deriue originall corruption vnto their children seeing that by warrant of Scripture and the consent of the most excellent Diuines both ancient latter the Parents do not beget but God doth daily create new soules in the bodies prepared and fitted for them but God is iust and cannot be the author of siâ—ne A. Albeit God continually create new soules and that without sinne yet hee doth create them in weakenesse and in the very moment of creation hee forsaketh them and leaueth them imputing Adams sinne vnto them Secondly the soule receiueth contagion by the body in which it is seated for as a precious and costly ointment is soone marred and corrupted as daily experience teacheth by an vnsweet and a fusty vessel so is the soule corrupted by the sinfull body Lastly the soule and body by common consent and practise bring foorth sin for there is so neere a familiarity betwéen them that the one doth gratify the other Q. But why doth God suffer sinne to dwell and remaine in the most holy and regenerate men that liue in the earth A. First to humble and afflict them Secondly that they may know what sin bringeth them vnto and what grace affordeth Lastly that they may alwaies runne vnto God for helpe and pardon Q. What vse are wee to make of this deriuatiue pollution A. 1. Vse We must lay aside al pride and selfe-conceit and with all humblenesse acknowledge our vncleannesse Secondly wee must not so curiously search how the fire of originall sin came as to be careful how to quench it nay we must labour betimes to quench put out the first sparkles of this fire lest if preuailing flame out and vtterly consume vs. Lastly we must in this life be regenerate and borne anew of water and the holy Ghost and therefore flee vnto Christ our Sauiour for pardon of our sinnes and for further grace or else we shall neuer enter into his kingdome Q. What is the actuall sinne A. Euery thought word and déede whether in committing euill or in leauing good vndone that is against the wil and law of God Q. Whence floweth or proceedeth it A. From the fountaine and roote of originall corruption for it is a deriuatiue from it and a fruit of it Q. Doth it any way aggrauate and increase originall sinne A. Yes for it daiely encreaseth the guilt and punishment of it and if faith repentance preuent not deserueth and procureth the greater torment in hell for as there are degrees of sinne so God in his iustice hath accordingly appointed and ordained semblable degrâ—es of punishment Q What is the cause of Actuall sin A. The next and immediate cause is mans corrupt minde wil and affections for these are the working instruments and command the action and therefore as sparkes proceed from the burning coales as rust from the iron and venim from the Aspe so doth actual sin flow from our sinfull and degenerate nature Q. What are the outward causes or occasions of Actuall sinne A. Foure specially First the suggestion and temptaton of the Diuel prouoking and enticing men thereunto Secondly the scandals and bad examples of wicked men offending them Thirdly troubles and persecutions through which many men are drawn to vniust practises yea to fall away from sound faith and true religion Lastly profits and pleasures which drowne men in destruction and cause them to forget God and themselues Q. How is Originall sin to be distinguished from Actuall transgression A. Many waies First originall corruption is bred and borne in vs and with vs but Actuall sin is borne afterwards Secondly Originall sinne is the roote but Actuall sinne the fruit Originall sinne the cause but Actuall the effect Originall sinne is the mother but Actuall the daughter Lastly in Actuall sinne the matter doth not remaine but passeth away for when a man hath committed blasphemie adultery murther c. the action foorthwith ceaseth though the offence of God and the guilt still remaine but in originall sinne the matter manifestly remaineth héereupon we naturally yea and daily runne and rush into sinne and are backward and vntoward to the performance of any good thing that God requireth CHAP. 2. Of the punishment of Sinne. Question WHat followeth sinne A. Temporall and eternall punishment Q. Are the temporall punishments of sinne inflicted vpon mankind curses satisfactions to Gods iustice and the forerunners of euerlasting damnation A. They are such in their own nature and originall and such in all the reprobates yea they are no other then curses to the elect so long as they are vnregenerate and vnder the ministry of the Law For cursed is he that doth not continue in all things that are written in the book of the Law to doe them Q. But what are these temporall plagues and punishments to the beleeuing and regenerate A. They are not to speake properly the punishment of their sinnes nor part of the eternall curse and therefore no satisfactions to the rigour of Gods iustice for Christ by his death and obedience hath fully satisfied his fathers iustice remoued from them the curse of the law yea and deliuered them which for feare of death were all their life time subiect to bondage they are therefore not curses but corrections not punishments but preseruatiues vnto them and not the broad way that leadeth to destruction but the narrow way that tendeth vnto life Act. 14.22 Q. But seeing that Christ hath made satisfaction for sinne and their sinnes are not imputed to them but pardoned why doth not God as well eodem instanti take away the chasticement as the Sinne A. First because certaine seedes of corruption certaine sparkles of concupiscence and certaine rootes of sinne in part abide and will abide in them so long as they liue in this mortality which Christ the Physitian of our soules must needes correct yea and mortifie by the bitter pilles and purgations of affliction Secondly because the bitter memory of sinne committed remaineth in the minds of them that loue God which cannot but grieue and molest them Thirdly the wicked who are Satans impes and Gods rods do alwaies séeke and if they find they take any occasion to vexe and trouble Gods children Apoc. 12.12 Q. What instruction gather you hence A. That mans nature is vile vnperfect that the sinne that ariseth out of it and from it is very hatefull and horrible in Gods sight for hee will not let it escape and passe vncorrected in his déere Children no nor in the sucking Infants that are frée from the committing of actuall sinne for they are subiect to diseases paines and vnto death as well as men of yéeres CHAP. III. Of the Crosse or Tribulation Question WHat is the Crosse Ans. It is that cup or measure of affliction that God doth ordaine and appoint out vnto euery one of his children that liueth in this world Q. Is then no child
Catastrophe or conclusion all men that sée it shall say that it is Gods doing Q. But why doth God punish sometimes with visible and manifest punishment some euill doers and not all A. First God is an absolute Lord and his will is iustice it selfe and therefore wee must rather reuerence and adore Gods iudgements then rashly to require a reason of them for shall an earthly Prince disdaine to be accountable to his subiects concerning all his procéedings and shall a Master of a family scorne that his seruant shall exact an account of him how much more will the diuine Maiesty refuse that his actions and counsels should bee called into question Secondly a few punished are a purgation for and a warning to the rest so that it is a mild iustice towardes many which séemeth cruelty to a few Thirdly if God should visibly and manifestly punish all euill doers then nothing would bée thought to bée reserued to the last iudgement and if none should bee here punished men would thinke that either there were no God or at least no iustice and prouidence Q. How shall Gods children in the execution of publike iudgement iustifie the equity of Gods proceedings or practise patience when they temporally smart for the sinnes aud idolatries of their fore-fathers A. Many wayes they are to stay and comfort themselues First to speake properly God doth punish the idolatry and sinnes of the children and not of the parents for if they tread in the footesteppes of their parents and doe not repent of their sinnes it standeth with Gods iustice no longer to put off their correction Secondly though in the vniuersall deluge and in the destruction of Sodome and in the sacking of Cities the very Infants perished with their Parents yet wee must note that they were not sinnelesse and innocent before God but borne and conceiued in sinne the children of wrath subiect to euerlasting damnation Thirdly albeit God correct good men for the bads sake inuolue them in the common calamities of warre famine pestilence shipwracke fires c. yet these afflictions are rather preseruatiues then punishments for as Physitians doe by bitter medicines preserue and restore a mans health so God doth turne the punishments that they haue deserued into a medicine a trial a preseruation Fourthly Gods children though they resist sinne and wickednes yet they in hearing Gods word in praier and in the performance of the duties of pietie iustice charity faile and are vnperfect and therefore they cannot say that God offereth them any wrong if they with the wicked be included in the same outward and publike euils as Jonathas Iosias c. were Fifthly we are all of vs the children of rebellious and traiterous Adam who hath tainted our bloud and forfeited his and our estate to God almighty there is a chaine of faults reaching from Adam to vs which though wee repent of yet God may in his iustice punish the remainders of them in our posterity Sixthly there is if not alwaies a deriuation of speciall fins from the forefathers to the posterity yet there is a deriuation of punishment and therefore God doth afflict herein the Parents and their posterity as one body Seuenthly as in one and the same person a fault committed in youth is iustly punished in old age So God in kingdomes empires persons doth punish old and inueterate sinnes for they are before God ioyned together by an outward fellowship both in time and parts Lastly if wee will bee heires to the commodities and rewards which are due to our ancestors it is no reason that we should refuse their burdens and afflictions CHAP. IX Heauenly Meditations and Conclusions against generall and particular persecution Question WHat is persecution A. It is the state and condition either of the Church in generall or of any member in particular whereby the one or the other in Gods euerlasting counsell and dècrée are appointed and marked vnto diuers dangers troubles for the name of Christ and for righteousnes sake Q. Is not the Church of God at any time or in any age wholy rooted out and subuerted by the enraged violence of persecutors A. No for first God will alwayes reserue to himselfe a people that shall serue him yea and some that shall openly and publikely maintaine and confesse his truth in one place or other Secondly as in the time of Elias there were 7000 holy worshippers of God that neuer bowed their knées to Baal and yet they were not visibly known to the enemies and persecutors so God hath a latent Church sometimes and the church is faine to flie into the wildernes and that partly that she should not be corrupted partly that she should be preserued from the enemies rage malice Lastly it appeareth by the diuers things to which the Church is compared and resembled that shee neuer ceaseth to bee nor is euer wholy extinct for it is compared to a shippe tossed with waues and surges but not sunke to Moses Bush burning but not consumed to a City daily besieged but not taken or wonne to the moon which is soone eclipsed and often in the waâ—e but yet often renued to Noahs Arke tossed in the waters but not drowned and to a woman in trauell whom the Dragon séeketh to deuoure together with her child and yet both are preserued Q. For what ends doth God suffer his children to bee persecuted A. First that holy and pure doctrine might bee maintained otherwise all would in persecution disclaime and forsake it Secondly that the graces of his children should be encreased and exercised and that they like spices pouned in a morter and like swéet wood burnt in the fire should yéeld a more sweete swell Thirdly that they by their constancy in the profession and defence of the truth might be distinguished from hypocrites who like Sodome apples if a man crush them fall into chaffe and like vnto spunges wet in the water which if a man presse them let out all the liquour contained in them Fourthly God will haue his children to denie themselues and their own abilities and to depend wholy vpon his power and promises for their strengthning or deliuerance Fifthly hée will hereby make them so many lights and guides to direct the blind world in the roade way to Heauen Lastly GOD will hereby increase their reward and glorie in heauen Q. Who are Gods instruments herein A. Satan and wicked men in the world namely Tyrants Heretikes Atheists Q. Why doth God in the punishment and persecution of his children vse the ministerie of wicked men A. First to shew his absolute and vnlimited liberty for hee is a free agent and he may correct his children by whom he will For as a naturall Father doth sometimes make the Schoolemaster or one of his seruants the instruments to correct his sonne though hee perhaps is not ignorant that they may intermingle their priuate affections
greater crosses and corrections for euery sinne séeing it is committed against an infinite Maiestie doth in it owne nature deserue death and therefore wee must the more patiently endure smaller crosses Fifthly we by impatiency highly offend our God and cause him to handle vs more roughly then he would otherwise doe Lastly if wee constantly waite Gods leasure and entreate his helpe hee will either encrease our strength or decrease our crosse he wil either amend vs by it or else end it Q. What heauenly nepenthes or doctrine haue you against the Crosse A. First it procéedeth from the speciall prouidence and heauenly disposition of God for he createth euill namely of punishment who is he then that saith and it commeth not to passe and the Lord commandeth it not Secondly the crosse is the ensigne and ornament of Gods children their cup their part and portion and the rode way to heauen Thirdly the crosse doth dead and destroy sinne in vs and mortifieth euill affections It is like lightning and thunder to purge the corrupted aire of our hearts and minds It is a file to scoure away rust from our soules a purgation to expell ill humors and like the gold smiths fire to consume the drosse of vanity in vs. Fourthly it doth exercise and cause to grow and encrease the fruits of the spirit and the precious graces of faith hope loue repentance patience for as snow and frost by containing the inward heat in the earth and increasing it causeth the séede cast into it to spring more prosperously so the gifts and graces of Gods children the more that by the crosse they séeme to be smothered and suppressed the more they breake foorth and are encreased Fifthly God will heereby trie the faith of his children towards his maiesty their loue towards their afflicted brethren and their patience towards themselues Sixthly God is with his in trouble in fire and water hee comforteth and strengthneth them he perfecteth his power in their infirmities and at length turneth their sighes into singing their mourning into mirth and their trouble into triumph Lastly the afflictions of this present life are not worthy of the glory that is to be reuealed Q. What duties are we to performe vnder the Crosse A. They either respect God or our afflicted brethren Q. What duties must wee performe towards God A. First we must submit our selues patiently vnto his discipline and correction otherwise if we striue and struggle against God we offend him and so encrease our paine and trouble no otherwise then he that strugleth with a burden on his shoulders doth the more afflict and disease himselfe Secondly we must repose our whole confidence in him and waite his leasure vntill he haue mercy on vs. Lastly when God hath deliuered vs we must returne vnto him all the glory and praise of it for this is the tribute that we owe vnto him and the impoâ—â— that he requireth at our hands Q. What duties must we performe to our afflicted brethren A. First we must neither iudge wiâ—ked and vngodly men to be blessed and happy because they liue for the present in pompe pleasure and prosperity nor falsely and foolishly censure condemne the nation and generation of Gods children that sincerely serue him and are deare vnto him by reason of their preseÌ„t aduersities maladies and miseries for ordinarily the wicked in whoÌ„ God hath no portion receiue all their pleasure and comfort in this life the godly here feele all their paine and suffer all their miseries that the wicked in the world to come may inherit vengeance and the godly eternall ioy and happinesse Secondly farre be it from vs to disdaine despight or despise Gods children in tribulation much lesse let vs aggrauaâ— their afflictions but let it be our practise to coÌ„dole with them to pity pray for and refresh reléeue them Heb. 13.3 Am. 6.6 CHAP. IIII. Of common crosses and particularly of warre forraine and domesticall Question HOw are crosses to be diuided and distinguished A. They are either such publicke and priuate euils which are common to Gods children with the wicked or such temptations crosses and troubles that are proper and peculiar to Gods seruants Q. Which are those publicke euils to which good men and euill are indifferently subiect A. Warre plague famine oppression losses pouerty cosenage or deceit it Q. With what comfortable perswasions shall wee solace and support our selues in time of warre A. Albeit hostility and warre is a sore iudgement and the sword be more grieuous theÌ„ either famine or pestilence yet Gods children want not their consolations For first the sword of the enemy commeth not by chance but by Gods direction and appointment and that not onely for the triall and exercise of Gods children but for the punishment and destruction of his enemies Secondly the enemies rage and fury is not of a boundlesse extent but limited restrained ordered by the diuine prouidence for our good Thirdly though our enraged enemies doe or may sometimes yet not without Gods permission kill our bodies yet they cannot kill our soules nor depriue them of Gods fauour and his kingdome Fourthly neither sword war nor persecution can part the godly from their indissoluble vnion with Christ nor take them out of Gods handes and protection Fiftly if our cause bée good if the defence of our selues be vndertaken by aduise and counsell and withal we call vpon God for valour wisedome and victorie the successe cannot be but good neither néed wee feare the great multitude against vs for the battell is not ours but the Lords Sixtly though God sometimes to shew his iustice that he doth not winke at sinne but punish it vseth the enemies malice in the temporall ouerthrow of his children yet he doth withall shew his mercy in rescuing and sauing many and in turning the punishment of sinne in his children into a medicine and soueraigne salue Lastly God by the euils of warre wil cause vs more to desire peace and quietnesse and when wee haue obtained it the more to estéeme it and to bée thankefull to God for it For as the nights darkenes maketh the light of the Sunne more desirable as vallies set out the mountaines the champion country commendeth the woodland so doth warre declare and make knowne the excellency of peace Q. But what if in a lawfull war and in a good quarrell we now and then bee foiled and ouerthrowne how shall wee comfort our selues and what course shall we take A. First wee must know that by reason of Achans sinne that had stollen a Babylonish garment two hundred shekels of siluer and a wedge of gold the Israelites were put to flight by thâ— men of Ai and the Beniamites twice ouercame the Israelites that had a good cause because they fought not in faith nor repented them of their sins as they did afterwards wherefore wée must
and wise prouidence which will be a meanes to kéepe vs from all impatience and desire of reuenge Q. What duties are the wronged and oppressed to performe A. First if we would redresse a wrong we must forget it Secondly we must make the Iudges Iustices and Christian magistrate the reuengers of our wrongs but if they faile vs we must commit it to God to whom vengeance belongeth and he will right vs. Thirdly we must labour to be innocent as Doues we must hurt none but striue to doe good to all and the more innocent we are the more ease and peace shall we finde in our owne soules Fourthly if in a country we sée the oppression of the poore and the defrauding of iudgement and iustice we must not be astonied at the matter for onâ— high that is aboue the high taketh notice of it nay the highest is aboue them that is God which is in heauen and doth excell all mens greatnes far more incomparably then the greatest Monarch surpasseth the meanest vassall or subiect and he doth with infinite eyes behold and view all things Ezech. 1.18 Zach. 3.9 4.9 Lastly we must whatin vs lieth and what wee may with the testimony of a good conscience defend others froÌ„ wrong and oppression and then God will stirre vp them that shall defend vs. Q. How shall a Christian in pouerty and in want of outward necessary things resolue and comfort himselfe A. Albeit pouerty is in it selfe a vile and miserable state of life by reason of the want of necessary money and riches yet there are manifold meditatioÌ„s wherin the child of God is to comfort himself as for example First pouerty is to Gods child not a bane but a blessing not a curse but a correction for Christ himselfe our blessed Sauiour was borne poore liued poor died poore and that to make vs rich and shall wée take that lot grieuously whereby wee may bée made conformable to Christ and grow rich in grace Secondly euery Christian is rich with Christ a Lord and possessor of heauen and earth and of all the riches therein contained and how then can hée bée poore Thirdly he that is rich in grace hath the true treasure of eternall life in his heart and therefore he cannot be poore Fourthly wée lie and liue in great 〈◊〉 and security for we are fréed and disburdened from many cares feares and dangers wée néede not feare the hurts of fire and water fained friends and fawning parasites shall not eate vs vp ill seruants shall not pilfer and purloinâ— from vs nor run away with our goods neither shal we stand in daÌ„ger of théeues and robbers to all which inconueniences the rich are exposed and subiect Fiftly wee want many occasions of infection and prouocations vnto euill for many men are no longer good then they are poore and therefore God denieth vs riches which wee would abuse to pride vanity couetousnes oppression and vsurie Sixtly if wee be content few things are wanting for nature is content with a little it desireth onely bread and water and he is not poore that liueth according to nature but a couetous worldling alwayes is bare and néedy and wanteth that he hath Seuenthly to a rich man all mediocrity is sufficient for hee is rich being content with his owne and he is a good scholler and proficient in Christ his schoole hauing learned with S. Paul as well to want as to abound and that which he wanteth labour virtue and learning will supply Eightly pouerty is a touchstone and discouereth who are faithful friends and who are false who are hollow and who are holy for a poore man is commonly contemned and he will soon shrink from vs that séeketh not vs but ours Ninthly God that giueth vs life which is the principall will for the necessarie sustenance of it giue vs dayly bread which is the lesse principall hee is our father and will féed vs and hee is our shepheard and will suffer vs to want nothing that is conuenient for vs. Tenthly Christ is our Lord and we are his seruants and therefore hee will not forsake vs but furnish vs with things néedfull for if he prouided for the 12. Apostles his family when he was in poore estate on the earth how much more will he prouide for vs being in glory and in the actuall possession of heauen and earth Eleuenthly Wealth is no part of that happy and glorious inheritance that Christ hath purchased for the Saints it is none of our own but another maâ—â— but if it were simply bonum it weâ— bonum commune wherof wicked 〈◊〉 ordinarily more partake then Goâ—â— children Twelfthly it is better to be counted religious then rich and poore then prâ—phane and impious for pouerty religion and blessednes may possibly happily concurre but riches cannot make the possessor blessed and riches and godlines doe but rarely consort and meet to gether in one and the same subiect person Thirteenthly riches commonly doe corrupt and effeminate the mind they like thornes choake the séede of Gods word they are the matter and fuell of riot excesse couetousnes and vanity for they doe not banish them away but beget them nor extenuate them but increase them neither doe they take away necessities but cause them and therfore we haue no such reason to lameÌ„t the loâ—â— of them or to be so eagerly set vpon theÌ„ but rather to lament our sinnes the cause of all our misery Fourtéenthly what though thou now be poore yet God may hereafter enrich and aduance thee as he did Job Dauid and diuers others for he raiseth the needy out of the dust and lifteth vp the poore out of the dung that hee may set him with the princes of his people c. Lastly the poorer that we are in life the more ioyfull shall we be in death for no man liueth so poorely that would not desire to haue liued more poorely when he dieth for he must needs part with al and render an account to God how hee hath gotten kept and disposed all his goods Q What vse are wee to make of pouerty or how are wee to demeane our selues in it A. First we must remeÌ„ber that heauen is our country and kingdome and that this life is but a pilgrimage and the earth a place of banishment and therfore we must not carke and care toile and moile for the things of this world but séeke the things aboue and rather labour to be rich in grace then in goods Secondly the poorer that we are let vs be so much the more humble and by praier and faith purchase and hold 〈◊〉 Christ that rich pearle and hidden treasure whereof we reade in the Gospell â— then we can neuer be poore Thirdly let vs not contemne muâ—â— lesse condemne any person for his peâ—ry and pouerty for then we shall many times magnifie the wicked condemne the generation of Gods children whâ— for the most part are
poore in these outward things yea and we may hereby 〈◊〉 prouoke God to displeasure that he in his iustice will presse vs with their burdens and leaue vs heartlesse helples in our distresse Lastly if we want outward helps we must desire God to supply our wants â— withall apply our wits to those arts oâ—eâ— which chance hath no power and which can neuer be lost we must get godlines and vertue which wil procure riches but riches cannot procure them Q. Comforts and directions for them that either feele or feare pouerty by reason of the multitude of children A. First many poore men haue had many children and haue maintained a great family and that competently and ioyfully Secondly he that féedeth the birds fowles and beasts will féed parents and children so they can beléeue and depend vpon him and he that giueth life will not deny daily bread Thirdly if the bringing vp of many children be troublesome vnto thée remember that no man liueth without some trouble and admit thou hadst no children yet other cares would succéed in and possesse their places Fourthly if thou want portions to bestow on thy sonnes and daughters God that is al-sufficient will in time prouide for them for as he hath giuen them wit and meanes to liue so he will giue them conuenient portions Fifthly children are thy riches and how canst thou be poore amongst thy riches and part of thy happinesse And hereupon Iacob calleth them the children that God of his grace had giuen him for if thou account thy oxen shéepe beasts bées menseruants and maid-seruants for part of thy riches shall not thy sonnes and daughters much more be thus estéemed and iustly accounted Sixthly this is a kind of power and dominion to haue many children and these are like so many arrowes to shoot at their parents enemies and so many pensioners to defend and guard thy person Seuenthly good children are the solace and ornament of their parents the ease of their labours the renewing of their age and what if for the present they be poore they may in time arise to such dignity and promotion that they after the example of Ioseph may reléeue and nourish their parents brethren kinsfolks Lastly the children of Kings Princes and great potentates liue not better longer more contentedly nor more safely holily happily then poore mens children for gentry and greatnes doth not make them better but many times puffeth them vp and maketh them more loose and licentious Q. What vse is to be made hereof A. First thou being a poore man must liue within compasse and cut thy coat according to thy cloth and then the lesse will suffice thée Secondly if thy daughters haue no ioyntures thou must endeuour to bring them vp in vertue learning and commendable qualities in Arts that not so much their mony as their modesty their riches as their religion nor their wealth as their wisdome may be desired for vertue maketh their marriage happy and then they shal be matched with good men where they shall liue more honestly and contentedly then if they were married to Kings and Princes Lastly thou must ioy in the number of children for they are the renuing of immortality and the preseruation of thy name Q. What comforts are there against basenesse and meannesse of parentage A. First God doth call to the state of grace yea and many times to dignity and honour in this world as well the meane as the mighty and the â—asely descended as the honourable and noble for he is no respecter of persons Secondly a man meanly descended if he be learned religious vertuous is the cause of nobility to his posterity which his parents neuer gaue him he is the founder of their glory and his vertues are more conspicuous and eminent Thirdly vertue only is true nobility and therefore wee must not séeke from what roote a man springeth as of what disposition he is of Fourthly our baptisme and new birth by faith and repentance maketh vs truly noble and honourable before God as it did the Prophets and Apostles and others and it taketh away all note and imputation of meane birth Q. Propound some comforts for a regenerate man that is basely and vnhonestly borne A. First some basely descended haue béene blessed and great instruments of good as Iudas Iepta and Constantine the great Secondly he must liue well and then he shall die well Thirdly his first deformity is washed away in the beginning of life by the sacred water of Baptisme for he hath God for his father and the Church for his Mother Fourthly his parents sinne doth not corrupt him except he bee guilty of the same for they shall answer for their own sinnes for God doth not impute the iniquity of the father to the child nor the iniquity of the child to the father Fiftly he must seeke for good things in himselfe and not out of it Sixthly let him liue more holily and chastely and he shall couer his parents shame Seuenthly hee being borne against the lawes let him doe nothing against them but doe all things according to them Eighthly let other men iudge of his descent he onely shall render a reason of his behauiour and life therefore let him beware that hee adde no worse thing to it Ninthly the sweetnesse of his manners and the renowne of his life shall wipe out not onely the spots but also all remembrance of his vnhonest birth for if vertue extoll him his meane birth cannot depresse him Lastly seeing that his parents haue blemished and stained his birth let him liue well and he shall die well he hath reason to be more humble and not more heauie for his owne vertues and religious behauiour will make him more glorious then the imputation of base birth can make him reproachfull Q. Why doth God suffer his deare children to vndergoe so many losses to be vndone by fires flouds inundations of waters yea and by theeues robbers pyrats cousoners and ill seruants to be spoiled and depriued of their goods Ans. First to frée them from the loue of money and of these outward thingâ— which otherwise would worke their ruine for many more haue perished by reason of riches then by the temptation of pouerty Secondly God heereby preuenteth many sinnes into which otherwise they would sinke for as a father taketh â— sword or a naked knife from his childe lest he should hurt himselfe so God by these aboue named meanes bereaueth his children of riches which they otherwise would peruert to pride ostentatition couetousnesse oppression and vsurie Thirdly he would not haue them to trust in these transitory trifling and vncertaine things but to trust in him only who giueth his all things aboundantly to enioy Fourthly they many times suffer their money to be idle and vnfruitfull and do no good with their present riches but make them instruments of euill and therefore God doth iustly depriue them thereof Fifthly to weane and withdraw them from worldlinesse