cannot escape the iudgement of God And many in this agonie being not able to deliuer themselues and their soules refusing comfort are swallowed vp with abundance of worldly sorrow and without the great mercy of God are plunged into the gulfe of despaire But there is also an Euangelicall sorrow for sinne 2 Euangelicall Two-fold which is properly Godly sorrow and this is twofold Inward and Outward Inward sorrow for sinne is called Contrition Outward is mourning lamenting and weeping for sin First of Contrition or inward sorrow for sinne In 1 Contrition or inward sorrow for sinne handling whereof I will shew First what Contrition is Secondly how it is wrought in vs. Thirdly the signes and markes of it Fourthly the motiues to perswade vnto it For the first Contrition or inward sorrow for sinne 1 What Contrition is is a sorrow of the heart specially for this that a sinner hath offended God and being truely humbled with a sence and feeling of his sinnes is displeased with himselfe for his sinnes and doth now not onely dislike but from his heart detest and abhorre sinne This is properly called c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sorrow according to God or sorrow after a godly sort and godly sorrow and sorrow to repentance It is called d 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Cor. 7. 9 10. compunction of heart It is also called the e Acts 2. 37. renting of the heart And it is called a f Ioel 2. 17. broken spirit g Psal 51. 17. a broken and a contrite heart For the second How Contrition is wrought in a sinner The meanes whereby a sinner is brought to Contrition 2 How Contrition is wrought in a sinner and inward hearty sorrow for his sinnes are two The one is the gracious working of the Spirit of God giuing a sinner a liuely sence and feeling of his sinnes giuing him grace to see and know how by his 1 By the working of the Spirit of God sinnes he hath offended God and grieued the Holy Spirit of God soâ—ming also his hard heart that hee may greeue lament and mourne for his sinnes after a godly manner This is that which the Lord saith by his Prophet Zachary h Zach. 12. 10. I will powre vpon the house of Dauid and vpon the Inhabitants of Ierusalem the spirit of grace and of supplications and they shall looke vpon me whom they haue pierced and they shall mourne for him as one mourneth for his onely sonne A sinner looking vpon Christ whom by his sinnes he hath pierced and wounded and hauing a true feeling of his sinnes greeueth and mourneth he is sorry after a godly manner but how is this godly forrow wrought in him the Lord saith that he will powre the spirit of grace and of supplications vpon the sinnefull soule and when the Lord hath put such grace into the soule of a sinner to see his sinnes and to perceiue how that by his sinnes hee hath offended God and pierced the Sonne of God then hee is inwardly grieued at the heart then his heart melts into teares This is the first meanes whereby a sinner is brought to Contrition The second meanes is the preaching of Christ crucified 2 By preaching Christ crucisied as appeareth in the example of those first Conuerts to whom Peter preached Christ crucified For hauing testified against them that they had crucified Christ i Acts 2. 37 38. They were pricked in their hearts and sayd vnto Peter and the rest of the Apostles Men and brethren what shall wee doe their consciences were so stricken with the terrour of this that they should be guilty of shedding the innocent bloud of the Sonne of God that they were at their wits end they knew not what to doe yet were they desirous to finde ease to their troubled consciences but knew not how till they called to remembrance the words of the Apostle how that Iesus of Nazareth whom they had crucified and slaine was the Sonne of God whom God raised vp who ascended to Heauen and is exalted at the right hand of God and hearing also that he is Iesus the Sauiour that he is the true Messias Christ the Anoynted of the Lord heereupon they are pricked in their hearts and touched in their consciences with a feeling of their sinnes yet so as they doe not despaire of all mercy but trusting in the goodnesse and mercy of God through Christ and being desirous to know how they may finde comfort to their troubled consciences they said to Peter and to the rest of the Apostles Menand brethen what shall we doe ô teach vs what we must doe to be saued Now they are sorrowfull after a godly manner now they are of a contrite spirit and an humble soule now they are exceeding sorrowfull that they haue crucified the Lord of life now they haue bleeding hearts for that they haue shed the bloud of the innocent Lambe of God now they are exceedingly displeased with themselues for that they haue done so wickedly and now they so abhorre their sinnes and wickednesse that they purpose neuer to doe wickedly againe So that their compunction was not onely a bare pricking of the heart such as Cain and Iudas had but as they had a feeling of their sinnes so also had they a feeling of the mercy of God in Christ Iesus Moreouer to the compunction and pricking of their hearts there was ioyned a readinesse to obey the will of God and to doe whatsoeuer the Lord should command them and therefore it is that they say Men and brethren what shall we doe to the end that a sinner may be brought to Contrition its necessary that the Word of God which is k Heb. 4. 12. quicke and powerfull and sharper then any two-edged sword piercing euen to the diuiding a sunder of soule and spirit and of the ioynts and marrow and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart doe pierce the heart and wound the conscience making the sinner to feele his sinnes to know that by his sinnes he hath offended God who hath beene so gracious a God and so louing and mercifull a Father vnto him and to acknowledge that by his sinnes he hath pierced and wounded the Sonne of God who was content to be pierced and wounded yea and to suffer his bloud to be shed for his sinnes The Adamant the hardest stone which will neither bee bruized with iron nor melted with fire is notwithstanding dissolued with l Gemin lib. 2. cap. 26. Goats-bloud What heart is there so hard and stony so adamant-like that will not bee mollified and softned that will not be rent and broken yea dissolued into teares being washed and soaked in the bloud of Christ this ô man this must or nothing will soften thy hard heart Thus Contrition is wrought in the heart The third thing is concerning the signes and marks 3 Signes of contrition or inward godly sorrow of Contrition Contrition or
to sinners and vnbeleeuers turne vnto me repent and beleeue the Gospell he sheweth vnto sinners that they ought to repent and turne vnto him and that vnbeleeuers ought to beleeue but to beleeue to repent and to turne to the Lord is not of our selues it is of God it is of the grace of God as S. Paul sayth n 2. Câ—r 3. 5. Not that we are sufficient of our selues to thinke any thing as of our selues but our sufficiencie is of God This of the Efficient and inward working cause of Faith The second is the Instrumentall cause of faith which 2 The instrumentall cause of faith The word of God is the word of God of this S. Paul saith o Rom. 10. 17. faith commeth by hearing and hearing by the word of God He had sayd before how shall they call on him in whom they haue not beleeued and how shall they beleeue in him of whom they haue not heard and how shall they heare without a Preacher and how shall they preach except they be sent And hereupon inferreth that faith commeth by hearing and hearing by the word of God Heer 's the ordinarie meanes of begetting faith God of his mercie sends a Preacher to a people the Preacher preacheth Christ crucified by preaching Christ the people heare of Christ and by hearing they beleeue So then faith commeth by hearing and hearing by the word of God Now the word preached and heard which is powerfull to beget faith is vnderstood to be the whole word of God the Law and the Gospell for And that First to the begetting of faith in the heart it 's necessary 1 The law that a sinner heare the Law to the end that he may see and know his sinnes for p Rom. 3. 20. by the Law is the knowledge of sinne and not onely see and know his sinnes but likewise the punishment due to him for his sinnes which in the iustice of God is the malediction and curse of the Law for it is written q Gal. 3. 10. Cursed is euery one that continueth not in all things which are written in the booke of the Law to doe them Likewise death and condemnation for the r Rom. 6. 23. wages of sinne is death Yea and to bee depriued of the Kingdome of God for Å¿ 1 Câ—r 6. 9. the vnrighteous shall not inherit the Kingdome of God And this part of the Word the Law laies open a mans sinnes so plaine and euident that it prickes the heart and wounds the conscience of a sinner insomuch that being truely and throughly touched with the sence and feeling of his owne particular sinnes he hath no peace in himselfe but is disquieted in conscience and now he beginnes to thinke with himselfe what hee may doe to finde ease to his conscience and rest to his soule an example whereof wee haue in those Iewes to whom S. Peter preached Christ crucified and vrged it vpon their consciences that they had crucified Christ for hee saith t Acts 2. 36 37. Let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God hath made that same Iesus whom ye haue crucified both Lord and Christ Now when they heard this they were pricked in their heart and sayd vnto Peter and the rest of the Apostles Men and brethron what shall wee doe they were so touched in conscience for their great and bloudy sinnes of crucifying Christ that they knew not what to doe Now when the Law hath thus wrough vpon a sinner humbling him and bringing him vnder a sence and feeling of his sinnes and the wrath of God due to him for his sinnes when hee findes himselfe in this distressed case and vnderstands in how great neede hee stands of 2 The Gospell helpe and comfort then the other part of the Word of God the Gospell of Christ being preached and heard together with the working of the Spirit inwardly in the heart doth open the eyes of his minde and inlighten his vnderstanding and shewes vnto him Christ crucified and makes the sinner see and know that there is remedy to heale his sicke soule that there is saluation to bee had in Christ Iesus and in him alone and that t Joh. 3. 16. whosoeuer beleeueth in him shall not perish but haue euerlasting life This is that word of consolation which S. Peter gaue to those Iewes now pricked in heart wounded in conscience and groning vnder the burthen of their sinnnes u Acts 2. 38. Repent and be baptized euery one of you in the name of Iesus Christ for the remission of sinnes And now the sinner knowing that saluation is to bee had in Christ Iesus and that there is x Acts 4. 12. no saluation in any other heereupon he ficeth to Christ for helpe and succour by the eye of faith he lookes vnto Iesus by the hand of faith he takes hold on Iesus and by faith applieth the merits of the death and passion of Christ vnto his owne soule being now assured of the mercy of God through Iesus Christ for the remission of his sinnes and saluation of his soule The sinner hath y Acts 15 7. heard the Word of the Gospell and beleeueth Thus faith is ordinarily procured by the Word of God And seeing that the ordinary meanes of begetting Vse faith is the Word of God this serues to reproue those Against those that boast of their faith and yet contemne and lightly regard the hearing of the Word the ordinary meanes of obtaining faith who despise and contemne or greatly neglect the hearing of the Word and yet boast that they haue faith Diuerse there are that seldome come to the house of God and very seldome heare Sermons who if they be questioned whether they haue faith will not sticke to answer euery one for himselfe yea I haue faith and doe beleeue I haue a good faith to God I hope to bee saued aswell as the best and hope to come to Heauen as soone as they that follow Sermons But I demand of thee ô vaine man if thou hast so good a faith and so good hope of saluation how and by what meanes camest thou by this thy good faith The Scriptures tels vs plainely that the meanes of obtaining faith is by hearing the Word of God And seeing thou doest not frequent the house of God nor heare the Word of God preached except it be at some times and by starts how can it be that thou hast true faith or if thou hast it how was it wrought in thee and by what meanes hast thou obtained it it is the great blindnesse of many ignorant soules to thinke they haue faith when they haue it not And they haue it not because they doe not vse the ordinary meanes to obtaine it I know and deny not God is not tyed to any meanes and therefore can extraordinarily worke faith in the hearts of men euen in whom be will according to his good pleasure but it is not safe for any
children of God because their faith shall not vtterly faile cannot finally fall away this yeildeth exceeding great consolation to the children of God The faith of a Christian is not strong at all times but sometimes it may be very weake and scarcely felt as after the committing of some great sinne or in time of sore temptationâ— when as with Dauid a man may be in great heauinesse his soule may be g Psal 42. 11. cast downe yet notwithstanding faith is neuer so quenched in the true beleeuer but some sparke remaines yea a seede remaines that immortall incorruptible seed that in time will quicken and reuiue Like as a sicke man that is brought very low with sicknes his stomacke failes him he loaths his meat the Phisitian forsaks him all men hold him not a man for this world notwithstanding while breath is in his body there is hope many times such a one reuiues recouers and comes to his strength againe so a Christian sore wounded with sinne and in grieuous temptations giues few comfortable words but sends forth sighes and â—obs and many times doe proceed from him desperate speeches so that they that see and heare him might feare least all faith were gone yet afterwards in time the sparke of faith is kindled and flameth the immortall seed is quickned and the Spirit puts new life of grace into the distressed soule making the sinner to beleeue in Christ to hope in Gods mercy to trust in God to call vpon God and cry Abba Father To conclude a Christian who vpon good ground is assured that hee hath true iustifying faith may confidently say with St Paul h Rom. 8. 38. 39. I am perswaded that neither death nor life nor Angels nor principalities nor powers nor things present nor things to come nor height nor depth nor any other creature shall be able to separate vs from the loue of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lord. CHAP. XVII Of the signes and markes of true iustifying faith and first of the inward signes thereof THe tenth and last point in the Treatise of faith 10 Signes of true faith is touching the signes and marks of true iustifying faith How a man may know whether he hath the true faith The signes and markes of faith are two-fold Two-fold The first are inward The second outward There are inward signes of faith whereby a man may know and find in himselfe that he hath faith and there are also outward signes whereby not onely he himselfe may be assured but others also may vnderstand and perceiue that he hath faith First of the inward signes The inward signes of true iustifying faith are diuerse 1 Inward signes as The first is the witnesse of the Spirit euen the Spirit of God Of which St Iohn sayth a 1. Job 5. 10. he that beleeueth on 1 The witnesse of the Spirit the Sonne of God hath the witnesse in himselfe Now the Spirit of God is a true and infallible witnesse a witnesse that cannot deceiue the same Spirit beareth witnesse with our spirit that we are the sonnes of God Some may here demand How may I be assured that Quest it is the good Spirit of God which certifies me that I am the child of God and haue faith or that it is not a fancie or bare coniecture of mine owne or that it is not some delusion How shall I be able to discerne betweene Answ these I answere the Spirit of God the true witnesse doth certifie our spirit and assure our conscience that we haue indeed true iustifying faith that we are the adopted sonnes of God and shall certainly be saued specially by these two things First the Spirit of God perswades our conscience inwardly that we haue faith vpon good ground and sound reason taken not from our owne works or worthinesse but from the goodnesse and bountifulnesse of God towards vs from the mercie of God and grace in Christ and so neither the flesh nor the Deuill doth perswade Secondly the Spirit of God perswades vs of the certaintie of faith by the effects which it worketh in vs. As namely the purifying of the heart purging out sinne so that no sinne hath rule and dominion in the heart likewise stirring vp in our hearts a loue of God a hatred of sinne an earnest desire to pray vnto God and an endeuour to please God also an inward spirituall ioy and peace of conscience c. All which are true effects and manifest fruits of the Spirit and cannot come eyther from the flesh or the Deuill and therefore the testimony of the Spirit is a true and sure witnesse to assure vs that we haue the true faith and he that beleeueth on the son of God hath this witnesse in himselfe The second is an inward feeling of spirituall grace 2 A feeling of grace a feeling of faith in a mans selfe When a man is perswaded of the truth of the Gospell and all the promises contained therein and in particular is perswaded for himselfe that his sinnes of the mercie of God and through the merites of Christ are pardoned and he receiued into fauour with God the inward feeling and perceiuing of this in the b Menti nosirae fides nostra conspicua est heart is a signe of faith This was in Dauid after that he had confessed his sinnes vnto God as he witnesseth saying c Psal 32. 5. I acknowledge my sinne vnto thee and mine iniquitie haue I not hid I said I will confesse my transgressions vnto the Lord and thou forgauest the iniquitie of my sinne The third is a godly desire and a holy resolued purpose to walke in obedience to Gods commandements 3 A godly desire and purpose to obey Gods commandements to please God and to doe his will This was also in David for he saith d Psal 119. 6. 4 I haue respect vnto all thy Commandements The fourth is deuout prayer calling vpon the name of the Lord with confidence that God will heare our prayers and grant our requests For faith if it be in the 4 Deuout prayer heart indeed will set the heart a-working to thinke on God to pray vnto God and to call vpon his name For this cause the Spirit of God is called the spirit of grace and supplications the Lord by the Prophet Zacharie sayth e Zach. 12. 10. I will poure vpon the house of Dauid and vpon the inhabitants of Ierusalem the spirit of grace and of supplications And it is called the spirit of grace and supplications because it is of the gracious working of Gods holy spirit that sinners are brought to repentaÌ„ce of their sins that they mourne sorrow for their sins and that they seeke vnto the Lord and call vnto him for grace and mercy This is the same Spirit which f Rom. 8 26. helpeth our infirmities as S. Paul speakes For we know not what we should pray for as we ought but the Spirit
suffering is commendable and acceptable before God which is First for Christ's sake and the Gospels sake When a 1 To suffer for the name of Christ Christian suffers tribulation persecution for the name of Christ Of this our Sauiour saith d Math. 5. 11. blessed are ye when men shall reuile you and persecute you and shall say all manner of euill against you falslie for my sake To which agreeth the saying of S. Peter e 1. Pet. 4. 14. if ye be reproched for the name of Christ happie are ye this was the honour and glorie of those Christians who haue beene persecuted tormented and suffered death for Christs sake For they rather yeelded to suffer death then to denie Christ This is the Crowne of Martyrdome for it was not their bare f Non paena sed causa verum facit Martyrem Cypr. suffering that made them Martyrs but their cause Because they suffered for the name of Christ Wherefore Heretiques though they suffer neuer so manie and sore torments yet they are not Martyrs neither are their sufferings acceptable to God because they suffer not for Christ's sake nor for the truth but against the truth Secondly sufferings are acceptable to God when they 2 To suffer for well-doing are for well-doing and when we are afflicted perfecuted and troubled wrongfully As S. Peter saith g 1. Pet. 2. 19. This is thanke-worthy if a man for conscience toward God endure griefe suffering wrongfully Againe he saith h 1. Pet. 3. 17. it is better if the will of God be so that ye suffer for well-doing then for euill doing And againe i 1. Pet. 4. 15. 16 let none of you suffer as a murtherer or as a theefe or as an euill doer or as a busibodie in other mens matters yet if any man suffer as a Christian let him not be ashamed The third thing which makes our sufferings acceptable to God is to suffer patiently Whether it be for 3 To suffer patiently Christ's sake or whether it be in any other righteous cause it is the part of a Christian not onely to suffer but to suffer patiently For this is the difference betweene the wicked and the godly concerning their sufferings both may suffer afflictions as sicknesse infirmitie and paine of bodie pouertie and such like but not both alike both may suffer the same things but not with the same mind The wicked suffer afflictions of necessitie because they cannot helpe themselues and know not how to be ridd of their paine and troubles their suffering is a constrained suffering and their patience patience perforce But the godly suffer afflictions patiently they endure all afflictions which the Lord layes vpon them with a willing minde a meeke heart and quiet patience Such ought our sufferings to be that they may please God In the second place I am to vse motiues to perswade 3 Motiues to perswade to patience Taken from to Patience in suffering afflictions Which I take First from the Scriptures Secondly from the necessitie of afflictions Thirdly fromt the benefit thereof For the first The Scripture perswades to patience in 1 The Scriptures And suffering afflictions both by testimonies and examples First by testimonies Solamon giues this wise counsell k Pro. 3. 11. my sonne despise not the chastning of the Lord Our Sauiour 1 Testimonies Christ saith l Luk. 9. 23. if any man will come after me let him denie himselfe and take vp his crosse daily and follow me Saint Iames is verie earnest in exhorting to Patience m Iam. 5. 8. 9. be patient therefore brethren vnto the comming of the Lord behold the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth and hath long patience for it vntill he receiue the early and latter raine Be ye also patient Examples also we haue hereof in the Scriptures Iob is a Mirrour of patience for when he had lost all his goods 2 Examples and substance his sheepe his oxen his camells and asses yea when his children were slaine his patience was such that he blessed God For he n Iob 1. 20. 21. fell downe vpon the ground and worshipped and said naked came I out of my mothers wombe and naked shall I returne thither The Lord gaue and the Lord hath taken away blessed be the Name of the Lord. And when his wife who should haue beene a helper and a comfort vnto him came vnto him vexing his soule bidding him o Iob 2. 9. 10. Curse God and die His answere was What shall we receiue good at the hand of God and shall we not receiue euill Shall we receiue all blessings and no crosses All prosperitie and no aduersitie All health and no sicknesse Wherefore S. Iames exhorting to patience sets before our eyes the example of Iob for imitation p Iam. 5. 10. Ye haue heard of the patience of Iob and haue seene the end of the Lord that the Lord is very pitifull and of tender mercy S. Paul is also an example of suffering when the Christian brethren heard from the mouth of Agaâ—us a Prophet of the sufferings of Paul which he was to suffer at Ierusalem they laboured to disswade him from going vp to Ierusalem but Paul answered q Act. 21. 13. What meane yee to weepe and to breake mine heart For I am readie not to be bound onely but also to die at Ierusalem for the name of the Lord Iesus And to the Corinthians he sheweth his great patience in suffering many afflictions in this present world For he saith r 1. Cor. 4. 11. 12. 13. euen vnto this present houre we both hunger and thirst and are naked and are buffeted and haue no certaine dwelling place and labour working with our owne hands being reuiled we blesse being persecuted we suffer it being defamed we intreat we are made as the filth of the world and are the off-scouring of all things vnto this day But no example is like that of our Sauiour Christ for he as the Prophet Esay saith Å¿ Isa 53. 7. is brought as a lambe to the slaughter and as a sheepe before the shearer is dumbe so he openeth not his mouth And S. Peter saith t 1. Pet. 2. 21. 22. 23. Christ also suffered for vs leauing vs an example that ye should follow his steps who did no sinne neither was guile found in his mouth Who when he was reuiled reuiled not againe when he suffered he threatned not but commitied himselfe to him that iudgeth righteously Such was the patience of our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ These are examples written for our instruction to teach vs patience Wherunto we may adde the worthy examples of the seruants of the Lord those faithfull ones mentione by the Apostle to the Hebrewes who through faith endured great trials some were u Heb. 11. 35. 36. 37. 38. tortured others had triall of cruell mockings and scourgings yea moreouer of bonds and imprisonment
m Luk. 18. 11. I am not as other men are extortioners vniust adulterers or euen as this Publicane Secondly except we search out our owne sinnes and 2 To cause vs to seeke vnto the Lord for grace and mercie come truely to know our owne selues we cannot bee brought to seeke to the Lord for grace and mercie for a man that knoweth not his wants seeketh not for helpe and redresse of his wants Secondly the consideration of the knowledge of sin and that in particular manner as hath beene formerly Vse 2 shewed serues to reproue those who are so farre from Against those who haue no sence or feeling of sinne searching their hearts to finde out and know their sins that they haue little or no sence and feeling of their sins Though they know and confesse themselues in a generall manner to be sinners as others are yet they doe not come to a particular knowledge of their sinnes to know the greatnesse of their sinnes the multitude and foulenesse of their sinnes and to know the danger that their soules are in by reason of their sinnes Though they be sinners yet their sinnes neuer trouble them their sinnes are no burden vnto them they lie vnder the heauie waight and burden of sinne and yet feele no paine The reason is because they are yet in ignorance and blindnesse they are not inlightned with the knowledge of the truth to know God and to know themselues the eyes of their minde are not inlightned truly to see and know their particular sinnes but n â—phe 4 18. 19 hauing as the Apostle saith the vnderstanding darkned being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them because of the blindnesse of their heart who being past feeling haue giuen themselues ouer vnto lasciuiousnesse to worke all vncleannesse with greedinesse These haue benummed and dead consciences yea these haue as the Apostle also saith o 1 Tim. 4. 2. their conscience seared with a hote iron This is a very dangerous state when a sinner is so farre from the knowledge of his sinnes as that he hath no feeling of his sinnes no remorse nor true touch of conscience for all the euill that he hath done But to the end that a sinner may truly repent him of his sinnes and be saued its necessarie that he haue as much as possibly he can a particular knowledge of his sinnes to know which they are and what manner of ones they are how great how grieuous how haynous and how dangerous they be And that he haue also a feeling of the heauie waight and burden of sinne For aâ— a man carrying a heauie and waighty burden too heauie for him to beare is not like to be eased of his burden till he complaine of the waight and call for helpe and then some friend or neighbour easeth his shoulder so a sinner that is heauie laden with the burden of sinne is like to find no ease till he haue a feeling of the heauy waight and burden of sinne lying heauie vpon his soule For Christ calleth onely such sinners to come vnto him p Mat. 11. 28. Come vnto me all ye that labour and are heauie laden and I will giue you rest And as a sick-man sore diseased is not like to find ease till hauing a feeling of his paine hee complaine of his griefe and lets the Physician know where his paine lies so a sinner that is sicke by reason of sinne and hath a diseased soule except he haue a feeling of his spirituall infirmitie how can he be healed q Mat. 9. 12. They that be whole neede not a Physician saith our Sauiour but they that are sicke Christ is the true and best Physician of the soule euery sinner is a sicke man sicke in soule and hath need of Christ's Physicke to cure and heale him Now if any one thinke himselfe sound and whole enough in soule and feele no sinne trouble him and therefore make no hast to goe and seeke to Christ Iesus the good Physician how can that mans soule be healed That man who in the iudgement of the learned Physician is sore sicke and diseased and yet feeles little or no paine is most dangerously sicke so that sinner who hath a sinfull soule sore diseased with sinne and yet hath little or no feeling of sinne no true knowledge of his sins is in greatest danger of his soule When the Israelites felt themselues stung with r Nâ—m 21. 6. 7. 8. 9. fierie serpents in the Wildernesse their remedie was to looke vp to the serpent of brasse and if a serpent had bitten any man when he beheld the serpent of brasse he liued This brasen serpent was a type and figure of Christ who was lift vp for our Redemption Of which our Sauiour Christ himselfe saith Å¿ Ioh. 3. 14. 15. As Moses lift vp the brasen serpent in the wildernesse euen so must the sonne of man be lift vp that whosoeuer beleeueth in him should not perish but haue eternall life But as those Israelites onely had benefit by the brasen serpent which felt themselues stung and then looked vp to the brasen serpent so they onely haue benefit by Christ who hauing a feeling of sinne feeling their soules inwardly slung with the fierie darts of the old serpent the Deuil doe runne and flie apace to Christ Iesus for helpe by the eye of faith looking vp vnto Iesus that so their wounded soules may be healed CHAP. V. Of godly sorrow and first of Contrition or inwarâ— sorrow for sinne AFter the knowledge of sinne followeth godly 2 Godly sorrow sorrow for sinne This is the second step and degree in the repentance of a sinner * 2 Cor. 7. 10. Godâ—y sorrow saith S. Paul worketh repentance to saluation not to be repented of Heere S. Paul makes godly sorrow a thing necessarily required to repentance without which a sinner cannot be saued That sorrow which Sorrow for sin Two-fold worketh repentance the Apostle calls Godly sorrow for there are two sorts of sorrow for sinne The one a Buca de poenitent Legall The other Euangelicall The Legall sorrow for sinne is that sorrow which ariseth 1 Legall from the Law of God and the terrour of a mans owne conscience whereby a sinner is sorry and grieued for the euill which he hath committed onely in regard of the wrath of God and the punishment which he sees to bee deseruedly due vnto him and hanging ouer his head This is that sorrow which the Apostle calls b 2 Cor. 7. 10. the sorrow of the world or worldly sorrow which worketh death Godly sorrow worketh repentance but worldly sorrow worketh death for a sinner being detected and his wickednesse found out the Law of God hauing laid open his sinne and wounded his conscience he stands as one terrified with the remembrance of his deserued punishment now his conscience witnesseth against him that he hath done wickedly that hee deserues punishment and
t Heb 5. 7. In the deyes of his flesh he offered vp praiers supplications with strong crying and teares u Fâ—entem illum frequenter â—nue nias nuâ—quam verò â—identem Chrys in Math. 2. Hom. 6. we may often finde him weeping as a Father saith but seldome or neuer laughing Yet he wept not for himselfe and for his owne sinnes for x 1. Pet. 2. 22. he did no sinne neither was guile found in his mouth But for vs and for our sinnes to teach vs to weepe and mourne for our selues and for our owne sinnes Thirdly to consider the necessity of outward sorrowing 3 The necessity of mourning for sinne and mourning for sinne First our sinns haue bene the cause of crucifying Christ as saith the Prophet Esay y Isa 53. 5. He was wounded for our transgressions 1 In regaâ—d of our sinnes which were the cause of crucifying Christ he was bruised for our iniquities The serious consideration of this should moue vs to lament mourne this should cause vs to sheede abundance of teares to consider the grieuousnesse of our sinnes how by them we haue crucified and pierced Christ and certaine it is the remembrance hereof will so worke with true penitent sinners that they will breake forth into mourning as saith the Prophet Zacharie z Zach. 12. 10. I will poure vpon the house of Dauid and vpon the inhabitants of Ierusalem the spirit of grace and of supplications and they shall looke vpon me whom they haue pierced and they shall mourne for him as one mourneth for his onely sonne and shall be in bitternesse for him as one that is in bitternesse for his first borne In that day there shall be a great mourning in Ierusalem as the mourning of Hadadrimmon in the valley of Megiddon and the land shall mourne euery family apart c. Secondly our eyes conuey much euill to the heart 2 Our eies conuay much euill to the heart and therefore must weepe much as they let in sinne so they must as much as they can let it out In worldly griefe the heart is eased by weeping so by teares shedde for sinne the soule is eased Thirdly Sinne is the cause of affliction and miserie 3 Sinne is the cause of misery the cause of trouble and calamitie that befals vs in the course of our life Wherefore as we mourne and weepe for the paine and miserie so ought we much more to mourne to lament and weepe for sinne which is the cause of our miserie Fourthly consider that now euen in this present life 4 Either now we must mourne weepe or we shall hereafter we must mourne and weepe for our sinnes least we be constrained to mourne and weepe in that dolefull and heauie place of mourning where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth And they that will not now weepe and mourne for their sinnes shaâ—l hereafter As our Sauiour saith a Luk 6. 25. Woe to you that laugh now for ye shall mourne and weepe And yet more to perswade vs to this godly sorrow to 4 Benefits of mourning and weeping for sinne weepe and mourne for our sinnes consider the Benefits that come thereby Weeping and mourning may weaken and hurt the bodie but it strengthens and helpes the soule it may harme the bodie for a time but it doth the soule good for euer And the Benefits thereof are these First outward sorrow for sinne arising from the inward 1 Mourning weeping for sinne is a meanes to obtaine mercy sorrow of the heart is a meanes to obtaine mercie with God It is said of Hezekiah that b Isa 38. 3. he wept sore But his sore weeping was a meanes of obtaining mercie and fauour with the Lord. For praysing the Lord he saith c ver 17. Thou hast cast all my sinnes behind thy backs Marie Magdalene weepes and sheeds teares in abundance but this her mourning and weeping for her sinnes is a meanes of obtaining mercy with the Lord for the Lord saith vnto her d Luk. 7 38. 48. thy sinnes are forgiuen Secondly * Mitigâ—ntâ—ram Dei lachrymae Teares of grace are a meanes to pacifie Gods 2 A meanes to pacifie Gods anger anger against vs for our sinnes and to turne away his wrath from vs. The Lord by the Prophet Ioel sayth turne ye euen to mâ— with all your heart and with fasting and with weeping and with mourning And rent your heart and not your garments and turne vnto the Lord your God for e Ioel 2. 12. 13. he is gracious and mercifull slow to anger and of great kindnesse and repenteth him of the euill As if he should haue said If you will be sorrie for your sinnes after a godly sort and if you will turne to the Lord by renting the heart and with fasting and weeping and mourning then the Lord will turne away â—is wrath from you then the Lord will be gracious and mercifull vnto you Thirdly teares shed for sinne are not shed in vaine 3 Teares shed for sinne are pleasing to God delightfull to the Angels but they are respected of the Lord they are well pleasing both to God and Angels they are acceptable and well pleasing to God God maketh reckoning and account of them for though they be shed yet they are not lost f Psal 56. 8. Put thou my teares into thy bottle saith Dauid Teares of grace and not as water spilt on the ground which cannot be gathered vp againe but the Lord hath a vessell to receiue the teares that we sheede for our sins not one of them iâ— lost This heauenly dew of deuotion neuer fals but the Sunne of righteousnesse drawes it vp And the teare of penitent sinners are delightfull to the Angels who reioyce at the conuersion of a sinner Insomuch that the deuout Father cals the g Lâ—chrymâ— pâ—â—nitentium Angelâ—rum vinum Bern. teares of penitent sinners the Angels wine Fourthly they that mourne and weepe for sinne though they haue sorrow and heauinesse for a time in the end shall be comforted their sorrow shall be turned 4 They that mourne shall be comforted into ioy Christ is sent as saith the Prophet Esay to h Isa 61. 2. 3. comfort all that mourne to giue vnto them beautie for ashes the oile of ioy for mourning and the garment of praise for the spirit of heauinesse And Christ when he was come sayth i Mâ—â— 5. â— Blessed are they that mourne for they shall be comforted k 〈◊〉 â— 6. 5. They that sow in teares shall reape in ioy saith the Psalmist They that now weepe and sheede teares for sinne shall hereafter be truly comforted For l Reâ— 21. 4. God shall wipe away aâ—l teares from their eyes As after much raine and great stormes the heauens waâ—e cleare the ayre is more milde and the Sunne breakes forth comfortably to refresh the things that are vpon the earth so after much weeping mourning
and sorrowing for sinne the Sunne of righteousnesse breakes forth and shines comfortablie vpon the sinner reioycing the heart and greatly refreshing the soule After a storme a calme A question here ariseth concerning outward mourning Quest and weeping for sinne Whether weeping and shedding Wheâ—her weeping for sinne be of absolute necesitie of teares be simplie necessarie in godly sorrow I answer m Per. cas of Consâ—â— 1. boâ—ke Chap. 5. Weeping for sinne is required and is commendâ—ble in whomsoeuer it is if it be in truth Yet corporall weeping is not alwayes of absolute necessitie so that Answ First the heart be truly grieued and displeased for sinne Secondly if a sinner haue an earnest desire to sheede teares and cannot being hindered either in regard of the greatnes of the sorrow of heart oppressing the heart that it cannot ease it selfe by weeping or else from the constitution of the bodie being vnapt to yeeld teares for in this case God accepteth the inward sorrow of the soule and the good affections of the hart for the teares of the eyes n Secundum quantitatem interioris affectionis secundum abundantiam lachrymabilis hâ—moris est vel non est in homine sâ—eâ—us câ—rporalis â—â—min l. 1. c. 43. It is sayth one according to the quantitie of the inward affection and the measure of moist and waterish humours of the eyes that any one either weepeth or is hindred from weeping Vse Now considering that God requireth not onely an Against those who mouâ—ne and weepe greatly for outward crosses but verie little for their sins inward godly sorrow and griefe of heart but likewise an outward mourning lamentation and weeping for sinne yea and great mourning and sorrowing for our great sinnes and forasmuch as the Saints and children of God haue practised the same moreouer considering that it is so necessary and profitable for vs to weepe mourne for our sinnes this reproues the world for the great neglect of this dutie O how ordinarie and vsuall a thing is it with people to mourne and weepe for worldly crosses and troubles that befall them for losse of goods and cattell for the departure of their friends neighbours and acquaintance it is a marueilous thing to beholde how excessiuely manie mourne and weepe for the losse of their dearest friends as husband wife children their onely sonne But few are there that weepe and mourne seriously for their sinnes o Pro. 14. 9. Fooles saith Solamon make a mocke at sinne Foolish wicked people haue no moderation in worldly sorrow but sport themselues with their sinnes and if they sheede any teare in regard of sinne it is with laughing at sinne and not weeping for sinne Doth the Father goe heauily for the death of his first borne And doth the sorrowfull mother mourne and weepe and wring her hands for the departure of her onely sonne O how much more cause haue we to mourne and weepe for our sinnes which haue beene the death of the Sonne of God p Mat. 2. 18. Rachel wept for her children and would not be comforted because they were not Rachel wept for her sonnes we ought to weepe for our sinnes she because they were not we because they are yet remaining and are not done away Woefull then and lamentable is their condition whose heart is soft and whose eyes are moist and waterie to sheede teares for worldly wants for temporall losses for bodily paine and griefe but haue hard hearts and drie eyes not able to straine forth a sorrowfull sigh nor wring out a brinish teare for their sinnes CHAP. VII Of confession of sinne COnfession of sinne is the third step of grace 3 Confession of Sinne. whereby the penitent sinner returneth from sin vnto God For after that a sinner hath sorrowed after a godly sort for his sinnes he returneth vnto God by confessing his sinnes as the prodigall son returned to his Father confessing and saying a Luk. 15. 18. Father I haue sinned Two-fold And confession of sinne is two-fold Publique Publique and Priuate Publique confession of sinne is that which is made in 1 Two-fold the Congregation and is two-fold Either of the whole congregation when the Minister 1 Of the whole Congregation the mouth of the people maketh an humble confession of sinne and the people ioyne with him confessing and crauing pardon for their sinnes Or when any one that hath offended God and the 2 Of any one that hath offended the Congregation congregation doth publiquely make and acknowledgement of his sinne before the Congregation and so is receiued into the fellowship of the Church againe Priuate confession of sinne is also two-fold 2 Priuate Two-fold To Man and To God To Man and that in two respects 1 To Man In two respects First when any one hauing offended his brother and wronged his neighbour doth make an acknowledgement of his fault and is willing to giue satisfaction to the 1 For satisfaction party wronged and that for peace sake and reconciliation one with another gathered from that saying of our Sauiour Christ b Mat. 5. 23. 24 If thou bring thy gift to the altar and there remembrest that thy brother hath ought against thee leaue there thy gift before the altar and goe thy way first be reconciled to thy brother and then come and offer thy gift Secondly when any one is troubled in conscience for some sinne that lieth heauy vpon his soule and clogs 2 For Consolation his conscience he may make knowne his griefe to another in priuate and that either to the Pastor of his soule or to some other discreet faithfull and trusty friend that is able to counsell and comfort him in his distresse According to S. Iames his direction c Jam. 5. 16. Confesse your faults one to another and pray one for another Such is our confession to man Secondly Confession of sinne is made in priuate vnto 2 To God God When as the poore penitent sinner gets himselfe into some secret place and there falling downe before the Lord by humble confession layeth open his And therein sinnes before God in hope to finde mercy with the Lord. Now the confession of sinne which I heere entreat of is not confession vnto man but vnto God In handling whereof I will shew Foure things First what Confession of sinne vnto God is Secondly the sorts and kindes of it Thirdly the manner of performing it that our confession may please God Fourthly I will vse motiues to perswade thereunto For the first Confession of sinne is an humble acknowledgement 1 What confession of sinne to God is Pola Synt. c. 2. l. 6. c. 37. of our sinnes before God arising from an inward godly sorrow of heart for sinne whereby the sinner doth witnesse against himselfe that hee hath offended God and deserues punishment hauing a purpose of heart neuer to offend God any more For the second Confession is of
two sorts 2 The sorts and kinds of it Two-fold Generall and Particular Generall when a Sinner doth onely in a generall manner confesse that he is a sinner that hee hath offended 1 Generall God that he hath broken Gods commandements and done wickedly c. Particular confession of sinne is an acknowledgement 2 Particular of our particular sinnes when hauing made diligent search by the law of God to finde out our sinnes we doe then confesse those sinnes which our owne conscience witnesseth against vs that we are guilty of as Dauid when hee had committed adultery with Bathsheba confessed his sinne in particular saying d Psal 51. 4. Against thee thee onely haue I sinned and done this euill in thy sight The Iewes confessed their sinnes both in generall and particular In generall e Isa 59 12. Our transgressions say they are multiplyed before thee and our sinnes testifie against vs for our transgressions are with vs and as for our iniquities wee know them And in particular they confesse and say f Vers 13. in transgressing and lying against the Lord and departing away from our God speaking oppression and reuolt conceiuing and vttering from the heart words of falshood The third thing in Confession is the manner how a 3 The manner of making Confession aright sinner is to make confession of his sinnes that his confession may be acceptable to God Dauid saith g Psal 32. I said I will confesse my transgressions vnto the Lord. The vulgar Latine translation readeth it thus g Psal 32. I said I will confesse against my selfe mine vnrightousnesse vnto the Lord. From whence sixe things are obserued to bee necessary in the confession of sinne First that our Confession of sinne be done with premeditation 5 h Dixi confitebor aduersum me iniustitiam meam Domino Six things are necessary in the Confession of Sinne. that we doe not rashly and rudely thrust our selues into the presence of the Lord but first search our hearts try our wayes finde out our sinnes take notice of them view them consider them and haue them before our eyes when wee come to make confession of them This is noted in the beginning of the sentence i Dixi. I said before I confessed my sinnes I first thought with 1 That it be with premeditation my selfe I considered in my minde the sinnes which I was to confesse I said within my selfe I will confesse my sinnes Secondly Confession of sinne must be in truth without 2 That it be in 〈◊〉 guile not hiding sinne but plainely and truely confessing our sinnes wherfore he saith k Confitâ—bor I will confesse I will make knowne my sinne I will hide nothing I will search euery corner of my heart I will lay open all and euery sinne I will confesse my sinne Thirdly our Confession must be accusing not excusing 3 That it be accusing not excusing noted in the next words l Aduersum me against my selfe Our confession must be against our selues Howsoeuer it be dangerous for any one to accuse himselfe before men yet euery sinner must accuse himselfe before God iudge himselfe to haue broken the commandements of God and condemne himselfe to be worthy of death For this cause a sinner must come before the Lord in all humility and lowlinesse of mind with shame and confusion of face being ashamed to lift vp his eyes to heauen for the multitude of his sinnes and transgressions saying with Ezra m Ezra 96. O my God I am ashamed and blush to lift vp my face to thee my God for our iniquities are encreased ouer our heads and our trespasse is growen vp vnto the heauens And must be like the penitent Publican who comming before the Lord to confesse his sinnes n Luk 18. 13. Stood a farre off and would not lift vp so much as his eyes to heauen but smote vpon his breast saying God be mercifull to me a sinner Fourthly Confession must be made of sinne and iniquity 4 Confession must be of Sinne and iniquity noted in the word o Iniustitiam vnrighteousnesse or transgresgressions Wee must not with the Pharisee boast our good deeeds and praise our well-doing but with the Publicane confesse our sinnes and our selues sinners and earnestly pray for the pardon of our sinnes Fiftly Confession must be made of our owne sinnes 5 That we confesse our owne sinnes wherefore he saith I will confesse against my selfe p Meam mine vnrighteousnesse or my transgressions Sâ—xtly Confession of our sinnes must be made vnto the Lord our God wherefore he saith I will confesse my 6 That our confessioÌ„ be made vntâ— God transgressions q Domino vnto the Lord. Confession must be made vnto God to the honour of God that God may haue the glory and we the comfort Of this Dauid speakes thus in another place r Psal 51 4. Against thee thee onely haue I sinned So also when he had numbred the people his heart smote him and Dauid said vnto the Lord Å¿ 2 Sam. 24. 10. I haue sinned greatly in that I haue done Daniel said t Dan. 9 4. 4. I praied vnto the Lord my God and made my confession and said O Lord we haue sinned and committed iniquitie and haue done wickedly c. Chrysostome taught the same doctrine u Deâ— sâ—luendis peâ—catum Chrys de paeâ—it Hom. 9. Tell thy sinne onely vnto God Againe he saith * Sâ—luâ—te Deus confiâ—entâ—m vidâ—aâ— Chrys de paeâ—it confâ—s Let God onely see the confessing of thy sinnes After this manner we are to make Confession of our sinnes In the fourth place I come to the motiues which may perswade vs to confesse our sinnes vnto God Which I take 4 Motiues to coÌ„fesse our sinnes vnto God First from the necessity Secondly from the benefite thereof For the first Confession of Sinne vnto God is necessary 1 〈◊〉 necessâ—ry For for First God is chiefly and principally offended by our sinnes wherefore it is that Dauid hauing committed 1 God is principally offâ—nded by our sinnes adultery and thereby hauing not onely offended God but wronged man comming to make confession saith y Psal 51. 4. Against thee thee onely haue I sinned Now because sinne is chiefly and principally committed against God therefore it 's necessary that wee make our confession chiefly and principally vnto God Secondly without confession of sinne we can looke 2 Without Confession we can haue no remission for no remission of sinne Salomon saith z Pro. 28. 13. He that couereth his sinnes shall not prosper but who so confesseth and forsaketh them shall haue mercy Giuing vs to vnderstand that he onely obtaineth mercie of the Lord that confesseth his sinnes but if any one will not confesse but hide and couer his sinnes he shall not prosper it shall not be well with him the Lord will shew him no fauour nor mercie
Wherefore Dauid saith of himselfe a Psal 32. 3. 4. 5. When I kept silence my bones waxed olde c. But I said I will confesse my transgressions vnto the Lord and thou forgauest the iniquity of my sinne Dauid after he had sinned for a time kept silence held his tongue and opened not his mouth to confesse his sinne but that was paine and griefe vnto him befound no comfort in it but when he acknowledged his sinnes and confessed his transgressions then the Lord shewed mercy on him and forgaue him and Dauid did not obtaine mercie and forgiuenesse at the hands of God till that hee confessed his sinne to the Lord. b Nos alitâ—r salui esse non possumus nisi confiteamur paenitentes quod iniquè gessimus negligentes Aug. We cannot otherwise be saued saith one but by humble acknowledgement of our sinnes which through our negligence we haue so wickedly committed Before the sicke man can finde ease and remedie for the recouering of his health he must make his griefe knowne vnto the Physitian and the Creeple is not ashamed to lay open his soares to the passenger to mooue him to haue pitty on him so likewise it 's necessarie for a sinner by confession of his sinnes to make knowne the inward diseases the infirmities and sores of his soule to the chiefe and best Physitian of our soules Christ Iesus and bee as earnest with the Lord to beg mercy and craue pardon and forgiuenesse of his sinnes as the poore beggar by the high-way side is importunate to beg a penny of the Passenger Thirdly Confession of our sinnes to God is necessary 3 If we doe not confesse our sinnes yet wee cannot hide them froÌ„ God for God both seeth knoweth them for if we doe not confesse them vnto God yet God knowes them and sees them yea c Quando iâ—â—mâ— celat Dâ—us â—â—dat when sinners doe foolishly hide and couer their sins then the Lord layes them open to the view of the world The Lord said vnto Dauid d 2 Sam. 12. 12. Thou didst it secretly but I will doe this thing before all Israel and before the Sunne When thou didst commit thy sinne of adultery thou didst it secretly thou thoughts that no eye had seene thee but I beheld thy wickednesse which thou didst in secret and I will punish thee openly because thou hast sinned and not confessed thy sinne I will bring thy sinne to light and thy selfe to shame Secondly as Confession of sinne is necessary so is it 2 It 's good and profitable For also good and profitable for a sinner for First by Confession of sinne a sinner obtaineth remission and forgiuenesse of sinne so saith Salomon By confession we obtaine remission e Pro. 28. 13. Who so confesseth and forsaketh his sinnes shall haue mercie S. Iohn saith f 1 Iohn 1. 9. If wee confesse our sinnes hee is faithfull and iust to forgiue vs our sinnes And Dauid witnesseth of himselfe g Psal 32. 5. I said I will confesse my transgression vnto the Lord and thou forgauest the iniquitie of my sinne h Vâ—i Confessio ibi remissio Quaâ—dâ—â—â—mo detâ—giâ— Dâ—us â—egiâ— quando homo agnoscit Deus ignâ—scit Where there is true hearty and humble confession of sinne there is remission and forgiuenesse When a sinner vncouereth and layeth open his sinnes God couereth and hideth his sinnes When a sinner acknowledgeth and confesseth his sinnes God doth pardon and forgiue him his sinnes Vpon Dauids confession i 2 Sam. 12. 13. I haue sinned against the Lord Nathan the Prophet saith vnto Dauid in the word of the Lord The Lord hath put away thy sinne thou shalt not die Secondly Confession of sinne is a meanes to pacifie 2 Confession of sin is a meanes to turne away Gods turne away Gods wrath heauie displeasure the anger and to asswage the wrath of Almighty God Yea to auert and turne away the iudgements of God which arâ— threatned against and hang ouer the head of sinners When Ionah the Prophet cried against Nineueh k Io. 3. 4. 8. 9. 10. Yet â—ortie dayes and Nineueh shall bee ouer throwne The Niniuites humbled themselues before the Lord with fasting and mourning confessing their sinnes and crying mightily vnto God and when God saw their workes that they turned from their euill way then God repented of the euill that be had said that he would doe vnto them and hee did it not Hereupon is that saying of Chrysostome l Niniuitae confitentur viuuÌ„t Sodomitae obdurantur pereunt Chry. in Psal 106. The Niniuites confesse their sinnes and liue the Sodomites are hardned in their sinnes and perish Thirdly Confession of sinne is profitable to a sinner for thereby his conscience is pacified and his soule eased Like as a man being discontent in his mind and sore troubled in his thoughts can take no quiet rest 3 By Confession the soule is cased and the conscience pacified his stomacke faileth him and his sleepe departeth from him till meeting with a faithfull trustie friend hee maketh his minde knowen vnto him layeth open the griefe of his heart and by mutual conference together findeth comfort and ease so a sinner that is greatly distressed in soule and afflicted in conscience with the remembrance of his sinnes by humbling his soule in secret before the Lord confessing his sinnes laying open his iniquities and not hiding his sinnes doth finde great case for vpon â—he sinner's humble confession the Lord who is the best friend that a poore sinner hath doth marucilouslâ— comâ—ort and refresh the soule of the sinner So that the heart of the poore sinner is now comforted his soule is cased and his conscience pacified Such benefit commeth by confessing our sinnes vnto God And sâ—â—ing that Confession of our sinnes vnto God Vse is so necessarie and profitable the consideration hereof serues iustly to reproue First those who will not acknowledge and confesse 1 Against those who will not confesse but hide and couer their sinnes their sinnes vnto God but hide and couer them as Adam when he had eaten of the forbidden fruit m Gen. 3. 8. bid himselfe among the trees of the garden thinking to hide himselfe and his transgression from the Lord wherefore Iob saith n Iob 31. 33. If I couered my transgressions as Adam by hiding minâ— iniquitie in my bosome Iob counts it a haynous thing to couer his transgressions and to hide his iniquitie And indeed for any one to couer his transgressions and to hide his iniquitie is both foolish and dangerous Foolish for no man can so hide his sinne but God knoweth and seeth it A notable example hereof we haue in Dauid It is wonderfull to consider what deuises what 1 Foolish shifts and inuentions o 2. Sam. 11. Dauid vsed to couer and hide his sinne of adulterie with Bathsheba Whn Dauid committed that sinne of adulterie with Bathsheba
her husband Vriah was in the warres wherefore when Dauid vnderstood that Bathsheba was with child by him he immediately sent for her husband purposing that he should goe home to his house and to his wife and so the King appointed him but yet Vriah went not This not succeeding then David had another deuise he sent for Vriah againe and made him drunke thinking that â—ow Vriah would forget himselfe and so goe downe to his house and lie with his wife yet Vriah went not This not preuailing then did Dauid deuise a meanes for the taking away of Vriah's life So that Vriah the husband of Bathsheba neuer came vnto her nor euer had knowledge of her after that Dauid had defiled her and so Dauid's sin was found out notwithstanding all the deuises and cunning shifts which he vsed to hide and couer his sinne Chrysostome reasons thus with the sinner that is loath to confesse his sinnes p Quaeâ—â—m vtilitas tua etiamsi nâ—n confitearis num potes latere Deum etiamsi non dicaâ— illa ipse nouit si autem tu dicis ille obliâ—isâ—â—â—ur Chry. de poenit confess What profit hast thou if thou doest not confesse thy sinnes Canst thou hide thy sins from God Although thou confessest them not yet God knoweth them and if thou doest confesse them God forgiueth and forgetteth them But if thou wilst not now confesse them be assured that thou shalt haue them laid open where there shall be greater shame and greater punishment prepared for thee Vnlesse we now lay open our sinnes before the Lord the Lord will lay them open in the day of iudgement before all the world Wherefore it s a verie vaine and foolish thing for any one to hide and couer his sinnes And it s also dangerous For Solamon saith q Pro. 28. 13. he that couereth 2 Dangerous his sinnes shall not prosper He that couereth and hideth his sinnes God will not shew him any fauour nor mercie God will not blesse him nor prosper him Secondly here are also reprooued such as doe not 2 Against those that excuse their sinnes plainely and truely confesse but excuse their sinnes some excuse their sinnes by lessening them I haue sinned indeed I confesse but my sinne is not very great it is but a small one God grant I doe no worse c others excuse their sinnes by comparing themselues with others I confesse I haue sinned but I am not alone there are others as great sinners as I. Some blame the starres I haue sinned and done amisse but it was my ill fortune it was my destinie I was borne vnder an ill planet some blame ill companie but for such companie I had not done so And some lay the fault on God It was the will of God I should doe so Thus many that haue done euill being either ashamed of themselues or afraid of punishment labour to excuse their sinnes and to shift off their sinnes from themselues to others and are loath to accuse themselues Excellently doth Augustine reason of this point r Aug. in Psal 31. Many there are saith he who say when they haue sinned It was the will of God it should be so but they that say not so say thus destinie made me doe it the starres caused me to doe it so that herein they doe but fetch a compasse to lay their sinnes vpon God For what are the starres those that we see in the â—irmament Who made the starres God Who appointed them in their order God This is as much as if thou shouldst blasphemously say God hath made me to sinne Thirdly they are here reprooued who impudently with boldnesse of face stand in defence of their sinnes 3 Against those that defend their sinnes and in so doing they are so farre from confessing their sinnes that they increase the number of their sinnes For Å¿ Culpa cum defenditur geminatur sinne when it is defended is a double sinne Manie will not sticke to say that swearing is lawfull if they sweare truly though it be in their ordinarie communication wherein t Math. 5. 37. yea and nay should be sufficient Manie thinke it s no offence to doe to others as others haue done to them and to requite them with the like measure though the Scripture say u Râ—m 12. 17. recompence to no man euill for euill Manie defend pride of apparell and following of strange fashions to be but decencie and handsomenesse manie hold fornication to be but a tricke of youth a sinne whereunto men are naturally inclined and therefore excusable Manie great and mighty men thinke their oppressing of the poore people laying heauie burdens vpon their shoulders more then they are able to beare and racking them with extreame Rents and Fines to be no sinne because say they Its lawfull for me to doe as I will with mine owne Lastly Worldlinesse and the setting of the mind too much vpon earthly things is defended by the worldling to be carefull prouidence Thus the Deuill teacheth men to hide and couer their sinnes to excuse yea to defend their sinnes and so keepeth them from confessing and acknowledging their sinnes But if the Lord euer open the eyes of sinners to let them see their sinnes then they will not couer their sinnes any longer neither excuse nor defend their sins but with all humble submission will fall downe before the Lord confessing their sinnes that they may finde mercy with the Lord. For he that conereth his sinnes shall not prosper but who so confesseth and forsaketh them shall haue mercie CHAP. VIII Of forsaking Sinne. THe fourth step of grace whereby a sinner turneth from sin riseth vp higher and commeth 4 Forsaking of sinne Therein two things neerer vnto God is the forsaking of sinne In handling whereof I will First shew wherein the forsaking of sinne chiefly consisteth 1 What things are required to the forsaking of sinne Three Secondly vse motiues to perswade thereunto For the first To the forsaking of sin there are three things necessarily required First that a sinner doe forsake all and euery sinne that he leaue no sinne vnrepented of Ezechiel saith a Eze. 18. 30. 31 Repent 1 That we forsake all and euery sinne and turne your selues from all your transgressions Againe he saith cast away from you all your transgressions Teaching vs that all sinnes must be repented of and all transgressions must be cast away The Prophet Ieremie saith b Iere. 7. 5. If you throughly amend your wayes and your doings in that he saith throughly it argueth a repentance of all our sinnes The Lord will not be pleased if wee doe onely amend some things that are amisse in vs and leaue many things still amisse and vnamended but when we goe about the worke of repentance and forsaking of sin we should doe it throughly After manie and sundrie plagues sent vpon Pharaoh King of Aegypt and his people â—â— the last Pharaoh was content thus farre to
to doe euill And to forsake the euill way t Isa 55. 7. Let the wicked forsake his way Zophar's counsailero â—oâ— is to put iniquity from him u Iob. 11. 14. if iniquity be in thy hands put it fâ—â—r away and let not wickednesse dwell in thy tabernatles Ezekiel exhorteth to cast away our sinnes and transgressions x Ezeck 18. 31. Cast away from you all your transgressions wherby you haue transgressed Our Sauiour Christ saith to the man whom he had healed y Ioâ— 5. 14. sinne no more Giuing vs to vnderstand that a sinner ought to forsake his sinnes to cease from euill and to doe wickedly no more Thus the Scripture exhorteh to the forsaking of sinne 2 The necessitie of forsaking sinne Secondly the forsaking of sinne is very necessarie for First It puts a difference betweene the true and sound repentance of penitent sinners and the counterfeite 1 It puts a difference betwene true and false repentance fained repentance of hypocrites Pharao seemed to repent for he said z Lxod 9. 27. I haue sinned this time the Lord is righteous and I and my people are wicked But yet his repentance was not sound nor true for after this a ver 34. He sinned yet more and hardned his heart He did not forsake his sinne So Ahab made a good outward shew of repentance when he bumbled himselfe with b 1. kin 21 27 29. Fasting and lying in sackcloth Yet his heart was not right in the sight of the Lord for he did c ver 25. Sell himselfe to work wickednesse And after that he had thus humbled himselfe he d 1 Kin. 22. 8. hated the Prophet of the Lord Micaiah and e ver 27. put him in prisou But such is not the repentance of the children of God for they do not only humble themselues and confesse their sinnes but they forsake their sinnes they cease to doe euill and sinne no more We read not that Noah was drunken more then once Dauid after that he was reproued by Nathan the Prophet for his adulterie with Bathsheba committed adultery no more Peter after that he had wept bitterly for denying his master denied him no more and Paul when he repented of persecuting the Church ceased from his sinne and persecuted no more Thus by the forsaking of sinne it may be discerned who are truely turned vnto God and who are not Secondly except we forsake our sinnes and cease to 2 Except we forsake our sins nothing that we doe can please God doe euill nothing that wee doe can be acceptable and well pleasing vnto God I instance in prayer a dutie of piety a thing commanded by the Lord himselfe yet to the Iewes he saith f Isa 1. 15. 16. When ye spread forth your hands I will hide mine eyes from you yea when ye make many prayers I will not heare your hands are full of bloud Wash ye make you cleane c. Shewing thereby that as long as they remained in their sins without repentance and amendement of life and would not cease from their euill waies nor forsake their sinnes their prayers were powred out in vaine The Scribes and Pharisees those hypocrites did in outward shew performe many good duties for they gaue g Mat. 6. 1 c. almes they fasted and prayed which were all good in themselues duties required of God but inasmuch as they did them for hypocrisie and for vaine-glory seeking the praise of men they had no reward from God Wherefore one saith h Seducunt scipsos qui Eleemosynas dant a peecatis non cessant Aug. Euch. cap 74. They deceiue themselues who giue almes and yet cease not from their sinnes Such is the necissity of forsaking sinne Thirdly the forsaking of sinne is good and profitable for a sinner both in regard of his temporall and spirituall state 3 The benefit of forsaking sin Two-fold First in regard of a mans temporall state the forsaking of sinne and iniquity brings outward prosperity and happinesse Of this Zophar speakes thus to Iob i Iob 11. 14. 15. c. if iniquitie 1 To a mans temporall estate Prosperity be in thy hands put it farre away and let not wickednesse dwell in thy Tabernacles Here 's putting away iniquitie and forsaking of sinne Now heare what benefit comes thereby Thou shalt lift vp thy face without spot c. Thou shalt not feare thou shalt forget thy miserie Againe hee saith Thou shalt take thy rest in safety thou shalt lye downe and none shall make thee afraid yea many shall make sute vnto thee Such outward blessings and benefites come by the forsaking of sinne Secondly concerning a mans spirituall state the 2 To his spirituall state soule of him that forsaketh his sinnes shall bee blessed For First he shall obtaine mercy of this Salomon saith 1 Mercie k Pro. 28. 13. He that couereth his sinnes shall not prosper but he that confesseth and forsaketh them shall haue mercy Secondly his sinnes shall be remembred no more So 2 No more remembrance of sinne hath the Lord promised by Ezekiell l 1 〈◊〉 18. 21. 22 If the wicked will turne from all his sinnes that he hath committed and keepe all my statues and doe that which is lawfull and right hee shall surely liue he shall not die all his transgressions that he hath committed shall not be mentioned vnto him This doctrine of the forsaking of sinne serues to reprooue Vse First those sinners which continue in sinne and goe 1 Against those that continue in sinne on in an vngodly course of life for many will not bee reformed but hate instruction and despise counsell they will not bee brought to repentance neither will they forsake their sinnes But a sinner that continueth Continuance in sinne is dangerous for still in his sinnes and goeth on in an vngodly course of life knoweth not into what a dangerous state he bringeth his soule for First by continuing in sinne hee clogges his conscience 1 It ouer-burdeneth the soule with sinne and presseth his soule with an intollerable burden of sinne the wiseman saith m Ecclus. 7. 8. The soule groweth worse thereby Binde not one sinne vpon another for in one thou shalt not be vnpunished A wise man will not ouer-load his beast lest his beast fall downe vnder his burden What a foolish man is he then that will ouer-load his soule with the most waighty burden of sinne Secondly by continuing in sinne the soule growes worse for by a continuall committing of sinne there is a continuall decaying of grace and the harder will it be to repaire againe the spirituall state of the soule Like as when a mans house beginnes to decay if it be not repaired in time the longer that it continueth so the more chargeable will it be in repairing it and if a man haue any infirmity and disease in his body or any wound or sore if
Repentance presuming on Gods mercie PResuming on Gods mercy is the second impediment 2 Presuming on Gods mercy Where consider two things that hindreth many from Repentance The wicked man that liueth in sin leadeth an vngodly life because he feeles no iudgement of God fall vpon him for his sinnes presumes to sinne still and pleads for himselfe God's mercifull Christ dyed for sinners c. It is true God is mercifull He is a â—xod 34. 6. 7. the Lord God mercifull and gracious long-suffering and aboundant in goodnesse and truth keeping mercy for thousands forgiuing 1 God is onely mercifull to penitent sinners iniquity transgression and sinne But vnderstand First that God is mercifull onely to penitent sinners to such as b Isay 1. 16. 17. 18. cease to doe euill and learne to doe well to such as c Isay 55. 7. forsake their euill way and returne vnto the Lord to such as d Ezek. 8. 21. turne from all the sinnes which they haue committed and doe that which is lawfull and right And although it be true that God hath mercy and plenty of mercy for sinners though neuer so wicked and vngodly if they truely and vnfainedly repent them of their sinnes yet the mercy of God is not extended to impenitent sinners to such as are obdurate and hardned in their sins not to such as are growne obstinate rebellious and disobedient against the Lord. Impenitent Kaine hard-hearted Pharao and despairing Iudas these find no mercy these dye in their sinnes without mercy onely penitent sinners find mercy Dauid Peter Marie Magdalene and such sinners as haue truely repented of their sinnes haue obtained mercy Secondly God is mercifull indeed but as he is mercifull 2 As God is mercifull so hee is also iust so is he also iust as he is mercifull he is very ready to pardon iniquity and to forgiue sinne but as he is iust he will punish sinners and will in no case spare them that presumptuously goe on in their sinnes As Moses tells the presumptuous sinner e Deu. 29. 19. 20 And it come to passe when he heareth the words of this curse that hee blesse himselfe in his heart saying I shall haue peace though I walke in the imaginations of my heart to adde drunkennesse to thirst the Lord will not spare him but then the anger of the Lord and his iealousie shall smoake against that man and all the curses that are written in this Booke shall lye vpon him and the Lord shall blot out his name from vnder heauen This serues to reproue those who by no admonition Vse or counsell will be brought to repentance and amendment Against those that presume on Gods Mercy of life but still liue in sinne doe wickedly goe on in sinne from day to day and say God's mercifull but doest thou not heare O man that God is mercifull only to repenting sinners And vnderstandest thou not that as God is mercifull so he is also iust A mercifull Father but also a iust God How then darest thou be so venturous so bold yea so presumptuous to do wickedâ—◠〈…〉 in thy euill course of life yet to bleâ—se thy 〈◊〉 in the euil◠〈◊〉 flatter â—â—y selfe in thy sinnes 〈…〉 well Goâ—â— mercifull because 〈…〉 wil◠〈◊〉 theâ—efore doe wickedly and 〈…〉 Nay â—â—ther because God is mercifull 〈…〉 of our sinnes that we may 〈…〉 â—nd since mercy with the Lord. He that â—â—â—th 〈◊〉 mercifull and yet still sinneâ—h against God shall one day finde that God is a God of â—ustice and will not suffer the sinner to goe vnpunished Whâ—â—â—fore the 〈◊〉 Sonne of Sirâ—ch giueth the presumptuous sinner 〈◊〉 admonition f 〈…〉 Say not his mercy is great hee will be 〈◊〉 for the multitude of my sinnes for mercie and wrath 〈◊〉 from him and his indignation resteth vpon sinners CHAP. XIIII Of the third impediment of Repentance Custome in sinning CVstome in sinning is the third impediment of 3 Custome in sinning Repentance A sinner hauing once gotten a habite and custome of sinning is loath to leaue and very hardly perswaded to forsake his sinne a Consâ—â—tâ—do est altera natura Custome is another nature Through long continuance in sinne sinne groweth to bee a vsuall thing with a sinner As it is vsuall and naturall with him to eate and drinke and sleepe so is it vsuall and euen naturall with him to sinne Custome preuailes with him The Lord greatly reprooues the Iewes for this their custome in sinning comparing them to the Ethiopian and Leopard b Jerem. 13. 23. Can the Ethiopian change his skinne or the Leopard his spots then may ye also doe good that are accustomed to doe euill Letting vs thereby see the Custome in sinning and giuing vs to vnderstand what a great impediment and bindâ—â—â—nce custome in sinning is to repentance and 〈◊〉 of life Were it not an exceeding â—iâ—â—â—cult 〈…〉 for any one to take in hand to waâ—â— the 〈…〉 till it were white So iâ— it an exceeâ—â—â—◠〈…〉 â—o alter and change 〈…〉 that hâ—â—h accustomed â—â—â—selfe 〈…〉 to dâ—e euill 〈…〉 wiâ—l waâ—â— away the thicke 〈…〉 soule saâ—e onely that pure and 〈…〉 the bloud of Iesus Christ which cleaâ—â—â—tâ— vs â—rom all sinne What hinders the common sâ—earer from repenting 〈…〉 â—â—earing what is the cause that he 〈…〉 â—â—earing that euen in hiâ— ordinary communication 〈…〉 with him 〈…〉 as to speake but custome of sâ—earing what hinders the lyer thaâ— hee cannot leaue his lying but custâ—â—e and what makes the drunkard that he 〈◊〉 not leaâ—e his drunkennesse but custome drinking he hath so long continued in that course of life and so accustomed himselfe vnto its that now he cannot leaue it Whosoeuer then would truely repent him of his sins Vse let hiâ— take heâ—d of accustoming himselfe to any sinne Not â—â— accustâ—â—â—â—ur seluâ—â— tâ— any sinâ—â— and that hee doth not vse himselfe to any vicious and sinnefull course of life And to that end euery one of vs ought to be carefull to preuent sinne betime c 〈…〉 Stay the first beginnings of sinne Let not thy heart bee entiâ—ed to delight in euill thoughts suggested by Sathan or if thou pleasest thy selfe in those entising thoughts for a moment yet consent not vnto them Or if thou suffer thy heart to consent yet beware of the practise of sinne or if through the subtill suggestions of Sathan and the corruption of thine owne heart thou hast yeelded to commit iniquity and to doe the euill deed O repent betimes forsake thy euill way continue not in wickednesse lest by thy long continuance in sinne thou accustome thy selfe to doe euill and then it will bee hard for thee to leaue thy sinne hard for thee to do good which hast accustomed thy selfe to doe euill CHAP. XV. Of the fourth impediment of Repentance Hope of long life HOpe of long life is the fourth impediment of 4 Hope of long life Repentance This hope hinders many men
against the Lord by thought word deed we cannot but acknowledge that it is of the Lords mercies that we are not consumed The Lord might in his iustice cut vs off for the very first transgression for one euill thought for one wicked word for one sinnefull deede and when we find the mercy and goodnesse of God so much shewed towards vs as to spare â—s and suffer vs to liue notwithstanding our vile wicked and sinnefull life O how ought wee to acknowledge the goodnesse of God herein and how ought wee to praise the Lord for his mercy and patience towards vs in suffering vs so long Wherefore a sinner should be so far from making the patience of God to be an occasion of deferring that it ought rather to hasten his repeatance And he should reason thus hitherto I haue liued in sinne and done wickedly and yet the Lord hath beene â—o gracious vnto me that he hath spared me he might haue cut me off in the midst of my sinnes it is of the Lords mercies that I am not consumed and now I know not whether the Lord will forbeare me any more Wherefore I will delay the time no longer I will now repent I will now returne vnto the Lord the patience and long-suffering and the goodnesse of the Lord shall lead me to repentance CHAP. XIX Of the shortnesse of our life of the certaintie of death and the vncertaintie of the day and houre of death and how in regard of these its necessarie for a sinner to repent THirdly its necessarie for a sinner to repent of his sinnes and to amend his life in regard of 3 The shortnesse of mans life the shortnesse of our life In the first age of the world men liued long because as yet sin was not multiplied in the world for as one saith a Dâ—câ—râ—â—tus est 〈…〉 decâ—â—sus sâ—â—â—â—dum 〈…〉 cap. â—6 the course of mans life was shortned according to the increase of some For when sinne beganne to be multiplied on the earth when the wickednesse of man was great in the earth then did God drowne the world of the vngodly and shortned the dayes of man so that whereas in the beginning of the world and before the stood men liued eight or nine hundred yeere after the floud they attained not two hundred for Abraham liued but an b Gen. â—5 7. hundred threescore and fifteene yeeres And Iacob counteth his dayes to be c Gen 47. 9. an hundred and thirtie And in the time of Moses the dayes of mans life were counted but d Psal 90. 10. threescore and ten The Scriptures speake thus of the shortnesse of mans life Iob saith e Iâ—b 14. 1. Man that is borne of a woman is of few dayes Dauid thus f Psal 39. 5. behold thou hast made my dayes as an hand-breadth and mine age is as nothing before thee verily euery men at his best state is altogether vanitie Our life for the shortnesse thereof is compared to things of great swiftnesse and short continuance Iob compares our life to a g Job 7. 6. Weauers shuttle to a running h Iob. 9. 25. 26. Post to the swift Ships and to the flying of an Eagle hasting to the prey to a i Iâ—b 14. 2. flower of the field that is soone cut downe and withered as alâ—o to a shaddow that fleeth and continueth not Dauid to the k Psal 103. 15. grasse and slower of the field which in the morning flourisheth and groweth vp in the euening is cut downe and withereth St Iames to a l Iam. 4. 14. vapour that appeareth for a little time and then vanisheth away The woman of Tekoa in her parable compares the life of man to m 2 Sam. 14. 14. water spilt on the ground which cannot be gathered vp againe and indeed n Pretâ—reunt annâ—m refluentis aquae our yeeres passe away as the running waters For as all Riuers runne into the sea from whence they came so doe all men runne and hast to the earth from whence they came Our life is nothing else but a passing from life and a tending to death For from our infancie we passe to child-hood from childhood to young age from yong age to middle age from middle age to old age and from old age to death Now the shortnesse of our life ought to be a great motiue to perswade vs to repentance and amendment of life And to be warie how we spend our dayes This Moses the man of God teacheth vs from the consideration of the shortnesse of our life for hauing told vs that the length of our dayes is but threescore yeares and ten hereupon prayes and therein teacheth vs to pray o Psal 90. 12. so teach vs to number our dayes that we may apply our hearts vnto wisedome This reprooues the great folly of those who spend their daies in vanitie and wickednesse liuing at ease passing Vse away their time in eating and drinking and making Against those who spend the shoâ—t time of their life ill merrie considering not how short their life is nor how soone and suddenly they may be cut off and their daies come to an end It is with manie as Iob saith p Iob. 21. 13 they spend their dayes in wealth and in a moment goe downe to the graue It is the prayse of Moses that when he was in Pharaoh's Court and might haue liued there in all worldly honour and enioyed his pleasures at full yet q Heb. 11. 25. he refused to be called the sonne of Pharaoh's daughter chusing rather affliction with the people of God then to enioy the pleasures of sinne for a season Letting vs thereby vnderstand two things first that the pleasures of sinne are but for a season secondly that a wise man as Moses will not aduenture the losse of felicitie in heauen which is euerlasting for the enioying of the pleasures of sinne for a season Sinne is committed in this present life and this life is but short we are but of small continuance here and therefore if a man should giue himselfe to all sports and mirth that could be inuented and solace himselfe in all worldly delights and earthly pleasures euen to satietie yet these pleasures would be but for a short time but for a season now no wise man none but a very foole will buy his pleasures so deare as for the enioying of his earthly pleasures to loose heauenly ioyes and for the winning of things temporall to loose things eternall Fourthly its necessarie for a sinner to repent and amend 4 The certaintie of Death his life if he consider the certaintie of death Our life is but short and death is certaine God hath determined the end of mans dayes vpon earth After that Adam had finned God said vnto him r Gen. 3. 19. dust thou art and vnto dust shalt thou returne Iob saith Å¿ Iob 14. 10. Man dieth and wasteth away yea man giueth
him that would be deliuered from spirituall or freed from eternall iudgements and that would be saued from hell and condemnation to repent of his sinnes to purge and cleanse his heart from wickednes that he may be saued as saith the Prophet Ieremie l Iere. 4. 14. O Ierusalem wash thine heart from wickednesse that thou maist be saued Consider then O man if the hand of God be vpon thee afflicting thee with any outward calamitie and affliction in thy bodie goods and outward state thy remedie is to humble thy selfe before the Lord with Hezekiah to pray vnto thy God and to weepe for thy sinnes with the Niniuites to fast and weepe and pray and to turne from all thy euill wayes that so the Lord may be gracious vnto thee and turne away his anger from thee that thou maiest be preserued Moreouer if the Lord lay vpon thee spirituall iudgements afflicting thy soule and wounding thy conscience with the bitter remembrance of thy sinnes the way to finde rest and comfort to thy soule is to seeke to Christ to come to Christ by faith and repentance confessing thy sinnes and earnestly suing for the pardon of thy sinnes that so Christ may giue thee rest And if thou standest in feare of hell and condemnation if thou bee fearefull of that lake of fire the way and meanes to escape hell and condemnation is now to repent of thy sinnes now to cleanse thy heart from wickednesse now to rise from the death of sinne to the life of righteousnesse and now to haue thy part and portion in the first resurrection and then the second death shal I haue no power ouer thee In a word if we would be preserued from the wrath of God in this life and saued from hell and condemnation in the life to come we must now repent and returne to the Lord now be renewed in minde and reformed in life or else we cannot be saued CHAP. XXIIII Shewing that Repentance procureth blessings Temporall Spirituall and Eternall where of the ioyes of Heauen how these ought to be a most forcible motiue to perswade euery one to repent and to serue God and what comfort they bring THat Repentance remooueth Iudgements hath beene shewed Secondly repentance is also profitable for 2 It procureth blessings Threefold the procuring of blessings And those also threefold Temporall 1 Temporall Spirituall and Eternall Repentance is a meanes to procure First temporall blessings The Prophet Esay hauing exhorted to repentance and amendment of life a Isa 1. 16. 17. Wash ye make you cleane c. Annexeth this promise b Vers 19. If yee be willing and obedient ye shall eate the good of the land So Ieremie c Jer. 7 5 6. 7. If ye throughly amend your waies and your doings c then will I cause you to dwell in this place so likewise the Prophet Ioel hauing exhorted to repentance d Ioel. 2. 12. 13. therefore now saith the Lord turne ye euen to me with fasting and weeping and with mourning c. annexeth a promise of temporall blessings e Vers 19. The Lord will answere and say vnto his people behold I will send you corne and wine and oyle ye shall be satisfied therewith Secondly spirituall blessings as mercy pardon and 2 Spirituall forgiuenesse of sins the Lord by his prophet Isaiah exhorteth to repentance and vpon repentance maketh a large promise of forgiuenesse of sinnes f Isa 1. 16. 17. 18. Wash ye make you cleane put away the euill of your doings from before mine eyes cease to doe euill learne to doe well c. Come now and let vs reason together saith the Lord though your sinnes be as scarlet they shall be as white as snow though they be red like crimson they shall be as wooll Againe g Isa 55 7. Let the wicked forsake his way and the vnrighteous man his thoughts and let him returne vnto the Lord and he will haue mercie vpon him and to our God for he will abundantly pardon S. Peter in his Sermon to the Iewes hauing laid to their charge the crucifying of Christ exhorteth them to repentance with a promise of mercie and forgiuenesse h Acts 2. 38. Repent and be baptized euery one of you in the name of Iesus Christ for the remission of sinnes Againe he saith i Acts 3. 19. Repent ye therefore and be conuerted that your sinnes may be blotted out Mercie is promised to penitent sinners yea and that free mercy and forgiuenesse so promiseth the Lord by Ezekiel k Eze. 18. 21. 22 If the wicked will turne from all his sinnes that he hath committed and keepe all my statutes and doe that which is lawfull and right he shall surely liue he shall not die All his transgressions that he hath committed they shall not be mentioned vnto him And by Ieremy hee saith l Ier. 31. 34. I will forgiue their iniquitie and I will remember their sinne no more Thirdly eternall blessednesse Which eternall blessednesse 3 Eternal where of is to be considered First in regard of the excellency of the place of happinesse prepared for all those that haue repented of their 1 The excellency of the place of happinesse sinnes and are washed from their wickednesse The place of eternall happinesse is Heauen whither Christ ascended S. Marke speaking of the ascension of Christ saith m Mar. 16. 19. Hee was receiued vp into Heauen And whither Christ the head is ascended thither shall his members also ascend they shall be where he is As hee himselfe saith n Iohn 14. 2. 3. I goe to prepare a place for you And if I goe and prepare a place for you I will come againe and receiue you vnto my selfe that where I am there ye may be also Many excellent things are spoken of this heauenly place It is called a Kingdome o Mat. 25. 34. Come ye blessed of my Father inherite the kingdome prepared for you It is called the kingdome of God p 1 Cor. 69. Know ye not saith S. Paul that the vnrightous shall not inherite the kingdome of God It is called the kingdome of Heauen q Math. 7. 21. Not euery one saith our Sauiour that saith vnto me Lord Lord shall enter inthe kingdome of heauen And it is called an r 1 Pet. 1. 4. Inheritance incorruptible and vndefiled that fâ—â—deth not away reserued in heauen for vs And this place of happinesse is all glorious and beaâ—fuâ—l So S. Iohn describeth the heauenly Ierusalem the Cittie of God Å¿ Reu. 21. 18. 19. 20. 21. The building of the wall of it he saith was of Iâ—sper and the Cittie was pure gold like vnto cleaâ—e glasse And the foundations of the wall of the Cittie were gaâ—â—â—shed with all manner of precious stones c. And the twelue gates were twelue Pearles euery seuerall gate was of one â—earle and the street of the Cittie was pure goâ—â— as it were transparent
prayeth in feruencie of spirit e Dan. 9. 19. O Lord heare O Lord forgiue O Lord hearken and doe Where the doubling and trebling of their requests argueth the feruencie of their Praiers The two blind-men mentioned by S. Mathew hearing that Iesus passed by cried out saying f Mat. 20. 30. 31 Haue mercie on vs O Lord thou sonne of Dauid And when the multitude rebuked them it s said They cryed the more saying haue mercie on vs O Lord thou sonne of Dauid Thus earnestly did the woman of Canaan pray for her daughter Shee comming vnto Christ g Mat. 15. 22. cried vnto him saying haue mercie on me O Lord thou sonne of Dauid my daughter is grieuously vexed with a Deuill But he answered her not a word Then his Disciples pittying her spake vnto him in her behalfe beseeching him to helpe her and he giues a cold answere saying h Ver. 24. I am not sent but vnto the lost sheepe of the house of Israel Notwithstanding this she commeth againe and cries vnto him saying i Ver. 25. 29. 27. Lord helpe me but he answered and said It is not meete to take the childrens bread and to cast it to dogs And she replied saying truth Lord yet the dogs eate of the crummes which fall from their masters table By which it is euident that his woman was verie feruent in making her petition and verie earnest with the Lord for the obtaining of her request And although at the first the Lord did not grant her request yet at the last he did though Christ did at the first refuse to giue her of the childrens bread yet at the length k Tamâ—n dedit quia illa etiam vehementer exegit Chrys in Math. Hom. 23. he did giue her because as a Father saith shee did so earnestly craue it Elias also is an example vnto vs of praying feruently St Iames saith l Jam. 5. 17. 18. Elias was a man subiect to the likâ— passions as we are and he praied earnestly that it might not raine and it rained not on the earth by the space of three yeeres and sixe moneths And he praied againe and the heauen gaue raine and the earth brought forth her fruit Elias praied and the Lord heard his Praier But how did Elias pray he praied earnestly He m 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 prayed and prayed he praied with great feruencie Thus it is manifest by the Scriptures that feruencie is required in praying And here it is to be considered that this feruencie in praying is shewed and appeareth diuers waies Sometimes by the lifting vp of the hands as Dauid doth saying n Psal 28. 2. heare the voice of my supplications when I crie vnto thee When I lift vp my hands toward thy hâ—ly Oracle Sometimes by lifting vp of the eies and looking vp to heauen Which also Dauid vsed o Psal 5. 3. In the morning saith he will I direct my praier vnto thee and will looke vp Sometimes with smiting on the breast as did the Publicane who p Luk. 18. 13. smote vpon his breast saying God be mercifull to me a sinner Sometimes this feruencie of praier is expressed by crying a lowd as we may finde Dauid in sundrie Psalmes praying crying to the Lord in his Praier q Psal 18. 6. In my distresse saith he I called vpon the Lord and cried vnto my God So the Niniuites in their distresse fasted and praied and in their praiers r Ion. 3. 8. cryed mightily vnto God Sometimes this feruencie is shewed by teares and weeping so Christ Iesus our Sauiour in his Agonie praied with teares as witnesseth the Apostle Å¿ Heb. 5. 7. who in the daies of his flesh saâ—th he when he had offered vp prayers and supplications with strong crying and teares And sometimes a feruent praier may be made with fewer outward signes and with lesse noise euen with inward groanes and sighes without voice and words heard when the heart being deuoutâ—y affected sendeth forth requests vnto the throne of grace such was the Praier that Moses made when the Lord said vnto him t Exod. 14 15. wherefore criest thou vnto me We finde not that Moses vttered any words when he praied onely his heart prayed and that earnestly and the lowd crie of his heartie Prayer entred into the eares of the Lord. Such was the praier of deuout Hannah of whom it is said u 1. Sam. 1. 13. shee spake in her heart onely her lips mooued but her voice was not heard Hannah spake not alowd when shee praied onely her heart praied and that feruently S. Luke recordeth that a x Luk. 7. 37. 38. woman in the citie which was a sinner that notorious sinfull woman stood at Christ's feete behinde him weeping And by the ansâ—ere of our Sauiour Christ vnto her y Ver. 48. Thy sins are forgiuen it is euident that she wept for her sinnes and praied earnestly for the pardon of her sinnes yet we heare no words that she vttered onely her eies wept and her heart praied z Legâ—mus quae â—â—cit noâ— lâ—gimuâ— quae dixit Stell in Lu. We read saith one what she did but we read not what she said This dutie of praying is performed oftimes more with sighs and groanes then with words and more with weeping then with speaking Now whereas in praying it is required that we pray feruently the consideration hereof serues to stirre vp Vse our deuotion to enflame our zeale to make vs more earnest in Praier For as it hath beene shewed before in the kinds of Praier there is a luke-warme Prayer some in praying are neither hote nor cold but luke warme neither so cold in deuotion as to make no praier at all nor yet so hote in deuotion as to make an earnest Prayer But such luke wâ—rme Prayers are vneffectuall and obtaine nothing at Gods hands but the praier that obtaineth any thing of God is the effectuall feruent and earnest Prayer The feruent Prayer is such as is able to pierce the clouds neither can the stormie winds blow it away nor the thicke clouds keepe it backe nor yet the spirits in the aire hinder the passage of a feruent earnest and deuout prayer but it mounteth vp to the throne of grace and returneth not emptie of the blessings of God Whosoeuer then would obtaine mercie with the Lord and find grace to helpe in time of neede must come to the Lord by Prayer but he must not content himselfe to pray sleightily and carelesly but feruently and earnestly striuing with God by earnest Prayer as Iacob wrestled with the Angell and preuailed to whom he also said a Gen. 32. 26. I will not let thee goe except thou blesse me b Haec vis Deo grata est Chrys in Mat. Hom. 23 This forcible striuing with God by earnest Prayer is as a Father saith acceptable and well pleasing vnto God Like as a Father when his child commeth vnto him to
craue something of him delighteth to heare his childe how earnestly he calleth vpon him father good father I pray you Father and to see how he will hang vpon his Father and follow him and will giue him no rest till he haue what he desireth and though the child's importunitie be a trouble to the Father yet for the loue that he hath to his child he counts it no trouble but rather delighteth in it and in the end granteth his childe what he desired so almightie God our heauenly Father is delighted and well pleased when we come vnto him to craue any lawfull and needfull thing if we craue it earnestly crying Abba father heauenly father mercifull father and then the Lord because he is delighted in vs his children and knoweth our neede of his goodnesse and mercie will heare our prayers and grant our requests And this of feruencie in Prayer The sixt thing required in making our Prayers is Perseuerance in praier not ceasing nor fainting in praier Perseuerance or continuing in Prayer but holding out and continuing in prayer till the Lord be gracious vnto vs and heare vs and grant our requests And to this perseuerance in Praier the Scripture perswadeth vs both by testimonies and examples S. Paul exhorteth to c Coless 4. 2. continue in Prayer And to d 1. Thes 5. 17. pray without ceasing And S. Luke recordeth that Iesus e Luk. 18. 1. spake a parable to this end that men ought alwaies to pray and not to faint By which phrases of continuing in prayer praying without ceasing and not fainting in prayer the holy Ghost giueth vs to vnderstand that if we would haue the Lord to heare vs and grant our requests we must pray with perseuerance we must continue in Praier we must not waxe faint in praying neither cease praying till the Lord fauourably in mercie looke vpon vs and heare vs. And of this perseuerance in praier we haue examples in the Scriptures Dauid prayeth thus f Psal 13. 1. How long wilt thou forget me O Lord for euer How long wilt thou hide thy face from me In that Dauid saith how long wilt thou forget me O Lord for euer how long wilt thou hide thy face from me It is euident that Dauid being in trouble and distresse prayed vnto the Lord for helpe and deliuerance and that long and often before he was heard he prayed but the Lord delayed the time and deferred to helpe him yet Dauid fainted not neither waxed wearie in praying but praied still he continued in praier though it was long before the Lord heard him How we ought to perseuere and continue in praier without ceasing and not to faint in Praier our Sauiour sheweth in the parable of the widdow who had a suite to an vnrighteous Iudge crying and saying vnto him g Luk. 18. 3 4. 5. 6. 7. Auenge me of mine aduersarie And he would not for a while but afterward he said within himselfe though I feare not God nor regard man yet because this widdow troubleth me I will auenge her lest by her continuall comming she wearie me And the Lord said heare what the vniust Iudge saith and shall not God auenge his owne elect which cry day and night vnto him though he beare long with them The woman of Canaan endured three repulses yet would not be repelled nor driuen backe she had three denials but would take no deniall neither would cease following after Christ still calling vpon him and crying vnto him h Mat. 15. 25. Lord helpe me till in the end the Lord answered her graciously i Ver. 28. O woman great is thy faith he it vnto thee euen as thou wilt S. Paul in his temptation prayed with perseuerance for he saith k 2. Cor. 12. 8. for this thing I besought the Lord thrice that it might depart from me And our Sauiour Christ in his agonie praied thrice that the cup might passe from him for it s said that he l Mat. 26. 44. prayed the third time saying the same words And this perseuerance and continuing in Prayer is fitly resembled by Moses holding vp his hands when Israel fought against Amalek For it is said that m Exod. 17. 11. when Moses held vp his hand Israel preuailed and when he let downe his hand Amalek preuailed Moses holding vp his hands resembleth a deuout man praying with feruencie and earnestly making supplication vnto God and the letting downe of his hands figureth a man fainting in prayer and as it was with the Israelites when they fought against the Amalekits that so long as Moses held vp his hands they preuailed and when he let downe his hands Amalek preuailed so it is with vs in our Prayers As long as we continue in praier holding vp our hands lifting vp our hearts earnestly calling vpon the Lord for helpe we preuaile against our spirituall enemies the flesh the world and the Deuill and in the end shall haue deliuerance and shall find the Lord readie and willing to helpe vs but if we faint and waxe wearie in praying and are vnwilling to pray any longer then we are in danger to be ouercome of our enemies and then we depriue our selues of those blessings and helpes which otherwise the Lord in mercie would haue bestowed vpon vs if we had continued in Prayer The consideration of this perseuerance and continuing in Prayer serues First for instruction to teach vs to wait vpon the Lord Vse 1 for helpe and deliuerance so Dauid exhorteth saying To wait vpon the Lord for helpe and deliuerance n Psal 37. 7. Rest in the Lord and wait patiently for him And the Psalmist saith o Psal 130. 5. I wait for the Lord my soule doth wait And the Church in distresse prayeth thus p Isa 33. 2. O Lord be gracious vnto vs we haue waited for thee This is illustrated by a similitude of men-seruants and maid seruants waiting vpon their masters and mistresses q Psal 123. 2. behold as the eyes of seruants looke vnto the hand of their masters and as the eyes of a maiden vnto the hand of her mistresse so our eyes wait vpon the Lord our God vntill that he haue mercie vpon vs. Secondly this serues to reproue all such as are impatient Vse 2 in their trouble and are not content to stay the Against those who are impatient in their trouble and will not stay the Lords leasure Lords leisure and wait till the Lord haue mercie vpon them and send them deliuerance like to the Bethulians who being besieged by the enemie limited the Lord prescribing him a set time wherein to helpe them namely the space of r Iudeth 7. 30. 31. fiue dayes and if the Lord did not send them helpe within that space then they would yeeld vp the citie into the hand of the enemie But this their doing was sinfull and Iudeth reprooueth them for it saying Å¿ Iudeth 8. 14. 15. 16. 17. nay
state Secondly Prayer also auaileth greatly for the good 2 In regard of the soule And that of the soule and that both for the Remoouing of euill and Procuring of good 1 Remoouing euill As First for the remoouing of euill And first prayer is a meanes to remooue away our sinnes from vs which stand as a cloud betweene God and vs to hinder good 1 Our sinnes things from vs separating betweene God and vs and prouoking Gods wrath against vs wherefore Hezekiah being recouered from his sicknes and praising God for his deliuerance saith t Isa 38. Ver. 2. 3 And 17. thou hast in loue to my soule deliuered it from the pit of corruption for thou hast cast all my sins behind thy backe Secondly Prayer is effectuall and powerfull to helpe 2 Temptations vs against temptations and to deliuer vs from that euill one So our Sauiour teacheth vs to pray u Mat. 6. 13. lead vs not into temptation but deliuer vs from euill And so he exhorteth vs to pray x Mat. 26. 41. watch and pray that ye enter not into temptation Thirdly Prayer is powerfull to helpe vs in the euill 3 The teâ—â—our of death and iudgement and perillous times to free our soules from the danger of death and the iudgement to come that neither death shall suddenly come vpon vs nor the day of the Lord take vs vnawares Which our Sauiour sheweth vs in this exhortation y Luk. 21. 36. Watch ye therefore and pray alwayes that ye may be accompted worthie to escape all these things that shall come to passe and to stand before the Sonne of man Thus prayer auaileth for the remoouing of euill from the soule Secondly prayer auaileth much for the procuring of 2 Procuring Good As good things to the soule as first mercie pardon and forgiuenesse Dauid in his Prayer confesseth his sinne 1 Mercy pardâ—n and forgiuenesse saying z Psal 32. 5. I acknowledge my sinne vnto thee and mine iniquity haue I not hid I said I will confesse my transgressions to the Lord and it followeth thou forgauest the iniquitie of my sinne Dauid confessed his sinne and prayed for the pardon of his sinne and the Lord heard his Prayer and pardoned his sinne So S. Iames saith a Iam. 5. 15. the prayer of faith shall saue the sicke and the Lord shall raise him vp and if he haue committed sinnes they shall be forgiuen him Secondly Prayer is a meanes to obtaine all graces necessarily 2 All graces necessarie for our saluation accompanying saluation For b Iam. 1. 17. euery good gift and euery perfect gift is from aboue and commeth down from the Father of lights Our Sauiour Christ saith c Mat 7. 7. Aske and it shall be giuen you and S. Iames saith d Iam. 1. 5. If any of you lacke wisedome let him aske of God that giueth to all men liberally and vpbraideth not and it shall be giuen him Thirdly Prayer is effectuall not onely for the obtaining 3 Increase of Grace of grace but likewise for the increase of grace the Apostles pray e Luk. 17. 5. Lord increase our Faith And S. Paul prayeth for the Ephesians that God would f Ephe. 3. 16. 17. 18. 19. grant them according to the riches of his glory to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man that Christ might dwell in their hearts by faith that being rooted and grounded in loue they might be able to comprehend with all Saints what is the breadth and length and depth and height and to know the loue of Christ Which passeth knowledge that they might be filled with all the fullnessâ— of God And they that are strengthened by the Spirit in the inner man hauing Christ dwelling in their hearts by faith and are growing and increasing in grace in this life shall assuredly attaine to glorie in the life to come Prayer then as it remooueth euill â—o it procureth good to the soule mercie grace yea increase of grace and with grace glorie the perfection of Grace Such is the efficacie of Prayer The consideration of which efficacie and power of Vse Prayer may teach vs in all our necessities and tribulations To vse prayer in time of need as a sure defence to flee vnto God by Prayer to lay hold on prayer as a man would on his shield and buckler For prayer is a most sure defence in all troubles whatsoeuer It is a defence against tribulations outward and temptations inward It helpes the bodie and cures the soule it preuaileth both in heauen and in earth concerning which the exhortation of the Apostle S. Paul is to be receiued and embraced g Ephe. 6. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. take vnto you saith he the whole armour of God that ye may be able to withstand in the euill day and hauing done all to stand Stand therefore hauing your loynes girt about with truth and hauing on the breast-plate of righteousnesse and your feete shod with the preparation of the Gospell of peace Aboue all taking the shield of faith wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fierie darts of the wicked and take the helmet of saluation the sword of the Spirit which is the word of God Praying alwayes with all Prayer and supplication in the Spirit A Christian that is thus armed hauing the girdle of truth about his loynes hauing on the breast-plate of righteousnesse and his feete shod with the preparation of the Gospell of peace hauing the shield of faith before him the helmet of saluation vpon his head hauing the sword of the Spirit which is the word of God and being prepared to pray with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit Such a one is able to stand against the aduersarie the Deuill and all spirituall wickednesse and such a one shall preuaile against his spirituall enemies yea such a one shall preuaile with God himselfe for any petition that he shall make so farre as it shall be good for him For the effectuall feruent Prayer of a righteous man auaileth much CHAP. XVIII Of the helpes and furtherances of Prayer Of the first helpe the Spirit of God THe ninth thing in the Treatise of Prayer is of 9 The helps and furtherances of Prayer Three the helpes and furtherances of Prayer and they are three The first is Gods holy Spirit of which Saint Paul saith a Rom. 8. 26. 27. Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities 1 Gods holy Spirit And for we know not what we should pray for as we ought but the Spirit it selfe maketh intercession for vs with groanings which cannot be vttered And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit because he maketh intercession for the Saints according to the will of God For this cause the Spirit of God is called the spirit of supplications by the Prophet Zacharie b Zach. 12. 10. The holy spirit
soules Consider with your selues that y 2 Sam. 12. 16. Dauid a King fasted mourned when his child was sicke and lay all night vpon the earth that z Esth 4. 4. 16. Esther a Queene fasted and did neither eat nor drinke three daies night nor day and that a Luk. 2 36. 37. Anna a woman of great age serued God with fastings and praiers night and day But where is our fasting or where shall we finde one of an hundred fasting truly after the right manner and to the â—ight ends that can say with S. Paul I haue bene b 2. Cor. 11. 27. Infastings often or can say with Dauid c Psal 109. 24. My knees are weake through fasting and my flesh faileth of fatnesse Some hope to excuse themselues from fasting saying each one for himselfe though I cannot fast yet I can pray but tell me not of thy deuotion in praying except thou canst also tell me of thy daily abstinence and of some time set a part for the taming of thy rebellious flesh and bringing vnder thy bodie by fasting for fasting is as hath bene declared a great helpe and furtherance to prayer and therefore where abstinence is not vsed and fasting neglected there doubtlesse praier either is not or is verie weake cold and formall And this of Fasting as it is a help and furtherance to praier CHAP. XX. Of the Third help and further ance of prayer Diuine Meditations GOdly Meditations are a third help and furtherance to our praiers which I will make manifest 3 Diâ—ine Meditations considered two waies First in generall Secondly by a particular enumeration of sundry profitable meditations For the First All godly meditations are a helpe and 1 Generally furtherance to our praiers as appeareth by the words of the prophet Dauid saying a Psal 39. 3. 4. My heart was hot within me while I was musing the fire burned then spake I with my tongue Lord make me to know mine end c. and againe he saith b Psal 77. 1. I cried vnto God with my voice euen vnto God with my voice he gaue eare vnto me But before he called cried vnto the Lord he declareth what thoughts meditations he had he c Ver. 3. remeÌ„bred God he could not sleepe for thinking vpon God he d Vers 6. 7 8 9. Communed with his owne heart his spirit made diligent search wil the Lord cast off for euer wil he be fauourable no more c. To this agreeth the saying of the sonne of Syrach e Ecclus. 39. 1. He that giueth his mind to the law of the most high and is occupied in the meditations thereof will seeke out the wisdome of all the ancient c. and it followeth f Vers 5. He will giue his heart to resort early to the Lord that made him and will pray before the most high and will open his mouth in prayer and make supplication for his sinnes Thus holy and diuine meditations generally considered are a helpe and furtherance to our praiers Secondly that diuine meditations are a great help 2 Particularly Twofold furtherance to dâ—uout praier I will manifest by the particular enumeration of sundry diuine meditations which I reduce to these two heads Godly meditations concerne either God or Ourselues 1 Concerning God Threefold Those that concerne God are of three sorts The first concerne his nature or Attributes The second his word The third his workes Touching the First The consideration of the attributes 1 Concerning the Attributes of God as of God may stirre vs vp to Inuocation either to pray to God or to praise God as First when we thinke vpon the eternitie and immortalitie of God the consideration of this that God is eternall 1 Eterniue of God and immortall that he is euerlasting without beginning and without ending may raise our thoughts to thinke on the life euerlasting which the eternall and euer-liuing God hath prepared for his elect and then to pray that we may liue eternally with God in his eternall and euerlasting kingdome Secondly when we meditate on the power of God 2 Power of God consider that he made the world of nothing and that he doth what soeuer it pleaseth him both in heauen and earth this should teach vs to pray that we may depend vpon Gods prouidence for the things of this present life because God is al sufficient to pray that in time of trouble we may waite vpon God for deliuerance because he is a God of might and power able to doe all things yea and to pray that we may feare that powerfull God to seeke to please him and to glorifie him both in our bodies and in our solues because he is g Mat. 10. 28. able to destroy both soule and bodie in hell Thirdly when we meditate on the iustice of God and 3 Iustice of God consider how iust the Lord is in all his waies that he is a iust God hating sinne and iniquitie and punishing the transgressors h Exod. 34 7. That will by no meanes cleare the guilty i Nahum 1. 3. And will not at all acquit the wicked the consideration hereof should mooue vs to pray that we may alwaies k Psal 4. 4. Stand in awe of his maiesty and not sinne against him lest we prouoke his wrath and indignation against vs. Fourthly when we thinke on the mercy of God and 4 Mercie of God consider with our selues that God is l Ioel. 2. 13. Gracious and mercifull this meditation should moue vs to pray that the Lord would be gracious and mercifull vnto vs that he would shew mercie vpon vs and pardon our sinnes as Dauid prayeth m Psal 51. 1. Haue mercy vpon me ô God according to thy louing kindnesse according to the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions Fiftly when we thinke on the patience long suffering 5 Patience of God and forbearance of God considering how long we haue liued in our sinnes how often we haue done wickedly and still the Lord hath shewed his patience and long suffering and waiting for our repentance hath forborne to cut vs off in our sinnes then we should pray that this n Rom. 2. 4. Goodnesse of God in forbearing vs might be a meanes to lead vs to repentance Sixtly when we thinke on the wisedome of God and consider how wisely the Lord hath made all things and 6 Wisdome of God how prudently he ruleth and gouerneth the world this meditation should bring vs into admiration of the Lords wisedome and cause vs to lift vp our hearts on high praising the Lord and saying with Dauid o Psa 104. 24. O Lord how manifold are thy workes in wisdome hast thou made them all Thus the deuour soule may be carried aloft in heauenly meditations concerning these and the rest of the Attributes of God and in all he may be stirred vp
What knowledge of sin is required where consider that the knowledge of sin is two-fold 1. Generall p. 161. 2 Particular two-fold To know our sinnes 1. Which they are ibid. 2 What manner of ones they are known by their 1. Cause pag. 162. 2. Effects two 1. Shame ibid. 2. Death p. 163 3. Adiuncts three 1. Foule ibid. 2. Great ibid. 3. Many ibid. 2. How a sinner may come to the knowledge of his sinnes namely by the Law p. 164. Vse 1. To know our selues p. 164. which is necessary 1. For our humiliation p. 166. 2. To cause vs to seeke to the Lord for grace and mercie ibid. Vse 2. Against those who haue no sence or feeling of sinne ibid. 2. Godly sorrow chap. 5. Where is shewed that sorrow for sin is two-fold 1. Legall pag. 169. 2. Euangelicall ibid. two fold 1. Contrition Or Inward sorrow for sinne Wherein 4 things 1. What it is p. 170. 2. How it is wrought two waies by 1 The Spirit of God ibid. 2. Preaching Christ crucified p. 171. 3. Signes thereof sâ—â—â—â— 1. Carefulnesse p. 173. 2. Clearing our selues ibid. 3. Indignation ib. 4. Feare ibid. 5. Desire ibid. 6. Zeale p. 174. 7. Reuenge ibid. 4. Motiues thereunto foure 1. God requireth it p. 175. 2. All penitent sinners haue had it ibid. 3. It s necessary for 1. Except the heart be rent sinne still remaineth in the heart p. 176. 2. Ezcept wee breake our hearts for our sinnes God will breake vs in his wrath ibid. 4. It s profitable for 1. It is a sacrifice to God ibid. 2. Godly sorrow hurteth not ibid. 3. Sorrowing for sinne in this life will keepe vs from sorrowing in the life to come p. 177. Vse Against those who breake their heart with worldly sorrow but haue little sorrow of heart for their sinnes ibid. 2. Outward sorrow for sin Chap. 6. And therein two things 1. How a penitent sinner may rightly mourn for his sinnes wherein foure things 1. For whom p. 179. 2. For what ibid. 3. The time when p. 180. 4. The measure of mourning for sinne And therin these Rules are to be obserued 1. Sorrow for sinne must bee greater then for any worldly want or losse For 1. Sinne is the cause of all euill pag. 180. 2. A man may be saued without riches but not without Repentance ibid. 3. The soule once lost cannot bâ— recâ—uered pag. 181. 2. For great sinnes we must haue great sorrow ibid. 3. There must be a moderation in mourning for sinne ibid. 2. Motiues to perswâ—de to mourning and weeping for sinne 4. 1. God requireth it ibid. 2. Penitent sinners haue wept and mourned for their sinnes pag. 182. 3. It s necessarie 1. In regard of our sinnes which were the cause of Crucifying Christ ibid. 2. Our eyes conâ—ay much euill to the heart pag. 183. 3. Sinne is the cause of miserie ibid. 4. Either now wee must mourne and weepe or we shall hereafter ibid. 4. It s profitable For 1. Mourning and weeping for sinne is a meanes to obtaine mercy ibid. 2. Mourning and weeping for sinne is a meanes to pacifie Gods anger pag. 184. 3. Teares shed for sinne are pleasing to God and delightfull to the Angels ibid. 4. They that mourne shall be comforted ibid. Vse Against those who mourne and weepe greatly for outward crosses but vâ—rie little for their sinnes pag. 185. 3. Confession of sinne Chap. 7. two-fold 1. Publique two-fold 1. Of the whole Congregation pag. 187. 2. Of any one that hath offended the Congregation ibid. 2. Priuate two-fold 1. To Man In two respects 1. For satisfaction ib. 2. For consolation pag. 188. 2. To God and therein 4. things 1. What it is ibid. 2. The kinds of it two-fold 1. Generall ibid. 2. Particular pag. 189. 3. The manner of making confession aright And therein sixe things 1. That it be with premeditation pag. 189. 2. That it be in truth ibid. 3. That it be accusing not excusing pag. 190. 4. That it be a confession of sinne and iniquitie ibid. 5. That it be a confession of our owne sinnes ibid. 6. That our confession be made vnto God ibid. 4. Motiues to Confesse our sinnes vnto God 2. 1. It s necessarie For 1. God is principally offended by our sinnes pag. 191. 2. Without confession we can haue no remission ibid. 3. If we doe not confesse our sinnes vnto God yet God seeth and knoweth them pag. 192. 2. It s profitable For 1. By confession we obtaine remission pag. 193. 2. Confession of sinnes is a meanes to turne away Gods wrath ibid. 3. By confession the soule is eased and the conscience pacified ibid. Vse To reproue 1. Those who will not confesse but hide and couer their sinnes Which is 1. Foolish pag. 194. 2. Dangerous pag. 195. 2. Those that excuse their sinnes ibid. 3. Those that defend their sinnes pag. 196. 4. Forsâ—kinâ— of sinne Chap 8. therein two things 1. What things are required â—o the forsaking of sin Three 1. That we forsake all and euery sinnâ— pag. 197. 2. That we forsake the occasions of euill with the prouocations therunto p. 198. 3. That we forsake sinne with the adherents pag. 199. 2. Motiues tâ— perswade thereunto Three 1. The Scripture pag. 200. 2. The Necessâ—â—y therof Two-fold 1. It puts a difference betweene true and false Repentance pag. 201. 2. Except wee forsake our sinnes nothing that we doe can please God pag 202. 3. The benefit there of Twofold 1. To a mans temporall state Prosperitie ibid. 2. To his spirituall state 1. Mercie pag 203. â— No more remembrance of sinne ibid. Vse To reproue 1. Those that continue in sinne Which continuance in sinne is dâ—ngâ—rous For 1. Continuance in sinne ouerburdeneth the soule pag. 203. 2. The soule groweth worse thereby ibid. 3. They that continue still in sin shall be seuerely punished pag. 204. 2. Those who leaue some sinnes but will not forsake all pag. 205. 3. Those who will not make restitution of their euill gotten goods pag. 206. 4. Those who leaue sinne for a season and afterwards fall to their sinnes againe pag. 207. 5. Reformation of life chap. 9. Therin three things 1. Meanes whereby a sinner may come to amendment of life two 1. working of the Holy Spirit pag. 208. 2. The Word of God p. 209. 2. After what manner Amendment of life is wrought in a sinner wherein three things 1. There must bee an vtter forsaking of our old conuersation ibid. 2. It must bee in the whole man ibid. 3. It must haue it beginning within p. 210. 3. Motiues to perswade to Amendment of life three 1. God requireth it ibid. 2. The Necessity therof is great For 1. By nature wee are in a corrupt state p. 212. 2. Except we be renued reformed we cannot see the Kingdome of God ibid. 3. A sinner that will not be reformed doth cast away his soule p. 213. 3. The Benefit thereof threefold 1. Outward prosperity ibid. 2. Spirituall happinesse p. 214. 3.
Eternall glorie ibid. Vse 1. To trie our selues whether wee bee come to Amendmenâ— of life pag. 214. Vse 2. Against those who onely câ—ase from some euill but doe no good pag. 216. 6. Perseuerance in grace Or Continuance in well-doing to the end chap. 10. Therein two things 1. That a Christian may perseuere and continue to the end For 1. A good and sound Christian shall not be mooued p. 218 2. God that hath giuen grace will finish it ibid 3. They that are iustified shall bee glorified ibid. 4. The Elect are reserued vnto saluation in Heauen ibid. 2. Motiues to perswade to perseuerance foure 1. God requireth it p. 219. 2. Holy men haue continued in their goodnesse vnto the end ibid. 3. The necessitie thereof two-fold 1. All that begin well doe not end well p. 219. 2. Except wee continue to the end we cannot obtaine the crowne of life p. 220. 4. The Benefit thereof four-fold 1. Saluation ibid. 2. A Kingdome ibid. 3. A Crowne ibid. 4. Eternall life ibid. Vse Against those who fall backe from grace and goodnesse p. 221. 4. The time of Repentance Chap. 11. three-fold 1. The time of this present life p. 223. Vse Against Purgatorie ibid. 2. The time of grace p. 224. Vse Not to harden our hearts against the voice of the Lord calling vs to repentance ibid. 3. The time present p. 225. Vse Against those that deferre their Repentance pag. 226. And they that defer their Repentance doe foolishly For 1. Thereby a sinner longer continueth in his sinnes pag. 226. 2. No man is certaine of the time to come p. 227. 3. Hee that deferreth his repentance till olde age is then vnfit to repent ibid. 4. No man is sure that hee shall haue grace to repent heereafter p. 228 5. He that hath serued sin all his life time knoweth not whether God will accept his seruice in his old age p. 229. 5. Impediments which hinder sinners from Repentance chap. 12. And they are foure 1. Doing euill and escaping pag. 231. two-fold 1. In their owne experience pag. 231. 2. In the example of others pag. 233. Vse Against those that doe euill and thinke alwayes to goe vnpunished ibid. 2. Presuming on Gods mercy cha 13. Where consider two things 1. That God is onely mercifull to penitent sinners p. 234. 2. As God is mercifull so hee is also iust pag. 235. Vse Against those that presume on Gods mercy ibid. 3. Custome in sinning Chap. 14. Vse Not to accustome our selues to any sinne p. 237. 4. Hope of long life chap. 15. Vse Not to deferre our Repentance vpon hope to liue long p. 239. 6. Motiues and perswasions to Repentance Chap. 16. And they are foure 1. Testimonies of Scripture p. 240. 2. Examples of penitent sinners ibid. Vse To reprooue Those who are willing to imitate the Saints in their sinnes but not in their repentance p. 241. 3. The necessity of Repentance cha 17. In regard of 1. The Benefits of God p. 243. Vse Gods benefits should worke in vs repentance and binde vs to obedience p. 244. 2. The patience and long suffering of God chap. 18. Vse Against those who abuse the patience of God p. 246. 3. The shortnesse of mans life Chap. 19. pag. 248. Vse Against those who spend the short time of their life ill pag. 250. 4. The certainty of death ibid. 5. The vncertainty of the day and houre of death p. 251. Vse To prepare for the day of death ibid. 6. The certainty of the Iudgement to come chap. 20. pag. 252. Vse To cast our account and to make our reckoning afore-hand pag. 254. 7. The vncertainty of the day of Iudgement ibid. Vse Against those who thinke that Christ will still deferre his comming to Iudgement pag. 255. 8. The punishment of impenitent sinners Chap. 21. three-fold 1. Temporall three-fold in 1. Body pag 258. 2. Goods pag. 259. 3. Both. ibid. Vse To cease to doe euill that it may bee well with vs and ours p 260. 2. Spirituall ibid. Vse To pray that God would soften our hard hearts pag. 261. 3. Eternall chap. 22. Where two things 1. The place two-fold 1. From whence the wicked shall bee excluded p. 262. 2. Whither the wicked shall bee cast pag. â—65 2. The greatnesse grieuousnesse of the punishment of the wicked in Hell Where their torment shal be 1. Vniuersall ibid. 2. Easelesse p. 264 3. Hoâ—elesse ibid. 4. Remedilesse p. 265. 5. Endlesse For 1. Hell-fire can neuer be quenched ibid. 2. After the Resurrection the bodie shall bee incorruptible ibid. Vse 1. Against those who liue so as if there were no Hell pag. 266. Vse 2. To feare God ibid. 4. The Benefit of Repentance chap. 23. two-fold 1. It remooueth iudgements three-fold 1. Temporall p. 268. 2. Spirituall ibid. 3. Eternall pag. 269. Vse That wee may escape the iudgement of God wee must repent of our sinnes ibid. 2. It procureth blessings chap. 24. three-fold 1. Temporall pag. 271. 2. Spirituall ibid. 3. Eternal where of 1. The excellency of the place of happinesse p. 272. 2. The greatnes of their happines For 1. They shall bee partakers of glory p. 273. 2. They shall see God in his glory p. 274. 3. They shall bee with Christ ib. 4. They shal haue blessed company ibid. 5. They shal haue eternall felicity p. 275. 6. They shall haue no euill nor want any good thing pag. 275. Vse 1. To repent of our sinnes and amend our waies if we would bee either happy on earth or blessed in Heauen pag. 276. Vse 2. Consolation to the righteous which are afflicted in this life pag. 277. THE ANALYSIS OF THE THIRD BOOKE Of the way to the Celestiall Paradise Concerning Prayer THE third booke consisteth of 2. parts 1. The Preface containing two things 1. The order of the Treatise Chap. 1. pag. 279. 2. The partition thereof pag. 280. 2. The subiect matter wherin tenne things are to be considered 1. What Prayer is Chap. 2. p. 281. 2. The diuers sorts and kinds of Prayer threefold in regard of 1. The matter of prayer fourefold 1. Supplications pag. 282. 2. Prayers ibid. 3. Intercessions ib. 4. Thankesgiuings pag. 283. 2. The affection of him that prayeth prayer is fourefold 1. Fearefull ib. 2. Luke-warme ibid. 3. Rash ibid. 4. Feruent ibid. 3. The place of prayer two-fold 1. Publique ibid. 2. Priuate two-fold in the 1. House p. 284. 2. Chamber or secret place i. 3. The persons who prayer doth concerne chap. 3. and they are 3. 1. The persons praying therin two things 1. All are bound to pray without exception pag. 248. 2. Wee our selues must please God before our prayers can bee acceptable to God To which 2 things are required 1. Faith p. 285. 2. Repentance For Sin not repented of hindreth Prayer and that 2 wayes 1. In generall ibid. 2. In particular as 1. Idolatry pag. 286. 2. Cruelty and vnmercifulnes ibid. 3. Wrath. ibid. 4. Vaine-glory ibid. 5. Hypocrisie p. 287. 6. Want of pitie
9. 10. Paul perceiuing that he had Faith to be healed sayd with a loud voyce Stand vpright on thy feet Fiftly the vertue and power of doing miracles and working wonders of which is that saying of S. Paul to the Corinthians h 1 Cor. 13 2. though I haue all Faith so that I could remooue mountaines Faith to remooue mountaines is a miraculous and wonderfull Faith Sixtly the bare knowledge of God and his Word with a generail assent to the Word of God that it is true and no more So vsed by S. Iâ—mes i Iam. 2. 19. Thou beleeuest that there is one God thou doest well the Deuils also beleeue and tremble Seuenthly a beleefe in God with an assent vnto his word and promise and that with ioy for a time So it is taken in the Parable of the seede k Luke 8. 13. They on the rocke or stones are they which when â—hey heare receiue the Word with ioy and those haue no root which for a while beleeue and in time of temptation fall away Lastly a perswasion of the mercy of God through Christ with a particular application of the promises of God made vnto vs in his Word So vsed by S. Paul to the Galatians l Gal. 2. 16. Knowing that a man is not iustified by the workes of the Law but by the faith of Iesus Christ euen wee haue beleeued in Iesus Christ that we might be iustified by the Faith of Christ not by the works of the Law And in this last signification is Faith to be vnderstood in this Treatise following For I entreat of that Faith by which a sinner is iustified from his sins may be saued and come to life euerlasting These diuerse significations of Faith are necessary to be knowne for the vnderstanding of the sence and meaning of those places in holy Scripture which mention Faith that we doe not mis-interpret the Scriptures nor alter the sence of the place by mistaking the signification of Faith CHAP. V. Of the diuerse sorts and kindes of Faith shewing also which is the true Faith HAuing shewed the diuerse significations of Faith In the second place I am to shew the 2 The diuerse sorts and kinds of Faith diuerse sorts and kindes of Faith and which is the true Faith First Faith in regard of the circumstance of time is 1 In regard of the time Two-fold two-fold The one is the Faith of the Fathers that liued before Christ The other the faith of vs who liue since Christ was made manifest in the flesh And although it bee true that in regard of the verity and truth of Faith 1 Of the Fathers before Christ the Faith of the Fathers that liued before Christ and the faith of vs who liue in the time of the Gospell bee one 2 Of vs who liue after Christs comming in the flesh and the same yet it is distinguished in regard of the times for they liued before the incarnation of Christ we after the manifestation of Christ in the flesh They beleeued in Christ that was to come we in Christ who is already come They saw the promises a Heb. 11. 13. a farre off and were perswaded of them and embraced them as Christ our Sauiour saith of Abraham b Ioh. 1. 56. Your father Abraham reioyced to see my day and hee saw it and was glad But wee blessed bee God haue the accomplishment of Christs comming The same faith as c Tho. Aquin. 12 â— q. 103. ar 4. one saith is signified in diuers words and in a diuerse manner of speaking of vs and them for they say Behold a virgine shall conceiue and beare a sonne which is spoken of the future time but we expresse the same faith in Christ by words of the time 2 In regard of the effect Two-fold past A virgine hath conceiued and hath borne a sonne Secondly Faith in regard of the effect the operation and working of it is two-fold for faith is either fruitfull in workes or vnfruitfull when it is fruitfull in good 1 Fruitfull workes working by loue then it is also a liuing faith otherwise it is but a dead faith Which difference Saint 2. Vnfruitfull Iames maketh d Jem 2. 17. Faith if it hath not workes is dead being alone Againe hee saith e Verse 26. as the body without the spirit is dead so faith without workes is dead also And this fruitlesse faith is but an vnprofitable faith as the same Apostle witnesseth saying f Verse 14. What doth it profit my brethren though a man say hee hath faith and haue not workes can faith saue him Nay surely that faith is but a vaine faith a false and fained faith but true faith is g 1 Tim. 1. 5. vnfained and that faith is commended by S. Paul h Gal. 5 6. which worketh by loue Thirdly Faith in regard of the quantity is two-fold 3 In regard of the quantity Two fold for there is a little faith and a great faith a weake faith and a strong faith When the Disciples were afraid in the ship by reason of the tempest and cryed vnto Christ saying Lord saue vs we perish he saith vnto them i Matth. 8. 26. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 why 1 Little Faith are yee fearefull ô yee of little faith in the same chapter commending the faith of the Centurion he saith k Verse 10. I haue not found so great faith no not in Israel Heere is mention both of a little faith and also of a great faith There is also a weake faith and a strong faith Some haue but a weake faith and yet their weake faith may be a true faith As in the father of the childe that was possessed who cryed out with teares l Mar. 9. 24. Lord I beleeue help thou mine vnbeleefe Lord I beleeue but my faith is weake Lord strengthen my faith And as there is a weake faith so 2 Great saith there is also a strong faith such was the faith of Abraham of whom it is said that hee m Rom. 4. 19. â—0 was not weake in faith but was strong in faith And if this strong faith grow to full strength then it is called n 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 full perswasion and full assurance of Faith in the promises of God As it is sayd of Abraham o 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Verse 21. being fully perswaded that what he that is God had promised he was able also to performe Fourthly Faith in regard of the subiect persons in whom it is is foure-fold 4 In regard of the subiect persons Foure-fold For first some doe beleeue that there is a God and doe acknowledge the Word of God and euery thing contained therein to bee true but yet doe not by faith apply the grace and mercy of God promised in the Gospell 1 Historicall faith Parae explic catech Vrs par 2. q. 21. Pola Synt. t. 2. i. 9.
c. 6. to them that beleeue This is called an historicall faith For they that haue this faith doe acknowledge the History of the Bible and all things contained therin to be true by this faith they acknowledge that what God hath done is true and what he hath sayd and promised shall surely come to passe they haue a generall knowledge they haue their vnderstanding inlightned with knowledge but not with renewing grace nor sauing knowledge this bare knowledge alone may bee in Reprobates and wicked men yea in the Deuils In wicked men for it is sayd of Simon that p Acts 8. 13. hee beleeued Did he beleeue what faith had hee was it a true faith No his faith was but a generall knowledge with an assent to the things which hee heard the Apostles preach that they were true but they wanted the true sauing faith as appeares by Peters sharp rebuking of him for that his q Verse 21 23. heart was not right in the sight of God but was still in the gall of bitternesse and in the bond of iniquity yea this generall faith is in Deuils as S. Iames witnesseth r Jam. 2. 19. thou beleeuest that there is one God thou doest well the Deuils also beleeue and tremble That is the Deuils haue a generall knowledge of the Word of God and the things contained therein and beleeue that whatsoeuer is written in the Word of God is true they beleeue according to the Scriptures that God is a iust God and will punish sinners yea they know and beleeue that God hath prepared Hell for the tormenting not onely of wicked and vngodly men but for the euerlasting tormenting of the Deuill and his Angels this they beleeue and beleeuing tremble but they want the true faith to apprehend the mercy of God in Christ Iesus Wherefore one saith of the faith of Deuils that it is Å¿ Fides in Daemonibus coacta Tho. 1. q. 64. ar 2. not voluntary but forcibly drawne from them Secondly some haue not onely a knowledge of the 2 Temporary faith Word and doctrine deliuered in the Scriptures but do giue their assent thereunto by open profession of the Gospell and that with ioy and delight but it is onely Parae explic catech Vrsin for a time and in time of trouble and temptation their faith failes and they go away and fall backe from their faith and profession This is called a Temporary faith because it is but temporary it is not permanent it continueth not These are resembled by the stony ground vpon which the seed of Gods Word falleth and they receiue it with ioy yet haue no root in themselues and therfore t Matth. 13. 10 21. dure but for a while for when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the Word by and by they are offended as our Sauiour speakes in the Parable of the seede And as S. Luke hath it u Luk. 8. 13. for a while they beleeue and in time of temptation fall away Thirdly some haue had power giuen them from aboue 3 Miraculous faith to doe wonders and worke miracles and that by the gift of Faith which faith was a speciall gift of God either to doe some strange and extraordinary worke Parae which could not be done by ordinary meanes or else a gift of fore-telling things to come by diuine reuelation By this faith Peter restored the x Acts 3. 9 7. lame to his limbs And raised y Acts 9. 40. Tabitha from death to life And by this faith Paul healed the man that had beene z Acts 14. 8 9 10. a Cripple from his mothers wombe But this faith alone though it bee great in power and mighty in working doth not iustifie a sinner nor saue a soule and therefore wee finde that wicked men and such as haue not had true sauing faith haue had power to doe miracles and to worke wonders It is held that Iudas wrought miracles as did also the rest Pola Synt. t. 2. l. 9. c. 6. of the Apostles for Christ gaue this power to the a Matth. 10. 1. twelue Disciples and yet Iudas was a Deuill and so Christ calls him b Ioh. 6. 70 71. Haue not I chosen you twelue and one of you is a Deuill he spake of Iudas Iscariot Our Sauiour hath told vs that very Hypocrites and wicked men may doe wonders and will glory in the same and plead for themselues at that great day what wonderfull things they haue done c Mat. 7. 22 23. Many will say to me saith Christ in that day Lord Lord haue we not prophesied in thy name and in thy name haue cast out Deuils and in thy name done many wonderfull workes and then I will professe vnto them I neuer knew you depart from mee yee that worke iniquity And S. Paul speaking of Antichrist saith that d 2 Thess 2. 9. his comming is after the working of Satan with all power and signes and lying wonders Fourthly some haue faith whereby they doe not 4 Iustifying faith onely beleeue the Word of God to be true and giue assent thereunto with ioy for a time but the Spirit of God worketh such grace in their hearts that they doe apprehend Christ Iesus for their Iustification and are perswaded of the mercy of God in Christ for the remission of their sinnes and saluation of their soules and in this faith they continue to the end these haue a true iustifying and sauing faith Of this faith and the nature of it more is to be spoken in the next place where I come to shew what the true faith is CHAP. VI. Shewing that there is but one true sauing Faith and what it is with the titles giuen vnto it and the properties belongging thereunto THe diuerse sorts and kinds of Faith being made 3 There is but one true faith knowen the order of the Treatise requires that in the third place I make it manifest that notwithstanding there bee diuerse kindes of faith yet there is but one true faith For concerning Faith we are to consider two things the one is touching the things about which faith is conuersant which is the obiect of faith the other is concerning the subiect persons in whom faith is Faith is as hath beene shewed diuersly in diuerse men some haue a great and some a little faith some haue a strong and some a weake faith some haue an effectuall working faith a liuing faith and some haue but an vnfruitfull faith a dead faith some haue a fained and some an vnfained faith some haue but an historicall some a temporary and some a true iustifying and sauing faith In regard of men therfore faith is diuerse but inasmuch as the a Cum obiectum fidei sit prima veritas fides necessario vna Tho 22 a. q. 4. ar 6. obiect of faith is as one saith the first truth because faith is conuersant about the Truth and that there is but one Truth from
hence it is that there is but one true faith by which wee can be saued This is verified by that saying of the Apostle to the Ephesians b Ephes 4. 5. one Lord one Faith one Baptisme And this one true sauing faith is thus defined True sauing faith is a gift of God whereby we apprehend What true sauing faith is Christ and his merits for our iustification and eternall saluation Or more largely thus True sauing faith is a gift of God wrought in the heart by the Spirit of God whereby we doe not onely assent to the Word of God which we know and vnderstand that it is true but also being perswaded of the mercy of God in Christ doe apprehend Christ and apply vnâ—o our selues the promises of the Gospell for remission of sins and euerlasting life through the merits of Christ This is the true Titles giuen to true sauing faith faith which for the excellency of it is called by S. Peter c 2 Pet. 1. 1. precious Faith It is called also sauing Faith because through it a sinner is saued d Ephes 2. 8. by grace faith the Apostle you are saued through Faith It is also called iustifying Faith because that by this faith we are iustified from our sinnes and accepted as righteous in the sight of God Thus S. Paul speakes to the Romanes e Rom. 5. 1. being iustified by Faith And lastly it is called f Tit. 1. 1. the Faith of Gods Elect because it is proper to the Elect. And in this true sauing faith there are three things Three things properly belonging to true sauing faith Pola Synt. t. 2. l. 9. c. 6. necessarily required which doe fully containe the nature and declare the properties thereof The first is a knowledge of the word of God and the promises of the Gospell The second is an assent thereunto The third is a perswasion of obtaining grace and mercy promised Touching the first To true sauing faith there is necessarily 1 Knowledge of the Word of God required a knowledge of the word of God necessary it is to know God and his sonne Christ Iesus whom he hath sent necessary it is to know and vnderstand the Articles of faith in a word necessary it is for euery one that will be saued to know all things necessary to his saluation g Rom. 10. 17. Faith commeth by hearing and hearing by the Word of God as saith the Apostle Now then if a man know not the Word of God how shall he beleeue to saluation Secondly in true faith there is required an assent vnto 2 An assent vnto the Word of God the Word of God that is to euery word of God in generall and in particular to the promises of the Gospell made to them that beleeue because it is sayd h Marc. 1. 15. Beleeue the Gospell And this assent to the word of God and promises of the Gospell is to be yeelded of vs not in respect of any euident reason that we see to cause vs to assent thereunto but in regard of the authority of God whose word it is for faith is not grounded vpon reason neither is it exercised about things visible to the eye of man but about things inuisible for faith as the Apostle saith is the i Heb. 11. 1. substance of things hoped for the euidence of things not seene And therefore whatsoeuer is written in the whole Word of God we are to giue assent thereunto and to beleeue it for a certaine truth because it is the Word of God though we see no reason to perswade vs thereunto Thirdly in true saith there is required a perswasion 3 A perswasion of the mercy of God of the mercy of God in Christ for the remission of sins and euerlasting saluation through the merits of Christ with a particular application of the same whereby the true beleeuer is perswaded that the promises of God made in the Gospell to them that beleeue doe aswell belong vnto him as vnto others and assuredly beleeueth that through the merits of Christ he himselfe shall be saued Of which particular faith Paul speakes thus to the Galatians k Gal. 2. 20. I am crucified with Christ neuerthelesse I liue yet not I but Christ liueth in mee and the life which I now liue in the flesh I liue by the faith of the Sonne of God who loued me and gaue himselfe for me In that he speakes of his faith in the Sonne of God and saith that God loued him and gaue himselfe for him hee speakes of a particular faith applying Christ vnto himselfe These are the properties of true sauing faith which being duely considered may serue First for confutation of that Romish implicite faith Vse 1 which stands in a bare assent to the Word of God and Against implicite faith the articles of faith in generall without a particular distinct knowledge of what is beleeued beleeuing according to that which the Church beleeueth Thus the Church of Rome leads the poore people in blindnesse perswading them that it is sufficient for them to assent to the faith of the Church whatsoeuer it be and to beleeue as their Pastors beleeue though they vnderstand not what they beleeue Yea Bellarmine himselfe a Cardinall of Rome doubteth not to say that iustifying faith is l Neque fiducia in Deo per Christum neque vera aliqua rerum diuinarum notitia sed simplex sâ—â— merus generalis verbi diuini assentus Bellar. de Iustis neither any confidence in God through Christ neither is it any true knowledge of things diuine but a meere generall assent of the Word of God But I haue prooued that besides the assent that wee are to giue to the Word of God in true faith there is required a knowledge and vnderstanding of the truth which we assent vnto yea moreouer a particular application of the promises of the Gospell For if a bare assent to the Word of God without knowledge of the same and to beleeue as the Church beleeueth and not to inquire in particular what the Church beleeueth were sufficient to the sauing of mens soules Wherefore then is it that our Sauiour saith m Ioh. 5 39. search the Scriptures And that S. Paul saith n 1 Thess 5. 20 21. Despise not prophesyings prooue all things hold fast that which is good The Bereans are commended not onely for that when they heard the Apostles preach they receiued the Word with readinesse of minde but also because they o Acts 17. 11 12. searched the Scriptures datly whether those things were so And it followeth therefore many of them beleeued These Bereans heard the Word of the Apostles but they did not giue assent therunto to beleeue what they heard for a certaine truth till they had searched the Scriptures to see whether the things which the Apostles preached were agreeable to the Scriptures and then they beleeued Wherefore this implicite faith is to bee reiected
as vnsound doctrine because it prefers ignorance before knowledge Secondly seeing that true sauing faith is not only an Vse 2 assent to the Word of God but hath in it a perswasion To haue a particular faith applying the promises of the Gospell to our selues of the mercy of God in Christ with a particular application of the promises of Christ and his benefits this is profitable for instruction to teach vs as many as desire to be saued not to content our selues with a generall assent to the Word of God when it may be wee vnderstand it not nor yet to rest in the generall knowledge of the Word which is but an historicall faith but to labour for a particular faith by which we may so beleeue the promises of God made in the Gospell generally to all that beleeue that we can in particular apply them to our selues S. Paul to the Ephesians saith p Ephes 5. 2. Christ hath loued vs and giuen himselfe for vs. And to the Galatians he saith q Gal. 2. 20. the Sonne of God who loued mee and gaue himselfe for me The former words are generall concerning the benefit of Christs death and passion to all that beleeue In the later Paul applies the benefit of the death of Christ to himselfe in particular Whereupon a learned Diuine saith r Ab vniuersali quisque debet ad suum particulare hoc Christi beneficium transferre Zanch. in Eph. 5. From the universall euery one is to bâ—ing the benefit of Christs death to his owne particular and say with Paul Christ gaue himselfe for mee Christ our Sauiour makes an vniuersall promise to all that beleeue Å¿ Joh. 3. 16. Whosoeuer beleeueth in the Sonne of God shall not perish but haue euerlasting life Now the beleeuing soule hauing true faith in Christ assumes this to himselfe and saith I beleeue in the Sonne of God and thereupon necessarily concludes the assurance of his owne saluation saying therefore I shall not perish but haue life euerlasting Thus true sauing faith applyeth in particular the generall promise made to all that beleeue Gods generall promise is like the Kings generall pardon wherin though no man bee named yet any offender when he heares the generall pardon read can say this clause belongs vnto me I take hold on this I apply this to my selfe So a sinner that beleeueth hearing the gracious promises of God made to sinners that beleeue and repent by faith applieth the generall pardon of Gods mercy to himselfe The hauing of this particular faith is necessary to saluation for euery man must bee saued by his owne faith Wherefore it is sayd t Hab. 2. 4. the iust man shall liue by his Faith not by another mans faith but by his owne faith The generall faith to beleeue as the Church beleeueth to beleeue as others beleeue will not saue the soule but euery man must beleeue for himselfe For this cause in the Articles of our Faith this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I beleeue is prefixed or vnderstood to goe before euery article as I beleeue in God the Father I beleeue in Iesus Christ I beleeue in the Holy Ghost I beleeue in the forgiuenesse of sinnes c. giuing vs thereby to vnderstand that euery Christian is to beleeue euery article of the Faith distinctly for himselfe to apply the benefit of euery article to himselfe Faith iâ— then profitable when it can apply Christ so that a man may say with Thomas u Ioh. 20. 28. my Lord and my God For true faith is as a right hand to lay hold on Christ as the eye to looke vnto Christ yea the very life of the soule whereby wee liue in Christ for we x Gal. 2. 20. liue by the faith of the Sonne of God Our faith whereby we apprehend Christ and apply him to our soules should be such as that we may draw spirituall vertue from Christ grace and mercy for our sicke sinfull soules as the woman with the bloudy issue drew vertue from Christ to heale her diseased body A man that hath a wound cannot possibly bee cured though the Physician be neuer so skilfull and the salue neuer so healing except the plaster bee applied and layd to the sore Christ Iesus is the best Physician to cure our diseased soules and wonded consciences and he hath excellent healing salue precious balme for the curing of our soules euen his owne precious bloud which hee shed for the remission of sinnes but this precious balme doth onely helpe and heale their soules who reach forth the hand of faith to apprehend Christ and doe apply the merits of Christs Death and bloud-shed to their owne soules Wherefore let no man content himselfe with a generall faith but striue and labour yea haue a longing desire to attaine to this particular faith for this is true sauing faith to apply Christ Iesus vnto our soules with the merits of his death and passion Lastly whereas true sauing faith stands principally in the apprehension and application of Christ from Vse 3 hence ariseth Consolation to all them that truly haue it Consolation to them that haue true faith For by this faith euery beleeuer receiueth Christ yea possesseth Christ for himselfe as giuen for him borne for him dying for him rising againe for him who was deliuered for his sinnes and rose againe for his iustification which faith if a man haue not hee shall remaine vnder perpetuall doubtings and anguish of minde torment of conscience and terrour of the iudgement to come whereas if a Christian haue true faith and doe beleeue God to be his Father Christ Iesus to bee his Sauiour and Redeemer he may reioyce in tribulation and persecution yea by faith get victory ouer temptations and say with the Apostle y Rom. 8. 33 34. Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods Elect it is God that iustifieth who is he that condemneth It is Christ that died yea rather that is risen againe who is at the right hand of God who also maketh intercession for vs. Such comfortable perswasion and such assurance of saluation haue all they who haue this true sauing faith CHAP. VII Shewing wherein true Faith consisteth Of the generall knowledge of God that there is a God against Atheists and such as deny God THe fourth thing in the Treatise of Faith is 4 Wherein the true sâ—â—ing faith consisteth wherein it consisteth True sauing faith euen that faith which brings eternal life a Fâ—des nostrain duâ—bus priâ—â—ipaliter consistit 10. Jâ— veâ—a Dei câ—gâ—â—â—ionâ— 20. In mysterio incarnatiâ—nis Christi Tho. Aquin. 22â— q. 174. ar 6. stands chiefly in two things First in the true knowledge of God Secondly in the mystery of the incarnation of Christ grounded vpon the words of our Sauiour Christ b Joh. 17. 3. this is eternall life to know thee the onely true God and Iesus Christ whom thou hast sent In the former part of the words there
one onely true God to acknowledge the Vnity of the God-head and the Trinity of Persons but to know and acknowledge the one only What it is true God to be our God that God the Father hath elected vs in Christ hath redeemed vs by Christ and sanctifieth vs by his Holy Spirit To acknowledge that God the Father is our Heauenly Father who hath created preserued and doth continually by his prouidence sustaine vs that God the Son is our Sauiour and Redeemer and that the Holy Ghost is our Sanctifier and Comforter and to know and acknowledge that God of his mercy through the merits of Christ will assuredly saue our soules and giue vs life euerlasting So that a man hauing true sauing Faith and being endued with this true sauing Knowledge may say vnto the Lord with Dauid a Psal 22. 10. Thou art my God Againe b Psal 25. 2. O my God I trust in thee Yea may say with Thomas c Ioh. 20. 28. My Lord and my God This is not onely to d Credere Dâ—um credâ—re Deâ—â— credere in Deum beleeue there is a God that God is and that there is one God nor onely to giue credit to the word and promise of God but this is to beleeue in God That is so to beleeue as that euery one that hath true faith can say in particular for himselfe I beleeue that the one onely true God is my God and therfore I trust in him I feare him I loue him I worship him I call vpon him I depend vpon his prouidence for temporall things and rest vpon his mercy for forgiuenesse of sinnes and euerlasting life This particular knowledge of God is sauing knowledge bringing comfort health and saluation to the soule as our Sauiour saith e Ioh 17. 3. In the knowledge of God foure things to be considered This is life eternall to know thee the onely true God And to the end that we may seeke after and attaine vnto this sauing knowledge I will shew foure things concerning the knowledge of God First how necessary it is to haue the true knowledge 1 The true knowledge of God is necessary For of God Secondly how profitable it is Thirdly how dangerous it is to want it Fourthly the meanes of obtaining it Touching the first the true knowledge of God is necessary for First God requireth it Salomon saith f Prou. 3. 6. In all thy wayes 1 God requireth it acknowledge him Dauid giueth his sonne Salomon this counsell g 1 Chro. 28 9. Know thou the God of thy Father and serue him with a perfect heart and with a willing minde And S. Paul prayeth for the Colossians that they might increase in the h Col. 1. 10. knowledge of God 2 God complaines of the want of it Secondly the Lord complaines of the want of the knowledge of God by Ieremie thus i Ier. 4. 22. My people is foolish they haue not knowne me And by Hosea hee saith k Hos 4 1. The Lord hath a controuersie with the inhabitants of the land because there is no truth nor mercy nor knowledge of God in the Land Thirdly the Lord prefers the knowledge of God before 3 It s better then sacrifice sacrifice and burnt offerings l Hos 6. 6. I desired mercy and not sacrifice saith the Lord and the knowledge of God more then burnt offerings Fourthly the knowledge of God is so necessary that 4 Without it we cannot be saued without it wee cannot bee saued S. Paul affirmes that m 1 Tim. 2. 4. God will haue all men to be saued and come vnto the knowledge of the truth God who hath appointed the end hath also ordained meanes to the end the end is the saluation of our soules that 's the end of our Faith that 's the blessed end that we desire and long for now the meanes of obtaining saluation is to come to the knowledge of the truth to know and acknowledge the onely true God and Iesus Christ whom hee hath sent So necessary is the knowledge of God For the Second how profitable the knowledge of 2 The knowledge of God is profitable For God is appeareth by the benefits that come thereby Which are specially these two First the true knowledge of God worketh peace and concord amongst men of contrary dispositions and 1 It maketh peace amongst men of contrary dispositions correcteth the froward natures of men making them of fierce and wrathfull to become gentle and patient This was fore-shewed by the Prophet Esay saying n Isa 11. 6 7 8 9. The Wolfe shall dwell with the Lambe the Leopard shall lie downe with the Kid and the Calfe and the young Lyon and the Fatling together and a little childe shall lead them And the Cow and the Beare shall feed c. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountaine for the earth shall bee full of the knowledge of the LORD Where the knowledge of God is it will work a great alteration and change if by nature men be like Wolues giuen to deuoure and destroy their neighbours the the knowledge of God will cause them to cease from their rauinous greedy deuouring of others if they bee by nature like Lyons and Beares fierce wrathfull bloudy-minded the true knowledge of God will tame them and make them meeke and gentle Wherefore if any now in the time of the Gospell be like Wolues and Lyons and Beares towards their brethren and neighbours it is because they haue not the true knowledge of God But heere it will be sayd that some that haue knowledge Obiect are wrathfull cruell and hard-hearted towards their brethren I answer their knowledge is not sanctified they haue Answ knowledge but not grace to put their knowledge in practice they know God but will not doe the will of God They haue the knowledge of God in their heads but not in their hearts For certaine it is if men had the true knowledge of God aswell in their hearts and mindes as in their heads and tongues they would not they durst not be to their brethren as Wolues and Lyons and Beares the knowledge of the Lord would make them more peaceable more quiet and patient Secondly the true knowledge of God brings eternall 2 Eternall life commeth therby life so saith our Sauiour o Ioh. 17. 3. This is life eternall to know thee the onely true God The third thing concerning the knowledge of God is the hurt and danger that comes through the want 3 The want of the knowledge of God is hurtfull and dangerous for it causeth thereof As the knowledge of God is necessary and profitable so the want therof is hurtfull and dangerous First because the want of the knowledge of God causeth mourning and languishing desolation and destruction as the Lord sheweth in Hosea complaining that there was p Hos 4. 1 3. no knowledge of God in the land he
Pet. 2. 20. 21. 22. If after they haue escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ they are againe intangled therein and ouer come the latter end is worse with them then the beginning For it had beene better for them not to haue knowne the way of righteousnesse then after they haue knowne it to turne from the holy Commaundement deliuered vnto them But it is happened vnto them according vnto the true prouerbe the dog is turned to his owne vomit againe and the Sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire This is a very dangerous falling away but yet heare and consider of a more dangerous backsliding and a more fearfull falling away The second vniuersall falling away is when a man 2 By sinning against the holy Ghost What it is to sinne against the holy Ghost hauing beene inlighted by the holy Ghost with the knowledge of God and his Sonne Iesus Christ and hauing made a profession of Christ doth afterwards deny the truth against his owne knowledge and conscience doth maliciously oppose himselfe against the knowne truth and euen persecute those that professe the truth This is properly called the sinne against the holy Sinne against the holy Ghost why so called Ghost not because sinne can be so committed against the holy Ghost but it is also against the Father and the Sonne and when the holy Ghost is offended the Father is offended and the Sonne is offended for the Godhead is one But it is called the sinne against the holy Ghost because this sinne is committed against the proper and immedrate working of the holy Ghost which is to inlighten the minds and vnderstandings of men with the true knowledge of God and his Sonne Iesus Christ Now when the holy Ghost hath inlightned any one with the true knowledge of Iesus Christ and afterwards he so fall away from the truth that he deny Iesus Christ and malicously persecute the knowne truth this is to sinne against God and against Iesus Christ but properly and after a speciall manner it is to sinne against the holy Ghost inasmuch as he sinneth against the immediate inlightning of the holy Ghost Of this sinne against the holy Ghost with the fearfull state of those which fall into this sinne the Scripture euidently speakes the Apostle to the Hebrewes saith i Heb. 6. 4. 5. 6. It is impossible for those who were once inlightned and haue tasted of the heauenly gift and were made partakers of the holy Ghost and haue tasted the good word of God and the powers of the world to come if they shall fall away to renue them againe vnto repentance seeing they crucifie to themselues the Sonne of God afresh and put him to an open shame Againe he saith k Heb. 10. 26. 27. 28. 29. If we sinne wilfully after that we haue receiued the knowledge of the truth there remaineth no more sacrifice for sinnes But a certaine fearfull looking for of iudgement and fieric indignation which shall deuoure the aduersaries He that despised Moses law died without mercie vnder two or three witnesses Of how much sorer punishment suppose ye shall he be thought worthy who hath troden vnder-foote the Sonne of God and hath counted the bloud of the couenant wherewith he was sanctified an vnholy thing and hath done despite vnto the Spirit of Grace From which words of the Apostle two things may be gathered Two things herein to be considered The one is the nature and quality of the sinne against the holy Ghost The other is the punishment due to the same First the nature and qualitie of this sinne is set forth by sixe things 1 The nature qualitie of the sinne against the holy Ghost shewed in sixe things They that sinne against the holy Ghost are 1 First inlightned with the knowledge of the truth 2 Secondly they haue a taste of the heauenly gift 3 Thirdly they are made partakers of the holy Ghost 4 Fourthly they haue had a taste of the good word of God 5 Fiftly they haue had a taste of the powers of the world to come 6 Sixtly after all this they so fall away that they crucifie the Sonne of God afresh they trample and tread vnder foote the bloud of the Couenant and count it an vnholy thing and doe despite vnto the Spirit of Grace Heer 's the Sinne. The second thing is the punishment which vsually 2 The punishment of them that sinne against the holy Ghost befals those that sinne against the holy Ghost and that 's three-fold The first is finall impenitencie they that sinne against the holy Ghost are stricken with a marueilous hardnes of heart so that they cannot repent they are past repentance 1 Finall impenitencie wherefore the Apostle saith l Heb. 6. 4. 5. 6. it is impossible for those who were once inlightned c if they shall fall away to renue them againe vnto repentance The second is neuer to be forgiuen they that sinne against the holy Ghost can haue no remission no forgiuenesse 2 Neuer forgiuen of sinnes they can haue no mercie shewed them m Mat. 12. 31. 32. All manner of sinne and blasphemie shall be forgiuen vnto men saith our Sauiour but the blasphemy against the holy Ghost shall not be forgiuen vnto men And whosoeuer speaketh a word against the sonne of man it shall be forgiuen him but whosoeuer speaketh against the holy Ghost it shall not be forgiuen him nether in this world nor in the world to come And in St Marke it s said n Mar. 3. 29. he that shall blaspheme against the holy Ghost hath neuer forgiuenesse This second punishment followeth vpon the first one is the cause of the other they that sinne against the holy Ghost shall neuer haue forgiuenesse because they haue not grace to repent true it is the mercie of God is great aboue all our transgressions and God denieth mercie to no sinner that doth truly repent and therefore if a sinner whosoeuer or whatsoeuer he be haue grace to repent him truly of his sinnes to beleeue the remission of his sinnes and to call and cry to God for mercy he may haue mercie but he that sinneth against the holy Ghost his heart is so hardned that he cannot repent but dies without repentance and therefore cuts himselfe off from mercie and forgiuenesse and so is the cause of his own damnation The third is a miserable and fearfull end They that 3 A fearfull end sinne against the holy Ghost vsually die a fearfull and shamefull death We haue two memorable examples hereof the one is of Iudas Iscariot one of the twelue who was inlightned with the knowledge of Iesus Christ he was the Disciple of Christ he preached Christ and wrought myracles in the name of Christ and yet afterwards fell away and that fearefully for he betrayed Christ for money but what was his end He came to a shamefull end for when
truth Which word of truth is the meanes of obtaining faith as S. Paul saith h Râ—m 10. 17. Faith commeth by hearing and hearing by the Word of God Thirdly all that doe truely and faithfully call vpon 3 They that call vpon God the name of the Lord doe beleeue for i Rom. 10. 14. how shall they call on him in whom they haue not beleeued Lastly they haue faith which doe shew forth the effects and fruits of faith in their life by their carefulnes 4 They that shew their faith by their workes to please God to walke in obedience to his commandements and to be exercised in good workes Of this S. Iames saith k Iam. 2. 18. Shew me thy faith without thy workes and I will shew thee my faith by my workes So then it appeares that although all men haue not yet some haue the true faith though Reprobates and the enemies of the Gospell and prophane people and Hypocrites haue not faith yet many there are that haue faith For all the Elect and they that are effectually called they that are regenerate and borne anew they that doe truely and faithfully call vpon God and they that doe shew forth the fruits of their faith by a godly life haue faith The consideration of this that all men haue not faith Vse 1 serues first for instruction to teach vs if in the course of Maruell not that vnregenerate men are so wicked our life we meet with vnreasonable and wicked men and wonder at it that men should be so disordered goe so out of square be so notoriously wicked and so vnreasonable to deale with that we cease to maruell For All men haue not faith They are naturall men they doe but their kinde they haue not faith for if they had faith indeede they would not be so vile so wicked and abhominable in their doings but they would be more orderly more reasonable to deale with yea they would bee of better life and of more sober conuersation Let vs not then maruell but rather pray as S. Paul praies the Thessalonians to pray for him that wee may bee deliuered from l 2. Thess 3. 1 2. unreasonable and wicked men for all men haue not faith Secondly the consideration of this that though all Vse 2 men haue not yet many haue true sauing faith serues Consolation to them that haue true faith for consolation It s a good euidence to a man concerning the assurance of his saluation if hee be assured that hee hath true faith For all men haue not faith faith is not common to all but proper and peculiar to the Elect. Now then when as a Christian vpon good and infallible ground can assure himselfe that hee hath true faith he may then also safely gather assurance that he is of the number of Gods Elect and therefore shall certainely be saued for the Elect and only the Elect haue faith and as many as are ordained to saluation doe beleeue From hence the true beleeuer through true sauing faith assisted by the Spirit of God gathers the assurance of his owne saluation and receiues comfort to his soule that he is one of Gods Elect and shall bee saued With this heauenly meditation the sorrowfull soule of a sinner is refreshed with this sweet consolation he goes away in peace lies downe in peace and rests in peace CHAP. XII Of the necessity of hauing the true faith WHo are partakers of true sauing faith 6 The necessity of hauing the true faith which is great For hath beene declared The next thing to bee considered in the treatise of Faith which is in order the sixt is the necessity of faith Great is the necessity of true sauing Faith For First true sauing faith is the very true life of the soule 1 Faith is the life of the soule without which a man is dead being aliue Hence it is that St Paul speaking of the state of the Ephesians before their conuersion and before they did beleeue saith of them that they were a Ephe. 2. 1. dead in trespasses and sinnes And againe speaking of their spirituall state by grace after that they beleeued saith of them that they were quickned b Verse 4. 5. God who is rich in mercie through his great loue wherewith he hath loued vs euen when we were dead in sins hath quickned vs together with Christ And speaking of himselfe now conuerted and turned vnto God now beleeuing in Iesus Christ he saith c Gal. 2. 20. I liue by the faith of the Sonne of God Giuing vs hereby to vnderstand that whosoeuer hath not true faith in Iesus Christ is dead in trespasses and sinnes And though concerning the outward man he may liue and moue yea haue health strength of bodie yet notwithstanding as long as he remaines in his naturall state whiles he is not truly conuerted and turned to God from his former sinfull life and as long as he wants true sauing faith he is concerning his spirituall state as a dead man hauing no true life of grace in him But on the other side whosoeuer is conuerted and turned to God whosoeuer is crucified to the world dead to sinne and hath true sauing faith beleeuing in Iesus Christ to saluation such a one is quickned by the Spirit he is now raised from the death of sin to the life of righteousnesse and now he is no more dead but aliue he liues by the faith of the Sonne of God so that faith is the verie true life of the soule as it were the soule of the soule for as the soule giues life to the bodie so Faith giues life to the soule and as the bodie without the soule is dead so the soule without faith is dead also Secondly without faith nothing that we doe can 2 Without faith nothing pleaseth God please God Wherefore it is that the Apostle saith d Heb. 11. 6. Without faith it is impossible to please him Whether therefore we fast or pray or giue almes whatsoeuer spirituall sacrifice we offer vnto God or whatsoeuer good thing we doe if we would haue the Lord to accept our sacrifice and seruice and to be wel pleased with our good workes we must looke that we haue faith that our prayers and thankesgiuings almsdeeds and whatsoeuer good thing we doe proceede from a heart purified by Faith Faith is as necessarie in our spirituall sacrifices good works that they may please God as salt was in the sacriffces in the Leuiticall law Where it was commaunded that e Leuit. 2. 13. euery oblation of their meat offering they should season with salt as salt seasoned their sacrifices so faith seasoneth our sacrifices and therefore as our Sauiour saith to his Disciples f Mark 9. 50. haue salt in your selues so I say to all haue faith in your selues For through Faith our workes are acceptable to God and please God but without faith it is impossible to please him Thirdly
it selfe maketh intercession for vs with gronings which cannot bee vttered This is also that which S. Paul hath to the Galatians g Cal. 4. 6. And because yee are sonnes God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Sonne into your hearts crying Abba Father By all which it is manifest that it is a sure and certaine signe of true faith if the Spirit of God worke this grace in vs to stirre vp our hearts by deuout prayer and supplication to seeke vnto God to runne vnto our Heauenly Father and to cry Abba Father A childe in time of sicknesse paine and griefe or being in any perill and danger whither doth he run or to whom doth he cry but to his father he hopes his father will helpe him and therefore calls and cryes to his father complaines and makes his mone to his father Like as the Shunamites sonne when he was sore grieued with a paine in his head came to his father and sayd h Luk. 4. 19. My head my head So the sonnes and children of God in time of their heauinesse of soule when they are sicke with sinne diseased in soule and troubled in conscience with the burthen of their sinnes or whether they bee in any outward affliction or trouble whither doe they run but to their Heauenly Father and as the Shunamites childe sayd to his father My head my head so they euery one cry My soule my soule My conscience my conscience my soule is in heauinesse my conscience is sore troubled and burdened with the heauy waight of my sinnes And then in hope of the mercy of God in Iesus Christ they humbly confesse their sinnes they hide not their iniquities they earnestly craue mercy and sue for the pardon of their sinnes aboue all things they seeke ease to their afflicted soule and comfort to their distressed conscience building vpon those gracious word of our Sauiour i Matth. 11. 28. Come vnto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden and I will giue you rest And thus to call vpon the name of the Lord is a signe of saith The fist is an inward conflict betweene the Flesh and 5 Conflict between the flesh and the spirit Two-fold the Spirit and that is two-fold The one is a striuing against sinne The other a striuing against doubtings Touching the first no man in this life is perfectly 1 A struing against sinne sanctified but hath neede to pray more and more for the Spirit of sanctification that he may bee wholly sanctified Hence it is that though a naturall and vnregenerate man bee wholly carnall yet a regenerate man is not all spirituall but partly carnall and partly spirituall For although a Christian regenerate and sanctified hath his heart purified by faith yet naturall corruption is not altogether purged out of the heart that remaines in vs k 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to exercise vs. This in the children of God now regenerate and sanctified is called flesh and the sanctified part in them is called spirit And in the regenerate there is a great combat a spirituall fight and great striuing betweene these two the flesh and the spirit which shall get the victory The manner of which combat and inward fight S. Paul describes thus l Gal. 5. 17. The flesh lusteth against the spirit the spirit against the flesh and these are contrary the one to the other so that ye cannot doe the things that ye would A Christian regenerate and sanctified is in the way to Heauen and the spirit that is the sanctified part drawes him on to God-ward and hastens him forward towards the Kingdome of Heauen but the flesh that is the corruption of nature rebels and labours to draw him backwards to the world and would if it were possible draw him downe to hell Hence it is that a Christian findes in himselfe pride of heart lust of the flesh filthy desires vncleane thoughts couetous desires anger hatred enuy malice grudgings and desire of reuenge c. haling and pulling him one way and against these he feeles humility temperance loue patience meeknesse and other graces drawing him another way Now if a man doe finde grace striuing against corruption good motions of the good Spirit fighting against bad motions of the euill Spirit and if a man doe indeede and in truth finde that he doth earnestly striue against sinne that he labours to mortifie his affections to crucifie the flesh with the affections and lusts to subdue sinne and wickednesse this is a signe of grace and a sure marke that faith is in the heart at least in some measure According to that saying of the Apostle m Vers 24. They that are Christs haue crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts As n Gen. 25. 22 23. Rebecca knew her selfe to bee quicke with childe by the struggling and striuing of the twins in her wombe so a Christian may know whether he be quickned by grace and liue by faith in the Sonne of God by the inward conflict and striuing betweene the Flesh and the Spirit The second kinde of inward conflict betweene the 2 A striuing against doubtings flesh and the spirit is an inward striuing against doubtings and distrusts in Gods mercy It is the Deuils policy either to cause men whiles they remaine in their naturall state without true faith and repentance to presume on Gods mercy or else hauing faith and repentance to set before them their sinnes and to suggest into their hearts doubtings of the remission of their sins doubtings concerning their faith and repentance and doubtings concerning their vocation and sanctification And thereby would if it were possâ—ble extinguish their faith and bring them to despaire of Gods mercy But against all these difficulties true iustifying faith if it be in the heart will shew it selfe though perhaps in these temptations but weakely yet truely to striue against temptations and to fight against all these doubtings It is true I confesse the children of God may be troubled with doubtings but not ouercome of doubtings Dauid is driuen to this expostulation o Psal 77. 7 8. Will the Lord cast off for euer And will he be fauourable no more Is his mercy cleane gone for euer Heere are great doubtings in Dauid a seruant of the Lord but he ouercame his doubtings for neither Dauid nor any of the children of God continue still in their doubtings They are neuer with Cain and Iudas brought to such desperate doubtings aâ— vtterly and finally to despaire of the mercy of God They may for a time haue distrustfull thoughts and doubtfull speeches but faith in the end gets the vpper hand Windes and flouds may beat vpon the house grounded vpon the rocke aswell as vpon the house built vpon the sand but cannot make it fall And many p Dubitationes fidem in nobis oppugnant non tamen expugnant Polan distrustfull doubtings may beat against the faith of a Christian but cannot beat it downe they may fight against
first in the act of repentance as in godly sorrow for sinne in the humble confession of sinne and in earnest praier to God for the pardon of sinne For these shew that there is now already faith in the heart which produceth such good effects The subiect matter then of this Treatise following is Repentance a way wherein we must walke or else wee shall neuer enter in at the gate of the Celestiall Paradice a thing so necessary without which we can neither haue remission of our sinnes nor saluation of our soules without which we can neither haue true comfort to our soules in this life nor felicity in the life to come For which cause it is that S. Peter giueth this exhortation to the Iewes which crucified Christ c Acts 3. 19. Repent yee therefore and be conuerted that your sinnes may bee blotted out when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord. In the handling of Repentance I will shew First what Repentance is Secondly the parts of Repentance The partition of this Treatise Thidly the manner how a Sinner may truly repent and what things are necessarily required to true and sound Repentance Fourthly the time of Repentance when a sinner is necessarily bound to repent Fiftly the impediments which hinder sinners from Repentance Sixtly I will vse motiues and perswasions to bring sinners to repentance And of these in their order as I haue propounded them And first it shall bee expedient to shew what Repentance is CHAP. II. Shewing what Repentance is REpentance is a gift of God whereby a sinner 1 What Repentance is through the feare of God is changed in his minde and turned from sinne vnto God First I say that Repentance is a gift of God 1 A gift of God for so the Scripture makes it For in the Acts of the Apostles it is sayd a Acts 11. 18. God hath also to the Gentiles granted Repentance vnto life And to Timothy S. Paul saith b 2 Tim. 2. 25. If God peraduenture will giue them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth Heere by Gods granting and giuing repentance it is apparent that Repentance is the gift of God Next in the definition of Repentance there is mentioned 2 The feare of God In the first conuersion of a sinner diuers things concur the feare of God moouing the sinner to repent In the act of Repentance euen in the first conuersion of a sinner there are diuerse things concurre First there is the gracious working of God who by his holy Spirit doth soften the heart of a sinner and giueth him grace to conuert and to turne from sinne vnto 1 Gods holy Spirit by which God giueth the sinner grace to repent God Secondly there is the working of that feare which is called the seruile feare whereby a sinner is mooued and stirred is vexed and disquieted in himselfe for feare of punishment and is euen terrefied and affrighted with the hideous sight of his abominable sinnes and the terrour 2 Seruile feare of Gods iudgement for sinne when he seeth Hell gaping to deuoure him which horrible feare though in the wicked and reprobate it be a torment and able to bring them to desparation as it was in Cain and Iudas yet in the children of God this legall terror and affrighting of sinners with the feare of punishment may bee a preparation to receiue grace when as they are truely humbled for their sinnes vnder the sence and feeling of Gods anger and displeasure against sinne Thirdly the working of Faith whereby the sinner 3 Faith beginnes to looke vnto Christ and beleeues the remission of his sinnes at the least beleeues that his sinnes are pardonable Fourthly the working of hope whereby the sinner 4 Hope receiues hope of the remission of his sinne hoping that through the mercy of God and merits of Christ his sinnes shall be forgiuen Fiftly the working of that feare which is called the 5 Filiall feare filiall or childe-like feare wherby the sinner is now displeased with himselfe in regard of this that hee hath offended God who hath beene so good and gracious a God vnto him to spare him so long giuing him so long time and space of repentence and offering him mercy in Christ Iesus and now he beginnes to feare God not so much for feare of punishment as out of reuerence awe and loue of God who hath so loued him as not onely to forbeare him in the time of his ignorance wickednesse when he deserued rather to haue been cut off and cast from the presence of the Lord into vtter darknesse but hath sent his onely Sonne Iesus Christ to be his Sauiour and Redeemer to shed his bloud to saue his sinfull soule in gratefull remembrance heereof he is resolued now hence forward to deny himselfe to renounce the world to forsake his former sinfull course of life and to turne himselfe vnto the Lord to serue him in holines and righteousnesse all the dayes of his life and this because he feares God Thirdly in Repentance I say that a sinner is changed 3 Change of minde in his minde There are two words vsed in the new Testament which signifie c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 poenitentia 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—â—sipisâ—entia Bâ—rn in Matth. 3. 2. Repentance The former signifieth such a Repentance whereby the sinner is grieued and very sory for the euill which he hath done and no more And this may be in the wicked and reprobate for of Iudas it is sayd d 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mat. 27. 3. hee repented himselfe that is hee was sorry and grieued he was vexed and disquited within himselfe that hee had done so wicked a deede as to betray his Master he could haue wisht it vndone but thiâ— was all The other word vsed for Repentance properly signifieth a change of the minde and it is such a Repentance whereby a sinner is not onely sorry and grieued for the euill which he hath done but is so sorry for what is past as that hee is more wise euer after to auoyd sinne and so sorry for the wickednesse committed that he redresseth his wayes and amendeth his life This word is vsed by S. Peter in his Sermon to the Iewes after that they had crucified Christ for exhorting them to repentance he saith e 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Acts 3. 19. Repent yee therefore and be conuerted This repentance is proper to the children of God Lastly in Repentance there is a turning from sinne 4 Turning from sinne to God and a turning vnto God But of this more in the next place Now whereas Repentance is as hath beene prooued Vse the gift of God the consideration heereof serues Against those who think that they can repent when they pleaso to reprooue the great security of many concerning their conuersion and turning vnto God many thinke its an easie thing to leaue sinne they hold that repentance
the writers inkehorne by his side is appointed to b Ezech 9 4. goe through the midst of Ierusalem and set a marke vpon the foreheads of the men that sigh that cry for all the abhominations that were done in the midst thereof Giuing vs to vnderstand that there were some in the city which sighed and mourned for the abhominations that were done in the citie For the second what we are to mourne and weepe 2 For what for That which we are specially to weepe for is sinne In generall we are to mourne for all our sinnes great small knowne and vnknowne secret and manifest In particular for some one sinne by which we haue offended or doe still more grieuously offend God The Israelites hauing offended God by asking a King when the Lord God was their King and being reprooued for it by Samuel they sorrowed and lamented and said to Samuel c 1 Sam. 12 19. Pray for thy seruants vnto the Lord thy God that we die not For we haue added vnto all our sinnes this â—uill to aske vs a King So Dauid with great feeling of his sinnes and with great sorrow and mourning confesseth his sinneâ— to the Lord and craueth mercy d Psal 51. 1. haue mercy vpon me O God c. Yet is most sorrowfull for his heinous bloody sinne points that out in particular and praies against it e ver 14. deliuer me from blood-guiltinesse ô God The third thing herein is the time when we ought chiefely to mourne for our sinnes It is not vsuall with 3 The time wheÌ„ men to mourne for their sinnes till the hand of God be vpon them aâ—â—lâ—ctâ—ng them visiting and scourging them for their sinnes But the chiefest time of mourning for sinne is when we haue sinned that thereby we may preuent the iudgement of God iudging our selues that we be not iudged of the Lord. For as the Apostle saith f 1 Cor. 11. 31. Mâ—roris tempus non tunc est cum aliquid pâ—â—imur aduersi sed cum malè operamur Chrys de prouident l. 3. If we would iudge our selues we should not be iudged g The timâ— of sorrowing and mourning for sinne is not as a Father saith when we are vnder the crosse and suffer aduersity but when we doe euill then it behooues vs to mourne for the euill that we haue done As when a man hath committed adultery murther or any other grieuous crime for which 4 The measure of mourning for sinne and therein these rules are to be obserued his soule is in danger to be depriued of the kingdome of heauen then is it a fit time for him to mourne and sorrow for his sinne that he may be reconciled to God winne the fauour of God againe When affliction is vpon vs for our sinnes necessity constraineth vs to weepe and mourne because the affliction calls our sinne to remembrance 1 Sorrow for sinne must be greater then for any woâ—â—dly want or losse For. but it had bene much better for vs to haue wept and mourned for the euill of sinne before the euill of punishment fell vpon vs for sinne The fourth thing herein to be considered is the measure of our outward mourning and weeping for sinne 1 Sinne is the cause of all euill Concerning which these rules must be obserued First that our sorrow for sinne be greater then for any wordly want or temporall losse for First Sinne is the cause of all euill that befalleth vs in 2 A man may be saued without riches but not without repentance the course of our life Secondly a man that hath want of wordly things or sustaineth losse in temporall things may notwithstanding be saued come to life euerlasting but sinne not repented of is able to cast soule and body into hell Thirdly wordly wealth may be procured and temporall 3 The soule once lost cannot be recouered losses may be recouered againe but the soule being once lost cannot be recouered The losse of the soule is irrecouerable and therefore farre greater cause haue we to mourne and weepe for our sinnes then for any wordly want or temporall losse whatsoeuer Secondly greater sinnes must haue greater sorrow 2 For great sinns we must haue great sorrow more mourning and more weeping Dauid was sorrie for his lesser sinnes but was exceedingly sorrowfull for his great transgressions h 1 Sam. 24. 5. Dauids heart smote him because he had cut off Sauls skirt but for his adultery and bloodshed he afflicted himselfe sore he i 2 Sam. 12. 16. psal 51. fasted and mourned he lay vpon the earth and made great lamentation Thirdly mourning weeping for sinne must haue 3 There must be a moderation in mourning for sinne it moderation that it exceed not As S. Paul speakes in the behalfe of that incestuous Corinthian whom he had excommunicated but vpon his repentance had forgiuen saying k 2 Cor 2. 7. Sufficient to such a man is this punishment which was inflicted of many So that contrariwise ye ought rather to forgiue him and comfort him lest perhaps such a one should be swallowed vp with ouermuch sorrow After this manner a sinner expresseth his godly sorrow outwardly by mourning lamenting and weeping for his sinnes There remaine the motiues which may perswade vs 2 Motiues to mourning and weeping for sinne to this Godly sorrow which is outward in mourning weeping for sinne and they are foure First God requireth it So saith the Prophet Esaias l Isa 22. 12 In that day did the Lord God of hosts call to weeping and to 1 God requireth it mourning and to baldnesse and to girding with sackloth The prophet Ioel also saith m Ioel 2. 12. Therefore now saith the Lord turne ye euen vnto me with all your heart and with weeping and with mourning S. Iames saith n Iam. 4. 9. be afflicted and mourne and weepe Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your ioy to beauinesse Secondly penitent sinners haue wept and mourned 2 Penitent sin ners haue wept mourned â—or their sinâ—es for their sinnes Dauid saith o Psal 6 6. I am weary of my groaning all the night make I my bed to swime I water my couch with my teares That penitent woman mentioned by S. Luke held by diuerse to be Mary Magdalen wept so abundantly for her sinnes that those two little fountaines her eies yeilded her water sufficient to p â—uk 7. 38. wash her Sauiours fâ—ete when Peter remembred himselfe how he had sinned in denying his master Christ he went out and q Luk. 22. 62. Wept â—â—tterly Yea Christ Iesus the head of the Saints though he himselfe had no sinnes to lament and weepe for yet he oftentimes wept Comming to Ierusalem r Luk. 19 41. he wept ouer it At the raising of Lazarus Å¿ Ioh 11. 35. Iesus wept At his passion he wept sore for the Apostle saith that
Lord promised mercie and comforted his soule with the assurance of saluation y Luke 19. 8. 9. This day is saluation come to this house Herein is that saying verified z Non tollitur peccaâ—â—m nisi restâ—â—uatur ablatum Sinne is not remitted vnlesse that which was vniustly taken away be restored Fourthly they are here reprooued who forsake sinne onely for a season and afterwards either wittingly and 4 Against those who leane sin for a season after fall to their sins again wilfully or of infirmity and by occasion fall into sinne againe If men after that they haue seemed to repent and to cease from sinne doe willingly and wilfully fall into sinne againe and euen run themselues headlong into sinne their repentance is no better then the repentance of Pharaoh this is with the Dog to returne to his vomite with the Sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire And then as S. Peter saith a 2 Pet. 2. 20. 21. 22. The latter end of such is worse with them then the beginning But if their falling into sinne againe be of infirmity and by occasions though I denie not but such sinners may be restored by repentance yet ceâ—taine it is their case is dangerous by reason of their falling againe into sinne For like as a sâ—cke man hauing recouered his sicknesse if hee afterwards fall sicke againe that relapse is very dangerous and shewes a very weake state of his body So a sinner if vpon occasion and prouocation if through infirmity he fall into the same sinne againe This is very dangerous and if it be often the more dangerous it shewes the state of that soule to be very weake it argueth a great weakenesse of grace in resisting of sinne and if there be no resisting of sinne no striuing against inward corruptions but men giue way to their passions and lusts and yeeld the reines to their vnruly affections those wild horses I demaund where is the forsaking of sinne where is ceasing from euill wherefore a Christian feeling this infirmity in himselfe that he is subiect to often falls should be diligent to search and trye his owne wayes to finde out the deceitfulnesse of his owne heart and be exceeding warie ouer himselfe watching ouer his thoughts ouer his words and ouer his actions that hee offend not As our Sauiour said to the lame man whom he had healed b Ioh. 5. 14. Behold thou art made whole sinne no more lest a worse thing come vnto thee So a sinner hauing repented of his former sinnes and being washed from his sinnes should say vnto himselfe Behold thou art made whole sinne no more lest a worse thing come vnto thee And he may fitly turne the words into a Prayer Lord I confesse I haue sinned and done wickedly but vpon my true repentance thou hast pardoned my sinne and healed my soule Now Lord keepe mee I beseech thee from falling into sinne any more I am now made whole Lord strengthen me with thy grace that I sinne no more lest a worse thing come vnto me CHAP. IX Of Reformation or amendment of life THe fift step of grace whereby a sinner returnes 5 Amendment of life from sin vnto God and riseth higher towards Heauen is Reformation or Amendment of life In handling whereof I will First shew by what meanes a sinner may come to amendment There in three things of life Secondly declare how and after what manner amendment of life is wrought 1 Meanes whereby a sinner may come to amendment of life Thirdly vse motiues and perswasions whereby a sinner may be mooued to amend his life Touching the first The meanes whereby a sinner may come to amendment of life are two The first is the operation and working of the holy 1 The working of the holy Spirit Spirit of God renuing the minde and putting new life of grace into the soule Of this the Lord speaketh thus by Ezechiel a Ezek 36. 26. 27. A new heart also will I giue you and a new spirit will I put within you and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh and I will giue you an heart of flesh And I will put my spirit within you and cause you to walke in my Statutes It is the Spirit of God that makes our spirit new that softneth the heart and giueth grace to walke in the statutes in the wayes and commaundements of the Lord. The second is the word of God whereby we are begotten 2 The word of God to a new life Of which S. Iames faith b Iam. 1. 18. Of his owne will begate he vs with the word of Truth The second thing concerning amendment of life is 2 After what manner amend ment of life is wrought in a sinner How and after what manner this blessed change of life is wrought in a sinner Reformation or amendment of life is wrought thus First before amendment of life there must goe an vnfained forsaking of our former euill conuersation wee 1 There must be an vtter forsaking of our old euill conuersation must first die to sinne before we can be quickened to a new life we must first cease from dead workes before we can doe good workes First cease to be bad trees bearing euill fruit before we can be good trees bringing forth good fruit Of this S. Paul saith c Ephe. 4. 22. 23. 24. put off concerning the former conuersation the old man which is corrupt according to the deceitfull lusts and be renewed in the spirit of your minde and put on the new man which after God is created in righteousnesse and true holinesse d Non potest ficri homo noâ—â—us nisi desierit esse vetus Author operis imperf in Math. 6. Hom. 15 Before we can put on the new man we must first put off the old man We must first put off the raggs of sinne before we can put on the robe of righteousnesse This must necessarily first be before we can be renewed and reformed Secondly amendment of life is wrought in the whole 2 It must be in the whole man man in soule and in bodie in the minde in the will and affections in the cogitations and thoughts of the heart in the eye in the eare in the tongue and in the hands in life and conuersation As the mind must be renewed so the life must be reformed Thirdly amendment of life must haue it beginning within By Ezechiel the Lord saith e 〈◊〉 36. 26. 27. A new heart will I It must haue it beâ—inning wiâ—hin giue you and a new spirit will I put within you c. and I will put my spirit within you and cause you to walke in my statutes Causing the people henceforward to walke in the statutes of the Lord is their reformation and amendment of life But this reformation and amendment of life was first begunne within A new heart will I giue you and a new
the first impediment doing euill and escaping punishment THe fift thing in the Treatise of Repentance is 5 Impediments that hinder sinners from Repentance of the Impediments of Repentance for notwithstanding that God calleth and Preachers exhort to repentance yet experience sheweth that sinne abounds the world is full of iniquitie and few men are truely conuerted and turned from sinne vnto God It s necessarie therefore to search and inquire what hinders men from repentance And I finde that there are diuerse impediments which hinder sinners from repentance specially these foure Foure The first is doing euill and escaping punishment The second is presuming on Gods mercie The third is custome in sinning The fourth is hope of long life The first impediment that hinders sinners from repentance 1 Doing euill and escaping punishment Two-fold is doing euill and escaping punishment And that both in regard of sinners themselues who sinne and doe escape punishment for a time and also of others whom they perceiue to sinne and doe wickedly and yet see no euill befall them of both which Solomon thus speaketh a Eccles 8. 11. because sentence against an euill worke is not executed speedily therefore the heart of the sonnes of men is fully set in them to doe euill Touching the first while men liue in sinne doe wickedly 1 In their owne experience and perceiue no euill happen vnto them they thinke all is well with them and that no euill will betide them though they liue so still this is a great deceitfulnesse of sinne for although God be so patient to suffer sinners yea to suffer long and to waite for their repentance yet sure it is if they repent not the Lord will bring all their sinnes to remembrance and will not suffer the sinner to goe vnpunished And so God tels the wicked man b Psal 50. 18. 19. 20. 21 When thou sawest a theese thou consentedst with him and hast bin partaker with adulterers Thou giuest thy mouth to euill and thy tongue frameth deceit Thou sittest and speakest against thy brother thou slanderest thine owne mothers sonne These things hast thou done and I kept silence thou thoughtest that I was altogether such a one as thy selfe but I will reproue thee and set them in order before thine eyes Heer 's the wicked man brought in liuing an vngodly life doing vile and abhominable things playing the theefe committing adulterie giuing his tongue to speake euill to reuile to slander c. And because he sees no vengeance fall vpon him but perceiues that hee escapeth the iudgement of God he emboldeneth himselfe in his vngodly and sinfull course of life and thinks he may doe so still and that no euill shall befall him he thinkes that God regardeth not and saith to himselfe God seeth not God haâ—h forgotten God will not punish it but God seeth and knoweth all things God who keepeth a Register-booke of all our deedes and hath all our sinnes in remembrance will charge the wicked man with all his euill deedes and tell him to his face these things hast thou done though thou thoughtest wickedly in thy hart that I had forgotten yet I will bring thy sins to remembrance I will reproue thee for them and will set them in order before thine eyes A sinner that goeth on still in his wickednesse because God doth not execute iudgement vpon him for his wickednesse is like vnto a young theefe who hauing stollen once or twice and escaped is encouraged to steale still thinking that he shall euer escape but in the end he is taken and payeth for all So a sinner that goeth on in any sinfull course and thinketh to escape still because he hath escaped once or twice or oftener in the end is punished and plagued for all the euill that he hath done So Solomon sheweth c Eccles 8. 11. 12. 13 because saith he sentence against an euill worke is not executed speedily therefore the heart of the sonnes of men is fully set in them to doe euill But it followeth though a sinner doe euill an hundred times and his dayes be prolonged yet surely I know that it shall be well with them that feare God which feare before him But it shall not be well with the wicked neither shall be prolong his dayes which are as a shaddow because he feareth not before God True it is a sinner may doe euill once twice yea a hundred times and God may forbeare to execute iudgement vpon him such is the patience and long suffering of God but yet certaine it is God will not alwayes forbeare in the end God will come and will reproue the sinner will set all his sinnes in order before him and will punish him for all his wickednesse and though it be well with the wicked man for a little while yet in the end it shall not be well with him neither shall he prolong his dayes but the Lord will cut him off According to that saving of the Prophet Dauid d Psal 37. 9. euill doers shall be cut off And as sinners are deceiued in this that hauing sinned and escaped they hope they shall euer escape so Secondly when they see others sinne and doe wickedly 2 In the example of others and perceiue no euill befall them hence they take occasion of encouragement to do euill still hoping to fare no worse then others Here the example of others is a great impediment to their repentance because they see that the sentence of Gods iudgement is not execured speedily vpon others therefore their hearts are fully set in them to doe euill But who euer did wickedly Vse and escaped hauing not repented Witnesse the ouerthrow Against those â—hâ—t doâ— euill and thinke alwayes tâ— goe vnpunished of the old world the destruction of Sedome and the desolation of Ierusalem Now consider this ye that forget God the wise mans counsell is good e Eccl. s 5. 4. say not thou I haue sinned and what harme hath happened vnto me For the Lord is long-suffering and he will in no wise let thee goe If thou sinne and doe wickedly and the 〈◊〉 doe not punish thee for thy wickednesse if no euill happen vnto thee is it for that the Lord regardeth thee not or forgetteth thee and will not punish thee No no the Lord hath all thy sinnes in remembrance and hee doth onely shew his patience and long-suffering towards thee waiting for thy repentance and amendment of life For if thou repentest not be sure of it that in the end the Lord will come as a swift witnesse against thee and lay things to thy charge which thou thinkest hee hath forgotten and then he will come as a terrible iudge against thee to iudge thee to condemne thee and to deliuer thee to the tormentors because thou hast despised the patience and long-suffering of God God hath suffered thee long but now he will suffer thee no longer to goe vnpunished CHAP. XIII Of the second impediment of
from repentance but this their hope is a vaine hope and men build this their vaine hope vpon a very weake and deceaueable foundation Some vpon their yong age some vpon the strength of their body and others vpon the pure and good complection One reasons thus I neede not repent yet I am but young I am in my youthfull dayes in the prime of my age in my flourishing yeares I hope to liue yet many yeares I shall haue time enough to repent hereafter it will be time enough for mee to repent when olde age commeth Another thus I feele my body to be strong and lusty I am healthfull I haue no paine nor ake I feele no infirmity neither am I troubled with any disease I shall liue long I neede not repent yet it will be time enough for me to repent when my strength faileth when I feele my selfe grow weake and when sicknesse commeth vpon me Another thus I am of a pure and good complection of a ruddie countenance death will not come neere me I may take my pleasure yet a long time And as for repentance when I beginne to waxe pale and wanne and when I perceiue wrinkles to appeare in my face then I will repent Thus foolish are we to put off our repentance till olde age till the day of death and till the last houre But grant that God suffer the sinner to liue in his vngodly course of life euen till he be olde yet he will hope still to liue a little longer there 's no man so olde but thinkes he may liue yet one yeare longer So vainely doe men please themselues with the hope of long life And this hope of long life harmes many a soule and hinders thousands from speedy repentance They hope to liue long and to enioy many dayes and yeares they say a Isa 56. 19. To morrow shall be as this day b Iam. 4. 14. Whereas they know not what shall be on the morrow The consideration hereof may admonish vs not to Vse deferre our repentance from day to day and from yeare Not to deferre our repentance vpon hope to liue long to yeare vpon hope to liue long for that is but a vaine hope Salomon admonisheth vs well concerning this c Pro. 27. 1. Boast not thy selfe of to morrow for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth That foolish man that boasted himselfe in the multitude of his riches saying d Luk. 12. 19. Soule thou hast much goods layd vp for many yeares take thine ease eate drinke and be merrie and hoped to liue long and to see many yeares found by lamentable experience that his hope was but a vaine hope for he liued not till the next morning For e Ver. 20. God said vnto him thou foole this night thy soule shall be required of thee Let not then the hope of long life encourage thee still to sinne and to doe wickedly but now betimes repent while God giueth thee time and space to repent While God giueth thee to day deferre not till to morrow But repent to day f Heb. 3. 13. While it is called to day lest as the Apostle saith any of you be hardened through the deceitfulnesse of sinne CHAP. XVI Of Motiues and perswasions to repentance of the two first motiues THe Sixt and last thing in the treatise of Repentance 6 Motiues and perswations to Repentance Foure is concerning the motiues and perswasions to repentance which I reduce to foure heads The first I take from testimonies of Scripture The Second from examples of penitent sinners The third from the necessity and The fourth from the benefite of repentance Touching the first the Scripture is plentifull in exhorting 1 Testimonies of Scripture to repentance perswading to turne from sinne and to returne vnto the Lord. Esay saith a Isa 55. 7. Let the wicked forsake his way and the vnrighteous man his thoughts and let him returne vnto the Lord. Ezekiel saith repent and b Ezek. 18. 30. turne your selues from all your transgressions Hosea saith c Hos 14. 1. O Israel returne vnto the Lord thy God Ioel saith d Ioel. 2. 13. Rent your heart and not your garments and turne vnto the Lord your God And so the rest of the prophets in the old Testament In the new testament we finde Iohn Baptist the voice of the crier in the wildernesse the preparer of the way of the Lord preaching repentance vnto sinners e Mat. 3. 2. repent ye for the kingdome of heauen is at hand And againe f Vers 8. bring forth fruits meete for repentance And when Christ Iesus himselfe began to preach his first Sermon was of Repentance g Mat. 4. 17. repent ye for the kingdome of heauen is at hand The Apostles of Christ walke in the same steps preaching repentance to sinners S. Peter preached repentance to the Iewes h Acts. 2. 38. repent and be baptised euery one of you in the name of Iesus Christ for the remission of sinnes Againe he saith i Acts. 3. 19. repent ye therefore and be conuerted that your sinns may be blotted out so S. Paul exhorteth the Athenians to repent k Acts. 17. 30. And the times of this ignorance God winked at but now commandeth all men euery where to repent And S. Iames exhorteth saying l Iam. 4. 8 9. cleanse your hands you sinners and purifie your hearte you dooble minded be afflicted and mourne and weepe Thus the Scripture exhorteth to repentance The second motiue to perswade vs to repentance I 2 Examples of peniteÌ„t sinners take from the example of penitent sinners to mooue vs to repentance it is profitable for vs to set before our eyes the examples of penitent sinners who though they haue sinned and done wickedly yet haue repented and returned vnto God Manasseh King of Iudah was a great sinner and for his great sinnes carried to Babylon but being in affliction m 2 Câ—ron 33. 12. 13. He besought the Lord his God and humbled himselfe greatly before the God of his fathers and praied vnto him and he was entreated of him and heard his supplication c. Dauid though he committed adulterie with Bathsheba yet he repented and said n 2 Sam. 12. 13. Psal â—1 4. I haue sinned against the Lord though Peter denied his master Christ yet he repented he was sorrie for his sinne o Mat. 26. 75. He went out and wept bitterly And what shall I more say for the time would faile me to tell of Noah Lot and of Solomon of Marie Magdalen and Zaccheus of the conuerted Iewes of the keeper of the prison conuerted by Paul and of Paul himselfe who as he himselfe confesseth p 1 Tim. 1. 13. Was before a blasphemer a persecutor and inturious but through repentance obtained mercy These are examples written for our instruction that we should not liue in sinne nor goe on in any wicked and vngodly course of life
God daily doe vs good feeding and nourishing vs prouiding things needfull for vs graciously preseruing and defending vs and shall we still vexe and grieue the Lord by our sinnefull course of life hath he not mercifully giuen his Son Christ Iesus to die for vs to saue our soules and shall we foolishly runne headlong into sinne to the vtter destruction and willfull casting away of our soules O consider this yee that set light by the benefits which God hath done for vs. As Moses vpon the rehearsall of the benefits of the Lord done for Israel speakes thus vnto them i Deut. 10. 12. And now Israel what doth the Lord thy God require of thee but to feare the Lord thy God to walke in all his wayes and to loue him and to serue the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soule So I say vnto thee O man to whom the Lord hath shewed great mercy and goodnesse vpon whom hee hath bestowed incomparable benefits whom God hath created redeemed and doth continually preserue what doth the Lord thy God require of theâ— for creating redeeming and preseruing thee but to repent of thy former sinnefull life and to turne to thâ— Lord thy God What doth hee require of thee but to feare the Lord thy God to walke in all his wayes and to â—oue him and to serue the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soule CHAP. XVIII Of the patience and long-suffering of God and how it ought to lead vs to Repentance SEcondly in regard of the patience and long-suffering 2 The patience and long-suffering of God of God its necessary for a sinner to cease from his sinnes to repent to turne from sinne and to turne vnto the Lord for the patience and long-suffering of God is exceeding great towards a sinner The Scripture witnesseth the great patience of God Dauid saith a Psal 103. 8. The Lord is gracious and mercifull slow to anger Of the Iewes the Lord saith thus by Esay b Isa 65. 2. I haue spread out my hands all the day vnto a rebellious people St. Paul plainely calls God c Rom. 15. 5. the God of patience The patience of God was great to Niniuch giuing them d Ioh. 3. 4. fortie dayes space to repent And to the Iewes e Act 13. 18. fortie yeares suffering their manners in the Wildernesse But his patience was exceeding great to the olde world giuing them an f Gen. 6. 3. hundred and twenty yeares space to repent How patient the Lord is to sinners how slow hee is to wrath and how he forbeares to punish sinners Chrysostome sheweth comparing the destruction of Iericho with the Creation of the world g Cum struit Deus velociter struit When God buildâ—th saith hee hee buildeth swiftly but when he destroyeth he destroyeth slowly Cum destruit tarde destruit velox Deus struens tarde destruens c. Chrys de panit Hom. 5. God is swift in rearing vp slow in pulling downe In six daies he made the world in six daies he created heauen and earth the Sea and all things therein but God who in a short time made such a great and glorious frame of Heauen and Earth and created such an innumerable companie of Creatures yeâ— purposing to destroy but one Citie in the world Iericho hee tooke the space of seauen daies h Quare num potentia imbecillier sed clementia diutius tolerat Chrys ibid. What was it because hee could not destroy lericho in shorter space No. Hee could haue destroyed it in a moment but hereby he shewed his clemencie his patience his forbearance and long-suffering Now whereas the Lord is so patient and long-suffering towards sinners it should be a forcible motiue to perswade euery sinner to repent of his sinnes to liue no longer in sinne but to turne from sinne and to turne to the Lord that so the Lord might be gracious and mercifull vnto him Thus saith the Prophet Esay i Isay 30. 18. Therefore will the Lord waite that hee may bee gracious vnto you The Lord is gracious and mercifull hee waiteth for our repentance and expecteth when a sinner will turne vnto him that vpon his repentance the Lord may be gracious vnto him and shew mercie vpon him So exhorteth the Prophet Ioel k Joel 2. 13. Rent your heart and not your garments and turne to the Lord your God for hee is gracious and mercifull slow to anger and of great kindnesse and repenteth him of the euill So S. Peter saith l 2 Pet. 3. 9. The Lord is not slacke concerning his promise as some men count slacknesse but is long-suffering to vs-ward not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance Wherefore is it that the Lord is patient and long-suffering it is because the Lord is so gracious and mercifull that hee would not haue sinners to perish in their sinnes but rather that they should come to repentance and be saued So then the patience and long-suffering of God should bring sinners to repentance Which serues to reprooue those who abuse the patience Vse and long-suffering of God to licenciousnesse to Against those who abuse the Patience and long-suffering of God wantonnesse and wickednes Because the Lord is gracious and mercifull patient and long-suffering therefore sinners ought to repent and turne to the Lord that he might shew mercy vpon them but wicked and vngodly men perceiuing that they doe wickedly and that God layes no punishment vpon them but suffers them to goe vnpunished Hence they take occasion to sinne the more and so abuse the patience of GOD which should lead them to repentance as the Apostle reasoneth against such a sinner m Rom. 2. 4. Despisest thou the riches of his goodnesse and forbearance and long-suffering not knowing that the goodnesse of God leadeth thee to repentance The sinner that despiseth the patience and long-suffering of God being nothing mooued to repentance for all the patience and long-suffering of Almighty God shewed vnto him is like to an vngracious Childe who hauing done euill and being reprooued of it by his Father and admonished to amend regardeth not his Fathers admonition maketh light of his words and the more that his Father fauours and spares him the worse he growes So a wicked and vngodly man liuing in sinne regardeth not the admonition of the Lord setteth light by the word of God calling him to repentance despiseth the patience and long-suffering of God yea and the longer that the Lord suffers him forbears to punish him the worse he growes It is as the Prophet Esay saith n Isay 26. 10. Let fauour be shewed to the wicked yet will he not learne righteousnes The Iewes in their affliction remembring their sins say o Lam. 3. 22. It is the Lords mercies that we are not consumed And surely if we call to mind our manifold sins iniquities which wee daily commit
on earth or blessed in Heauen we desire to be blessed with temporall and spirituall blessings and to be patakers of eternall happinesse For thougâ— temporall blessingâ— be common to all to good and bad yet the blessing of God vpon the outward blessings which God bestoweth is giuen onely to them that repent of their sinnes to them that feare the Lord and â—eâ—d a godly life aâ— it is said in the Psalmes n Psâ—l 34. 9. There is no want to them that feare him Againe o Psal 84. 11. No good thing will he with-hold from them that walkâ— vprightly For spirituall blessings mercie pardon and forgiuenes of sinnes these belong to none but to penitent sinners to such as hâ—ue repâ—â—ted oâ— their sinnes and are washed from their wickedâ—â—sse as appeareth in that large promise of meâ— forgâ—uenesse in Esay p Isay 1. 18. Though your sinnâ—s be as carlet they shall as white as snowe though they be red like crimson they shall be as wooll But to whom is this gracious promise made but to penitent sinners Euen to such as haue washed and cleansed their â—eâ—â—ts from wickednesse to such as haue put away the euiâ—l of their doings from before the eyes of the Lord and to suâ—h â—â— haue ceased to doe euill and hâ—ue learned to doe welâ— for to such the Lord saith Comâ— nâ—w and let vs reason tâ—gâ—ther sâ—ith the Lord though your sinnes be as scarlet c. And as for eternâ—ll blessednesse and euerlasting happâ—nâ—sse none can be paâ—takers thereof but penitent sinners The kingdome oâ— heâ—uen is giuen to no wicked and vngodly man onely they which haue repented of their sinnes and are washed from their wickednesse shall enter into the kingdome of heauen As it is said in the Reuelation q Reu. 21. 27. There shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defilâ—th neither whatsoeuer worketh abhomination or maketh a lye but they which are written in the Lambes booke of life Againe it is said r Reu. 22. 14. 15. Blâ—ssed are they that doe his commaundements that they may haue right to the tree of lift and may enter in through the gates into the Cittie For without are dogs and sorcerers and whoremongers and murderers and idolaters and whosoeuer loueth and maketh a lye Wherefore it greatly stands vs in hand to repent of our sinnes to wash and cleanse our hearts from wickednesse to amend our wayes and to walke in obedience to Gods commandements to serue the Lord and to feare him if wee desire either to be happy on earth or blessed in heauen As the Apostle also exhorteth vs saying Å¿ Hâ—b 12. 28. Wherfore we receiuing a kingdome which cannot be mooued let vs haue grace whereby we may serue God acceptably with reuerence and godly feare Vse 2 Secondly whereas true penitent sinners haue the Consolation to the righteous which are afflicted in this life promise not onely of temporall benefitâ— and spirituall blessings but also of eternall happinesse and euerlasting felicity in the kingdome of heauen this doth minister great consolation to the righteous which are afflicted and troubled in this present life for though they endure sorrow and sicknesse paine and griefe though they suffer tribulation or persecution or whatsoeuer affliction they vndergoe it is but for this present life it is but for a short time it is but for a moment it wil haue an end And then after that this short life is ended the righteous which haue patiently suffered with Christ shal also raigne with Christ and shall inherite a kingdome The time shal come that they shal haue no paine nor sorrow but shall enter into eternal ioy shall be partakers of euerlasting glory shall liue blessedly for euer in heauen So saith S. Paul t Rom. 8. 17. And if children then heires heires of God and ioynt-heires with Christ if so be that we suffer with him that we may be also glorified together This was Dauids comfort in his afflictions u Psal 27. 13. I had fainted saith he vnles I had belieued to see the goodnes of the Lord x Anciently expounded Heauen Aug. Hug. in the Land of the liuing This comforted S. Paul in all his tribulations and sufferings as he himselfe witnesseth saying y 2 Tim. 4 6. 7. 8 I am now ready to be offered and the time of my departing is at hand I haue fought a good fight I haue finished my course I haue kept the faith henceforth there is laid vp for me a crowne of righteousnes which the Lord the righteous iudge shall giue mee at that day and not to me onely but vnto them also that loue his appearing And this ought to be our great consolation comfort in all distresse knowing that glory in heauen will be a full recompence for all our sufferings As S. Paul also saith z Rom. 8. 18. I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be reuealed in vs. a 2 Cor. 4. 17. For our light affliction which is but for a moment worketh for vs a farre more exceeding eternall waight of glory The end of the second Booke THE THIRD BOOKE OF THE WAY TO THE CELESTIALL PARADISE Concerning Prayer Which is the third meanes whereby a Sinner may be saued and come to life euerlasting CHAP. I. The Preface with the Partition of the whole Treatise of Prayer The order of this Treatise THe a Rom. 11. 13. Apostle of the Gentiles writing to the Romanes saith b Rom. 10. 13. 14. whosoeuer shall call vpon the name of the Lord shall be saued How then shall they call on him in whom they haue not beleeued And how shall they beleeue in him of whom they haue not heard And how shall they heare without a Preacher Which Rhetoricall gradation is adorned with these fiue beautifull ascending steps First Christ must be preached Secondly being Preached men beginne to heare of Christ Thirdly hearing of Christ they beleeue in him Fourthly beleeuing in Christ they beginne to call vpon the name of the Lord. Fiftly by calling vpon the name of the Lord they ascend vp to the highest step saluation After that a man by hearing the word preached hath gotten faith and is brought to Repentance then and not before is he sit to make an acceptable Prayer vnto God for except the heart be purified by faith and purged by Repentance God will not regard our prayers but will hide his eyes and stop his eares when we crie vnto him but a sinner hauing true faith to beleeue in Christ and through true and vnfained Repentance hauing his sinnes washed away in the bloud of Christ may boldly come to the throne of grace with assurance to preuaile with God not onely for temporall blessings but for spirituall graces and not onely for grace in this life but also for glorie and saluation in the life to come For whosoeuer shall call
heare them The sixt is want of pittie and compassion not shewing 6 Want of pittie and compassion mercie to the poore and needie of this Salomon saith m Pro. 21. 13. who so stoppeth his eares at the cry of the poore he also shall cry himselfe but shall not be heard The seauenth is the wilfull neglect and contempt of the word of God of this also Salomon saith n Pro. 28 9. he that 7 Contempt of Gods word turneth away his eare from hearing the law euen his Prayer shall be abhomination In the eight and last place I bring forth Ieremie's Catalogue 8 Theft murther adulterie c. of sundry more particular sinnes all hindering Prayer o Iere. 7. 9. 10. Will ye steale murther and commit adulterie and sweare falsely and burne Incense vnto Baal and walke after other gods whom ye know not and come and stand before me in this house which is called by my name and say we arâ— deliuered to doe all these abhominations As if the Lord had said What shall it profite you to come into the Temple to approach vnto the house of prayer and there call vpon my name and pray for blessings when as you are giuen to stealing to murther to commit adulterie to sweare falsely and liue in Idolatrie All these sinnes are hinderances to your Prayers and do rather bring downe curses Vse then procure any blessings Before we pray to see that our hearts be purged from our sinnes by Repentance Seeing then there are so many impediments and hinderances of Prayer it behooueth vs euery one before we come into the presence of the Lord to make any Prayer vnto him to labour to haue our hearts purified by faith and purged by repentance to remooue farre from vs all impediments and hinderances of Prayer to remooue our sinneâ— from before the eyes of the Lord which stand as a thicke cloud betweene God and vs hindering our Prayers that they cannot ascend vp to the throne of God and staying the blessings of God from descending downe vpon vs. If then thou be a worshipper of Idoles if thou keepest by thee in a secret corner some painted or grauen image to bow downe before it pull it downe call it from thee away with it if thou wouldest haue the Lord to heare thee when thou cryest vnto him in the time of thy trouble If through crueltie oppression vnmercifulnesse c. thou hast bloudie hands O wash thee and make thee cleane lest the Lord haue no delight in thee but hide his eyes and deny to heare thee though thou makest manie Prayers Take heede that thou come not before the Lord to pray vnto him hauing wrath and hatred malice and grudging against thy brother lest thou prouoke the Lord to wrath against thy selfe Beware of vain-glorie lest when thou prayest thou goe away vnrewarded And see thou purge thy heart of the leauen of hypocrisie lest it be laid to thy charge that thou drawest neere vnto God with thy lips when thy heart is farre from him Further if thou wilt haue the Lord to heare thy prayer and hearken vnto thy crie see that thou turne not thy face from any poore man and stop not thine eares at the crie of the distressed soule lest the Lord stop his eares at thy crie And if thou wilt haue God to heare thee when thou speakest vnto him by Prayer see that thou refuse not to heare God speaking vnto thee by Preaching For if thou make light account of Gods word when he speaketh vnto thee by Preaching be well assured that God will make as light account of thy words when thou speakest vnto him by Prayer The theefe must repent of his stealing the murtherer of his blood shed the adulterer of his whoredome the drunkard of his drunkennesse the swearer of his swearing in a word euery sinner whosoeuer and whatsoeuer he be that liueth in any manner of sinne must repent of his sinne if he will euer haue the Lord to be gracious vnto him either for his soule or body For sinne hindreth prayer and causeth that God will neither regard the praier nor accept the person of him that praieth till sinne be remooued from before the eies of the Lord. And this of the persons praying CHAP. IIII. Shewing to whom we ought to pray THE second thing in regard of the persons 2 To whom we ought to pray whom prayer doth concâ—rne is to whom wee ought to pray Wherein I will shew First that we are to pray vnto God Secondly that we are to pray to none other Thirdly wherefore we are to direct our prayers to the true God and to none other besides him First we are to make our prayers vnto God namely 1 To God to the true God to Iehouah the Lord which be manifest by these Scriptures a Psal 50. 15. Call vpon me saith the Lord in the day of trouble And Dauid directeth vs to whom we ought to pray saying b Psal 32. 6. For this shall euery one that is godly pray vnto thee that is to the Lord. Daniel prayeth on this wile c Dan. 9. 17. 18. 19. Now therefore O our God heare the prayer of thy seruant c. And againe O my God encline thine eare and heare c. And againe O Lord heare O Lord forgiue O Lord hearken and doe When our Sauiour taught his Disciples to pray he said d Luke 11. 2. When ye pray say Our Father teaching them therby to whom they ought to direct their prayer And S. Paul telleth vs to whom he vsed to pray c Ephe. 3. 14. I bow my knees vnto the Father our Lord Iesus Christ Thus it is euident by the Scriptures that we are to make our prayers vnto God and to call vpon the name of the Lord. And as we are to pray vnto God and to call vpon the name of the Lord. So Secondly we are to make our prayers to God alone 2 To God alone and to none other and to none other This likewise the Scripture maketh manifest Dauid saith f Psal 65. 2. O thou that hearest prayer to thee shall all flesh come And againe g Psal 73. 25. Whom haue I in heauen but thee In Esay the Church prayeth thus h Isa 63. 15. 16. Looke downe from heauen and behold c. Doubtlesse thou art our Father though Abraham be ignorant of vs and Israel acknowledge vs not thou O Lord art our Father our Redeemer thy name is from euerlasting The third thing yet remaineth which is to shew 3 Reasons wherfore wee are to pray vnto Go and to none other wherefore we ought to make our praiers vnto God and to him alone The reasons are these First It is Gods commandement bidding vs to call vpon him and none other i Psal 50. 15. Call vpon me saith the Lord in the day of trouble 1 God commandeth vs. Secondly we haue not onely Gods commandement bidding vs call
either to be with h Diues in hell torments 1 The Scripture acknowledgeth but two places after this life or with Lazarus in Abrahams bosome that is in ioy and felicity now they that are in heauen are in so great ioyes alreadie that they cannot be bettered till the day of the resurrection when they shall haue fulnesse of glory both in bodie and soule and they that are in hell cannot by h Luk. 16. 22. 23 any prayers be deliuered thence as Abraham tells Diues i Ver. 26. betweene vs and you there is a great gulfe fixed so that they which would passe from hence to you cannot neither can they passe to vs that would come from thence From Hell there is no redemption Secondly whereas the Romish Church teacheth and 2 All the faithfull and true beleeuers are cleansed from their sinnes in this life holdeth that they that are cast into Purgatorie are of the faithfull sort beleeuers the Scripture prooueth that all the faithfull all true beleeuers are washed and cleansed from their sinnes in this life and are therefore blessed after this life For S Iohn saith k 1. Ioh. 1. 7. the bloud of Iesus Christ his Sonne cleanseth vs from all sinne St Paul saith l Rom. 8. 1. there is no condemnation to them which are in Christ Iesus Christ himselfe saith m Ioh. 5. 24. He that heareth my word and beleeueth on him that sent me hath euerlasting life and shall not come into condemnation but is passed from death vnto life And a voice from heauen saith vnto Iohn n Reu. 14. 13. Write blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth yea saith the Spirit that they may rest from their labours and their workes doe follow them Now seeing that the state of the faithfull beleeuers is such that they are cleansed and purified from their sinnes in the bloud of Christ seeing there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ seeing they that beleeue in Christ shall not come into condemnation but passe from death to life and seeing that all the faithfull are blessed when they die and their workes follow them that is they haue the reward of their workes then it is euident that they goe not to any place of torment before they come to heauen but vpon their dissolution they ascend to heauen and are with Christ 3 The canonicall Scripture doth not mention prayer for the dead Thirdly the Canonicall Scripture doth not so much as mention Prayer for the dead no not in those places where there is mention of sacrifices and prayer yea mention of the death of the righteous but rather the contrarie S. Paul to the Thessalonians saith o 1. Thes 4. 13. I would not haue you to be ignorant brethren concerning them which are asleepe that ye sorrow not euen as other which haue no hope Where the Apostle giueth vs to vnderstand that if our friends departed were in any place of torment if they were in paine and miserie then indeed we had cause to sorrow and mourne to pray and to doe any thing that might procure them ease but saith the Apostle I would not haue you to sorrow as men without hope as if he had said If you haue hope that your friends departed are at rest haue ease and shall rise againe to glorie why then doe you sorrow for them as they that haue no hope either of their present rest or future Resurrection to glorie you should rather reioyce for that they are at rest Fourthly though it cannot be denied but that Prayer 4 Prayer for the dead though it be auncient yet is it neither Apostolicall nor yet vsed by the most auncient orthodoxall Fathers of the Church as it is by the Romists at this day for the dead is an auncient custome long vsed in the Church yet notwithstanding I say First that it commeth short of that antiquitie to be an Apostolicall doctrine For before p Tertul. de coro mil. Turtullians time there 's little or no mention of Prayer for the dead and he himselfe acknowledgeth that it hath no firme foundation in the Scriptures but onely from Tradition and custome Secondly the auncient Fathers did not vse Prayer for the dead as the Romish Church doth vse it at this day namely for the easing of soules in Purgatorie and to deliuer them from thence but for other ends as hath bin sufficiently declared before And the auncient Fathers if they be rightly vnderstood doe nothing at all confirme the doctrine of the present Romish Church concerning their manner of praying for the dead The consideration hereof serues Vse 1 First to reproue those who when they speake of their Against those that pray for mercie to the soules of their friends departed friend departed pray that God would haue mercie on their soules for although the Prayers of the auncient Church for the soules of the dead might receiue some tollerable interpretation before Purgatory was beleeued yet now since that the Romish Church hath deuised a Purgatorie and that it is held amongst them as an article of faith it is dangerous to make such a Prayer For this kinde of Prayer that God would haue mercy on his soule howsoeuer it may demonstrate the affection of him that prayeth for his friend departed yet may it be offensiue two wayes First by taking Gods name in vaine through a too frequent and common vsing of it in ordinarie communication as the manner of some is Secondly by an opinion of supposing his friend to be in Purgatorie for in praying for mercie to his soule hee supposeth or at least breeds an opinion in the mindes of the hearers that he doth suppose that the soule of his friend departed is in the paines of Purgatorie and hath neede of mercie to be shewed to his soule whereas it is certaine that the faithfull departed out of this life haue obtained mercie before they yeeld vp the Ghost and they are purged cleansed from their sins in the bloud of Iesus Christ Secondly hence we learne that although it be vnlawfull Vse 2 to pray for any one departed in particular for his It is no superstition to laud and praise God for the departure of our Christian friends ease in or deliuerie out of Purgatorie yet it is no superstition to laud and prayse God for the departure of our Christian friends out of the miseries of this mortall life nor yet to wish to vs and them in generall the hastning of Christ's second comming to iudgement that we with them and they with vs may haue a glorious Resurrection and enioy perfect blessednesse both in bodie and soule For q Perk. Cathol reform de Purgator this is included in that Petition r Mat. 6. 10. Thy kingdome come And this is that sweete and pleasant voice of the Bridegroome Christ Iesus and of the Bride the spouse of Christ the Church of God and euery faithfull soule Å¿
least of all thy mercies and of all the truth which thou hast shewed vnto thy seruant So Daniel confesseth saying u Dan. 9. 7 8. O Lord righteousnes belongeth vnto thee but vnto vs confusion of faces c. And againe he saith O Lord to vs belongeth confusion of face to our Kings to our Princes and to our Fathers because wee haue sinned against thee This was the humilitie of the Centurion who said vnto Christ x Mat. 8. 8. Lord I am not worthy that thou shouldest come vnder my roofe And of the prodigall sonne humbling himselfe before his Father and saying y Luk 15. 21. Father I haue sinned against heauen and in thy sight and am no more worthy to be called thy sonne And this humility in prayer is acceptable with God and is of great force to mooue the Lord to be mercifull vnto vs to encline his eares to our prayers to heare vs and helpe vs in the time of our neede as the Lord promiseth Salomon saying z 2 Chron. 7. 14. If my people will humble themselues and pray c. then will I heare from heauen and will forgiue their sinne and will heale their Land And the wise Sonne of Sirach saith a Ecclus. 35. 17. The prayer of the humble pierceth the clowdes The consideration of this inward humility required Vse in praying serues to reprooue the hypocrisie of those Against those who giue vnto God onely outward worship who in their worshipping of God giue vnto the Lord but onely outward worship they are content according to vsuall custome to bare the head to bow the body and bend the knee as others doe but for humbling of the soule bowing of the heart contrition of spirit and drawing vp of the thoughts vnto God these with many are not or but sleightly performed But what shall it profit thee O man or what reward shalt thou haue if thou vncouerest thy head and couerest thy sinnes if thou bowest thy body and doest not humble thy soule if thou bendest thy knee and hast within thee a hard and stubborne heart or what great thing doest thou if thou onely bringest thy bodie neere vnto God and honourest him with thy lips and tongue when as thy heart is farre from God The outward humbling of the bodie alone may content men but cannot please God the inward humilitie of the heart is most acceptable to God but both ioyned together are best pleasing both to God and man and this of humility in praying The 4 thing required in the framing of our praiers is 4 The auoiding of vaine repetitions in praying Twofold that we be carefull to auoide vaine repetitions And this fault of vsing vaine repetitions stands in two things First in a vaine and idle repeating of the same things making the same petitions againe and againe this is properly called Battologie or vaine repetition 1 Battologie Secondly in multitude of words regarding more the multitude of words and length of time in praying then either the matter of prayer or the sence 2 Polylogie of the words vttered in praying this is properly called Polylogie or much talking Both which are reprooued by our Sauiour Christ saying b Math. 6 7. When ye pray vse not vaine repetitions aâ— the heathen doe For they thinke that they shall Vaine repetition to be auoyded For. be heard in their much speaking Now in praying we must auoide vaine repetitions and much speaking First because that therein there is much labour of the lips but little moouing of the heart which is a thing displeasing 1 It is but lip labour vnto God Secondly because this is the manner of the heathen which know not God wherefore saith our Sauiour 2 It is heathenish when ye pray vse not vaine repetitions as the heathen doe Thirdly God doth not heare men the sooner because of their much speaking and many words for the heathen 3 God doth not therefore the sooner heare them thinke saith our Sauiour that they shall be heard for their much speaking They thinke so but it is not so Fourthly it is not needfull to vse vaine repetitions in praying to the Lord nor to wearie him with much talking 4 It is not needfull for the Lord knoweth what things we stand in need of before we pray as our Sauiour also saith c Math. 6. 8. Be not therefore like vnto them that is the heathen for your Father knoweth what things ye haue need of before ye aske him The consideration of the vnlawfulnesse of vsing vaine Vse repetitions and much speaking in prayer serues to reprooue First those who tie themselues to a set number of praiers 1 Against those who tie themselues to an often repeating of the same prayers and to a strict obseruation of repeating often ouer their praiers as the Lords prayer yea those which are no prayers as the Aue and the Creed the one being but a Salutation and the other a confession of our Faith Secondly here they are reprooued who in their conceiued 2 Against those who in their conceiued praiers vse often repetitions praiers either through want of knowledge or affecting length of time vse many words and often repetitions of the same things and for the most part disorderly placed Here it may be demanded whether the vsing of long Quest prayers be lawfull or whether long-praying be not forbidden vnder that which our Sauiour calleth much speaking I answer if any one vse many words to prolong the time pleasing himselfe in the multitude of words and Answ priding himselfe in this that he is able to hold out long in praying though it be with sundry repetitions of the same things this is sinnefull but a long praier is not simplie vnlawfull And that is not properly said to bee a long prayer wherein there is nothing d Loâ—ga non est in quâ— nihil redâ—ndat superfluous nor idle but that is a long prayer which abounds with superfluity of speech hauing little matter but manie words and many repetitions of the same things that 's a long and a tedious Praier CHAP. XV. Of Feruencie and Perseuerance in Prayer THE fift thing necessarily required in praying 5 Feruencie in Prayer is Feruencie in Prayer Of which Saint Iames saith a Iam. 5 16. the effectuall feruent Prayer of a righteous man auaileth much Praier auaileth much but what praier is it that auaileth much It is the feruent and earnest Praier We haue sundrie examples in the Scriptures of this feruencie in praying Dauid praieth thus b Psal 17. 1. Heare the right ô Lord attend vnto my cry giue eare vnto my Prayer that goeth not out of fained lips Againe hee prayeth saying c Psal 130. 2. Lord heare my voice let thine eares bee attentiue to the voice of my supplications And againe d Psal 39. 12. heare my Praier O Lord and giue eare vnto my crie hold not thy peace at my teares So Daniel
my brethren prouoke not the Lord our God to anger For if he will not helpe vs within these fiue daies he hath power to defend vs when he will euen euery day or to destroy vs before our enemies Doe not bind the counsels of the Lord our God for God is not as man that he may be threatned neither is he as the sonne of man that he should be wauering Therefore let vs wait for saluation of him and call vpon him to helpe vs and he will heare our voice if it please him Not to waite on the Lord for deliuerance but to prescribe the Lord a time to helpe vs is a prouoking of God a binding of the counsels of God a tempting of God and a limiting of the Lord who may not be limited for God though he be t Liberalis est Deus sâ—d liber liberall and bountifull to bestow his blessings vpon vs and to helpe vs yet he is free he is not tyed nor bound to man neither is he to be limited and appointed by man Say not thou then I haue praied so long and so often and yet the Lord doth not heare doth not deliuer me what should I pray any longer take heede be not of this minde let no such words proceede out of thy mouth for if the Lord doe deferre to heare vs and helpe vs when we call vpon him in the time of our need The Lord often deferreth the granting of our requests it is not because the Lord is either vnable or vnwilling to helpe vs but for other ends as First to exercise vs in praying to cause vs to pray more 1 To exercise vs in praying feruently and to make vs crie and call vpon the Lord more earnestly as did the woman of Canaan Secondly the Lord doth not alwayes yeeld to grant 2 That we may receiue the blessings of the Lord with greater ioy and thankfulnesse vs our requests at the first asking but oftentimes suffereth vs to aske once and twice yea manie times before he be pleased to answere vs and grant our requests that when he heareth vs and granteth vs the things which we prayed for we may receiue the same with greater ioy thankefulnesse That as when we wanted such blessings we prayed earnestly so when we haue receiued his blessings we should praise him heartily And this also of Perseuerance in Prayer CHAP. XVI Of praying in Faith also of praying according to the will of God and in the name of Christ THe seauenth thing required in making our praiers is to pray in Faith without doubting When 7 To pray in Faith we pray we must beleeue that God will heare vs and grant our requests being lawfully made Of this our Sauiour Christ saith a Mat. 21. 22. all things whatsoeuer you shall aske in Prayer beleeuing you shall receiue If you beleeue you shall receiue So saith S. Iames b Iam 1. 5. 6. 7 If any of you lacke wisedome let him aske of God that giueth to all men liberally and vpbraideth not and it shall be giuen him But how must he aske the Apostle answereth let him aske in faith nothing wauering for he that waueth is like a waue of the Sea driuen with the wind and tossed For let not that man thinke that he shall receiue any thing of the Lord. And St Paul saith c 1 Tim. 2. 8. I will therefore that men pray euery where lifting vp holy hands without wrath and doubting This is the trust and confidence that we haue in making our praiers vnto God that God is able to heare vs and grant our requests and also that he is willing and for his truth and promise sake for his goodnesse and mercie sake he will heare vs and grant the things which we lawfully craue at his hands in this confidence the Leper said vnto Christ d Mat. 8. 2. Lord if thou wilt thou canst make me cleane e Potentiam credo veluntatem spero I beleeue thou canst I hope thou wilt make me cleane Thus ought we to pray in faith without doubting Here they are reprooued who are fearefull and faint-hearted Vse in prayer being distrustfull and wanting boldnesse Against those who in praying are weak-hearted doubtfull of being heard to approach to the throne of grace the distrustfull man saith thus to himselfe to what end should I pray God doth not heare me and if I make my supplication the Lord will not deliuer me And by reason of these distrustfull thoughts he either praieth not or praieth but sleightly and weakly fainting and doubting But hearken ô man and consider God saith vnto thee f Psal 50. 15. call vpon me in the day of trouble I will deliuer thee and Christ maketh thee this promise g Mat. 21. 22. all things whatsoeuer ye shall aske in prayer beleeuing if you beleeue you shall receiue O then cease not to pray to the Lord for helpe and deliuerance because the Lord bids thee pray and promiseth deliuerance but pray that thou maist haue faith to beleeue that the Lord will helpe thee and deliuer thee For if thou be faint-hearted and beleeue not thou shalt obtaine nothing And the reason wherefore thou art not helped and deliuered is either because thou doest not pray or not pray in faith not beleeuing but doubting Hence it is that the wise sonne of Sirach saith h Ecclus. 2. 13. Woe vnto him that is faint-hearted for he beleeueth not therefore shall he not be defended The eight thing required in the manner of making an 8 To pray according to the wil of God acceptable prayer vnto God is that we make our prayers according to the will of God Concerning which Saint Iohn saith i 1 Ioh. 5. 14. This is the confidence that we haue in him that if we aske any thing according to his will he heareth vs. Here is a promise that if we aske at Gods hands things needfull forvs he will heare vs but here is also a condition set downe we must aske according to his will Which asking according to the will of God stands in two things Standing in two things First that we pray for spirituall and heauenly things 1 Asking spirituall things simply and temporall things conditionally for graces accompanying saluation as for faith knowledge and repentance and godly sorrow for pardon and remission of sinnes for hope and charitie for patience and humilitie and for all other graces needfull for our soules health as also for increase of grace simply and absolutely for these things are necessarie to our saluation and we are assured that God will grant vs these things if we pray for them aright God is willing to bestow vpon vs graces in this life which may bring vs to glorie in the life to come Wherefore it is that St Iames saith k Iam. 1. 5. If any of you lacke wisedome let him aske of God that giueth to all men liberally and vpbraideth
Priuate Twofold Either in the house with the familie and houshold Or in the chamber or some secret place alone These are the seuerall sorts kindes of praier which 1 House I haue now barely mentioned but shall haue iust occasion offered in the treatise following to handle more 2 Chamber or secret place at large CHAP. III. Of the Persons whom prayer doth concerne and first of the persons praying shewing what things are necessarily required of them that pray that their prayers may be acceptable to God HAuing shewed what Praier is and declared the seuerall sorts and kindes thereof 3 The persons whom prayer doth concerne Three The third thing to be handled is touching the persons whom praier doth concerne and they are three First the persons praying Secondly to whom we are to pray 1 The persons praying Therein Two things Thirdly for whom we ought to pray First concerning the persons praying two things are to be obserued First all men are bound to pray without exception no man is exempted from the performance of this holy 1 All are bound to pray without exception dutie neither King nor subiect noble nor ignoble rich nor poore fathers nor children maisters nor seruants and not only all of all sorts but euery one in particular 2 We our selues must please God before our praiers can be acceptable vnto God for himselfe must call vpon the name of the Lord if he will be saued Secondly the persons praying are to be so qualified that they themselues may please God and be acceptable in his sight before they can make any acceptable praier vnto God it is said of Abel a Gâ—n 4. 4. The Lord had respâ—ct vnto Abel and to his offring First to Abel and then to his offering The Apostâ—e sheweth the reason â—herefoâ—e Aâ—els sacrifice was more exceptable to God then Cains saying b Heb. 11. 4. By faith Abel offered vnto God a more excellent sacrifiâ—e then Cain by which he obtained witnesse that he waâ— righteous God testifying of his gifts Because Abel had faiâ—h was righteous therefore was his sacrifice accepted of God Abel himselfe pleased God and that made his sacrifice the better to please God So Abrahams offering was accepted of God because as S. Iâ—mes saith c Iâ—m 2. 22. 23. Hiâ— faith wrought with his workes c. and he was called the friend of God For this cause it is that Salomon saith d Pro. 15 8. the sacrifice of the wicked is an abhomination to the Lord but the prayer of the vpright is his delight Now to the end that we our selues may please God and that our praiers may To which Two things are required be acceptable vnto God two things are specially required of vs. The first is faith for S. Paul saith * Heb. 11. 6. He that commeth 1 Faith to God must beleeue that he is and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seeke him But more of this heereafter when I come to shew the manner how we ought to pray in faith The Second is repentance for as it is necessarie in euery 2 Repentance For Sinne not repented of hindereth prayeâ— and that one that praieth that he haue faith to beleeue so likewise that he haue true and vnfained repentance of his sinnes past and that he doe not now liue in any knowne sinne For sinne hindereth praier and that whether we consider it in generall or in particular First in generall sinne hindereth praier So saith the 1 In generall Prophet Esay e Isâ— 59 2. your iniquities haue separated betweene you and your God and your sinnes haue hid his face from you that he will not heare The man that was borne blinde could tell the Iewes so much f Iâ—h 9. 31. we know saith he That God heareth not sinners but if any man be a worshiper of God and doth his will him he heareth And Dauid saith g Psa 66. â—â— If I regard iniquitie in my heart the Lord will not heare me Secondly diuerse particular sinnes hinder Prayer 2 In particular As which we must cast off and put away farre from vs if we would haue the Lord to heare our Prayers and they are these The first is Idolatrie worshipping of Idoles in stead 1 Idolatrie of the true God Of this the Prophet Ieremie saith h Iere. 11. 13. 14 according to the number of thy Citties were thy gods ô Iudah and according to the number of the streets of Ierusalem haue ye set vp altars to that shamefull thing euen altars to burne Incense vnto Baal Therefore pray not thou for this people neither lift vp a cry or prayer for them for I will not heare them in the time that they cry vnto me for their trouble The second is crueltie vnmercifulnesse blood-guiltinesse 2 Crueltie and vnmercifulnesse Of this the Lord saith by the Prophet Esay i Isa 1. 15. When ye spread forth your hands I will hide mine eyes from you yea when ye make many Prayers I will not heare your hands are full of blood Because they had bloudie hands and were not washed from their hainous transgressions therefore the Lord would not heare them The third is wrath of which the Apostle saith * 1. Tim. 2. 8. I will 3 Wrath. therefore that men pray euery where lifting vp holy hands without wrath He saith without wrath to giue vs to vnderstand that if any one come to make his Prayer vnto God hauing wrath towards his neighbour hating his brother in his heart the Lord will not hearken vnto his Prayer The fourth is vain-glory this was the fault of those 4 Vaine glorie hypocrites of whom our Sauiour warneth his Disciples to beware k Math. 6. 5. When thou prayest thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are for they loue to pray standing in the Synagogues and in the corners of the streets that they may be seene of men Verily I say vnto you they haue their reward If men pray for this end to be seene of men and heard of men and that they may haue prayse of men they may haue the reward which they looke for men may commend them but they haue no reward from God their vain glorie hinders the successe of their requests and makes their prayers vnacceptable to God The fift is hypocrisie when men pray vnto God fainedly 5 Hypocrisie not in truth of heart Of this the Lord complaineth by the Prophet Hosea l Hosâ—a 7. 14. they haue not cried vnto me with their heart when they howled vpon their beds they assemble themselues for corne and wine and they rebell against me In their necessitie when they wanted corne and wine they cryed and wailed and made a pitifull noise in the eares of the Lord but yet they liued wickedly still rebelled against the Lord they cried not to the Lord with their heart and therfore the Lord would not