either to be with h Diues in hell torments 1 The Scripture acknowledgeth but two places after this life or with Lazarus in Abrahams bosome that is in ioy and felicity now they that are in heauen are in so great ioyes alreadie that they cannot be bettered till the day of the resurrection when they shall haue fulnesse of glory both in bodie and soule and they that are in hell cannot by h Luk. 16. 22. 23 any prayers be deliuered thence as Abraham tells Diues i Ver. 26. betweene vs and you there is a great gulfe fixed so that they which would passe from hence to you cannot neither can they passe to vs that would come from thence From Hell there is no redemption Secondly whereas the Romish Church teacheth and 2 All the faithfull and true beleeuers are cleansed from their sinnes in this life holdeth that they that are cast into Purgatorie are of the faithfull sort beleeuers the Scripture prooueth that all the faithfull all true beleeuers are washed and cleansed from their sinnes in this life and are therefore blessed after this life For S Iohn saith k 1. Ioh. 1. 7. the bloud of Iesus Christ his Sonne cleanseth vs from all sinne St Paul saith l Rom. 8. 1. there is no condemnation to them which are in Christ Iesus Christ himselfe saith m Ioh. 5. 24. He that heareth my word and beleeueth on him that sent me hath euerlasting life and shall not come into condemnation but is passed from death vnto life And a voice from heauen saith vnto Iohn n Reu. 14. 13. Write blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth yea saith the Spirit that they may rest from their labours and their workes doe follow them Now seeing that the state of the faithfull beleeuers is such that they are cleansed and purified from their sinnes in the bloud of Christ seeing there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ seeing they that beleeue in Christ shall not come into condemnation but passe from death to life and seeing that all the faithfull are blessed when they die and their workes follow them that is they haue the reward of their workes then it is euident that they goe not to any place of torment before they come to heauen but vpon their dissolution they ascend to heauen and are with Christ 3 The canonicall Scripture doth not mention prayer for the dead Thirdly the Canonicall Scripture doth not so much as mention Prayer for the dead no not in those places where there is mention of sacrifices and prayer yea mention of the death of the righteous but rather the contrarie S. Paul to the Thessalonians saith o 1. Thes 4. 13. I would not haue you to be ignorant brethren concerning them which are asleepe that ye sorrow not euen as other which haue no hope Where the Apostle giueth vs to vnderstand that if our friends departed were in any place of torment if they were in paine and miserie then indeed we had cause to sorrow and mourne to pray and to doe any thing that might procure them ease but saith the Apostle I would not haue you to sorrow as men without hope as if he had said If you haue hope that your friends departed are at rest haue ease and shall rise againe to glorie why then doe you sorrow for them as they that haue no hope either of their present rest or future Resurrection to glorie you should rather reioyce for that they are at rest Fourthly though it cannot be denied but that Prayer 4 Prayer for the dead though it be auncient yet is it neither Apostolicall nor yet vsed by the most auncient orthodoxall Fathers of the Church as it is by the Romists at this day for the dead is an auncient custome long vsed in the Church yet notwithstanding I say First that it commeth short of that antiquitie to be an Apostolicall doctrine For before p Tertul. de coro mil. Turtullians time there 's little or no mention of Prayer for the dead and he himselfe acknowledgeth that it hath no firme foundation in the Scriptures but onely from Tradition and custome Secondly the auncient Fathers did not vse Prayer for the dead as the Romish Church doth vse it at this day namely for the easing of soules in Purgatorie and to deliuer them from thence but for other ends as hath bin sufficiently declared before And the auncient Fathers if they be rightly vnderstood doe nothing at all confirme the doctrine of the present Romish Church concerning their manner of praying for the dead The consideration hereof serues Vse 1 First to reproue those who when they speake of their Against those that pray for mercie to the soules of their friends departed friend departed pray that God would haue mercie on their soules for although the Prayers of the auncient Church for the soules of the dead might receiue some tollerable interpretation before Purgatory was beleeued yet now since that the Romish Church hath deuised a Purgatorie and that it is held amongst them as an article of faith it is dangerous to make such a Prayer For this kinde of Prayer that God would haue mercy on his soule howsoeuer it may demonstrate the affection of him that prayeth for his friend departed yet may it be offensiue two wayes First by taking Gods name in vaine through a too frequent and common vsing of it in ordinarie communication as the manner of some is Secondly by an opinion of supposing his friend to be in Purgatorie for in praying for mercie to his soule hee supposeth or at least breeds an opinion in the mindes of the hearers that he doth suppose that the soule of his friend departed is in the paines of Purgatorie and hath neede of mercie to be shewed to his soule whereas it is certaine that the faithfull departed out of this life haue obtained mercie before they yeeld vp the Ghost and they are purged cleansed from their sins in the bloud of Iesus Christ Secondly hence we learne that although it be vnlawfull Vse 2 to pray for any one departed in particular for his It is no superstition to laud and praise God for the departure of our Christian friends ease in or deliuerie out of Purgatorie yet it is no superstition to laud and prayse God for the departure of our Christian friends out of the miseries of this mortall life nor yet to wish to vs and them in generall the hastning of Christ's second comming to iudgement that we with them and they with vs may haue a glorious Resurrection and enioy perfect blessednesse both in bodie and soule For q Perk. Cathol reform de Purgator this is included in that Petition r Mat. 6. 10. Thy kingdome come And this is that sweete and pleasant voice of the Bridegroome Christ Iesus and of the Bride the spouse of Christ the Church of God and euery faithfull soule Å¿
saith therefore 1 Mourning and desolation shall the land mourne c. Againe he saith q Verse 6. My people are destroyed for lacke of knowledge Secondly where the knowledge of God is not men are giuen ouer to a reprobate minde to doe things that 2 A reprobte minde are not conuenient This S. Paul sheweth speaking of the Gentils r Rom. 1. 28 29. Euen as they did not like to retaine God in their knowledge God gaue them ouer to a reprobate minde to doe those things which are not conuenient being filled with all vnrighteousnesse fornication wickednesse couetousnesse maliciousnesse full of enuy c. Thirdly to them that know not God there remaines 3 Punishment nothing but iudgement punishment and euerlasting destruction as saith the Apostle Å¿ 2 Thess 1. 7 8 9. The Lord Iesus shall be reuealed from Heauen with his mighty Angels in flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God and that obey not the Gospell of our Lord Iesus Christ who shall be punished with euerlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his power The fourth thing concerning the knowledge of God 4 Meanes wherby we may come to the right knowledge of the true God is the meanes whereby wee may come to the true knowledge of God That there is a God may be knowen as hath beene already shewed by the light of Nature and by the book of the Creatures and that there is one true God is manifest by the Scriptures the Word of God reuealeth the Vnity of the God-head and the Trinity of Persons but to the attaining to the right knowledge of the one only true God by a particular knowledge to know him to be God vnto vs to acknowledge the one onely true God to bee our Lord and our God as hath beene formely more fully declared there is required more then the light of Nature more then the booke of the Creatures and more then bare knowledge of the Scriptures for this particular knowledge of God is attained vnto partly Two by the Word of God and partly by the Spirit of God the one being an outward the other an inward 1 By the Scriptures meanes to teach vs the true knowledge of God The true knowledge of God then is attained vnto First by the Scriptures and that both by the Law and the Gospell For t Per Legem cognitiopeccati nostri per Enangelium cognitio gratiae Dei Zanch. de Natu. Dei lib. 3. cap. 3. By the Law as one saith wee come to the knowledge of our sinnes and of our misery by the Gospell we come to the knowledge of the grace and mercy of God shewed vs in Christ Iesus According to that saying of S Iohn u Ioh. 1. 17. The Law was giuen by Moses but grace and truth came by Iesus Christ And to the end that wee may come to the true knowledge of God by the Scriptures there are foure things necessarily required at our hands And that by First that we diligently read the Scriptures concerning 1 Reading the Scriptures which our Sauiour Christ hath sayd x Ioh. 5. 39. Search the Scriptures for in them ye thinke ye haue eternall life and they are they which testifie of mee This was the practise of those noble Bereans who hauing heard Paul preach vnto them Iesus y Aâ—ts 17. 11. searched the Scriptures daily whether those things were so Secondly that wee carefully and attentiuely heare 2 Hearing the Word of God the word of God preached Eor * Rom. 10. 17. Faith as saith the Apostle commeth by hearing and hearing by the Word of God Our Sauiour saith z Ioh. 17. 8. I haue giuen vnto them the words which thou gauest mee and they haue receiued them and haue knowne surely that I came out from thee and they haue beleeued that thou didst send me In which words he sheweth three things first he gaue them his Word secondly they receiued it and thirdly by the Word of God they knew God and Iesus Christ whom hee had sent Thirdly that wee seriously meditate vpon the Word 3 Meditating vpon the Word of God which we haue read or heard Dauid saith a Psal 119. 99 I haue more vnderstanding then all my teachers for thy testimonies are my meditation By meditating vpon the Word of God he got vnderstanding and attained to the true knowledge of God Fourthly that we ioyne vnto all these deuout praier 4 Praying for a blessing vpon these meanes crauing the blessing of God in reading and hearing the Word and meditating vpon the same Thus the knowledge of God is attained unto by the Scriptures Secondly the true knowledge of God is attained vnto 2 By the Spirit of God through the gracious working of the Spirit of God in our hearts for God must first put it into our hearts to know him before wee can know him As the Lord speakes by Ieremy the Prophet b Jer. 24. 7. I will giue them an heart to know me that I am the Lord. Againe hee saith c Ier. 31. 33. I will put my Law in their inward parts and write it in their hearts Our Sauiour Christ saith d Ioh. 6. 45. It is written in the Prophets and they shall bee all taught of God This is called e Cognitio per gratiam Tho. 1. q. 12. ar 14. knowledge by grace or gracious knowledge because it is wrought in our hearts by the Spirit of God the Worker of grace as the Apostle also saith f 1 Cor. 2. 7 8 9 10. We speake the wisdome of God in a mystery euen the hidden wisdome which God ordained before the world vnto our glory Which none of the Princes of this world knew c. But as it is written Eye hath not seen nor eare heard neither haue entred into the heart of man the things which God hath prepared for them that loue him But God hath reuealed them vnto vs by his Spirit This of the particular knowledge of God Now the consideration of the great necessity of the Vse knowledge of God and the benefit thereof with the danger of the want thereof and the means of obtaining it serues for reprehension and it reproues First those who content themselues with the generall 1 Against those that content themselues with a generall knowledge of God knowledge of God that there is a God that there is one God that God made all things that God is to bee worshipped c. but are not carefull to come to a particular knowledge of God to know God to be their God and so to know God as to beleeue in him to feare him and to loue him to trust in him and to depend vpon him But if we would be saued and come to euerlasting life we must labour to attaine to a particular knowledge of God for the bare generall knowledge of God will not saue vs for
if they haue left of to be such as they were before though they bring forth no good fruits meete for repentance whereas the Scripture requireth not onely a departing from euill but also a doing of good Not onely a ceasing from euill but a learning to doe well It had not bin sufficient for Manasseh to haue left worshipping of Idoles except he had worshipped the true God It had beene small praise in Peter to haue wept bitterly for denying Christ and to haue denied him no more except he had also boldly confessed Christ And it had beene but small commendations in Paul to haue left off persecuting Christians except he had also laboured to doe good by preaching Christ seeking to winne soules and to bring men to Christ as before he had laboured to driue them from Christ If any one hath heretofore despised the preaching of the Gospell made light of it and thought basely of the Ministers of the Gospell the messengers of God what great thing doth he if he onely cease to be such a one except he now loue the word of God and embrace it except with his heart he desire it and long after it except he also loue and reuerence the Ministers of the Gospell the Messengers of glad tydings And except he esteeme the Preachers of the Gospell highly in loue for their workes sake If any hath offended with his tongue by swearing cursing lying slandering c. What true repentance doth such a one shew except he so leaue swearing and cursing and taking of Gods name in vaine as that hee learne to vse the name of God â—iâ—h all 〈◊〉 And that with his tongue he olesse and prayse God except he so leaue lying as â—haâ— he leaâ—ne to speake the truth And so cease from slandering and backbiâ—ing as that he learne to speake either well of others or no ill So likewise whosoeuer hath beene an oppressour of the poore vnmercifull cruell hard-hearted or any way iniurious to others what great thing doth he if he onely cease to be cruell vnmercifull iniurious any more except he also shew mercie and compassion to the poore except he be liberall to them that are in want And except with Zacheus he giue part of his goods to the poore For as Chrysostome saith i Nihil boni facere hoc ipsum est malum facere Chrys in Ephes Hom. 16. to doe no good is to doe euill The very omitting to do that good which we ought to haue done is euill and deserues punishment And many shall be condemned at the last day for not doing of good for not k Math. 25. 41. 42. 43. feeding the hungry c. Wherefore learne to doe well and be thou exercised in doing that which is good or else thou hast not truly amended thy life CHAP. X. Of perseuerance in grace and continuing in goodnesse to the end THe sixt and last step of grace whereby a Sinner 6 Perseuerance in grace or continuing in well-doing to the end in his returning from sinne riseth higher and continueth neerer vnto God is perseuerance in grace and goodnesse when a Christian hauing begun well holds on his good course and continues therein to the end Concerning this perseuerance I will Therein two things First prooue that a Christian may perseuere and continue to the end Secondly vse motiues and perswasions to mooue euery good Christian to labour that hee may perseuere and continue in goodnesse euen vnto the end For the first That a Christian hauing faith to beleeue 1 A Christian may perseuere and continue to the end For and grace to repent of his sins hauing forsaken his sinnes and amended his life and now being in the state of grace may so perseuere and continue to the end is euident for First the Scripture testifieth that such a one shall not 1 The Scripture affirmeth that a good and sound Christian shall not be mooued be mooued from his standing in grace a Psal 15. 5. Hee that doth these things saith Dauid shall neuer be mooued And againe b Psal 125. 1. They that trust in the Lord shall be as Mount Syon which cannot bâ— remoeued but abideth for euer Secondly God that hath begunne the good worke of grace in his children will finish it So saith the Apostle to the Philippians c Phil. 1. 6. Being confident of this very thing that he which hath begunne a good worke in you will performe it 2 God that hath begunne grace will finish it vntill the day of Iesus Christ Thirdly God will glorifie them that are iustified from their sinnes As Saint Paul also speakes to the Romanes d Rom. 8. 30. Moreouer whom he did predestinate them he also called 3 They that are iustified shall be glorified and whom he called them he also iustified and whom he iustified them he also glorified Fourthly An inheritance in heauen is reserued for the elect and they are kept by the power of God vnto 4 The elect are reserued vnto saluation in heauen saluation So saith S. Peter e 1 Pet. 1. 3. 4. 5. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Iesus Christ which according to his abundant mercie hath begotten vs againe vnto a liuely hope by the resurrection of Iesus Christ from the dead to an inheritance incorruptible and vndefiled and that fadeth not away reserued in heauen for you who are kept by the power of God through faith vnto saluation Now this being prooued that a Christian may perseuere 2 Motiues to perswade to Perseuerance and continue to the end In the second place it is expedient to vse perswasions whereby euery good Christian may bee mooued to labour for perseuerance that hee may continue in his good state of grace and hold on his right course of godlines euen vnto the end And the perswasions hereunto are these First God requireth it When the Israelites had shewed 1 God requireth it their good affections to heare and obey the word of the Lord the Lord commended them saying f Deâ—t 5. 27. 28. 29. They haue well said all that they haue spoken And then wishing their perseuerance teacheth them what they ought to doe and sheweth them what God requireth at their hands O that there were such an heart in them that they would feare me and keepe my commandement alwayes Saint Pauls exhortation is g 1 Cor. 9. 24. So runne that you may obtainâ— In a race though many runne yet one receiueth the prize and he onely receiueth the prize that continueth to the end of the race So in the course of godlinesse hee that so runnes his race that he continues to the end and with S. Paul doth h 2 Tim. 4. 7. finish his course shall obtaine the crowne of righteousnesse And to the Galathians he saith i Gaâ— 6. 9. Let vs not be weary in well-doing Secondly holy and religious men Saints on earth 2 Holy men haue continued in their goodnes
deserued punishment of sinne St Paul saith of the Gentiles p Rom. 1. 23. 24. 25. 26. 27. 28. they changed the glory of the vncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man and to birds and foure footed beasts and creeping things wherefore God gaue them vp to vncleannesse through the lusts of their owne hearts c. For this cause God gaue them vp vnto vile affections c. And God gaue them ouer to a reprobate minde to doe those things which are not conuenient Againe in his Epistle to the Ephesians he sheweth that the q Ephe. 4. 17. 18. 19. Gentiles walked in the vanitie of their minde hauing the vnderstanding darkned being alienated from the life of God through the ignorace that is in them because of the blindnesse of their heart who being past feeling haue giuen themselues ouer vnto lasciuiousnesse to worke all vncleannesse with greedinesse Pharaoh's r Exod. 4. 21. heart was hardned that he would not let Israell goe And to the sinner that hath despised the riches of Gods goodnesse and forbearance and long-suffering which should haue led him to repentance the Apostle saith Å¿ Rom. 2. 5. after thy hardnesse and impenitent heart treasurest vp vnto thy selfe wrath against the day of wrath shewing thereby that when God hath shewed his patience and long-suffering towards a sinner and the sinner repenteth not but still deferreth his repentance in the end the Lord will lay a heauie and sore iudgement vpon him hardnesse of heart so that now his heart is hardned he hath an impenitent heart a heart that cannot repent And sometimes the impenitent sinner is so forsaken of God and left to himselfe that he growes to desperation and then through the strong temptations of the Deuill he workes meanes to bring himselfe to some vntimely death as t 2 Sam. 17. 23. Ahitophel and u Mat. 27. 5. Iudas Now whereas the Lord doth iustly punish impenitent Vse sinners with such spirituall iudgements blinding To pray that God would soften our hard hearts their minds hardning their hearts and leauing them to themselues this should teach vs to pray vnto the Lord that he would giue vs grace to lay aside all pride of heart and stubbornnesse of minde and that the Lord would take away from vs our hard and stonie hearts and that by his good Spirit he would soften our hard hearts that we might be mooued to repentance when God calleth vs to repentance and that we might humble our selues before the Lord and tremble at his word For x Isa 66. 2. to this man will I looke faith the Lord euen to him that is poore and of a contrite spirit and trembleth at my word To this end let vs heare and receiue the exhortation of the Apostle to the Hebrewes y Heb. 3. 12. 13 take heede brethren lest there be in any of you an euill heart of vnbeliefe in departing from the liuing God but exhort one another daily while it is called To day lest any of you be hardned through the deceitfulnesse of sinne CHAP. XXII Of the eternall punishment of impenitent sinners and of the paines of hell And how this ought greatly to mooue vs to Repentâ—nce THe third punishment belonging to impenitent 3 Eternall Herein Two things sinners is eternall punishment concerning which I consider these two things First the place of their punishment Secondly the greatnesse and grieuousnesse of their punishment The place of punishment appointed for the wicked 1 The place of eternall punishment Two fold eternally to be punished and tormented is two-fold The one is the place from whence they shall be excluded The other is the place whither they shall be cast Touching the first The place from whence the wicked shall be excluded is the kingdome of God a 1 Câ—r 6. 9. The 1 The place from whence the wicked shall be excluded vnrighteous saith S. Paul shall not inherite the kingdome of God The wicked shall haue no possession or inheritance in heauen they shall be shut out of the kingdome of heauen they shall be cast from the glorious presence of God they shall be depriued of the cleare vision of God and they shall not see the face of God but shall be b 2 Thes 1. 9. punished as the Apostle saith with euerlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his power And this losse of the kingdome of heauen to be depriued of the glorious presence of God neuer to see God to be excluded from the fellowship of the holy Angells and blessed Saints in heauen in a word to be thrust out of the place of happinesse neuer to see good day neuer to haue comfort any more is an vnspeakeable punishment yea a very hell In so much that a Father saith c Nâ—â—i autem quâ—a 〈◊〉 pâ—rtâ—â—escanâ— Gelienâ—â—nt ego tâ—men gloriae amissiâ—nem multo amarius 〈◊〉 ipsius Gelâ—enâ—â—â— dicâ—â—sse supplicium Chrysâ—n Math. Hom. 24. I know that many doe greatly stand in feare of hell but I say that the losse of glory in heauen is more bitter and grieuous then the punishment of hell it selfe This of the place from whence the wicked shall be excluded For the second the place whither they shall be cast 2 The place whither the wicked shall be cast is into vtter darkenesse as our Sauiour saith d Mat. 25. 30. cast ye the vnprofitable seruant into outer darkenesse there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth And of this place our Sauiour againe saith e Mat. 13. 49. 50. at the end of the world the Angels shall come forth and seuer the wicked from among the iust and shall cast them into the furnace of fire there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth This is that f Isa 30. 33. Tophet which is ordeined of old yea for the king it is prepared he hath made it deepe and large the pile thereof is fire and much wood the breath of the Lord like a streame of brimstone doth kindle it as saith the Prophet Isaiah And this place is said in the Reuelation to be a g Reu. 19. 20. lake of fire burning with brimstone And the h Reu. 20. 10. lake of fire and brimstone Now if the place prepared for the tormenting of the wicked and vngodly after this life be a place of outer darknesse where there is weeping gnashing of teeth if it be a furnace of fire if there be fire and much wood if the breath of the Lord like a streame of brimstone 2 The greatnesse and grieuousnesse of the punishment of the wicked in hell Their torment shall be doth kindle it and if it be a lake of fire and brimstone O then sure this must needs be a most fearefull place a place full of intollerable paine and torment And such is the place whither all impenitent sinners euen all wicked and vngodly men which haue liued wickedly and haue
glasse Moreouer in this heauenly Cittie and bleâ—â—ed place there is no darknesse but all light For as S. Iohn saith againe t Verse 23. The Cittie had no neede of the Sunne neither of the Moone to shine in it for the glory of God did lighten it and the Lambe is the light thereof Such is the excellency of the place of happinesse prepared for the righteous after this life Secondly the eternall blessednesse of the righteous is 2 The greatnesse of their happinesse to be considered in regard of the greatnesse of their happinesse which is vnspeakeable For as the Apostle saith u 1 Cor. 2. 9. Eye hath not seene nor care heard neither haue entred into the heart of man the things which God hath prepared for them that loue him But the greatnes of that eternal happinesse of the blessed ones in the kingdome of heauen euen of all the faithfull and true beleeuers of all true penitent sinners which haue repented of their sins and are washed from their wickednesse will appeare the For more if we consider it in these particulars 1 They shall be partakers of glory First they shall be partakers of glory in heauen they shall be glorious So S. Paul saith x Phil. 3. 20. 21. The Lord Iesus Christ shall change our vile bodie that it may be fashioned like vnto his glorious body And our Sauiour Christ saith y Math. 13. 43. The righteous shall shine forth as the Sun in the kingdome of their Father Secondly they shall see God in his glory they shall 2 They shall see God in his glory enâ—oy the cleare vision of God Our Sauiour Christ saith z Math 5. 8. Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God a 1 Cor. 13. 12. Now we see through a glasse saith S. Paul but then face to face And S. Iohn saith b 1 Ioh. 3. 2. Beloued now are we the Sonnes of God and it doth not yet appeare what we shall be but we know that when hee shall appeare we shall be like him for wee shall see him as he is When Moses was desirous to see the glory of God and said c Exod. 33. 18. 19 20. 21. 22. 23 I beseech thee shew me thy glory The Lord answered him Thou canst not see my face for there shall no man see me and liue Yet the Lord yeelded thus farre to Moses that he might see his backe parts It was a great fauour that the Lord shewed to Moses an earthly man that he might see the backe parts of God but neither Moses nor any earthly man could euer possibly see the face of God and liue But in Heauen the blessed Saints shall come into the presence of the Lord shall see the face of God and shall behold his glorie To be in the company of the holy Angels to behold the Patriarchs and Prophets to see the Apostles and all the Saints d Gloriosa sunt hac sed multo gloriâ—sius est presentâ—m Dei vultum cernere Aug. Man c. 17. These as S. Augustine saith are glorious things but it is farre more glorious to be in the presence of God and to behold his face Againe he saith * Hac est plaena beatitudo tota glorificatio hominis vidâ—re faciâ—m Dei sui Aug. Soâ—â—lo c. 36 This is the full blessednesse and the whole glorification of mâ—n to see the face of his God In the cleare vision of God stands the perfection of glorie Thirdly they shall be with Christ in glorie For so Christ hath prayed to his Father for them e Ioh. 17. 24. Father I will that they also whom thou hast giuen me be with mee where I 3 They shall be with Christ am that they may behold my glory which thou hast giuen me This was the happinesse that S. Paul so much desired I am saith he in a straight betweene two hauing a desire to f Phil. 1. 23. depart and to be with Christ which is farre better Fourthly they shall haue the company of the holy 4 They shall haue blessed company Angels the fellowship of the Patriarchs Prophets Apostles Martyrs and all the Saints of God as saith the Apostle g Heb. 12. 22. 23 Ye are come vnto mount Sion and vnto the Cittie of the liuing God the heauenly Ierusalem and to an innumerable company of Angels to the generall assembly Church of the first borne which are written in heauen and to God the iudge of all and to the spirits of men made perfect Fiftly they shall haue eternall felicity euerlasting happinesse 5 They shal haue eternal felicity and endlesse ioy S. Mathew saith h Math. 25. 46. These shall goe away into euerlasting punishment but the righteous into life eternall Of this Dauid saith i Psal 16. 11. In thy presence is fulnesse of ioy at thy right hand there are pleasures for euermore The ioyes of the eternall Cittie are eternall Sixtly In heauen they shall haue no hurtfull thing to 6 They shal haue no euill nor want any good thing annoy them and shall want no good thing to make them happie For as S. Iohn saith k Reu. 21. 3. 4. God himselfe shall bee with them and be their God And God shall wipe away all teares from their eyes and there shall be no more death neither sorrow nor crying neither shall therebe any more paine for the former things are passed away Moreouer there shall be the l Re. 22. 2. 3. 4. 5. pure riuer of water of life and the tree of life and there shall be no more curse but the throne of God and of the Lambe shall be in it and his seruants shall serue him And they shall see his face and his name shall be in their foreheads And there shall be no night there and they neede no candle neither light of the Sun for the Lord God giueth them light and they shall raigne for euer and euer In Heauen there shall bee euery good thing and there shall be no euill thing m Non enim est ibi malus neque malitia c. Aug. Man c. 6. There is as Augustine saith neither any wicked one nor any wickednesse There is no aduersarie there is no prouocation to sin there is no want no vnquietnes no discord no variance no violence no oppression there is no sorrow nor sicknesse no paine nor griefe there is no more feare of death nor Hell All these things are past but there is peace and concord loue and charity there is sweet vnity and agreement there is continuall reioycing and praising of God for euermore Now whereas repentance procures to penitent sinners blessings temporall spirituall and eternall This hath a double vse First it serues for instruction to teach and admonish vs Vse 1 To repent of our sinnes and to amend our waies if To repent of our sinnes and amend our waâ—es if we would be either hâ—pâ—ie
is the true knowledge of God this is eternall life to know thee the only true God in the later part there is contained the mystery of the incarnation of Christ and Iesus Christ whom thou hast sent And because the true sauing faith which brings life eternall c In two things stands in these two the knowledge of God and of Iesus Christ for this cause one saith that d Fides est vita aeterna Bren. in Ioh. 17. Faith is life eternall Because by faith we apprehend Christ and possesse Christ who is our Righteousnesse our Saluation and our Life Againe concerning the former the knowledge of God S. Paul saith e Heb. 11. 6. he that commeth to God must beleeue that God is Of the later the knowledge of Christ our 1 In the right knowledge of the true God Which knowledge of God is two-fold Sauiour Christ himselfe saith f Ioh 14. 1. Yee beleeue in God beleeue also in mee The first thing then wherein true faith consisteth is the right knowledge of the true God Now the knowledge of God is two-fold Generall and 1 The generall knowledge of God two-fold Particular The generall knowledge of God is also two-fold The first generall knowledge of God is to know and 1 To know that there is a God Which may be knowne acknowledge that there is a God which generall knowledge of God men may attaine vnto not onely by the cleere light of the Scriptures but by the very light of Nature and not onely by the Word of God but also by the workes of the Creation First by the very light of Nature men haue a generall 1 By the light of Nature knowledge that there is a God for naturally the knowledge of God is written in the mindes of men and euery mans conscience doth couince him that there is a God and no nation was euer so rude and barbarous but hath acknowledged that there is a God as some Heathen men themselues haue testified Of this generall knowledge of God the Scripture speakes thus g Rom. 1. 19. that which may be known of God is manifested in thē for God hath shewed it vnto them Againe the Apostle saith h Rom. 2. 14 15. When the Gentiles which haue not the Law do by nature the things contained in the Law these hauing not the Law are a Law vnto themselues which shew the worke of the Law written in their hearts their conscience also bearing witnesse and their thoughts the meane while accusing or else excusing one another Secondly men may come to this generall knowledge 2 By the workes of the creation of God by the workes of the Creation when men lift vp their eyes towards the Heauens and behold the Firmament the Sunne the Moone and the Starres those rious lights and consider the excellent frame of Heauen Earth take a view of the things contained therein they may in the workes of God as in a faire large booke read in capitall letters that there is a God which made Heauen and Earth the Sea and all things therein Of which the Apostle thus speaketh to the Romanes i Rom. 1. 20. The inuisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearely seene being vnderstood by the things that are made euen his eternall power and God-head The consideration of this generall knowledge of Vse God that there is a God both by the light of Nature Against Atheists which deny God and by the book of the Creatures may serue for the iust reprehension of Atheists who deny God Of which there are three sorts The first are such as deny God in heart 1 In heart The second which deny God in words The third which deny God by their works Touching the first sort There are some so much wanting in the knowledge of God and so farre from acknowledging the very true God that they deny God and though some dare not be so wicked to blaspheme the Deity with open mouth to say there is no God yet in their hearts they thinke so and say so secretly within themselues Of such it is sayd in the Psalmes k Psal 14. 1. the foole hath sayd in his heart There is no God This Atheisme of the heart is when men conceiue euill thoughts and imaginations against God as when they see the diuerse conditions of men in the world and marke how some liue in prosperity and others in aduersit◠how some flow in wealth and others spend their dayes in misery how for the most part wicked men flourish and haue what their heart can wish and good men are afflicted they begin to thinke with themselues if there be a God where is his Prouidence that should rule and gouerne all things in the world why doth God suffer things to bee so heere the foole saith in his heart there is no God because he cannot discerne the Prouidence of God which extends it selfe to all things in the world so that not so much a◠a Sparrow can fall to the ground l Matth. 10. 29. without your father as saith our Sauiour When men see and perceiue that wicked and vngodly men through pride exalt themselues aboue others and grow to be oppressors of the poore wronging the righteous hurting the fatherlesse and the widdowes they say within themselues where is the Iustice of God if God be a iust God why are not such wicked men punished why doth not some iudgement fall vpon such cruell oppressors thus the foole saith in his heart there is no God because hee hath not patience to waite the appointed time of Gods Iustice to see the end of the wicked and to consider that though the wicked prosper for a time yet the Lord hath set them m Psal 73. 18. in slippery places and in the end will cast them downe Further when wicked men commit sinne and doe not feele the hand of God vpon them punishing and plaguing them for their sinnes they begin to deny the knowledge of God and the presence of God and conceiue wicked thoughts against God that God sees not that God knowes not all the wickednesse that they do and therfore they are bold to continue in sinne and to goe on in their vngodly course of life and say n Psal 10. 11. in their heart God hath forgotten he hideth his face he will neuer see it Again o Verse 13. he hath sayd in his hert thou wilt not require it Moreouer they say p Psal 73. 11. How doth God know is there knowledge in the most High now to deny the prouidence of God the Iustice of God the knowledge of God and presence of God to deny that God knowes all things and sees all things is to deny God Wherefore to the end that this sinne of Atheisme in the heart may be remedied it behooues euery one to looke carefully to his heart to watch ouer his heart that no such wicked thought against God
a Phil. 1 27. the Gospell of Christ And this of the first generall knowledge of God CHAP. VIII Shewing that there is one onely true GOD against Idolatry THe second generall knowledge of God is to 2 To know that there is one onely true God Acknowledging the Vnity of the Godhead and Trinity of persons know and acknowledge that there is one God and three persons in the God-head to acknowledge the vnity of the God-head and the Trinity of persons the Father Sonne and Holy Ghost and that euery one of these three persons is God to know and acknowledge that God the Father is of himselfe from euerlasting that the Sonne is begotten of the Father by eternall generation and that the Holy Ghost proceedeth from the Father and the Sonne to beleeue that God the Father created the world that God the Sonne redeemed mankinde and that God the Holy Ghost sanctifieth the Elect. This is the generall knowledge of the one onely true God And this generall knowledge of the true God is attained vnto not by the lâ—ght of Nature nor by the works of the Creation but by the Scriptures The knowledge of the true God commeth by the knowledge of the Scriptures for the Scriptures doe shew vnto vs both the Vnity of the God-head and the Trinity of persons That there is one God Moses sheweth saying a Deut. 6. 4. Heare ô Israel the Lord our God is one Lord. Dauid also speakes thus b 1 Chro. 17. 20 O Lord there is none like thee neither is there any God besides thee And S. Paul saith c 1 Cor. 8. 4. Wee know that an Idoll is nothing in the world and that there is none other God but one And concerning the Trinity of persons S. Iohn saith d 1 Ioh. 5. 7. There are three that beare record in Heauen the Father the Word and the Holy Ghost and these three are one The consideration of this generall knowledge of Vse God to know the one onely true God serues to reprooue Against Idolatry the Worshippers of Idols who though they know and acknowledge that there is a God yet doe not either know the true God or knowing the true God doe not worship him aright but worship false Gods and giue vnto creatures the worship which belongeth to the Creator Wherefore Chrysostome vpon those words of our Sauiour Christ e Joh. 17. 3. This is life eternall to know thee the onely true God Hath these words f Solum verum Deum ad eorum qui Dij non sunt dâ—fferentiam inquit Chrys in Joh. Hom. 79. Two-fold He saith the only true God to put a difference betweene the one onely true God and those which are no Gods Let vs take a view of the kindes of Idolatry and then wee shall see plainely who are heere iustly to be reprooued Idolatry is twofold The one externall The other internall Externall or outward Idolatry is also two-fold 1 Outward Idolatry Two-fold The one is that open manifest and grosse Idolatry of the Gentiles of Heathen men which knew not God and therefore worshipped Idols false gods instead of 1 Open plaine Idolatry the true God For rather then any Nation would be altogether without a God they would worship those which were no Gods as S. Paul describes the Idolatry of the Gentiles g Rom. 1. 23. And changed the glory of the vncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man and to birds and foure-footed beasts and creeping things And a-againe he saith h Verse 25. Who changed the truth of God into a lie worshipped and serued the creature more then the Creator who is blessed foreuer Whether the Gentiles did worship false gods or the image of their false gods or any similitude or image of the true God all was Idolatry Of the false gods of the Heathen Dauid saith i Psal 96. 5. All the gods of the Nations are Idols but the Lord made the Heauens And of all the images of the false Gods Dauid also saith k Psal 115 4 5 6 7 8. The Idols are siluer and gold the worke of mens hands they haue mouths but they speake not eyes haue they but they see not They haue eares but they heare not noses haue they but they smell not c. They that make them are like vnto them so is euery one that trusteth in them And as for the making of any image or picture of the true God it is plainely forbidden for Moses straightly chargeth the children of Israel that they make no similitude of God l Deut. 4. 15 16. Take good heede vnto your selues for yee saw no manner of similitude on the day that the Lord spake vnto you in Horeb out of the midst of the fire lest yee corrupt your selues and make you a grauen image the similitude of any figure c. The other kinde of externall or outward Idolatry is 2 Close Idolatry a more close and couered Idolatry pretending the worship of God this is the Idolatry of the Church of Rome the Idolatry of Papists who although they know and acknowledge the true God and worship the true God yet because they do not worship him after a right manner but otherwise then God hath appointed in his Word they commit Idolatry The truth of this I confirme by the consideration of the manner of Gods worship apointed vs both in generall and particular Touching the first The Rule of Gods worship prescribed vnto vs in generall is that m Ioh. 4 23 24. The true Worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth for the Father seeketh such to worship him God is a Spirit and they that worship him must worship him in Spirit and in Truth But the Romish Church howsoeuer it may pretend the true worship of God in spirit truth yet they of that Church haue deuised strange worship no where commanded in Gods Word neuer approoued of God and that is to bow downe before an Image made for religious vse which is a plain breach of the second Commandement And it helpes them nothing to say that they worship Obiect not the Image but God in the Image for this was the Idolatry of the Heathen they worshipped their Heathen Answ gods and their Images but the Heathen were not so foolish as to thinke that the Image of Iupiter was Iupiter himselfe but they worshipped Iupiter their god in his Image so the Israelites who had learned Idolatry of the Gentiles worshipped God euen the true God in the image of the golden Calfe for they sayd n Exod. 32 4. These be thy gods â— Israel which brought thee vp out of the land of Aegypt Now the Israelites were not so voyd of vnderstanding to thinke that the golden calfe which Aaron had made was the God of Israel but they worshipped God in the golden calfe The truth is there 's little difference of Idolatry whether wee worship the Idoll or God
made and accepted righteous in the sight of God but such workes as may seeme to haue an outward righteousnesse in them Secondly by the righteous man turning away from his righteousnesse is not meant such a righteous man as is in deede and in truth iust and righteous but such a one as is iust and righteous in his owne opinion thinking himselfe iust and righteous and seeming to others to be righteous Euen such a righteous man as Christ speakes of Å¿ Mat. 9. 13. I came not to call the righteous but sinners to repentance Wherefore if any such fall away it is euident that their righteousnesse was no true righteousnesse for he that is truly righteous is t Psal 1. 3. like a tree planted by the riuers of water that bringeth forth his fruit in his season his leafe also shall not wither The righteousnesse of a righteous man shall not vtterly decay the righteous man shall not quite fall away from his true righteousnesse Further an obiection is made from those places of Obiect 2 Scripture which mention a kind of loosing of faith a departing and erring from the faith As when the Apostle saith u 1 Tim 1. 19. holding faith and a good conscience which some hauing put away concerning faith haue made shipwrack And againe when he saith x 1 Tim 4. 1. In the latter times some shall depart from the faith And againe y 1 Tim 6. 10. the loue of money is the roote of all euill which while some haue coueted after they haue erred from the faith Now if a man may make shipwracke of his faith if he may depart and erre from the faith then it seemes that a man hauing faith may loose it and fall away I answere that by faith in those places mentioned Answ is not meant the true iustifiing faith by which a sinner is iustified and saued but faith there signifieth the sound doctrine of the Gospell which some had receiued professed and delighted in for a time but in time of tribulation and tentation when any trouble came vpon them or when the couetousnesse of money and filthy lucre tempted them and when the loue of the world ouercame them because they did not z 1 Tim 1. 19. hold faith and a good conscience and because they did not a 1 Tim. 3. 9. hold the misterie of the faith in a pure conscience but put a way a good conscience no marueile though their temporarie faith failed no merueile though they erred from the truth and so made shipwracke of faith For as one saith well b Vt salua fides ad portum vsâ— perueniat nauigationis nustrae cursus bona conscientia râ—gendus est Calu in 1 Tim. 1. 19. to the end that we may bring the ship of faith safe to the hauen the course of our sailing must be guided by a good conscience And sure it is that who soeuer hath receiued the true and sound doctrine of the Gospell of Christ whereby true faith is begotten in the heart and to that sound and wholesome doctrine ioynes a good conscience both before God and towards men he can neuer make shipwrack of his faith So then we may conclude that if any fall away from the faith they neuer had true iustifiing faith at the most and best their faith was but a temporarie faith they beleeued for a while and in time of temtation fell away Now seeing that the faith of Gods elect cannot vtterly Vse 1 faile nor altogether be lost this is profitable for instruction To make our calling election sure it teacheth vs to labour to make our calling and election sure To labour to be sure of this that we are in the blessed number of Gods elect and that we are effectually called of God which we may know by the works of sanctification and by the fruits of the Spirit this is that whereunto S. Peter exhorteth saying c 2 pet 1. 10. Wherfore the rather brethren giue diligence to make your calling and election sure for if ye doe these things you shall neuer fall Here is a promise you shall neuer fall a promise that the faith of the elect shall neuer vtterly faile and therefore the Apostle exhorteth to make our calling and election sure let vs make sure that we be elected and called of God and then it 's sure we shall neuer fall But how shall we know whether we be elected and called the Apostle answereth If ye doe these things ye shall neuer fall what things what must we do that we may be assured of our election and calling and that we shall neuer fall the Apostle tels vs what things d vers 5. 6. 7. And besides this giuing all diligence adde to your faith vertue to vertue knowledge and to knowledge temperance and to temperance patience and to patience godlinesse and to godlinesse brotherly kindnesse and to brotherly kindnesse Charity So that here a christian is to try and examine himselfe whether he be such a one as shall neuer fall away namely by inquiring whether he hath faith and vertue and knowledge and temperance and patience and godlinesse and brotherly kindnesse and charity For saith the Apostle e ver 8. If these things be in you and abound they make you that ye shalâ— neither be barren nor vnfruitfull in the knowledge of our Lord Iesus Christ And againe f ver 10. If ye do these things ye shall neuer fall but if a man after tryall and examination had of himselfe cannot finde these things in himselfe but findes a want of faith of vertue and honest conuersation a want of the true knowledge of God a want of temperance and sobriety if he finde in himselfe a want of patience to endure affliction and to suffer wrong if he finde a want of godlinesse of brotherly kindnesse and charity certainly such a one is in miserable state concerning his soule how soeuer he be in regard of his outward state in the world for if they that doe these things shall neuer fall then they that want these things shall fall and their fall shall be great A man that is to purchase land or to take but a lease of a house or ground how carefull will he be to make all sure for if his writings be not good and sufficient he knowes that all his mony which he hath layd out is lost gone and hee 's ouerthrowne Thus wise are men in their generation ô that we could be as wise for the saluation of our soules to make all sure A man that hath land inheritance hath some good euidence to shew for the same so we should labour to attaine to this assurance of saluation that we can be able to shew some good euidence for our inheritance in heauen lest hauing nothing to shew we loose our inheritance Secondly seeing that the faith of Gods elect cannot Vse 2 vtterly faile and that they who haue true iustifiing faith Consolation to the
They were stoned they were sawen asunder were tempted were slaine with the sword they wandred about in sheepe-skinnss and goat-skinnes being destitute afflicted tormented of whom the world was not worthy they wandred in deserts and in mountaines and in dens and in caues of the earth And they that suffered such things were no euill doers they were the seruants of the Lord Iesus they beleeued in Iesus and they suffered such things for the name of Iesus as a testimonie of their faith in Iesus Thus first the Scripture exhorteth vs to patience in suffering The second motiue to perswade vs to patience in suffering 2 The necessitie of afflictions afflictions I take from the necessity of afflictions Afflictions are very necessarie for Christians and For afflictions are therefore are to be endured with patience for First they are trials of our faith and patience God 1 Trials of our faith and patience trieth his children with many afflictions and hard trials trying thereby the constancie of their faith and patience So he tried Abrahams faith when he commanded him to offer his x Gen. 22. 1. 2. sonne his onely sonne Izaak And S. Iames saith y Iam. 1. 3. the triall of your faith worketh patience Afflictions are as necessarie for a Christian as the furnace is for gold of which Solamon hath a Prouerbe z Pro. 17. 3. the fining pot is for siluer and the furnace for gold but the Lord trieth the hearts As the Gold smiths fire trieth which is good gold separating the gold from the drosse so the fire of affliction trieth who is a good christian and who is not discerneth who hath faith and patience and who hath not The Psalmist saith a Psal 66. 10. 11. Thou O God hast prooued vs thou hast tryed vs as siluer is tryed And it followeth thou layedst affliction vpon our loynes The later words expound the former the Lord trieth and prooueth vs by laying affliction vpon vs. How can a mans patience be seene but in time of affliction he is not the patient man who can onely speake of patience and commend patience for a vertue and perhaps exhort others to patience but when affliction is vpon a mans selfe when the burthen of affliction lies heauie vpon his owne shoulders and presseth him downe if he can then struggle against afflictions if he can shew the strength of hiâ— faith and patience to beare the afflictions that lie vpon himselfe patiently and if he can now shew patience himselfe when God trieth his patience this is patience indeede Thus afflictions are necessarie for the triall of our faith and patience Secondly afflictions are necessary to cleanse and purifie 2 Meanes to cleanse our hearts from sinne our hearts to purge our hearts of inward corruptions and to scoure out the filthinesse of sinne that stickes in the heart For this cause afflictions are compared to fire that purgeth and purifieth the Lord shewed Ezekiel the great filthinesse and vncleannesse of the Inhabitants of Ierusalem by a boyling pot whose scum was in it b Ezek. 24 3 4 5 6. Wo to the bloudy City to the Pot whose scum is therein and whose scum is not gone out of it By which was signified that there was much filthinesse amongst the people which must be consumed by the fire of affliction and tribulation Wherfore Iob who was exceedingly afflicted and as it were cast into the very fire of affliction saith c Job 23. 10. When he hath tryed me I shall come forth as gold Afflictions are as necessary for the soule as physicke is for the body If the body bee ouerpressed with grosse and â—uâ—ll humors its necessary that it be purged by phyâ—icke so the souâ—e that is oppressed with the euilâ— humoâ—â—s of sinne with the filthinesse and vncleannes of vâ—câ— iniquity must be purged by afflictions to recouer the health of the soule d Tunc anima purgatur cum propter Deum tribulatur Chrysost ad pop Antiocâ— Hom. 66. The soule is then purged when it is troubled by afflictions and suffers for God The aire if it were not cleansed with windes would prooue infectious the body of man if it want exercise breeds ill humours and standing waters gathers filth so it iâ— with the soule if some windes of afflictions doe not blow vpon vs if we be not exercised with some crosse and be not troubled with some sort of tribulations wee shall abound with the ill humours of vice and iniquity and our hearts will bee a very puddle of filthinesse and vncleannesse Yea without afflictions we shall be euen like Moab of whom it is sayd c Ier 48. 11. Moab hath beene at ease from his youth and he hath setled on his lees and hath not beene emptied from vessell to vessell neither hath he gone into captiuity therefore his taste remained in him and his sent is not changed Thirdly afflictions are necessary for except we suffer 3 Without suffering afflictions we cannot come to Heauen for Christ we cannot raigne with Christ We are spirituall souldiers of Iesus Christ now a man is f 2 Tim. 2. 5. not crowned except he striue lawfully If we would ouercome we must striue if wee would bee crowned in Heauen wee must endure the hardnesse of afflictions on earth and if we would weare the crowne of glory wee must bee content to carry the crosse on our shoulders and to goe after Christ bearing his reproch S. Paul saith g Rom. 8 17. And if wee be children then heires heires of God and ioynt-heires with Christ if so be that we suffer with him that wee may bee also glorified together No glory in heauen without some sufferings on earth But h 2 Tim. 2. 12. if wee suffer wee shall also raigne with him Suffering for Christ goeth before raigning with Christ The way to heauen is by afflictions and tribulations i Acts 14. 22. We must through much tribulation enter into the Kingdom of God If we will come to heauen we must goe as the Israelites went k Psal 66. 12. through fire and through water that is through hard and great afflictions the Israelites are promised the land of Canaan but first they endure much hardnesse in Aegypt they must passe thorow the red sea goe thorow a wildernesse fight many battels and ouercome many enemies before they enioy the promised land Heauen is our promised land but before we can come thither wee must endure much trouble in the world passe thorow a sea of troubles go thorow a wildernesse of thorny tribulations fight many battels against our spirituall enemies the flesh the world and the Deuill and by Faith get the victory and ouercome before wee can sit with Christ in his Throne As Christ also saith l Reu. 3. 21. To him that ouercommeth will I grant to sit with me in my Throne euen as I also ouercame and am set downe with my Father in his Throne Fourthly if we haue
cannot escape the iudgement of God And many in this agonie being not able to deliuer themselues and their soules refusing comfort are swallowed vp with abundance of worldly sorrow and without the great mercy of God are plunged into the gulfe of despaire But there is also an Euangelicall sorrow for sinne 2 Euangelicall Two-fold which is properly Godly sorrow and this is twofold Inward and Outward Inward sorrow for sinne is called Contrition Outward is mourning lamenting and weeping for sin First of Contrition or inward sorrow for sinne In 1 Contrition or inward sorrow for sinne handling whereof I will shew First what Contrition is Secondly how it is wrought in vs. Thirdly the signes and markes of it Fourthly the motiues to perswade vnto it For the first Contrition or inward sorrow for sinne 1 What Contrition is is a sorrow of the heart specially for this that a sinner hath offended God and being truely humbled with a sence and feeling of his sinnes is displeased with himselfe for his sinnes and doth now not onely dislike but from his heart detest and abhorre sinne This is properly called c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sorrow according to God or sorrow after a godly sort and godly sorrow and sorrow to repentance It is called d 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Cor. 7. 9 10. compunction of heart It is also called the e Acts 2. 37. renting of the heart And it is called a f Ioel 2. 17. broken spirit g Psal 51. 17. a broken and a contrite heart For the second How Contrition is wrought in a sinner The meanes whereby a sinner is brought to Contrition 2 How Contrition is wrought in a sinner and inward hearty sorrow for his sinnes are two The one is the gracious working of the Spirit of God giuing a sinner a liuely sence and feeling of his sinnes giuing him grace to see and know how by his 1 By the working of the Spirit of God sinnes he hath offended God and grieued the Holy Spirit of God soâ—ming also his hard heart that hee may greeue lament and mourne for his sinnes after a godly manner This is that which the Lord saith by his Prophet Zachary h Zach. 12. 10. I will powre vpon the house of Dauid and vpon the Inhabitants of Ierusalem the spirit of grace and of supplications and they shall looke vpon me whom they haue pierced and they shall mourne for him as one mourneth for his onely sonne A sinner looking vpon Christ whom by his sinnes he hath pierced and wounded and hauing a true feeling of his sinnes greeueth and mourneth he is sorry after a godly manner but how is this godly forrow wrought in him the Lord saith that he will powre the spirit of grace and of supplications vpon the sinnefull soule and when the Lord hath put such grace into the soule of a sinner to see his sinnes and to perceiue how that by his sinnes hee hath offended God and pierced the Sonne of God then hee is inwardly grieued at the heart then his heart melts into teares This is the first meanes whereby a sinner is brought to Contrition The second meanes is the preaching of Christ crucified 2 By preaching Christ crucisied as appeareth in the example of those first Conuerts to whom Peter preached Christ crucified For hauing testified against them that they had crucified Christ i Acts 2. 37 38. They were pricked in their hearts and sayd vnto Peter and the rest of the Apostles Men and brethren what shall wee doe their consciences were so stricken with the terrour of this that they should be guilty of shedding the innocent bloud of the Sonne of God that they were at their wits end they knew not what to doe yet were they desirous to finde ease to their troubled consciences but knew not how till they called to remembrance the words of the Apostle how that Iesus of Nazareth whom they had crucified and slaine was the Sonne of God whom God raised vp who ascended to Heauen and is exalted at the right hand of God and hearing also that he is Iesus the Sauiour that he is the true Messias Christ the Anoynted of the Lord heereupon they are pricked in their hearts and touched in their consciences with a feeling of their sinnes yet so as they doe not despaire of all mercy but trusting in the goodnesse and mercy of God through Christ and being desirous to know how they may finde comfort to their troubled consciences they said to Peter and to the rest of the Apostles Menand brethen what shall we doe ô teach vs what we must doe to be saued Now they are sorrowfull after a godly manner now they are of a contrite spirit and an humble soule now they are exceeding sorrowfull that they haue crucified the Lord of life now they haue bleeding hearts for that they haue shed the bloud of the innocent Lambe of God now they are exceedingly displeased with themselues for that they haue done so wickedly and now they so abhorre their sinnes and wickednesse that they purpose neuer to doe wickedly againe So that their compunction was not onely a bare pricking of the heart such as Cain and Iudas had but as they had a feeling of their sinnes so also had they a feeling of the mercy of God in Christ Iesus Moreouer to the compunction and pricking of their hearts there was ioyned a readinesse to obey the will of God and to doe whatsoeuer the Lord should command them and therefore it is that they say Men and brethren what shall we doe to the end that a sinner may be brought to Contrition its necessary that the Word of God which is k Heb. 4. 12. quicke and powerfull and sharper then any two-edged sword piercing euen to the diuiding a sunder of soule and spirit and of the ioynts and marrow and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart doe pierce the heart and wound the conscience making the sinner to feele his sinnes to know that by his sinnes he hath offended God who hath beene so gracious a God and so louing and mercifull a Father vnto him and to acknowledge that by his sinnes he hath pierced and wounded the Sonne of God who was content to be pierced and wounded yea and to suffer his bloud to be shed for his sinnes The Adamant the hardest stone which will neither bee bruized with iron nor melted with fire is notwithstanding dissolued with l Gemin lib. 2. cap. 26. Goats-bloud What heart is there so hard and stony so adamant-like that will not bee mollified and softned that will not be rent and broken yea dissolued into teares being washed and soaked in the bloud of Christ this ô man this must or nothing will soften thy hard heart Thus Contrition is wrought in the heart The third thing is concerning the signes and marks 3 Signes of contrition or inward godly sorrow of Contrition Contrition or
from repentance but this their hope is a vaine hope and men build this their vaine hope vpon a very weake and deceaueable foundation Some vpon their yong age some vpon the strength of their body and others vpon the pure and good complection One reasons thus I neede not repent yet I am but young I am in my youthfull dayes in the prime of my age in my flourishing yeares I hope to liue yet many yeares I shall haue time enough to repent hereafter it will be time enough for mee to repent when olde age commeth Another thus I feele my body to be strong and lusty I am healthfull I haue no paine nor ake I feele no infirmity neither am I troubled with any disease I shall liue long I neede not repent yet it will be time enough for me to repent when my strength faileth when I feele my selfe grow weake and when sicknesse commeth vpon me Another thus I am of a pure and good complection of a ruddie countenance death will not come neere me I may take my pleasure yet a long time And as for repentance when I beginne to waxe pale and wanne and when I perceiue wrinkles to appeare in my face then I will repent Thus foolish are we to put off our repentance till olde age till the day of death and till the last houre But grant that God suffer the sinner to liue in his vngodly course of life euen till he be olde yet he will hope still to liue a little longer there 's no man so olde but thinkes he may liue yet one yeare longer So vainely doe men please themselues with the hope of long life And this hope of long life harmes many a soule and hinders thousands from speedy repentance They hope to liue long and to enioy many dayes and yeares they say a Isa 56. 19. To morrow shall be as this day b Iam. 4. 14. Whereas they know not what shall be on the morrow The consideration hereof may admonish vs not to Vse deferre our repentance from day to day and from yeare Not to deferre our repentance vpon hope to liue long to yeare vpon hope to liue long for that is but a vaine hope Salomon admonisheth vs well concerning this c Pro. 27. 1. Boast not thy selfe of to morrow for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth That foolish man that boasted himselfe in the multitude of his riches saying d Luk. 12. 19. Soule thou hast much goods layd vp for many yeares take thine ease eate drinke and be merrie and hoped to liue long and to see many yeares found by lamentable experience that his hope was but a vaine hope for he liued not till the next morning For e Ver. 20. God said vnto him thou foole this night thy soule shall be required of thee Let not then the hope of long life encourage thee still to sinne and to doe wickedly but now betimes repent while God giueth thee time and space to repent While God giueth thee to day deferre not till to morrow But repent to day f Heb. 3. 13. While it is called to day lest as the Apostle saith any of you be hardened through the deceitfulnesse of sinne CHAP. XVI Of Motiues and perswasions to repentance of the two first motiues THe Sixt and last thing in the treatise of Repentance 6 Motiues and perswations to Repentance Foure is concerning the motiues and perswasions to repentance which I reduce to foure heads The first I take from testimonies of Scripture The Second from examples of penitent sinners The third from the necessity and The fourth from the benefite of repentance Touching the first the Scripture is plentifull in exhorting 1 Testimonies of Scripture to repentance perswading to turne from sinne and to returne vnto the Lord. Esay saith a Isa 55. 7. Let the wicked forsake his way and the vnrighteous man his thoughts and let him returne vnto the Lord. Ezekiel saith repent and b Ezek. 18. 30. turne your selues from all your transgressions Hosea saith c Hos 14. 1. O Israel returne vnto the Lord thy God Ioel saith d Ioel. 2. 13. Rent your heart and not your garments and turne vnto the Lord your God And so the rest of the prophets in the old Testament In the new testament we finde Iohn Baptist the voice of the crier in the wildernesse the preparer of the way of the Lord preaching repentance vnto sinners e Mat. 3. 2. repent ye for the kingdome of heauen is at hand And againe f Vers 8. bring forth fruits meete for repentance And when Christ Iesus himselfe began to preach his first Sermon was of Repentance g Mat. 4. 17. repent ye for the kingdome of heauen is at hand The Apostles of Christ walke in the same steps preaching repentance to sinners S. Peter preached repentance to the Iewes h Acts. 2. 38. repent and be baptised euery one of you in the name of Iesus Christ for the remission of sinnes Againe he saith i Acts. 3. 19. repent ye therefore and be conuerted that your sinns may be blotted out so S. Paul exhorteth the Athenians to repent k Acts. 17. 30. And the times of this ignorance God winked at but now commandeth all men euery where to repent And S. Iames exhorteth saying l Iam. 4. 8 9. cleanse your hands you sinners and purifie your hearte you dooble minded be afflicted and mourne and weepe Thus the Scripture exhorteth to repentance The second motiue to perswade vs to repentance I 2 Examples of peniteÌ„t sinners take from the example of penitent sinners to mooue vs to repentance it is profitable for vs to set before our eyes the examples of penitent sinners who though they haue sinned and done wickedly yet haue repented and returned vnto God Manasseh King of Iudah was a great sinner and for his great sinnes carried to Babylon but being in affliction m 2 Câ—ron 33. 12. 13. He besought the Lord his God and humbled himselfe greatly before the God of his fathers and praied vnto him and he was entreated of him and heard his supplication c. Dauid though he committed adulterie with Bathsheba yet he repented and said n 2 Sam. 12. 13. Psal â—1 4. I haue sinned against the Lord though Peter denied his master Christ yet he repented he was sorrie for his sinne o Mat. 26. 75. He went out and wept bitterly And what shall I more say for the time would faile me to tell of Noah Lot and of Solomon of Marie Magdalen and Zaccheus of the conuerted Iewes of the keeper of the prison conuerted by Paul and of Paul himselfe who as he himselfe confesseth p 1 Tim. 1. 13. Was before a blasphemer a persecutor and inturious but through repentance obtained mercy These are examples written for our instruction that we should not liue in sinne nor goe on in any wicked and vngodly course of life
they be offered vp in the name of Iesus Christ For this cause Christ is called the b Reuel 8. 3. Angell hauing the golden censer offering vp vnto God the sweete Incense of the prayers of the Saints acceptable vnto God through the mediation of Christ Christ is likened vnto the c Gen. 28. 12. ladder which Iacob saw which stood on the earth and whose top reached to heauen and the Angels of God were ascending and descending on it For Christ Iesus our Mediatour is the onely way and meanes whereby our prayers doe ascend vp to heauen and appeare before the throne of God and by whom also the blessings of God do descend downe vpon vs. For it is not of our deseruing but for the merits and through the mediation of Iesus Christ that we receiue all good blessings whatsoeuer whether for our soules or bodies The vse hereof is three-fold Vse 1 First for instruction Seeing that we are to make our To conclude our prayers in the name of Christ prayers in the name of Christ it teacheth vs to conclude our Prayers whether publique or priuate alwayes in the name of Iesus Christ Secondly for confutation of their errour who thinke Vse 2 that they may pray in some other name then in the Against those who relie vpon the intercession of Saints name of Christ who preferre their petitions to the heauenly King in the name of some Saint hoping thereby to haue their prayers heard this hath no warrant in Gods word nay rather Gods word teacheth vs the contrarie as expressely in that saying of our Sauiour Christ Whatsoeuer ye shall aske tho Father in my name he will giue it you He saith not whatsoeuer you shall aske in the name of an Angell or in the name of any Saint as Abraham Isaak or Iacob or the virgin Marie or Peter or Paul but whatsoeuer you shall aske in my name The holy name Iesus is the name whereby we are onely saued and there is no other name vnder heauen whereby we can be saued and the name Iesus is the name in which God is well pleased and accepteth our petitions which wee make according to his will The Scripture pointeth vs out no more Mediatours but one d 1. Tim. 2. 5. there is one God saith S. Paul and one Mediatour betweene God and men the man Christ Iesus And we acknowledge according to the Scriptures no more Intercessours but one onely Christ Iesus e Rom. 8. 34. It is Christ saith the Apostle that died yea rather that is risen againe who is euen at the right hand of God who also maketh intercession for vs. To which agreeth the saying of St Augustine who in his Meditations saith f Quem enim alium dirigam intercâ—ssorem 〈◊〉 nescio nisi hunc qui est propitiatio pro peccatis nostris qui sedet ad dextram tâ—am interpellans pro nobis Aug. Medit. c. 5. I know none other whom I may make my intercessour vnto thee but onely him euen Iesus Christ who is the propitiation for our sinnes who fitteth at thy right hand making intercession for vs. Vse 3 Thirdly this ministreth consolation vnto vs for Consolation that praying in the name of Christ God will grant our lawfull requests hereby we haue assurance that if we pray vnto God in the name of Iesus Christ we shall obtaine our lawfull requests made according to the will of God For so hath Christ promised g Iob. 16. 23. Whatsoeuer ye shall aske the Father in my name he will giue it you He saith he will giue it you There 's the promise which God will performe for Christs sake To call vpon God in the name of his sonne Christ Iesus is acceptable and well pleasing vnto God h Quid euim est dulcius quam genitorem in nomine vnigeniti inuocare patrem in recordatione filij ad pietatem in flectere Aug. Medit. c. 5. For what can be more pleasing as S. Augustine againe saith to a Father then for the offender to vse the mediation of his sonne to intreat fauour in the name of his only begotten son though the father cannot endure to looke vpon the offender yet he is pleased to looke vpon him for his sonneâ— sake the louing countenance of the son doth pacifie the anger of the father toward the offender It is so with vs we are offenders such as by our sinful life haue offended our heauenly father we haue no meanes to pacifie his wrath neither haue we any assurance to obtaine any fauour at Gods hands whom we haue so angred by our sinnes but onely by the mediation and intercession of Christ Iesus the onely begotten sonne of God and our alone and onely Sauiour And we haue sure confidence that we shall speed well in our requests which we make vnto God in the name of Christ and that what we aske the father in his name he will giue it vs because Christ is at the right hand of God and maketh intercession for vs as saith the Apostle i Heb 7. 25. He is able to saue them to the vttermost that come vnto God by him seeing he euer liueth to make intercession for them CHAP. XVII Of the Efficacie and power of praier THE Eight thing in the treatise of Praier is concerning the Efficacie and power of praier 8 The Efficacie and power of praier That the praier of a righteous man framed after the manner prescribed is of great efficacie and preuaileth much with God is euident by that saying of S. Iames a Iam. 5. 16. The effectuall feruent praier of a righteous man auaileth much And how much the feruent praier of a righteous man auaileth will appeare more euidently if we consider it in a twofold respect for the feruent Twofold For. Prayer auaileth much praier of a righteous man auaileth much both Extraordinarily and Ordinarily First Extraordinarily praier hath auailed much and 1 Extraordinarily and that hath wrought wonders First in the heauens aboue and that First in the Firmament causing the Sunne Mooue 1 In the heauens as to stay their course and to stand still So effectuall was the praier of Ioshua For he prayed that the b 1 sh 10. 12. 13. Sunne might stand still vpon Gibeon and the Moone in the valley of 1 In the firmament Aialon And the Lord heard his prayer and the Sunne stood still and the Moone staied vntill the people had auenged themselues vpon their enemies Yea the Sunne stood still in the midst of heauen and hasted not to goe downe about a whole day Secondly in the Regions of the Aire and 2 In the regions of the aire as First in the vppermost region causing fire to descend downe from heauen so at the praier of Elijah the Prophet c 1 King 18 36. 37. 38. The fire of the Lord fell and consumed the burnt sacrifice 1 In the vppermost region and the wood and the
either to pray vnto God or to praise God Secondly the word of God if we meditate thereon 2 Concerning the word of God will stirre vs vp to praier whether we meditate on the law or the Gospell If on the law and the iudgements threatned against impenitent sinners the consideration thereof may moue vs to pray that we may haue grace to repent vs of our sinnes that so we may escape those iudgments threatned against vs and if we meditate on the Gospell and consider the promises of mercie and saluation made to all that truly beleeue and repent the consideration thereof may mooue vs to pray that we may haue grace to beleeue and to repent that so we may be partakers of those sweete and comfortable promises Thirdly meditations vpon the workes of Creation 3 Concerning the workes of Creation may stirre vs vp to Inuocation and calling vpon the name of the Lord either to pray to God for some blessing or to praise God for his goodnesse whether we consider the things created In heauen or In Earth or Threefold In the Seas and waters For so the Psalmist hath distinguished the workes of Creation p Psal 146. 6. Which made heauen and earth the Sea and all that therein is Touching the First The workes of creation in the 1 In the heauens heauens may stirie vs vp to call vpon the name of the Lord. As when we thinke on the Angels in heauen consider how they are q Heb. 1. 14. Ministring Spirits ready to r Psal 103. 20. doe his commandements hearkning to the voice of his word It should cause vs to pray that we also may endeauoure to lead such an angelicall life here on earth as that we be carefull to doe the will and obey the commandement of the Lord as the Angells doe When we looke vp to the heauens aboue see the firmament and behold the Sunne the moone and the starres those glorious lights the beholding thereof may cause vs to praise God for giuing vs sinfull men such glorious-bright-shining lampes to lighten vs in this vale of miserie as also to pray that after this life ended we may shine in the heauens as those glorious lights now shine for Daniel saith ſ Dan. 3. They that be wise shall shine as the brightnesse of the firmament and they that turne many to righteousnesse as the starrs for euer and euer And our sauiour Christ saith t 〈◊〉 13. 43. Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sunne in the kingdome of their father When we looke vp and see the cloudes we may meditate on Christs second u Mat 24. 34. Commming in the cloudes of heauen and how we shall be x 1 Thes 4. 17. caught vp in the cloudes and then pray that we may be ready and prepared * Versab to meete the Lord in the aire that so we may euer be with the Lord. When we heare it thunder and see the lightning flash in our faces we should meditate on the mighty voice of the Lord and the sound of the last y Vers 16. trumpe which shall cause the dead to rise as also of the suddainnesse of Christs second comming to iudgement compared to z Mat. 24. 27. lightning and then pray that we be not found sleeping but a Luk. 12. 36. 37 watching like to good seruants which Watch and wait for the Lords comming When we see the dew raine falling vpon the earth and perceiue that thereby the drie earth is refreshed bringeth forth hearbes and grasse and corne for the vse of man and beast we may meditate on the dew of grace and the sweete and comfortable raine of Gods word dropping vpon the hearts of men and refreshing their soules and then pray that as the raine falling vpon the earth maketh it fruitfull so the word of God dropping vpon our hearts may soften our hard and stonie hearts and make vs fruitfull in good workes When we consider the b Math. 6. 26. Foules of the aire how they sow not neither doe they reape nor gather into barnes and yet as our sauiour Christ saith Your heauenly father feedeth them we may meditate on the prouidence of God of his goodnesse prouiding for all liuing creatures and then pray that we may rest vpon God and depend vpon his prouidence for the things of this present life as foode and raigment and all other things needfull for the preseruation of our life c 1 Pet. 5. 7. Casting all our care on God and praying that we may d Math. 6. 33. First seeke the kingdome of God and his righteousnesse that all needfull thing may be added vnto vs. Thus meditations to stirre vp our deuotion may be taken from things aboue Secondly from things on earth as when we looke 2 On the earth vpon trees consider how some trees beare good and plentifull fruite others either no fruite or bad fruite we may meditate on the seuerall sorts of men in the world and thinke with our selues how good men are like good trees doing good and bringing forth in their liues the fruit of holinesse and righteousnesse contrariwise that wicked men are like bad trees yeelding either no fruite or no good fruite who either liue Idly and are vnprofitable members doing no good or bringing forth e Isa 5. 4. wilde grapes liue wickedly and doe naughtily offending God and wronging men then pray that we may be good trees bringing forth good fruite because Iohn Baptist saith f Math. 3. 10. Euery tree which bringeth not forth good fruite is hewen downe and cast into the fier When we looke vpon the grasse in the field or flowers in the garden we may be put in mind of our mortalitie and shortnesse of life for as the Prophet Esay sayth g Isa 40. 6. All flesh is grasse and all the goodlinesse thereof as the flower of the field The grasse withereth the flower fadeth And when we are thus meditating on our mortalitie and shortnesse of life then we should pray that we may at all times be readie and prepared for the day of our death for we are but as the grasse and as the flower we know not how soone we may be cut downe pluckt vp and withered when we thinke or looke on beasts and cattell they may stirre vp our deuotion as when we perceiue the h Isa 1. 3. Oxe knowing his owner and the asse his masters crib as saith the Prophet we should pray that the Lord would make vs obedient and thankfull vnto God lest we be worse then the Oxe or the asse When we see a Lambe brought to the slaughter and the sheepe lying vnder the hand of the shearer dumbe we may meditate on the meeknesse patience of Christ our Sauiour in suffering for as the Prophet Esay saith i Isa 53. 7. he was oppressed he was afflicted yet he opened not his mouth he is brought as a Lambe to the