this prayer Reas. 2. Because God according to his infinite wisedome hath so ordered things in Christ that he can with safety to his justice of his free mercy forgive us our sins Reas. 3. Because this mercy being infinite farre surpasseth our sins though in themselves they be horrible Use Of Exhortation that with all our hearts we fly to this mercy and rest in it and on it Doct. 4. Unto remission of sins together with â—…aith is required a confession of them and repentance or a change of minde and amendment This followes from the nature of the petition Reas. 1 Because none can earnestly desire the blotting out of his sins unless he both confess and also hate and detest them Reas. 2. Because otherwise he can by no meanes rightly magnify the mercy of God whereunto he flies but rather goes about to prostitute it and make it a Pander or Baud to his sins Reas. 3. Because without these none is fitted for receiving comfort from the mercy of God in remission of his sins Use Of Reproof against such as presume on the mercy of God though they never thus seriously repent of their sins nor can be brought to confess or acknowledge their cruell dispositious to men Doct. 5. Mercy and love to our brethren is a signe of the mercy and love of God to our selves From these words As we forgive our debtors Reas. 1. Because the mercy and love of God shed abroad in our hearts begets mercy in us to our bretheren as heat begets heat Reas. 2. Because this mercy and love towards men is for its conformity thereto and suitableness to it a special condition of obtaining the mercy of God and so is declared to be tied to it Mat. 6. 14. If ye forgive men their trespasses your Father also that is in Heaven will forgive you Reas. 3. Because this forgiving of all injuries and wrongs done to us by others is taken of the special and free mercy of God communicated unto us and this grace is the effect of Gods mercy forgiving us our sins Use Of Admonition that we deceive not our selves and promise to our selves the mercy of God whilst we nourish in our own hearts hatred and ranâ—…our against our brethren The fifty second Lords day On the sixth petition of the Lords prayer 〈◊〉 uâ—… not into temptation c. IN this petition the business is about the evill of sin in respect of its dominion which it uses to have over men concerning which we have first the petition and secondly its declaration or opposition In the petition we pray against this evill in its twofold cause whereof the first is the proper cause of sin intending it which is the temptation of the Devill or the Devill tempting us to sin Now temptation is nothing else but an argument proposâ—…d to us whereby we are induced to be perswaded and drawne into sin The other cause that is looked at in this petition is not properly the cause of the sin nor any efficient or author of it but a governour and orderer as well of the sin it self as of the tempting to sin and of the effects of both but the true cause of the evill of punishment that followes sin And this is Gods effectual and powerfull way of working about sin or exercising of his providence which usually is called Gods permission although it be more than a bare and an idle permitting The explication of this petition is in praying for the contrary to this evill that we prayed against in the words going before which is prayed against from Gods gracious acting towards us contrary to that which before was called a leading into temptation For it is called a delivering or plucking of us out of temptation Doct. 1. The guilt of former sins committed deserveth altogether at gods hands that we should be quite given over to temptations and sins This is gathered from the connexion wherein first forgivenesse of sins is sought and then deliverance from temptations and evill for sin Reas. 1. Because sin being an aversion or turning away from God therefore it deserves that he should turne away himself and his grace from us Reas. 2. Because for sin we both give our selves up as it were servants to sin and to him that tempts to sin We deserve therefore directly and very rightly that we should be given to such masters as we our selves have chosen Reas. 3 When we rush into sin we neglect that grace of God by which we might have been preserved from sin and therefore we deserve to be deserted by him Use 1. Of Admonition that we so much the more take care to keep our selves from sin Use 2. Of Direction that we daily seek from God the forgivenesse of our sins even for this end that we be not further given up to sin and to temptation but that we may be preserved from both Doct. 2. Whosoever have forgivenesse of sins or seriously seâ—…k after it they have a desire and true purpose to abstain and keep themselves from sinning in time to come This is also clear from the connexion of these two petitions Reas. 1. Because otherwayes they would not truly abhor sin and so would shew themselves altogegether indisposed and not qualified for remission of sins Reas. 2. Because else they would not be thankfull to God that forgave them their sins Reas. 3. Because else that forgivenesse would be in vain if they should again purpose to themselves to returne to the like condition wherein they were before Use Of Reproof of such as seem to wish for forgivenesse of sin but in the mean time have no care to fly from sin Doct. 3. Who so desires to keep himself from sin ought also to keep himself from all temptations and occasions that lead into sin It is clear from the petition which prayes against temptations to sins Reas. 1. Because the end of such temptations is sin and the misery that followes upon sin Reas. 2. Temptations are so many so subtile and so powerfull that unless with great care we take heed to our selves it cannot be but they lead us into sin Reas. 3. Because of our selves we are carried that way and incline unto this that by giving place to temptations we may betray our owne soules to the tempter Use Of Admonition to such as from too much security and boldness rashly expose themselves to the danger of diverse temptations and inticements to sin for temptation is not to be desired and sought after but as wisely as we can to be shunn'd and where that cannot be stoutly and couragiously to be repulsed Doct. 4. Our Father that is in Heaven disposeth also of our temptations according to his owne good pleasure For thus it is here held out to us that it is he that either leads us into temptation or causes us not to be brought into it but kept from it Reas. 1. Because he exercises his providence in guiding and measuring of every temptation Reas 2. From him depends the
prescribe God the measure of the things that we desire of him but for that we ought to rest content with his pleasure Reas. 3 Because that as he gives and we have of him if we enjoy it with contentment it brings more true good with it to us than all the greatest riches bring or can bring to worldly men Use Is of Exhortation to keep our selves from all inordinate care and sollicitude about worldly things Doct. 4. Our confidence or trust in God and prayer to him even about the necessaries of this life is daily to be renewed This follows from the word this day Reas. 1 Because there is no day wherein we stand not in need of Gods favour and blessing even in such things Reas. 2. Because daily the blessings of God are renewed towards us and therefore also our worship towards him ought daily to be renewed Reas. 3 Because every day hath in it as it were a picture which represents the whole life of man and we are uncertain whether we shall live unto the next day therefore every day as it goes over us we ought to take care of this duty Reas. â—… Because there is great danger that we shall finde no time that we may apply to such duties but that we will forget and over-passe them altogether unlesse daily we do renew the duty and do it every day in its own day Use Is of Reproof against such as either daily neglect these daily prayers or very slightly and coldly go about them to perform them Doct. 5. We ought not onely to pray for and procure such things to our selves but to all others also as much as in us lyâ—… From hence give us not give me Reas. 1. Because this belongs to Charity Reas. 2. Because it is the duty of a good steward of the gifts of God Use Is of Reproof not onely against such as exercise thefts and robberies but also against all such as are guilty of too great sparing niggardliness and envy The one and fifty Lords day On the fifth Petition of the Lords Prayer Forgive us our debts c. THe following Petitions treats of the removing of spiritual evill or sin And sin is two ways removed either 1. by forgiveness of sin committed or 2. by preservation from sin that it be not committed The first is the substance of the fifth Petition the last of the sixth and last In the fifth the Petition is proposed and then afterwards it is confirmed In the Petition because sins are chiefly considered as to their adjoyned guilt therefore 1. they are under that notion by a metaphor or simily marked out to us and declared when they are called debts The reason of the simily or metaphor is because by the law and justice we are bound to God to give him intire obedience and for omission of any part or point of this whole or intire obedience we were bound to undergo the punishment or penalty of the curse of the law Sins therefore are called debts 1 Because of the want of that obedience in them which we owed to God 2 Because they did bring with them an obligation of undergoing those punishments Now of both these debts the forgiveness is sought for that is the removing of our guiltinesse that we contracted by our sins and by consequence justification and adoption The argument whereby this petition is enforced is taken partly from the place of like things because from our forgiveness and mercy to others we must expect the forgiveness and mercy of God and partly from the place of unlikenesse or of that from the less to the more in this or such â—… Syllogisme If we who scarce have a drop or small resemblance of that mercy that is in God do yet forgive men their offences whereby they have offended us then much more will God forgive us our offences out of his infinite mercy that we have done against him but the first is true and therefore the latter also This argument is thus expounded Luke 11. 4. This petition hath its dependance rrom all the foregoing as a means whereby way is made for the obtaining of them because God of his mercy forgiving us our sins by so doing removes the hinderance of his grace and blessing whereby other things are obtained and so he gives us all good things that we want or desire It is expresly coupled to the next foregoing petition by the conjunction and which was not used in the former petitions because the three former petitions were so nere allied that of themselves they depended one upon another by a natural connextion and consequence and the fourth did upon the last of the cther three by that kindlinesse of connexion that the well-being of the whole or person for the better exercising of its duties and actions well hath on the well-being of a very necessary and essential part of it self But this petition and that fourth are of farre different kindes and have not so direct and immediate a connexion in the nature of the things but that they required to be coupled together by such a grammatical conjunction and. Doct. 1. Our sins are the heaviest of all evills This is hence gathered in that we are taught to pray for the removal of this evill absolutely and of none other Reas 1. Because they are most opposite to the chief good that is unto the image and holinesse of God as they may be partaken of by us to our felicity and so some way to God himself Whose will as much as in us lay we have violated Reas. 2. Because they spoyl us of our greatest perfection Reas. 3. Because they beget unto us the greatest miseries Use Of Direction that having a right esteem of our sins we may the more abhor them and all other evill that comes by them Doct. 1. Sinâ—…s bring with them an obligation of the greatest debt It is hence gathered that they are here called debts Reas. 1. Because the Law of God bindes sinners to suffer paines and that no common ones but of the wrath and curse of God Reas. 2. Because this debt is such that for it we can never be able to satisfy God For whatsoever sinners do it rather augments than diminisheth the nature or account of the debt Reas. 3 Because the justice of God exacting so rigorous a discharge of this debt for sinners is still upon them and is as it were perpetually threatening condemnation to them in their owne consciences Use. Of Admonition that neither by a mad kind of secureness or secure and careless madness we neglect these so heavy debts but go about this by all meanes that we may be set free from them Doct. 3. The mercy of God in Christ is sufficient to forgive and remit all our debts This is hence gathered in that we are here taught to this end to fly to the forgiving mercy of God Reas. 1. Because God is not onely a just Judge but also a mercifull Father as is in the preface of
manner infinite without end so also the punishment which taketh away its measure from the nature of the transgression will be without end infinite and that as wel in the privation of an infinite good as in the endles duration of this privation or losse Neither ought it to seem strange that for a sin which is committed in a short time an endlesse punishment should be inflicted because equity its â—…elf requires this that every one should be deprived of that good of which by his own fault he hath turned from But every â—…inner hath turn'd himself away from an endless good by a fault he can never come out of by himself and make an end of and therefore it is but reason that he be endlesly deprived of that good And moreover because he hath disturbed that order that God set appointed it is but juâ—…tice if he never be freed from the punishment of this fault untill he have repaired God his honor which an unrepenting sinner can never do unto eternity It ought not therefore to move any that sin which is but momentary should be punished eternally Reas. 1. The committing of it is as it were a spiritual wounding and yet a wounding in what â—…ort time soever done doth often leave behinde it a wound of long duration and often endlesse and eternal death Reas. 2. The committing of sin is as it were a spiritual fall or sliding and yet the fall in short time passed may be such that thereby for a very long time or without end the party may remain in the depth or pit whereinto he fell Reas. 3. The committing of sin is as it were a â—…ying with bands or thongs whose nature is that it may quickly be done and yet for ever keep the party bound as long as the bands themselves remain unloosed or unbroken Reas. 4. T is as it were a bargain in which the sinner for the enjoyment or use of some short pleasure out of a madnesse sells himself into slavery Now from a bargain of buying and selling though passed in a short time the right is conveyed to the buyer for ever and the alienation is eternal or endlesse in its own way Reason 1. It is as it were the putting out of a lamp for a sinner once drowning himself in the â—…ilth of sin puts out as it were the whole light of his mind and a lamp once put out though it be done in a moment yet by vertue of that putting out remains of its self endlesly extinct and put out Use 1. Of Condemnation against such as remain in their carnal security and please themselves in this condition over which perpetually hangs the so horrible wrath and anger of God Use 2. Is of Admonition that with all care above all things else we go about this to shew this wrath of God Matt. 3. 7. where also the way to shun it is shewed to be by repentance verse 8. And yet this is not so to be taken as if this shunning lay in our repentance as it is our action and as if that had some vircue of freeing from the wrath of God for Christ alone is our enfranchizer from the wrath to come 1 Thess. 1. 10. We therefore truly flee from the wrath of God when we flie to this mercy in Christ Jesus by true faith in him and repentance unfained Doct. 3. All such speeches as promise impunity of sin and indempnity from the wrath of God are but vain and seducing This is also cleare in the Text. Now that they are vain hence it appeareth because they are against his decree and his will clearly revealed and therefore can have no solid truth in them And that they are seducing is apparent enough also from the first author of such speeches For the devill when he would seduce our first Parents promised them this impunity in these words Ye shall not dye The Fifth Lords-day Rom. 8. 3. For what the Law could not doe in that it was weak through the flesh God sending his own Son in the likenesse of sinfull flesh and for sin condemned sin in the flesh THe Apostle in this place expounds why the faithfull may be freed from sin and death by Christ The reason is given as it were from the cause moving God to this giving of Christ. And this moving cause was the needinesse of our want which appears in the defect of power in any other means to produce such an effect as if the Apostle had said because it was needfull for us to be delivered from sin and death and yet this could be effected by no other means therefore God performed it by Christ. The strength and necessity of this consequence depends upon the will of God which tacitly supposeth that God would not have mankinde fall utterly to perish but to be restored again The whole syllogism or reason is this If by no other means faln men could be restored but by Christ then that way was to be taken because God would that some way it should be done but the first is true and therefore also the latter The assumption is proved to wit that man could be restored by no other means by the most likely instance of the law which once had been of great power and of force sufficient to bring man to happinesse For except Christ and the Gospel never any thing was given of God to man that was more perfect and divine than the Law That therefore which the Apostle says here of the law hath the force of such an argument as this If by vertue of the Law man could not be restored than by no other means could he be but by Christ but the first is true and therefore the latter also The Apostle both proves and expounds the Assumption at once from the reason or cause of this defect or weakness of the law to restore man that it is not properly inherent in the law it self but in our flesh or corruption whereby it is that we cannot fulfill the law that so it might save us much lesse by the Law rise up again from Death to life Doct. 1. It is the will of God that miserable men may be delivered from their misery and restored to life eternal This is here presupposed by the Apostle as granted and is used by him as the ground of his reasoning Reas. 1. Is taken partly from Gods mercy partly from his wisdome partly from his power and partly from the stability of his decrees from his mercy God would relieve miserable men therein to shew the glory of his grace and free mercy as it is called Ephes. 1. 6. the riches of his mercy his great love and the supereminent riches or treasures of his grace and bounty Ephes. 4. 7. for unlesse God had helped miserable men that were all drown'd in sin and death he had not accomplished above the half of his goodness and bounty towards mankind For that bounty that was manifested in the creating of us was neither fully
compleated in its last perfection and end because no man by it arrived to eternal happiness neither was it in its self the greatest the highest the fullest goodness of God because an higher fuller and more surpassing sort of goodness appeared in the preservation of the elect Angells and that also is far greater which is now revealed in the Gospell and brings perfect salvation to mankind that is fallen Now this was most sitting that the goodness and mercy of God should as well be perfected towards men as his justice From his wisdome God knew the best way whereby he could conveniently help miserable man and therefore it was meet that his wisdome should be made manifest in its effect And this is it which the Apostle every where teacheth that in this mystery of the Gospell there was a wisdome of God which was kept up and hidden from all the Heathen which therefore by way of excellencie he calls that wisdome of God into which the Angells themselves with desire and wonder are said to look 1 Pet. 1. 12. For such was our misery that not onely we could not rise out of it ourselves by our own power but could not so much as think upon or devise a way or means whereby we might be delivered But this was the proper work of the wisedome of God himself conjoyned with his own mercy From his power also he had the ability of helping and bringing to perfection therein what he would For so our redemption in Scripture is not onely usually adscribed to Gods grace and mercy but also to his power For the highest power and soveraignty was required to dissolve the works of the Devill and the bonds of death and the grave for raising of dead men to life again for guiding and protecting them so as they might be brought to life eternal maugre all opposition of their enemy and most of all for laying that ground-stone of the whole and uniting the second person of the Deity his own Son and the nature of man into one Person From the immutability also of his decree it was in some sort necessary for God to procure their deliverance from death whom from eternity he had chosen and appointed unto life Hence a twofold necessity of the restauration and liberation of mankind is rightly by some determined on our part the necessity of want on Gods part the necessity of his immutability Use Of Exhortation that with all admiration we behold and look into this good will of God and with all thankfulness as well in our thoughts as in our speeches all our life time we publish and praise it Doct. 2. The Law cannot deliver miserable men from their misery It is clear enough in the Text and is grounded moreover on the following reasons Reas 1. Because the Law promiseth no good to miserable sinners but onely to just persons and such as keep it Reason 2. Because in it self it hath no force of taking away sin but onely of punishing it Reas 3. Because by no sinner can it be fulfilled and that because of the weakness of the flesh or the impotency of carnall and fallen mankind as it is in the Text. Reas. 4. Because though it might be fulfilled for time to come yet by-past sins would take away all hope of receiving the reward of Life from the Law Hence is it that the Law is called a killing lâ—…tter and the minister of death and of condemnation Use Of Reâ—…utation against such as put their trust in their own workes and look for salvation from their good intentions and endeavours which is the errour of Papists Remonstrants or Arminians and Anabaptists who cry up alwayes an honest life and good works Doct. 3. No sinner can deliver himself from this misery This is thus gathered because none go above the Law For if the Law cannot for the weakness of our flesh then neither can we our selves for the same weakness of our flesh Reason 1. No debt can duly be blotted out by the debtor till payed Reas. 2. Because though any one never augmented his first debt by sinning yet should he in all this do no more but pay what he owes in so doing and so could not by that means make satisfaction for his former transgression Reas. 3. Because if man could not preserve himself nor did not do it in that integrity wherein he was created it cannot reasonably be thought that now he can recover it again Reas. 4. If he could recover his first integrity he would be as subject and easy to lose it again as our first Father was at first Use Of Direction that we put no confidence in our selves nor in our own strength but denying our selves we depend altogether on Gods grace and mercy in Jesus Christ. Doct. 4. No meer creature in heaven or in earth can deliver miserable men from sin and death It followeth from the Text because no such creature is above the Law Reason 1. Because no external thing that is a meer creature hath in it self that worth that it can be a compensation for sin to Gods justice and truth and so a price of redemption from death Mat. 16. 26. Yea not all the world For that is it that iâ—… hinted 1 Pet. 1. 18. where all corruptible things amongst the best whereof are gold and silver and the like are determined to be below the redeeming of man Reas. 2. Because whatsoever any meer creature whether man or Angell can do ows all that for its self and on its own behalf Reas. 3 Because if we were redeemed by a meer creature for this very cause we should become the servants of that meer creature and that of justice and gratitude as we are the servants of Christ our Redeemer because our Redeemer as is already taught But this would be an unworthy thing and would infer a kind of contradiction to it self For seeing man before his fall was not the servant of any creature but of God alone if by redemption he should become the servant of any creature he should not be redeemed and restored into that perfect liberty from which he fell and so though redeemed as we suppose yet he should not be properly redeemed that is by redemption made free Reas. 4. The evills that are to be removed from us are greater than can be taken away by any meer creature as the wrath of God infinite and eternal the guilt of sin confirmed by the force of an eternal law the command that sin and death hath over us Of these that is true which we have Luke 10. 21 22. Reas. 5. The good things to be imparted and before that to be purchased are of greater worth than that they can be communicated to us from any meer creature as namely a righteousness going beyond the righteousness of the Law and the resurrection as well corporal as spiritual the communication of the divine nature life eternal and a happiness that surmounts that of Adam in his innocency that is a Kingdome that
our justification might be of free favour Reas. 1. Because it was impossible for the laws and the righteousnes thereof to justifie sinners Rom. 8. vers 1 Reas. 2. Because in the justification of a sinner is remission or pardon of â—…in and all pardon is of free â—…avour Reas. 3. Because in justification is a free Donation of righteousness and of life eternal which to sinners cannot be done but with especial grace and favour The satisfaction made by Christ for us withstands not the freenesse of this favour of justification because it was of free favour and grace that Christ himself was given us and by calling appointed to this satisfaction for us and of his own free-grace also accepted of that calling Use 1. Is of Refutation against Papists and many others who will have our justification to depend upon our Works which yet every where by the Apostle are opposed to this free grace in our justification Use 2. Is of Consolation to believers and repenters against all these shakings of minde which they feel or can feel from the unworthinesse of themselves that their own consciences tell them of because our whole justification hangs on the free favour or grace of God and not upon our worth or merits Use 3. Is of Exhortation 1. That we alwayes flee to the Free-grace of God as to the onely garrison of our souls 2. That from admiration of this grace of God we alwayes study to be thankfull to God Doct. 3. The obedience of Iesus Christ imputed unto us or given us and so accounted ours justifies or makes us righteâ—… and is the foundation of all our righteousnesse It is in the Text By the Redemption made by Iesus Christ. 1. For he that is justified by the Redemption 〈◊〉 other as by paying a ransom that price is conceived as it were to be paid for him who is redeemed â—… If Christ be the pacification in our justification when we please God as it is in the Text then we please him for something which Christ hath performed for our good 3. If Faith justifies as it hath relation to Christ and the shedding of his blood then there is something in his blood thus shed or in his obedience unto death by vertue whereof we are justified Now the obedience of Christ in respect of our justification hath 1. the place of a meriting cause which obtains it for us because it was the means that Gods justice required to be performed to him before his grace could justify us 2 It hath the place of the formal cause in as much as it is so accepted and taken for ours being given us by free-gift and so made ours indeed as that we are lookt on by God as truly clothed with it when he pronounces the sentence of our justification whence that phrase of the Apostle is Not having mine own righteousnesse but that which is Christs Phil. 3. 9. Reas. 1. Is because this is most agreeable both to the justice and mercy of God joyntly For if our justification had stood in the bare remission of sin without the imputation of a sufficient righteousness or obedience for satisfaction to justice then onely Gods mercy and favour had had place in this businesse no regard being had of the justice of God that satisfaction might be made Reas. 2. Because if we had been pronounced just without any imputation of a satisfying righteousness or obedience performed then there could have been no just ground of such a sentence to wit that he should be pronounced just which was no way just neither by his own inherent justice or righteousness nor yet by anothers justification freely given him Rea. 3. Because by this means we have in some manner a divine righteousnesse or the righteousnesse of God himself to wit that which Christ who is God performed for us not the essential righteousnes of God as Soliander dream'd as God-man in one person on which therefore we may rely and with the greater confidence appear before God and for it hope for all divine and good things at the hands of God Reas. 4. Because in this manner we the more own our salvation as wrought by Christ. Use 1. Is of Refutation against Papists Anabaptists Remonstrants or Arminians and almost all Sects and Sectarians who all agree in this errour that our justification depends upon our works and is not to be sought by the imputation of Christs righteousnesse to us or accounting his obedience ours Use 2. Is of Exhortation unto due thankfulness towards Christ by whose Redemption or ransoming of us we are justified and set free from sin and death the wages of sin and adjudged unto life and glory above what any meer creatures righteousness could ever have deserved Doct. 4. The obedience of Iesus Christ is powerful for justifying of us by being accepted and laid hold on by our Faith It is in the Text. Through Faith in his Blood Reas 1. The very nature and duty of Faith is to rely on Christ or on the favour and mercy of God in Christ for pardon of sins Reas. 2. Because by Faith we are united unto Christ and ingrafted into him that so we may be partakers of all the blessings that in him are prepared for men Reas. 3. Because Faith receives layes hold on and embraces all the promises of God and the things in them contained offered or proposed amongst which pardon of sins and justification in Christ hath a chief place The Use is of Direction that it may be our onely care in the business of our justification to direct our Faith and confidence towards Christ and to stir up and confirm it more and more that we may thence have firm and aboundant comfort The twenty fourth Lords day James 2. 22. Seeft thou how faith wrought with his works and by works was faith made perfect IN these words is contain'd the conclusion of that disputation which Iames had against such as vant of Faith that is destitute of good-works For the Apostle concludes that such Faith is of no worth unto justification And this conclusion is often repeated as vers 14 17. and 20. 22. and 24. under sundry formes of words but to one and the same sense Now this Conclusion which the Apostle proves is not that good-works are any part or cause of our justification before God as Papists take it nor yet as many of our own think that our works justifie us before men however that contain a truth in it but this is the conclusion that justifying faith is such that it worketh and puts forth its operation by good-works And it is proved 1. from a comparison of likes from vers 15. to the 18. 2. By another comparison of likes to wit of such a fruitlesse faith in men and devils vers 19. 3. from the example and pattern of that faith that was in Abraham vers 21. of all which the conclusion is set down in this 22. vers In which two things are determined 1. That true and
men and as it were a spiritual or City oâ—… Commonwealth wherein every one is bound to procure the common good and advance it as much as he can Reas 3 Because God in such duties is glorified and according to the power and occasion given us there ariseth to us a calling and a divine allowance whereby we are in special manner to perform this duty Use. Of Exhortation to all sorts of duties whereby the life of our Neighbour may be cherished as â—… To a care of peace and love 2. To patience 3. To courtesie 4. To pitty mercy and bounty 5. To spiritual almes of Instruction Exhortation Admonition Consolation as occasion shall require Hither also are such sinnes to be referred as we commit against our owne lives as drunkennesse surfet the evills of whoredomes and uncleanness and the like and contrarily those duties whereby we ought to procure and further our owne comfort both of life and health as also of body and soul The forty first Lords day Exod. 20. 14. Thou shalt not commit Adultery IN this seventh Commandment are handled such duties as belong to the begetting propagating of humane life For these have place next after such as belong to preservation of life which were ranked in the sixth Commandment which takes care for continuing the life of this and that party in particular but this seventh Commandement of all men in general By name then one special impurity and dishonesty is onely forbidden but by the usual Synecdoche or comprehensive sort of speech all others of that kinde are understood whether disordered actions like unto this or whether such as tend either of their owne nature or of the intention of the doer to the furtherance of such impure acts Doct. 1. We ought out of conscience towards God to keep our selves from all impurity and unchastity Reas. 1. Because sins of this kind bring disorder into such things as belong to the propagation of mans life and so tend some way to the corrupting of mankind Reas. 2. Because from such sins a sort of most inward uncleannesse followeth in the person or body of man whence it is that the Apostle 1 Cor. 6. 18. distinguisheth this sin from all others in that others are without the body this in and against the body it self though there be some other sins that seem to be in and against the body as drunkennesse surfet c. yet they neither so inwardly arise from the body nor so directly affect it and primarily as these lustfull dishonesties Reas. 3. Because from this kind of uncleannesse followeth that dishonouring of our owne bodies the contrary whereof is naturally due to them and to our persons as appears â—… Thes. 4. 4. Reas. 4. Because these impurities in a special manner withstand inward holiness as appears both from that place of the Thessalonians where holinesse is conjoyned with the honour of the body in opposition to this uncleannesse and from that to the Corinthians where our bodies by these faults are said of temples of the Holy Ghost and of members of Christ to become the members of an Harlot Use Of Admonition that with the greater care and conscience we shunne all such uncleannesses which ought so much the more to be called to mind by us as the depravednesse of mans nature useth most to appear in these kind of sins because they are most common most prevalenr and keep strongest dominion in him possessing the whole man in whom they are and that most deeply and with a kind of violence and force Hence it is that in Scripture they are called a burning because they burne up all in their way and by little and little consume the whole man as fire doth the thing that it burnes more especially we ought to keep our selves 1. From that lust which is properly called carnal that we be not subject to or obey the affections and dispositions of it 2. From all outward conversation whereby such lust is cherished and furthered in our selves or in others as are 1. Such thoughts as with pleasure and delight are taken up and used about unchast matters 2. Wanton apparel and behaviour or which savour of wantonnesse or cherish it 3. Filthy and unclean communication either in common discourses or songs 4. Unclean company and wanton representations as are commonly in Stage-playes and interludes pictures and rooms hung with such c. 5. All occasions and provocations to lust as idlenesse drunkennesse surfetting and the like 6. Most of all the acts themselves of unchastnesse in whordome adultery fornication and the like Doct. 2. By vertue of this command we are bound to study all cleannesse of soule and body that belongs unto procreation This is commanded in the same words that the contrary faults are forbidden by according to the constant use of speech in the decalogue Reas. 1. Because this cleannese is a part of our inward sanctification Reas 2. Because from this part of our sanctification a special sort of honour ariseth 1 Thes. 4. 4. While our bodies are not made drudges for the fulfilling the base and vile affections of the flesh but are applied unto nobler uses Reas 3. Because this purity is needfull that we may be fit to worship God as we should For carnal impurity where it prevailes and gets the dominion it not onely presses downe and burthens the minde so that it cannot raise up it self unto spiritual thoughts and affections but also it infecteth with contagion and pollutes those very thoughts and endeavours whereby we seek after and breath for spiritual life Use Of Admonition that we indulge not nor allow the inclinations of our corrupt natures in these things nor suffer our selves to be carried away with the evill manners and examples of the vulgar sort who in this kind are more beasts often than Christians but let us alwayes be thinking how we may keep our selves clean as well from these lusts of the flesh as from other sins This cleannesse is maintained by modesty and temperance Modesty is herein kept if neither by words nor by gestures nor by any other such way we uncover as it were without reverence what nature tells us should be covered and hid and be ashamed of the uncovering Temperance or sobriety consists in the keeping a moderation or measure in the pleasures of the flesh or body especially in meat and drink The cleannesse or chastity as to the diversity of manner is divided into chastity of single life and chastity of mariage For mariage is appointed now since the fall by God to be a meanes of keeping this cleannesse or chastity in things that belongs to the generation of mankinde We ought therefore to have a care 1. That we so marry as that it be in such cleannesse that is with such a person in such a manner for such an end that from a good conscience it may be said that the contract or bargaine was made in the Lord and in his fear 2. That it be used and exercised