applying to our selves his good promises What are we to consider in the knowledge of God First the knowledge of God himselfe Secondly of the things belonging unto him Wherein is God himselfe to be considered In the Vnity of his Essence and Trinity of his Persons What are the things belonging unto God His properties and his actions whereby onely we can know him his substance being past finding out of man or Angel What are his properties His Wisedome Omnipotence Iustice Goodnesse c. which are in him all essentiall What are his actions His determining and executing of all things What are the things forbidden in this Commandement as repugnant to this knowledge of God They either faile in defect or in excesse What are those that faile in defect 1. Ignorance of God and of his will which being a breach of Gods Commandement doth therefore deserve damnation 2 Thes. 1. 8. Hos. 4. 16. 2. Vncapablenesse of knowledge 3. Atheisme which is a denyall of God How many sorts of ignorance be there Three 1. Simple ignorance such as children and fooles have 2. Wretchlesse ignorance when a man may learne and will not 3. Wilfull ignorance when a man would faine be ignorant of that he knowes What is that which faileth in excesse Curious searching into the secrets of God Deut. 29. 29. What vice is contrary to that faith which is here commanded Infidelity and doubtfulnesse Psal. 116. 11. Hitherto of the Vnderstanding what is required in the Memory The remembrance of God and good things especially of those which most concerne us and chiefly at that instant when we should make use of them What is the contrary vice Forgetfulnesse What is required in the Will That we serve God with a perfect heart and with a willing minde 1 Chron. 28. 9. What is the contrary to this Vnwillingnesse to good things principally the best What affections be there here ordered 1. Affiance 2. Love and Hatred 3. Feare 4. Ioy and Sorrow What are we commanded in regard of the first of these To put our whole trust and confidence in God and continually to depend upon him Psalme 22. 4 5 8 9. 73. 25. Eph. 4. 14. What vices are coudemned repugnant to this 1. In defect want of dependance upon God and distrust of his power mercy promises and providences 2. In excesse presuming of Gods mercies though we live as wee list And tempting him when we so depend upon him that we neglect the use of the meanes which he hath appointed Matth. 4. 6 7. What vertues doe arise of this affiance and trust in God Patience and Hope What is Patience That vertue whereby we willingly submit our selves to the pleasure of God in all things and with alacrity goe through those troubles which he sendeth upon us like obedient children meekly enduring the correction of our heavenly Father 1 Sam. 30. 6. Heb. 12. 7 8 9. c. What vices are condemned as repugnant to Patience 1. In defect murmuring and impatiency in grudging to beare whatsoever crosse the Lord shall lay upon us 2. In excesse stupidity in not being touched nor profiting by the hand of God being layd upon us What is Hope That vertue whereby we expect all good things from God and patiently attend for all things that we need at his hands not onely when wee have the meanes but also when we want all apparent meanes as the Israelites did in the Desert Yea when the meanes seeme contrary as the three companions of Daniel and Daniel himselfe did Dan. 3. 17 18. and Job profest he would do I will trust in God though he kill me Job 13. 15. Psal. 22. 4 5. 57. 7. 37. 7. What is contrary to this Despaire of Gods mercies Gen. 4. 13. What is required in the affections of Love and Hatred First that we love God above all and all things that are pleasing unto him Secondly that we hate ungodlinesse and every thing that God hateth Upon what is our love of God grounded That we know and believe that he is good yea the chiefest good and that we love him above all things Deut. 6. 5. which is so excellent a vertue that it is accounted the end of the Law VVhat contrary vices are here condemned Coldnesse of affection towards God and little love of goodnesse of Gods Servants and Service 2 Want of hatred against our owne and others sinnes 3 Hatred of God and godlinesse Psal. 10. 3 4. Rom. 1. 30. It is possible that any man should be a hater of God None indeed will confesse this yet by this marke he may be known when he is a despiser of the Worship and Service of God And how may one that loveth God be discerned When a childe doth love his father his only desire will be to do such things as please his father and to abstaine from those things which might displease him yea his chiefest felicity will be to bee alwayes in his favour and in his presence and in his absence hee will be alwaies thinking and speaking of him Such then as bee the Children of God by grace as long as they are absent from their father will talke and muse and meditate upon him in all things they doe they will desire to be well thought of by him they will bee alwayes carefull to please him and by their honest callings to glorifie him What duties then doe arise from the love of God 1 To love his Word and Commandements Iohn 14. 15. and ver 21. 23. Psal. 119. 97. 2 To yeild absolute obedience to his whole Will 3 To bestow all our care paines and diligence in pleasing him and so to consecrate our selves to him never being weary of his Service What vices are repugnant to this 1 In defect Profanenesse when a Man is without all care and conscience of glorifying God 2 In excesse Superstition when a man would give more Worship unto God then he requireth What other duties appertaine to the love of God 1 To esteeme of his favour above all things 2 To give him the praise of all his benefits bestowed upon our selves and others and to bee thankefull unto him for the same 1 Thes. 5. 18. What is contrary to this Ingratitude and unthankefulnesse unto God for all his benefits Romans 1. 21. Upon what is our feare of God grounded Because wee know and believe that he is most powerfull and just above all wee stand in such a godly feare as not to doe any thing but that which maketh for his glory Mat. 10. 28. 1 Pet. 1. 17. 3. 2. Heb. 12. 28. Psal. 103. 13. Isa. 66. 2. For this is not a servile feare whereby one is afraid to be damned but an awfull feare whereby we are afraid to offend our Maker What then is required in this feare That we doe not the good wee doe onely or principally for feare of danger from men but for feare of God What is the vice contrary to this The want
It is also called habituall concupiscence which is nothing else but an evill inclination and pronenesse to the transgression of Gods Law which by corrupt Nature is bred with us How is it called in the Scriptures The old man Ephes. 4. 22 Coloss. 3. 9. Sin inhabiting and dwelling in us the Law of sin the Law of the members warring against the Law of the mind the flesh the encompassing sin c. Rom. 7. 23. Gal. 5. 17 24. Heb. 12. 1. Is this to be reputed sinne Yes and a great sin as may appeare by these reasons First because it defileth and corrupteth the whole man soule and body with all their faculties powers and parts as the minde will memory heart affections appetite with all the members of the body which it maketh to be the instruments of evill Secondly it polluteth all our words and works and maketh them all repugnant to the Law of God Thirdly it is the root and fountaine of all our actuall sins from which they grow and spring Fourthly because it continually warreth against the spirit and choaketh and quencheth the good motions of it Gal. 5. 17. 1 Pet. 2. 11. Fifthly because it maketh a man the slave of sinne and Satan Rom. 7. 14 23. Sixthly because it joyneth with the Devill and the World and betrayeth us to their tentations Eph. 2. 2 3. Seventhly because it is an uncurable evill seeing it so hangeth upon us that we cannot shake it off Heb. 12. 2. Eighthly because it is but the more irritated by the Law of God which should suppresse it Rom. 7. 8. Lastly because it maketh us children of wrath and liable to everlasting condemnation although dying in childhood we should never commit any actuall transgression For death and damnation raigned even over them which had not sinned after the similitude of Adam that is by actuall transgression Rom. 5. 14. But doth this Commandement extend to the prohibition of Originall sin in the whole body and all the parts of it No for it forbiddeth sins committed against our Neighbours only like all other Commandements of the second Table as appeareth by the words themselves and the Apostles epitomizing of this whole Table in those words Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thy selfe Rom. 13. 9. And therefore all originall injustice wicked inclinations thoughts and affections are here only forbidden as they respect our neighbours and are opposite to charity but as they respect God and are repugnant to the love of him they are forbidden in the first Table What are actuall Concupiscences They are evill motions which are repugnant to charity What are the kinds of them They are either such as are vaine and unprofitable or such as are hurtfull and pernicious How are they unprofitable So farre forth as they fasten mens minds to earthly things and thereby withdraw them from heavenly In what respects are they hurtfull First because they are instruments of sin as they are fit objects to every sin in its kinde For if any objects are offered to the minde or senses which self-self-love causeth them to thinke to be profitable pleasant and desireable concupiscence presently apprehendeth and catcheth at them to satisfie worldly lusts Secondly They choake the seed of the Word in the hearts of carnall men Mar. 4. 19. Thirdly They make men insatiable knowing no end or measure in pursuing worldly things Fourthly They cast men headlong in whom they raigne into sin Eph. 2. 3. and give them up to vile lusts and a reprobate mind Rom. 1. 24. Psal. 81. 12. Fifthly They fight against the soule and if they overcome bring it to destruction 1 Pet. 2. 11. How many wayes are these motions evill Two wayes either in respect of the phantasie and cogitations of the minde or in respect of the affections and imaginations of the heart When are the thoughts evill Then and so far forth as they sollicite and encline us unto evill Why doe men thinke that thoughts are free and not to be charged upon men or called to account Foolish men thinke and say so but the Scriptures say otherwise and affirme them to be sins Prov. 24. 9. as being repugnant to charity 1 Cor. 13. 5. and therefore forbid them Deut. 15. 9. injoyne us to confesse them and to crave pardon for them Isa. 55. 7. Acts 8. 22. and though we sleight them yet God taketh notice of them Psal. 94. 11. 1 Chron. 28. 9. Ezek. 11. 5. Psal. 139. 2. yea he hateth evill thoughts as abominable Prov. 15. 26. Zach. 8. 17. and severely punisheth them as we see in the example of the old world Gen. 6. 5. and 8. 21. How are these evill thoughts injected Either by Satan or else arise from originall concupiscence and both of them either waking or sleeping How are they injected by Satan Either immediately by himselfe 1 Chron. 21. 1. John 13. 2. Luke 9. 46 47. or mediately by his instruments as of old by the serpent And that he may the more easily insinuate into his minde whom he tempteth he often suborneth those that are nearest and dearest unto us to be his instruments as we see in the example of Jobs wife and Peter Iob 2. 9. Math. 16. 23. But are these tentations to be reputed our sins Not if we repell and extinguish them as fire in water for Christ himselfe was tempted yet without sin Heb. 4. 15. But if we admit them and doe not presently reject them they infect our minds and hearts with their poison and become our sins How else doe evill thoughts arise in us From our naturall corruption and habituall concupiscence Luke 24. 38. Gen. 6. 5. Math. 15. 19. 2 Cor. 3. 5. And these thoughts arise in us either waking or sleeping How are these motions evill in respect of the affections of the heart These though they have not the consent of the will to act them yet are they sinfull in respect of the sins which arise from them of which also they are the first degrees as we see in the first boyling of anger in the heart and of lust and uncleane motions which proceed from the defect of that charity and purity which God requireth in us and afterwards produce the acts of murther and fornication when the will consenteth unto them Mat. 5. 22 28. Are there no degrees of these evill affections and perturbations of the heart Yes for they are to be considered either in their first beginnings as they are the first motions of concupiscence by which the minde is first withdrawne from its rectitude and then the heart suddenly affected Or else when by the pleasure and delight in those first motions they are tickled and inticed to retaine them still that they may enjoy a greater and more full measure of delight What followeth this pleasure thus retained and continued in the mind and heart Consent to the acting of the sin which in Gods sight is all one with the sin it selfe seeing he reputeth the will for the deed
Rom. 3. 8. What is your third way of permitting To permit doth sometime signifie not to hinder and stop evil when we may and so God is said to permit sin because he could by his grace hinder and prevent sins that none should be committed and yet he doth willingly permit us in our nature to sin That God doth thus permit sin it is evident by these places of Scripture Psalm 81. 11 12. Acts 14. 16. That he doth permit them willingly and not constrained thereunto these places doe shew Rom. 9. 19. Esa. 46. 10. For what cause doth not God hinder sin but permit it Not without cause but that he may use our sins which is his infinite goodnesse and wisdome to his own glory for hereby his justice in punishing of sin and his mercy in pardoning of sin is made manifest and known to the great glory of God and praise of his Name Whether doth God alter his will at any time or no For the better understanding of this question we must consider two things First how many ways our will is changeable Secondly the causes that move us to change our wils Very well declare the first how many ways our wils are changeable The will of a man is changeable two ways First when we begin to will a thing which we did not will before Secondly when wee leave to will that vvhich vve vvilled before Now shew what be the causes thereof and first why a man doth will that which he willed not before The causes of these be two first our ignorance because we do know that to be good afterward vvhich vve knew not before to be good and then we vvill that vvhich we could not before for ignoti nulla cupido for of that vvhich is unknown there is no desire The second cause ariseth from the alteration of nature as if that vvhich vvas hurtfull to us at one time became profitable to us at another time then we will have that at one time which we would not another as for example in summer our will is inclined to cold places but in winter our will is altered and doth affect and desire the warm Whether is there any such cause in God to make him change his will or not No neither of these causes can be in God not the first for he doth most perfectly know all things from all eternity not the second for there is nothing in God for which any thing may be found to be profitable or hurtful he is always the same having need of nothing and therefore he cannot will any thing that is new to him and consequently his will is not changeable But what say you to the second way of changing our wils that is of leaving to wil that which before we had determined wherof cometh that For this there may be yeelded two reasons 1. We do change our wils of our own accord because the latter thing doth seem to us to be better then the former 2. Being constrained or against our minds we doe oftentimes change our wils because our first counsell was hindred by some crosse event that it could not have his due effect Whether are any of these two causes in God that for those he should change his will No God doth neither of his owne accord nor yet by constraint change his will but his decrees are and ever have been and always shall be fulfilled and none shall hinder the will of God for it doth always remain one and the same and this doctrine is most strongâ—y guarded and fenced with these places of Scripture Num. 23. 19. 1 Sam. 15. 19. Mal. 3. 6. Esa. 46. 10. Rom. 11. 29. Paul saith 1 Tim. 2. 4. It is the will of God that all men should be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth and yet all are not saved therefore Gods will is mutable If this place be under stood of Gods revealed will then the sense is this that God doth call all men by the preaching of his word to the knowledge of his truth and to eternall salvation if they will beleeve in Christ but if it be understood of the secret will of God the sense may be three-fold First all men that is of all sorts and degrees he will have some Secondly so many as are saved all are saved by the will of God Thirdly God willeth that all shall be saved that is all the Elect for in the Scriptures this word all is put sometimes for the Elect without the Reprobate as Rom. 5. 18. Cor. 15. 22. What is there comprehended under the holinesse of Gods will Holinesse is a generall attribute of God in respect of all the speciall properties of his nature in respect whereof hee most justly loveth liketh and preferreth himselfe above all unto which most holy will must be referred both affections to speak according unto man as love and hatred with their attendants goodnesse bounty grace and mercy on the one side displeasure anger grief and fury on the other and also the ordering of those affections by justice patience long-suffering equity gentlenesse and readinesse to forgive What instructions doe you draw from the holinesse of God That as every one cometh nearer unto him in holinesse so they are best liked and loved of him and consequently it should breed a love in our hearts of holinesse and hatred of the contrary That this ought to kill in us all evill thoughts and opinions which can rise of God in our hearts seeing that in him that is holinesse it self there can be no iniquity Wherein doth the holinesse of God especially appeare In his Goodnesse and Justice Exod. 20. 5. 6. 34. 6 7. Nahum 1. 2 3. Jer. 32. 18 19. What is Gods goodnesse It is an essentiall property in God whereby he is infinitely good in and of himselfe and likewise beneficiall to all his creatures Ps. 145. 7. Mark 10. 18. James 1. 17. Mat. 5. 45. Psal. 34. 9. How many wayes then is the goodnesse of God to be considered Two wayes either as he is in his own nature of himself simply good and goodnesse it selfe i. so perfect and every way so absolute as nothing can be added unto him or else as he is good to others both waies God is in himself a good God but especially for his goodnes towards us he is called a good God as a Prince is called a good Prince Shew how that is A Prince may be a good man if he hurt no man and liveth honestly c. but he is not called a good Prince except he be good to his subjects that is if he be not milde gentle liberall just a defender of the godly a punisher of the wicked so that the good may live a quiet and a peaceable life in all honesty and goodnesse so the Scriptures call God a good God because he is not only good in himself yea and goodnesse it self but also because he is good to others that is milde gracious mercifull
to his elect It hath three adjuncts or properties First it is free without desert Secondly it is great without comparison Thirdly it is constant without any end How is the love of God said to be free It is free two wayes first because nothing caused God to love us but his own goodnesse and grace and therefore Saint John saith that his love was before ours 1 John 4. 7. Secondly it is free because God in loving us did not regard any thing that belonged to his own commodity for as David saith he hath no need of our goods but onely to our owne salvation he loved us Psal. 162. Wherein doth the greatnesse of Gods love appear to his Elect It appeareth two wayes First by the meanes which God useth to save us by that is the death of his Son and so John setteth forth his love 1 John 3. 16. when he saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is as if he should say so vehemently so ardently so earnestly so wonderfully did he love us that for our salvation he spared not his own only begotten Son but gave him to the death of the Crosse for our salvation What else doth set forth the greatnesse of Gods love towards us The consideration of our own selves for he did not only give his only Son to death for us but it was for us being his enemies and this circumstance is used by the Apostle to expresse the same Rom. 5. 7 8. Where find you it written that Gods love is constant and perpetuall That is manifestly shewed in these Scriptures following Hos. 11. 9. John 13. 1. Rom. 11. 29. for God is unchangeable in his love which is his essence and nature and therefore is God called love in the Scriptures 1 John 4. 8. What use must we make of Gods love First it filleth our hearts with gladness when we understand that our God is so loving and love it self and what is this but the beginning of eternall life if eternall life consist in the true knowledge of God as our Saviour Christ saith John 17. 3 Secondly out of the knowledge of this love as out of a fountain springeth the love of God and our neighbour for S. John saith he that loveth not knoweth not God for God is love 1 Joh. 4. 8. Thirdly when we consider that God loveth all his creatures which he made it should teach us not to abuse any of the creatures to serve our lusts and beastly affections for God will punish them which abuse his beloved as he punished the rich glutton which abused the creatures of God Luk. 16. Fourthly we are taught to love all the creatures even the basest of all seeing that God loveth them and for the love he beareth to us he made them and we must if we love them for Gods sake use them sparingly moderately and equally or justly to this end we are commanded to let our cattell rest upon the Sabbath day as well as our selves to this end we are forbidden to kill the damme upon her nest and to this end we are forbidden to musle the mouth of the Oxe which treadeth out the Corn Deut. 25. 4. 1 Cor. 9. 9. Fiftly we are taught from hence to love mankind better then all other creatures because God doth so and therefore we must not spare any thing that we have that may make for the safety of his body and the salvation of his soul. And for this cause we are commanded to love our enemies and to do them good because our good God doth so Sixtly from Gods love we learn to preferre the godly brethren and those that professe sincerely the same religion that we professe before other men because Gods love is greater to his elect then to the reprobate and this doth the Apostle teach us Gal. 6. 10. Seventhly whereas Gods love is freely bestowed upon us this teacheth us to be humble and to attribute no part of our salvation to our selves but only to the free love of God Eightly from hence ariseth the certainty of our salvation for if Gods love was so free great when we were his enemies much more will it be so and constant also to us being reconciled to God by Jesus Christ Rom. 5. 10. What is the mercy of God It is his mind and will always most ready to succour him that is in misery or an essentiall property in God whereby he is meerly ready of himself to help his creatures in their miseries Esa. 30. 18. Lam. 3. 22. Exod. 33. 19. Why adde you this word meerly To put a difference between the mercy of God and the mercy that is in men for their mercy is not without some passion compassion or fellow-feeling of the miseries of others but the mercy of God is most perfect and effectuall ready to help at all needs of himself But seeing mercy is grief and sorrow of mind conceived at anothers miseries how can it be properly attributed to God in whom are no passions nor griefs Indeed in us mercy may be such a thing but not in God mercy was first in God and from him was derived to us and so he is called the Father of mercies 2 Cor. 1. 3. and when it came to us it was matched with many infirmities and passions but it is improperly attributed to God from our selves as though it were first in us Declare then briefly what things of perfection are signified by this word mercy in God By the name of mercy two things are signified in God properly First the mind and will ready to help and succour Secondly the help it self and succour or pity that is then shewed Where in the Scripture is mercy taken the first way Those places of Scripture are so to be understood wherein God doth call himself mercifull and saith that he is of much mercy that is he is of such a nature as is most ready to free us from our evils Where is it taken in the other sense for the effects of mercy In Rom. 9. 15. where it is said God will have mercy on whom hee will have mercy that is he will call whom he will call hee will justifie whom hee will hee will pardon whom he will and will deliver and save from all their miseries and evils whom he will and these be the effects of Gods mercies Again in Exod. 20. 6. it is so taken From whence springeth this mercy of God The essence and beeing of God is most simple without any mixture or composition and therefore in him there are not divers qualities and vertues as there be in us whereof one dependeth upon another or one differs from another but for our capacity and understanding the Scripture speaketh of God as though it were so that so we may the better perceive what manner of God and how good our God is Well then seeing the Scriptures doe speak so for our understanding let us hear whereof this mercy commeth The cause is not in us but only in God himself and
A BODY OF DIVINITIE OR THE SVMME AND SVBSTANCE OF Christian Religion Catechistically propounded and explained by way of Question and Answer Methodically and familiarly handled Composed long since by JAMES VSHER B. of ARMAGH And at the earnest desires of divers godly Christians now Printed and Published VVhereunto is adjoyned a Tract intituled IMMANVEL OR THE MYSTERY OF THE Incarnation of the SON OF GOD Heretofore writen and published by the same Author JOHN 17. 3. This is life eternall that they might know thee the onely true God and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent LONDON Printed by M. F. for THO DOVVNES and GEO BADGER and are to be sold in S. Dunstans Church-yard in Fleetstreet MDCXLV To the Christian Reader CHristian Reader I doe here present and commend unto thee a booke of great worth and singular use which was written and finished about twenty years since the Author whereof is well knowne to bee so universally eminent in all Learning and of that deepe knowledge and judgement in sacred Divinity that he transcendeth all elogies and praises which I can give him I commend it unto the Christian Reader under a two-fold notion the first respecteth the subject matter of this whole Work which is of greatest excellency ad being The summe and substance of Christian Religion upon which as a most sure foundation we build our faith ground all our hopes and from which we reap and retain all our joy and comfort in the assurance of our salvation which as at all times it is most profitable to be read studied and known so now if ever most necessary in these our days wherein men never more neglected these fundamentall principles as being but common and ordinary truths and spend their whole time study and discourse about Discipline Ceremonies and circumstantiall points and herein also not contenting themselves with those common rules and that clear light which shineth in the Word they are onely led by their own phantasies daily creating unto themselves diversity of new opinions and so falling into sects and schismes they break the bond of love and fall off from the communion of Saints as though it were no Article of their Creed and being in love with their own new Tenets as being the conception and birth of their own brains they contend for them more then for any fundamentall truths and not onely so but also hate maligne and most bitterly and uncharitably censure all those that differ from them in their opinions though never so conscientious and religious as though they professed not the same faith yea served not the same God nor beleeved in the same Christ but remain still Aliens from the Common-wealth of Israel and in comparison of themselves no better then Papists or at the best but carnall Gospellers The second notion under which I commend it respecteth the Work it self or the manner of the Authors handling it which is done so soundly and solidly so judiciously and exactly so methodically and orderly and with that familiar plainnesse perspicuity and clearnesse that it giveth place to no other in this kind either ancient or modern either in our own or any other Language which ever yet came to my view in which regard I may say of it as it is said of the vertuous woman Many have done excellently but this our Author exceedeth them all I will adde no more in the deserved praises of this Worke but leave it Christian Reader to thy self to peruse and judge of it commending thee to the Word of Gods grace and the good guidance of his holy Spirit who is able to build thee up in fruitfull knowledge to lead thee into all truth to direct and support thee in the wayes of godliness and to give thee an everlasting inheritance amongst the blessed Thine in the Lord Jesus Christ JOHN DOWNAME The Connexion of these Points together and Dependence of them one upon another IN Christian Religion wee are to consider the Ground thereof contained in the Scripture Parts which treat of Gods Nature in his Essence considered absolutely in it selfe where the doctrine of divine Attributes which respect either His perfection in his Simplenesse whereby he is exempted from Composition and division Infinitenesse wherby he is exempted from all measure of Time by his eternity Place by his immensity Life whence he is called The living God Considered in his All-sufficiency Al-seeing wisdom Foreknowledge Counsell Almighty power Holy will wherein is seen his Goodnesse and therein his love unto his creatures mercy or grace shewed them in their misery Iustice in his word called his Truth deeds disposing of all things rightly rendring to the creatures according to their works Persons subsisting in one and the same undivided Essence Kingdome in his Eternall decree which men must not curiously prie into but content themselves with what is made manifest Execution thereof in the workes of Creation of things Invisible The highest Heavens Angels Visible Unreasonable Reasonable man consisting of Body Soule Providence Common unto all creatures Proper respecting the everlasting condition of principall Creatures Angels Good Bad. Men who are ordered in This life by the tenor of a two-fold Covenant Nature or Workes where we are to consider the Conditions and Events Shame Primary the fall of our first parents Secondary the corruption of Nature originall Actions actual of omission commission Death comprehending all the curses of the Law whereunto the nature of man standeth subject Grace wherein we are to consider the state of Christ the Mediator in his Person and there in his Natures and their Union where of his Conception Nativity Distinction Two fold state of Humiliation Exaltation Office with his Calling thereunto Execution thereof concerning God the party offended wherein his priestly office is exercised the parts whereof are Satisfaction giving contentment to Gods Iustice by his Obedience to the Law Suffering for our sinne Intercession soliciting Gods mercy for those he hath redeemed Man the party offending to whom he communicates the grace by him purchased by his Propheticall office Kingly office The rest of mankind who are called by participation of his grace where we are to consider 1. The company thus called out of the world The Catholike Church of Christ where such as obey this calling in Outward profession alone hold onely externall communion with it Inward affection also internall with the Head Christ Iesus there being a Mutuall donation whereby the Father gives Christ to them them to Christ. Mysticall union whereby they are knit together by Gods quickning Spirit The rest of mankind whence ariseth the Communion of Saints 2. Grace whereunto they are called Reconciliation Iustification where of Iustifying Faith Adoption and therein of Hope Sanctification and therein of Love here consider the Rule of Holines the morall law contained in the ten Commandements wherein are to be considered Generall rules to be observed in the exposition of them Distinction of them into two tables containing the duties we owe unto God namely Having the
of God is so clearly laid open in the preaching of the Gospell that it needs not to be more cleare If at any time we cannot know nor understand this will of God as touching our salvation in whom is the fault The fault is in our selves and the reason is because we are carnall and naturall and destitute of the Spirit of Christ for Paul saith The carnall and naturall man cannot perceive the things of God but if the Spirit of Christ doth come and open our understanding and correct our affections we can no longer doubt of his will and therefore the Apostle immediately after addeth and saith but we have the mind of Christ. Whether is this will of God made known to every one of Gods children particularly or no Yes it is for Paul having the Spirit of Christ saith that this will of God was manifested unto him when he saith Gal. 2. 20. Christ loved me and gave himselfe for me and to the Corinthians he saith but God hath revealed them that is the joyes of heaven to us by his Spirit 1 Cor. 2. 9. How doth this prove that we can have this knowledge Very well for if all the Elect are led by the same Spirit that Paul had it will also perswade them of this will of God as well as Paul But how prove you that they have the same Spirit That the same Spirit is given to all the elect I prove it out of the Prophet Esay who saith thus My word and my Spirit shall not depart from thy mouth nor from thy seed for ever Esa. 59. 21. which is such a blessing as no blessing can be desired in this world greater more excellent or more heavenly for when we are once armed with the knowledge of this will of God we shall passe through fire and water without any danger Esa. 43. 2. we shall overcome the world and death and triumph over our enemies as Paul did Rom. 8. 38 39. Whether are there more wills in God then one or no The will of God in some respects is but one and in some respects it is manifold How is it but one For the better determining of this point we must first consider how many significations there be of this word Will in God It signifieth the faculty or ability of willing in God and so it is God himself and the very essence of God and so his will is but one It signifieth the act it self of willing and if it be so taken it is all but one for God doth that in one and that eternall act will whatsoever he will It signifieth the free decree of his will concerning either the doing or the suffering of any thing to be done if we take it in this sense the will of God is still but one and that eternall and immutable May we call the decree of Gods will the will of God Yea very well as the Testament of one that is deceased is called the last will of the Testator because it is the firm and last decree of the Testators will and mind concerning the disposing of his goods and the Scriptures doe make the will of God and the counsell or decree of his will to be all one as appeareth in these places following Esa. 46. 10. Acts 4. 27 28. Joh. 6. 40. How is the will of God manifold There be two respects chiefly for which the will of God is said to be manifold or more then one First for the divers kinds of things which God doth will and hereof it is that it is called sometime the will of God concerning us and sometime the will of God done by us The first is his favour and love towards us in Christ Jesus in which he willeth and decreeth that we shall be saved through his Son of this Christ speaketh Joh. 6. 40. The other which he will have done of us is that which is expressed in his Word and that is to beleeve in Christ and to walk in his laws Psal. 143. 10. of which David saith thus Teach me to doe thy will because thou art my God and Paul saith Rom. 2. 18. Thou knowest his will that is his law Which is the other respect for which God is said to have many wils The will of God is said to be manifold and divers for that those things which he doth seem to will them after divers sorts and not after one and the same manner first after one manner he doth will good things and after another manner he doth will evill things Shew how that is He willeth good things properly and absolutely by themselves and for themselves he willeth evill things for another end Rom. 12. 2. and that is for good too and the first is called the good will of God and acceptable to himself the latter is called the permissive will of God or a voluntary permission in God because he is not compelled or constrained against his will to will them Again sometime he willeth simply and absolutely sometimes he seemeth to will conditionally and some things he revealeth at one time some at another and some things he doth for which he giveth a reason and the reasons of some things are secret to himself only and for ever Why then belike you grant that in God there be many wils No I deny that for although in those aforesaid respects the will of God is said to be manifold for our understanding yet for all that indeed and in truth the will of God is but one onely and that most constant eternall and perpetuall as for example he willed some things in the old Testament he hath willed other things in the new Testament yet one and the same will in God decreed both Again his will was that some things in the old Testament should last for a time that is to the comming of Christ or as the Apostle saith to the time of reformation Heb. 9. 10. But he willeth that the things of the new Testament shall last to the end of the world and yet one will in God decreed both these from everlasting Again although God seemeth to us to will some things absolutely and simply some things conditionally yet in truth to speak properly all things whatsoever God willeth he willeth absolutely and simply and whereas he is said to will some things conditionally that is to be referred to the manifestation of his will for there is not in God any conditionall will but only that which openeth his will in this or that or on this or that condition for a condition in God is against the nature of his eternall kingdome and knowledge Obj. God commandeth many things to be done which are not done so that there is a will declared in his word and there is another in him forbidding or hindering that which he commandeth in his Law and therefore there are in God many wils The things which God commandeth are of two sorts some are absolutely commanded without any condition expressed or concealed as that Moses should
his nature is not cruell savage nor bloody towards us but most mild pleasant sweet and such as may allure all men to trust in him to love him to call upon him and to worship him Psalm 16. 11. 34. 9. Is nothing good but God Nothing of it selfe and perfectly Matth. 19. 17. howbeit by him and from him doe come good things Gen. 1. ult which have not their goodnesse of themselves for whatsoever goodnesse is in the creatures it is of God the Creatour and they are so farre forth good as they are made good by God and are made partakers of his goodnesse 1 Cor. 4. 7. James 1. 17. Again that goodnesse which is in the things created whether it be naturall or supernaturall is imperfect and finite but the goodnesse of God is most perfect and infinite and therefore onely God is truly good and goodnesse it selfe yea he is Summum bonum that chief good of all to be desired Is the goodnesse of God extended unto all creatures Yea it is so and as this is known by dayly experience so it is witnessed by the Scriptures following Psal. 119. 64. 145. 15. Mat. 5. 45. Hath God shewed his goodnesse to all alike No for the things created are of two sorts either invisible or visible invisible as Angels unto whom the Lord hath given more excellent gifts then to the other And was his goodnesse parted equally among them No for some he suffered to fall into sin for which they were thrust down from heaven to hell 2 Pet. 2. 4. others he hath preserved by his grace that they should not fall away from him Is his goodnesse alike to his visible creatures No for of them some are endued with reason as mankind some are void of reason and therefore is man called a Lord over the rest of the creatures Is the goodnesse of God alike to reasonable creatures No for of them God in his mercy hath chosen some to eternall life whom he hath purposed to call effectually in his time that they may be justified and glorified by Christ others he hath in his justice left to their sins without any effectuall calling to perish for ever What testimony of Scripture have you that Gods goodnesse is farre greater to the Elect then to the Reprobate It appeareth by the words of our Saviour Christ Mat. 13. 11. and of the Prophet Asaph Ps. 73. 1. yet God is good that is singularly good to Israel even to the pure in heart but God makes his Elect onely to be pure in heart Psal. 51. 10. Doth the goodnesse of God towards all men turn to the good of all men No for in the Reprobate Gods goodnesse is turned into evill and serveth to their destruction 2 Cor. 2. 15. and that is through their own fault for they doe contemne and altogether abuse the goodnesse of God and for all his goodnesse bestowed upon them continually they never trust him nor trust in him Rom. 2. 4. Psal. 106. 13. How may we use the goodness of God to our good and to our salvation If we have the goodnesse of God in a true and worthy estimation if we use it with feare and reverence and thereby learn to repent us of our sins and to repose all our trust and confidence in the Lord for his goodnesse then shall all things yea even our sinnes work for our good Rom. 8. 28. What use must we make of Gods goodnesse It teacheth us that we have and doe serve a true God for he is no true God that is not so good as our God is We learn hereby that by this goodnesse of his he useth all things well If our God be so good we should be ashamed to offend him as it is intolerable to hurt an infant that is innocent and harmlesse so it is most intolerable to requite the Lords goodnesse with evill If God be so good and goodnesse it selfe we must trust him and trust in him for we will repose trust in good men and shall we not much more in our good God It teacheth us never to lay the fault upon God for any thing nor to complain of Gods dealing for he is alwayes perfectly good and all that he doth is perfectly good whatsoever men judge of it Seeing God is good to us we ought to be good one towards another To what end is it that the goodnesse of God is not to all alike 1 Tim. 2. 9. It serveth to the adoring and beautifying of Gods Church 1 Tim. 2. 9. It serveth to the maintenance of mutuall love and society amongst men for if the goodnesse of God were to all alike then one could not help another and to this end serves the variety of gifts 1 Cor. 12. 20. Eph. 4. 7. 12. It maketh to the greater manifesting of the glory of the goodnesse of God for if all had alike we would contemn this goodnesse thinking that he were bound to be good to us of necessity From the consideration of Gods speciall goodnesse towards us his Elect by Christ to salvation we must arise to the study of good works whereby Gods goodnesse may be glorified Tit. 2. 3 4 5 6 7 8. What be the severall branches of the goodnesse of God His graciousnesse his love and his mercy Tit. 3. 3 4 5. What is the graciousnesse of God It is an essentiall property whereby he is of himselfe most gracious and amiable and freely declareth his favour unto his creatures above their desert Psal. 145. 8. 15 16. Rom. 11. 6. Tit. 2. 11. Is he only gracious Only in and of himselfe for that whatsoever is gracious and amiable it is from him What learn you from this That we ought to love and reverence God above all for seeing gracious and amiable men doe winne love and reverence from others in whose eyes they appear gracious and amiable who is able more to winne this at our hands then God who is the fountain of all graciousnesse and amiablenesse For the better understanding of this attribute shew how this word Grace is used in the Scripture It is used in three severall significations sometimes it is put for comelinesse stature meeknesse or mildnesse Luk. 2. 25. sometime for free favour whereby one embraceth another pardoning former injuries and receiving the partie offending into favour again Gen. 6. 8. Thirdly it is taken for all kind of gifts and graces which of his free favour are bestowed whether temporall or eternall Acts 2. 23. Eph. 4. 7. Whether is there grace in God according to the first signification of grace or no Yea for God is of his own nature most gracious and grace it selfe which grace was in Christ Jesus from his infancie as he was man and did every day more and more increase Luke 2. 52. Psal. 45. 9. And amongst all things that were created there was nothing indued with such grace as was the humane nature of Christ and that was by the fulnesse of the Godhead which dwelt bodily in him Coloss. 2.
9. Whether is grace properly attributed to God in the second sense or no Yea most properly for God doth justifie us that is he doth account us for just through his Sonne Jesus Christ and that of his free grace and favour without any desert of our parts or any thing in us Rom. 3. 20. 24. 4. 16. What be the causes of this grace or favour of God The efficient cause is his goodnesse and free will the finall cause cause thereof is the salvation of his chosen children and the glory of himselfe and of his Son Christ Jesus What be the effects of Gods grace to us wards In generall the grace of God whereof there is no cause in us but onely his own goodnesse and will is the first cause the middle cause and the the last cause and the onely cause of all that belongs to our salvation Rom. 9. 11. And particularly it is the cause of our Election of our Redemption of the sending of Christ into the world of our Calling of the preaching of the Gospell Eph. 1. 4. John 3. 11. 34. Rom. 5. 8. It was the cause why the Apostles were called to the preaching of the Gospell Gal. 1. 15 16. Eph. 3. 8. 9. It is the cause of our Faith of the forgivenesse of our sinnes of our whole justification of our regeneration of our renovation of our love to God and our neighbour of the Holy Ghost in us of our good works of our obedience of our perseverance of the feare of God of eternall life and of life it selfe 2 Tim. 1. 9. Phil. 2. 13. Rom. 12. 6. 1 Cor. 12. 9. Rom. 3. 24. Tit. 3. 5. 1 John 4. 9. Ezek. 36. 27. Jerem. 32. 40. and in a word the begining the continuance and the accomplishment of our whole salvation doth depend wholly upon the grace and favour of God and what good thing soever we have or have had or may have belonging either to this life or to the life to come is to be attributed wholly to the grace and favour of God What is the love of God It is an essentiall property in God whereby he loves himselfe above all and others for himselfe 1 John 4. 16. Rom. 5. 8. John 3. 16. Tit. 3. 4. Mal. 1. 2 3. What learn you from hence That wee should love him dearely and other things for him That we may the better know what the love of God is declare first what love is in our selves It is a passion of the mind whereby we are so affected towards the party whom we love that we are rather his then our own forgetting our selves to doe him good whom we so love And is love such a thing in God No the true love of God is not such as our love is What difference is there There is great difference two wayes First in time for love was in God before it was in us or in any thing created for he loved himselfe and us also before the world was John 17. 23. Secondly they differ in nature and quality for that love which is in God is most perfect and pure Rom. 9. 13. without passion but in us it is imperfect and matched with passions with impure affections and grief of the mind After what manner doth the Scripture expresse the love of God In the Scriptures God doth compare himselfe to a father and to a mother loving their children to a hen gathering her chickens together under her wings to a good shepherd seeking up his sheep and to divers other things And wherefore serve these comparisons They are for our profit two wayes First to shew us that Gods love towards us is most vehement and sincere Secondly to make us bold in coming to him and calling upon him so for this love Christ Jesus calleth us by all the names of love as his servants his kinsmen his friends his spouse his brethren and by many names moe to shew that he loveth us with all loves the fathers love the mothers love the masters love the husbands love the brothers love c. and if all loves were put together yet his love exceedeth them all for all could not doe so much for us as he alone hath done If love doth not signifie any affection or passion in God as it doth in us what then doth it signifie In God it signifieth three things most perfect first the eternall good will of God towards some body for the love of God supposed towards the Elect is his everlasting good will or his purpose and determination to shew them mercy to doe them good and to save them as in Rom. 9. 11. 13. Secondly the effects themselves of his love or good will whether they be temporall concerning this life or eternall concerning the life to come as in the 1 John 3. 1. Thirdly the pleasure and delight which he taketh in that which he loveth and so it is taken in Psal. 45. 7. 23. What things doth God love besides himselfe Besides himselfe God loveth all things else whatsoever he made but he loveth not sinne and iniquity for he never made it as Saint John saith 1 John 2. 16. Again he loveth his Son being manifested in the flesh and he loveth his chosen children for his Sons sake with whom he is well pleased Mat. 3. last verse Obj. 1. The Scripture saith that God doth hate all that work iniquity how then can God both hate and love one and the same man In every wicked man we must consider two things First His nature Secondly his sinne His nature is the work of God and that he loveth but his iniquity is not of God and that he hateth Obj. 2. God doth afflict his children therefore he doth not love them Whom he loveth he correcteth and therefore he correcteth them because he loveth them even as a gold-smith tryeth his gold in the fire because he loveth it Whether doth God love all alike or no No he preferreth mankind before all his other creatures for which cause God is called Philanthropos that is a lover of men and this appeareth by three effects of his love First he made him according to his own Image that is in righteousnesse and true holinesse Gen. 1. 26. Eph. 4. 24. Secondly he made him Lord over all his creatures Psal. 8. 5 6. Thirdly he gave his own Son to death for his ransom Doth God love all men alike No for he loveth his Elect better then the Reprobate for the Elect he calleth effectually by his Spirit in their hearts when he calleth others but by the outward voyce of the Gospell c. Again amongst the Elect themselves some are actually wicked and not yet reconciled nor called as was Paul before his conversion but the rest are called and already made holy by Faith in Christ as Paul was after his conversion and of these he loveth the latter sort with a greater measure of love then the former as the Scripture testifieth in Prov. 8. 17. What manner of love doth God beare
as most men think it to be What breaches of the first Commandement may be observed in this transgression First infidelity whereby they doubted of Gods love towards them and of the truth of his word Secondly contempt of God in disregarding his threatnings and crediting the word of Satan Gods enemy and theirs Thirdly hainous ingratitude and unthankfulnesse against God for all his benefits in that they would not be beholding unto him for that excellent condition of their creation in respect whereof they ought unto him all fealty but would needs be his equall Fourthly curiosity in affecting greater wisdome then God had endued them withall by vertue of their creation and a greater measure of knowledge then hee thought fit to reveale unto them Fiftly intolerable pride and ambition not onely desiring to be better then God made them but also to be equall in knowledge to God himselfe and aspiring to the highest estate due to their Creatour How did our first parents break the second Commandement Eve by embracing the word of the Devill and preferring it before the word of God Adam by hearkning to the voyce of his wife rather then to the voyce of the Almighty Gen. 3. 17. What were the breach of the third First presumption in venturing to dispute of Gods truth and to enter in communication with Gods enemy or a beast who appeared unto them touching the word of God with whom no such conference ought to have been entertained Secondly reproachfull blasphemy by subscribing to the sayings of the Devill in which he charged God with lying and envying their good estate Thirdly superstitious conceit of the fruit of the tree imagining it to have that vertue which God never put into it as if by the eating thereof such knowledge might be gotten as Satan perswaded Fourthly want of that zeale in Adam for the glory of God which he ought to have shewed against his wife when hee understood shee had transgressed Gods Commandements How was the fourth Commandement broken In that the Sabbath was made a time to conferre with Satan in matters tending to the high dishonour of God If it be true that on that day man fell into this transgression as some not improbably have conjectured for at the conclusion of the sixth day all things remained yet very good Gen. 1. 31. and God blessed the seventh day Gen. 2. 3. Now it is very likely Satan would take the first advantage that possibly he could to entrap them before they were strengthened by longer experience and by partaking of the Sacrament of the tree of life whereof it appeareth by Gen. 3. 22. that they had not yet eaten and so from the very beginning of man became a manslayer John 8. 44. Shew briefly the grounds of the breach of the Commandements of the second table in the transgression of our first parents The fifth was broken Eve giving too little to her husband in attempting a matter of so great weight without his privity and Adam giving too much to his wife in obeying her voyce rather then the Commandement of God and for pleasing of her not caring to displease God Gen. 3. 17. The sixth by this act they threw themselves and all their posterity into condemnation and death both of body and soule The seventh though nothing direct against this Commandement yet herein appeared the root of those evill affections which are here condemned as not bridling the lust and wandring desire of the eyes as also the inordinate appetite of the tast Gen. 3. 6. in lusting for and eating that onely fruit which God forbad not being satisfied with all the other fruits in the garden The eighth first laying hands upon that which was none of their own but by a speciall reservation kept from them Secondly discontent with their present estate and covetous desire of that which they had not The ninth judging otherwise then the truth was of the vertue of the tree Gen. 3. 6. and receiving a false accusation against God himselfe The tenth by entertaining in their minds Satans suggestions and evill concupiscence appearing in the first motions leading to the forenamed sinnes Thus much of our first parents sinne and the causes thereof Now let us come to the effects of the same shew therefore what followed in them immediately upon this transgression Three fruits were most manifest namely guiltinesse of conscience shame of face and feare of Gods presence Did any punishment follow upon this sinne Sinne guiltinesse and punishment doe naturally follow one upon another otherwise the threatning that at what time soever they did transgresse Gods Commandement they should certainly dye should not have taken effect Declare how that threatning took effect They were dead in sinne which is more fearfull then the death of the body as that which is a separation from the favour of God for there came upon them the decay of Gods glorious image in all the faculties of their soule and also a corruption of the powers of their body from being so fit instruments to serve the soule as God made them and this in them is signified by nakednes Gen. 3. 7. And in their children called originall sin Then there issued from thence a streame of actuall sinnes in the whole course of their life which appeared in Adam even upon his fall by his flying from Gods presence and affirming that it was his nakednesse that made him flye his excusing of his sin and laying it on the woman c. By sin an entrie being made for death Rom. 5. 12. they became subject to the separating of the soul from the body which is bodily death and of both from God which is spirituall death signified by expelling them out of Paradise and debarring them of the sacramentall tree of life Gen. 3. 22. c. And thus by the just sentence of God being for their sin delivered into the power both of corporall and of eternall death they were already entred upon death and hell to which they should have proceeded untill it had been accomplished both in body and soule in hell with the Devill and his Angels for ever if the Lord had not looked upon them in the blessed Seed For the fuller understanding of the things that immediatly followed the transgression of our first parents let us consider more particularly what is recorded in the 3d. ch of Gen. And first shew what is meant by that in v. 7. that their eyes were opened they saw themselves naked were they not naked before and having the eye sharper then after the fall must they not needs see they were naked It is true howbeit their nakednesse before the fall was comely yea more comely then the comeliest apparell we can put on being clad with the robe of innocency from the top of the head unto the sole of the foot wherefore by nakednesse he meaneth a shamefull nakednesse both of soule and body as the Scripture speaketh elsewhere Rev. 3. 17 18. Exod. 32. 25. What
onely be directed by Gods holy word How is the Memory corrupted First with dulnesse and forgetfulnesse of all good things that we should remember notwithstanding we have learned them often Secondly with readines to remember that we should not and to retain errors and vanities as tales and playes much more then godly matters What use make you hereof As first to bewaile the defects of our understanding so to lament our forgetfulnesse of good things Secondly to distrust the faithfulnesse or strength of our memories in hearing and learning good things and to use all good helps we can as often repeating them writing and meditating on them Thirdly not to clogge our memories with vanities for which we should rather desire the art of forgetfulnesse How is the Will corrupted First with a disablenesse and impotency to will any thing that is good in it selfe Rom. 5. 6. Phil. 2. 13. Secondly with slavery to sin and Satan the will being so enthralled Rom. 6. 20. 7. 23. and hardened Eph. 4. 18. that it onely desireth and lusteth after that which is evill Gen. 6. 5. Job 15. 16. Thirdly with rebellion against God and any thing that is good Rom. 8. 7. What use are we to make hereof First that we have no free will left in us since Adams fall for heavenly matters Secondly that for the conversion either of our selves or any other we must not look for it from man but pray to God to convert man who worketh in us both the will and the deed Phil. 2. 13. Heb. 2. 5. as the Prophet saith Convert thou me and I shall be converted Lam. 5. 21. How are the affections corrupted The affections of the heart which are many as love and hatred joy and sorrow hope and feare anger desire c. are subject to corruption and disturbance Gal. 5. 24. James 4. 15. Job 15. 16. First by being set upon unmeet objects in affecting and being inclined to the things they should not be and not to those they should thus we hate good and love evill 1 Kings 22. 8. And in a word our affections naturally are moved and stirred to that which is evill to embrace it and are never stirred up to that which is good unlesse it be to eschew it Secondly by disorder and excesse even when we doe affect naturally good things as for our own injuries we are more angry then for Gods dishonour when we are merrie we are too merrie when sad too sad c. What use make you of the disorder of the affections First to keep our selves from all occasions to incense them to sinne whereunto they are as prone as the tinder to the fire Secondly to labour to mortifie them in our selves that we may be in regard thereof pure Nazarites before God Gal. 5. 24. Col. 3. 5. How is the conscience corrupted It is distempered and defiled Tit. 1. 15. both in giving direction in things to be done and in giving judgment upon things done How in the former It sometime giveth not direction at all and thereupon maketh a man to sin in doing of an action otherwise good and lawfull Rom. 14. 23. sometime it giveth direction but a wrong one and so becometh a blind guide forbidding to doe a thing which God alloweth and commanding to doe things which God hateth 1 Cor. 8. 7. Col. 2. 21. John 16. 2. How in the latter When it either giveth no Judgement at all being left without feeling or when it hath an evill feeling and sense How is it left without feeling When it is so senselesse and benummed with sin that it never checketh a man for any sin Eph. 4. 18 19. called a cauterized conscience 1 Tim. 4. 2. which reseth from the custome of sinning Heb. 3. 13. How doth it faile when it hath a feeling but a naughty one Sometimes in excusing sometimes in accusing How in excusing First when it excuseth for things sinfull making them no sinnes or small sins and so feeding the mind with vain comforts Mark 10. 20. Gen. 3. 10. 12. Secondly when as it excuseth us for having a good intent without any warrant of Gods word 1 Chron. 13. 9. How in accusing First when for want of time direction and lightening it condemneth for doing good as a Papist for going to Sermons condemning where it should excuse and so filling the mind with false feares Secondly when accusing for sin it doth it excessively turmoyling a man with inward accusations and terrors Esa. 57. 20. and drawing him to despair by such excessive terror as may be seen in Cain and Judas What use are we to make of this confusion of the conscience First seeing it doth thus abuse us we are never to make it a warrant of our actions unlesse it be directed by Gods word Secondly we are to feare the terror of the great Judge of heaven and earth when we are so often and so grievously terrified with our little Judge that is in our soul. What corruption hath the body received by originall sinne It is become a ready instrument to serve the sinfull soule having both a pronenesse to any sin the soul affecteth and likewise an eagernes to commit it and continue in it Rom. 6. 12. 19. whereby it is come to passe that the bodily senses and members are 1. As Porters to let in sin Job 31. 1. Psal. 119. 37. Matth. 5. 29 30. 2. The instruments and tooles of the mind for the execution of sinne Rom. 3. 13 14 15 6. 13. VVhat use are we to make of this doctrine of originall sinne First the due knowledge thereof serveth to humble the pride of man remembring that he is conceived in so sinfull a sort that howsoever the branches of his actions may seem green yet is he rotten at the root Secondly it should move him with all speed to seek for regeneraon by Christ seeing he hath so corrupt a generation by Adam VVhat is actuall sinne It is a violation of Gods Commandements done by us after the manner of Adams transgression Rom. 5. 14. to wit a particular breach of Gods Law in the course of our life which proceedeth as an evill fruit from our naturall corruption and leaveth a stain in the soule behind it Jer. 13. 23. which polluteth the sinner and disposeth him to further evill How is such sin committed Either inwardly or outwardly How inwardly First by evill thoughts in the mind which come either by a mans own conceiving Gen. 6. 5. Matth. 15. 19. or by the suggestion of the Devill John 13. 2. Acts 5. 3. 1 Chron. 21. 1. Secondly by evill motions and lusts stirring in the heart against the righteousnesse of the Law which condemneth the very first motions of evill that arise from our corrupt nature How outwardly By evill words and deeds Esa. 3. 8. which arise from the corrupt thoughts and motions of the heart when any occasion is given Matth. 15. 19. So that the imagination of mans heart the words of
will be a notable meanes to keep us from sinne How is the reason drawne from Gods Titles laid downe In these words For I the Lord thy God am a jealous God Which is the first Title that is mentioned here Iehovah which noteth the Essence of God and the perfection thereof What have we to learne from thence That Idolaters are so farre from worshipping the true God that they deny his Being and Perfection What is the second Title Thy God whereby the Covenant of grace is signified which on our part is by no sinne so directly violated as by Idolatry called therefore in Scripture Spirituall Adultery Ier. 3. 8. What doth this teach us That Idolaters are most miserable in forsaking the true God who is all happinesse to his people What is the third Title El That is a mighty and strong God and therefore perfectly able to save and destroy VVhat doth this teach us That there is no power so great which can deliver Idolaters or any sinners from the wrath of God VVhat is the fourth Title Iealous whereby the nature of God is signified loving chastity in his Spouse with a most fervent love and abhorring spirituall whoredome with most extreame hatred What are we to learne from hence That the Lord can no more abide Idolatry then a married man can brooke it that his Wife should commit adultery For his wrath is compared to the rage of a jealous Husband upon unchaste behaviour of his Wife Prov. 6. 34 35. Declare this Comparison more at large The jealous man finding the Adulterer with his Wife spareth neither the one nor the other So if any that by profession hath been espoused to Christ and joyned unto God in him and hath promised in Baptisme to serve him alone yet notwithstanding shall forsake him and worship others How good soever they be whether Saints or Angels they shall not escape Gods wrath For if corporall Adultery be so severely punished much more shall spirituall What doe the reasons drawne from the Works of God containe A just recompence to the breakers of this Law and a gracious reward to them that keep it God shewing himselfe in this case to be jealous 1. By punishing sin in many generations 2. By extending his mercy in a far more abundant manner to them that keep his Law So the former reason containeth a threatening to restraine from disobedience the latter a promise to allure to obedience How is the former of these reasons laid downe In these words Visiting the iniquities of the Fathers upon the Children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me What is the summe of this reason That he will visit such as howsoever pretending love doe thus declare their hatred of him and punish them both in themselves and their Children to many generations What doth God meane when he saith That he will visit the sins of the Fathers upon the Children Two things 1. That he will enquire and search whether he can find any of the Parents sins and especially their Idolatry in their Children continuing in their Fathers sins and that if he doe he will remember the same in the punishment of them What are we to learne from hence 1. That howsoever God for a time doth seeme not to regard our sins yet he doth both see them and in his due time will punish them if we doe not repent 2. That neither the example of our Parents nor any other that doe amisse can be sufficient warrant to us to commit any sin 3. That all Parents are carefull to take heed how they commit any sin because in so doing they bring Gods Iudgements not only upon themselves but also upon their Children 4. That Children are to sorrow for being borne of Idolatrous Forefathers But how doth that agree with the Righteousnesse of God to punish the Children for the sins of their Fathers Very well for if Princes whose judgements are shallow in comparison of Gods the depths whereof are past finding out doe with equity dis-inherit and put to shame the posterity of Traytors the Lord may much more justly doe the like with the wicked childe which followeth his Fathers steps and is a Traytor himselfe having both his Fathers sinne and his owne upon his head for God here onely threatneth to punish those children which continue in their Fathers sinnes and therefore as they have part in their fathers sinnes so it is reason they should have part in their Parents punishments What doth God meane by the third and fourth generation He meaneth that not onely the next children but the children of divers and many generations shall smart for their fathers sinnes As in Amos for three transgressions and for foure that is for many Why then doth he specially name three or foure Generations Because Parents live so long oft-times that they see their Posterity for foure Generations following punished for their sinnes Why doth God say Of them that hate me To shew that not all the sonnes of the wicked but onely such as continue in their Fathers wickednesse shall be punished for their sinnes Ezek. 18. 4. 10. 13 14. 17. But is there any that hate God Yes verily so many as worship him otherwise then himselfe hath commanded doe hate him for although every Idolater will say that he loveth God yet here God witnesseth of him that he is a lyer and that he hateth God in that he hateth the worship that he commandeth in the love whereof God will have the experience of his love 2 Chron. 19. 2. Mic. 2. 8. John 15. 18. Rom. 1. 29 30. 5. 10. 8. 7. Col. 1. 21. In what words is the second reason laid downe which is drawn from the clemency of God Wherere it is said that he sheweth mercy unto thousands of them that love him and keep his Commandements What is the summe of this reason That God will blesse the obedient unto many generations both in themselves their children and posterity and in whatsoever belongeth unto them thus extending his mercy unto thousands of such as shew their love of him by obedience to this his Law Why doth the Lord say that he will shew mercy to them that love him and keep his Commandements To teach us that the best deeds of the best men cannot merit or deserve any thing at Gods hands but had need to bee received of him in mercy Wherefore doth hee say that he will have mercy to thousands seeing he said that he would visit onely the third and fourth Generation of them that hate him Because he is more willing and ready to exercise his mercy then his anger But what will God be mercifull to all the Children of the godly No But onely such as love him and keep his Commandements Is this Blessing proper to the Godly Not altogether neither For God rewardeth the posterity of the wicked with outward benefits oftentimes according to their outward service as appeareth by the succession of Iehu So much
of the second Commandement What is the third Thou shalt not take the Name of the Lord thy God in vaine For the Lord will not hold him guiltlesse that taketh his Name in vaine Exod. 20. 7. What is contained in these words 1. The Commandement 2. The Reason What is the summe of the Commandement That we impeach not but by all meanes advance the glorious Name of God in all things whereby he maketh himselfe knowne to men Psal. 29. 2. and carefully endeavour in our whole life to bring some honour to God Mat. 5. 16. What doe you observe herein The high honour that God sheweth unto us who being able without us to maintaine his owne Name and glory either by himselfe or by his Angels hath notwithstanding committed the maintenance thereof unto us which should teach us to be very chairy of it and carefull to discharge our duty faithfully in walking worthy of this honour and defence of his Name which he vouchsafeth us What is the meaning of those words Thou shalt not take Thou shalt not take up upon thy lips or mouth as this phrase is opened in Psal. 16. 4. and 50. 16. that is not speake use or mention for the tongue is here specially bound to the good abearing Why was it needfull to have a speciall Commandement for the direction of the tongue in Gods service Because it is an untamed evill and unbridled Iam. 3. 8. and therefore a whole Commandement cannot be imployed amisse for the direction of it in the use of the Name of God And seeing in the second Table there is a Commandement tending almost wholly to restraine the abuses of our tongues towards our neighbours there is much more need of a Precept both for direction and restraint of it in the matters concerning God and his most glorious Name What are we to understand by the Name of God The speech is taken from the manner of men who are knowne by their Names to signifie God himselfe both in his Essence and Majesty Isa. 26. 8. Exod. 3. 13 14. 34. 5 6 7. And in all things whereby he hath made himselfe knowne unto us as he is holy 1. Titles and proper names as Iehovah Elohim Iesus 2. Properties and Attributes as Love Wisdome Power Iustice Exod. 33. 18 19. 34. 5 6 7. 14. 3. Works and Actions Psal. 8. 1 9. 14. 5 10. 4. Word both Law and Gospell Psalme 138. 2. Deut. 18. 19. 22. 32. 3. Acts 9. 15. Whence the Law of Christ Esa. 42. 4. is expounded to be his name Matth. 12. 21. 5. Sacraments Matth. 28. 18 19. Acts 2. 38. 6. Censures 1 Cor. 5. 4 5. Matth. 18. 20 7. Prayer Gen. 4. 26. 8. The whole worship of God with all the Ordinances pertaining thereto and whatsoever he honoured reverenced and glorified Deut. 5 Mal. 1. 11 12. Mich. 4. 5. Acts 21. 13. What is meant by this word in vaine All abuse of them and all rash negligent and carelesse dealing therein where mentioning the smaller fault he declareth the hainousnes of the greater For if the taking of his name in vaine only be a sinne how hainous a sin is it when it is blasphemed or used for confirmation of a lye What is then forbidden in the Commandement Every wrong offered to the glory of God and doing of ought that may any way reproach the Lord to cause him to be lesse esteemed Mal. 1. 6. 12. All unreverent and unholy use of his name and prophaning of his Titles Properties Actions and Ordinances either by mouth or by action Lev. 21. 32. What are the parts of the Prohibition Two 1. The mentioning or using of Gods name in word or in deed when it should not be used and when there is no just cause so to doe 2. The using of it amisse and abusing it when duty bindeth us to use it with feare and holinesse What is required in this command 1. That we sanctifie Gods Name as it is holy and reverend Matth. 6. 9. Psal. 111. 9. and labour by all we can to lift it up that others may be moved by us more to love serve and honour him 2. That we use the things aforesaid with all reverence and circumspection to such uses as they are appointed unto by God In a word that we have a carefull and a heedy watch to all things that may advance Gods glory and use all sincere and diligent behaviour therein What is that wherein this our carefulnesse is required 1. A diligent preparation and advisednesse before we meddle with any of these holy things that we bethinke our selves before hand what we are to doe and consider both of the cause that should move us to speake of them and of the reverent manner of using them 2. A reverent disposition in the action it selfe that wee use earnest attentivenesse therein and seriously thinke how powerfull God is to punish the taking of his name amisse as also how able and ready to blesse them who shall reverently and holily behave themselves in the right use thereof for which cause we are to remember that the Name of God is fearefull as it is written Psal. 99. 3. Deut. 28. 58. Declare now what particular duties are contained in this Commandement 1. The honouring of God and his Religion by our holy conversation Mat. 5. 16. Tit. 2. 10. The contrary whereof is profession joyned with hypocrisie Tit. 1. 16. Mat. 15. 7 8 9. prophanenesse and an evill life whereby the Name of God and profession of Religion is dishonoured Rom. 2. 24. 2. Confession of Christ unto suffering yea martyrdome if cause be Rev. 2. 13. the contrary whereof is shrinking in case of perill and denying God the honor of our suffering for him Mat. 10. 33. 3. Honourable and reverent mention of God and his Titles Properties Attributes Works Word and Ordinances Psal. 19. 1 2. 71. 15. Prov. 31. 26. What vices are repugnant to this An unreverent mention or an unadvised sudden and causelesse speaking of any of these and all abusing of the Names and Titles of God How is that done 1. By saying in our common talke O Lord O God O Jesus c. or in wondring wise good God good Lord c. in matters of light and no moment and for such foolish admirations and taking Gods Name lightly upon every occasion is here condemned 2. By idle wishes 3. By imprecations and cursings Gen. 16. 5. 2 Sam. 16. 8 9. 4. By Blaspheming 5. By the abuse of Oathes Jam. 5. 12. Is there any true use of Oathes Yes in matters of importance that cannot be decided but by an Oath it is good and lawfull to sweare by the Name of God and a duty specially commanded Deut. 6. 13. and 10. 20. so that it be done truly advisedly and rightly for so is the Commandement Jer. 4 2. Thou shalt sweare in righteousnesse How are we to sweare in truth Affirming what we know to be
Parents and children or otherwise as Masters and servants What are the common duties of the Husband and Wife one towards another Mutuall and conjugall love one towards another yet so as the Word presseth love at the Husbands hands more then at the Wives because men are commonly more short of that duty Eph. 5. 25. Wherein must this Conjugall Love be declared 1. By mutuall help Gen. 2. 18. 2. By due benevolence 1 Cor. 7. 3. except by consent for a time that they may give themselves to Fasting and Prayer 1 Cor. 7. 5. 2 Sam. 11. 11. What are the sins common to the Husband and the Wife 1. Want of Love 2. Bewraying one anothers infirmities 3. Discovering each others secrets 4. Iealousie 5. Contention What is the duty of the Husband towards his VVife 1. In an entire love unto her to cherish her as he would cherish his owne flesh and as Christ doth his Church Eph. 5. 2. To provide for her that which is meet and comely during his life and then also that she may be provided for after his death if it so fall out 3. To protect her and defend her from all evill 4. To dwell with her as one of knowledge 1 Pet. 3. 7. 5. To give honour to her as the weaker vessell ibid. that is to beare with her infirmities 6. To governe and direct her What be the speciall sins of the Husband 1. Not to dwell with his Wife 2 Neglect of edifying her by instruction and example 3 Denying her comfortable maintenance and imployment What is the duty of the VVife to the Husband 1 Subjection in a gentle and moderate kinde and manner Eph. 5. 22. For albeit it bee made heavier then it was from the beginning through their transgressions yet that yoake is easier then any other domesticall subjection 2 Obedience wherein Wives are oft short as Husbands in love Eph. 5. 33. 1 Pet. 3. 1. 6. 3 She must represent in all godly and commendable matters his Image in her behaviour that in her a man may see the wisedome and uprightnesse of her husband 1 Cor. 11. 7. 4 She must bee an helper unto him Gen. 2. 18. as otherwise so by saving that which he bringeth in Prov. 31. 11 12. 1 Tim. 3. 11. Finally she must recompence her husbands care over her in providing things necessary for his houshold and doe good for her husband all the dayes of her life Prov. 31. 12. that so he may bee unto her as it were a vaile and covering before her eyes Gen. 20. 16. VVhat be the sinnes of the VVife in respect of her Husband 1 Failing in reverence which appeareth in froward lookes speeches or behaviour 2 Disobedience in the smallest matters 3 Disregard of her husbands profit VVhat duties come in the next place to be considered Those of naturall Parents who are specially mentioned in this Commandement whereunto also are to bee reduced all in the right line ascended and their Collateralls as also Fathers in law and Mothers in law VVhat are the duties of naturall Parents towards their Children They are either common to both Parents or particular to either of them VVhat are the common duties of both Parents They doe either respect the things of this life or of that which is to come VVhat care are they to have of the Soules of their Children to fit them for the life to come 1 To make them Members of the visible Church by Baptisme 2 They are to Catechise and instruct them in religion as they are able to receive it and to bring them up in Nurture and the feare of God Ephes. 6. 4. 3 They are to pray to God for to blesse them and guide them in his feare What is required of them for the things of this life 1 To marke the wits and inclinations of their Children and as farre as their owne ability will reach to apply them accordingly in due time to some good honest and godly calling that so being trained up in such a trade as they are fittest for they may not afterwards live idly without any calling Gen. 4. 2. Prov. 20. 11. 22. 6. 2 To provide for them a godly marriage if it please God in time convenient 1 Corinthians 7. 36. 3. Not onely to maintaine them during their abiding in their house but also to lay up and provide somewhat for them that they may live honestly afterwards and therefore are they to distribute their goods among their children and what they have received from their Ancestors to leave the same where it may be done lawfully to their posterity 2 Cor. 12. 14. 2 Chro. 12. 3. Prov. 19. 14. What speciall regard is here to be had by Parents to the eldest Son That sith God hath honoured him with that dignity as to be their strength Gen. 49. 3 4. he should also bee honoured by them at the least with a double portion Deut. 21. 17. as by the rest of the brethren with honour yet so as hee fall not from his honour by some horrible sinne Gen. 49. 4. What be the common sinnes of Parents 1. Negligence in not instructing their children betimes 2. Not correcting them till it be too late or doing it with bitternesse without compassion instruction and prayer 3. Giving them ill example 4. Neglect in bringing them up in some lawfull calling 5. Not bestowing them timely and religiously in marriage 6. Light behaviour towards them and too much familiarity with them whereby they become vile in their eyes 7. Loving beauty or any outward parts more then Gods Image in them What is required of the Father in particular To give the name unto the childe Gen. 35. 18. Luke 1. 62 63. For notwithstanding the mothers have sometimes given the names yet that hath been by the Fathers permission What speciall duty is laid upon the Mother To nurse the childe if she be able Gen. 21. 7. 1 Sam. 1. 23. Lam. 4. 3 4. 1 Thes. 2. 7 8. 1 Tim. 2. 15. 5. 10. So much of the duty of Parents to their children VVhat is the duty of Children towards their Parents It is either generall or speciall viz. in the case of marriage What are the generall duties 1. To reverence them and to performe carefull obedience to them in all things that they command by the example of our Saviour who was subject to his Parents Luke 2. 51. 2. To pray for them 3. To carry themselves while they are under their Parents tuition and after they are parted from them as they may cause their Parents in their good bringing up to bee commended Prov. 10. 1. 17. 25. 31. 28. 4. To be an ayde unto them as well as they be able and to helpe them with their bodies when they are in distresse Ruth Chap. 1. ver 16. 17 18. 5. To repay their Parents care over them by being ready to relieve them if they stand in need of reliefe and want any thing wherewith God hath blessed them
shall shew by these fruits First when we are glad of it and rejoice in it Rom. 1. 8. Coloss. 1. 3 4. and are grieved when as it is blacked and blemished VVhat other fruits are there of it They respect either our hearing judgment or reports Our hearing first when as we shut our eares to whisperers and slanderers for their detractions and slanders cannot hurt our neighbours good name if we will not heare and beleeve them Pro. 25. 23. And this is a note of a Citizen of heaven Psal. 15. 3. Secondly when as we willingly and cheerfully heare the praises of our neighbours which is a signe of an honest heart that is free from self-self-love and envie VVhat is required in the judgement A candid and ingenuous disposition to preserve our neighbours fame and in all things doubtfull to judge the best of his words and deeds VVhat are the fruits hereof Not to nourish hard conceits of him but when they arise to suppresse them if the grounds of them be not very probable Secondly not to beleeve rashly any evill of our neighbour Thirdly to take and conster all things well done and spoken by him in the best sense Fourthly to interpret and take things doubtfull in the better part VVhat are the fruits respecting reports Silence and secrecy For it is a Christian duty to keep secret our neighbours faults which proceed from infirmity and humane frailty unlesse it be to amend him by admonition or seasonable reproofe Lev. 19. 17. Matth. 18. 15 16. Gen. 37. 2. 1 Cor. 1. 11. or to give warning to the hearer that he may prevent some evill that is intended against him Jer. 40. 14. Act. 23. 16. or to preserve him that he be not infected with the contagion of his sinne with whom he converseth or finally when himselfe is necessitated to discover anothers faults and crimes lest by silence he become accessary unto them as in case of Felony Murther or Treason Eccles. 19. 8. What are the vices opposite to these vertues To the care of preserving our neighbours name is opposed First carelesnesse as if it did not concerne us which argueth defect of love Secondly a study and desire to detract from his fame and to lessen his credit and estimation which is a fruit of hatred and envie Matth. 21. 15. What are the vices opposite to those vertues which respect the meanes They are referred either to hearing the judgement or report What are those which respect hearing First to have itching eares after such rumors as tend to our Neighbors infamy and disgrace forbidden Exod. 23. 1. Prov. 17. 4. which was Sauls sin 1 Sam. 24. 10. Secondly to have our eares open to heare calumnies and reproaches and shut to our Neighbours praises which is a fruit of envy and self-love What are the vices which respect the judgement They are vices opposite to candid ingenuity as first suspiciousnesse when we suspect evill of our Neighbour without just cause and upon every slight occasion 1 Tim. 6. 4. which is a false testimony of the heart Secondly to beleeve rashly rumors reported from others tending to the disgrace of our Neighbours which have no sure ground which was Putiphars fault Gen. 39. 19. and Davids 2 Sam. 16. 3 4. Thirdly hard and uncharitable censures either in respect of their sayings and doings sinisterly interpreting things well spoken or done or taking things doubtfull in the worst sense or in respect of their persons censuring and condemning them rashly when as we have no just cause 1 Sam. 1. 13. Acts 2. 13. Luke 7. 39. and 13. 1. Acts 28. 4. What vice respecteth report First when as men raise false reports against their Neighbours Secondly when as they discover uncharitably their secret faults especially arising from infirmity and humane frailty Prov. 10. 18. What is opposite to the externall profession of truth concerning our neighbour which ought to be charitable First a malicious testimony though true which ariseth from malice and envy and tendeth to a sinister and evill end 1 Sam. 22. 9. Psal. 52. 3 4. Secondly a false testimony which is either simply false as that 1 King 21. 13. Acts 6. 13. or true in the letter of the words but false in the sense as that against thirst Mat. 26. 60 61. John 2. 19. Into what sorts are testimonies spoken of in this Commandement to be distinguished They are either publick or private and the publick either in the Courts of Iustice or out of them Of which doth this Commandement principally speake Of publick and Legall Testimonies which are to be regarded above others because it is the judgement of God rather then man Deut. 1. 17. 2 Chron. 19. 6. and therefore he that perverteth this judgement maketh God himselfe as much as in him is guilty of his sin of injustice What are the kinds of Legall Testimonies They are either of the Iudge or of the Notary or the parties suing contending and pleading or of the Witnesse What is the Testimony of the Judge It is his sentence which he giveth in the cause tryed before him What is herein required of him First that before he give sentence he throughly examine and finde out the truth and equity of the cause Deut. 13. 14. 17. 4. 19. 18. according to Gods owne example Gen. 3. 9 10. 18. 21. Secondly that in passing sentence he judge according to truth justice and equity for Iudges must be men of truth Exod. 18. 21. Secondly just and righteous Deut. 1. 16. 16. 20. Lev. 19. 15. And thirdly not just in a rigid and extreame way according to the letter of the Law but so as when there is just occasion he must moderate the rigour of the Law with equity which is the true sense and life of the Law But is not the Judge to give sentence according to things legally alleadged and proved Yes ordinarily But if he undoubtedly upon his owne certaine knowledge know that things are otherwise then they seeme to be by Testimonies pleadings and reasons alleadged he must judge according to knowne truth and defend the cause being just which is oppressed by false evidences and reasons or otherwise he shall sin against his owne knowledge and conscience Prov. 31. 8 9. What are the vices opposite hereunto They are two 1. Rash. 2. Perverse judgement What is rash Judgement It is done divers wayes First when as the Iudge pronounceth sentence before the cause be sufficiently examined and knowne Prov. 18. 13. Secondly when as they condemne any man before they have heard his cause Acts 25. 15 16. Thirdly when as they pronounce sentence having heard one part only So David 2 Sam. 16. 4. Let such remember that of Salomon Prov. 18. 17. Fourthly when as they in matters concerning life and death give sentence upon the single testimony of one witnesse Deut. 17. 6. Whas is perverse Iudgement When as truth is oppressed and justice and right is perverted whereby the wicked is acquitted and the
to be honoured 1 Thes. 5. 18. 3. It is a duty of Saints and Angels both here hereafter Luke 2. 13 14. 4. It spreadeth abroad Religion magnifieth and sanctifieth him that is most high and most holy Psalme 145. 1 2 3. Esa. 8. 13. 5. It keeps the heart from swelling and the soule from surfeiting with Gods blessings 6. It fits the heart for further graces and provokes the Lord to fresh mercies What be the speciall signes and markes of one that desires to be thanksfull and unfeignedly to praise God in all things 1. Contentednesse Psalme 4. 11. 2. Cheerfulnes in the use of Gods blessings Deut. 26. 11. Psal. 63. 5. 3. Faithfulnesse in our duties both of our persons and places 4. Readinesse to draw others into the fellowship of Gods praise Psal. 66. 16. 135. 1. 5. Rejoycing in God even in the middest of many crosses Job 1. 6. Fruitfulnesse in good words and works John 15. 8. 7. A conscionable carefulnesse to take all occasions and use all means to seale up our love and set forth Gods glory So much of the principall parts of Invocation Petition and Thanksgiving Are we limited and bound in certaine words how and wherein to pray No verily but we have a prescript rule and perfect patterne of Prayer of all kindes left us in that prayer which our Saviour Christ taught his Disciples and in them all succeeding ages called the Lords Prayer What is the Lords Prayer It is an absolute Prayer in it selfe and a Prayer giving a perfect direction to frame all others prayers by It is thought by some not to be a Prayer but onely a platforme to direct all our Prayers by It is both a prayer which we both may and ought to pray and also a platforme of Prayer whereunto we are to conforme and by which we ought to square all ours and therefore as St. Matthew biddeth us pray after this sort Matth. 6. 9. so St. Luke biddeth us say Our Father c. Luke 11. 2. the one propounding it as the most perfect platforme to be imitated the other as the most excellent forme to be used of all Christians What is the platforme propounded in this Prayer whereunto we ought to looke It teacheth us both the manner how to pray and the matter for which to pray It teacheth us in all our prayers to whom and through whom and for what to pray Also what difference to make of the things we aske and with what affection we are to come unto God in Prayer What are the words of the Lords Prayer They are thus set downe in the 6. of Matth. 9. After this manner therefore pray yee Our Father which art in heaven c. What doe you observe here in generall That Prayer is to be made in a language which we understand for our Saviour Christ taught his Disciples here in a Tongue which they understood and not in an unknowne Tongue which condemneth the practice of the Church of Rome which teach the people to pray in an unknowne Tongue contrary to Christs practice here and the will of God who commandeth us to serve him with all our hearts and therefore with our understanding as well as our affection What are the parts of this prayer They are three 1. A Preface of compellation for entrance into prayer in the first words Our Father which art in heaven c. 2. A body of Petitions containing the matter of Prayer in the words following 3. A conclusion for shutting up for confirmation and close of prayer in the last words For thine is the Kingdome c. What gather you of this that there is a preface That Christian men are not to come malapertly or rashly without preparation Eccles. 5. 1. Psalme 26. 6. Exod. 3. 5. for the Angel of the Lord standeth at the entry to strike with hardnesse and blindnesse c. those that come not with preparation And if we make preparation before we come to an earthly Prince and bethink us of our words and gesture how much more ought we to doe it when we come before the Prince and Lord of heaven and earth How are we to prepare our selves Not onely to put off our evill affections 1 Tim. 2. 8. but even our honest and otherwise in their due time necessary cogitations as the cares and thoughts of our particular vocations as of house family c. What doth the preface put us in mind of 1. Of him to whom we pray 2. Of our owne estate in prayer that we come unto God as to our father with boldnesse and yet with reverence of that Majesty that filleth the heavens What are we taught concerning him to whom we must pray That God and God onely not any Saint or Angel is to be prayed unto Rom. 10. 14. Psal. 73. 25 For although there be other Fathers besides God and others in heaven besides him yet there is none which is our Father in heaven but God alone Besides that this being a perfect platforme a patterne of all prayer it is evident that all prayers as in other things so in this must be framed unto it Why doe you here name the Father Because discerning the Persons we pray to the Father secretly understanding that we doe it in the mediation of the Son by the working of the holy Ghost and so come to the first person in the Trinity by his Son through the holy Ghost which forme is to be kept for the most part although it be also lawfull to pray unto Christ or to his blessed Spirit particularly Acts 7. 59. 2 Cor. 13. 13 14. if so be that in our understanding we doe conjoyn them as those which cannot be separated in any actions either belonging to the life to come or pertaining to this life Why must we pray to the Father in the mediation of Jesus Christ his Sonne Because God being displeased for sin we can have no dealing with him but only by the means of his Son in whom he is well pleased Mat. 3. 17. and in whom alone we have liberty to call him Father Gal. 4. 5. Why is it required that we pray by the working of the Holy Ghost Because the Holy Ghost assureth us that he is our Father And whereas we know not what to pray nor how to pray the Holy Ghost doth teach us both What must we be perswaded of and how must we be affected in Prayer Partly concerning Our selves 1. We must be truly humbled which is wrought in us with a certaine perswasion 1. Of our sinfull misery and unworthinesse to be helped 2. Of the glorious Majesty of God in heaven that must help us 2. We must have a certain confidence we shall be heard and this is wrought in us by faith being perswaded that 1. God loveth us as his owne children in our Lord Iesus Christ. 2. Our Father being God Almighty he is able to doe whatsoever he will in heaven and in Earth Others 1. That all Gods people
forgiven us our sinnes he will be pleased also to mortifie our flesh and quicken our spirit which are the two parts of sanctification and never severed from true justification What learne you of this That we cannot rightly desire God to forgive us our sinnes unlesse we crave also power to abstaine from the like in time to come else our prayers is but babling so that here we would be stirred to pray for strength to avoid those sinnes whereof we craved pardon for before So farre is it that men should thinke that they are justified when they have not so much as a purpose to leave their sinne For who being delivered from a great disease will returne to it again and not rather desire a Diet whereby he may escape it Swine indeed after they are washed and dogs after their vomit returne the one to their mire the other to their vomit Prov. 26. 1â— 2 Pet. 2. 22. As doe also the Papists who after auricular confession being discharged in their opinion will goe to their sins afresh but those that are truly washed by the bloud of Christ will never give themselves over to their sins againe If they cannot returne to their vomit what need have they to pray Yes very great because God hath ordained prayer one meanes of keeping them from revolt and they ought to be so much the more earnest in prayer as they are more subject to be beaten and buffeted with tentations then others Zach. 1. 11. Luke 11. 21. What learne you from hence Much comfort in temptations in that it is a token of Gods favour and of pardon of our sins that we are subject to temptations What other cause is there to pray that we be not lead into temptation For that the condition of them that are called to the hope of life will be worse then the state of those that never tasted of the good word of God if they give themselves to evill As a relapse in diseases is more dangerous then the first sicknesse was John 5. 14. 2 Pet. 2. 22. Mat. 12. 43. May we pray simply and absolutely against all temptations No verily For first the best men that ever were yea the Son of God himselfe were subject to temptations Secondly all temptations are not evill but some are trials of our faith and hope and oftentimes make for our good In which regard they are pronounced blessed that fall into divers temptations and therefore ought we not to pray simply and without exception to be delivered from them James 1. 2. Deuter. 8. 2. 13. 3. but only from the evill of them What then doe we pray for concerning them That if the Lord will be pleased to take tryall of the grace he hath bestowed upon us either by afflictions or by occasion of temptation to sin offered us that we be not given over to them or overcome by them but that we may have a good issue and escape from them 1 Cor. 10. 13. And that if either we must goe under trouble or offend the Lord we may rather chuse affliction then sin John 36. 21. Why are they called Temptations Because by them God trieth our obedience and to notifie our faith and patience both to our selves and others whether we will follow him or not and therefore we may be assured that so often as we beat backe or overcome the temptations we have as many undoubted testimonies of his love What is here meant then by the word Temptation Sin and whatsoever things by the corruption of our nature are occasions to leade us into sin as prosperity adversity c. Prov. 30. 9. which otherwise simply are not to be numbred among these temptations we desire here to be delivered from How many wayes may a man be tempted Three 1. By God 2. By Satan and his wicked instruments 3. By a mans owne corruption How may God be said to tempt Though God tempteth no man unto evill as he is tempted of none James 1. 13. yet sometimes he leadeth men into temptations of probation Mat. 4. 1. 6. 13. and that first by unusuall probatory precepts as when he commanded Abraham to kill his sonne Gen. 22. 1 c. Secondly by sending an extraordinary measure of prosperity or adversity Deut. 8. 16. Thirdly by letting loose Satan his band dog to buffet and molest the godly as Saint Paul 2 Cor. 12. 7. or to seduce the wicked as Ahabs Prophets 1 Kings 22. 22. Fourthly by desertion leaving men to themselves whether for a time Hos. 5. 15. as Ezechias in the businesse of the King of Babels Embassage 2 Chron. 32. 31. or utterly as those whom he justly giveth up to their owne lusts Rom. 1. 26 28. and the power of Satan Acts 5. 3. How agreeth it with the goodnesse of the Lord to leade thus into temptation When all things are of him and by him it must needs follow that the things that are done are provided and governed of him yet in such sort as none of the evill which is in the transgressor cleaveth unto him But how can that be without staine of his righteousnesse It is a righteous thing with God to punish sin with sin and to cast a sinner into further sins by way of just punishment Therefore we desire God not to give us over to our selves by withdrawing his Spirit from us as when men doe delight in lies he giveth them over to beleeve lies 2 Thes. 2. 11. and for Idolatry he justly punisheth them with corporall filthinesse in the same degree Hos. 4. 14. Rom. 1. 24. Now being naturally prone to sin when by the just judgement of God we are left to our selves we rush into all evill even as a horse into the battell to whom we put the spurres or as an Eagle flyeth to her prey May not earthly Magistrates thus punish sin No verily it were a cursed thing in Magistrates so to doe But God is above all Magistrates who even for our naturall corruption may justly give us over to all naughty affections Why doe the Papists say and suffer us not to be led into temptation In a vaine and foolish feare of making God to be guilty of sin if he should be said to leade us into temptation and therefore they lay the Lords words as it were in water and change his tongue and set him to the Grammar Schoole to teach him to speake which teacheth all men to speake whose folly is so much the greater as it is the usuall phrase of Scripture Exod. 4. 21. 9. 16. 1 Kings 22. 20 21 22. Rom. 1. 24. 2 Thes. 2. 11. What inconvenience followeth upon this addition Very great For by this bare permission of evill they rob God of his glory working in the most things that are done of men yea even of the best things the doing whereof is attributed to his permission Heb. 6. 3. May we not offer our selves unto temptation as Christ did In no wise for he was carried extraordinarily by the power
therein of the things common to the godly with the wicked What are the things proper to the godly signified by the good and fruitfull ground 1. The receiving of the seed in a good heart 2. The bringing forth of fruit with patience Luke 8. 15. What is there meant by receiving the seed into a good heart By the seed is meant the word of promise whereby God hath said he will be mercifull to us in Christ By the receiving it into a good heart is meant the receiving it by faith in Christ. Where it is said that the Word must be received into a good heart it may seeme that a man hath a good heart before he receiveth that seed Doubtlesse naturally they are all alike and there is never a barrell better herring as they say but as the face answereth the face in the glasse so one of the sons of Adam is like another in their nativity they have by their parents till they be regenerated And therefore it is called a good heart in respect of Gods changing of it by the ingraffed word James 1. 21. and by these words he putteth difference between the fruits of the three former and the fruits of this last For that there is no difference in the outward shew of fruits but only in regard that those fruits proceed from an uncleane heart and these from a heart that is cleansed How may we know that we have true faith and so approve our selves that we are good ground By good fruits which are the effects of faith What are the effects of faith Reconciliation and sanctification Rom. 8. 1 2 3. Eph. 2. 6. Col. 2. 1 2 3. the fruits of the former are set downe Rom. 4. 1 2 3 4. The fruits of the latter are repentance and new obedience which have been already declared What speciall tokens observe you out of the former whereby we may discerne a justifying faith from the faith of the worldlings The end of our faith being the salvation of our soules which shall be at the day of judgement if we can willingly forsake father and mother sister and brother wife and children and abandon the world and say Come Lord Jesus come quickly we may assure our selves we are in a happy case What speciall marks of justifying faith observe you out of the latter 1. To be zealous of Gods glory 2. To love Gods children for these be the speciall effects of our holy faith What is the Word further compared with and likened unto The Apostle Peter 1 cap. 2. ver 1 2. compares it unto milke As new borne babes desire the sincere milke of the Word that ye may grow thereby teaching us that the VVord is not only of use for our begetting unto God but for our daily nourishment that we may grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord Iesus Christ 2 Peter 3. 18. so it is called a light a lanthorne and is appointed to be our guide our Counsellor our Comforter c. Is this meant only of the Word preached Doubtlesse the blessing of God both in an especiall manner wait upon that ordinance when it is said That when Christ ascended up on high he gave gifts to men some Apostles Ephes. 4. 12. and some Pastors and teachers for the gathering of the Saints for the edifying of the body of Christ yet withall the reading of the Word with Prayer and diligence is of singular use and benefit and commended unto us by our Saviour Search the Scriptures Iohn 5. 39. and how readest thou Luke 10. 26. and by the example of the Bereans who searched the Scriptures daily and examined the things they heard in the publick ministery of them Acts 16. 11. So much of the Word What are the dependances annexed to it Sacraments 1 Cor. 10. 3 4. and Censures Matth. 18. 15. 1 Cor. 5. the one sealing the Promises the other the threatnings of the Gospell What are Sacraments The seales of the Promises of God in Christ wherein by certaine outward signes and sacramentall actions confirming the same commanded by God and delivered by his Ministers Christ Iesus with all his saving graces is signified conveyed and sealed unto the heart of a Christian. For Sacraments are seales annexed by God to the word of the Covenant of grace Rom. 4. 11 1 Cor. 11. 23. to instruct assure and possesse us of our part in Christ and his benefits Gal 3. 27. and to bind us to all thankfull obedience unto God in him Rom. 6 4. Was not Gods Word sufficient What need have we of Sacraments This argues our infirmity and manifesteth Gods great love and mercy who for the furthering of our understanding hath added visible signes to his word that our eares might not onely bee informed of the truth but our eyes also might more plainly see it and for the greater strengthning of our faith vouchsafeth to confirme the covenant of grace unto us not onely by promise but also by outward seales annexed thereunto The like meanes had Adam himselfe in Paradise to put him in remembraece of Gods will And if he in his perfection needed a token of Gods favour which was the tree of life how much more wee that are corrupt and sinfull if we were Spirits or Angels wee should not need these helpes but sith God knowing our frailties and what is best for us hath given us these seales to our further comfort let us use the receipt of so skilfull a Physitian unlesse wee will hasten our owne deaths How doth God by the Sacraments assure us of his mercies in Christ By the exhibiting to the worthy receiver by such outward signes whether Elements or Actions as himselfe for the reliefe of our weaknesse hath prescribed whole Christ God and men with all his benefits 1 Cor. 10. 4. in whom all the promises of God are yea and Amen 2 Cor. 1. 20. Doe they seale nothing else but the promise of God unto us Yes they seale our promise unto God that we take him onely for our God and Redeemer whom alone by faith wee rest on and whom we will obey How doe they binde us unto God Wee receiving them as pledges of his infinite love in Christ doe thereby professe our selves bound to expresse our thankfulnesse by all duties to his Majesty Col. 2. 6 7. and for his sake one to another Eph. 4. 3 4 5. Describe yet more largely what a Sacrament is A Sacrament is an Ordinance of God wherein by giving and receiving of outward Elements according to his will the promises of the Covenant of grace made in the bloud of Christ being represented exhibited and applyed unto us are further signed and sealed betwixt God and man Or it is an action of the whole Church wherein by certaine visible signes and outward things done according to Gods institution inward things being betokened Christ with all his benefits is both offered unto us and received by us offered I say to all in the Church but exhibited
hath both made and sanctified were not as fit as the skin of a Beast which the Artificer hath tanned and sewed 3. They must moreover according to the Commandement of Christ eat and drink the Bread and Wine not laying or hanging it up or worshipping it as the papists doe 4. Lastly they must use thanksgiving offering up themselves both souls and bodies as a sacrifice of thanks Rom. 12. 1. in which regard this Sacrament is called the Eucharist What is to be done after the action 1. We must by and by use joyfull thanksgiving with prayer and meditation being so comforted in heart in the favour of God towards us that we be ready with a feeling joy to sing a Psalme unto the Lord Matth. 26. 30. 2. We must continually endeavour to finde an increase of our faith in Christ love to God and all his Saints power to subdue sin and practice obedience with all other sanctifying and saving graces 1 Cor. 10. 16 17. 11 21. Col. 2 6 7. 2 Pet. 3. 18. For a true believer shall feele in himself after the receiving of the Sacrament an encrease of faith and sanctification a further deading of the old man and so a greater measure of dying unto sin a further strength of the new man and so a greater care to live in newnesse of life and to walk the more strongly and steadily in the wayes of God all the dayes of his life this being a Sacrament not of our incorporation as Baptisme but of our growth which albeit one cannot alwayes discerne immediately after the action yet between that and the next Communion it may be easily espied in our service towards God and men What if a man after the receiving of the Sacrament never find any such thing in himself He may well suspect himself whether he did ever repent or not and therefore is to use means to come to sound faith repentance For the Lord is not usually wanting to his ordinances if men prepare their hearts to meet him in them If we receive no good no refreshment at this spirituall feast if God send us away empty either it is because we have no right unto his mercies being not in Christ and so not accepted or because some secret unmortified lust remaineth in us like Achans wedge of gold so some beloved sin either not seen or not sufficiently sorrowed for and resolved against lyeth glowing in the heart which causeth God to frown upon our services like a dead flye causeth the ointment to stink therfore in this case a man should descend into himself make a more strict search into his conscience that he may againe come before the Lord with more humilty and better preparednesse and God will reveale himself in due time to every one who unfainedly seeketh after him in his ordinances So much of the Sacraments What are the Censures They are the judgements of the Church for ratification of the threates of the Gospell against the abusers of the Word and Sacraments What doe these Censures profit the Church of God Very much for by them the godly having strayed from the course of sincerity are through obedience brought home againe But the wicked are hardened by them through disobedience whereof it is that the wicked are properly said to be punished the godly only chastened and corrected But it seemeth that corrections rather belong to Magistrates then to Ministers The Magistrates by the Lawes of the Common-wealth punish some by death others by other torments and some by purse which belongeth not to the Minister who hath to doe only with the soule And these spiritual censures are of as necessary use in the Church both to help the godly and to restrain and root out the wicked out of the Church as those penall Lawes of the Magistrate in the Common-wealth They therefore who upon this pretence that God forceth no man to come unto him suppose the censures to be unprofitable are like unto children that will have no rod in the house Whereby doth the necessity of Censures appeare Easily for sith in the Church of God there be of all sorts as in a net cast into the sea which catcheth good and bad It is impossible without correction to keep good order in the Church especially to restraine the wicked hypocrites from offending and thereby slandering their profession If then there were no hypocrites there were no use of Censures Not so but the serve most of all for them that make no conscience of their calling For the best man that is having some sparkes of his naturall corruption remaining unregenerate may fall and offend and therefore must be chastened by the Church But this is the difference the godly falling by infirmity by correction doe amend but the wicked offending purposely by punishment are hardened What is to be gathered of this That sith censures are as needfull in the Church as the rod in the house or the Magistrates sword in the Common-wealth for offendors yea and of so much more use as these are for the body and this life and the other for the soule and life to come they that set themselves against them care not what disorder there be in the Church but seek to exempt themselves from punishment that they might doe what they list and make the Gospel a covert for all their wickednesse who are like to them in the second Psalme that would not beare the yoake of Government So much for the use and necessity of Censures What is the doctrine of them especially delivered In the 18 chapter of Saint Matthew from the 15 verse to the 20. where both their institution and ratification is laid downe For first our Saviour declareth the degrees of the censures ordained for such as are called brethren which are generally corrections according to the greatnesse of the offences and then treateth of their power and authority What is to be observed in the degrees of the censures That the censures be according to the offences as if the offence be private the censure thereof must be private wherein the censurer is to deale circumspectly 1. That he know the offence 2. That he admonish the offender secretly 3. That he do it in love convincing his offence so to be by the Word of God What further duty is required of us in this case 1. That we runne not to others to slander the offenders which Moses forbiddeth Levit. 19. 16. 2. Not to keep the injury in minde of purpose afterwards to revenge it 3. Not to deale roughly with one under pretence of seeking the glory of God 4. Not to despise the offender but by all means to seek his amendment Who are to be admonished openly in the Church Those that sin openly What if they will not amend by admonitionâ— Then they are by suspension to be barred for a time from some exercises of Religion and if by that they will not amend then they are by excommunication to be cut
off from the Church and delivered unto Satan as shall be declared How are the Censures ratified and the authority of the Church confirmed by our Saviour Christ That appeareth by his words unto his Disciples Matth. 18. 18. Whatsoever you bind on earth meaning according to the rule shall be bound in heaven and whatsoever you loose in earth shall be loosed in heaven which is as much as if a Prince giving authority to one of small reputation should bid him execute justice he would beare him out How is this further proved It is further confirmed in the verse following by a reason of comparison If two or three shall agree upon any thing and shall aske it in my name it shall be granted If Christ will ratifie the deed of two or three done in his name how much more then that which the whole Church shall doe accordingly Why is it said And shall aske it in my name To declare that by prayer unto God in the name of our Saviour Christ all the Censures of the Church but especially Excommunication should be undertaken as the Apostle saith 1 Cor. 5. 4. When you are gathered together in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ that is calling upon his name deliver such an one unto Satan What need is there of this ratifying of the Churches authority in exercising the Censures Because some doe contemne the Censures of the Church as proceeding from men onely as if thereby they were no whit debarred from the favour of God whereas neverthelesse whom the Church separateth from the outward seales them also Christ depriveth of the inward graces banishing them from his kingdome whom the Church hath given over to Satan What gather you of this That men should not slightly shake off but with reverence esteeme the censures of the Church as the voice of God himselfe and although they be never so high and stout yet are they to subject themselves to the judgement of God in the Church unlesse they will set themselves against the Lord himself We have heard of the generall doctrine of censures What are the kinds of them They are either of soveraigne medicine Matth. 18. 15 16. 1 Cor. 4. 5. or of fearfull revenge 1 Cor. 16. 22. Iam. 1. 14. 2 Tim. 4. 14. the former properly are corrections the latter punishments What are the medicinall censures They are such as serve to bring men to repentance the principall end of the next the glory of God being the salvation of his soul that is censured What things are required of them that doe execute these censures against any man Six 1. Wisdome 2. Freedome from the sin reproved 3. Love 4. Sorrow 5. Patience and 6. prayer for the party Of what sorts are the medicinall Censures They are either in word or in deed What are they in word The chidings rebukes of the Church for sin which we call Admonitions How many sorts of admonitions are there Two the first is private betwixt Brother and Brother Levit. 19. 17. Mat. 18. 15 16. the other publick by the Minister assisted by the congregation when the private will not prevaile Mat. 18. 17. 1 Tim. 5. 20. What are we to observe in the private admonitions That we should watch one another diligently witnessing thereby our mutuall love which God requires of us as if any man seeing another whose journey he knoweth wander out of the way if he should not admonish him he might justly be accounted unnaturall much more we knowing all men think to journey towards heaven if we see any go the wrong waies as by Robberies Adulteries Vsury Swearing or Drunkennesse and do not admonish them are even guilty of their wandring especially sith the other belongeth to the body but this both to body soul. But is it not sufficient for men to watch themselves seeing every man standeth or falleth to God Such was the wicked answer of Cain and they that use it are like unto him but if God commanded in the law to help our enemies Oxe or Asse having need of help we are more bound by the law of charity to helpe himself and unlesse we reprove him we are partakers of his sin as hath bin said which we ought not to be because we have enough of our own What are the degrees of private admonitions They be two the former is most private done by one the other is private also but more publick then the first and it is done by two or three at the most whereof he that first admonisheth must be one Mat. 18. 15 16. Why hath our Saviour Christ limited us with these degrees By all means to win the offender if it be possible if not that his condemnation may appeare to be most just after so many warnings How is the first degree of private admonition expressed If thy brother offend against thee or in thy knowledge onely tell him between thee and him Matth. 18. 15. Are we bound to reprove all men of what profession soever No but him that is of the same profession of Christianity that we be of whom the Scripture termeth a brother thereby shutting forth Iewes Turks Hereticks and Atheists except we have some particular bond as of a master to his servant or father to his child or magistrate to his subject What learn you thereby 1. That we observe this in our admonitions that he be a brother whom we admonish and not such a one as is a scorner 2. That we are not to make light of or contemn the admonitions of others but to accept of them and account of them as a pretious balme How must we reprove our brothers fault First we must be sure that it is a fault we reprove him for and then we must be able to convince him thereof out of the Word of God so that he shall not be able to gainsay us unlesse he doe it contemptuously it being better for us not to reprove him then not to be able to convince him by the Word of that we have reproved him in Lastly we ought to doe it with all love and mildnesse regarding the circumstances of persons time and place not inconsiderately nor of hatred or to reproach him or as one that is glad of somewhat to hurt his good name What is meant by Tell him between thee and him Matth. 18. 15. That the good name and report of another man should be so regarded by us that if his fault be private we are not to spread it abroad as some that think they be burthened unlesse they tell it to others which is not the rule of Charity Why is this added If he heare thee thou hast gained thy brother As a notable meanes to encourage us in this duty For if the bestowing of a Cup of cold water shall not be unrewarded how much more the gaining of a soule from Satan What if our brother heare us not and so we doe not gain him Notwithstanding we lose not our labour but our reward