at first nor the seed straight waies groweth and yeeldeth increase So the Sacrament though in faith and reuerence receiued doth not alwaies presently yeeld sensible comfort to the receiuer Lastly they must call vpon God to bestow further grace vpon them and then they must waite his leasure vntill he speede their desire Q. How are we to prepare our selues before wee come to bee partakers of the publicke Ministerie of the Word and Sacraments A. First we must consider the super-excellent maiestie of him before whom we appeare and the most excellent nature vse profite and comfort of the Word and Sacraments in faith and reuerence heard and receiued Secondly wee must loue the habitation of Gods house and the place where his honour dwelleth and therfore before wee come thither wee must wash our hands in innocency wee must lay apart all filthines and superfluity of maliâ—iousnes and receiue the word of God with meekenesse and with all readinesse Act. 17.11 Thirdly we must come with a mind to learne and profite wee must heare what the Lord our God saith vnto vs and by the hand of faith receiue whatsoeuer he offereth vs. Fourthly we must come to the holy assemblies in the loue of God and our neighbour and féeding at Gods Table both in the preaching of the word and in the administration of the Supper of our Lord wee must bring with vs the wedding garment of faith and true holinesse otherwise neither the word nor the Sacrament will profite vs but rather make vs worse and poison vs. Lastly we must entreat the Lord by priuate praier to teach vs inwardly by his Spirite and to frame our hearts to the obedience of his will Q. How are they to be censured and iudged and what course must they take for their redresse and comfort that indeed find in themselues a great desire zeale to obey but yet faile often in the Act of obedience A. First a godly man is perfect by imputation by Christs righteousnesse â— not by inherent and begun holinesse and he is perfite rather in purpose then in his practise and rather in his desire then in his déede Secondly God in his children specially looketh vnto the heart and affection and not to outward things Thirdly it is a signe of a perfect man to find his imperfection for this procéedeth not from nature that is altogether blind in matters of regeneration but from the spirit and grace of God wherby hee reuealeth to his their estate Fourthly the more that he faileth in obedience the more humble must hée be and desire further grace strength from God Fifthly hee must remember that yet the Iebusite and Cananite 1. sinnes and imperfections are in his borders and therefore he must put on and exercise the spirituall armour vntill hee hath foyled and subdued them of blasphemous thoughts Q. Can they possibly haue any true sanctification that are often assaulted encountred with many vile horrible abhominable thoughts A. Yea vndoubtedly for Satan that séeketh to sift al holines out of them will violently suggest and foist such thoughts sometimes into their minds Q. How are these thoughts to bee sorted and distinguished A. They either arise from within theÌ„ by reason of the corruptioÌ„ of their harts or else they are outwardly obiected and iniected by Sathan Q. What if they arise from within vs what must we doe for the remouing and reformation of them A. First we must not onely not consent vnto allow and cherish them but repent of them pray against them stedfastly resist them and bee carefull by the rule of Gods word to order and compose them and then God will in his mercy passe by and pardon them all but if we neglect and omit these duties then we shall lie open to all the assaults of the diuell Secondly we must be frequent in the reading and meditation of the holy scriptures and entreat the Lord to open our eyes to vnderstand them and frame our hearts to obey them and then these wicked thoughts shall either not come into our minds or else they shall be soone driuen out of possession Lastly we must bee aduised to make more conscience of holy duties and especially of preaching prayer and of receiuing the Lords Supper then formerly wee haue done lest for the omission hereof we be iustly giuen ouer to ill thoughts Q. But what if they bee onely from without by Satan obiected vnto vs and thrust vpon vs wee giuing no assent vnto them how shal we comfort our selues A. Wee must comfort our selues in this that our blessed Sauiour was thus tempted by Sathan who suggested and iniected due thoughts into his mind but Christ neuer assented to him but ouercame him and hath for vs broken his head and dissolued all his works so that hee cannot preuaile against our faith or preiudice our saluation Q. What course must wee take for our helpe and redresse herein A. First we must not striue against them seeking violently to driue them away for then wee shall be the more entangled with them and like so many Bees buzzing about vs they will sting vs but we must let them goe Lastly if they continue molesting vs then we must turne to Christ and desire his helpe who hath so conquered them for vs that they shal neuer get full victorie ouer vs. CHAP. VI. Of those temptations scandals and offences that are by tyrants wicked men Heretickes Apostates Schismatickes prophane Protestants false Brethren and by the manifest abuse of the law and Ecclesiasticall discipline accidentally occasioned or obiected outwardly vnto vs. Question WHat signifieth this word scandall or offence A. It is a borrowed speech properly signifieth a blocke or stone laid in a mans way at which he stumbleth Q. What is it A. It is any cause or occasion of grief or offence whether in word or deed example or counsell whereby a man is hurt or hindered in the course of godlines or whereby he is hardned and confirmed in euill Q. Why doth God permit it A. First to trie and proue his people whether they will by any occasionall matter obiected in their way be reuoked from his loue and obedience Secondly to manifest lewd minded men and reprobates who are ready to take any occasion of stumbling sinning and erring Q. What are the kinds of it A. Two Active or that which is giuen Passiue or that which is taken Q. What is a scandall giuen A. Any euill doctrine word or work that is contrary to the loue of God and our neighbour whereby the godly are grieued the weake drawne to sinne errour and prophane men confirmed hardened in their licentious courses Q. Of how many kinds and sorts is it A. Of fower kinds First when weake consciences are by false doctrine and the falling away of men from the truth withdrawne from the simplicity sincerity of the Gospell of Iesus Christ. Secondly when holy and innocent men are
defaced Thirdly when men are offended by ill examples especially of the professors of orthodoxe religion Lastly when by the abuse or the vntimely or vnseasonable vse of their liberty men driue the weake from christianity Q. What vse are we to make of scandals giuen A. First in this generall corruption and wickednes of men we are to looke for nothing else but we must arme our selues against it Secondly let vs beware that neither through pride vnseasonablenes or any preposterous word or déede wee bee an offence to others lest wee bring a woe vpon our owne selues Lastly let vs by our words works and behauiour endeauour to draw others to follow vs in vertue and holines Phil. 2.14 15. Q. How shall good Christians arme themselues against and preserue themselues from the gangrene poison and pestilence of false and damnable Doctrine A. First by remembring that false teachers must of necessity arise and false doctrine be broached that they that are approued may be known but woe be to the authors of it Luk. 17.1.2 Secondly by considering that this smoake of the bottomlesse pit doth onely blind their eyes who despise prophecying and will not walke and delight themselues in the cleare light of the sacred Scriptures Thirdly they must note that the true sheepe will not follow a stranger i. one that bringeth strange and false doctrine but they will â—â—ee from him for they know not the voice of strangers neither will they bid God spéed to such but they heare the voice of Christ follow him for he hath the words of eternall life and to whome should they goe besides Ioh. 6.68 Lastly that it being none of Gods plant shall at length be rooted out and the clouds of it shall bee wholy dispersed when the Sunne-shine of the Gospell breaketh out Q. What duties are wee to practise herein A. First seeing that false doctrine is most dangerous and damnable putting out the sight of our spirituall eyes and infecting the affections of our harts we must so much the more beware of it and for our direction herein heare Christ watch dayly at his gates and giue attendance at the post of his dores that we may know Gods wil grow increase in the knowledge and obedience of it Secondly it standeth vs much vpon to shunne the company of false teachers and seducers lest by their doctrine disswasion and ill example wee be tainted and corrupted for why should sheepe conuerse with Foxes and Lambs with Wolues Lastly we must hold fast that which wee haue learned and confirme it by daily hearing and reading of the holy scriptures but as for those that are false teachers which cause diuision and offence contrary to the truth and by faire words deceiue the hearts of the simple let vs marke them diligently and auoide them Q. How shall weake Christians arme and resolue themselues against a generall declination and apostasie from the Gospel of Christ A. First the wicked and prophane are the greatest in number they know not the law of God and are accursed and therefore we may not in matter of Religion make their example a rule warrant of our faith and practise Secondly they that reuolt from the professed truth and from the communion of Gods saints are those that are none of the Catholicke Church for then they would haue continued in it and they are such whose names were neuer written in the booke of life They are chaffe by the fanne of affliction â—euered from the good Corne they are like the prodigal Child that would néeds depart from his Fathers house where he liued blessedly but yet they with him neuer reuert nor repent and they are spunges that being pressed with tribulation soone lose and let goe all the water of Gods grace which they in some sort had or at least seemed to haue Thirdly these that thus fall away from the soundnesse and sincerity of truth are such that either did neuer content themselues wiâ—h the simplicity of Gods word but did and doe mingle it with the poison of humane Traditions or else did neuer receiue the loue of the truth Fourthly most of them were peraduenture neuer rightly informed in the knowledge of the truth much lesse conuinced of the soundnesse of it in their consciences no maruell then that they fall from that they neuer knew and had no other ground for it but the command of Princes and the example of others Lastly this Apostasie from faith and sound doctrine both in the raigne of Antichrist and that which shall be towards the end of the world was long sithence foretold by Christ and his Apostles and therefore we are the lesse to be offended at it Q. What duties must wee in such an Apostasie performe for our preseruation and the cure of others A. First we must attend diligently to the blessed ministry of Gods word for it is a lanterne to our feet and a light to our pathes without which wee shall stumble in the darke and shall not know whither to goe and we must liue loue and obey it They that heare Gods word and doe it are the wise men who build vpon the rocke Secondly we must if we can separate our selues from the common infection or at least mourning for our hard hap get vs the preseruatiue of faith and a good conscience Thirdly Christian magistrates must maintaine the truth and banish error and false Teachers if they can And all faithfull Ministers must by the word of truth refute all infectious doctrine and exhort them earnestly to be constant in the profession and loue of sound and sincere instruction and they must more labour by the preseruatiue of wholsome doctrine to preserue the sound from the pestilence of error then to cure the infected which are commonly and for the most part vncurable Lastly we must beware of the beginnings of Apostasie for nemo repente fit turpissimus Q. What comforts and preseruatiues are there against the scandall of false and vniust excommunication A. First it is oftentimes incident to Gods children thus to be dealt withall Iohn 9.35 and 16.2 Secondly if the Pope and his adherents excommunicate vs we must note that they are hereticks idolaters and no true members of a true visible Church and therefore their excommunication iâ— but like a Fencers flourishing or rather like a leaden dagger and cannot hurt vs. For the keyes of discipline and doctrine and the eccleâ—iastical censures are proper to the true Church of Christ whereof they are no parts nor members Lastly if any Gouernor officer or Elders of the true visible Church vniustly excommunicate any of Gods children they are so farre from excommunicaâ—ing them from the fauour of God from the kingdome of heauen or from being true members of the Church that they as an antient Father writeth excommunicate themselues wherefore let vs endeuour to be holy innocent and inoffensiue and then we haue no néed
greater crosses and corrections for euery sinne séeing it is committed against an infinite Maiestie doth in it owne nature deserue death and therefore wee must the more patiently endure smaller crosses Fifthly we by impatiency highly offend our God and cause him to handle vs more roughly then he would otherwise doe Lastly if wee constantly waite Gods leasure and entreate his helpe hee will either encrease our strength or decrease our crosse he wil either amend vs by it or else end it Q. What heauenly nepenthes or doctrine haue you against the Crosse A. First it procéedeth from the speciall prouidence and heauenly disposition of God for he createth euill namely of punishment who is he then that saith and it commeth not to passe and the Lord commandeth it not Secondly the crosse is the ensigne and ornament of Gods children their cup their part and portion and the rode way to heauen Thirdly the crosse doth dead and destroy sinne in vs and mortifieth euill affections It is like lightning and thunder to purge the corrupted aire of our hearts and minds It is a file to scoure away rust from our soules a purgation to expell ill humors and like the gold smiths fire to consume the drosse of vanity in vs. Fourthly it doth exercise and cause to grow and encrease the fruits of the spirit and the precious graces of faith hope loue repentance patience for as snow and frost by containing the inward heat in the earth and increasing it causeth the séede cast into it to spring more prosperously so the gifts and graces of Gods children the more that by the crosse they séeme to be smothered and suppressed the more they breake foorth and are encreased Fifthly God will heereby trie the faith of his children towards his maiesty their loue towards their afflicted brethren and their patience towards themselues Sixthly God is with his in trouble in fire and water hee comforteth and strengthneth them he perfecteth his power in their infirmities and at length turneth their sighes into singing their mourning into mirth and their trouble into triumph Lastly the afflictions of this present life are not worthy of the glory that is to be reuealed Q. What duties are we to performe vnder the Crosse A. They either respect God or our afflicted brethren Q. What duties must wee performe towards God A. First we must submit our selues patiently vnto his discipline and correction otherwise if we striue and struggle against God we offend him and so encrease our paine and trouble no otherwise then he that strugleth with a burden on his shoulders doth the more afflict and disease himselfe Secondly we must repose our whole confidence in him and waite his leasure vntill he haue mercy on vs. Lastly when God hath deliuered vs we must returne vnto him all the glory and praise of it for this is the tribute that we owe vnto him and the impoâ—â— that he requireth at our hands Q. What duties must we performe to our afflicted brethren A. First we must neither iudge wiâ—ked and vngodly men to be blessed and happy because they liue for the present in pompe pleasure and prosperity nor falsely and foolishly censure condemne the nation and generation of Gods children that sincerely serue him and are deare vnto him by reason of their preseÌ„t aduersities maladies and miseries for ordinarily the wicked in whoÌ„ God hath no portion receiue all their pleasure and comfort in this life the godly here feele all their paine and suffer all their miseries that the wicked in the world to come may inherit vengeance and the godly eternall ioy and happinesse Secondly farre be it from vs to disdaine despight or despise Gods children in tribulation much lesse let vs aggrauaâ— their afflictions but let it be our practise to coÌ„dole with them to pity pray for and refresh reléeue them Heb. 13.3 Am. 6.6 CHAP. IIII. Of common crosses and particularly of warre forraine and domesticall Question HOw are crosses to be diuided and distinguished A. They are either such publicke and priuate euils which are common to Gods children with the wicked or such temptations crosses and troubles that are proper and peculiar to Gods seruants Q. Which are those publicke euils to which good men and euill are indifferently subiect A. Warre plague famine oppression losses pouerty cosenage or deceit it Q. With what comfortable perswasions shall wee solace and support our selues in time of warre A. Albeit hostility and warre is a sore iudgement and the sword be more grieuous theÌ„ either famine or pestilence yet Gods children want not their consolations For first the sword of the enemy commeth not by chance but by Gods direction and appointment and that not onely for the triall and exercise of Gods children but for the punishment and destruction of his enemies Secondly the enemies rage and fury is not of a boundlesse extent but limited restrained ordered by the diuine prouidence for our good Thirdly though our enraged enemies doe or may sometimes yet not without Gods permission kill our bodies yet they cannot kill our soules nor depriue them of Gods fauour and his kingdome Fourthly neither sword war nor persecution can part the godly from their indissoluble vnion with Christ nor take them out of Gods handes and protection Fiftly if our cause bée good if the defence of our selues be vndertaken by aduise and counsell and withal we call vpon God for valour wisedome and victorie the successe cannot be but good neither néed wee feare the great multitude against vs for the battell is not ours but the Lords Sixtly though God sometimes to shew his iustice that he doth not winke at sinne but punish it vseth the enemies malice in the temporall ouerthrow of his children yet he doth withall shew his mercy in rescuing and sauing many and in turning the punishment of sinne in his children into a medicine and soueraigne salue Lastly God by the euils of warre wil cause vs more to desire peace and quietnesse and when wee haue obtained it the more to estéeme it and to bée thankefull to God for it For as the nights darkenes maketh the light of the Sunne more desirable as vallies set out the mountaines the champion country commendeth the woodland so doth warre declare and make knowne the excellency of peace Q. But what if in a lawfull war and in a good quarrell we now and then bee foiled and ouerthrowne how shall wee comfort our selues and what course shall we take A. First wee must know that by reason of Achans sinne that had stollen a Babylonish garment two hundred shekels of siluer and a wedge of gold the Israelites were put to flight by thâ— men of Ai and the Beniamites twice ouercame the Israelites that had a good cause because they fought not in faith nor repented them of their sins as they did afterwards wherefore wée must
righteousnesse and the soule in the meane time is most holy perfect beautifull Fourthly at the general resurrection this vile body of ours shall be made conformable to Christs glorious body it shall be no more mortall but immortall no more vise but honourable no more weake but alwaies strong no more heauie but light and nimble no more sinfull but holy and in a word no more earthly and néeding these outward meanes and helps of meat drinke apparell rest sléepe physicke recreation marriage c. but they shall be alwaies spirituall i. immediately supported by Gods omnipotent power and absolutely subiect and obedient to the spirit Fifthly God doth not hate the deformity of the body but of the soule by reason of sinne contracted and committed by it and in it Lastly we must remember that our bodies are earthly and mortall and not heauenly and eternall and therefore we must not be discontent if rottennes enter into them onely let vs prouide that as the outward man dieth so the inward man may be renewed daily Q. What comforts against lamenesse A. First lamenesse is naturall and is caused by sicknes old age or otherwise and therefore it is to be endured with the greater patience Secondly the children of God as Mephibosheth Aza the créeple whereof we reade in the fifth of S. Iohns Gospell and a daughter of Abraham haue béen are and shall be subiect hereunto as much as the prophane and irreligious Thirdly though the bodies of Gods Saints for their correction trial and exercise be subiect hereunto yet are their soules holy sound and nothing impeached by the lame body Psal. 92. Fourthly death and the last iudgement which is the time of the restitution of all things will put an end to it and the body shall rise againe in farre greater integritie then euer it appeared in when it was in the best plight Fifthly physicke or surgery may possibly in time recouer the body and therefore the meanes are not to be neglected Lastly let our faith hope be in God and our soules purified in obeying the truth through the spirit and lamenesse shall not hurt vs. Q. Wherein shall a blind man comfort and solace himselfe A. In many things First that blindnes is a great part of innocency for the eies since Adams fall are the windowes of concupiscence and the porters to let in all vices from which enticements vnto euill and blind are fréed Secondly the blind sée nothing to distaste their stomackes to offend their eies or to grieue their minds whereas iust Lot endued with the sense of seeing vexed his righteous soule from day to day in séeing the vnlawfull deeds of the Sodomites c. And so it fareth with Gods children that are blind who sée not the euill obiects nor wickednes of the world Thirdly blindnes is naturall and contracted by old age sicknes and the like infirmities and therefore Isaac Bartimaeus and the blind man in the ninth of Iohns Gospell and diuers Saints of God in all generations haue borne their parts herein therefore this correction is so much the more patiently to be borne Fourthly though the godly haue no bodily eies to behold the heauens the earth and the creatures which eies the beasts birds and creeping creatures haue common with them yet they haue spirituall and Angelical eies whereby they behold God their Creator and looke vpon Christ sitting on the right hand of God his Father in heauen Fifthly the eies are not simply necessary for godlinesse for God requireth the heart and vnderstanding and yet notwithstanding they shall be restored yea and glorified at the generall resurrection Wherefore let vs cléere the eies of our vnderstanding and cast out of them all beames of selfe conceit and all dust of error And because our memories are then most sharpe and retentiue hauing no outward obiect to blunt their edge let vs apply them to the learning of the best things and with patience wait the time of the restitution of all things Q Propound some comfortable meditations for a deafe man A. First the deafe person cannot be infected with lies and errors he cannot be deceiued and gulled by flatterers nor bee possessed with the ingredients of griefe he cannot be prouoked to wrath he séeth nothing to disturbe and disquiet him and that which most contenteth him he cannot heare Gods blessed name blasphemed Secondly by reading the scriptures sermons treatises catechismes he heareth God speake vnto him for God hath no néed of eares but only requireth a deuout mind Thirdly that which he formerly learned the holy Ghost bringeth to his remembrance Lastly his perfect hearing shall if not before be restored vnto him at the day of iudgement and his deafenesse in the mean time cannot separate him from Gods loue Q What vse must a man make of his deafnesse A. First whiles we inioy the benefit of our hearing let vs attend to Gods voice in the scriptures preached vs and let vs treasure vp the word of God in our hearts to bestead vs in time of néed Lastly though we cannot heare nor discerne the notes of musicke and the sounds of men and birds yet we haue the vse of our eies to behold the creatures and God the Author of them Comforts for a dumbe man A. Men by reason of this want and affliction are kept from many sinnes euils dangers which many that cannot temper and gouerne their tongue runne into for they cannot lie slander deceiue they cannot blaspheme God nor stirre vp the coales of conâ—ention the séeds whereof an euill tongue doth cherish Secondly they are not vndone by their rash vntemperate words much lesse are they in danger to lose their liues as many lewd and slanderous speakers are Thirdly it is a labour to speake truly and in silence there is rest Fourthly if thou hast lost an il tongue thou art a great gainer by it Fifthly if thou canst not speake with thy tongue then speake to God in thy heart for God can and doth heare as well when thou art silent as when thou speakest Lastly if thou doe but groane sigh and cry vnto God he heareth thée and that thou shalt féele and finde For as he that heareth God speake and answer is not deafe so likewise he whom God heareth is not dumbe CHAP. XV. Of ordinary particular euils from without vs whether at home or abroad The crosses of euill and bad husbands wiues parents children masters seruants and of a shrewd mother in law Question HOw are good women to comfort themselues when they are matched with euill husbands A. First they are not alone For Abigail was crossed by Nabal her husband and many innocent wiues in Moses time by reason of the crueltie and vnreasonablenes of their husbands were diuorced from them Secondly if their husbands in the flesh be euill and shrewd yet Christ their spirituall husband will alwaies intreat them kindly and louingly visit them
must not so muse and thinke vpon sorrowfull and displeasing obiects much lesse yéeld vnto that sorrow whereof he can render no certaine cause for then his sorrowes will become vncureable and kill him but it is his part to study and ponder vpon the swéete promises of God in Christ made to humbled and repentant sinners he must also ioy in and be thankefull for Gods graces and gifts conferred vpon him which will feast and refresh his soule Eightly he must vse and take comfort in Gods good creatures of meate drinke herbs plants and especially solace himselfe in the greene and most delectable spring of the glorious resurrection daily approching when God shall wipe all teares from his eies and fill him with vnutterable pleasure Lastly when he is recouered he must be truely thankefull to God and pity and kindly entreate them that are in like extremity Q What comforts are to be applied to them that are disquieted with fearefull dreames A. First few dreames are true because they are either equiuocall or ordinarily false and therefore not to bee bebeléeued and as for all Propheticall dreames they are now ceased Secondly it is better to dreame of things that are dreadful vnto vs then those that are delectable and desireable for the deceit of a dreadful dreame is pleasant and the issue of a delightsom dreame is many times sorrowful Thirdly Iob Dauid and others haue beene this way afflicted Fourthly if wee dreame of any euill that may befal vs as we may not credit it because it is a dreame so it is good we should beware of it and the occasions thereof and preuent it by praier Lastly disquiet and feareful dreames procéed ordinarily from cares vexation and distraction of mind in the day time and therefore wee must disfurnish and vnlade our selues of them Q. What practises are necessary to preuent fearfull dreames A First moderate and spare diet for from a full stomack arise noisome fumes which trouble the braine Secondly a quiet disposition and the following of quiet studies in the day time which will be the cause of quiet repose in the night Thirdly a carefull and conscionable execution of the works of our Christian and ciuill calling Fourthly before we goe to sléepe a diligent examination of our selues and a sorrow for sinne committed and good omitted and the exercise of reading conference praier Lastly if our dreames be troublesome terrible and from Satan wee must by earnest praier resist him and bid him anaunt and we shall finde maruellous comfort after it Q. How much a Christian quiet and pacifie himselfe that is weary of this present life by reason of many crosses toils troubles and discontentments A. First hee must remember that euery man is borne to many crosses and that no calling is fréed from them and therefore he must learne to take vp his crosse daily and to follow Christ. Secondly he must as well looke to be chastised of God as cherished and to be as well crossed as comforted for he must by many afflictions enter into Gods kingdome and therefore hee must encounter with these euils and vse no vnlawfull euasion to ease himselfe of them Thirdly hee must reade much yea muse and meditate vpon the swéete and sugred promises of God contained in the scriptures if he delight herein hee shall not perish in his troubles Psal. 119.92 but be reuiued Lastly hee must be often conuersant with Gods children and desire their aduice praiers counsell direction and then they will be like so many Ionathans to comfort him and so many Simons to helpe him to beare his Crosse. Q. What is desperation A. It is when a man in his owne sense and féeling is without all hope of saluation Q. How doth this come to passe A. Thus when a man being preuented falleth into some offence which satan doth maruellously aggrauate both by accusing the offender and affrighting him with the iudgements of God Matt. 27.3 4 5. Q. With what comforts and perswasions shall Gods children arme and furnish themselues against this temptation A. First that Gods mercies in Christ are of an infinite extent and doe by many degrées excéed and goe beyond all their sinnes whatsoeuer Psal. 103.10 11 12. Secondly that Christ came into the world not to call the righteous but sinners to repentance and that they that sée not might sée and that they which sée namely in their owne opinion and conceit might be made blind and to séeke and saue that which was lost namely in their owne sense and estéeme and therefore afflicted sinners haue no cause of doubting much lesse of despaire Thirdly the greater that our sinne is the greater is Gods mercy to them that depend vpon him so that where sinne aboundeth grace aboundeth more Fourthly Christ is a continual intercessor for them to God his Father and God heareth him alwaies Iohn 11. Fifthly that to call Gods goodnesse truth and power into question is a great sinne and that thereby they offend him as much as by any other sinne Sixthly that many of Gods déerest saints and seruants haue béen in a sort emplunged and engulfed in the pit of despaire as Dauid Iob the Church in the Canticles c. yet by praier by meditating vpon their former experience of Gods mercies Ps. 77.10.11.12 1. Sam. 17.37 and by waiting Gods leasure with patience they haue happily recouered themselues and haue béen more confirmed for the time to come Seuenthly that God when his children séeme vtterly forsaken and doe conflict with Gods wrath are not wholly nor finally forsaken but are inwardly with the woman of Canaan supported by Gods power who doth in his good time bring iudgement vnto victory or truth that is he wil so iudge and raigne that at length hee will bee a conquerour Eighthly that God in this case accepteth the will for the déede and a desire of reconciliation for reconciliation it selfe so that this our desire bee matched with a setled purpose and a full resolution to forsake all sin and to turne vnto God Luke 15.18 Ninthly that in the beginning of a mans conuersion and in the time of some gréeuous temptation God accepteth of a desire to beléeue for faith it selfe Mat. 8.25.26 Tenthly that desperation in Gods children is but temporary and therefore curable for God teacheth them he loueth them with an eternall loue he enlightneth and guideth them by his spirit and hauing begun in them the worke of grace he will finish it vntill the day of Christ. Lastly that all the rules and principles of Christian religion are demonstratiue and certain both in themselues and also in the minds and vnderstandings of Gods children Q. What vse is to be made of all these propositions A. First séeing that desperation is the high way to hell yea and the mouth of it let vs not nourish it and so hereby increase our sinne and lessen and discredit Gods
meanes to get ground of it and to ouermaster it and then it shal be laid to Satans charge and not be imputed to him Secondly séeing that he in the continuall combat against the world the flesh and the diuell cannot possibly escape without some spirituall wounds yet not deadly to the beléeuer he must by spirituall medicines salue and cure them CHAP. V. The complaint of small profiting by the ministery of the Word and Sacraments Question I Profit very little and nothing so much as I would by the Word and Sacraments and therefore J feare that my profiting is to no purpose and my hearing of the word fruitlesse A. Your manner of reasoning and concluding is not good For first you bewaile your wants and withall zealously desire to make better procéedings and this is no worke of nature but of grace Secondly little increases as in all naturall things so in spirituall are true increases and many littles make a mickle Thirdly they that find themselues to make such small and leasurely procéedings doe hold that which they haue learned by the ministery of the word farre more surely and soundly then they that so suddenly seeme to profite Fourthly admit that your knowledge be not much encreased by the ministery of the word yet your affection is much bettered and your life much more reformed Lastâ—y albeit you doe not forthwith after the hearing of Gods word and immediately after the receiuing of the Sacrament find and feele the graces of the spirit reuiued enceased and confirmed in your selfe yet you must wait Gods good leasure and expect the fruit of it in the time appointed For as the seed cast into the earth doth not instantly fructiâ—ie a purgation doth not forthwith worke and expresse his vertue and as an Infant groweth not to mans estate in a moment but time and space is required to all these So you must not look that the séede of the word will incontinently worke in you or the Manna of the Lords Supper presently and sensibly encrease your faith hope and loue to God and your Brethren but let it suffice you that you grow by degrees and in truth Q. What vse is to bee made hereof A. First you must beware left by the ignorance of your own estate before God or by too much complayning of your infirmities you rob not God of the glory of his graces bestowed on you Secondly the lesse that you find your selfe to profit the more diligent you must be in hearing prayer conference c. Q. But J am dull in conceiuing the meaning and vse of Gods word preached how then can I bee a right hearer A. First the apprehension and sense of thy dulnes if thou be careful to learn wil make thée more capable of the swéet and heauenly influence of Godâ— word which he that would be partakâ—r of must lay aside all conceit of his owne wit vnderstanding and capacity Secondly if there be in thee â—ut oâ—e sparke of heauenly vnderstanding 〈◊〉 faith if it be stirred vp by the breath of Gods mouth will soone take the match and â—inder of familiar and gratious instruction Thirdly the more dull that thou art the more attention sobriety watchfulnesse and diligence then must vse and thou shalt at length preuaile and profite Fourthly a dull wit and modest is better then a quicke and desperate for a dull wit if it once truely apprehend a point it will long retaâ—ne but a quicke wit will soone forget that which it hath quickly and suddenly learned Lastly we for the remedy of our dulnesse must pray vnto Christ to open our wits to vnderstand the Scriptures and to enlighten our eyes to behold the wonderfull things of his law and hee that taught his Apostles the whole will of his Father will teach thee all things necessary for thy saluation Q. My memory is very weake and I remember very little or nothing of so many excellent lessons and instructions thaâ— are taught me how shall I comfort and relieue my selfe A. First thou must strengthen and confirme thy memory by daily exercise for diligence induâ—â—y and methode will much helpe memory and supply the wants of it Secondly the more weake and vncertaine that thou findest thy memory the more speedily must thou call things that thou hast heard to account anâ— conferre with thy godly Brethren about them Thirdly thou must be sure to remember the text well to affect the Minister teaching and to delight in his good doctrine and this will much further thee Fourthly thou must remember what vices reproued thou art subiect to and in what duties vrged by the Preacher thou failest and apply this particularly to thine owne soule and thou shalt remember more Happy art thou if Gods word and Minister find thee and happy likewise art thou if thou canst wilt remember that thou art thus found Lastly thou must pray vnto God to giue thee vnderstanding and capacity and to sanctifie thy memory for the conceiuing and treasuring vp of the best things and then God wil heare thée and send his blessed spirit the comforter to teach thee all things and bring all things to thy remembraÌ„ce that thou hast formerly heard Q. But I am hardhearted and the word of God little or nothing moueth me what course shall I take to soften mollifie my heart A. First it argueth grace in thee to be sensitiue of this thine infirmity and to desire redresse of it Secondly hardnes of heart will alwayes plus minus steale vpon vs and haunt vs therefore let vs arme our selues by the word of God against it and to this end let vs not onely endure priuate admonitions but suffer Gods blessed Ministers by the hammer of his law and iudgements to worke vpon our hearts yea and to breake and bruise them Thirdly thou must by earnest and continuall prayer entreat the Lord to take the stony heart out of thy bowels and to giue thée a fleshy and a soft hart whereupon God may worke by his word and wherein his spirit may dwell Lastly thou must bewaile this thine infirmity and for the remouall of it and the further sanctifying of thy heart thou must waite for and tarry Gods leasure who will in time cure and ease thee Q. What shall they doe that hauing sundry times receiued the Lords Supper doe yet complaine that they perceiue in themselues no encrease of faith hope and loue by it A. First of all they must lament and bewaile their former negligence want of preparation Secondly they must for the time to come keepe a Court and day of hearing in their owne consciences and better examine and prepare themselues for so holy a Sacrament for thus they are commaunded and without performance of this duety there is no worthy receiuing Thirdly they must not looke at the very instant or immediately after the receit of the Sacrament to find féele their profiting for as a good medicine sheweth not forth his vertue
forsake the assemblies and fellowship of the Saints in the vse of the word prayer and Sacraments were neuer well rooted in it â—or had they beene no wind or tempest could haue ouerturned them they were onely Meteors or blazing starres soon extinct but not true starres for then they had continued in their firmament and no night of afflictions could haue put them out for if they had béen of the Church they would haue continued in it 1. Joh. 2.19 Apoc. 13.8 Secondly they neuer receiued the loue of the truth and were neuer soundly grounded in the principles of Christian faith and therefore they were apt to be seduced with the poiâ—on and efficacy of errour For as the fire burneth nothing but that which is combustible and apt to bee consumed so heresie infecteth none but such as neglect the means of knowledge or that denie the power of godlinesse in their hearts and liues Lastly God will by their reuolting take an occasion the more iustly to damn them and to trie and make known the constancy of his children who neuer doe wholy or finally fall away from faith Q. What duties are wee to performe to preuent an apostasie in our selues A. First because eminent persons by their fall like oakes beare downe all things that lie in their way let vs beware of their company and communication Secondly let vs beware of the beginning and occasion of Apostasie and for our direction herein pray for the spirite of reuelation and strength and in no wise neglect the ministerie of the word sacraments Q But how shall a nouice a weake Christian perswade himselfe of the truth of his sincere profession when hee seeth and heareth that sundry learned men die in defence of Idolatry and Popery A. First no Heretickes though they dy in defence of errors are martyrs but all Papists are heretikes for the obstinate maintaining of iustification by works inuocation and adoration of Saints and Angels worshipping of images and especially of their breaden God denying the sufficiency of the canonicall Scriptures are so many heresies Ergo Iesuites Seminaries and popish Priests that are put to death by the Christian magistrate are no martyrs Secondly Non poena sed causa facit Martyrem they that bâ—are the Crosse and follow not Christ are no Martyres of his and therefore most damnable is the condition of Iesuites Seminaries who die for treason and not for truth and not for testimony of a good conscience but for the wilfull trangression of Christian Lawes Thirdly their suffering is of no account before God for they want charirity which appeaeth in this that they are vtter opposites and aduersaries to the Gospel of Christ and the sound professors of it Fourthly they being no true members of the Church of Christ but rather incurable persecutors of it and being slaine out of the Church doe not winne the crowne of their faith but the reward oâ— their felly Lastly true Martyrs ascribe all the glory of their redemption and saluation to Gods mercy in Christ onely but popish martyrs glory in their owne works though neuer so vile vnperfect they make them expâ—atory for sinne and to me â—t saluation Q What vse are we to make hereof A First wee must distinguish and rightly iudge betwéene true martyrs and false ones which wee shall be enabled to doe by obseruing these rules following First true martyrs die in defence of the substance of pure religion but false martyrs suffer and die in defence of error heresie and idolatry Secondly true martyrs at their execution shew sorth singular patience in their words testimony behauiour but false martyrs either are outragious and impatient or at least by Art doe stupifie and dead their flesh that it may become insensible of paine Thirdly true Martyrs die holily couragiously ioyfully without all feare and doubting of the truth of their cause or of the certainty of saluation but popish martyrs die many times irresolued and astonied Fourthly true and Euangelical martyrs are holy chaste innocent feruent in praier and diligent in their ciuill and Christian callings but the like cannot be verified of the popish martyrs Lastly God at the death of true martyrs hath sometimes wrought strange and wonderfull works as to speake when their tongues haue béen cut out and to be vntouched of the fire albeit oile were put into it but in the popish martyrs no such accidents haue fallen out Secondly let vs sée and be resolued by Gods word that our cause is good and for Christ then let vs suffer as coÌ„fidently yea much more comfortably and happily for the truth then they for Antichrist and superstition knowing that our end shall be blessed Q. When factions diuisions schismes grow and preuaile in the Church what are we to iudge of that Church and how is a Christian then to arme himselfe A. First wee must remember that where the truth many times most â—lourisheth there Satan laboureth to make rents and diuisions and to sow tares amongst the good wheat Secondly the Church of Corinth was a notable Apostolicall Church and yet there were many factions in it Thirdly wee must not separate our selues from such a Church except it erre in the fundamentall points of faith and true religion but we must herein comfort our selues that this schisme is without heresie Fourthly as long as there is error in iudgement and péeuishnes in affection wee must looke for nothing else but schisme Fifthly schismatikes that depart from the communion of the faithfull and from the participation of the body and bloud of Christ indanger their owne soules Lastly God permitteth diuisions factions and schismes in the Church that the faith and loue of his children might be tried now their faith is tried whiles they stumble not nor suffer themselues to be seduced and their loue and charity is tried in admonishing them that are the authors and occasioners of these sidings schismes diuisions Q. What vse are we to make hereof A. If wee be men in authority wee must betimes striue to roote out and remoue out of the Church whatsoeuer may iustly minister an occasion heereof Secondly Ministers must by doctrine and writing note and confute those diligently which cause diuision and offences contrary to the doctrine which they haue receiued and auoid them Rom. 16.17 Secondly if wee be but priuate persons we must beware of pride and selfe-conceitednes lest we rashly condemne a true and notable visible Church for defects and imperfections in the doctrine and practise of discipline or Church policie and so without sufficient cause make a rent from the same and hereby disturbe the common peace for we must not depart from it vntill it depart from Christ. Lastly we must by praiers sutes supplications teares and amendment of life labour to procure better reformation in Church and Commonwealth and if we cannot attaine it when wee would then let vs in the meane be a discipline to our selues and execute it amongst
enuie let vs auoid it by modestie let vs auoid all ostentation and for the time separate our selues from the company of the enuious and suppresse hide whatsoeuer might make vs to bee noted for some enemies are no better ouercome then by our humility and obscurity Fourthly if wee would approue our selues good men let vs enuy at no mans prosperity be he neuer so wicked for they shal be soon cut down like grasse and shal wither as the gréen herbe Lastly let vs pray vnto God feruently so direct and preserue vs. Q. What comfort against hatred and malice A. First the world the wicked hate vs vniustly for they hate vs not for our sins imperfections but for the better paâ—ts namely because we are separated froÌ„ them in profession life and because wee séeke the ruinating of satans kingâ—ome and because they will not bée reproued and conuinced of sinne Secondly the world is addicted to traditions and little estéemeth Gods blessed Word it is in loue with earthly thinges and neglecteth those that are heauenlie no maruaile then that it so distasteth and maligneth Gods children they loue not God and then how can they but hate his seruants Thirdly Abel Lot Dauid Elias Paul the Prophets Apostles Christ himselfe and his Saints in all ages haue béene causlesly hated of the wicked and this is a pregnant proofe that they were Gods children and that wee are likewise for if either they or we had been of the world the world would loue his owne Fourthly wee must remember that wee haue deserued greater euils and therefore we ought more patiently to endure this Lastly let it content vs that we are known loued and liked of God good men who loue vs in the truth And if the losse of the loue of the common people grieue vs we must note that their loue is light and without iudgement and discretion and therefore their loue ofteÌ„times endeth in ill will and hatred Q. How are we to demeane and behaue our selues when wicked men maligne and hate vs A. First seeing that malitious men are good neither actu nor potentia that is neither in act nor in possibility and that they doe but sucke the greatest part of their owne poison seeing they are peruerted in iudgement and opposite to sincerity let vs beware how we nourish occasions of hatred and that we be not too sociable and familiar with them Secondly let vs loue God and his word for then we cannot hate mens persons much lesse any vertues in them Thirdly let vs decline hatred what in vs lieth by dutifulnes and good seruice for in so doing we shall eyther gaine and pacifie our enemie or at least leaue him without excuse for this is to heape coales of fire on his head Q. May we lawfully hate them that hate vs A. Wee must not nor may not hate them in regard of their persons or as they are Gods creatures or in priuate respects but it is lawfull for vs to hate their vices and to abhorre them as they are Gods enemies and aduersaries of the Church but we must not hate them as they hate vs namely our persons and the better parts in vs but onely hate their errours and vices c. which are contrary to Gods nature will word and commandements Q. What are the persecutions of the tongue A. Slander and false imputations Q. How are wee to comfort our selues against slander A. First that the life and profession of the Church and Saints of God hath beene traduced and slandered in al ages and therefore no singular extraordinary matter befalling vs it is with more contentment to be endured Secondly wee herein are like vnto Christ who though he were more holy then all men and Angels yet he was called a wine-bibber a friend of Publicanes and sinners an enemy to Caesar and he was said to haue the Diuell Thirdly slander cannot make a man miserable for where sinne raigneth there is misery indeed nay it is a matter of honour and glorie to be ill spoken of for well doing for they hate vs because that we are better then they and because wee runne not to the same excesse of riot the more that wicked men belie slander and raile at vs the more in the end will they make our vertues known Fourthly false imputations cast vpon vs will not continue long they are as so many blasts and fumes that will soone be dispersed and blowne away for God will at length cleare our innocency as the noone day and our reproach shall bee turned into the glory of an Angell Psal 37.6 8. Fifthly though the wicked doe willingly derogate from our good name yet they doe addere mercedi nostâ—ae id est encrease our reward albeit against their wils for blessed are wee when men reuile vs and say all manner of euill against vs for Christ his sake for then great is our reward in heauen Sixthly if the titles and attributes of the iustice truth power and mercy of God bee not frée from slanderous imputations let vs much lesse looke to be exempt and priuiledged from euill tongues Psal. 10.11 12. Mal. 3.14 15. Seuenthly if the raskall multitude or the scumme of the people raile vpon vs and belie vs wee must note that they doe it rather of humour then of knowledge and of an ill affection rather then of iudgement and aduisement and they will be silent when they haue much barked and bawled and as for their lying tales and reports because they arise from false grounds and trifling occasions they will soone be dead buried extinct Eighthly the slanderer doth but hurt and discredite himselfe and foame out his own shame for his slander like an arrow shot against a stone wall or a tennise ball cast against it redounds vpon the slanderer Lastly God discrediteth his deare children with the world letteth them fall sometimes into the mire of wicked imputations that they should not bee stained with the corruptions of it Q. How shall wee behaue our selues when wee are thus belyed and slaundered A. First let vs descend into our own soules and if we find our selues innocent then let vs comfort our selues in the witnesse of our owne conscience neither let vs thinke that ther is more waight in their detractions then in our owne testimonies Secondly in this case let vs rather looke vnto God who permitteth them then at the howling barking and biting dogs that annoy vs this course tooke Dauid Thirdly whereas the rude and iniudicious multitude doth cast false imputations vpon vs let vs not only with the spunge of honest Apologies wipe away these pretended spots but also labour to haue a precious report and an immortall memory amongst Gods children Fourthly if wée desire to be well spoken of let vs not rashly thinke euill of others for the better that any man is the more hardly doth he iudge another to be euill much lesse