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632

Our Duty in regard to God's Promises.

come; and such, while they are in expectation, have a kind of painfulness with them; but when the time of performance and of present fruition cometh, it bringeth joy.

Abraham did somewhat rejoice in that which he saw would come, although knowing that many ages and generations must first pass their exultation far greater, who beheld with their eyes, and embraced in their arms, him which had been before the hope of the whole world. We have found that Messias, John i. 29. have seen the salvation: "Behold here the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sins of the world." These are speeches of men not comforted with the hope of that they desire, but rapt with admiration at the view of enjoyed bliss.

4-8.

As oft therefore as our case is the same with the prophet David's; or that experience of God's abundant mercy towards us doth wrest from our mouths the same acknowledgments Psal. cxvi. which it did from his, "I called on the name of the Lord, and he hath rescued his servant: I was in misery, and he saved me: Thou, Lord, hast delivered my soul from death, mine eyes from tears, and my feet from falling:" I have asked and received, sought and found, knocked and it hath been opened unto me: can there less be expected at our hands, than to take the cup of salvation, and bless, magnify, and extol the mercies heaped upon the heads of the sons of men? Are we in the case of them, who as yet do only ask and have not received? It is but attendance a small time, we shall rejoice then; but how? we shall find, but where? it shall be opened, but with what hand? To all which demands I must answer.

John xxi. 22.

Use the words of our Saviour Christ; "Quid hoc ad te?" what are these things unto us? Is it for us to be made acquainted with the way he hath to bring his counsel and purposes about? God will not have great things brought to pass, either altogether without means, or by those means altogether which are to our seeming probable and likely. Not without means, lest under colour of repose in God we should nourish at any time in ourselves idleness: not by the mere ability of means gathered together through our own providence, lest prevailing by helps which the common course of nature yieldeth, we should offer the sacrifice of thanksgiving for whatsoever prey we take to the nets which our fingers did weave; than which there cannot be to him more intolerable

The Word of God an absolute Warrant.

633

injury offered. "Vere et absque dubio, (saith St. Bernard,) hoc quisque est pessimus, quo optimus, si hoc ipsum quo est optimus adscribat sibi;" the more blest, the more curst, if we make his graces our own glory, without imputation of all to him; whatsoever we have we steal, and the multiplication of God's favours doth but aggravate the crime of our sacrilege: he knowing how prone we are to unthankfulness in this kind, tempereth accordingly the means, whereby it is his pleasure to do us good. This is the reason why God would neither have Gideon to conquer without any army, nor yet to be furnished with too great an host. This is the cause why, as none of the promises of God do fail, so the most are in such sort brought to pass, that, if we after consider the circuit, wherein the steps of his providence have gone, the due consideration thereof cannot choose but draw from us the self-same words of astonishment, which the blessed Apostle hath: "O the Rom. xi. depth of the riches of the wisdom of God! how unsearchable are his counsels, and his ways past finding out!" Let it therefore content us always to have his word for an absolute warrant; we shall receive and find in the end; it shall at length be opened unto you: however, or by what means, leave it to God.

III. Now our Lord groundeth every man's particular assurance touching this point upon the general rule and axiom of his providence, which hath ordained these effects to flow and issue out of these causes; gifts of suits, finding out of seeking, help out of knocking; a principle so generally true, that on his part it never faileth.

33.

For why it is the glory of God to give; his very nature delighteth in it; his mercies in the current, through which they would pass, may be dried up, but at the head they never fail. Men are soon weary both of granting and of hearing suits, because our own insufficiency maketh us still afraid, lest by benefiting of others we impoverish ourselves. We read of large and great proffers, which princes in their fond and vainglorious moods have poured forth: as that of Herod; and the Mark vi. 23; Esther like of Ahasuerus in the book of Esther. "Ask what thou vii. 2. wilt, though it reach to the half of my kingdom, I will give it thee:" which very words of profusion do argue, that the ocean of no estate in this world doth so flow, but it may be emptied.

23.

634

God's Bounty exceedeth our Desires.

He that promiseth half of his kingdom, foreseeth how that being gone, the remainder is but a moiety of that which was. What we give we leave; but what God bestoweth benefiteth us, and from him it taketh nothing: wherefore in his propositions there are no such fearful restraints; his terms are John xvi. general in regard of making, "Whatsoever ye ask the Father in my name;" and general also in respect of persons, "WhoJam. iv. 3. soever asketh, whosoever seeketh." It is true, St. James saith, "Ye ask, and yet ye receive not, because you ask amiss;" ye crave to the end ye might have to spend upon your own lusts. The rich man sought heaven, but it was then that he felt hell. The virgins knocked in vain, because they overslipped their opportunity; and when the time was to knock, they slept: but "Quærite Dominum dum inveniri potest," Perform these duties in their due time and due sort. Let there, on our part, be no stop, and the bounty of God we know is such, that he granteth over and above our desires. Saul sought an ass, and found a kingdom. Solomon named wisdom, and God gave Solomon Psal. xxi. wealth also, by way of surpassing. "Thou hast prevented thy servant with blessings," saith the prophet David. "He asked life, and thou gavest him long life, even for ever and ever.” Jam. i. 4. God a giver; "He giveth liberally, and upbraideth none in

Isa. lv. 6.

3, 4.

any wise;" and therefore he better knoweth than we the best times, and the best means, and the best things, wherein the good of our souls consisteth.

INDEX.

ABSOLUTION, the extravagant abuse of
it by the papists, ii. 207, 215. What
in the doctrine of the Church of Eng-
land, 210, 211.

Adversity, prayer to be evermore deli-
vered from it, vindicated, i. 566.
Aerius, his different opinion from Tertul-
lian about fasting, ii. 58. The first
poser of the order of bishops, 283.
Agents, natural and voluntary, how dis-
tinguished, i. 168.

op-

Anabaptists in Germany, their first te-
nets, i. 150. By what steps they gained
ground, 154. Their bold assertions at
last, 157. Their notions as to the li-
berty of Christians censured, 323.
Angels, what law they act by, i. 174.
How some of them came to fall, 175.
How dispersed after their fall, 176.
Their knowledge full and complete,
178.

Antiquity, what deference to be paid to

it in disputable points, i. 437.
Apocryphal books, what denoted by the
word formerly, and what now, i. 472.
The reading of them in churches vin-
dicated, 475.

Apollinarians, their heresy, what, i. 599.
Apostacy, what, ii. 601.

Apostles, in what things they have suc-
cessors, and in what not, ii. 248. The
danger of despising their words or
preaching, 594.

Appetite, how it differs from will, i. 181.
Archbishop, to what end appointed, ii.
274.

Archdeacon, his office what, ii. 270.
Archpresbyter, his office what, ib.
Arianism, its rise and progress, i. 547.
Athanasian creed, by whom and when
written, (according to the judgment of
Mr. Hooker,) i. 551. The use of it in
our Liturgy vindicated, 555.
Atheism, when affected, the most opposite
to true religion, i. 426.
Augustine (St.), vindicated, i. 254.

Baptism, in cases of necessity, to be ad-
ministered without the usual ceremo-
nies, i. 620. 629. The necessity of it,
620. The inward grace of it conferred
where the outward means cannot be
had, 627. The case of infants dying
without it considered, ib. To be pri-
vately administered in cases of neces-
sity, 631. Administered by women
and laymen valid and effectual, (in the

judgment of Mr. Hooker,) 635. Admi-
nistered by heretics, why rejected by
the ancients, 638.-(See Cross, Inter-
rogatories.)

Benedictus, the use of it in our service
vindicated, i. 541.

Benefice, what the name signifies, ii.
124.
Bishops, their order appointed of God, ii.
238. Were in all churches universally,
for 1500 years after Christ, ib. In
England before the year 359, and ever
since, 239. Whence they took their
name, 241. Their order ancienter than
their name, ib. A definition of a bi-
shop, and in what his office consists,
243. At large, and with restraint, how
distinguished, ib. Their superiority, in
what sense disputed, ib. The apostles
the first bishops, and all bishops the
apostles' successors, 245. All bishops
originally called apostles, ib. They
were first instituted with restraint, and
why, 248. St. Jerome's notion of them
vindicated, 250. Their succession from
the apostles to be proved in all churches
which the apostles founded, 256. What
their power was originally, 258. Have
the power of ordination invested solely
in them, 259. Have the power of ju-
risdiction invested solely in themselves,
260. How far they admitted pres-
byters to the exercise of jurisdiction,
268. How far their power extended
originally in compass, 272.
Some su-

perior to others, and why, 274. Their
interest in civil affairs vindicated, 311.
What honours due to them, and upon
what account, 329, 342. In what in-
stances honour is to be shewed them,
343. What share they had formerly
out of the public maintenance of the
church, 358. Their behaviour and con-
duct, what it should be, 364. The
great sin of procuring their office by
simony, 368. Their visitation and
courts how they ought to be managed,
379. The great detriment that arises
from careless bishops to the church,
371. The duty of their clergy and
people to bear with their infirmities,
373. Their revenues and wealth to be
carefully protected, 375. Their title to
their revenues justified, 380.-(See E-
piscopacy, Maintenance, and Prelates.)
Bowing at the name of Jesus vindicated,
i. 519.

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Brazen serpent destroyed by Hezekiah,
how far to be drawn into a precedent,
i. 674.
Burial-office, the design of it, ii. 71.
Mourning attire at funerals, lawful and
decent, ib. Processions at funerals, de-
cent and ancient, 72. Sermons at fune-
rals, the proper use of them, ib. Fu-
neral banquets or doles, the decency of
them, ib. Testification of our hope of
the resurrection, at such times, how
necessary, 73. Funeral offices used by
Jews and Christians of old, ib.

Calvin (John) born in France, and ori-
ginally a lawyer, i. 109. How he in-
troduced himself into the Church of
Geneva, ib. Is banished thence, and
recalled thither again, 111, 112. What
conditions he required of them upon
his return, 112. The subtilty of his
conditions, and how received by the
people, 112, 113. Is again disgusted,
and takes his leave of them, 114.
Catechizing, the design and usefulness of
it, i. 462, 463.

Ceremonies, what meant by them, i. 343,
344. The use of them, 354, 666. How
universal, 355, 356. How far we may
vary from the primitive ceremonies,
357. The objections that are made
against our ceremonies as popish, 360.
These objections contradict themselves,
363. Not to be abolished upon account
of the boasts and hopes of the papists,
379. The grief of those that are dis-
turbed at them, by whom to be reme-
died, 382. Not always to be rejected,
because originally derived from the
Jews, 385. When scandalous, and
when not, 397. When to be removed
for fear of scandal, and when not, 399.
Not necessary to be formed after the
pattern of elder churches, 401. The
moderation and prudence of the Church
of England in establishing them, 410.
Certainty of assurance, what, ii. 574. Of
evidence, what, ib.

Chorepiscopi, how distinguished from bi-
shops, ii. 273.

Christ hath the second person in the Tri-

nity united with him, i. 584. Is but
one person, 586. Hath two natures
entire and distinct, 589. What his hu-
manity gained by its union with the
Deity, 593. 602, 603. His body not
every where present, 599. In what
sense he may be said to be present
every where as man, 603. In what
manner, and by what means, he is
united with his church, 606. Has the
same authority in the government of
the world as in the government of the
church, ii. 416.

Chrysostom (St.), vindicated as to his
notion of the jurisdiction of bishops, ii.

265.

The

Church, what it signifies, ii. 18. Mystical
and visible, sound and unsound, how
distinguished, i. 285. How united with
Christ, 606. What power we attribute
to it, in the making of laws, 343.
What deference due to her judgment,
i. 440. How it is distinguished from
the commonwealth, ii. 385.
Both one
and the same society, 386. 389.
notion of their being two separate so-
cieties, whence it arises, 386.
Churches, the decency of dedicating them
solemnly to God, i. 449. The lawful-
ness of distinguishing them by the
names of angels and saints, 453. The
fashion of them vindicated, 454. Ought
to be stately and sumptuous, 455. Not
to be abolished, because formerly abused
to superstitious uses, 459, 460.
Church-goods, lands, offerings, revenues,
&c. the property of them in God,
ii. 348. The right of the clergy to re-
ceive and use them, 353. Sacrilege to
alienate them, 363. The sad conse-
quences that would attend a sacrilegi-
ous alienation, 376. 379.

Church polity, see Ecclesiastical polity.
Churching of women, the lawfulness of
the rite, ii. 68. The woman not before
excluded the church as unholy, 70.
The attire of a woman at churching to
be decent. Oblations, a proper name
for her offerings at such times, ib.
Civil powers, see King.
Clergy (Christian), three orders of them
mentioned in the New Testament, ii.
102, 103.-(See Maintenance.)
Clergy (Jewish), their distinct orders and
offices, ii. 94. Their distinct jurisdic-
tion, 152. Their plentiful maintenance
allotted by God, 355, 356.
Common prayer, the place where per-
formed to be decent and solemn, i. 503.
The ministers that perform it to be
zealous and fervent, 504. The several
exceptions made against it, 507. 528.
The objections to it as popish consi-
dered, 509. Not to be postponed to
any foreign liturgies, 510. The easi-
ness of reading it considered, 521. The
length of it vindicated, 523. The short-
ness of the collects vindicated, 525.
The frequent petitions for temporal
blessings vindicated, 528.-(See Forms
of prayer.)

Commonwealth, see Church-Prayer.
Communion, see Eucharist.
Communion of saints, wherein it consists,
i. 614.

Conference, see Disputation.

Confession, how practised by the primi-

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