how hee was disgraced for them Lastly they that will sell themselues for a â—â—rifle to the Deuill little consider how dearely they were bought Q. Why are there two signes in the Lords Supper and but one in Baptisme A. Christ is set forth in Baptisme as washing the soule from sinne And therefore because water of it selfe is enough to wash the body therefore there needed nothing else to signifie the washing of the soule But in the Sacrament of the Supper Christ is proposed as a nourishment feeding vs and vpholding vs in the life of Grace And therefore because bread is not sufficient to sustaine the bodily life without wine nor wine without bread Therefore two Signes were appointed to shew that wee haue our whole nourishment by Christ. Qu. What resemblance is there betweene the Wine and Christs blood A. As Wine maketh glad the heart of men and a man hauing tasted of it forgetteth the trouble and the miferie that lies vpon him So the blood of Christ which speaketh better things then the blood of Abel euen peace and saluation to those that killed him bringeth vnspeakable ioy and comfort to the heart Eph. 2. 13. Secondly as wine breeds good blood good spirits in a man and a man hauing tasted of it the very colour and the strength of it will appeare in his face yea it will make his very breath smell the sweeter for it So the blood of Christ breedes good thoughts and good desires and good affections in the heart and a man hauing tasted of it by faith all his actions and all his thoughts will be full of the good taste and good relish of the same Q. When did Christ ordaine this Sacrament A. After Supper that is after the eating of the Paschall lambe When they had now sufficiently filled themselues with meate and so needed not any further nourishment for this life to shew that it is not the bodily life but the spirituall that hee seekes to feed and to nourish in them Luke 22. 20. Q. What learne wee by this A. That men must come to the Lords Table not to fill their bellies but to seed their soules to haue their faith strengthened their zeale kindled their loue increased all their graces to bee quickened in them Qu. What else may bee obserued in the time A. That the Disciples hauing
serued Rom. 6. 16. Q. What is the second Point of a mans tryall A. If hee bee Gods seruant hee must then see with what faithfulnesse hee hath walked in his seruice how hee hath carryed himselfe towards God the Master of the house whether hee hath loued him feared him serued him obeyed him beene thankfull for his mereies humbled by his Iudgements and how hee hath carryed himselfe towards his fellow Seruants in the house whether hee hath sought their comfort strengthened them in good things tendered their credite c. 3. How hee hath liued towards himselfe in the moderate vse of his Christian liberties in eating drinking sleeping sowing c. Psal. 119. 59. Q. What is the third Point of a mans tryall A. When a man sees how loosely and how vnfaithfully he hath done his worke how ill hee hath performed his taske Then he must consider whether hee be truely sorry for it whether hee be euen ashamed of his negligence and of his sloach that hee hath liued no better towards God towards man towards himselfe and whether he haue no remorse nor feeling of it Exod. 12. 8. Q. What is the fourth Point A. Then hee must consider whether he doe not desire to rise out of his estate and whether hee bee carefull to vse the meanes in reconciling himselfe to his brethren in seeking to be at one with God and so minding to come to the Sacrament and for no other end but to renew the Couenant between God and his soule and to draw strength from Christ to liue better after then before Ier. 50. 5. Q. What is the fift Point A. Lastly whether if God shall set him vpon cleere board againe hee haue a full purpose to watch better ouer his wayes neuer to liue as hee hath liued to auoyde the occasions of sinne and to take more paines for the nourishing and increasing of good things in his heart Qu. What is the vse of this A. That a man finding these things in some measure in himselfe may be bold to come with comfort But they that haue no care to get them may well looke for a cold welcome of the Lord. Q. How are wee to behaue our selues in the receiuing of the Sacrament A. First wee are to come with great reuerence as into Gods presence with great care that wee doe not prouoke the Lord by any light or wanton or vnseemely behauiour of ours that the Lord spie no contempt no loosenesse no prophanenesse in vs Leuit. 10. 3. Q. How is this declared A. If a man were to goe but into the presence of a Prince how carefull would hee bee neither to doe nor to speake any thing that might offend How much more when wee come into the presence of Almighty God must wee take great heed that wee doe not the least things that may be displeasing in his fight Q. What is the second Point A. Secondly we must apply our selues to the Action that we haue in hand bethinking our selues what wee came for namely to haue our sinnes weakened our faith strengthened our zeale kindled our care quickened our Graces nourished and answerably thereunto labouring and indeauouring the supplying of our wants to draw life and strength from the dead body of our Sauiour Christ that as the woman was healed by touching him Mark 5. 29. and streight way the course of her blood was dryed vp and she felt in her body that shee was healed of her plague So wee touching Christ by Faith may haue the course of sinne stopped and the fountaine of vncleanenesse dryed in vs all Q. What is the third Point A. Thirdly wee must looke that our hearts consent with our mouthes in the prayers of the Church That wee lye not to God and say wee bewayle our sinnes when indeed wee bee neuer a whit sorry for them That we repent vs of our faults when intruth wee haue not so much as a purpose to amend Wee lift vp our hearts to God when many times wee doe not so much as thinke of God For what an heauy thing is it to sinne there where wee come to craue pardon of our sinnes Isay 65. 3. Q. What is the fourth Point A. Fourthly wee are to marke what is done in the holy ministration not to sit in a browne study as a number doe but to fire our eyes vpon the Sacramentall signes and when wee see the Bread broken and pulled in peeces Then to thinke euen so was the Bodie of our Lord rent and torne vpon the Crosse for our sinnes When wee see the Wine poured out Then to thinke euen so was the Blood of Christ poured out of his Bodie that I might haue health and comfort by it And therefore when I reach out my hand to receiue the bread Then I must looke that my heart be ready to receiue Christ who is offered to my Faith Q. What is the fift Point A. Fiftly the Lord hauing sealed the Couenant on his part wee are likewise to Couenant on our parts that seeing it hath pleased God to forgiue the sinnes that bee past and to bring vs into fauour againe That therefore by his Blessing wee will neuer liue as wee haue liued wee will neuer spend our time as wee haue spent it wee will neuer loue sinne as wee haue loued it But the rest of the dayes that wee haue to liue shall bee wholly dedicated and vowed vnto the Lord. Q. What is the last Point A. Lastly when our selues haue receiued then wee are to looke how others receiue that seeing wee bee all seruants of one Lord all feed at one Table all nourished with one meat That therefore there may be more mercy more kindenesse more Christian loue among vs And it may bee our shame that wee cannot liue peaceably together on Earth who hope one day to liue ioyfully together in heauen 1. Cor. 10. 17. Q. What are wee to doe after wee haue receiued A. Wee are to giue the Lord great thankes for the death of his Sonne for giuing vs our part in him and for the holy vse of the Sacraments wherein Christ is so freely set forth that wee may after a sort taste him with our tongues feele him with our singers smell him with our noses behold him with our eyes and euen feele him sensibly bestowed vpon vs Psal. 116. 12. 13. Q. What is the second thing A. Secondly wee must haue great care to liue better after then before That wee fall not backe to our old sinnes and suffer our woonted malice and sloth and vanitie to creepe vpon vs and this not for a day or two but all the dayes of our liues euen as long as it shall please God to continue vs here below Iohn 5. 14. Qu. Whom doth this Doctrine meet withall Answ. First it meeteth with those who as soone as they haue receiued runne immediately to prophanenesse spending the best part of the day in gadding and swilling that it may justly bee feared that the Deuill makes a better market that day
then hee doth many dayes beside Secondly it meetes with a number that will Saint it and liue very deuoutly that day But the very next day or few dayes after they returne to their olde bent and runne themselues as deepe in the mire as they were before Qu. What is the third thing Answ. Wee must bring our selues often into minde of the Couenants and vowes which wee haue made to God thinking with our selues that such and such a day wee were before the Lord and there wee sware in his hearing and in the hearing of his People that wee would neuer liue as wee haue liued Wee would lye no more curse no more beare no more malice And therefore what a Iudgement shall wee pull vpon our heads if wee shall not bee carefull in some good measure to performe it Qu. What is the fourth thing Answ. Fourthly wee are to marke how the Sacrament workes vpon vs Whether wee finde our selues the better for it the stronger to resist sinne the cheerefuller in Gods seruice the tenderer to our Brethren And if it doe not worke What is the reason of it Whether want of preparation or want of reuerence or want of care afterwards that the next time wee come wee may come to better fruite Q. What is the last thing Answ. Wee must not bee long away but so soone as we feele any deadnesse or coldnesse or weaknesse to grow vpon vs wee are to make recourse hither againe for the recouering of our strength For as a man in a long iourney had need of many Baites So the Christian that hath a long Iourney to goe from Earth to Heauen from man to God from Mortalitie to Immortalitie had need to come oft to the Lords Table to bee refreshed Quest. What is the reason then that some come so seldome Answer Many of the Passengers doe not feele their need no though they bee ready to droppe downe into euery ditch But such as feele the want they are carefull to vse the Lords helpe against it DEO GLORIA FINIS THE SVBSTANCE AND PITH OF PRAYER OR A BRIEFE HOLY AND HEAVENLY EXPOSITION ON THE LORDS PRAYER Being the Summe and Marrow of diuers Sermons written and preached by that Holy Learned Reuerend and Iudicious Diuine Mr. IOHN SMITH late Preacher of the Word at Clauering in Essex And sometime Fellow of St. Iohns Colledge in Oxonford Vprightnesse hath boldnesse EPHES. 6. 18. Praying alwayes with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit and watching thereunto with all perseuerance and supplication for all Saints And for me c. LONDON Printed by G. P. for George Edwards and are to be sold at his house in the Old Baily in Greene Arbor at the signe of the Angell 1629. AN EXPOSITION ON THE LORDS PRAYER MATTH 6. 9. After this manner therefore pray yee Our Father which art in heauen Hallowed be thy Name Thy Kingdome come Thy will be done in earth as it is in heauen Giue vs this day our dayly bread And forgiue vs our debts as we forgiue our debtors And leade vs not into temptation but deliuer vs from euill For thine is the Kingdome the power and the glory for euer Amen HAuing already spoken of the first part of Christian profession the second followeth and that is Prayer wherein we can haue no better guide to direct vs then the Lord himselfe nor sweeter words then those so effectuall of our Sauiour Christ. There are then two things commended vnto vs in the words of our Sauiour Christ. 1 A Duty which is that we must pray 2 A direction in this Duty how and in what manner we must pray both which are implyed in these first words of Christ. After this manner pray ye 1 Concerning the Duty two things are required 1 What it is to pray 2 Why we must pray For the first Prayer is a lifting vp of the heart vnto God whereby we desire things needfull of him as the welspring and fountaine of all goodnesse Whence it appeares that there are three things remarkeable in Prayer Prayer is an action or motion of the heart It is not a mouing of the mouth or an action of the lips onely but properly an action or moouing of the heart as 1 Sam. 1. 13. Anna prayed in her heart but her mouth spake not So Psal. 20. 4. the Prophet prayes And grant thee according to thy hart c. So Eph. 5. 19. the Apostles words are Speaking to your selues in Psalmes Hymnes and spiritual songs singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord. So that Prayer must needs haue the working of the heart for if it come not from thence if that be not moued to pray it is but lip-labour and an idle sound It is no prayer because in prayer there must be a mouing of the heart The Lord by the Prophet complaines of this neglect And they haue not cryed vnto me with their hearts when they howled vpon their beds c. and 1 Kings 8. 39. Salomon prayeth to God that when any man prayeth the Lord would giue vnto him as hee knoweth his heart For the Lord onely knoweth the hearts of the children of men By which it is euident that the Lord accounteth not of that prayer which comes not from the heart Oh that men of this world did well consider this they thinke that if they tumble out words of prayer though their mindes wander and are vnstedfast though their thoughts be vpon other things though their hearts be transported with diuers wanderings yet they pray vnto God But the truth is that as Prayer is an Action and Motion of the Heart so if the Heart doe not ioyne in prayer though a man vse words neuer so oft hee cannot truely say that he doth pray Nay I would this were the fault of the world onely that euen the good seruants of God did not faile in this For surely the best men haue their stragglings and wanderings in prayer Let a man come to prayer and hee shall haue much adoe to hold his heart fast vnto God As the fowles troubled Abraham in his sacrifice So a number of by-thoughts are ready to trouble vs in prayer Wherefore euery good seruant of God must accuse himselfe for this and pray to God for grace strength to amend it As Abraham Gen. 22. 5. vsed his seruants and his Asse to helpe him in his iourney but when hee came to Mount Moriah the place of worship then he discharged them and left them a farre off So worldly thoughts are tollerable and lawfull if we vse them as seruants to carry vs through this our iourney from Earth to Heauen But when we come home to prayer to present our selues before the Maiesty of God then we must dismisse and discharge them So that this is the first thing to be obserued in prayer that Prayer is an action or motion of the heart The second thing in prayer is that Prayer is a motion of the heart as it
is lifted vp and eleuated vnto God with intentiuenesse and deuotion according to that which Dauid saith Psal. 5. 3. In the morning will I direct me vnto thee and I will waite and Psal. 25. 1. Unto thee O Lord will I lift vp my soule c. Thus in prayer there must be alwayes an earnest lifting vp of the heart vnto God that whereas our affections ordinarily dwell here below by prayer they must be carried aboue Sunne and Moone and Starres to the very Throne of grace to seeke things needfull at the hands of God A learned Father defines Prayer to be nothing but a mounting vp of the heart vnto God So that prayer is like the fiery Chariot in which Elias was transported from earth into heauen euen so by Prayer we are carried out of ourselues out of this world and all worldly things to be present with God in the highest heauens So that there must be speciall excitation of the Heart in Prayer that thereby we may come neerer vnto the Lord himselfe which is the second thing to be obserued in Prayer The third thing in Prayer is that we be carefull to desire things that be needfull as Psal. 10. 7. Lord thou hast heard the desire of the poore thoâ— preparest their heart c. and Psal. 27. 4. One thing haue I desired of the Lord c. So Psal. 38. 9. Lord I powre my whole desire before thee c. So that in euery prayer there must be an earnest desire whence we may consider two things in Prayer 1 A sense and feeling of our owne miseries and wants 2 An earnest desire to haue them supplyed Concerning the first there must be a feeling and former apprehension of our wants By which meanes a man shall the willinglier pray for a supply of the same If we doe not find the Feauer feele the fits be not pressed with it as with a heauy burden no man will seeke to the Phisitian that is not sicke care for a fire that is not a cold creepe to a fountaine that is not a dry So there must be a sense of want and misery before men be induced to pray The blind men in the Gospell cryed after Christ Matth. 20. 10 and why because they had a sense of their owne misery that made them cry Others should haue seene the saluation of God blessed the meanes of their Redemption that God had sent into the world But oh as men buried in darkenesse they could see nothing onely the sense of misery makes men cry vnto God So Exod. 17. 4. Moses cryed vnto the Lord c. the sense of danger thus set him on O Lord saith he these people be ready to stone me c. Thus we see it must be a sense and feeling of our miseries and wants which must driue vs to prayer There must be an earnest desire to haue them supplyed for though a man see his wants and yet doth not regard them nor wish or indeuour to haue them releeued this man will neuer pray to God so that it is not enough for a man to haue a sense and feeling of his wants and to bustle vnder them and hang downe the head as a bulrush but he must earnestly desire and seeke supply for them at the hands of God So Jehoshaphat sayes 2 Chron. 20. 12. O Lord we be not able to stand but our eyes are towards thee c. So Iam. 1. 5. If any man lacke wisedome let him aske of God c. So that in prayer there must be a desiring of needfull things at the hand of God For as ground when it is dry opens it selfe into clefts and cranies and gapes towards Heauen as though it would deuoure the Cloudes So must the true Christian be affected in prayer earnestly desiring the supply of his wants at the hands of God Thus it appeares a man may speake words of prayer a hundred times and yet neuer pray truely if his heart be not disposed and affected to God Prayer being as I haue said first a motion of the heart secondly not euery motion but that which is eleuated and lifted vp to the Lord thirdly not euery lifting vp of the heart but whereby we desire things needfull fourthly there must be a sense of our wants fiftly and last of all yea chiefest of all an earnest desire to haue them supplyed And thus as when many hands lift at a burthen It is the easier heaued vp so when all these concurre together Prayer is the more fully made and the better accepted The second generall thing in this Duty of Prayer is Why we must pray For though the bare words of Christ might bee enough for vs and we should answer all temptations as the lame man answered the Jewes Iohn 5. 11. Hee who healed me said vnto mee Take vp thy bed and walke So we may say Hee who healed me with a plaister of his owne blood Hee that deliuered me by his owne death and payed the ransome for my sinnes ipse dixit mihi He said to me Pray thus c. Yet because much subtilty and infirmity lies in the heart of man I will a little enlarge my selfe in this point though I say this answer might be enough for vs. First then there be certaine Obiections to be answered Why we need not pray Secondly we will shew the Reasons Why we ought to pray The Obiections that may scale the heart of a man and put in his heart that he need not pray are two The first is Because no man can make any change or alteration in the Lord Malach. 3. 6. Ego sum Deus non mutor c. I am the Lord I change not Therefore if we cannot change God with our prayers to what purpose is it that we should pray I answer we pray not to make a change in God for God is vnchangeable but we pray to make a change in our selues that we may be capable of that goodnesse kindnesse and mercy c. that is in God A man that stands in the Sunne with his eyes shut If hee desire to haue the sight of the Sunne he must not thinke to haue it by making any change or alteration in the Sunne but he must make a change and alteration in himselfe open his owne eyes lift vp his owne eye-liddes and then see the comfortable light of the Sunne that shines about him Euen so if a man would participate of those precious and rich things that are in God the way is not to thinke by our prayers to make any change or alteration in Him but to make a change in our selues Draw our hearts and affections neerer vnto God As an ancient Father well obserues where he most excellently well opens the very same point c. The second Obiection is All things are decreed of God c. So that if God haue decreed this or that then whether we pray or pray
come humbly and submissiuely into the Lords presence abiecting and casting downe our selues as before a power greater then all the power of this world It is a distinction that one hath of two sorts of Humility Humilitas Immediata Humilitas Accepta It was a kind of Humility in Iohn Baptist when hee refused Christs offer Matth. 3. 14. saying I haue neede to be baptized of thee and commest thou to me but Humilitas accepta was in Christs acceptation that hee would haue it so and answered him accordingly So it was humility in Peter Iohn 13. 8. When he said thou shalt neuer wash my feete but Humilitas accepta when Christ was content to doe it So in this case it is a kinde of Humility when we can say O I am a sinfull man I dare not be so bold with such a power but Accepta Humilitas tels vs we must doe it we must come at the Lords bidding at his commandement So that this glory of the Lord must not driue vs from him but wee must come of our selues and to him alone and that with feare and reuerence The fourth affection that must be vsed in prayer is That we must come with eleuation of our hearts and mindes as high as Heauen For seeing God is in Heauen our affections must neuer stay till they come as high as Heauen where God is And so oft as we pray so oft in our thoughts and in our minds we must rise higher then the cloudes aboue Sunne and Moone and all the Stars Elias his story shewes that hee was carryed in a fiery Chariot into Heauen euen so must we by prayer bee transported out of this world to be present with God in the highest heauens It was a signe betwixt Dauid and Ionathan when he shot his Arrowes that if any of them fell short there was no danger in it c. So it is not with our affections if they be short and not eleuated and carried vp as high as Heauen there is great hazzard and danger that the Lord will not accept nor regard them Thus haue we seene with what affection we must pray In Faith in Loue with Reuerence with Eleuation Yet ere we come to the Petitions wee must consider certaine duties of them that pray First We must labour for the grace of adoption For how ccn we truly call God Father if we be not his children Alas what doe we otherwise but so oft as we pray vnto God so oft continually we doe lye in the eares of God It is like the aggrauation of Ananias his sinne Act. 5. 4. Thou hast not lyed vnto man but vnto God So if we come vnto God in prayer call him father and yet be not his children the very same may be said of vs c. Then you see now what great cause there is that euery man should labour for this grace of Adoption in himselfe to repent his finnes to lay hold vpon the promises of the Gospell to be renued by the Spirit of Christ that we may truely call God Father because now wee haue his true word if we be his children he is our Father yea we may the bolder goe vnto God and challenge him of his promise according to that comfort in Hosea after so many threatnings chap. 1. 10. Yee are the sonnes of the Liuing God c. The second Duty is That we must labour to be perswaded of the fatherly care and loue of God towards vs that we haue a Father in Heauen one that doth respect and regard vs. And so whatsoeuer our estate is in this world though neuer so poore and meane yet to thanke God that we haue our honour with the Lord we may come as boldly into the presence of God as the greatest King Prince or Monarch of the world as Malac. 2. 10. Haue we not all one Father and 1 Iohn 3. 1. Behold what loue the Father hath shewed on vs that we should be called the sons of God so that as I say it is our honor comfort and happinesse that what estate soeuer we be of in this world yet we know that he who is the Father of Kings is our gracious and good Father by the meanes and merits of Iesus Christ. The third Duty is that seeing God is our Father Wee endeuour to walke worthy of such a father that wee doe not dishonor and disgrace him by our sins 1 Pet. 1. 17. And if you call him Father passe the time of your pilgrimage in feare Thus if we proclaime God our Father then our care must be to walke worthy of him It is the blame that God layes vpon the Iewes Ierem. 3. 5. Thou hast said thou art my Father and yet thou doest euill more and more c. So when men will call vpon God as a Father and yet haue no care to please and obey him to doe his will and honour him with a true heart O how shall this one day light heauy vpon their hearts howsoeuer we doe not feele or regard it in this world Thus then if wo call God Father truely carry in our hearts a setled purpose neuer to offend him howsoeuer our owne weaknesses and frailties put vs by yet the end of our life must be that we walke worthy of such a father that is striue with flesh and blood as farre as possibly we can to liue in holinesse and righteousnesse to come to repentance and compunction of spirit euery day to renue our Couenant for the amendment of our sinfull liues Vse 1 Hitherto of the Preface or entrance into this Prayer the vse of all which may be first to reioyce in it as a goodly blessing that God would vouchsafe to be a Eather to such as we be especially men so silly and meane in the eyes of the world secondly to comfort our selues in this that what estate or condition soeuer wee be of yet to thanke God that wee haue a heauenly Father one that reserues a Kingdome for vs greater and better then this whole world So much for the Preface now come we to the Petitions as they lye in order 1. PETITION Hallowed be thy Name THey be sixe in number whereof the three first concerne The glory of God The last three Our owne good In the three former the first prayes for the glory of God in it selfe the second and third pray for the meanes of his Glory First then we pray for the glory of God in it selfe that the Lord may haue a holy Name amongst vs. The Name of God is most holy in it selfe But we pray that it may be holy vnto vs that we may giue the Lord glory and honour which is his due as God is a most excellent and most high power of himselfe so we pray that he be so taken and acknowledged all the world ouer that the whole world may be ready to stoope and yeeld to the excellent and eminent power that is in God
first we pray here that we may glorifie the Name of God any way whatsoeuer that hee may haue some glory by vs which must bee three wayes 1 In our hearts 2 With our mouthes 3 In our liues For the former of these see 1 Pet. 3. 15. saith hee But sanctifie the Lord in your hearts for the second we haue Rom. 15. 6. where the Apostle exhorts them with one mind and one mouth to praise God for the other see 1 Cor. 6. vlt. saith hee For yee are bought with a price therefore glorifie God in your body and in your spirit which are Gods First Wee must inwardly acknowledge that all things come from God That we neither haue or can receiue any thing but at the hands of God wee must therefore loue and feare Him trust in Him praise Him and submit our wils to his will and thus we pray that we may glorifie God in our hearts when we acknowledge all the power in the world to be nothing to his all the wisedome and loue in the world to be nothing to his wisedome and loue when we doe labour aboue all things to keepe the Lord to be our friend not regarding whosoeuer be displeased with vs whosoeuer be against vs whosoeuer rageth and stormeth when we see God accepteth of our zeale and Piety towards him which if we pray for truely then are we sure to glorifie God in our hearts Secondly We glorifie God with our mouthes both by speaking reuerently of the Name of God and by confessing the Lords wisedome goodnesse and Iustice in all his workes for although the Shepheards were abashed to find Christ in a manger the King of Kings in so poore an estate yet they returned to their Flockes and Folds and praysed God So must we doe whensoeuer wee haue heard of Gods goodnesse or tasted of his mercy we must returne home to our houses as the shepheards did to the fields acknowledging the Lords kindnesse and mercy in it Yea what euer chance though it bee losse and correction yet wee must say as Job did in the midst of his troubles The Lord hath giuen and the Lord hath taken away blessed be the Name of the Lord. So then this is that we pray for that of all other things we may giue glory vnto God according to that admonition of the Angell Reuel 14. 7. Feare God and giue glory to him for the houre of his Iudgement is come and worship him And againe Reuel 19. 7. Let vs be glad and reioyce and giue glory to him for the marriage of the Lambe is come So that whatsoeuer is laid vpon vs what change of estate soeuer the Lord sends we must giue the glory to God and confesse with our mouthes that he is worthy of all honour Thirdly We must glorifie God in our liues that we may so liue as the Lord may haue glory and honour by vs and no disgrace for our good life is an honour to the Lord as Christ himselfe saith Math. 5. 16. Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good workes and glorifie your Father which is in heauen c. So 1 Pet. 2. 12. the Apostle saith And haue your conuersation honest among the Gentiles that they which speake euill of you as of euill doers may by your good workes which they shall see glorifie God So must we pray that we doe not disgrace the Lord by our sinnes but liue so as the Lord may be honoured by vs. It is for this purpose a good meditation which one of the Fathers hath God saith he thus speaks vnto a sinner O man if thou hast no care of thine own credit safety yet haue a care of mine Thinke man that I am dishonoured by thy sinne for if any disgrace or shame thereby rest vpon thy selfe much more vpon me whom thou oughtest to regard but if thou couldest so put it ouer with iollity and carelesnesse yet is God disgraced by it therfore O man thogh thou neglect thy selfe tender my glory deface not my honour Thus it is cleere as our good life honours God so our ill life dishonours him as Rom. 2. 24. saith the Apostle For the Name of God is blaspemed amongst the Gentiles through you O then let vs all take heed of this that we tender the glory of God let vs pray that wee may so liue in this world conuerse here amongst men that the Lord may be honoured by vs and not dishonoured by our grosse and presumptuous sinnes For our helpe herein There be three things which may quicken vs to this duty and care First to consider That all the creatures doe glorifie God in their kinde as the Psalmist speakes The Heauens declare the glory of God c. So in the Reuelation it is written of all Creatures That all they which are in heauen and in earth c. And the foure beasts said Amen when glory was giuen to the Lord. Therefore now seeing that all Creatures not onely most noble as Angels and Spirits but the very lowest and meanest yea the insensible Creatures giue glory to God in their kind oh how great shall our sinnes be and how much our wickednesse aggrauated if we doe not care to bring glory vnto him O with what gladnesse should wee perswade one another to this dutie that seeing there is no creature but in his kinde doth in some measure set out the glory of God how often should man much more meditate then and practise the same Secondly to consider That if we glorifie God he will glorifie vs we cannot be so ready to set out the Lords Name and praises but he is more quicke to requite and exalt vs as it is written 1 Sam. 2. 30. For them that honour me I will honour c. They who despise me shal be despised Vnto which we may vse the words of our Sauiour in that solemne prayer John 17. 4 5. where he thus amongst other arguments prayes for glory I haue glorified thee on earth I haue finished the worke which thou gauest me to doe and now glorifie thou me O Father with thine owne selfe with the glory that I had with thee before the world was So that when we haue glorified God in the time of this life then may we assuredly expect that the Lord will glorifie vs at the day of death but if wee haue no care to glorifie him in this world how can we be perswaded that he will glorifie vs after our departure hence Thirdly to consider That God will seuerely punish the contempt of his glory for there is nothing in this world that he doth more tender then his glory For which he commanded his people thus Thou shalt not giue my glory to another Yea see for neglect of this duty how seuerely he punished his people whose carkasses all perished in the wildernesse because they did not ascribe and giue glory to the Lord. Yea the
like vnto a man that hath been deadly sicke and now is so on the mending hand that he is peraduenture able to creepe abroad with a staffe yet not able to do the tenth part of the businesse that he sees he should and at sometimes was wont to doe Thus it is with the best of vs all whilst we liue here though the Kingdome of Christ be come amongst vs yet had wee need to pray that it may more and more come into our hearts that we may feele the strength and vigour of it to our endlesse comfort and full recouery of our health in Christ. Yea great reason there is why wee should thus pray for the Kingdome of Christ being that no Kingdome is comparable vnto his there being as much difference betwixt the Kingdome of Christ and other Kingdomes of the world as there is betweene Heauen and Earth and that for diuers respects First In regard of continuance for earthly Kingdomes howsoeuer they begin in glory yet by and by both Lord and Crowne and Scepter withall their glory falls into the dust But Christ is a King for euer and although he once ware a Crowne of Thornes vpon earth yet now he hath a Crowne of glory in Heauen and is in possession for euer Of whose Kingdome there shall be no end as it is Luke 1. 33. Secondly In regard of the saciety of his Kingdome For other Kings haue but rule ouer the bodies goods and liues of their subiects at the farthest But Christ he rules and gouerns the very hearts of them and inclines their wills to effect spirituall graces wherein the Kings of the Earth can neither satisfie themselues nor their subiects Christ will giue vs Crownes and make vs Kings also Thirdly In regard of the right and Iustice of it For though other Kings being sinners themselues can bee content to tolerate much sinne and prophanenesse yet Christ is so righteous and so iust a King that he will tolerate no sinne or iniustice whatsoeuer no not in Kings themselues of whom it is said Isa. 32. 1 2. Behold a King shall reigne in righteousnesse and Princes shall rule in Iudgement Fourthly In regard of the fruit and commodities of it for other Kings receiue Tribute from their Subiects but Christ giues a thousand things more then hee receiues he takes away death and damnation with his left hand and giues vs life and saluation with the right hand so both hands are full of blessings and store vs abundantly to the supplying of all our wants Fiftly In regard of administration and imployment of it for other Kings after they haue entred into their Kingdomes commonly sit still goe little liue at ease or at least seeke by all meanes they can to maintaine the pleasures of their liues and giue themselues to quietnesse But our Sauiour Christ doth most mightily rule and gouerne all things for tho good of his seruants watching ouer them to do them good night and day at all times and in all places preuenting them with mercies and working all his workes for their good great reason it is therefore that we should pray for the comming of his Kingdome Yet we must further know that we doe not onely pray for the Kingdom of grace but also for all good means conducting and leading vnto it for euery thing that may incite and helpe to the Kingdome of grace amongst vs. As for good Magistrates Ministers a pure right vse of the Sacraments holy discipline of Christ in the Church for the good gouernment thereof and for euery thing that may further this great worke of God amongst vs. So 1 Tim. 2. 1. Saint Paul wils that Prayers be made for all men and for Kings and Princes and for all that be in authority That vnder them we may liue a godly peaceable and a quiet life And Christ himselfe Matth. 9. 38. commands prayers to bee made vnto the Lord of the Haruest that he will send forth labourers vnto his haruest So you see it is our duty to pray for all the meanes which may aduance this Kingdome Worldly men can say they desire that the Kingdome of Christ may come though they care not a rush for Heauen or newnesse of life for the Word or Saints or Ministers or Holy orders of Christ without which there can be no Kingdome of Christ amongst vs. It was not onely a tyranny in Pharaoh to take away the straw from the people but also when hee had so done to require of them the whole tale of Bricke as formerly So it is the madnesse of the world they take away the Word and the Sacraments the holy gouernment of Christ and when they haue thus done yet they thinke to haue their whole tale of Bricke as much Patience Loue Humility Faith Obedience Sobriety Temperance and the like as if all these gracious and good meanes were entertained amongst them But wee must remember what the Scripture saith Where there is no vision there the people perish Therefore whensoeuer wee settle our selues to remaine any where as little Isaac said to his father when they went vp to the Mount Moriah Behold the wood and the fire but where is the offering So should we say wheresoeuer we goe to dwell Loe here is a Church good ayre a good house meanes enough to increase wealth but where is the Preacher and the meanes of grace for the saluation of our soules Vse Therefore seeing we ought and must pray Thy Kingdome come Let vs pray vnto God often that he would rule and raigne in our hearts so by his holy Spirit that sinne may no longer rule vs nor wee bee ruled by our selues but that God would rule and guide vs in all our wayes so that in all things we may be ready to submit our selues to the holy gouernment of God as Saint Paul writes That the peace of God may dwell in our hearts plenteously and with Dauid that God would guide vs vnto the day of death and then this will bring great ioy vnto vs as Zephaniah speakes when the King of Israel is in the midst of vs then we shall see no euill And withall let vs often remember to pray that there be no want of gouernment but that God by himselfe may rule and reigne in vs that though the world loue loosenesse and cannot endure this kingdome yet we may be plyable and yeelding to be ruled by it For as the blind-man is best and safest whose eyes being shut followes his guide so is euery Christian when they disclaime their owne wit reason and wisedome and are ruled and guided by God in all things Yea the people of God neuer thinke themselues better then when they be vnder the gouernment of God and submit wholly to his will and in so doing let vs not be discouraged for our weakenesse and wants for if we indeuour to doe this sincerely grace which at first in vs is like seed because it must
and too heauy for them to beare so the best is but a yoake and many times a heauy yoake too but in the sweet Kingdome of Christ there shall bee nothing offensiue to vs as it is saide of the Angels at that day And they shall gather out of his Kingdome all things that offend saith our Sauiour So it is said There shall bee no more sorrow Bees wee know bee driuen from their Combes and Honey with a little smoake euen so the vexations puthers and smoakes which wee finde on these earthly kingdomes should make vs all long for that happy Kingdome of Christ wherein there shall bee nothing to annoy vs. Thirdly Because earthly Kingdomes they yeeld vs peace and tranquillity but for a time onely for either they end or we end and so all comes to nothing But our happinesse in Christs Kingdome shall be for euer and euer for when we haue liued a hundred thousand thousand yeeres in the full inioyment of it wee haue more and more and more ages without end to possesse it therefore Heb. 12. 28. it is called a kingdome which cannot be shaken good reason then haue wee whose eyes he hath opened to behold this kingdome to pray especially and groane for it Now there be two wayes whereby the kingdome of God may come vnto vs. 1 Generally at the day of Iudgement 2 Particularly at the day of our owne death We pray for both these First that God would bee pleased to sold vp the times make an end of this world hasten the great comming of his deare Sonne Thus the Saints cry vnder the Altar How long Lord Holy and true dost thou not auenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth We know this kingdome of Christ cannot come but first there must bee a dissolution of this world when all the glory thereof must turne to nothing as Peter speakes The Earth and all the workes thereof shall be burnt vp God forbid therefore that the world or any thing in it should make vs loath to come to Heauen rather let vs be contented to suffer the losse of all so we come thither to enioy this happy and blessed kingdome of the Lord Iesus for which we are commanded to pray Which as we pray for so must we be carefull to fit and prepare our selues for it that when it commeth it may come to our comfort we all pray Thy Kingdome come But know O man if thou hast not fitted and prepared thy selfe for it if thou dost liue in thy sinnes if thou hast had no care nor regard of reconciling thy selfe to Christ for thy saluation if thou hast not beene throughly washed ouer and ouer in the blood of the Lambe Oh whensoeuer this kingdome comes I foretell thee in the Name of the Lord it will come to thy cost to thy ruine and vtter desolation in the day of Christ. Therefore consider of this all yee that liue in known sinnes without repentance yea pray I say that the Kingdome of God may come and oh what haue you to doe with the day of the Lord This comming shall be sorrow woe confusion darknesse nay Blackenesse of darknesse and tempest vnto you for euer and reiection from the presence of CHRIST but if you would haue comfort of CHRISTS comming liue well and be prepared for it with the Wise Uirgins hauing Oyle in your Lampes and your Loynes girded Secondly wee pray that though this generall comming be deferred yet that by death as by a close doore we may be let in into this kingdome So that whereas the men of this world desire nothing more then to liue still here hang as it were vpon the pleasures of this life sauour nothing but of earth and earthly contentments the true mortified Christian professeth another thing he desireth to leaue all and goe home to Christ as soone as may be So Iob If a man dye shall he liue againe All the dayes of my appointed time will I waite till my changing shall come c. and Paul Philip. 1. 23. professes I desire to bee loosed and to bee with Christ which is best of all It is true indeed that no man may desire the day of death out of discontentment with life because of the trouble and crosses of this world It was Jonas fault to doe so yet in two respects one may pray for death yea his owne death First That we may make an end of sinning and offending GOD that whereas hee euery day breakes out in the dishonouring of GOD which vexes and grieues him hee may pray the Lord to shorten these dayes of sinne with abatement of our dayes so finishing our offences as Saint Paul does O wretched man that I am who shall deliuer mee from the body of this death Secondly That wee may enioy the blessed fruition of the presence of God as his holy Angels doe Moses you know desired but to see the backe parts of God on the holy mountaine for hee could not see his face and liue If Moses so desired to see but a glimpse of his glory as it were through a creuice or a chinke how much more excellent will be the shining of his face in full glory therefore because euery day wee liue in this world wee lose a day in Heauen as detained from him who is our true life indeed wee may therefore pray that as soone as may be wee may finish vp our course in this world and cry to be away to goe home to the house of our Father to the possession of a better life the Kingdome of Glory and happinesse prepared for vs for which wee are taught to pray Thy Kingdome come 3. PETITION Thy will be done euen in Earth as it is in Heauen WEe haue heard before that in the first Petition we pray for the glory of God and in the second for the means of his glory that is that the kingdome of God may come into our hearts and rule vs by his Spirit Now in this third Petition we pray that we may be contented to submit vnto it and be alwayes ready to doe the Lords will and not our owne So that whereas in the former Petition we prayed for the inward gouernment of God the worke of grace holy motions striuings in our selues that the Lord would do his part now we pray that we may be willing to doe our part not resist this inward gouernment of God bee ready euer to yeeld obedience vnto it All the Question as one sayes very well betwixt God and vs is whose will shall be done Gods will should but man is vnwilling to haue it so but aspires to haue his own will for the rule of his actions this is that which breeds all the quarrell betwixt God and vs Now our Sauiour Christ he teaches vs in this Petition to giue all the Souerainty to God to take his part against our selues praying to doe his will whatsoeuer may befall vs in this world Thus haue we
in silkes and veluets commanded to attend but as soone as the time is past they are sent to the Countrey againe to slouen it as they did before Euen so doe we in our courses of Religion when a great day comes a Communion day or such like then we get on all our deuotion wee are ready to doe some seruice vnto GOD we seeme to trimme vp our affections and to attend with the best as liue the life of the righteous but as soone as that time is ouer by and by we be gone Lord who heares of vs till there be the like occasion This is one of our corruptions that we must pray against Sixtly Angels doe the will of God wholly in integrity not in one part and neglect an other but doe as it is said of the man who had the Inkehorne Ezek. 9. 11. Lord I haue done as thou hast commanded me So must we not make a conscience of some things and leaue the rest vndone but doe all so farre as frailty will permit For all his wayes were before mee saith holy Dauid and in another place Then shall I not be ashamed when I haue a regard vnto all thy Commandements Here wee are to take notice of the common course of the world for there is no body so vilde and wicked but is content to doe some part of the will of God But when it comes to any strait or narrow search to let all goe and submit our will to Gods will in all things Here is that hard tryall which makes vs flye off Pharaoh could be contented to doe one part of the will of God to let the people goe but to keepe backe the women and children at last he would let all the people goe but not the Cattell therefore Moses tels him wee will not leaue so much as a hoofe behind The Lord will haue all or nothing so let vs say in our striuings against sinne not a hoofe must be left behind not a sinne not a corruption but all must be hated forsaken left off in Gods seruice and for Gods sake Obiect Here some may obiect How can we come to bee so strict as to doe all Ans. I answer we must endeuour and striue though wee cannot come to perfection of obedience yet such a resolution must be set vp to doe all being humbled and sorry that we can doe no better Againe we may and must doe this to abstaine from grosse sinnes which duls the conscience and deadens it in time and then for the other frailties accompanying our life Wee shall finde God a mercifull Father vpon our confession pardoning and passing by all our infirmities when wee indeuour truely to doe his will as here we pray Thy will be done in earth euen as it is in Heauen 4. PETITION Giue vs this day our daily Bread WHere in before I come to the Petition I must first speake somewhat of the order Hauing in the three former Petitions prayed for the glory of God we are here taught to pray for our owne good that God would giue vs all things needfull for this life by which order of the Petitions our Sauiour Christ would teach vs two things 1 To Order 2 To moderate our care in the things of this life For the first touching the ordering of our care for things of this life Religion doth not exclude all care for our selues but onely to bring it in due order that we may goe the right way to speed First caring for those things which belong vnto the Lord then afterwards prouiding for such as belong vnto our selues We may seeke our daily Bread but we must seeke it in due order wee may not seeke it before Gods glory Gods Kingdome Gods will but first the one and then the other Questionlesse the thinking of our daily Bread is not vnlawfull yea euery thing belonging to this temporary life may be lookt after but first Gods glory must weigh downe all as Christs Counsell is Matth. 6. 33. First seeke the Kingdome of God and his righteousnesse and all other things shall be administred vnto you So Christ saith to Martha Luke 10. 42. One thing is needfull God must haue the first place We reade that Abrahams seruant when there was meat set before him would not eat till he had done his Masters businesse which hee came for and when he had once dispatched that then the Text saith He did eate and drinke So must wee doe in the businesse wee come for concerning the glory of God the Kingdome of God c. When wee haue done that we may rest with the better conscience and looke vnto our selues for our daily Bread and ordinary comforts of this life But the world are quite contrary they beginne with the care of themselues their owne delights ease and pleasures and then if any ouerpius remaine or haue any spare time they can be content to looke out a little for the glory of God But you see our Sauiour Christ would heere rectifie our thoughts and order our care in these things Secondly To moderate our care that we doe not desire our daily Bread in any sort rashly but onely with subordination to the best things so farre forth as may stand with the glory of God the Kingdome of Christ and the doing of his will and so farre forth as these temporary things may be a furtherance and a helpe vnto those better things As a man wanting water to driue a Mill must not too greedily open too many Springs and Sluces for feare of glutting and damming it vp So must it be with our wants in this world for an ouer-hasty desire and indeuour to satisfie them may quickely drowne vp our care for spirituall graces not caring what becomes of the glory of God so wee may inioy our base contentments Wherefore our Sauiour shewes that the care of these earthly things must be with subordination to Gods glory Another point to be considered is why we first pray for our daily Bread and afterwards for the pardon of our sinnes for in all reason one should thinke that the pardoning of sinnes being most necessary should be first and then the other I answer there are two Reasons of it Reason 1 First Christ condescended herein to our weakenesse and would graciously first dispatch vs of our worldly care and feare of wants that hauing earthly things supplyed wee might haue the more leisure to attend and be better prepared for the heauenly Because many times we are so disturbed and incombred about earthly things that wee haue little care for heauenly thoughts which in that estate be vnwelcome vnto vs hauing but bad entertainment As the Woman of Samaria was so troubled about the Fountaine water Iohn 4. 10. as she could hardly hearken to conceiue of the water of life which Christ spake of And as the children of Israel hearkened not vnto Moses by reason of the anguish of their spirits so it is with vs in our
Meaning a good Lease Purchase or bargaine not knowing any good beyond the good of this life But there is a further good to be aimed at for holy Dauid proceeds and lookes vp higher saying But Lord lift thou vp the light of thy countenance vpon vs. Lord let mee haue the feeling of thy fauour and of the forgiuenesse of my sinnes and grace to liue well in thy fauour hating sinne and I shall ioy in it as my chiefest portion So I say after the good of this life our daily Bread we are here willed to pray for the good of a better life pardon of our sinnes and then grace and strength against them But before I come to the Petition two questions must be answered 1 Why there is but one Petition for earthly things and two for heauenly that is daily Bread and in the other First Pardon for sinnes Secondly For graces against them 2 Why this Petition is linked to the former by a coniunctiue practise Giue vs this day our daily Bread And forgiue vs our sinnes Which close coniunction we find not amongst the rest For the first I answer it is for two speciall reasons First Because the Lord would not haue vs too carefull for worldly things but to be holy and heauenly minded as much as may be that we might be discreet in our demands and not dwell too long vpon earthly things It is the custome of the world who vse to pray not to care how long they continue their sute for daily Bread being pleased to conclude all vnder that as Hosh. 7. 14. The Lord complaines They assemble themselues for their Corne and Wine the things that they onely thinke on and care for so as they could be contented continually to pray for them Wherein our Sauiour Christ perceiuing a naturall corruption in vs would therefore haue vs soone to haue done with this thing and by and by to adresse our selues to better to seeke more pertinent matters pardon of sinne saluation of soules strength and meanes to liue holily without which all the rest would turne to nothing though we had as much as Sea and Land could afford vs so that as Birds which dippe into the Sea to get their food soare vp againe and quickly rise lest they should dull their wings and wet their feathers that they cannot flye So in our prayers we must take heed that we doe not diue too deepe into the world bringing our affections so low as we cannot mount and raise vp our heauy hearts to the contemplation of those heauenly blessings and graces as the Lord would haue vs. Numbers of men though they seeme likely in this world yet are like the Lead and Plummets of a Clocke that continually driue downe-ward and had need still to be wound vp So it is with vs in praying for spirituall blessings we decline and draw downe-wards so much to the world as we are heauy and dull in raising vp our selues towards heauen Let vs then recouer our selues and raise vp and winde our hearts vp and our thoughts as high as heauen to the loue and meditation of heauenly things In a Garden you see when men haue store of heauy mould they mingle it with Chalke and Sand to make it high and lighter so when our thoughts be heauy earthly and lumpish our Sauiour Christ would haue vs lift them vp with the cogitation and thinking of better things In the Law things that crept vpon all foure were forbidden yet if they had feet to leape vp withall they were iudged to be cleane Euen so howsoeuer some thoughts are about the things of this world our Trades and businesse yet if we haue legges to leape vp with that we can raise our hearts to God and better things when we come to pray and prostrate our selues before God it is not to bee condemned they may passe for cleane well enough But if they alwayes creep on the ground if neuer raised higher then the earth if no good thoughts of God if no looking vpward to better things O then no doubt they were vncleane not legally vncleane as the beasts were but really vncleane in the sight of God and his holy Angels Secondly To shew vs that our care must be twice so much for heauenly things as for earthly wee must haue twice as much care of our soules as of our bodies begging oftner spirituall then temporall things In the Law the waight of the Sanctuary was double to the common waight which was to shew that the Lord must alwayes haue double waight in matters that appertaine to the Lord in the saluation of our soules in all such things double waight double care double indeuour but how cleane contrary is it with the world who lay all the bent of their care vpon earthly things and their indeuour for transitory things of this life whereas we are taught by our great Teacher alway to ouerweigh our earthly cares with more heauenly meditations that thus hauing quieted our consciences we may the more safely goe about our worldly affaires Againe to the second question I answer this is annexed to the former Petition to shew vs two things First That pardon of sinnes in as necessary as our daily Bread Therefore with praying for Bread wee are taught also to pray for pardon for our sinnes and offences So that it is very necessary to haue these two ioyned together that whensoeuer wee pray to GOD to put meat in our mouthes wee alwayes remember that there is more excellent things to bee lookt after then this temporary food the pardon of sinnes with hope of euerlasting life in Heauen This is the reason why our blessed Sauiour so closely ioyned these together that the thought of this temporary Bread might moue vs to desire the Bread of Life for which cause Christ would haue these two Petitions connected together The Jewes badly enough in other things say well in this A woman takes two children to Nurse the one is a very meane one deformed crooked blinde and not likely to liue long the other as goodly a child as may be beautifull well-fauoured and likely infinitely to out-liue the other Now the foolish woman who bestowes all her care diligence and attendance vpon the worst childe and neuer lookes vnto the best must needs be ignorant and very foolish in so bad a choyce and so great a neglect So is it with vs wee haue taken two children to nurse our Body and our Soule they be the children and the Soule we know is infinitely better then the Body more beautifull and of longer continuance and yet like the foolish Nurse wee bestow all our care labour and paines about the worst wee are all for the body care little for the soule which yet must liue when the body shall die But our blessed Sauiour would haue both children lookt vnto the Body respected the soule remembred wherefore he strictly connects and ioynes these two Petitions together Answer 2
take fire with euery little sparke So ready are wee to be carryed away with euery little temptation wherefore our Sauiour Christ wills his disciples to pray That they enter not into tentation as knowing how feeble and weake they were to resist it Men know not themselues if they doe not know this how ready and proue they be to lay hold on euery tentation so that it is good for euery man to be iealous of himselfe If one had a body all of Gunpowder how carefull would he be not to come neere the fire afraid of euery little sparke euen so knowing our owne procliuity to sinne how ready euery sparke that is euery temptation is to take hold vpon vs we ought to be the more carefull by all meanes to flie away from the occasions of it O how ready are we to brag and vaunt of our strength that all the Diuels in Hell shall not be able to corrupt vs and thus many times associate our selues with Drunkards Swearers and vncleane persons Little do these men know themselues and their owne corruption that they be so apt to take fire and ready to yeeld to temptation And albeit they scape away with life as Iacob did yet many times they goe away halting and carry a wound and scarre with them to their dying day As let a man sticke a Candle to a stone wall though the Candle do not burne through it yet it will leaue a shrewd smutch behind it soyling the wall so as it will not easily be wyped out Thus it is with tentations though they doe not all the mischiefe they would and might doe they will yet be sure to leaue an impression of filth and staines behinde them The second part of this first Branch of the Petition is The Request that seeing we are so prone to yeeld vnto tentation we pray that God would not leaue vs vnto our selues or giue vs ouer to them but that we may bee kept by his power and mercy not onely from sinne but from all the occasions of it which shewes if we would keepe our selues from sinne we must shunne the temptation baits and prouocations thereunto or else not auoyding the occasion we shall neuer auoyd the sinne it selfe considering the procliuity of our nature vnto it Can a man saith Salomon take fire in his bosome and not be burnt goe vpon coales and not singe his feet entertaine many sinnes and not be faulty It is impossible Peter as we know was as bold and in shew as well setled as any man but when he came vnto the high Priests Hall and was thrust in amongst that wicked crew he thought it was good policy to say as they said doe as they did and so most shamefully denyed his Master but on the other side good Joseph as we reade was not onely carefull to auoyde the sinne but the occasion of it when he was inticed by his lewde Mistris he hearkned not vnto her to lie with her he durst not tarry in her cōpany So that herein consists the wisdome of a Christian to auoyd all the occasions and prouocations vnto sinne When the Lord determined to cause the flood of waters to cease from off the face of the earth It is said he stopped the fountaines of the deepe and shut the windowes of heauen So because there be certaine floods of sinne in vs wee must stop the fountaines below and the windowes aboue all occasions and prouocations leading vnto it that we may auoyde the torrent and ouer-flowing thereof Chrysistome sayes well It is an easier matter to auoyde the occasion then when the occasion is offered to auoyde the sinne An easier thing for a bird to flie by a snare then when shee is intanglèd with it to escape out of the danger and auoyd it Thus must the wisedome of the Lord teach vs wisedome to auoyd the occasion as the sinne it selfe But from hence ariseth a great question Quest. How can the Lord be said to lead vs into temptation seeing Saint Iames sayes That God tempteth no man to sinne Ans. I answer It is one thing to lead a man into tentation and another thing to tempt To lead a man into temptation is to permit a man to be tempted to giue way to the Tempter and this God doth in Iustice. For Saint Paul sayes God gaue the Gentiles vp to their owne lusts and by the Apostle it is said He sent vpon others strong delusions yet doth not God tempt a man to sinne but the diuell onely and his owne concupiscence but God in his Iustice first giues way to the temptation as is plaine by that place 2 King 22. 20. Where God is brought in asking this question Who shall intice Ahab to goe down to battell and fall at Ramoth Gilead and so vpon the offer of an euill spirit to performe this office God sayes Goe thou shalt intice him and shalt also preuaile So that though God tempt no man to sin yet no man is tempted but the Lord is the chiefe orderer and guider of the temptation As when a man sets a Dog vpon a Beare It is the Dog that flies vpon the Beare and lugges him and puls him but it is the man that sets the Dogge vpon him and guides and ouer-rules him in all that hee doth So is it in temptations it is the Diuell and our owne flesh which tempts vs to sinne but it is God in his Iustice that directs ouer-rules suffers the temptation to ebbe and flow goe on and off at his owne will and good pleasure of which there be two Vses Use 1 First seeing God can lead vs into tentation that is seeing all power of tentation is in his hand this must make vs fearefull to displease him who can turne the Diuell Men Angels our owne corruptions loose vpon vs and set our selues against our selues Pilate thought to strike feare into Christ with this Knowest thou not that I haue power to crucifie thee and haue power to loose thee O but much more ought this to strike terrour vpon vs that the Lord who is Omnipotent hath power to free vs from tentation and when he pleases also to set all the world against vs vpon vs to torment vs. Use 2 Secondly seeing that all power of temptation is in the hands of God from hence ariseth the comfort of a Christian that the Diuell for all his malice cannot tempt vs one iot further then the Lord wil permit him for his malice is both limited and restrained at the Lords good will and pleasure else how liue we feed we prosper we escape we in dangerous tentations but that our God doth ouer-rule all his malice and power and make a hedge about vs as we see in Iob. Otherwise he hath malice and power enough to ouerturne and destroy vs all suddenly To this purpose Saint Paul sweetly speakes 1 Cor. 10. 13. That God will not suffer vs to bee tempted aboue that we be able c.
The second Branch of this Petition is But deliuer vs from euill Whereby is meant the euill of sinne not any bodily euill of wounds troubles diseases and the like but the euill of sinne whereby God is prouoked and offended being so called euill 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. by an excellency or excesse because of all euils it is the greatest euill in this world to haue an euill conscience to be of a lewd life a swearer drunkard vncleane person c. This is the greatest euill aboue pouerty sicknesse blindnesse lamenesse or any worldly losse whatsoeuer thogh most of the world do not thinke so Demand of them what is the greatest euill in the world some will say a wicked wife some the losse of dearest friends some want of health money and the like some one thing and some another as their ignorance and fancy leades them but the truth is we see the greatest euill is the euill of sinne Which I thus proue That must needs be the greatest euill which separateth vs from the greatest good God is the greatest good and sinne separateth a man from God Ierem. Therefore sinne must needs be the greatest euill of all others For neither pouerty sicknesse blindnesse lamenesse nor any affliction of it selfe separates from God nay they being sanctified draw vs neerer to God to know him better and trust more in him as Zeph. 3. 12. I will also leaue in the midst of thee an afflicted and poore people and they shall trust in me Therefore of all euils the euill of sin is the greatest seeing it depriues vs of the greatest good of all the sweet and comfortable communion with God his Angels and all the ioyes of Heauen and brings to communion with the diuell and his angels to Hell torments for euer We see how Mary wept and tooke on when Christ was remoued from her sight Oh sayes she They haue taken away my Lord and I know not where they haue layd him So is euery true Christian discouraged hauing lost sense of communion with Christ when he apprehendeth hoâ—… his sinnes haue raised vp a partition wall betwixt God and him this of all sorrowes is the greatest Nay in this case nothing can comfort vntill the Sunne shine Againe vntill the Sonne of Righteousnesse discouer himselfe some way to the soule by some beames of his fauour as the Churches experience was in that dolefull estate Lam. 1. 16. For these things I weepe mine eye mine eye runneth downe with water because the Comforter that should relieue my soule is farre from mee c. So is it with euery sinne-sicke soule vntill they haue found and recouered Gods fauour lost Use 1 The vse of this is that seeing of all euills sinne is the greatest we must learne so to esteeme and account of it What a world is it to see how men will complaine of worldly euills pouerty toothache headache and such like and neuer complaine of our sinnes whereby the soule is made a stranger to God and we reputed as enemies vnto him Use 2 Another vse may be to admonish vs that our greatest care must be to auoyde sinne wee see how carefull we be to auoyde fire and water hunger and thirst nakednesse wants how much more should we study to flye from sinne seeing if all the euils of the world were compacted in one they are not able to bee so great en euill as the euill of sinne which as Saint Augustine sayes is sweet but the death bitter which attends it in the bottome The people 1 Sam. 14. saw honey drop and yet though they were extreme hungry no body durst taste it because of the curse so howsoeuer wee see the honey of this world droppes pleasures of sinne yet it is not best to taste them because of the curse and bitter fruit of sinne When Porters are hyred to carry a load they vse first to feele and poise it with their hands to see if they be able to vndergoe it for if it be too heauy they will not meddle with it So should we doe before we meddle with sinne consider the burden and waight of it waigh the danger and punishment that so finding it of all euils the greatest wee may flie and shunne it Use 3 To be contented then to endure patiently the euill of punishment that wee may escape the euill of sinne seeing GOD of his infinite wisedome inflicts the one that we may be freed from the other as one well sayes A wise workeman will vndergoe the lesser euill to auoid the greater as the Chirurgeon cuts off one member lest all the body should be infected or as in a fire men will pull downe three or foure houses to saue a whole Towne So it must be our wisedome by enduring the lesser to auoyd the greater euill of sinne for the euill of Punishment is not absolutely and simply euill euill in it selfe it indeed seemes euill to him that feeles it but it is good in it selfe as Iraeneus speaks It is good in it selfe as being an act of Diuine Iustice. Malum Paeuae euill in the punishment Sed bonum est Justitia Dei good in regard of Gods Iustice. But the euill of sin it is absolutely simply euil in it selfe because it is a direct auersion and turning away from him that is only good The second thing remarkeable in this last Branch of the Petition is to obserue two or three things from hence that we desire to be deliuered from euill First Our owne inability that we be not able to deliuer our selues It is God that must deliuer and keep vs from all sinne So that in confession of our owne frailty and weaknesse wee acknowledge all power to be of God which must deliuer vs from euill yea from this great euill of sin So Peter shewes That wee are kept from the power of God through faith vnto saluation And Christ prayes for his disciples That the Lord would keepe them from euill So that it is God onely who keepes vs from euil we are not able to keep our selues froÌ„ the very least Quest. It hath been a question whether man can resist temtation by the power of Nature without grace wherein some of the Schoolmen goe on very smoothly some worse and more harshly Ans. But the truth is that no man by the power of Nature not assisted by grace is able to resist the least temptation This not onely Saint Augustine against the Pelagians shewes by many strong reasons but also very reason will confirme it For No body can deny but that it is a good thing to resist any tentation whatsoeuer But there is no good thing in vs by Nature Therefore by Nature we cannot resist any tentation That there is no good thing in vs by Nature see for proofe 2 Cor. 3. 5. Where the Apostle shewes wee are not of our selues sufficient to thinke a good thought And Christ tels vs John 15 5.
St. Paul confesses 2. Cor. 12. 7. And lost I should be exalted out of measure there was giuen vnto me a pricke in the flesh c. for though wee be in the state of Grace and may presume of many comforts and priuiledges belonging to our election yet lest wee be puffed vp and ouer presumptuous with opinion of the state wee are in the Law can keepe vs downe and make vs looke vpon the blacke feet of our frailtie and corruption as if wee were still vnder the curse of God It is read of the Peacocke that in the midst of her pride and spreading of her glorious tayle all is suddenly abated vpon the casting her eyes vpon her blacke feet So loc the proudest boaster of his owne righteousnesse or the priuiledges of a Christian looke downe vpon his sinnes which the Law may shew him and hee will quickly hang downe the head and bee deiected in countenance Vse of the Law 2 The second vse of the Law to a man Regenerate is To keepe him fast vnto Christ as the onely meanes of his saluation for the Law doth not onely shew vs that wee bee seruants of sinne and â—oes vnto Christ but euen then when wee are in the state of Grace and subiect to many temptations that yet wee are in a fearefull plight yea the Law shewes vs plainly that wee are vnder sinne and so sinners and subiect to the condemnation of sinne then is there no other refuge but to flie vnto Christ and keepe fast vnto his Promises and Passion Merits and Redemption that so the soule may still from his high perfections fetch matter of supply continually vnto her owne imperfections Vse of the Law 3 A third vse of the Law is To bee a marke vnto vs for a godly life for Directions to liue according to the will of God as the Prophet Isaiah in many places shewes and Dauid Psal 119. Lex tua lucerna Pedibus Thy Law is a lanterne to my feet c. as if wee were to bee lighted and directed in our way Obiect But are wee not free from the Law Answ. I answer wee are free from the burden and vengeance of the Law but not from the obedience so farre forth as it is a patterne for our liues and wee are bound in conscience to obserue the same so neere as possibly all our indeauours can attaine vnto wherein no man shall bee blamed of comming short of the marke if his aime and leuell bee to hit it So againe wee are freed from Iewish Ceremonies and not bound to finish them as they were a burden vnto vs onely a type of Christ but where the Law tyes us to a holinesse and strictnesse of life where it shewes vs what sinne is and the deformitie of the same or what is pertinent to saluation wee are bound to obserue and make it a patterne for our liues so then the Law not only driues vs to see our sinnes but to acknowledge them as 1. Iohn 1. 9. If wee acknowledge our sinnes hee is iust and faithfull to forgiue vs our sinnes and cleanse vs from all iniquitie There is then a necessitie of leading a holy life for all such as looke for that blessednesse to come this lesson the Law must teach and direct vs and guide vs in the way For as a man who hath a long iourney to goe and onely hath a generall knowledge of the place where hee must rest and abide had need of particular directions to bring him thither with more safetie and lesse perill and danger So fareth it with vs in this world wee can all say wee must goe to heauen but cannot leade a holy life which must bring vs thither nor know wherein it consists vnlesse the Lawe teach vs and shew the way to practise those excellent rules demonstrated for the rule and square of our life Loe then you haue seene of what an excellent vse the Law is both to the man Regenerate and Vnregenerate The next thing must bee to shew you the vse of the Gospell LECT II. THE VSE OF THE Gospell ROM 1. 16. For I am not ashamed of the Gospell of Christ for it is the power of God vnto saluation to euery one that beleeueth to the Iew first and also to the Greeke WEE remembred you the last day that to apply Christ vnto vs there must bee two works First a worke of the Law secondly a worke of the Gospell a worke of the Law to humble vs and a worke of the Gospell to comfort vs and to raise vs vp Now because these two workes depend one vpon another this is the order that the worke of the Law must alwayes goe before the worke of the Gospell First a man must be humbled by the Law before hee bee fit to be comforted by the Gospell and so whosoeuer thou bee neuer looke to finde any true worke of the Gospell till thou haue first felt the true worke of the Law till thou hast beene humbled for thy sinnes and searched thy owne estate by the bright shining lampe of the Law of God neuer looke that the Gospell will bring peace vnto thee vntill then Christ himselfe saith Luk 4. 18. that hee was sent For to preach the Gospell to the poore that hee should heale the broken-hearted that hee should Preach deliuerauce to the Gaptiues c. So that you see the Gospell must be published to the poore to the broken-hearted for till a man bee poore in spirit broken-hearted for his sinnes Christ is not sent to proclaime comfort vnto him Application It is a ground in Law Quodante sententiam datam non licet appellare a man may not appeale before sentence bee giuen or that a man bee condemned in open Court so there is no appealing vnto the court of the Gospell vntill hee bee condemned in the Court of the â—aw thus the worke of the law still goeth before the worke of the Gospell As wee see in nature that a man must beesicke before hee bee healed so before a man hath Christ to heale him hee must be sicke yea deadly sick of sinne yea of his owne sinne and then Christ will come and put his body vpon his and apply some plaister of his blood for curing of him And so whatsoeuer thou bee neuer looke for a worke of the Gospell till first thou hast felt the worke of the Law If a man haue a corrupt and dangerous sore in his flesh if hee would bee cured or preuent the mischiefe of a gangrene hee must prepare himselfe to endure both trouble paines and many other inconueniences hee must first indure the lancing of it then the cutting and squising out the filthy matter and corruption then diuers corrasiues to cut out the Vlâ—er and lastly if need bee searing and cauterising before the healing plaisters bee applyed Euen so must a man doe in the healing of his sinnes First before hee obtaine a pardon or be comforted with the hope of
Redemption the Law must take him in hand search his frailtie and corruption lance his sinnes squise out the corruption of nature make him roare and crye againe and againe with the smart of his wounds and the gentle Cataplasmes of the Gospell may be applyed and the comforts of remission ministred vnto him from the Physitian and Surgion of our soules Christ Iesus and this is the worke of the Gospell Now from the worke of the Gospell three things are to be found out 1. What the Gospell is 2. What it workes in vs. 3. In what manner it workes First then the Gospell is That part of the word of God which containeth a most happy and welcome message of two things 1. That Mankinde is fully Redeemed by the death of Christ. 2. That all who will repent and beleeue shall be partakers of it This is the happy and glad tydings of the Gospell by which wee vnderstand that there is deliuerance and Redemption by meanes of Christ and that wee may know who be thus priuiledged so that in the Gospell two things are to be considered 1. What is the benefite of the Gospell 2. Vpon what Condition Now the speciall and maine thing that is promised in the Gospell is Redemption that is life and saluation by the meanes of Christ this I say is the speciall worke of the Gospell There are many comforts in the Gospell many promises of God offered vnto vs the conquest of sinne death and hell the forsaking of the world but the speciall maine thing is Life Saluation and Redemption by Christ as St. Paul brings it Rom. 1. 16. For I am not ashamed of the Gospell of Christ for it is the power of God vnto saluation c. and 2. Tim. 1. 10. heesayes who hath abolished death and brought life and immortalitie to light through the Gospell and Act. 6. 10. sayes hee send for Peter hee shall tell thee what thou oughtest to doe so that you see the speciall and the maine thing in the Gospell is Life and Saluation This being so two vses are so made of the Gospell Vse 1 First To see what euery man ought â—r 〈◊〉 required to doe by the Gospell To renounce the world and the vanities of life and renew our estate by the benifite of Christs death laying hold of him by Faith whereby at last wee shall bee sure of our Redemtion which bringeth life and saluation as 1. Thess. 4. 18. the Apostle sayes Wherefore comfort your selues one another with these words What words to bee exhorted to holinesse innooencie loue labour moderate mourning for the dead to know the end of the Resurrection all which and many other are comprised in the Gospell and tend to saluation So 1. Pet. 1. 8. Wee saith hee Reioyce with ioy vnspeakable and glorious to bee in hope of eternall life So as I haue sayed you see by this the first vse wee may make of it is to labour and indeauour for life euerlasting and saluation neuer regarding the afflictions and troubles of this life which endure not and are not comparable vnto that crowne such shall receiue who striue as they ought For though there bee paine and trouble in the way yet there is much comfort and peace at the end of the iourney I make no question but the passing of the children of Israel through the Wildernesse into the land of Canaan was a type of Celestial Ierusalem for as they endured many troubles wants distresses in that Wildernesse famine drought heare tedious and wearisome iourneys not without repining and murmuring before they came into the land of Canaan yea when they were ready to enter and take possession there was warres feare Giants Iron gates and high walls in their way c. Euen so doe and must Gods children goe through the wildernesse of this world ere they come to heauen and life euerlasting many afflictions much sadnesse of heart pouertie scornes despights weaknesses passions repining and many murmurings against God himselfe yet at last the promises of the Gospell and hope of eternall life makes their ioy glorious and vnspeakable and they enter into this Celestiall Canaan maugre all the opposition of principalities and powers and all their spirituall enemies whilest hope beares them vp and they beleeue they shall haue a blessed issue of all their troubles and afflictions in the end For as a man passing ouer a deepe and dangerous riuer into some delicate meadow full of varietie of good things endureth all the stormes and perillous blasts of winde or threatning of the tempest in hope of the possession of the pleasures of the place so fareth it with such who meane to make vse of the Gospell the hope of eternall life and saluation must extinguish all feares of our dangerous passages in this world and ouercome all difficulties for our better comming to heauen and this bee said of the first vse seeing life and saluation are thus proposed vnto vs by the Gospell of Iesus Christ. The other vse wee haue to make or worke wee haue to doe is to know how wee may compasse this and what wee must practise to attaine it in briefe this must bee done by Faith and Repentance For the first of these Faith is so excellent a thing and so absolutely needfull to attaine the priuiledges of the Gospell as without this wee can doe nothing and vntill this be lost or weakened wee are safe and comfortable in all estates For as though a man fall into the hands of theeues although they rob and spoile him of all hee hath yea leaue him starke naked in a wildernesse to winde and weather yet if they take not away his life there is some hope of recouerie and a man may bee restored againe to a former estate and labour to get more wealth so fareth it with Gods children in the wildernesse of this world although they are robd spoyled and bereaued of earthly blessings denied honour riches preferment yea left naked as it were in the Sunne yet as long as faith remaines and that they are constant in the beleeue of the promises of the Gospell all other difficulties are ouercome by this grace and life euerlasting which surmounteth all the rest attained vnto at the last how should euery one of vs then labour to pray for it to nurse and entertaine this so excellent and profitable Iewell of faith to liue by it stand by it walke by it and doe and suffer all things in faith as our forefathers of blessed memorie many of them haue done The commendation thereof with the many rare effects thereof is excellently set downe Heb. 11. all which being a depth beyond that compasse wee now intend to wade into Wee will by your patience leaue to intreate of it now and come to that wee especially intend which is the second thing required of vs for the attaining of life and saluation through Iesus Christ which is Repentance If you reade 2. King 5. 3.
but with a condition If I my selfe can beleeue and repent I shall bee saued Now when a man hath this worke of Faith in himselfe this makes him labour to repent his sinnes to beleeue in Christ and when hee hath repented and beleeued then followes the great act of Faith whereby a man beleeues that his sinnes are pardoned and his soule shall bee saued and so some acts of Faith gee before Repentance and some follow after Then that Repentance shewes it selfe before Faith in the life of a Christian is most euident and plaine For first a man must needes bee humbled for his sinnes hee must groane vnder the burden of them and crie to heauen against them before hee can lay hold by Faith that they nee pardoned and â—…itted So wee see Dauid 2. Sam. 12. 13. hee was humbled for his sinne before hee could perceiue and perswade himselfe that his sinne was pardoned or receiue comfort I have sinned against the Lord and then follows The Lord also hath put away thy sinne thou shalt not die Many are the examples in the booke of God where wee may see how the most part of the people of God were well and truly humbled by Repentance before Faith raised them But here some may say Obiect How comes it to passe then that some haue beene comforted by Faith who were but slenderly if at all humbled by Repentance as wee see in Lydia Act. 16. 14. whose heart the Lord opened that shee attended the things that were spoken And in the Eunuch Act. 8. 39. of whom it it is said presently vpon his hearing of the word from the mouth of Philip And hee went on his way reioycing Answer I answer this difference ariseth of this First in some there is apprehension of the ouglinesse of sinne so much as nothing can fixe their conceits and imaginations another way in which case though comfort come it cannot so soone make impression Secondly some doe so exceedingly apprehend the Punishment due to sinne that though Promises come pardon be proclaimed yet they remaine heauy and lumpish still not being able to raise vp themselues and set their Faith aworke to beleeue so good newes though they haue repented of their sinnes Where againe in the other First there is a strong apprehension of the greater which is the mercie of God beyond all and a lesser sight of their owne sinne which makes their act of Faith so much the more easie And secondly there is in them a large apprehension of Gods offering of redemption in Christ and saluation in his blood which with good affection they receiue and so are comforted So that the case is according as it falleth out diuersly in the Conuersion of a sinner In whom there are two apprehensions first apprehension of the greatnesse and guiltinesse of his sinnes Secondly an apprehension of the mercy of God offering of Redemption and Reconciliation in the death of Christ. Now because it falls out in the conuersion of a sinner that somtimes hee apprehends more strongly the one and sometimes the other that so accordingly is his ioy or sorrow great or small And therefore if a man in his first conuersion haue a more strong apprehension of his owne sinnes and all his thoughts is carried vpon the beholding of his miseries and wofull estate this makes him to lament and mourne bitterly many a day together but if at his first conuersion with a sight of sinne a man behold such an infinite sea and depth of Gods mercies as is farre beyond all his sinnes and the infinite merit of the death and sufferings of the Sonne of God Euen as Flakes of fire falling into the Ocean sea are quenched with the abundance of water so all his sinnes falling into the maine sea and Ocean of Gods mercie in Christ are all couered and put out so as his heart is filled with ioy and gladnesse as it fell out with Lydia and the Eunueh Act. 8. and others LECT III. III. THE NATVRE OF Repentance ISAIAH 1. 16. Wash yee make you cleane put away the Euill of your doings from before mine eyes Cease to doe euill Learne to doe well c. I Haue read in the stories of this time that they which trauell into Virginia and Guiana or among those sauage and desolate countries carry a Tinderboxe with them and when night comes they make a fire or light vp a candle to see where to sleepe and rest the more safely Euen so God hath left vs his holy Word to bee as a tinderboxe vnto vs to strike fire and light vp a candle to direct vs through the darke wildernesse of this world so as they who will see the mercies of God must take the booke of God into their hands and as by striking of fire the traueller is the safer and hath the meanes of light to direct how and when to rest so must wee raise a light out of Gods word to conuey vs home to heauen Therefore of all other things let vs take heed that wee doe not despise this kindnesse and goodnesse of the Lord whose bountie leades vs vnto Repentance of which I spake the last day First wee haue heard the Necessitie of it Secondly the Order of it with other graces and now in the third place wee are to treate of The Nature of Repentance and of this the rather because there is a kinde of Faith and Repentance which deceiues vs in their Nature for there are a number of men and women that haue a shew of Repentance and thinke themselues in a good estate and well enough when indeed they are not and haue but a meere shadow of Grace so that wee may not bee deceiued in a matter of such moment and weight I haue thought it good to make it knowne vnto you what is the true Nature of Repentance But before I shew you the true nature thereof I will first refuce the false account which the world hath of Repentance some take repentance to bee but some sorrow for sinne so that when the hand of God is vpon him or that hee lies sicke lame or any way perplexed if he then can vent some few sighes and say Lord haue mercy vpon mee a sinner I am sorry that I haue offended he supposeth it is Repentance but this Ahab did and more this Iudas did with publike confession yet neuer repented so that if outward sorrow for sinne or a sad looke or a sigh or such like were true Repentance what Reprobate is there almost in the world but doth this and many a day Yea such as liue in grosse and knowne sinnes can crie to God for mercie and confesse their offences and thinke they haue obtained a grace from God in so doing seeming sorry for their sinnes though yet they liue in knowne sinnes as I said against their owne conscience and continue presumptuously in their wickednesse Yea how many thousands are there who neuer obtained any grace or mercy at all to bee
it long after So though wee haue repented of a sinne wee must not thinke to buy our peace at so easie a rate but humble our soules with sorrow and teares renewing our repentance againe and againe neuer leauing till we haue pacified the wrath of God for how often doth this holy man plye this sute So Psal 25 hee prayes God not to remember the sinnes of his youth So you see Dauid did repent him of those sinnes hee had repented of before Chrysostome sayes well that Dauid still repented of sins done long before as though they had beene done but yesterday Saint Paul did not onely repent of his sinne of persecuting the Church of God at his first conuersion Act. 9. 9. but as oft as hee remembred it as oft doth he speake of it with griefe and sorrow 1. Tim. 1. 13. I was before a blasphemer a persecutor iniurious c. So 1. Cor. 15. 9. I am not worthie sayes hee to bee called an Apostle because I persecuted the Church of God So that St. Paul you see doth often remember his sinnes past and confesses them This much wee may well obserue when God cast Adam out of Paradise hee sent him eregione horti and set and placed him ouer against the garden in the very sight and view of the place which hee had lost through his sinne and offending God and why was this that so often as hee lookt into the garden hee might remember his sinne and lament for it Now that which Adam did in the beholding of the Garden is that which wee must doe in the beholding of Heauen hee saw from whence he was cast throwne out of Paradise by reason of his sinne and wee see what wee are sure to lose euen heauen it selfe by reason of our sinne if wee doe not repent and humble our soules and that timely and daily Thus you see it is cleere that a Christian is bound to repent one and the same sinne diuers times and as oft as he lookes vp to heauen to sigh and groane for the losse of it and not to bee satisfied though he haue repented to day and so is assured of pardon but in the Name of God to goe to it againe to morrow and to morrow and neuer giue ouer Obiect Against this doctrine two things may bee obiected First If a mans sinnes vpon his Repentance be pardoned then what need is there vpon this to repent any more this appeares to bee labour lost Answ. 1 I answer that though a mans sinnes bee pardoned vpon Repentance yet there are three causes why a mans repentance must bee renewed First because Eadem manet obligatio the same Bond remaineth still for though God out of his owne goodnesse and mercie forgiue our sinnes yet neuerthelesse haue wee the same Cause to condemne our selues to dislike and bee sorry for it because the same bond or tye remaines still though God haue gratiously pardoned it yet it is our duty to repent still Nay to speake as the truth is Crescit obligatio our bond is the greater for the more mercy and goodnesse God shewes vs in the pardoning of our sinnes wee haue alwayes the more cause to be abased and ashamed that wee haue sinned against him This as wee see made an exaggeration in Dauids griefe In to solum peccaui I haue sinned against thee alone what had Dauid sinned against none but God no question against Uriah Barsheba and the people but that went to the heart of him most of all and did more deeply touch him that he had giuen God cause to bee angry with him who was so readie to forgiue him that had shewed him so great kindenesse and mercy in the pardoning and forgiuing of all his sinnes So Gods mercie to vs in pardoning our sinnes should not bee a meanes to abate our repentance but rather to augment and increase it because there remaines in vs still the same seeds of ouglinesse vilenesse deformitie and corruption as formerly the pardon whereof being great should continually augment and reiterate our Repentance with holy Dauid Psal. 103. Praise the Lord O my soule praise the Lord and forget not all his benefites who forgiues thee all thy sinnes c. Thus Gods mercie in forgiuenesse of sinnes should not abate but increase our repentance as wee see in the storie of the Prodigall sonne Luke 15. 20. hee had a purpose to confesse his sinne when hee returned to his Father his Father could not containe himselfe for ioy but runne out to meet and imbrace him yet this makes him not slacke in his former determination to humble himselfe but rather spurres him to fall downe and humble himselfe vnto his Father confessing his faults So Gods readinesse to forgiue vs should bee so farre from abating our repentance that it should rather prouoke vs vnto the same so much the more to increase it If a woman should commit wickednesse and folly against her husband who puts her away for it and afterwards should be bent not onely to receiue her and forgiue her freely this lewd offence but also welcome her and bestow vpon her rich ornaments and iewels this kindnesse of her husbands if any naturall affection be in her would make her the more to lament and grieue for hauing offended so kinde and mercifull a husband and remember it to her dying day so it is with Gods readinesse in pardoning our sinnes it cannot choose but make vs the more ready vpon all occasions from time to time to repent and bee sorry that wee had offended so good and gratious a God Secondly though a mans sinnes bee pardoned vpon his repentance Yet the more a man repents the more hee shall haue the sense and feeling of the pardon of them for a man may haue his sinne pardoned before God and yet haue no sense and feeling in his owne conscience of the pardon of it for there is still retained a feare of guilt as wee see in Dauid 1. Sam. 12. his sinne was pardoned before God and yet there remained as commonly in such cases such an impression of guilt as hee had no comfort for all this or as if there had beene no such matter And so though God forgiue our sinnes vpon our first repentance yet the more wee repent the more sensible wee shall bee of the forgiuenesse and pardon of them In other cases wee can say Abundantia cautela non nocebit too much caution hurts not as when a man comes to locke a chest or a doore wherein lyes his gold and treasure he will turne the key againe and againe sir sayes his friend the doore was fast before yea but sayes the other in cases of this nature it is good to bee sure to make fast worke as then couetous men say thus by their money and iewells so let vs say of our saluation in businesses of this nature it is good to bee sure a man cannot bee too cautelous in
say wherein haue wee sinned or if men know sinne to bee sinne yet they mistake they thinke great sinnes are but pettie ones and small ones they esteeme to bee nothing at all not worth the grieuing at because for the present they paine not as a man hauing a bleeding wound hee sees not passes it ouer vntill hee faints it proouing deadly if not stopt and cured Againe another cause is Hardnesse of heart which for all the Regenerate are in part sanctified we are subiect vnto therefore though some in Repentance bring forth teares yet a number for their liues cannot shed any one teare for sinne vntill God by an especiall worke conuert and turne the Heart vnto him by an especiall operation of his blessed Spirit and power of Grace The want of this tendernesse wee see made the Prophet in the name of the Church crie out Isa. 63. 17. O Lord why hast thou made vs to erre◠from thy wayes and hardened our hearts from thy feare Yet I must needs say there is great difference betwixt that hardnes of heart in the godly and in the wicked for that of the former is sensible full of paine griefe sorrow mourning yea there is a particular sorrow for that hardnesse felt besides that of other sinnes but that which is in the wicked is insensible they are neuer thorowly touched or affected with a feeling of their sinnes and so neuer weepe or sorrow for them The fourth Conclusion is Conclus 4. That a man may truly repent him of his sinnes though he cannot weepe or shed a teare for them Which I prooue thus They that can mourne for their sinnes and in compunction of soule make vse of the death and passion of Christ may truly repent but a man may mourne for his sinne and do thus and yet neuer shed a teare therefore a man may truly repent without shedding of teares for teares are not alwayes a signe of true repentance As we see Acts 2. 37. where it is sayd those Converts were pricked in their hearts not pricked in their eyes for a mans heart may be pricked and ouerwhelmed with griefe and yet not weepe or shed any teares So wee see the Publican Luke 18. Hee could not weepe but hee was humbled and cast downe in the sense and feeling of his sinnes Lord saith he be mercifull to me a sinner So in like manner we doe not read that the Theefe vpon the Crosse did weepe or shed any teares yet hee confessed his sinnes and was inwardly grieued for them So we see a man may truly repent who sheddeth no teares For as a Wine vessell without vent is readie to burst so the lesse weeping many times the greater is the sorrow and the heart so much the more ouerburthened Teares are as a vent which when they are not and the heart this way allayed and eased the inward griefe is so much the more excessiue and great The fifth Conclusion is Conclus 5. That there is hardly any man liuing that hath truly felt the worke of Grace in himselfe but at one time or other if God let him liue any time hath or shall in some measure shed teares for his sinnes Euer excepting those men whom their naturall hard and drie temper of their eyes disableth perpetually from all teares 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This Conclusion I will first open and then in time confirme it yet assure your selues of this That euery one cannot weepe in their repentance and first Calling vntil it please God to infuse more grace and smite the heart Yet though at first they doe not wait a while and in continuance of time or when God sends some great affliction or judgement vpon them you shall see them come to teares and weepe for their sinnes As a man that is stricken with a sword the bloud doth not alwayes by and by follow So it is with the smitten conscience of a wounded sinner there is feare astonishment and amazement many times before weeping and yet afterwards teares may come abundantly as bloud after a wound But to my promise now which was first To open the Conclusion secondly To explaine it First then I say That hardly is there any man liuing but he hath or shall shed teares for sinne if God haue a purpose to saue him Therefore howsoeuer one may goe away at the first rejoycing like Lydia at her first conuersion and like the Eunuch in the Acts yet at one time or other they shall weepe and mourne for their sins though I would haue you remember that I do not exclude any from the hope of Heauen and state of true penitencie that shed no tears for sinne for so I haue shewed the case may be though seldome heard of Dauid sayes Psalme 37. 25. I haue beene young and now am old yet haue I not seene the righteous for saken nor their seed begging bread And yet poore Lazarus died a begger and was carried by the hands of the Angels into Abrahams bosome Now Dauids meaning is not that there was none of the righteous or of their seed that did begge their bread but that it was a rare thing that hee had not seene it in his dayes or in an Age So wee may say of this point It may bee a man may bee truely conuerted and yet neuer shedde a teare in his life but it is a rare case no ordinarie thing it is that which seldome falls out one of a thousand but that at one time or other they are so pressed with their sinnes Againe secondly I say that true teares are not to bee commanded by vs but are an effect of Gods grace wrought in man as Zach. 12. 10. And I will poure vpon the house of Dauid and vpon the Inhabitants of Ierusalem the Spirit of Grace and supplication and they shall weepe c. That is they shall mourne and lament as a man that mourneth for his owne sinnes nature may make a man mourne for the losse of his children friends goods wife and such like but it is onely the Spirit of God of Grace that can make a man shed teares for his sinnes so that a man may bee a naturall man an vnregenerate man an vnconuerted man and neuer shed a teare for his sinnes all his life long though hee bee a most wicked liuer But if the Spirit of Grace once worke vpon his heart hardly but at one time or other his heart will melt and lament that hee hath offended God Thirdly I say if God let him liue any time in this world for a man may bee taken away immediatly vpon his conuersion as the cheefe vpon the crosse and then as hee wants time for other Christian duties so for this also but if God let a man continue any time then one occasion or other will bring him backe to the beholding of his sinnes cause him to afflict his thoughts repent throughly and so worke teares out of him yea bitterly to bewaile his sinnes
Iudg. 2. 4. came and set their sins before them the text saith That they lift vp their voice and wept and in another case of sorrow 1. Sam 7. 6. wee reade They poured out water before the Lord and therefore seeing such who of all others were most vnlikely to weepe did shed teares for their sinnes being prickt in conscience what shall wee thinke of others a great deale more tender-hearted what haue they done in secret before God Thus the conclusion is made good Use. Oh then thinke of this yee merry people of the world you that passe your dayes in ioy and pleasure that if the best of Gods people and seruants at one time or other haue and must shed teares and weepe for their sinnes O how great cause haue you to lay aside your meriments to bid farwell to your sports and to come downe into dust and ashes and there in the bitternesse of your soules mournfully and heauily to lament your sinnes before the Lord It is time that you exclaime and say Peccatum est causa tristitiae doloris Sinne will cause sorrow feare and lamentation either in earth or in hell and so better weepe and mourne for our sinnes on earth where you may haue comfort and pardon ease and forgiuenesse then in hell where you shall haue a continuall death and yet a liuing torture Ibi erit fletus assiduus terror they be Christs owne words as you know Luk. 13. 28. When they shall see Abraham Isaac and Iacob and all the Prophets and Saints in heauen and themselues shut out of dâ—ores whilst they shall see other penitent sinners goe to heauen and themselues meanetime tormented in hell Others goe to pleasure whilst these goe to paine others to bee carried to eternall life whilst these goe downe to eternall death And so beloued of the Lord iudge your selues for your sins that God may not iudge you condemne your selues and let your present teares preuent those heauy endlesse teares to come vpon you hereafter And thus let vs all goe forth with Christ into the Garden and let vs not sleepe there as his Disciples did but seeing Christ fell flat vnder the burden of our sinnes let vs fall downe by him in consideration of our manifold offences where though wee cannot shed blood as hee did yet let vs indeauour and pray to God that wee may shed teares of repentance Yea as Christ in the daies of his flesh did offer vp strong cries and teares with supplications and prayers vnto him who was able to saue him from death so let vs doe and let vs be restlesse neuer to giue ouer our sute vntill we heare that comfortable voyce come vnto vs Sonne bee of good cheere thy sins are pardoned thy soule shall be saued thy prayers and teares are come vp in remembrance before God Thus much of the Case of Teares LECT XI V. THE CASE OF comfort in death in Repentance NVM 23 10. Let mee die the death of the righteous and let my last end bee like his AS wee haue a care to liue to the Lord so wee must haue a care to die to the Lord also For as it is Rom. 14. 7. 8. None of vs liueth to himselfe and no man dieth to himselfe for whether we liue wee liue vnto the Lord or whether wee die wee die vnto the Lord whether wee liue therefore or die wee are the Lords Accordingly is that rauish'd speech of Balaam here in my text Let mee die the death of the Righteous and let my last end bee like his Which words doe especially imply these three thing 1. That there is a death of the righteous that they must die as well as others 2. That the death of the righteous iâ— farre different from the death of the wicked 3. That euery man must desire to die as the righteous die That is in peace of a good conscience and feeling of the promises and comforts of God made in Iesus Christ so that these words shew vs that there is great cause for vs to inquire after The case of Repentance wee last spake of Whether euery one that hath truely repented can shew himselfe comfortable and heauenly minded at the houre of Death Now the answer I will lay downe in two points 1. That a man may truely repent and yet depart out of this world with little or no comfort at the houre of death 2. That there is neuerthelesse a very hopefull and likely way whereby true penitents may come boldly to die with comfort if they doe not neglect the meanes Concerning the first point I say a man may truely repent him of his sinnes and yet shew little or no comfort at the day of death Yea the truth is that the greatest part of Gods people as they liue well so they die well and comfortably as wee see Steuen did Acts 7. 16. Hee saw a heauenly vision heauen opened and Christ standing at his right hand readie to helpe him and euen so for the most in the day of death the people of God see heauenly visions So Iacob went downe to Aegypt and died there comfortably and in peace The like wee reade of Ioseph who commanded his bones to bee remooued at their departure from Aegypt So Dauid Moses and other of the Saints died and had honourable buriall in the peace of a good conscience This made Balaam say O that I might die the death of the righteous and that my last end might bee like his Hee would not liue the life of the Saints but hee would gladly haue so died it was too strict too precise a way for a naturall man like him too much against the currant and streame of the world though hee would haue dyed like the righteous because hee knew the difference was great betwixt their death and that of wicked men So it is written Heb. 11. 13. of the Fathers of the faithfull They all died in faith not all of lingring sicknesses nor they died not all in their beds nor amongst their friends in bodily honour and pompe which may bee taken away and debarred men to iâ—…ioy but in faith in peace of conscience in hope of heauen in the comfortable application of the promises of Gods loue in assurance of the pardon of sinne So as I say vsually and ordinarily the people of God liue in this world with comfort and depart out of this world as old Simeon did when hee had gotten Christ into his armes Luk. 2. Yet sometimes it falls out by the wise dispensation of God that through their owne default the most faithfull and beleeuing men haue very little comfort and poore fruits of their faith when they come to die but either die without feeling which is grieuous or which is more fearefull with feare and horror which not onely daily experience confirmeth but Scripture also as Eccles 8. 9. All things come alike to all there is one euent to the righteous and to
it come We reade that when the people of God were to celebrate the Passeouer Exod. 12. 11. the text saith And thus yee shall eate it with your loines girded your shoes on your feet and your staffe in your hand and yee shall eate it in haste c. And why was this that the people might be ready to passe our of Aegypt whensoeuer God should call them vnto it Euen so must euery man prepare himselfe for death get his staffe into his hand haue his loines girded his shoes vpon his feet that he may bee ready to depart out of this world when God shall appoint him but such is our corruption that a number haue a care onely to liue in iollity neglecting altogether preparation for the day of death how to lay themselues downe in rest and peace of conscience at that time Now there be Three reasons that may mooue a man to prepare himselfe for the day of death Reason 1 First because of the vncertainty of Death Vncertaine I say both in regard of time place manner for though we all know that we must die that no man can escape or auoide it yet are these other circumstances of our death onely known vnto God Wherefore because nothing more certaine then that wee must die and nothing so vncertaine as Time Place and Manner it stands vs in hand alwayes to bee prepared for it doing and ordering of our affaires betimes as good old Isaac said in this case to his sonne Esau Gen. 27. 1. 2. Behold now I am old and know not the day of my Death come therefore dresse me venison c. That my soule may blesse thee before I dye Euen so must wee doe order all matters wisely exhort one another dailly whilest it is called to day doe what good wee can repent vs of our sins delay no good wee are able to doe to our selues or others saying to friends children and acquaintance ô my time is vncertaine therefore remember this and this doe this and this c. Thus must wee prepare for death there is none amongst vs I know but if hee had an intent to build a house would surely make preparation for it before hand as Timber bricke morter tyles with other necessaries So seeing wee are to make sure for our selues an eternall house not made with hands ler vs bee carefull to furnish our selues to fit our selues for it by earnest prayer faith patience obedience c. because as I said we are vncertaine of the time whether to day or to morrow young or old this yeare or the next whether in the day or the night whether in the house or the field whether amongst our friends or enemies whether of a lingring or a sudden a milde or a torturing disease by land or water by sword or famine or pestilence all is I say vncertaine therefore wee must prepare for death in regard of the certaine vncertaintie thereof Reason 2 A second Reason to mooue vs to this preparation is because wee can die but once and that which can but once bee done had need to bee well done So the Author to the Hebrews saith Heb. 9. 27. It is appointed for men once to die and after that commeth iudgement So because wee can die but once we should be very carefull to doe it wel seeing if it be â—ll done it can neuer be mended againe In all other things if a man doe amisse at first hee may repaire it afterwards but onely in this matter of death there is no amendment no redemption afterwards If a man shoote an arrow at a marke if in the first aime you tell him what his fault was that hee is ouer or vnder or wide he may mend it the next time or the next after that but in death it is not so once amisse and euer vndone therefore be carefull to die well seeing it is but once to bee done Reason 3 The third Reason is The remedilesse state after Death for looke how death leaues a man so shall iudgement find him As long as a man is aliue here vpon earth there is hope that he may bee conuerted repent of his sins and be brought before the throne of Grace but if a man bee once dead and laied in the dust then he can neuer attaine to repentance for his sins Faith in the promises nor vnto one sanctified Grace of Gods Spirit though he would giue a thousand worlds if he had them therefore euery mans wisedome must be to prepare for death before it come according to that counsell of Eccles. 9. 10. Whatsoeuer thine hand findeth to doe doe it with all thy might for there is neither worke nor deuice nor wisedome in the graue whither thou goest Now this Preparation to Death stands in fiue Dutyes First A man of vnderstanding must furnish himselfe with those graces and duties that bee most needfull at the day of death He must labour for Faith and Patience and Obedience with other holy graces of God for he cannot then spare any grace but these three a man shall find more especiall need of when he comes to die Therfore as Noah made an Arke to saue himselfe and his houshold from the flood before it came so must euery man before death come labour to saue and secure himselfe that he may haue a place of shelter in the day of death Wherefore if a man would die well he must first come to liue well for questionlesse as a man liues so is he likely to die If a man look vpon a tree when it is a felling he may giue a shrewd ghesse where it will fall for looke where the greatest burden of boughes hang or grow that way commonly the tree will fall and euen so looke which way a mans thoughts affections carry him in the course of his life the very same inclination will sway him at the houre of his death Therefore a man must prepare to furnish himselfe with abundance of holy graces that they may ouersway him in his loosing from earth to heauen when hee dies Referring all vnto God and his good will and pleasure with holy Dauid saying I held my peace and said nothing because thou O Lord hast done it Secondly A man must that would die well arme himselfe against the feare of death for a man cannot die well if he be affraid to die therefore he must be armed against it If any aske how must we be armed against the feare of death I answer Answ. First By perswading himselfe that it is Gods appointment that hee shall die yea that the very time and manner of our death is appointed by him yea every fit pang and trouble at the time of death all particulars are appointed as Christ shewes Math. 10. 30. But the very haires of your head are all numbred Secondly wee must arme our selues against the feare of death by considering the comfortable state which followeth after Death For
conuinced of those he ought to repent particularly Secondly No man though he knew euery sinne he committed is able to repent of the same perfectly in regard of his corruption so long as he carries fraile flesh about him and why Because there is no motion of the spirit but it is much weakened by the tentations of the flesh as Gal. 5. 17. For the flesh lusteth against the spirit and the spirit against the flesh and they are contrarie the one to the other so that yee cannot doe the things that yee would So the Apostle confesses of himselfe Rom. 7. 18. For I know that in mee that is in my flesh dwelleth no good thing for to will is present with me but how to performe that which is good I finde not and why because the law of our members still rebells against the law of our minde and therefore as when men poure water into a glasse of wine the water abates the strength taste and colour of the Wine euen so it is betweene the flesh and the spirit the motions of the spirit be alwayes weakened with the motions of the flesh in some measure or other so as wee cannot doe as wee would but liue incumbred with a number of corruptions clogged and weighed downe with naturall frailties which make that we cannot perfectly repent vs of all our sinnes in this life Now against this doctrine there may be three obiections Obiect 1 Obiect 1. All the workes of God are perfect Repentance is a worke of God Therefore Repentance may bee perfect in a man in this life Answ. To this I answer the workes of God are of two sorts First Some God workes immediatly Secondly Some hee workes not immediatly by himselfe but mediatly by man Now those works of God which he worketh by himselfe they be perfect works and haue no defects but those works which God workes by meanes of man those be not alwayes perfect but many times carry some points and markes of frailtie in them As wee know a Scriuener who writes a perfect hand of himselfe yet let him put the Penne into a childes hand though he guide it his writing will not be so faire as that of his teacher because it somewhat participates of the childes vnskilfulnesse So it is in this matter of Repentance because this is not a worke which God workes meerely by himselfe but by the meanes of a man himselfe assisting vsing his will and other affections therein Therefore because there is defect in mans affection and Reluctation in his will resisting well-doing therefore his repentance must needs be imperfect Object 2 The second Obiection is taken out of Scripture where the Scripture many times seemes to speake of the perfection of a Christian sometimes commanding it as Math. 5. 48. Bee yee therefore perfect even as your Father which is in heauen is perfect Sometime commending man for it as 1. Cor. 2. 6. Howbeit wee speake wisdome amongst them that are perfect c. So Phil. 3. 13. Let vs therefore as many as bee perfect be thus minded c. And therefore if there bee perfection in other graces There is also perfection in Repentance Answ. To this I say Perfection that the Scripture speakes of is either Comparatiue in comparison of others as in the same third chapter of the Philippians S. Paul hath plainly affirmed that he was not perfect before God howeuer now he is perfect Comparativè more perfect then other men who had not such excellent gifts and graces As Noah was a iust and perfect man in respect of those wretched people who liued in those times Gen. 6. 50. So Iob and Zacharie in this respect were called â—ust men Secondly Ex parte we may be said to be iust and perfect in some respect and degrees as Math. 5. be yee therefore perfect as your heauenly Father is perfect Here we cannot be so perfect in the intention of our loue but in the Extention thereof to loue all sorts to loue our enemies to loue friends and foes and doe good to all of all sorts with an eye vnto God that is that perfection here meant and spoken of Obiect 3 The third Obiection is this All the graces of God that bee imperfect in this life shall bee perfected in heauen 1. Cor. 13. 10. But our Repentance shall not bee perfected in Heauen for in heauen there is no sorrow for sinne as Reu. 16. 17. for God shall wipe away all teares from their eyes Therefore because repentance shall not bee perfected in heauen it must needs be perfected in this life To this I answer there bee two parts of Repentance considerable 1. There is a Poenall part if I may so call it 2. A Part that consists in sanctified motions Answ. That part of Repentance which is Poenall sorrow afflicting teares and such like shall cease in heauen and is meerely shut vp within the bounds of this life But that part thereof which consists in sanctified motions shall bee perfâ—cted in heauen because we shall perfectly dislike and hate all the sinnes that ouer wee haue committed Thus the doctrine being cleere the vses are three Vse 1 First seeing that no mans repentance is perfect in this life therefore as we pray vnto God to pardonour other imperfections so we must pray to pardon the failings of our repentance not to weigh them in the ballance of Iustice lest they bee found light but in the ballance of â—…ercie where small things are taken in good worth and therefore as the man in the Gospell came to Christ with teares saying Lord I beleeue helpe my vnbeliefe So must we all cry vnto God with mournfull and heauy hearts Lord I repent but for Christs sake pardon the many failings of my Repentance Vse 2 Secondly seeing our Repentance is imperfect in this life therefore it is cleere that no man by his Repentance can merit any thing at the hands of God The very Schoole-men say the selfe-same thing that any defect want or impenitencie makes our Repentance to be imperfect yea all wee can doe is full of defects and wants therefore no merit before God and if it merit nothing at the hands of God then when men haue repented them of their sins they haue need still of the Blood of Christ to make Reconciliation and attonement for them It is the opinion of some in the world that if one haue repented of a sinne by and by he shall be saued by the vertue of his repentance But the truth is that though repentance bee a necessarie duty and disposition without which no man liuing can be saued in this state of sinne and though it be neuer so sincerely performed and often reiterated yet because it is full of so many imperfections it had need of the Blood of Christ to perfect it and reconcile vs vnto God holy cleane and vnblamable in his sight as Peter tells vs Yee also as liuely stones are built vp a spirituall house an holy Priesthood to
herbes meet for them by whom it is dressed receiueth blessing from God If a man haue found out an excellent plaister which will cure his sore if he pluck it away and doe not let it lye when he is on the mending hand but expose it to the aire Hee may relapse into a worser condition or kill himselfe So when a man hath got some profite by the vse of good meanes if he doe not then keepe to them but grow loose and idle hee may fall into as bad estate as before he knew of any cure or much worse Trees that grow by the sent of water if the water be drawne from them they cannot thriue thriuingly as before so take away the constant vse of good meanes from a Christian and you take away his life hee cannot thriue or grow Meanes to grow in grace 4 Fourthly Wee must so vse all the meanes as we must be carefull and indeauour to bee bettered by them and not onely grow but grow to a taste of perfection by the vse of them as neere as may bee According to the Apostles Exhortation 2. Cor. 6. 1. Wee then as workers together with him beseech you also that you receiue not the grace of God in vaine Therefore wee must doe as wise merchants who when they haue made a venture at Sea cast vp their bookes and looke into their accounts to see what they haue gained So Christians who beare a part in the house of God and traffique against sinne with his graces must cast vp their accounts looke into their bookes see what they haue gotten or gained what graces bee the stronger and what graces the more weakened in their hearts Lastly it may be obiected is there now remaining any thing else to be said in this Treatise of Repentance I answer for my selfe nothing else I haue to deliuer vnto you concerning this Treatise onely to intreate you that as one hauing passed alongst a goodly pleasant long valley where he hath seene on both sides great store of delightfull Woods Townes Castles Riuers c. when he is readie to leaue that plaine turnes about to view the place once more and make impression thereof in his memorie so that you hauing passed along and heard so many excellent points in this doctrine of Repentance would turne about againe once more to view them all ere wee leaue them First you haue heard of the Necessitie of Repentance that wee cannot be saued without it Secondly The order of it with other Graces Repentance being first seene in the life of a Christian. Thirdly The Nature of Repentance in which was foure things First that it is a changing and turning Secondly a turning in all and euery faculty of the soule Thirdly a turning from all sinâ— Fourthly a turning from all sinne vnto God Fourthly The Causes of Repentance were three 1. God the Efficient Cause 2. The preaching of the Law and Gospell the Instrumentall Cause 3. The helping Causes the Mercies of God his Iudgements and our owne considerations Fiftly The Time of Repentance was twofold Generall and Particular in the Generall two Rules 1. That we must repent in this life 2. That we must repent as soon as we can 2. In the speciall time of Repentance were fiue Particulars 1. When we haue fallen into any new sinne 2. When the iudgements of God are threatned against vs 3. When there is an offer of spirituall meanes of grace 4. When we are to vndertake any great worke 2. To renew our repentance euery morning and eueuing Sixtly The parts of Repentance in which foure things was obserued 1. Examination 2. Humiliation 3. Deprecation 4. Resolution for the time to come Seuenthly The Impediments of Repentance were two First in Iudgement Secondly in Affection In Iudgement foure wayes First either to thinke our selues not sicke of sinne or secondly sicke not so sicke as indeed we be Thirdly if sicke yet that we may recouer without repentance or fourthly if Repentance must needs be yet that it needes not to be so full and strict as Preachers tell vs. Secondly Impediments in our affections were first the loue of the world Secondly the loue of pleasures Thirdly the loue of our owne ease Fourthly the loue of our sinnes Fiftly the desire to keepe credit with the world Then we came to The Cases of Repentance fiue in number First the case of Relapse Secondly the Case of Iteration Thirdly the Case of Restitution Fourthly the Case of Teares Fiftly the Case of Comfort in death Ninthly The Contraries to Repentance First Impenitencie Secondly vnsound Repentance Lastly the Increase of Repentance in two things First that Repentance can neuer bee but imperfect in this life Secondly wherein it failes Thus haue I according to that abilitie God gaue indeuoured to cast the seed of God into your hearts now your wisedome â—â—st bâ—… to water it when you are at home in your houses that as my paines hath beene to preach it vnto you so yours may be to remember and make a right vse thereof and so I end beseeching God that the memorie of these things may remaine with you till your dying day That as euery day you sinne so euery day you may so renew your Repentance as Peter speakes Act. 3. 19. That your sinnes may bee blotted out when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord. FINIS God Godhead Word of God Scriptures Saluation Fall Sinne. Our sinfull state Sorrow for Sinne. Saluation second thing Christ. Faith Fruites of Faith Iustification Adoption Fruites of Adoption Sanctification Fruites of Sanctification Godlinesse Sinne. Darling sinne Killing of sinne Loue of God Feare of God Spirituall vnderstanding Wisedome Obedience Ordering of our life Sobrietie In Dyet In Apparell In Labours In worke In Sorrowes In our Mirth To men Righteousnesse In our Assections Anger In Words In our Deeds Loue to their Persons Soules In drawing them to Christ. â—o incourage â—hem Admonition We must loue them in their goods Vsurie Couetousnesse Godlinesse Second poiâ—â— Godlinesse Trusting in God Thirdly Humbling Affliction Fourthly Prayer Fiftly Thankes-giuing Sabboth Wiues Parents Children Masters Seruants Officers Subiects Pastors People Helpes to a Holy life 1 Diligence 2 Graces nourished 3 To watch our Life 4 Daily Triall 5 Scriptures reading How to reade with profite 6 Marking Particulars 7 Meditation on good things 8. Affliction Sanctified 9 Remembrance of vowes and Couenants 10 Communion of Saints 11 Withstanding Lettes 12 Daily Practise Daily Practise how Daily Armour â—ay spending Lords day Weeke day The Creede Faith God the Father A mighty Creatour of Heauen and Earth And in Iesus Christ. Onely Sonne Our Lord. Conceiued by the Holy Ghost Borne of the Virgin Mary Hee suffered Vnder Pontius Pilate Was Crucified Dead And Buried Third day Hee rose againe from the Dead Hee ascended into Heauen And sits at the right hand of God The Iudgement day I beleeue inthe Holy Ghost The Church Communion of Saints The forgiuenesse of sinnes The
vnlesse he had taken vpon him the weake nature of man he could not haue suffered for vs 1. Tim. 1. 17. Secondly because man had sinned and therefore it was needfull that man should suffer for sonne Heb. 2. 16. Thirdly that he might be the more pittiful and tender to vs hauing felt in himselfe the many weaknesses and infirmities that our nature is subiect to Heb. 2. 17. Q. How did Christ become man A. He was conceiued by the Holy Ghost borne of the Virgine Mary Q. How was he conceiued by the Holy Ghost A. The holy Ghost sanctified the flesh of the Virgin and therefore created the Body of Christ without mans helpe Luk. 1. 35. Qu Why was he so conceiued A. That he might be pure from originall sinne in his conception Heb. 7. 26. Q. Why was he borne of a Virgin A. That his strange birth might moue men to looke for some strange worke at his hands Isa. 7. 14. Q. What Heretiques are rebuked by this Article A. Simon Magus schollers who denied that Christ was come in the flesh and therefore are called Antichrists 1. Iohn 4. 3. Secondly the Ualentinian heretiques of old and the Anabaptists of late who affirme that Christ brought his body from heauen with him and so passed through the wombe of the Virgin as water through a Conduit Pipe contrarie to the Scripture Gal. 4. 4. Q. What doe the rest of the Articles concerne A. The execution of Christs office whereof there are 2. parts 1. His Humiliation 2. His Glorification Q. What is the first degree of his Humiliation A. Hee suffered vnder Pontius Pilate Q. Why is no mention made of his life but of his sufferings A. Because his whole life was nothing but a suffering his Passion began at his birth and from his cradle he was weeping towards his crosse Qu. Why is no mention made of his miracles A. Because we haue more benefit by his suffering than by all his miracles his miracles benefited onely to those that liued in that present age with him but the vertue of his suffering reacheth downe to vs 1. Pet. 2. 24. Q. Of whom did Christ suffer A. Of all sorts of men hee that came to saue all had all against him the Iewes against him and the Gentiles against him the Priests against him and the People against him the Souldiers against him and the Theefe against him yea and his owne Disciple too Q. What did Christ suffer A. All the punishments that were due to our sinnes Pouertie Hunger Contempt Shame Whipping and buffetting and the Wrath of God which was greater than them all Q. Why do the Martyrs suffer so cheerefully and Christ so heauily A. The Martyrs though they felt paines in their bodies yet they were infinitely comforted in their soules but Christs inward sorrowes were more than his outward paines Mat. 26. 38. Qu. For what cause did Christ suffer A. He suffered for our sinnes we are they that caused the death of the Sonne of God as we increased sinne so the torments were increased vpon him Isay 53. 5. Qu. What was this Pontius Pilat A. He was the gouernor of Iewrie Deputie to Tiberius Caesar Emperor of Rome Luke 3. 1. Qu. Why is he here mentioned A. To shew That the Sceptar was now taken from Iudah and therefore this was the time wherein Christ should come Gen. 47. 10. Q. Why was Christ condemned of Pilat A. That we might be acquitted at the iudgement seat of God Christ hauing borne the whole penaltie of our sinne Q. What was the second degree of Christs humiliation A. He was crucified Qu. What kind of death was that A. It was a most painful death and a most infamous death Q. How was it infamous A. It was infamous two wayes first By Gods Law Gal. 3. 13. Secondly By Mans Law because none but base and vile persons were adiudged to the Crosse. Q Why did Christ suffer such an infamous death A. That we might see what an hatefull thing sinne is in Gods sight which could no otherwise be expiated but by such a fearefull and infamous death of the Sonne of God There is not the least sinne that we commit but it cost our Sauior Christ the dearest bloud in his bodie Qu. What learne wee by this A. To account no sinne little seeing the least we haue cost our Sauior Christ not a little paine Qu. What other reason is there A. It meruailously commends our Sauiours loue That Christ performed not some sleight matter for vs but vnderwent a most vile death the death of the Crosse in our behalfe Phil. 2. 8. Q. When was Christ crucified A. At noone day that all men might see cleerely life saluation lifted vp vpon the Crosse Ioh. 3. 14. Q. Where was Christ crucified A. Without the Citie to shew that wee must goe out from this world if we will be partakers of the Crosse of Christ Heb. 13. 13. Q. Who did crucifie Christ A. The Iewes who longed for Christs comming yet killed him when they had him 1. Thess. 2. 14. Q. What miracles were done at it A. There was darkenesse from high noone till three of the clocke God put out the candle of heauen that man might leaue worke When Man would not blush the Sun was ashamed and hid his face When mens hearts would not quake the earth quaked for feare and when mens hearts would not rent the vaile of the Temple rent in twaine Mat. 27. Q. What was the third degree of Christs humiliation A. His death Q. Why did not Christ come downe from the Crosse as the Iewes would haue had him A. If Christ had come downe from the Crosse the Iewes would haue haled him to it againe and so the condemnation would haue been the greater If Christ had come downe he had left the worke of our redemption vnperfect and therefore howsoeuer it might haue beene much for Christs honour to haue come downe yet tendring our good more than his owne honour hee was content with shame and reproch to stay still vpon this Crosse. Christ shewed then a greater miracle than that if they would beleeue For it was more to rise from death after they had killed him than to come downe from the Crosse when hee was aliue Q. How did Christ die A. He died a voluntarie death and a holy death Q. How did Christ die a voluntarie death A. He died not with extremitie of paine as others doe but he willingly yeelded vp his life when he could haue liued longer if he would Ioh. 10. 18. Q. How did Christ die an holy death A. Though hee had many sharpe conflicts before his end yet he made a sweet close in so much that the Centurion was more mooued with his sweet death than with all the miracles which he had seene Mark 15. 39. Q. Why did Christ die A. To free vs from eternall death for vnlesse Christ had died on earth we had died euerlastingly in Hell Q. Yea but
Then hee may assure himselfe that hee hath his part in Christ But if hee bee not a true member of the Church then neither God nor Christ nor life nor saluation belongs vnto him Acts 2. 48. Q. What is the Church A. The Church is the whole company of Gods Elect in all places and in all Ages knit by true Faith vnto Iesus Christ their head Ephes. 1. 10. Q. Are none but the Elect true members of the Church A. Hypocrites and wicked men may bee in the Church but they are not of the Church They may be in the outward societie and fellowship of the Church mingled for a time but they are not true members of it because they are not knit by true faith vnto Christ their head 1. Iohn 2. 19. Q. Why are the visible Assemblies called the Church A. Because in charitie wee are to thinke they belong to Gods Election till by Apostasie or notorious euill life they giue proofe to the contrarie Q. What are wee to beleeue concerning the Church A. Two things 1. That it is holy 2. That it is Catholique Q. Why is the Church said to be Holy A. Because all the true members of the Church are washed from their sinnes by the blood of Christ and haue holinesse in some measure begun in them Ephes. 5. 28. Q. What learne wee by this A. That they who are not holy that is sanctified in some measure by the Spirit of Christ belong not indeed to the Body of the Church and therefore are quite cast on from all benefite by the death of Christ. Q. Why is the Church called Catholike A. Catholike is as much to say as Uniuersall or generall So that when wee say Wee beleeue the Catholike Church The meaning is that wee beleeue the Church is not now tyed to any one Countrie as it was before Christs comming to the Iewes onely but in euery Nation whosoeuer feareth God and worketh righteousnesse is accepted of him Ephes 2. 14. Q. Is not the Church of Rome the Catholike Church A. No For the Catholike Church cannot fall away from the faith Math. 16. 18. But the Church of Rome hath no more priuiledge in this point then any other Church for it both may and hath departed from the faith Rom. 11. 22. And therefore it is not the true Catholike Church Q. What bee the markes of the true Church A. 1. Syncere preaching of the Word 2. A right vse of the Sacraments Q. Is not the Popes doctrine sound A. No for whereas the Scriptures teach that God alone is to be worshipped Math. 4. The Pope teacheth that wee may worship Saints the Wood the Crucifix with the same diuine worship that belongs to God Where the Scriptures teach that there is one Mediatour betweene God and Man the Man Iesus Christ The Pope teacheth that euery Saint and Angell may be a mediatour for vs. Qu. Haue they not a right vse of the Sacraments A. No For whereas Christ and his Apostles ministred in both kindes they giue nothing but Bread vnto the people Where Christ and his Apostles celebrated it in a knowne tongue they mumble vp all in a strange tongue which the people doe not vnderstand Q. What doth the Pope make the chiefe markes of the Church A. First Antiquitie Secondly Vniuersalitie Thirdly Succession of Bishops and consent Q. Doth not the Antiquitie of the Church of Rome prooue it to be the true Church A. No for as old as it is it is not so old as the Deuill Againe there is as great difference betweene old Rome and Rome now as is betweene a chaste Virgin and a common Harlot Qu. Doth not Uniuersalitie prooue it For before Luthers time all were of the Romish faith A. That is not so For before Luther the Valdonses and the Christian Churches in Greece in Armenia in Syria in Aethiopia and other places as much abhorred fellowship with the Pope as wee doe Secondly is it had beene so yet who knowes not that St. Iohn hath foretold Râ—â— 13. 3. cap. 8 that all the world should worship the Beast Q. Doth not succession of Bishops from Peter prooue it A. No For Caiphas had succession from Aaron and yet condemned Christ and their owne stories tell that there haue beene Monsters hather then Bishops that haue sate at Rome Tiberius who subscribed to the Arian heresie Honorius condemned by two Generall Councels and Iohn 2 3. who held a damnable heresie concerning the 〈◊〉 of the Soule Q. Doth not their vnity and agreement proue it A. No For howsoeuer they agree as Herod and Pilate did in condemning Christ yet they haue infinite iarres and contentions among themselues Pope against Pope and Cardinall against Cardinall Doctor against Doctor and that in matters of faith concerning the efficacie of the Sacraments The Virgin Mary matter of Orders Iustification c. So that their vnitie is no other then such as is spoaken of Acts 4. 27. Q. What bee the Benefites which God bestowes vpon his Church A. They are foure in number The two first concerne this life The two later the life to come Q. What is the first of them that concerne this life A. The Communion of Saints Q. What is meant thereby A. That all the holy people of God haue fellowship one with another and with Christ their Head 1. Ioh. 1. 3. Q. What is the fellowship which wee haue with Christ A. By faith wee become one with Christ of his flesh and of his Bones by meanes whereof wee haue a communitie in all his Merits and in all his riches So that his sufferings for sinne stand vs in as good stead as if wee our selues had suffered for them And his fulfilling of the Law benefires vs as much as if wee in our owne person had fulfilled it And his ascending into heauen puts vs in as good assurance as if our selues already were ascended thither Eph. 2. 6. Q. What is the fellowship which wee haue one with another A. It stands in foure things First in ioyning together in the outward worship of God whereby wee bring mutuall comfort and incouragement one to another Acts 2. 46. Q. What learne wee by this A. That they who liue idly at home on the Sabboth day or content themselues with some priuate duties of their owne and doe not resort to the publike places and publike assemblies which God hath sanctified and ser apart for his owne worship are found to despise the Communion of Saints Q. What is the second thing wherein our Christian fellowship consists A. In praying one for another and that not sleightly and coldly but pressing and importuning the Lord as if our owne state and our owne danger were in hand Q. What learne wee by this A. That hee that is a true member of the Church hath all Gods people in all places praying for him yea many times when he is not able to pray for himselfe a thousand hands are lifted vp to Heauen in his behalfe Qu. What is the third thing
wherin this fellowship consists A. In communicating our gifts and Graces to the good and benefite one of another For as the eye sees not for the good of it selfe alone but for the comfort and benefite of the whole body Euen so we haue our part and profite in the gifts and graces bestowed vpon others 1. Cor. 12. 6. 7. Q. What learne wee by this A. That as one candle lights another So one man must bring on an other vnto God Qu. What is the last thing wherein the Communion of Saints consists A. It consists in the communicating of the good things of this life to the mutuall helpe and comfort one of another accordingly as God hath enabled vs Acts 4. 32. Qu. What gather wee of this A. That they who are wholly taken vp with the care of their owne good and doe not by loue goe out of themselues to the comfort of their brethren whatsoeuer they pretend yet they belong not to the Communion of Saints indeed 1. Cor. 12. 26. Qu. What is the second Benefite A. Forgiuenesse of Sinnes Qu. What are wee to beleeue concerning this A. Foure things First that the Church hath her Sinnes Euen the godliest in this world Not onely they who walke with no care But euen they who set a most narrow watch ouer their waies and that not some veniall and petty sinnes but euen deadly wounds wherof without the fauour of God they might surely die That thosesinnes how great soeuer they are are Freely forgiuen and pardoned in Christ. So that Gods people after Faith and Repentance stand as cleerely discharged of them as if they had neuer committed them That God forgiueth not onely the guilt of sinne but also the punishment of it For punishment is not due but in regard of the guilt of sinne And therefore the guilt ceasing the punishment must also cease with it Lastly the godly cannot commit the sinne against the holy Ghost it being vnpardonable and the sinnes of the godly being all pardonable and pardoned in Christ. And therefore howsoeuer they may sinne of ignorance and of weakenesse yet they neuer sinne willingly stubbornly and presumptuously against God Qu. How am I to apply this Article to my selfe A. By beleeuing that I haue many sins aâ—d those so great that without the Lords mercy I may bee iustly damned for them Secondly that all these sinnes are forgiuen in Christ so that I shall neuer bee challenged for any of them Thirdly if God punish mee at any time it is not for my sins which be pardoned but either for my tryall or to keep downe the corruptions of my heart that they breake not out Lastly that howsoeuer I may fall of infirmity yet I shall bee so-strengthened in grace that I shall neuer wilfully and purposely oppose my selfe against the Lord. Q. What are the benefites which God will bestowe vpon his Church in the world to come A. Two The Resurrection of the Body And Euerlasting Life A. What are wee to beleeue concerning the Resurrection A. Foure things 1. That the body shall rise againe 2. That the same body shall rise againe 3. That it shall rise a glorious body 4. That it is the priuiledge of the godly onely to rise so Q. How know wee that the body shall rise A. By the Scripture and by the power of God Mar. 12. 23. Qu. What Scriptures proue it A. Dan. 12. and Ioh. 5. 28. 29. Q. How is it proued by the power of God A. Because it is as easie for God to raise man out of the dust as it was at first to make him of the dust It is easier to raise man then to make him For as when a house falls the stones remaine and the timber remaines onely it wants the forme and fashion of an house So when a man dyes the soule remaines and the body remaines at leastwise the bones the spar and chiefe rafters of the house and therefore they may the more easily be knit together and fashioned againe Q. Why shall the same body rise A. Because it were iniustice to punish that body for sinne that had neuer committed sinne and to crowne another body with Christ and not the same that had suffered for him Q. How shall it rise a glorious body A. First it shall rise immortall hunger and thirst and cold and sicknesse and death shall no more preuaile against it Secondly it shall rise in perfect state The Power of God supplying all those members that now bee wanting hee that lacked in eye shall then receiue an eye and hee that lacked an arme shall then haue both armes restored Thirdly it shall rise more beautifull then it was at first For hee that is now crooked he shall bestreightened and hee that is now weake shall be strengthened and hee that is too bigge shall bee lessened And hee that is foule shall shine like the Sun in his strength Fourthly it shall rise a spirituall body readie and willing to doe any duty that the Spirit shall enioyne Q. Shall not the wicked rise too A. Yes they shall rise but it were better for them if they might neuer rise if they might eye as a dogge or a toade dyes They shall rise but it is that their torments may be the greater their bodyes also then feeling as much as now their soules feele Q. What is the last benefit A. Euerlasting life Qu. What are wee to beleeue concerning it A. That the state of gods people shall bee infinitely more happy in Heauen when God shall bee all in all raigning immediatly in his Saints Q. What learne wee by this A. That wee are set in a better state by Christ then we lost by Adam For by Adam wee lost but an earthly Paradice but by Christ wee haue recouered an heauenly for it Q. What else doe wee beleeue of this point A. That this happie estate of Gods People shall bee for euer the comfort of it increasing rather then abating any whit Q. Declare this A. In the delights of this world the greatest ioy is at first as when a man comes out of the cold to a good fire after his ioy abates by little and little vntill at length hee bee weary of it But when a man hath beene in heauen a 1000. yeares hee shall finde as much ioy and contentment as the first houre that hee came thither Q. Shall not the wicked rise to euerlasting life A. No For theirs is an euerlasting death they are euer dying and yet can neuer dye euer consuming and yet can neuer consume euer burning and yet can neuer burne like the Salamander that liues in the fire Q. How may a man attaine to Eternall life A. Onely by a liuely faith in the Sonne of God when a man stands perswaded in his heart through the holy Ghost that this is a chiefe part of Christs purchase which without the high price of his blood wee could neuer attaine Q. What are the meanes to strengthen Faith A. Three The