Christian Religion, Catechism · Part 12 – Part 13
EZRA. chap. 9. verſe. 6.
6 And ſaid, O my God, I am confounded and aſhamed to lift vp mine eyes vntounto thee my God: for our iniquities are increaſed ouer our head, and our treſpaſſe is growen vp vntounto the heauen.
WHat are the things that generally follow ſinne?
They are two: guilt and puniſhment; both which doe moſt duely wait vponupon ſinne, to enter with it, and cannot by any force or cunning of man, or Angell, be holden from entring vponupon the perſon that ſinne hath already entred vponupon.
VVhat is the guilt of ſinne?
It is the merit and deſert of ſinne, whereby we become ſubiect vntounto the puniſhment of God.
Is there any euill in the guilt before the puniſhment be executed?
Very much: for it worketh vnquietnes in the minde; as when a man is bound in an obligation vpō a great forfeiture, the very obligation it ſelfe diſquieteth him; eſpecially if he be not able to pay it (as we are not:) and yet more, becauſe where other debts hauehave a day ſet for paiment, we know not whether the Lord will demand by puniſhment his debt this day before the morrow.
VVhat learne you from this?
That ſith men ſhould ſhun by all meanes to be in other mens debts or danger, as alſo the Apoſtle exhorteth, Owe nothing to any man; Rom. 13.8. Prou. 6.1.2.3.4.5.and Salomon alſo counſelleth in the matter of ſuertyſhip; we ſhould more warely take heed, that we plunge not our ſelues ouer the eares in the Lords debt: for if it be a terrible thing to be bound to any man in ſtatutes, ſtaple, or marchant, or recogniſance, much more to be bound to God, who will be paid to the vttermoſt farthing.
How els may the hurt and euill of the guilt of ſinne be ſet forth vntounto vsus?
It is compared to a ſtroke that ligheth vponupon the heart or ſoule of a man,Gen. 44.16. 1. Sam. 24.4.5.6. where the wound is more dangerous then when it is in the body. And ſo it is alſo a ſting or a bit, worſe then of a viper, as that which bringeth death.
HaueHave you yet wherewith to ſet foorth the euill of the guilt?
It ſeemeth when the Lord ſaith to Cain, Gen. 4. Rom. 2.15.if he ſinne againſt his brother, his ſinne lieth at the doore, that he compareth the guilt to a dog, which is alwaies arring and barking againſt vsus: which is confirmed by the Apoſtle, who attributeth a mouth to this deſert of ſinne to accuſe vsus.
What is the effect of this guilt of conſcience?
It cauſeth a man to flie, when none purſueth;Prou. 28.1. Leuit. 26.36. and to be afraid at the fall of a leafe.
When a man doth not know whether hee ſinne or no, how can he be ſmitten, or bitten, or barked at, or flie for feare? and therefore againſt all this euill, ignorance ſeemeth to be a ſafe remedie.
No verely: for whether he know it or no, his guilt remaineth: as the debt is debt, although a man know it not, and it is by ſo much more dangerous, as not knowing it, he will neuer be carefull to diſcharge it, till the Lords arreſt be vponupon his back, when his knowledge will doe him no good.
We may ſee many which heap ſin vponupon ſin, and know alſo that they ſinne, and yet for all that ceaſe not to make good cheere and make their hearts merrie.
Rom 2.15. 1. Tim 4.2. Pſal. 50.21.The countenance doth not alwaies ſpeake truth, ſo that ſometimes vnderunder a countenance in ſhew merrie, there are pricks & ſtings in the conſcience, which yet is oftentimes benummed, and ſomtimes through hypocriſie it is ſeared (as it were with an hot iron): but the Lord will finde a time to awaken and reuiue it, by laying all his ſinnes before his face.
When it is knowne, what is the remedie of it?
Firſt, it were wiſedome not to ſuffer our guilt to runne long on the ſcore, but reckon with our ſelues eueryevery night ere wee lie downe to ſleepe, and looke back to the doings of that day, that in thoſe things that are well done we may be thankfull, and comfort our owne hearts: and in that which hath paſſed otherwiſe from vsus, wee may call for merciemercy, and hauehave the ſweeter ſleepe.Prou. 6.1.2.3.4.5.6. For if Salomon willeth vsus in that caſe of debt by ſuertiſhip, to humble our ſelues to our Creditor, and not to take reſt, till wee hauehave freed our ſelues; much more we ought to haſte to humble our ſelues vntounto God, ſith the blood of Chriſt is the only ſacrifice for ſinne.
Is the guilt of ſinne in all men alike?
Eſra. 9.6.No: for as the ſinne increaſeth, ſo doth the guilt, both in regard of the greatnes, and of the number of our ſinnes: as appeareth out of this text, whereas ſin is ſaid to bee gone aboue their heads, ſo the guilt to reach vp to the heauens.
When the ſinne is gone and paſt is not the guilt alſo gone and paſt?
No: but when the act of ſin is gone, the guilt remaineth alwaies; as the ſtrong ſauour of garlick whē the garlick is eaten; or as the marke of the burning, when the burning is paſt.
What is contrary to the guilt of ſinne?
The teſtimonie of a good conſcience, which is perpetuall ioy and comfort, yea and a heauen to him that walketh carefully in Gods obedience, as the other is a torment of hell.
ROM. chap. 6. verſ. 23.
23 For the wages of ſinne is death: but the gift of God is eternall life through Ieſus Chriſt our Lord.
SO much of the guilt: what is the puniſhment?
It is the wages of ſin ſent for the guilt.
Is the puniſhment limited in the word, which ſhall come for ſinne?
It cannot wholly be laid downe,Deut. 29.20. & 28.61. it is ſo manifold and ſo diuers, and therefore it is ſaid that they ſhall come, written and vnwritten.
Againſt what are theſe puniſhments addreſſed?
Againſt the whole eſtate of him that ſinneth: for whereas executions vponupon obligations vntounto men are ſo directed as they can charge either the perſon alone, or his goods and lands alone, ſo as if the Creditor fall vponupon the one, he freeth the other, as if hee fall vponupon the perſon, he cannot proceed further then vntounto his bodie; the execution that goeth out from God for the obligation of ſinne, is extended to the whole eſtate of the ſinner.
Can you draw this great number and diuerſitie of puniſhments to certaine heads?
Yes: for they are either in this life, or in the life to come.
What are they in this life?
They are either in the perſons themſelues, or in the things that belong vntounto them.
What are they in the perſons themſelues?
They are either in the whole perſon, bodie and ſoule ioyntly, or in the parts ſeuerally.
What are they in the whole ioyntly?
Matth. 12 33.34.35.A neceſſitie of ſinning, but without conſtraint, vntill they be borne againe by the grace of God.
What are they in the perſons ſeuerally?
In the ſoule, and in the bodie apart.
What are the vponupon the ſoule apart?
Ephe. 4.17.18.19.When God ſtriketh it with an ignorant ſpirit, with want of iudgement to diſcerne betweene good and bad, with forgetfulnes of holy things, or hardneſſe of heart; which although they be for the time leaſt felt, yet are they more fearfull and dangerous then thoſe, the ſenſe whereof is preſently ſharpe.
VVhat are they vponupon the body apart?
Deut. 28.Hunger, thirſt, wearineſſe, want of ſleep, all kinde of diſeaſes, euen to the itch, which few make account of, thereby to feele the anger of God and puniſhment of ſinne.
VVhat are they in the things belonging vntounto them?
Matth. 15.22. & 7.1.2.Calamities vponupon their wiues, children, families, goods, and good name.
Hitherto of the puniſhments in this life: What are they in the life to come?
Luke. 16.22.They are moſt horrible: firſt in the ſoule of the wicked,23. which after this life goeth immediatly to hell, vntill the day of iudgement. Secondly, at the day of iudgement the bodie ſhall bee ioyned to the ſoule,Matth. 10.28. both to be tormented in hell euerlaſtingly: ſo much alſo the more as they hauehave had more freedome from paine of bodie, and anguiſh of ſoule, and loſſe of outward things in this life.
Is the puniſhment of all ſinnes alike?
No: for as the guilt increaſeth,John. 19 11. Matth. 11.20.21.22.23.24. ſo doth the puniſhment: and as the ſmalleſt ſinne cannot eſcape Gods hands; ſo as we heap ſins, he will heap his iudgemēts.
Hauing heard of the miſerable and vnhappie eſtate of man by his ſin, guilt and puniſhment; what is the remedie appointed of God for the recouerie of this curſed and damnable eſtate?
The word of God eſpecially preached.