vs whensoeuer we haue sinned against God the soule being out of ioynt the sooner we shall find ease Wounds you know that are not by and by dressed will ranckle and fester so as the cure of them will be much more difficult and dangerous So it is with the wounds of our sinnes if they be long kept from searching opening and laying them before the Lord. Let vs therefore preuent the mischiefe which may follow our delayes making vpon all occasions a continuall and speedy attonement with God The third generall part of this Petition is The Condition of the same We pray to God to forgiue vs as we forgiue others yet this cannot be a cause of Gods forgiuenesse but a condition onely It can be no cause for as the Schoole-men say Finiti ad infinitum nulla est propertio There is no proportion of the Finite to the Infinite thing And so no reason because wee forgiue our Brethren some small matter that GOD should forgiue vs the infinite debt we owe. Therefore no cause but a condition of it Very reason will teach vs this that it is in the power of the giuer to prescribe vpon what condition he giues his gift as Christ saith to Peter Iohn 13. 8. Unlesse I wash thee thou shalt not bee cleane As if hee had said I am content that thou haue part with mee in my kingdome and glory but yet there is a condition annexed Except I wash thee except thou obey me submit thy selfe vnto me thou mayest not haue it So God did giue vnto Paul the liues of all that were with him in the ship yet it was conditionall Except these abide in the Ship ye cannot be safe And so must we be contented to rest vpon the meanes which God hath appointed and be willing to performe such conditions as hee inioynes vnto vs. But the wickednesse of the world and corruption of men that willingly will not come to any conditions with GOD but would haue the blessing without the condition like the kinsman of Ruth hee would haue had the land but when he heard the Condition that he must haue Ruth to wife he refused the bargaine So the Rich man in the Gospel would haue had eternall life but when he heard the condition that he must leaue all and follow Christ in a poore estate he would not meddle with it but went away sorrowfull So it is with the world still and so it is with most men they would haue the blessing they would haue life euerlasting forgiuenesse of sinnes and the like but they will none of the condition to forgiue the offences of others But let vs remember if we looke to inioy the Lords blessings we must come to his conditions wee may not haue them vpon what tearmes wee will but be contented to accept of them on what manner the Lord will giue them vs. Now the Conditions that the Lord giues vs are First Easie to be done For the Lord doth not say man must content me for his sinnes let mee haue so many teares so much sorrow from thee proportionable to thy offences spend as many dayes in my seruice as thou hast spent in the seruice of sinne But what saith hee Forgiue forgiue be ready and forgiue others and thou shalt euer find me more ready to forgiue thee So that it is an easie condition which the Lord prescribes O we might thinke it abundantly wel with vs if we were able to purchase so excellent a mercy as the forgiuenesse of sins at any rate whatsoeuer yea though we bought it with a great deale of paines and transitory goods yea life it selfe but the Lord lets it come at an easier rate at such a poore price that it is wonderfull he imposeth no more vpon vs then to forgiue others This shewes his goodnesse loue and mercy and all to make vs confesse the greatnesse of the same As Naamans seruant said vnto his Master If the Prophet had commanded thee a greater thing wouldest thou not haue done it for thy health But now onely to wash and be cleane what a thing is this So the Lord may say had he prescribed vs any difficult and hard matter for the remission of our sinnes would wee not haue beene glad of it but now when hee hath imposed so easie a taske vpon vs as to forgiue others what shall be said vnto vs if wee neglect it Secondly A condition profitable to our selues of no profit to the Lord at all what doth he gaine by our forgiuing of our brethren but all the profit redounds vnto our selues both because we shall be the more gentle and fitted vnto goodnesse and many times by this meanes we shall haue the more fauour and loue by winning many vnto vs in loue and kindnesse God causing vs finde from others as they receiue from vs so gaining some whom neither sharpnesse threatnings nor sorrowes could reconcile Looke into the Story of the Aramites 2 Kings 6. 22. When the King of Israel hauing them in his power would haue killed them No saith Elisha set bread and water before them that they may eate and drinke and goe to their Master by which occasion the bands of the Aramites it is said came no more into the land of Israel to annoy it So great profit came by this kindnesse and goodnesse so will it turne altogether to our profit and benefit if we can practice this duty in forgiuing of others Thirdly It is a condition which doth much further and helpe vs in the expectation and hope of blessings lookt for For if we who be but men that haue but a drop of mercy can forgiue our Brethren we may well thinke that the Lord who is the Ocean and full Sea of graces must and will be more ready to forgiue vs. When we see the Sunne shine vpon a wall wee easily conceiue that it shines more brightly and gloriously within his owne Orbe So we finding so much more mercy in our selues to forgiue our Brethren may easily conceiue that there is much more mercy in the Lord to forgiue vs because he is the very Fountaine of all that mercy and forgiuenesse we shew to others Thus as the blessing is conditionall so must wee performe the condition if we hope for Gods fauour Quest Here comes a question to be answered Why of all other duties doth the Lord prescribe this condition vnto vs. Ans. Because by all meanes he would nourish and preserue loue amongst vs as much as may be sor whereas by the taint and corruption of sinne we are ready to fall asunder by infinite quarrels and iarres and so to pull in pieces and rent the sweet bonds of brotherly society wherein the Diuell hath played his part by bringing into the world diuision and dissention amongst vs the Lord in his loue seekes to vnite and draw vs into one therefore of all conditions imposing this of loue vpon vs that if the loue of
humblenesse and feare Leu. 19. 3. Q. What if the Parent be a meaner man A. Yet the childe must performe him that reuerence and honour that is his due Though a King should not bee the wisest nor the grauest nor the learnedst man in the kingdome yet because the Lord hath stated him in his royall Throne therefore they that are grauer and wiser and learneder then he must bow before him So though the Parents in many things come short of their children yet in that they are their Parents they haue their honour and their excellencie aboue them Gen. 48. 12. Qu. What learne we from hence A. That Parents must keepe the dignitie of their place and looke for due reuerence at their childrens hands as Iacob though but a sheepheard yet was well content that Ioseph his sonne should bow before him Q In what else must wee honour our Parents A. In being obedient to them and performing their wills both when they be aliue and when they be dead so farre forth as lawfully we may especially in the waightie matter of Marriage which may not be dealt in without their consent Prou. 23. 22. Q. Who are they that are condemned hereby A. Such as make light of their Parents doing all vpon braine neuer caring for their counsell or consent Prou. 30. 17. Q. What is the best thing wherein wee must honour our Parents A. In maintaining and relieuing them in comfortable sort according to our abilitie when they be in need 1. Tim. 5. 8. Q. What is the reason hereof A. Wee haue receiued much more at our Parents hands and they did but trust vs with their wealth till themselues were old and therefore we cannot in any equity but render and repay them their owne when they be in need 1. Tim. 5. 4. Qu. Are these duties to be performed to our own Parents only A. They belong also to our Parents in law Christ was obedient to his stepfather Ioseph Luk. 2 5. And Micah notes it as one of the sinnes of the People ca. 7. 6. That the daughter in law set vp her selfe against her Mother in law a sinne too common in these wofull dayes Q What is the Masters duty to their seruants A. They must teach them religion and the feare of God that their seruants may continue the Lords worship when our selues are in the graue For why is the Centurion said to feare the Lord with all his house Acts 10. 2. but to teach vs that it is not enough to be godly our selues or to haue one good Seruant like a Ioseph in the house but it must be our care that all within our gates and vnder our power and authoritie may feare the Lord Gen. 18. 19. Q. How may masters be stirred vp to some care of this duty A. If they consider That their owne good and their owne welfare is procured thereby for many a master is blessed for his godly seruant as Potipher was for Ioseph and he fares euery day in the weeke the better for him But where bad seruants be there falls the curse of God for the seruants sake Gen. 39. 5. Q. But what if the Master teach and the Seruants will not learne A. If the Master do his faithfull endeauour his conscience is discharged Man can but persuade it is God onely that must change the heart Noah preached to his owne familie as well as to the old world 120 yeares and yet when the godly man entred into the Arke hee had not one godly seruant after all his paines that would enter with him So Lot was a iust a righteous man and that had care of his house yet when he was called out of Sodom he had not one seruant in all his house that would go out of Sodom with him Q What is their second dutie to their seruants A. Tâ—…y must cause them to liue peaceably and honestly towards mâ—â— not bearing them out in their wrongs but brideling and remaining them the best they can 1. Sam. 22. 2. with 1. Sam. 25. 7. Q. What gather we of this A. That as Dauids seruants were the better for his seruice so we should seeke to make our seruants not the worse but the better for our houses For what a fearefull saying will it be at the iudgment day In such a mans seruice I tooke my bane I may curse the houre that euer I came into his house there were my righteousnesse wounded and all my graces taken from me Q. What is their third dutie to their seruants A. They must not ouer-labour their seruants laying more vpon them than their strength will beare A man would be loath to ouer-worke his beast how much more his seruant in whose face hee may see the image of God shining as well as in his owne Iob 31. 13. Q. What is their fourth dutie A. They must pay them truly for their pains for the labourer is worthie of his hire 1. Tim. 5. 10. Q. What gather we of this A. That their sinne is great who send away their seruants emptie after all their toyle Laban is the patterne that such men may be painted by they can well be content that their seruants should labour and toyle and spend out their hearts and strength in their seruice but care not though they go away without one halâ—epenie for their paines Deut. 11. 13. 14. Q What is their fift dutie A. They must chasten them with discretion and moderation for their faults for the Lord would not haue the seruants life by any hard dealing of ours to be made wearisome and bitter to them We read of furious Saul That his spirit was mastring at any little word and of Nabal so fierce that a man could not speake to him To the like reproch of those that will heare nothing when they be in heat but let euery thing flie that first comes to their hands Leu. 25. 49. How many blessings did Laban lose onely by entreating a good seruant ill This makes our Seruants euen the Iewels of our house wearie of our seruice Q. How may they keepe a moderation in their punishments A. If they looke that the cause be iust Secondly That the punishment be equall as may be to the offence keeping vnder it rather then any whit aboue it Deut. 25. 2. 3. Q. What is their sixt Dutie to them A. They must winke at many slippes and passe by many faults through loue For if the Master should take the forfeit of euery offence he shall neuer liue in any peace but vexe himselfe more then his seruants that offend him Eccles. 7. 23. Q. What reason is there to moue vs to this A. As they are seruants vnder vs so we are seruants to a greater Lord. Wherefore if wee would not haue God take vs at aduantage for euery sinne wee must not take our seruants short for euery fault Ephes. 6. 9. Q. What is their last Duty to their seruants A. They must esteeme best of their best seruants accounting of euery one
according to that trust and faithfulnesse that they finde in them as Cornelius cast speciall fauour on that souldier that feared God making him his Iewell and treasure aboue the rest Acts 10. 7. Qu. What is the seruants duty to their Masters A. Seruants must be obedient to their Masters not their owne men but liuing wholly at their becke and at their command as the Centurion saith to his seruant come and he comes So when wee say to our seruants come they must come c. Ephes. 6. 9. Qu. What is their second Duty A. Seruants must be diligent to please their Masters hauing a tender care that nothing may slippe through their fingers which may offend them They must seeke euen to fit themselues to them so farre forth as they may with an vnstained Conscience to the honour and not whole dishonour of their Masters with whom they dwell Tit. 2. 9. Qu. What reason is there to stirre them vp to this A. In seruing their Masters they serue the Lord Christ. And therefore if a man would bee ashamed to serue Christ slothfully or idly or grudgingly he must be ashamed to serue his Master so his Master being but Christs deputie and Lieutenant in the house Col. 3. 24. Qu. What is their third Duty A. They must not murmure nor answer againe when they be reproued but in silence and patience commend their cause to God Tit. 2. 9. Q. What is their fourth Duty A. They must not filtch or purloyne the least point or pinne nor make hauocke and spoile of their meate or of any thing else that comes into their hands Ioh. 6. 12. Q. What is the fift Duty A. Seruants must shew all good faithfulnesse to their Masters discharging their places with all trust in the places committed to them not beseeming themselues whiles their Masters are in sight and proclayming loosenesse and libertie when they are gone but carrying themselues with as great trustinesse in their absence as if they were present with them Ephes. 6. 5. 6. Q. What reason is there to bring them to this A. To consider that that which they hide from their Masters they cannot hide from God for though their Masters see them not yet God lookes vpon them from heauen with a bright and a shining eye and he sees them maintaining and gaming and trifling out their time and therefore when their Masters backe is turned they must still thinke the Lords backe is not turned vpon them Heb. 4. 13. Q. What is their sixt Duty A. Seruants must tender the credite of their Masters burying their priuate faults within the priuate walls by no meanes publishing the secricies of the house no not then when they are departed from them 1. Prou. 11. 13. Q. What is their last Duty A. They must settle themselues in their seruice and not vpon euery light displeasure be flitting to a new A good seruant is not then going euery day but is sometimes 20. yeares in a place together as Iacob was But now in 20 yeares the greatest part will haue 20. seruices by their Wills Gen. 16. 8. 9. Q. What generall reasons are there to edge them on to these Duties A. Christian seruants must so behaue themselues that they may be an honour to the Gospell that as Potipher was glad of Ioseph So men may say there are no such seruants as the seruants of Christ for faithfulnesse care and diligence and honestie they may carry the torch vnto all the rest 1. Tim. 6. 7. Q. What is the Duty of those that be in office A. They must be men of courage they must not let euery bold-face dash them and beare them downe but stoutly oppose themselues to the discontinuancing of euery disorder that raignes Deut. 1. 17. Q What gather wee of this A. That as men wish all things were well so they must haue courage for the truth to oppose themselues against all those that be hinderers of their goods Ier. 9 3. Q. What is their second Duty A. They must bee men fearing God and therefore they must make a conscience of their Calling and bee content rather to displease their dearest friend then to displease the Lord rather to lose mens fauours then Gods rather the whole world should frowne then God should frowne vpon them 2. Chron. 19. 9. Q. What is the reason hereof A. Because this is a great damping and a great cooling to them that are in place they dare not execute their office lest men should be angry with them and therefore Gods feare must be opposed as a brazen buckler to the feare of men to thinke that as men will be angry if we doe it so God will be angry if wee doe it not as men will vexe vs if wee presse it so God will vexe vs and be terrible and fearefull to our soules if wee presse it not And who art thou that fearest the face of men and fearest not the face of the mighty God who is able with one blast of his mouth to blowe thee into hell and with the least touch of his finger to fling downe the pillers of heauen and earth about thine eares Iob 32. 22. Qu. What is their third Duty A. They must be men hating couetousnesse they must not bee so greedily set vpon their gaine that they will spare neither time nor money to discharge their duties But they must be content many times to passe ouer all regard of themselues and euen to let their owne businesse sleepe that the causes of God and the people may be set on foot Exod. 18. 21. Qu. What is their fourth Duty A. They must not be ready to doe all vpon a braine but in matters of moment and beyond their reach bee glad to aduise with those that be wiser and skilfuller then themselues Exod. 18. 22. Q. What is their last Duty A. They must apply themselues to their office that is euer set and buckle themselues to performe the duties of it Heb. 12. 2. Qu. What learne wee by this A. That they haue much to answer for who being chosen to the offices of a Towne sleepe in them and slubber them ouer they care not how as if Magistracie were a chaire of ease Q. What is the duty of Priuate men A. They must make choyce of fit and able men to rule among them Deut. 1. 13. Qu. What gather wee of this A. That it is a great sinne to cast our offices wee care not where neuer regarding the fitnesse and abilitie of the parties that wee name So we set vp officers in the Church like scarreâ—rowes in a field Idoll officers like Idoll sheepheards That haue eyes and see not eares and heare not mouthes and speake not against any thing that is amisse Qu. What is their second Duty A. They must not shift out themselues from the offices of the Common-weale or of the Church finding some reasonable fitnesse in themselues to discharge them For what is this but to bury our Talent in a napkin and
Qu. What gather we of this A. That they which liue wickedly and loosely howsoeuer they professe yet they haue indeed no part of nor portion in Christ Ephes. 5. 5. Qu. What are the fruites of Sanctification A. First spirituall freedome and libertie from the enbondagement of sinne For whereas before the Deuill and Sinne did so possesse vs that for our liues we could doe no more but what he would haue vs. Now we haue willingnesse and ablenesse through the spirit of Christ to liue holily and righteously in the sight of God Luke 1. 74. 75. Qu. What is the second fruit of Sanctification A. Exceeding comfort in doing well as Christ saith It is meate and drinke to doe my Fathers will So it doth vs as much good as our meate and it makes vs euen glad in our hearts when we can remember we haue done any thing that pleaseth God Psal. 119. 14. Qu. What is the third fruit of Sanctification A. Deliuerance from many euills whereinto the wicked and vngodly fall for whereas the wicked are shamed many times for their wickednesse As theft treasons oppressions and the like The godly liuing well get a good name amongst men so that they which will not liue like them will speake well of them Acts 5. 13. Qu. What is the last fruit of Sanctification A. A further sealing of our election and our adoption in Christ. For by nature wee are wholly giuen to that which is naught And therefore if there be any loue of righteousnesse or hate of sinne in vs it is a token that we are regenerated and so consequently the sonnes of God Rom. 8. 14. 2. Pet. 1. 10. Qu. What is the third thing required of him that will bee saued A. Hee that will be saued must endeauour himselfe to lead a Christian and a godly life Heb. 12. 14. Q. What gather we of this A. That howsoeuer men professe yet vnlesse they labour to refraine and amend their liues they shall neuer be saued Qu. Seeing wee are saued by faith onely 〈◊〉 How is good life needfull to saluation A. Good life is needfull not as the cause of saluation for wee are saued by the free fauour of God in Christ but it is needfull as the pathway that leadeth to saluation Eue◠as a friend should giue vs a great deale of Treasure vpon the top of an hill the treasure were ours by our friends gift and yet wee should not enioy it vnlesse we would climbe vp the hill So heauen and saluation is ours by the gift of Christ and yet we cannot enioy it vnlesse by a godly and a good life we will walke vnto it 2. Tim. 1. 9. Qu. Where must wee begin the godly life A. First a man must labour to reforme his heart to bring it out of loue with sinne and to like well of the holy things of God Ier. 4. 14. Qu. How is this declared A. If a man would make a bad tree good it is not enough to chop of the branches and the boughs vnlesse he change the very nature and sappe of the tree So vnlesse the very nature of the heart be changed and the innermost affection bee altered in it all our labour in the godly life is but cast away 2. Cor. 4. 14. Qu. What must a man doe first in reforming his heart A. Hee must cleere it of those sinnes and corruptions that naturally cleaue vnto him For if the best seed be sowen among thornes and bryers it will neuer thriue So till sinne be weeded out let vs neuer looke that any good will proue or prosper in the heart Ierem. 4. 4. Q. What gather wee of this A. That they which labour after good things and yet take no paines to weaken their corruptions and to shake off their sins shall neuer attaine to a godly life Q. What sinnes must we labour to shake off A. All that cleaue vnto vs as the Apostle saith in 2. Cor 7. 1. Let vscleanse our selues from all filthinesse of the flesh and spirit and grow vp into full holinesse in the feare of God Heb. 12. 1. Q. What gather we of this A. That they which haue reformed some one sinne or more and yet suffer some other to sleepe quietly and possesse them are short of the truth of the godly life 1. Iohn 1. 8. Q No man is able to free himselfe from euery sinne A. Yet euery man must striue and labour for it and it must be his griese that he cannot attaine it We must not suffer sinne to dwell peaceably and quietly in our hearts but wee must euer be warring and fighting to driue it thence 2. Cor. 12. 8. Qu. What are the helps and furtherances hereto A. First a man must labour to know his owne heart to grow acquainted with his owne soule to see the speciall ruines and breaches that be in it For though we haue somespice and some grudging of euery sinne yet euery man hath some one speciall sinne or more that hurts and pesters him aboue the rest Qu. How shall a man know his speciall sinne A. Because the deuill will labour mightily to hide it from vs. Therefore some diligence must bee vsed to discouer it First a man must marke the course of his life and see what sinnes he is most tempted with which sinnes he is least able to resist what of all other he can hardliest forgoe and that be it one or more are master sinnes in him Secondly hee must marke what sinnes raigne most in the place and in the countrey where he dwells what sinnes are the chiefe in his kindred and in those that companie with him For hardly can a man dwell in Sodome but hee shall carry some smatch of the sinne of Sodome Gen. 19. 33. Thirdly hee must marke the iudgements of God that fall vpon him for God hath engrauen vpon euery iudgement the name of the sinne for which hee sends it So that a man in his punishment may plainely reade his sinne As Dauid sinning in his people was punished in his people And Pharaoh sinning in drowning the Infants was drowned himselfe And therefore when wee are punished in our goods let vs thinke wee haue sinned in our goods When wee are punished in our children then let vs thinke we haue sinned in our children and so in our wiues in our friends and the rest Fourthly lastly if these meanes will not worke it is good to consult with some wise and some deare friend of our state and intreate him in the loue of God and our selues that he will tell vs in truth what sinnes hee sees vs most prone and inclined vnto Qu What must a man doe for the weakening and killing of his sinnes A. When a man hath found out his sinnes then he must get him to the Ministry and to the Bible and there marke the spirituall places that meete with such sinnes those of all other hee must lay to heart and be continually musing and grating on as if a man
the Godlie die dayly A. But their death is not a punishment for sinne but a passage to Heauen and Eternall life And therefore it is one of the greatest blessings that God can bestow vpon a godly man Phil. 1. 23. Q. What Fruit haue we by Christs Death A. Remission for our sinnes for Iustice will not suffer that one offence be twice punished And therefore seeing God hath punished all our sinnes in Christ vnlesse we renounce the benefit we haue by Christ hee cannot now punish them in our selues againe Psal. 53. 5. Mortification of sinne Christs death obtaining not onely pardon for sinnes past but also strength and grace to weaken and bring vnder those corruptions that are yet behinde 1. Cor. 1. 30. Q. What is the fourth degree of Christs humiliation A. He was buried Q. Why was Christ buried A. For two causes First the more to assure vs of his death for dead men and not liue men be put into the graue To confirme vs the more That Gods wrath is appeased thorough Christ as the Sea was calme when Ionas was cast out of the Ship Q. What Fruit haue we by Christs buriall A. By Christs buriall sinne is buried in vs so that we haue strong hope that it neuer shall arise Rom. 4. 6. Q. What is the last degree of Christs Humiliation A. Hee descended into hell Q. What is the first Degree of Christs Exaltation A. The third day hee arose againe from the dead Q. What is the meaning hereof A. That as a man that chops vp a morsell that is too hot for his mouth cannot hold it but is glad to giue it vp againe So death hauing swallowed vp our Sauiour Christ and finding him too hot for him could not hold him but was glad to render him vp againe Acts 2. 24. Q. When did Christ rise A. The third day not the first day lest the Iewes should thinke he had not beene dead indeed but had been in a trance Not the fourth day lest his Disciples should haue despaired if Christ had beene longer absent from them Luke 24. 21. Q What difference is there betweene Christs rising and ours A. Christ rose by his owne power but wee shall rise by the power of Christ as in a shipwracke one swimmes to the bank and a many hang at his heeles and hee drawes them all out to the shore 1. Cor. 15. 22. 23. Q. What are the fruits of Christs rising A. Wee are assured hereby that Christ hath discharged for all our sinnes For if Christ had not payd our whole debt if but one sinne had beene left behinde Christ could not haue risen from death the guiltinesse of that one sinne would haue kept him downe And therefore God in raising Christ hath declared himselfe to be fully satisfied and contented for all our sinnes Rom. 4. 25. Secondly by Christs rising we are raised vp to newnesse of life As it is a shame for the Seruants to lye in bed when the Master of the house is vp So seeing Christ is risen it shall bee our shame if wee lye still sound a sleepe in sinne Rom. 6. 4. Thirdly wee are assured thereby that our bodies shall rise againe being parts and members of Christ and liuing by the same Spirit which raised Christ out of the graue 1. Thess 4 4. Q. What is the second degree of Christs Exaltation A. Hee ascended into heauen Q. What is the meaning hereof A. That Christ left the Earth and went vp to Heauen so that he is no longer in Earth according to his bodily presence either visibly or inuisibly Ioh. 16. 7. Qu. What thinke you then of the Reall Presence of Christs body in the Sacrament A. It is directly contrary to the Articles of our Faith as Christ himselfe shewes Ioh. 6. 62. For aske them of our faith where Christs body is They will answer it is ascended and gone into Heauen aske the Aduersaries they will say it is still on Earth in this Sacrament on the Altar c. So that if the Articles of our faith be true their doctrine of the Reall Presence cannot be true Math. 24. 23. Q. How doth Christ say then hee will bee with vs to the end of the world Math. 28. 20. A. Christ will be with vs alwayes according to his Godhead according to his grace according to the effectuall working of his Spirit as St. Marke expounds it Cap. 16. 20. but according to his bodily presence he is not alwayes with vs as himselfe saith Math. 26. 11. Q. Whither did Christ ascend A. Into heauen as all the Scriptures shew Marke 16. 19. Luke 24. 51. Act. 1. 11. Q. What fruit haue we by Christs ascention A. First Christ ascended into Heauen hath carryed the hearts of the Godly into Heauen with him So that though they liue here belowe yet they haue their mindes continually raised and lifted vp to Christ that is aboue Phil. 3. 20. Secondly wee by Christs ascending into heauen are already possessed of Heauen For as one friend takes possession in an others name and it is as good in Lawe as if he had done it himselfe So Christ in our name and in our right hath entred into heauen and made it as fine as if wee our selues were already seised of it Ephes. 2. 6. Thirdly Christ ascended into Heauen that hee might appeare in the sight of God to make intercession for vs. So that now wee haue a friend in the Court of heauen who keepes vs in fauour with God and obtaines many blessings for vs Hebr. Q. What is the third Degree of Christs Exaltion A. Hee sitteth at the right hand of God Q. What is meant by the right hand of God A. To speake properly God hath neither a right hand nor a left For God is a Spirit and therefore hath no bodily parts as wee haue but the right hand of God is the power of God and the Maiestie of God as the Scriptures expound it Luke 22. 69. Heb. 1. 3. Q. What is it then to sit at the right hand of God A. To be next to him in Maiestie and in Power for as Kings and great personages cause them to sit downe on their right hand whom they will haue honoured as second to them in the kingdome and next to themselues So Christ is set down at the right hand of God Because God hath lift him vp euen in his humane Nature farre aboue men and Angels and made him in glory and honour next vnto himselfe Q. Why is Christ said to sit A. First to shew that he is the Iudge of the world and all causes must be brought before him Secondly to shew that he hath finished the worke of our Redemption as a man that sits downe when his worke is done Heb. 10. 12. In the Sanctuary there was no stoole for the Priests to sit downe c. Q. Shew yet more fully the meaning of the Creed in this sitting A. The sitting downe of Christ at the right hand of
Q What other proofe is there A. Children that are elected to Saluation are holy before Baptisme 1 Cor. 7. 14. they are within the Couenant Gen. 17. 7. the kingdome of heauen belongs vnto them Mark 10. 14. And therefore vndoubtedly they may be saued Qu. How then doth our Sauiour say Iohn 3. 5. Except a man bee borne of Water and the Spirit hee cannot enter into the kingdome of God A. Wee are to marke the person to whom hee speakes it to Nicodemus who might haue beene baptised if hee would So that our Sauiours speech reacheth no further but to those who may haue Baptisme and will not For if none absolutely might bee saued without Baptisme how could the Theefe bee saued who was conuerted vpon the Crosse Luk. 2. 3. Q. Is it lawfull for a priuate person to Baptise A. No For this is to corrupt the holy Seales For none may meddle in the holy things but they that are warranted thereunto by the Lord But priuate persons men or women haue no warrant from the Lord to Baptise and therefore they may not presume to intermeddle in it Heb. 5. 4. Q. What other Reason is there A. Baptisme is a part of the publike Ministry of the Church Math. 28. 19. But priuate persons and chiefly women may not intermeddle in the Churches Ministry And therefore they may not take vpon them to Baptise 1. Tim 2. 11. 12. Q. Yea but there is a case of necessitie in it A. There is no necessitie to breake the Law of God if we may haue the Sacraments according to the Lords institution we are to accept them with Thankfulnesse if wee cannot wee must not thinke it lawfull to come by them wee care not how Q. Zipporah in case of necessitie did Circumcise her childe A. The reason doth not hold For the Sacraments of the New Testament are tyed to the Ministry And therefore none but the Ministers may intermeddle in them But the Sacraments of the Old Testament were not tyed to the Priesthood as appeareth for that Christ and his Apostles caused kill the Passeouer who were not of the Tribe of Leui Luk. 22. 19 Also in that Ioshua did circumcise Iosh. 5. 3. Q. What is the other Sacrament A. The Sacrament of the Lords Supper Q. Why is the Lords Supper needfull after wee be Baptised A. Because by Baptisme wee doe enter into the household of God and by the Lords Supper wee are fed and nourished in the same So that Baptisme is the Seale of our entrance into Christ and the Lords Supper giues vs our further growth and continuance in him 1. Cor. 12. 13. Q. How is this further declared A. By a similitude For as a Master makes prouision for his Family that they may be the more able to goe through with their worke So the Lord hath appointed this Sacrament for the strengthening of his people that they may bee the better able to hold out in the holy labours and duties required at their hands Q. What learne wee by this A. That they who come seldome to the Sacrament must needs bee very faint and weake in the spirit As a man feeles his strength through long fasting to abate so that he is not able to walke with any cheerefulnesse and comfort in his calling Q. What is the outward signe in the Lords Supper A. Bread and Wine and the Sacramentall Rites that bee vsed about them Q. What doth the Bread signifie A. It signifies the Body of Christ. Q. What resemblance is there betweene the Bread and Christs Body A. First as the body cannot liue without bread no more can our soules liue without Christ. And therefore wee must labour for Christ as wee doe for bread Iohn 6. 51. Secondly as bread strengthens the body makes it the more able and fit to worke so that the eye sees the cleerer the hand mooues the quicker the foot sets the faster for it So Christ receiued by faith strengtheneth the Soule and makes it mighty through God to performe the duties of obedience required of it Phil. 4. 13. Q. What Bread did Christ vse in the Sacrament A. Ordinarie and common Bread such as was vsually at that time eaten with their meates Qu. Why did Christ vse common Bread A. First left men if the food had beene finer should haue left the care of feeding their soules and fallen to filling their bellies Secondly that as Naman learned because the Waters of Iordan were not better then the Waters of Damascus Therefore it was not the water of Iordan but the God of Israell that cleansed his leprosie So because this Bread is but ordinant and common bread wee may therefore know that it is not the bread but Christ signified by the bread that sanctifieth the receiuer Q. Why did Christ take the Bread A. Christ by taking the Bread from the Table shewed that hee would separate it to another vse So that where before it serued but to strengthen the body now it should serue to the strengthening of our Faith Q. How did Christ blesse the Bread A. As the Lord blessed the Seuenth day by appointing that day to an holy vse So Christ blessed the Bread by making 〈◊〉 holy Signe and a Sacrament of himselfe Qu. What doth the breaking of the Bread signifie A. The breaking and 〈◊〉 of Christs body vpon the Crosse. For as it is not the whole loaâ—e but the breed broken that feeds vs So it is not the life of Christ but the death of Christ not Christ walking and working Miracles but Christ Crucified 〈◊〉 and torne with the Nayles and Speare that brings sound peace and comfort to the heart Q. What are wee bidden to take inn this Sacrament A. Two things Bread to the feeding of our bodies and Christ himselfe to the feeding of our soules For as the Bread is offered to our bodies So Christ himselfe is offered to our faith Qu. What learne wee by this A. That hee which comes to this Sacrament must bring two hands with him An hand of the body to receiue the Bread and an hand of Faith to receiue Christ Iohn 1. 12. Qu. Doe not all receiue Christ that come to the Sacraments A. No For then euery one should bee the better for it whereas now many through their owne default are not the better but the worse after God iustly reuenging their irreuerence and contempt 1. Cor. 11. 17. Qu. Who bee they that take no good by this Sacrament A. First they that want Faith which is declared by their euill life For they wanting the hand of Faith must needs defeate themselues of the whole fruite of the Sacrament which is receiued by Faith Secondly such of the godly as doe not quicken and stirre vp their Faith by priuate prayer and meditation when they come to receiue For as a man that hath his arme benummed or asleepe is not able to reach out his hand to receiue the Bagg of gold that is offered him So if our faith bee dead and cold
the weakenesse of such that are not able to vtter their own thoughts and desires Therefore Christ as he puts good thoughts in our hearts by his holy Spirit so here hee puts good words into our mouthes yea the words of prayer So the Lord Hos. 14. 3. Hauing exhorted the people to repent puts the very words into their mouthes saying Take vnto you words and turne to the Lord and say vnto him Take away all iniquity and receiue vs graciously so will we render the calues of our lippes In Gen. 47. 12. It is said of Joseph that he nourished his Father and his Mother and all the houshold yea put meat into little childrens mouthes So doth the true Ioseph the Lord Iesus he doth put euen meate into the mouthes of his children that is hee doth put the very words of prayer into the mouthes of such as cannot pray Quest. There hath been a question whether a man may vse a set forme of prayer or pray vpon a booke Ans. But the question need be no question amongst vs for we see by Christs example If a man haue not the gift to vtter prayer in his owne words better vse another mans helpe then quite to omit such a worthy duty The second reason why Christ giues a direction to pray was To correct a number of errours and obliquities that be in prayer This is the reason that is giuen both in this place and chap. 7. where Christ saith Be not as the Heathen but after this manner pray yee c. So the Lord prescribeth this forme of prayer as a correction of the abuses and corruptions which otherwise might creepe into our prayer Saint Paul saith Rom. 8. 26. For wee know not how to pray as we ought c. For howsoeuer we can speake wisely in the eares of men yet wee are the veriest fooles in the world when we come to speake vnto God And so as I haue said to helpe the errors and defects of prayer our Sauiour Christ hath giuen vs a direction how to pray for as Cyprian saith Hee who hath giuen life hath also taught vs how to pray Diuines shew that the inward intent without the action is as much as the action it selfe for though the action be good yet if the manner be not so also God will not accept it Isai. 58. 3. The people say We haue fasted and punished our selues c. but the Lord saith Yee fast to strife and debate and to smite with the fist of wickednesse c. So though that the action be good yet because the manner of performing it was not God did by the Prophet reprehend it So 1 Chron. 15. 13. Dauids action was good when he sought to bring vp the Arke but because the manner was not good because he did not seeke God deuoutly but put Gods Arke vpon a Cart whereas it should haue beene carried vpon Priests shoulders the Lord made a breach amongst them c. So that we see in regard of gracious acceptation the manner of the action is as much as the action it selfe And thus we may not onely pray but wee must pray to acceptation and keepe a due manner in our prayer The third Reason is That we might haue the greater assurance that God will heare vs when we pray c. As 1 Iohn 5. 14. This is our assurance that if wee aske any thing according to his will he heareth vs. Now no man can doubt that when we follow Christs direction wee aske according to Gods will and so no question but God will heare vs. When the woman of Tekoah made a report to Dauid concerning Absolom his sonne Dauid said Is not the hand of Ioab in this which when hee vnderstood that it was so Dauid did the better accept of it Euen so when a poore Christian comes to prayer vnto God and the Lord saith Is not this tongue taught by Christ Is not Christ a counseller in this action we may thinke the Lord will the rather entertaine and accept of it Saint Cyprian saith As the Lord our Master hath taught vs and of prayer It is a friendly and a familiar kind of prayer to intreat God with his owne words When any one prayes the Lord knowes the words of his Sonne So you see the Reasons why it pleased Christ to giue a direction in prayer First to helpe the weaknesse of such as cannot pray Secondly to correct a number of errours in prayer Thirdly that we might haue so much the greater acceptation with God Now we come to the second thing in the subdiuision 2 What this Direction is Which followes in these words Our Father which art in Heauen c. Of this direction there are three parts 1 The Preface 2 The Petitions 3 The Conclusion First There is a Preface for our Sauiour Christ doth not set downe the Petitions abruptly but he first begins with a solemne Preface and why with a Preface to shew that there must be a prouision for prayer a disposition of our selues and a composing of the affections before we pray We may not bluntly rush vpon this holy Duty but come forward with deuotion reiecting all worldly thoughts and prepare our selues before we pray Psal. 10. 17. Thou preparest their heart thou bendest eare vnto them Psal. 108. 10. O God my heart is prepared So that there must be first a Preparation of the Heart Now there be two Reasons why we must be prepared in our hearts for prayer 1 In regard of God 2 In regard of our selues First In regard of God That we may come with holy reuerence before him for because it is not a mortall man or earthly power that wee haue to deale with in prayer but a glorious and great God before whom we ought to tremble before whom the very Angels stand with an awfull regard and reuerence at the feete of whose Throne all Kings of this world cast downe their Crownes therefore so we must haue the more care how and in what sort we come before him If a man were to speake to a mortall King in a matter of some importance how would he labour to fit himselfe for it to compose his speech his gesture all his actions that there might be nothing to offend How much more when we who be but dust and ashes wormes meat and rottennesse come into the presence of Almighty God ought we to be prepared and labour so to bee composed that nothing offend this great God of ours Secondly In regard of our selues Because wee cannot by and by set vp our affections and stirre vp our hearts to prayer as soone as we haue occasion to pray as when the Sea is moued and rouzed with the winds though the wind lye yet the Sea workes still a good while after before it will be calme And as in the miracle of the Gospel the windes were laid at the words of Christ which were wont to
owne so must we doe if we loue our owne peace and quiet safety auoyd this grieuous debt of sinne by all meanes Especially in age take heed we continue not in this wofull debt But doe as a man doth when hee comes into an Inne calles for no more then hee meanes to pay for though hee see a great deale of good cheere before him in the house yet hee considers what his meanes and ability is for otherwise if he neuer thinke of it but cals in for all he sees without thought how to discharge it when the reckning comes and he not able to pay it is shame vnto him besides the danger of imprisonment so fareth it with vs it is good to take vp no more then we are able to pay for but howsoeuer we see a number of goodly things in this world which may allure vs and set our desires on fire causing expence of money let vs take heed of being in debt especially of this debt of sinne the worst of all other The second thing in this Confession is That all men run into this debt of sinne yea and very farre for which wee pray not forgiue vs our debt but forgiue vs our debts because there are a great number of them So that here is a plaine confession that we are all sinners and grieuous sinners euen the best of vs for this is not a prayer for some of the worst but for the holy Apostles the Disciples of Christ yea for the whole Church dispersed all the world ouer So faith Iam. 3. 2. In many things we sinne all and 1 Iohn 2. 2. Christ is said to be the propitiation for our sinnes and not for ours onely but for the sinnes of the whole world And Iob confesses If he would contend with God hee could not answer him one of a thousand So Dauid prayes Enter not into iudgement with thy seruant O Lord for in thy sight shall none that liueth be iustified Yea and Salomon in his prayer 1 King 8. 46. confesses That there is no man who sinneth not This we see that no man liuing is exempted from this debt of sinne Vse 1 The vse hereof is to humble vs before God in regard of this debt of sin to confesse our owne vnworthinesse and that the Iudgements of God on vs for our sinnes are iust to say therefore as the Church doth I will beare the wrath of the Lord because I haue sinned against him c. Vse 2 Secondly To labour as much as may be to cleare this debt which cannot be done by our selues but by Christ Iesus Therefore let vs doe for our soules as Salomons counsell is for our estates If thou be surety for thy neighbour deliuer thy selfe as a Roe from the Hunter So for vs let vs neuer be quiet for we shall neuer prosper if we belong to God vntill we haue reconciled our selues vnto God by the mediation of Iesus Christ. If a man runne into arrerages with the King and euery yeare the Sheriffes and the Bayliffes come and straine vpon the ground driue away his Cattell impound them disturbe his children and seruants and indanger his person no man that hath any wit in his head but will seek to stay the matter or compound for the debt that he may liue in peace Now iust this is our case we all runne into arrerages vnto the Lord and that euery month euery yeare euery weeke euery day by one offence or other So that in lustice which is euer ready he may straine and imprison vs Oh then why doe we not seeke to stay the matter and to take vp the businesse with the Lord to compose and settle it by our heauenly high Priest Iesus Christ and so walke on hereafter in holinsse and newnesse of lâ—fe The third part of the Confession is That wee be not able to pay this debt of our selues for if wee were able to satisfie it what needed we to pray to God to forgiue it which prayer is a plaine confession that we are not able to discharge it we cannot say with the seruant in the Gospell Master appease thine anger and I will pay thee all We be not able to pay halfe nor whole nor quarter nay not any thing at all towards the satisfaction of diuine Iustice so all our sute is in this Petition that the Lord would pardon and forgiue it seeing wee are not able to discharge it our selues The Papists say though they cannot pay the whole debt of sinne yet they can pay a good part of it and being a little helpt by Christ they may easily discharge the whole making vp the rest with their owne merits But if we looke a little into the Point we may easily see that no man liuing saue the Lord Jesus is able to pay this debt of sinne I proue it thus No man can pay God with his owne But all the good that we haue or can doe is the Lords owne and none of ours but the Lords therefore no man can pay the Lord with it Reason 1 The Proposition I proue by comparison Suppose a Steward owes an hundred pound vnto his Master and hath not a penny of his owne I demand now whether the Steward may lawfully pay his owne debts with his Masters money It is out of question that hee cannot Now this is our case all we haue is but the Lords money nothing of our owne as Dauid confesses 1 Chron. 29. 14. All things come of thee and of thine owne haue we giuen thee So the Apostle 1 Cor. 4. 7. askes What hast thou that thou hast not receiued and if thou hast receiued it why boast est thou as though thou hadst not receiued it Therefore because all wee haue is the Lords it is euident that we cannot pay the Lord with it because no man can pay a man with his owne Reason 2 Secondly we cannot pay one debt with another for it is a Rule in Law that if a man hath two debts due vnto him or if you will oweth two debts by paying of one he shall not cleere the other now all that wee doe or can doe is due debt vnto God as Christ saith When wee haue done all we can doe wee are but vnprofitable seruants Now because we owe a double debt first the debt of sinne secondly the debt of death it is euident by performing the debt of death wee cannot discharge the debt of sinne Reason 3 Thirdly Euery debt must be payed with currant money as the Scripture saith Gen. 23. 16. Abraham payed for his sepulchre 400 shekels of currant money amongst Merchants such as wants nothing of value nor waight Now God knowes all our seruice wants waight when it comes to be waighed for one cannot pay a debt with light and crackt Angels or soothered Gold Nor can we satisfie the Lord with our counterfeit workes for when they shall come into the exact ballance of his lustice they
God do vs good we may be pleas'd to doe good one to another By this golden chaine he seekes to linke and tye the whole world together therfore we should by all meanes shunne anger and matter of offence Christians should be like Rootes well growen which though many times they be diuided and parted yet by and by they doe shut so close that no body can see the seame where the rent was or the diuision So among Christians howsoeuer it cannot bee but in this frailty of life contentions and iarres will fall out amongst vs yet must we shut againe so close yea claspe one another so fast as no body may perceiue who hath offended Now in the Condition it selfe we may consider two things 1 The Duty which is To forgiue our debtors 2 The Quality we must forgiue them as God forgiues vs. By Debtors first are meant such as haue sinned and offended against vs for by debtors our Sauiour Christ doth not meane such as owe vs a money debt for a man may craue forgiuenesse of God and yet require a money debt of his brother Indeed in case of miserable extremity when a man is insufficient and cast behind hand by ineuitable meanes then a man is bound to forgiue a money debt for the Prophet Isa. 58. 3. amongst other sinnes vpbraides the people with this as a maine great one Yee will require all your labours as debts But out of this case of extremity with a safe conscience we may aske a money debt For so when one of the Prophets lost his Axe he cryed out it was but borrowed inferring that it must be restored and Elisha increased the womans oyle to pay debts with And the Apostle bids vs owe nothing to any man but loue to which I may adde that by Salomon it is made a note of the wicked to borrow and not to pay againe So that it is cleere by debtors our Sauiour Christ meanes such as are indebted to vs in the debt of sinne whom wee must forgiue as the Lord forgiues vs. As the Apostle exhorts Coloss. chap. 3. vers 11 12. Put on tender mercy kindnesse c. forbearing one another and forgiuing one another as GOD forgaue vs which is the second thing Next The quality of this duty we must forgiue others as God forgiues vs. First God forgiues vs truely He doth not make a shew of forgiuenesse and keepe our sinnes by him to watch vs a good turne but truely according to his loue and mercy forgiuing and forgetting our sinnes so must we forgiue our brethren and not make a shew of forgiuenesse keeping rancor and malice in our hearts like Cain who spake kindly to his brother but when he had him in the field fell vpon him and killed him Matth. 18. 33. Except yee forgiue from your hearts your brother saith our Sauiour you shall not be forgiuen So when we say I will forgiue and doe not let vs consider would we haue the Lord to deale so with vs consider what a wofull case is this for who can answer one of a thousand and who cannot but be terrified to thinke that God remembers all Secondly God forgiues vs easily without any great adoe No sooner did Dauid say I haue sinned but Nathan told him The Lord hath also put away thy sinne thou shall not die No sooner was hee humbled at his Masters feet who owed the 1000 Talents but the King released him and so must we forgiue our brethren not stiffely standing vpon our tearmes but being gentle and easily intreated as we find the Lord is vnto vs. But I appeale to common experience how hardly we are drawne to this duty there must be such intreaty mediation such going betweene parties as is wonderfull and all farre from the patterne here propounded vnto vs. Thirdly God doth forgiue vs all our sinnes not our smaller reseruing the greater but generally all and of all sorts whatsoeuer they be So must we do by our brethren forgiue them in all wherein they haue offended vs we must not keepe any secret faults in store but passe by and forgiue all lesse and more But such is the custome of the world that generally they can bee content to say I would forgiue but the matter is so great concernes me so neere toucheth my good name my reputation that I cannot But if we will be assured to bee the children of our heauenly Father who shall inherit the promises we must breake custome with the world and put on the spirit of meeknesse patiently forbearing one another as Christ himselfe hath taught vs Luke 17. 4. If seuen times a day he turneth vnto thee and say it repenteth me thou shalt forgiue him If this mooue not yet let vs remember the many hainous sinnes which God forgiues vs and so be moued to forgiue others Fourthly God forgiues vs often not once but many times though we sinne from day to day to morrow and next day yea to our liues end So must we often and vpon all occasions forgiue one another If thy brother offend daily thou art bound daily to forgiue him not once or twice but euen to seuenty times seuen times Thus if we follow the example of Christ questionlesse there will be a great deale of more loue wrought in vs wee shall haue an assurance of Gods mercy towards vs prepare a way into our selues by preparing our hearts to performe these things that with comfort we may pray in all occasions And forgiue vs our debts as we also forgiue our debtors Now followes the sixt and last Petition 6. PETITION And lead vs not into tentation but deliuer vs from euill AFter prayer for our daily bread we haue been taught to pray for the forgiuenesse of our sinnes which was to shew that without the pardon of our sinnes through Gods fauour and mercy all the bread in the world is nothing worth It is nothing to haue all the blessings of Sea and Land there with to perish in sinne and at last be damned with the diuell therefore after prayer for our daily Bread we are taught to seeke for pardon for our sinnes reconciliation with God Now in this sixt Petition we are taught to goe one step further and pray to GOD for the grace of Sanctification that we may not onely 〈◊〉 our sinnes pardoned but our spirits also awakened and strengthaned to recouer life worke vivification hauing power and vertue wrought to resist them so as we may no more fall into sinne but that we may be kept by the power of God in all holy courses This is that we pray for in this Petition that as God hath freed vs from our sinnes so we may be freed from sinne hereafter In summe That we may not be led into tentation But whereas there may seeme a connexion of two Petitions in one it may teach vs two things First That vpon pardon of former sinnes the Diuell is alwayes ready to fasten new sinnes vpon
take fire with euery little sparke So ready are wee to be carryed away with euery little temptation wherefore our Sauiour Christ wills his disciples to pray That they enter not into tentation as knowing how feeble and weake they were to resist it Men know not themselues if they doe not know this how ready and proue they be to lay hold on euery tentation so that it is good for euery man to be iealous of himselfe If one had a body all of Gunpowder how carefull would he be not to come neere the fire afraid of euery little sparke euen so knowing our owne procliuity to sinne how ready euery sparke that is euery temptation is to take hold vpon vs we ought to be the more carefull by all meanes to flie away from the occasions of it O how ready are we to brag and vaunt of our strength that all the Diuels in Hell shall not be able to corrupt vs and thus many times associate our selues with Drunkards Swearers and vncleane persons Little do these men know themselues and their owne corruption that they be so apt to take fire and ready to yeeld to temptation And albeit they scape away with life as Iacob did yet many times they goe away halting and carry a wound and scarre with them to their dying day As let a man sticke a Candle to a stone wall though the Candle do not burne through it yet it will leaue a shrewd smutch behind it soyling the wall so as it will not easily be wyped out Thus it is with tentations though they doe not all the mischiefe they would and might doe they will yet be sure to leaue an impression of filth and staines behinde them The second part of this first Branch of the Petition is The Request that seeing we are so prone to yeeld vnto tentation we pray that God would not leaue vs vnto our selues or giue vs ouer to them but that we may bee kept by his power and mercy not onely from sinne but from all the occasions of it which shewes if we would keepe our selues from sinne we must shunne the temptation baits and prouocations thereunto or else not auoyding the occasion we shall neuer auoyd the sinne it selfe considering the procliuity of our nature vnto it Can a man saith Salomon take fire in his bosome and not be burnt goe vpon coales and not singe his feet entertaine many sinnes and not be faulty It is impossible Peter as we know was as bold and in shew as well setled as any man but when he came vnto the high Priests Hall and was thrust in amongst that wicked crew he thought it was good policy to say as they said doe as they did and so most shamefully denyed his Master but on the other side good Joseph as we reade was not onely carefull to auoyde the sinne but the occasion of it when he was inticed by his lewde Mistris he hearkned not vnto her to lie with her he durst not tarry in her cōpany So that herein consists the wisdome of a Christian to auoyd all the occasions and prouocations vnto sinne When the Lord determined to cause the flood of waters to cease from off the face of the earth It is said he stopped the fountaines of the deepe and shut the windowes of heauen So because there be certaine floods of sinne in vs wee must stop the fountaines below and the windowes aboue all occasions and prouocations leading vnto it that we may auoyde the torrent and ouer-flowing thereof Chrysistome sayes well It is an easier matter to auoyde the occasion then when the occasion is offered to auoyde the sinne An easier thing for a bird to flie by a snare then when shee is intanglèd with it to escape out of the danger and auoyd it Thus must the wisedome of the Lord teach vs wisedome to auoyd the occasion as the sinne it selfe But from hence ariseth a great question Quest. How can the Lord be said to lead vs into temptation seeing Saint Iames sayes That God tempteth no man to sinne Ans. I answer It is one thing to lead a man into tentation and another thing to tempt To lead a man into temptation is to permit a man to be tempted to giue way to the Tempter and this God doth in Iustice. For Saint Paul sayes God gaue the Gentiles vp to their owne lusts and by the Apostle it is said He sent vpon others strong delusions yet doth not God tempt a man to sinne but the diuell onely and his owne concupiscence but God in his Iustice first giues way to the temptation as is plaine by that place 2 King 22. 20. Where God is brought in asking this question Who shall intice Ahab to goe down to battell and fall at Ramoth Gilead and so vpon the offer of an euill spirit to performe this office God sayes Goe thou shalt intice him and shalt also preuaile So that though God tempt no man to sin yet no man is tempted but the Lord is the chiefe orderer and guider of the temptation As when a man sets a Dog vpon a Beare It is the Dog that flies vpon the Beare and lugges him and puls him but it is the man that sets the Dogge vpon him and guides and ouer-rules him in all that hee doth So is it in temptations it is the Diuell and our owne flesh which tempts vs to sinne but it is God in his Iustice that directs ouer-rules suffers the temptation to ebbe and flow goe on and off at his owne will and good pleasure of which there be two Vses Use 1 First seeing God can lead vs into tentation that is seeing all power of tentation is in his hand this must make vs fearefull to displease him who can turne the Diuell Men Angels our owne corruptions loose vpon vs and set our selues against our selues Pilate thought to strike feare into Christ with this Knowest thou not that I haue power to crucifie thee and haue power to loose thee O but much more ought this to strike terrour vpon vs that the Lord who is Omnipotent hath power to free vs from tentation and when he pleases also to set all the world against vs vpon vs to torment vs. Use 2 Secondly seeing that all power of temptation is in the hands of God from hence ariseth the comfort of a Christian that the Diuell for all his malice cannot tempt vs one iot further then the Lord wil permit him for his malice is both limited and restrained at the Lords good will and pleasure else how liue we feed we prosper we escape we in dangerous tentations but that our God doth ouer-rule all his malice and power and make a hedge about vs as we see in Iob. Otherwise he hath malice and power enough to ouerturne and destroy vs all suddenly To this purpose Saint Paul sweetly speakes 1 Cor. 10. 13. That God will not suffer vs to bee tempted aboue that we be able c.
now to bee done they would not for a world doe them What would Dauid haue giuen after his Repentance for his Adulterie and murder that hee had neuer committed the same yea any thing What would not Peter haue giuen that hee had neuer denyed his Master which made him shed so many teares It is true when sinne is once committed all the powers in Heauen and Earth cannot vndoe it againe Onely Repentance doth as much as may bee to make sin no sinne in effect Secondly It makes a Change in regard of sinnes that are to come They would not doe any thing willingly that would offend God or to grieue the holy Spirit So wee see in Iob 40. 5. Once saith hee I haue spoken but I will speake no more yea twice but I will proceed no further and 1. Pet. 4. 3. saith hee It is sufficient that we haue spent the time past after the lusts of the flesh and Paul Rom. 7. sayes The good that I would doe that I doe not and the euill I would not doe that doe I. As if he would say I would not grieue the spirit I would not offend God for a world but my corruptions carry mee so vnto it that I cannot choose Therefore if there bee a willingnesse to sinne there is no true repentance So likewise it makes a Change in the Affections First whereas formerly sinne was our ioy and delight Now wee sorrow for it and it is grieuous vnto vs. Secondly whereas before wee committed sinne with boldnesse now wee are ashamed of it Thirdly whereas before we loued it now wee hate it So that it is cleere that there is a change made in the affections thereby first to instance whereas at first wee tooke delight and ioyed to sinne now such doe sorrow mourne and lament for it as Ierem 31. it is said I haue surely heard Ephraim lamenting thou hast chastised mee and I was chastised And Psal. 6. Dauid confesses that hee did water his couch with teares Chrysostome on this place sayes well If so great a King did lament and weepe for his sinnes so great a Prophet and so holy a man did shed teares and that not for an houre but for a long time not for a night but many nights not a drop or two but he did water his bed with them how much more ought wee to grieue and lament and shed teares for our sinnes that are a great many more For the next whereas before wee committed sinne with boldnesse wee now become ashamed of it and therefore if wee can sinne and not be ashamed of it but beare it out with boldnesse of face it is a signe our repentance is not true By the contrarie if when we haue committed sinne wee are abashed and ashamed to looke any body in the face so that wee could bee contented to liue in a Caue or a dungeon or some such secret place after the fact it is a good signe saying The time hath beene when I was so brutish and sâ—…esse that I cou'd haue beene contented to haue committed sinne in the sight of the Sunne with boldnesse but now I shame to thinke of it if it bee thus with vs it is a signe of true repentance As Ieremie in the person of the faithfull sayes Ierem. 3. 25. I lye downe in confusion and wee couer our selues with shame So the Publican was ashamed and durst not lift vp his eyes to heauen but hee smote himselfe vpon the brest and said The Lord bee mercifull to mee a sinner And lastly whereas before wee tooke delight in sinne now wee hate detest and abhorre it whereas our delight was in the wayes of vanitie and that the pleasures of sinne haue beene meate and drinke to vs wee now begin to hate the delights of this life euen as Ammon 2. Sam. 13. 13. after hee had by inordinate loue desired his sister Thamar did hate her after so much the more So must wee deale with our best beloued sins hate them as much or more as euer wee formerly loued them And therefore if so bee wee see in vs renewed and changed affections from that wee were from euill to good this is a signe of true Repentance when such a change and alteration is wrought in our Inward Man Now 〈◊〉 Repentance makes a change in the Inward man so doth it in the Outward also in our Actions not onely renewing our heart but our whole life that wheras in the best part thereof wee haue done seruice vnto sinne it maketh vs now doe seruice vnto Christ yea that wee neuer thought to doe as in the Parable of the two sonnes the one said hee would not goe yet after repentance hee went and did cleane contrary So in the historie of Mary Magdalen O Lord how were all her actions changed when shee was changed by repentance shee that was woont to sit in glorie at sumptuous Feasts and banquees leaues all now to sit downe at Iesus feete vpon the ground Shee that was wooâ—t to clip and kisse her louers with â—â—â—ton imbraces left all to kisse the feet of her Sauiour shee that had curled her haire and had dressed it with Pearle and costlinesse for wicked and intisâ—…g purposes let it now hang loosely about her face and head to be a towell to wipe the feete of Iesus she that had wandring eyes and thought vpon nothing but smiles and pleasure maketh them now a fountaine of teares to wash her Sauiours feet Her eares which were open to heare nothing but musicke and filthy talke now are ready to heare Christ speaking vnto her her feete which formerly carried her into vaine companie are now the instruments to bring her into the house of God and that tongue which before spake filthily idly and loosely is now imployed in the praises of God and so forth for all her gesture and apparell c. O! what an alteration was here what a change did Repentance worke through soule and bodie in the inward outward man And thus must it worke vpon vs all or else wee come not neere the nature of true Repentance For true Repentance worketh vpon sinners in the same manner The hands now take vp a Bible and with as great delight reade the word of God as they before followed their sports the feete that carried the body to houses of iniquitie are now as ready to carry them to the house of Christ the Eares that were woont to hearken to lasciuious talke and bee taken with amorous loue-songs are now attentiue to Sermons and the word of God The eyes that were rouling about to meet with temptations are now fixed on a Preacher and haue a couenant made with them In a word the heart and affection that was fraughted with sinfull and idle fancies and motions are now full of holy meditations and busied with diuine exercises The third thing in the Nature of true Repentance is that wee must not onely bee changed in part
but wee must bee turned from all sinne as Dauid saith Psal. 119. I haue refrained my feet from euery euill way That I may keepe thy word so that if wee turne from one sinne or from many sinnes and not from all and euery sinne it is not true repentance Ahab and Iudas turned from one sinne but not from all hee repented of betraying his Master but not of his other sinnes of couetousnesse c. therefore he fell into despaire Obiect O but there is no man who liueth and sinneth not in some sinne or other for St. Iames sayes In many things wee sinne all Vnto which it is added 1. Iohn If wee say that wee haue no sinne in vs wee doe but deceiue our selues and the truth is not in vs. How then can wee turne from euery sinne Answer I answer We must turne away from all sinne though all sinne doâ— not turne away from vs but is ready to catch hold of and follow vs so must wee deale with all sinne as Samuel did with Saul Samuel resolued to depart and went away from Saul But Saul catcht hold of him and would not let him goe So must wee depart from all sinne in resolution and indeauour part company turne backe look downe and frowne vpon all though it bee true that sin will pull vs backe catch and lay hold vpon vs stay vs against our will this much is all wee can doe whilst wee dwell in these houses of clay The fourth thing in the Nature of repentance is That wee must not onely turne vnto God as the Prophet Ieremie hath it Obiection O Israel If thou returne returne vnto me saith the Lord. I but how should wee turne vnto God Answer I answer wee must not onely turne vnto God as our Sauiour and our Redeemer for so wee turne by faith but wee must turne to him as the guider and gouernour of our liues Because many are well contented to haue God their Sauiour and Redeemer who reiect him for the guide and gouernour of their liues LECT IIII. IIII. THE CAVSES OF Repentance ACT. 11. 18. When they heard these things they held their peace and glorified God saying then hath God also vnto the Gentiles granted Repentance vnto life WEE shewed vnto you the last day the true Nature of Repentance lest any one should bee deceiued in a matter of so great moment and thinke that hee hath this Grace when indeed hee hath but a shew and shadow therof wherin wee considered foure things First that Repentance was a change in a man Secondly that it was a change of the whole manâ—…â—hirdly that it was such a change as made a man leaue and turne from all sinne Fourthly that it is such a change as turns a man from all sinne vnto God As Act. 26. 20 it is said That they should Repent and turne to God and doâ— actes meete for Repentance So that repentance is a turning vnto God By sinne a man is auerted and turned away from him by Repentance a man turnes vnto God againe as one willing to be gouerned and guided by him in all his courses for vnlesse this bee it can bee no true Repentance The nature whereof is as wee haue heard at large It remaines in the next place that wee come to treate of The causes of Repentance which are of three sorts Cause of Repentance 1 For the first The principall efficient cause is God for it is God onely who can make vs repent no man can worke it wee cannot compasse it our selues but God must worke it by the graces of his holy Spirit as Paul hath it 2. Tim. 2. 25. saith hee Proouing if God peraduenture will giue them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth Whereby hee prooues that God onely is the giuer of Repentance and no good duty can bee performed vnlesse God stirre a man vp vnto the same So acknowledgeth the Church of the Greekes Act. 11. 18. Then hath God also to the Gentiles granted Repentance vnto life And Deut. 4. 29. it is there said in Moses exhortation Yet the Lord hath not giuen you an heart to perceiue and eyes to see and eares to heare vnto this day So that God is the principall cause of Repentance A number thinke that Repentance is a worke in a mans owne power that it is like the Apothecaries Physick which a man may set in his window and take it as his stomacke serues him So they thinke that Repentance may rest vpon a mans owne will yea many presume to say that if they may haue but one houre to repent in before the day of death it is as good as though they had had a whole yeare to thinke vpon it But you see that Repentance is not in our power it is a gift a worke of God so that wee cannot repent when wee will but when God will therefore it must bee our care to take repentance when God proffers it and wills it Looke in the story of Esau. Heb. 12. 17. hee once refused it and sought it afterwards with teares but could not obtaine his father to reuerse the blessing much lesse could hee sue to God for mercy So then take heed of despising Gods mercy for if a man will not take repentance when God offers it hee may seeke it yea seeke it with teares and yet because he despised and neglected it when it was offered vnto him hee may goe without it Therefore take notice that the spirit is willing to worke life in thee and breed good motions therefore doe thou take heed to cherish these good motions of repentance holy thoughts and resolutions lost when thou wouldest haue it thou be refused The Papists who hold the doctrine of Free-will say that if God make a motion of Repentance it is in a mans owne power to repent or not to repent as if a man should shew a horse a bottle of Hay that it is without doubt that by and by hee will runne after it so say they let God make but the motion by and by man by the power of his owne Free-will will runne to imbrace it but the truth is such is the estate of a sinner that hee is in a worse estate then a beast For to come to their owne comparison of a Horse and Hay First hee must haue eyes to see the Hay for if hee see it not he cannot be hastie to runne after it for Coeco nulla cupide Secondly he must haue an appetite and stomacke to care the Hay which if hee haue not hee will not bee hastie to runne after it or haue a desire to eate it Thirdly besides his eyes and stomacke hee must haue strength and iollitie or else hee will neuer rise and runne after it for although there bee eyes to see and a desire to bee satisfied yet if there be no strength to rise and catch it hee is neuer the better Now say that all these three bee in a horse yet none of
of God yet when the winde blowes when God offers gratious and good meanes when we haue so faire an opportunitie we should lay hold vpon the good things that be for our saluation So that this must needs be a fearefull abuse of Gods kindnesse and goodnesse that when it is a speciall time of Repentance through our corruptions wee make it a speciall time of wantonnesse and vncleannesse and wee are so farre from being the better for all our speciall meanes that wee become worse and worse and so bring iudgement vpon vs. Our Sauiour Christ Math. 11. doth vpbraid those Cities wherein hee had done most of his great workes because for all this they had not repented them of their sins where he tells them That it shall be easier for Sodome and for Gomorrah in the day of Iudgement then for them So if wee doe not profite by the preaching of the Word and the good meanes which are amongst vs at this day the estate of Sodome and Gommorrah at that great day shall be easier and better then ours So let vs take heed it be not so with vs for what a fearefull signe of damnation is this when wee thus set open the gates of hell by being no more carefull to come to Faith and Repentance and other sauing graces in the midst of such abundance of meanes Fourthly it is a speciall Time of Repentance when wee goe about any great worke For many times in our honest labours there are many crosses and troubles which doe befall vs because we haue not repented Therefore it must bee our wisedome when wee goe about any great worke which wee would haue to prosper then to repent lest we incounter with great crosses So Ezra 8. 21. hee practised So Esther 4. 16. So Iehoshaphat 2. Chron. 20. 12. The omission of this dutie you see was dangerous Iosh. 7. 11. 12. they could not stand before their enemies saith God vnto Ioshua Vp Israel hath sinned and they haue transgressed my Couenant therefore the children of Israel could not stand before their enemies Euen so it is with vs wee cannot stand before our enemies God doth not blesse our labours indeauours nor any thing wee take in hand because wee doe not prepare our selues vnto Repentance therefore as I said when we haue a great work in hand it is a speciall time of Repentance and herein wee must imitate the seruants of God in their examples when Ezra had a great iourney to goe first he fasted and prayed so many other of the Saints forenamed this was their practise and so must it bee ours chiefly when wee come to heare the Word or receiue the Sacran â—nts then we must be sure to haue repenced soundly for our 〈◊〉 nes or else as wee cannot expect mercie so wee depart away without comfort As a man that would draw a riuer into his ground he must first prepare the channell cut downe the bankes and stop the passages so must men doe with their sinnes that would haue the riuer of Gods mercie to runne through their hearts The Fifth speciall time of Repentance is Eeuery morning when wee arise and euery night when wee goe to bed For as wee sin daily so must wee daily renew our repentance let vs then repent euery morning before wee rise The steward who hath but a short memorie will be often casting vp his accounts and reckoning with his Master he will neuer let them tarry too long without cleering and making euen so because that our memorie is short and that wee soone forget our sinnes we should desire to haue often reckoning with the Lord euery day to make euen with him Iâ— we would thus often doe wee should haue but a few sins to repent vs of when wee come to die Wee see by experience if a man haue a little Brooke that runnes through his ground as long as he keeps the channell cleane that the waters may still auoide it will neuer annoy him but if he suffer the gutters to be stopped with mudde and durt and weeds to stop the course and carrying of the water by and by it will ouerflow his ground And euen so though a man haue some sinnes which annoy and trouble him yet 〈◊〉 he will be daily cleansing the channell of his heart and make the channell open by Repentance there will be the lesse danger to his soule as wee see it was said of Dauids practise Psal. 6. Hee talkes of a vexed soule wearisomenesse with groaning making his bed to swimme with teares consuming of his eyes and the like so must our Repentance come with sighes groanes weeping and wringing of the heart if it were possible that so wee be the better assured that it is vnfained and rightly bred and that it is such vnto which God will haue respect Sixtly the last speciall time of Repentance is at the houre of Death for then indeed is the Time to renew our Faith Repentance and all other Graces or neuer Euen as a man that hath beene at great charges for the building of a ship to carrie himselfe safely a very long iourney when hee is ready to put foorth into the sea then hee especially lookes that all his Masts Sayles Anchors and Tacklings be ready fit and prepared so howsoeuer a man deale with his Faith Repentance and other graces all his life time yet now when at the houre of death hee comes to lance forth into so rough a Sea for his last iourney he must then looke all ouer againe and see that nothing be wanting but that his faith prayers penetencie loue and such like be in a readinesse for to conduct him in peace and safetie vnto the end of his last iourney But commonly men doe by Repentance as great men doe by Banquets when a great Feast comes they sit and gaze and admire but their stomacks are gone many in this case haue no stomacks to eate So many men looke at these excellent things of God admire them but will not eate will not repent leaue their sinnes c. But let vs in the Name of God who know better things and haue not thus learned Christ goe on resolue labour and practise Repentance ere it bee too late which now is our next Point to be handled the next time LECT VI. VI. THE PRACTISE OF Repentance IOEL 2. 12. Therefore also now saith the Lord Turne yee euen to mee with all your heart and with fasting and with weeping and with mourning And rent your heart and not your garments and turne vnto the Lord your God for hee is gracious and mercifull slow to anger and of great kindenesse and repents him of the euill WEE spake the last day of the Time of Repentance when we shewed that for euery new sinne there must bee a new act of Repentance and so as wee sinne daily wee must daily repent For as I then shewed if a man haue a little Brook which runs through his ground as long
sorrowed after a godly sort what carefulnesse it wrought in you c. Many a man is sorry for his sinne and peraduenture repents not for all this or if he doe repent it is not because it is sinne but because it will bring their shame losse or discredite with men or that Gods iudgements are ready to seize vpon him as Ahab when it was told him that the dogges should licke his bloud in that place where hee had stoned Naboth he wept and humbled himselfe and went softly but it was not because he had displeased God but in regard of the iudgement that should befall him So Iudas was sorry for his sinne not because of sinne but by reason it was so horrible a thing to betray his Master this was it which made so horrible and incureable a rent in his conscience others againe sorrow for sinne in an other kinde because they would be well accounted of by the best men and women they would seeme to be religious because this is a faire way to preferment and profite when yet none of all this is godly sorrow for this cries alwayes with holy Dauid and laments most sins against God Against thee against thee onely haue I sinned and done euill in thy sight that thou mayest be iust in thy iudgements c. Thirdly it must be Dolor particularis a man must be sorrowfull for his sinnes in particular whereby hee hath offended God It is not enough for a man to be sorrowfull generally because hee is a sinner but hee must draw himselfe to more particulars to an account in what manner and with what sinnes he hath displeased God Herâ— heri hodie hodie yesterday yesterday to day to day because as one sayes well Dolosus versatur in generalibus a deceiuer loues generalls therefore let vs know the duty consists in particulars and we must come so farre as it is possible vnto the account of euery day yea euery houres sinne and be so sorry for them Thus the people confessed 2. Sam. 12. 19. For wee haue added vnto all our sinnes this euill to aske for vs a King c. So Iudg. 10. 10. they say Wee haue sinned against thee both because wee haue forsaken our God and serued Baalim Now as concerning particular sorrow we must doe as Physitians doe with diseased bodies when they finde a generall distemperature in the body they labour by all the art they can to draw the humour to another place and then they break it and bring out all the corruption that way All which is done for the case of the patient Euen so we must doe when we haue a generall and confused sorrow for our sinnes labour as much as may be to draw them vnto particulars as to say in this and in this and at such and such a time in such an occasion and in such a place I haue sinned against my God The Fourth thing in godly sorrow is Dolor Reprehensivus a reprehensiue sorrow which is such a sorrow that though it begin but in a few particulars yet at length it drawes in all with it euen as a traine of gun-powder when one corne is set on fire it will not leaue vntill all be fired and in a blaze so true sorrow though it begin but with one or a few sinnes yet it drawes in all the rest ere long for which we haue not sorrowed So Dauid we see had no rest by reason of one sinne Psal. 51. but at last it was not long ere it came into many heads and set him aworke to complaine of more yea euen to looke backe to his originall corruption euen so wee must not thinke it enough to repent of one speciall or particular sinne and so cease but our sorrow must extend it selfe vnto all we must gather in with our particular sinnes which shewes the great defect which for the most part is in the Repentance commonly vsed in the world If they repent of one sinne they thinke it is enough and rest in that So Iudas did make a shew of Repentance for one offence and so many other doe yea and with teares who yet misse of repentance because they neuer descend to search and trie their selues in particulars for true sorrow so begins as it at length drawes in all The Fift property in this sorrow is that it be Dolor Proportionalis that is if our sinnes bee great our sorrow for sin must be so much the greater If sins bee few and little our sorrow may bee the lesse and sooner attaine peace of conscience Therefore this must needs be a great corruption and selfe-deceite in the ordinarie repentance of the world that what kinde of sinne so euer they commit there is but one measure of sorrow for it Wee may see of Manasses his sinne was great and his contrition was great it is said That Mannasseth was humbled greatly So Peter in denying his Master it was a great sinne and therefore his sorrow was proportionable it is said Then Peter went out and wept bitterly So Hezekâ—…h committed a great sinne in shewing his treasure and hee was brought very low for it So if we haue sinned greatly it is certaine our sorrow must bee proportionable as wee see by experience he who falleth into the midst of a riuer must labour and take more paines to get out then he who slippeth in but at the brinke of it euen so if wee fall into great sinnes it must and will cost vs more sorrow and teares then if we fall into lesser sinnes onely The Third maine thing I shewed in the practise of Repentance is Deprecation which is a sending vp of earnest and heartie petitions and requests vnto God for the pardon of sinnes when once he hath seene himselfe to bee a wretched and a grieuous sinner then to begge humbly at the Throne of grace for Iesus Christs sake to haue them all pardoned and done away In summe to haue good things giuen and all euills they deserue remoued this is Deprecation Holy Dauid was exceeding frequent in this duty in many Psalmes as Psal. 51. Blot out all my offences and wash mee from my sinnes So the Publican Luk. 18. O Lord bee mercifull to mee a sinner Thus in this case wee must not rest like Iudas vpon a bitter sowre and heauy remembrance of our sinne onely but become humble sutors to the Throne of Grace for mercie according to Dauids experience Psal. 32. 6. For this shall euery one that is godly make his prayer vnto thee in an acceptable time c. For what meanes he they should pray vnto God for for houses or lands or gold or siluer no for no other thing especially then the forgiuenesse of sinnes So in this case a man must behaue himselfe as a poore prisoner at the barre when the Iudge stands vp ready to giue sentence vpon him he falls down vpon his knees and lifts vp his hands lookes rufully
doe I. Wee see this also in Peter hee denyed his Master fearefully and very faintly but yet presently got him into the porch from the presse of the people and was indeed ashamed of what hee had done as a man who by mischance is all beastly and durty is loath to be seene by day so after sinne men are ashamed to appeare before God being confounded and striken in their very conscience So in Exodus in the storie of Aaron Exod. 32. 2. you may reade how faine would hee haue shifted oâ—â— that sinne what excuses did hee make how loath was hee to doe it Thirdly Cum formidine men sinne in this kinde fearfully with a secret feare they are affraid to sinne they tremble and feare at Gods displeasure whereas the world are euery way fearelesse bold and venturous and practise sinne as if they were neither affraid of Heauen or Hell or the losse of Gods fauour which though they haue heard of yet they sinne still But when the true Christian sinnes it is Cum formidine with feare as the foure Lepers entred the Campe of the Assyrians and rob'd their tents but with a kinde of feare and trembling 2. King 7. c. So it is with the people of God in their sinnes the heart is strucke and they are ashamed of what they doe being affraid to bring Gods â—udgements vpon them Therefore there is a great difference in the falls of the one and the other the one goes on in sin with boldnesse the other are affraid and tremble at Gods displeasure There is wee know a great difference betwixt him that falls and him that goes into a deepe dangerous water hee that falls into a water hee does it with feare hee is dismayed at the perill and danger hee is in but hee that goes in of himselfe hath a purpose to doe so he doth it aduisedly and is neuer affraid but boldly aduentureth on the danger so it is with the people of God they fall into their sinnes with feare out of the frailtie of the flesh against their owne mindes to the displeasure of their hearts but therest doe not so but sinne purposely and aduisedly Fourthly Though the godly fall yet they desire to recouer and to rise againe as Iob 14. 7. For there is hope of a tree if it bee cut downe that it will sproute againe and that the tender branch thereof will not cease Though the roote thereof waxe old in the earth and the stocke die in the ground Euen so it is with the people of God that howsoeuer the graces of God decay in them and that they waxe drie in them yet as long as there is life in the roote and that the roote once comes to bee watered and renewed by the grace of the Spirit they liue againe by Repentance comming vnto Reformation and newnesse of life as you saw in Dauid Peter Mary Magdalen Mannasses So Dauid Psal. 119. vlt. I haue gone astray like a lost sheepe seeke thy seruant for I haue not forgotten thy commandements Dauid was lost as it were but hee desired to come home againe A sheepe you know when it is gone astray and is out of the sheepfold from the fellowes is not at rest till it bee in the sheep-fould againe so the people of God when they fall by their sins and corruptions they are not at quiet or rest vntill they haue returned home to God and are in the sheepfold againe Obiect Now it may bee some man may be obiect If this be so that one may fall againe into the same sinnes after Repentance what comfort can any man haue in this estate Answ. I answer there are two comforts belonging thereunto First that though men may fall so after Repentance yet they neuer fall quite away so long as they hold them to the vse of good meanes attend to Prayer reading meditation and other religious exercises reading and hearing of the Word preached the administring of the Sacraments with watchfulnesse ouer our owne hearts liues and courses Dauid fell not when hee was constant in these courses but when hee began to bee loose and idle So likewise Iudah one of Iacobs sonnes committed a great sinne but when was it when hee was constant in good courses holding himselfe vnto good means noâ— but it was when hee grew loose and left the societie of his brethren and neglected good meanes but if wee hold our selues constantly to the meanes wee shall not fall into grosse sinnes The second comfort is That although it come to passe that wee doe fall yet our falles shall turne to our good as Saint Paul saith Rom. 8. 28. All things shall worke together for the best vnto them that loue God And Augustine to this purpose saith That it is good that the Lord let some men fall into sinne that they the better may see what they are by nature and bee yet more humbled for it As we see if a childe be busie about the fire or water the father will of purpose put the fire to his childs fingers not with intent to hurt him but to make him afraid so when God sees his children too busie with sinne he will bring them neere some punishment or iudgment to bring them vnto repentance and at last comfort them This much might seeme to haue beene enough of this case of repentance but because as in the goodly building of some faire house the master pillars haue more workemanship and labour then any other particulars as we read of the two maine pillars of Salomons Temple 2. Chron 3. 15. So because that Faith and Repentance bee the maine pillars in building the spiritual house of God in our consciences it is no maruell if they take vp more labour and time then all the rest Chrysostom saith wel That fone in digging do light vpon a mine of gold he will diggestil and neuer giue ouer till that veine doth faile so because wee are lighted vpon a veine the Doctrine of Repentance more precious than Gold and Faith that will stand by vs in our death when our gold will leaue vs doe not blame me if I digge still labour still as long as I may bring you aduantage Now hauing handled the first branch of this first case come we to the second branch thereof II. Whether a man that thus falls into the same sinne againe may bee renewed by repentance I answer two wayes Answ. First That a man may though with difficultie that is if a man fall often and apparantly into the same sinnes it is so much the more hard and difficult to bee cured and renewed as wee see in the bodie if a man fall into the Relapse of an Ague or any dangerous disease it may cost him his life and his health will very hardly bee recouered Euen so it is after a man hath fallen into the same sinne againe I doe not say hee may not recouer or bee
and commanded it but we must looke for such a kind manner as the Lord hath chosen Now there be two sorts of vnsound repentance 1. Hypocriticall Repentance 2. Desperate Repentance Of the first there be foure markes or notes to discouer hypocriticall Repentance i. When it is in shew and not in the heart when a man seemes to repent of his sinne and vndertaketh an outward shew of sorrow sadnesse without any inward compunction of spirit of which the Lord complaines Ierem. 3. 10. And yet for all this her treacherous sister Iudah hath not turned vnto me with her whole heart but feinedly saith the Lord. So Hos. 7. 14. the Lord complaines And they haue not cried vnto mee with their whole heart when they howled vpon their beds they assemble themselues for corne and wine and they rebel against me And Psalm 78. 35. 36. And they remembred that God was their rocke and the high God their Redeemer neuerthelesse they did flatter him with their mouth and they lied vnto him with their tongues They had good speeches with their lips but their hearts were not vpright Secondly When a man is more grieued for the punishment of his sinne than for the sinne it selfe As Cain saide vnto the Lord Genes 4. 13. My punishment is greater then I can beare but he neuer cried out for his sin So Num. 21. 7. The people came to Moses importuning him to pray to God to remooue the fierie Serpents from them but were not so earnest for to remooue their sinnes The Prophets are full of these complaints of the people to remooue the Iudgments of God from them when yet their endeauors to remooue their sinnes were faint or none at all and is it not so with vs Here is sometimes a kinde of shew of sorrow sadnesse and complaining on our crosses and grieuances and so an outward profession of Repentance which without the heart and true reformation of life is but an hypocriticall repentance Thirdly When a man repents him of a sin and by and by fals as wilfully into the same sinne as before as the Lord complaines by the Prophet Psalm 106. 13. They soone forgot his workes and waited not for his counsell So Pharoah repented often Exod. 8. 9. yet when the punishment was off him he was as ill as before Therfore when a man wiltake on to enuie against any sin be it swearing drunkennesse c. and by and by runne into the same sinnes it is an hypocriticall repentance I grant some sinnes hang vpon a man through the corruption of Nature and will hardly bee shaken off So that if we doe not striue against them and labour to weaken their forces they must and will by their vse and custome bring on hardnesse of heart and so no repentance at all wherefore let vs set a watch vpon our hearts for feare of returning to our old sinnes and leaue sinne before it leaue vs. Fourthly When a man will repent of one sinne and yet liue wittingly in a number of other sinnes This was the sinne of Iudas hee seemed to repent the betraying of his master but neuer thought for ought we know of a number of other sinnes he liued in So Ahab made a shew of repentance for the killing of Naboth but neuer repented for killing the Lords Prophets nor of his Idolatrie It is true indeed That he that repents truly of any one sinne repents of all because Eadem formalis ratio makes him hate all which hatred will at last make him get out of al these snares yet there is in many a corruption ortaint of sinne cleauing to some and forsaking others which is another sort of hypocriticall repentance The second Contrarie to true Repentance I told you was desperate repentance when a man seeth his sinns and the horror of them and yet neuer hath any serious thoughts of turning from them but perish thus and so it may be at last in some fury or rage they cry out vpon them as we know Iudas did he confessed hi sinne and saw it but did despaire of Gods mercy in pardoning it this was vnsound repentance For repentance is such a secret foe to sinne that it makes one with all his heart indeuour to turne from it therefore whosoeuer doth not turne from his sinne is not likely to come vnto Repentance So Iulian the Apostate came at last to desperation when he threw vp his blood in the ayre and cryed out O Galilean thou hast at last ouercome Now this Repentance shall bee in all the damned at the day of Iudgement to see and bewaile their sinnes yet perishing vnder the burden of them desiring hills and mountaines to fall vpon them and couer them It is true then that all men shall repent at one time or other sooner or later either in this life or at the day of Iudgement Therefore how much better were it for men to repent here in this life where they may haue peace and ioy in God and their owne consciences then too late with all torments vnsupportable hereafter when they shall haue no benefite by such an afflictue penall repentance Therfore let vs repent betimes since God is so gratious to accept of vs though wee haue beene great and grieuous sinners for this see what Samuel said vnto the people in their contrition 1. Sam. 12. 20. Feare not yee haue done all this wickednesse yet turne not aside from following after the Lord but serue the Lord with all your heart and turne yee not aside for then should yee goe after vaine things which cannot profite nor deliuer for they are vaine for the Lord will not forsake his people for his owne great Names sake c. So Peter in his Sermon Act. 3. 19. exhorts them Repent yee therefore and bee conuerted that your sinnes may be blotted out So Ierem. 3. 1. Thou hast played the harlot with many louers yet turne againe to me saith the Lord. And farther besides these two sorts of vnsound Repentance there be two sorts may be suspected 1. Poenitentia sera Late Repentance 2. Poenitentia Coacta Forced Repentance Now though both these sorts of Repentance may bee true yet may they also be suspected first as for Late Repentance when a man neglects and puts it off all his life vntill the day of death it is greatly to be suspected especially when a man hath had good meanes of conuersion growing in grace and liuing vnder a good ministrie Wee reade in the storie of Esau Heb. 12. 17. because hee neglected the time of obtaining the blessing that afterward when he would haue inherited the blessing hee was reiected for he found no place of Repentance though hee sought it carefully with teares So it may be suspected that if a man neglect repentance all his life-time it will be hardly found at last For Augustine in this case saith well If a man repent when he can sinne no more it may be thought he