like vnto a man that hath been deadly sicke and now is so on the mending hand that he is peraduenture able to creepe abroad with a staffe yet not able to do the tenth part of the businesse that he sees he should and at sometimes was wont to doe Thus it is with the best of vs all whilst we liue here though the Kingdome of Christ be come amongst vs yet had wee need to pray that it may more and more come into our hearts that we may feele the strength and vigour of it to our endlesse comfort and full recouery of our health in Christ. Yea great reason there is why wee should thus pray for the Kingdome of Christ being that no Kingdome is comparable vnto his there being as much difference betwixt the Kingdome of Christ and other Kingdomes of the world as there is betweene Heauen and Earth and that for diuers respects First In regard of continuance for earthly Kingdomes howsoeuer they begin in glory yet by and by both Lord and Crowne and Scepter withall their glory falls into the dust But Christ is a King for euer and although he once ware a Crowne of Thornes vpon earth yet now he hath a Crowne of glory in Heauen and is in possession for euer Of whose Kingdome there shall be no end as it is Luke 1. 33. Secondly In regard of the saciety of his Kingdome For other Kings haue but rule ouer the bodies goods and liues of their subiects at the farthest But Christ he rules and gouerns the very hearts of them and inclines their wills to effect spirituall graces wherein the Kings of the Earth can neither satisfie themselues nor their subiects Christ will giue vs Crownes and make vs Kings also Thirdly In regard of the right and Iustice of it For though other Kings being sinners themselues can bee content to tolerate much sinne and prophanenesse yet Christ is so righteous and so iust a King that he will tolerate no sinne or iniustice whatsoeuer no not in Kings themselues of whom it is said Isa. 32. 1 2. Behold a King shall reigne in righteousnesse and Princes shall rule in Iudgement Fourthly In regard of the fruit and commodities of it for other Kings receiue Tribute from their Subiects but Christ giues a thousand things more then hee receiues he takes away death and damnation with his left hand and giues vs life and saluation with the right hand so both hands are full of blessings and store vs abundantly to the supplying of all our wants Fiftly In regard of administration and imployment of it for other Kings after they haue entred into their Kingdomes commonly sit still goe little liue at ease or at least seeke by all meanes they can to maintaine the pleasures of their liues and giue themselues to quietnesse But our Sauiour Christ doth most mightily rule and gouerne all things for tho good of his seruants watching ouer them to do them good night and day at all times and in all places preuenting them with mercies and working all his workes for their good great reason it is therefore that we should pray for the comming of his Kingdome Yet we must further know that we doe not onely pray for the Kingdom of grace but also for all good means conducting and leading vnto it for euery thing that may incite and helpe to the Kingdome of grace amongst vs. As for good Magistrates Ministers a pure right vse of the Sacraments holy discipline of Christ in the Church for the good gouernment thereof and for euery thing that may further this great worke of God amongst vs. So 1 Tim. 2. 1. Saint Paul wils that Prayers be made for all men and for Kings and Princes and for all that be in authority That vnder them we may liue a godly peaceable and a quiet life And Christ himselfe Matth. 9. 38. commands prayers to bee made vnto the Lord of the Haruest that he will send forth labourers vnto his haruest So you see it is our duty to pray for all the meanes which may aduance this Kingdome Worldly men can say they desire that the Kingdome of Christ may come though they care not a rush for Heauen or newnesse of life for the Word or Saints or Ministers or Holy orders of Christ without which there can be no Kingdome of Christ amongst vs. It was not onely a tyranny in Pharaoh to take away the straw from the people but also when hee had so done to require of them the whole tale of Bricke as formerly So it is the madnesse of the world they take away the Word and the Sacraments the holy gouernment of Christ and when they haue thus done yet they thinke to haue their whole tale of Bricke as much Patience Loue Humility Faith Obedience Sobriety Temperance and the like as if all these gracious and good meanes were entertained amongst them But wee must remember what the Scripture saith Where there is no vision there the people perish Therefore whensoeuer wee settle our selues to remaine any where as little Isaac said to his father when they went vp to the Mount Moriah Behold the wood and the fire but where is the offering So should we say wheresoeuer we goe to dwell Loe here is a Church good ayre a good house meanes enough to increase wealth but where is the Preacher and the meanes of grace for the saluation of our soules Vse Therefore seeing we ought and must pray Thy Kingdome come Let vs pray vnto God often that he would rule and raigne in our hearts so by his holy Spirit that sinne may no longer rule vs nor wee bee ruled by our selues but that God would rule and guide vs in all our wayes so that in all things we may be ready to submit our selues to the holy gouernment of God as Saint Paul writes That the peace of God may dwell in our hearts plenteously and with Dauid that God would guide vs vnto the day of death and then this will bring great ioy vnto vs as Zephaniah speakes when the King of Israel is in the midst of vs then we shall see no euill And withall let vs often remember to pray that there be no want of gouernment but that God by himselfe may rule and reigne in vs that though the world loue loosenesse and cannot endure this kingdome yet we may be plyable and yeelding to be ruled by it For as the blind-man is best and safest whose eyes being shut followes his guide so is euery Christian when they disclaime their owne wit reason and wisedome and are ruled and guided by God in all things Yea the people of God neuer thinke themselues better then when they be vnder the gouernment of God and submit wholly to his will and in so doing let vs not be discouraged for our weakenesse and wants for if we indeuour to doe this sincerely grace which at first in vs is like seed because it must
wickednesse saying what haue I done And Isa. 9. 13 For the people turne not to them that smite them neither doe they seeke the Lord of Hosts So Ezek. 33. 31. And they come to thee as thy people commeth and they sit before thee as thy people they heare thy words but they will not doe them for with the mouth they shew much loue but their hearts goe after their couetousnesse Now there bee Three causes why the state of impenitencie is such a fearefull state to liue in Cause 1 First Because it bindes vs fast vnder damnation and brings vs vnto hell and in a manner shuts the doore of hell and death vpon vs being once there As we reade Reu. 20. 3. That the Angell layd hold on the Dragon that old serpent which is the diuel and Satan bound him a thousand years and cast him into the bottomlesse pit and shut him vp and set a seale vpon him euen so doth impenitencie deale with vs our sinnes fling vs into hell and when wee are there then comes Impenitencie and shuts downe the doore vpon vs ties vs in chaines makes all so fast that we haue no power or way to get out of the fearefull estate wee be in Therefore 2. Tim. 2. 26. indeauour and exhortation in this case is appointed Proouing if at any time God will giue them repentance that they may recouer themselues out of the sâ—are of the diuell who are taken captiue by him at his will So there is a promise that if at any time a man doe come out of the snares of the deuill and repent he shall haue mercie but it is very hard to be done Impenitencie being such a sinne as the Lord euery where cries out on as Amos 3. and Ier. 3. 3. And thou hast a whoores forehead thou refusest to bee ashamed So chap. 8. 6. No man repented him of his wickednesse saying what haue I done euery one returned to his course as the horse rusheth into the battell And Isa. 9. 13. For the people turneth not vnto him that smiteth them neither doe they seeke the Lord of Hosts So Ezek. 33. 11. As I liue saith the Lord God I haue no pleasure in the death of the wicked but that the wicked turne from his wicked wayes and liue Turne yee turne yee from your euill wayes for why will you die ô house of Israel Cause 2 Secondly Because it makes voide and frustrates all the meanes of grace and Life As a man dwelling in some poore house comfortably with his wife and his children the Sun with his bright beames shining and breaking in vpon them if one stop vp the window and shut out all the comfortable beams there comfort is gone euen so it is when God brings the sweet beames of grace to shine in vpon the conscience of a sinner impenitencie puts a barre against them and shuts out all the light of the Lord and of grace that shines into our hearts so making all the meanes of Grace and of Eternall Life vnprofitable and fruitlesse vnto vs wherfore with the holy Prophet Dauid wee must beware of this feacefull estate that we may haue boldnesse to say with him Psal. 66. 18. If I regard iniquitie in my heart the Lord will not heare me This makes one shamelesse and obstinate as Math. 23. 37. How often would I saith Christ haue gathered thy children together euen as a Henne gathereth her chickens vnder her wings and yee would not Thus Impenitencie shuts out all-thriuing in Grace Cause 3 Thirdly Because Impenitencie brings the guilt of all our sinnes vpon vs It is true if we repent as it is Micah 7. 19. God will pardon all our sinnes and cast them in the bottome of the Sea But if wee liue in sinne without repentance this impenitencie will turne all our sins vpon vs at the day of Iudgement Thus doth it heape vp wrath vpon wrath against the day of Gods fierce indignation euen as a man heapes vp gold and siluer that is euery day adding and increasing it â—â—ll it be a great heape so an impenitent hard heart doth euery day heape vp and gather together by heaping of sinnes wrath vpon wrath against the day of wrath So that I may truely say with a learned man Better be the greatest sinner in the world and to repent it then to bee the least sinner and die in Impenitencie Which is the worst and most fearfull estate that may bee The vses of all which may be these Vse 1 First seeing the state of impenitencie is so dangerous Let vs pray to God often to deliuer vs from it that though through the corruption of our nature wee cannot choose but sinne yet we may see our sinnes bewaile and mourne for them and that wee may neuer come to that insensibilitie and deadnesse of spirit neuer to lament or bee sorry for them but to haue strength to remoue from this estate and rise vp as soone as may bee praying with the Prophet Psal. 119. I haue gone astray like a lost sheepe seeke thy seruant for I doe not forget thy Commandements Here you see was a going astray like a lost sheepe but this was such a straying as might be found out againe Vse 2 Secondly Seeing this estate is so dangerous Let vs labour to get out of it as soone as may be for howsoeuer our sinnes are multiplied by our corruption yet this sinne of impenitencie is more dangerous than all the rest and brings at last a fearefull despaire of mercie vpon vs. Therfore as the women going to the Sepulchre of our Sauior were careful who should roule away the great stone which lay at the mouth thereof So let euerie one of vs now say and bethinke our selues who shall roule away this great stone this hardnesse of heart this impenitencie this deadnesse and dulnesse of Spirit Therefore as Ierem. 31. 18. The Church prayes and confesses her failings so let vs pray Conuert vs ô Lord and we shall be conuerted and let vs vse the meanes diligently whereby our hearts may be touched and subdued to a true remorse and sense of sinne and the Majestie offended The second thing contrary to true repentance is Vnsound repentance This kind of repentance is When a man shewes a kinde of repentance but he does it not in such sort and manner as God requires it as Isa. 58. 5. Is it such a fast as I haue chosen a day for a man to afflict his soule Is it to bow down his head like a bulrush and to spread sackecloath ashes vnder him Wilt thou call this a fast and an acceptable day to the Lord It is Gods expostulation with his people as if he should say Is this such a Fast as I haue chosen I haue chosen fasting indeed and commanded it but you failed in the true meaning and manner of it I care for no outward shewes so much as the inward humiliation So the Lord hath chosen repentance
forsakes not his sinne but his sinne forsakes him Obiect Hereunto is obiected by the delayers of Repentance that the good Theefe on the Crosse his repentance was late and true Therefore a man may truely repent at last Answ. I answer I say not that late Repentance may not be true but that it may faile and be suspected as for the good Theefe consider two things First that this is a rare example the like not in all the Bible againe Secondly his repentance was accompanied with so many graces of the spirit in that disgracefull extremitie that few who haue so liued attaine vnto at the day of death especially such who haue hard hearts and all their life-time put it off vntill that time But wee must not presume vpon the like because the secret of Gods acceptation is Coeliarcanum A Diuine secret and not within our reach Secondly Constrained Repentance when one does repent but in the time of trouble or in some great sicknesse afflictions or when the iudgements of God are vpon him as was seen in Pharoah Exod. 8. 15. of whom it is written But when Pharoah saw that there was respite hee hardened his heart and hearkened not vnto them as the Lord had said So also Numb 16. 34. when the ground opened and swallowed vp Korah Dathan Abiram with their companie the children of Israel hearing the crie fled away and were affraid lest they also should bee swallowed vp but yet notwithstanding after this iudgement they did murmure against God and against Moses So there is a number of men and women amongst vs that neuer thinke of Repentance but when the hand of God lyes heauie vpon them as it is Psal. 78. 34. 35. When hee slew them then they sought him c. Therefore let vs pray vnto God to take away the hardnesse of our hearts from vs and giue vs a melting relenting heart with the spirit of grace to ouer-rule our corruptions First let vs pray to God that we may repent of our sinnes with inward sorrow Secondly that wee may be grieued for our sinnes rather then the punishment of them Thirdly that wee may repent with resolution to sinne no more And lastly that wee may repent of all our sinnes those most predominant as well as the rest which wee seeme to hate and abhorre LECT XIIII OF THE INCREASE of Repentance 2. PET. 3. 18. But grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ to him bee glorie both now and for euer Amen IF a man should bring all you that are here present to a Mine of gold and tell you that euery man might gather for himselfe what would you doe stand still and gaze about you nay rather would you not set your selues about together Euen so doth the Lord deale with you in the vse of these good meanes he brings you to a Mine of Gold better then any the world can yeeld hee bids you euery man to gather for himselfe and therefore Lord that any man should stand still mispend the time and not apply himselfe to gather these pretious things that bee before him Weespake the last day as you heard of the Contraries to Repentance which are two Impenitencie and vnsound Repentance Now it remaines in the next and last place that wee speake of The Increase of Repentance How a Christian as hee increases in other graces of God so also must grow in the grace of Repentance wherein two things are to bee declared 1. That no mans Repentance is perfect in this life 2. Because our Repentance is imperfect in this life therefore as wee increase in other graces of God so must wee grow in this also Now if no mans Repentance bee perfect in this life then no man liuing can perfectly repent him of his sinnes and therefore when hee hath repented hee had need to turne againe and to pray God to forgiue the imperfection of it Yet lest any man should be deceiued in this wee must know that two wayes Repentance is said to bee imperfect 1. In regard of the Nature of Repentance 2. In regard of the Degrees and the Measure of it Euery mans Repentance therefore as wee say is imperfect but how Not in regard of the Nature of Repentance to him that hath truely repented but onely in regard of the degrees and the measure of it it doth not want any part of true Repentance but onely wants the perfection of that part and so wee say in respect of measure and degrees euery mans repentance is imperfect in this life Euen as we sec a little child hath all the parts of a man none wanting yet hath it not the perfection of those parts it is not yet come to the strength growth iust measure sizes and height of a man So it is in the Repentance of a true Christian it hath all the parts of true Repentance onely as I say it wants the perfections of those parts being not imperfect in Nature but in Measure and Degrees Now that euery mans Repentance is imperfect in this life it is prooued 1. Generally 2. Particularly Generally because the state of this life is a state of Imperfection therefore no man can possibly attaine to perfection in this world this God hath reserued vntill wee come home to heauen Schoolemen say well and agreeable to the Scriptures from Math. 5. 25. That as long as wee are in this life wee are not in our countrey but in the way As there it is said Agree quickly with thine aduersarie whilst thou art in the way with him c. Our way now is the way to heauen therefore because wee are but yet on our iourney in the way our state is a state of imperfection as the Apostle shewes 1. Cor. 13. 9. 10. For we know in part and prophecie in part but when that which is perfect is come then that which is in part shall be done away So S. Paul saith of himselfe Phil 3. 12. Not as ehough I had already attained either were already perfect but I follow after if that I may apprehend that for which I also am apprehended of Christ Iesus So Iob 9. 20. If I iustifie my selfe saith he mine owne mouth shall condemn mee if I say I am perfect it shall also prooue me peruerse And Iames 3. 2. hee affirmes in many things wee offend all If any man offend not in word the same is a perfect man and able also to bridle the whole bodie Thus it appeares as a Father speakes that all iust men haue but an vnperfect perfection in this life Particularly it is proued thus First No man can know all his sinnes which if he cannot know then hee cannot repent of them so fully as he should to which purpose the Prophet speakes and prayes Psal. 19. 12. Who can vnderstand his errors Cleanse thou me from secret faults wherefore it is cleere one cannot repent him expresly of those sins he knows not but what he knowes and is
be giuen to swearing let him looke St. Iames 5. 12. If a man bee giuen to lightnesse or the like let him looke Ephes. 5. 5. Where it is said no whoremonger neither any vncleane person hath any inheritance in the kingdome of Christ and of God and so euery speciall sinne a speciall place Psal. 119. 11. Q What gather wee of this A. That they who either in hearing or reading the words slippe by those places which make most against them and strike deepest at their faults shall neuer attaine to true reformation of their hearts Q What is the second helpe to weaken sinne A. A man must marke what feedes his sinne where it getteth strength For as fire is nourished with fewell so there is euer somewhat that nourisheth our sinnes If a man can finde that and reforme it hee shall soone weaken the greatest corruption that is within him As if companiedraw thee to sinne away with that companie If feare of displeasure away with that feare If hope of commodities away with that hope Math. 5. 29. Q. What gather wee of this A. That they who say they would faine leaue sinne and yet leaue not such companie vse such pastimes such meanes as they know cannot but nourish and increase it in them doe but deceiue themselues As if a man would clap drie â—aggots vpon the fire and say he doth meane to quench it when indeed hee kindles it the more Q. What is the third helpe to weaken sinne A. A man must cry to heauen and begge the Lords ayde and his helping hand as a little childe if he haue a tough sticke which he cannot breake runnes to his father with it that hee may breake it for him So because we cannot master our sinnes therefore we must runne to God by prayer that hee may master them and kill them in vs Psal. 41. 4. Q. What gather wee of this A. That they who purpose and resolue to leaue their sinnes and yet are not often vpon their knees crauing strength from heauen and grace to leaue them shall neuer shake them off Q. What if these things worke not A. If these things worke not vpon vs wee must consider what is thereason why they doe not worke either wee doe not vse them so diligently and so carefully as wee should or else we haue vsed them but a little while A man cannot fell a great Oake with one stroke of an Axe it will aske him many a blowe So our sinnes being of so great a growth will not quickly down It is well if after many labours and much paines wee may feele them begin 2. Cor. 12. 8. or else the heart may not yet be loosened from some darling eorruption vntill which time all meanes are vneffectuall Psal. Q. What gather wee of this A. That they who vse these meanes for a spirt and practise them not continually and wholly shall neuer get any sound comfort or profite by them Q. What is the second thing a man must doe in the reforming of his heart A. When a man hath weeded out his sinnes hee must not then giue ouer but fall to worke a fresh and labour to plant somewhat in the garden of his soule as one vice goes out so he must labour to plant an other vertue in the roome Hos. 10. 12. Q. What gather wee of this Q. That a man must not thinke his conuersion to bee true vnlesse he bee carried with as great loue to godlinesse as euer hee was to wickednesse and be as carefull for good things as euer he was for euill And therefore they that are come from Poperie and stick there hauing got no iudgement nor knowledge in the Gospell doe but deceiue themselues As they also who will not openly breake the Sabboth and yet are not carefull to sanctifie it in the holy duties thereof Psal. 27. 27. Q What are the things wee must first plant in the heart A. A loue of God to delight in him as in the greatest portion we haue in this world to rest in him with ioy and contentment as in our chiefest good to set more price on him then we doe on all the world besides And therefore hauing such a Iewel and such a wonderfull treasure of the Lord wee account all our wants to be nothing so long as wee want not him All our losses nothing so long as we lose not him All displeasures light so long as God is not displeased with vs Math. 21. 38. Q. Why must we begin at the loue of God A. Because the loue of God is the fountaine of all true obedience and it sendeth forth the carefull Christian to good workes For louing God hee will seeke to doe that which God may like of and will willingly doe nothing that may displease him Euen as if a man haue a deere friend hee will not willingly doe any thing that may offend him but will seeke by all duties to make his loue and his good heart knowne vnto him Q. How may wee bring our hearts in loue with God A. By considering what God hath beene to vs and what we haue beene to him Wee the worst of all his creatures worse then Toades or Snakes for they sinne not against God but wee sinne against him Worse then the Iewes for they crucified Christ but once but wee buffet him and pierce him with our sinnes euery day worse then any of the damned Ghosts that lie damned in hell for they sinned in darknesse but wee sinne in the light they hauing but weake meanes wee hauing many great helpes to weaken sinne and yet mirrour of mercy none so spared as we are spared none so blessed as we are blessed none so loued as we are loued of the Lord. And therefore how can wee but euen burne in loue towards him againe and make more reckoning of him then of all the world besides Solomons song 2. 5. Q. What is the second thing A. The feare of God to bee more affraid to displease him then all the Princes and powers in the world To be more abashed and more ashamed when God sees vs sinne then if all the eyes in the world were gazing on vs Gen. 28. 17. Q What will this worke in vs A. The feare of God will be as a banke to keepe in the raging lusts of the heart that they breake not out Euen as the Sea banke beates backe the waues and breakes the force of them that they cannot ouerflow Ier. 32. 40. Q. How may wee settle the feare of God in our hearts A. First by considering the great power and the mighty arme of God that he is more able to doe vs more harme then all the powers in the world can doe And therefore if wee feare to displease a Prince who can kill but our bodies how much more should we feare to displease God who can damne our soules Isay 51. 12. 13. Secondly by perswading our selues that wee are alwayes in Gods presence that he euer lookes vpon vs with a bright
of God 1. Cor. 3. 14. Q. What is the second thing A. Regeneration For by nature a man is giuen to like best of the worst things and worst of the best things and therefore the Spirit of God is faine to cast him new and to change euery affection in him Iohn 3. 5 Q. What is the thirdthing A. Communion with Christ For by Faith the Spirit of God implanteth vs into Christ as the Branches are knit into the stocke so that as the Branches liue and are nourished from the stocke So wee partake of all the rich graces that bee in Christ 1. Cor. 6. 11. Q. What is the fourth thing A. Spirituall Gouernment For by nature wee are so babish that wee know not when to speake nor when to hold our peace how to pray nor how to vse our Christian liberties c. And therefore the Spirit of God is giuen vs as a guide to direct vs in euery thing that we take in hand Rom. 8. 14. Q. What is the fift thing A. Comfort in Troubles For the Spirit of God assuring our hearts that God loues vs in Christ makes vs to contemne the vanities of the world and setting vs in hope of the life to come makes vs set the lesse by the things of this life Ioh. 14. 16. Q. What is the sixt thing A. Strengthening vs. For whereas naturally wee are quickly weary of good things the Spirit of God so vpholding vs in grace that euery day wee feele our selues brought into greater loue and liking of the same Eph. 3. 16. Q. In whom doth the Spirit of God worke these things A. In none but the Elect. A Reprobate may haue the Spirit of God according to some effects of it as to make him see his sinnes to be ashamed of them and to restraine him from the outward acts of them to liue ciuilly in the world But the Spirit of God inwardly killing sin and sanctifying the Soule in all his gracious effects is neuer giuen but to Gods Elect Iohn 14. 17. Q. May a man lose the Spirit of God A. The wicked because they neuer had it soundly may wholly lose it The godly cannot lose it wholly but onely according to some graces of it and that not finally but for a time Because the Spirit like Sampsons hayne will reuiue againe Iohn 7. 38. Q. May wee therefore liue secure because wee cannot lose the Spirit A. Nay but wee must vse the meanes which God hath appointed for the nourishing of the Spirit as hearing of the Word Prayer Meditation c. otherwise the best of vs shall finde the Graces of Gods Spirit wonderfull dead and damped in vs 1. Thess. 5. 18. Q. How may a man know that hee hath the Spirit of God A. Hee may know that hee hath the Spirit of God by the working of the Spirit For as a man knowes there is life in himselfe as long as he breathes and moues and doth the rest of the actions of a liuing man So when a man liues the life of the Spirit and doth the things which without Gods spirit hee could not doe hee may well know that hee hath the Spirit in him Q. Doe not many deceiue themselues in this point A. Many doe for want of iudgement for there is a certaine working like the Spirit but it is not the Spirit A certain boldnesse in the heart like Faith but it is not Faith A certaine kinde affection like Loue but it is not loue A certaine hot humour like Zeale but it is not Zeale They bee but vizards and counterfeits which the deuill makes to deceiue poore people with To make them beleeue they haue Faith and Loue and other vertues when indeed they haue not but certaine emptie shewes and shadowes of them Q. What is the first marke whereby a man may know that he hath the Spirit of God A. If a man feele himselfe better able to conceiue the Mysteries of Faith and to take profite by the Ministry of the Word either to the begetting or strengthening of Faith in him This is a sure token that he hath the Spirit Act. 16. 14. Q. What is the second Marke A. If a man feele a sensible change in himselfe so that hee loues that good which hee thought hee should neuer loue and hates that euill which hee thought hee should neuer hate and sets himselfe with diligence to the weakening and killing not of some few but of all his sinnes This is a true Testimony that hee hath Gods Spirit working in his heart 1. Cor. 6. 11. Q. What is the third Marke A. If a man feele himselfe checkt inwardly for sinne so that hee cannot tread or looke awry but by and by hee is closely touched and rebuked for it This is a sure token that he hath the Spirit Isay 30. 21. Q. What is the fourth Marke A. If a man haue an earnest desire to please God to wish from his very heart that he could walke with greater care and obedience in all the wayes of God This shall seale vnto his soule that he belongs to God 1. Iohn 2. 5. Qu. What is the fift Marke A. If a man feele himselfe much giuen to Prayer not onely in company and at ordinary times but also priuately by himselfe alone with assured perswasion that hee shall fare the better for it This is a certaine signe of the Spirit of God Gal. 4. 6. Q. What is the fift Marke A. If a man dare trust the Lord with his whole state and say vnto God in sinceritie of heart Lord I desire not health nor peace nor plenty but according to thy will I lay downe my selfe my life and my comforts and all that I haue at thy feet dispose of mee as best pleaseth thee this is a seale that the Spirit of God workes in his heart 2. Sam. 15. 26. Qu. What if a man feele not all these in himselfe A. Yet hee is not to despaire if there be any one of them truly in him For as there may be life in man though hee can neither see nor heare nor speake nor mooue So though the Spirit work not so strongly in one yet as long as he desires to please God so long as hee is sorry for his sinnes or at leastwise sorry that hee cannot be sorry for them hee is not vtter ly to discomfort himselfe in his estate Rom. 7. 22. 23. Qu. What doth the second part of the Creed entreate of A. Of two things 1. The Church 2. The Benefites bestowed vpon it Q. Why is the Church mentioned immediatly after the Doctrine of the Trinitie A. Because whatsoeuer the holy Trinitie hath wrought they haue wrought it for the good of the Church And therefore the benefite of the Father in Creating of the Son in Redeeming of the holy Ghost in Sanctifying wholly and entirely belongeth to the Church It is the Churches dowrie Q. What learne wee by this A. That if a man can approue himselfe to bee a true member of the Church
might be conuinced in their consciences to confesse that the whole Soueraigntie of glorie and renowne is due vnto him Q. Declare this more fully A. Wee pray that the Lord would stand vp for his owne glorie that the Lord would get himselfe glory and praise by blessing and defending the godly and by punishing and afflicting the wicked Q. Doe not many herein pray against themselues A. Wee all pray that if wee bee any lett or hinderance to Gods glory so that the Lord be the worse thought of for our sakes that hee will recouer his glory at our hands yee though it be with the destruction of vs. Q. What is the second thing wee pray for A. That wee may acknowledge with inward feeling of our hearts the excellent and holy things that bee in God that wee may doe the Lord this honour to thinke that he is most Mightie and therefore will defend vs when the whole world is set against vs that hee is most Wise and therefore will doe nothing but it shall be for our good That hee is most pittifull and therefore will pittie vs when no eye else will looke vpon vs that hee is most lust and therefore will stand vp in our iust defence Q. What is the third thing wee pray for A. That wee so liue and so carry our selues in the whole course of our wayes as God may haue glory by vs That as a good seruant doth his Master credite so the Lord may heare well for our honest life Q. What is the fourth thing that wee pray for A. That wee may bee so wholly possessed and taken vp with the care of the Lords praise that wee may neuer speake or doe any thing but with this minde and to this intent to get some honour and some glory to the Lord thereby Q. What are the euills that wee pray against A. First that wee may not bee so blinde but that wee may see the great glorie of God that shineth in the world his Prouidence wise gouernment care for his people and the Iudgements that hee brings vpon wicked men Secondly that wee may not doubt of any of the excellent things that bee in God That hee hath not power enough to protect vs Mercy enough to forgiue vs Wisedome enough to direct vs in the safest course Thirdly that wee may not dishonour the Lord by our vngodly and wicked life That wee may not bee a shame to the Gospell men thinking the worse of it for the loosenesse of our liues that professe it Fourthly that wee may not seeke our owne praise more then the praise of the Lord and so greedily hunt after our owne credite that wee care not in the meane time though the Lords honour lye in the dust Qu. What doe wee pray for in the second Petition A. For the meanes of Gods glory that his kingdome may come among vs. Q. How doth this Petition depend vpon the former A. In the first Petition wee prayed that wee might glorifie God and now we pray that God would rule in our hearts that wee may glorifie him the better For vnlesse God rule vs by his Spirit wee are so set to pursue our owne praise and peace and pleasure that wee shall neuer glorifie him sincerely while wee liue Qu. What is the meaning of this Petition A. Whereas the Deuills kingdome is come already and Sinne holds vp the Scepter in a number of our hearts wee here pray as men weary of it that Gods kingdome may here come into our hearts and the Deuill and sinne may no longer rule among vs. Q. What is the kingdome of God A. Gods kingdome is twofold The kingdome of Grace The kingdome of Glorie Q. What is the kingdome of Grace A. The kingdome of Grace is that whereby God gouerneth the hearts of the faithfull in this world Q. How doth God gouerne vs in this world A. Two wayes Inwardly By his Spirit Outwardly By his Word Q. How by his Spirit A. When by his Spirit and grace conueyed into our hearts hee not onely shews vs the good way wherein we should walk but also leades vs in the way and giues vs strength to continue in it and checks our hearts when we goe amisse Q. How by his Word A. As Princes rule their Subiects by those Lawes and statutes which they make So God rules vs by his Word hauing there taught vs what is right and what is wrong or what is lawfull and vnlawfull for vs. Q. What are the speciall good things that wee pray for A. Wee pray that God would giue his gratious and good spirit into our hearts to the gouerning and guiding of vs in our wayes that wee may so liue as the good Spirit of God would haue vs liue c. and further increase this good worke when it is begun Q. Doe all pray thus with desire to haue it so A. No many say Thy kingdome come that would not for any good Gods kingdome should come vpon vs Many would bee sorry in their hearts to doe no more then God would haue them doe to part with so many sinnes and leaue so many vanities as God would haue them leaue Qu. What is the second good thing that wee pray for A. That God would rule vs by his Word that wee may not be left to wander after our owne hearts but that wee may haue the word of God to a continuall directing of vs in an honest course Qu. What is the third thing A. Wee pray for all the good helpes and meanes that may further Gods kingdome and namely for good Ministers and good Magistrates Q. What doe wee pray for good Ministers A. That God would giue good Ministers to all places faithfull and able men full of Spirit and power who may build vp the decaies and the ruines of the Church and seeke vp the lost soules of their brethren and bring them home to the Fold of Christ. Secondly Wee pray that God would blesse and continue such as wee haue already that they may not be discouraged in their labours nor hindered in the Lords workes but may minister with great grace and cheerefulnesse amongst vs. Thirdly wee pray that God would make their Ministry effectuall to vs for our good that it may worke vpon our hearts to the killing of sinne and the strengthening of Gods graces in vs. Q. What doe wee pray for Magistrates A. First that God would raise vp such as may bee Fathers of the Church such as may tender Religion and wound with the sword of Iustice the head of all vngodlinesse in the land Secondly that God would blesse and continue those that be such especially our gratious King that his dayes may be as the dayes of Heauen and his Throne may be established in prosperitie and peace as long as the Sunne and Moone endure Q. What is the Kingdome of Glory A. It is that whereby God shall more fully raigne in vs in the world to come when all sinne and wickednesse shall be taken from vs.
Secondly this Petition was so connected to the former to shew That though God giue vs our daily Bread yet if we haue not pardon of our sinnes all the Bread of the world can doe vs no good For it is a sweet and most comfortable thing to the conscience to be perswaded of Gods fauour in the forgiuenesse of sinnes For if one haue all the variety of good things in this world though his meat be Manna from heauen Rayment as precious as Aarons Robes his life as long as that of Methusalem his strength as Sampson Beauty as Absalon Glory Wisedome and Riches like Salomon yet if he haue not this Petition granted him which Christ here speakes of The pardon of his sinnes all is lost all is nothing worth yea in terrour of conscience all is displeasing and vncomfortable For saith Christ Matth. 16. 26. What shall it profit a man to winne the whole world and lose his soule or what ransome shall a man giue for his soule This question Tertullian demaunds What will all thy dainty dishes availe thee if they doe but feed thee to the fire of Hell Therefore remember to say Lord giue me daily Bread but O! Giue me also pardon of my sinnes for vnlesse I haue a feeling sense of thy fauour and hope of heauen all things else are nothing vnto me We know that condemned men in the Tower who haue goodly lodging lie well great attendance yet haue poore or no comfort in all this when they daily expect to be brought forth to execution Euen so it is with all the magnificence and glory of this world there is no comfort in any part thereof without the forgiuenesse of our sinnes one must goe to hell The rich Glutton we read when he was in Hell howsoeuer he possessed all things in this life and was glorious in estimation and riches yet afterwards they profited him nothing nay they were the greater corrasiue vnto him as he had formerly ioyed and flowed therein who found by wofull experience that one drop of Christs blood one Dramme of the forgiuenesse of sinnes had done him more good then all his infinite wealth and store of money Let vs then all pray with Dauid Psal. 50. Cast me not away from thy presence and take not thy holy Spirit from me giue me with daily Bread forgiuenesse of sinnes and howsoeuer thou deale with me in the things of this world yet let me haue the comfort of the saluation of my soule Hitherto of the entrance into the Petition and the questions touching the same In the Petition it selfe three things are to be considered 1 A Confession 2 A Request 3 A Condition In the confession three things are to be obserued of vs. 1 That euery sinne is a Debt 2 That we be all fallen into this Debt 3 That we be not able to pay this Debt For then we would neuer pray to haue this debt forgiuen if we were able to pay it First concerning the Confession wee acknowledge sin to be a debt for by debts here are meant sinnes as Christ in another place teacheth his Disciples Luke 11. 4. And forgiue vs our sinnes So the debt we speake of is the debt of sinne which for two causes is compareâ— to a debt First Because it ariseth after the manner of a debt for as a debt as we know ariseth vpon the non-payment of money and not performance of that which is due so because we haue not rendred vnto the Lord that which is his due not payed him that seruice loue honour obedience c. that we owe him being mightily behind with him Hence it is that we come to be mightily indebted vnto the lord being so farre in arrerages vnto him and so sinne ariseth in the first place after the manner of a debt Secondly it is compared to a debt because it bindes vs to a debt for as a debt bindes vs either to payment or to punishment to content the party or to goâ— to prison so doe our sinnes binde vs either to content the Lord in his Iustice or to vndergoe eternal damnation so that there is but one of two wayes to escape â—udgement either to content diuine Iustice or to vndergoe punishment And yet the debt of sinne is a worse debt then any other for it is not a money matter to be imprisoned for but this casts him into Hell for euer and euer Indeed the Law hath beene stricter for a man that made not payment of his debt was to be sold his wife his children and all he had Amongst the Parthians the Lawes were more cruell for if thae debt were not payed euery creditor was to take away so much of his flesh as the debt came vnto but these were courses barbarous and cruell Now by the lawes we see to be cast in prison is the punishment inflicted for a debt But for the debt of sinne we shall not only be cast into prison which is Hel but there suffer paines and torments easelesse and endlesse Another thing is that sinne is not like a debt we owe in this world for many a man though not able to pay his debt or not able to pay the interest for the time yet may deuise some meanes to auoyde and shift it off by a tricke pretend danger in the way or conscience in the businesse or if all faile he may die and then no body can compell him to pay the debt but no man in the world can shift off the debt of sinne First because God is able to proue euery debt that we owe him he hath it in a booke as Iob speakes Chap. 18. 23. Mine iniquitie is sealed vp as in a bagge Secondly wee cannot sue for such a Protection as the power of Princes giue in this world there is nothing able to protect vs from the Lord. There is no flying away that wil not help vs neither for we can flye no where from the Lord though we flie vnto Hell for saith the Prophet Psal. 139. 7. Whither shall I goe from thy spirit or whither shall I flie from thy presence If to heauen thou art there If to Hell thou art there also If I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the outermost parts of the Sea euen there shall thy hand lead me c. Fourthly Death cannot free vs from the debt of sin for howoseuer by death wee are out of the Vsurers hand yet wee cannot escape out of the hands of God Therefore let vs make this vse of it Feare him saith our Sauiour that when he hath killed the body can cast both soule and body into hell so that of all debt the debt of sinne is the most grieuous wherefore let vs bee carefull aboue all things to auoyde and get out of this debt A man that loues quietnesse and peace cannot abide to runne in debt O how carefull will he be to shunne it he will liue hardly and poorely goe thinne and liue of his
will all like Balteshazar be found light wanting of that integrity and worth which God requires as it is Isa. 46. 6. All our righteousnesse is like filthy cloath so that it cannot make any currant payment to Gods Iustice. Fourthly The debt of sin is an infinite debt the Schoolmen proue this one sayes well So much the greater is the sinne as is the person against whom it is committed but the person of God is infinite so that euery sin committed against God is infinite and we are guilty of it Now we know Infinite sinnes cannot bee taken away but by an infinite act because very reason will teach vs that the plaister must be of the same extension with the soare c. So he that is guilty of an infinite fault must haue an infinite act to remoue it No finite power can doe this no summe of money can redeeme it for then a man might redeeme others as well as himselfe but as I say it must be no finite act and so no man liuing can pay this debt of sinne Therefore because no man liuing can pay it Hence ariseth our request that we pray to God to forgiue it of his free goodnesse and mercy and so we come to The second generall Head Of this Petition which is the request Forgiue vs our Debts c. Wherein three things are to be considered 1 The matter of the Request 2 The extension of it 3 The Time First for the matter of the Request It is as we see forgiunesse of sinnes we pray to God for mercy nay we doe more we do altogether confesse that it is the Lords free goodnesse to release vs from the curse that we haue deserued Here see two things First That we haue all need of the forgiuenesse of sinnes We haue not more need of our daily Bread then wee need the pardon of our offences wherefore wee are taught euery day to seeke it here by our Sauiour and the Prophet Dauid shewes the vse of Gods mercy vnto him should effect so much a seeking and drawing neere vnto God in prayer vpon a sight of our sinnes Therefore shall euery one that is Godly make his prayer vnto thee in a time when thou mayest be found c. So that we haue all great need to pray instantly and often for the forgiuenesse of our sinnes for if the Angels cry Holy holy holy vnto the Lord c. Much more may sinfull men who haue their consciences loaden with offences considering Gods infinite Holinesse and their owne vilenesse cry vnto God to passe by so much impurity in them that sinnes being forgiuen they may stand before him on better termes then before Euery man can cafily find that they haue need of daily Bread but not one of many that they haue need of Gods merciful forgiuenesse If there were an Inquisition made into our hearts who examines so narrowly as he should for offending so great and good a God we doe indeed customarily say Lord forgiue vs our sinnes but where is the feeling the compunction of spirit the drawing to particulars the secret examination of our sinnes the iudging of our selues and such like we haue peraduenture made some search into our consciences by reason of our sinnes yet we are not wise to know our danger to humble our soules for our trangressions to make vp the breach betwixt God and our selues to pray heartily for the forgiuenesse of sinnes with a feeling conscience and sense of the excellency of the same Secondly in that we pray for forgiuenesse of finnes this shewes that The forgiuenesse of sinnes is a most excellent and speciall mercy that all should seeke for Because we bee sinners we must therefore be earnest and constant sutors to the throne of grace that our sinnes may be remitted released and washed away in the blood of Jesus Christ. This made the Prophet Dauid cry out againe and againe for mercy And the Prophet Hoshea in many places comforteth Israel as well as chideth them And Moses also after Israel had sinned vseth this as an especiall Argument Therefore now if thou pardon their sinne thy mercy shall appeare c. But let vs come to example If a man had committed such an offence that he could no otherwise escape death but by the Kings Pardon he neither could nor would be at rest till by one means or other he had obtained the same written and sealed to which done he would carry it home locke it vp safe and many times looke vpon it with ioy and comfort This is the case of euery one of vs by reason of our sins whereby wee haue committed flat Treason against the Lord thereby deseruing ten thousand deathes Now then what must we doe but sue for a pardon appeale to the throne of Gods mercy for the getting and obtaining thereof be sure that it be sealed and confirmed by the bloud of Iesus Christ then laying it vp sure that we may often looke vpon it to our eternall ioy and comfort Now that this is so appeares by two reasons first it is excellent because it is one of the greatest blessings that God giues to any in this life as Psal. 32 1. Blessed is hee whose wickednesse is forgiuen and whose sin is couered and Isa 33. vlt amongst other priuiledges this is reckoned vp as a great one The people that dwell therein shall haue their iniquity forgiuen speaking of the happinesse of those that shall be ioyned to the true Church Yea vnlesse we haue this there is no Beast Dogge Serpent Toade or any vile Creature but is infinitely better then we for when they die they goe but to the earth but we without forgiuenesse of sinnes to hell and endlesse paines and torments Secondly the greatest danger wee stand in by the meanes of sinne shewes the excellency of it for otherwise not hauing our sinnes forgiuen the Diuell will deale by vs as Laban did by Jacob when he had escaped him Laban did pursue and ouertake him searched all his Stuffe when if he had found any thing of his owne he would haue seized vpon him his goods wiues and children bringing all backe againe with him So it is with vs without a release and protection from the danger of our sins the diuell will pursue and seize vpon vs and all we haue looke into euery corner of our liues when if he can finde any thing of his owne in vs any sin vnrepented then will hee seize vpon vs and carry vs with him into Hell for euer Quest. Well then seeing the forgiuenesse of sinnes is such an excellent and needfull mercy what is the reason that so few seeke after it Ans. Reason 1 One reason is The want of due consideration because we neuer looke into our hearts liues and courses neuer thinke how it stands betwixt God and our soules for this cause we thinke neither of our debt nor how to get out of it The seruant in the Gospell was found infinitely indebted
God do vs good we may be pleas'd to doe good one to another By this golden chaine he seekes to linke and tye the whole world together therfore we should by all meanes shunne anger and matter of offence Christians should be like Rootes well growen which though many times they be diuided and parted yet by and by they doe shut so close that no body can see the seame where the rent was or the diuision So among Christians howsoeuer it cannot bee but in this frailty of life contentions and iarres will fall out amongst vs yet must we shut againe so close yea claspe one another so fast as no body may perceiue who hath offended Now in the Condition it selfe we may consider two things 1 The Duty which is To forgiue our debtors 2 The Quality we must forgiue them as God forgiues vs. By Debtors first are meant such as haue sinned and offended against vs for by debtors our Sauiour Christ doth not meane such as owe vs a money debt for a man may craue forgiuenesse of God and yet require a money debt of his brother Indeed in case of miserable extremity when a man is insufficient and cast behind hand by ineuitable meanes then a man is bound to forgiue a money debt for the Prophet Isa. 58. 3. amongst other sinnes vpbraides the people with this as a maine great one Yee will require all your labours as debts But out of this case of extremity with a safe conscience we may aske a money debt For so when one of the Prophets lost his Axe he cryed out it was but borrowed inferring that it must be restored and Elisha increased the womans oyle to pay debts with And the Apostle bids vs owe nothing to any man but loue to which I may adde that by Salomon it is made a note of the wicked to borrow and not to pay againe So that it is cleere by debtors our Sauiour Christ meanes such as are indebted to vs in the debt of sinne whom wee must forgiue as the Lord forgiues vs. As the Apostle exhorts Coloss. chap. 3. vers 11 12. Put on tender mercy kindnesse c. forbearing one another and forgiuing one another as GOD forgaue vs which is the second thing Next The quality of this duty we must forgiue others as God forgiues vs. First God forgiues vs truely He doth not make a shew of forgiuenesse and keepe our sinnes by him to watch vs a good turne but truely according to his loue and mercy forgiuing and forgetting our sinnes so must we forgiue our brethren and not make a shew of forgiuenesse keeping rancor and malice in our hearts like Cain who spake kindly to his brother but when he had him in the field fell vpon him and killed him Matth. 18. 33. Except yee forgiue from your hearts your brother saith our Sauiour you shall not be forgiuen So when we say I will forgiue and doe not let vs consider would we haue the Lord to deale so with vs consider what a wofull case is this for who can answer one of a thousand and who cannot but be terrified to thinke that God remembers all Secondly God forgiues vs easily without any great adoe No sooner did Dauid say I haue sinned but Nathan told him The Lord hath also put away thy sinne thou shall not die No sooner was hee humbled at his Masters feet who owed the 1000 Talents but the King released him and so must we forgiue our brethren not stiffely standing vpon our tearmes but being gentle and easily intreated as we find the Lord is vnto vs. But I appeale to common experience how hardly we are drawne to this duty there must be such intreaty mediation such going betweene parties as is wonderfull and all farre from the patterne here propounded vnto vs. Thirdly God doth forgiue vs all our sinnes not our smaller reseruing the greater but generally all and of all sorts whatsoeuer they be So must we do by our brethren forgiue them in all wherein they haue offended vs we must not keepe any secret faults in store but passe by and forgiue all lesse and more But such is the custome of the world that generally they can bee content to say I would forgiue but the matter is so great concernes me so neere toucheth my good name my reputation that I cannot But if we will be assured to bee the children of our heauenly Father who shall inherit the promises we must breake custome with the world and put on the spirit of meeknesse patiently forbearing one another as Christ himselfe hath taught vs Luke 17. 4. If seuen times a day he turneth vnto thee and say it repenteth me thou shalt forgiue him If this mooue not yet let vs remember the many hainous sinnes which God forgiues vs and so be moued to forgiue others Fourthly God forgiues vs often not once but many times though we sinne from day to day to morrow and next day yea to our liues end So must we often and vpon all occasions forgiue one another If thy brother offend daily thou art bound daily to forgiue him not once or twice but euen to seuenty times seuen times Thus if we follow the example of Christ questionlesse there will be a great deale of more loue wrought in vs wee shall haue an assurance of Gods mercy towards vs prepare a way into our selues by preparing our hearts to performe these things that with comfort we may pray in all occasions And forgiue vs our debts as we also forgiue our debtors Now followes the sixt and last Petition 6. PETITION And lead vs not into tentation but deliuer vs from euill AFter prayer for our daily bread we haue been taught to pray for the forgiuenesse of our sinnes which was to shew that without the pardon of our sinnes through Gods fauour and mercy all the bread in the world is nothing worth It is nothing to haue all the blessings of Sea and Land there with to perish in sinne and at last be damned with the diuell therefore after prayer for our daily Bread we are taught to seeke for pardon for our sinnes reconciliation with God Now in this sixt Petition we are taught to goe one step further and pray to GOD for the grace of Sanctification that we may not onely 〈◊〉 our sinnes pardoned but our spirits also awakened and strengthaned to recouer life worke vivification hauing power and vertue wrought to resist them so as we may no more fall into sinne but that we may be kept by the power of God in all holy courses This is that we pray for in this Petition that as God hath freed vs from our sinnes so we may be freed from sinne hereafter In summe That we may not be led into tentation But whereas there may seeme a connexion of two Petitions in one it may teach vs two things First That vpon pardon of former sinnes the Diuell is alwayes ready to fasten new sinnes vpon
vs. Therefore after pardon of our sinnes we pray that wee may be kept from more sinnes as knowing the Diuell will be busie not onely not to let vs alone so but seeks by all meanes to supplant and surprize vs as the Apostle speakes 2 Cor. 11. 3. But I feare lest as the Serpent beguiled Eue through his subtilty so your mindes might be corrupted c. and 1 Pet. 5. 8. Be sober saith he and watch for your aduersary the Diuell as a roaring Lyon walketh about seeking whom he may deuour So that howeuer we may relye vpon the pardon of our former sinnes the Diuell is ready still to thrust new sinnes vpon vs. As we know if a prisoner get out of prison and make an escape the Iaylor will not let him goe so but make Hue and cry after him raise the Countrey lay all the Towns and wayes to take him till at last be seaze vpon him and bring him backe to the stinking Dungeon which he came from So doth the Diuell deale by vs when wee haue made an escape got out of the prison-house of our owne sinnes he will not let vs goe so but makes after vs layes all baytes and ginnes possible to see if possibly he can intrap vs that so he may carry vs backe to our former old courses to walke in the wayes of darknesse So we see the grieuousnesse of sins and daily tentations are inseparable companions in this life for wee shall neuer haue our sinnes forgiuen but the Diuell will bee ready to tempt vs vnto other sinnes so to lay a new load vpon vs. Secondly That to the grace of Iustification we must alwayes labour to joyne Sanctification that is we must not onely labour to haue our sinnes pardoned but also mortified and the power thereof weakened for by sinne there be two things alwayes remaining 1. The guilt of sinne 2. The corruption of it The guilt of sinne is a binding of vs to the punishment as I haue said by order of diuine Iustice which is taken away by the Lords mercifull forgiuenesse but when the guilt is taken away the corruption of sinne remaineth which is a way ward disposition of the soule wherby it is wholly inclined vnto euil and vnfit and vnable for heauenly things Now this is that we pray for that God would not onely take the guilt of sinne away with the punishment and penalty due vnto it but the corruption of it also this is our desire others indeed are well enough content to haue their sinnes pardoned but to haue them mortified restrained weakned and the power thereof abated and quite killed but a few desire heartily But we who know the danger and bitternesse of sinne must pray also to haue the soule Sanctified the faculties rectified and set in the same beauty that the LORD in the beginning gaue it When a man hath broken an Arme or a Legge some fooles care no more but to be eased againe so the Chirurgion can giue them somewhat to take away the ache they go no further but they who be wise doe not onely seeke to haue the paine slaked but also to haue the bone well set againe that by that meanes there be no blemish or disproportion to the rest of the body So it is with a true Christian he doth not onely desire to be rid of the paine of his sinne the aches of his soule but the very corruption of it also healed and mortified in him Dauid conioynes these two together Psal. 103. 2 3. Blesse the Lord O my soule and forget not all his benefits who forgiueth all thine iniquitie and healeth all thy diseases The like we haue Psal. 51. 9 10. where he prayes Hide thy face from my sinnes and blot out all my iniquities create in me a cleane heart O God and renew a right spirit in mee Thus after Iustification he prayes for sanctification which also must be our care through the course of our life So much of the connexion The Petition it selfe hath two Branches in it 1 We pray that we may not be tempted vnto sinnes 2 That though we be tempted yet we may not yeeld vnto it Now there be two kinds of Temptations obserueable which we are subiect to in the course of our liues 1 Of tryals and tentations to sinne 2 Of sicknesse and diseases Tentation is any present prouocation or inclination to sinne which is a bait laid by the Diuell or our owne flesh against vs. When we pray therefore not to be led into tentation we pray that we may not haue any prouocation or inticement to sinne that may ouercome or intrap vs in leading vs from that loue duty and obedience we owe vnto the Lord so that the words in this first part of the Petition containe two principall things 1 A Confession 2 A Request First in that we pray not to be led into tentation Here is a close confession that our sinnes deserue it that the Lord may iustly leaue vs vnto the will and power of temptatation As it is said of the Gentiles Rom. 1. 24. Wherefore also God gaue them vp to their hearts lusts to doe things vnseemely So 2 Thes. 2. 11. It is said because they went on in the loue of darknesse receiued not the loue of the truth that they might be saued for this cause GOD should send them strong delusion that they should beleeue a lie So that God in his iust iudgement giues vs vp to our sinnes making one sinne the punishment of another This the Lord shewes plainly in the parable of the Vineyard Esay 5. 6. For so also a man that hath a Vineyard as long as it beares well hee will fence it weed it and hedge it that no hurt come vnto it but if it grow barren and yeeld him no profit then he causes the hedge to be throwne downe pull away the wall and let in Hogges Swine and Vermine to deuoure it So doth God order and deale in the businesse of our soules so long as we bring forth branches flourishing and worthy the fruit of the Gospell so long we are fenced and tended well cared for of God But when wee grow barren bring forth bryers and weeds then all our labour is lost when although the Lord doth not let in hogges and swine yet doth the Diuell and all the power of darknesse come in vpon it and blindes and hardens vs more and more by reason that we haue abused the gifts and graces which the Lord first bestowed vpon vs. The second part of this confession is That we are exceeding prone to yeeld vnto temptation Wherefore wee acknowledge that the Lord in Iustice may giue vs vp to the temptations of the Diuell for which cause we pray that we might not be tempted because we find such infirmity in our selues that if we be tempted a thousand to one we shall yeeld to the tentation for the corruption of man is like vnto dry Tinder ready to kindle and
these are in a man nor in a mans will vntill God worke and fulfill them by his mightie power For first a man hath not eyes to see the good things of God Deut. 29. 3. saith hee Yet the Lord hath not giuen you a heare to perceiue and eyes to see and eares to heare vnto this day Secondly man hath neither desire nor appetite till God worke it in him as it is Phil. 2. 13. For it is God which worketh in you both the will and the deed or to will and to doe of his good pleasure Thirdly though wee had eyes to see good things and will to delight in them yet haue wee no strength and power to performe them vntill God will as Iohn 15. 5. For without mee you can doe nothing So then this is the doctrine of Repentance that if God worke not in a man these motions by his power there is no repentance Nay we see God onely workes man vnto repentance by the power of his Spirit and Grace so that hee is the first Cause of Repentance Of which let this be The Vse Vse 1 That because the Efficient cause of Repentance is God onely wee must say as St. Iames saith If any man lacke wisdome let him aske of God that giueth vnto all men liberally c. So let vs say of Repentance if any man lacke repentance let him aske it of God and hee will giue it him It is said of the Rocke Psal. 78. 20. Behold hee smote the Rocke that the waters gushed out and the streames ouerflowed c. Euen so let vs pray God by the power of his Spirit and grace to smite so hard vpon our rockie hearts that by and by may gush out from vs floods of repentant teares Vse 2 Secondly let vs learne to take God at his offer or else at another time wee may goe without it and hauing it let vs stirre vp our selues to be thankfull to God for it Cause of Repentance 2 The Second Cause of Repentance is called The Instrumentall Cause and that is the preaching of the Word as it is Luk. 24. 27. saith hee And that Repentance and remission of sinnes should bee preached in his Name amongst all Nations so that preaching is the Instrumentall cause thereof for though God giue Repentance it being wrought by him in vs yet hee doth it by meanes wee must not thinke that God will open the Cloudes and come downe from heauen and poure Repentance into our hearts or drop it in vs but hee hath ordained that wee shall get it by the preaching of the Word for thereby wee are made partakers of the graces of his holy Spirit Now consider there are two things to effect this The Preaching of the Law and the preaching of the Gospell the first that a man may see his sinne and the fearefull estate hee is in by the same The second that he may finde there is a remedie and that it is not in himselfe The Law prepares a man for Repentance shewes him all his sinnes and his damnable estate before yea it terrifies the conscience euen to the very flinging of him downe to hell and though this be not an infallible signe of grace to be thus terrified and restrained yet it is the occasion of it because it helpes to prepare vs and make vs willing to lay hold of Repentance as God workes in vs. As a man that makes choice of a tree to build with first he cuts it downe with his axe ere hee lay it flat vpon the ground and when he hath done so then hee applyes his line and tooles vnto lopping the boughes and so hewes it and squares it to make it the fitter for his worke Euen so doth the Lord first hee beates a man flat downe with the sentence of the Law and horrour of his sinne and then hee lifts him vp and restores him with the promises of the Gospell And whereas many thinke that it is a strange worke of God to deale thus with a man and that when God doth deale thus that man is in a wofull and lamentable estate the truth is that then the Law from God is a fitting and working a man to bee fit for eternall life and thus though the Law cannot bring a man to Repentance yet it is a meanes of preparation And then after this commeth the Gospell as a powerfull instrument and workes Faith and other Graces in vs by a diuine assistance The vse is Vse Because then the preaching of the Word is thus a powerfull cause of Repentance that wee make much of it and imbrace it esteeming it a pretious Iewell of Gods Treasurie yea and to seeke and hunger for it by all meanes If a man were grieuously sicke vpon his bed and that it were told him that in such a ground such a herbe did grow which applyed would quickly ridde him of all his paine and griefe if hee had any meanes to come by it sure hee would creepe thither vpon his hands and his feet to haue it no paines would bee irkesome vnto him so hee might recouer his health againe euen so when a man is deadly sicke of sinne as wee should all bee and it shall bee told him that in the preaching of the Gospell there is such a herbe of Grace the Flower of Repentance that will cure him of his sinne and restore him to the life of glorie I hope no man is so desperate and carelesse that will neglect the hearing of it Now what shall wee doe in this case but as it were to creepe on our hands and knees that is to vse all meanes to attaine the same and bee partakers of the benefites of the Gospell that wee may bee saued O! shall wee bee more carefull in such a case of our bodyes then of our soules Now besides these two Causes that may bring vs vnto Repentance there bee other three causes which are called Cause adiuvantes Helping or furthering causes because though they doe not worke Repentance in themselues yet they doe exercise a man to the helping and furthering of this worke in him I declare it by a similitude when one would saw a Tree three things are requisite vnto this worke First there must bee a saw which is the Instrument Secondly there must bee one to pull and mooue the saw to apply it to the Tree which is the Efficient cause Thirdly there must bee a certaine oylie and liquide matter to make the Saw runne which is Causa adiuvans the Helping cause which smoothes the Saw and makes it runne with case So it is in this great worke of Repentance the Saw or Instrument to worke is the preaching of the Gospell which doth sawe and worke vpon the conscience as the Instrument of God and God himselfe is the effectuall puller or workeman to worke Repentance in vs. So that Now the Helping Causes are especially three 1. The Mercie of God 2. The Iudgements of God 3. Our owne Considerations Helping
say wherein haue wee sinned or if men know sinne to bee sinne yet they mistake they thinke great sinnes are but pettie ones and small ones they esteeme to bee nothing at all not worth the grieuing at because for the present they paine not as a man hauing a bleeding wound hee sees not passes it ouer vntill hee faints it proouing deadly if not stopt and cured Againe another cause is Hardnesse of heart which for all the Regenerate are in part sanctified we are subiect vnto therefore though some in Repentance bring forth teares yet a number for their liues cannot shed any one teare for sinne vntill God by an especiall worke conuert and turne the Heart vnto him by an especiall operation of his blessed Spirit and power of Grace The want of this tendernesse wee see made the Prophet in the name of the Church crie out Isa. 63. 17. O Lord why hast thou made vs to erre◠from thy wayes and hardened our hearts from thy feare Yet I must needs say there is great difference betwixt that hardnes of heart in the godly and in the wicked for that of the former is sensible full of paine griefe sorrow mourning yea there is a particular sorrow for that hardnesse felt besides that of other sinnes but that which is in the wicked is insensible they are neuer thorowly touched or affected with a feeling of their sinnes and so neuer weepe or sorrow for them The fourth Conclusion is Conclus 4. That a man may truly repent him of his sinnes though he cannot weepe or shed a teare for them Which I prooue thus They that can mourne for their sinnes and in compunction of soule make vse of the death and passion of Christ may truly repent but a man may mourne for his sinne and do thus and yet neuer shed a teare therefore a man may truly repent without shedding of teares for teares are not alwayes a signe of true repentance As we see Acts 2. 37. where it is sayd those Converts were pricked in their hearts not pricked in their eyes for a mans heart may be pricked and ouerwhelmed with griefe and yet not weepe or shed any teares So wee see the Publican Luke 18. Hee could not weepe but hee was humbled and cast downe in the sense and feeling of his sinnes Lord saith he be mercifull to me a sinner So in like manner we doe not read that the Theefe vpon the Crosse did weepe or shed any teares yet hee confessed his sinnes and was inwardly grieued for them So we see a man may truly repent who sheddeth no teares For as a Wine vessell without vent is readie to burst so the lesse weeping many times the greater is the sorrow and the heart so much the more ouerburthened Teares are as a vent which when they are not and the heart this way allayed and eased the inward griefe is so much the more excessiue and great The fifth Conclusion is Conclus 5. That there is hardly any man liuing that hath truly felt the worke of Grace in himselfe but at one time or other if God let him liue any time hath or shall in some measure shed teares for his sinnes Euer excepting those men whom their naturall hard and drie temper of their eyes disableth perpetually from all teares 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This Conclusion I will first open and then in time confirme it yet assure your selues of this That euery one cannot weepe in their repentance and first Calling vntil it please God to infuse more grace and smite the heart Yet though at first they doe not wait a while and in continuance of time or when God sends some great affliction or judgement vpon them you shall see them come to teares and weepe for their sinnes As a man that is stricken with a sword the bloud doth not alwayes by and by follow So it is with the smitten conscience of a wounded sinner there is feare astonishment and amazement many times before weeping and yet afterwards teares may come abundantly as bloud after a wound But to my promise now which was first To open the Conclusion secondly To explaine it First then I say That hardly is there any man liuing but he hath or shall shed teares for sinne if God haue a purpose to saue him Therefore howsoeuer one may goe away at the first rejoycing like Lydia at her first conuersion and like the Eunuch in the Acts yet at one time or other they shall weepe and mourne for their sins though I would haue you remember that I do not exclude any from the hope of Heauen and state of true penitencie that shed no tears for sinne for so I haue shewed the case may be though seldome heard of Dauid sayes Psalme 37. 25. I haue beene young and now am old yet haue I not seene the righteous for saken nor their seed begging bread And yet poore Lazarus died a begger and was carried by the hands of the Angels into Abrahams bosome Now Dauids meaning is not that there was none of the righteous or of their seed that did begge their bread but that it was a rare thing that hee had not seene it in his dayes or in an Age So wee may say of this point It may bee a man may bee truely conuerted and yet neuer shedde a teare in his life but it is a rare case no ordinarie thing it is that which seldome falls out one of a thousand but that at one time or other they are so pressed with their sinnes Againe secondly I say that true teares are not to bee commanded by vs but are an effect of Gods grace wrought in man as Zach. 12. 10. And I will poure vpon the house of Dauid and vpon the Inhabitants of Ierusalem the Spirit of Grace and supplication and they shall weepe c. That is they shall mourne and lament as a man that mourneth for his owne sinnes nature may make a man mourne for the losse of his children friends goods wife and such like but it is onely the Spirit of God of Grace that can make a man shed teares for his sinnes so that a man may bee a naturall man an vnregenerate man an vnconuerted man and neuer shed a teare for his sinnes all his life long though hee bee a most wicked liuer But if the Spirit of Grace once worke vpon his heart hardly but at one time or other his heart will melt and lament that hee hath offended God Thirdly I say if God let him liue any time in this world for a man may bee taken away immediatly vpon his conuersion as the cheefe vpon the crosse and then as hee wants time for other Christian duties so for this also but if God let a man continue any time then one occasion or other will bring him backe to the beholding of his sinnes cause him to afflict his thoughts repent throughly and so worke teares out of him yea bitterly to bewaile his sinnes
Affirmat T. 3. p. 97 but not so easily as others T. 3. p. 98. 100. obiections against it T. 3. 101. Father of God the Father T. 1. p. 78. wherein wee may sinde God a Father T. 1. p. 105. Faith what it is T. 1. p. 17. its kinds and meanes to be get it ibid. the fruits of it T. 1. p. 18 how iustified by faith ibid the difference betweene historicall and iustifying faith T. 1. p. 76 how a man may know that hee hath faith ibid c. 77. means of strengthning our faith T. 1. p. 106. two grounds of faith in prayer t. 2. p. 19 20 21. three Acts of faith T. 3. p. 23. the faith that a Christian man must dye in consists in three things T. 2. p. 163. Of the feare of God T. 1. p. 27 28. what it will worke in vs. ibid. c. 28. how we may settle it in our hearts ibid. wee must pray with feare T. 2. p. 23. Feastings how lawful T. 1. p. 30 Fellowship what fellowship we haue with Christ t. 1. p. 102 103. wherein it stands ibid. Forgiuenesse what we are to beleeue concerning it t. 1. p. 103. how to apply it to a mans selfe T. 1. p. 104. of the Petition of forgiâ—â—nesse T. 1. p. 120 122. the instruction and consolation we haue by this Petition T. 1. p. 122 123. that we haue all need of forgiuenesse t. 2. p. 109 that forgiuenesse is a most excellent mercy which all should seeke for T. 2. p. 106. why so few seeke for it T. 2. p. 108. the extent of the Petition of forguinesse T. 2. p. 109. the time of asking it is daily ibid. the condition of forgiuenesse what T. 2. p. 112 113 114. Freewill against Popish freewill T. 3. p. 39. G. GLory the glory of God is the first thing wee should desire in our Prayers T. 2. p. 30. reasons why we may pray for the kingdome of glory T. 2 p. 51. 52. God how knowne T. 1. p. 1 2 What he is T. 1. p. 2. that wee are to conceiue of him by his properties T. 1. p. 2. the vse of God 4 properties T. 1. p. 4. how many persons there be in the Godhead t. 1. p. 7. et 78. that he is Almighty T. 1. p. 79. why a Creator T. 1. p. 80 81. how God is our Father T. 1. p 108. of Gods Name T. 1. p. 110. why we must pray to God onely T. 2. p. 15. Godlinesse how necessary to saluation T. 1. p. 23. how to begin a holy life ibid. furtherances thereto T. 1. p. 24. the points of godlinesse what T. 1. p. 43 what difference betweene the state of the godly and of the wicked T. 1. p. 68. Gospel what it is T. 3 p. 13. the main thing promised in it ibid. two vses of it ibid. c. the difference betweene the Law and the Gospell T. 1. p. 16. Grace it is to be nourished T. 1. p. 66. impediments of grace T. 3. p. 57. how a Christian may grow in grace T. 3. p. 194 195 196. Grow of growing in the grace of repentance Treat 3. p. 183. how a Christian may grow in grace T. 3. p. 194 195 196. H. HAllowing of the Petition Hallowed be thy Name T. 1. p. 110 111. Gods Name hallowed of vs three wayes T. 2. p. 33. three things helping hereunto T. 2. p. 35. 36. Haire whether lawfull for men to weare long haire T. 1. p. 31. Heart what a man must doe to reforme the heart T. 1. p. 26. what we must first plant in it T. 1. p. 27. how we must bring our hearts in loue with God ibid. Holy Ghost vide Spirit what we beleeue concerning the Holy Ghost T. 1. p. 95. what hee worketh in vs p. 96. how a man may know whether he hath the Holy Ghost ibid. Husbands their duties towards their wiues T. 1. p. 53 54. Humiliation what it is and how to be performed T. 3. p. 73. I. INward what a change repentance maketh in the inward man T. 3. p. 31. Iudgement of the Iudgement day T. 1. p. 93. the circumstances thereof T. 1. p. 94 95. whether all wish for 〈◊〉 T. 1. p 114 the iudgement of God is an helping cause of repentance T. 3. p. 44. Iustice wherein the Iustice of God appeareth T. 1. p. 4. how it stands with his Iustice that the godly are commonly in worst estate T. 1 p 4 Iustification how wee are iustified by faith T. 1. p. 18. how declared ibid. c. that to the grace of iustification we must ioyne sanctification t. 2 p. 120. K. KIll how to kill sin T. 1. p. 25. Kingdome of that Petition Thy Kingdome come T. 1. p. 111. its dependance with the former ibid. Gods Kingdome twofold T. 1. p. 112. what wee pray for in it ibid. T. 2 p. 40. the euils that wee pray against in that Petition T. 1. p. 114. the impediments of the comming of Christ in others T 1. p. 41. and in our selues T. 2. p. 42. a definition of the Kingdome of grace T. 2. p. 43. how the Kingdome of grace is already come T. 2. p. 44. the excellencies of this Kingdome of grace before all others T. 2. p 45. a further scope of this Petition thy kingdome come T. 2. p 46. two wayes by which the Kingdome of God may come to vs T. 2. p. 52 53. Knowledge of the knowledge of God what T. 1. p. 28. Its parts with the vses thereof ibid. L. LAw what there must be in vs to haue the Law effectually to worke vpon vs T. 3. p. 1. the Law of a foure-fold vse to an vnregenerate man T. 3. p. 3 4 5. three vses of it in a regenerate man T. 3. p. 7. the differences between the Law and the Gospell T. 3. p. 16 17. the vses of it ibid. Life how a good life is needfull to saluation T. 1. p. 23. where to begin a godly life ibid. furtherances thereto T. 1. p. 24. of the well-ordering of our liues T. 1. p. 29. helps to an holy life T. 1. p. 66 67 68. of our dayly practise in our life T. 1. p. 70 71. of euerlasting life T. 1. p. 106. c. Loue how wee must bring our our hearts in loue with God T. 1. p. 27. how loue should bee shewed T. 1. p. 34. the points of inwards loue ibid. c. how our loue in words should bee shewed T. 1. p. 35. how in deeds ibid. how we must loue men in their soules T. 1. p. 36. how in their goods T. 1. p. 38. who offend herein ibid. how to shew our loue to God T. 1. p. 43. loue must be had in Prayer T. 2. p. 22. M. MAn why made T. 1. p. 1. Marriage whether it bee lawfull for a Christian to marry with a Jew T. 1. p. 57. Masters their duty t. 1. p. 59 60 Meanes of desiring to obtaine the end without the vse of the meanes T. 2. p. 39. Meanes to grow in grace T. 3.
the grace of iustification we must labour to ioyne sanctification T. 2. p. 120. Scriptures how knowne to be the Word of God T. 1. p. 8. their drift T. 1. p 10. how to reade them with profit T. 1. p. 67 68 Seruants their duty T. 1. p. 61 62 c. Sinne Our sinfull estate T. 1. p. 11. of sinne originall and actuall ibid. three sorts of actuall sinnes T. 1. p. 12. the misery of our sinnefull estate p 12 13. by what meanes wee become sorrowfull for sinne T. 1. p. 14. no man able to free himselfe from all sinne T. 1. p. 24. how a man may know his darling sinne ibid. how to kill sinne T. 1. p 25. sinnes why called debts T. 1. p. 121. T. 2. p. 99. the meanes that God vseth in deliuering vs from sin T. 1. p. 127. originall sin what T. 1. p. 130. how taken away in baptisme ibid. that vpon pardon of former sinnes the diuell is ready alwayes to fasten new vpon vs T. 2. p. 120. Sit what is meant by Christs sitting at the right hand of God T. 1. p. 92. Sobriety what T. 1. p. 30. in meates ibid. in apparell T. 1. p. 31. and in other creatures T. 1. p. 32. c. of other things wherein sobriety should bee shewed T. 1. p. 33. Sonne why Christ is called Gods ONELY Sonne when as wee also are called sons T. 1. p. 84. Sorrow vide mourning by what meanes wee may become sorry for our sinnes T. 1. p. 14. how to bee moderate therein T. 1. p. 33. sorrow for sinne requires fiue qualifications T 3. p. 74. Spirit vide Holy Ghost T. 1. p. 95 96 97. the markes whereby we may know whether wee haue the Holy Ghost or no T. 1. p. 98. Subiection the wiues subiection to her husband declared T. 1. p. 55. Suffer of Christs sufferings T. 1. p. 86. Supper the Lords Supper vide Sacrament T. 1. p. 132. the needfulnesse of it ibid. the resemblances betweene the Bread and the Body in the Lords Supper T. 1. p. 133. whether wee receiue nothing but a signe in the Lords Supper T. 1. p. 135. the resemblance betweene the Blood and the Wine in the Lords Supper T. 1. p. 137. T. TEares they are not alwayes true tokens of repentance T. 3 p. 120. how to find comfort in teares T. 3. p. 121. three things for which a man may shed teares T 3. p. 123. hinderances of penitent teares T. 3. p. 127. that a man may truely repent and yet not shed teares T. 3. p. 128 129. the reasons why some men weepe sometimes and others reioyce at the first conuersion T 1. p. 132. Temple what are wee to doe before in and after we goe into the Temple T. 1. p. 72 73 74 c. Temptation of that Petition Lead vs not into temptation T. 1. 123 124. God tempts no man ibid. how God workes in temptation and yet is free from sinne ibid. the euils that we pray against in that we say Lead vs not into temptation T. 1. p. 125. that wee may pray not to be tempted T. 2. p. 121. two kinds of temptations that a man is subiect vnto T. 2. p. 122. that we are exceeding apt to yeeld to temptation T. 2. p. 123. how God may be said to tempt how not T. 2. p 125. the vses of it T. 2. p. 126. whether a man may resist temptation by the power of Nature T. 2. p. 129 130. Testament what T. 1. p. 139. the tenour of both Testaments ibid. Tryall we should daily try our estates T. 1. p. 67. U. VNregenerate a fourefold vse of the Law to the vnregenerate T. 3. p. 2 3 4 5 6. Vowes the remembrance of them are helpes to an holy life T. 1. p. 69. Vsury what T. 1. p. 40. how allowed by our Lawes ibid. why not condemned in the New Testament ibid. c. IV. WAtch we must watchouer our life T. 1. p. 67. Wife her duty T. 1. p. 55 56. her subiection how declared ibid. Will of that Petition Thy will be done T. 1. p. 115. what the will of God is ibid. how done of of vs ibid. how of the Angels T. 1. p. 116. Will and Testament what T. 1. p. 139. how many Wils God did make ibid. three motiues to subiect vs to the Will of God T. 2. p. 48 49. whose will must be done T. 2. p. 58. Gods will opposed by three wills T. 2. p. 59 60. what will of God must be done T. 2. p. 62. foure speciall wils that God requires in his Word T. 2 p. 63 64. In what manner wee must doe the will of God T. 2. p. 65. why Christ fetcheth a patterne from heauen for doing his wil T. 2. p. 66. Wisedome wherein Gods wisedome appeareth T. 1. p. 3 spirituall wisedome wherein consisting T. 1 p. 28 Witches running to such reproued T. 2. p. 81. Word what it is T. 1. p. 8. how we may know the Scriptures to to be the Word of God ibid. The end of the Table SMITHS GROVNDS of Religion Question WHy was man made Answer To serue God Pro. 16. 4. Acts 17. 27. Q What gather wee of this A. That our first and chiefest care must bee to serue God Math. 6. 33. Pro. 4. 7. Q. Whom doth this Doctrine meere withall A. First with those that thinke it enough to liue ciuilly and honestly in the world hauing no loue to Religion no care of seruing God Secondly it meeteth with those who though they haue some care of it yet make it not their first and chiefest care but let euery worldly businesse take place before it Q. How doe wee know there is a God A. First by the Scriptures Secondly by the light of Reason Q. What bee the reasons A. The first is drawne from the Workes of God The second is taken from the Testimonie of our owne Conscience Q. What is the first A. When wee see a faire and a goodly Tower though we saw not the workman when he built it yet wee easily conceiue that there was some Architect that framed it and set it vp So when wee see the glorious frame of Heauen and Earth wee easily conceiue that there is a God who made it though wee see him not Q What is the second A. When as a man hath committed any horrible fact as murder theft blasphemie and the like Though he hide it from men yet hee feeles then especially when he is wakened vp with some iudgement continuall gripings and gnawings and fearefull terrors in his heart which is nothing else but a secret guiltinesse and a close feeling that there is a God who will reuenge it Q What is God A. God is a Spirit or a spirituall substance hauing his being of himselfe Iohn 4. 24. Q. What gather wee of this that God is a Spirit A. That they that conceiue God to bee like an old man sitting in heauen worship an horrible Idol in stead of the true God Luke 24. 39. Numbers 23. 19. Q.
Qu. What gather we of this A. That they which liue wickedly and loosely howsoeuer they professe yet they haue indeed no part of nor portion in Christ Ephes. 5. 5. Qu. What are the fruites of Sanctification A. First spirituall freedome and libertie from the enbondagement of sinne For whereas before the Deuill and Sinne did so possesse vs that for our liues we could doe no more but what he would haue vs. Now we haue willingnesse and ablenesse through the spirit of Christ to liue holily and righteously in the sight of God Luke 1. 74. 75. Qu. What is the second fruit of Sanctification A. Exceeding comfort in doing well as Christ saith It is meate and drinke to doe my Fathers will So it doth vs as much good as our meate and it makes vs euen glad in our hearts when we can remember we haue done any thing that pleaseth God Psal. 119. 14. Qu. What is the third fruit of Sanctification A. Deliuerance from many euills whereinto the wicked and vngodly fall for whereas the wicked are shamed many times for their wickednesse As theft treasons oppressions and the like The godly liuing well get a good name amongst men so that they which will not liue like them will speake well of them Acts 5. 13. Qu. What is the last fruit of Sanctification A. A further sealing of our election and our adoption in Christ. For by nature wee are wholly giuen to that which is naught And therefore if there be any loue of righteousnesse or hate of sinne in vs it is a token that we are regenerated and so consequently the sonnes of God Rom. 8. 14. 2. Pet. 1. 10. Qu. What is the third thing required of him that will bee saued A. Hee that will be saued must endeauour himselfe to lead a Christian and a godly life Heb. 12. 14. Q. What gather we of this A. That howsoeuer men professe yet vnlesse they labour to refraine and amend their liues they shall neuer be saued Qu. Seeing wee are saued by faith onely 〈◊〉 How is good life needfull to saluation A. Good life is needfull not as the cause of saluation for wee are saued by the free fauour of God in Christ but it is needfull as the pathway that leadeth to saluation Eue◠as a friend should giue vs a great deale of Treasure vpon the top of an hill the treasure were ours by our friends gift and yet wee should not enioy it vnlesse we would climbe vp the hill So heauen and saluation is ours by the gift of Christ and yet we cannot enioy it vnlesse by a godly and a good life we will walke vnto it 2. Tim. 1. 9. Qu. Where must wee begin the godly life A. First a man must labour to reforme his heart to bring it out of loue with sinne and to like well of the holy things of God Ier. 4. 14. Qu. How is this declared A. If a man would make a bad tree good it is not enough to chop of the branches and the boughs vnlesse he change the very nature and sappe of the tree So vnlesse the very nature of the heart be changed and the innermost affection bee altered in it all our labour in the godly life is but cast away 2. Cor. 4. 14. Qu. What must a man doe first in reforming his heart A. Hee must cleere it of those sinnes and corruptions that naturally cleaue vnto him For if the best seed be sowen among thornes and bryers it will neuer thriue So till sinne be weeded out let vs neuer looke that any good will proue or prosper in the heart Ierem. 4. 4. Q. What gather wee of this A. That they which labour after good things and yet take no paines to weaken their corruptions and to shake off their sins shall neuer attaine to a godly life Q. What sinnes must we labour to shake off A. All that cleaue vnto vs as the Apostle saith in 2. Cor 7. 1. Let vscleanse our selues from all filthinesse of the flesh and spirit and grow vp into full holinesse in the feare of God Heb. 12. 1. Q. What gather we of this A. That they which haue reformed some one sinne or more and yet suffer some other to sleepe quietly and possesse them are short of the truth of the godly life 1. Iohn 1. 8. Q No man is able to free himselfe from euery sinne A. Yet euery man must striue and labour for it and it must be his griese that he cannot attaine it We must not suffer sinne to dwell peaceably and quietly in our hearts but wee must euer be warring and fighting to driue it thence 2. Cor. 12. 8. Qu. What are the helps and furtherances hereto A. First a man must labour to know his owne heart to grow acquainted with his owne soule to see the speciall ruines and breaches that be in it For though we haue somespice and some grudging of euery sinne yet euery man hath some one speciall sinne or more that hurts and pesters him aboue the rest Qu. How shall a man know his speciall sinne A. Because the deuill will labour mightily to hide it from vs. Therefore some diligence must bee vsed to discouer it First a man must marke the course of his life and see what sinnes he is most tempted with which sinnes he is least able to resist what of all other he can hardliest forgoe and that be it one or more are master sinnes in him Secondly hee must marke what sinnes raigne most in the place and in the countrey where he dwells what sinnes are the chiefe in his kindred and in those that companie with him For hardly can a man dwell in Sodome but hee shall carry some smatch of the sinne of Sodome Gen. 19. 33. Thirdly hee must marke the iudgements of God that fall vpon him for God hath engrauen vpon euery iudgement the name of the sinne for which hee sends it So that a man in his punishment may plainely reade his sinne As Dauid sinning in his people was punished in his people And Pharaoh sinning in drowning the Infants was drowned himselfe And therefore when wee are punished in our goods let vs thinke wee haue sinned in our goods When wee are punished in our children then let vs thinke we haue sinned in our children and so in our wiues in our friends and the rest Fourthly lastly if these meanes will not worke it is good to consult with some wise and some deare friend of our state and intreate him in the loue of God and our selues that he will tell vs in truth what sinnes hee sees vs most prone and inclined vnto Qu What must a man doe for the weakening and killing of his sinnes A. When a man hath found out his sinnes then he must get him to the Ministry and to the Bible and there marke the spirituall places that meete with such sinnes those of all other hee must lay to heart and be continually musing and grating on as if a man
Q. How doth hee saue vs from sinne A. By deliuering vs from the guiltinesse of sinne 1. Iohn 17. And secondly by freeing vs from the power of sinne that it raigne not in vs Ioh. 8. 24. Q. How doth Christ saue vs from the punishment of sinne A. First by deliuering vs from the wrath of God that was kindled against vs 1. Thess. 1. 10. Secondly by deliuering vs from the clamours and cryes of our owne guiltie conscience which continually accuseth vs Rom. 5. 1. Thirdly by deliuering vs from the paines of Hell Rom. 8. 1. Fourthly by deliuering vs from the power of the Deuill who before ruled vs as a Lord Heb. 2. 14. Q. What is the meaning then of these words I beleeue in Iesus A. The meaning is that I beleeue there is a life and Saluation in Iesus Christ for all that come vnto him And that as he is Iesus so I shall finde him a Iesus that is a Sauiour to saue me from sinne and all the punishments due to it So that though I be a sinner yet through the Spirit of Christ working in me I shall sinne euery day lesse then other and through the Lords mercy I shall not come into condemnation for any of those sinnes which through frailty and weakenesse I commit Q. What is the second title of our Sauiour A. Hee is called Christ who was annoynted and it is the same that Messias is in Hebrew Ioh. 4. 25. Q. How was Christ annoynted A. Not with bodily oyle as the Kings and Priests and Prophets were in the old Law but with the holy Ghost the Spirit of God without measure being poured on him Acts 10. 38. Q. Whereunto was Christ annoynted with the holy Ghost A. To bee the King the Priest and Prophet to his Church Q. Why is Christ said to bee the King of the Church A. Because it is gouerned by the Law of Christ and secondly because it is defended by his power against the rage of the deuill of sinne and of all the enemies that oppose it Luk. 1. 32. 33. Q. Why is Christ said to be the Priest of the Church A. First because hee hath made an attonement for it offring vp his owne Body vpon the Altar of the Crosse. And secondly because he maketh intercession in Heauen continually intreating God for the peace and safetie of it Heb. 24. 25. Q. Why is Christ said to be the Prophet of the Church A. Because hee hath reuealed the royall will of God vnto his people sometimes by his owne mouth and sometime by the ministry of the Prophets and the Apostles fitted and enabled by his Spirit thereunto Acts 3. 22. Q. What is the meaning then of these words I beleeue in Christ A. The meaning is I beleeue that our Sauiour Christ is the true Messias the Lords annoynted hee that was ordained of God to bee the King Priest and Prophet of our Church the King to rule it the Priest to purge it and the Prophet to teach it Q. Why are wee called Christians A. Wee are called Christians of Christ because all true Christians are members of Christ and in some measure partakers of his annoynting so that wee are Kings and Priests and Prophets too Acts 11. 26. Q. How are all true Christians Kings A. They are Kings ouer their owne hearts to command them of God and ouer their owne corrupt affections to subdue them and keepe them vnder that they raigne not in them Rom. 1. 6. Secondly because all the comforts of this life and the life to come belong vnto them Qu. How are they Priests A. They are Priests to offer vp their owne bodyes and soules by holy seruice vnto God And secondly to intreate God for themselues and their brethren 1. Pet. 2. 5. Q. How are they Prophets A. They are prophets both to stand out vnto the death for the maintainance of the truth and also to teach that which they know to others that knew it not Acts 2. 17. Qu. What thinke you of those who doe not so A. Howsoeuer they carry the name of Christians yet indeed they be none but meere hypocrites and dissemblers whatsoeuer they pretend Q. What are wee to beleeue concerning the Person of Christ A. Wee are to beleeue two things 1. That hee is very God 2. That hee is very man Q. How doth the Creed shew him to be God A. First because he is the Sonne of God For as hee that is the Sonne of naturall man must needs be a man So he that is the naturall Sonne of God must needs be God And therefore he is called the mighty God Isay 9. 6. the blessed God Rom. 9. 6. and the true God 1. Ioh. 5. 20. Q. Why was it needfull that Christ should be God A. Hee that must redeeme vs must beare the infinite wrath of God But no creature in Heauen or Earth was able to beare the infinite wrath of God and to rise vnder it And therefore none but God was able to redeeme vs Iob 9. 13. Qu. What is the second Reason A. That the death of Christ might be of infinite value and of infinite price to redeeme vs. For it was more that God was scourged that God was nayled to the Crosse that God was killed for vs then if all the Angels and men in the world had suffered Act. 20. 28. Qu. What gather wee of this that Christ is God A. That if Adam being but a man was able to condemne vs much more Christ being God is able to saue vs Rom. 5. 17. Qu. How is Christ said to be the onely Sonne of God seeing all the faithfull are so also A. Christ is the onely Sonne of God by Nature and wee are the sonnes of God by Adoption and Grace Christ is the Sonne of God because he was borne of God And we be the sonnes of God because it pleaseth God in fauour to accept vs for his sonnes Psal. 8 15. Qu. What is the second Title whereby it is shewed that Christ is God A. In that hee is called our Lord. For God is our onely Lord Deut. 8. 14. and therefore seeing he must bee acknowledged to be our Lord he must also bee acknowledged to bee our God Ioh. 20. 28. Q. Why is Christ called our Lord A. Because the godly ones are ruled by him the wicked euer labouring to shake off their yoake Luk. 19. 14. Secondly because he ruleth for our good wee hauing the whole fruite and benefite of his gouernment in the world Deut. 33. 26. Q. What is the meaning then of these words I beleeue in Iesus Christ our Lord A. I beleeue that he was but a bare man but the Sonne of God that came to redeeme the world euen he that ruleth with all power both in Heauen and in Earth and therefore is most mighty to saue all those who by true faith flie vnto him Qu. Why was it needfull that Christ should bee man A. Because he could not suffer in his diuine Nature First and therefore
God is the installing of him in his Kingdome and in his Throne the aduancing and lifting of him vp to bee the head of the Church and that person by whom God will rule all things both in Heauen and in Earth Phil. 2. 9. Q. What learne we of this A. That Christ is now exalted in his kingdome and in his Priesthood So that now he administreth both his kingly his Priestly office with greater might and Maiestie then euer hee did before Q. What fruit haue wee by the lifting vp of Christ in his Priesthood A. Wee know thereby that Christs Intercession shall bee more profitable for vs. For if Christs prayer on Earth was alwayes heard wee may well thinke that being Sutour for vs in so great Maiestie and glory hee shall not bee denied Rom. 8. 34. Q. What fruit haue we by the lifting vp of Christ in his kingdome A. First wee know that now he is more able to blesse the Church and euery member of it And therefore if hee then healed the sicke fed his followers with small prousion made the ministry of the Word effectuall much more is hee able to doe it now 2. Cor. 9 8. Secondly wee know that Christ is more able to defend the Church and subdue all the enemies of it and stampe them vnder foote And therefore if hee then cast out deuill he is now much more able to cast out sinne and if then hee were able with one word to calme the Sea hee is now much more able to scatter all our troubles and to disperse them Rom. 26. 20. Q. What gather wee of this A. That they who doubt of Gods fauour or feare they shall not be able to liue this hard yeare or thinke they shall neuer get Religion or ouercome the lets howsoeuer they say they beleeue yet doe not indeed beleeue that Christ sits at the Right hand of God that is that hee more mightily administreth his Kingdome and Priesthood now then euer hee did before Q. What is the last degree of Christs Exaltation A. From thence hee shall come to iudge quick and dead Q. What is the meaning hereof A. That Christ in the end of the world when the sinnes of men be ripe shall descend in a Cloude and sit downe vpon his throne and all both great and small shall stand before him and the Bookes shall bee opened and they shall bee iudged according to the things that they haue done be they good or bee they euill Qu. What note wee hence A. 1. That there shall be a Iudgement 2. The generalitie of the Iudgement 3. The Person of the Iudge 4. The Time of it Qu. How know wee that there shall be a Iudgement A. First by the Scriptures Secondly by the light of Reason Q. What Scriptures proue it A. Iude 14. 15. 2. Cor. 5. 10. Act. 17. 31. Q. What is the Reason A. We know that God is a iust and righteous God and therefore hee cannot but make the state of the godly better then the state of the wicked But in this world it is not so For godly Lazarus lyes pyning at the doore while the wicked Glutton sits surfetting at the Board And therefore there must bee a Iudgement that the godly may bee blessed and the wicked punished Q. What fruit haue we by this A. Wee know that Christs comming is for the further glorifying of his Church and the punishing of the enemies of it And therefore howsoeuer we are here pressed and afflicted for a while and crowned with contempt as our Master was with thornes yet a day will come when all our infirmities and miseries shall haue an end and the faces of our enemies shall be filled with shame 2. Thess. 1. 6. 7. 8. Q. What are wee taught concerning the generality of the Iudgement A. That all shall be iudged both quicke and dead Q. Who are meant thereby A. By the quicke are meant they whom Christ shall finde aliue at his comming And by the dead they are meant that shall bee dead before So that all shall be iudged Rom. 14. 10. Q. What gather wee of this A. That a day will come when euery one of vs shall giue an account to God for his whole life for euery oath that he hath sworne for euery lie that he hath told for euery penny that he hath deceiued for euery Sabboth that he hath prophaned And therefore that wee must be carefull to flie these sinnes and the like as wee will answer to God for the contrarie at the Iudgement seate Q. Who shall be the Iudge A. Christ in his humane Nature Iohn 5. 22. 27. Q. What learne wee by this A. That Christs comming shall be comfortable to the godly and fearefull to the wicked Comfortable to the godly because he shall be their Iudge who is their Sauiour Luke 21. 28. Fearefull to the wicked because he shall be their Iudge whose blood they haue despised whose Ministers they haue disgraced whose name they haue blasphemed whose Sacraments they haue contemned whose Sabboths they haue prophaned Reu. 6. 15. 16. Q. When shall the Iudgement bee A. In the end of the world what yeare or what day or what houre knoweth no man no not the Angels but God alone Math. 24. 36. Q. Why would the Lord haue it secret A. That men might be alwayes vpon their watch and preparing for it For the count day will come suddenly and therfore we must euer keepe our reckonings streight lest it come like a thiefe in the night to steale away all our peace and prosperitie and pleasures for euer Mark 30. 35. Q. What is the third Person in whom wee must beleeue A. The Person of the Holy Ghost Q. What are wee to beleeue concerning the Holy Ghost A. Two things First that he is the effentiall Power of the Father and of the Sonne the same God in nature but distinct in Person That hee proceedeth from the Father the Scripture is plaine Iohn 15. 26. That hee proceedeth from the Sonne is as plaine Gal. 4. 6. That he is a distinct person from them both is cleare Iohn 14. 16. Secondly that he is the Sanctifier of Gods elect and therefore hee is called the Holy Ghost not onely because he is holy in himselfe but also because he makes vs holy sanctifying both our bodyes and our soules vnto God Q. What learne wee by this A. That by nature wee are more barren then the barrenest ground in the world hauing no sparke of grace or goodnesse in vs And therefore if there be any loue of vertue any hatred of sinne we may well know it is not of our selues but the Spirit of God which wrought it in our hearts Phil. 2. 13. Qu. What doth the Spirit of God worke in vs A. First knowledge of the will of God For whereas by nature a man hath no more true Religion then a very beast The Spirit of God opening and enlightening the eyes of his minde makes him able to conceiue the secret things
Q. What doe wee here pray for A. That God would make an end of this wicked world and hasten to Iudgement to the vtter confounding of the wicked and the more full and perfect Saluation of those that belong vnto him Qu. Why are wee to pray for the day of Iudgement A. Chiefely for this end that the name of God may be no more dishonoured in the world but the kingdome of sinne and Sathan may haue an end Q. Doe all wish for the day of Iudgement A. No many had rather it would neuer come For O! if God should come to Iudgement what should become of a number in the world they should cry to the hills couer vs and to the mountaines fall vpon vs. And therefore though they say Thy kingdome come yet they would be glad in their hearts that Gods kingdome might neuer come Q. What is the second thing wee pray for A. Secondly wee pray for the day of our owne death for no other end but that wee may make an end of sinning and displeasing of God For seeing how prone wee are to euill and how the number of our sinnes increaseth euery day like old trees that gather mosse This must make vs weary of the world and so to sigh and groane in our selues desiring to bee dissolued and to be with Christ. Q. May a man then pray for his owne death A. A man may not pray for it of impatience as a number doe who bee running out of the world so soone as they feele the crosse But onely in the desire to be disburdened of the body of sinne and to serue God in the holy heauens with greater freedome and libertie of spirit then here they can doe Q. What are the Euills that wee pray against A. First wee pray that whereas wee haue kept open house for sinne and Satan these many yeares they may no longer ouercome vs and preuaile against vs. Secondly wee pray against all the letts and hinderances of Gods kingdome both at home and abroad as the Turkes and the Pope Thirdly wee pray against the loue of this world that wee may not dote vpon it desiring to prolong our dayes in it but that wee may be alwayes ready to depart in peace and to haste hence to our heauenly home Q. What doe wee pray for in the third Petition A. That wee may doe Gods will in Earth readily and willingly as the Angels doe in Heauen Q. How doth this Petition depend vpon the other A. Before wee prayed that God would rule vs and now wee pray that God would giue vs sort and plyable hearts that wee may yeeld our selues to be ruled by him Q. What is the will of God A. The will of God is that which is reuealed in his Word and may bee considered in three things First it is Gods will wee should leaue our sinnes before they leaue vs. Secondly it is Gods will wee should lead a Christian and a godly life 1. Thess. 4. 3. Thirdly it is Gods will wee should beare quietly and contentedly whatsoeuer it shall please him in his wisedome to lay vpon vs. So that wee pray that Gods will may be done A nobis both of vs De nobis nostris and of vs and ours Qu. What are the good things wee pray for A. Wee pray that wee may leaue our sinnes that wee may leaue our swearing because it is Gods will wee should not sweare our coueting because it is Gods will wee should not couet Qu. What is the second thing A. Wee pray that wee may liue righteously and holily in the world that wee may loue our brethren because it is Gods will wee should loue them that wee may make conscience of all our wayes because it is Gods will wee should make conscience of them Q. What gather wee of this A. That they which pray that they may doe Gods will and yet haue no care to doe it They that pray against sinne and yet hugge it and keepe it warme in their bosomes doe but mocke God in their prayers Q. What is the third thing wee pray for A. That wee may humble our selues with patience and contentment to those seuerall troubles and tryalls which the Lord shall bring vpon vs. Q. What learne we by this A. That their sinne is great who pray euery day that Gods will may be done on them And yet when it is done fret and fume and rage against it and had rather a great deale their owne wills were done then the Lords Q. How must wee doe the will of God A. As the blessed Saints and Angells in Heauen doe it though not in the same measure yet in the same manner Q. How doe the Angells doe it A. First they doe it willingly and chearefully and therefore they are described to bee winged to shew that they flie about it Secondly they doe it faithfully and not by halfes Thirdly they doe it constantly as well at one time as at another Qu. What then doe wee pray for in this later part of the Petition A. First wee pray that wee may cheerefully obey God like Christ that said it was meate and drinke to him to doe his Fathers will Secondly Wee pray that wee may not doe Gods will by halfes but faithfully obey God in euery dutie required of vs. Thirdly wee pray that wee may be constant in this course not to serue God by moodes and fits but at all times and in all companies as well in one state as in another Q. Wee cannot possibly doe the will of God so perfectly as the Angels doe it A. Indeed we cannot so long as wee dwell in these weake houses of clay Yet wee must still aspire to a better life desiring in a greater measure to serue God Q. What gather wee of this A. A cleere difference between the godly and the wicked For the wicked euer thinke they haue religion and good liues enough though they haue neuer so little But the godly neuer satisfie themselues in it but still desire to walke more obediently faithfully and vprightly with God Qu. What doe wee aske in the fourth Petition A. All things needfull for this life Q Why doe wee pray for the things of this life first A. First to the end that being dispatched of our worldly eares and hauing things necessarie aforehand wee might with more libertie seeke after those things which concerne the soule Secondly that finding the Lord easie to yeeld in these things of lesse good wee might bee the more imboldened to sollicite him for the greater For hee that will not trust the Lord for his meat and drinke will not trust him for the sauing of his soule And hee that thinkes the Lord will stand with him for a peece of bread will easily thinke that God will stand with him for eternall life Q What is meant by Bread in this place A. Not onely bread but whatsoeuer is as needfull and as comfortable as bread as health and strength to worke in our Callings houses to
vs any good For what shall it profite a man to haue a mountaine of gold and yet to carry a fire-marke in his soule the brand and marke of a condemned man and to know that whensoeuer he goes hence hee goes damned to the deuill Math. â—6 26. Q. What learne we by this A. That euery Christian man and woman must make it their chiefest study and their chiefest care to finde Mercy and fauour with God in the forgiuenesse of their sinnes rather then to inioy ten thousand worlds without it Q. What is the second reason A. Our sinnes are so many and so grieuous against the Lord that wee are not worthy of one morsell of meate to put into our mouthes yea wee deserue euen to bee starued and famished vpon the face of the earth And therefore because our sinnes are the barre and stop that let and hinder Gods blessings from vs therefore wee pray God to forgiue our sinnes that the true hindrance of our comforts being taken away all his blessings in most rich and plentifull sort may flowe vnto vs Ier. 5. 25. Qu Why are our sinnes called debts A. Because as a debt bindes a man either to satisfie the partie or to goe to prison So our sinnes binde vs either to satisfie Gods Iustice or to goe to hell Qu. What learne wee from hence A. First that wee are all in the Lords debt and it is not some dribling somme that wee owe him but a thousand Talents at the least more then wee and all the friends wee haue be able to discharge Secondly that vnlesse God be contented for them wee are sure to goe to hell where wee shall endure not a moneths or a yeares imprisonment But wee shall lye bound in the chaynes of horror and darknesse as long as there is a God in heauen to reuenge our sinnes and the Deuill in hell to torment vs for them Thirdly that there is no way to deale with God but onely by intreaty and by request Wee cannot choppe and change with him as the Pope thinkes Lord I haue so many sinnes and here are so many good deeds for them But wee must begge our pardon and become humble sutours to the Throne of grace that God for Christs sake would shew Mercy vpon vs. Fourthly that we shall finde the Lord ready for to yeeld vnto our sute especially seeing the Lord Iesus who sitteth at the right hand of God is an Intercessour for vs Q. Must wee pray thus euery day A. As wee pray euery day for our daily Bread so we must also pray daily for the pardon of our sinnes The pardon of our sinnes being as needfull euery day as the bread that wee liue by Qu. What may this teach vs A. That wee sinne euery day howsoeuer God shall blesse vs or punish vs or teach or touch vs with his Spirit yet wee know aforehand that wee shall sinne tomorrow and the next day and so euery day to our dying day Secondly that wee sinne often euery day and therefore wee speake in the plurall number Forgiue vs our sinnes as hauing many sinnes to be forgiuen And though wee bee able to discerne but a few of our sinnes yet our ignorance is the greater who sin many times when wee thinke we doe not sinne Thirdly that as wee sinne daily so it must be our care euery day to make euen with the Lord that wee come not with after reckonings with sinnes of 10. 20. or 30. yeares old not repented of but that euery day wee reconcile our selues to God for the sinnes of that day that whensoeuer wee shall die wee may haue but the sinnes of one day Q. What is meant by these words For euen wee forgiue them A. They containe 1. A Comfort 2. An Instruction Qu. What is the comfort A. That if wee who are full of hatred and reuenge can forgiue our brethren much more wil the Lord who is full of Mercy and compassion bee ready to forgiue vs. For wee are not to thinke that wee can goe beyond the Lord in any grace and therefore if wee can loue him that loues not vs and passe by many wrongs wee may well thinke wee shall finde the Lord much more fauourably inclyned to vs. Q. Is our forgiuenesse a cause why God forgiues vs A. No For if wee forgiue our brethren some little fault that is no reason why God should forgiue vs our huge and mightie sinnes But the Lord addes this as a sure testimonie of our soules that if we who haue but a drop of Mercy can forgiue our Brethren much more will the Lord who is euen full of goodnesse forgiue vs. Q. What is the Instruction A. That wee shall neuer finde fauour at Gods hands till such time as our brethren finde loue and mercy and good dealing at our hands For looke what wee bee to others when they offend vs the same wee shall finde God to vs when wee offend him Q. Whom doth this Doctrine condemne A. First it condemneth those who wil vse extremity to their brethren that will not by any meanes bate of their right but eagerly pursue euery aduantage they can get against them Secondly it condemneth those that will say they forgiue and forget and yet notwithstanding the memorie of it is most quicke in their hearts and vpon euery little occasion they breake out againe Alas doe wee looke for such forgiuenesse at Gods hands how is it then that our Brethren can finde no better at our hands Thirdly it condemneth those that can bee content to forgiue some small offences of their brethren but if it touch them somewhat neere in their goods or names oh then the matter is heynous and so preiudiciall it toucheth vs so deeply that it may not in any wise finde fauour at our hands Why alas our brethren cannot commit any so grieuous offence against vs but wee commit farre greater against the Lord and therefore as wee except against them so wee may well looke the Lord will except against vs. Q. What doe wee pray for in the sixt Petition A. Wee pray for strength and grace against sinne Q. Why are there two Petitions for the Soule and but one for the Body A. The Lord would teach vs thereby that our care for heauenly things should be twice so much as our care for earthly and therefore where wee are once vpon our knees for the blessings of the body wee should bee twice vpon our knees for the blessings of our Soules Qu. How doth this Petition depend vpon the former A. In the former Petition we prayed for the pardon of our sinnes that be past and now wee pray for grace and strength against those euills that be to come Q. What learne wee by this A. First that none are more subiect to Tentations then the godly For of all men they are most layd vnto sinne will bee euer nibling and the diuell will labour mightily to regaine his hold Secondly that it is not enough to haue our sinnes pardoned
and not quickened vp wee shall goe from the Sacrament as emptie as wee came Q. How can wee receiue Christs Body that is absent in heauen A. By Faith wee may make it present setting Christ 〈◊〉 liuely before the inward eyes of our Soules as if wee saw him hanged nayled crowned bleeding vpon the Crosse So Abraham by faith had as liuely a sight of Christ as if with his bodily eyes hee had looked vpon him Iohn 8. 56. So the Israelites did eate and drinke Christ in the Desart 1. Cor. 10. 3. 4. and yet Christ was not borne till 1500. yeares after Q. How are the godly said to eate Christ A. As a man is said to eate the meate that hee liues by which hee doth apply and appropriate to his body to the nourishing and feeding of the same euen so when by speciall faith wee doe apply Christ vnto our selues and make him ours so that wee liue by Christ as a man liues by meate then wee are said to eate Christ. Qu. How is the Bread the body of Christ A. It is not verily and indeed his body For Christs body is in Heauen onely Act. 3. 21. but it is his body Sacramentally that is a certaine pledge and token of his body For as the Rocke is called Christ because it signifies Christ 1. Cor. 10. 4. So here the bread is called Christs Body because it signifies his body Q. Doe wee then receiue nothing but a Signe of his Body A. Yes wee receiue the very body of Christ by Faith for the bread which wee receiue with our mouthes is a true token that Christs body is receiued by faith For as a man that takes a key in signe of possession takes not the bare signe but the very possession together with the signe So they that worthily Communicate receiue not a bare signe of the Body but the very body it selfe spiritually and by faith Q. What difference is there then betweene the Papist opinion and ours A. They thinke that they eate Christ corporally and carnally with their teeth and therefore they cage him vp in the consecrated Host and hold that a cat or a mouse may deuour him But we knowing that Christ is now food for the belly but food for the soule affirme that Christ is not 〈◊〉 caâ—alâ—â— with the teeth but spiritually by faith Iohn 6. 63. 1. Cor. 10. Q. Why doth Christ adde My body which is giuen for you A. To shew that it is not Christs body glorious in Heauen 〈◊〉 downe in great Maiestie vpon the Throne of God but it is his wounded body his bleeding body his dead body that our faith must feed vpon So that here we are led backe to the crosse of Christ that wee may lay to our mouthes and euer sucke life and Saluation out of his bleeding sides Q. How may wee feed vpon the dead body of Christ A. By faith wee must set our selues vpon Mount Caluery and there behold our Lord vpon the Crosse with his shoulders trickling with his head spinning with his hands streaming with his sides gushing all his body running downe with blood and then say Behold this is the Body that is giuen for mee These sides were whipped that mine might bee spared These hands were nayled that mine might bee freed These cheekes were buffeted that mine might be kissed This head was crowned with Thornes that mine might be crowned with glorie These torments Christ suffered on Earth that I might not suffer greater things in Hell Zach. 12. 10. Q. What is the second Reason A. To shew that wee were the Authours and causes of the death of Christ. It was our sinne that brought all these punishments and these paines vpon him As an vnthrift that comes behinde hand and his suretie is made to pay for all So all our sinnes were charged vpon Christs head and hee was faine to suffer whatsoeuer wee should haue suffered for them Psalme 53. 5. Q. What learne wee by this A. That if wee detest Iudas that betrayed Christ and Pilate that condemned him and the Iewes that killed him Much more should wee hate our sinnes that were the chiefe causes of his death Q. To what end must wee celebrate the Lords Supper A. To stirre vp our faith to a more liuely consideration of the death of Christ. Q. Is there any that forget the Death of Christ A. Too many forget it or very coldly consider it First they that will doe nothing for their brethren little considering how much Christ hath done for them Secondly they that liue in sinne little consider what Christ suffered for it Thirdly they that will beare no disgrace for Christ little remember how hee was disgraced for them Lastly they that will sell themselues for a â—â—rifle to the Deuill little consider how dearely they were bought Q. Why are there two signes in the Lords Supper and but one in Baptisme A. Christ is set forth in Baptisme as washing the soule from sinne And therefore because water of it selfe is enough to wash the body therefore there needed nothing else to signifie the washing of the soule But in the Sacrament of the Supper Christ is proposed as a nourishment feeding vs and vpholding vs in the life of Grace And therefore because bread is not sufficient to sustaine the bodily life without wine nor wine without bread Therefore two Signes were appointed to shew that wee haue our whole nourishment by Christ. Qu. What resemblance is there betweene the Wine and Christs blood A. As Wine maketh glad the heart of men and a man hauing tasted of it forgetteth the trouble and the miferie that lies vpon him So the blood of Christ which speaketh better things then the blood of Abel euen peace and saluation to those that killed him bringeth vnspeakable ioy and comfort to the heart Eph. 2. 13. Secondly as wine breeds good blood good spirits in a man and a man hauing tasted of it the very colour and the strength of it will appeare in his face yea it will make his very breath smell the sweeter for it So the blood of Christ breedes good thoughts and good desires and good affections in the heart and a man hauing tasted of it by faith all his actions and all his thoughts will be full of the good taste and good relish of the same Q. When did Christ ordaine this Sacrament A. After Supper that is after the eating of the Paschall lambe When they had now sufficiently filled themselues with meate and so needed not any further nourishment for this life to shew that it is not the bodily life but the spirituall that hee seekes to feed and to nourish in them Luke 22. 20. Q. What learne wee by this A. That men must come to the Lords Table not to fill their bellies but to seed their soules to haue their faith strengthened their zeale kindled their loue increased all their graces to bee quickened in them Qu. What else may bee obserued in the time A. That the Disciples hauing
the weakenesse of such that are not able to vtter their own thoughts and desires Therefore Christ as he puts good thoughts in our hearts by his holy Spirit so here hee puts good words into our mouthes yea the words of prayer So the Lord Hos. 14. 3. Hauing exhorted the people to repent puts the very words into their mouthes saying Take vnto you words and turne to the Lord and say vnto him Take away all iniquity and receiue vs graciously so will we render the calues of our lippes In Gen. 47. 12. It is said of Joseph that he nourished his Father and his Mother and all the houshold yea put meat into little childrens mouthes So doth the true Ioseph the Lord Iesus he doth put euen meate into the mouthes of his children that is hee doth put the very words of prayer into the mouthes of such as cannot pray Quest. There hath been a question whether a man may vse a set forme of prayer or pray vpon a booke Ans. But the question need be no question amongst vs for we see by Christs example If a man haue not the gift to vtter prayer in his owne words better vse another mans helpe then quite to omit such a worthy duty The second reason why Christ giues a direction to pray was To correct a number of errours and obliquities that be in prayer This is the reason that is giuen both in this place and chap. 7. where Christ saith Be not as the Heathen but after this manner pray yee c. So the Lord prescribeth this forme of prayer as a correction of the abuses and corruptions which otherwise might creepe into our prayer Saint Paul saith Rom. 8. 26. For wee know not how to pray as we ought c. For howsoeuer we can speake wisely in the eares of men yet wee are the veriest fooles in the world when we come to speake vnto God And so as I haue said to helpe the errors and defects of prayer our Sauiour Christ hath giuen vs a direction how to pray for as Cyprian saith Hee who hath giuen life hath also taught vs how to pray Diuines shew that the inward intent without the action is as much as the action it selfe for though the action be good yet if the manner be not so also God will not accept it Isai. 58. 3. The people say We haue fasted and punished our selues c. but the Lord saith Yee fast to strife and debate and to smite with the fist of wickednesse c. So though that the action be good yet because the manner of performing it was not God did by the Prophet reprehend it So 1 Chron. 15. 13. Dauids action was good when he sought to bring vp the Arke but because the manner was not good because he did not seeke God deuoutly but put Gods Arke vpon a Cart whereas it should haue beene carried vpon Priests shoulders the Lord made a breach amongst them c. So that we see in regard of gracious acceptation the manner of the action is as much as the action it selfe And thus we may not onely pray but wee must pray to acceptation and keepe a due manner in our prayer The third Reason is That we might haue the greater assurance that God will heare vs when we pray c. As 1 Iohn 5. 14. This is our assurance that if wee aske any thing according to his will he heareth vs. Now no man can doubt that when we follow Christs direction wee aske according to Gods will and so no question but God will heare vs. When the woman of Tekoah made a report to Dauid concerning Absolom his sonne Dauid said Is not the hand of Ioab in this which when hee vnderstood that it was so Dauid did the better accept of it Euen so when a poore Christian comes to prayer vnto God and the Lord saith Is not this tongue taught by Christ Is not Christ a counseller in this action we may thinke the Lord will the rather entertaine and accept of it Saint Cyprian saith As the Lord our Master hath taught vs and of prayer It is a friendly and a familiar kind of prayer to intreat God with his owne words When any one prayes the Lord knowes the words of his Sonne So you see the Reasons why it pleased Christ to giue a direction in prayer First to helpe the weaknesse of such as cannot pray Secondly to correct a number of errours in prayer Thirdly that we might haue so much the greater acceptation with God Now we come to the second thing in the subdiuision 2 What this Direction is Which followes in these words Our Father which art in Heauen c. Of this direction there are three parts 1 The Preface 2 The Petitions 3 The Conclusion First There is a Preface for our Sauiour Christ doth not set downe the Petitions abruptly but he first begins with a solemne Preface and why with a Preface to shew that there must be a prouision for prayer a disposition of our selues and a composing of the affections before we pray We may not bluntly rush vpon this holy Duty but come forward with deuotion reiecting all worldly thoughts and prepare our selues before we pray Psal. 10. 17. Thou preparest their heart thou bendest eare vnto them Psal. 108. 10. O God my heart is prepared So that there must be first a Preparation of the Heart Now there be two Reasons why we must be prepared in our hearts for prayer 1 In regard of God 2 In regard of our selues First In regard of God That we may come with holy reuerence before him for because it is not a mortall man or earthly power that wee haue to deale with in prayer but a glorious and great God before whom we ought to tremble before whom the very Angels stand with an awfull regard and reuerence at the feete of whose Throne all Kings of this world cast downe their Crownes therefore so we must haue the more care how and in what sort we come before him If a man were to speake to a mortall King in a matter of some importance how would he labour to fit himselfe for it to compose his speech his gesture all his actions that there might be nothing to offend How much more when we who be but dust and ashes wormes meat and rottennesse come into the presence of Almighty God ought we to be prepared and labour so to bee composed that nothing offend this great God of ours Secondly In regard of our selues Because wee cannot by and by set vp our affections and stirre vp our hearts to prayer as soone as we haue occasion to pray as when the Sea is moued and rouzed with the winds though the wind lye yet the Sea workes still a good while after before it will be calme And as in the miracle of the Gospel the windes were laid at the words of Christ which were wont to
first we pray here that we may glorifie the Name of God any way whatsoeuer that hee may haue some glory by vs which must bee three wayes 1 In our hearts 2 With our mouthes 3 In our liues For the former of these see 1 Pet. 3. 15. saith hee But sanctifie the Lord in your hearts for the second we haue Rom. 15. 6. where the Apostle exhorts them with one mind and one mouth to praise God for the other see 1 Cor. 6. vlt. saith hee For yee are bought with a price therefore glorifie God in your body and in your spirit which are Gods First Wee must inwardly acknowledge that all things come from God That we neither haue or can receiue any thing but at the hands of God wee must therefore loue and feare Him trust in Him praise Him and submit our wils to his will and thus we pray that we may glorifie God in our hearts when we acknowledge all the power in the world to be nothing to his all the wisedome and loue in the world to be nothing to his wisedome and loue when we doe labour aboue all things to keepe the Lord to be our friend not regarding whosoeuer be displeased with vs whosoeuer be against vs whosoeuer rageth and stormeth when we see God accepteth of our zeale and Piety towards him which if we pray for truely then are we sure to glorifie God in our hearts Secondly We glorifie God with our mouthes both by speaking reuerently of the Name of God and by confessing the Lords wisedome goodnesse and Iustice in all his workes for although the Shepheards were abashed to find Christ in a manger the King of Kings in so poore an estate yet they returned to their Flockes and Folds and praysed God So must we doe whensoeuer wee haue heard of Gods goodnesse or tasted of his mercy we must returne home to our houses as the shepheards did to the fields acknowledging the Lords kindnesse and mercy in it Yea what euer chance though it bee losse and correction yet wee must say as Job did in the midst of his troubles The Lord hath giuen and the Lord hath taken away blessed be the Name of the Lord. So then this is that we pray for that of all other things we may giue glory vnto God according to that admonition of the Angell Reuel 14. 7. Feare God and giue glory to him for the houre of his Iudgement is come and worship him And againe Reuel 19. 7. Let vs be glad and reioyce and giue glory to him for the marriage of the Lambe is come So that whatsoeuer is laid vpon vs what change of estate soeuer the Lord sends we must giue the glory to God and confesse with our mouthes that he is worthy of all honour Thirdly We must glorifie God in our liues that we may so liue as the Lord may haue glory and honour by vs and no disgrace for our good life is an honour to the Lord as Christ himselfe saith Math. 5. 16. Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good workes and glorifie your Father which is in heauen c. So 1 Pet. 2. 12. the Apostle saith And haue your conuersation honest among the Gentiles that they which speake euill of you as of euill doers may by your good workes which they shall see glorifie God So must we pray that we doe not disgrace the Lord by our sinnes but liue so as the Lord may be honoured by vs. It is for this purpose a good meditation which one of the Fathers hath God saith he thus speaks vnto a sinner O man if thou hast no care of thine own credit safety yet haue a care of mine Thinke man that I am dishonoured by thy sinne for if any disgrace or shame thereby rest vpon thy selfe much more vpon me whom thou oughtest to regard but if thou couldest so put it ouer with iollity and carelesnesse yet is God disgraced by it therfore O man thogh thou neglect thy selfe tender my glory deface not my honour Thus it is cleere as our good life honours God so our ill life dishonours him as Rom. 2. 24. saith the Apostle For the Name of God is blaspemed amongst the Gentiles through you O then let vs all take heed of this that we tender the glory of God let vs pray that wee may so liue in this world conuerse here amongst men that the Lord may be honoured by vs and not dishonoured by our grosse and presumptuous sinnes For our helpe herein There be three things which may quicken vs to this duty and care First to consider That all the creatures doe glorifie God in their kinde as the Psalmist speakes The Heauens declare the glory of God c. So in the Reuelation it is written of all Creatures That all they which are in heauen and in earth c. And the foure beasts said Amen when glory was giuen to the Lord. Therefore now seeing that all Creatures not onely most noble as Angels and Spirits but the very lowest and meanest yea the insensible Creatures giue glory to God in their kind oh how great shall our sinnes be and how much our wickednesse aggrauated if we doe not care to bring glory vnto him O with what gladnesse should wee perswade one another to this dutie that seeing there is no creature but in his kinde doth in some measure set out the glory of God how often should man much more meditate then and practise the same Secondly to consider That if we glorifie God he will glorifie vs we cannot be so ready to set out the Lords Name and praises but he is more quicke to requite and exalt vs as it is written 1 Sam. 2. 30. For them that honour me I will honour c. They who despise me shal be despised Vnto which we may vse the words of our Sauiour in that solemne prayer John 17. 4 5. where he thus amongst other arguments prayes for glory I haue glorified thee on earth I haue finished the worke which thou gauest me to doe and now glorifie thou me O Father with thine owne selfe with the glory that I had with thee before the world was So that when we haue glorified God in the time of this life then may we assuredly expect that the Lord will glorifie vs at the day of death but if wee haue no care to glorifie him in this world how can we be perswaded that he will glorifie vs after our departure hence Thirdly to consider That God will seuerely punish the contempt of his glory for there is nothing in this world that he doth more tender then his glory For which he commanded his people thus Thou shalt not giue my glory to another Yea see for neglect of this duty how seuerely he punished his people whose carkasses all perished in the wildernesse because they did not ascribe and giue glory to the Lord. Yea the
hand of God fel vpon Moses and Aaron because they failed in this duty Because said hee you did not sanctifie me in the eyes of the children of Israel you shall not bring this Congregation into the land that I haue giuen them Thus if God will so seuerely punish the neglect of his glory in his own deare children and seruants how shal they escape that are not so deare vnto him and yet are much more faulty in the same kinde The second part of this Petition is that as wee pray that we our selues may glorifie the Name of God So we pray that others may doe so also That the whole world may know and acknowledge the Goodnesse Mercy Wisedome Power and Greatnesse that is in God So wee are exhorted to doe by the Prophet Giue vnto the Lord the families of the people giue vnto the Lord glory and power c. Giue vnto the Lord the glory of his Name c. Ierem. 23. 16. saith he Giue glory vnto the Lord your God before he bring darkenesse ouer the land c. So that it is cleere we must not onely glorifie God our selues but also be carefull that others especially seruants and children vnder vs doe the like as we reade of Iob that because he was iealous of his childrens actions he offered sacrifice for them and the Lord himselfe saith of Abraham I know that Abraham will command his houshold to serue me Wherefore let vs cast vp this account with our selues that if of duty and conscience we serue God it is likewise our duty to prouide that our children and seruants doe the like Yee shall find many men that put away their seruants because they be idle stubborne carelesse and false vnto them but where is there one that puts a way a seruant because he is a swearer a blaspemer of the Holy Name of God a prophaner of the Sabboth c. This shewes that we haue more care of our owne workes and profit in particulars then of the Lords glory But true Christians should take another course and pray that aboue all things the Name of GOD may be Hallowed all the world ouer being diligent withall that all vnder their charge and gouernment do the like also Againe we pray in this Petition That though both doe faile yet that the Lord would maintaine the cause of his owne glory This shewes a sincere true affect on to the glory of God when we are contented that the Lord should doe that which is for his owne glory howsoeuer the matter light heauy vpon our selues as Christ said Father glorifie thy Name so say we Lord though it be by death though by my extinction abolishing though I suffer all paines though I indure the greatest misery that may be yet glorifie thy Name whether in life or death Thus when one can be contended to be exposed to all the mischiese in the world all the shame and disgrace that may be to set forth the honour of God if hee may be glorified by the same this shewes that such haue a desire of the glory of God and that this sincere affection commeth from the Lords mercy being powred into our hearts by his blessed Spirit whereby we can effectually cry out Hallowed be thy Name 2. PETITION Thy Kingdome come Petition 2 IN the former Petition we are taught to pray for the glory of God which is preferred before the Kingdome of God to shew that all our care must be for Gods glory Now in the next Petition we are taught to pray for the meanes of his glory that the Kingdome of God may come c. for then indeed God shall haue his glory when looking for the Kingdome of God it comes into our hearts to inable vs to performe his commandements and that we be alwayes ready to doe his will for vntill it be so God shall haue little glory or honour amongst vs so that first we pray for the glory of God and then for the meanes of his glory It is the error of the world to desire the End without the meanes The glory of God which is the End they would haue But the meanes of his glory which is the Kingdome of God to come and his will to be done this they care not for The wicked Iewes Isa. 66. 5. could say Let the Lord bee glorified which is spoken of all those who be worshippers of the true God So the Pharises Iohn 9. 24. were contented to say vnto the blindman Giue glory to God but they would not allow of Christ the meanes of their saluation for said they vnto him we know that this man is a sinner whereby it appeares that the common course of the world is to desire the glory of God without the meanes of his glory In this Petition also we may obserue three things First when we pray that the Kingdome of God may come It is in opposition to another Kingdome that is already in the world for the sinnes of men The kingdome of darknesse and of the Diuell which is a great and mighty kingdome and hath a number of proppes and pillars to vphold it as for the Kingdome of Christ there be a very small company to vphold it but the kingdome of darknesse hath a number of great ones to sustaine it whole swarmes of people in euery corner one would wonder at the multitude and at their conditions For howsoeuer men will say I defie the diuell and according to the custome spit at him yet as long as they doe the will of the Diuell practising workes of darkenesse there is no hope that by their indeuours they can aduance the Kingdome of God or labour that it should come vpon them Doth not either ignorance or blindnesse eate vp their soules so that they bee either lyars swearers adulterers fornicators couetous drunkards contentious c. wherein so long as they continue they be the very proppes and pillars to vphold and shouldor vp the kingdome of darkenesse and the Diuell Thus it appeares the Diuell is a great Monarch because the greatest part of the subiects in all Kingdomes serue him be obedient to him and disobedient vnto God they runne as the Apostle speakes Ephes. 2. 2. After the Prince that ruleth in the ayrel euen the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience So 2 Cor. 4 4. It is said That the God of this world hath blinded their mindes c. For as God spake the word and it was done saying Let there be light and there was light So the Diuell cannot so soone speake the word but by and by it is done by worldly men He can no sooner say let there bee an oath lye bribe quarrell fashion or wickednesse but by and by some one or other puts it in practise Thus he rules like a God in this world a great pitty it is that men should so be deceiued for God will pull downe the Kingdome of darkenesse and set
vp the Kingdome of his deare sonne Yea this kingdome must first be pulled downe ere the other be erected For as in laying a foundation when one would build a new house he first puls downe the ruines of the old so must he first pull downe this kingdome of the Diuell ere that other of Christ be set vp Wherefore heere wee pray against this kingdome of darkenesse that God would destroy it for which at this day there is great need we should so pray because the Kingdome of the Diuell is like a Sea which as Philosophers say gets in one place if it lose in another So is it with it looke how much it hath lost by a defection and reuolt from Popery so much hath it in a manner got by the filthy sinne of Drunkennesse Irreligion Pride Contentions and other foule sinnes of this land what need haue wee then to pray that God would pull downe this kingdome of the diuell and euery where set vp that of Christ Jesus Secondly In that we pray for the Kingdome of God to come It sheweth that there are a number of impediments and lets to hinder this Kingdome from comming Which are of two sorts 1 Many impediments in others 2 Too many in our selues Concerning others we see daily how men are drawne by example by ill counsell by diuers discouragements whereby they are affrighted from seeking the peace of the Gospell as Matth 20. 31. when the blind men cryed out on Christ the multitude rebuked them because they should hold their peace so it is with vs in this world how are we scoft and derided yea chidden againe and againe If we serue God in sincerity and be zealous for the comming of this Kingdome See it in the beginning when the children of Israel came out of Egypt how were they hindred and stopped in their iourney So whensoeuer we shall begin to make after Christ we shall bee sure of a many lets and impediments like vnto the Pharisees in the Gospell who were ready to answer the Officers and discourage the people from following after Christ saying Doe any of the Rulers beleeue in him but this people who know not the Law Thus it is with the whole swarme of wicked men who discharge men from the wayes of God Againe wee haue too many impediments in our selues Selfe-loue loue of the world loue of riches honour preferment and such like as it is Iohn 12. 42 43. said of many that they beleeued in Christ but because of the Pharises they did not confesse him for they loued the praise of men more then the praise of God But we must not doe so for though we sit farre in darkenesse from letting in the light of God vnto vs or howeuer we seeme to close vp our eyes from beholding the light yet let vs not be so contented but pray to the Lord that he would breake through all these hinderances and impediments and let downe his graces of mercy and loue so amongst vs by his grace that this Kingdome may come vpon vs yea that we may doe as the Palsie man did who brake through the roofe of the house to come to Christ Remēbring that the Lord Iesus brake through all impediments and hinderances to come vnto vs and fill vs with his blessings wherein we may further obserue two things that in Christs comming to vs our comming to him a number of lettes and hinderances do concuire yet he hath so wrought by his Spirit as we can say Thy Kingdome come and he so ouercomes all as he will at length say vnto vs Come yee blessed of my Father inherit the Kingdome prepared for you c. The third thing prayed for in this Petition is That we pray 1 For the Kingdome of grace 2 For the Kingdome of glory Which two Kingdomes differ not in nature but onely in measure and in degrees for the Kingdome of grace is nothing else but a beginning and inchoation of the Kingdome of glory there being no way to attaine vnto the one vnlesse they passe through the other It is a common custome of the world that most men aspire to the Kingdome of glory and yet cannot endure the Kingdome of grace how should they euer attaine it thinke you we that by Gods blessing are better taught therefore first pray heere for the Kingdome of grace to be gouerned and ruled by the Lord here in this world But more particularly let vs see what the Kingdome of grace is namely The speciall power of Christ whereby he rules and gouernes in the consciences and soules of all his seruants This is the Kingdome which we do pray for that the Lord Jesus would set vp a Throne in our hearts to rule and gouerne in vs by the rule of his Spirit subduing and bringing vnder all our thoughts and consciences to himselfe Now all men doe outwardly speake well of Christ thinke sure enough to be saued by him but yet cannot endure to be guided and directed by the Spirit of Christ but in effect doe what those wicked Jewes say Luke 19. 14. Wee will not haue this man to reigne ouer vs. So it is with most of the world they can be content to heare of Christ as a Sauiour to haue the Word preached and to see the Gospell flourish but they will not haue him reigne strictly direct them in all their actions restraine them in their passions and guide them in their liues doing whatsoeuer seemes good in their owne eyes Yet ere we proceed Obiect Here ariseth an Obiection as Luke 19. 21. our Sauiour speakes That the Kingdome of God is come already how then are wee directed to pray for that which is come I answer in two respects first Ans. 1 It is true that the Kingdome of grace is begun already therefore we pray that as it is come to others so also that it may come to vs that we may feele the power and effects of it in our hearts and liues Therefore as Esau Gen. 27. 38. when he saw that his father had blessed his brother Jacob cryed and roared out Blesse me my father euen me also thus must we doe when we see the Kingdome of God to come vpon others how God rules in them by his Spirit orders them in their liues directs them in their consciences we I say must pray that the same grace of God may continually attend vpon vs. Againe though the Kingdome of God be come already yet we pray for an increase thereof that euery day we and others might feele the power of it more and more in our hearts and liues For there is no man but feeles himselfe in some sort and measure bound and inthralled to the Temptations of sinne Holy Paul himselfe complaines of this I delight in the Law of God concerning the inner man but I see another law in my members rebelling against the law of my mind And surely the state of the godly are
and too heauy for them to beare so the best is but a yoake and many times a heauy yoake too but in the sweet Kingdome of Christ there shall bee nothing offensiue to vs as it is saide of the Angels at that day And they shall gather out of his Kingdome all things that offend saith our Sauiour So it is said There shall bee no more sorrow Bees wee know bee driuen from their Combes and Honey with a little smoake euen so the vexations puthers and smoakes which wee finde on these earthly kingdomes should make vs all long for that happy Kingdome of Christ wherein there shall bee nothing to annoy vs. Thirdly Because earthly Kingdomes they yeeld vs peace and tranquillity but for a time onely for either they end or we end and so all comes to nothing But our happinesse in Christs Kingdome shall be for euer and euer for when we haue liued a hundred thousand thousand yeeres in the full inioyment of it wee haue more and more and more ages without end to possesse it therefore Heb. 12. 28. it is called a kingdome which cannot be shaken good reason then haue wee whose eyes he hath opened to behold this kingdome to pray especially and groane for it Now there be two wayes whereby the kingdome of God may come vnto vs. 1 Generally at the day of Iudgement 2 Particularly at the day of our owne death We pray for both these First that God would bee pleased to sold vp the times make an end of this world hasten the great comming of his deare Sonne Thus the Saints cry vnder the Altar How long Lord Holy and true dost thou not auenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth We know this kingdome of Christ cannot come but first there must bee a dissolution of this world when all the glory thereof must turne to nothing as Peter speakes The Earth and all the workes thereof shall be burnt vp God forbid therefore that the world or any thing in it should make vs loath to come to Heauen rather let vs be contented to suffer the losse of all so we come thither to enioy this happy and blessed kingdome of the Lord Iesus for which we are commanded to pray Which as we pray for so must we be carefull to fit and prepare our selues for it that when it commeth it may come to our comfort we all pray Thy Kingdome come But know O man if thou hast not fitted and prepared thy selfe for it if thou dost liue in thy sinnes if thou hast had no care nor regard of reconciling thy selfe to Christ for thy saluation if thou hast not beene throughly washed ouer and ouer in the blood of the Lambe Oh whensoeuer this kingdome comes I foretell thee in the Name of the Lord it will come to thy cost to thy ruine and vtter desolation in the day of Christ. Therefore consider of this all yee that liue in known sinnes without repentance yea pray I say that the Kingdome of God may come and oh what haue you to doe with the day of the Lord This comming shall be sorrow woe confusion darknesse nay Blackenesse of darknesse and tempest vnto you for euer and reiection from the presence of CHRIST but if you would haue comfort of CHRISTS comming liue well and be prepared for it with the Wise Uirgins hauing Oyle in your Lampes and your Loynes girded Secondly wee pray that though this generall comming be deferred yet that by death as by a close doore we may be let in into this kingdome So that whereas the men of this world desire nothing more then to liue still here hang as it were vpon the pleasures of this life sauour nothing but of earth and earthly contentments the true mortified Christian professeth another thing he desireth to leaue all and goe home to Christ as soone as may be So Iob If a man dye shall he liue againe All the dayes of my appointed time will I waite till my changing shall come c. and Paul Philip. 1. 23. professes I desire to bee loosed and to bee with Christ which is best of all It is true indeed that no man may desire the day of death out of discontentment with life because of the trouble and crosses of this world It was Jonas fault to doe so yet in two respects one may pray for death yea his owne death First That we may make an end of sinning and offending GOD that whereas hee euery day breakes out in the dishonouring of GOD which vexes and grieues him hee may pray the Lord to shorten these dayes of sinne with abatement of our dayes so finishing our offences as Saint Paul does O wretched man that I am who shall deliuer mee from the body of this death Secondly That wee may enioy the blessed fruition of the presence of God as his holy Angels doe Moses you know desired but to see the backe parts of God on the holy mountaine for hee could not see his face and liue If Moses so desired to see but a glimpse of his glory as it were through a creuice or a chinke how much more excellent will be the shining of his face in full glory therefore because euery day wee liue in this world wee lose a day in Heauen as detained from him who is our true life indeed wee may therefore pray that as soone as may be wee may finish vp our course in this world and cry to be away to goe home to the house of our Father to the possession of a better life the Kingdome of Glory and happinesse prepared for vs for which wee are taught to pray Thy Kingdome come 3. PETITION Thy will be done euen in Earth as it is in Heauen WEe haue heard before that in the first Petition we pray for the glory of God and in the second for the means of his glory that is that the kingdome of God may come into our hearts and rule vs by his Spirit Now in this third Petition we pray that we may be contented to submit vnto it and be alwayes ready to doe the Lords will and not our owne So that whereas in the former Petition we prayed for the inward gouernment of God the worke of grace holy motions striuings in our selues that the Lord would do his part now we pray that we may be willing to doe our part not resist this inward gouernment of God bee ready euer to yeeld obedience vnto it All the Question as one sayes very well betwixt God and vs is whose will shall be done Gods will should but man is vnwilling to haue it so but aspires to haue his own will for the rule of his actions this is that which breeds all the quarrell betwixt God and vs Now our Sauiour Christ he teaches vs in this Petition to giue all the Souerainty to God to take his part against our selues praying to doe his will whatsoeuer may befall vs in this world Thus haue we
vp his hands and eyes vnto heauen intreating that God will may be done and yet haue no care to doe it being vnwilling to repent of sinnes and to lay hold on the promises of Christ to which purpose it was a waighty speech of a learned man Wee may as well spit vpon CHRIST buffet Him beate Him with roddes bow before Him with cursed mocking say Hayle King of the Iewes c. as kneele in His Church in our Pew and say Thy will bee done and yet neuer haue any care to doe it but grieue God with our sinnes adde wickednesse to wickednesse day by day neuer thinking of reconciling our selues and examining our hearts and consciences toreformation and newnesse of life The third generall part of this Petition is In what manner wee must doe the will of God You see wee pray that we may doe it in Earth as they doe it in Heauen that is as the Angels and blessed Spirits doe it which are in the presence of GOD and the reason of this is because as we haue heard before in all duties the manner of a thing in regard of gratefull acceptation is as much as the thing it selfe As if one build a man a house yet if he doe not build it to the minde of the owner if it bee too high or too low too wide flat or such like he thinkes all his charges lost So if one plough a field what is all his labour and paines if it be not to the will of his Master So in holy duties howsoeuer we doe the will of God yet if wee doe it not in such and such manner as God prescribeth he will not accept it Yea Schoolemen say that the ground of this is because The manner of the thing is as well commanded as the thing it selfe So Jeremy Cursed be he who doth the worke of the Lord negligently Though it be the worke of God yet cursed is hee yea so much the more if hee doe it negligently not in such sort as he should It is said of Noah to his praise that hee not onely did all things but also in the very same sort and manner as the Lord had commanded Moses was commanded to doe all things according to the patterne shewed him in the Mount this is that we pray for in the last clause of this Petition In which two things are especially to be considered 1 Why the Lord fetcheth vs a Patterne from Heauen and not rather from good men in this world 2 How and in what manner the Angels doe the will of God Concerning the first There are fowre speciall Reasons of it why the Lord fetches vs a Patterne from heauen rather then from Earth First Because a rare example doth most moue vs. Few examples in this world be rare and those few that be are so darkned and clouded with contrary examples that they hardly moue vs. To this effect Dauid saith The Lord looked from Heauen and saw that none did good no not one So Isa. 64. 6 7. the Prophet brings in the people confessing Wee haue all been as an vncleane thing and our Righteousnesse is as filthy cloutes c. And hee concludes for there is none that stirreth vp himselfe to call vpon thee Yea also of this Saint Paul complaines affirmatiuely Philip. 2. 2. For all seeke their owne and not that which is Iesus Christs So because there is such a rarity of good examples in this world therefore our Sauiour Christ sends vs as farre as Heauen to take our example from thence as Marriners on the Sea who are alwayes guided by the Starres because they want in the Sea firme markes to direct them home to their owne Countrey So must we doe because we want firme and sure examples in this world to raise vp our thoughts by into heauen and mount vs beyond the clouds we must take our patterne from those blessed Spirits and powers that continually doe serue in the presence of God The second is because those fewe examples that are in the world be not pure and perfect but haue their defects Saint Paul as I haue said likeneth the examples of holy men to the cloud that led the people out of Egypt which had two parts one bright another darke somewhat to be followed somewhat to be declined Now because the corruption of our nature is such that wee are more prone to imitate euill then good to follow Dauid in his sinnes rather then in his teares to follow Peter in deniall of Christ rather then in his repentance therefore to helpe this our Sauiour Christ directs vs to the example of holy Angels which be pure and perfect Thirdly Because these earthly examples be but of men terrestriall like vnto our selues But Angels be the most noble spirits of God the glory and beauty of all creatures so that the direction is forcible If Angels eleuated and lifted vp to such a high degree be alwayes ready and willing to doe the will of God then much more we that be men much meaner and lower then they be Saint Paul tels vs that God when he bringeth his first begotten Sonne into the world he saith Let all the Angels of God worship him why giues hee such a charge vnto Angels was there any doubt but that the Angels were ready to stoupe and doe seruice to the Sonne of God The answer must be that it was especially to raise vp men to doe the like that if the most noble spirits of God fall and sinke downe at the feet of Christ then much more we that be but dust and ashes wormes-meat and wretched men must be still ready to fall before him and to doe him seruice Thus our blessed Sauiour in this place shewes how prompt and ready the holy Angels bee to doe the will of God and therefore doth the more incite and stirre vs vp to bee like them Fourthly That we may make our conuersation heauenly while we be vpon earth That though our bodies bee here vpon ground yet that we might conuerse aboue the Starres amongst Angels and Archangels and all the blessed spirits continually attending to doe Gods will According as Saint Paul speakes Phil. 3. 20 But our conuersation is in heauen from whence also we looke for a Sauiour euen the Lord Iesus Christ c. And of men thus eleuated he sayes Ephes. 2. 19. Now therefore wee are no more strangers and forraigners but Citizens with the Saints and of the houshold of God Thus as I say though we liue vpon earth yet in affection we must labour to be ioyned to this heauenly troope of Caelestiall and blessed Spirits which attend to doe the will of God The next thing to be considered is How the Angels doe the will of God and in what manner for seeing Christ hath set them for our example it is good for vs to know what altitude and height wee must aspire to and ayme at though we be not able to
reach it Now there be many wayes for our imitation wherein Angels performe the will of God First They doe the will of God in purity of affection not for any by-reasons or respects but in sincere obedience onely because it is the will of God as it is said by the Prophet Dauid Psal. 103. 20. Yee Angels that excell in strength that doe his commandements in obeying the voyce of his word c. So must we performe the will of God in purity of affection because it is the will of God onely desiring to please him in doing thereof Thus Saint Pauls exhortation is Ephes. 6. 6 That we doe the will of God from the heart And Psal. 119 56. saith the Prophet This I had because I kept thy Precepts So our care must be to doe that which he commands in soundnesse of heart without any worldly respects Many times indeed men doe the will of God but it is not out of any purity of affection to Gods will but because it is for their owne profit and brings them worldly ease false comfort or some other respects as Pharaoh who would let the people goe not in any obedience vnto God or because God had commanded it but in hope of his own ease The like of Abner 2 Sam. 3. Who thought to establish the Kingdome to Dauid not in obedience to God but to maintaine his owne greatnesse and power and out of priuate reuenge vpon others Secondly Angels doe the will of God with readinesse neuer disputing or reasoning vpon the matter but as soone as they vnderstand it to be the pleasure of God and his will by and by they are ready to performe it So Ezek. 9 7. As soone as the Angels had their charge by and by they went forth to performe it And Daniel 8 16. No sooner did the voyce command Gabriel to make the man vnderstand the vision but he came and stood neere vnto him So must we doe neuer to dispute or debate the matter pretending excuses but as soone as we know his will by and by addresse our selues to performe it So did Peter Luke 5. 5. When hee was commanded to let downe his net and you know the successe they were scarce able to pull in the net for the multitude of fishes So the Gouernours seruants John 2. 7. When Christ bid them fill the pots with water which he turned into wine neuer reasoned nor disputed vpon it but did as they were commanded So Psal. 18. 44. It is foretold of that change to be wrought by Christ As soone as they heare of me they shall obey mee Thus must we adresse our selues to doe the will of God with all readinesse in euery thing But if wee examine our selues we shall finde such a strange backewardnesse and reluctation in our hearts how vnwilling bee wee to come to this duty what adoe hath the Lord with vs as is wonderfull ere we can be brought to learne this lesson how oft doe we flye off and yeeld to sense and reason Well we must learne to see dislike and pray against this vntowardnesse in ourselues and that GOD would giue vs more true iudgement and vnderstanding with cheerefull willingnesse to doe what he commands vs. Thirdly Angels doe the will of God with delectation that is take singular delight and comfort in doing of it so must we endeuour to doe it with delight and ioy like as Christ speakes of Himselfe Iohn 4. 34. My meat is to doe the will of him that sent mee and finish his worke And it must not be grieuous in Abrahams sight for the Childe and the Bond-woman to be turned out of dores So we must not thinke it enough to do good duties but also looke that wee haue speciall delight in doing of them as Dauid professes Psal. 119. 16. I will delight my selfe in thy statutes c. And Psal. 4. 7. Thou hast put gladnesse in my heart more then in the time when their corne and their wine increased But now this is our sinne that though in many things wee are content to obey God and to doe his will yet we doe it with so little delight or spirituall ioy with such irkesomnesse tediousnesse and vnwillingnesse that wee endanger all the grace of our well-doing In this case it fares with vs as it did with Ezekiel who saith of himselfe that he went in the bitternesse and heate of his spirit So though we are contented to goe that is to doe as God wils yet it is with that repining and backewardnesse that it looseth the benefit of the action Againe The Angels with earnestnesse and intentiuenesse doe the will of God they doe not freeze in their businesse but bend all their strength about it So Dan. 9. 21. sayes The Angel came swiftly flying vnto me so must we doe the will of God not coldly and idlely but with all our intention and power yea this should also moue vs in that this is the commandement of the Lord. Thou shalt loue the Lord with all thy heart with all thy soule and with all thy might Thus much also Dauid confesses Psal. 119. 4 Thou hast commanded vs to keepe thy precepts diligently Many indeed doe the will of God in shew but coldly loosely lasily with dead affections there is no life in their obedience nor spirit in their prayers how then can they thinke that God will accept of them He that strikes vpon a little Violl and would know whether it bee sound or not hearkens to the sound for if it giue but a dull sound If the ringing bee not shrill he knowes that there is some cracke or flaw in it So it is with vs in our obedience when we giue but a dead sound be not shrill full of spirit and life and when good duties come but slacke and coldly from vs certainely wee haue some dangerous cracke and flaw within vs against which wee must pray and seeke for reformation Fiftly They doe the will of God with constancy and continuance not at one time and neglect it at another but they are alwayes ready and seruiceable So must wee bee ready to doe at all times and in all places As Dauid prayes Psal. 119. 33. Teach me O Lord the way of thy statutes and I shall keepe it vnto the end So Psal. 44 18. the Church professes Our heart is not turned backe neither haue our steppes declined from thy way And Luke 1. 75. It is said we should serue him all the dayes of our life in holinesse and righteousnesse Indeed for a fit or a spirt we can be content to doe so heare the word and frame our selues to some good courses but to walke on in a constant course and doe the will of God as well at one time as another this is hard for commonly men doe by their Religion as great men doe by their Retayners on Feast dayes they come vp and are all put
take fire with euery little sparke So ready are wee to be carryed away with euery little temptation wherefore our Sauiour Christ wills his disciples to pray That they enter not into tentation as knowing how feeble and weake they were to resist it Men know not themselues if they doe not know this how ready and proue they be to lay hold on euery tentation so that it is good for euery man to be iealous of himselfe If one had a body all of Gunpowder how carefull would he be not to come neere the fire afraid of euery little sparke euen so knowing our owne procliuity to sinne how ready euery sparke that is euery temptation is to take hold vpon vs we ought to be the more carefull by all meanes to flie away from the occasions of it O how ready are we to brag and vaunt of our strength that all the Diuels in Hell shall not be able to corrupt vs and thus many times associate our selues with Drunkards Swearers and vncleane persons Little do these men know themselues and their owne corruption that they be so apt to take fire and ready to yeeld to temptation And albeit they scape away with life as Iacob did yet many times they goe away halting and carry a wound and scarre with them to their dying day As let a man sticke a Candle to a stone wall though the Candle do not burne through it yet it will leaue a shrewd smutch behind it soyling the wall so as it will not easily be wyped out Thus it is with tentations though they doe not all the mischiefe they would and might doe they will yet be sure to leaue an impression of filth and staines behinde them The second part of this first Branch of the Petition is The Request that seeing we are so prone to yeeld vnto tentation we pray that God would not leaue vs vnto our selues or giue vs ouer to them but that we may bee kept by his power and mercy not onely from sinne but from all the occasions of it which shewes if we would keepe our selues from sinne we must shunne the temptation baits and prouocations thereunto or else not auoyding the occasion we shall neuer auoyd the sinne it selfe considering the procliuity of our nature vnto it Can a man saith Salomon take fire in his bosome and not be burnt goe vpon coales and not singe his feet entertaine many sinnes and not be faulty It is impossible Peter as we know was as bold and in shew as well setled as any man but when he came vnto the high Priests Hall and was thrust in amongst that wicked crew he thought it was good policy to say as they said doe as they did and so most shamefully denyed his Master but on the other side good Joseph as we reade was not onely carefull to auoyde the sinne but the occasion of it when he was inticed by his lewde Mistris he hearkned not vnto her to lie with her he durst not tarry in her cōpany So that herein consists the wisdome of a Christian to auoyd all the occasions and prouocations vnto sinne When the Lord determined to cause the flood of waters to cease from off the face of the earth It is said he stopped the fountaines of the deepe and shut the windowes of heauen So because there be certaine floods of sinne in vs wee must stop the fountaines below and the windowes aboue all occasions and prouocations leading vnto it that we may auoyde the torrent and ouer-flowing thereof Chrysistome sayes well It is an easier matter to auoyde the occasion then when the occasion is offered to auoyde the sinne An easier thing for a bird to flie by a snare then when shee is intanglèd with it to escape out of the danger and auoyd it Thus must the wisedome of the Lord teach vs wisedome to auoyd the occasion as the sinne it selfe But from hence ariseth a great question Quest. How can the Lord be said to lead vs into temptation seeing Saint Iames sayes That God tempteth no man to sinne Ans. I answer It is one thing to lead a man into tentation and another thing to tempt To lead a man into temptation is to permit a man to be tempted to giue way to the Tempter and this God doth in Iustice. For Saint Paul sayes God gaue the Gentiles vp to their owne lusts and by the Apostle it is said He sent vpon others strong delusions yet doth not God tempt a man to sinne but the diuell onely and his owne concupiscence but God in his Iustice first giues way to the temptation as is plaine by that place 2 King 22. 20. Where God is brought in asking this question Who shall intice Ahab to goe down to battell and fall at Ramoth Gilead and so vpon the offer of an euill spirit to performe this office God sayes Goe thou shalt intice him and shalt also preuaile So that though God tempt no man to sin yet no man is tempted but the Lord is the chiefe orderer and guider of the temptation As when a man sets a Dog vpon a Beare It is the Dog that flies vpon the Beare and lugges him and puls him but it is the man that sets the Dogge vpon him and guides and ouer-rules him in all that hee doth So is it in temptations it is the Diuell and our owne flesh which tempts vs to sinne but it is God in his Iustice that directs ouer-rules suffers the temptation to ebbe and flow goe on and off at his owne will and good pleasure of which there be two Vses Use 1 First seeing God can lead vs into tentation that is seeing all power of tentation is in his hand this must make vs fearefull to displease him who can turne the Diuell Men Angels our owne corruptions loose vpon vs and set our selues against our selues Pilate thought to strike feare into Christ with this Knowest thou not that I haue power to crucifie thee and haue power to loose thee O but much more ought this to strike terrour vpon vs that the Lord who is Omnipotent hath power to free vs from tentation and when he pleases also to set all the world against vs vpon vs to torment vs. Use 2 Secondly seeing that all power of temptation is in the hands of God from hence ariseth the comfort of a Christian that the Diuell for all his malice cannot tempt vs one iot further then the Lord wil permit him for his malice is both limited and restrained at the Lords good will and pleasure else how liue we feed we prosper we escape we in dangerous tentations but that our God doth ouer-rule all his malice and power and make a hedge about vs as we see in Iob. Otherwise he hath malice and power enough to ouerturne and destroy vs all suddenly To this purpose Saint Paul sweetly speakes 1 Cor. 10. 13. That God will not suffer vs to bee tempted aboue that we be able c.
Without me ye can doe nothing Wherefore we must desire still that God would deliuer vs by his Almighty power A little childe so long as he is led by the hand of the Mother so long is he able to walke vp and downe the house without hurt but if the Mother once let it goe then it fals and breaks face or nose and so cryes out So it is with the children of God in this world so long as he vpholds and sustains them by his grace so long doe they walke without hurt and danger in the wayes of God But let him neuer so little withdraw himselfe and his Grace leaue vs to our selues by and by we fall into great and grieuous sinnes whereof happily we are not healed many a yeere after You see what Dauids confession is I said in my prosperity I shall neuer be moued But thou hidst thy face and I was troubled Secondly This shewes it to bee a great deliuerance and worke of Gods goodnesse and mercy to bee kept from sinne It seemed a great deliuerance the escaping of bodily dangerâ— as Peter from prison Ioseph out of bondage Daniel from the Lyons denne but indeed the great deliuerance is to be freed from sinne which the Angell pronounces as a great blessing speaking of the birth of Christ His name shall be called Iesus for he shall saue his people from their sinnes So Psal. 116. 8. He confesses this for a great mercy For thou hast deliuered my soule from death mine eyes from teares and my feet from falling This the people of God must especially pray for to be freed from the power of sinne But oh the greatest part of this world haue no care to bee deliuered from this greatest euill So they may be deliuered from trouble danger sicknesse they thinke all is well with them they are content to liue and dye so yea to rot in their sinnes As the children of Israel cryed vnto Moses Tolle Serpentes went to haue the fiery Serpents remoued being well enough pleased to retaine their sins so they were rid of the Serpents So doe the men of this world desire to be rid of the Serpents worldly griefes and wants annoyances sicknesse lamenesse vnseasonable weather and such like but no care to be rid of the greatest euill of sinne Quest. Ans. 1 The third thing is an Interrogation by way of demaund What be the euills of sinne which we here pray to be deliuered from I answer in generall we pray to be deliuered from all sinne so it comes in vnrestrained Lord deliuer vs from euill that is from all euill So that we pray to be deliuered from euery euill way as Dauid Psal. 119. 101. I haue refrained my feet from euery euill way that I might keepe thy commandements So the Apostles exhortation is Let vs clense our selues from all filthinesse of the flesh and spirit perfecting sanctification in the feare of the Lord. It is the common corruption of the world that they bee carefull to auoyd some sinnes and not others Like Iehoram who tooke away the Images of Baal and yet departed not from the sinnes of Jeroboam So it is with many of vs we can be contented to take away the Images of Baal to be afraid of some grosse and grieuous sinnes such as Murther Theft high Treason c. and yet they will continue in a number of other sinnes vnrepented of But we must flie from all sinne as much as may be If a Theefe haue found one hole in a house at that one hole he may carry out all the wealth and treasure of that house So if the Diuell finde but one hole in our hearts one close sinne we are addicted to at that one hole hee will rob vs and carry out all our treasure leaue vs neuer a good grace to stand by vs at the day of death Thus much in generall Secondly we pray particularly to be deliuered from three wicked euills First From the euill of a wicked heart because it is the fountaine that all our actions come from for which cause the Apostles exhortation is Hebr. 3. 12. Brethren take heed left there be in any of you an euill heart to depart away from the liuing God And the wise mans counsell is Prou. 4 23. Keepe thy heart with all diligence for from thence commeth life If a man would haue good water about his house he must especially look vnto the cleansing of his Springs for though he clense his Pipes and Conduites yet if his Springs bee foule and muddy he is neuer the better So because the heart is the Fountaine and Spring of all euill wee must especially looke to that The second kind of euils which we pray against are offensiue euils scandalous to our holy profession such as doe not onely bring disgrace vpon our selues but in some sort also cast disgrace vpon the Lord himselfe Which is contrary to that rule of the Apostle 1 Cor. 10. 32. Giue no offence neither to the Iewes nor to the Gentiles nor to the Church of God euen as I please all men in all things c. So Paul saith 2 Cor. 9. 15. For it were better for me to dye then that any man should make my reioycing vaine So it should be with vs rather to die a thousand deaths then to loose our reioycing bring any dishonour vnto God or staine our holy profession and the Gospell Thirdly We pray against the euill of our owne Nature that is against those sinnes we are most prone and inclined to for euery one hath some speciall sinne which haunts his nature aboue the rest Now therefore wee pray vnto God that he would deliuer and keep vs from the speciall sinnes which our nature is prone and inclined vnto As the Drunkard from his owne drunkennesse the Lyer from his deceit the corrupt man from his vncleannesse c. Dauid he prayes to this purpose to be deliuered from his iniquity It cannot be somewhat easie to keepe vs from our owne sinnes such as our nature is most inclined vnto herein a man may make truest tryall of himselfe And as this must be the continuall care of a Christian so especially now when the blessings of God lie before vs and we be ready to gather that which the good hand of GOD hath prouided for vs O then pray vnto God that wee bee kept from euill from the euill of sinne that he doe not take away his blessings or hide his countenance from vs as Moses was desired to couer the shining brightnesse of his face But intreat wee the Lord to come into his Vineyard to enter vpon his blessings and to inioy the fruit of our labours and so to guide vs continually by the hand of his good prouidence As we may not be led vnto tentation but be deliuered from euill And that for these reasons 1 For thine is the Kingdome 2 The Power 3 And the glory for euer Amen Hauing
is taken from the glory of God For thine is the glory for euer and euer That is to say Lord it is thy glory and honour to doe these things that wee pray for and though not for our sakes yet Lord doe it for thine owne honour and names sake which is aboue all things a strong motiue there being nothing which more mooues and preuailes with him then his owne glory The glory of God is as it were the eye of God his tenderest part yea such a part as he will not haue touched as I saiah speakes thereof My glory will I not giue to another saith the Lord. So though nothing in the world be in vs and we haue no merit being to fal into the dust yet this is sure that the Lord will thinke vpon vs as Dauid speaks Psal. 40. 17. But I am poore and needy yet the Lord thinketh on me c. he will thinke on whatsoeuer concernes his owne glory and honor Consider we then what a great mercy this is vnto vs that the Lord hath lapt and folded vp our good in his glory As the Iuie is so wrapt about a tree I hat it cannot be fel'd but we must fell the tree also so is the glory of God infolded and wrapt in our good that they both goe together These things confidered let vs striue in our prayers with humblenesse confession shame importunitie giuing all to God and emptying our selues of all good things in our selues So Abraham speakes vnto God I haue presumed that am but dust and ashes to speake vnto the Lord. So he sayes Isa. 40. 17. All Nations before him are as nothing and they are counted to him lesse then nothing and vanity Thus must wee come downe all and be abashed in our owne sight referring our selues in prayer to the good will of God vsing strong Arguments and much Patience in Humility Amen This last word containes a refiection or inference of our desires Some learned men take it for an assent of faith but though in Positions and Propositions it beso yet in prayer it is alwayes vsed as a roote of reflection Amen Good Lord let it be so which shewes that there must be great attention in our Prayers the mind must be seriously fixed vpon that we speake for to the Lord without straying and wandring thoughts It is an opinion of the Papists that if a man haue a generall intent to pray it is no sinne to entertaine wandring cogitations so that a man may goe on with his beades and finish vp the number of his dotish sayings for all his businesse As they that haue a iourney to London if they put themselues on the way need neuer thinke on London for euery step the horse takes sets him forwards But our Sauiour Christ here shewes the flat contrary that we must finish vp our prayers with the same attention earnestnesse and feruency with which they were begun all wandring thoughts being expelled For so long and no longer we pray then our minde is eleuated and lifted vp vnto the Lord. Saint Augustine sayes well to this purpose who intends to speake to one in a serious matter and then turnes his talke to another who will haue a suit to a Iudge begin to propose the matter and then turne his speech to his friend standing by who can suffer this who can endure it much more then when wee come to GOD in prayer ought we to haue our thoughts set and mindes prepared to be attentiue vnto that which is said like Holy Dauid to bee able to say My heart is fixed O LORD My heart is fixed awake my glory c. that we may not appeare before the Lord with flat dead heauy spirits and wandering thoughts but with rauished hearts and mindes serious thirsty earnest attentiue longing for the things prayed for We may alwayes conclude our prayers comfortably to our euerlasting reioycing to cry Euen so Lord Amen Amen Amen Veni etiam Domine Iesu. FINIS THE POORE PENITENT OR THE DOCTRINE OF REPENTANCE As it was Preached in diuers Sermons by that Reuerend Learned Holy Painfull and Iudicious Diuine Mr. IOHN SMITH late Minister of the Word of God at Clauering in Essex And sometime Fellow of St. Iohns Colledge in Oxenford Published since his death for the Hungrie VPRIGHTNES HATH BOLDNES ISAY 48. 18. O that thou hadst hearkened to my Commandements then had thy peace beene as a Riuer and thy Righteousnesse as the waues of the Sea Thy seed also had beene as the sand and the off-spring of thy bowels like the grauell his Name should not haue beene cut off nor destroyed from before mee LONDON Printed by A. I. for George Edwards and are to be sold at his house in the Old Baily in Greene Arbor at the signe of the Angell 1629. To the Reader CHristian Reader I send thee here the sowre and bitter Pill of Repentance yet feare it not for it comes not to kill but to cure thee It may bee bitter in the taste but take my word for it it will bee healthfull in digestion I know thou canst indure to sweat purge and toyle for the health of thy mortall bodie why wilt thou not doe as much for the euerlasting good of thy immortall soule If thou beest an Atheist I leaue thee in thy gall of bitternesse vnto thy perdition except thou Repent but if a Christian I pray thee remember what the Spirit of God sayes Euery one that hath this Hope in him purgeth himselfe euen as he is pure Are all things become new by Christ and dost thou thinke to goe to Heauen in the old rotten defiled ragges of the first Adam there being no change wrought in thee Deceiue not thy selfe there is no remedie if thou wilt not mourne for sinne thou shalt mourne for iudgement If thou wilt not shed teares here for thy offences there is no remedie thou must of necessitie weepe for euer in Hell where shall bee saith our Sauiour wailing and gnashing of teeth world without end Be not therefore like Ephraim a deceitfull Merchant weigh thins rightly in the ballance of the Sanctuarie and remember as God wishes of his people Israel that thy chiefest wisedome is to remember these things The miserie of sinne The Happinesse of Holinesse and thy later end which if thou neglectest all thy other actions are and shall prooue but meere foolishnesse in the sight of God Vanquished by the importunitie of a friend in hope it might prooue profitable for thy good I gaue way to the Printing of this small Treatâ—â—e though in regard of my owne weaknesse I did not hope to liue so long as to reuiew and publish it my selfe Pardon therfore I increate thee the wants and failings thereof Feed on the honey supply the rest with thine owne mounting more ample Meditations and with the help of others of this nature vse it by Gods blessing as a poore helpe to lift thee vp one step higher vpon Jacobs ladder which is
St. Paul confesses 2. Cor. 12. 7. And lost I should be exalted out of measure there was giuen vnto me a pricke in the flesh c. for though wee be in the state of Grace and may presume of many comforts and priuiledges belonging to our election yet lest wee be puffed vp and ouer presumptuous with opinion of the state wee are in the Law can keepe vs downe and make vs looke vpon the blacke feet of our frailtie and corruption as if wee were still vnder the curse of God It is read of the Peacocke that in the midst of her pride and spreading of her glorious tayle all is suddenly abated vpon the casting her eyes vpon her blacke feet So loc the proudest boaster of his owne righteousnesse or the priuiledges of a Christian looke downe vpon his sinnes which the Law may shew him and hee will quickly hang downe the head and bee deiected in countenance Vse of the Law 2 The second vse of the Law to a man Regenerate is To keepe him fast vnto Christ as the onely meanes of his saluation for the Law doth not onely shew vs that wee bee seruants of sinne and â—oes vnto Christ but euen then when wee are in the state of Grace and subiect to many temptations that yet wee are in a fearefull plight yea the Law shewes vs plainly that wee are vnder sinne and so sinners and subiect to the condemnation of sinne then is there no other refuge but to flie vnto Christ and keepe fast vnto his Promises and Passion Merits and Redemption that so the soule may still from his high perfections fetch matter of supply continually vnto her owne imperfections Vse of the Law 3 A third vse of the Law is To bee a marke vnto vs for a godly life for Directions to liue according to the will of God as the Prophet Isaiah in many places shewes and Dauid Psal 119. Lex tua lucerna Pedibus Thy Law is a lanterne to my feet c. as if wee were to bee lighted and directed in our way Obiect But are wee not free from the Law Answ. I answer wee are free from the burden and vengeance of the Law but not from the obedience so farre forth as it is a patterne for our liues and wee are bound in conscience to obserue the same so neere as possibly all our indeauours can attaine vnto wherein no man shall bee blamed of comming short of the marke if his aime and leuell bee to hit it So againe wee are freed from Iewish Ceremonies and not bound to finish them as they were a burden vnto vs onely a type of Christ but where the Law tyes us to a holinesse and strictnesse of life where it shewes vs what sinne is and the deformitie of the same or what is pertinent to saluation wee are bound to obserue and make it a patterne for our liues so then the Law not only driues vs to see our sinnes but to acknowledge them as 1. Iohn 1. 9. If wee acknowledge our sinnes hee is iust and faithfull to forgiue vs our sinnes and cleanse vs from all iniquitie There is then a necessitie of leading a holy life for all such as looke for that blessednesse to come this lesson the Law must teach and direct vs and guide vs in the way For as a man who hath a long iourney to goe and onely hath a generall knowledge of the place where hee must rest and abide had need of particular directions to bring him thither with more safetie and lesse perill and danger So fareth it with vs in this world wee can all say wee must goe to heauen but cannot leade a holy life which must bring vs thither nor know wherein it consists vnlesse the Lawe teach vs and shew the way to practise those excellent rules demonstrated for the rule and square of our life Loe then you haue seene of what an excellent vse the Law is both to the man Regenerate and Vnregenerate The next thing must bee to shew you the vse of the Gospell LECT II. THE VSE OF THE Gospell ROM 1. 16. For I am not ashamed of the Gospell of Christ for it is the power of God vnto saluation to euery one that beleeueth to the Iew first and also to the Greeke WEE remembred you the last day that to apply Christ vnto vs there must bee two works First a worke of the Law secondly a worke of the Gospell a worke of the Law to humble vs and a worke of the Gospell to comfort vs and to raise vs vp Now because these two workes depend one vpon another this is the order that the worke of the Law must alwayes goe before the worke of the Gospell First a man must be humbled by the Law before hee bee fit to be comforted by the Gospell and so whosoeuer thou bee neuer looke to finde any true worke of the Gospell till thou haue first felt the true worke of the Law till thou hast beene humbled for thy sinnes and searched thy owne estate by the bright shining lampe of the Law of God neuer looke that the Gospell will bring peace vnto thee vntill then Christ himselfe saith Luk 4. 18. that hee was sent For to preach the Gospell to the poore that hee should heale the broken-hearted that hee should Preach deliuerauce to the Gaptiues c. So that you see the Gospell must be published to the poore to the broken-hearted for till a man bee poore in spirit broken-hearted for his sinnes Christ is not sent to proclaime comfort vnto him Application It is a ground in Law Quodante sententiam datam non licet appellare a man may not appeale before sentence bee giuen or that a man bee condemned in open Court so there is no appealing vnto the court of the Gospell vntill hee bee condemned in the Court of the â—aw thus the worke of the law still goeth before the worke of the Gospell As wee see in nature that a man must beesicke before hee bee healed so before a man hath Christ to heale him hee must be sicke yea deadly sick of sinne yea of his owne sinne and then Christ will come and put his body vpon his and apply some plaister of his blood for curing of him And so whatsoeuer thou bee neuer looke for a worke of the Gospell till first thou hast felt the worke of the Law If a man haue a corrupt and dangerous sore in his flesh if hee would bee cured or preuent the mischiefe of a gangrene hee must prepare himselfe to endure both trouble paines and many other inconueniences hee must first indure the lancing of it then the cutting and squising out the filthy matter and corruption then diuers corrasiues to cut out the Vlâ—er and lastly if need bee searing and cauterising before the healing plaisters bee applyed Euen so must a man doe in the healing of his sinnes First before hee obtaine a pardon or be comforted with the hope of
now to bee done they would not for a world doe them What would Dauid haue giuen after his Repentance for his Adulterie and murder that hee had neuer committed the same yea any thing What would not Peter haue giuen that hee had neuer denyed his Master which made him shed so many teares It is true when sinne is once committed all the powers in Heauen and Earth cannot vndoe it againe Onely Repentance doth as much as may bee to make sin no sinne in effect Secondly It makes a Change in regard of sinnes that are to come They would not doe any thing willingly that would offend God or to grieue the holy Spirit So wee see in Iob 40. 5. Once saith hee I haue spoken but I will speake no more yea twice but I will proceed no further and 1. Pet. 4. 3. saith hee It is sufficient that we haue spent the time past after the lusts of the flesh and Paul Rom. 7. sayes The good that I would doe that I doe not and the euill I would not doe that doe I. As if he would say I would not grieue the spirit I would not offend God for a world but my corruptions carry mee so vnto it that I cannot choose Therefore if there bee a willingnesse to sinne there is no true repentance So likewise it makes a Change in the Affections First whereas formerly sinne was our ioy and delight Now wee sorrow for it and it is grieuous vnto vs. Secondly whereas before wee committed sinne with boldnesse now wee are ashamed of it Thirdly whereas before we loued it now wee hate it So that it is cleere that there is a change made in the affections thereby first to instance whereas at first wee tooke delight and ioyed to sinne now such doe sorrow mourne and lament for it as Ierem 31. it is said I haue surely heard Ephraim lamenting thou hast chastised mee and I was chastised And Psal. 6. Dauid confesses that hee did water his couch with teares Chrysostome on this place sayes well If so great a King did lament and weepe for his sinnes so great a Prophet and so holy a man did shed teares and that not for an houre but for a long time not for a night but many nights not a drop or two but he did water his bed with them how much more ought wee to grieue and lament and shed teares for our sinnes that are a great many more For the next whereas before wee committed sinne with boldnesse wee now become ashamed of it and therefore if wee can sinne and not be ashamed of it but beare it out with boldnesse of face it is a signe our repentance is not true By the contrarie if when we haue committed sinne wee are abashed and ashamed to looke any body in the face so that wee could bee contented to liue in a Caue or a dungeon or some such secret place after the fact it is a good signe saying The time hath beene when I was so brutish and sâ—…esse that I cou'd haue beene contented to haue committed sinne in the sight of the Sunne with boldnesse but now I shame to thinke of it if it bee thus with vs it is a signe of true repentance As Ieremie in the person of the faithfull sayes Ierem. 3. 25. I lye downe in confusion and wee couer our selues with shame So the Publican was ashamed and durst not lift vp his eyes to heauen but hee smote himselfe vpon the brest and said The Lord bee mercifull to mee a sinner And lastly whereas before wee tooke delight in sinne now wee hate detest and abhorre it whereas our delight was in the wayes of vanitie and that the pleasures of sinne haue beene meate and drinke to vs wee now begin to hate the delights of this life euen as Ammon 2. Sam. 13. 13. after hee had by inordinate loue desired his sister Thamar did hate her after so much the more So must wee deale with our best beloued sins hate them as much or more as euer wee formerly loued them And therefore if so bee wee see in vs renewed and changed affections from that wee were from euill to good this is a signe of true Repentance when such a change and alteration is wrought in our Inward Man Now 〈◊〉 Repentance makes a change in the Inward man so doth it in the Outward also in our Actions not onely renewing our heart but our whole life that wheras in the best part thereof wee haue done seruice vnto sinne it maketh vs now doe seruice vnto Christ yea that wee neuer thought to doe as in the Parable of the two sonnes the one said hee would not goe yet after repentance hee went and did cleane contrary So in the historie of Mary Magdalen O Lord how were all her actions changed when shee was changed by repentance shee that was woont to sit in glorie at sumptuous Feasts and banquees leaues all now to sit downe at Iesus feete vpon the ground Shee that was wooâ—t to clip and kisse her louers with â—â—â—ton imbraces left all to kisse the feet of her Sauiour shee that had curled her haire and had dressed it with Pearle and costlinesse for wicked and intisâ—…g purposes let it now hang loosely about her face and head to be a towell to wipe the feete of Iesus she that had wandring eyes and thought vpon nothing but smiles and pleasure maketh them now a fountaine of teares to wash her Sauiours feet Her eares which were open to heare nothing but musicke and filthy talke now are ready to heare Christ speaking vnto her her feete which formerly carried her into vaine companie are now the instruments to bring her into the house of God and that tongue which before spake filthily idly and loosely is now imployed in the praises of God and so forth for all her gesture and apparell c. O! what an alteration was here what a change did Repentance worke through soule and bodie in the inward outward man And thus must it worke vpon vs all or else wee come not neere the nature of true Repentance For true Repentance worketh vpon sinners in the same manner The hands now take vp a Bible and with as great delight reade the word of God as they before followed their sports the feete that carried the body to houses of iniquitie are now as ready to carry them to the house of Christ the Eares that were woont to hearken to lasciuious talke and bee taken with amorous loue-songs are now attentiue to Sermons and the word of God The eyes that were rouling about to meet with temptations are now fixed on a Preacher and haue a couenant made with them In a word the heart and affection that was fraughted with sinfull and idle fancies and motions are now full of holy meditations and busied with diuine exercises The third thing in the Nature of true Repentance is that wee must not onely bee changed in part
speakes pitifully and begges for his life He cannot misse to speed at Gods hand as Daniel did Dan. 9. 20. euen so if a sinner can pierce the heauens with his cryes and solicite God earnestly no question he shall at length heare the voice of Christ say vnto him by his Spirit Goe in peace thy sinnes are forgiuen thee The Fourth and last point in the Practise of Repentance is Resolution to walke with God in newnesse of life as Dauid did Psal. 119. I haue sworne and will performe to keepe thy righteous law and Psal. 39. 1. I said I will take heede to my wayes that I offend not with my tongue And againe Psal. 119. I considered my wayes and turned my feet vnto thy Testimonies I made haste and delayed not the time is now not deferring till hereafter now wee must resolue to leaue our sinnes to walke with God with newnesse of life and with all watchfulnesse ouer our owne hearts then vnto resolution wee must ioyne a holy constant indeauour vsing all good meanes and remoouing the lets and hinderances which stop and hinder our repentance which is now the next thing wee are to speake of LECT VII VII THE IMPEDIMENTS of Repentance Ioâ— 15. 31. Let not him that is deceiued trust in vanitie for vanitie shall be his recompence THe Spirit of God by Salomon hath iustly taxed all things vnder the Sun to be vanitie and vexation of Spirit so may I iustly now being to speake of the impediments of Repentance censure all these lets and hinderances which detaine men from this so necessarie Grace vnder the Name of vanitie whatsoeuer they bee and vanitie shall be their recompence Wee spake the last day of the Practise of Repentance wherein must bee foure things First a man must search out his sinnes by the bright candle of the word of God Secondly when he hath found out his sinnes then he must bee sorry for them Thirdly Then hee must pray to God in Christ Iesus to forgiue them Fourthly Then he must resolue against them that is renounce and remoue them as farre as may be Which practise of repentance must be not only once in an age or a mans life but as our sinnes be dayly so our repentance must be euery day performed so long as wee liue in this life Now in the next place we are to speake of the Impediments of repentance and those deceits which hinder men and women from this dutie Generall or vniuersall motion as Schoolemen say is caused two wayes First Either Agendo by enforcing vp that which wee meane to mooue as when a man flings a stone with his hand Or Remouendo prohibens quod impedit or remoouing of that which hinders the motion as when a stone lieth vpon a shelfe when one pulles this away then by and by downe falls the stone of his owne accord and yet hee who pulled away the shelfe caused that motion of the stone But how Not Agendo by flinging of the stone downe but by Remouendo prohibens remoouing of that which hindered the motion of it Now as it is in vniuersall motions so also it is in speciall motions of the mind for they be caused first either directly by an immediat impression made vpon the mind as when a man is directly inuited to goodnesse or vertue Secondly or by remoouing the impediments which hinder vs from it Oâ— the first I haue spoken in the practise of repentance formerly It shall not therefore be amisse now to speake of the impediments in the next place wherein two things are required of euery one 1. Christian wisedome to finde out the let 2. Christian care to remooue it First there must be Christian wisedome to finde our thelets for in euerie man there is son especiall barre or let which if he can finde out or light vpon there is the wisedome to be wise to finde out these pressing downe weights as the Apostle calls them They who haue water running home in pipes and conduits to their houses as soone as they want that which they see their neighbors haue at their doores close by them by and by they search into the causes and run to the conduit or the pipes to see wherethey be stopâ— or what is the defect Euen so must euerie man do when he findes that the grace of Repentance flowes into other mens hearts and hath no recourse or accesse into his soule by and by sit downe and search himselfe what the cause should be where the rub lies which detaines the grace of Repentance from him seeing they that liue it may be in the same house sit at the same table lie in the same bed they can be penitent for their sinnes sorrie that they haue offended God and so complaine in bitternesse of soule for their sinnes but hee that had the same meanes the same occasions more sinnes to be humbled for more time to repent and more motiues to draw him to the dutie is not yet moued with the same melted with griefe nor come neere this dutie of contrition Thus as I said euery man must looke to himselfe what that is which hinders his repentance We see when Christ cast out the diuel Mat. 17. 19. his disciples came vnto him saying Why could not wee cast him out So when we see others in the course of their life and midst of their sinnes brought vnto repentance mourning weeping for sinnes whereby they haue offended God let vs looke into our selues and enquire at our own hearts why we doe not repent why we cannot do as other good people doe We haue the same meanes the same preaching the same exhortations yea the same iudgements the same punishments the same afflictions But 〈◊〉 Where shall we find that man or that woman who are thus carefull to search into themselues There is not one of a hundred but they lie still in their sinnes without repentance and few or none desires to search into the cause what it is which hinders their repentance making them vnapt to so good a duty Wee see in experience let one come to light a candle if it will not presently take fire wee imagine and runne by and by to consider what should be the reason of it and wee iudge that the wicke is wet or something is amâ—â—le O how wise men can bee for the things of this life and are carelesse for those things which concerne eternall happinesse Wâ—… to know then that the Impediments of Repentance be of two sorts 1. Some bee in the Iudgement 2. Some bee in the Affections Euen as when a man is sicke and will not take the good physick which would cure him the defect is either in his Iudgement or in his Affections In his Iudgement because either hee doth not feele himselfe to bee sicke though hee be ill hee hath no apprehension thereof or if her 〈◊〉 yet hee doth not take it to be dangerous or deadly or though hee thinke it
so much the harder hearted and lesse readie to repent First because of the nature of sinne which is to leaue a promptnesse and readinesse in vs to the same sinne leauing a staine and a blot behinde it as when by often lifting vp a burden wee finde it lighter and lighter and passe away with it so much the more slightly so by often offending wee make our selues the readier to sinne and so come to hardnesse of heart and backwards to repent To this purpose is that speech of the Prophet Ier. 13. 23. Can the Aethiopian change his skinne or the Leopard his spots then may you also doe good who are accustomed to doe euill Secondly because as Dionysius hath it Consuetudo peccandi tollit sensum peccandi so that when a man falls into a sinne by continuing in the same hee becomes the lesse sensible and feeling of the same which makes him the hardlier to bee drawne to repentance For as you see it is dangerous for a man to haue a bone broken often in some one place for it may hardly be ioyned againe or fester or neuer come to its full strength So when a man falls into the same sinne he shall finde much adoe to rise and recall himselfe as a man that at the first goes away from the fire it makes him the more chill and cold after but after that hee hath beene a time in the cold hee can the better indure it So it is with sinne when wee commit it at first our iudgements are against it our reasons fight against it and our consciences are checked and vnquiet for it But if a man continue in it and sinne often hee is neuer touched for it but his heart becomes past feeling secure and hardened and so the worke is more difficult in regard of our selues And thus if appeares that there is pardon for such who fall into the same sinne againe but it is very hard and difficult to attaine the sence and assurance of it Obiect 1 Now against this doctrine there bee two Obiections made the first of them is out of Heb 6. 4. 5. For it is impossible that they who were once inlightened and haue tasted of the heauenly gift and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost and haue tasted of the good word of God and of the powers of the world to come if they fall away should bee renewed by Repentance Answ. I answer that if a man fall away from all grace and goodnesse which is that St. Paul speakes of then it is impossible to be renewed by repentance because such can neuer repent but if a man doe fall but from degrees of grace hee may recouer againe for mention is made onely of falling from all duties of Religion and grace otherwise the Saints falling onely from degrees and some measures of Grace may recouer againe and bee renewed by Repentance Obiect 2 The other Obiection is grounded vpon much like such another place of Scripture Heb. 10. 26. For if wee sinne willingly after wee haue receiued the knowledge of the truth there remaines no more sacrifice for sinne but a fearfull looking for of Iudgement c. Answ. To this I answer that the word willingly signifies wilfully and spitefully as it were of purpose to vexe and grieue the Spirit of God Thus to doe after a man hath receiued the knowledge of the truth for such a one there remaines no more sacrifice for sinnes because his hard heart shall neuer repent whom God thus giues ouer but for sinnes done otherwise willingly often yea against conscience and knowledge there remaines alwayes Sacrifices euen after Repentance knowledge of the truth and inlightned tasting of the heauenly gift For the Gospell must no where be stricter but much more comfortable to miserable sinners then the Law was Now vnder the Law there was of purpose constant reiterated sacrifices for sinnes done euen willingly as Leuit. 6. 2. 3. 4. Therefore much more it must be so vnder the state of Grace in the Gospell LECT IX II. THE CASE OF ITEration of Repentance DAN 9. 10. Neither haue wee obeyed the voice of the Lord our God to walke in his lawes which hee set before vs by his seruants the Prophets Yea all Israel haue transgressed thy Law euen by departing that they might not obey thy voyce therefore the curse is poured vpon vs and the oath that is written in the law of Moses the seruant of God because wee haue sinned against him c. OF the first case of Repentance wee haue already spoken as also of the two branches thereof First whether a man that hath repented a sinne may fall againe into the same sinne Secondly whether so falling hee may bee renewed by Repentance Obiect The next case wee are now to come vnto is The case of Iteration of Repentance which is whether a man that hath truely Repented him of a sinne once be bound to Repent the same sinne ouer and ouer againe Answ. I answer The case is cleere that a man is bound to repent one and the same sinne often The answer is easie but the explication is hard but I will lay it downe affirmatiuely A man can neuer too often repent him of a sin but the more hee repents the more comfortable shall bee his life and his prayers more answering Indeed if a mans repentance were perfect at first then a man need but once repent a sinne But because all our Repentance is defectiue and that it is found a worke of great difficultie therefore it must be often done to assure that it is well done So seeing our repentance doth still want somwhat of waight wee had need goe often and againe to renew the same Wee see a man in rowing may lose more at a stroke then hee can recouer at three or foure againe so a man may lose more by one act of sinne then hee can recouer by many acts of Repentance So this is the state of a Christian sinne once and repent often by the sinne of an houre wee gather matter of mourning and heauinesse for many yeares after so that the case is cleere a man who hath repented truly of a sinne is bound often to repent of the same sinne A Painter when he makes a goodly picture he drawes line vpon line and colour vpon colour till hee haue perfected his picture so must it be in Repentance wee must renew our sorrow and griefe for sinne till our repentance bee perfect for if it were weighed at the best in the Ballance of the Sanctuarie as Balteshazar was it would bee found light Wee see in Dauids experience how stood the case with him after he had committed that great sinne 2. Sam. 12. 13. of murther and adulterie vpon his Repentance the Prophet Nathan told him that his sinne was pardoned that God had put away his sinne and yet Dauid cast himselfe downe with great humiliation would neuer haue done with his repentance but lamented and mourned for
and commanded it but we must looke for such a kind manner as the Lord hath chosen Now there be two sorts of vnsound repentance 1. Hypocriticall Repentance 2. Desperate Repentance Of the first there be foure markes or notes to discouer hypocriticall Repentance i. When it is in shew and not in the heart when a man seemes to repent of his sinne and vndertaketh an outward shew of sorrow sadnesse without any inward compunction of spirit of which the Lord complaines Ierem. 3. 10. And yet for all this her treacherous sister Iudah hath not turned vnto me with her whole heart but feinedly saith the Lord. So Hos. 7. 14. the Lord complaines And they haue not cried vnto mee with their whole heart when they howled vpon their beds they assemble themselues for corne and wine and they rebel against me And Psalm 78. 35. 36. And they remembred that God was their rocke and the high God their Redeemer neuerthelesse they did flatter him with their mouth and they lied vnto him with their tongues They had good speeches with their lips but their hearts were not vpright Secondly When a man is more grieued for the punishment of his sinne than for the sinne it selfe As Cain saide vnto the Lord Genes 4. 13. My punishment is greater then I can beare but he neuer cried out for his sin So Num. 21. 7. The people came to Moses importuning him to pray to God to remooue the fierie Serpents from them but were not so earnest for to remooue their sinnes The Prophets are full of these complaints of the people to remooue the Iudgments of God from them when yet their endeauors to remooue their sinnes were faint or none at all and is it not so with vs Here is sometimes a kinde of shew of sorrow sadnesse and complaining on our crosses and grieuances and so an outward profession of Repentance which without the heart and true reformation of life is but an hypocriticall repentance Thirdly When a man repents him of a sin and by and by fals as wilfully into the same sinne as before as the Lord complaines by the Prophet Psalm 106. 13. They soone forgot his workes and waited not for his counsell So Pharoah repented often Exod. 8. 9. yet when the punishment was off him he was as ill as before Therfore when a man wiltake on to enuie against any sin be it swearing drunkennesse c. and by and by runne into the same sinnes it is an hypocriticall repentance I grant some sinnes hang vpon a man through the corruption of Nature and will hardly bee shaken off So that if we doe not striue against them and labour to weaken their forces they must and will by their vse and custome bring on hardnesse of heart and so no repentance at all wherefore let vs set a watch vpon our hearts for feare of returning to our old sinnes and leaue sinne before it leaue vs. Fourthly When a man will repent of one sinne and yet liue wittingly in a number of other sinnes This was the sinne of Iudas hee seemed to repent the betraying of his master but neuer thought for ought we know of a number of other sinnes he liued in So Ahab made a shew of repentance for the killing of Naboth but neuer repented for killing the Lords Prophets nor of his Idolatrie It is true indeed That he that repents truly of any one sinne repents of all because Eadem formalis ratio makes him hate all which hatred will at last make him get out of al these snares yet there is in many a corruption ortaint of sinne cleauing to some and forsaking others which is another sort of hypocriticall repentance The second Contrarie to true Repentance I told you was desperate repentance when a man seeth his sinns and the horror of them and yet neuer hath any serious thoughts of turning from them but perish thus and so it may be at last in some fury or rage they cry out vpon them as we know Iudas did he confessed hi sinne and saw it but did despaire of Gods mercy in pardoning it this was vnsound repentance For repentance is such a secret foe to sinne that it makes one with all his heart indeuour to turne from it therefore whosoeuer doth not turne from his sinne is not likely to come vnto Repentance So Iulian the Apostate came at last to desperation when he threw vp his blood in the ayre and cryed out O Galilean thou hast at last ouercome Now this Repentance shall bee in all the damned at the day of Iudgement to see and bewaile their sinnes yet perishing vnder the burden of them desiring hills and mountaines to fall vpon them and couer them It is true then that all men shall repent at one time or other sooner or later either in this life or at the day of Iudgement Therefore how much better were it for men to repent here in this life where they may haue peace and ioy in God and their owne consciences then too late with all torments vnsupportable hereafter when they shall haue no benefite by such an afflictue penall repentance Therfore let vs repent betimes since God is so gratious to accept of vs though wee haue beene great and grieuous sinners for this see what Samuel said vnto the people in their contrition 1. Sam. 12. 20. Feare not yee haue done all this wickednesse yet turne not aside from following after the Lord but serue the Lord with all your heart and turne yee not aside for then should yee goe after vaine things which cannot profite nor deliuer for they are vaine for the Lord will not forsake his people for his owne great Names sake c. So Peter in his Sermon Act. 3. 19. exhorts them Repent yee therefore and bee conuerted that your sinnes may be blotted out So Ierem. 3. 1. Thou hast played the harlot with many louers yet turne againe to me saith the Lord. And farther besides these two sorts of vnsound Repentance there be two sorts may be suspected 1. Poenitentia sera Late Repentance 2. Poenitentia Coacta Forced Repentance Now though both these sorts of Repentance may bee true yet may they also be suspected first as for Late Repentance when a man neglects and puts it off all his life vntill the day of death it is greatly to be suspected especially when a man hath had good meanes of conuersion growing in grace and liuing vnder a good ministrie Wee reade in the storie of Esau Heb. 12. 17. because hee neglected the time of obtaining the blessing that afterward when he would haue inherited the blessing hee was reiected for he found no place of Repentance though hee sought it carefully with teares So it may be suspected that if a man neglect repentance all his life-time it will be hardly found at last For Augustine in this case saith well If a man repent when he can sinne no more it may be thought he
conuinced of those he ought to repent particularly Secondly No man though he knew euery sinne he committed is able to repent of the same perfectly in regard of his corruption so long as he carries fraile flesh about him and why Because there is no motion of the spirit but it is much weakened by the tentations of the flesh as Gal. 5. 17. For the flesh lusteth against the spirit and the spirit against the flesh and they are contrarie the one to the other so that yee cannot doe the things that yee would So the Apostle confesses of himselfe Rom. 7. 18. For I know that in mee that is in my flesh dwelleth no good thing for to will is present with me but how to performe that which is good I finde not and why because the law of our members still rebells against the law of our minde and therefore as when men poure water into a glasse of wine the water abates the strength taste and colour of the Wine euen so it is betweene the flesh and the spirit the motions of the spirit be alwayes weakened with the motions of the flesh in some measure or other so as wee cannot doe as wee would but liue incumbred with a number of corruptions clogged and weighed downe with naturall frailties which make that we cannot perfectly repent vs of all our sinnes in this life Now against this doctrine there may be three obiections Obiect 1 Obiect 1. All the workes of God are perfect Repentance is a worke of God Therefore Repentance may bee perfect in a man in this life Answ. To this I answer the workes of God are of two sorts First Some God workes immediatly Secondly Some hee workes not immediatly by himselfe but mediatly by man Now those works of God which he worketh by himselfe they be perfect works and haue no defects but those works which God workes by meanes of man those be not alwayes perfect but many times carry some points and markes of frailtie in them As wee know a Scriuener who writes a perfect hand of himselfe yet let him put the Penne into a childes hand though he guide it his writing will not be so faire as that of his teacher because it somewhat participates of the childes vnskilfulnesse So it is in this matter of Repentance because this is not a worke which God workes meerely by himselfe but by the meanes of a man himselfe assisting vsing his will and other affections therein Therefore because there is defect in mans affection and Reluctation in his will resisting well-doing therefore his repentance must needs be imperfect Object 2 The second Obiection is taken out of Scripture where the Scripture many times seemes to speake of the perfection of a Christian sometimes commanding it as Math. 5. 48. Bee yee therefore perfect even as your Father which is in heauen is perfect Sometime commending man for it as 1. Cor. 2. 6. Howbeit wee speake wisdome amongst them that are perfect c. So Phil. 3. 13. Let vs therefore as many as bee perfect be thus minded c. And therefore if there bee perfection in other graces There is also perfection in Repentance Answ. To this I say Perfection that the Scripture speakes of is either Comparatiue in comparison of others as in the same third chapter of the Philippians S. Paul hath plainly affirmed that he was not perfect before God howeuer now he is perfect Comparativè more perfect then other men who had not such excellent gifts and graces As Noah was a iust and perfect man in respect of those wretched people who liued in those times Gen. 6. 50. So Iob and Zacharie in this respect were called â—ust men Secondly Ex parte we may be said to be iust and perfect in some respect and degrees as Math. 5. be yee therefore perfect as your heauenly Father is perfect Here we cannot be so perfect in the intention of our loue but in the Extention thereof to loue all sorts to loue our enemies to loue friends and foes and doe good to all of all sorts with an eye vnto God that is that perfection here meant and spoken of Obiect 3 The third Obiection is this All the graces of God that bee imperfect in this life shall bee perfected in heauen 1. Cor. 13. 10. But our Repentance shall not bee perfected in Heauen for in heauen there is no sorrow for sinne as Reu. 16. 17. for God shall wipe away all teares from their eyes Therefore because repentance shall not bee perfected in heauen it must needs be perfected in this life To this I answer there bee two parts of Repentance considerable 1. There is a Poenall part if I may so call it 2. A Part that consists in sanctified motions Answ. That part of Repentance which is Poenall sorrow afflicting teares and such like shall cease in heauen and is meerely shut vp within the bounds of this life But that part thereof which consists in sanctified motions shall bee perfâ—cted in heauen because we shall perfectly dislike and hate all the sinnes that ouer wee haue committed Thus the doctrine being cleere the vses are three Vse 1 First seeing that no mans repentance is perfect in this life therefore as we pray vnto God to pardonour other imperfections so we must pray to pardon the failings of our repentance not to weigh them in the ballance of Iustice lest they bee found light but in the ballance of â—…ercie where small things are taken in good worth and therefore as the man in the Gospell came to Christ with teares saying Lord I beleeue helpe my vnbeliefe So must we all cry vnto God with mournfull and heauy hearts Lord I repent but for Christs sake pardon the many failings of my Repentance Vse 2 Secondly seeing our Repentance is imperfect in this life therefore it is cleere that no man by his Repentance can merit any thing at the hands of God The very Schoole-men say the selfe-same thing that any defect want or impenitencie makes our Repentance to be imperfect yea all wee can doe is full of defects and wants therefore no merit before God and if it merit nothing at the hands of God then when men haue repented them of their sins they haue need still of the Blood of Christ to make Reconciliation and attonement for them It is the opinion of some in the world that if one haue repented of a sinne by and by he shall be saued by the vertue of his repentance But the truth is that though repentance bee a necessarie duty and disposition without which no man liuing can be saued in this state of sinne and though it be neuer so sincerely performed and often reiterated yet because it is full of so many imperfections it had need of the Blood of Christ to perfect it and reconcile vs vnto God holy cleane and vnblamable in his sight as Peter tells vs Yee also as liuely stones are built vp a spirituall house an holy Priesthood to