good powerfull iust bountifull a liberall rewarder of good and reuenger of euill according to the saying of the Apostle That which may be knowne of God is manifest in them for God hath shewed it vnto them then how much more clearely doth this light Rom. 1. 19. shine in the faithful when as it is renewed and made much brighter and clearer by Gods holy Spirit The Booke also of the creatures doth conuince all men that there is a God and that he is infinite in wisedome and power omnipresent and full of goodnesse according to that of the Apostle The inuisible things of him from the creation of the world are cleerely seene Rom. 1. 20. being vnderstood by the things that are made euen his eternall power and Godhead so that they are without excuse And therefore how much more may the faithfull profit by learning and reading this Booke who haue the holy Spirit for their Tutor which openeth their eyes that they may see Gods wisdome goodnesse and power shining in them and their hearts that meditating on them they may make an holy vse of this knowledge for the stirring of them vp to render vnto God prayse and thanksgiuing The Booke of grace also is either the internall writing of Gods Law and will in the heart and inward parts by the Spirit of God which the Lord promiseth to doe in the couenant of grace or the outward Booke of the Ier. 31. 34. holy Scriptures in which are contained all things necessary to be knowne of God and his will for the saluation of our soules And lastly Gods Ministers are his instruments whereby he reuealeth himselfe and his will vnto vs who doe expound vnto vs his written Word and vnfold the mysteries and difficulties thereof that we may vnderstand them And therefore if we would attaine vnto the knowledge of God and his will we are to vse the helpe of those instruments which he hath ordained for this purpose especially we are to desire that inward writing of the Spirit in our hearts and to make vse by reading and meditation of the Scriptures and by often hearing of them expounded and applied vnto vs by Gods faithfull Ministers CAP. VI. Of the obiect of sauing knowledge namely God himselfe and his attributes his Word and workes §. Sect. 1 That there is a God and how we may know it ANd these are the causes of sauing knowledge The obiect of it is God his will and workes Where first we are to know that there is a God who is to be worshipped and serued of vs. Vnto which we attaine by the light of nature which reuealeth this principle vnto vs and conuinceth all men of this truth by the Booke of the creatures in which the infinite wisedome power and goodnesse of the Creator shineth by the terrours of conscience following the commission of heynous sinnes though neuer so secret by the series and dependancy of causes one vpon another in the disquisition whereof there is no end till we come to the cause of causes who hauing his being of himselfe giueth being vnto all things by the goodly order which may be obserued in the creatures and the motion of the heauens and the celestiall bodies by the finall causes one thing being referred to another till wee come to the summum benum and supreme end of all things which is God by the accomplishment of Prophecies foretold long before their euents by the consent of all Nations in acknowledging this principle and finally by the iudgements and punishments executed vpon the wicked euen in this life by all which we come to the cleare vnderstanding of this truth that there is a God although in truth it is so euident in it selfe that no argument can be brought to illustrate it seeing nothing is so cleare and manifest §. Sect. 2 Who this God is and how he may be described Secondly we are to know what this God is or rather who he is For what he is in his owne essence he hath not reuealed in the Scriptures neither are we capeable of this knowledge nor any other creature seeing he is infinite and we finite But who he is he hath made knowne in his Word namely that he is Iehouah Elohim a Spirit infinite in all perfection one in nature and three in persons the Father Sonne and holy Ghost By which description it appeareth that God is primum ens and the first being who hath his essence of himselfe and giueth being to all things as his name Iehouah signifieth that he is vncreated and a Spirit as our Sauiour John 4. 23. the wisedome of the Father hath made him knowne vnto vs not so much thereby shewing his essence what he is which is ineffable and incomprehensible as distinguishing him from all corporeall substances That he is but one because he is infinite in all perfection wisedome power presence and the rest and it is against the nature of infinitenesse to bee more then one because hee made and gouerneth all as supreme Monarch in which Monarchy there can be no copartners and because he is the cause of causes from which all things haue their being and vpon which they wholy depend §. Sect. 3 Of Gods attributes and how they are ascribed vnto God Thirdly we must know that this diuine essence is infinite in all perfection The which perfection is seene in his properties which are not properly in God who is all essence and no qualities for whatsoeuer is in God is God but according to the capacity of our shallow vnderstanding neither doe they differ from his essence nor one from another for God is one and of a most simple nature admitting no diuision into parts faculties or properties nor yet any essentiall distinction but onely in our comprehension or maner of vnderstanding So as we must not take his properties to be any parts of his essence seeing euery essentiall propertie is his whole essence and therefore howsoeuer distinguished in respect of his diuers manner of working towards the creatures yet not in themselues but are inseparable one from another In which respect the wisedome of God is the wise God the power of God the powerfull God and so in the rest And his wisedome power mercy goodnesse iustice truth are all one in their essence there being in God but one most simple and pure act vnto which diuers names are giuen in the Scriptures to shew vnto vs how it is diuersly exercised towards the creatures §. Sect. 4 Of Gods primary attributes and how they may be described Now these Attributes are of two sorts First primary Secondly secondary Primary are those which declare vnto vs the essence of God as he is absolutely in himselfe of which there being no similitude in the creatures they are attributed vnto God alone without communication to any other And in this number are Gods Simplicity Infinitenesse Eternity Immensity Immutability and Omnipresence all-sufficiency and omnipotency His simplicity is an essentiall attribute by which
shamefull ouerthrow vnlesse our Christian Armour be put on and fastened vnto vs with the girdle of verity and vnlesse wee be trained vp in this Christian warfare and taught rightly to vse the sword of the Spirit the Word of God Now if vowes must be paid without delay then Psal 76. 11. how much more this which importeth vs as much as our saluation A third reason may be taken from Gods loue and fatherly care and prouidence watching ouer vs and preseruing vs from all perils and dangers in the time of our infancie and childehood vnto which as we were naturally most prone so were wee vtterly vnable to auoid them by our owne prouidence or to vse any meanes to helpe our selues Which consideration should moue vs as soone as we are come to knowledge and discretion to testifie our thankefulnesse by learning his waies that wee may walke in them and thereby glorifie him who hath so graciously preserued vs. Fourthly let vs consider that the Law was giuen not onely to the ancient and them of ripe age but also to children and young men that they might cleanse their wayes by taking heede thereunto according to Gods Psal 119. 9. Word which made Iosuah to reade it vnto them all alike And both old Iosh 8. 35. and yong shall be called to giue an account of their workes and waies at the last day according to that in the Reuelation I saw the dead great and Apoc. 20. 12. small stand before God and the bookes were opened c. and the dead were iudged out of those things which were written in those bookes according to their workes And therefore the young as well as the old must prepare themselues for their reckoning and learne both what strength the Booke of the Law hath to indite and condemne him and how by the Gospell they may trauerse this inditement and be acquitted from that dreadfull sentence of condemnation by pleading full satisfaction by Iesus Christ And therefore when his soule wallowing it selfe in carnall delights saith vnto him Reioyce Eccles 11. 9. O yong man in thy youth and let thine heart cheere thee in the dayes of thy youth and walke in the waies of thine heart and in the sight of thine eyes then let him remember that for all these things God will bring him to iudgement Fifthly consider that this age aboue all others is most fit to receiue and retaine instruction and information in the wayes of the Lord as also reformation and amendment of our sinfull courses Which if it bee deferred to riper age they will be lesse able to learne the will and wayes of God to hold them in memory or to obey and walke in them For the faculties of the soule will bee more enfeebled and they distracted with earthly cares and loue of the world ambition couetousnesse voluptuousnesse they will then be more apt to content themselues with their ignorance wherin they haue bin so long nuzzled their passions will grow strong and violent and custome of sinning laying fast hold on them will pull them backe from the schoole of piety yea will make them openly to professe that they are now too old to learne by all which who seeth not how desperately they hazzard their saluation who put off instruction and neglect the meanes of it in the time of their youth And therefore let vs hearken to the Wise mans counsell and remember now our Creator in the daies of our Eccles 12. 1. youth while the euill daies come not nor the yeeres draw nigh when thou shalt say I haue no pleasure in them Sixthly let vs remember that God would haue first fruits offered vnto him as a type to teach vs that the prime of our age is an oblation wherein he chiefly delighteth that our Sauiour was much pleased when little children entertained him with their applause Crying Math. 21. 15. Psal 8. 2. Hosanna to the Sonne of Dauid that God out of the mouth of babes and sucklings hath ordained strength because of his enemies that he might stil the enemie the auenger Finally that in the time of the law they were inioyned to offer vnto God the yong and lusty not the old and lame to shew that the Lord would haue the prime of our age and strength consecrated to his seruice although in the Gospell all are inuited to the marriage Supper the poore Luke 14. 21. maimed halt and blinde because so we bring with vs the wedding garment it is better in our age to come halting to the feast and through the dimnesse of our sight groping for the right way then to frame worldly excuses and absent our selues altogether §. Sect. 9 Of the great profit of this exercise of catechizing Lastly let the profit manifold benefits which accompany this dutie be an effectuall meanes to perswade vs vnto it For they only are saued who Ioh. 3. 16 17 36 Mar. 16. 16. Rom. 10. 15 17. haue faith and they faith alone who haue knowledge both which come by hearing as the Apostle teacheth vs How shall they call vpon him in whom they haue not beleeued and how shall they beleeue in him of whom they haue not heard and how shall they heare without a Preacher So then faith commeth by hearing and hearing by the Word of God And this the Apostate Iulian well knew and therefore to roote out the Church he thought it the most effectuall way to put downe Christian Schooles and Religious exercises that being depriued of all meanes of knowledge hee might leade them in their ignorance which way hee listed Secondly it is a notable meanes to free them from errours and heresies when they are grounded in the knowledge of the truth and the analogie of faith that will serue them as a touchstone and rule according to which doctrines must bee examined which whoso want may easily be led euen into fundamentall errours For as the Apostle saith there must bee heresies in the world vnto 1. Cor. 11. 19. which men naturally are more inclined then vnto the truth and therefore we must not hand ouer head hearken vnto euery spirit nor when we heare iudge of them according to our naturall reason but wee must as the Apostle Iohn exhorteth vs try them whether they be of God or no by 1. Ioh. 4. 1. bringing them to be examined by the touchstone of his Truth The which wee shall be vtterly vnable to doe if we be not acquainted with the Scriptures and haue no knowledge of the maine principles and the analogie of faith contayned in them Where by the way wee may note the cause why Popery so much increaseth amongst vs namely because for want of catechizing in many places the people remaine ignorant of the principles of Christian Religion and so vpon the alleadging of any carnall reason plausible to corrupted nature they become an easie prey to the Priests and Iesuites Thirdly It helpeth notably to the hearing of Sermons with profit
were purposely appointed by God to illuminate the eyes of the blinde and to make the foolish wise And therefore to forbeare the reading of the Scriptures because we are rude and of small vnderstanding is all one as if we should refuse the medicine because we are sicke the eye-salue because we are blinde and the light of the Sunne because we are in the darke or dim-sighted It is true that all places of holy Scriptures are not alike cleare but though some be easie and plaine yet other are so high and mysticall hard to be vnderstood and of such abstruse difficulty that the best wits and most learned may euen their whole liues be exercised about them and yet neuer reach to their height nor sound them to the bottome But this must not discourage the simplest from reading of them because it is not necessary nor required of all that they should vnderstand euery place but so much as is necessarie for their saluation and according to the measure of their gifts which they haue Rom. 12. 3. receiued which if they exceed they come vnder the censure of curiosity presumption And for the attayning of that maine end at which euery one must ayme the Bookes of holy Scriptures are fit to be read of all sorts of men being not only as that learned Father obserued Augustine in many places a deepe sea wherein the Elephant may swim but also in as many others shallow Foords wherein the Lambe may wade Yea so gracious is the Creator and Redeemer of all men that in penning the holy Scriptures he hath taken care of the simple as well as of the wise and learned And as in course of nature he hath made those things most common which are most excellent profitable and necessary as the Sunne ayre fire water bread and cloathing and hath onely reserued to the rich and noble peculiar priuiledges in things of lesse vse and necessity as gold siluer precious Iewels so made and called not by nature but by fantasie and opinion silken garments delicious cates and such like trifles So he hath layde out in common the maine points of Religion necessary to saluation by making them so easie and familiar that the meanest capacities may comprehend them if they will vse the meanes and helpes which he hath sanctified for this vse as feruent prayer for the assistance of Gods Spirit to inlighten our blinde eyes reading meditation comparing one place with another the publique ministery and priuate conference And hath reserued other things lesse necessary in abstruse obscurity as Chronologies Genealogies quiddities and intricate questions to exercise the curiositie of such as scorne to be vulgarly wise and would gaine vnto themselues an opinion of their learning and knowledge Yea euen the same maine points of Religion which are in some places plainely expressed to the capacity of the most simple are in other places more obscurely deliuered that all sorts of men might be imployed in this holy exercise of reading the Scriptures the simple hauing no cause of discouragement by their difficulty nor the learned and men of greater gifts any cause of contempt or idle sloth through their easinesse but might haue matter deepe enough to sound and search out by their greatest wit and most industrious indeuour So one saith that the Quamuis omnem scientiam doctrinam sacra Scriptura sine aliqua comparatione transcendat c. Gregor holy Scriptures without comparison excell all other science and learning for they publish and preach the Truth call vs to our heauenly Country inuite the heart of the Reader from earthly desires to imbrace heauenly excellencies the which are not so shut vp in obscurity that we neede to feare them nor so open that we should contemne them but the more they are vsed the lesse they are loathed and the more they are loued the more they are studied c. Notwithstanding euen in this Paradise which aboundeth with all manner of flowers and medicinable hearbs fit for vse necessity and delight there may generally at all times be choyce made of such as are most profitable and comfortable and specially vpon seuerall occasions For howsoeuer all contained in them be excellent and fit for diuers vses so that no part in our reading is alwaies to be passed ouer and neglected yet there are some places aboue others wherein we may haue the food of our soules in greatest plentie and variety and better prepared for our weake stomakes And though they admit of no comparison with other writings yet in themselues one part may excell another if not in respect of their Author or nature yet in respect of our vse and edification as contayning and setting forth the maine points of our saluation more fully and plainely then others In which respect the Prophets are to be preferred before the Bookes of Moses as being a Commentarie and exposition of them The Prouerbs of Salomon before diuers of them as being full fraught with heauenly Wisdome and contayning diuine precepts and counsels fit to guide vs in all our courses And aboue them all the Booke of the Psalmes as being the liuely Anatomie of a true Christian in all estates and conditions a treasurie of heauenly meditations diuine wisdome holy doctrines and precepts and a cleare glasse wherein we may see how in all estates and conditions God dealeth with his children and they with him And finally the New Testament is to be preferred before the Old because God therein hath more cleerely manifested himselfe and his will the sending of our Sauiour Christ and the great worke of Redemption wrought by him with all the meanes whereby we may be made partakers of him and all his benefits Gods spirituall graces in this life and eternall saluation in the life to come For howsoeuer they are both all one in substance containe the same things yet with this difference in respect of vs that the Old Testament is the New hid and shadowed the New Testament is the Old vnfolded and reuealed §. Sect. 4 That we must not reade the Scriptures onely but also other religious writings But though a Christian man is to studie and read the holy Scriptures chiefely that he may out of them as out of the fountaine know God and all the duties of a godly life in which respect their practice is absolutely to be condemned who are so wholy taken vp in reading the Fathers Schoolemen and late Writers that they can finde little time to reade and meditate in the Booke of God and so are greatest strangers where they should be best acquainted and like ill merchants who buy all their wares at the second or third hand yet we are not so wholy to be conuersant in them as to neglect or to want time to peruse the writings of godly and learned men who by the helpe of their feruent prayers the gifts of learning and tongues and their serious studies and diligent labours haue giuen the true sense and meaning
who make best vse of it for the glory of him that gaue it by causing it to shine in their liues and conuersations As we see in the example of Dauid who became wiser and of greater vnderstanding Psal 119. 100. then the Ancient yea then his Teachers because hee kept Gods Precepts Vpon these alone is bestowed the gift of discerning betweene the sauing Truth and the traditions and precepts of men according to that of our Sauiour If Iohn 7. 17. any man will do his will he shall know the doctrine whether it be of God c. As for them who hide this rich talent without vse the Lord will depriue them of it and giue them ouer to their owne ignorance and errours And those who allow a place for it onely in their heads and will afford it no roome in their hearts by louing imbracing and practizing it it is iust with God to send them strong delusions that they should beleeue 2. Thes 2. 10 11 lies that they all might be damned who beleeue not the truth but had pleasure in vnrighteousnesse As we see in the example of many in these times who hauing beene inlightned with the knowledge of true Religion haue become a prey to Priests and Iesuites and though otherwise of good vnderstanding haue beene seduced and perswaded to beleeue the most sottish absurdities in all Popery of which there can be giuen no other reason then this that they did not loue the light of Gods Truth nor were carefull to walk by it in an holy conuersation but resolued to continue in such profane wicked courses euen against knowledge and conscience as would suffer them to finde no shadow of peace and comfort in the Doctrine of the Truth and therefore they haue sought it in popish dispensations and absolutions which allow them after that they haue with the harlot in the Prouerbs wiped their mouthes to returne againe to their former vncleanenesse in which regard I doubt not to affirme that whereas errour and ignorance do make one Papist loose licenciousnesse and resolued profanenesse doe make many Finally whereas those who haue the knowledge of the truth only seated in their braynes and haue no feeling of the power and efficacy of it for the sanctifying of their hearts and the reforming of their liues are easily seduced with cunning sophistry when as they are puzzled with subtil arguments which they are not able to answere they contrariwise who haue found and felt in themselues the efficacy of truth for the changing of their mindes and hearts and the renewing of their liues will neuer forsake it but will imbrace and professe it vnto the death and cheerefully seale it with their blood when for want of learuing and Art they are not able to defend it against the subtil obiections cunning sophistry of their aduersaries As we see in the example of many of the holy Martyrs who being vnlettered haue maintained the truth in the impregnable fort of their hearts when their heads haue beene too weake to preserue it from violence In which regard it were much to bee desired that all Ministers who haue the charge of soules committed vnto them would be carefull after that by catechizing they haue throughly grounded their people in the sound knowledge of the truth in the next place to worke it into their hearts and affections and to perswade them vnto an holy practice of it in their liues and conuersations both by shining before them in their light of doctrine and also of an holy example by the one shewing vnto them the way of truth and by the other leading them in it like good guides as it were by the hand At which marks as I haue aymed in the whole course of my Ministery both by preaching and writing so especially in these my present labours the which I haue made bold to dedicate vnto your Grace that they may remaine vnto the world as a testimony how much I loue and honor you as being in these perillous times a chiefe piller vnder his Maiesty to vphold the sincere truth of Religion against all errors nouelties and heresies which otherwise were likely to grow too fast amongst vs and also a principall Patrone of sound and solid preaching which you are ready vpon all occasions to countenance both with your authority and also by your painefull practice as on the other side to decry as much as in you lyeth that vaine or vanitie of such Preachers which only seeke to preach themselues by making ostentation of their wit learning and reading without any care to speake vnto the capacity of the people as though their maine end were rather to make the excellency of their gifts knowne for their owne praise or preferment then to communicate them vnto others to the Glory of God that gaue them or the good of their fellow seruants for whose sake they were entrusted vnto them The Lord long continue your Grace to be a singular instrument of his glory by maintaining the purity and practice of his true Religion in his Church to the ioy of all that wiâ—h well to Sion and the increasing of your owne glory and happinesse in the life to come Your Graces humbly deuoted in all Christian duty and seruice IOHN DOVVNAME TO THE CHRISTIAN READER IT is the duty Christian Reader of all who desire to approoue themselues faithfull subiects and seruants to our great Lord and Soueraigne that they consecrate themselues wholly vnto his seruice not only in the spirituall Warfare by fighting his battels euen vnto the death against the many and mighty enemies of his glory and our saluation but also in the time of peace by doing his will and performing all holy duties of his seruice which in his Word he requireth of them And therefore as I haue indeuoured heretofore according to the measure of grace receiued to prepare and fit all those who vouchsafe to peruse my poore labours that they may performe the duties of valiant Souldiers in my Bookes of the Christian Warfare so perceiuing that those my paines haue much aboue their worth found good acceptance with all those that feare God I haue now also beene incouraged to vndertake the other and not only to describe the duties of a godly life in which we ought to serue our Lord and Master but also to shew the meanes wherby we may be inabled hereunto and how we may remoue the impediments which otherwise might hinder vs from entring into or proceeding in the wayes of godlinesse The which my labours if they prooue as profitable to those that reade them as they haue beene painefull vnto me in framing and composing them I shall thinke my selfe abundantly recompenced and much more reioyce when I see the haruest of my hopes then euer I had cause to sigh and grone through wearinesse in my laborious seed-time Of which though I should faile as I hope I shall not yet as it is said of Vertue that it alwayes bringeth a reward with
find that we haue it then are we to reioyce in it vsing all good meanes whereby wee may preserue and keepe safe so precious a Iewell The meanes by which we may get a good conscience if we want it are diuers The first is in our iudgements highly to esteeme it as one of Gods speciall graces and richest gifts and in our hearts and affections to loue and desire it aboue all earthly things And so will the Lord be more willing to bestow it vpon vs when we esteeme and desire it according to the worth and value of it and we also shall be more earnest in vsing all good meanes to get it and more thankefull vnto God for it when wee haue obtained it Now that wee may esteeme and desire this gift of God let vs consider First that it is most excellent and one of the chiefest parts of our happinesse giuing vs a taste and entrance into the ioyes of heauen euen whilest we are vpon earth For as the Apostle saith The Kingdome of God is not meates and drinkes but righteousnesse and peace and ioy in the holy Ghost But to what end should I speake of the excellencie Rom. 14. 17. of it which is vnspeakeable or labour to set foorth the beauty and brightnesse of this heauenly light which no mortall eye can behold in its perfect glory seeing as the Apostle telleth vs it passeth all vnderstanding Phil. 4. 7. And therefore I will content my selfe to shaddow it darkely and to giue some glimpse of it as of the Sunne in the water by touching briefly the profit and necessitie of it And for the vtility of this grace that may bee said of it which the Apostle speaketh of godlinesse that it is profitable vnto all things hauing the promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come Like a witnesse it giueth euidence on our side before God and excuseth vs of all those faults which Satan accuseth vs of or the Law layeth to our charge like an Aduocate it pleadeth our cause and prooueth that wee are iust and innocent through the righteousnesse and obedience of Iesus Christ As a iust Iudge vpon this euidence and plea it absolueth vs and the iudgement thereof shall neuer bee trauersed or reuersed in this world nor in the world to come But looke what sentence good conscience passeth on earth the supreme Iudge will ratifie at the great Day of assises in which respect if it condemne vs not heere then may wee haue confidence towards God that hee will not condemne vs hereafter As a 1. Joh. 3. 21. comfortable and true friend it alwayes beareth vs company incouraging vs when we doe well and reproouing vs when we doe amisse admonishing and warning vs to looke to our footing when wee walke in slippery places and are in danger of falling and to rise if wee doe fall for want of care in taking warning by renewing our repentance In our prosperity it is our guide to leade vs on and direct vs in the right vse of it in our afflictiō it is our comforter which speaking peace within doth make vs with patience and ioy to beare all outward crosses and calamities In time of peace or rather cessation of that conflict with the spirituall enemies of our saluation it is a faithfull Watch-man which leaues vs to inioy our rest and quiet when there is no danger but yet admonisheth vs to sleepe in our Christian armour seeing they are not gone but haue onely withdrawne their forces for their greater aduantage and in time of warre Si rectè facies hic murus abeneus esto nil conscire sibi nulla pallescere culpa Horat. ad Moecenet Ep. 1. when the enemie approcheth and is ready to incounter vs it not onely soundeth the alarme that we may start vp and stand in readinesse but also is armour of proofe and euen a brazen wall to keepe vs from danger when they assault vs. Finally it performeth all good duties to all sorts of men at all times and all places accompanying the Iudge to the bench the Lawyer to the barre the Diuine both in his Study and Pulpit the Tradesman in his shop and the Buyer and Seller in the market teaching and admonishing them how they shall carry themselues in all cases and both approouing them when they performe their dutie and rebuking them when for feare or fauour glory or gaine they doe neglect it And from hence also the necessity of a good conscience appeareth seeing it bringeth with it so much good of all which they are destitute that liue without it Yea they are subiect to the contrary euils hauing in them a witnesse that daily accuseth them and a Iudge that condemneth them no guide to leade them no friend to admonish them to incourage them in good or discourage them in euill Neither can they doe any thing pleasing vnto God for the end of the Commandement is loue out of a pure heart a good conscience 1. Tim. 1. 5. and faith vnfained of which end they faile that are destitute of it and can doe nothing but sinne against God and bring vpon themselues fearefull condemnation for if our corrupt consciences condemne vs God the righteous and vnpartiall Iudge who is greater then our consciences 1. Joh. 3. 20. will much more condemne vs as the Apostle Iohn speaketh §. Sect. 2 Of the second meanes to obtaine a good conscience Secondly we must labour to know the will of God reuealed in the Scriptures and to apply what we know vnto our selues for our owne vse For the conscience iudgeth and witnesseth with God for vs or against vs and therefore we must know what he approueth and condemneth if we would haue our iudgement and euidence to agree with his otherwise our consciences being vniust and erronious will iudge vniustly of our actions and giue in false euidence when wee put our selues vpon them for triall More especially we must labour after the knowledge both of the Law and the Gospell for the Law as it is the rule of our actions according to which they ought to be wholy conformed so also it is the rule of our consciences whereby they discerne whether they be right or crooked good or euill It is the municipall law for the peculiar gouernement of Gods subiects and the booke of Satutes set out by our Soueraigne according to which conscience is bound to iudge and giue euidence which it cannot doe vnlesse it know and be able to examine our actions according vnto this law In which regard the consciences of ignorant men do in most things misleade them into manifold errours because they are not able to iudge of their actions according to Gods Law which they know not but giue sentence of them according to their owne wills humane traditions and their owne inuentions superstitious conceits and good meanings And the like may be said of those who hauing some knowledge of Gods Law doe through negligence or prophanenesse
of getting a good conscience The meanes of preseruing it being gotten are diuers First the often renewing of our couenant of peace with God by renewing the condition of it on our part faith and repentance For as wee daily wound our consciences through our frailty in falling into sinne whereby the peace of them is disturbed and defile them by casting vpon them the filth of our corruptions so our care must be to heale daily these wounds by applying vnto them afresh by the hand of faith the soueraigne salue and balsam of Christs blood which is of sufficient and sole vertue and nothing else in the world to heale these wounds and also to wash them as often in the teares of vnfained repentance which will giue vs assurance that they are purged and clensed from all filth of sinne Secondly being clensed our continuall care must be to keepe them cleane from all sinne especially in our desires resolutions and indeuours and howsoeuer we cannot hinder Rom. 6. 12. it from dwelling in vs yet we must take heede that it doe not so raigne in vs that we should obey it willingly in the lusts thereof for sinne willingly nourished cannot possibly stand with this peace seeing they doe wound and waste the conscience which sores if they fester and putrifie with corruption will breed in them such a gnawing worme as will giue vnto vs no peace or rest but night and day will torture and torment vs. Thirdly let vs daily mortifie all our sinfull lusts as wrath enuie malice vncleane concupiscence pride and the rest which will betray conscience vnto sinne and with their loud cries and tumultuous clamours hinder it of all sound peace and quiet But especially we must crucifie all worldly lusts of ambition couetousnesse and voluptuousnesse and weane our hearts from the loue of earthly vanities which otherwise if it be entertained will set the peace of conscience vnto sale for the base price of pleasure profit and preferment as the miserable experience of these times doe too plainely teach vs. Fourthly we must often examine our consciences by the rule of Gods Word whether they giue vnto vs true euidence and iudgement the which must be done in the presence of our supreme Iudge who perfectly seeth all secrets and giueth righteous iudgement not onely of all our actions but euen of conscience also which as his Deputie iudgeth of them Euen as the Iudges of the Kingdome according to law call to account all subiects and passe sentence of their actions but yet are accountable to their Soueraigne and haue all their iudgements and determinations subiect to his censure And this is that answere 1. Pet. 3. 21. Act. 24. 16. 23. 1. of a good conscience towards God whereof S. Peter speaketh which the Apostle Paul by continuall exercise indeuoured so to make as he might be accepted of him Which that we may the better doe at the great Day of reckoning we must often put conscience to iudge and examine it selfe according to the rule of the Scriptures that the Booke of Gods Law and the booke of conscience may agree together and also desire the Lord in priuate often to try and examine vs and it that all things being cleered Psal 26. 1 2. betweene vs and him we may not come to publike shame when wee are called to giue an account in the Starre-chamber of heauen Fifthly we are to keepe our consciences cleane and vndefiled from dead workes and not to smother any sinne in them without iudgement and execution though for life and liberty it offer to bribe vs with all the honours riches and pleasures in the world For if conscience be not pure and vnpartiall in condemning all sinne it can neuer be peaceable seeing it will be bound ouer to answere before the supreme Iudge for conniuencie and partiall iudgement and for not condemning and punishing sinne as his Vicegerent according to law shall it selfe be found an accessary and guilty of that sinne which it tolerated in vs and so shal be condemned and tortured with that gnawing worme which neuer dieth Lastly we must continually meditate of the day of Iudgement when as a cleere and good conscience will be better vnto vs then ten thousand worlds The which will make vs carefull to preserue our consciences in their purity and peace seeing if they doe not approue vs at that day we can neuer be iustified before the tribunall of Gods Iudgement And as Iudges and Notaries knowing that their wise iust and iudicious King will exactly view and examine their Bookes and Records are made thereby carefull to keepe them faire and without the aspersion of any faultinesse and if they haue failed in the iust executing of their office will doe what they can to bee free from all imputation so wee being to shew our bookes of conscience before the King of heauen and earth are to be much more carefull that they may be vnblemished and without all spots of sinne and because wee often blot and blemish them in this life and haue our faults and sinnes often interlined we must labour to get out all these blots and staines by washing them often with the hand of faith in the blood of Christ and in that aqua fortis and powerfull water which flowed out of his side that so our sinnes not being found in these bookes of account may not be imputed vnto vs nor bring vpon vs that iust condemnation which they haue deserued And so much concerning a good conscience and those fundamentall vertues which are the maine grounds of a godly life THE SECOND BOOKE OF A GODLY LIFE CONTAINING THE MAINE PARTS and principall duties of it which we ought generally to performe at all times and vpon all good occasions CAP. I. Of the maine duties wherein a godly life consisteth §. Sect. 1 That a godly life consisteth in doing all those duties which God hath commanded WEE haue intreated the more largely of the maine grounds of a godly life because when the foundation is laid large and deepe the building which is erected vpon it is more firme and durable And now we are come to shew first wherein it consisteth and secondly what are the properties of it and of all the duties required in it A godly life consisteth in the conformity of our whole carriage vnto Gods reuealed will both in fleeing and forsaking all that is euill and in imbracing and practising that which is good in leauing vndone that which hee hath forbidden and in doing that which hee hath commanded And is generally required in many places of holy Scriptures Depart from euill and doe good cease to doe euill and learne to doe well Put ye off concerning the former conuersation the old man which is corrupt according Psal 34. 14. Esa 1 16. 1. Pet. 3. 11. Eph. 4. 22 23 24 to the deceitfull lusts and be renewed in the Spirit of your minde and put on that new man which after God is created in righteousnesse and
and thankfulnesse and so make vs to become earnest and vnwearied in rendring vnto God praise and thankesgiuing when as we obserue a solemne fast and keepe vnto God a Esa 26. 16. day of humiliation consecrating it wholly to the exercises of religion and charity especially prayer and meditation And finally at all other times when we are fitted thereunto by Gods Spirit and sufficiently qualified with the former graces The which notwithstanding is to be vnderstood of priuate prayer by our selues and not when we pray in the company of others for then we are by the rule of charity to haue respect vnto them and not to tyre their zeale and deuotion and cause them to sinne through our tedious prolixity by wearinesse and wandring thoughts although we our selues haue a good appetite to this exercise for this were to force them to sit long at the table who haue quickly dined to cloy the weake of disgestion with variety of dishes because wee who beare them company haue good stomackes and to constraine young beginners and children in Christ to hold out with vs in our pace who are come to a ripe age and so to tyre for wearinesse before they come halfe way to their iourneyes end Which if it deserueth to be iudged vnequall how much is our practice worthy to bee condemned if in our meetings wee contend to out-vie one another striuing who shall exceed in length of prayers and variety of choyce words for the apt expressing of our minds heereby making prayer like vnto a mastery or race wherein we contend for the prize of praise which they are to win who are swiftest and best at length §. Sect. 3 Of the quality of our prayers The second thing to be considered is the quality of our speech which ought to be such in our prayers as is fittest both to stirre vp and expresse our zeale and deuotion Wherein we are to auoyd two extremes the first is curious affectation of words seeing the Lord respecteth not the eloquence of our speech but the sincerity of our hearts and the feruency of our desires which are as loud cries and most perswasiue orations in his eares when wee are most barren in words The second is rudenesse of speech without any fit words or good sense order or coherence which is caused through negligence want of preparation and of due reuerence and respect of Gods glorious Maiesty before whom wee stand and vnto whom we speake not caring what nor how wee babble in his presence though for our credit sake wee would be more carefull in speaking to mortall man not much superiour vnto vs. For otherwise if it proceed not from carelesnesse but from naturall infirmity and want of vtterance which we may iudge of if we be so in other discourses and vpon other occasions our prayers notwithstanding proceeding from vpright hearts and being ioyned with zeale and deuotion will be acceptable vnto God yea euen our imperfect speeches sighes and grones will as effectually moue him to heare vs and grant our suits as the most eloquent speeches which haue all the helpes and ornaments both of nature and art CAP. XVI Of the forme and method which are to be vsed and obserued in our prayers c. §. Sect. 1 Of formes of prayer set downe by others THe last thing to be considered respecteth the forme and manner of powring forth our soules in prayer vnto God which is either by vsing set formes or contriuing of prayers according to present occasions as we are inabled therunto by the Spirit of God The former sort are either such as are inuented by others and learned by hearing or reading their bookes and writings or else by our selues vpon due study and meditation Both which may bee lawfully and commendably vsed of Christians according to their seuerall states and gifts Written and printed formes by those who want ability to pray in their owne words or to frame their suits and petitions and expresse their minds in any good manner and order The which was one end of penning Dauids Psalmes that they might by skilfull Musicians be sung in the Congregation and vsed also in priuate both in families and by our selues alone And our Sauiour prescribed that perfect forme of the Lords Prayer not onely as a rule according to which we are to frame our prayers but also as a prayer to be vsed it selfe and therefore as it is said in one Euangelist After this Math. 6. 9. Luk. 11. 2. manner pray ye so in another When ye pray say Our Father And therefore as children before they can goe are not suffred to sit still but are trained and taught by others that hold them by the hand so though wee want spirituall strength and skill to performe this exercise by our selues yet wee must not neglect it altogether but yeeld our selues to bee trained by others as the Disciples did desire of our Sauiour Christ and as it were holding them by the hand to vse the helpe of their meditations But wee are not to rest in this as sufficient without any further proceedings for though it be fit for a child in Christ that he may be thus trained to goe alone yet when wee come to a riper age and in respect of our meanes should be able to teach others it is a shame for vs and argueth either great impotency and lamenesse in Religion or else negligence sloth and want of exercise if we cannot goe alone but still like children need leading by others Besides we cannot by others meditations vnburthen our selues of our owne particular sinnes of which God and our owne consciences onely are witnesses nor expresse those speciall wants which most pinch vs and which we most desire should be supplied nor fit our occasions to their prayers nor their prayers to our occasions but wee must as God requireth by the Prophet when we come vnto him as suiters take words vnto our selues and frame our petitions and thanksgiuings according Hos 14. 2. to our owne wants and occasions Neither let any that hath beene long trained in the schoole of Christ obiect his want of gifts and abilities seeing if he speake true he proclaimeth his owne shame and non-proficiency For if we had any sense of our wants and sinnes wee might finde some words to expresse them that we might craue a supply of the one and pardon for the other especially to our heauenly Father who is so gracious and willing to beare with our infirmities and who better accepteth of such imperfect prayers as are indited by our selues and vttered with zealous deuotion of honest hearts then of such as are in the best manner penned for vs by others Euen as euery wise father better accepteth of an Epistle inuented and written by his owne sonne himselfe though full of imperfections because it is the meanes to traine him vp to more perfection then that which is done to his hand by one of his fellowes of an higher forme though much more exact
13. 18. contrariwise in all our contracts we must carefully shunne and auoyd all guile and deceit all hollow and double dealing tending to the vndermining Micah 7. 2. and circumuenting of our neighbours So the Apostle exhorteth that no man goe beyond or defraud his brother in any matter because the Lord 1. Thes 4. 6. is the auenger of all such for as the Psalmist saith he abhorreth the deceitfull Psal 5. 6. and blood thirstie man More especially we must in all our dealings obserue truth in all our words and not onely speake it from our lips but also from Zach. 8. 16. Psal 15. 2. our hearts hating auoyding all subtill equiuocations and mentall reseruations as tending to circumuent and deceiue those with whom we deale Secondly fidelity in all our promises performing them although it be to Vers 4. our owne hindrance vnlesse he to whom they are made doth release vs of them Thirdly iustice in all our actions giuing euery man his due and dealing with others as we would haue them to deale with vs. Fourthly charity and compassion in remitting our right in whole or in part when as the bargaine prooueth hard and to the great losse and hinderance of our poore neighbours who are not able to beare it And lastly patience and contentednesse when we sustaine any damage and detriment or be otherwise crossed or ouer-reached in any of our contracts either purposely by those with whom we deale or by some casualty or accident which could not bee foreseene Contrariwise in all our contracts we must auoyd lying and that which is equall vnto it equiuocation For the getting of treasures by Pro. 21. 6. a lying tongue is a vanity tossed to and fro of them that seeke death And againe Wealth gotten by vanity shall be diminished but he that gathereth by labour Pro. 13. 11. shall increase yea though a man could by lying get the whole world what would this profit him seeing thereby hee shall lose his owne soule For liars shall not onely be excluded out of the Kingdome of heauen but also haue their portion in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone which is the Apoc. 22. 15. 21. 8. second death With like care wee must auoid in our dealings all perfidiousnesse and breach of promise although it tend to our great aduantage seeing God will not blesse goods gotten by breach of couenants and though we should thriue by such courses our worldly gaine will in no sort recompence our spirituall losse We must shun also all kinde of vniustice in our contracts seeing though it bring in present gaine yet no profit in the end For the treasures of wickednesse profit nothing but righteousnesse deliuereth Pro. 10. 2. from death Likewise we must auoyd all vncharitablenesse raysing our gaine out of our neighbours losse but as fellow-members of the same body we must aduance as much as in vs lieth our mutuall profit and in some equality thriue together Finally we must not through impatiency murmure and repine fret and fume when wee meete with any crosses or losses in our contracts but be content sometime to lose as well as gaine and to this end we must not haue our eyes too much fastened vpon secondary causes and inferiour meanes which perhaps are exceeding crosse and faulty but lift them aboue the earth and fixe them vpon the most wise prouidence of our good and gracious God who gouerneth all things which seeme most contingent and casuall and so disposeth of them as is most for his owne glory and the spirituall good and euerlasting saluation of all those that loue and depend vpon him §. Sect. 4 That we must sell only things saleable More especially there are diuers duties required of vs in our buying and selling As first that the seller be the true and lawfull owner of that hee selleth or his deputy appointed by him and that the buyer doe not for priuate gaine buy any thing from any man whom he thinketh not to haue any right to sell it In which respect they grieuously offend who buy or sell stolne goods if they know of it and they who sacrilegiously sell and buy the liuings of the Church and such things as are freely consecrated to the seruice of God Secondly the seller ought to sell and the buyer to buy such things onely as are vendible and may iustly bee bought and sold In which regard they offend who sell or buy the gifts of the Spirit as Simon Magus or holy things which belong to God and those who sell and buy Iustice or iniustice by bribery giuen or taken either to fill their owne purses Amos 2. 6. Esa 5. 23. Esa 1. 23. or to peruert right They also who sell and buy truth and lyes as false witnesses and they that hire them to giue false testimony But they most of all who for corruptible things sell their soules vnto sinne as Achab did which Christ redeemed with his most precious blood Thirdly wee ought to sell onely such things as are fit for sale or knowing them to bee otherwise to acquaint the buyer with it and so to pitch a lower price according to their lesser value Otherwise wee are not to sell things falsified in respect of their substance and such as are mixt and corrupt for such as are pure and good which is a common fault among Merchants and Tradesmen in these dayes who for their greater gaine adulterate their wares and iumble and intermingle things of a different degree in goodnesse selling them all at the best rates Fourthly we are bound to sell those things only which are some way profitable for the Church and Common-wealth either for necessary vse or for ornament and delight Neither ought wee to benefit our selues by such things as are vnprofitable vnto others and much lesse by such as are in their owne nature hurtfull and pernicious vncharitably raising our owne gaine out of our neighbours losse As those that sell popish pardons and bookes to ignorant people who are likely to be seduced by them such also as further them in their superstition and idolatrie obscene pictures and bookes full of ribaldry and all prophanenesse fit for nothing but to poison and corrupt such as see and reade them §. Sect. 5 That we must set and sell our wares at an equall price Fifthly we ought in selling and buying to set our wares at an equall price the best rule whereof for the most part is the ordinarie price of the market which valueth things not simply in their owne worth but with consideration of all circumstances as scarcity plenty time and place and not according to the price wee gaue lesse or more nor onely respecting whether we gayne much or little whether we get nothing or lose thereby For as of necessity through the change of prices we must sometimes lose so it is alike necessary that we should gain at another time to repaire these losses and maintaine our state And
the office of an accuser then of a Iudge and lastly of a mediatour to craue pardon and sometime find out thy selfe For hee willingly erreth who knoweth not his errour and too much loueth himselfe who will haue others erre that his errour may lye hid By which exercise wee should receiue singular profit For hereby wee should preserue our soules and hearts in a thriuing estate when wee doe like wise Merchants and shopkeepers examine them and search ouer our consciences as it were our bookes of accounts to see whether wee haue gayned or lost in our spirituall trading by examining what wee haue receiued and what we haue layd out which if we would doe we should not easily be cast behind hand when as we preuent our errours and vse meanes to repaire our losses in their first beginnings nor as many are be bankrupted in our estates at vnawares for want of care to examine them Wee should sleepe much more sweetely and securely when as we haue so composed and set straight our reckonings as that wee neede not to feare though the great Iudge should before morning call vs to an account In which regard the same Author commendeth this exercize The minde saith he is daily to be called to an account Sextius vsed at the end of the day and when he retired himselfe to rest to examine his minde What euill of thine hast thou cured What vice hast thou withstood in what art thou better that anger will cease or be more moderate which knoweth that it shall not escape the censure of an vnpartiall Iudge What therefore is more excellent Quid pulchrius hac consucâ—udine excutiendi totam diem c Sâ—neâ— de ira lib. 3. cap. 36. then this custome of examining euery day How sweete is that sleepe which followeth the reuiew of our selues How quiet sound and free when the minde is commended or admonished and as a watchman and secret censurer of it selfe doth iudge of it owne manners We should also preserue our hearts in their purity and soundnesse if not from all infirmities and corruptions yet at least from deepe putrifaction and the festering sores of sinne when as we cure the wounds being yet greene and cast out sinne by repeetance as soone as it is first entred not suffering it to lodge and sleep with vs no not one night We should hereby keepe our spirituall state well settled so as it would not easily be shaken or at least ouerthrowne with the assaults of the enemies of our saluation when as we constantly looke to our Christian Armour and watching ouer our hearts as our chiefe forts repaire the breaches as soone as they are made Finally wee shall preuent carnall security and hardnesse of heart when wee examine our selues daily and bee better fitted and prepared for the day of death and Iudgement when as wee keepe our accounts euen and haue our bookes of reckonings betweene God and our consciences made vp and in continuall readinesse For he may soone cleare his accounts with his Master at the yeeres end who like a faithfull and diligent Factor doth make all reckonings straight at the end of euery day §. Sect. 5 Meditations at our first lying downe Besides this examination there are also other Meditations very profitable as to call to our remembrance Gods manifold blessings and benefits bestowed vpon vs the day past respecting our soules bodies and states in that he hath preseru'd vs from innumerable euils with which many others haue beene ouertaken for continuing vnto vs still the acceptable time and day of saluation and suffering vs with so much patience to continue in this life that we may make our calling and election sure notwithstanding our manifold and grieuous sinnes for giuing vnto vs some poore desires and indeuours to doe him seruice and to accept of it in Christ though in it selfe full of wants and imperfections Especially if we haue in any measure performed the former duties of the daily exercise we must not forget to render vnto God the praise and glory due vnto him for it by the gracious assistance of whose holy Spirit we who of our selues are not able so much as to thinke a good thought haue beene inabled vnto them So likewise it is requisite that at our lying downe we call our sinnes to our remembrance the duties which wee haue omitted or corruptly performed and the vices which we haue committed and though through Gods mercy wee haue beene preserued from grosser sinnes yet wee must not thinke our selues so excused but call to minde our frailties and infirmities for which God in his righteous iudgement might condemne vs. Our sloth and backwardnesse to good duties our coldnesse wearinesse and many distractions in Gods seruice our excesse in mirth or sorrow the neglect of our Christian watch ouer our thoughts senses words and workes our idlenesse or vnprofitablenesse pride selfe-loue vniust anger sinister conceits and vniust censures of our neighbours and such like In the sight and sense whereof we must truely humble our soules before God by vnfained repentance and earnestly begge in Christs Name mercy and forgiuenesse Finally it is profitable then to remember our mortality and mutability death and Iudgement that we who now goe well to bed may shortly bee cast vpon the bed of sickenesse and we that now liue may within a while be imprisoned vnder the arrest of death yea let vs not looke vpon it as a thing farre off but approching at the threshold and ready to knocke at Luk. 12. 19 20. the doore and thinke that this very night as well as another may bee the time when God by sicknesse and death will summon vs to appeare before his Tribunall And if in respect of thy health and strength this seemeth vnlikely Cuiuis potest accidere quod cuiquam potest Sen. consider that it hath beene the case of many before thee and that which befalleth any may happen to all In which regard let vs not dare to sleepe till through Christ we are at peace with God haue made our accounts euen by pleading Christs satisfaction and full payment and haue our pardon in our hands to shew sealed to all the faithfull with his blood and to vs in particular by his holy Spirit and a liuely faith applying the fruit and benefit of his death vnto vs. And then resigning our soules and bodies into the hands of him who is a faithfull Sauiour and able to keepe safe whatsoeuer is intrusted vnto him we may with Dauid lying downe in 2. Tim. 1. 12. Psal 4. 8. peace take our rest because it is he onely that maketh vs dwell in safety §. Sect. 6 Duties to bee done in the night And first Prayer and Thanksgiuing In the night also there are other duties to bee performed for euen then we must seeke the Lord according to the example of the Church which Esa 26. 9. Cant. 3. 1. Psal 119. 55. professeth that with her soule shee desired the Lord in the night
gouernours of the family doe examine them and require of them an account of that which they haue heard that they may see how they haue profited by the publike Ministery For if they thinke it necessary that they should giue them an account of their worldly businesse or how they haue layd out their moneys when they haue sent them to the Market then much more should they examine them what spirituall Markets they haue made for the good of their soules and how much they haue gained by the vse of Gods holy Ordinances for the inriching of them with the treasures of knowledge In all which the Master of the family must shew much loue and patience commending those who answere well and bearing with the infirmities of such as are of meaner capacities and weaker memories when they see that they doe their best and doe not faile through grosse negligence that they may not by being shamed and disgraced be altogether discouraged in these religious exercises To which purpose they must make the best they can of their imperfect answeres by inlarging and perfecting them and supplying that in which they are defectiue And on the other side the inferiours must shew themselues tractable and teachable and with willingnesse and cheerefulnesse submit themselues vnto Gods holy Ordinances that they may profit by these exercises and increase more and more in the knowledge of God and his will §. Sect. 3 Of other priuate duties to be done on the Lords Day After the finishing of which family exercises wee are to spend the rest of the time before Supper in other Christian duties as in visiting and Mat. 25. 35. comforting those that bee sicke or in any other great affliction and ministring vnto their necessities if they stand in need of our helpe In making peace and friendship betweene those who are at variance by compounding the differences which are betweene them In meditating vpon the great Booke of the creatures and obseruing in them the infinite and admirable wisedome and goodnesse power and prouidence of our gracious God that wee may take occasion to render vnto him the glory and praise of his owne workes when wee see their wonderfull variety and comely order their qualities and formes their beauty and excellencie their vse and profit for the seruice of man Obseruing likewise in them such good properties as are worthy our imitation and bee ashamed that they should exceed vs in them who haue the vse of reason and so many religious helpes and meanes and their ill properties that wee may auoyd them taking occasion thereby to be humbled in the remembrance of our fall from our created purity and integrity as being the principall cause of all their defects and imperfections So also vvee may in this respect make good vse of the Creatures when by them wee take occasion of some spirituall Meditation As when wee see their beautie to thinke how infinitely beautifull hee is that created them when we consider how delightfull and profitable they are vnto man to conceiue thereby what surpassing excellencies God hath prepared for his owne Children in his Kingdome of Glory when wee obserue how seruiceable they are to man to thinke how much more diligent wee should be in seruing our great Lord and Master who hath giuen both to them and vs our birth and being More particularly when we behold the earth whereof we were made let vs take occasion to thinke of our owne basenesse and that we shall be resolued into earth againe when we see the flowers of the field let vs thinke of the momentany mutability of worldly prosperity and of Eccl. 12. 7. Esa 40. 6. our owne mortality who are like vnto them when we looke vpon the Suns glorious brightnesse let vs take occasion thereby to thinke of Gods glorious Maiesty and of the glory and brightnesse of the Saints in heauen who shall farre exceed it Of which we haue our Sauiour Christ an example for Iob. 4. and the 6. our imitation who tooke occasion from corporall bread and water to discourse of the spirituall Manna and Waters of life from a worldly feast to Luk. 14. 15 16 17. Iob. 7. 38 39. speake of a spirituall banket and of the liuing waters of his grace and holy Spirit giuen to all that beleeue in him And this is a fit and profitable exercise on the Lords Day commended vnto vs by the Scriptures and practice of the Church as heereby it appeareth in that the Psalme which was Psal 92. specially appointed for the Sabbath containeth in it for the most part a Meditation vpon the workes of God §. Sect. 4 That the euening must be spent â—n religious exercises In the euening of the Lords Day we are not to surcease our Christian and religious exercises but after wee haue at supper refreshed our bodies with the vse of Gods creatures and our soules with holy conferences wee are to spend some time in singing of Psalmes and in reading the Scriptures or other religious and profitable writings After which duties performed all in the family ought to ioyne together in hearty and effectuall prayer not thinking themselues excused from priuate duties because they haue beene at the publike exercises of Religion wherein as wee are to acknowledge other sinnes and imperfections so those especially wee haue shewed the day past in our cold formall weake and negligent performance of the duties of Gods seruice And as we are to craue other blessings so especially that the Lord by his grace and holy Spirit will blesse vnto vs the meanes of our saluation and Ministery of his Word whereof we haue been partakers on that Day writing the things we haue learned in our memories and hearts and inabling vs to put them in practice and to make vse of them in the whole course of our liues And finally as we are to praise God for all his other mercies so particularly for giuing vs time to sanctifie his Sabbaths and suffering vs to inioy the blessed light of his Word and Gospell for granting vs liberty with such peace and safety to tread in his Courts and to make our suits and supplications knowne vnto him with assurance to haue them heard and granted And thus hauing finished this holy exercise and the time of sleepe approching we must prepare our selues thereunto with such religious Meditations as on other dayes were prescribed the which at this time are to be done with extraordinary zeale and deuotion and so commending our soules and bodies into the hands of God we are to desire him that he will watch ouer and sanctifie vs so with his grace and holy Spirit that we may spend the night also in an holy Rest being freed from worldly carnall and sinfull dreames and hauing our phantasies and thoughts our hearts and affections both sleeping and waking taken vp and exercised in good and godly Meditations And that he wil so season our hearts with the sauour of the Dayes religious exercises that euen
into act when wee haue had fit occasion Our worldlinesse and earthly mindednesse which haue made vs by affecting transitory trifles to neglect spirituall and heauenly excellencies and neglecting Gods seruice to serue Satan in hope of receiuing this base wages and rewards of iniquity Our little profiting by the long inioying and vsing of the light of the Gospell and plentifull meanes of our saluation for the inriching of our selues with Gods spirituall and sauing graces knowledge faith affiance loue zeale patience or the fruitfull exercizing of them in the duties of a godly life which hath come to passe by our irreuerent slothfull and sluggish vsing of the meanes nor bringing vnto them any faith zeale feruency of spirit or a good conscience Our want of Christian valour and resolution in the Christian warfare and our often yeelding vnto the tentations of Satan the world and our own flesh Finally our abuse of prosperity and temporary blessings which being giuen vs of God as present wages in our hands to make vs more cheerfull in his seruice we haue abused as meanes and occasions to make vs more sinfull more forgetfull of God and negligent and cold in his seruice more proud worldly and vnconscionable in all our courses And when we haue called to our remembrance these and such other sinnes whereby we haue been hindred in the wayes of godlinesse and haue vnfainedly lamented and bewailed them with bitter griefe and resolued amendment for the time to come then are we also to renew and strengthen our faith by applying afresh vnto vs the gracious promises of the Gospell which are made in Christ vnto all repentant sinners The which often renewing of our couenant with God will be a notable meanes of strengthening vs vnto all the duties of a godly life seeing this couenant of grace is the ground and foundation of them God hauing promised therein that hee will take away from vs our stony hearts and giue vs hearts of flesh and that hee Ezek. 11. 19 20. and 36. 26. will put a new spirit within vs that we may walke in his statutes and keepe his ordinances and doe them That he will giue vs one heart and one way that wee Ier. 31. 33. and 32. 40. may feare him for euer and put his Law in our inward parts and write it in our hearts that we shall not depart from him And as thus on Gods part wee are strengthened vnto all good duties by his Spirit which hee promiseth and giueth vnto vs so also on our part this renewing of our faith inabling vs hereunto for the more we are assured of the remission of our sinnes and of all Gods benefits both spirituall in this life and heauenly in the life to come the more we loue him who hath so loued vs and of his infinite bounty hath multiplied vpon vs such inestimable blessings and Nehem. 10. 29. the more wee loue him the more loth wee are to doe any thing which may displease him and the more forward and willing to glorifie him and to performe all good duties acceptable in his sight §. Sect. 6 That we must take more care to approue our wayes to God and our owne consciences then vnto men The second rule is that we chiefly labour to approoue all our workes and wayes to God and our owne consciences rather then vnto men the testimony whereof is much more to be esteemed then publike fame and humane censures For fame being but a breath of the often deceiued multitude may also deceiue vs by giuing a false testimony either on the worser or better part but our cōsciences which are priuy euen to our secret actions and inward intentions in doing them will not easily bee corrupted to giue in false euidence especially in those who are sanctified and regenerate Humane and vulgar censures are often false and friuolous ridiculous and impious applauding that which God condemneth and condemning that which he commendeth and commonly that best pleaseth the multitude which displeaseth him They call him honourable not who honoureth God and is honoured of him who is a sonne of God brother of Christ and heire of heauen but who is innobled by the vertues of his parents or who hath bought glorious titles as it were a slaue in the market or as the Centurion his freedome with a great summe They call him rich and happy who is poore beggerly naked and vtterly destitute of the riches of Gods graces because he hath some worldly pelfe which euery day may be taken from him or he from it And hee of the world is esteemed valorous and magnanimous who is so impotent in ruling his passions that he cannot beare the least iniury without taking reuenge and contrariwise he base and cowardly who dissembleth wrongs and according to Christs Commandement doth readily forgiue them leauing vengeance to God vnto whō alone it belongeth Though nothing is more contrary to true fortitude or the magnanimous constancy of a sound and well-settled minde then with euery wind of words to bee moued out of a right state and with other mens folly to become furious and frantique But a good conscience giueth in true euidence as witnessing with God or that which he witnesseth not out of a blind opinion mis-led by passion but according to the booke of holy Scriptures with which this booke of conscience commonly agreeth And therefore if wee would leade a godly life and constantly performe those Christian duties which are pleasing vnto God let vs lightly regard the censure of the multitude who ordinarily outface and discountenance vertue and piety and commend and magnifie vice and wickednesse iustifie those whom God condemneth and condemne those that hee iustifieth accounting their false praises a great dishonour and their scornes and disgraces for innocency and piety our praise and glory seeing he cannot be but honourable whom God honoureth nor want glory whom Christ his Saints and holy Angels approue and applaud And contrariwise let vs highly esteeme in all our actions the testimony of our owne conscience which will restraine vs from secret sinnes as well as from open and notorious and mooue and incite vs to all Christian duties euen in our secret closets when there is none by to censure our actions And as no wise man in running of a race is much moued with the speeches of the standers by which hee assuredly knoweth to be false and friuolous thinking euer the better of himselfe when he is cast behind all the rest of the company because they commend his speed or the worse when he hath outstripped them and is neere the goale because they discommend him for his slownesse so neither must we be lifted vp with a good conceit of our selues when others commend vs for our swiftnesse in the spirituall race if our owne consciences tell vs that wee are slow and behind all the rest with whom wee contend for the Garland nor yet deiected and discouraged when they dispraise vs if we are priuie vnto
because the crossed booke as it sheweth his honesty in paying his debts so at least it seemeth to argue defect of present meanes in that for the time he was indebted so much lesse would any come vpon the score or into the booke of conscience for euery small bait of worldly pleasure or profit seeing here especially one thing pulls on another and many littles make a great reckoning nor yet for matters of greater moment if they considered that payment must bee made the score cleered and the booke crossed before they can betake themselues to quiet rest Which when it is done though it sheweth their faith and piety in repenting yet withall their frailty and imperfection in their spirituall estate in that by falling into sinne they needed repentance §. Sect. 6 Of the consideration of our misery and punishment And thus we must examine our selues in respect of our sins which when we haue done we must not rest there but enter also into the consideration Heb. 10. 31. of the misery and punishments which not being repented of they bring vpon vs. As that they make vs subiect to the wrath and displeasure of Almighty God who being a consuming fire and we as stubble or combustible matter it must needs be a fearfull thing to fall into his hands To the curse also of the Law denounced against all that continue not in all that is written therein to doe it and to all the plagues and punishments threatened therein which respect either this life or the life to come that they are a wall of separation betweene our God and vs stopping from vs the sweet influences of his grace and loue and hindring vs of many testimonies of his fauour in temporall things which otherwise hee would graciously bestow vpon vs. And contrariwise that till we repent they indanger vs to euerlasting condemnation which though we doe hereafter auoyd by turning from our sinnes vnto God yet in the meane time they expose vs to temporary afflictions which God vseth as a meanes to bring vs to repentance crossing vs in our euill courses and setting thorny Hos 2. 6. hedges in our way to stay vs from running too farre from him They moue him to meet with vs at euery turne and to bring vs to a true sight and sense of our sinnes by fitting his punishments in some proportion or likenesse vnto them because so brutish wee are in obseruing our sinnes and the iudgements of God inflicted for them that like the dog before the sheepe that he hath worried wee need to be taken with the manner and to haue our fault laid before vs when he taketh vs in hand to beate vs for it For because sinne is too sweet to our carnall appetite therefore the Lord imbittereth it with the wormewood and gall of afflictions which Lam. 3. 19. oftentimes much more vexing vs then wee tooke delight in the pleasure of sinne doth make vs afterwards when wee remember this lothsome after-taste to restraine our appetite and not to giue way to our carnall concupiscence alluring vs to wickednesse §. Sect. 7 Of the end of this examination and time when it is to be performed And thus we see the subiect matter and manner of our examination with the helpes and meanes whereby we may be furthered in it Now the maine end of it is that it may serue as an effectuall meanes to bring vs to repentance for therefore we labour to come vnto a true sight of our sins that we may vnfainedly bewaile them with bitter griefe Therefore doe we take a thorow view of our sinnes and the Iudgements of God miseries and punishments which doe accompany them that seeing the vgly deformities of the one and feeling or foreseeing the smart of the other we may be moued either not to sinne or being ouertaken to leaue and forsake them and to preuent our owne woe by speedy repentance The time of this examination is alwayes in season because repentance is neuer vnseasonable For seeing the score is seldome cleere and our frailty such that conscience is occasioned to hold the pen still in hand and euery hand while writeth vp our debts therefore we must be still examining cleering and crossing of our bookes that nothing may stand vpon account when we shall be called to Iudgement which being most certaine and the time most vncertaine it would be our wisedome to be alwaies in readinesse In which regard it were to be wished that we would spend some little time euery night before vve goe to sleepe in examining our selues and cleering our accounts for the day past the which I here passe ouer hauing spoken of it before in the daily exercise But most solemnly and seriously are wee to set ourselues about this duty of examination when as wee haue some speciall cause of renewing our repentance As when wee desire any extraordinary benefit which vve greatly vvant when we vndertake any waighty businesse vvhen vvee humble our selues in any solemne manner before God either publikely or priuately in the sight and sense of our sinnes vvhich vve desire should be pardoned or of some imminent and approching iudgement vvhich vvee vvould preuent or some present affliction vvhich vve vvould haue remoued or vvhen vvee prepare our selues that vve may come as vvorthy ghests to the Lords Table Then is this examination 1. Cor. 11. 28. most seasonable as being the best preparatiue for humiliation feruent prayer and serious repentance §. Sect. 8 A complaint of the neglect of this duty and the causes thereof But alas hovv is this excellent duty generally neglected and hovv seldome doe the most that professe Christianity call themselues vnto this account multiplying their sinnes from day to day and neuer making any reckoning of them And although almost all men hold it to be most necessary to be still reuievving their vvorldly estates and to keepe a strict account of their debts and meanes to discharge them of their disbursements and expences and of their profits and commings in yet hovv fevv are they vvho seriously examine their debts to God or of the meanes vvhereby they may discharge them hovv they thriue and increase or hovv they decay and goe backvvard in their spirituall estate till at last they prooue Banquerupts in all grace and goodnesse and so desperate in their estates that they onely thinke hovv they may runne further in debt and neuer take care hovv it may be discharged Of vvhich neglect there are many causes First because they are so farre in loue vvith their sinnes that they loath all meanes vvhich might vvorke any dislike or conuince them of the necessity to leaue and forsake them So our Sauiour saith that when light is come into the world men loue darknesse rather then light because Ioh. 3. 19 20. their deeds are euill For euery man that doth euill hateth the light neither commeth to it lest his deeds should bee reprooued Secondly because through long neglect of this duty their debts are growne
2. Tim. 3. 15. 2 Iohn ver 1 4. our learning that we through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might haue hope The Apostle Iohn likewise writing to children young and old men plainely implyeth that no age is exempted but euen little children must reade that they may be seasoned with the knowledge of Gods truth from their tender age like young Timothy and the children of the elect Lady and so being trayned vp in the way which they should chuse when they are old they will not depart from it and hauing this sound foundation of knowledge layd they may haue the building of faith and piety more easily erected and set vp in them And young men also must reade the Scriptures that being armed with this sword of the Spirit they may be the better enabled to resist the tentations of the diuell the world and their own flesh which in that age are most strong and violent Finally old men after they haue gotten much knowledge must still diligently studie the Scriptures that they may be the better confirmed and settled in the things which they know recall those things to memory which that age otherwise is apt to forget and that hauing knowne God and his Christ from the beginning not onely by reading and hearing but by much experience they may be refreshing and renewing this knowledge be the better able to walke themselues in this cleare light and guide and direct others also by their fatherly instructions in the right way that they should chuse But yet in a more speciall manner this dutie of reading the Law and Word of Deut. 17. 18 19 Iosh 1. 8. God is pressed vpon Princes and Gouernours that being inlightened with the knowledge of Gods will and truth they may themselues yeeld obedience vnto it seeing hereby they shall not onely saue their owne soules but also bee a meanes of the saluation of many others their liues and actions being exemplarie and powerfull to draw those which are vnder them to follow and imitate them in that which is either good or euill And also that hauing this light to guide them they may administer righteous iudgement and gouerne the people committed to their charge in the feare of the Lord establishing amongst them Gods true Religion and maintaining in all their dominions iustice and truth But aboue all others the Ministers of Gods Word are religiously bound to exercise themselues diligently in reading the Scriptures seeing they must not onely haue skill to direct themselues and their owne families but to instruct all others committed to their charge in the Word and will of God for the Priests lips Mal. 2. 7. must preserue knowledge and the people must seeke the Law at their mouth for he is the messenger of the Lord of hosts And he principally more then ordinary Christians must giue attendance to reading exhortation and doctrine 1. Tim. 4. 13 16. and continue in them because in so doing he shal both saue himselfe and those that heare him §. Sect. 2 That we are chiefly to be exercised in reading and studying of the Scriptures The second generall point to be considered is the subiect matter of our reading of which wee must make good choyce seeing it were much better not to reade at all then to spend our time in perusing such bookes as are prophane teaching nothing but vanitie and lyes wantonnesse ribaldry and contempt both of Religion common honesty in which number are books of scurrilous iests plaies and Machiauellian policie For as we say in the prouerbe Where God hath his Church there the diuell hath his chappell and apishly imitating the diuine Maiesty that he may blinde his followers get from them the like glory and especially that he may disgrace Gods holy ordinances as God hath his Sacraments Ceremonies so he will haue his to seale vp to his vassals their more assured condemnation And as God hath his bookes of holy Scriptures contayning his will and Lawes for the sanctifying and gouerning of his people so the deuill will haue scribes inspired with his will to set forth bookes of hellish impieties and damnable policies for the corrupting of mens iudgements the poisoning of their hearts and manners and the trayning vp and gouerning of his subiects in all sinne and wickednesse And therefore all those who desire to please God in the duties of a godly life must with as much care flee such bookes as Mariners doe the rockes and sands and as they professe themselues Gods seruants so they must make choyce of such bookes as will better their knowledge and practice in his Lawes as they professe themselues of the Christian Religion so they must read and studie such bookes as being religious will further them in Christianity and enable them to performe vnto God more diligent and faithfull seruice In which respect the Booke of holy Scriptures contained in the Old and New Testament is to be preferred aboue all others seeing it is the foundation and ground of them all which hauing God for it Author is of infallible truth and is to be beleeued in its owne sole authority and needeth not the confirmation of reason or any humane testimony but shineth like the Sunne in it owne light Whereas all writings of men who are subiect to errours are onely so far foorth to be beleeued and imbraced as they are consonant and agreeable with it For all men are lyers and through their ignorance subiect to errors apt to deceiue and to be deceiued and therefore are no further to be credited then as their sayings and works are approoued by the Canon and rule of Gods infallible truth Besides that the Word of God is of more maiesty power efficacie then any mortall mans and his more immediate ordinance which being more effectually assisted and wrought into our mindes and hearts by his holy Spirit is of greater efficacie for the inlightening of our vnderstandings the mollifying of our hearts the strengthening of our Faith and sanctifying of our affections then all other writings without it And this Dauid found by experience professing that by studying and meditating in the Booke and Law of God he became wiser then the Ancients and of more vnderstanding then his teachers Psal 119. 9◠100. §. Sect. 3 Their obiection answered who pretend the obscurity of the Scriptures Neither let any man pretend that the Scriptures are of such difficulty and so hard to be vnderstood that priuate men must not presume to Psal 19. 7 8. Pro. 1. 4. read them seeing they haue plainely taught vs that the Law of the Lord inlighteneth the eyes and maketh wise the simple And wise Salomon telleth vs that this was one chiefe end of his penning that portion of holy Scripture that he might giue subtilty that is more then common knowledge to the simple and to the young man knowledge and discretion So that though the Scriptures finde men simple and ignorant yet they doe not leaue them so seeing they
sufficient for the other also and excellent wits and parts to comprehend and profit by them but also liue in such places which are infected with errours schismes and heresies where in respect of their company they shall need to be extraordinarily confirmed and strengthened that they may be able to defend the truth and to confute and conuince gain-sayers yea if it bee possible to perswade and gaine them that they may imbrace the same truth which they professe In which case I would commend vnto them the learned writings of B. Iewell against Harding of Doctor Fulke and especially his answere to the Rhemish Testament Doctor Reynolds conference with Hart Master Perkins his Reformed Catholique Doctor Abbots learned defence of it against Bishop Doctor Whites Way to the true Church and Doctor Willets Synopsis which comprizeth in it the summe of many others and learnedly disputeth and discusseth the most poynts in controuersie between vs and our aduersaries Otherwise I should perswade those whose maine aime is to informe themselues in the duties of godlinesse that they may practise them in their liues to be more sparing in the study of Controuersies seeing if they cleerly see the perfect rule of truth it will inable them to discerne the crooked errours which are contrary vnto it it being such a light as not onely sheweth it selfe but also all falshood which is opposite and oppugneth it CAP. XXIX Of our preparation vnto this exercise of reading and what is required in it §. Sect. 1 That we must come in reuerence to this holy exercise and bring faith vnto it ANd thus hauing generally shewed both who are to exercise themselues in reading and the subiect matter which they are to reade we are now to intreat of the duty it selfe and then to shew that it is an excellent helpe and meanes of a godly life In the duty we will consider the preparation vnto it and then the action or exercise of reading with some directions by which we may be inabled to performe it with fruit and benefit In our preparation our care must be to fit our selues that wee may performe this religious duty in a right manner and not to goe about it rashly and vnaduisedly neuer so much as once thinking to what end we vndertake it but onely reading to spend the time because we want some other imployment And first we must come vnto this duty with all reuerence and performe it as in Gods presence and as being one of his gracious ordinances whereby hereuealeth himselfe and his will more cleerly vnto vs for the edifying and building of vs vp in all grace and godlinesse Secondly we must bring faith with vs for as it is said of the Word heard so may it also of this namely that the Word which we reade will not profit vs vnlesse it Heb. 4. 2. be mixed with faith in those that reade it The which is to be vnderstood first generally of iustifying faith in Christ which is required in all our actions that they may be pleasing to God more specially in this seeing if Christ be not in vs by his Spirit and a liuely faith both to open the blind eyes of our mindes that we may see and vnderstand as hee did the eyes of Saul Act. 16. Luk. 24. Apoc. 5. 5. and our hard hearts shut vp in sinne as he did the heart of Lydia and of the two Disciples going to Emaus yea if this Lion of the Tribe of Iuda doe not open the sealed Booke we shall see and not perceiue reade and not vnderstand Besdies which we must bring a more speciall faith whereby we are made ready to beleeue and imbrace euery truth of God and to apply it for our owne vse as doctrines of truth for our instruction threatnings for our humiliation promises for our confirmation in faith consolations for our comfort and so in the rest But in respect of this faith there must be some difference in the act of it as it beleeueth the Scriptures and as it beleeueth the writings of men although most godly and learned For as these are not to be read with equall reuerence and esteeme vnto the other so neither in all respects with the like faith For we must beleeue the Scriptures with an absolute faith without any doubting or dispute of reason without other confirmatiō or appeale to further trial because they are the Word of God who being Truth it selfe can neither deceiue nor be deceiued But all other writings of men must be read with a reserued faith beleeuing them onely so farre forth as vpon due triall and examination we finde their sayings consonant and agreeable to Gods Word and grounded vpon his infallible truth as vpon a sure foundation For wee all being but imperfectly inlightened doe know onely in part and therefore being subiect to errours others also that should build their faith vpon our Luk. 8. 15. authority should erre with vs. §. Sect. 2 That we must bring honest hearts and earnest desires to profit by this exercise Thirdly we must bring with vs good and honest hearts that so the seed of the Word being sowne in them as in good grounds it may take deepe Psal 50. 16 17. root and bring forth in vs plentifull fruits Whereby I vnderstand not onely an heart purified by faith and purged from sinfull corruptions by true repentance without which we shuld not presume to take Gods word and Couenant into our mouthes but such an one as is replenished with sincere affections and holy desires as after all Gods graces so especially that we may profit by this present exercise without which wee may long reade and yet be neuer the better or holier like those who eating their meate without an appetite are after much feeding neuer the fatter Vnto such the saying of Salomon may be fitly applyed Wherefore is there a Prou. 17. 16. price in the hand of a foole to get wisedome seeing he hath no heart to it For though they abound in leisure and haue the sight and perusing of many excellent bookes yet they purchase by them no spirituall grace because they haue no such desire or end when they set themselues to reading but because they are weary of idlenesse or for curiosity that they may see what euery one is able to say or to get speculatiue knowledge that they may be fitted to entertaine discourse But if we would haue any good by our reading we must come to it with a mind and desire to profit by it to haue the graces of Gods Spirit increased in vs to haue our minds more inlightened with the sauing knowledge of God and his will to haue our faith affiance hope loue zeale and all other Gods gifts and graces confirmed nourished and inlarged in our hearts that wee may expresse them in our liues by increasing daily in bringing forth the fruits of holinesse and righteousnesse For if these desires be wanting though we should do nothing else but reade the
The fourth rule of direction which I would commend to the deuout Christian in his reading for the better inabling of him in the duties of a godly life for I doe not take vpon me to prescribe directions vnto the learned in their studies but rather desire to bee directed by them is that they make choyce not of many bookes of the same argument but of such as either in their owne iudgements experience or by the direction of others they know to be best and fittest for the informing of their iudgements in all things necessary for their saluation and sanctifying of their hearts and affections that they do not so much affect the reading of many Authors as to studie thorowly those which they do reade by distinguishing them through serious meditation to turne them in wholesome nourishment for the preseruing of their spirituall health and the strengthening of them in all the graces of Gods Spirit For there is no end of making so neither of reading many bookes and much reading in this kinde is a wearinesse to the flesh Eccles 12. 12. And therefore as those which are inuited to a great feast doe not if they haue care of their health eate a little of euery dish or more then their stomackes can well disgest seeing the superfluities would turne to crudities and breede ill humours and obstructions in the body so in that great variety of spirituall food which in these dayes is set before vs cooked and dressed after diuers manners it is not the best course for a Christian who hath a care of his soules health to feede of many or more then hee is able by meditation to disgest seeing this would but the more weaken and confound the memory and vnsettle his iudgement so as he cannot tell what to take and what to leaue and fill his minde with raw conceits and indigested opinions but to make choyse of some of the most approued Authors in euery kinde and to studie thorowly till he hath turned them to good nourishment and doth feele his soule refreshed and strengthened by them And as it is not the best way for any that intendeth to make himselfe a good States-man to ramble and runne ouer in his trauailes many countreys seeing much and making vse of little for the improuing of his knowledge and experience in State-policie but rather to stay so long in euery place till he haue noted those things which are best worthy his obseruation so also is it in the trauailes and studies of the minde by which if we would be bettered in our iudgements and affections it is not our best course to run slightly ouer many things taking onely such a general view of them as somewhat increaseth our speculatiue knowledge but to rest vpon the points wee reade that wee may imprint them in our memories and worke them into our hearts and affections for the increasing of sauing knowledge which chiefely consisteth in feeling and experience Which course if wee take we shall profit more by one good booke often read and thorowly pondered then by running ouer a multitude after a superficiall manner For if men of ordinary capacities and memories can hardly in once or twice reading of a booke attaine vnto the true sense and meaning of the Author nor comprehend many of his notions and mayne intentions in all the particulars of his discourse in their vnderstandings onely especially considering that the minde of the most diligent reader is often carried away with distractions of many kindes how much lesse is it possible to conuert these spirituall treasures at the first view to all their speciall and seuerall vses to lay them vp orderly in our memories that when wee haue most neede wee may know where to finde them to worke them into our hearts and affections that wee may haue sense and feeling of their fruite and benefit for inward sanctification and outward practice in the duties of godlinesse §. Sect. 5 That we must labour to vnderstand thorowly what we reade The fifth point to bee obserued in this exercise is that wee reade with vnderstanding and that hauing made choyse of such bookes as are within the compasse of our capacity we doe not content our selues with a slight perusall but that wee thorowly vnderstand what wee reade and not passe to a new point till wee see in some sort the meaning of that wee last had in hand The which rule hath place chiefely in reading of the Scriptures priuately by our selues wherein it is better to reade fiue words with the vnderstanding then ten thousand when we vnderstand the meaning of them no more then if they were 1. Cor. 14. 19. written in a strange language In which regard their practice bringeth little profit who set themselues as it were to their taske in reading ouer the Bible euery yeere and so many Chapters euery day if they rest in the deede done and haue little care how they doe it and take more paines in reading ouer the words then in attaining to their meaning vnto whom if Philips question to the Eunuch were propounded Vnderstandest thou what thou readest they were not able to shape vnto it so good an answere seeing they want not so much an Acts. 8. 30. interpreter to expound darke prophecies as an intentiue and industrious minde setting it selfe to vnderstand what it is able by study to comprehend The which I speake not to discourage any in this exercise farre be it from me to quench the smoking flaxe but rather to perswade them to continue it still with more fruite and benefit the taste and feeling whereof can onely make them constant in it for who delighteth long to feede on that meate wherein he findeth no rellish or sweetenesse neither is it my meaning that in reading the Scriptures men of ordinary callings and gifts should tye themselues to vnderstand all they haue read before they proceede further for many points are so deepe and mysticall that for the vnderstanding of them they will thorowly exercise the greatest learning and best wits yea oftentimes euen such with much studie shall not be able to comprehend them but onely I would not haue any negligently to slight ouer what they reade but seriously to apply their mindes to vnderstand as much as they can and as for places of difficulty they are not by them to be stopped in their course of reading as it were with blocks lying in their way but to passe by them vnto more easie and plaine passages vnlesse their leysure learning and liberty will afford them the helpe of some good Commentary to cleare their doubt Onely they may take notice of such difficult places as they thinke would if they were well vnderstood bee most profitable for their vse and seeke to be resolued of them by some of more knowledge and learning and chiefely of their owne Minister whose lips should preserue knowledge that the people committed to his charge may seeke the Law at his mouth Mal.
1. 10. but as wise redeeming the time because the dayes are euill He hath called and separated vs from the world which lieth stil dead in sinne and hath made vs his owne peculiar people who are made partakers of all the priuiledges of his Kingdome to the end that we should no longer fashion our selues to the world but that we should walke worthy of God who hath called vs vnto Rom. 12. 2. Tit. 2. 14. his Kingdome and glory and serue him as it becommeth his subiects being zealous of good workes and be no more earthly-minded but haue our Phil. 3. 20. Col. 3. 1 3. conuersation in heauen whereof wee are Citizens and minde those things which are aboue He hath iustified vs and forgiuen vs all our sinnes that being freed from sinne we should become seruants of righteousnesse Hee hath made vs a chosen generation a royall Priesthood an holy nation a peculiar people Rom. 6. 18. to the end we should behaue our selues as becommeth those who are thus dignified and that wee should shew foorth the praises of him who hath called vs out of darkenesse into this marueilous light as the Apostle Peter teacheth 1. Pet. 2. 9. vs. He hath made vs liuing stones that wee might adorne the spirituall building of his House and Church and an holy Priesthood to offer vp 1. Pet 2. 5. spirituall sacrifices acceptable vnto God by Iesus Christ Yea he hath made vs Temples of the holy Ghost which it becommeth to bee purged from all pollution of sinne which is odious vnto him and to be decked and adorned with holinesse and righteousnesse wherein hee is chiefly delighted whereas naturally we were like cages of vncleane birds and the lothsome habitations of sinne and Satan And therefore we must beautifie our selues with these ornaments which so much please him and keepe our selues vndefiled from the filth of sinne which he hateth and abhorreth lest leauing vs vnto Satan as more fit for his dwelling wee become worse then Baals temple which was turned into a common draught house and receptacle of all pollution Finally he hath called vs who were the children of wrath and bond-slaues of sinne and Satan vnto the glorious Rom. 5. 15 16. liberty of the Sonnes of God and hath made vs his owne children by adoption and grace and co-heires with Christ in heauenly happinesse 1. Pet. 1. 17. and therefore wee must carry our selues in holinesse of conuersation as it becommeth children of such an holy Father For let vs assure our selues that the Lord who hath called vs to these great and heauenly priuiledges will attaine vnto his end and make those fit to receiue them vpon whom hee bestoweth them Neither will he who hath commanded vs not to cast holy things to dogges nor pearles before swine commit Mat. 7. 6. this errour himselfe by giuing his choyce and best gifts vnto Dogges and Swine who neglect the wayes of holinesse and righteousnesse returning to their vomit and to wallow themselues in the mire of 2. Pet. 2. 20 22. sinne §. Sect. 2 The second reason is because hereby we are assured that we shall prosper in all our wayes Secondly if wee set our selues to serue God in the duties of holinesse and righteousnesse we shall be heereby assured that we shall prosper in Psal 1. 2 3. Esa 3. 10. our wayes and that whatsoeuer troubles we indure for the time yet it shall goe well with vs in the latter end For he that delighteth in the Law of the Lord shall be like a tree planted by the riuers of waters which bringeth foorth his fruit in his season his leafe also shall not wither and whatsoeuer hee doth shall prosper So the Lord biddeth the Prophet to say to the righteous that it shall be well with them for they shall eate the fruit of their doings and to denounce a woe to the wicked for it shall be ill with him for the reward of his hands shall be giuen him Innumerable places might be alleadged to this purpose out of the Scriptures and especially the Booke of the Psalmes which set foorth the happinesse of those in all estates and conditions who feare and serue the Lord seeing he watcheth ouer them vpholdeth them Psal 37. 6 17 19 40. 34. 9 10. when they are ready to fall preserueth them from danger protecteth them from all enemies deliuereth them out of all their troubles prouideth and giueth them all that is good feedeth them in the dayes of famine and supplyeth plentifully whatsoeuer is wanting either to their soules or bodies So that if we put on this brest-plate of righteousnesse that is bring foorth the fruits of holinesse and righteousnesse with an vpright heart and good conscience it will be armour of proofe to preserue vs against the incounters of all euill And we shall be secured by it against all dangers according to that of Salomon He that walketh vprightly walketh surely so that though they fall into many troubles yet they shall not Psal 34. 19. perish in them because the Lord deliuereth them out of all though their Psal 37. 37. Vers 35. 36. beginnings may be turmoyled with many crosses yet their end is peace as the Psalmist speaketh And though the wicked may exceed them in worldly and momentany prosperity yet when they are so rooted out that their place can no more be found the righteous after many stormes shall safely arriue in the Hauen of their hopes According to that of Salomon Though a sinner doe euill an hundred times and his dayes bee prolonged yet Eccles 8. 12 13. surely I know it shall be well with them that feare God which feare before him But it shall not be well with the wicked neither shall he prolong his dayes which are as a shaddow because he feareth not before God §. Sect. 3 The third reason because without this indeuour all outward exercises are vaine The third reason may be this that without this study and indeuour to serue the Lord in the duties of a godly life all outward exercises of Religion are vaine and vnprofitable as the hearing and reading of the Word the receiuing of the Sacraments Prayer Fasting profession of Religion and the rest seeing they cannot please God yea are odious vnto him nor profit vs nor we take profit by them Thus the Lord professeth that hee abhorred their new Moones and solemne feasts their Sacrifices and Oblations Esa 1. 11 12 13 14. because they neglected the workes of righteousnesse and liued in their sinnes That he who killed an Oxe was as he that slew a man he that sacrificed Esa 66. 3. a Lambe as if he cut off a Dogs head c. because their liues were not reformed but their soules delighted in their abominations So when the people reiected Gods Law and thought to haue pleased him with Oblations and as it were to haue stopped his mouth with bribes the Lord reiecteth their seruice as vaine and vnprofitable