of peace and the entrance into paradise to all beleeuers Q. Why doe holy and regeneraâ—â— men die seeing that their sins are forgiuen them A. First because the remainders of sinne are left in them which cannot be abolished but by changing corruption into incorruption and this cannot be performed before the last day Secondly the law of nature must bèe fulfilled as well in them as in any other Lastly the quality of death is changed in the beléeuers for it is not death but a sleepe and not a punishment but a fatherly correction yea and a spéedy passage to eternall life Q. Seeing that the soules of the Saints are immediately after their departure out of the body glorified why are the bodies so long kept vnder the power of death and not iointly glorified with their soules A. First the body did sinne last and therefore is glorified last for this standeth with the proportion of iustice Secondly God in detaining the body for a time in the earth which is the first death doth hereby declare his mercy in deliuering both soule and body froÌ„ the second death Thirdly wee must by death bee made conformable to Christ our Sauiour that wee may raigne with him Fourthly God will hereby shew the truth of that his threatning Thou art dust and to dust shalt thou returne Fifthly Christ their head and King who is the resurrection and the life and the first fruits of the dead must of necessity be glorified before the members Lastly the bodies of the Saints though lying in the graue and consumed there yet are without sinne and sense of paine and they shall arise againe in glory at the last day and be reunited to their soules c. and both together inherite eternall happines through the power of God Ob. But the bodies of Henoch before the law and of Elias in time of the law neuer died but were rapt and translated into heauen A. First these examples are extraordinary and therefore they are no common rule to others For God did not onely hereby signifie to the world in what account he had them though the world distasted and despised their persons and blessed doctrine but hee made them types and figures of the generall resurrection Secondly some Diuines hold that their bodies though rapt vp into the aire were coÌ„sumed in the aire because Christ in regard of his bodily ascension is said to be the first fruits of the dead Lastly they died an extraordinary death such as we the Saints that shal be found aliue at Christ his comming shall tast of for their bodies were in a moment changed from mortality to immortality and from corruption to incorruption Q. But why doe Infants that are called Innocents die seeing that they doe not and cannot sinne with consent of will nor of knowledge as doe men of yeares A. Albeit they want as yet the power meanes instruments to commit Actuall sinne yet they haue the bitter and poisonfull root of originall sinne in them and in it they were conceiued and borne and the wages euen of it is death Secondly God will sometimes temporally punish or châ—sten the parents in the death of their children because they are flesh of their flesh and bone of their bones and who perhaps would if God granted them longer life match and equall their parents in sinne Q What are we further to consider in prosecuting this argument of death A Foure chiefe branches or partes First some of the principall reputed and supposed euils of it Secondly the benefites of it both Priuatiue and Affirmatiue or Positiue Thirdly the right preparation against it Lastly a right disposition in death it selfe Q What are some of the principall and so reputed euils A. Thrée First the suddennes of it in many Secondly the violent death of many Thirdly the vncomfortable and lamentable effects of it in that it bereaueth vs of the benefite company gifts prayers gouernment of many notable and worthy persons in Church common-wealth and family Q. Now to handle euery member of the diuision in his right place and order is sudden death simply euill and a curse A. I must néeds distinguish of suddeÌ„ death for qui non distinguit destruit artem First in it selfe it is not euill but because it commonly taketh men vnrepentant and vnprepared otherwise the last iudgement should be simply euill because it is sudden seeing that the sonne of man will come in an houre when wee looke not for him but this sudden comming of Christ is not euil but good and happy for Gods children Againe the manner and time of euery mans death is not in his own dispositioÌ„ but in Gods power and hands onely Secondly we must distinguish of it according to the persons vpon whom it seazeth they are either irrepentant persons and thus die and to these death is hel-mouth the beginning of euerlasting torment or repentant and to these it is no curse for Christ hath by his death and passion taken away the curse but it is a short and vnsensible crosse and correction which freeth them from the feare of death and doth speedily conuey them into the hauen of eternall rest Secondly it is not sudden to the godly that long before foresaw it and waited for it Thirdly the sooner that they die the sooner are they blessed for they rest from their labours and their works follow them Lastly many of Gods children haue died suddenly yet they were not hereby defrauded of eternall glory of this number were Iobs children Mephâ—hosheth the infants that the bloudy butcher Herode caused to bee massacred Iohn the Baptist suddenly beheaded c. But as for wicked vnbeléeuing and vnrepentant persons they liue not out half their dayes but sudden yea ordinary death is to them a curse and a swift posting of them into the lake that burneth with fire and brimstone as we may see in Pharaoh Nabal and the rich churle whereof we reade in the 12 of Luke Q. What vse are wee to make hereof A. Seeing that death many times stealeth and encrocheth vpon vs so vnlooked for wée ought daily to prepare ourselues against it by prayer repentance and the practise of good works and to thinke euery day to be the last for as an ancient Father saith vtiliter latet vltimus dies vt obseruentur omnes dies that is the last day is for our profite kept vnknowne that all the rest may be obserued Secondly being prepared and resolâ—ued before hand let vs not feare the circumstances of death more then death it selfe but let vs for our comfort know and be assured that the sting of euery kind of death is taken away by Christs death from the true beleeuers and no manner of death can diuert and diuorce them from Christ their Sauiour Lastly wee must daily commend our soules and spirits into Gods hands as vnto a faithfull Creator not doubting but that hee will receiue and glorifie them but
blessed truth yet we must be Martyrs in desire and affection and then God will accept the will for the deed for there is Martyrium sine flammâ— i. a martyrdome without a fagot Secondly we must not estéeme nor thinke the firie tryall as some strange thing but reioyce in as much as wee are hereby made partakers of Christ his sufferings that when his glory shall appeare wee may bée gladde and reioice Thirdly wee must comfort and stay our selues in the expectation of the fearefull end that abideth Gods enemies they shall soone be cut off their pompe shall be despised and soon vanish away Psal. 73.19 They are Gods rods to correct and disciplinate his children by who when they haue done their office must bée cast into the fire and consumed Lastly there is no persecution so generall and grieuous but many shall bée preserued in it and from it and after long wrestling God will grant a breathing time Q. What if Gods children cannot be suffered to bee buried when they are dead what shall wee iudge of them or how shall we comfort our selues against this euill A. Their dead bodies are members of Christ temples of the holy Ghost and they shall rise againe in glory to eternall life therefore we may not iudge them accursed Secondly the want of buriall doth nothing hurt them as the performance of it doth nothing profite the wicked as for these funerall solemnities they are rather viuorum solatia quam mortuorum auxilia id est Comforts for the liuing then helps for the dead Thirdly many of Gods Saints yea some most blessed Martyres haue wanted buriall Psal 79.2 and yet haue béene receiued vp into glory Apoc. 11. ver 12. Fourthly other euils as death by drowning by fire by earthquakes by the fall of houses by the cruell rage of wild beasts c. are as much if not more to be feared Fifthly Tegitur coelo qui non habet vrnam The skie is to them in stead of a coffin Sixthly though some Personages be neuer so sumptuously entombed and gloriously buried yet must the worms in the body consume the bodies of such Seuenthly the want of buriall though it is a curse to Gods enemies who perish both in soule and body yet it is but a fatherly and fauourable chasticement to his children and can neuer part nor diuorce them from him and his loue Lastly though sometimes the dead bodies of Gods Saints want buriall yet they féele no smart and their soules in glorie cannot and do not behold the lothsomnes of their vnburied bodies Q. What vse is to bee made hereof A. First we must not so much trouble our selues about this matter but commit the disposition of our dead corps to Gods prouidence and the care of the liuing Secondly let vs bury our sinnes in Christ his graue and sepulchre and then the want of buriall and funerall solemnities shall neither shame vs nor harm vs. Lastly if in the heate of personall persecution the bodies of Gods saints knowne vnto vs and neare vs do want buriall wee must after the manner of those deuoute brethren that buried Stephen enterre them for hereby we do not onely testifie our loue and reuerence towards them but also declare our good hope of their glorious resurrection Q. By what speciall considerations are we to arme and hearten our selues against persecutions A. First wee know it is the lot of Gods children to bee persecuted of the wicked in euery generation but most notably in the raigne and rage of Antichrist For they that are borne after the flesh will persecute them that are borne after the spirit and therefore why should wee bee so offended at persecutions hauing so many compartners and companions herein Secondly that we are hereby made conâ—ormable vnto Christ our Captaine leader and guide and therefore if wee suffer with him we shal raign with him Thirdly that Gods power and his goodnes doth as much appeare in priuatiue blessings as in positiue for God is with vs in trouble he when it pleaseth him represseth the power checketh the malice of the enemy reformeth and refineth vs and giueth a ioyfull issue euasion and euent to our afflictions Fourthly that persecution is a badge ensign and ornament of the true church for hereby open enemies take occasion to oppose themselues against Gods seruants and hypocrites and time seruers are discouered Fifthly that persecution is a schoole-master to make vs vnderstand Gods will and a plaine commentary of Gods word for wee learne that by experience which we heard by the publik ministery Lastly persecution is good for Gods children whether they escape it or die by it for God doth order it for their profite and happines and they are gainers by it many wayes Luk. 18.28.29.30 Q. What duties are wee to performe in persecution A. First we are to prepare our selues against it by daily mortification and by the experience of the swéet and heauenly societie that wee haue with our blessed God that dwelleth in vs and so we shal learne to die daily Secondly let vs be assured that we suffer as Christians and not as malefactors and then wée are not to bee ashamed but to glorifie God in that behalfe For we are Gods Worthies and his champions placed in the theatre of the world and if we fight stoutely wisely in our Lords quarrell and cause he wil honour and aduance vs accordingly both here and hereafter Thirdly because persecution is not onely a triall but also a correction for our sinnes wee must entreat the Lord to pardon them and then the flame of affliction shall brighten vs but not burne vs scoure vs but not consume vs. Fourthly we must possesse our soules and the graces of God by our patience we must seeke the Lord in our trouble and he will be found of vs and it is our dutie with Moses for our encouragement more to looke vnto the infinite and transcendent measure of reward in the kingdome of heauen then eyther the Sunne-shine of present prosperity or the blustering windes of persecution Fifthly persecution doth only touch the vestment and garment of our body but cannot reach vnto the fort of our faith nor the hold of our heart and therefore it ought the lesse to astonish and distract vs. Sixthly let it bee our wisedome and practise in the blustering tempests and the weltering waues of the worlds persecutions to adhere vnto and stand fast vpon Christ the rocke and then wee shall not néede to feare the waues vnder vs much lesse dread drowning Lastly if it please God temporally to deliuer vs let vs receiue Gods precious word with greater ioy for when men and outward meanes faile vs it wil be a staffe and stay to vs in all our tribulations and fill vs full of comfort and hope for the law of the Lord is perfite conuerting the soule the testimony of the Lord is sure and giueth
THE CHRISTIAN ARMORIE WHEREIN IS CONTAINED ALL manner of spirituall munition fit for secure Christians to arme themselues withall against Satans assaults and all other kind of crosses temptations troubles and afflictions CONTRIVED IN TWO Bookes and handled pithily and plainly by way of Questions and Answers BY THOMAS DRAXE Bachelar in Diuinitie Hereunto is adioined a Table of all the principall heads and branches comprised in each Chapter of the whole Treatise EPHES. 6.13 Take vnto you the whole armor of God that yee may be able to resist in the euill day and hauing finished all things to stand fast ¶ Imprinted at London by William Hall for Iohn Stepneth and are to be sold at his shop at the signe of S. Paul at the West end of Pauls Church 1611. not perpetual and they in the meaâ—â—time are not exempted froÌ„ all euils And what if in the greatest danger some Iosephs some Daniels and some Hesters are both fauoured and aduanced yet this is very rare and extraordinarie Therfore it behooued euery seruant of God while she hatâ— time and meanes to prepare anâ— arme himselfe against all future euents and temptations and for thâ— end to put on the girdle of constancie and in the truth to bee ready to confesse the Gospell of peace to take vnto himselfe the Shield of faith triumphant in Christ to couer his head with the hope of saluation instead of an helmet and with the sword of the spirit .i. with testimonies of the scriptures to offend and foile these spirituall Amalekites and hereunto to adioyne feruent and continuall prayers without which all this spirituall armour will little auaile Thus doing hee shall find light in darknes consolation in tribulation power in weakenesse and in all his trials he shall bee more then a triumpher in Christ. And for his further encouragement let him remeÌ„ber that in this warfare the Lord Iesus is the Generall godly Kings and Princes the Coronels the Nobles Iudges and Iustices are the Captaines the Ministers of the Church the Trumpetters and Centinels the Angels the assistants God the Iudge and Rewarder and eternall glory the monument trophy of triumph This preparation being so necessary and the comforts so needfull and so abundantlie set forth in the sacred scriptures I haue according to my mediocrity from thence chiefly borrowed my spirituall armorie and haue reduced and contriued the whole doctrine of it into certaine chapters and pithy grounds propositions And to the intent that the Church of God should find coÌ„fort and profit by it I thought good to publish it And because you most excellent Lady are the Phoenix oâ— your sexe a glorious starre in our firmament and so ful of princely piety vertue and clemency I haue presumed to offer these my labours to your Graces view and to commend them to your Graces patronage For wherein should so noble a Lady in her young and flourishing yeares more labour to excell then to bee a conqueresse ouer sinne and satan For such holie beginnings cannot but bring forth blessed conclusions Vouchsafe therefore most gratious Lady to pardon my bold enterprise and to shelter these my meditations vnder the wings of your Graces fauour In humble desire and comfortable expectation whereof I commit your Grace to the blessed gouernement of the highest Maiesty Couentry March 30. 1611. Your Graces ready to be commanded in all duty and seruice THOMAS DRAXE THE CHRIstian Armorie CHAP. I. Of Mans offence and fall Question HOw came man that was originally and by his first creation so honourable holy and happy to be so sinnefull vile and miserable Answere By reason of sinne and the transgression of Gods commaundement whereby he fell away from God and lost his former dignity holinesse and happines Rom. 3.23 Q. What is sinne A. It is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the breach of Gods law or it is a declination reuolt and apostasie from the loue nature communion and will of God Eph. 4. v. 18. Q. Who is the subiect or continent of sinne A. The reasonable creature that is many of the Angels for they kept not their first estate and purity and mankind vniuersally no man excepted for all men haue sinned and are depriued of the glory of God Rom. 3.23 Q. Who is the author or committeâ— of sinne A. Not God for hee is holinesse it selfe and there is in him no darknes nor sinne at all for he doth not commaund nor commend much lesse instil and suggest sinne but condemne and punish it as that which is most aduerse and contrary to his owne will and word but man onely who in mind will and affections is wholy corrupted with sinne by this meanes is become a vassall of Satan and guilty of euerlasting damnation Q. Jnto how many kinds is sinne diuided and distinguished A. Into two kinds principally namelie that poisonfull corruption wherein man is conceiued and borne which we call Originall sinne and that offence of action which we terme Actuall transgression Q. What is Originall sinne A. It is the leprous contagious pestilent infection of nature or an hereditary and naturall corruption which is successiuely by carnall generation deriued and conueied from Adam the roote and common beginning of all mankind vnto all his posterity Q By what names and epithetes is it called in the scriptures A. Amongst others these are speciall names of it First it is called sinne absolutely because it is the fountaine of al sinnes Secondly it is termed The body of Sinne because all sinnes are included in it and as it were in league with it for vpon occasion offered they breake out Thirdly it is named The Law of the members because of the dominion of it in and ouer all our members for all the parts and powers of our bodies and soules before regeneration obey it as a law and it is intituled Rebellion in our members because it doth by a continuall practise striue and rebell against the law of God Lastly it hath the denomination of Flesh Gen. 6.3 of the old Adam and of Concupiscence which is an euill and inordinate desire and inclination Q. What are the maine parts of originall corruption A. Two first losse and want of the first and originall holines in the whole man Secondly the presence of euill or a contagion and distempered disposition of all the parts and powers of soule and body Q. What are the causes of originall sinne A. Thrée the one inward and the other two outward Q. What is the inward cause of it A. The very law of nature passing originally and conueied by carnall generation from one person to another Q. What are the outward causes of it A. Two First the actuall sinne of Adam and Eue the first instruments foundation of mans nature Secondly Gods iustice imputing the transgression of our first parents to al their ofspring and posterity Q. Doth originall sinne or concupiscence remaine in the regenerate A. Yes for though
deriue originall corruption vnto their children seeing that by warrant of Scripture and the consent of the most excellent Diuines both ancient latter the Parents do not beget but God doth daily create new soules in the bodies prepared and fitted for them but God is iust and cannot be the author of siâ—ne A. Albeit God continually create new soules and that without sinne yet hee doth create them in weakenesse and in the very moment of creation hee forsaketh them and leaueth them imputing Adams sinne vnto them Secondly the soule receiueth contagion by the body in which it is seated for as a precious and costly ointment is soone marred and corrupted as daily experience teacheth by an vnsweet and a fusty vessel so is the soule corrupted by the sinfull body Lastly the soule and body by common consent and practise bring foorth sin for there is so neere a familiarity betwéen them that the one doth gratify the other Q. But why doth God suffer sinne to dwell and remaine in the most holy and regenerate men that liue in the earth A. First to humble and afflict them Secondly that they may know what sin bringeth them vnto and what grace affordeth Lastly that they may alwaies runne vnto God for helpe and pardon Q. What vse are wee to make of this deriuatiue pollution A. 1. Vse We must lay aside al pride and selfe-conceit and with all humblenesse acknowledge our vncleannesse Secondly wee must not so curiously search how the fire of originall sin came as to be careful how to quench it nay we must labour betimes to quench put out the first sparkles of this fire lest if preuailing flame out and vtterly consume vs. Lastly we must in this life be regenerate and borne anew of water and the holy Ghost and therefore flee vnto Christ our Sauiour for pardon of our sinnes and for further grace or else we shall neuer enter into his kingdome Q. What is the actuall sinne A. Euery thought word and déede whether in committing euill or in leauing good vndone that is against the wil and law of God Q. Whence floweth or proceedeth it A. From the fountaine and roote of originall corruption for it is a deriuatiue from it and a fruit of it Q. Doth it any way aggrauate and increase originall sinne A. Yes for it daiely encreaseth the guilt and punishment of it and if faith repentance preuent not deserueth and procureth the greater torment in hell for as there are degrees of sinne so God in his iustice hath accordingly appointed and ordained semblable degrâ—es of punishment Q What is the cause of Actuall sin A. The next and immediate cause is mans corrupt minde wil and affections for these are the working instruments and command the action and therefore as sparkes proceed from the burning coales as rust from the iron and venim from the Aspe so doth actual sin flow from our sinfull and degenerate nature Q. What are the outward causes or occasions of Actuall sinne A. Foure specially First the suggestion and temptaton of the Diuel prouoking and enticing men thereunto Secondly the scandals and bad examples of wicked men offending them Thirdly troubles and persecutions through which many men are drawn to vniust practises yea to fall away from sound faith and true religion Lastly profits and pleasures which drowne men in destruction and cause them to forget God and themselues Q. How is Originall sin to be distinguished from Actuall transgression A. Many waies First originall corruption is bred and borne in vs and with vs but Actuall sin is borne afterwards Secondly Originall sinne is the roote but Actuall sinne the fruit Originall sinne the cause but Actuall the effect Originall sinne is the mother but Actuall the daughter Lastly in Actuall sinne the matter doth not remaine but passeth away for when a man hath committed blasphemie adultery murther c. the action foorthwith ceaseth though the offence of God and the guilt still remaine but in originall sinne the matter manifestly remaineth héereupon we naturally yea and daily runne and rush into sinne and are backward and vntoward to the performance of any good thing that God requireth CHAP. 2. Of the punishment of Sinne. Question WHat followeth sinne A. Temporall and eternall punishment Q. Are the temporall punishments of sinne inflicted vpon mankind curses satisfactions to Gods iustice and the forerunners of euerlasting damnation A. They are such in their own nature and originall and such in all the reprobates yea they are no other then curses to the elect so long as they are vnregenerate and vnder the ministry of the Law For cursed is he that doth not continue in all things that are written in the book of the Law to doe them Q. But what are these temporall plagues and punishments to the beleeuing and regenerate A. They are not to speake properly the punishment of their sinnes nor part of the eternall curse and therefore no satisfactions to the rigour of Gods iustice for Christ by his death and obedience hath fully satisfied his fathers iustice remoued from them the curse of the law yea and deliuered them which for feare of death were all their life time subiect to bondage they are therefore not curses but corrections not punishments but preseruatiues vnto them and not the broad way that leadeth to destruction but the narrow way that tendeth vnto life Act. 14.22 Q. But seeing that Christ hath made satisfaction for sinne and their sinnes are not imputed to them but pardoned why doth not God as well eodem instanti take away the chasticement as the Sinne A. First because certaine seedes of corruption certaine sparkles of concupiscence and certaine rootes of sinne in part abide and will abide in them so long as they liue in this mortality which Christ the Physitian of our soules must needes correct yea and mortifie by the bitter pilles and purgations of affliction Secondly because the bitter memory of sinne committed remaineth in the minds of them that loue God which cannot but grieue and molest them Thirdly the wicked who are Satans impes and Gods rods do alwaies séeke and if they find they take any occasion to vexe and trouble Gods children Apoc. 12.12 Q. What instruction gather you hence A. That mans nature is vile vnperfect that the sinne that ariseth out of it and from it is very hatefull and horrible in Gods sight for hee will not let it escape and passe vncorrected in his déere Children no nor in the sucking Infants that are frée from the committing of actuall sinne for they are subiect to diseases paines and vnto death as well as men of yéeres CHAP. III. Of the Crosse or Tribulation Question WHat is the Crosse Ans. It is that cup or measure of affliction that God doth ordaine and appoint out vnto euery one of his children that liueth in this world Q. Is then no child
of God exempted and freed from the Crosse A. No certainely for euery Christian hath the procuring cause of the crosse 1. Sinne in himselfe whch cannot but much affect afflict euery child of God who is troubled at nothing so much as at the offence of God Secondly Vita nostra est bellum non triumphus our life is a warfare and not a triumph Et cuiuslibet Christiani viâ—â— qui secundum Euangelium vixerit crux est atque Martyrium that is the life of a Christian who liueth according to the Gospell is a Crosse and Martyrdome Q. What shal we iudge of them that haue experience of no Crosses neither inward nor outward A. They are Bastards and no Sons of God for God chastiseth euery Son whom hee loueth Secondly God doth not in mercy spare and exempt them but distrust them neither doth he fauour them but refuse them and cassiere them as vnprofitable and vnseruiceable Q. What vse are we to make of this point A. Wée must neuer vainely dreame of the continuance of outward prosperity and happines for this is one of the peculiarities and prerogatiues of the Church triumphant in heauen but we must in our ease and prosperity looke for trouble trial and aduersity and prepare our selues against it that when it commeth wée may more holily and happily vndergoe and ouercome it Q. Then the Crosse is good and profitable for Gods children is it not A. Yes for God in his loue mercie and wisedome doth temper order and dispose it to their temporall and eternall profite peace and comfort Hos. 5.15 Ier. 31.18 Heb. 12.11 Psal. 50 5. Ioh. 15.2 For it is the Schoole of experience the Field of Patience the wrestling place of glory the life and reuiuing of Gods graces and in a word the exercise of a Conquerour Q. For what speciall ends doth God exercise his children with the Crosse A. First if they haue fallen or committed some grosse sinne as did Dauid others God doth correct and chastice them for their amendment and for the killing of pride worldlinesse licentiousnes and other sins sometime preuailing against them For hereby the Lord remoueth the mist of errour from their eyes that they may see their former follies and what is acceptable in Gods sight he hereby as by a fire purifieth their hearts from the drosse of corruption and by this wind fanneth them from the chaffe of vanity Secondly he snibbing and displing them for sins committed doth preuent sinne to come and maketh them better to looke to themselues for the time to come lest a worse thing happen vnto them yea and more to depend vpon him for grace and supportance And herein God may be compared to a skilful physitian for as the Physitian sometime letteth a man bloud not that hee should be sicke but to preserue him from sicknes so God doth now and then depriue and rid vs of those delights profites and pleasures which would otherwise bée the matter tinder and nourishment of sinne in vs. Thirdly God doth hereby as it were bring them vpon the stage and theater and make knowne to themselues and others that they may be lights and guids of godlines to the dark and blind world that they may be mirrours of admiration and patternes of constancy and patience to the people For as the Mariners skill is tried and made manifest in a tempest the captaines valour wisedome in the battaile and the Physitians experience and cunning in the curing of a desperate disease so are the graces and vertues of the godly and the swéete sent and perfume thereof made knowne in aduersity Afflictions to them are like vnto the spring-showers which cause the buds and blossoms of Gods graces to appeare and shew forth themselues Fourthly God by afflictions doth exercise cherish reuiue encrease his graces in them For Crosses are by Gods gracious disposition so many whetstones to sharpen the dul and blunt edge of their affections so many bellowses to enkindle and encrease in them the gifts and graces of God and they are so many Aâ—arams of his iudgements to awaken them out of the sléepe of security and to prepare them against the spirituall battell Fiftly God by afflictions crosses doth seasonably make known the glory of his power truth goodnes in their temporary and eternall helpe and deliuerance Lastly God doth bring all their troubles to a finall and to a most blessed issue and conclusion for hee doth bring them through the red sea of affliction through the wildernesse of this worlds temptations vnto the heauenly Canaan where they haue happy and euerlasting rest Q. But seeing that the most wicked and reprobate doe suffer the same euils and troubles that Gods children doe in euery particular griefe for sin and persecution for Christ his sake onely excepted why should not the ends effects and euents be the same in them as in the godlie and elect A. First because the persons of the elect are accepted with God they are the gold that is not consumed but made more pure and bright by afflictions fire but the very persons of the reprobate are refused being ordained to hatred and they are as drosse that is wholly consumed by the sire of affliction Secondly God did neuer in his euerlasting counsell purpose and intend to refine and reforme by afflictions the vessels of wrath for who then could resist his decree neither doe the reprobates at any time by pure meanes and in an holy manner endeauour the same Thirdly the reprobate being void of the spirit of grace and sanctification doe neuer in right manner acknowledge Gods hand that striketh them but with the impenitent theef that reuiled Christ they fret and fume they murmur and repine against God and his iudgements Lastly the reprobates are made worse by afflictions and their corruptioÌ„s hereby more breake out For as the winde doth not suppresse but encrease the flaming fire and as the oyle though a liquid matter doth not coole the furnace but the more heate it so affliction and aduersity doth not amend the vnbeléeuers but through their owne fault and corruption make them the worse Contrarily Gods children by reason of grace preuailing in them doe in their troubles comfortably call vpon God they patientlie subiect themselues to his correction finally they finde helpe in time of néede and praise God for it Q. What motiues haue we vnto patience A. First we are commanded to possesse our soules by our patience Secondly wee haue the example of Gods Saints in all generations for our imitation and therefore as God armed theÌ„ with patience so we must not doubt but he wil vs if we begge it at his handâ— Thirdly heereby we frustrate the expectation of our enemies and are more then conquerours ouer them for in the spirit of zeale and strength we challenge and defie them Fourthly wee must remember that our sinnes haue deserued farre
greater crosses and corrections for euery sinne séeing it is committed against an infinite Maiestie doth in it owne nature deserue death and therefore wee must the more patiently endure smaller crosses Fifthly we by impatiency highly offend our God and cause him to handle vs more roughly then he would otherwise doe Lastly if wee constantly waite Gods leasure and entreate his helpe hee will either encrease our strength or decrease our crosse he wil either amend vs by it or else end it Q. What heauenly nepenthes or doctrine haue you against the Crosse A. First it procéedeth from the speciall prouidence and heauenly disposition of God for he createth euill namely of punishment who is he then that saith and it commeth not to passe and the Lord commandeth it not Secondly the crosse is the ensigne and ornament of Gods children their cup their part and portion and the rode way to heauen Thirdly the crosse doth dead and destroy sinne in vs and mortifieth euill affections It is like lightning and thunder to purge the corrupted aire of our hearts and minds It is a file to scoure away rust from our soules a purgation to expell ill humors and like the gold smiths fire to consume the drosse of vanity in vs. Fourthly it doth exercise and cause to grow and encrease the fruits of the spirit and the precious graces of faith hope loue repentance patience for as snow and frost by containing the inward heat in the earth and increasing it causeth the séede cast into it to spring more prosperously so the gifts and graces of Gods children the more that by the crosse they séeme to be smothered and suppressed the more they breake foorth and are encreased Fifthly God will heereby trie the faith of his children towards his maiesty their loue towards their afflicted brethren and their patience towards themselues Sixthly God is with his in trouble in fire and water hee comforteth and strengthneth them he perfecteth his power in their infirmities and at length turneth their sighes into singing their mourning into mirth and their trouble into triumph Lastly the afflictions of this present life are not worthy of the glory that is to be reuealed Q. What duties are we to performe vnder the Crosse A. They either respect God or our afflicted brethren Q. What duties must wee performe towards God A. First we must submit our selues patiently vnto his discipline and correction otherwise if we striue and struggle against God we offend him and so encrease our paine and trouble no otherwise then he that strugleth with a burden on his shoulders doth the more afflict and disease himselfe Secondly we must repose our whole confidence in him and waite his leasure vntill he haue mercy on vs. Lastly when God hath deliuered vs we must returne vnto him all the glory and praise of it for this is the tribute that we owe vnto him and the impoâ—â— that he requireth at our hands Q. What duties must we performe to our afflicted brethren A. First we must neither iudge wiâ—ked and vngodly men to be blessed and happy because they liue for the present in pompe pleasure and prosperity nor falsely and foolishly censure condemne the nation and generation of Gods children that sincerely serue him and are deare vnto him by reason of their preseÌ„t aduersities maladies and miseries for ordinarily the wicked in whoÌ„ God hath no portion receiue all their pleasure and comfort in this life the godly here feele all their paine and suffer all their miseries that the wicked in the world to come may inherit vengeance and the godly eternall ioy and happinesse Secondly farre be it from vs to disdaine despight or despise Gods children in tribulation much lesse let vs aggrauaâ— their afflictions but let it be our practise to coÌ„dole with them to pity pray for and refresh reléeue them Heb. 13.3 Am. 6.6 CHAP. IIII. Of common crosses and particularly of warre forraine and domesticall Question HOw are crosses to be diuided and distinguished A. They are either such publicke and priuate euils which are common to Gods children with the wicked or such temptations crosses and troubles that are proper and peculiar to Gods seruants Q. Which are those publicke euils to which good men and euill are indifferently subiect A. Warre plague famine oppression losses pouerty cosenage or deceit it Q. With what comfortable perswasions shall wee solace and support our selues in time of warre A. Albeit hostility and warre is a sore iudgement and the sword be more grieuous theÌ„ either famine or pestilence yet Gods children want not their consolations For first the sword of the enemy commeth not by chance but by Gods direction and appointment and that not onely for the triall and exercise of Gods children but for the punishment and destruction of his enemies Secondly the enemies rage and fury is not of a boundlesse extent but limited restrained ordered by the diuine prouidence for our good Thirdly though our enraged enemies doe or may sometimes yet not without Gods permission kill our bodies yet they cannot kill our soules nor depriue them of Gods fauour and his kingdome Fourthly neither sword war nor persecution can part the godly from their indissoluble vnion with Christ nor take them out of Gods handes and protection Fiftly if our cause bée good if the defence of our selues be vndertaken by aduise and counsell and withal we call vpon God for valour wisedome and victorie the successe cannot be but good neither néed wee feare the great multitude against vs for the battell is not ours but the Lords Sixtly though God sometimes to shew his iustice that he doth not winke at sinne but punish it vseth the enemies malice in the temporall ouerthrow of his children yet he doth withall shew his mercy in rescuing and sauing many and in turning the punishment of sinne in his children into a medicine and soueraigne salue Lastly God by the euils of warre wil cause vs more to desire peace and quietnesse and when wee haue obtained it the more to estéeme it and to bée thankefull to God for it For as the nights darkenes maketh the light of the Sunne more desirable as vallies set out the mountaines the champion country commendeth the woodland so doth warre declare and make knowne the excellency of peace Q. But what if in a lawfull war and in a good quarrell we now and then bee foiled and ouerthrowne how shall wee comfort our selues and what course shall we take A. First wee must know that by reason of Achans sinne that had stollen a Babylonish garment two hundred shekels of siluer and a wedge of gold the Israelites were put to flight by thâ— men of Ai and the Beniamites twice ouercame the Israelites that had a good cause because they fought not in faith nor repented them of their sins as they did afterwards wherefore wée must
repent vs of our sinnes before we go to war and vndertake the iust defence of our selues in humility and not in presumption of mind Secondly though once or the second time we bee ouerthrowne in warre yet wee must not bee daunted and discouraged but onely repent of sinne and séeke helpe at Gods hand and God will goe with vs and fight for vs. Thirdly Gods children may for their correction and triall as well be foiled in fighting in defence of a iust cause and quarrell as haue ill successe and be crossed in other matters Fourthly the experience of our ouerthrowes in battaile will make vs more expert and aduised for the time to come Fiftly though for the time we haue lost the day yet we must comfort our selues in this that we haue not lost our faith our cause our wisedome our vertue our noble resolution and fortitude therefore we must against the next encounter entreat the Lord to go out with our armies and to guide and prosper vs. Sixtly it is better for vs sometimes to haue the ouerthrow in warre then to triumph ouer our enemies for if all things fall out according to our desires wée would soone put out of our hearts all feare of God and grow secure proud and arrogant ascribing all the glory of the victory not to God the onely cause the only author of it for he alone is the Lord of hostes but to the instrumentall causes and to our selues onely and therefore God will by some foile and ouerthrow preuent this erroneous arrogancy Seuenthly though we loose the day receiue the ouerthrow in battell yet we haue not lost the conscience of our good seruice the liberty of our mind nor the glory of our skill Lastly as the barrennes of the earth teacheth the husbandman skill the often arising of stormes add tempests maketh the Pilot and Mariner wise to decline the annoiance of them and frequent fals maketh the rider wary So sundry foiles ouerthrows in battel make Gods children more politicke and prouident yea much more to humble themselues before God and to implore and entreat his hand and helpe Q What duties must we performe in the time of warre and hostility A. First we are to be expert and old beaten souldiers in the spirituall battell against the world and wickednesse and against the Diuell and death and if herein wee putting on the whole armour of God quit our selues like meÌ„ other wars shall neither terrifie nor trouble vs. Secondly we must search the Scripâ—tures and by theÌ„ examine the lawfulnes of our defiance or resistance and if ouâ— quarrell and conscience be good the issue cannot be euill Thirdly we must not be carelesse and secure in the greatest peace and prosperity seeing that wars come many times when they are least dreaded or doubted Fourthly the Captaines and souldiers must bee trained vp in the feates of warre and in all policies stratagemes they must bee valorous the Ministers must exhort them to bee couragious in Gods cause and they must call vpon God and depend vpon his power and promise for successe and then al shall go well with them And what if their bodies bee slaine yet the truth still remaineth and their soules shall liue for euer Lastly the Princes Ministers and people at home must renue their faith and repentance and their couenant with God and then the enemies shall fall before them Q. How shall the seruants of God comfort themselues against ciuill warre A. First that this euill commeth from God in his iustice for when the greater sort refuse to make their peace with God and to reconcile themselues to Christ and when they despise the doctrine of saluation God doth so forsake them that they by vprores and mutuall dissensions deuoure and destroy one another Secondly it is a common euill and therefore the more patiently to be endured Thirdly God hath defined and determined the beginning maner and end of it and doth trie and exercise onely those that are his children by it Fourthly as all worldly thinges are mortall and mutable so haue Cities and great States and Kingdoms their maladies and diseases créeping and growing vpon them wherefore priuate grudges and ciuill warres often befall them Fiftly in what places now are goodly and faire townes and cities there haue beene in times past woods forrests wildernesses and so may and will be hereafter Lastly a resolued Christian that séeth ciuill warres in their true face and hue putteth away childish feare and is no more broken at them then the house top is with the haile dashing against it Q. What duties are wee to performe in time of ciuill warre A. First let vs not abuse our present peace and prosperity when we enioy it Secondly it behoueth vs to bewaile and forsake our sinnes that bring all these euils into the world Thirdly we must bee wary and prouident that wee bee not so many firebrands to nourish the flame of ciuill contention lest we smart for our folly anâ— when it is once begun wee must endeauour by supplication rebukes admonitions threatnings and promises to suppresse and quench it Fourthly if wée must or néeds will take parts then it is our wisedome and iustice to take part with the best cause persons and to pray vnto God for counsell and assistance and then God can will giue victorie when it pleaseth him as well by a few as by many Fiftly let vs beséech the almighty to grant repentance to the authors of it and to saue our country Lastly for as much as ciuill warres procéede from the ignorance of Christ from the contempt and disobedience of the Gospell we must for the ceasing and remoouall of this euill make our peace with God and entertaine his word with more delight and deuotion CHAP. VI. Of the Plague or Pestilence Question IS the plague and pestilence of our time contagious infections A. Yes questionlesse for first as the leprosie amongst the Iewes infected not onely mens persons but also their garments and their very habitations so doth the plague as experience proueth it Secondly although the plague bee Gods speciall hand and his destroying Angell yet it commeth not immediately by the sensible touch of an heauenly Angell for if it did so come it were extreame vanity and madnes it selfe to shunne the infected persons and places but ordinarily by outward means and occasions this to bee true experience teacheth that very many by declining the infected places and persons haue béen saued and preserued Thirdly sundry persons not infected haue béene so kept by physicke preseruatiues and many infected persons haue béene cured by medicines and plasters but if God had immediately strucken theÌ„ from heauen as he did 70000. of Dauids people they had all died without recouery Q. But why are not all tainted and infected that liue amongst the visited parties and persons A. First all persons are not by reason of their
drink apparell in al rankes and orders of men Q. Who are principall outward meanes to encrease dearth and famine A. Amongst the rest enclosers of ground when they conuert so much aâ—able ground into pasture that there is not ground enough for tillage SecoÌ„dly monopolists or ingrossers Thirdly badggers forestallers Fourthly hoarders of Corne. Fifthly transporters of it beyond the Seas Lastly oppressors of the poore namely such as either denie them their wages or take and retaine their pawns pledges or those that vpon aduantage of the pooremans distresse buy his land goods liuing c. Q. What is the deseruing and procuring cause of dearth and famine A. Sinne and disobedience in generall Q. What are the particular sinnes which moue the Lord to send dearth famine Ans. First Idolatrie and corruption of Gods seruice and worship Deut. 28. 11. Secondly Atheisme and the contempt of Preaching Ier. 11.21.22 Thirdly when men being addicted to the world and their own gaine do altogether neglect the building of Gods house the reformation of his Church Fourthly Periury false oathes and the breaking of lawfull oathes Fiftly couetousnesse oppression of the poore and enclosing of the common grounds Sixthly cruelty towards the poorâ— and the wronging of them by falsâ— waights and measures Micah 6.10 Seuenthly pride in Princes and Râ—lers 2. Sam. 24. Eightly surfetting and drunkennesse Ioel 1 5. Lastly neglect of tith-paying and of maintaining the holy Ministry Q. Why doth God this way sundrie times trie and chastice his owne children who doe not sinne contemptuously oâ— with an high hand as wicked men doe A. First there is naturall corruption in them which deserueth this chastisment especially when as sometimes it commeth to passe it breaketh out into blaines and grosse sinnes Secondly God by correcting them in their bodies preuenteth in them more greeuous enormities and saueth them from eternall destruction Q. What vse is to be made heereof A. Let the wicked and profane tremble feare and betimes returne vnto God for if God correct small faults so sharpely in his own deare children how much more will he punish them that sin so presumptuously Q. What spirituall meditations are necessary to comfort our soules in time of dearth and famine A. These or the like following First we must know that it is Gods hand and that it commeth not by the will of man much lesse by chance and therefore we must repent and patiently endure this correction Secondly God by dearth and scarsitie doth preuent his children from committing many sinnes such as are riot excesse gluttony drunkennes for as a Physition letteth his patient bloud to preuent diseases in him so dealeth God with his children in this chasticement Thirdly God in the time of dearth doth not pine and starue but prouide for and quicken his children and seruants Thus in time of famine God made Ioseph the meanes to nourish his father Iacob and his brethren Thus he fed Elias by an Angel yea by a rauenous Rauen thus he multiplied the oile and meale to the poore widow of Sarepta thus for forty yeeres space hee fed the Israelites in the wildernesse with Manna from heauen thus God prouided for Elimeleks his wife and children and for the noble Sunamite and no maruell for if God féed the fowles of heauen yeâ— the young Rauens that cry vnto him how much more will he féed his sonnes and seruants Fourthly neither in this nor any other euill will God tempt them aboâ—â— their strength for he intendeth their reformation and not their ruine but iâ— they repent and pray vnto him he will mitigate if not remoue the dearth and famine and in the meane time féedâ— them Fifthly if God kéepe them shoâ—â— of these earthly thinges yet hee giueth them farre greater giftes namely faith hope charity assurance of saluation c. Lastly if God sometimes permit their bodies to pine as we haue an example in Lazarus and in some of the persecuted Israelites in the time of Antiochus yet he doth sustaine their spirits with patience and féed their soules to saluation with the hidden Manna of his word Q. What duties are there in such â— distresse to be practised A. First we must confes acknowledge and bewaile our sinnes the cause thereof we must beware that we contemne not Gods word nor abuse his good creatures and we must withall intreat the Lord to lessen or take away this plague and in the meane time suffer this correction with patience and thankfulnesse Secondly if all outward helpes faile vs yet let vs hold fast the hope of mercy and saluation and then we shall finde ease and refreshment in our troubles Thirdly Ministers and Preachers must endeauour to make the people to féele the gréeuousnesse of the calamitie to stirre them vp to repentance and patience and exhort the rich to liberalitie Fourthly rich men must regard pitie and reléeue the poore they must sacrifice on these altars they must fil these empty vessels and let the fountaine of their liberalitie runne out vnto them Lastly magistrates and rulers must not only prouide against dearth but also suppresse monopolists engrossers badgers transporters of graine hoarders of corne c. for Vae illis c. Hi sunt mercatores humanarum calamitatum that is woe vnto them that enhance the price of victuals for they are hucksters of humane miseries CHAP. VII Of Oppression Worldly losses Pouerty Question WHat coÌ„fortable theoremeâ— doth Gods word afford vs against wrong iniury and oppression A. First it is the part of good men rather to suffer iniury then to offer it Secondly the wrong done redoundeth to the hurt of him that doth it Thirdly if men cannot or will not right vs yet our God can and will auenge such indignities and therefore we must commit commend our cause vnto him yea and wait his leisure Fourthly wee haue the Saints of God for our companions herein anâ— therefore we may not iudge our selues forsaken as those that are singled out to these abuses Fifthly if Gods people doe but sigh and groane vnder their burthen he will come downe yea and ease and deliuer them Sixthly oppression maketh a wise man mad Seuenthly oppression of the innocent and the indignities offered to iust men enter into the eares of the Lord of hosts and cry to heauen for vengeance Seuenthly they that defraud and oppresse others must looke to receiue the like measure againe in Gods powerfull iustice Eighthly God will hereby try and proue whether that we will blesse them that curse vs and he will haue our vertues of loue and patience to be more eminent and conspicuous But if we carry a cankred affection and especially if we will requite euill with euill then doth God discouer vnto vs our corruption which we must labour to pull out if we will be the masters and conquerors of it Lastly we must meditate vpon Gods gracious promises and his iust
smaller matters let vs learne to preuent greater euils Lastly let vs neuer deale perfidiously nor falsly with others much lesse lay snares to entrap and entangle them in lest wee be deceiued our selues sinke downe into our owne pits and our feete be taken in the net that wee haue hid CHAP. IX Of diuers publicke euils and common crosses which concerne the body and namely of sickenesse and death Question WHat is sicknesse A. It is the disproportion of the foure Elements or an ill disposition in the body against the naturall constitution of it which by the effect of any action breedeth offence to it and maketh the vse of the body worse Q. Who is the sender or imposer of it A. God onely for it is his scourge rod and discipline Q. Why doth God send and inflict it A. For the triall chasticement and amendment of his children and to kéepe their soules from sinne Q. What is the attractiue deseruing or procuring cause of sicknes A. Sinne as well Originall as actuall for why doth man suffer but for sinne And hereupon our blessed Sauiour before he cured the man that was sicke of the palsie did forgiue him his sinnes and then restored him to his perfect health to teach vs that sinne was the cause of it Q. What spirituall and speciall comforts doth Gods word afford vs against sickenesse diseases paines A. First sicknes and paine is one of Gods rods to disple and correct vs with it is healthfull for the soule it disswadeth vs from lusts it is a mistresse of chastity and modesty Secondly Gods power is and wil be perfected by our infirmity Thirdly God doth make our bed in our sicknesse and euery night and morning doth visit vs by his spirit Fourthly it putteth vs in minds of our mortality driueth away drowsines and forgetfulnes and pointeth out our iourney to heauen Fifthly it is but a temporary and gentle chastisement leniâ—â—ed tempered and disposed by our heauenly father for our good Sixthly death wil ease vs of diseases sickenesses infirmities and at the vniuersall resurrection we shall be glorified euen in our bodies therefore let vs be content for so short a space of time to vndergoe them Seuenthly it is the narrow way and strait gate that leadeth to life Eightly all the Saints of God haue traced this way before vs. Ninthly this yoake is but easie and the burthen exceeding light for the sting thereof is taken away by Iesus Christ and yet he beares the burthen with vs and indeede wholly takes it vpon himselfe Lastly the infirmities and afflictions of this present world are not worthy of the glory that is to be reuealed and communicated vnto vs for what comparison betweene finite and temporary infirmities and infinite and eternal glory Q. What vse are we to make hereof A. First let vs enter into the house of mourning and marke the chasticements of the Lord vpon others labouring to stirre vp our bowels towards them and to weepe with them that wéepe Secondly we must confesse our sins the causes thereof and be sorry for them and earnestly and constantly desire and entreat God to pardon them for as when the sore or wound is cured the plaster wil fal off so wheÌ„ sin is pardoned the affliction wil cease or at least work to and for our saluation in the end Thirdly we must offer and present our soules to the heauenly Physition Christ Iesus to be cured and then the body will the sooner be healed Fourthly if our bodily disease be desperate or remedilesse the more we are to ioy and reioice because wee shall not only haue the strength of the holy Ghost to leade vs through but also bee the sooner deliuered out of the dungeon of our sinnefull bodies Fiftly let vs all with Paul desire to be dissolued and to be with Christ. Let vs pray for the comming of our Sauiour that we may be cloathed with our house which is from heauen for these desires and praiers are spirituall wingâ— to carry our minds and thoughts into heauen where is our Lord our countrey our ioy our inheritance and our treasure Lastly if wee recouer our sickenesse we must bee more circumspect for the time to come and beware lest a worse thing befall vs. Obiection Q. But my sicknesse is most sharpe greeuous and violent that I thinke that God hath wholly forsaken me A. Iob Dauid Lazarus and others haue béen in this taking and perplexity and yet not forsaken but inwardly sustained and at length deliuered For whom God loueth most hee correcteth most Secondly these violent sicknesses are healthfull and wholesome vnto thée for they are like strong and vehement purgations to rid and purge thée of thy ill bloud and corrupt humors of sinne Thirdly nullum violentum est perpetuum if they be violent they will not long continue for God is faithfull and will not suffer thée to be tempted aboue measure but will giue an issue with the temptation that thou maiest be able to beare it he will either end thy sicknes or take thée out of this wretched world For God is a louing and a merciful father not erring in affection and in the manner of correction as earthly fathers often do for he doth chastice thée for thy profit that thou mightest be partaker of his holinesse Fourthly the issue and euent cannot be but good for hereby sinne is mortified grace is encreased and thou fitted for heauen Fifthly the smart and paine of sicknesse is not in it selfe and simply euill because it is not sinne and it rather toucheth the outward man then any way corrupteth the mind and conscience Lastly heathen men especially their Philosophers that had no other teacher and direction then the dimme and darke light of degenerate nature haue patiently endured exquisite torments and shall not we Christians that haue the lanterne and lampe of Gods word and his blessed spirit for our helper and comforter be much more couragious and â—â—solute Q. What duties must we performe in such an extremity A. First it standeth vs in hand early and earnestly to cry vnto God for the pardon especially of all our knowne and grosse sinnes and then God who loueth the righteous and who knoweth our hearts cannot but in due time spéed our feruent praiers and requests Secondly we must put on the whole armour of God and especially the helmet of hope and the shield of faith that ouercommeth the world and that quencheth all the fiery darts of Satan and then our paine shall increase our gaine and the smart of it shall neuer hurt vs. Lastly we must neuer trust in our selues nor séeke so vnto the Physition that we forget the Lord but we must make God our chiefe Physitian for he healeth all our infirmities and we must patiently endure Gods hand and desire his helpe and then as our afflictions doe or may abound so he will
cause our consolations to abound much more 2. Cor. 1. A second Obiection Q. But what if our sicknesse and disease be of long durance or of many yeeres continuance how then shall wee stay and comfort our selues A. First our sinnes whereof wee must seriously repent haue perhaps long time preuailed against vs and therefore the medicine must a long time be applied to it Secondly our sinnes haue deserued euerlasting paine and therefore we must patiently endure this which is temporary and tollerable Thirdly the blessed saints and seruants of God in all generations haue had experience of this temptation and haue béen our companions and copartners herein For example sake Iob in the old Testament was very long no doubt sicke pained and vlcerous Aza long diseased in his séete and in the new Testament a poore woman was twelue yéeres long troubled with a bloudy issue A daughter of Abraham i. a godly and religious woman bowed by Satan eightéen yéeres and a créeple whereof we reade in Iohns Gospell was lame thirty eight yéeres Fourthly the longer that our afflictions are the more easie they will be for God in his compassion will either mitigate our paine or adde vnto our strength Fifthly if our outward man decay yet shall the inward or regenerate man be renewed daily so that corruptio vnius is by Gods mercy generatio alterius Sixthly the temporary though long and tedious afflictions of this world are nothing to the eternity and vnmeasurablenesse of glory in the world to come Seuenthly God will heare and helpe vs after that we haue béen long humbled and diligently sought him Lastly the longer that the deliuerance is delaied the greater will the comfort be when it commeth Prou 13.12 The third Obiection Q. But what if either the violence or the long continuance of our sicknes bereaue vs of naturall sleep whereby our life and strength is prolonged and maintained how shall we in this case comfort our selues A. By these rules and directions following First sléepe is a resemblance of death and the image of it for they differ only in time sléep being but a short death and death a long sleepe and therefore the lesse that we sléepe the longer doe wee liue Secondly we may must conceiue good hope of procuring naturall sléepe and rest for if sicknes take it away health may restore it and if feare depriue vs of it hearts ease and quietnes of mind will make vs againe partakers of it Thirdly we are by our wakefulnesse and want of sléepe freed from the terrour of dreames and from many illusions doubts feares wherewith men in their sléepe are assaulted Lastly God will haue vs to estéeme more highly of the blessing of sleep when we obtaine and enioy it and to shew our selues more thankefull for it Q. What course are wee to take that we may procure rest and sleepe A. Wée must first of all and most earnestly pray vnto God that giueth his beloued sleepe in peace and that gaue S. Peter that was bound with two chains and betweene two souldiers sleepe to bestow this gift vpon vs which is many times denied to great Monarches Secondly we must striue to disburden vnlade our selues of cares thoughts and to shake off sicknes what in vs lieth and then sléepe will come vpon vs vnlooked for Thirdly in our non rest wee must read the holy Scriptures and good books especially of Diuinity and haue them about vs with whom we may talke and confer and we shall find much ease and refreshment Psal. 77. v. 11.3.4 ad 12. Lastly we must in the day time especially if our sicknes will suffer vs diligently honestly and conscionably walke in our lawfull callings and wee shall haue experience of Gods gratious blessing euen this way The 4. Obiection Q. I am as it were a close prisoner in my earthly house and I am not able to goe to Gods house that I may behold the beauty of it and visite his temple how then shall J comfort my selfe A. First though thy body be bound yet thy soule is at liberty and kept vnpolluted of sinne and errour Secondly Dauid Ezechias Aeneas many others haue against their will by sicknes béene kept from Gods house Thirdly God in this case accepteth the will for the déede and requireth the heart and the affection onely Lastly in this estate thou must reade the scriptures and godly treatises and muse and meditate vpon that thou hast heard read learned The fift Obiection Q. Alas we want friends kinsfolks and good neighbours to relieue direct and comfort vs what instructions can you yeeld vs A. First our case is not singular and without example for Iob Dauid c. yea and our blessed Sauiour in this case were neglected misiudged forsaken Secondly we must learne to beare our friends death and therefore much more their absence for this absence will not appall them whom death doth notdismay Thirdly it may be that we in our health made small account of and were offended at them and therefore now wee are iustly depriued of them For as in all things so in friendship too much aboundance doth dull the appetite whereas want doth sharpen it and hunger is the best sauce Fourthly though they bee absent in place when that their eyes eares hands and féet performe not their office yet they may be with vs in their mind and affection and thus Paul was present with the Colossians and with the Corinthians 1. Cor. 5.4 Lastly let vs not be discouraged nor faint harted but trust in the liuing God and bee content with those thinges that we haue for hee will neuer faile nor forsake vs. Q. What duties are wee to performe in this distresse A. First we must not trust in men who are lighter then vanity it selfe they are like a brokē staffe that wil faile them that leane on it and like a réede that will breake in a mans hand but wee must trust in the liuing God thogh he should kill vs and liue by faith and then wee shall haue the recompence of reward Secondly when God raiseth vp friends and kind neighbours vnto vs let vs be more thankefull vnto God for them and haue them in more request and estimation Q. What if the violence and continuance of sicknes want of friends and good neighbours lacke of sleepe concurre or at least we faint vnder some one or more of them how then shal we practise patience A. By obseruing and practising those instructions and conclusions following First that many of Gods Saints as Iob Dauid c. haue encountred with all these temptations and yet haue by faith and patience ouercome them and though these men may seeme vnto vs Phoenices and rare birds yet we must the rather take notice of them and endeauour to imitate them Secondly if our minds bee armed with faith in God our bodies shall be the better enabled to
beare them all yea and to ouercome all temptations Thirdly God is a present helpe in trouble where mans helpe endeth there his beginneth and his power is perfited in mans infirmitie Fourthly Christ our Sauiour God blessed for euermore endured for our saluation and that most patiently exquisite torments of soule and body yea the pangs and paines of hell though his soule was neuer in the place appointed for the damned in comparison whereof ours are but light and easie nay swéete and pleasant and therefore we may the better endure them Fifthly we must not iudge of the euill of our paine by our deceitfull senses but by Gods word the true touchstone and vnfallible rule of truth Sixthly if we fret grieue and grow impatient we shall doe nothing but encrease our euill and to the disease of our body adde the disease of our soules Sixthly we haue néed of patience and we in midst of all these euils must vphold our selues by our courage and valour that after that we haue done the wil of God we might receiue the promise for yet a very little while and he that shall come will come and will not tary Lastly let vs in our inward and outward griefes abstract and withdraw our minds from them and thinke vpon some other matter and obiect that may more please content and affect vs and when our weake and dazeled eies cannot behold the Sunnes bright beames let vs looke vpon the gréene coate and colour of the earths hearbs flowers fruits leaues c. Q. May we not fitly number amongst the euils of sicknesse the paines of women in trauile and the inconueniences of old age A. Yea for they are distempers of the body caused by mans sin and transgression and tending to the hurt of the body Q Seeing that by many places of scripture by oft allusions vnto the paine of women in trauaile and by the testimony of heathen Philosophers as Aristotle no creature hath so sore paines in trauaile as a woman what comforts can you profound for the sweetning hereof A. First though a womans throwes and paines are bitter yet are they but short and therefore they may be the better borne and endured in hope of spéedy deliuerance Secondly no creature besides bringeth forth so diuine and excellent a creature as a woman doth and at the knowledge and experience hereof she for ioy forgetteth her paine Thirdly these paines are to the beléeuing women no part of the curse but only fatherly corrections and the straight way to guide them and transport them to the heauenly Canaan Lastly to interpret that place of Timothy properly as some doe the beléeuing women shal be saued 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is by the birth natiuity of Christ which was the beginning of the accomplishmeÌ„t of the worke of our redemption Q. What comforts are proper to old age that is religious A. First old age is honourable if it be found in the way of vertue for a good thing is commonly commended for the antiquity of it Secondly an old man is in some sort the image and representation of Gods eternity and therefore the more to be reuerenced Thirdly let him not grow old in vices and errors but in grace and vertues and then he hath more cause of comfort then of complaint Fourthly an aged man and gray headed is more like a beautifull swanne then a crow or rauen and though beauty health strength and the vse of bodily pleasures cease and are out of date yet grauitie and vertue then most flourish in Gods children and they are often the oracles of God for counsell as Iacob Iob Nathan Chuzai Roboams antients are examples and in stead of enioying outward pleasures they behold the beauty of the Lord they visit his temple they are satisfied with the faines of Gods house and drinke out of the waters of his pleasure and doe finde maruellous contentment in the desireable meditation of the kingdome of God at hand Fifthly after the generall resurrection old men shall renew their age as the Eagle doth hers yea they shall euer be fresh and flourishing and neuer decay Sixthly an old man hath a singular prerogatiue in that so few attaine vnto his yéeres Seuenthly an old man hath had a long time of preparation and tendeth to his perfection and lifteth vp his head for ioy because his redemption is so néere at hand and they hauing by the eies of faith séene Gods saluation with holy Simeon are desirous to depart this life in peace Lastly youth is the glasse of folly and the bait of vanity apt to be drawn to any euill and therfore they may be glad that the rage and intemperate heat of youth is past Q. What duties is an old man to performe and put in practise A. First hee must purge himselfe of lust couetousnesse anger riot idlenesse and the like sinnes for these vices disgrace old age and by the dominéering of them in many ancients youth is maruellously corrupted and infected that are ready to follow such euill presidents Secondly he must spend all his time in preparation and learne to die daily that so he may be ready for the Lord and enter into his ioy Thirdly as the body daily decaieth and is posting to his long home so must the soule and inward man be renewed and look towards heauen and not turne backe to the Sodome of this world that it immediatly after that it is loosed out of the body may be carried by the Angels into the kingdome of heauen CHAP. X. Of Death of the nature causes euils and benefits of it what preparation against it is necessary how a man may in this life haue a taste of eternall life and of a right disposition in death the generall vse of the Doctrine Question WHat is death A. It is the loosing and separation of the soule from the body Q. What is the procuring cause of it A. Adams sinne and the sinne of all his posterity Q. Who is the author of it A. God as a iust Iudge imposing it vpon man Q. What is it in it owne nature A. It is the Diuels weapon whereby he séeketh to murder mankind it is the punishment of our sinne the enemy 〈◊〉 our soules and the gulfe of damnaâ—â—â—on Q. But what is it to Gods childreâ— that beleeue and are regenerate A. It is no enemy but a friend to souâ—â— and body for it is changed by vertâ—â— of Christ his death and obedience froâ— a curse to a blessing it is Golias hiâ— sword to cut off his owne head it is 〈◊〉 the drone that hath lost his sting that is â— eternall torment in hell fire it is â—â— sweet sleepe refreshing the body it is the accomplishment of our mortification and fully and finally endeth the battell betwixt the flesh and the spirit and it insteede of being the gate and subâ—urbs of hel is made the ladder
bee lamented for wee haue none to take notice of our gray haires none to number our yéeres none to carpe at our cost and none to bee discontented at the delay of our death Q. What vse in a word are we to make hereof A. First we must remember that we being mortall our selues begat them mortall and that all men must die sooner or latter though the time place and maner be vnknowne vnto vs. Secondly if we bewaile them being dead we should in some sort haue bewailed them as soone as they were born for then they began to die Thirdly we must out of heauinesse conceiue matter of happinesse and kéepe a measure in lamentation and not lament for euery losse lest our whole life be filled with lamentation Lastly we must instruct them and pray for them whiles that they liue but when we perceiue death to approach we must not in vaine striue against God but willingly suffer him to take his owne Q. How shall poore orphanes namely fatherlesse and motherlesse children comfort themselues that haue parted with kind carefull and most Christian parents A. By remembring and obseruing these directions and duties following First that their parents were borne mortall and must néeds die and therefore the children comming of them cannot be immortall If the foundation of the building in time shrinke and be shaken that which is built vpon it cannot endure The earth their common mother must receiue them all and at the last day yéeld vp all againe Secondly their parents are not lost for God hath found them and fréed them from all miseries and molestations and therefore they in this regard must bee content Thirdly that they shall not returne to their children but their children goe to them Fourthly they were borne first and therefore must die first and they are not forsaken but sent before them to blisse Lastly God hath depriued them of their parents either to correct their murmuring against them or their vndutifulnes towards them or at least to try how they will depend vpon him when all earthly meanes faile and are wanting Q. What duties are they to performe A. First they must patiently vndergoe Gods correction Secondly they must heartily repent them of their sinnes the cause thereof Thirdly they must follow their vertuous example and immortalize their memories Fourthly they must more highly estéeme Gods benefits when they inioy them Q. What comforts are fit seasonable against the death of deere brethren and sisters A. First death is a common correction to Gods children and no person must looke to be fréed from it Secondly though their life was short yet it was holy and blessed Thirdly though their bodies be dead and interred yet their soules liue and their vertues like so many children left behind them are immortall and the impression hereof as of their kindnes and indulgence towards them must neuer be blotted out Fourthly though they want the comfortable company of their brethren and sisters yet they are not alone being attended vpon and guarded by so many vertues and all those that feare God and doe his will must be their brethren and sisters Vse First wee must not vnmeasurably mourne for them but rather bewaile euil things that hang ouer our owne heads Secondly by such examples of mortality we must be warned to prepare our selues against our latter end Lastly we must comfort our hearts in this that wee shall one day to our hearts contentment inioy for euer their most swéet and blessed fellowship Q. Is it not a curse to a religious man to die childlesse and without issue A. It is a crosse rather then a curse For first they are not vnder the law but vnder grace Secondly Christ hath taken away the curse from all true beléeuers Q. By what arguments and reasons shall such a man quiet and comfort his conscience A. First their loosenesse and lewdnesse shall neuer grieue him and their future miserie shall neuer disquiet him Secondly he in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or want of children may in his discretion adopt such who may proue more kind louing and obedient then those that might haue proceeded out of his owne loines Thirdly hee néed not trouble himselues about their maintenance and as for the distribution of his goods and possessions he hath at hand many poore seruanâ—s and children of God amongst whoÌ„ he may more happily diuide them for these will pray for him so long as he liueth and speake well of him when he is dead and God wil in goodnes reward all his well doing Neh. 5.19 Fourthly law may and will supply the defect of nature for adoption is an act imitating nature ordained for the solaâ—e of such who want children Lastly his children might haue growen out of kind and haue obscured and blemished his name and hereupon many had died more happily and contentedly if they had died childlesse CHAP. XIII Of the Priuatiue and Positiue benefite of death Question FRom what euils doth death free Gods children A. First from all sinne and the offence of God the originall and cause of all euill Secondly death is to them the medicine remedy and physition of al euils for it endeth all their imperfections and finally fréeth them from all sicknesses paines crosses calamities gâ—iefes distresses euils errors enemies Thirdly it preuenteth all sinne and misery to come both in this world and specially in the world to come for they are wholy and for euer deliuered from all Satans assaults and from damnation and the horrour of hell Q. What vse is to be made hereof A. First if by death wee would bée freed from all sinne and the most cursed effects of it then let vs denie the world and the flesh and liue in the feare of God remembring the account that wee are to render vp before God and theâ— the second death shall neuer haue power ouer vs. Secondly let vs giue God all possible thanks and praise for that hee will by death thus ease and disburden vs. Thirdly let vs in the certaine expectation of so great deliuerance at the year of Iubily be willing to goe to God as Simeon and Paul were and in the mean time to sustaine all crosses patiently Lastly let vs continually waite and pray for this time of our full and eternall rest and deliuerance Q. Is it then not lawfull for Gods children in their distresses extremities for their ease and deliuerance to hasten their death by laying hands vpon themselues A. It is simply and vtterly vnlawful For first this not the way to ease and auoide misery but to encrease it yea and to emplunge and engulfe himselfe into the bottomlesse pitte of endlesse torment Secondly if a man should be entreated by the distressed to kill him hee might in no wise condescend thereunto for hée should bee no otherwise accounted and punished then a murderer much lesse may any person kill himselfe For he is bound to cherish and not to kill his owne
body and flesh Thirdly he that in any conceited opinion of enioying present blisse or in any impatiency and impotent passion dispatcheth himselfe out of the way doth nothing but damne and destroy his own soule examples whereof wee haue in Saul Achitophel Iudas c. Fourthly he may not depart out of this earthly Tabernacle nor forsake his standing vntill his heauenly Generall and Commaunder God almighty call and warrant him so to doe for hée is no absolute Lord of his owne body neither hath he the Frée simple of it but is a tenant at will to God whose pleasure hée must attend and abide Lastly he must practice and put in vre fortitude and patience he must not misdread any euill but trust in the Lord to stand fast in his calling and Christ will by faith enable him to ouercom all temptations Q. Is death to bee feared or not A. A distinction must resolue this point namely that it is partly to bee feared and partly not to be feared Q. In what respects is it to be feared A. In thrée respects First as it is the destruction and dissolution of nature for in this signification Iesus Christ feared it when he swet water and bloud in the garden Secondly as it is a paineful correction though wee must most feare death the cause of it Lastly as it is a meane to bereaue vs of many worthy guides and gouernors lights and pillers in Church and common-wealth Esay 3. v. 1.2.3 Q. Is it necessary and good in some regards not to feare death A. Yes for it is not profitable nor expedient for vs to liue alwaies here nor is it possible for vs so to doe Q. In what regards then is death not to be feared A. First because as hath béene formerly declared death doth disburden vs of all sinne and giueth vs our quietus est from all euill Secondly as it is the beginning and gate of immortality Lastly because hereby we are presented blamelesse to our Lord and Sauiour Christ in heauen and are there solemnly wedded to our heauenly husband and Bridegroome the Lord Iesu. Q. How are we to be defended and strengthned against the feare of it A. By remembring that Christ by his death hath disarmed and cassiered death and hath taken away the second death the sting and strength of the former Secondly God is by his spirit present with his children in the agony of death and doth support them against the feare of it Thirdly that God doth hereby bisburden vs of all sinne and frée vs from all maladies and miseries Fourthly wee are not to tremble at death but rather to triumph because now we haue a speciall time and opportunity to declare our subiection and obedience to God Lastly death bringeth vs forthwith iâ—â—to Gods chamber of presence where 〈◊〉 shall see him face to face and enioy 〈◊〉 gratious and glorious presence for euâ—â— more Q. What are the Positiue benefites 〈◊〉 death or the good things wherewith 〈◊〉 doth possesse vs A. They are manifold and marâ—â—â—lous For first death bringeth vs intâ— the immediate fellowship of God the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost 〈◊〉 therefore it may be called the gate of life and a passage to the Father Secondly it bringeth vs into the heauenly communion company of many millions of glorious Saints and Angels with whome we shall haue perfect rest and security Lastly it is to vs not onely the consummation of victory against Satan sinne the world the flesh but doth also inuest vs with glory and put vs into an actuall possession of the new heauen and the new earth and of all good things promised vs and prouided for vs. Heb. 12. ver 22.23 Q. What vses are we to make of these affirmatiue or positiue benefites A. First wee are to distast this present and infectious world wherin there is no true contentment nor any thing that can make vs blessed before God but rather matter of all sinne griefe euill falshood wrong c. and we must let the loue of heauen swallow downe the loue of all earthly things let vs not linger in this earthly Egypt or Babylon but make hast vnto the heauenly Canaan a land not abounding with milk corn oil hony but abounding in peace righteousnesse and ioy of the spirit where wee shall be satisfied with the fatnes of Gods house and shall drinke out of the riuers of Gods pleasures and that for euermore Secondly it serueth to comfort vs against all the miseries and maladies of this present life which shall be so abundantly recompensed with the infinite waight of euerlasting glory Q. Whether may a man in this mortality haue a true taste of euerlasting life A. Yes vndoubtedly for so had Iob Dauid Stephen Paul the holy Martyres and infinite others Secondly the godly haue already eternall life viz. in beginning and assurance and therefore in time they shall haue the fulnes of it Lastly they earnestly pray for the comming of Gods kingdom ergo they haue some taste thereof Q. By what meanes shall hee attaine thereunto A. By remembring considering and meditating vpon these directions and conclusions following Q. What things must he consider weigh A. Diuers things First the sinnefull miserable and vncertaine state of this mortall life Eccles. 1.1 Heb. 13.14 Secondly the blessed and vnspeakable happines of all Gods Saints by reason of their immediate fellowshippe with God and with Christ from which we are absent so long as we liue in this present world For by vertue of this glorious and euerlasting communion wee are not onely perfectly freed from all sinne afflictions and all euil things but possessed with fulnes of ioy and of al good things for euermore Thirdly the incomparable difference betwéen the glory ioy happines oâ— this world and the infinite and eternall glory ioy blessednes of the world to come and the consideration hereof will separate and sequester vs from the loue and affectation of this world and make vs willing and desirous to goe to God Fourthly euery mans death is deserued and procured by his owne sins and that death with all the seueral circumstances of time place manner person is foreséene and appointed in Gods eternal decrée and counsell the due obseruation whereof will preserue vs when we are dying from distrust impatience and the seruile feare of death Lastly the speciall promise of Gods presence and assistance in death which we must before hand be by faith perswaded of and hope after albeit wee see it not and though all things may séeme desperate Q. What are the properties and effects of this taste and ioy A. First it ariseth from sense griefe of sinne and from the knowledge of and faith in Christ crucified Secondly it bringeth with it sound and swéet peace of conscience Thirdly it is grounded vpon the holy ministery of the Word Sacraments Prayers and vpon the practise of holy duties Fourthly it is déepely
and conscience make his last Will and Testament and bequeath his goods lands liuing to his wife children kinsfolke friends and to the poore as the law of God and man requireth Q. What duties is hee bound to performe towards himselfe A. He must by faith in the Lord Iesu arme himselfe against satans assaults and against the feare of death and the last iudgement and he must not so much feare death as looke on euerlasting life Secondly touching the body he must be carefull to vse physicke and all other good meanes to preserue and continue life and health vntill it shall please God to take it away Lastly hee must continually resigne himselfe and commend his soule and spirit into Gods blessed hands Q. Jf all these duties be performed in good conscience what good wil come thereof A. First God will honour such as feare and honour him he I say will honour them as well in life as in death 1. Sam. 2.30 Secondly he will make the name and memory of them pretious after death for the iust shall be had in an euerlasting remembrance Q What is a right dispotion in death A. A religious and an holy behauiour of a mans selfe especially towards God Q Is it necessary A. Yes for first now it is the very time to practise it Secondly without this disposition and behauiour our death cannot be pleasant and acceptable in Gods sight Q. What are the parts of it A. Thrée namely to die in faith to die in obedience and to resigne or surrender vp our soules into Gods hands Q What is it to die in faith A. To take notice of and lay hold of Gods gracious promises in Christ touching remission of sinnes and euerlasting life and wholly to rely vpon them as they are reuealed and set forth in the scriptures Q. What benefit shall a man haue who dieth in true faith A. He shall be able to kéepe himselfe safe and sound against the temptations and pangs of death and shall forthwith after he hath giuen vp the Ghost bee made partaker of eternall life and happinesse Q. How is our faith to be expressed A Two maner of waies the one inward the other outward First inwardly by déepe sighes sobs and groanes after a mans redemption Secondly and that outwardly by praier thanksgiuing and good exhortations and often communications touching God and godlinesse Q. What is it to die in obedience A. It is willingly and gladly to submit our selues to Gods will in bearing the crosse Mat. 27. and without murmuring or grudging to goe to God who in death respecteth vs and will vndoubtedly receiue vs. Q. What are they to be compared vnto that die vnwillingly A. They if they belong to God doe as if a prisoner should delight in his prison and dungeon and would not goe forth to a glorious palace and perfect liberty when he lawfully might either forgetting the slauery and defilements which he leaueth or the good things to which he goeth Q. How is this duty to bee performed A. By learning to die daily and not through any impatiency or through the tediousnes of trouble to wish death as Elias did for then we discouer pride and disobedience in that we will not wait on Gods leasure but follow our owne corrupt affections Q. How shall we learne to die daily A. By taking vp Christ his crosse daily and if we doe with patience and méeknes buckle with affliction For euery affliction is a petty death and if we can endure to vndergo this petty death we shall the more comfortably vndergoe the great death of all which is the disiunction or dissolution of the soule from the body Q What is it to surrender our soules into Gods hands A. To yéeld them vp into his hands as vnto a faithfull creator in certaine hope of our present glorification Q. What generall comforts are there against death A. First the sting thereof is taken away by Christ his death and the power abolished death to the godly is like a drone Bée that kéepeth a buzzing and humming but hath lost her sting and cannot hurt Secondly death is to Gods children a gaile deliuery from all sinne and the miseries of this life and a passage vnto the euident and manifest sight and presence of God Thirdly in death God is not only present with his children by his spirit to instruct comfort and assist them but also sendeth his holy Angels to attend vpon them and to saue them from the violence and vexation of euill spirits and to carry their soules into heauen forthwith after that they are separated from their bodies Lastly by death the soules of the godly shall bee made infinitely more holy and happy glad and glorious then euer they were when they were inclosed in the sinfull subiect prison of the body and as for their bodies they after that they haue slept a while in the earth shall be raised vp againe immortall incorruptible and farre more bright and beautifull then they had euer béen if man had neuer sinned Q. What is the quintessence of these conclusions A. First we are taught hereby not to feare to depart out of the ruinous house of our bodies whensoeuer God doth call vs knowing that a better life shall follow after death for they only are blessed that die in the Lord and of this point wee must much thinke and study Secondly we are aduertised hereby not to be cast downe nor discouraged at bodily diseases dolours deformities for the resurrection shall put an end hereunto Lastly we must not vnmeasurably mourne for those that sléepe in the Lord seeing their soules which are the better part of them liue with God and their bodies being bought with a price namely the precious bloud of Christ and being made the temples of the holy Ghost shall at the last day rise againe in glory and incorruption CHAP. XIIII Of certaine particular euils defects and deformities in the body and also crosses in the outward state Question OF how many sorts are these particular euils A. Of two sorts to wit ordinary and extraordinary Q. What are the ordinary euils A. They are either such as are in and about the body or that haue a mans outward state for their obiect Q. What are those euils and defects that are in and about the body A. Deformity lamenes blindnes deafnes dumbnes c. Q. How shall we comfort our selues against the lothsome deformity of the body A. By marking and meditating vpon these conclusions following First bodily deformity doth nothing preiudice the estate of Gods Saints before God as the examples of Iob Dauid Mephibosheth Ezechias Aza Lazarus c. and of innumerable besides 〈◊〉 demonstrate Secondly they endure but for a time and at the furthest end and determine with this life Thirdly though the bodies of Gods Saints be for the time neuer so lothsome and deformed yet are their sinnes couered by the roiall roabes of Christ his
righteousnesse and the soule in the meane time is most holy perfect beautifull Fourthly at the general resurrection this vile body of ours shall be made conformable to Christs glorious body it shall be no more mortall but immortall no more vise but honourable no more weake but alwaies strong no more heauie but light and nimble no more sinfull but holy and in a word no more earthly and néeding these outward meanes and helps of meat drinke apparell rest sléepe physicke recreation marriage c. but they shall be alwaies spirituall i. immediately supported by Gods omnipotent power and absolutely subiect and obedient to the spirit Fifthly God doth not hate the deformity of the body but of the soule by reason of sinne contracted and committed by it and in it Lastly we must remember that our bodies are earthly and mortall and not heauenly and eternall and therefore we must not be discontent if rottennes enter into them onely let vs prouide that as the outward man dieth so the inward man may be renewed daily Q. What comforts against lamenesse A. First lamenesse is naturall and is caused by sicknes old age or otherwise and therefore it is to be endured with the greater patience Secondly the children of God as Mephibosheth Aza the créeple whereof we reade in the fifth of S. Iohns Gospell and a daughter of Abraham haue béen are and shall be subiect hereunto as much as the prophane and irreligious Thirdly though the bodies of Gods Saints for their correction trial and exercise be subiect hereunto yet are their soules holy sound and nothing impeached by the lame body Psal. 92. Fourthly death and the last iudgement which is the time of the restitution of all things will put an end to it and the body shall rise againe in farre greater integritie then euer it appeared in when it was in the best plight Fifthly physicke or surgery may possibly in time recouer the body and therefore the meanes are not to be neglected Lastly let our faith hope be in God and our soules purified in obeying the truth through the spirit and lamenesse shall not hurt vs. Q. Wherein shall a blind man comfort and solace himselfe A. In many things First that blindnes is a great part of innocency for the eies since Adams fall are the windowes of concupiscence and the porters to let in all vices from which enticements vnto euill and blind are fréed Secondly the blind sée nothing to distaste their stomackes to offend their eies or to grieue their minds whereas iust Lot endued with the sense of seeing vexed his righteous soule from day to day in séeing the vnlawfull deeds of the Sodomites c. And so it fareth with Gods children that are blind who sée not the euill obiects nor wickednes of the world Thirdly blindnes is naturall and contracted by old age sicknes and the like infirmities and therefore Isaac Bartimaeus and the blind man in the ninth of Iohns Gospell and diuers Saints of God in all generations haue borne their parts herein therefore this correction is so much the more patiently to be borne Fourthly though the godly haue no bodily eies to behold the heauens the earth and the creatures which eies the beasts birds and creeping creatures haue common with them yet they haue spirituall and Angelical eies whereby they behold God their Creator and looke vpon Christ sitting on the right hand of God his Father in heauen Fifthly the eies are not simply necessary for godlinesse for God requireth the heart and vnderstanding and yet notwithstanding they shall be restored yea and glorified at the generall resurrection Wherefore let vs cléere the eies of our vnderstanding and cast out of them all beames of selfe conceit and all dust of error And because our memories are then most sharpe and retentiue hauing no outward obiect to blunt their edge let vs apply them to the learning of the best things and with patience wait the time of the restitution of all things Q Propound some comfortable meditations for a deafe man A. First the deafe person cannot be infected with lies and errors he cannot be deceiued and gulled by flatterers nor bee possessed with the ingredients of griefe he cannot be prouoked to wrath he séeth nothing to disturbe and disquiet him and that which most contenteth him he cannot heare Gods blessed name blasphemed Secondly by reading the scriptures sermons treatises catechismes he heareth God speake vnto him for God hath no néed of eares but only requireth a deuout mind Thirdly that which he formerly learned the holy Ghost bringeth to his remembrance Lastly his perfect hearing shall if not before be restored vnto him at the day of iudgement and his deafenesse in the mean time cannot separate him from Gods loue Q What vse must a man make of his deafnesse A. First whiles we inioy the benefit of our hearing let vs attend to Gods voice in the scriptures preached vs and let vs treasure vp the word of God in our hearts to bestead vs in time of néed Lastly though we cannot heare nor discerne the notes of musicke and the sounds of men and birds yet we haue the vse of our eies to behold the creatures and God the Author of them Comforts for a dumbe man A. Men by reason of this want and affliction are kept from many sinnes euils dangers which many that cannot temper and gouerne their tongue runne into for they cannot lie slander deceiue they cannot blaspheme God nor stirre vp the coales of conâ—ention the séeds whereof an euill tongue doth cherish Secondly they are not vndone by their rash vntemperate words much lesse are they in danger to lose their liues as many lewd and slanderous speakers are Thirdly it is a labour to speake truly and in silence there is rest Fourthly if thou hast lost an il tongue thou art a great gainer by it Fifthly if thou canst not speake with thy tongue then speake to God in thy heart for God can and doth heare as well when thou art silent as when thou speakest Lastly if thou doe but groane sigh and cry vnto God he heareth thée and that thou shalt féele and finde For as he that heareth God speake and answer is not deafe so likewise he whom God heareth is not dumbe CHAP. XV. Of ordinary particular euils from without vs whether at home or abroad The crosses of euill and bad husbands wiues parents children masters seruants and of a shrewd mother in law Question HOw are good women to comfort themselues when they are matched with euill husbands A. First they are not alone For Abigail was crossed by Nabal her husband and many innocent wiues in Moses time by reason of the crueltie and vnreasonablenes of their husbands were diuorced from them Secondly if their husbands in the flesh be euill and shrewd yet Christ their spirituall husband will alwaies intreat them kindly and louingly visit them
themselues that they commit some great sinne that woundeth the conscience that his grace may be more conspicuous and apparant in their recouery and that they hauing felt the waight of Gods displeasure may be more watchfull and wary for the time to come Secondly they must remember that Christ his satisfaction to Gods iustice is of infinite value and worth and that if they doe by the hand of a liuely faith apply it to their soules it will cure the wounds of their soules be they neuer so great Thirdly if they debase themselues before God and strip themselues of all opinion of their own worthines withall truely desire to be reconciled vnto God then God will giue grace to the humble and accept the will for the deede Fourthly that doubting and desperation is like the great monster Golias that defieth the liuing God and therefore we must not yeeld to it but resist it and with the fling and sword of Gods word slay it Lastly they must meditate vpon Gods swéet mercies past present to come laye his pretious promises close to their harts and they will be so many flagons of wine and apples of comfort to reuiue their fainting soules Q. With what considerations shall Gods children comfort themselues wheÌ„ God for the time delayeth either to remoue or to mitigate inward or outward afflictions A. First that God is the author of them and not man onely or principally and that he turneth them in the end vnto the speciall good of his children Rom. 8.18 Secondly that Gods children of all times are subiect to this temptation and are our companions and copartners herein 1. Pet. 5.9 Thirdly that the longer that our temptations endure the more easie will they be and that the more violent they bee like the blustering and stormie windes the sooner they will end for nullum violentum est perpetuum and God will not such is his tender compassion and indulgence haue his children tempted aboue their measure and strength Fourthly that the Lord Iesu hath long sithence drunke vp the poisoned dregges of affliction and hath sanctified and swéetned the remainders of it vnto them Fifthly God is present with his in trouble he by his spirit doth instruct direct comfort and strengthen them and â—ill in good time graciously and gloriously by life or death frée and deliuer them Q. What is a second though an accidentall and occasionall cause that causeth and encreaseth distresse of mind A. Melancholy Q. What is melancholy A. It is in regard of the outward matter and original of it a kind of earthy and blacke bloud especially in the splene corrupted distempered which when the splene is stopt conueieth it selfe to the heart and braine and there what by his corrupt substance and infectious quality and what by corrupt spirits annoieth both braine and heart the seats and instruments of reason vnderstanding and affections Q. How doth melancholly breed and nourish distresse of mind and conscience A. By furthering euill and fearefull conceits for when the mind of the melancholick person hath imagined conceiued and presented to it selfe dreadfull things then affection worketh vpon it and then iointly from the mind and affection disturbed and distempered procéed feares horrours desperations Q How is distresse and griefe of mind to be distinguished from melancholy A. Many waies First melancholy may beare sway and preuaile when the conscience is in a slumber and no whit disquieted Secondly distresse of conscience perplexeth the whole man but melancholy troubleth the imagination only Thirdly distresse of conscience ariseth from the knowledge of sinne and from the feare and féeling of Gods indignation but the feare and distresse that is occasioned by melancholy ariseth from pretended and supposed causes Fourthly he that is distressed in conscience may and hath courage in all other things but the melancholick person feareth misdoubteth euery thing Lastly melancholy is curable by physicke but distresse of conscience can by no other meanes be remoued but by faith in Christ his merits and mediation Q. How is melancholy to be cured A. First the melancholick person must be brought not only to an acknowledgement of his sinnes in generall but of some speciall sinne in particular that so his melancholike sadnes may be turned into a godly sorrow Secondly hee must bee distinctly acquainted with the precious promises of God made to repentant sinners Psal. 97 10. Thirdly hee must touching the outward state of his body suffer himselfe to be gouerned by his friends and men of skill or else he must be contained in order by violence Fourthly he must suffer nothing to enter into his heart that may vex and disquiet him Lastly the ordinary meanes of physicke must be vsed for it serueth to abate the euill humor of the body and to cure the distemper of it Q. What are the principall and vsuall effects of distresse of soule and conscience A. Six especially first sadnesse and heauinesse secondly troublesome and vnquiet dreames thirdly wearisomenesse of this present life by reason of daily discontentments fourthly desperation of saluation fifthly feare of the last iudgement lastly feare and expectation of hell fire Q. What comforts and remedies are there against this sadnes and heauinesse A. First in this temptation a Christian man must by the feet of his faith and the wings of his affection come yea and flie vnto Christ and take vpon him the yoke of his fatherly correction and then he shall finde rest vnto his soule Secondly let him looke and long for the Lords gracious and fauourable presence no otherwise then the sea-beaten traueller longeth and looketh for the hauen and euen as the eies of seruants looke vnto the hands of their masters and as the eies of a maiden vnto the hands of her mistresse so his eies must wait vpon the Lord his God vntill hee haue mercy vpon him Thirdly he must with Iacob wrestle with God by praier and not cease to vrge and importune him vntill he blesse him and then he shall at length preuaile with him and haue his quietus est Fourthly he must consult and be aduised by the Ministers and Preachers of Gods word to whom he hath giuen the tongue of the learned that they should know how to minister a word in season to the weary and comfort the foeble minded Fifthly the greater that his vnquietnesse is the more must he fasten and fixe his minde vpon Christ in whom alone he shall finde peace For as he that climeth vp a ladder the higher that hee ascendeth the more fast hold he taketh so the more that a man is oppressed with heauinesse the more earnestly should he fix and fasten his mind vpon the Lord Iesu. Sixthly hee must turne and transchange his worldly sorrow into a godly sorrow for then his sadnes shall end in gladnes and his sorrow in singing no otherwise then after raine commeth faire weather and after stormes calmes Seuenthly he
rich and roiall mercies but rather let vs build and bind vpon them for the hauen of mercy is prepared for the repentant Secondly it is our part to beware of doubting distrusting and vnbeliefe for hereby we stop the current of Gods mercy and shut the doores of our hearts that the sunneshine of his grace cannot enter in vnto vs. Lastly wee in this case must not cast our eies vpon our owne vnworthinesse as though we should bring a pawne in our hands and bind God vnto vs by our owne works but wee must take notice of the infinite extent of Gods mercy and compassion and striue to beléeue and apply all the promises of saluation Q. How are they to bee comforted that tremble at and are sore afraid at the remembrance of the last iudgement A. First their feare of the last iudgement so that it bee not vnmeasurable and vnreasonable is a notable alarum to awaken them out of and to kéepe them from the slumber of security Hereupon Saint Paul by the terror of it endeuoured to perswade men to repentance And Saint Ierome whether he did eat drinke sléepe study thought that he heard alwaies sounding in his eares Arise ye dead and come to iudgement Secondly Gods children being in Christ and hauing him for their Sauiour friend mediator and Iudge shall neuer come into the iudgement of condemnation but shall heare that comfortable sentence Come ye blessed of my Father inherit ye the kingdome prepared for you from the beginning of the world Q. What vse in a word is to be made hereof A. We must spiritually imitate the last iudgement by arraigning our selues before the barre of Gods iudgement we must indite and condemne our selues for our sinnes and then the last iudgement shall not minister vnto vs matter of terror but of triumph Q. Js it peculiar to Gods children thus to bee sometimes perplexed with doubting of Gods fauor and their owne saluation A. Yes for first the wicked and prophane man is not sensible of his owne wants but is presumptuous and confident though he be notwithstanding deuoid and destitute of faith and inward holinesse Secondly that the child of God is subiect to such doubtings and wauerings it thus appeareth First satan desireth to sift them only and to spoile them of the rich treasure of grace in their minds and hearts Secondly whosoeuer truly beléeueth féeleth findeth in himselfe many doubtings and distrustings as the whole and sound man perceiueth in himselfe many grudgings of diseases which if he had not health he could not féele Hereupon we reade how many of Gods most worthy seruants haue doubted yea and almost despaired The man in the Gospel whose sonne was possessed with a diuel doubted when he praied Christ to helpe his vnbeliefe Iob 3. 13. Dauid Psal. 77.8 9 10 11. and Psal. 116.1 Ezechias Esay 38. and many others haue béene brought vnto the pit of desperation Thirdly Gods children onely complaine of abhorre and resist doubtings and wauerings yea and pray against them and therefore they must néeds be subiect vnto them Q. What are the principall meanes to suppresse these or the like doubtings A. The consideration of these meditations following First it is Gods commandement that we should beléeue his manifold and precious promises which if wee refuse to doe wee iustly defraud our selues of Gods fauour and of our owne saluation Hebr. 3.18 19. Secondly the promises of grace are generall to all Gods children and shut out no particular person and therefore when such offers of mercy and grace are made vnto vs and confirmed by the Sacraments of Baptisme and the Lords Supper let vs by the hand of faith apply them to our owne soules and consciences Lastly that by doubting of and calling the truth of Gods goodnesse swéet promises into question we offend God as much almost as by any other sinne for hereby we rob God of the glory of his mercy and make him what in vs lyeth a lyer because we will giue no credite to his promises nor apprehend lay hold on them Q. What practise is necessary for our helpe and recouery A. Wee must retire our selues into some secret place humble our selues before God make known our wants vnto him and entreat him to worke faith and suppresse vnbeliefe in vs and he wil heare vs. Q. Comforts and counsell for them that stand in feare and expectation of hell fire A. It is good and profitable euen for the regenerate oftentimes to speake thinke of and stand in feare of hell that they may hereby bee preserued from euill and confirmed in goodnes Hereupon our blessed Sauior thus armeth exhorteth his Disciples against persecution Feare not them which kill the body but are not able to kill the soule but rather feare him that is able to destroy both body and soule in hell fire Secondly there is no hell to the beleeuers for the sting of death is taken away by Christ the godly haue eternall life and are already viz. in beginning and hope passed from death to life 1. Ioh. 3.14 Joh. 5.24 Thirdly Christ did not onely many hundred yeares sithence by his death and soule-sufferings satisfie his fathers iustice for vs but alwayes sitteth on his Fathers right hand to make continuall and effectuall intercession for vs Rom. 8.34 and how then can we possibly perish Lastly our soules forthwith after that they are loosed from our bodies are carried by the blessed Angels into heauen and our bodies shall be raised in glory at the general resurrection how then can we slauishly feare hell CHAP. II. Of doubting of Gods fauour and loue toward vs. Question WHether it be incident to any of Gods children to doubt of his loue and fauour A. Yes verily and that sundry times Q. For what ends A. First that he should know that faith and a ful perswasion of Gods mercies is not naturall or procéeding from the power of a mans owne frée will but spirituall and inspired of God by his spirite Secondly that a Christian séeing his owne weakenesse and how busie Satan is to take the aduātage of his infirmity should by prayer entreat the Lord to strengthen his faith and to ease him of scruples and doubts Lastly that hereby God might traine and exercise his elect in the spirituall battel for they seeing their manifold doubts and ignorances are hereby prouoked to search the scriptures and to take notice of Gods promises that by the due application hereof their faith might bee fortified and strengthned and the remainders of ignorance and doubting be by degrees abolished Q. How shall Gods children comfort themselues when by reason of the number and heinousnesse of their sins they cannot be perswaded that they are Gods children A. By remembring and laying close to their consciences these or the like rules and directions following first it is a great part of our perfection to learne out
to feare any false or abused excommunication Q. What if wee in the country or kingdâ—me where we dwell see the poore oppressed and innocency defaced how shall wee then keepe and preserue our selues from being scandalized A. First if we sée in a country the oppression of the poore and the defrauding of iustice we must not be astonied at the matter for the highest séeth and regardeth it Secondly if we looke for a Church or State without spot taint of error and iniustice we must seek it in â—eauen only where all things are established in an absolute and eternall order and perfection or else we must get vs into Mauqsun or Sir Thomas More his Vtopia where we shall finde such a state and policie Thirdly in this distresse wee must haue recourse vnto the magistrate his helpe and when one faileth or neglecteth vs we must séeke to another Lastly if we sée all outward meanes to faile we ought to call and cry day and night vnto our God we must make him our iudge and reuenger and wait vpon him vntill he right vs and then though hee seeme to vse long patience towards our aduersaries he will auenge vs and that quickly Q. Why doth God so sharpely censure and so roughly handle his iust and innocent children A. First no man is innocent before God for there is no man that sinneth not if God straitely marke mans iniquity who shall stand and no flesh by his owne workes can be iustified in Gods sight so that the all-piercing eye of the almighty that is tenne thousand times brighter then the sunne and clearer then crystall can if it please him find sufficient matter to condemn them in their begunne iustice and innocency wherefore we must not thinke them to be altogether vncorrupt in this wicked world as the fish that liue in the salt sea their own element nothing sauour of the saltnes of it but that they in part are tainted with the worlds corruption Secondly God will not haue his children peruerted with the worlds sinnes much lesse perish with them and therfore hee doth thus seuerely and that sundry times scourge and chastice them for he would haue them with this salt water of trouble to wash out the spots of sinne Thirdly man is no equall Iudge of mens sinnes and so of their afflictions but wee must reserue the censure and iudgement hereof to God onely for hee onely eyeth mans secret sinnes and can and doth righteously censure and punish them but man is so farre from finding out the number and nature of secret sinnes that hee in the cloudy myst of his owne ignorance can hardly discerne the quality and desert of notorious offences and those that are already brought to light but onely taketh notice of certaine outward tracks impressions and actions And therefore wee must not thus without cause complaine nor picke quarrels with God Almighty Lastly God would hereby affright the wicked if not reforme them for if iudgement begin at the house of God what shall be the end of them that obey not the Gospell and if the righteous bee scarsely saued where shall the vngodly and sinner appeare Q. What vse are we to make of Gods proceedings herein A. We blind sinners must not take vpon vs to iudge of the guilt and to determine of the circumstances of mens sinnes and of their estate before God but we must referre the iudgement hereof to Gods all-séeing eye and to his sincere iustice Secondly in such hidden and intricate causes and cases that are vnknowne vnto vs wee must shut our mouthes and suspend our iudgementes for who are we that condemne an other mans seruant for he standeth or falleth to his owne master Lastly if God seem to deale extreamly with vs we our selues then must sâ—â— the remouall of this imputation searchâ—â— sift into our owne wayes and call tâ— our remembrance what duties commaunded we haue omitted and what euill things forbidden we haue committed and how that God in his strict iustice might condemne vs for the least offence and then wee shall admire God patience that hée handleth vs so gently and doth in his bottomlesse mercy passe by and pardon so many imperfections and offences in vs. Q. But forward men in religion and many noted professors by their loose life and practises of iniustice offend many simple hearted men and weake yet well affected Christians what preseruatiue is now to be vsed A. The due meditation and practise of these Canons and conclusions following as namely First many professors are not so bad as the world would make them a mole hill in them is made a mountaine and a moat is made a beame their infirmities like spots in white paper or fine linnen are soone espied and noted but prophane people are not obserued and their grosse sinnes are silenced and suppressed Secondly if any or many vnder the cloake and maske of zeale labour to couer their practises of deceit couetousnes and iniustice c we must know that the visible Church of Christ is compared to a field wherein is not onely wheate but tares to a garden wherin are both good herbes and also wéeds and to an house wherein are not only vessels of gold and siluer but also of wood and earth and therefore if wee looke that all professors should be without fault or infirmity and all should be good and none euil we must looke for them in heauen onely and not in earth where are more euill then good men Thirdly the diseases and sins of the soule are not contagious as those of the body are for the soule is not infected vnlesse it giue a consent and allowance to other mens sinnes and therefore let vs keepe our selues frée from their sins and then we néede not to bee scandalized at their euill dealings which wee cannot helpe Lastly euery man must beare his owne burden and answere for his own sinnes and therefore let vs rather correct our owne sinnes then be scandalized at other mens faults and let vs striue to bee perfect in an euill generation Q. What practises are necessary in such a case A. First we must beware that wee doe not without cause censure and condemne such and if we find them faulty and hereupon reproue them that we bée not as bad and worse our selues Secondly if many vary much from their sacred profession and bee workers of iniquity for the preuention of this offence wee must know that we are to walke rather by rule then by example rather by the Canon of Gods word then by custome Lastly it is our duty to reproue pitty and pray for such offensiue professors Q. How shall poore and weake christians confirme themselues in the faith or preserue themselues from defection when many noted and notable persons that seemed pillars reuolt from the sincere truth of Religion A. First they that fall away from the substance of true religion and
forsake the assemblies and fellowship of the Saints in the vse of the word prayer and Sacraments were neuer well rooted in it â—or had they beene no wind or tempest could haue ouerturned them they were onely Meteors or blazing starres soon extinct but not true starres for then they had continued in their firmament and no night of afflictions could haue put them out for if they had béen of the Church they would haue continued in it 1. Joh. 2.19 Apoc. 13.8 Secondly they neuer receiued the loue of the truth and were neuer soundly grounded in the principles of Christian faith and therefore they were apt to be seduced with the poiâ—on and efficacy of errour For as the fire burneth nothing but that which is combustible and apt to bee consumed so heresie infecteth none but such as neglect the means of knowledge or that denie the power of godlinesse in their hearts and liues Lastly God will by their reuolting take an occasion the more iustly to damn them and to trie and make known the constancy of his children who neuer doe wholy or finally fall away from faith Q. What duties are wee to performe to preuent an apostasie in our selues A. First because eminent persons by their fall like oakes beare downe all things that lie in their way let vs beware of their company and communication Secondly let vs beware of the beginning and occasion of Apostasie and for our direction herein pray for the spirite of reuelation and strength and in no wise neglect the ministerie of the word sacraments Q But how shall a nouice a weake Christian perswade himselfe of the truth of his sincere profession when hee seeth and heareth that sundry learned men die in defence of Idolatry and Popery A. First no Heretickes though they dy in defence of errors are martyrs but all Papists are heretikes for the obstinate maintaining of iustification by works inuocation and adoration of Saints and Angels worshipping of images and especially of their breaden God denying the sufficiency of the canonicall Scriptures are so many heresies Ergo Iesuites Seminaries and popish Priests that are put to death by the Christian magistrate are no martyrs Secondly Non poena sed causa facit Martyrem they that bâ—are the Crosse and follow not Christ are no Martyres of his and therefore most damnable is the condition of Iesuites Seminaries who die for treason and not for truth and not for testimony of a good conscience but for the wilfull trangression of Christian Lawes Thirdly their suffering is of no account before God for they want charirity which appeaeth in this that they are vtter opposites and aduersaries to the Gospel of Christ and the sound professors of it Fourthly they being no true members of the Church of Christ but rather incurable persecutors of it and being slaine out of the Church doe not winne the crowne of their faith but the reward oâ— their felly Lastly true Martyrs ascribe all the glory of their redemption and saluation to Gods mercy in Christ onely but popish martyrs glory in their owne works though neuer so vile vnperfect they make them expâ—atory for sinne and to me â—t saluation Q What vse are we to make hereof A First wee must distinguish and rightly iudge betwéene true martyrs and false ones which wee shall be enabled to doe by obseruing these rules following First true martyrs die in defence of the substance of pure religion but false martyrs suffer and die in defence of error heresie and idolatry Secondly true martyrs at their execution shew sorth singular patience in their words testimony behauiour but false martyrs either are outragious and impatient or at least by Art doe stupifie and dead their flesh that it may become insensible of paine Thirdly true Martyrs die holily couragiously ioyfully without all feare and doubting of the truth of their cause or of the certainty of saluation but popish martyrs die many times irresolued and astonied Fourthly true and Euangelical martyrs are holy chaste innocent feruent in praier and diligent in their ciuill and Christian callings but the like cannot be verified of the popish martyrs Lastly God at the death of true martyrs hath sometimes wrought strange and wonderfull works as to speake when their tongues haue béen cut out and to be vntouched of the fire albeit oile were put into it but in the popish martyrs no such accidents haue fallen out Secondly let vs sée and be resolued by Gods word that our cause is good and for Christ then let vs suffer as coÌ„fidently yea much more comfortably and happily for the truth then they for Antichrist and superstition knowing that our end shall be blessed Q. When factions diuisions schismes grow and preuaile in the Church what are we to iudge of that Church and how is a Christian then to arme himselfe A. First wee must remember that where the truth many times most â—lourisheth there Satan laboureth to make rents and diuisions and to sow tares amongst the good wheat Secondly the Church of Corinth was a notable Apostolicall Church and yet there were many factions in it Thirdly wee must not separate our selues from such a Church except it erre in the fundamentall points of faith and true religion but we must herein comfort our selues that this schisme is without heresie Fourthly as long as there is error in iudgement and péeuishnes in affection wee must looke for nothing else but schisme Fifthly schismatikes that depart from the communion of the faithfull and from the participation of the body and bloud of Christ indanger their owne soules Lastly God permitteth diuisions factions and schismes in the Church that the faith and loue of his children might be tried now their faith is tried whiles they stumble not nor suffer themselues to be seduced and their loue and charity is tried in admonishing them that are the authors and occasioners of these sidings schismes diuisions Q. What vse are we to make hereof A. If wee be men in authority wee must betimes striue to roote out and remoue out of the Church whatsoeuer may iustly minister an occasion heereof Secondly Ministers must by doctrine and writing note and confute those diligently which cause diuision and offences contrary to the doctrine which they haue receiued and auoid them Rom. 16.17 Secondly if wee be but priuate persons we must beware of pride and selfe-conceitednes lest we rashly condemne a true and notable visible Church for defects and imperfections in the doctrine and practise of discipline or Church policie and so without sufficient cause make a rent from the same and hereby disturbe the common peace for we must not depart from it vntill it depart from Christ. Lastly we must by praiers sutes supplications teares and amendment of life labour to procure better reformation in Church and Commonwealth and if we cannot attaine it when wee would then let vs in the meane be a discipline to our selues and execute it amongst
whose seruice is perfect fréedome Secondly this bondage is greatly mitigated yea sugred and swéetned to Gods children for God doth not onely restraine and moderate the enemies malice but also sometimes greatly honour preferre and exalt them examples whereof we haue in Ioseph Jeremie Daniel Sidrack Mesheck Abednego in Hester Mardocheus and diuers others Thirdly death putteth a terme and end to this bondage if wee find not deliuerance long before and why cannot we a while expect this yeare of our absolute fréedome and euerlasting Iubiley Lastly Gods children are Christs fréemen being redeemed and ransomed by his bloud and they are free Denizens of heauen hauing euerlasting life in beginning and being by faith secured of the full possession of it and therefore though for a time they bee plunged in many euils yet they can neuer perish for they are afflicted but not forsaken tried but not tired out Q. What is the quintessence or speciall vse of all these propositions and conclusions A. First hence wee may take notice of the miserable estate of wicked worldlings and vngodly men who though they enioy outward wealth ease and liberty yet are they drudges to the world vassals and slaues vnto sinne cursed caitiffes for they are locked in golden fetters and shut vp in the prison of their own sinnefull desires which is the worst kind of bondage Secondly let vs serue the Lord our God and not Satan Sinne nor Antichrist and then we are Gods frée men no bondage can impeach or hinder our spirituall liberty and happines Thirdly farre bee it from vs to contemne or misiudge any of Gods children for their outward seruitude and bondage vnto which tyranny and iniquity of times doe or may enwrappe them but let vs pray to God to furnish them with ioy and the spirit of long suffering and in his good time to ridde and deliuer them wee must also by occasion freely and franckly contribute to their necessities for they are our owne flesh and bloud borne of the same both naturall and spirituall seede breathing of the same aire and seruants to the same God Lastly when we are thus restrained and distressed it behoueth vs timely and truely to repent vs of our sinnes for otherwise we are to expect no mitigation much lesse a spéedy deliuerance out of our misery Q. What comforts against violent nakednesse caused by flight or the enemies vnmercifulnesse A. First Christ our blessed Sauiour was stript of his raiment and hath sanctified this euill vnto vs and hath turned the shame of it into glory Secondly very many of Gods excellent seruants haue béene thus shamefully misused by their enemies Basil saith that forty Martyres were turned out naked to bee starued in the cold of the night and afterwards to bee burned Thirdly they must count it for some benefit and blessing that the enemy doth onely spoile them of their garments and not of their liues Fourthly though they endure shame and reproch of the world yet it maketh them not vnhappy for Christ suffered the shame of the crosse to make them honourable Fifthly the enemie cannot possibly disrobe dismantle and despoile them of the garments of Christ his holines and righteousnesse wherewith they are clothed and wherewith their deformities are couered Sixthly this is but a temporary and fatherly correction and can neuer separate any of Gods children from his loue Lastly it is not the gay garments but godlines not outward pompe but piety that maketh men honourable as for the proud mans honour it is in his garment and not in his person Q. What vse are we to make hereof A. First let it be a shame to vs to be called naughty rather then naked Secondly though Gods enemies rob his children of their garments let vs in our charity cloath them Lastly let vs by faith put on the Lord Iesu and then we shall neuer bee found naked for he onely is naked who hath lost Christ. Q. Why doth God suffer so many of his best beloued Saints and seruants to be massacred and murdered by the enemies sword A. First we herein must rather reuerence and admire Gods secret yet iust procéedings then curiously to diue and enquire into the ground and reason of them and wée must assure our selues that the end is good albeit our dulnes cannot so well apprehend it For Gods purposes and decrees attaine vnto their holy and appointed ends no otherwise then certaine riualets though they vanish out of our sight and are hidden vnder the earth are carried and conuey themselues into the sea Secondly by the effusion and spilling of their innocent bloud the number of true professors is both manifested multiplied and the bloudy butchers and Bonners either conuerted albeit most rarely or else conuinced and left vnexcusable Thirdly though the enemies thinke to root out the Church and the name and memory of true Christians yet God doth and will crosse and curse their designes for contrary to their expectation the Gospell is more published and proclaimed the innocency of Gods children more cléered and testified and their madnes and badnes made known vnto all the world Lastly the sufferings of the Martyrs doth procure vnto them a greater measure of glorie in heauen but tyrants heretikes persecutors runne themselues out of breath and draw vpon themselues the greater damnation Q. How are we to arme and comfort our selues against this kind of death A. First they are blessed that die in the Lord and for the Lord they are glorious in Gods sight and are arayed in long white robes Secondly they do not lose their liues but find them and incomparably better them Luk. 9. Thirdly the sword toucheth the garment of the bodie but not the soule nor their faith for God herein dealeth with his children as the Persians in punishing some noble Personage for they take away his garment and his hat and hang them vp in some place and all to beat them as though they were the man himselfe so they by Gods ouer-ruling hand doe not touch our soules and our faith but beate onely the garment of our persons Fourthly they that die for Christ receiue some what of death that it beâ—al not wholâ— vnto them Lastly their innocent bloud which the persecutors haue shed and sucked crieth like the bloud of Abel to the Heauens for vengeance against them and they with the soules in the Apocalypse that were killed for the word of God crie with a lowd voice saying How long Lord holy and true doest thou not iudge and auenge our bloud on them that dwell on the earth and this their crie the iust Lord doth néeds must heare and regard Q What vse are we to make hereof A. First we must neuer promise to our selues long prosperity or immunitie from persecution but wee must prepare and strengthen our selues against the time of triall and martyrdome and though it bee not our lot alwaies to die for the Lord Iesu and his
the plague The duties that the visited persons are to performe towards God themselues and their neighbours CHAP. VI. Meditations against death and famine What are the outward causes of it What vse is to be made hereof For what speciall sinnes it is sent Duties to be practised CHAP. VII Comforts against wrong and oppression The duties of the oppressed Manifold meditations and comforts against pouerty and want The vse of pouerty Comforts and directions for them that feare pouerty by reason of a great charge of children Comforts against meannesse and basenesse of birth and parentage For what ends doth God expose his children to so many losses Comforts against the spoile and losse of worldly goods Duties then to be performed CHAP. VIII Comforts and directions for them that are cosened and defrauded Duties then to be performed CHAP. VIV What sicknesse is Who is the author of it The end why it is inflicted The procuring cause of it Spirituall comforts against it Duties to be performed Comforts against sharpnesse and violence of sicknesse How a Christian must then behaue himselfe Comforts against the long coÌ„tinuance of sicknes Comforts for them that cannot sleepe Comforts for the sicke that cannot goe out of doores Comforts for them that are in their sicknes falled and forsaken of their friends and kinsfolke Duties then to be performed Consolations against the concurrence of many euils Comforts against paines in childbearing Comforts against old age How an old man must behaue himselfe CHAP. X. Of Death What death is The procuring cause of it The imposer of it What it is in it owne nature What it is to Gods children Why regenerate men die Why are not the bodies of Gods Saints departed glorified together with their soules Why the bodies of Henoch and Elias died not but were rapt vp into heauen Why infants die Whether that sudden death be a curse The vse of the point Whether it be lawfull to pray against sudden death or not Comforts against violent death by the enemies sword CHAP. XI Of the supposed euils that death bringeth Comforts against the vntimely death of worthy men in authoritie What vse we are to make of their vntimely deth Comforts against the death of friends and benefactors CHAP. XII Comforts against the death of kinsfolke Comforts for him that hath parted with a good wife Comforts for a wife that hath lost a good husband Comforts for parents that haue parted with vertuous Children The vse that is to be made thereof Comforts for poore Orphanes that want father and mother Their duties Comforts against the death of brethreÌ„ sisters The vse of the point Comforts for a married man that dieth without Children CHAP. XIII Of the priuatiue benefits of Death What be the euills that death freeth Gods children from What vse is to be made hereof Whethâ—r it bee lawfull for any man to kill himselfe that hee may bee eased of his present paine Whether that death is to be feared In what respects death is to be feared In what respects it is not to be feared How we are to be defended against the fear of it What are â—he positiue benâ—fits of death Whether that a man in this mortality can haue a tast of eternall life What considerations and practises are necessary herâ— unto How he must ground these meditations in his hart Why do regenerate men die Whether that death may be desired In what respects Whether it be lawfull to desiâ—e life What is required that a man may die well Whether that preparation against death bee necessary Wherein it doth consist What are the meditations What duties must the sicke man performe towards God Why so What duties must he perfoâ—me to his neighbour What duties must he perfoâ—me to his owne familie What duties is he to peâ—form towards himselfe What will follow vpon the performance of these duties VVhat is a right disposition in death VVhether that it be necessary The parts of it VVhat it is to die in faith What is the benefit hereof How is faith to be expressed What is it to die in obedience How is this duty to be performed What it is to surrender our soules into Gods hands Comforts against death What vse is to be made hereof CHAP. XIIII Of Personall and particular euils Comforts against impotency and deformity of body Comforts against lamenesse blindnesse deafenesse dumbnesse CHAP. XV. Of outward particular euils or crosses Comforts against euill husbands Comforts against euill wiues Comforts against euill children Comforts against euill and vnfaithfull Seruants Comforts against euill Lords and Masters CHAP. XVI Of priuate euils that are from without vs. Comforts against shrewd mothers in lawe Comforts for them that receiue foiles and repulses in lawfull suites Counsaile and comfort for such as are either vndone or much decayed by â—uretiship Comforts for them whose good seruice is neither respected noâ— rewarded Comforts against barrennes in wiues Comforts against false imprisonment Comforts for them that are oppressed in their lawfull suite CHAP. XVII Of extraordinary euils to which the bodies of men are subiect What is witchcraft Whether that Gods children can be bewitched The vse of the point Why doth God suffer his children to bee thus tormented What vse is to be made of the point Why doth Satan seeke rather to annoy Gods children then the reprobate The spirituall remedies against witchcraft What possession is Whether that there be any in these daies Whether there can yet be any possession seeing that the miraculous gift of expelling them is ceased Whether the Demoniaks in Christ his time were possessed by the diuell or only obsessed or tormented from without Whether that any of Gods children were are or can be possessed by Satan Generall comforts and directions against possession The duties of the possessed What duties are the friends and those that attend vpon the possessed to performe The second booke CHAP. I. Of anguish of mind and distresse of Conscience VVHat distresse of mind is Why of all crosses and troubles it is the greatest Why doth God sometimes try and exercise his children by so great afflictions Comforts against the long continuaÌ„ce of them From what cauâ—es distresse of mind ariseth VVhat comfortable mâ—ditations are necessary for the regaining the losse of Gods gratious fauour once sweetly felt The vse of the point Comforts for those that are troubled in conscience for some notable sinne committed Comforts against the long continuance of inward and outward troubles What melancholy is How it causeth distresse of conscience How it differeth from trouble of conscience Comfort against sadnes and heauinesse of mind Comforts against fearefull dreames Practises to preuent it Comforts and remedies for him that is weary of this life by reason of troubles and discontentments What desperation is How it is ordinarily caused Meditations and remedies against it The vse of the doctrine Comforts against the fear of the last iudgement The vse of it Comforts against the feare of Hell CHAP. II. Of doubtings Why God
the guilt and dominion of it be taken away for Christ through his bloudy sufferings so hindereth the force and power of it that it cannot condemne and by his spirit so lesseneth and mortifieth it that it cannot tyrannize nor dominere ouer them yet the corruption doth and will remaine in them vntill death and hereupon it is called sinne dwelling but not raigning in the godly Q. Why will God haue originall concupiscence to dwel and remaine in those that are iustified and sanctified A. First that they should the better perceiue and feele the efficacy of grace and of the spirit of Christ who though he suffer this enemie to dwell in them yet hee doth so kéepe vnder and captiuate him in them that he cannot raign in thē nor destroy them Secondly that they should find and certainely know that they can by no other meanes be iustified in Gods sight then by Christs perfect obedience apprehended of them by faith alone Lastly God will haue them for their exercise to haue an enemie vnto their dying day with whom they may alwaies fight and combate and whom by the grace of Christ they might foile in fight and by foiling they might procure to themselues the greater Crowne of glory Q. What vse are we to make of Originall sinne Ans. First we must diligently mark and obserue the motions suggestions of it whether arising from within vs or occasioned and caused from without vs and then we must not be glad but grieue at them neither cherish but rather kill and crucifie them Let vs therefore keepe this enemy from virtuals and cherish and strengthen the spirit against him and let vs watch and warily espie in what part hee assaieth to make a sallie and to assault vs and there let vs by the contrary weapons resist him Lastly let vs alwaies flee vnto the throne of grace through Iesus Christ we shall be releeued and rescued and in the end gloriously deliuered Q. What was Adams fall A. A voluntary transgression of the first law and order that God ordained whereby he fell alway from God lost his image and betaine a slaue to sinne and Satan and so exposed himselfe and all that were to bee borne of him and succeed him to euerlasting damnation Q. What was the matter or obiect of Adams sinne A. The eating of the forbidden fruit or apple Q. How could the eating of an apple though neuer so much forbidden deserue so great misery and punishment A. Wee must not rate and esteeme the offence by the basenesse of the outward obiect but by the vnconceiueable dignity of Gods infinite maiesty offended and by the high contempt of Gods strict prohibition Lastly this sinne could bee by no other meanes satisfied nor Gods wrath appeased but by the vnualuable ransom of Iesus Christ his death and obedience Q. Who was the instrumentall cause of Adams fall A. The Diuell who by the beauty and baite of an apple and by lying suggestions entice and drawe him to disobedience Q. What was the formall or inward cause of the fall of Adam A. The blinding and corrupting of his minde will and affections whereupon he beléeued not Gods threatnings but willingly assented to Satans temptation Q. Did not God forsake our first Parents before their fall A. Yes vndoubtedly for God by his power could haue preserued them from fault and fall Q. How did God leaue forsake thē A. First by withdrawing from them for he is bound and indebted to none the sunshine of his knowledge grace Secondly by denying them strengthning and confirming grace Q. Why did God permit their fall A That he might draw good out of euill and might heereby make knowne the glory of his power and iustice in the damnation of the reprobate and the glorie of his mercy in the saluation of the elect Q. What is the guilt of their sinne A. A firme and straite binding ouer and endangering of himselfe and all his posterity to eternall punishment Q. How can it stand with Gods iustice so to impute Adams sinne and fall to all his posterity that they must be punished and smart for it A. It may and doth stand with Gods iustice very well for first when Adam sinned all his posterity ofspring was in his loines from whom they were by the course of nature to issue and therfore with him they receiued part of his guilt for the sinne of the head so farre forth as it is the head is deseruedly imputed to the whole body as we may sée the truth hereof in Dauid who because he being a King in the pride of his heart would néeds number the people thréescore ten thousand of his good subiects perished by the pestilence for it Secondly quia contrariorum contraria est ratio wee may euidently sée and obserue the certainety of this point by the contrary For euen as whatsoeuer Christ as the head of all the elect and Church suffered and performed for the Church is imputed to it so whatsoeuer Adam as the stock-father and beginning of mankind lost is imputed to all his posterity and no maruaile seeing that he represented all their persons and did by his offence as a certaine gate conuey all that was euill in him to all that did or euer should succéed him Lastly as Adam receiued the Image of God that is illumination holines righteousnes for himselfe and his posterity so he lost it for himselfe and his ofspring and therefore as they should haue béene heires of his happines commodities and rewards if hee had continued in his innocency so since his fall they must be partakers of his guilt burden and punishment Obiection But Adams sinne was proper to his owne person how then could it be imputed to his posterity A. Adam in this action is not to bée considered as a priuate person for then he should haue smarted for his own sin onely but hee must bée estéemed as an actiue and common beginning yea as the roote head and first instrument of mankind and therefore what good hée receiued frō God or what euill else where he receiued it aswell for them that were to come of him as for himselfe Q. Is sinne deriued from the parents to the children A. Yea verily for the parents beget them and their mothers conceiue them in sinne Q. But how doe parents conuey transfuse and deriue corruption into all their children A. First by the law of generation whereby one person begetteth another or by the séed and generation of the parents for this is the instrumēt by which sinne is deriued and therefore the séede of man being corrupted so is and néedes must be the children also For according to the principles of nature the begetter doth communicate his nature to the thing begotten Secondly this birth-infection inuadeth the minde and vnderstanding and so stretcheth and extendeth it selfe to the whole body Obiection How can parents by carnal generation infuse into