will all like Balteshazar be found light wanting of that integrity and worth which God requires as it is Isa. 46. 6. All our righteousnesse is like filthy cloath so that it cannot make any currant payment to Gods Iustice. Fourthly The debt of sin is an infinite debt the Schoolmen proue this one sayes well So much the greater is the sinne as is the person against whom it is committed but the person of God is infinite so that euery sin committed against God is infinite and we are guilty of it Now we know Infinite sinnes cannot bee taken away but by an infinite act because very reason will teach vs that the plaister must be of the same extension with the soare c. So he that is guilty of an infinite fault must haue an infinite act to remoue it No finite power can doe this no summe of money can redeeme it for then a man might redeeme others as well as himselfe but as I say it must be no finite act and so no man liuing can pay this debt of sinne Therefore because no man liuing can pay it Hence ariseth our request that we pray to God to forgiue it of his free goodnesse and mercy and so we come to The second generall Head Of this Petition which is the request Forgiue vs our Debts c. Wherein three things are to be considered 1 The matter of the Request 2 The extension of it 3 The Time First for the matter of the Request It is as we see forgiunesse of sinnes we pray to God for mercy nay we doe more we do altogether confesse that it is the Lords free goodnesse to release vs from the curse that we haue deserued Here see two things First That we haue all need of the forgiuenesse of sinnes We haue not more need of our daily Bread then wee need the pardon of our offences wherefore wee are taught euery day to seeke it here by our Sauiour and the Prophet Dauid shewes the vse of Gods mercy vnto him should effect so much a seeking and drawing neere vnto God in prayer vpon a sight of our sinnes Therefore shall euery one that is Godly make his prayer vnto thee in a time when thou mayest be found c. So that we haue all great need to pray instantly and often for the forgiuenesse of our sinnes for if the Angels cry Holy holy holy vnto the Lord c. Much more may sinfull men who haue their consciences loaden with offences considering Gods infinite Holinesse and their owne vilenesse cry vnto God to passe by so much impurity in them that sinnes being forgiuen they may stand before him on better termes then before Euery man can cafily find that they haue need of daily Bread but not one of many that they haue need of Gods merciful forgiuenesse If there were an Inquisition made into our hearts who examines so narrowly as he should for offending so great and good a God we doe indeed customarily say Lord forgiue vs our sinnes but where is the feeling the compunction of spirit the drawing to particulars the secret examination of our sinnes the iudging of our selues and such like we haue peraduenture made some search into our consciences by reason of our sinnes yet we are not wise to know our danger to humble our soules for our trangressions to make vp the breach betwixt God and our selues to pray heartily for the forgiuenesse of sinnes with a feeling conscience and sense of the excellency of the same Secondly in that we pray for forgiuenesse of finnes this shewes that The forgiuenesse of sinnes is a most excellent and speciall mercy that all should seeke for Because we bee sinners we must therefore be earnest and constant sutors to the throne of grace that our sinnes may be remitted released and washed away in the blood of Jesus Christ. This made the Prophet Dauid cry out againe and againe for mercy And the Prophet Hoshea in many places comforteth Israel as well as chideth them And Moses also after Israel had sinned vseth this as an especiall Argument Therefore now if thou pardon their sinne thy mercy shall appeare c. But let vs come to example If a man had committed such an offence that he could no otherwise escape death but by the Kings Pardon he neither could nor would be at rest till by one means or other he had obtained the same written and sealed to which done he would carry it home locke it vp safe and many times looke vpon it with ioy and comfort This is the case of euery one of vs by reason of our sins whereby wee haue committed flat Treason against the Lord thereby deseruing ten thousand deathes Now then what must we doe but sue for a pardon appeale to the throne of Gods mercy for the getting and obtaining thereof be sure that it be sealed and confirmed by the bloud of Iesus Christ then laying it vp sure that we may often looke vpon it to our eternall ioy and comfort Now that this is so appeares by two reasons first it is excellent because it is one of the greatest blessings that God giues to any in this life as Psal. 32 1. Blessed is hee whose wickednesse is forgiuen and whose sin is couered and Isa 33. vlt amongst other priuiledges this is reckoned vp as a great one The people that dwell therein shall haue their iniquity forgiuen speaking of the happinesse of those that shall be ioyned to the true Church Yea vnlesse we haue this there is no Beast Dogge Serpent Toade or any vile Creature but is infinitely better then we for when they die they goe but to the earth but we without forgiuenesse of sinnes to hell and endlesse paines and torments Secondly the greatest danger wee stand in by the meanes of sinne shewes the excellency of it for otherwise not hauing our sinnes forgiuen the Diuell will deale by vs as Laban did by Jacob when he had escaped him Laban did pursue and ouertake him searched all his Stuffe when if he had found any thing of his owne he would haue seized vpon him his goods wiues and children bringing all backe againe with him So it is with vs without a release and protection from the danger of our sins the diuell will pursue and seize vpon vs and all we haue looke into euery corner of our liues when if he can finde any thing of his owne in vs any sin vnrepented then will hee seize vpon vs and carry vs with him into Hell for euer Quest. Well then seeing the forgiuenesse of sinnes is such an excellent and needfull mercy what is the reason that so few seeke after it Ans. Reason 1 One reason is The want of due consideration because we neuer looke into our hearts liues and courses neuer thinke how it stands betwixt God and our soules for this cause we thinke neither of our debt nor how to get out of it The seruant in the Gospell was found infinitely indebted
be giuen to swearing let him looke St. Iames 5. 12. If a man bee giuen to lightnesse or the like let him looke Ephes. 5. 5. Where it is said no whoremonger neither any vncleane person hath any inheritance in the kingdome of Christ and of God and so euery speciall sinne a speciall place Psal. 119. 11. Q What gather wee of this A. That they who either in hearing or reading the words slippe by those places which make most against them and strike deepest at their faults shall neuer attaine to true reformation of their hearts Q What is the second helpe to weaken sinne A. A man must marke what feedes his sinne where it getteth strength For as fire is nourished with fewell so there is euer somewhat that nourisheth our sinnes If a man can finde that and reforme it hee shall soone weaken the greatest corruption that is within him As if companiedraw thee to sinne away with that companie If feare of displeasure away with that feare If hope of commodities away with that hope Math. 5. 29. Q. What gather wee of this A. That they who say they would faine leaue sinne and yet leaue not such companie vse such pastimes such meanes as they know cannot but nourish and increase it in them doe but deceiue themselues As if a man would clap drie â—aggots vpon the fire and say he doth meane to quench it when indeed hee kindles it the more Q. What is the third helpe to weaken sinne A. A man must cry to heauen and begge the Lords ayde and his helping hand as a little childe if he haue a tough sticke which he cannot breake runnes to his father with it that hee may breake it for him So because we cannot master our sinnes therefore we must runne to God by prayer that hee may master them and kill them in vs Psal. 41. 4. Q. What gather wee of this A. That they who purpose and resolue to leaue their sinnes and yet are not often vpon their knees crauing strength from heauen and grace to leaue them shall neuer shake them off Q. What if these things worke not A. If these things worke not vpon vs wee must consider what is thereason why they doe not worke either wee doe not vse them so diligently and so carefully as wee should or else we haue vsed them but a little while A man cannot fell a great Oake with one stroke of an Axe it will aske him many a blowe So our sinnes being of so great a growth will not quickly down It is well if after many labours and much paines wee may feele them begin 2. Cor. 12. 8. or else the heart may not yet be loosened from some darling eorruption vntill which time all meanes are vneffectuall Psal. Q. What gather wee of this A. That they who vse these meanes for a spirt and practise them not continually and wholly shall neuer get any sound comfort or profite by them Q. What is the second thing a man must doe in the reforming of his heart A. When a man hath weeded out his sinnes hee must not then giue ouer but fall to worke a fresh and labour to plant somewhat in the garden of his soule as one vice goes out so he must labour to plant an other vertue in the roome Hos. 10. 12. Q. What gather wee of this Q. That a man must not thinke his conuersion to bee true vnlesse he bee carried with as great loue to godlinesse as euer hee was to wickednesse and be as carefull for good things as euer he was for euill And therefore they that are come from Poperie and stick there hauing got no iudgement nor knowledge in the Gospell doe but deceiue themselues As they also who will not openly breake the Sabboth and yet are not carefull to sanctifie it in the holy duties thereof Psal. 27. 27. Q What are the things wee must first plant in the heart A. A loue of God to delight in him as in the greatest portion we haue in this world to rest in him with ioy and contentment as in our chiefest good to set more price on him then we doe on all the world besides And therefore hauing such a Iewel and such a wonderfull treasure of the Lord wee account all our wants to be nothing so long as wee want not him All our losses nothing so long as we lose not him All displeasures light so long as God is not displeased with vs Math. 21. 38. Q. Why must we begin at the loue of God A. Because the loue of God is the fountaine of all true obedience and it sendeth forth the carefull Christian to good workes For louing God hee will seeke to doe that which God may like of and will willingly doe nothing that may displease him Euen as if a man haue a deere friend hee will not willingly doe any thing that may offend him but will seeke by all duties to make his loue and his good heart knowne vnto him Q. How may wee bring our hearts in loue with God A. By considering what God hath beene to vs and what we haue beene to him Wee the worst of all his creatures worse then Toades or Snakes for they sinne not against God but wee sinne against him Worse then the Iewes for they crucified Christ but once but wee buffet him and pierce him with our sinnes euery day worse then any of the damned Ghosts that lie damned in hell for they sinned in darknesse but wee sinne in the light they hauing but weake meanes wee hauing many great helpes to weaken sinne and yet mirrour of mercy none so spared as we are spared none so blessed as we are blessed none so loued as we are loued of the Lord. And therefore how can wee but euen burne in loue towards him againe and make more reckoning of him then of all the world besides Solomons song 2. 5. Q. What is the second thing A. The feare of God to bee more affraid to displease him then all the Princes and powers in the world To be more abashed and more ashamed when God sees vs sinne then if all the eyes in the world were gazing on vs Gen. 28. 17. Q What will this worke in vs A. The feare of God will be as a banke to keepe in the raging lusts of the heart that they breake not out Euen as the Sea banke beates backe the waues and breakes the force of them that they cannot ouerflow Ier. 32. 40. Q. How may wee settle the feare of God in our hearts A. First by considering the great power and the mighty arme of God that he is more able to doe vs more harme then all the powers in the world can doe And therefore if wee feare to displease a Prince who can kill but our bodies how much more should we feare to displease God who can damne our soules Isay 51. 12. 13. Secondly by perswading our selues that wee are alwayes in Gods presence that he euer lookes vpon vs with a bright
the Scriptures to our selues not reading them as strange stories that concerne vs not But to think that we shall finde him the same God to vs in our troubles prayers sinnes and repentance which Abraham and Dauid and Iob and Iacob haue found him before vs Iam. 5. 11. Fiftly if wee insist and dwell longest vpon those places which meet most with our corruptions Sixtly if wee meditate of it afterwards and lay vp that which wee vnderstand and aske of that which wee doe not Acts 8. 34. Praying to make it profitable Qu. What is the sixt Helpe A. To reade twice or thrice in a weeke as our leisure will afford those places of Scripture which concerne our particular calling to consider with what faithfulnesse we haue walked in the duties that are there commanded As he that is a seruant to peruse those Scriptures that lay downe the duty of a Seruant and he that is a Master those places that describe the duties of a Master This will bee a great aduantage to godlinesse to haue the Lord so often calling vs and ringing dutie continually in our eares Deut. 17. 18. 19. Qu. What is the seuenth Helpe A. To be alwayes meditating on good things and set the minde on worke in holy thoughts especially to consider the cursed estate of the wicked to auoide it and the happie estate of the godly and to be heartened to the like Psal. 119. 97. Q. What difference is there betweene the state of the godly and of the wicked A. Great difference while they liue but greater when they die For the godly die like lambes they make a sweet close they fall asleepe in the armes of Christ Whereas the wicked die like hogges that goe grunting and whyning to their death so they struggle for life and sticke to the world and are loth to die Numb 23. 10. Q. What is the eighth Helpe A. To make an holy vse of our Troubles to remember they are as whippes in the hand of God to scourge vs home to him Psal. 119. 67. Qu. How is this declared A. By a Similitude For if a sheepe runne from his fellows the sheepheard sets forth his dogge after him yet not meaning to weary the sheepe but to hunt him home to the flocke againe So when we wander astray away from God the great sheepeheard of our soules sets out his dogge after vs sometimes pouerty sometimes sicknesse sometimes dearth of corne to chase vs from our sinnes and to driue vs to God againe Qu. What is the ninth Helpe A. To bring our selues oft in rememberance of the vowes and couenants which we haue made with God and to call vpon our selues for the performing of them For if it be dishonest to breake with men how much more if wee shall not keepe touch with God Psal. 66. 13. 14. Q. What is the tenth Helpe A. To vse the company of the godly that we may bee the better by it Psal. 119. 63. Q. What good is gotten by it A. First Wee are thereby prouoked to bee like them As Saul a wicked man falling into the company of the Prophets and seeing how godly they spent their time was made ashamed of his owne life and began to prophesie with them 1. Sam. 19. 24. Secondly we haue our benefite in all their gifts wee are the wiser for their wisedome and their zeale kindles ours as one candle lights another Prou. 13. 20. Thirdly we are therby kept in some compasse and our corruptions nipt in the head that they dare not stirre Iosh. 24. 31. Fourthly we fare the better many times for their sakes God reuealing that to them which he would not haue done to vs 2. Kings 3. 14. Qu What is the eleuenth Helpe A. To withstand and auoyd all the lettes which may stop and hinder vs in our Christian courses be it pleasure or profite or company or friend away with euery thing that may hinder vs from Christ Math. 5. 29. Q. What is the last Helpe A. To bring this to euery dayes practise that our whole life may be nothing else but a walking with God and a continuall iourneying towards our heauenly home 1. Tim. 4. 7. Q. What is required in the daily Practise A. First a certaine Preparation to the day and then the holy spending of the day it selfe Q. Why is the Preparation needfull A. Because as a man in time of a common plague taketh somewhat in the morning next his heart to keepe out the infection So the world being mightily poysoned with sinne the Christian must lay some good thing next his heart else euery thing that he deales in will infect him Psal. 119. 148. Q. What is the first thing wherewith wee must begin the day A. Wee must seeke to awake with God to haue our mindes running on him as soone as we looke vp For wee cannot awake so soone but with Gods Blessing and Gods Mercyes be vp afore vs And therefore let God be in the beginning of our thoughts and let him haue the first place in the day Marke 1. 35. Q. What are wee then to consider of A. That wee haue slept more sweetly vnder the Lords defence then if we had had Iron walls and Brazen doores to defend vs When we were fast asleepe and could not watch our selues then the Lord watched ouer vs and he set a guard of Angels to keepe vs. And therefore seeing we haue rested with such safetie vnder Gods defence let vs thanke him for his mercy and seeke to diue vnder the wing of the Almightie and to goe shadowed with the hand of his protection all the day Psal. 17. 8. Qu. What are wee to consider else A. That we rise the seruants of God as wee went to bed and therefore that wee must spend the day in his seruice not in doing what we list but in performing those duties that hee requireth For seeing this is the cause why we were borne and why God lets vs liue here in this world that wee may serue him Wee are to thinke euery morning when we rise that God lets vs liue one day more but to haue one dayes seruice more at our hands and if he let vs liue another day it is but to haue another dayes seruice at our hands Therefore as our seruants get vp to doe our businesse so must we rise to doe the Lords 1. Cor. 15. 34. Qu. What are wee to doe then A. Then we are to take a view of our worke to cast in our heads what are the dayes wherein we must spend the day The consideration of our owne state and calling will soone lead vs to this For many times we are to thinke I am a Christian and therefore I must spend this day like a Christian I am a Father and therefore I must peforme the duties of a Father I am a Preacher or a Master or a Seruant c. Luke 14. 28. Q. What learne wee by this A. That it is not possible for
vnto his Master but when did it appeare so as hee was conuinced of it when the debt booke was searcht into and particulars ript open then and neuer till then was hee found to be so greatly indebted So it is with vs we thinke all well enough till God come to reckon with vs in particular and set our sinnes in order before vs as he speakes Psal. 50 and then this monstrous sight driues vs to a due consideration of our wofull and wretched state Reason 2 A second reason is A blinde and foolish presumptuous perswasion that God will shew vs mercy though we doe not seeke it and though we take little or no paines for it The greatest part of the world as you see liue in their sinnes without repentance neuer come vpon their knees to the throne of grace to aske pardon for them what is the Reason because as they say God is mercifull a good man and they may doe well enough all is not so strict as these preachers would make vs beleeue but the truth is If God be mercifull it is to such as seeke it and repent for their sinnes as Lam. 3. 25. The Lord is good to them that trust in him and to the soule that seeketh him Thus if we seeke for and prize mercy wee may haue it but if we seeke it not and find no want of it nor pray earnestly for it it is a sure signe we are yet in a miserable naturall estate that though 〈◊〉 be an Ocean of Mercy in the Lord no one drop shall runne vnto vs but one day such shall cry like Diues for a drop of such water and shall not haue it nay if we be cruell to deny mercy vnto others when wee haue receiued mercy our selues we shall be sure to be punished for it also The next thing in this Petition is the Extension of it we pray to God to forgiue all our sinnes not of any speciall troubling waighty filthy one but of a release of all whatsoeuer A number of the world according to the false manner of their accounts are onely troublâ—… for some one sinne that doth distresse and lie heâ—â—ily vpon them hauing no remembrance of those sinnes â—â—ich neuer stared them in the face This was Judas case hee was pitiously perplexed for betraying of Christ but neuer thought of his couetousnesse and corrupted heart the fountaine whence this cursed sinne was hatcht and had roote So doe most of vs striue perhaps and pray against some one sinne that troubles vs but we seldome enlarge our hearts to discend down in particulars that our secret faults wantonnesse lusts couetousnesse and the like may be forgiuen as the holy Prophet by his example teacheth vs Who can vnderstand his faults clense me from my secret sinnes The third thing is The time of the Request we see it must be our daily suite vnto God as euery day we pray for daily Bread so must we pray to God for the pardon of our sinnes This is a speciall point that euery day we make attonement and reconciliation with God for our sinnes because euery day we renue our sins and offend God therfore we had need euery day to renue our sutes and prayers vnto God When Adam was fallen the Text saith God came to him in the coole of the day The Lord would not let him sleepe in his sinnes but came and awoke him putting him in remembrance of his sinne So in the Law If a man were vncleane yet when the Euening came he must wash his cloathes and so be reconciled accordingly Euen so though we be vncleane by reason of our sinnes yet if we wash our selues by the true teares of Repentance we shall be reconciled to God and admitted into the Campe againe This then may teach vs that howsoeuer we haue our daily slippes and fals yet if we doe euery day labour to make our peace with God for the sinnes of the day that we doe not let them runne weekely and monthly and yearely we may be sure to find mercy at the hands of God Now there be diuers Reasons to moue vs to this duty and make vs renue our prayers daily without omission First Because we are very prone to forget our sinnes nothing sooner Therefore it is good to remember them the sooner the better A Steward who hath large reckonings and but a short memory he must haue the oftner recknings yea euery dayes account cast vp so because we be forgetfull and a number of sinnes doe easily slip vs we must desire euery day to make euen with the Lord. The Apostle counsels vs Ephes. 4. 26. Let not the Sunne goe downe vpon your wrath If then the Sun must not goe downe vpon our wrath to admonish vs not to be mercilesse much more ought we to take heed of that the Lords wrath go not down vpon our sins for want of our repentance Secondly Because the fresher sense of sinnes is at the first for by referring repentance it takes away the sense of sinne as the memory thereof Wounds we know bleed most when they be fresh then they doe most feelingly affect vs let one haue a bruise or straine commonly the greatest sense and paine is at the first but afterwards time will allay and mitigate and so slacke the sharpnesse of sense as we shall nothing so much feele the griefe of them So it is with our sinnes our greatest and quickest sense of them is at the first so the sooner we seeke for reconciliation the more easie will it be for vs to obtaine mercy and we will so much the more eagerly desire it Thirdly Because if euery day we get our sinnes discharged we shall haue the lesse to doe when we come to die Therfore it is good not to suffer them to run on but take theÌ„ in pieces betimes when they are committed and repent of them As a man that would carry home a great tree if he diuide it and breake it in a number of small pieces he may then with ease at seuerall times carry it away So if we doe with the great bulke and body of our sins diuide them euery day apart make our prayers for the daily remission of them then shall we haue the lesse to doe when we come to die Wherfore as sins increase so let vs euery day seeke reconciliation that we bring no after recknings to God for enough are those euery day by themselues Fourthly Because the sooner we repent of them the sooner we shall be quiet and haue peace and rest for so long as the conscience is awake and not seared by sinnes vnrepented of there will be vexation in the heart vntill sins be confessed and pardoned as in Dauids case He roared and had no rest vntill hee had made his peace with God As when an Arme or a Bone is out of ioynt the sooner it is set the more ease one shall haue So it is with
thus spoken of the Petitions both which concerne Gods glory and our owne good whereby Christ hath taught vs to make our Requests regular whatsoeuer we aske demaunding it according to Gods will with assurance to receiue it as we haue it 1 Iohn 5. 4. He now at last brings vs vnto a view of those reasons whereby we may strengthen and backe our Petitions that we may be assured not to loose what wee pray for Seed as we know may perish two wayes 1 If it be not good 2 If the ground be naught For though the seed be good yet if the ground bee not answerable it will come to nothing But it is not so with the seed of Prayer for the ground that it is sowed in is the eares and bosome of God Therefore howsoeuer it may perish in respect the seede is not good yet it can neuer miscarry because the ground is good but the LORD will make it prosper and returne it with a blessing and increase Therefore let vs hold our selues to the rule of Christ and then we need not to doubt but to haue a blessing if wee seeke for it and be not wanting to our selues the Lord will not be wanting vnto vs as you haue heard Now for the conclusion it containes two things 1 Certaine reasons to inforce the Petitions Thine is the Kingdome Power and Glory 2 A reflection or reiterating of our desires in the last words A men which is as much as to say Lord let it be so First for the reasons we must consider why our Sauiour Quest. Ans. Christ annexeth these and doth propound Petitions without inforcing reasons This was to shew with what earnestnesse and excellent feruent intention wee must pray to God not slightly and coldly but pressing him with arguments being serious to obtaine what we pray for But how doe many of vs pray indeed it is with such deadnesse and coldnesse as if we did not greatly care whether our requests be granted or not Now to correct mend this fault our Sauiour shewes we must be serious and earnest in our suits Dauid sayes My voyce came to God when I cryed My voyce came to God and he heard me Children be earnest when they craue but when they cry they are so importunate that they will haue no nay So we that be the children of God must not onely craue of God but cry also and be so importunate that nothing can quiet vs till we haue our requests granted and the blessing we seeke for This our Sauiour shewes by the importunity of a friend suing at midnight an vnseasonabletime who beates and knockes and cals and will not rest vntil he haue the three loaues that he came for As also by the widdowes importunity and preuailing with the vniust â—udge which shewes that the greater and more it is the more acceptable our Prayers are and the likelier to speed Saint Paul wills vs to striue by prayers with God meaning that as Jacob stroue wept and wrastled with the Angell and would not let him goe without a blessing So should we striue with God by prayer in a holy reuerence and say as he said Lord I will not let thee go vnlesse thoublesse me vnlesse thou shew mercy vpon me and grant me my desire and then no doubt keeping the right course which Christ hath set downe we shall preuaile with our God But oh how are wee to seeke in this how poorely come we forward in grace as hauing no life in vs as though we suspected that God were not able to grant our requests or else the immoderate cares of this world choake vp our desires or the foolish interposition of vaine thoughts and want on motionshinder our zeale and deuotion So that by our Sauiours reasons we must learne to quicken our selues to be more serious in our prayers considering God will haue it so and delighteth in importunity therefore shewing vs vndeniable reasons to incite vs to pray Secondly we must consider What kind of reasons they be which Christ annexeth here They be all reasons taken from without vs and not one of them found within vs which was to shew that nothing of the world is within vs no not in the very best of vs that might mooue or incline the Lord to shew mercy and fauour vnto vs no such dignity or merit whereby we may procure fauour or thinke to be heard and speed at the hands of God seeing whatsoeuer inclines God to heare and pitty vs is wholly in himselfe As Dauid shewes in that prayer of the Church Psal. 44. 4. Thou art my King oh God command deliuerances for Jacob through thee will we push down our enemies through thy Name will we tread them vnder that rise vp against vs. So Psal. 143. 11. Hee begges quickning from God for his Names sake c. And Daniel 9. 18. saith he We doe not present our supplications before thee for our owne righteousnesses but for thy great mercies So hee himselfe by the Prophet speakes in another place I doe not these things vnto you for your sakes O house of Israel but for my holy Names sake c. Thus when we would obtaine any good thing from the Lord we must learne to goe out of our selues and to raise all the matter of our hope and speeding from the Lord for his own sake out of his meere goodnesse and mercy Thirdly we are hence to consider with our selues that the reasons be fit and forcible whereby our Sauiour Christ secretly answeres three doubts concerning prayer which might be discouraging impediments to hinder vs not to speed when we pray First when the party to whom we pray hath no authority to grant it This was seene when the Mother of Zebedees sonnes came vnto Christ desiring a request of him that her two sonnes might sit the one at his right hand the other at his left hand in his Kingdome vnto which Christs answer was first in generaall Yee know not what yee aske c. and then he tels her But to sit on my right hand and on my left is not mine to giue but it shall be giuen to them for whom it is prepared of my Father Here she petitioned amisse in such sort as came meerely from affection and fauour to her children this is one impediment suing vnto one who hath no authority to grant at least in that thing Secondly when though the party hath authority yet hee hath not power and ability to doe it As in that desolation of Iudea prophesied of Isa. 3. 7. Where some should come and hang vpon helplesse helpers this answer he shewes they make In that day shall he sweare saying I will not be an healer for in my house is neither bread nor cloathing make me not a ruler of the people So Mat. 17. 16. We read a complaint made vnto Christ by a certaine man whose sonne being lunaticke and brought to his Disciples they could not cure
how willing and how ready hee was to receiue him So it is with euery sinner so soone as hee returneth home to God the Lord is presently readie to receiue him and to forgiue all that is past The Fourth is That one day wee shall dye and know not how soone when if wee die without Repentance wee must be damned for euer Therefore this should make vs repent and turne vnto God I remember the meditation of a learned man saith hee The estate of a sinner is like a man trauelling or going a iourney and as hee went hee fell into a pit full of snakes toades and serpâ—nts in the mouth of which pit there was a tree a bough whereof as hee fell hee catcht hold of and did hang thereby at the roote whereof there was a leane and hunger-bitten beast that euery day did gnaw to pull it downe which beast is death which seeing one day it will gnaw the roote in peeces it shewes what need wee had of Repentance LECT V. V. THE TIME OF Repentance HEB. 4. 7. To day if you will heare his voice hardon not your hearts WEE spake the last day of the Causes of Repentance First of the Efficient Cause which is God Secondly of the Instrumentall cause which is the preaching of the Word or the Gospel Thirdly of the Furthering or helping causes which I said was The mercies of God the Iudgements of God our owne considerations Now the next thing wee are to speake of is The Time of Repentance for it is in vaine to know what wee haue to doe if wee deferre to doe it in due time or take exception to the time as you see the Iewes did when they were called vpon to build the Temple after their returne from the captiuitie Hag. 1. 2. This people say the time is not come the time that the Lords house should bee built So for vs to say the time is not yet come wherein wee should repent but if God tooke it ill that they should put off the building of a materiall house what will hee say vnto such as deny the building vp of their soules to life euerlasting But such is the depraued nature of man that when wee should seeke God and reforme our selues wee take exception to the time yea when wee are pressed vnto this dutie by a godly Minister wee are readie to cry out with the deuills against Christ Math. 8. 29. Art thou come hither to torment vs before our time The reason of this delay is because if wee haue serious and sad thoughts of repentance wee thinke and conceiue that we haue true repentance indeed But wee must not so deceiue our selues to say I haue thought so I had a purpose to repent and doe the duty c. But to come to The time of Repentance it may be considered 1. Generally 2. Particularly The Generall time of Repentance is the Time of this life for there is no repenting when a man is dead Therfore here are two rules in the Generall First that this whole life is the time of Repentance Secondly that after death it is a worke cannot be done Therefore let no man presume of further mercy then he is able to call for which is in the time of this life All the Scripture is cleere for this as Iohn 9. 4. I must worke the worke of him that sent mee while it is day the night commeth when no man can worke So Gal. 6. 20. As wee haue therefore opportunitie let vs doe good vnto all and Eccles. 9. 10. Whatsoeuer thy hand findeth to doe doe it with thy might for there is no worke or deuice nor knowledge nor wisedome in the graue whither thou goest and this wee see that as the time of doing good is in this life so is the time of Repentance and as wee can doe nothing being dead no more can wee repent being dead For this purpose Ieremie reasoneth with the people Giue glorie to the Lord your God before hee cause darkenesse and before your feet stumble vpon the darke mountaines And Dauid saith Psal. 39. vlt. O spare mee that I may recouer strength before I goe hence and bee no more So then if wee haue any thing to doe doe it with all thy might if thou haue to repent repent earnestly if thou haue to pray pray feruently if thou haue to heare heare diligently if thou haue to giue giue cheerefully for when thou art in the graue all opportunitie is gone all time is taken away I remember a pretty meditation of a learned man saith he As long as a murtherer is in the way to the Iudgement seate hee may make friends to compasse the matter but if the Iudge haue giuen sentence and hee bee condemned then hee may looke for the hangman for the sword and for the halter and for the darke dungeon Euen so as long as wee are in the way to the Iudgement that is as long as wee are in this life wee may labour to compasse the matter wee may make friends with God but if once wee be dead and the sentence haue passed wee may looke for the diuell and hell to seaze vpon vs and therefore saith hee my good brethren let not the time of your life passe without Repentance for death will come and the iudgement will come therefore grieue and sorrow mourne and lament whilst you haue time and liue here It is true indeed that all the wicked in Hell shall repent euery veine in their hearts when they shall see what styes and stables they haue made of their bodies by their sinnes of Idolatrie Adulterie Drunkennesse Swearing and prophanenesse they shall mourne and lament and waile for it but they shall haue no benefite or profite thereby for this bond of Repentance shall be Afflictiue and Poenall it shall bee to their further increase of torment therefore if wee would haue comfort by Repentance wee must repent betimes in this life for it is better to sorrow and mourne here where wee may haue comfort then hereafter when we can haue none In worldly businesse either planting building or purchasing we make haste whilst wee liue to see all things done betimes and settled during our liues nay wee thinke it will not bee so well done as when wee our selues ouersee it And shall wee not much more regard the preparing and fitting of our selues for Heauen which cannot bee done vnlesse wee faithfully repent in the time of this life so as it was commanded to Hezekiah to settle his house in order for hee should die so are wee pressed to the duty of Repentance before wee die that in our life our soules may bee prepared for Heauen Is it not then high time for all wicked men to prepare themselues to Repentance in this life considering all hope is debarred them after death Now there be diuers Reasons why this is so that Repentance must not be put off First Because the delaying and putting off
offer vp spirituall sacrifice acceptable to God by Iesus Christ. So that doe what wee can all sacrifices and seruices be onely acceptable to God through him Vse 3 Thirdly seeing all our Repentance is vnperfect so long as we liue in this world Therefore no man is to dismay himselfe and bee too much cast downe if hee doe not finde repentance to be perfect in him If hee doe not finde a perfect hatred of sinne loue of God indeuour to please God in that he requireth In this case one must not too much afflict himselfe because he cannot attaine to things impossible in this life considering that it is not perfection but truth of Repentance that God looks for in this life in which case S. Paul comforts the abiect saying 2. Cor. 8. 12. For if there be first a willing minde it is accepted according to that a man hath and not according to that a man hath not The second maine thing is That because euery mans Repentance is imperfect in this life Therefore there must bee an increase thereof in the life of a Christian As wee increase in other graces so increasing in the grace of Repentance Therefore Christians haue no cause to bee dismayed at this when God brings them off againe and againe to renew their Repentance A number of poore Christians cannot tell what to make of this when they haue repented their sinnes and beene comforted with the Promises of the Gospell and gone on a long-while in a cheerefull estate vpon a sudden all their old sinnes are cast vpon them againe to terrifie them worse then before and so by a heauy recourse of sorrow they become much perplexed and amazed But let such thinke that this is nothing else but Repentance As in a little childe when hee begins first to write hee frames his businesse somewhat vnhandsomely when he hath perfected a letter his Master sets him to make the same letter againe vntill he doe it better and better vntill at last it bee excellently well Euen so because there are not those firme and true intensions of our affections in our first Repentance the Lord is faine to goe ouer againe with vs and to set vs anew to repent of our old sinnes thus is the growth and frame of a Christians progresse in grace to goe it ouer againe still vntill it come to perfection I haue heretofore obserued that a tree alwayes growes vntill it come to his full pitch of state yet it growes not alwayes in one sort but sometimes it growes in the boughes sometimes in the branches sometimes in the root Euen so it is with a Christian hee hath his times of growth hee doth not alwayes grow in one and the same sort but sometimes in one Grace and sometimes in another sometimes in knowledge faith loue obedience c. and yet bee in a good estate though he be put still to renew his Repentance from time to time which if I may so speake becomes so much the purer like gold when it is often refined by ardent and often praying againe and again therfore distressed Christians in this case haue no iust cause to be so perplexed and cast downe as many times they are Wherefore seeing it is necessarie still to grow in Repentance and that it can neuer bee too pure nor perfect not too often gone ouer in this life wee must therefore labour and euery day indeuour to be more and more penitent for our sinnes bitterly to lament them and increase in the detestation and hatred of them so making vse both of the mercies and iudgements of God this way as to further vs in the growth of our repentance So we see Peter did by occasion of Christs mercie vnto him in the draught of fishes Luk. 5. 8. Hee fell downe on his knees and said depart from me I am but a sinfull man ô Lord So did the Lords people by occasion of the iudgement in the Thunder and lightning 1. Sam. 12. 19. say vnto Samuel Pray for thy seruants vnto the Lord that wee dye not for wee haue added vnto all our sinnes this euill to take a King thus must we grow in this as in other graces It is therefore a great corruption for any to desire to grow in other graces if this be neglected and to doe some things conscionably and to neglect those other maine duties in Religion For if one had a childe and the childe should grow in one part and not in another one hand and one leg should thriue but not the other but keepe still at a stand how bitterly would he complaine of this and yet so is it in the state of many a Christian one part of the graces of God growes well but the other doth not grow at all many increase in knowledge shew a great deale of zeale of deuotion haue sufficiencie of faith and are cheerefull in their obedience but they grow not a whit in Repentance they are not a whit more humbled for their sinnes more penitent and cast downe before the LORD and therefore can say what cause haue wee to bee deiected and afflicted so for it but let vs of better knowledge learne to bee better affected our care being to bee more and more humbled for our sinnes Wee see in Nature when a man is buried and layed in the ground the more earth and mould you cast vpon him the more hee consumes from day to day being so much the more vnfit to rise vp againe suppose aliue from vnder the weight and burden of the earth which presses him downe Euen so it is with the sinne of a Christian when a man hath buried sinne in himselfe the more hee increaseth his repentance and holy humiliation the more earth and mold hee casts vpon it in this kinde the lesse able will it be to rise and reuiue againe nay our sad and serious Repentance will make it that it shall not rise againe Now there be three wayes wherein a Christian must increase in the Grace of Repentance as well as in other Graces 1. In the Number of his Graces 2. In the Measure of his Graces 3. In the good vse of them First for the Number of Graces see what Peter saith 2. Pet. 1. 5. Adde to your faith vertue and to vertue knowledge and to knowledge temperance and to temperance Patience and to patience godlinesse c. And so 2. Cor. 8. 7. Therefore as yee abound in euery thing in faith and vtterance and knowledge and in all diligence and in your loue to vs see that yee abound in this Grace also Therefore it should grieue a Christian to heare a man speake of any grace which hee hath not in himselfe Fine and daintie women we know who haue a delight in curious gardens if they heare of any goodly Plant or delicate Flower in another bodies garden they neuer rest till they haue got a slip of it into their owne yea here they beg a root and
greatest enemies No man will doe so much for his friend as God doth for his foes Wee came into the world with neuer a penny in our Purse with neuer a sheare in our Barnes with neuer a sheepe in our folds with neuer a Coate on our backe and yet the Lord hath filled our liues with great abundance Thirdly in sparing of our 〈◊〉 and that diuersly First in hiding many of our sinnes from the eyes of the world For if the world knew as much by vs as God knowes the best man that liues would blush to shew his face Secondly in giuing vs a time to repent for if God should damne euery sinner so soone as hee sinnes against him wofull were our case for none would be saued it is Gods mercy that wee liue and breathe vpon the Earth being guiltie of so many rebellious mutinies and treasons against our heauenly King as Ieremtah saith Lament 3. 22. Thirdly in vsing all meanes to draw vs to repentance like one that would gladly vndoe a doore he tries key after key till he hath tryed euery key in his bunch So God hath tryed by Mercy and tryed by Iudgement he hath tryed by pouertie and tryed by plenty because he would gladly by some meanes bring vs to him Esay 5. 4. As when a great fish is caught vpon the hooke the fish pulls and the man pulls and the fish pulls againe So God and the sinfull soule lie wresting together the soule drawes to Hell and God pulls to Heauen so fâ—ine God would haue vs who care too little to be saued of him Q. What vse may wee make of this Propertie A. First that men haue good cause to loue God seeing hee doth more for them then the deerest friend in the world will do If we should iniure your friend but halfe so much as we iniure God he would sooue cast vs off Psal. 27. 10. Secondly they doe the Lord of Heauen great wrong who pray to the Virgin Mary or to any of the Saints as if they were more fauourably inclined to Mercie then the Lord Psal. 50. 15. Q. What is the last Propertie of God A. Hee is Infinite Wherein appeareth the infinitenesse of God A. In two things First in respect of Time Secondly in respect of Place In respect of Time because hee is euerlasting without beginning and without end beyond all time Esay 51. 5. In respect of place because he filleth all places with his presence Psalme 139. 7. 8. Qu What vse doe wee make of this Propertie A. First to walke with feare and reuerence all our daies because God is an eye-witnesse of all we doe or say and therefore wee ought to walke with as great shamefacednesse and bashfulnesse before him as before the greatest Prince or power in the world Prou. 15. 11. Secondly not to be dismayed in any trouble because God is euer at hand to take our part As a childe will not care for the seruants so long as hee is in his fathers presence Psal. 23. 4. Thirdly that the diuine Nature ought rather with reuerence to be adored then curiously to be searched for seeing God is infinite in all his nature so mightie that none can conceiue how mightie he is so wise that all the wits in the world cannot tell how wise he is Wee are no moreable to comprehend his excellent Nature then wee are to graspe the Mountaines in our armes or to span the broadest of the Sea with our fingers 1. Tim. 6. 16. Qu. How many persons be there in the Godhead A. Three the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost Qu. Is it needfull for vs to know the distinction of the Persons A. Very needfull for the Turkes and the Iewes confesse one God but because they denie the distinction of the Persons they neither acknowledge the Sonne of God their Redeemer nor the holy Ghost their Sanctifier Secondly the Maiestie of God is vnsearchable and cannot be apprehended but as it commeth forth and reueales it selfe in the Person of the Sonne and therefore they that know not the Sonne of God they in very deed know not God Iohn 1. 18. 1. Ioh. 2. 23. Qu. What is the Father A. The Father is that Person in the Godhead who begetteth the Sonne Psal. 2. 7. Qu. What is the Sonne A. The Sonne is that person who is begotten of the Father Iohn 1. 14. Qu. What is the Holy Ghost A. The Holy Ghost is that Person who proceedeth from them both from the Father and the Sonne Iohn 15. 26. Gal. 4. 6. Qu. Was not the Father before the Sonne A. The Sonne is euerlasting as well as the Father for the Sonne is the Wisdome of the Father and therefore as wee cannot say there was any time when God was without wisedome So wee cannot say there was any time when God was without a Sonne Pro. 8. 23. Qu. Are there not three Gods as there are three Persons A. No for all the three Persons are but one and the selfe-same God so that as the Root and the Body and branches of a tree are all but one tree So the Father the Sonne and the Holy Ghost are all but one God and therefore they that conceiue the three Persons to be so distinct as threemen are they entertaine a false conceite of the liuing God Cor. 8. 4. Qu. What vse may wee make of this A. That whosoeuer worshippeth one of the diuine Persons worshippeth them all because they are all but one and the selfe-same God And therefore men may not thinke when they pray to one of the diuine Persons the other is passed by but hee that honoureth one honoureth all and hee that prayeth to one prayeth to all Iohn 5. 23. Qu. How must wee serue God A. According to his Word not after our fancies but as God himselfe will be serued Deut. 12. 32. Qu. What gather wee of this A. That all will-worship brought in by men without warrant of the Word of God is to be condemned Mark 17. 17. Qu. What is the word of God A. That which is contained in the holy Scriptures in the Bookes of the old and new Testament there God speakes vnto vs and breakes his minde familiarly how and in what sort hee will be serued of vs 2. Tim. 3. 16. Qu. What vse may wee make of this A. To remember that as oft as the Bible appeareth the blessed mouth of God is open to instruct vs and that they which regard not the Scriptures regard not the voyce of God and they that suffer the Bible to lye clasped and shut in their houses doe as it were seale vp the mouth of God that hee may not speake vnto them Qu. How know wee that the Scriptures are the word of God A. By the power of them for God alone is able to conuert the soule of a sinner and to beget faith and therefore seeing the preaching of the Scriptures hath begotten faith in vs. and conuerted vs vnto God wee must needes confesse euen from
wring them off hurts himselfe more then the Irons doe Luke 21. 19. Q. What is the fourth point of godlinesse A. Wee must be diligent in commending our whole estate by earnest prayer vnto God For therein we doe the Lord this honour that we acknowledge our whole welfare to depend on him and it is he alone that blesseth all things that wee take in hand And therefore we must neuer begin any thing without prayer Wee must not eate vnlesse wee first pray God to blesse that we eate Wee must not giue vnlesse wee pray God to blesse that wee giue 1. Thessalonians 5. 17. Q. What is the Reason A. There is a double vse of the good things of God A lawfull vse An holy vse Q. What be they A. As when a man eateth or refresheth himselfe or sleepeth moderately when he vttereth his Comodities at a reasonable rate then he doth these things lawfully But when he sanctifieth and performeth all these things with holy prayer vnto God Then he vseth them not onely lawfully but holily too So that by this meanes our thoughts are holy and our workes holy our recreations holy yea and our sleepe is holy to the Lord 1. Sam. 3. 5. Q. What thinke you then of giuing thankes before meate A. It is a holy vse sanctified by the example of Christ and much commended by the Scriptures our Sauiour Christ looked to heauen and blessed the loaues and fishes Math. 13. 19. So did Paul Acts 27. 35. And wee reade of the people in the 1. Sam. 9. 13. That they would not eate of the Sacrifice till Samuel had blessed it And therefore their boldnesse is great that dare vse the creatures of God with greater boldnesse then Paul or Samuel yea and the Sonne of God himselfe would vse them Q. Is it not good to haue certaine sette times of Prayer in our houses A. It is very needfull the rather thereby to draw our selues into Gods presence and to bring our selues in remembrance of this great dutie that lyes vpon vs as Daniel 6. 10. Q. What are the fittest times to set apart for Prayer A. The Morning and the Euening In the morning we must pray that the Lord will leade vs throughout the day That hee will shrowd vs and shadow vs vnder the wings of his grace and be with vs in euery thing we take in hand And this may be termed the morning Sacrifice of a Christian Psal. 5. 3. At night againe we must reckon with the Lord for the sinnes of the day that we lye not downe in Gods displeasure but hauing reconciled and as it were made euen for our faults wee may sleepe in the lappe and bosome of the loue of God And this may be termed The euening Sacrifice of a Christian Psal. 141. 2. Q. How is this further declared A. As Noahs Doue hauing wandred all day abroad yet returned in the Euening to the Arke So we hauing toyled and laboured all day in the world yet at night we must bee carefull to returne and take vp our rest as it were with God Q. Are wee to rest our selues in this thing A. Wee must not thinke our selues discharged when these sett times of prayer be performed but many times in the day we must lift vp our hearts to God in the heate of all our businesse bethinke vs of the Lord who alone can prosper and blesse that which we haue in hand Q. What is the fift Point of godlinesse A. Wee must lift vp our hearts with great thankfulnesse vnto God for all his blessings and benefites that are vpon vs. For therefore Moses declareth in the first of Genesis how God made the Heauen and the Earth the Sunne and the Moone and all things here below To shew that if we haue any comfort in any thing in this world God the Creatour is to be blessed and thanked for it 1. Thess 5. 18. Q. Is it enough to thanke God for his mercies A. Surely no but as we are thankfull for his blessings so we must be thankfull for his iudgements too and therefore we must blesse God as well for our pouerty as we doe for our plenty as well for our weakenesse as we doe for our strength as well when we lose our comforts as when we haue them Iob 1. 21. Q. What is the Reason that so few are thankefull for their troubles A. Because men are not able to looke through the present euills that are vpon them into the speciall fauour and loue of God who by this meanes compasseth and procureth their greater good And therefore men thinke it an vnreasonable thing that they should thanke God for the losse of their wealth of their peace of their libertie and the like because they see not into that good which the Lord by this meanes will bring vpon them Rom. 5. 4. Q. How may we prouoke our selues to thankefulnesse A. First if we keepe a faithfull Register of the blessings of God and engraue them as it were vpon the gates of the soule that wee may behold in one sight and in one view all the rich blessings of God that are vpon vs Psalme 103 1. 2. c. Secondly if we consider how vnworthy we are of the least of those blessings which we inioy For we are not worthy the earth should beare vs the heauens should couer vs the Sunne should shine vpon vs. And therefore it is the Lords exceeding fauour that we are blessed in any measure and regarded of him 2. Sam. 7. 18. Thirdly if we consider our preferment in many of our blessings aboue other men and how they are thankfuller for halfe our happinesse then we are for the whole Math. 13. 17. Fourthly if wee consider how the number of Gods blessings groweth daily towards vs. So that if wee had cause to thanke God yesterday we haue greater cause to thanke him to day And if we haue cause to thanke him this yeare wee shall haue greater to thanke him the next yeare the Lords mercy still more and more increasing on vs Ezek. 36. 11. Q. What is the last Point of Godlinesse A. The sanctifying of the Sabboth which is one of the chiefest duties of a Christian as being the very sinnewe and the life of all the rest For though a man be neuer so sicke and diseased yet so long as he lyes at Physicke and vseth good meanes of health there is some hope he may doe well but when he lets his disease runne and will not come vnder the Physitians hands then his case is desperate wee haue little hope that hee will euer mend Euen so though a man be neuer so sicke and diseased in his soule yet so long as he hath care to sanctifie the Sabboth to partake in the holy Prayers and the Ministry of the Church there is some hope that in time these good things may worke vpon him But if he will not come to ioyne in these exercises of the Church if he haue no care to heare to
pray to meditate and the like then his state is wofull we haue little hope of amendment Isay 38. 13. 14. Q. How must wee sanctifie the Sabboth A. First in setting our selues apart from our worldly businesses that we may with greater libertie bestow our selues in the seruice of God And therefore it is not lawfull to iourney about our worldly matters vpon the Sabboth day Exod. 16. 29. Secondly it is not lawfull to keepe Fayres or Markets on the Sabboth Nehem. 13. 13. 16. 17. Thirdly it is not lawfull to sowe or reape or to load our cart or to weed in our corne on the Sabboth Exod. 14. 21. Fourthly it is not lawfull to buy or sell bargaines vpon the Sabboth Nehem. 10. 31. Q. Whom doth this Doctrine meet withall A. First it condemneth those that take vp that day for their worldly affaires and many times cast the greatest burthen of their businesse vpon the Sabboth Secondly it condemneth those who though they rest from their labours outwardly yet notwithstanding they haue their heads and their hearts so fraught with worldly matters that indeed they doe not performe the tenth of the Sabboth Amos 8. 5. Qu. Are all workes forbidden on the Sabboth A. Not all but such onely as be lets and hinderances to the Sabboth And therefore we learne Math. 12. That three sorts of workes are lawfull on the Sabboth Qu. What are they A. First workes of necessitie as if our enemies inuade vs it is lawfull to repulse them If our house be on fire it is lawfull to quenchit If a gappe be made into our corne or pasture it is lawfull to mend it Math 12. 3. 4. Secondly workes of holinesse such as lend their helpes to the Sabboth As a man may goe forth on the Sabboth day to preach by the example of Christ Math. 12. 9. or to heare a Sermon by the example of the Noble women in the 2. Kings 4. 23. Thirdly Workes of mercie as a man may dresse his meate and pull his beast out of the pit and minister vnto a sicke body vpon the Sabboth day Math. 12. 11. 12 Q. What is the other thing wherein wee must sanctifie the Sabboth A. In practising the holy Exercises of the Sabboth And therefore they that rest from their labours and yet are not carefull to sanctifie the Sabboth in the holy duties thereof doe not indeed truely keepe a Sabboth to the Lord Exod. 3. 2. 3. Qu. What are the exercises of the Sabboth A. They are of two sorts Some are Publike and Some are Priuate Q. What are the publique Exercises of the Sabboth A. The first is hearing of the word of God with feare and reuerence Nehem. 8. 3. to the 9. Q. What gather we of this A. That they which either loyter at home or when they come either gaze or sleepe or reade when they should heare doe not indeed sanctifie a Sabboth vnto the Lord. Q. What if they haue no Preacher in the towne where they dwell A. Yet they must seeke abroad as the little bird leaueth her warme nest and flies for her food where shee can get it So must they by the famous example of the Noble woman in the 2. Kings 4. And also of the Queene of the South Math. 12. 14. Qu. What is the second Exercise of the Sabboth A. Thankes-giuing to God for his many and geeat blessings bestowed vpon vs all the weeke before together with earnest prayer for the continuance of the same all the next weeke and euer after Acts 16. 13. Qu. What gather wee of this A. That they which thinke it enough to bee at the Sermon and withdraw themselues from the Prayers of the Church doe not Sanctifie the Sabboth in all the duties of it Q. Are none else faultie in this point A. Yes euen they also which runne out before the end of the exercise turning vp the heeles to God and departing before the Lord giue them libertie to depart Ezek. 46. 10. Q. What example haue wee of this A. Mathew 26. 30. Wee reade that the Disciples of Christ went not out till the Psalme was sung onely Iudas was so hotly set vpon his businesse that wee could not tarry the Psalme Iohn 13. 30. 31. Q. What is the third Exercise of the Sabboth A. Receiuing of the Lords Supper at the appointed times and attending to Baptisme if occasion serues that thereby wee may be brought in better remembrance of the vow and promise which we haue made to God and also lend our helpes too in prayer to the little Babe then presented to the Church Act. 20. 7. Q. What are the priuate exercises of the Sabboth A. They are of two sorts 1. Such as prepare vs to the publique duties of the Sabboth 2. Such as must bee performed afterwards Q. What are the Exercises in the holy Preparation of the Sabboth A. Priuate prayer that the Lord will fit and inable vs to the sanctifying of the Sabboth so that we may reuerently attend vnto the ministry of the word and the prayers of the Church and profite thereby and that God will be the mouth of our Minister that he may speake with grace and power to the hearts of the hearers Eccles. 4. 17. Secondly Rising early and making the shorter meales that we may haue the more time to bestow in priuate prayer and bee the more cheerefull in the rest of the exercises that are behinde Psal. 119. 148. Q. What is the equitie of this Dutie A. That if wee cut short our sleepe when our owne busâ—nesse is in hand much more should wee doe for the Lords and if we cannot make a good meale when we haue a worldly matter in hand much lesse should we dwell vpon our dishes when the glory and honour of God calls vs from them Q. What learne wee by this A. That their sinne is very great who being content to rise early all the rest of the weeke yet giue themselues to sloth and sluggishnesse exceedingly vpon the Sabboth day bewraying thereby their prophane and worldly minde that they carry more good will to their owne businesse then they doe to the Lords Q. What are the priuate duties of the Sabboth after we haue beene at Church A. A ioyfull thanks-giuing to God for the gratious and good things that we haue heard blessing the Lord in our soules that it hath pleased him to poure out his whole heart vnto vs in the ministry of the Word and to reueale those things in our dayes which many yeares haue beene shut vp and sealed from the world Nehem. 8. 12. Qu. What learne wee by this A. That as Iohn saith Reuel 5. 4. That he wept much when the Booke was sealed and no man was found to open it So men should weepe to see the Booke of God lye clasped in their Churches and no man to open it and expound it to them Qu. What is the second priuate dutie of the Sabboth A. Meditation and beating ouer by our selues that which we haue heard For this
Q. How doth hee saue vs from sinne A. By deliuering vs from the guiltinesse of sinne 1. Iohn 17. And secondly by freeing vs from the power of sinne that it raigne not in vs Ioh. 8. 24. Q. How doth Christ saue vs from the punishment of sinne A. First by deliuering vs from the wrath of God that was kindled against vs 1. Thess. 1. 10. Secondly by deliuering vs from the clamours and cryes of our owne guiltie conscience which continually accuseth vs Rom. 5. 1. Thirdly by deliuering vs from the paines of Hell Rom. 8. 1. Fourthly by deliuering vs from the power of the Deuill who before ruled vs as a Lord Heb. 2. 14. Q. What is the meaning then of these words I beleeue in Iesus A. The meaning is that I beleeue there is a life and Saluation in Iesus Christ for all that come vnto him And that as he is Iesus so I shall finde him a Iesus that is a Sauiour to saue me from sinne and all the punishments due to it So that though I be a sinner yet through the Spirit of Christ working in me I shall sinne euery day lesse then other and through the Lords mercy I shall not come into condemnation for any of those sinnes which through frailty and weakenesse I commit Q. What is the second title of our Sauiour A. Hee is called Christ who was annoynted and it is the same that Messias is in Hebrew Ioh. 4. 25. Q. How was Christ annoynted A. Not with bodily oyle as the Kings and Priests and Prophets were in the old Law but with the holy Ghost the Spirit of God without measure being poured on him Acts 10. 38. Q. Whereunto was Christ annoynted with the holy Ghost A. To bee the King the Priest and Prophet to his Church Q. Why is Christ said to bee the King of the Church A. Because it is gouerned by the Law of Christ and secondly because it is defended by his power against the rage of the deuill of sinne and of all the enemies that oppose it Luk. 1. 32. 33. Q. Why is Christ said to be the Priest of the Church A. First because hee hath made an attonement for it offring vp his owne Body vpon the Altar of the Crosse. And secondly because he maketh intercession in Heauen continually intreating God for the peace and safetie of it Heb. 24. 25. Q. Why is Christ said to be the Prophet of the Church A. Because hee hath reuealed the royall will of God vnto his people sometimes by his owne mouth and sometime by the ministry of the Prophets and the Apostles fitted and enabled by his Spirit thereunto Acts 3. 22. Q. What is the meaning then of these words I beleeue in Christ A. The meaning is I beleeue that our Sauiour Christ is the true Messias the Lords annoynted hee that was ordained of God to bee the King Priest and Prophet of our Church the King to rule it the Priest to purge it and the Prophet to teach it Q. Why are wee called Christians A. Wee are called Christians of Christ because all true Christians are members of Christ and in some measure partakers of his annoynting so that wee are Kings and Priests and Prophets too Acts 11. 26. Q. How are all true Christians Kings A. They are Kings ouer their owne hearts to command them of God and ouer their owne corrupt affections to subdue them and keepe them vnder that they raigne not in them Rom. 1. 6. Secondly because all the comforts of this life and the life to come belong vnto them Qu. How are they Priests A. They are Priests to offer vp their owne bodyes and soules by holy seruice vnto God And secondly to intreate God for themselues and their brethren 1. Pet. 2. 5. Q. How are they Prophets A. They are prophets both to stand out vnto the death for the maintainance of the truth and also to teach that which they know to others that knew it not Acts 2. 17. Qu. What thinke you of those who doe not so A. Howsoeuer they carry the name of Christians yet indeed they be none but meere hypocrites and dissemblers whatsoeuer they pretend Q. What are wee to beleeue concerning the Person of Christ A. Wee are to beleeue two things 1. That hee is very God 2. That hee is very man Q. How doth the Creed shew him to be God A. First because he is the Sonne of God For as hee that is the Sonne of naturall man must needs be a man So he that is the naturall Sonne of God must needs be God And therefore he is called the mighty God Isay 9. 6. the blessed God Rom. 9. 6. and the true God 1. Ioh. 5. 20. Q. Why was it needfull that Christ should be God A. Hee that must redeeme vs must beare the infinite wrath of God But no creature in Heauen or Earth was able to beare the infinite wrath of God and to rise vnder it And therefore none but God was able to redeeme vs Iob 9. 13. Qu. What is the second Reason A. That the death of Christ might be of infinite value and of infinite price to redeeme vs. For it was more that God was scourged that God was nayled to the Crosse that God was killed for vs then if all the Angels and men in the world had suffered Act. 20. 28. Qu. What gather wee of this that Christ is God A. That if Adam being but a man was able to condemne vs much more Christ being God is able to saue vs Rom. 5. 17. Qu. How is Christ said to be the onely Sonne of God seeing all the faithfull are so also A. Christ is the onely Sonne of God by Nature and wee are the sonnes of God by Adoption and Grace Christ is the Sonne of God because he was borne of God And we be the sonnes of God because it pleaseth God in fauour to accept vs for his sonnes Psal. 8 15. Qu. What is the second Title whereby it is shewed that Christ is God A. In that hee is called our Lord. For God is our onely Lord Deut. 8. 14. and therefore seeing he must bee acknowledged to be our Lord he must also bee acknowledged to bee our God Ioh. 20. 28. Q. Why is Christ called our Lord A. Because the godly ones are ruled by him the wicked euer labouring to shake off their yoake Luk. 19. 14. Secondly because he ruleth for our good wee hauing the whole fruite and benefite of his gouernment in the world Deut. 33. 26. Q. What is the meaning then of these words I beleeue in Iesus Christ our Lord A. I beleeue that he was but a bare man but the Sonne of God that came to redeeme the world euen he that ruleth with all power both in Heauen and in Earth and therefore is most mighty to saue all those who by true faith flie vnto him Qu. Why was it needfull that Christ should bee man A. Because he could not suffer in his diuine Nature First and therefore
Word The Sacraments And Prayer Q. What is Prayer A. Prayer is a pouring forth of the Soule before God in the feeling of our wants together with an earnest desire of remedy for the same Qu. How many things are required in Prayer A. Three things 1. That a man knowe his wants 2. That hee earnestly desire to haue them supplied 3. That for this end hee put vp his sute to God Q. Why did the Lord teach vs a set forme of prayer A. Because wee are not able to looke into the bottome of our owne hearts nor to carry our selues in such a wise course as becommeth speakers to so great a King Therefore the Lord vouchsafed to direct vs with his owne mouth that keeping our selues to the rule that hee hath set vs wee might be assured that our prayers should be to his good liking and well accepted Q. How many parts be there of the Lords Prayer A. Three 1. The Preface 2. The Petitions and 3. The Conclusion Q. Why doth the Lord vse a Preface to the Prayer A. To teach vs that wee may not pray without reuerence till wee haue in some holy and heauenly sort fitted and prepared our selues for it My heart is fixed c. my heart is fixed Psal. Qu. What learne wee by this A. That their sinne is great who rush bluntly and boldly vpon the Lord without due consideration and most holy regard of the excellent and high Maiestie before whom they stand Eccles. 10. 1. Q. What other reason is there A. To teach vs that wee may not pray without zeale till wee haue quickened and wakened vp our hearts to it Q. What learne we by this A. That they sinne in prayer who let their prayere fall from them without zeale and without life For why should God care for those prayers which wee ourselues care not for Q. How must wee prepare our selues to Prayer A. By a serious meditation of the great mercy and power of God his mercy will teach vs how willing and ready hee is his Power how able and mightie he is to helpe vs in our needs Q. How is the mercy of God set forth A. In tearming himselfe our Father For in calling God Father wee bring our selues in minde that wee shall finde him a Father euen fatherly affections in him ready to heare vs and encline to our demands Q. What will this worke in vs A. An vndoubted assurance that wee shall bee heard For where shall a man speed himselfe if hee speed not with his Father And therefore seeing wee come to God in prayer not as to a stranger that knowes vs not not as to a stately person that regards vs not but as to a most louing and tender Father whose eare hearkeneth whose eye pittieth whose hand is helpfull to our needes wee may assure our selues that wee shall not come emptie handed and with faces cast downe from his presence Q. How is God our Father A. By nature wee are become the children of the Deuill But through Christ God hath adopted vs and taken vs for his owne sonnes intending to bestowe his crowne and kingdome on vs. Q. Why doth Christ direct this prayer to God alone A. To shew that none but God is to be prayed vnto neither Saint nor Angell nor any other Q. What gather wee of this A. That the Papists in praying to Saints and Angels pray amisse because their prayers be contrary to the rule of prayer Indeed they knocke oft and lay loade vpon the doore but they knocke at a wrong gate and they mistake the doore Two little rappes at Gods gate would doe more good then all their crying like Baals Priests to them that heare them not c. Q. Why are wee taught to say our Father A. First to teach vs that wee must pray for our brethren as well as for our selues and that their miseries must bring vs many times vpon our knees Secondly to shew that if wee bee true members in the body of Christ wee haue a part in euery mans prayer so that when wee are heauy and troubled and cannot pray for our selues we may then remember that a 1000. hands are lifted to heauen and a 1000. mouthes are speaking to God in our behalfe Q. How is the Power of God set forth A. In saying that hee is heauen for thereby we are brought in minde of the heauenly Maiestie and power that is in him whereby hee is able to goe through with his owne worke and to accomplish whatsoeuer shall be for our good Deut. 33 26. Q. What gather wee of this A. That God is able to speed vs and wee need goe no further for any thing we want Q. What else doe these words teach vs A. First to lift vp our hearts to Heauen when wee pray Secondly to thinke that God sits in the Watch-Tower of the world and therefore hee sees vs and markes how and in what sort and how oft wee pray vnto him Q. How many Petitions are there A. 6. Whereof The three first concerne the glory of God The three other our owne good Q. What learne wee by this A. That nothing must bee more pretious and deare vnto vs then the Name and Glory of our God and therefore that we must alwayes begun our suite in the earnest desire that the Lord may haue a wonderfull name among vs that wee may set forth his glory whatsoeuer become of vs. Q. What gather wee of this A. That the prayers of such shall neuer bee heard to any benefit or comfort of themselues who are wholly taken vp with a care of their owne good and neuer thinke what honour and glory may come vnto the Lord thereby Q. What thinke you then of the Prayers of the Common sort A. That for the most part they please not God for it is not the care of Gods glory but the onely feeling of their owne wants that makes them pray For if it were not more for their owne good and for their owne comfort then for any care they haue of Gods glorie they would neuer pray Q. What doe wee pray for in the first Petition A. We pray for the hallowing or sanctifying of the Name of God Q. What is the Name of God A. It is the report of him his remembrance and his memoriall amongst men so that when wee pray Hallowed bee thy name wee pray that the Lord may haue a glorious and a great Name among vs that wee may neither thinke nor speake of him but with high reuerence and feare with holy admiration of the excellent and great things that be in Him Q. What are the speciall good things wee pray for A. First we pray that God would make his Mercy Iustice Loue c. so knowne vnto the world that euery one may bee forced to admire it and wonder at it That the Lord would shew forth such euident and cleere tokens of the great might and wisedome and Iustice and power that bee in him that all men
might be conuinced in their consciences to confesse that the whole Soueraigntie of glorie and renowne is due vnto him Q. Declare this more fully A. Wee pray that the Lord would stand vp for his owne glorie that the Lord would get himselfe glory and praise by blessing and defending the godly and by punishing and afflicting the wicked Q. Doe not many herein pray against themselues A. Wee all pray that if wee bee any lett or hinderance to Gods glory so that the Lord be the worse thought of for our sakes that hee will recouer his glory at our hands yee though it be with the destruction of vs. Q. What is the second thing wee pray for A. That wee may acknowledge with inward feeling of our hearts the excellent and holy things that bee in God that wee may doe the Lord this honour to thinke that he is most Mightie and therefore will defend vs when the whole world is set against vs that hee is most Wise and therefore will doe nothing but it shall be for our good That hee is most pittifull and therefore will pittie vs when no eye else will looke vpon vs that hee is most lust and therefore will stand vp in our iust defence Q. What is the third thing wee pray for A. That wee so liue and so carry our selues in the whole course of our wayes as God may haue glory by vs That as a good seruant doth his Master credite so the Lord may heare well for our honest life Q. What is the fourth thing that wee pray for A. That wee may bee so wholly possessed and taken vp with the care of the Lords praise that wee may neuer speake or doe any thing but with this minde and to this intent to get some honour and some glory to the Lord thereby Q. What are the euills that wee pray against A. First that wee may not bee so blinde but that wee may see the great glorie of God that shineth in the world his Prouidence wise gouernment care for his people and the Iudgements that hee brings vpon wicked men Secondly that wee may not doubt of any of the excellent things that bee in God That hee hath not power enough to protect vs Mercy enough to forgiue vs Wisedome enough to direct vs in the safest course Thirdly that wee may not dishonour the Lord by our vngodly and wicked life That wee may not bee a shame to the Gospell men thinking the worse of it for the loosenesse of our liues that professe it Fourthly that wee may not seeke our owne praise more then the praise of the Lord and so greedily hunt after our owne credite that wee care not in the meane time though the Lords honour lye in the dust Qu. What doe wee pray for in the second Petition A. For the meanes of Gods glory that his kingdome may come among vs. Q. How doth this Petition depend vpon the former A. In the first Petition wee prayed that wee might glorifie God and now we pray that God would rule in our hearts that wee may glorifie him the better For vnlesse God rule vs by his Spirit wee are so set to pursue our owne praise and peace and pleasure that wee shall neuer glorifie him sincerely while wee liue Qu. What is the meaning of this Petition A. Whereas the Deuills kingdome is come already and Sinne holds vp the Scepter in a number of our hearts wee here pray as men weary of it that Gods kingdome may here come into our hearts and the Deuill and sinne may no longer rule among vs. Q. What is the kingdome of God A. Gods kingdome is twofold The kingdome of Grace The kingdome of Glorie Q. What is the kingdome of Grace A. The kingdome of Grace is that whereby God gouerneth the hearts of the faithfull in this world Q. How doth God gouerne vs in this world A. Two wayes Inwardly By his Spirit Outwardly By his Word Q. How by his Spirit A. When by his Spirit and grace conueyed into our hearts hee not onely shews vs the good way wherein we should walk but also leades vs in the way and giues vs strength to continue in it and checks our hearts when we goe amisse Q. How by his Word A. As Princes rule their Subiects by those Lawes and statutes which they make So God rules vs by his Word hauing there taught vs what is right and what is wrong or what is lawfull and vnlawfull for vs. Q. What are the speciall good things that wee pray for A. Wee pray that God would giue his gratious and good spirit into our hearts to the gouerning and guiding of vs in our wayes that wee may so liue as the good Spirit of God would haue vs liue c. and further increase this good worke when it is begun Q. Doe all pray thus with desire to haue it so A. No many say Thy kingdome come that would not for any good Gods kingdome should come vpon vs Many would bee sorry in their hearts to doe no more then God would haue them doe to part with so many sinnes and leaue so many vanities as God would haue them leaue Qu. What is the second good thing that wee pray for A. That God would rule vs by his Word that wee may not be left to wander after our owne hearts but that wee may haue the word of God to a continuall directing of vs in an honest course Qu. What is the third thing A. Wee pray for all the good helpes and meanes that may further Gods kingdome and namely for good Ministers and good Magistrates Q. What doe wee pray for good Ministers A. That God would giue good Ministers to all places faithfull and able men full of Spirit and power who may build vp the decaies and the ruines of the Church and seeke vp the lost soules of their brethren and bring them home to the Fold of Christ. Secondly Wee pray that God would blesse and continue such as wee haue already that they may not be discouraged in their labours nor hindered in the Lords workes but may minister with great grace and cheerefulnesse amongst vs. Thirdly wee pray that God would make their Ministry effectuall to vs for our good that it may worke vpon our hearts to the killing of sinne and the strengthening of Gods graces in vs. Q. What doe wee pray for Magistrates A. First that God would raise vp such as may bee Fathers of the Church such as may tender Religion and wound with the sword of Iustice the head of all vngodlinesse in the land Secondly that God would blesse and continue those that be such especially our gratious King that his dayes may be as the dayes of Heauen and his Throne may be established in prosperitie and peace as long as the Sunne and Moone endure Q. What is the Kingdome of Glory A. It is that whereby God shall more fully raigne in vs in the world to come when all sinne and wickednesse shall be taken from vs.
vs any good For what shall it profite a man to haue a mountaine of gold and yet to carry a fire-marke in his soule the brand and marke of a condemned man and to know that whensoeuer he goes hence hee goes damned to the deuill Math. â—6 26. Q. What learne we by this A. That euery Christian man and woman must make it their chiefest study and their chiefest care to finde Mercy and fauour with God in the forgiuenesse of their sinnes rather then to inioy ten thousand worlds without it Q. What is the second reason A. Our sinnes are so many and so grieuous against the Lord that wee are not worthy of one morsell of meate to put into our mouthes yea wee deserue euen to bee starued and famished vpon the face of the earth And therefore because our sinnes are the barre and stop that let and hinder Gods blessings from vs therefore wee pray God to forgiue our sinnes that the true hindrance of our comforts being taken away all his blessings in most rich and plentifull sort may flowe vnto vs Ier. 5. 25. Qu Why are our sinnes called debts A. Because as a debt bindes a man either to satisfie the partie or to goe to prison So our sinnes binde vs either to satisfie Gods Iustice or to goe to hell Qu. What learne wee from hence A. First that wee are all in the Lords debt and it is not some dribling somme that wee owe him but a thousand Talents at the least more then wee and all the friends wee haue be able to discharge Secondly that vnlesse God be contented for them wee are sure to goe to hell where wee shall endure not a moneths or a yeares imprisonment But wee shall lye bound in the chaynes of horror and darknesse as long as there is a God in heauen to reuenge our sinnes and the Deuill in hell to torment vs for them Thirdly that there is no way to deale with God but onely by intreaty and by request Wee cannot choppe and change with him as the Pope thinkes Lord I haue so many sinnes and here are so many good deeds for them But wee must begge our pardon and become humble sutours to the Throne of grace that God for Christs sake would shew Mercy vpon vs. Fourthly that we shall finde the Lord ready for to yeeld vnto our sute especially seeing the Lord Iesus who sitteth at the right hand of God is an Intercessour for vs Q. Must wee pray thus euery day A. As wee pray euery day for our daily Bread so we must also pray daily for the pardon of our sinnes The pardon of our sinnes being as needfull euery day as the bread that wee liue by Qu. What may this teach vs A. That wee sinne euery day howsoeuer God shall blesse vs or punish vs or teach or touch vs with his Spirit yet wee know aforehand that wee shall sinne tomorrow and the next day and so euery day to our dying day Secondly that wee sinne often euery day and therefore wee speake in the plurall number Forgiue vs our sinnes as hauing many sinnes to be forgiuen And though wee bee able to discerne but a few of our sinnes yet our ignorance is the greater who sin many times when wee thinke we doe not sinne Thirdly that as wee sinne daily so it must be our care euery day to make euen with the Lord that wee come not with after reckonings with sinnes of 10. 20. or 30. yeares old not repented of but that euery day wee reconcile our selues to God for the sinnes of that day that whensoeuer wee shall die wee may haue but the sinnes of one day Q. What is meant by these words For euen wee forgiue them A. They containe 1. A Comfort 2. An Instruction Qu. What is the comfort A. That if wee who are full of hatred and reuenge can forgiue our brethren much more wil the Lord who is full of Mercy and compassion bee ready to forgiue vs. For wee are not to thinke that wee can goe beyond the Lord in any grace and therefore if wee can loue him that loues not vs and passe by many wrongs wee may well thinke wee shall finde the Lord much more fauourably inclyned to vs. Q. Is our forgiuenesse a cause why God forgiues vs A. No For if wee forgiue our brethren some little fault that is no reason why God should forgiue vs our huge and mightie sinnes But the Lord addes this as a sure testimonie of our soules that if we who haue but a drop of Mercy can forgiue our Brethren much more will the Lord who is euen full of goodnesse forgiue vs. Q. What is the Instruction A. That wee shall neuer finde fauour at Gods hands till such time as our brethren finde loue and mercy and good dealing at our hands For looke what wee bee to others when they offend vs the same wee shall finde God to vs when wee offend him Q. Whom doth this Doctrine condemne A. First it condemneth those who wil vse extremity to their brethren that will not by any meanes bate of their right but eagerly pursue euery aduantage they can get against them Secondly it condemneth those that will say they forgiue and forget and yet notwithstanding the memorie of it is most quicke in their hearts and vpon euery little occasion they breake out againe Alas doe wee looke for such forgiuenesse at Gods hands how is it then that our Brethren can finde no better at our hands Thirdly it condemneth those that can bee content to forgiue some small offences of their brethren but if it touch them somewhat neere in their goods or names oh then the matter is heynous and so preiudiciall it toucheth vs so deeply that it may not in any wise finde fauour at our hands Why alas our brethren cannot commit any so grieuous offence against vs but wee commit farre greater against the Lord and therefore as wee except against them so wee may well looke the Lord will except against vs. Q. What doe wee pray for in the sixt Petition A. Wee pray for strength and grace against sinne Q. Why are there two Petitions for the Soule and but one for the Body A. The Lord would teach vs thereby that our care for heauenly things should be twice so much as our care for earthly and therefore where wee are once vpon our knees for the blessings of the body wee should bee twice vpon our knees for the blessings of our Soules Qu. How doth this Petition depend vpon the former A. In the former Petition we prayed for the pardon of our sinnes that be past and now wee pray for grace and strength against those euills that be to come Q. What learne wee by this A. First that none are more subiect to Tentations then the godly For of all men they are most layd vnto sinne will bee euer nibling and the diuell will labour mightily to regaine his hold Secondly that it is not enough to haue our sinnes pardoned
that they do not spare them and why it is for their health c. So must we thinke and conceiue that when God doth not heare or grant our requests he heares so farre as it is for our good though he doe not heare vs to our wils For it is a dangerous thing to bee heard according to our desire Because thus Christ heard the Diuell when he suffered him to enter into the heard of swine or we may say thus This is not the greatest mercy to be heard according to our will but this to be heard for our profit when God giues vs that onely which is best for vs. Secondly That we must pray in loue For Christ instructing vs to say Our Father would teach vs loue and charity that is not onely to pray for our selues but also in the behalfe of our brethren for this is a duty requisite in our prayers to take in the whole Communion of the body of Christ that euery one may haue a part in our prayer So holy men of God haue done before vs Dauid saith Pray for the peace of Ierusalem Peace be within thy walls and prosperity within thy Pallaces He prayes God to heare the prayers which he made speaking and praying and confessing his sins and the sins of his people Whereupon an Angell came flying vnto him Pray one for another in the time of trouble Thus by the rule of Christ we must not onely pray for our selues in faith but for our brethren also in loue and compassion and fellow feeling of the wants needs one of another When many ships Trade and Traffiicke vpon the sea some goe for one thing and some for another some goe to one place and some to another and yet all tends to the good of the Countrey So it is in the prayers of the Saints some pray for one thing some for another some for grace some for remission of sinnes some for peace of conscience some for temporall blessings and yet all in the end for the good of the Church I should now come to speake of the Duties of them that pray but first I must a little enlarge my selfe in the former of Faith and Loue which should haue beene touched before Faith being a maine pillar and foundation whereupon this building of prayer consists yea such a one as I may truely affirme Sine qua non Ere I goe further I will shew two grounds of Faith 1 A perswasion of the power of God that he can 2 A perswasion of Gods willingnesse that hee will helpe vs. For if we doubt either of his power that he cannot or his will that he will not helpe vs though he be able We can neuer pray in Faith that is with vndoubted assurance that God will heare vs. And because the greatest questiō is of the will of God for not many especially amongst Christians I suppose doubt of the power of God Christ first resolues and settles vs in that point and shewes that God is Our Father and because he is our Father we shall be sure to find a most fatherly affection in him that no father shall be so ready to heare the requests of his children as the Lord will be to heare vs in all things we pray for So that this is one ground of our Faith not to thinke we come vnto God as vnto a stranger that doth not respect or regard vs in our needs but we come to him as to a Father and one that doth loue vs tenders vs and will be as ready to releeue vs as the dearest friend we haue in this world So Dauid saith Psal 103. 13. As a father pittieth his children c. And Malach. 3. 17. I will spare them as a man spareth his owne sonne that serueth him The prodigall sonne when he had slipt away from his father and naughtily spent all he had he had no hope to returne with any comfort but this Ibo ad Patrem c. I will goe to my Father c. Howsoeuer I haue been a bad and a lewd child yet I thanke God I haue a good Father to goe to This now is our very case Alas wee haue runne away from God as farre as euer did the Prodigall sonne from his father we haue spent all we haue nothing left by our bad husbandry onely wee haue this hope and comfort remaining that still we haue a good Father to goe to God is our Father who will heare vs receiue vs releeue vs and this as I said is the ground of a Christian man that he may pray in faith which thing holy men in their prayers haue much regarded Isa. 63. 16. Though Abraham be ignorant of vs doubtlesse thou art our Father c. and chap. 64. 8. But now O Lord thou art our Father wee are clay c. worke of thy hands Yea our Sauiour Christ himselfe in this very Preface of Prayer argues from the very disposition and nature of an earthly Father Matth. 7. 9. For what man is there if his sonne aske bread will hee giue him a stone c. from whence his inference is If yee then being euill can giue good things to your children who aske c. how much more will your Father which is in Heauen giue his holy Spirit vnto those who aske it So that this needs must be a goodly comfort vnto a poore Christian to consider of because it is our Father not a stranger our good Father our louing and compassionate Father that deales with vs so that wee shall easily find him inclined to goodnesse and mercy towards vs. Many places of Scripture doe inlarge this and all to strengthen our faith and make vs come the readier vnto God Psal. 27. 10. Though my father and my mother should for sake me yet the Lord will gather me vp c. Isa. 49. 15. Can a woman forget her child and not haue compassion vpon the sonne of her wombe Yea they may c. Where the Lord himselfe shewes and sayes that hee will not forget vs so that knowing this loue care and tendernesse of the Lord that he hath this fatherly affection in him we may well thinke the Lord will be most ready to heare and helpe vs in all that we pray for Alas they that be not thus perswaded that God hath such a heart bosome and bowels of loue open vnto vs that he hath a fatherly care and compassion towards vs he I say that hath not this sweet and comfortable apprehension of God that knowes not God to be a Father to him must needes make faint and cold prayers vnto God But whosoeuer shall be perswaded in his soule that the Lord is become a Father vnto him accepteth of him as his son what is it but that such a man may hope for at the hands of God which as I said is the first ground of our Faith viz. A perswasion that God will heare vs when we pray vnto him
first we pray here that we may glorifie the Name of God any way whatsoeuer that hee may haue some glory by vs which must bee three wayes 1 In our hearts 2 With our mouthes 3 In our liues For the former of these see 1 Pet. 3. 15. saith hee But sanctifie the Lord in your hearts for the second we haue Rom. 15. 6. where the Apostle exhorts them with one mind and one mouth to praise God for the other see 1 Cor. 6. vlt. saith hee For yee are bought with a price therefore glorifie God in your body and in your spirit which are Gods First Wee must inwardly acknowledge that all things come from God That we neither haue or can receiue any thing but at the hands of God wee must therefore loue and feare Him trust in Him praise Him and submit our wils to his will and thus we pray that we may glorifie God in our hearts when we acknowledge all the power in the world to be nothing to his all the wisedome and loue in the world to be nothing to his wisedome and loue when we doe labour aboue all things to keepe the Lord to be our friend not regarding whosoeuer be displeased with vs whosoeuer be against vs whosoeuer rageth and stormeth when we see God accepteth of our zeale and Piety towards him which if we pray for truely then are we sure to glorifie God in our hearts Secondly We glorifie God with our mouthes both by speaking reuerently of the Name of God and by confessing the Lords wisedome goodnesse and Iustice in all his workes for although the Shepheards were abashed to find Christ in a manger the King of Kings in so poore an estate yet they returned to their Flockes and Folds and praysed God So must we doe whensoeuer wee haue heard of Gods goodnesse or tasted of his mercy we must returne home to our houses as the shepheards did to the fields acknowledging the Lords kindnesse and mercy in it Yea what euer chance though it bee losse and correction yet wee must say as Job did in the midst of his troubles The Lord hath giuen and the Lord hath taken away blessed be the Name of the Lord. So then this is that we pray for that of all other things we may giue glory vnto God according to that admonition of the Angell Reuel 14. 7. Feare God and giue glory to him for the houre of his Iudgement is come and worship him And againe Reuel 19. 7. Let vs be glad and reioyce and giue glory to him for the marriage of the Lambe is come So that whatsoeuer is laid vpon vs what change of estate soeuer the Lord sends we must giue the glory to God and confesse with our mouthes that he is worthy of all honour Thirdly We must glorifie God in our liues that we may so liue as the Lord may haue glory and honour by vs and no disgrace for our good life is an honour to the Lord as Christ himselfe saith Math. 5. 16. Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good workes and glorifie your Father which is in heauen c. So 1 Pet. 2. 12. the Apostle saith And haue your conuersation honest among the Gentiles that they which speake euill of you as of euill doers may by your good workes which they shall see glorifie God So must we pray that we doe not disgrace the Lord by our sinnes but liue so as the Lord may be honoured by vs. It is for this purpose a good meditation which one of the Fathers hath God saith he thus speaks vnto a sinner O man if thou hast no care of thine own credit safety yet haue a care of mine Thinke man that I am dishonoured by thy sinne for if any disgrace or shame thereby rest vpon thy selfe much more vpon me whom thou oughtest to regard but if thou couldest so put it ouer with iollity and carelesnesse yet is God disgraced by it therfore O man thogh thou neglect thy selfe tender my glory deface not my honour Thus it is cleere as our good life honours God so our ill life dishonours him as Rom. 2. 24. saith the Apostle For the Name of God is blaspemed amongst the Gentiles through you O then let vs all take heed of this that we tender the glory of God let vs pray that wee may so liue in this world conuerse here amongst men that the Lord may be honoured by vs and not dishonoured by our grosse and presumptuous sinnes For our helpe herein There be three things which may quicken vs to this duty and care First to consider That all the creatures doe glorifie God in their kinde as the Psalmist speakes The Heauens declare the glory of God c. So in the Reuelation it is written of all Creatures That all they which are in heauen and in earth c. And the foure beasts said Amen when glory was giuen to the Lord. Therefore now seeing that all Creatures not onely most noble as Angels and Spirits but the very lowest and meanest yea the insensible Creatures giue glory to God in their kind oh how great shall our sinnes be and how much our wickednesse aggrauated if we doe not care to bring glory vnto him O with what gladnesse should wee perswade one another to this dutie that seeing there is no creature but in his kinde doth in some measure set out the glory of God how often should man much more meditate then and practise the same Secondly to consider That if we glorifie God he will glorifie vs we cannot be so ready to set out the Lords Name and praises but he is more quicke to requite and exalt vs as it is written 1 Sam. 2. 30. For them that honour me I will honour c. They who despise me shal be despised Vnto which we may vse the words of our Sauiour in that solemne prayer John 17. 4 5. where he thus amongst other arguments prayes for glory I haue glorified thee on earth I haue finished the worke which thou gauest me to doe and now glorifie thou me O Father with thine owne selfe with the glory that I had with thee before the world was So that when we haue glorified God in the time of this life then may we assuredly expect that the Lord will glorifie vs at the day of death but if wee haue no care to glorifie him in this world how can we be perswaded that he will glorifie vs after our departure hence Thirdly to consider That God will seuerely punish the contempt of his glory for there is nothing in this world that he doth more tender then his glory For which he commanded his people thus Thou shalt not giue my glory to another Yea see for neglect of this duty how seuerely he punished his people whose carkasses all perished in the wildernesse because they did not ascribe and giue glory to the Lord. Yea the
hand of God fel vpon Moses and Aaron because they failed in this duty Because said hee you did not sanctifie me in the eyes of the children of Israel you shall not bring this Congregation into the land that I haue giuen them Thus if God will so seuerely punish the neglect of his glory in his own deare children and seruants how shal they escape that are not so deare vnto him and yet are much more faulty in the same kinde The second part of this Petition is that as wee pray that we our selues may glorifie the Name of God So we pray that others may doe so also That the whole world may know and acknowledge the Goodnesse Mercy Wisedome Power and Greatnesse that is in God So wee are exhorted to doe by the Prophet Giue vnto the Lord the families of the people giue vnto the Lord glory and power c. Giue vnto the Lord the glory of his Name c. Ierem. 23. 16. saith he Giue glory vnto the Lord your God before he bring darkenesse ouer the land c. So that it is cleere we must not onely glorifie God our selues but also be carefull that others especially seruants and children vnder vs doe the like as we reade of Iob that because he was iealous of his childrens actions he offered sacrifice for them and the Lord himselfe saith of Abraham I know that Abraham will command his houshold to serue me Wherefore let vs cast vp this account with our selues that if of duty and conscience we serue God it is likewise our duty to prouide that our children and seruants doe the like Yee shall find many men that put away their seruants because they be idle stubborne carelesse and false vnto them but where is there one that puts a way a seruant because he is a swearer a blaspemer of the Holy Name of God a prophaner of the Sabboth c. This shewes that we haue more care of our owne workes and profit in particulars then of the Lords glory But true Christians should take another course and pray that aboue all things the Name of GOD may be Hallowed all the world ouer being diligent withall that all vnder their charge and gouernment do the like also Againe we pray in this Petition That though both doe faile yet that the Lord would maintaine the cause of his owne glory This shewes a sincere true affect on to the glory of God when we are contented that the Lord should doe that which is for his owne glory howsoeuer the matter light heauy vpon our selues as Christ said Father glorifie thy Name so say we Lord though it be by death though by my extinction abolishing though I suffer all paines though I indure the greatest misery that may be yet glorifie thy Name whether in life or death Thus when one can be contended to be exposed to all the mischiese in the world all the shame and disgrace that may be to set forth the honour of God if hee may be glorified by the same this shewes that such haue a desire of the glory of God and that this sincere affection commeth from the Lords mercy being powred into our hearts by his blessed Spirit whereby we can effectually cry out Hallowed be thy Name 2. PETITION Thy Kingdome come Petition 2 IN the former Petition we are taught to pray for the glory of God which is preferred before the Kingdome of God to shew that all our care must be for Gods glory Now in the next Petition we are taught to pray for the meanes of his glory that the Kingdome of God may come c. for then indeed God shall haue his glory when looking for the Kingdome of God it comes into our hearts to inable vs to performe his commandements and that we be alwayes ready to doe his will for vntill it be so God shall haue little glory or honour amongst vs so that first we pray for the glory of God and then for the meanes of his glory It is the error of the world to desire the End without the meanes The glory of God which is the End they would haue But the meanes of his glory which is the Kingdome of God to come and his will to be done this they care not for The wicked Iewes Isa. 66. 5. could say Let the Lord bee glorified which is spoken of all those who be worshippers of the true God So the Pharises Iohn 9. 24. were contented to say vnto the blindman Giue glory to God but they would not allow of Christ the meanes of their saluation for said they vnto him we know that this man is a sinner whereby it appeares that the common course of the world is to desire the glory of God without the meanes of his glory In this Petition also we may obserue three things First when we pray that the Kingdome of God may come It is in opposition to another Kingdome that is already in the world for the sinnes of men The kingdome of darknesse and of the Diuell which is a great and mighty kingdome and hath a number of proppes and pillars to vphold it as for the Kingdome of Christ there be a very small company to vphold it but the kingdome of darknesse hath a number of great ones to sustaine it whole swarmes of people in euery corner one would wonder at the multitude and at their conditions For howsoeuer men will say I defie the diuell and according to the custome spit at him yet as long as they doe the will of the Diuell practising workes of darkenesse there is no hope that by their indeuours they can aduance the Kingdome of God or labour that it should come vpon them Doth not either ignorance or blindnesse eate vp their soules so that they bee either lyars swearers adulterers fornicators couetous drunkards contentious c. wherein so long as they continue they be the very proppes and pillars to vphold and shouldor vp the kingdome of darkenesse and the Diuell Thus it appeares the Diuell is a great Monarch because the greatest part of the subiects in all Kingdomes serue him be obedient to him and disobedient vnto God they runne as the Apostle speakes Ephes. 2. 2. After the Prince that ruleth in the ayrel euen the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience So 2 Cor. 4 4. It is said That the God of this world hath blinded their mindes c. For as God spake the word and it was done saying Let there be light and there was light So the Diuell cannot so soone speake the word but by and by it is done by worldly men He can no sooner say let there bee an oath lye bribe quarrell fashion or wickednesse but by and by some one or other puts it in practise Thus he rules like a God in this world a great pitty it is that men should so be deceiued for God will pull downe the Kingdome of darkenesse and set
vp the Kingdome of his deare sonne Yea this kingdome must first be pulled downe ere the other be erected For as in laying a foundation when one would build a new house he first puls downe the ruines of the old so must he first pull downe this kingdome of the Diuell ere that other of Christ be set vp Wherefore heere wee pray against this kingdome of darkenesse that God would destroy it for which at this day there is great need we should so pray because the Kingdome of the Diuell is like a Sea which as Philosophers say gets in one place if it lose in another So is it with it looke how much it hath lost by a defection and reuolt from Popery so much hath it in a manner got by the filthy sinne of Drunkennesse Irreligion Pride Contentions and other foule sinnes of this land what need haue wee then to pray that God would pull downe this kingdome of the diuell and euery where set vp that of Christ Jesus Secondly In that we pray for the Kingdome of God to come It sheweth that there are a number of impediments and lets to hinder this Kingdome from comming Which are of two sorts 1 Many impediments in others 2 Too many in our selues Concerning others we see daily how men are drawne by example by ill counsell by diuers discouragements whereby they are affrighted from seeking the peace of the Gospell as Matth 20. 31. when the blind men cryed out on Christ the multitude rebuked them because they should hold their peace so it is with vs in this world how are we scoft and derided yea chidden againe and againe If we serue God in sincerity and be zealous for the comming of this Kingdome See it in the beginning when the children of Israel came out of Egypt how were they hindred and stopped in their iourney So whensoeuer we shall begin to make after Christ we shall bee sure of a many lets and impediments like vnto the Pharisees in the Gospell who were ready to answer the Officers and discourage the people from following after Christ saying Doe any of the Rulers beleeue in him but this people who know not the Law Thus it is with the whole swarme of wicked men who discharge men from the wayes of God Againe wee haue too many impediments in our selues Selfe-loue loue of the world loue of riches honour preferment and such like as it is Iohn 12. 42 43. said of many that they beleeued in Christ but because of the Pharises they did not confesse him for they loued the praise of men more then the praise of God But we must not doe so for though we sit farre in darkenesse from letting in the light of God vnto vs or howeuer we seeme to close vp our eyes from beholding the light yet let vs not be so contented but pray to the Lord that he would breake through all these hinderances and impediments and let downe his graces of mercy and loue so amongst vs by his grace that this Kingdome may come vpon vs yea that we may doe as the Palsie man did who brake through the roofe of the house to come to Christ Remēbring that the Lord Iesus brake through all impediments and hinderances to come vnto vs and fill vs with his blessings wherein we may further obserue two things that in Christs comming to vs our comming to him a number of lettes and hinderances do concuire yet he hath so wrought by his Spirit as we can say Thy Kingdome come and he so ouercomes all as he will at length say vnto vs Come yee blessed of my Father inherit the Kingdome prepared for you c. The third thing prayed for in this Petition is That we pray 1 For the Kingdome of grace 2 For the Kingdome of glory Which two Kingdomes differ not in nature but onely in measure and in degrees for the Kingdome of grace is nothing else but a beginning and inchoation of the Kingdome of glory there being no way to attaine vnto the one vnlesse they passe through the other It is a common custome of the world that most men aspire to the Kingdome of glory and yet cannot endure the Kingdome of grace how should they euer attaine it thinke you we that by Gods blessing are better taught therefore first pray heere for the Kingdome of grace to be gouerned and ruled by the Lord here in this world But more particularly let vs see what the Kingdome of grace is namely The speciall power of Christ whereby he rules and gouernes in the consciences and soules of all his seruants This is the Kingdome which we do pray for that the Lord Jesus would set vp a Throne in our hearts to rule and gouerne in vs by the rule of his Spirit subduing and bringing vnder all our thoughts and consciences to himselfe Now all men doe outwardly speake well of Christ thinke sure enough to be saued by him but yet cannot endure to be guided and directed by the Spirit of Christ but in effect doe what those wicked Jewes say Luke 19. 14. Wee will not haue this man to reigne ouer vs. So it is with most of the world they can be content to heare of Christ as a Sauiour to haue the Word preached and to see the Gospell flourish but they will not haue him reigne strictly direct them in all their actions restraine them in their passions and guide them in their liues doing whatsoeuer seemes good in their owne eyes Yet ere we proceed Obiect Here ariseth an Obiection as Luke 19. 21. our Sauiour speakes That the Kingdome of God is come already how then are wee directed to pray for that which is come I answer in two respects first Ans. 1 It is true that the Kingdome of grace is begun already therefore we pray that as it is come to others so also that it may come to vs that we may feele the power and effects of it in our hearts and liues Therefore as Esau Gen. 27. 38. when he saw that his father had blessed his brother Jacob cryed and roared out Blesse me my father euen me also thus must we doe when we see the Kingdome of God to come vpon others how God rules in them by his Spirit orders them in their liues directs them in their consciences we I say must pray that the same grace of God may continually attend vpon vs. Againe though the Kingdome of God be come already yet we pray for an increase thereof that euery day we and others might feele the power of it more and more in our hearts and liues For there is no man but feeles himselfe in some sort and measure bound and inthralled to the Temptations of sinne Holy Paul himselfe complaines of this I delight in the Law of God concerning the inner man but I see another law in my members rebelling against the law of my mind And surely the state of the godly are
like vnto a man that hath been deadly sicke and now is so on the mending hand that he is peraduenture able to creepe abroad with a staffe yet not able to do the tenth part of the businesse that he sees he should and at sometimes was wont to doe Thus it is with the best of vs all whilst we liue here though the Kingdome of Christ be come amongst vs yet had wee need to pray that it may more and more come into our hearts that we may feele the strength and vigour of it to our endlesse comfort and full recouery of our health in Christ. Yea great reason there is why wee should thus pray for the Kingdome of Christ being that no Kingdome is comparable vnto his there being as much difference betwixt the Kingdome of Christ and other Kingdomes of the world as there is betweene Heauen and Earth and that for diuers respects First In regard of continuance for earthly Kingdomes howsoeuer they begin in glory yet by and by both Lord and Crowne and Scepter withall their glory falls into the dust But Christ is a King for euer and although he once ware a Crowne of Thornes vpon earth yet now he hath a Crowne of glory in Heauen and is in possession for euer Of whose Kingdome there shall be no end as it is Luke 1. 33. Secondly In regard of the saciety of his Kingdome For other Kings haue but rule ouer the bodies goods and liues of their subiects at the farthest But Christ he rules and gouerns the very hearts of them and inclines their wills to effect spirituall graces wherein the Kings of the Earth can neither satisfie themselues nor their subiects Christ will giue vs Crownes and make vs Kings also Thirdly In regard of the right and Iustice of it For though other Kings being sinners themselues can bee content to tolerate much sinne and prophanenesse yet Christ is so righteous and so iust a King that he will tolerate no sinne or iniustice whatsoeuer no not in Kings themselues of whom it is said Isa. 32. 1 2. Behold a King shall reigne in righteousnesse and Princes shall rule in Iudgement Fourthly In regard of the fruit and commodities of it for other Kings receiue Tribute from their Subiects but Christ giues a thousand things more then hee receiues he takes away death and damnation with his left hand and giues vs life and saluation with the right hand so both hands are full of blessings and store vs abundantly to the supplying of all our wants Fiftly In regard of administration and imployment of it for other Kings after they haue entred into their Kingdomes commonly sit still goe little liue at ease or at least seeke by all meanes they can to maintaine the pleasures of their liues and giue themselues to quietnesse But our Sauiour Christ doth most mightily rule and gouerne all things for tho good of his seruants watching ouer them to do them good night and day at all times and in all places preuenting them with mercies and working all his workes for their good great reason it is therefore that we should pray for the comming of his Kingdome Yet we must further know that we doe not onely pray for the Kingdom of grace but also for all good means conducting and leading vnto it for euery thing that may incite and helpe to the Kingdome of grace amongst vs. As for good Magistrates Ministers a pure right vse of the Sacraments holy discipline of Christ in the Church for the good gouernment thereof and for euery thing that may further this great worke of God amongst vs. So 1 Tim. 2. 1. Saint Paul wils that Prayers be made for all men and for Kings and Princes and for all that be in authority That vnder them we may liue a godly peaceable and a quiet life And Christ himselfe Matth. 9. 38. commands prayers to bee made vnto the Lord of the Haruest that he will send forth labourers vnto his haruest So you see it is our duty to pray for all the meanes which may aduance this Kingdome Worldly men can say they desire that the Kingdome of Christ may come though they care not a rush for Heauen or newnesse of life for the Word or Saints or Ministers or Holy orders of Christ without which there can be no Kingdome of Christ amongst vs. It was not onely a tyranny in Pharaoh to take away the straw from the people but also when hee had so done to require of them the whole tale of Bricke as formerly So it is the madnesse of the world they take away the Word and the Sacraments the holy gouernment of Christ and when they haue thus done yet they thinke to haue their whole tale of Bricke as much Patience Loue Humility Faith Obedience Sobriety Temperance and the like as if all these gracious and good meanes were entertained amongst them But wee must remember what the Scripture saith Where there is no vision there the people perish Therefore whensoeuer wee settle our selues to remaine any where as little Isaac said to his father when they went vp to the Mount Moriah Behold the wood and the fire but where is the offering So should we say wheresoeuer we goe to dwell Loe here is a Church good ayre a good house meanes enough to increase wealth but where is the Preacher and the meanes of grace for the saluation of our soules Vse Therefore seeing we ought and must pray Thy Kingdome come Let vs pray vnto God often that he would rule and raigne in our hearts so by his holy Spirit that sinne may no longer rule vs nor wee bee ruled by our selues but that God would rule and guide vs in all our wayes so that in all things we may be ready to submit our selues to the holy gouernment of God as Saint Paul writes That the peace of God may dwell in our hearts plenteously and with Dauid that God would guide vs vnto the day of death and then this will bring great ioy vnto vs as Zephaniah speakes when the King of Israel is in the midst of vs then we shall see no euill And withall let vs often remember to pray that there be no want of gouernment but that God by himselfe may rule and reigne in vs that though the world loue loosenesse and cannot endure this kingdome yet we may be plyable and yeelding to be ruled by it For as the blind-man is best and safest whose eyes being shut followes his guide so is euery Christian when they disclaime their owne wit reason and wisedome and are ruled and guided by God in all things Yea the people of God neuer thinke themselues better then when they be vnder the gouernment of God and submit wholly to his will and in so doing let vs not be discouraged for our weakenesse and wants for if we indeuour to doe this sincerely grace which at first in vs is like seed because it must
summe is as wee must beg all good things from God so learne we though the Lord doe not by and by giue vs yet to tarry his leisure and not to repine or murmure at any thing Moreouer we must alwayes acknowledge that all the bread we haue though our cup doe ouerflow comes from God we haue no bit of bread not the least comfort wee haue but all comes from him vnto vs as Dauid confesses Ps. 23. 5. Thou dost prepare a table before me and againe He filled the hungry soule with goodnesse Thus as all Riuers come from the Sea and in all Countries discharge themselues into the Sea againe So all blessings come from God and must returne to him againe with thankes and acknowledgment In the next place wee are to take notice of our owne weakenesse and frailty that we are not able to supply one bit of bread into our selues with all our wit wisedome skill and cunning prayers and labour vnlesse God doe giue it The Diuell perswaded our first Parents by disobeying the Lord God that they should be as gods but now we may see what goodly gods we are that we be not able to supply one bit of bread vnto our selues with all our cunning and skill vnlesse God giue it and prouide it out of the treasury and rich store house of his goodnesse and mercy All I say is to set out the state and condition of the very best of vs in this world thogh we carry our selues neuer so high yet we are not able to put a bit of bread in our mouthes vnlesse God giue it for euery bit we receiue is of God though we impute it to our owne industry and policy Quest. Heere ariseth a question Why we doe pray for Bread seeing the most of vs haue bread enough already in our store and houses Ans. To which I answer there are two things to be considered in Bread 1 The substance or quantity of Bread 2 The vertue and power thereof Which the Scripture termes the staffe of Bread as Isa. 3. 1. Hee threatens to breake the staffe of bread Now though wee haue the substance yet if wee haue not the staffe of bread with the power we are neuer the better for without Gods blessing there will be no more feeding and nourishing in it then of a very stone yea as good take a mouthfull of grauell as a mouthfull of bread without Gods blessing vpon it otherwise wrath attends it as Psal 136. 15. it is said so He gaue them their desire but withall he sent leannesse into their soules And so though we haue bread yet we must pray GOD to blesse it vnto vs or else we shall be neuer the better for it This is a point which most of the world know not they thinke that if they haue bread in their houses and tables all is safe they neede not pray to God for Bread But if wee would consider that all these things come to nothing vnlesse the Lord afford a blessing vnto it and breathe vpon them with sweetnesse from his mouth this would make vs doe our duty and pray heartily vnto God to blesse our bread and to giue it Thirdly By what right wee demaund our bread wee doe not challenge it of duty or right but pray that God would giue it of his free goodnesse and grace so that herein we professe our owne sinfulnesse and guiltinesse to be such in regard of sinne that we be not worthy of one drop of drinke or bit of bread nor can by any meanes procure it to our selues For euery day by our sinnes wee forfeit all we haue to God dispossesse our selues of all right and title to that or the least and meanest blessing of this life therefore vnlesse God doe giue it and release vs of the forfeit and admit vs into fauour we be but intruders vpon his blessings which teacheth vs two things First that seeing we be worthy of nothing we therfore acknowledge the Lords goodnesse and mercy in it that we haue great and many blessing who yet if wee haue but a bit of bread inioy more then we deserue and a great deale more then we can challenge be not therefore forgetfull of this blessing but confesse from whence it comes with good Jaakob Gen. 32. 10. I am not worthy of the least of all thy mercies So Dauid 2 Sam. 7. 8. Who am I O Lord God and what is my house that thou hast brought me hitherto Thus must we doe considering our great vnworthinesse If we be not worthy of a piece of bread then much lesse of the ioyes of Heauen for if wee cannot deserue our bread at the hands of God much lesse can we be able to deserue euerlasting life The Papists thinke they can deserue with their works and so make themselues worthy of heauenly glory God not giuing it as a gift but as their iust wages and hire But our Sauiour Christ shewes that God doth giue vs our daily Bread freely yea and therefore shewes that God doth much more freely giue vs Heauen as Rom. 6. 23. But the gift of God is eternall life through Iesus Christ our Lord. Away therefore with the Pride of the Papists that dare challenge Heauen as a due Fourthly How much Bread we pray for Daily Bread so much onely as may be sufficient wee doe not pray for an excessiue quantity of bread but we pray to the Lord to giue vs so much as is needfull fit to sustaine our weake and sinfull nature The children of Israel desired meate for their lust not their hunger and when they had it inioyed it not but the wrath of God came vpon them therefore we must take notice of this and learne to moderate our desires to desire only so much as is sufficient for vse and no more as Iaacob does Gen. 28. 20. If thou wilt be with me and keepe me in the way that I goe and will giue mee bâ—â—ad to eate and rayment to put on So Agur Pro. 30. 8. Remoue farre from me vanity and lies giue me neither pouerty nor riches Feed me with food conuenient for me Thus there must be a holy moderation of these things Chrysostome saith well Shippes that be lightly burdened easily passe through the Seas and are many times without dangers but they that be ouer-laden are ready to sinke vpon euery storme So it is when men moderate themselues in the things of this life they passe through this life with lesse danger are the â—itter and more contented to go home to their heauenly country But when â—hey ouerlad the ship of their bodies taking in more then they can carry inioy more then they can tell how to dispose of they are ready to sinke and to cast away all their precious Merchandize Therefore let vs pray to God to giue vs suffâ—cient bread and no more O the corruptions of our life what excesse is now crept into this world men are not content with great matters
care to doe thy will Lord giue vs our daily Bread So that this Petition is conditionall as if hee should say Lord if we haue done these things then giue vs our daily Bread then feed vs then Lord giue vs all things needfull for our life But if wee haue done nothing for thee then we dare not claime that thou shouldest doe any thing for vs for howsoeuer thou hast promised to do vs good yet we must feare thee and first Honour thy Name As Psal. 34. 9. Feare the Lord yee his Saints for noehing wanteth to them that feare him So that first wee must obey and please him ere we may with boldnesse vse the promises to our comfort for with what face can wee stâ—nd vp and lay claime to Gods promises when we haue not performed the conditions and are not qualified like those parties and persons the promises were made vnto as Iehu said to Iehoram when hee demanded Is it peace Iehu what peace said hee so long as the whoredomes of thy mother Iezebell and her witchcrafts are yet in great number So may I say so long as men dishonour God haue no care of his glory loue of his Kingdome no desire to doe his will how doe they looke to haue their daily Bread their peace or things needfull for this life A second relation is To the rest of the members of Christs body and so wee are taught to pray not Lord giue me but Lord giue vs our daily Bread So that a Christian man must not regard himselfe onely but in a fellow-feeling of other mens miseries hee must pray for their wants as well as his owne The couetous man he had rather say Lord giue mee Bread then giue vs Bread but the true Christian extends his care and loue vnto the whole body of Christ whereof he himselfe is a member As Abraham sitting in his tent doore in the coole of the shadow pittyed them which were trauelling in the heate and was ready to refresh them so it is with euery true Christian they are tender-hearted and haue a simpathy with others miseries So we see in Nature when the Sunne shines vpon these inferiour bodies if solid bodies when they reflect their beames they cast their light and heat vpon other bodies that are nearest about them but ifthey be empty and hollow bodies such as haue no solidity they take all into themselues and reflect not So it is in this case they that be sound Christians onely possessed with power of grace they cannot hold any goodnesse to themselues but are ready to reflect it and make others partakers of it so must our labour and care be not be hollow and false but sincere and true affecting the good of others as of ourselues The last thing to be obserued in this Petition is for how long time we pray for bread But a day onely Giue vs this day our daily Bread of which there be three Reasons First To teach vs to depend vpon God from day to day because we vsually rest not in the present blessings of God vpon vs but are euer casting and contributing for the time to come Therefore our Sauiour Christ setteth this downe to preuent our carking and caring for the things of this life for if from day to day the Lord giue vs bread we must be contented and leaue all the prouision for future times vnto the Lord who gaue his owne people Bread but for a day onely Exod. 16. That they might altogether depend vpon Gods goodnesse and heauenly care from day to day The little birds as we all know when they haue dined know not where to suppe and when they are fed one day they know not where to feed the next and yet God prouides for them and if God remember and fauour them much more may we rely vpon his care and mercy towards vs perswading our selues that he who feeds vs to day will feed vs to morrow this weeke next weeke this yeere next yeere and so for euer as we trust in Him Secondly To teach vs to liue exceeding carefully as if our last day were come for our life is so vncertaine and hangs by such a slender thred that wee know not how soone it may be broken and gone and therefore our Sauiour Christ would haue vs liue exceeding carefully and watchfully ouer our selues from day to day euen to our last The people of Israel wee know doe eate the Passeouer with their loynes girded as men ready to depart at a short warning so must we eat our dinners and suppers as ready to depart and take leaue of this world at all times or whensoeuer the Lord will haue vs. Thirdly That euery day we may come to God in prayer to be not a day from him for if we made our suites before men onely we would attend their leisures much more must we wait vpon God wee may well thinke when the day is past our pattent is expired and our grant ended till we haue renewed it againe so that euery day as we haue said we are taught to come to God in prayer to renue our Patents and grants of blessings that God may extend his mercy vnto vs. For it is the corruption of the world yea of our course nature that we would not come vnto God once in a moneth nay not in a yeere if meere necessity do not driue vs. Therefore our Sauiour Christ hath stinted this Petition to a day onely that euery day we may learne to sue vnto God to haue communion with him in begging the things of this life that so wee might be led the more happily vnto those eternall better things of life euerlasting and so to be led by the vse of these weake temporary refreshments to the feeding vpon that bread of life which the Sonne of man doth giue his Saints and seruants So much shall serue for the fourth Petition come we now to the fift 5. PETITION And forgiue vs our debts as we also forgiue our debtors OVr Sauiour Christ as we haue seene in the three first Petitions teacheth vs to beg those things tending vnto the glory of God and the meanes conducing vnto the same and in the three last to begge for our owne good things tending both to the comfort of this life and of that to come as the forgiuenesse of sinnes a sanctified and a holy life assisted by the power of grace In the former Petition we haue heard on what conditions and how we ought to beg for the good things of this life which as things necessary tend especially to the bodily preseruation of health and life Now here in this 5 Petition we come to the good of eternall life and this is either the grace of Iustification in this Petition or the grace of Sanctification in the next which yet is no further good then as we apprehend and bring home the comfort of it The world in their ignorance doe vsually say Who will shew vs any good
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
this is also a discouragement if wee doubt of the parties ability to helpe Thirdly when though the party wee come to hath both authority and ability yet is vnwilling to grant as we see in churlish Naball towards Dauid Shall I then take my bread and my water and my flesh that I haue killed for my shearers and giue it vnto men whom I know not whence they be these be the three impediments which if they possesse one throughly with a preiudice may hinder prayer either not to be or if done yet not to speed Now our Sauiour Christ remoueth all these shewing 1 That the Lord hath authority to doe it because the Kingdome is his 2 The Lord hath ability because his is the power 3 Hath willingnesse to doe it because all the glory and honour of it shall be his owne And thus by these three reasons our Sauiour hath cleered and remoued all these rubbes in the way which might make vs doubt not to obtaine at the hands of God what we pray for Reason 1 Concerning the first reason taken from Gods authority For thine is the Kingdome we obserue that The Soueraignty and free disposition of all things is in the hands of God So as we may well pray Lord thou mayst giue vs Heauen pardon of sinnes daily bread all that we need and pray for Because Thine is the Kingdome thou hast the free and intire Dominion of all things and thou as Soueraigne Lord maist dispose of them dispence them at thine owne will So Dauid saith Thine O Lord is greatnesse and power and victory and praise for all that is in heauen or in earth is thine both riches and honour come of thee and thou raignest ouer all c. All other things are tyed to lawes and rules a man in his family may not take the childrens bread and giue it vnto the dogs Yea a King that will rule in his owne Kingdome hath his power limited and confined of God for it is mentioned as a note of an euill King 1 Sam. 8. 14. That hee shall take their fields and vineyards and best O liue trees and giue them to his seruants But God hath an illimited power and vnrestrained so as he may dispose of all things at his pleasure being therefore sure that we can aske for nothing which he hath not authority to giue vs. Nay this reason if it be well weighed hath a further force in it Namely because the Kingdome is thine So O Lord it belongs vnto thee and is much for thy honour to giue vs all these blessings and graces that wee pray daily for For we all know that it belongs vnto a king to prouide for the comfortable and good estate of his owne subiects and seruants And therefore Salomons kingdome and gouernment amongst other things was so renowned for this because he so royally and richly prouided for his subiects that siluer was nothing worth in his dayes So seeing God is our King it belongs to his care to furnish and store vs with all graces needfull Thus holy Dauids practise was to fetch all his wants out of Gods store-house as Psal. 5. 2. Hearken vnto the voyce af my cry my King and my God for vnto thee will I pray The reason of this his dependance vpon God hee shewes Psal. 74. 12. For God is my King of old working saluation in the midst of the earth Thus also it is Gods honour to furnish his owne subiects and seruants with all manner of blessings and graces necessary The vses briefly are two Vse 1 First seeing the Kingdome is Gods whatsoeuer thy selfe or thy estate be though neuer so vnworthy or vnfit be not distrustfull discouraged doe not dispaire because the kingdome is the Lords that is Hee hath the free and absolute disposing of all to distribute and giue away at his pleasure vnto whom he will and when he will Therefore yet a while pray still be patient and waite his leisure for he will come to thy comfort in the best time Vse 2 Secondly seeing the kingdome is the Lords neuer grudge at the good estate of another because the Lord is onely wise yea infinite in wisedome to dispose of all things as hee list It is not lawfull for me to doe with my owne as I list So let vs be contented with his good will and pleasure hee who hath least hath more then he deserueth see what Jacob sayes Gen. 32 10 I am not worthy of the least of thy mercies So when old Eli was threatned with the destruction of his house for the transgressions of his sonnes his reply is It is the Lord let him doe what seemeth him good And Dauid Psal. 39 9. saith I was dumbe I opened not my mouth because thou didst it Reason 2 The second reason is taken from The power of GOD that is the strength and abilitie to doe all whatsoeuer we pray for or need is Gods Earthly Kings many times want power though they be willing to helpe their subiects and seruants as when the poore woman cryed out to the King of Israel in a great distresse of hunger Helpe my Lord O King He answered Seeing the Lord doth not succour thee how should I helpe thee Thus we many times want power but there is no want of Power and ability with God seeing out of the rich store-house of his abundant plenty hee is able to supply what wee stand in need of As the Apostle speaks Eph. 5. 20. Unto him therfore that is able to do exceeding abundantly aboue all that we either are able to aske or thinke be all glory for euer Thus it is a good thing for euery man to be perswaded of this that we can aske nothing at the hands of God but he can giue it Whereupon the Leper and so the Centurion both come to Christ with this speech Lord if thou wilt thou canst make me cleane And 2 Cor. 9 8. He shewes this much That God is able to make all grace abound in them c. Peter we reade so long as he carried his eye to Christ he was able to walke vpon the waues of the Sea But when he lookt away from Christ and cast his eies vpon the Windes and Billowes by and by he began to sinke So is it with vs in this world as long as we can cast our care vpon the power of God so long we may be vpheld in all temptations and troubles as a man standing on the top of a high Tower is safe so long as he lookes vp but looking downwards is ready to fall So it is with vs when we doe not looke vnto Heauen but looke on feares and other things downe-wards we by and by are in danger of drowning It is a good thing therefore euer to looke vnto the power of God considering that what is impossible to man is possible with God with whom all things are possible Reason 3 The third reason
is taken from the glory of God For thine is the glory for euer and euer That is to say Lord it is thy glory and honour to doe these things that wee pray for and though not for our sakes yet Lord doe it for thine owne honour and names sake which is aboue all things a strong motiue there being nothing which more mooues and preuailes with him then his owne glory The glory of God is as it were the eye of God his tenderest part yea such a part as he will not haue touched as I saiah speakes thereof My glory will I not giue to another saith the Lord. So though nothing in the world be in vs and we haue no merit being to fal into the dust yet this is sure that the Lord will thinke vpon vs as Dauid speaks Psal. 40. 17. But I am poore and needy yet the Lord thinketh on me c. he will thinke on whatsoeuer concernes his owne glory and honor Consider we then what a great mercy this is vnto vs that the Lord hath lapt and folded vp our good in his glory As the Iuie is so wrapt about a tree I hat it cannot be fel'd but we must fell the tree also so is the glory of God infolded and wrapt in our good that they both goe together These things confidered let vs striue in our prayers with humblenesse confession shame importunitie giuing all to God and emptying our selues of all good things in our selues So Abraham speakes vnto God I haue presumed that am but dust and ashes to speake vnto the Lord. So he sayes Isa. 40. 17. All Nations before him are as nothing and they are counted to him lesse then nothing and vanity Thus must wee come downe all and be abashed in our owne sight referring our selues in prayer to the good will of God vsing strong Arguments and much Patience in Humility Amen This last word containes a refiection or inference of our desires Some learned men take it for an assent of faith but though in Positions and Propositions it beso yet in prayer it is alwayes vsed as a roote of reflection Amen Good Lord let it be so which shewes that there must be great attention in our Prayers the mind must be seriously fixed vpon that we speake for to the Lord without straying and wandring thoughts It is an opinion of the Papists that if a man haue a generall intent to pray it is no sinne to entertaine wandring cogitations so that a man may goe on with his beades and finish vp the number of his dotish sayings for all his businesse As they that haue a iourney to London if they put themselues on the way need neuer thinke on London for euery step the horse takes sets him forwards But our Sauiour Christ here shewes the flat contrary that we must finish vp our prayers with the same attention earnestnesse and feruency with which they were begun all wandring thoughts being expelled For so long and no longer we pray then our minde is eleuated and lifted vp vnto the Lord. Saint Augustine sayes well to this purpose who intends to speake to one in a serious matter and then turnes his talke to another who will haue a suit to a Iudge begin to propose the matter and then turne his speech to his friend standing by who can suffer this who can endure it much more then when wee come to GOD in prayer ought we to haue our thoughts set and mindes prepared to be attentiue vnto that which is said like Holy Dauid to bee able to say My heart is fixed O LORD My heart is fixed awake my glory c. that we may not appeare before the Lord with flat dead heauy spirits and wandering thoughts but with rauished hearts and mindes serious thirsty earnest attentiue longing for the things prayed for We may alwayes conclude our prayers comfortably to our euerlasting reioycing to cry Euen so Lord Amen Amen Amen Veni etiam Domine Iesu. FINIS THE POORE PENITENT OR THE DOCTRINE OF REPENTANCE As it was Preached in diuers Sermons by that Reuerend Learned Holy Painfull and Iudicious Diuine Mr. IOHN SMITH late Minister of the Word of God at Clauering in Essex And sometime Fellow of St. Iohns Colledge in Oxenford Published since his death for the Hungrie VPRIGHTNES HATH BOLDNES ISAY 48. 18. O that thou hadst hearkened to my Commandements then had thy peace beene as a Riuer and thy Righteousnesse as the waues of the Sea Thy seed also had beene as the sand and the off-spring of thy bowels like the grauell his Name should not haue beene cut off nor destroyed from before mee LONDON Printed by A. I. for George Edwards and are to be sold at his house in the Old Baily in Greene Arbor at the signe of the Angell 1629. To the Reader CHristian Reader I send thee here the sowre and bitter Pill of Repentance yet feare it not for it comes not to kill but to cure thee It may bee bitter in the taste but take my word for it it will bee healthfull in digestion I know thou canst indure to sweat purge and toyle for the health of thy mortall bodie why wilt thou not doe as much for the euerlasting good of thy immortall soule If thou beest an Atheist I leaue thee in thy gall of bitternesse vnto thy perdition except thou Repent but if a Christian I pray thee remember what the Spirit of God sayes Euery one that hath this Hope in him purgeth himselfe euen as he is pure Are all things become new by Christ and dost thou thinke to goe to Heauen in the old rotten defiled ragges of the first Adam there being no change wrought in thee Deceiue not thy selfe there is no remedie if thou wilt not mourne for sinne thou shalt mourne for iudgement If thou wilt not shed teares here for thy offences there is no remedie thou must of necessitie weepe for euer in Hell where shall bee saith our Sauiour wailing and gnashing of teeth world without end Be not therefore like Ephraim a deceitfull Merchant weigh thins rightly in the ballance of the Sanctuarie and remember as God wishes of his people Israel that thy chiefest wisedome is to remember these things The miserie of sinne The Happinesse of Holinesse and thy later end which if thou neglectest all thy other actions are and shall prooue but meere foolishnesse in the sight of God Vanquished by the importunitie of a friend in hope it might prooue profitable for thy good I gaue way to the Printing of this small Treatâ—â—e though in regard of my owne weaknesse I did not hope to liue so long as to reuiew and publish it my selfe Pardon therfore I increate thee the wants and failings thereof Feed on the honey supply the rest with thine owne mounting more ample Meditations and with the help of others of this nature vse it by Gods blessing as a poore helpe to lift thee vp one step higher vpon Jacobs ladder which is
but with a condition If I my selfe can beleeue and repent I shall bee saued Now when a man hath this worke of Faith in himselfe this makes him labour to repent his sinnes to beleeue in Christ and when hee hath repented and beleeued then followes the great act of Faith whereby a man beleeues that his sinnes are pardoned and his soule shall bee saued and so some acts of Faith gee before Repentance and some follow after Then that Repentance shewes it selfe before Faith in the life of a Christian is most euident and plaine For first a man must needes bee humbled for his sinnes hee must groane vnder the burden of them and crie to heauen against them before hee can lay hold by Faith that they nee pardoned and â—…itted So wee see Dauid 2. Sam. 12. 13. hee was humbled for his sinne before hee could perceiue and perswade himselfe that his sinne was pardoned or receiue comfort I have sinned against the Lord and then follows The Lord also hath put away thy sinne thou shalt not die Many are the examples in the booke of God where wee may see how the most part of the people of God were well and truly humbled by Repentance before Faith raised them But here some may say Obiect How comes it to passe then that some haue beene comforted by Faith who were but slenderly if at all humbled by Repentance as wee see in Lydia Act. 16. 14. whose heart the Lord opened that shee attended the things that were spoken And in the Eunuch Act. 8. 39. of whom it it is said presently vpon his hearing of the word from the mouth of Philip And hee went on his way reioycing Answer I answer this difference ariseth of this First in some there is apprehension of the ouglinesse of sinne so much as nothing can fixe their conceits and imaginations another way in which case though comfort come it cannot so soone make impression Secondly some doe so exceedingly apprehend the Punishment due to sinne that though Promises come pardon be proclaimed yet they remaine heauy and lumpish still not being able to raise vp themselues and set their Faith aworke to beleeue so good newes though they haue repented of their sinnes Where againe in the other First there is a strong apprehension of the greater which is the mercie of God beyond all and a lesser sight of their owne sinne which makes their act of Faith so much the more easie And secondly there is in them a large apprehension of Gods offering of redemption in Christ and saluation in his blood which with good affection they receiue and so are comforted So that the case is according as it falleth out diuersly in the Conuersion of a sinner In whom there are two apprehensions first apprehension of the greatnesse and guiltinesse of his sinnes Secondly an apprehension of the mercy of God offering of Redemption and Reconciliation in the death of Christ. Now because it falls out in the conuersion of a sinner that somtimes hee apprehends more strongly the one and sometimes the other that so accordingly is his ioy or sorrow great or small And therefore if a man in his first conuersion haue a more strong apprehension of his owne sinnes and all his thoughts is carried vpon the beholding of his miseries and wofull estate this makes him to lament and mourne bitterly many a day together but if at his first conuersion with a sight of sinne a man behold such an infinite sea and depth of Gods mercies as is farre beyond all his sinnes and the infinite merit of the death and sufferings of the Sonne of God Euen as Flakes of fire falling into the Ocean sea are quenched with the abundance of water so all his sinnes falling into the maine sea and Ocean of Gods mercie in Christ are all couered and put out so as his heart is filled with ioy and gladnesse as it fell out with Lydia and the Eunueh Act. 8. and others LECT III. III. THE NATVRE OF Repentance ISAIAH 1. 16. Wash yee make you cleane put away the Euill of your doings from before mine eyes Cease to doe euill Learne to doe well c. I Haue read in the stories of this time that they which trauell into Virginia and Guiana or among those sauage and desolate countries carry a Tinderboxe with them and when night comes they make a fire or light vp a candle to see where to sleepe and rest the more safely Euen so God hath left vs his holy Word to bee as a tinderboxe vnto vs to strike fire and light vp a candle to direct vs through the darke wildernesse of this world so as they who will see the mercies of God must take the booke of God into their hands and as by striking of fire the traueller is the safer and hath the meanes of light to direct how and when to rest so must wee raise a light out of Gods word to conuey vs home to heauen Therefore of all other things let vs take heed that wee doe not despise this kindnesse and goodnesse of the Lord whose bountie leades vs vnto Repentance of which I spake the last day First wee haue heard the Necessitie of it Secondly the Order of it with other graces and now in the third place wee are to treate of The Nature of Repentance and of this the rather because there is a kinde of Faith and Repentance which deceiues vs in their Nature for there are a number of men and women that haue a shew of Repentance and thinke themselues in a good estate and well enough when indeed they are not and haue but a meere shadow of Grace so that wee may not bee deceiued in a matter of such moment and weight I haue thought it good to make it knowne vnto you what is the true Nature of Repentance But before I shew you the true nature thereof I will first refuce the false account which the world hath of Repentance some take repentance to bee but some sorrow for sinne so that when the hand of God is vpon him or that hee lies sicke lame or any way perplexed if he then can vent some few sighes and say Lord haue mercy vpon mee a sinner I am sorry that I haue offended he supposeth it is Repentance but this Ahab did and more this Iudas did with publike confession yet neuer repented so that if outward sorrow for sinne or a sad looke or a sigh or such like were true Repentance what Reprobate is there almost in the world but doth this and many a day Yea such as liue in grosse and knowne sinnes can crie to God for mercie and confesse their offences and thinke they haue obtained a grace from God in so doing seeming sorry for their sinnes though yet they liue in knowne sinnes as I said against their owne conscience and continue presumptuously in their wickednesse Yea how many thousands are there who neuer obtained any grace or mercy at all to bee
cause of Repentance 1 The first furthering cause is the Mercies of God and the remembrance of them for when God puts vs in minde what hee hath done for vs or wee our selues consider what wee haue lost or hazarded by reason of our sinnes who cannot but relent and acknowledge the same considering of Gods goodnesse as it is Rom. 2. What dost thou not know O man that the bountifulnesse of God and his goodnesse leadeth thee to Repentance for looke how many mercies God doth bestow vpon vs so many strong motiues they are vnto Repentance So Ierem 2. God shewing his former kindnesses vnto them expostulateth the matter to bring them vnto Repentance and Confession Ezek. 20. 43. the Lord shewes for the other And there shall you remember your wayes and all your doings wherein you haue beene defiled and yet shall Ioathe your selues in your owne fight c. and Iob. 35. 10. hee complaineth that none remembred the mercies of God and therefore they were not heard in their prayers because they wanted faith to repent To vrge the point yet more that the mercies of God moue much to Repentance see Luke 5. when Peter saw the great draught of fishes Lord saith hee depart from me a sinfull man Thus Gods mercies did bring Peter to the acknowledgement of his sinnes Euen so the mercies of God should bring vs to make this vse of it to bring vs to the consideration of our sinnes and to repent for them and to loue the Lord for his goodnesse and for his mercy and fauour bestowed vpon vs. If a wicked wife should slip away from her husband and commit many faults against him If hee not withstanding send her loue tokens from time to time this kindnesse of her husband must needs bee a mighty meanes to drawe her backe againe in loue and obedience vnto him Euen such is the kindenesse and goodnesse of God towards vs that though wee slip and slide from him by our sinnes yet hee sends to vs loue tokens his mercies and his blessings euery day from time to time to bring vs home by Repentance Helping cause of Repentance 2 The second Helping or furthering Cause is The Iudgements of God this is a principall cause in furthering of our Repentance as wee may see Genesis 42. 12. of Iosephs brethren when they were in trouble then they confessed their sinnes being accused Nay but to see the Nakednesse of the land you are come So the Prodigall sonne when hee was in miserie then hee came home to his Father So Isa. 26. 16. Lord in trouble haue they visited thee they poured out a Prayer when thy Chastisement was vpon them so the Lord doth mightily conuince them of sinne and neglecting his Iudgements I hearkned and heard but they spake not arâ—ght no man repented him of his wickednesse saying what haue I done euery man turned to his course as the horse rusheth to the battell and Zephan 3. 5. hee sayes The iust Lord is in the midst thereof hee will not doe iniquitie euery morning doth hee bring his Iudgements to light but the vniust knoweth no shame So Amos 4. the Lord there complaines of this that hee sent his Iudgements from time to time hee sent mildewes and blastings and many other iudgements and yet he complaines Yee returned not vnto mee If a sheepe goe astray from his sheepheard out of the flocke hee will set his dogge at him as if hee would kill him or worrie him and yet hee hath no purpose to hurt him but to driue him home to the fould againe for when the sheepe is come home hee rates and calls off his dogge So the Lord doth by vs if wee goe astray and turne from his sheepe-fold then hee sets his dogge at vs as if hee would kill vs the dogge of pouertie or the dogge of lamenesse or of blindenesse or of sicknesse or some crosse or some other iudgements and yet hee hath no purpose to hurt vs it is but onely to bring vs home vnto him for if wee bee once brought home hee calls off his dogge againe and rates him which is Gods end in all afflictions which hee from time to time sendeth The third helping or furthering Cause is our owne Considerations as Psal. 119. Dauid saith I considered my wayes and turned my feete to thy testimonie So vntill wee come to consider our owne wayes wee can neuer turne vnto God Now this consideration must bee in foure things First of the strict account wee must giue vnto God at the day of Iudgement for all those sinnes wee doe not repent of in this world If wee repent then the Lord will forgiue vs but if wee doe not repent bee assured wee must answer for our sinnes wheras vpon repentance Christ will answer for vs and wee may confidently put away the reaccount lying vpon Christ vnto which the Apostle alludes 2. Cor. 1. 5. For as the sufferings of Christ abound in vs so our Consolation also aboundeth through Christ. Secondly of the fearefull estate wherein wee liue vntill wee haue repented not being the friends of God but heires of hell not hauing interest in any promise but liable to the Curse of the Law vpon which ensues death and torments Which is the third thing those vnspeakable tortures the soule for euer shall endure with the deuill and his angels for euermore Fourthly the consideration of foure other things First The Necessitie of Repentance that is is such a necessarie grace that wee cannot bee saued without it for there is but two wayes either to Repent or else to perish For if a man weresicke and a Physitian should come to him and temper for him such a Potion which if hee did not take hee could not choose but dye one would thinke a man could not choose but take it though it were against his stomacke Euen so wee are all sicke of the disease of sinne and the Lord hath tempered a Potion for vs to drinke and hee telleth vs if wee doe not take it we shall not escape condemnation Now this Potion which the Lord hath tempered for vs is Repentance therefore wee must bee contented to take it though it bee against our stomacke The Second consideration is The vtilitie and profite wee haue by it for if wee repent God will forgiue vs but if wee repent not God will make vs answer for it at the great day of Iudgement here is our choice Repent and bee forgiuen Repent not and perish so the Lord promiseth Forgiuenesse vpon Repentance Isa. 1. 18. Though your sinnes werâ—red as scarlet hee will make them white as snow if you repent and obey that is in Gods account it shall bee so The Third Consideration is The readinesse of God to receiue vs then hee will turne his frowning anger into louing fauour his cursings into blessings his iudgements into mercies so soone as the Prodigall sonne came home to his Father wee see
the physicke is alwayes tempered to the stâ—ength of the diseased but the longer it is deferred the more dangerous is the cure So it is with vs for our sinnes wee must haue the Physicke of Repentance cure vs according to the measure of our sinnes as I haue shewed If a man haue made himselfe a great burden to carry and should assay it on his backe and so hee findes it vneasie and to presse him very much if he should then throw it downe and put a great deale more vnto it and then begin to lift it againe but vpon the second tryall finding it heauier then before if hee should fall in a great rage till hee adde twice as much strength and labour to carry it the lighter would wee not thinke such a one foolish thus wilfully to increase his burden so is it with the children of this world because they finde Repentance somewhat vneasie at first they cast it from them and by that time they come againe hauing added more sinnes and made their burden heauier they are compelled to their greater sorrow and greater Repentance to wrastle with so grieuous a burden at a wondrous great disaduantage The Fifth Reason why early Repentanâ— is better then late is Because it is more pleasing vnto God for hee for the most part reckoneth more of an old disciple then of a new As wee see in experience vsually one will make more account of an old seruant then of a new hee will commit more trust to him and bee more familiar with him Euen so the Lord makes more reckoning of an old Disciple then of a new wherefore by all these reasons wee may see that early Repentance is better then late And therefore now let vs doe as it is said 1. Chron. 22. 16. Arise therefore and bee doing the Lord will be with thee So seeing wee haue so many sinnes to repent vs of and that God must haue the temple of our soules new built and re-edified let vs vp betimes and be doing with our Repentance As Pro. 3. 28. Say not vnto thy neighbour goe and come againe tomorrow but giue when thou hast it by thee So say not vnto God when he offers thee Repentance goe and come againe I will listen to this another time but listen while it is time and refuse not mercie when it is so neere thee Wee see that in the practise of men they cannot indure to bee put off from day to day in those things they desire to haue but they will take it as an iniurie done vnto them So the Lord takes it as a great iâ—iurie and wrong done vnto him when men put off their repentance from day to day The common course of the world is to deferre Repentance vnto the day of death thinking that to be the fittest time for it But such are deceiued for of all other times this is the worst for it and that because of two impediments 1. One in Nature 2. The other in Grace The first impediment in Nature is The Dolour and paine wherein the partie at that time is for when paines bee vpon a man how vnfit is he then to repent when it is tedious and irksome to speake or heare any noyse O how vnfit is a man then to set all his sinnes in order before him to sorrow and mourne for them and that hee hath offended by them so gratious and good a God In this case it befalls vnto many at such times as it did with the Israelites Exod. 6. 9. Moses told them that the Lord would bring them out of Egypt that hee would take away the burdens from their shoulders and that hee would bring them into the land of Canaan which hee had sworne vnto their Fathers to giue vnto them But the text shewes That they did not hearken vnto Moses for the anguish of spirit and because of the cruell bondage they were in So for the most part when paines and sicknesse are vpon one hee is not fit to listen vnto any good counsell or admonition that any one can bring him be it neuer so comfortable vnto others therefore the time of death is a most vnfit time for the beginning of Repentance Secondly Because the time of death to a naturall man vntill hee hath repented is of all other times the most terrible and fearfull Vntill hee haue obtained the assurance of the forgiuenesse of sinnes and that heauen and happinesse belongs vnto him If a Physitian should come to take away a legge or an arme from a man what a fearfull thing would it bee how much more fearefull to a naturall man is death which comes not to take away a legge or an arme onely but to rent body and soule asunder to bee at last tormented for euer So that when death comes with so dolefull an errand to seperate two old friends this time must needs bee a most vndisposed season to repent in Thirdly Because of worldly Cogitations as the disposing of wife and children house and lands and other goods all these must needs hinder the motions of Repentance As if a man haue a candle lighted in a Mine vnder the earth if it bee neere or vnder a dampe this will come and put out the candle So when in the time of sicknesse there is a candle lighted of good motions and meditations of Repentance then these new mutinous cogitations enter in to thinke what shall become of wife and children this and that friend and how to bestow our goods these like a dampe extinguish the good thoughts of Repentance The fourth is That God then ordinarily punishes our neglect of this duty in our health with hardnesse of heart on our death-beds As it is Pro. 1. Because hee called then to vs and wee would not answer therefore we call vnto him and he will not answer vs euen when our feares come like a whirlewinde and our desolation posteth vpon vs. O saith Christ to Ierusalem Would to God thou hadst knowne in this thy day the things which belong vnto thy peace but now they are hid from thine eyes Worke saith our Sauiour to the Iewes whilst it is called to day for the night commeth in which no man can worke So that this night time of sicknesse is of all times the most vnfit to repent in when God may iustly leaue vs comfortlesse because wee would not ere that time hearken to the words of instruction and walke in new obedience 2 The Impediments of Grace At that time may bee these First God may deny vs the meanes to worke Faith and Repentance in vs our comforters and helpers then shall be silent tongue tyed or absent when wee most wish desire and languish for comfort and helpe then one of a thousand may be denyed vs. Secondly Though hee doe giue vs meanes yet it may bee hee will not blesse them or make them powerfull and effectuall vnto vs. And though hee doe blesse the
renewed by repentance but it will the more hardly be done and it will cost much terrour labour and sorrow Wee may then see that in this case recouery is possible and that vpon three grounds The first is taken From the generality of the Promise which in generall is made to pardon of all sinnes except the sinne against the Holy Ghost as Math. 12. Uerily verily I say vnto you that all sinne and blasphemie shall be forgiuen a man except the blasphemie against the Holy Ghost But a man may fall into Relapses through weaknesse which is not the sinne against the Holy Ghost and therefore may be forgiuen The second ground is taken A comparatis From the condition of the Promise Luk. 17. 4. Where Christ hath giuen vs a commandement that wee should forgiue our brother seuentie times seuen times a day so often as hee repenteth and is sorrowfull and Math. 6. Christ threatneth If you doe not forgiue your brother his trespasses no more will your beauenly Father forgiue you your trespasses So then if a man must forgiue his trespasses that his brother trespasseth against him so often all which is not a drop of mercie compared with Gods mercie how much more wil God forgiue them that sinne against him againe and againe if they doe repent seeing hee is the Ocean of mercie and goodnesse The third ground is ab Exemplis from sanctified examples of holy Scripture for wee see in the booke of Iudges when there were any bad Iudges in Israel the people fell away from God vnto Idolatrie and when there came good Iudges the Prophets came and exhorted the people to returne againe vnto God and repent and so they did recouer againe So in the Booke of Kings wee see that when bad Kings came they fell away from God and yet when good Kings came againe the Prophets preached and exhorted them and they repented and were receiued into fauour againe Here therefore we haue to acknowledge the kindnesse and mercy of God It is his mercie to forgiue vs if wee doe sinne but once in our lifetime against him But great and exceeding great is his mercie that when wee haue sinned and sinned so exceeding oft against him that euen then vpon repentance hee will receiue vs. Wee reade the Lord declares this much Ier. 3. If a man put away his wife and she become another mans If shee returne againe to her husband shall not this land bee polluted but thou hast played the harlot with many louers yet returne againe to me saith the Lord. Thus there may bee forgiuenesse euen after many relapses It is the charitie of the Popish Church if a man relapse into Heresie though he doe repent hee cannot bee forgiuen The Pope and his Cardinals will not may not forgiue him but the kindnesse and tendernesse of God is such that though a man doe fall into the same sinne hee hath repented of hee may bee forgiuen and shall vpon Repentance bee forgiuen Oh then shall not the despisers of Gods kindenesse bee iudged of him Answ. 2 But yet I say Though Repentance be possible yet it will bee very hard and difficult and that in two respects First in respect of God 1. God will not bee so easily intreated to forgiue I do not say that he will not forgiue but that hee more hardly remits these sinnes then others 2. In respect of our selues we shall not finde our selues so readie nor our hearts so apt to repent in this Relapse as otherwise wee might haue done This then I say that if wee prouoke the Lord too often with some sinnes wee shall not finde him so readie to forgiue as at other times nor so easie to bee intreated So saith our Sauiour Christ Iohn 5. 14. Behold thou art made whole sinne no more left a worse thing come vnto thee And so if we doe sinne Deterius accidet a worse thing may befall vs. Looke into the tenth of Iudges and there you shall finde how the children of Israel had fallen into Apostasie concerning their Idolatrie which they repented of and so prayed vnto the Lord but the Lord would not heare their prayers but turned them off with scorne deriding them the words are these Yet yee haue for saken mee and serued other gods therefore I will deliuer you no more goe and crie vnto the gods whom yee haue chosen let them deliuer you in the time of your Tribulation So then if wee make no conscience to fall into a sinne often which wee haue repented of let vs not maruell if God doe not heare vs at the first for if wee stand vpon tearmes with God for the hearing and helping of vs by and by take heed hee say not vnto vs goe away I will not helpe you goe vnto your sinnes and the worldly pleasures profites honours that you haue serued let them helpe you It is true indeed that all the Scriptures declare God to be a mercifull God to bee full of compassion and very ready to forgiue but when wee shall therefore imbolden our selues to sinne and desperately come to aske Almighty God how often wee may sinne if it bee but once or twice it is too much but say it bee once or twice and the Lord forbeares vs with patience then let vs beware wee doe not prouoke the Lord by falling backe vnto the same sinnes after wee haue repented for when it comes to Quoties peccavtmus how often haue wee offended in the same sinne the Lord no question will bee much displeased hardly drawne to forgiue and not easily appeased towards such offenders for hee complaines of such Psal. 78. 40. How often did they prouoke him in the wildernesse and grieue him in the Desert And Psal. 95. 8. To day if you will heare his voice harden not your hearts as in the Prouocation of the wildernesse when your fathers tempted mee And Iob 40. 5. hee sayes Once haue I spoken but I will speak no more yea twice but I will proceed no further Math. 25. How often saith God would I haue gathered thee together as a henne gathereth her chickens but yee would not Fortie yeares long saith hee of his owne people was I vexed with you in the wildernesse If it had beene but for some few yeares hee could haue borne the matter but it was fortie yeares together God is indeed very readie and mercifull to forgiue but when it is so often committed this makes Gods eares bee heauie and stopt to our cries yea and our selues to bee so much the more vnfit for the businesse I speake not this to cut off any man from the hope of pardon God forbid that wee should take away mercy from the Lord but to shew that men which fall into the Relapse of the same sinnes are in greater danger then before and it makes God the lesse readie to forgiue them and to bee intreated of them Secondly In regard of our selues it workes a difficultie in vs wee being
euen home to our Fathers house So Christ the Patterne of all Humilitie holinesse patience and meeknesse what a deale of holy and heauenly speeches did hee vse before his death which are euer memorable chiefely his seuen last words So Iacob Gen. 47. what a many gratious sweet words came from him ere his departure to his sonnes and family So Dauid before his death blessed and instructed his sonne Salomon saying And thou Salomon my sonne feare thou the Lord God of thy Fathers c. The like we haue of S. Paul Tim. I haue fought a good fight I haue finished my course and henceforth is layed vp for mee a crowne c. Steuen also called vpon the Lord Iesus towards his end and Moses blessed the twelue Tribes of Israel more instances I might giue but these may suffice to shew that euery man must indeuour that his last words may bee gratious and seemly when hee comes to die The sixth and last Dutie at the time of death is Holily to resigne ones selfe into the hands of God as wee see our Sauiour Christ did Luke 23. 46. Father into thy hands I commend my spirit So Steuen when he was in the greatest perturbation that might bee in the agonie of death said Lord Iesus into thy hands I commend my spirit euen when there was a showre of stones about his eares Little children for the most part desire to die in their Fathers bosome or vpon their mothers lap euen so must a Christian in the houre of death lay downe his head vpon the sweet brest and bosome of Iesus Christ so rendring vp vp his soule into the hands of the Lord. If a man had a most pretious jewell which hee did esteeme aboue all his wealth valuing the same at some high rate in time of danger hee would surely make choice of his best and chiefest friend to commit it in keeping So seeing euery Christian hath a most pretious iewell his soule which doth farre exceed all other his wealth therefore howsoeuer wee trust friends with our lands and goods we must onely trust the Lord with our bodies and soules that hee may restore them safe againe at the last day So this is the last dutie a Christian hath to doe at the day of death to shut vp his owne eyes and to rest vpon the sweet mercie of Iesus Christ to receiue him into glorie If a man doe thus prepare himselfe for death before-hand and then holily dispose of himselfe at the time of death there is no doubt but hee shall die well and comfortably what death so euer hee die no man can assure himselfe when hee shall die where or of what death onely wee know if wee goe on with these helpes shewed whensoeuer or wheresoeuer or howsoeuer wee shall die the seruants of God Saints in heauen in peace of a quiet conscience so as they may write vpon our tombes and graues such godly Epitaphes as the Holy Ghost doth vpon Moses So Moses the seruant of the Lord died there in the land of Moab according to the word of the Lord. LECT XIII OF THE CONTRAries to Repentance IEREM 18. 12. And they said there is no hope but wee will walke after our owne deuices and wee will euery one doe the imagination of his wicked heart HAuing spoken of the Cases of Repentance especially of that great case of Comfort in Death we are now to speak of the cōtraries of it For euen as Marriners when they goe to Sea they must onely not haue their course described before them in a Map but they must also haue speciall notice of rocks and shelfes sands that they may auoide them Euen so must the Christian man not onely know the way of the nature parts and properties of true repentance but also euen the Contraries and opposites thereof to decline them as dangerous rocks in his spirituall passage towards his heauenly home If you look into the Prophecic of Ezekiel you shall finde it thus written Chap. 39. 15. And the Passenger which passeth through the land when any seeth a mans bone then shall he set a signe vp by it c. So must wee set vp signes and tokens in this passage of our life that wee may auoide these and these places of danger The ministers of God are such searchers to finde out dead bones that is mens sinnes and when they haue found them they giue vs speciall notice of them and markes that wee may euery one looke into our selues by repentance for many times wee are hindered in our repentance and newnesse of life for want of discouerie and apparant markes to be directed by Now these contraries vnto it are two 1. Impenitencie 2. Unsound Repentance First Impenitencie is a certaine blocke layed in our way by the deuill when a man hath no touch or feeling of his sinnes but against his conscience and knowledge and iudgement liues in knowne sinnes which for his life hee cannot lament nor leaue or set himselfe against And is that Impenitencie mentioned Rom. 2. 5. But after thy hardnesse and impenitent heart treasurest vp vnto thy selfe wrath against the day of wrath and reuelation of the righteous iudgement of God This is impenitencie when a man hath sinned to bee as merry as if hee had not sinned and neuer trouble his rest for it Such as are mentioned 2. Pet. 2. 14. who cannot cease from sinne eate and drinke are jolly and braue in companie as if no such matter like vnto Esau who when he had committed that hainous sinne in selling of his birth-right Gen. 25. 34. was no whit dismayed for saith the text Then Iacob gaue Esau bread and pottage of lentiles and hee did eate and drinke and rose vp and went his way Thus Esau despised his birth-right So Iosephs Brethren when they had seazed vpon him stript him of his garments and cast him into a pit with an intent to destroy him they were neuer a whit moued with the matter but in a manner added sinne to sinne and sold him to the Ismaelites Gen. 37. 25. and sate downe to eate and drinke vntill they saw the Ismaelites vnto whom they sold him So Ierem. 8. 12. It is said Were they ashamed when they had committed abominations nay they were not at all ashamed neither could they blush So wee see when wee are not touched for the committing of sinne but can be quiet and merrie contented to eate and drinke and sleepe as well as if there were no such matter this is the impenitent and hard heart spoken of when one is insensible of sinne for as in some diseases insensibilitie is a great signe of danger a man being most fearfully sicke when he doth not feele his sicknesse so it is in the state of sinne a man is in the most danger when hee doth not see or feele it So Ierem. 8. 6. I hearkened and heard and no man spake aright no man repented of his
wickednesse saying what haue I done And Isa. 9. 13 For the people turne not to them that smite them neither doe they seeke the Lord of Hosts So Ezek. 33. 31. And they come to thee as thy people commeth and they sit before thee as thy people they heare thy words but they will not doe them for with the mouth they shew much loue but their hearts goe after their couetousnesse Now there bee Three causes why the state of impenitencie is such a fearefull state to liue in Cause 1 First Because it bindes vs fast vnder damnation and brings vs vnto hell and in a manner shuts the doore of hell and death vpon vs being once there As we reade Reu. 20. 3. That the Angell layd hold on the Dragon that old serpent which is the diuel and Satan bound him a thousand years and cast him into the bottomlesse pit and shut him vp and set a seale vpon him euen so doth impenitencie deale with vs our sinnes fling vs into hell and when wee are there then comes Impenitencie and shuts downe the doore vpon vs ties vs in chaines makes all so fast that we haue no power or way to get out of the fearefull estate wee be in Therefore 2. Tim. 2. 26. indeauour and exhortation in this case is appointed Proouing if at any time God will giue them repentance that they may recouer themselues out of the sâ—are of the diuell who are taken captiue by him at his will So there is a promise that if at any time a man doe come out of the snares of the deuill and repent he shall haue mercie but it is very hard to be done Impenitencie being such a sinne as the Lord euery where cries out on as Amos 3. and Ier. 3. 3. And thou hast a whoores forehead thou refusest to bee ashamed So chap. 8. 6. No man repented him of his wickednesse saying what haue I done euery one returned to his course as the horse rusheth into the battell And Isa. 9. 13. For the people turneth not vnto him that smiteth them neither doe they seeke the Lord of Hosts So Ezek. 33. 11. As I liue saith the Lord God I haue no pleasure in the death of the wicked but that the wicked turne from his wicked wayes and liue Turne yee turne yee from your euill wayes for why will you die ô house of Israel Cause 2 Secondly Because it makes voide and frustrates all the meanes of grace and Life As a man dwelling in some poore house comfortably with his wife and his children the Sun with his bright beames shining and breaking in vpon them if one stop vp the window and shut out all the comfortable beams there comfort is gone euen so it is when God brings the sweet beames of grace to shine in vpon the conscience of a sinner impenitencie puts a barre against them and shuts out all the light of the Lord and of grace that shines into our hearts so making all the meanes of Grace and of Eternall Life vnprofitable and fruitlesse vnto vs wherfore with the holy Prophet Dauid wee must beware of this feacefull estate that we may haue boldnesse to say with him Psal. 66. 18. If I regard iniquitie in my heart the Lord will not heare me This makes one shamelesse and obstinate as Math. 23. 37. How often would I saith Christ haue gathered thy children together euen as a Henne gathereth her chickens vnder her wings and yee would not Thus Impenitencie shuts out all-thriuing in Grace Cause 3 Thirdly Because Impenitencie brings the guilt of all our sinnes vpon vs It is true if we repent as it is Micah 7. 19. God will pardon all our sinnes and cast them in the bottome of the Sea But if wee liue in sinne without repentance this impenitencie will turne all our sins vpon vs at the day of Iudgement Thus doth it heape vp wrath vpon wrath against the day of Gods fierce indignation euen as a man heapes vp gold and siluer that is euery day adding and increasing it â—â—ll it be a great heape so an impenitent hard heart doth euery day heape vp and gather together by heaping of sinnes wrath vpon wrath against the day of wrath So that I may truely say with a learned man Better be the greatest sinner in the world and to repent it then to bee the least sinner and die in Impenitencie Which is the worst and most fearfull estate that may bee The vses of all which may be these Vse 1 First seeing the state of impenitencie is so dangerous Let vs pray to God often to deliuer vs from it that though through the corruption of our nature wee cannot choose but sinne yet we may see our sinnes bewaile and mourne for them and that wee may neuer come to that insensibilitie and deadnesse of spirit neuer to lament or bee sorry for them but to haue strength to remoue from this estate and rise vp as soone as may bee praying with the Prophet Psal. 119. I haue gone astray like a lost sheepe seeke thy seruant for I doe not forget thy Commandements Here you see was a going astray like a lost sheepe but this was such a straying as might be found out againe Vse 2 Secondly Seeing this estate is so dangerous Let vs labour to get out of it as soone as may be for howsoeuer our sinnes are multiplied by our corruption yet this sinne of impenitencie is more dangerous than all the rest and brings at last a fearefull despaire of mercie vpon vs. Therfore as the women going to the Sepulchre of our Sauior were careful who should roule away the great stone which lay at the mouth thereof So let euerie one of vs now say and bethinke our selues who shall roule away this great stone this hardnesse of heart this impenitencie this deadnesse and dulnesse of Spirit Therefore as Ierem. 31. 18. The Church prayes and confesses her failings so let vs pray Conuert vs ô Lord and we shall be conuerted and let vs vse the meanes diligently whereby our hearts may be touched and subdued to a true remorse and sense of sinne and the Majestie offended The second thing contrary to true repentance is Vnsound repentance This kind of repentance is When a man shewes a kinde of repentance but he does it not in such sort and manner as God requires it as Isa. 58. 5. Is it such a fast as I haue chosen a day for a man to afflict his soule Is it to bow down his head like a bulrush and to spread sackecloath ashes vnder him Wilt thou call this a fast and an acceptable day to the Lord It is Gods expostulation with his people as if he should say Is this such a Fast as I haue chosen I haue chosen fasting indeed and commanded it but you failed in the true meaning and manner of it I care for no outward shewes so much as the inward humiliation So the Lord hath chosen repentance