place of paines labour and reserueth his Sabbath of rest for the world to come after wee haue finished our worke Heere we must worke in his Vineyard and the night of death must come before wee shall bee called to receiue our wages Heere wee must keepe our markes and there inioy the riches which wee haue gotten by our spirituall trading Heere wee must fight the Lords battels being couered with sweat and blood and there wee shall obtaine the Crowne of victory Finally heere wee must trauaile like poore Pilgrims and then take our ease when we haue finished our iourney and are come safe to our heauenly home Fourthly let vs call to minde the labours of the Saints which haue gone in this way before vs and especially of our Sauiour Christ himselfe who trauailed for our sakes not onely vnto wearinesse and sweat but euen vnto blood and not foolishly imagine that wee may take our ease and yet come timely and safely to the end of our hopes seeing our Sauiour hath told vs that the Kingdome of heauen suffereth violence Mat. 11. 21. and the violent take it by force and that wee must striue to enter into the Luk. 13. 24. straight gate with all earnestnesse and constancie because many shall seeke to enter and shall not bee able Lastly let vs consider the punishments denounced against those who idly sit still and refuse to trauell in the wayes of godlinesse For it casteth them into a deepe sleepe whereby all the operations of Gods graces are hindred yea it emptieth the sluggard of them all like him who wanting meate is famished with hunger According to that of Salomon Sloathfulnesse casteth into a deepe sleepe and Pro. 19. 15. the idle soule shall suffer hunger And as it depriueth him of all grace in this life so also of glory and happinesse in the life to come for hee onely must haue the wages who hath laboured in Christs Vineyard And contrariwise plungeth him into euerlasting death and destruction For the sloathfull and vnprofitable seruant must bee cast into outer Mat. 25. 26 30. darkenesse where shall bee weeping and gnashing of teeth And therefore if nothing else will mooue vs yet at least let vs take some paines in Gods seruice which being small and momentany shall bee euerlastingly rewarded that wee may escape the endlesse paines of hell For if wee cannot for a little while indure the kindly heate of the Sunne how shall wee bee able to suffer the skorching and tormenting flames of hell fire If wee are impatient of a little sweate and labour in the duties of Christianity and of our callings let vs thinke with our selues how much more intolerable the endlesse torments of the damned will bee vnto vs. §. Sect. 8 Of wearinesse in well doing and how it hindreth vs in all Christian duties And first that which proceedeth from an ill disposition of the body The last impediment which hindreth vs in the duties of a godly life is wearinesse in well-doing which proceedeth from a twofold cause The first outward which is the ill disposition of the body to the performance of Christian duties proceeding either from externall causes as hunger thirst heate cold excessiue labour in worldly imployments and such like or from inward infirmities and diseases which make the body faint and feeble weake and vnable to take any paines in the duties of a godly life For seeing the soule vseth the body as its organ and instrument for the performing of all outward actions and seeing there is such sympathie and familiarity betweene them that they mourne and reioyce together hereof it must needs follow that when the body is indisposed to the duties of Gods seruice the soule is thereby vnfitted for them when the body is feeble and faint the faculties of the soule cannot be strong and vigorous in their actions and operations When the body is weary and full of paine it must needs affect the mind and much distract it in all good duties And finally when the toole and instrument is blunt and dull vnfit and vntoward the most cunning Artificer must needs be hindred and much faile in his curious workemanship For the remoouing of which impediment wee must vse our best indeuour that wee may haue a sound minde in a sound body and to vse all good meanes of diet and Physicke for the preseruing or recouering of our health and to auoid intemperance insobriety and excessiue labour about worldly imployments Yea wee must auoyd immoderation and excesse euen in the exercises of mortification as fasting watching and the rest For as luxuriousnesse delicacie and sloth doe weaken the body for want of exercise and intemperance and insobriety doe make it feeble and vnfit for any imployment so likewise the contrary extremes and ouer-rough and rigorous handling of it doe exhaust and consume the spirits and make it so weake and faint that it is ready to sinke vnder euery burthen And therefore wee must carefully obserue the meane and auoyd both extremes especially that vnto which our corrupt nature inclineth and carryeth vs whether it bee to sensuality which pampereth the body with excesse or will-worship Col. 2. 23. and superstition in not sparing of it which is not much lesse dangerous then the other although it bee nothing so common and ordinary For as if we would make speedy iourneys our Horse must neither be pampered nor starued seeing by the one he is made either resty or out of breath and by the other so enfeebled that hee will not be able to beare vs so is it with our bodies which carry our soules and therfore they must be vsed with like prudence and prouidence §. Sect. 9 Of wearinesse in well-doing arising from the auersenesse of our wils vnto good duties The second cause is internall which is the ill disposition of the minde and will being auerse vnto all good duties and vertuous actions and prone vnto all euill delighting in worldly vanities and pleasures of sinne and dis-affecting and lothing spirituall exercises as being wearisome and tedious difficult and troublesome to our corrupted nature The which is a notable impediment to our well proceeding in the wayes of godlinesse for either this vnwillingnesse causeth such wearinesse that it will make vs either not to enter into the Christian course or soone desist and returne againe into our former wayes of wickednes sensual delights or else it will make vs vnsettled and vnconstant in all good duties doing them onely by fits and flashes when the good mood of deuotion commeth vpon vs and neglecting them when other things which better please vs come in the way or finally it quencheth our zeale and feruour of loue vnto the duties of Gods seruice so that wee performe them weakely and wearily coldly and formally with much dulnesse and spirituall deadnesse The which impediments if wee would auoyd wee must labour and striue against this wearinesse and faintnesse in well-doing and indeuour all wee may to take
CAP. XL. That we must sanctifie our rest by consecrating it to the duties of Gods seruice 388 Sect. 1. That wee must rise betimes on the Lords Day 388 2 Of Meditations fit to bee vsed on the Lords Day 389 3 Of Prayer Thanksgiuing and reading priuately 390 4 Duties to be performed when wee are going to Church 392 CAP. XLI Of publike duties to be performed on the Lords Day 393 Sect. 1. That wee must ioyne with the Congregation in all duties of Gods seruice 393 2 Of hearing the Word and what is required vnto it 393 3 That we must stay in the Church from the beginning to the end of the Sermon 395 4 Of our duty in receiuing the Lords Supper 396 5 Of our duty when Baptisme is administred 396 CAP. XLII Of such duties as are to be performed on the Lords Day after our comming from the Church 398 Sect. 1. That we must meditate vpon that which we haue heard 398 2. 3. Of Family exercises on the Lords Day 398 4. That the Euening must bee spent in religious exercises 400 5 That all our seruice must bee done in integrity and sincerity of heart 401 THE FOVRTH BOOKE of a godly life containing in it the properties of it and all the duties required vnto it p. 403 CAP. I. That all duties vniuersally of godly life must be performed in sincerity and integrity of heart 403 Sect. 1. That vniuersall and totall obedience is required 403 2 Of integrity and sincerity 404 3 Reasons moouing vs to imbrace integrity and sincerity first because the Lord chiefly loueth and delighteth in it 404 4 That our imperfect obedience is accepted of God if it be done in sincerity and integrity 405 5 That the soundnesse of all graces and holy duties consisteth in the sincerity of them 406 6 Of the rewards of sincerity and integrity 406 CAP. II. Of the meanes whereby wee may attaine vnto sincerity and integrity 407 Sect. 1. The first meanes to set God before our eyes and our selues in his presence 407 2 The second to meditate on the excellency profit and necessity of it 408 3 The third meanes to consider that if wee be sincere we shall want nothing 408 4 The fourth meanes is to watch ouer our hearts 409 CAP. III. That we must ioyne with inward integrity the seruice of the body and outward man 410 Sect. 1. That God requireth outward seruice to be ioyned with the inward 410 2 Reasons moouing vs to performe outward seruice 411 3 That Christian Apologie and outward seruice is required 412 4 That we must practise what we know in our workes and actions 413 5 Diuers reasons perswading vs to good workes 414 6 Of the rewards of good workes 415 CAP. IIII. That we must performe vniuersall obedience to the whole will of God 416 Sect. 1. That only vniuersall obedience to Gods will and Word is accepted of him 416 2 That we must performe obedience to both Tables ioyntly and to the Gospel as well as the Law 417 3 Reasons perswading vs to vniuersall obedience first because God requireth it 418 4 That our obedience cannot be sincere vnlesse it be vniuersall 418 5 That without totall obedience wee cannot attaine to heauenly happinesse 419 CAP. V. Of the properties of Christian and holy duties which respect their causes efficient and finall 420 Sect. 1. That all duties should spring from the loue of God 420 2 That wee must propound Gods will and our obedience thereunto in all duties 420 3 That all true seruice is done in obedience to Gods will 421 CAP. VI. Of those properties which respect our hearts and affections 422 Sect. 1. That wee must performe all duties of a godly life with cheerefulnesse 422 2 Reasons which may mooue vs to this cheerefulnesse 423 3 That wee must serue God in all holy duties zealously and deuoutly 424 CAP. VII Of the properties which respect the whole man and first diligence in all duties of Gods seruice 426 Sect. 1. That this diligence must be vsed in all good duties and about the meanes of them 426 2 Diuers reasons which may mooue vs to this diligence 428 3 Of the rewards promised to the diligent 429 4 That this diligence is most necessary 429 5 Of the vnwearied diligence of worldlings in pursuing worldly things 432 CAP. VIII Of constancie in all the duties of godlinesse without remission or intermission 434 Sect. 1. 2. That all those that are sincere are also constant in the duties of a godly life 434 3 A complaint of mens vnconstancie in performing the duties of a godly life 436 4 That constancie is required in Gods Word 437 CAP. IX Reasons moouing to constancy and the meanes of it 438 Sect. 1. That constancy is an inseparable companion of integrity 438 2 Of the manifold euils which accompany inconstancie in good duties 439 3 Of the meanes of constancy in good duties 441 CAP. X. Of our perseuerance in all Christian duties of a godly life 443 Sect. 1. That we must perseuere both in profession and practice of godlinesse 443 2 Of the meanes of perseuerance 443 3 That vnlesse we perseuere we cannot be accepted of God 445 4 That Prayer is a speciall meanes of perseuerance 446 THE FIFTH BOOKE of a godly life contayning in it the helpes and meanes which inable vs vnto it p. 448 CAP. I. Of the rules of a godly life whereby wee may bee directed in the right performance of all Christian duties And first of such rules as respect the causes of it both principall and subordinate 448 Sect. 1. Of the helpes inabling vs to leade a godly life 448 2 The first rule is that wee make God the supreme end of all Christian duties and wholly deny our selues in them 449 3 The second rule respecteth our Sauiour Christ namely that we ayme at him as the mayne scope of all our actions 450 4 The third rule respecting the Spirit of God dwelling in vs. 451 5 The rules respecting subordinate causes the first whereof is that wee must often renew the Couenant betweene God and vs. 452 6 The 2. rule is that we must take care to approue our wayes vnto God and our own cōsciences then vnto men 454 7 The third rule is that wee must performe all good duties with a quiet and peaceable mind 455 8 The fourth rule is that all our duties must arise from the fundamentall graces of a godly life 457 9 The fifth rule is that we must chiefly esteeme chuse and affect the duties of godlinesse according to their worth and excellency 458 10 The sixth rule is that we must vse all helpes and meanes which may inable vs vnto godlinesse 459 CAP. II. Of the rules of a godly life which respect the circumstances of it 460 Sect. 1. The first rule respecting the circumstances of a godly life is that we must make precious account of our time which God hath allotted vs for his seruice 460 2 The second rule is that wee must not stay for
their Proclamations to see with what reason they command but require absolute obedience in all things not repugnant to the Law of God and will not bee serued according to their subiects best intentions but will haue their obedience squared by their Lawes If euery master in a family will bee serued according to his owne pleasure and will not for matter or manner leaue it to his seruants choise to performe what seruice best sorteth with their owne humour and liking And if the Captaine of a company or Generall of an Armie will not excuse in a Souldier the neglect of their commands vpon the fairest pretence but seuerely punish euen prosperous disobedience and succesfull disorder with great seuerity then how much lesse will the King of kings indure to haue his will neglected and ours preferred in his seruice And how much more will he who is the Lord of hostes be displeased with vs if in our spirituall warfare we regard not what he commandeth but performe such seruice as best suiteth with our owne conceites No man that warreth saith the Apostle intangleth 2. Tim. 2. 4. himselfe with the affaires of this life that hee may please him who hath chosen him to be a Souldier and if a man striue for masteries yet is he not crowned except he striue lawfully that is according to the orders appointed by him who is master of the games And therefore let vs not thinke to haue the Crowne and Garland of happinesse if we stint God of this royaltie and priuiledge which we giue vnto men not striuing for victory according to his will nor offering vnto him that seruice which he requireth but such as seemeth good in our owne eyes §. Sect. 2 That not Gods secret but reuealed will must be the rule of our liues and actions Now whereas I say that we must please God in all things by doing his will I doe not heereby vnderstand his secret will which being vnknowne Deut. 29. 29. to vs we cannot obey Neither doth this will appertaine to vs according to that The secret things belong vnto the Lord our God but those things which are reuealed belong vnto vs and to our children for euer that wee may doe the words of this Law Nor doth it need our indeuour to bring it to performance for who hath resisted this will of the Lord What wisedome or vnderstanding can crosse his counsell Seeing he who is infinite in power Rom. 9. 19. Pro. 21. 30. and immutable in truth hath said My counsell shall stand and I will doe all Esa 46. 10. my pleasure Yea this will is done by wicked men and the deuils themselues whether they will or no and when they most seeke to resist it they accomplish and bring it to passe Neither are we with Euthusiasts and Familists to expect that the will which must be the rule of our obedience should be made knowne vnto vs by new reuelations for the Lord hath once spoken vnto vs by his Sonne the true and onely Prophet of his Heb. 1. 1 2. Church and by him hath perfectly reuealed vnto vs his will and pleasure with all things that are necessary for our saluation All which is contained fully in the Booke of holy Scriptures which were indited by his Spirit and 2. Pet. 1. 21. written by holy men inspired thereby to this purpose that reuealing perfectly the will of God they might for euer serue to bee vnto the whole Church and euery faithfull member of it the sole rule and squyre of all their actions from which they are inioyned vnder that great penaltie of Gods curse not to swarue either on the one side or on the other So by Moses the Lord commandeth that the people should hearken vnto his Statutes Deut 4. 2. and Iudgements to doe them and that they should adde nothing to the Deut. 12. 8 32. Num. 15. 39. words which he commanded them nor diminish ought from them and restraineth them from their owne will in his seruice Ye shall not saith he doe after Deut. 5. 32. 28. 14. all the things that we doe heare this day euery man what is right in his owne eyes whatsoeuer thing I command you obserue to doe it you shall not adde vnto it nor diminish from it So Iosuah is commanded to doe according to the Law and not to turne from it to the right hand nor to the left So Hierome Ios 1. 7. Ad normam omnia diriguntur c. Hieron in Galat. 6. speaketh to the same purpose All things saith he are directed according to the rule which sheweth whether they be crooked or straight And so the doctrine of God is a certaine rule of speech which iudgeth betweene things iust and vniust which whoso followeth shall haue peace in himselfe that passeth all sense and vnderstanding and with it the mercy of God which is aboue all §. Sect. 3 Reasons proouing that wee can no otherwise please God then by doing his will Vnto which testimonies diuers reasons might bee added which euidently prooue that we can no otherwise please God by our liues then by framing them according to his will and doing such seruice as in his Word he requireth both in respect of the matter and also the manner As first because heereby wee shall preferre our owne wisedome before the wisedome of God neglecting that worship which he hath appointed either in respect of the matter or manner because in our foolish conceit we suppose that wee can deuise a better which is such an indignity offered vnto his Maiestie that no earthly Prince would indure it at the hand of his greatest subiects Secondly we shall hereby disgrace Gods Law and Word which he hath appointed to be the rule of all our liues and actions as though it were insufficient to that end for which God hath ordained it whereas the Apostle telleth vs that they are profitable for doctrine reproofe 2. Tim. 3. 16 17. correction instruction in righteousnesse that the man of God may bee perfect thorowly furnished vnto all good workes And the Lord himselfe hath inioyned vs to goe vnto them as vnto the onely Iudge and counseller to be resolued in all our doubts and directed in all our actions To the Law and Esa 8. 20. to the Testimonie And our Sauiour to the same purpose hath exhorted vs Joh. 5. 39. to search the Scriptures because our ignorance of them is the maine cause Matth. 22. 29. of all our errours both in doctrine and manners Thirdly whilest we neglect Gods Word in seruing him and follow our owne inuentions wee shall not doe Gods will but our owne and in stead of doing him seruice we shall serue our owne lusts which are most opposite vnto him committing heerein a grosse absurditie in thinking to please God by offering vnto him a seruice not which he in his wisedome hath prescribed as most fit but that which is deuised and appointed by our owne fleshly wisedome
double our diligence in redeeming this lost time as the Apostle exhorteth And this reason the Eph. ◠16. 1. Pet. 4. 2 3. Apostle Peter also vseth to perswade vs that we should no longer liue the rest of our time in the flesh according to the lusts of men but according to the will of God because the time past of our liues may suffice vs to haue wrought the will of the Gentiles when we walked in lasciutousnesse lusts excesse of wine reuellings banquetings and abominable idolatries Now the meanes whereby wee may be enabled to breake off this custome in sinning and to performe the contrary duties of a godly life is to labour to haue our hearts possessed and fraughted with Gods feare partly in respect of his Iudgements denounced against sin partly in respect of his mercies and manifold blessings promised to all that serue and please him For nothing doth more powerfully ouer-master this tyrannicall custome then the true feare of God euen as the want thereof is the chiefe cause of falling into and continuing in sinne And secondly our best course is to set our selues with a firme resolution to breake off and discontinue our custome in sinning and to performe the contrary duties of a godly life seeing many acts of wel-doing will at last bring vs to an habit and custome and make them easie and familiar which at the first entrance seemed difficult and almost impossible The like impediment vnto all Christian duties ariseth from security and hardnesse of heart which taking away all sense and feeling both of Gods mercies and Iudgements and putting away the euill day farre from vs doth make vs also therewith to put off the day of repentance to neglect all holy and religious duties and to goe on securely in our former euill courses Of the remouing of which impediment I will not here speake because I haue handled it at large in my Treatise of carnall security and hardnesse of heart §. Sect. 2 Of the second impediment respecting the heart which is 〈…〉 the world The second impediment of a godly life respecting the heart is worldly concupiscence and immoderate and excessiue loue of the world and earthly things and chiefely of honours riches and pleasures and that carking care which ariseth from it for the getting or keeping of them Concerning the former As the loue of God and the loue of the world will not harbour together in the same heart because 1. Joh. 2. 15. Jam. 4. 4. the amity and friendship of the one is enmity against the other as the Apostles Iohn and Iames teach vs so neither can we performe faithfull seruice to them both being Masters which stand in flat opposition one to Math. 6. 24. the other as our Sauiour hath told vs. In which regard Demas is said to 2. Tim. 4. 10. haue forsaken the Apostle Paul and with him his Master Christ and his truth assoone as he begun to loue this present world For when men haue once fixed their hearts vpon earthly vanities all their cogitations are so taken vp with them that they haue no leisure to thinke vpon any Christian duties and so wholly are they besotted with the loue of this painted strumpet that they thinke all time lost which is not spent in winning and gaining her So that when Christ inuiteth them vnto his Marriage Supper to feast them with spirituall delicacies that Gods graces may bee so Luk. 14. 16 17. strengthened in them as that they may bee inabled to serue him in all Christian duties they presently pretend excuses and will not come For Joh. 12. 42 43. the remouing of which impediment wee must vse all good meanes to weane our hearts from the loue of the world that wee may contemne it as vaine and worthlesse in comparison of spirituall grace and heauenly glory To which purpose we must consider that the worlds prosperity which we dote so much vpon will being thus abused become a notable tentation to draw vs into all manner of sinne to our perdition and destruction according to that of the wise Salomon The prosperity of fooles Prou. 1. 32. Mark 8. 36. shall destroy them And What will it profit vs to gaine the whole world and lose our owne soules as our Sauiour speaketh Let vs consider that these worldly things are momentany and mutable hardly gotten and soone lost vncertaine in the pursuit whether after all our labour we shall obtaine them or no and no more certaine in the possession seeing they may euery day be taken from vs or we from them Let vs consider that they are vaine and satisfie not but the more we drinke the more we thirst the more we abound the more we want and that they bring not any sound contentment to their owners but labour in getting care in keeping and feare in losing them That they doe not at all profit vs for the assuring of those things which are chiefly to be desired nor at those times when wee shall stand in most need of helpe and comfort namely at the houre of death and day of Iudgement Yea if we immoderately dote on them they will become exceeding hurtfull and pernicious being those thornes which will choke in vs the seed of Gods Word from which all sauing graces Math. 13. 22. doe spring those snares of the diuell which intangle vs to our perdition those heauie burthens which hinder vs in our iourney towards our heauenly 1. Tim. 6. 9 10. home and Cammell-like bunches which will keepe vs from entring into that straight and narrow gate §. Sect. 3 The third impediment arising from worldly cares The cares also of this world are a great impediment to a godly life For first they hinder vs from performing religious duties as we see in the Math. 22. 5. Luk. 14. 18. and 9 59 61. Luk. 10. 40. example of those who being inuited to the Marriage Supper of the Kings Son refused to come and of those who being called to be Christs Disciples were so taken vp with the care of their worldly businesse that they could finde no present leisure to follow Christ Yea of Martha her selfe who though she were a good woman yet was so cumbred with care in prouiding for Christs entertainment that she could finde no time to heare his heauenly Sermons and enuied her sister for performing this high and holy duty Or if we set our selues to performe any seruice vnto God these cares interpose themselues and distract vs with worldly and wandring thoughts so as we cannot performe it with any fruit and benefit as we see in the Parable of the Sower where he that receiued seed among thornes is as our Sauiour expoundeth it he that heareth the Word and the Math. 13. 22. cares of this world and the deceitfulnesse of riches choke the Word and hee becommeth Luk. 8. 14. vnfruitfull In which regard our Sauiour giueth vnto vs a speciall caueat whereby we may be fitted for his comming
and ashamed in our selues that we can shoot no higher of which we haue the holy Apostle as a patterne for our imitation who forgetting those things Philip. 3. 13 14. which were behind namely the former part of his race in the way of godlinesse and reaching foorth vnto those things which were before to wit that Christian perfection vnto which he had not yet attained did presse towards the marke for the price of the high calling of God in Iesus Christ And this is that Euangelicall and Sonne-like obedience which God now vnder the Couenant of grace requireth of vs which if we labour to performe he will accept of vs in Christ and remember our sinnes no more but will Ier 31 34. Mal. 3. 17. 2. Cor. 8. 12. spare vs as a man spareth his sonne who serueth him accept of the will for the deede and couering the imperfections of our obedience with Christs perfect righteousnesse and washing away the pollution and corruption of it in his most precious blood he will be well pleased with vs and approoue of vs as though we had attained to perfect righteousnesse §. Sect. 2 That a godly life chiefely consisteth in Euangelicall and filiall obedience and what this is And in this filiall obedience doth that godly life principally consist which we now intreate of for it is nothing else but a feruent desire sound resolution and sincere indeuour to conforme our whole liues in all holy obedience to Gods will that we may please him in all things and glorifie his holy name by our Christian conuersation or if we would haue a more full description of it A godly life is the life of a Christian who being regenerate quickned and illuminated by Gods Spirit and ingrafted into Christ thereby and by a liuely faith assuring him of Gods loue and his owne saluation doth in loue and thankefulnesse towards him desire resolue and indeuour to please him in all things by doing his will reuealed in his Word and to glorifie his name by walking before him in the duties of holinesse righteousnesse and sobriety with faith a pure heart and good conscience all the dayes of his life In which description we are to consider two things First the person that leadeth this godly life and secondly the actions in this life performed by him the person is first named and then described by his state and properties Concerning the first he that leadeth this life is the Christian onely For as for the life of Heathens and Pagans seeme it neuer so strict iust and glorious as of Socrates Aristides Cato Seneca and such like it is voyd of all true godlinesse and not accepted of God because it is ioyned with ignorance of the true God and Iesus Christ idolatry will-worship infidelitie and all kind of heathenish impiety §. Sect. 3 That the regenerate onely can lead a godly life Neither doe all that beare the name of Christians leade this godly life but they who are so not in name and profession onely but in deed and truth that is such only who are in that state and qualified with those properties which are set downe in the former description As first that he be regenerate for they that are vnregenerate cannot performe any dutie of a godly life which is pleasing and acceptable to God because being out of the Couenant their persons and consequently their actions are not accepted of him but are the slaues of Satan held captiue to doe his will the 2. Tim. 2. 26. Eph. 2. 1 3. children of wrath and enemies vnto God and his grace dead in trespasses and sins and therefore no more able to doe the duties of holinesse and righteousnesse then a dead man is able to doe the actions of the liuing In which respect the Apostle saith that we are not of our selues able to thinke a good 2. Cor. 3. 5. Phil. 2. 13. thought nor so much as to will that which is good because it is God onely which worketh in vs both the will and the deed Neither can we better our estate by our own strength for as the Prophet teacheth vs as well may the Aethiopian Ier. 13. 23. change his blacknesse and the Leopard his spots as we doe well that are accustomed to doe euill So that the regenerate man alone can lead a godly life or performe any dutie acceptable vnto God for first Abel was accepted and then his sacrifice and our persons must first be sanctified before they Gen. 4. 4. can please God by our works of holinesse For as in the ceremoniall law the touching of holy things did not sanctifie and clense the polluted person but the person polluted did make the holy things to become vncleane as Haggai speaketh so the workes which in themselues materially Hag. 2. 12 13. are good and holy doe not sanctifie the vnregenerate man that doth them but through the taint and pollution of his sinne they also are polluted and defiled Now vnto this regeneration two things are necessarily required First that we haue the Spirit of God dwelling in vs And secondly the sanctifying and sauing graces of the Spirit which alwayes doe accompany it for the Spirit of God is the Author of our regeneration which begetteth vs vnto God according to that of our Sauiour Except a man be borne of water and the Spirit he cannot enter into the Kingdome of God And that Iohn 3. 5. of the Apostle But ye are washed but ye are sanctified but yee are iustified in 1. Cor. 6. 11. 2. Cor. 3. 2 3. Tit. 3. 5. the name of the Lord Iesus and by the Spirit of our God It is the Spirit which mortifieth our sinnefull corruptions by applying vnto vs the vertue of Christs death and so by destroying the kingdome of sinne raiseth vs out of the state of death and which giueth vnto vs the spirituall life of grace by applying vnto vs the vertue of Christs resurrection which inableth vs to doe the actions of the liuing It is the Spirit that leadeth vs into all Iohn 16. 13. Rom. 8. 14. truth and hereby assureth vs that we are the sonnes of God seeing wee performe vnto him filiall obedience And therefore they who will walke in the wayes of godlinesse must haue this holy Spirit to bee their guide They who would outwardly mooue in the actions of piety and righteousnesse must haue this inward cause to stirre strengthen and support them for as well may a blinde man trauaile vncouth wayes without a leader or the body mooue without the soule as we goe in this Christian way or doe the workes of God vnlesse his holy Spirit be our guide and strength The which must mooue vs in the first place to labour earnestly to haue this Spirit dwelling in vs and to vse to this purpose that powerfull meanes of effectuall prayer seeing our heauenly Father hath promised to giue his holy Spirit to them that aske him as our Sauiour hath Luke 11. 13. taught
holy Spirit This is that sonne-like obedience which God now requireth of vs which if we performe we and our seruice shall be accepted of God in Christ our imperfect righteousnesse being couered with his perfect obedience and our corruptions washed away in his blood For he spareth vs as a louing father spareth his sonne that serueth him who in the duties Mal. 3. 17. which he requireth respects his affection more then the action and the intention and desire of his heart to please him more then of his abilities in performance according to that of the Apostle If there be first a willing 2. Cor. 8. 12. minde it is accepted according to that a man hath and not according to that hee hath not An example whereof we haue in Dauid who hauing in his heart 2. Sam. 7. 16. a desire and resolution to build the Temple though he did it not was accepted and rewarded of God as if he had built it And in Abraham Gen. 22. 16. whose resolution to sacrifice his sonne was as pleasing in Gods sight as if he had beene sacrificed Now the reason why our desires and resolutions are so acceptable vnto God is first because they are the chiefe seruice of the heart which the Lord respecteth aboue all other parts and outward performances And secondly because all our indeuours and actions are according to our desires either forward and feruent or slacke and remisse For as Philosophie teacheth the loue and desire of attaining to the end is the first cause in the intention of the agent which setteth him on worke and according to the greatnesse of this loue and desire to the end at which wee ayme such is our care and diligence in the vse of all good meanes whereby wee may attaine vnto it Moreouer as it will make our persons and actions accepted of God so our prayers which God hath promised to heare and grant According to that of the Psalmist Lord thou Psal 10. 17. hast heard the desire of the humble thou wilt prepare their heart thou wilt cause thine eare to heare And againe He will fulfill the desire of them that feare Psal 145. 9. him he will heare their cry and will saue them And the Wiseman telleth vs that the desire of the righteous shall be granted that is not they who are Pro. 10. 24. righteous according to the rigour of the Law but they who are Euangelically righteous and desire and labour to attaine vnto it as it is expounded in the prayer of Nehemiah O Lord I beseech thee let now thine eare be attentiue Nehem. 1. 11. to the prayer of thy seruant and to the prayer of thy seruants who desire to feare thy name And consequently this being one of their most principall desires that they may be so freed from their corruptions and imperfections as that they may performe vnto God that perfect obedience which the Law requireth and their soule longeth after the Lord will satisfie it and though for a time they bee turmoiled and humbled in the sight and sense of their corruptions yet by degrees he will bring them vnto this perfect age in Christ and to that height of perfection which they so much desire when as hauing put off with their mortalitie all relikes of corruption they shall be clothed with those long white robes of perfect Apoc. 6. 11. holinesse in his heauenly Kingdome Vnto which happy estate in the meane time their longing and thirsting desires doe giue them full title and interest for they are blessed not who are replenished with perfect righteousnesse but who hunger and thirst after it as our Sauiour hath Matth. 5. 6. taught vs. §. Sect. 3 That our desires resolutions and indeuours must not be faint and weake but seruent and earnest But yet that we may not in our carnall sloth and security deceiue our selues with shaddowes in stead of substances we are to know that not all kind of desires resolutions and indeuours are acceptable vnto God nor make vs to be accepted of him but those only which are sound and solid sincere and vpright vnto which diuers properties are required First that they be not faint and weake fickle and slight but strong and vehement earnest and feruent like the desires of women with child which are euen heart-sicke vnlesse they be satisfied in the things which they long after as Dauid implyeth where he saith Behold I haue longed after thy precepts Psal 119. 40. quicken me in thy righteousnesse And againe My soule fainteth for thy saluation Vers 81. but I hope in thy Word that is thy promise whereby thou hast assured me that thou wilt satisfie my desire They must not be inferiour to the desires of worldlings seeing the things desired are so much superiour exceeding them in excellencie profit and permanencie as farre as heauen exceedeth earth Now we know that the desires of worldlings after their riches pleasures and preferments are so feruent and earnest that they wholly take vp their thoughts in thinking of them and their care in compassing them Neither is there any paines so great or danger so desperate which they will not venter vpon but night and day by sea and land labour after that which their soule loueth They must be like the desires of the Spouse in the Canticles which made her sicke through their feruent Cant. 2. 5. heate and ready to swoune had she not beene stayed and refreshed with the wine and apples of spirituall comforts They must so inlarge our hearts that they will be ready to breake if they be not replenished and mollified with the oyle of Gods grace and holy Spirit according to that of Dauid My soule breaketh for the longing that it hath to thy iudgements at all Psal 119. 20. times They must as they are compared resemble hunger and thirst Matth. 5. 6. which make men sicke till they bee satisfied and so resolute that nothing can withstand them no difficultie or danger so great and desperate which they will not hazard themselues vnto that they may procure meate and drinke to preserue them from famishing and with such care and diligence vse all meanes tending heereunto as if they were religiously bound to doe it by a solemne oath as we see in that desire and resolution of Dauid I haue sworne and will performe it that I will keepe thy righteous iudgements Psal 119. 106. And thus Iob to strengthen his desires and resolutions in shunning sinne and seruing God bindeth himselfe and all his members heereunto by solemne couenant I haue saith he made a couenant with mine eyes why then Iob 31. 1. should I thinke vpon a maiden §. Sect. 4 They must be intire and totall both in respect of the subiect and obiect Secondly these desires resolutions and indeuours must be intire and totall both in respect of the subiect and obiect For they must proceed from the whole heart and will so farre foorth as
and that they know his voyce and are able to discerne it from the voyce of a stranger And as it makes vs strangers from God and the Couenant of grace so also from the life of God or the godly life which he commandeth as we see in the example of the Gentiles who hauing their vnderstanding darkned were alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that was in them because of the blindnesse of their heart And contrariwise thrusts vs headlong into all manner of sin for as the Apostle saith in the same place When the Gentiles through their ignorance were thus estranged frō the life of God they became past feeling and so gaue themselues ouer to lasciuiousnes Eph. 4. 18 19. to worke all vncleannesse with greedinesse So Hosea hauing set downe a Catalogue Hos 4. 1 6. of many grieuous sins which made the Iewes liable to Gods heauy iudgements doth after shew that the cause of all their sin and punishment was because they lacked the true knowledge of God in the land Whereof it also is that sinners of all kinds are included vnder the name of ignorant persons who know not God So the Psalmist Powre out thy wrath vpon Psal 79. 6. Ier 10. 25. the heathen that haue not knowne thee and vpon the kingdomes that haue not called vpon thy name And the Apostle saith that the Lord Iesus shall come with 2. Thes 1. 7 8. his mighty Angels in flaming fire to take vengeance on them that know not God And therfore if we would haue any portion in Gods sauing graces or part in heauenly glory if we would not be strangers from God and aliants from his Church if we would performe any duty of a godly life or not be caried headlong into all wickednesse if we would not be subiect to Gods iudgements and fearefull destruction nor exposed to the imprecations of the faithfull in this life nor to the vengeance of a terrible Iudge when Christ shall appeare at his second comming let vs not liue in ignorance but vse all our indeuour to attaine vnto the sauing knowledge of God and his will Neither let vs with ignorant people content our selues with our own good meanings and blind deuotions as our guides in godlines for then our seruice of God will be but will-worship and the carnall conceits of our owne braines and all our Religion being nothing else but bodily exercise and Esa 1. 12. 29. 13. ignorant superstition will be reiected of God as odious and abominable §. Sect. 4 That God is the chiefe Author and efficient cause of sauing knowledge Seeing therefore knowledge is so necessary vnto a godly life we will a little further insist vpon it shewing what it is and the nature and properties of it whereby we shall be the better able to labour after it in the vse of all good meanes and know to our comforts when we haue attained vnto it Sauing knowledge then is a grace of God wrought in vs by his holy Spirit which inlighteneth our minds to know those things which are reuealed of God and his will by his Word and workes that we may make an holy vse of it for the sanctifying of our hearts and direction of our liues in all duties of holinesse and righteousnesse Whereby we may perceiue that not nature but God onely is the Author and efficient cause of this knowledge and so much onely doe we know of God as we are taught of God According to that couenant of grace in which God promiseth that hee Ier. 31. 33 34. will put his Law in our inward parts and write it in our hearts and that wee shall know him from the least to the greatest So our Sauiour speaking of his Elect saith that they all shall be taught of God And againe No man knoweth the Iob. 6. 46. Sonne but the Father neither knoweth any man the Father but the Sonne and he vnto whomsoeuer the Sonne will reueale him Neither is this knowledge a naturall habit of the minde but a grace of God which is not purchased by vs or our owne merits or therefore bestowed vpon vs rather then others because God foresaw that we would vse it when we had it better then they but Gods free gift promised in the couenant of grace The which he worketh Ioel 2. 28. in vs first by sending his Sonne his true essentiall wisedome who hath reuealed vnto vs his Fathers will and being the great Prophet of the Church hath made knowne vnto vs the counsels of God and all things necessary for our Saluation and that not onely nor chiefly to the wise of the world but to the weake and simple according to that of our Sauiour I thanke thee O Father Lord of heauen and earth because thou hast hid these Matth. 11. 25. things from the wise and prudent and hast reuealed them vnto babes And secondly his holy Spirit who was and is sent from the Father and Sonne to teach and lead vs into all truth as our Sauiour promised his Apostles And this is that holy anointing of which the Apostle speaketh whereby wee Iob. 16. 13. know all things and neede not that any teach vs but as this anointing teacheth vs of all things And that Collyrium or precious eye-salue which Christ Apoc. 3. 18. promiseth to giue to the Angell of the Church of the Laodiceans to inlighten their blind eyes in the knowledge of the truth So the Apostle telleth vs that we cannot see nor conceiue the things which appertaine to Gods Kingdome but God hath reuealed them vnto vs by his Spirit for the 1. Cor. 2. 10. Spirit searcheth all things euen the deepe things of God And hence it is that he is called the Spirit of wisedome reuelation and illumination and the Ephe. 1. 17. Iohn 16. 13. Spirit of truth because he is both light and truth himselfe and also inlighteneth our mindes which are naturally full of darkenesse and leadeth vs into all truth needefull for our saluation And therefore if we would haue this sauing knowledge we must goe to the chiefe Fountaine and Author of it and pray often and earnestly that he will for his Sonne and by his holy Spirit take away our naturall blindnesse and open our eyes that we may see the wonderfull things of his Law Psal 119. 8. §. Sect. 5 Of the instrumentall causes of sauing knowledge The instrumentall causes of this knowledge are first the Booke of nature secondly the Booke of Grace The Booke of nature for euen this light being sanctified by Gods Spirit is helpefull to the regenerate for the reuealing of God and his will vnto them And that both the eternall booke of nature which is the conscience and the externall Booke which is the great volume of the creatures For if there be in all men some reliques of the light of nature shining in their consciences which conuince them that there is a God and that this God is most
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
cause and chiefe goodnesse and so the iudgement inferreth therefore thou hast performed a good duty Againe on the other side the vnderstanding saith Whosoeuer will worship God truly must worship him according to his reuealed will and not according to his owne inuentions the conscience assumeth But thou hast not worshipped him according to his reuealed will but according to thine owne inuentions whereupon the iudgement inferreth Therefore thou hast not worshipped God truly Or thus Whosoeuer breaketh the Law is accursed saith the vnderstanding But thou saith the conscience hast broken the Law therefore saith the iudgement thou art accursed §. Sect. 3 Of the diuers offices of conscience Now this facultie of conscience performeth diuers offices in respect of the diuers parts wherein it exerciseth its power and vertue For in the vnderstanding before our actions are atchieued it playeth the part of a friend or gentle Monitour telling what is to be done or left vndone with the penaltie or reward which will follow our commission or omission After the deed is done it becommeth a Iudge approouing or disallowing the action and either absoluing or condemning vs for the doing or not doing of it In the memory it performeth the office of a Notary Conscientia est Codex in quo quotidiana peccata conscribuntur Chrys in Psal 50. Rom. 2. 15. 1. Cor. 1. 12. and Register in setting downe and keeping vpon Record what wee haue done good or euill and also of a witnesse giuing euidence either with or against vs according to the nature of our fact accusing vs when wee haue done ill and excusing vs when we haue done well In the will and affections it is the deputie of Gods Spirit to suggest and inioyne vs good duties and when they are done to reward vs by comforting cherishing and replenishing our hearts with ioy and when we haue done ill especially by committing sinnes which are haynous and against conscience it executeth the office of a Iaylour or tormentor filling the heart with shame and sorrow with feare and terrour with finall desperation hellish perturbation and intolerable tortures that no racke nor gallowes no hot pincers or scalding lead may be compared with them as we see in the example of Cain who out of a despairing conscience crieth out that his punishment Gen. 4. 13. was greater then he could beare and of Iudas who to ease his torment which the gnawing worme of conscience caused hanged himself And with this office of conscience the Heathens were acquainted which gaue occasion to that fiction of hellish furies which endlesly haunted and tormented those who had committed haynous sinnes against the light of nature The which also appeareth by their writings wherein are many notable sayings to this purpose What doth it profit saith Seneca to hide Senec. Epist 43. a mans selfe and to auoide the eyes and eares of men A good conscience calleth in the multitude and an ill is sollicitous and fearefull euen in solitude If the things thou doest be honest care not though all men know them if dishonest what skilleth it though no man know them seeing thou knowest them thy selfe O miserable man that thou art if thou despisest such a witnesse And againe It is the greatest securitie to doe no Epist 105. man wrong They that cannot abstaine from it doe leade a life full of confusion perturbation so much fearing as they haue hurt Neither are they at any time quiet After they haue done mischiefe they feare they are troubled Conscience suffereth them not to intend any other things but euery hand while to reuiew themselues He suffereth punishment that expecteth it and he expecteth that hath deserued it It is possible by some meanes to be safe with an ill conscience but neuer secure For he thinketh he may be taken with the manner though yet he be not In sleepe he is troubled and being awake as oft as he nameth any mans wickednesse he thinketh of his owne It neuer seemeth enough blotted out neuer sufficiently couered A guiltie conscience hath sometime the hap to be hid but neuer Exemplo quodcunque malo committitur ipsi displicet authori c. Iuuen. Satyr 13. Plut. Apoph assurance So the Satyrist Whatsoeuer crime is committed by euill example it first displeaseth the author This is the first punishment that no man guilty can be absolued himselfe being Iudge although by the fauour of the corrupted Iudge he be acquitted In which regard Cato was wont to say that euery man ought to feare and respect himselfe most when he doth any euill because though he may shun others yet from himselfe he cannot flee §. Sect. 4 That conscience hath all its power and authority from God onely Now this power of conscience in iudging witnessing binding and punishing it hath onely from God which is the Lord of it and hath seated it in man as his Viceroy and Deputie to rule him in all his wayes and if he will not obey to be his Notary to keepe vpon record all his faults his Witnesse to giue testimony against him and his Executioner to torment him when in the Court of conscience hee is condemned Neither hath any creature power ouer conscience either to binde it or set it at liberty but God only nor hath the conscience it selfe any authority to execute these offices till it haue a Commission ingrossed and sealed from God which is either the Law of nature written in the heart in our first creation or the diuine Oracles of God contained in the bookes of the Old and New Testament And if without these conscience doth any thing against vs either by vniust iudging or false accusing we may reuoke it all by a Writ of errour and make our appeale from this false iudgement in the Court of conscience to our supreme Lord to bee iudged by him according to his Law For howsoeuer in the creation conscience was an vpright Iudge and true witnesse yet after the fall the vnderstanding being darkened with ignorance and the iudgement corrupted doe offer vnto the conscience false rules and Principles and so cause it to giue wrong euidence and erroneous iudgement iustifying when it should condemne and condemning when it should iustifie excusing those whom it should accuse and accusing them whom the Law of God excuseth and absolueth The which commeth to passe because the light of nature is through the fall almost extinguished and the booke of the Law written according to which conscience should iudge and testifie is not vnderstood and knowne or because it is blinded by lusts and passions or being corrupted hath the mouth stopped with the bribes of worldly vanities or finally is become seared and senselesse with customable sinning and habituall wickednesse CAP. XIII Of a good Conscience which is a maine ground of a godly life what it is and the causes of it §. Sect. 1 What a good conscience is and of the cause efficient which workes it in vs. IN which regard conscience thus
corrupted and disabled cannot be a sufficient ground of a godly life till after our regeneration it be renewed and restored in some measure vnto that integrity and perfection which it had in our first creation And this we call good conscience which is a maine foundation of godlinesse guiding and inabling vs to the performance of all good duties which God requireth In speaking whereof we will first shew what it is and then the causes of it the effects and fruits which spring from it the properties and signes whereby wee may know it and the meanes by which we may obtaine it if it bee wanting or preserue and keepe it if we already haue it Concerning the first A good conscience is that which being renewed by Gods Spirit and a liuely faith applying vnto vs the vertue of Christs death and obedience doth speake peace and truly testifie vnto vs according to the Scriptures that we are redeemed out of the hands of all our enemies reconciled vnto God iustified sanctified and shall perseuere in grace vnto saluation and that all our actions are warranted by the Word and accepted of God in Iesus Christ though in themselues imperfect whereby we are comforted in all things made cheerefull and diligent in Gods seruice and willing to doe all things which may be pleasing vnto him The causes of a good conscience are diuers The principall efficient is God the Father Sonne and holy Spirit The Father bestoweth this gift vpon vs who as in the beginning he first created and placed it in vs as an vncorrupted Iudge and vnpartiall witnesse betweene him and vs so it is he alone that doth renew and repaire the ruines thereof contracted through the fall of our first parents by which together with all other faculties conscience was corrupted and either so deadded seared and benummed that it had no sense and feeling at all or when it awakened out of this deadly swowne did nothing but accuse and terrifie vs or vniustly excuse and incourage vs in our sinfull courses by presenting vnto vs false comforts §. Sect. 2 Of the meritorious cause of a good conscience The meritorious cause of it is God the Sonne and our Sauiour Iesus Christ who satisfying Gods iustice and appeasing his wrath by his death and obedience freed vs from the guilt and punishment of our sinnes reconciled vs vnto God and made our peace with him vpon which followeth peace of conscience and freedome from the accusations and terrours of it For when by the Law of God or light of nature it is set a-worke to Rom. 8. 1 33 34. affright and disquiet vs in regard of our sinnes then shewing our pardon sealed by the blood of Christ it is calmed and quieted hauing nothing to lay to our charge which Christ our surety hath not satisfied for vs. Whereof it is that our Sauiour was prophetically named The Prince of peace and prefigured vnder the type of Melchizedech because hee is not Esa 9. 6. onely the King of righteousnesse by whom we are iustified but also King of Heb. 7. 2. peace as the Apostle speaketh who making our peace with God did thereby also procure for vs peace of conscience For the Iudge hath no authority to condemne nor the witnesse to accuse nor the Iaylour to imprison nor the executioner to punish and torment when the supreme Soueraigne King of heauen and earth being satisfied by the sufferings of his Sonne hath sent vs his free pardon and wee haue pleaded it in the Court of conscience Yea rather the Iudge doth then acquit and absolue vs and the witnesse saith nothing against vs but as a messenger of good things doth testifie vnto vs this ioyfull tydings And hence it is that our Sauiour was no sooner borne vnto vs but the holy Angels were sent as Gods Heralds to proclaime this peace Glory bee vnto God in the highest and in earth peace good will towards men The which peace our Sauiour Luk. 2. 14. wrought as a Mediatour betweene God and vs by satisfying his iustice and offering himselfe as an all-sufficient sacrifice for the sinnes of all his elect So the Apostle saith It pleased the Father that in him should all fulnesse dwell And hauing made peace through the blood of his Crosse by him Col. 1. 19 20. to reconcile all things to himselfe And else-where he affirmeth that we were without Christ being alients from the Common-wealth of Israel and strangers Eph. 2. v. 12. to 18. from the Couenant of promise hauing no hope and without God in the world but that now in Christ Iesus we who sometimes were farre off are made nigh by the blood of Christ For hee is our peace who hath made both one and hath broken downe the middle wall of partition betweene God and vs Hauing abolished in his flesh the enmity euen the Law of Commandements contained in ordinances to make in himselfe of twayne one new man so making peace And that he might reconcile both vnto God in one body by the crosse hauing slaine the enmity thereby And came and preached peace vnto vs both them which were a farre off and to them that were nigh And thus working our peace with God he brought also peace to our consciences when as by his blood hee had clensed them from the guilt and punishment of sinne for if the blood of Bulls and Goates sanctified to the outward purifying of the flesh how much Heb. 9. 13 14. more shall the blood of Christ who through his eternall Spirit offered himselfe without spot to God purge our consciences from dead workes to serue the liuing God Finally the conscience is renewed and sanctified by God the holy Ghost whilest he applieth Christ and all his benefits the vertue of his death and precious blood and maketh them effectuall for the purging of our consciences from all sinnefull corruption and spirituall defilements that wee may be inabled to performe pure and acceptable seruice vnto God §. Sect. 3 Of the instrumentall causes of a good conscience For the effecting whereof he vseth as his instruments the preaching of the Gospell and administration of the Sacraments and a liuely faith which by them both made effectuall by the inward operation of the Spirit is begotten and also confirmed and increased in vs. First the preaching of the Gospell is the instrument which the Spirit vseth whereby a good conscience is wrought in vs for when the Law preached and the curse threatned like a strange winde and tempest hath rent the mountaines and broken in pieces the rockes of our proud and hard hearts and as the earthquake and fire which Elias saw and felt hath terrified the conscience with the guilt of sinne and caused vs to hide our faces from Gods presence 1. King 19. 11 12 then the still voice of the Gospell causing these stormes to cease doth quiet and calme the conscience so as wee can without terrour yea with much ioy and comfort heare the voyce of God
speaking peace and offering vnto vs reconciliation grace and saluation in Iesus Christ assuring vs vpon the condition of a liuely faith bringing forth the fruits thereof in vnfained repentance that all Gods gracious promises respecting this life and the life to come doe belong vnto vs. In which regard it is called glad tidings which cause euen the very feete of those that bring them Rom. 10. 15. Iohn 14. 27. to seeme beautifull vnto vs and the Gospell of peace which Christ himselfe first preached Peace I leaue with you my peace I giue vnto you not as the Ephes 2. 17. Luke 10. 5. 2. Cor. 5. 20. world giueth giue I vnto you Let not your heart be troubled neyther let it be afraide And when he had reconciled vs vnto God by his Crosse and slaine enmity thereby he came also and preached this peace vnto vs And afterwards sent his Disciples as his Heralds to proclaime it to all who by faith receiued it yea as his Ambassadours to beseech vs in his stead to be reconciled vnto God By which meanes when the peace of a good conscience is begunne in vs it is thereby more and more confirmed and increased as also by the vse of the Sacraments which being as seales annexed to the couenant of grace doe confirme our faith in God promises and so worke peace and ioy in our consciences out of this assurance that Christ and all his benefits are ours and that wee in him are reconciled vnto God §. Sect. 4 That a good conscience springeth from a liuely faith For neither the Gospell nor the Sacraments no nor yet Christ himselfe will bring vnto vs this peace of conscience vnlesse wee receiue and Heb. 5. 2. apply them by the hand of faith as the best salue will not heale vnlesse it be applied to the wound nor meate nourish vs vnlesse it be receiued into the stomake nor the purest water purge vs from our filth vnlesse we be washed in it But when this precious balsam is applied to our wounded consciences and when by the hand of faith they are washed in the Lauer of his precious blood then they are healed of the sores of sinne and being rified from the guilt punishment and power of it do speake peace vnto vs and are the messengers of such ioyfull tydings as cannot be damped with any worldly tribulation According to that of the Apostle Being iustified by faith we haue peace with God through our Lord Iesus Christ by whom also we Rom. 5. 1 2 3. haue accesse by faith into this grace wherein we stand and reioyce in hope of the glory of God And not onely so but we glory in tribulation also c. Whereof it is that in the Scriptures faith and a good conscience are as the 1. Tim. 1. 19. cause and effect ioyned together so that one of them cannot miscarry in the storme of tentations but we shall make shipwracke of them both and together with our faith lose both our peace with God and our peace of conscience Wheras our assurance of faith will embolden vs to drawneere to the Throne of Gods grace with a true heart hauing our hearts sprinkled Heb. 10. 22. from an euill conscience and our soules washed with pure water But yet we must take heede that we doe not attribute that to the instrument which is peculiar to the principall cause nor imagine that faith by any vertue that is in it selfe doth purifie our consciences or worke peace in them For this it can no more doe then the hand it selfe can cure a sore by touching it or nourish the body and keepe it warme without food or clothes though it be the instrument to apply and put them on but it is onely our good Ionas which being cast into the raging Sea of our troubled consciences maketh them cleane and still it is the wood of his Crosse alone that is the vertue of his death and passion which being cast into these waters embitterd with the guilt of sinne that can make them to yeeld vnto vs the sweete and pleasant waters of ioy and consolation Although he will doe no more good to pacifie the stormes and sweeten the bitter torments of a raging conscience if he be not applied by a liuely faith then Ionas in the ship or the branches still growing vpon the tree and not at all cast into the tempestuous Sea and bitter waters CAP. XIIII Of the actions and effects of a good Conscience of the peace which it truly speaketh and how it differeth from the false peace of secure worldlings §. Sect. 1 That a good conscience speaketh goodnesse and peace only ANd so much of the causes of a good conscience both principall and instrumentall The next point to be considered is the actions and effects of it which are to speake peace and to testifie vnto vs truly and according to the Scriptures good and comfortable things as a Iudge acquitting and absoluing vs as an aduocate pleading for vs as a witnesse excusing and giuing euidence on our side and as a sure and faithfull friend admonishing vs that we may not fall or rebuking vs being falne that we may rise againe by vnfained repentance Where we are to consider what the conscience witnesseth and secondly the rule according to which it giueth testimonie The things which the good conscience speaketh and witnesseth are goodnesse and peace only neither is it the action of a good conscience properly to accuse and terrifie vs for sinne but to speake peace vnto vs and to iustifie vs as righteous not in our owne naturall righteousnes but in the righteousnesse of Christ applied by fayth which is most pure and perfect and in our sanctification and inherent righteousnes wrought in vs by the renewing of the holy Ghost which is but begun spotted and imperfect in this life but yet is growing towards purity and perfection and in the meane while hath the imperfections couered with Christs perfect righteousnesse and the spots and staynes of it washed away in his blood So that the good conscience is the peaceable conscience onely which witnesseth good things vnto vs as most neerly resembling the conscience of Adam in the first Creation whilst he remained in the state of innocency which onely iustified him and his actions and thereby comforted and strengthened him in Gods seruice and neuer accused or terrified him before his fall because he was pure and free from all taynt of sinne vnto which purity of Creation lost by transgression the holy Ghost reneweth the conscience by degrees vnto the highest whereof it attaineth when casting to accuse and terrify vs it iustifieth and excuseth vs before Gods Tribunall being then most good and perfect when as it is most quiet and peaceable so as we can say with Paul I haue liued in all good Acts 23 1. conscience before God vntill this day namely from the time of my first effectuall calling and conuersion §. Sect. 2 That a good conscience
worldly prosperity and singing vnto it the bewitching songs of carnall pleasures And if conscience will needs start vp and bee meddling either accusing or condemning them for sinne or terrifying and tormenting them with the guilt and punishments due vnto it then doe they corrupt this Iudge and witnesse with carnall pleasures and when they cannot be ridde of their Iaylour but they must needes goe abroad vnder his custodie they will make him drunke with these alluring cups of worldly delights that they may haue more liberty to doe what they list without checke and controulement And thus when conscience groweth melancholy through the neglect of dutie they cheere it againe that it may still goe on with them in carnall courses by feasting and reuelling musicke and merry company sporting and gaming iesting and wanton dalliance sttage-playes vnchaste sonnets and pleasant histories And if notwithstanding all these conscience stirreth and beginneth to speake then doth the world giue such a Plaudite to these pastimes and the flesh entertaine them with so loud an outcry of clamorous lusts and passions that the voyce of conscience being quite drowned it becommeth silent because it speaketh to no purpose And thus also conscience is sometimes at ease and peace through worldly cares and imployments in compassing these earthly things for hauing their hearts wholly set vpon these vaine obiects and all their actions and indeuours taken vp in these exercises and imployments conscience is silent because they haue no leisure to attend what it saith chusing rather to say nothing then to speake much to little purpose CAP. XV. Of the good things which a good Conscience witnesseth to the faithfull §. Sect. 1 The first thing which it witnesseth is pardon of our sins and reconciliation with God ANd so much generally of the matter which a good conscience testifieth namely peace and good things and of the manner how it giueth witnesse to wit truely and according to the rule of Gods Word wherein the peace which it bringeth diuersly differeth from the peace of an ill conscience Now we are to speake more particularly of the good things whereof it giueth euidence and of the fruit and benefit which ariseth from it First it witnesseth vnto vs truly and according to the rule of Gods Word that all our sinnes are pardoned and we reconciled vnto God not by any satisfaction which our selues haue made or any worthinesse in vs for which God should accept vs aboue others but only out of our assurance of faith which perswadeth vs that God of his free grace and mercie for the alone merits and satisfaction of Iesus Christ hath forgiuen vs all our sinnes and accepteth of vs in the face of his best Mat. 3. 17. Beloued in whom only he is well pleased vpon which ground a good conscience giueth comfortable euidence not onely when wee please our selues in the sight and sense of Gods graces in vs and in our cheerefull obedience and best seruices which we performe to God but also when we see and feele our corruptions and imperfections our slips falls and manifold faylings in our best actions Because it giueth euidence according to the assurance of faith which is grounded on Gods mercies and Christs merits and not vpon our workes and worthinesse and therefore cannot be ouerthrowne by our wants and weakenesses our corruptions and vnworthinesse In which respect the Apostle saith that baptisme doth saue vs not the putting away of the filth of the flesh but the answere of a good 1. Pet. 3. 21. conscience towards God by the resurrection of Iesus Christ. Which answere is nothing but this that when Gods iustice and the Law layeth sinne to our charge and requireth obedience the conscience giueth in euidence that Christ by his death and resurrection hath made full satisfaction and in our stead hath done all which was required of vs. §. Sect. 1 That a good conscience witnesseth vnto vs our sanctification And as the conscience thus beareth witnesse of our iustification and reconciliation so also of our sanctification namely that being freed from sinne we are become seruants of righteousnesse and not onely deliuered from the guilt and punishment of finne but also from the corruption power and dominion of it so that though it dwell in vs as a trayterous slaue yet it doth not raigne and rule in vs as in times past And though we be not wholly freed from all reliques of sinne and corruption nor can performe vnto God that perfect obedience which the Law requireth yet our consciences giue in euidence with vs that wee are in part sanctified and shall in Gods good time haue this worke thorowly perfected and that in the meane while we hate the euill wee doe and loue the good we doe not delighting in the Law of God in the inner man euen when we Rom. 7. 15. are led captiue vnto sinne that we desire and resolue to please God in all things and indeuour in the vse of all good meanes to haue our desires satisfied and consequently that we performe that Euangelicall obedience which God requireth and are through Christ accepted of him In which regard we may say with Paul from the time of our effectuall calling that we haue liued with all good conscience vntill this day Againe a good conscience is our warrant for all our actions testifying vnto vs that what wee Act. 23. 1. haue done and are about to doe is commanded of God whereby we are comforted in those duties which we haue performed and incouraged to proceede in well-doing because we doe not our owne will but the will of God And though our actions bee imperfect in themselues yet being done in sincerity and with vpright hearts we shall not be discouraged in the sight and sense of our imperfections yea rather we shall find cause of reioycing and glorying in them because being done with a good conscience it will iustifie and giue witnesse vnto vs that wee are also iustified and approoued of God and haue both our persons and workes accepted of him through Iesus Christ according to that of the Apostle Iohn If our heart condemne vs not then haue wee confidence towards God And this 1. Job 3. 21. made the Apostle Paul most gladly to glory in his infirmities which otherwise in themselues would haue beene a cause of griefe and mourning and 2. Cor. 12. 9. to reioyce in the conscience of his well-doing which in respect of the imperfections euen of his best actions would haue filled his face with blushing and his heart with shame Our reioycing saith he is this the testimony 2. Cor. 1. 12. of our conscience that in simplicity and godly sincerity not with fleshly wisedome but by the grace of God we haue had our conuersation in the world §. Sect. 2 That a good conscience witnesseth vnto vs that we are in all estates blessed Moreouer a good conscience testifieth vnto vs that we are through Christ in an happy and blessed
no contentment in their greatest abundance but like sweete drinkes encrease thirst and as fuell put into the fire inflame the heate of carnall concupiscence Or if they giue some seeming content in the time of health yet how little pleasure doe we take in them vpon our sicke beds though they haue some taste vnto our carnall appetite in the time of life and strength yet what an after tang leaue they at parting and how little comfort and contentment bring they against the terrours of death and the dreadfull apprehensions of approaching Iudgement §. Sect. 4 The third reason which is taken from the necessity of piety The third reason is taken from the necessity of piety seeing without it wee can haue no assurance of any spirituall benefit neither in this life nor in the life to come For it is the end which God hath proposed vnto Ephe. 1. 4. them all vnto which he most certainely attaineth if we euer attaine vnto them seeing he who is infinite in wisedome and power can neuer faile of his end which he propoundeth to his actions Now the Lord hath chosen vs that we should be holy hee hath redeemed vs out of the hands of all our Luke 1. 74. Col. 1. 22. spirituall enemies that we should worship him in holinesse and righteousnesse all the dayes of our liues We are reconciled by Christ in the body of his flesh through death that hee may present vs holy and vnblameable in Gods sight He hath adopted vs for his children that wee may be holy as he is holy He hath iustified and pardoned all our sinnes that being freed from Leuit. 19. 2. Mat. 5. 45. Rom. 6. 18. sinne wee may become the seruants of righteousnesse And therefore without this holinesse we can haue no assurance that we are elected redeemed reconciled adopted or iustified and consequently that we shall be saued for though it be not the cause of our happinesse yet it is the way that leadeth vnto it in which if we walk not we shal neuer come into that place of blessednes for without holinesse none shall see the Lord as the Apostle teacheth vs. Heb. 12. 14. §. Sect. 5 The fourth reason perswading vs to piety which is the consideration of Gods manifold mercies and of Christs comming to Iudgement Vnto these reasons we may adde the consideration of Gods manifold mercies in Iesus Christ which ought to bee notable inducements to moue vs to the imbracing and practising of piety For what greater incouragement can we haue to make vs zealous and cheerefull in the duties of Gods seruice then to consider how gracious and good God hath beene vnto vs in our creation redemption and continuall preseruation in giuing vnto vs his Sonne and pardoning our sinnes in freeing vs out of the cruell bondage of all our spirituall enemies and in multiplying his blessings vpon vs both in spirituall and corporall things And this argument the Apostle vseth to this purpose I beseech you therefore brethren by the mercies of God that yee present your bodies a liuing sacrifice holy acceptable Rom. 21. 1. to God which is your reasonable seruice And as the fruition of Gods present fauours ought to make vs forward in his seruice so also the consideration of his gracious promises concerning better and more excellent things in time to come euen the full fruition of his glorious presence and eternall blessednesse in his euerlasting Kingdome And this reason also the Apostle vseth to this end Hauing therefore these promises dearely beloued let vs 2. Cor. 7. 1. clense our selues from all filthinesse of the flesh and spirit perfecting our holinesse in the feare of God Finally the consideration of Christs comming to Iudgement should perswade vs vnto holinesse when as the heauens being on fire shall be dissolued and passe away with a noyse the elements melt with feruent heate and the earth with all the workes thereof shall be burnt vp For then onely they shall bee happy who haue beene holy and raigne with God in glory who haue faithfully serued him in holinesse and righteousnesse in the Kingdome of grace And thus the Apostle Peter reasoneth Seeing then saith he that all these things shall be dissolued what manner of persons ought yee to be in all holy conuersation and godlinesse But I shall 2. Pet. 3. 11. haue hereafter occasion to speake more fully of this point when I come to shew the manifold reasons and motiues which may induce and perswade vs vnto a godly life and therefore for the present I will content my selfe thus briefly to haue touched them referring the Reader for his more full satisfaction to the following discourse CAP. III. Of our adhering and cleauing vnto God with the full purpose and resolution of our hearts §. Sect. 1 Of the summe of the first Commandement WE haue spoken of piety which is the summe of the first Table And now it followeth that we speake briefely of the particular precepts the first whereof is contayned in these words Thou shalt haue no other gods before me or before my face The maine scope and summe whereof is this that wee know acknowledge and worship Iehouah the Father Sonne and holy Ghost in Trinity of persons and vnity of Essence and no other gods besides him For to haue God is in our mindes and vnderstandings to know and acknowledge him to bee our God all-sufficient incomprehensible omnipotent immutable eternall iust mercifull and infinite in all perfection in our hearts and affections to adhere and cleane vnto him with faith affiance hope loue zeale whom we know to be the chiefe Goodnesse and supreme cause of all our happinesse in our wills with all earnest desire and constant resolution to serue and obey him in all his Commandements with all the power and faculties of our bodies and soules whom we know and acknowledge to be the chiefe end of all things and so infinitely good gracious vnto vs and with our bodies actions and indeuours to worship and serue him alone with all our might and strength So that the true sauing knowledge of God is the ground of all other vertues and obedience as we haue shewed and therefore if wee would imbrace any vertues or perform any Christian duties of a godly life we must in the first place labour to haue our mindes inlightened with the knowledge of God and his truth without which our deuotion will bee no better then superstition and all our indeuours in the performance of religious duties meere will-worship and idolatry as wee see in the example of the Idolaters who in stead of worshipping the only true God worship stocks stones and Images Saints and Angels and in stead of doing Gods will in their deuotions do their owne wills and therefore tire themselues and spend all their strength in vaine §. Sect. 2 Of adhering to God what it is and the necessity of it But of this knowledge of God which is the maine ground of a godly life wee
full of imperfections and weake in those graces 2. Chro. 30. 19. which are necessary vnto the worthy receiuing of this holy Sacrament we will in that part of our liues which remaineth striue after more perfection and conscionably labour in the vse of all good meanes whereby we may increase our knowledge faith repentance and charity towards our neighbours And lastly earnest and hearty prayer vnto God for the remission of our sinnes for the assistance of his Spirit in our intended action for a new supply of sanctifying graces and for his blessing vpon his holy Ordinances the Word and Sacraments that they may be effectuall for the renewing and increasing of them in vs and for the strengthening of vs vnto the duties of a godly life In the action of receiuing wee are to be exercised both by meditation and action We are to meditate on the outward signes Bread and Wine and the things signified by them the precious Body and Blood of Christ as also of the Analogie and relation betweene them When we see the Bread and Wine set apart from a common to an holy vse we are to be put in mind thereby that so Christ was set apart and sealed to the office of Mediatourship that he might bee our Ioh 6. 27. Esa 49. 1 5. Prophet Priest and King and so worke that great worke of our Redemption When we see one Bread and one Wine consisting of many Graines and Grapes we are to be put in mind thereby that there is but 1. Tim. 2. 5. one Mediatour betweene Gods vs euen the man Iesus Christ and that he hath but one body the Catholike Church consisting of many members When 1. Cor. 12. 12 13. wee see the Bread broken and the Wine powred out wee are to call to mind that so the body of Christ was broken and crucified and his blood shed for our sinnes that it might be spirituall food for our soules to nourish them to life euerlasting When we see the Minister giue and deliuer the Bread and Wine we are to remember that so God offereth the Body and Blood of his Sonne to be receiued spiritually by faith of euery worthy receiuer The actions to be performed are first to receiue the Bread and Wine at the hands of the Ministers and to eate and drinke them with our bodily mouthes Secondly to performe an inward action answerable thereunto namely by the hand and mouth of faith to receiue and feed vpon Christs Body and Blood for our spirituall nourishment Thirdly to remember the infinite loue of God and his Christ to vs the one in giuing his deare Sonne the other his precious Body and Blood for our Redemption and being truely thankefull vnto them in our hearts for these inestimable benefits to set foorth their praises both by our lips and liues songs of Thankesgiuing and holy conuersation After the receiuing of the Supper we are to performe these duties First to bee perpetually thankefull vnto God the Father Sonne and holy Spirit as for all his benefits so especially for that great worke of our Redemption and for deriuing and assuring vnto vs the fruit of it by his Word Sacraments and holy Spirit Secondly wee must examine how wee haue profited by receiuing of the Supper for the satisfying of our spirituall hunger and the replenishing of our empty soules with the gifts and graces of Gods holy Spirit which were the maine ends for which we came to the Lords Table Lastly we are to performe carefully our purposes and promises made vnto God and our selues that we will conscionably and diligently vse all good meanes for the furthering of vs in the duties of repentance and a godly life CAP. VIII Of the duties required in the third and fourth Commandement §. Sect. 1 Of the sanctifying of Gods Name which is taken diuersly in the Scriptures c. and how it ought to be done THe third Commandement requireth that wee sanctifie Gods Name and glorifie him out of his publike and solemne seruice in the whole course of our liues and conuersation The Name of God signifieth diuers things in the Scriptures as first God himselfe and his attributes which are his Essence Secondly his Glory Thirdly his Titles as Iehouah Elohim Iah Fourthly his Word Fifthly his Religion Sixthly his Workes And to take it in vaine is to vse it in our thoughts words and workes rashly lightly and without iudgement or in vaine and to no end or falsly wickedly and contumeliously to his dishonour which is heere forbidden Contrariwise in this Commandement God requireth that we sanctifie and glorifie his holy Name and as it is Holy Reuerend and Glorious in it selfe so to vse it holily and reuerently in all our thoughts words and actions And on the other side he forbiddeth vs to vse Gods Name that is his attributes Titles Word Religion and Workes vainely that is rashly irreuerently and lightly vpon no iust cause or else prophanely falsly and contemptuously to Gods dishonour The mayne duties required of vs are first that wee effectually know beleeue and remember God and his attributes and also often thinke and meditate on them holily and Rom. 10. 10. reuerently that wee make profession of God and his attributes and vpon all occasions speake of them in like manner and that wee walke worthy such an holy knowledge and profession in our liues and conuersations Deut. 28. 58. Secondly that wee desire Gods glory in our hearts and indeuour Psal 50. 23. 1. Cor. 10. 31. to set it foorth by all meanes making it the matter of our speech and glorifying him by our praises and thankesgiuing and the end also of all our words and actions Thirdly that we vse Gods Titles and Names iudiciously in matters of waight and importance after a serious and reuerent manner and to a good end Fourthly that wee vse Gods Word religiously and holily reading meditating and conferring of it with a desire studie and indeuour to know remember and practise it That we make it our Schoolemaster to teach and instruct vs in all truth our chiefe 2. Tim. 3. 16. guide for the directing and reforming of our hearts and liues and the Luk. 11. 28. squire and rule according to which wee frame all our words and actions Fifthly that wee walke worthy our high calling and by our holinesse and Psal 119. 1. Act. 23. 1. 24. 16. righteousnesse adorne the Religion which we professe carrying our selues in all things vprightly in respect of God and inoffensiuely in respect of men Sixthly that in our thoughts words and actions wee make an holy and religious vse of all Gods workes both of creation and gouernment and both meditate and speake of them so as it may redound to Gods glory knowing him by his workes and glorifying him in them by Rom. 1. 19 20 21 Ps 19. 1. 139. 14. acknowledging them his workemanship and his wisedome power and goodnesse shining in them And also to our owne good imitating
confusion into Church and Common wealth and to crosse Gods wise prouidence in the gouernment of the world who hath giuen variety of gifts which he hath appointed to be exercised in variety of callings that being helpefull and seruiceable mutually vnto one another humane societies might be preserued peace and loue nourished in them And therefore as in a well-gouerned Army euery one keepeth his place and station vnto which his Generall hath designed him not only serueth him generally as a Souldier but in that place and office vnto which he is appointed and chosen So must wee demeane our selues towards our great Commander and not thinke it enough to performe good duties vnlesse we doe those which belong to our callings not out of fancie and fickle vnconstancie leauing our station but as the Apostle requireth abide in the same calling wherein God hath placed vs. 1. Cor. 7. 20 24. §. Sect. 2 That we must be regenerate before we can serue God acceptably in our callings But it is not sufficient that we be settled in a lawfull calling and that we painfully performe the duties that are required in it for this a meere worldling may doe out of carnall and earthly respects either for his owne pleasure credit or profit but that we so carry and demeane our selues in it as that we may by our labours and indeuours glorifie God further our own saluation and aduance the good of the Church Common wealth Vnto which diuers things are required some whereof respect our persons and some the actions and duties which we performe Vnto our persons there is required that we be regenerate and sanctified For our persons must be accepted before any of our workes can please God and bee holy and righteous before we can bring foorth the fruits of holinesse and righteousnesse For as vnto the pure all things are pure so vnto them that are defiled and vnbeleeuing Tit. 1. 15. Pro. 21. 27. verse 4. is nothing pure but euen their minde and conscience is defiled And if the sacrifices of the vvicked are abominable and their very prayers are turned into sinne hovv much more are the ordinary vvorkes of their callings sinfull and odious in Gods sight Neither can such as are vnsanctified expect any blessing of God vpon their labour or that they should prosper Psal 1. 3. 112. 1 2. c. Psal 128. 1. in any thing vvhich they doe or take in hand seeing by Gods promise this priuiledge is limited vnto the righteous and such as feare him § Sect. 3 That we must performe the duties of our callings in faith Vnto the actions also and duties of our callings that they may be acceptable vnto God diuers things are required And these are either such vertues and graces which goe before as being the causes of all our good actions and proceedings or such as doe accompany and attend vpon them Of the former sort the first and principall is a true and liuely faith whereby I vnderstand not only a iustifying faith which assureth vs of the remission of our sinnes and of the loue and fauour of God and which by vniting Hab. 11. 6. Iohn 15. 5. Rom. 14. 23. vs vnto the true vine Christ doth inable vs in him to bring forth the fruits of righteousnesse without which we cannot please God nor doe any good thing seeing all wee doe is sinne but also a particular act of this faith whereby we are perswaded that our callings and the duties which wee performe in them being pleasing vnto God the Lord wil giue a blessing vpon all our labours and indeuours For which purpose our faith must haue a warrant and ground out of Gods Word both inioyning these duties and promising a blessing vnto the performance of them And thus shall wee Hab. 2. 4. liue the life of faith which is so often commended vnto vs in the Scriptures when as therein wee doe not only the religious duties of Gods seruice but also the duties of our callings whereby wee shall bee incouraged to goe forward in them with all alacrity and cheerefulnesse when as we are assured that God will blesse those labours which himselfe hath required and not bee dismayed with those crosses and troubles which befall vs in them seeing we are sure that by Gods blessing and gracious assistance wee shall ouercome them and haue a good end and issue of all our labours § Sect. 4 That the duties of our callings must proceede from Loue. Secondly the duties of our callings must proceede out of vnfained loue towards God and our neighbours which is the fountaine of all true obedience and not principally from selfe-loue or loue of the world which being poysonous rootes of all sinne will taint all our workes and actions which spring from them They must arise from the loue of God which moueth those in whom it is to consecrate wholy vnto him their liues and labours in all things desiring to serue him who so loueth vs and whom we so loue both in the immediate duties of his worship and also in the ordinarie duties of our callings And this is done when as wee labour in them not first and chiefly for worldly gaine and aduantage thereby to please our selues but in obedience to Gods Commandement who requireth these duties of vs studying in all things to please him and that our actions both for the matter and manner may be approued and accepted in his sight Secondly wee must performe the duties of our callings out of loue towards our neighbours seeking in them their good 1. Cor. 13. 5. Gal. 5. 13. as well as our owne seeing true charity seeketh not her owne but is also seruiceable vnto others which if wee doe then will we not wrong them to benefit our selues nor gaine by thir losse wee will not depriue them of some great good to get vnto our selues some small aduantage neither will we be so wholy intent and greedily gripple in following our owne businesse but that wee will spare them some of our time and afford them our best helpe when their necessity shall require our assistance and reason charity and conscience shall binde vs to afford it §. Sect. 5 That they must be directed to right ends Thirdly as our labours must arise from these causes so they must bee directed to right ends As first and principally to Gods glory which in 1. Cor. 10. 31. all wee doe wee must labour to aduance Neither is God onely glorified when wee professe and practise religious duties but also when wee walk conscionably in our callings and with all diligence performe the duties required in them in obedience to his Commandements Secondly we must propound vnto our selues in them the good of the Church and Common wealth which wee are to preferre before our owne priuate and so carry our selues in all things as that we may be profitable members in these societies In which regard wee must not seeke to gaine by the common
beholdeth our most secret actions not as an idle spectatour but as a righteous Iudge who will call all our workes to account to reward them if they be good 1. Cor. 5. 10. or to punish them if they be euill and what extreme folly and madnesse is it to make no scruple of committing those sinnes in the presence of our Iudge which with all care wee hide from our fellowes who it may be are guilty of the same or like crimes Let vs also consider that we carry our owne consciences euer about vs which are such witnesses as will not bee bribed and corrupted but will one day giue in true euidence before Gods Tribunall either to acquit or condemne vs besides all those present accusations wherewith they are alwayes ready to vpbraide vs after our ill-doing and those horrours and terrours wherewith they affright vs after we haue wounded them with knowne wilfull and haynous sinnes if at least by impudencie in sinning and customable wickednesse they be not for the time seared and senselesse Let vs remember that there is nothing hid which shall not bee made manifest and that all our workes and actions which are done in the most secret corners shall as our Sauiour speaketh Mat. 10. 26 27. be proclaimed vpon the house tops yea shall one day come to be viewed and scanned before all the holy Saints and Angels and be either applauded and commended or else derided and condemned Finally that it is grosse hypocrisie to seeme more carefull and conscionable of our workes and wayes when we are in company and in the sight of men then when we are alone and in the presence of God the which abuse of his Maiesty hee will not indure but will vnlesse wee repent of it pull off the vayle and vizard of hypocrisie and lay open our nakednesse and filthinesse to the view of the world Or if he forbeare vs so long yet will hee not faile to vncase and vnmaske vs at the day of Iudgement and giue vs our portion Mat. 24. 51. with the rest of our fellow hypocrites where shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth §. Sect. 5 That it is pleasant profitable and necessary to spend our solitary houres in Christian duties And thus are we in our solitarinesse to watch ouer our minds and imaginations our hearts and affections our workes and actions that they may be preserued from all sinne and wholly taken vp and exercised in religious and honest duties which that we may obserue with more vigilancy and diligence let vs consider that it is a course pleasant profitable and necessary For what can be more pleasant then so to carry our selues in our solitarinesse as that we may conuerse with God feele within vs the beames of his fauour warming our hearts and the sweet communion and gracious influences of his holy Spirit directing comforting and incouraging vs in these good courses what greater ioy in this life then thus to inioy God in some first fruits and small beginnings which shall be the perfection of our happinesse when we come to full fruition We shall find it also most profitable both for our selues and others For if wee make this vse of our solitarinesse our minds will be the better fitted for diuine contemplation when as they are sequestred for the time from the world as our bodies are from company and so freed from all those distractions and interruptions which when we are in company doe hinder vs in this exercise And this benefit of solitude for holy Meditations the Psalmist noteth Stand in awe Psal 4. 4. saith he and sinne not commune with your owne heart vpon your bed and be still And our Sauiour Christ inioyneth it as a notable helpe to fit vs the better for prayer When thou prayest saith he enter into thy Chamber and when thou hast shut to the doore pray to thy Father which is in secret And as we are hereby made more fit to conuerse with God so also with men seeing if we keepe our mindes and hearts thus well seasoned in our solitarinesse all our words and actions will hold the same taste when we come into company and if when we are alone our hearts be the inditers of good matter Psal 45. 1. when wee come among others our tongues will bee as the pen of a ready writer to discouer and lay open for the good of others the things which we priuately haue conceiued If when we are alone wee thus furnish and inrich our selues with these prouisions of spirituall and heauenly treasures we shall be able out of our store to spend liberally when we come into company to inrich others also with our plenty Finally it is necessary that we keepe this watch ouer our thoughts hearts and actions when we are solitary because then we are more in danger to fall into sinne and to become slothfull and negligent in all good duties for then the bond of feare and worldly shame that restraineth the flesh from many disorders which otherwise it would willingly rush into being taken away it will eagerly desire more liberty to sinne and then also we want the incouragement of fame and commendation which is due vnto well-doing and is a notable spurre to pricke vs forward in vertuous actions the which mooued our Sauiour to incourage vs in our priuate prayers by telling vs that howsoeuer by performing this holy duty in secret we should want the applause and praises of men yet there is sufficient cause to make vs perseuere in it seeing our heauenly Father would aboundantly supply this defect who seeing vs in secret would reward vs openly Againe when we are solitary Mat. 6. 6. and alone we are destitute of the helpe of our religious friends who by their counsell exhortations and incouragements make vs more ready to vndertake and more able to performe Christian duties and by their admonitions and reprehensions doe raise vs vp by repentance when as wee are falne into any sinne In which regard the Wise man saith that two are better then one because if they fall the one will helpe vp his fellow and denounceth Eccl. 4. 9 10. a woe against him that is alone when he falleth because hee hath not another to helpe him vp And therefore in this respect also we neede to double our care in watching ouer our selues when we are alone because wee haue no other to watch ouer vs who might supply those defects in which we are wanting Adde hereunto that when we are alone we are more exposed to the danger of tentations seeing Satan our spirituall enemy is ready to take the aduantage of our solitude and to assault vs in single combate when we haue no seconds nor succours to assist vs in our foyles And this made him to tempt Eue when she was alone that she might not Gen. 3. 1. haue the counsell and helpe of her husband to make resistance And Ioseph when there was none with him but his vnchaste
admonish them of their faults before those vnto whom they desire chiefly to bee approoued and to maintaine their credit for this will make them either to deny the fault or to defend it or to excuse and extenuate it or if they can doe none of these to burst out into choller as holding themselues to be much disgraced Neither is admonition seasonable towards others when they haue begun first to admonish vs because it will seeme to proceed not from loue but from spleene not from any dislike of their faults but too much liking of our owne not out of a friendly liberty to doe them good by reclaiming them from their sinne but out of impatiencie to beare reproofe which maketh vs to returne like for like because we would haue both lye vnder the same guilt whereas if we take admonition well and performe the like dutie at another time to our neighbour it will be imputed to the friendly liberty of loue which seeketh to reforme the faulty and not to anger and reuenge which vpbraideth the like faultinesse to countenance our owne Secondly there is required that we take fit occasions to admonish as when our neighbours either by their words and speeches or their actions and behauiour doe offer vnto vs some fit opportunity for if it come thus by accident if findeth more easie entrance whereas if we seeme to come of purpose prepared and armed it will seeme more harsh to them whom wee admonish and but cause them to prepare also to make resistance Or when being sharpely taunted for their faults by their enemies they are vexed and grieued with their reproches then may wee take fit occasion to giue them admonition for them that they may not be lyable to such disgraces for this will seeme to spring out of loue which seeketh their credit and will mooue them to take it well when as we of the poyson of other mens raylings and reuilings doe make an antidote by our friendly admonitions to preserue them from taking any hurt from them for the time to come Thirdly we must be carefull in admonishing others that we our selues be not guilty of the same faults which we taske in them lest they pay vs in our owne coyne mete vnto vs by the same measure and bring vs vnder the same condemnation Yea perhaps we may incurre thereby the suspition Matth. 7. 1 2. of hypocrites who tell others of their sinnes to hide our owne or like subtill theeues raise a clamour against our neighbours that wee may the better escape in the Hiew and Cry or of disliking their person more then their sinne seeing we nourish the like in our owne bosome Or if Christian loue mooue vs to admonish them in this kinde because such sinnes beare more sway in them then in vs being committed by them wilfully and with settled resolution by vs through frailty infirmity and at vnawares seeing they defend them and we bewaile them they cherish and nourish them we condemne and labour to mortifie them we may being our selues faulty in this case admonish others but then it is best to preuent their vpbraiding by confessing our owne frailty and by applying our admonition to our selues together with them as thereby seeking our mutuall reformation Fourthly our admonitions must proceed from brotherly loue the which being a grace hidden in our hearts wee must make knowne by the fruits of it To which end we must vse all lenity meekenesse of spirit compassion in the sense of the like infirmities in our selues with milde and gentle speeches shewing in our hatred of their sinne the loue of their person And though the party may discerne them yet if we would doe any good we may not vse any insulting speeches contumelious words scoffes scornes or byting iests and howsoeuer in some cases for lesser faults or when we haue to deale with a froward nature we may sweeten our admonition by speaking merrily and in a pleasant manner yet wee must take heed that we retaine our grauity lest it bee turned into a iest and so lose all its force and efficacy But especially wee are to take heed that our admonitions doe not appeare to haue risen out of selfe-loue and respect to our owne particular but out of our loue of them whom we admonish for if this be but suspected it will neuer take any place because wee seeke not their good but our owne And secondly that they proceed not from anger and choller which will make it seeme a chiding and brawling rather then an admonition and an action of rauing rather then of loue In which respect our admonitions will be the more powerfull when as they haue no reference to our selues either of profit or hurt but rather such as by the faults which we reprooue accrew vnto others Againe to shew our loue we are with the notice which we take of their faults to acknowledge their good parts and to giue them due praise for their well-deseruing Or if their defects will affoord no such occasion wee may intermixe the vertues of their parents or deare friends both which will sweeten our admonition and serue like sugar to take away the distaste of their bitternesse Neither must wee bee alwayes beating vpon one string nor vse this soueraigne Salue for euery slight scratch but vpon some vrgent necessitie and waighty occasion passing by petty matters of small value as not seeing them or at least reseruing them like little pieces of coyne till they bee come to a summe For to bee still admonishing for euery trifle will make vs seeme curious busie-bodies and harsh censures to bee voyde of loue which maketh vs passe by infirmities and will cause our company to bee tedious and irkesome and our admonitions by their frequencie vnrespected and of no force Fifthly if the parties wee admonish bee of stout spirits and are bold enough to beare it wee may deale plainely and particularly with them for their sinnes but if they haue tender foreheads and are so ingenuously bashfull that they are apt to bee daunted and put out of countenance by our taking notice of their faults it is Christian wisedome to nourish this modestie and shamefastenesse seeing there is no great danger that such will bee hardened in their sinnes And to this end it is good to admonish them of their faults in other mens persons which are alike knowne vnto them and to let them see the foulenesse of their vices when like vnpartiall beholders they take a view of them in other subiects The which course also is sometimes good when it is propounded by way of Parable in another person as when wee haue to deale with our superiours as Nathan with Dauid or such as will not by plaine and direct dealing bee so easily conuinced of their sinnes Againe to cherish ingenuity and to preserue men from boldnesse and impudency it is not good in our admonitions to presse our reproofes too farre but to giue them some little euasion that they may not turne
performance of any Christian duty what is the cause that moueth vs vnto it and if we finde that it is loue of the world or loue of our selues either to obtaine a reward or to auoyd punishment temporall or eternall let vs put it backe as comming out of due place and labour that the loue of God which is much more worthy may haue the precedency as the first and chiefe motiue that perswadeth vs to well-doing §. Sect. 2 That we must propound Gods will and our obedience thereunto in all duties Secondly we must propound vnto our selues in all the duties of a godly life the will of God and his glory in yeelding obedience vnto it as the maine scope and end of all our actions desiring chiefly and in the first place as our Sauiour hath taught vs to pray that wee may hallow and glorifie Gods Name by doing his will And if wee will performe vnto God acceptable seruice wee must therein deny our selues and our owne wills and yeeld our selues in absolute obedience to the will of God praying because he will haue vs pray hearing and reading his Word because it is his will that we should do so giuing almes and doing works of mercy that we may please him by doing his will yea seeking the saluation of our owne soules not chiefly because we desire it for our owne good but because his will is to glorifie himselfe in our saluation and happinesse Ioh. 6. 39 40. For Gods will is the cause of causes and as all things came from it so must all things tend vnto it as their maine scope and end It is that which gaue first being to our wills and preserueth them in it and therefore they must not be absolute in themselues but in all things yeeld to the will of their Creator willing whatsoeuer they will because God first willeth it It is the rule of righteousnesse and all perfection and all things are iust and vniust perfect or imperfect straight or crooked as they agree or differ from it and therefore there is no goodnesse in our wills no not in the chusing and imbracing of the best actions and duties that can be named but onely so farre forth as we conforme them to the will of God and doe all we doe in obedience vnto it And if first and chiefly we performe vnto God any seruice because our will and desire leadeth vs vnto it and not principally in this respect because God willeth it and would haue vs also to will and doe it it doth hereby lose all grace and beauty and so also all reward at Gods hand seeing we serue not him but our selues when wee aime not chiefly at the doing of his will that wee may please and glorifie him but of our owne Neither are our actions chiefly to bee esteemed good or euill according to the matter but according to the maine scope and end of them which giueth them their denomination nor is any act seeme it neuer so glorious to be esteemed Gods seruice which is not done in obedience vnto him nor any obedience which hath not conformity with his will In which regard it may be truly said that the basest workes of the most seruile calling done by a faithfull Christian in simple obedience to the will of God to glorifie him are more pleasing vnto him and esteemed for better seruice then the praier and fasting hearing the Word and giuing almes of Pharisaical hypocrites which are done either for the praise of men or as workes satisfactory to Gods iustice and to merit by them their owne saluation Finally if wee performe all good duties not as our owne will but as the will of God and labour in all things that his will may chiefly sway and rule in ours wee shall heereby adde much excellency vnto all our good actions For seeing the action receiueth worth and dignity from the agent in which regard the same thing done by a mighty Prince is esteemed highly which in an ordinary and meane person is little regarded therefore must needs all good duties bee much more excellent when the will of God is the chiefe motiue that setteth vs on worke and not our owne will seeing they proceed from a much more excellent cause §. Sect. 3 That all true seruice is done in obedience to Gods will Wee must therefore in all Christian duties propound this vnto our selues as our principall and maine scope that the will of God and Ioh. 5. 30. and 6. 38. not our owne may bee done in them according to the example of our Sauiour Christ who did not his owne will but the will of him that sent him We must labour after Regeneration not as the act of our owne will but of Gods For we are borne againe not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor Ioh. 1. 13. of the will of man but of God We must labour to be sanctified because this is the will of God euen our sanctification that we may liue no longer the rest of 1. Thes 4. 3. 1. Pet. 4. 2. our time in the flesh to the lusts of men but to the will of God Wee must pray and in all things giue thanks because this is the will of God in Iesus Christ Yea 1. Thes 5. 18. whatsoeuer we doe we must doe it not as our owne will but as the will of God The which is not onely to be obserued in the high and excellent duties of Gods immediate seruice but euen in the basest and most seruile actions euen in the duties of the poorest and meanest seruants who must in performing seruice to their Masters propound vnto themselues as their mayne scope not their owne profit nor the doing of their owne or their Masters will but the will of God which requireth it at their hands For so the Apostle exhorteth seruants to be obedient vnto their Masters and to Eph. 6. 6. serue them with feare and singlenesse of heart as vnto Christ not with eye-seruice as men-pleasers but as the seruants of Christ doing the will of God from the heart And as in our doings so likewise in our sufferings we must with the Apostle and our Sauiour Christ himselfe chiefly aime at this that the Act. 21. 14. Mat. 26. 39 42. will of the Lord may be done in them For those only that suffer according to Gods will receiue the promise and such alone can with confidence commit Heb. 10. 36. the keeping of their soules to him in well-doing as vnto a faithfull Creatour 1. Pet. 4. 19. as the Apostle Peter speaketh Now that we may be mooued thus to seeke that Gods will may be done in all our actions let vs consider that there is no true obedience which hath not this as the maine scope of it that if we thus doe we shall be accepted of God and with Dauid bee approoued as men according to Gods owne heart That we shall heereby be aduanced to Act. 13. 22. Ioh. 7. 17.
be fit matter for vs to meditate on of which I will heere set downe some of the chiefe and principall that those who are weake in knowledge and yong beginners in this exercise may be so sufficiently furnished that they need not to neglect it for want of matter §. Sect. 4 That the Scriptures them selues and the things reuealed in them are fit matter for Meditation As the nature of God his actions and decree And that we may proceed in some order we may make the matter of our Meditations either the Scriptures themselues or else the things reuealed in them The Scriptures themselues are a fit subiect for our Meditation by considering that they are the Word not of man but of God and so to be heard and read loued and obeyed of vs that in this regard they are most excellent and to be preferred aboue all other writings most certaine and infallible most perfect and all-sufficient most ancient and durable and finally that they are plaine and easie giuing light to the simple most profitable and necessary to saluation and therefore to bee read and studied of all men The things reuealed in the Scriptures are either those which respect faith and are to be beleeued or else manners and are to bee practised The things to be beleeued are either those which concerne God or the Church The former respect God himselfe or his actions and workes From God himselfe we may haue plentifull matter of diuine Meditation as first that there is a God and the vses that wee are to make of it what this God is and how he hath reuealed himselfe vnto vs in his essence and persons his attributes and names Of which I haue spoken in the beginning of this Treatise and haue briefly described Gods nature and attributes as his simplicity infinitenesse eternity immutability omni-presence all-sufficiency which being rightly vnderstood and remembred will affoord excellent matter of holy Meditations The actions of God are either his decree or the execution of it In the decree it selfe we are principally to meditate vpon our election to saluation the causes and effects and properties of it especially the infallibility and certainty and how and by what reasons and signes being sure in it selfe we may come to be assured that our names particularly are written in the Booke of life In the execution of the decree which is either generall or speciall we haue plentifull matter of Meditation In respect of the generall execution we may meditate first of the workes of creation which were not made all at one instant as they might as easily if God had so pleased but in sixe dayes that by this orderly proceeding we might the better be inabled to meditate vpon them And heere we may meditate on the heauens their glory and beauty their greatnesse and durablenesse their motions and constant order How they are adorned with the glorious brightnesse of the Starres Moone and Sunne be-spangling this vaulty roofe of Gods great building euery one exceeding another in beauty and brauery Thus wee may meditate vpon the diuers regions of the ayre and the creatures contained in them the presaging Commets fiery exhalations the Meteors of the middle region clouds and winds thunder and lightning raine snow haile and frosts whose hidden treasures and true causes none can pry into but he that made them the disagreeing elements ioyning in an excellent harmony for the perfecting of all compound bodies Neither doth the earth and creatures therein contained affoord vnto vs lesse matter of Meditation as trees plants and flowers of excellent beauty and almost infinite variety growing from silly seeds in outward shew not differing many of them one from another The excellent workemanship of the brute creatures the endlesse variety of their inward formes and outward shapes their qualities and properties their life sense and motions with the exquisite organs and instruments euery small particle hauing for these purposes their speciall and necessary vse Their generation whereby being corruptible in themselues they become after a sort incorruptible in their kinds after their death liuing in their posterity Secondly wee may meditate vpon the prouidence of God whereby he preserueth all things which he hath created gouerning and directing them to those ends for which he hath made them especially that mayne end of setting foorth his glory And that he doth thus rule and dispose not onely in a generall manner of all things but of euery particular euen such as seeme to bee of least moment and most casuall and contingent §. Sect. 5 Of the execution of the Decree in the creation and gouernment Againe the particular execution of Gods decree in the creation and gouernment of Angels and men affordeth vnto vs plentifull matter of Meditation As the felicity and glory of the blessed Spirits the Image of God in them their alacrity and cheerefulnesse their speed and diligence in doing Gods will and in ministring vnto the elect for their preseruation and the furthering of their saluation The fall and misery of the euill angels their malice towards God and his elect and their policy and power in seeking their destruction by drawing them to sinne which should double our diligence in arming our selues against all their tentations So also we may haue abundant matter of meditation ministred vnto vs from that which is reuealed in the Scriptures concerning man As his Creation whereby God made mans body of the dust of the earth the Image of God in man consisting in wisedome righteousnesse and true holinesse his felicity in the state of innocency the immortality and excellency of his soule the beauty health and vigour of his body his dominion ouer the creatures the ioyes of Paradise Likewise in our meditations we may consider that man continued not in this blessed estate but fell from it and that the cause hereof was sinne Where we take occasion generally to meditate of sinne what it is how horrible grieuous and contrary to Gods pure nature and how much in this regard hee hateth and detesteth it the fearefull properties of it both in respect of the guilt and punishment temporall as all the calamities and miseries of this life and our spirituall seruitude to Satan and eternall as the losse of heauenly happinesse and euerlasting condemnation both of body and soule More especially wee may meditate on the fall of our first Parents what it was and wherein it consisted the causes of it outward and inward and the lamentable effects which followed vpon it As Gods fearefull curse vpon themselues and vpon the creatures for their sake the defacing of his glorious Image in them the sense of their nakednesse and terrour of conscience accompanying it the losse of their dominion ouer the creatures their thrusting out of Paradise the visible place of Gods presence their separation from him and all other euils both of sinne and punishment The wretchednesse of all mankind in the state of disobedience and vnbeliefe by reason of that corruption which followed
our seeming wisedome be not foolishnesse and that wee mistake not the stained cloth of our imperfect obedience for the pure white linnen of perfect sanctity and so grosly abuse our selues for if a man thinketh Gal. 6. 3. himselfe to be something when he is nothing he is deceiued and coozeneth himselfe of his owne saluation With which deceit it is easie to be ouertaken with proud Iusticiaries by reason of our selfe-love if wee doe not often and seriously examine our selues according to the perfect rule of Gods Law and in this cleere Looking-glasse behold our blemishes and the manifold wants and imperfections of our best actions Furthermore the necessity of this examination heereby appeareth in that the neglect thereof is the cause of all sinne For what is the reason why men rush headlong into all manner of grosse and notorious wickednesse Why they blaspheme Gods holy Name for no worldly aduantage but vpon meere vanity Why they displease God and disable themselues vnto all duties of his seruice by surfetting and drunkennesse without any gaine yea to the discredit of their persons and ruining of their estates Why they commit filthinesse and vncleannesse thereby weakning their bodies and shortning their liues and why they continue in these and many such sinnes with impenitency and hardnesse of heart Surely not so much through the ignorance of their mindes or because their iudgements are not conuinced that these are grieuous sinnes which for the present draw Gods fearefull plagues vpon them and will heereafter be punished with euerlasting death For they heare these things daily sounding in their eares in the Ministery of the Word and see fearefull examples and presidents continually of them in others who haue liued in the like wickednesse But because though they haue sight and knowledge yet they haue no vse of it the deuill hauing so hud-winkt and blind folded the eyes of their minde that they neuer examine their state nor consider with themselues what they doe whither they are a going nor what will be the issue and end of these things And so like hooded Hawkes are carried quietly by the deuill into all wicked courses which leade them to destruction §. Sect. 4 The former point prooued by the Scriptures Esa 1. 3. And this is manifest by the Scriptures which in many places shew that men commit many of their sinnes and liue in them without repentance because they examine not their estate nor enter into due consideration what they doe Thus it is said that the cause of the Israelites vngratitude and rebellion against God was because they did not consider either Gods goodnesse and bounty nor their owne wickednesse and the manifold euils which thereby they brought vpon themselues That the cause why many of them followed drunkennesse and sported themselues in this sinne with all sensuall delight was because they regarded not the worke of Esa 5. 11 12. the Lord neither considered the operation of his hands That they forsooke the Lord and worshipped stockes and stones the works of their owne hands Esa 44. 19. because none considered in their hearts the vanity of Idols and that themselues had made them of the same tree wherof they had burned a part and conuerted other parts of it to other vses That the cause of Babylons insolency pride wherby they tyrānized ouer Gods people was because they did not cōsider that God had made them only scourges rods to correct his people which hauing done he would cast thē into the fire which things Esa 47. 7. 57. 11. they did not lay to heart nor remember the latter end namely their destructiō and the deliuerance of Gods people And as neglect of this consideration is the cause of sinne so also it exposeth vs to fearefull punishments for if we will not iudge our selues we shall be iudged of the Lord if we forget his Iudgements and neuer thinke of them hee will rub our memories and helpe vs to recouer our lost wits by whipping vs like Bedlems and making vs sensible by smart who were insensible of reason Thus the Lord saith that the whole Land was made desolate because no man laid it to Ier. 12. 11. heart And thus he threatneth the Israelites that because they did not remember and consider his former mercies and their owne sinnes and vnworthinesse therefore he would recompence their wayes vpon their head and Ezek. 16. 43. make them to know him by his Iudgements when as his mercies would not make them acknowledge him Lastly this may shew vs how necessary this examination is seeing it must of necessity bee done either in this world or the world to come For all shall render a reckoning of all that they haue done in the flesh and therefore if wee doe not examine and iudge our selues heere God will examine and condemne vs heereafter If we doe not call our selues to account in this life when as finding our selues short in our reckonings we haue time to sue through the Mediation of Christ for the pardon of our debts and to procure a generall acquittance and discharge we shal be accountant to Gods Iustice at the day of Iudgement when the Day of grace and saluation being past there will bee no place for procuring of pardon but being much indebted and hauing nothing to pay we shall be cast into the prison of outer darkenesse without hope of mercy or deliuerance from that endlesse misery Which fearefull Iudgement and condemnation if we would auoyd let vs heere whilst the Day of saluation lasteth examine iudge and condemne our selues that wee may turne from our sinnes by vnfained repentance and so hauing Christ to be both our Aduocate and Iudge we shall then escape Gods seuere and strict Iudgement seeing he will answere for vs and our examination and iudgement being already dispatched in this life nothing shall then remaine but that he our Iudge should pronounce the sentence of absolution and enter vs into the full fruition of that heauenly happinesse and euerlasting ioyes of his Kingdome which by his death and merits he hath purchased for vs. CAP. XXV Of the fourth priuate meanes of a godly life which is walking daily with God §. Sect. 1 That we are alwayes in Gods presence THe fourth priuate meanes of a godly life is with Enoch to walke with God that is to set our selues in his presence alwayes Gen. 5. 22. remembring that he is with vs hearing all our words and beholding all our actions yea euen the very secret thoughts of our hearts And that not as an idle spectatour but as a righteous Iudge who is both able and willing to reward vs bountifully if wee doe well and to punish vs seuerely if wee doe euill Wherein wee haue holy Dauid for our example who professeth that hee Psal 16. 8. did set the Lord alwayes before him Which that wee may imitate let our iudgements first be thorowly informed in this truth that howsoeuer God keepeth his chiefe
their heads and made themselues merry with his lamentable crie and pittifull complaint My God my God Matth. â—7 27. to 4â— Luk. 23. 31. Matth. 10. 24 25. why hast thou forsaken me Now if they haue done these things to a greene tree fruitfull in all grace and goodnesse what will they doe to a drie and barraine If they haue thus scoffed and derided our Lord and Master let vs not who are his poore and vnworthy seruants thinke much to be thus vsed If he haue suffred all these taunts and scornes for our sakes why should wee thinke it much to suffer with patience and ioy the like or greater if it were possible for his sake and the Gospels Yea if he haue meekely borne our sinnes and sorrowes and shed his precious blood and indured the heauie wrath of God due vnto vs that he might saue and deliuer vs out of the hands of all our enemies how vngratefull are we for all his loue if wee will not for his sake indure a taunt a spitefull scorne or reprochfull name but chuse rather to neglect the duties of his seruice and to runne with wicked worldlings vnto the same excesse of riot So oft therefore as the scoffes of prophane men discourage and dis-hearten vs in Christian duties let vs animate and strengthen our resolutions in them by looking with the eye of faith vpon our Sauiour Christ hanging naked vpon the Crosse and dying a shamefull death for our sinnes contemning this disgrace and swallowing vp this shame with the infinitenesse of his loue Let vs be content to accompany him in despising these despites that we may also accompany him in glory and happinesse according to that of the Apostle Let vs runne with patience the race which is set before Heb. 12. 2 3. vs looking vnto Iesus the Author and finisher of our faith who for the ioy that was set before him indured the Crosse despised the shame and is set downe at the right hand of the Throne of God For consider him that indured such contradiction of sinners against himselfe lest wee bee weary and faint in our minds §. Sect. 4 Of the necessity of Christian Apology and profession of the truth Secondly let vs consider that this Christian apology in the profession of the truth and practice of all holy and Christian duties is a matter of Luk. 9. 23. vrgent necessity which as neerly concerneth vs as the euerlasting saluation of our soules For they that will be Christs Disciples must take vp their crosse daily and follow him and bee contented for his sake and the Gospels to forsake kindred and friends houses lands and life it selfe if they be called thereunto Now how shall we with patience and constancy indure for Christs sake wounds and stabs if wee shrinke for words and scoffes How shall wee euer hope to suffer rackes and gibbets fire and sword for the profession of the truth and the practice of Christian duties if we be daunted with euery small disgrace and discouraged in them with reprochfull names and scornefull taunts Let vs thinke with our selues that if we cannot indure causelesse shame before men which is accompanyed with true glory how shall we be able to beare that euerlasting shame and confusion of face when as Christ shall be ashamed to acknowledge Math. 10. 33. Mark 8. 38. vs for his before his Father his holy Saints and blessed Angels because we haue been ashamed of him and his truth Now that wee may performe this duty which is so necessary with cheerfulnesse and delight and contemne the derisions and scornings of gracelesse men when they scoffe at vs for the performance of Christian duties blushing for shame that we should be thus ashamed let vs consider that when wee are most derided of the wicked world for the conscionable performance of any Christian duties we are then most approued of God and therefore when they seeke to daunt vs with their scoffes and to driue vs from our Christian hold with gibes and reproches let vs oppose this as a shield of strength against them saying vnto our soules My defence is Psal 7. 10. of God who saueth the vpright in heart Let vs comfort and cheere our selues with the peaceable testimony of a good conscience and our inward ioy in well-doing and with the applause of the holy Angels who looke vpon vs and the approbation and praise of all that feare God Let vs remember that they are pronounced blessed by our Sauiour who are Mat. 5. 10 11. Luk. 6. 22. thus abused for righteousnesse sake and that they shall raigne with him in his glory who haue suffered with him in these disgraces that then for Esa 61. 7. their shame they shall receiue double honour and for confusion they shall reioyce in their portion and euerlasting ioy shall be vnto them In which respect the Apostle Peter exhorteth vs to reioyce in as much as we are partakers of Christs 1. Pet. 4. 14. sufferings that when his glory shall be reuealed we may be glad also with exceeding ioy And therefore let no scoffes and scornes discourage vs but let vs with the Apostle approoue our selues in all things by honour and dishonour 2. Cor. 6. 8. euill report and good report and accompany our Sauiour Christ bearing his Heb. 13. 13 14. reproch that we may accompany him in glory for we haue heere no abiding City but we seeke one to come as the Apostle speaketh CAP. VII Of worldly persecutions and how we may be strengthened against them §. Sect. 1 Of the worlds cruelty in persecuting the godly WE haue shewed in the former Chapters what impediments the world and wicked men cast in the way to hinder our profession and practice of the true Religion which respect their iudgment and affections their words and outward gestures and now we are to intreat of those which respect their works and actions And these are their contumelious and malicious handling of them and the bitter persecutions which they raise against them that they may either hinder them wholly from proceeding in the course of Christianity or at least cause them to goe on with much discouragement and discomfort The which contumelies and persecutions are great and manifold as the pursuing of them with all malice and extremity from place to place apprehending them as malefactours haling them before their Iudgment seats false accusations vniust condemnations imprisonments and banishments fire and sword tortures punishments executed and inflicted in the most exquisite manner which wit and malice can deuise and impose And this malicious rage of wicked men the Prophet Esay in liuely manner expresseth The act of violence saith hee is in Esa 59. 6 7 8. their hands Their feet run to euill and they make haste to shead innocent blood their thoughts are thoughts of iniquity wasting and destruction are in their paths The way of peace they know not and there is no iudgement in their goings Neither doth
in vaine lest in that great Day of accounts the blood of these men who haue perished by their euill example be required at their hands Let them remember that counterfet piety is double iniquity that the hypocrite shal be cut off his hope perish that the seeming holy Pharise is much more odious in Gods sight then Publicanes and open sinners seeing they more dishonor God disgrace his holy truth then any other Finally that God wil be honored in all those that draw neere vnto him either by rewarding their sincerity or punishing their hypocrisie and that aboue all others the hypocrite shall be assuredly plunged into that bottomelesse Gulph of hellish condemnation in which regard when our Sauiour speaketh of the vndoubted punishments of desperate sinners he vsually saith that they shall haue their portion with hypocrites in outer darkenesse where shall be weeping and gnashing Matth. 24. 51. of teeth Those also who are not yet called and regenerate are to be admonished as they tender the euerlasting saluation of their soules that they doe not suffer themselues to be hindred and discouraged by this scandall of the euill liues of hypocrites and weake Christians from the profession of Gods true Religion and the practice of holy duties And to this purpose that they ascribe these enormities or frailties to any thing rather then vnto the profession of the truth or the outward practice of it in any Christian duties of Gods seruice As namely to the malice of the deuill who with his tentations assaulteth professours with more hellish policy fury then other men because their sins fals doe most dishonor God and blemish the beauty and brightnesse of his shyning truth to the wily spite of worldlings who with all their indeuour intice or compell those that make any shew of Religion to accompany them in their wicked courses that they may countenance their actions by their examples or escape their admonitions and reprehensions when as they are now become alike faulty Or to their deepe and poysonous corruptions which notwithstanding their outward profession doe still lye secretly lurking in their hearts which cause them to breake out into those sinnes which their owne consciences inlightened with Gods truth doe vtterly condemne Neither can they with more shew impute their scandalous sins and foule falls to the iust and pure Religion professed by them then the crookednesse of the worke to the right and perfect squire or the foulenesse of their hands to the pure cristall fountaine which if it were rightly vsed would wash and make them cleane For what are all their faults but crooked aberrations from this straight way of truth What are they but such sinnes as are continually condemned and beaten downe in the preaching of the Gospell For how can they haue any incouragement to goe on in their wickednesse by their often hearing of Gods Word wherin his fearfull Iudgements are daily denounced against all those who liue in their sinnes And therefore accursed be that foule mouth if it bee not washed in the teares of vnfained repentance that dare belch out such a blasphemie against Gods holy truth as to say that if there were lesse preaching and hearing of the Word there would be more obedience towards superiours and more loue and charity towards equalls and inferiours And likewise thrice vnhappy they who will so stumble at this stone of offence cast into their wayes by the euill liues of hypocrites as that they refuse to take vpon them this holy profession or to bring forth better fruits then they in their Christian practice As if all should refuse physicke because some dye that take it or wholsome food because some who haue their stomackes full of corrupt humours are not nourished thereby but becomming more sicke doe presently cast it vp againe without profit Finally let no weake Christians bee discouraged by the euill liues of hypocrites from making open and bold profession of Gods truth and bringing forth the outward fruits of it in the practice of all Christian duties because they would not be thought like vnto them For what were this but to deny Christ before men because we would shun their reproches and to be in truth impious in the neglect of Christian duties because we would shunne the suspicion of hypocrisie What were this but to esteeme more of the vaine and false censures of prophane worldlings then of the approbation which our good actions and holy duties shall haue from God and a good conscience What were this but to refuse to be Gods true treasure and pure gold because there are in the world many counterfeit slips to grow in his field and to lye in his barne like good wheat because there are tares in the one and chaffe in the other What were this but to giue ouer our lawfull callings and honest labours in them because there be some of the same trade that discred it themselues and their calling by their fraudulent and deceitfull dealings But if this preuaile with vs let vs also be ashamed to eate wholsome food because some haue surfeted on it or to drinke such drinkes as others haue abused to drunkennesse Yea rather because others haue disgraced the pure and true Religion which we professe by their wicked liues let vs who are sincerely minded make open profession of it that we may adorne it by our holy conuersation for the more it is blotted and blemished with their fruits of iniustice the more it needeth the hands of innocents to wash and restore it to its natiue purity And thus much of that scandall which ariseth from the euill liues of hypocrites of that which is caused by the bad example of euill Ministers I haue before spoken and therefore refer the Reader to that which hath been said CAP. IX Of the impediments of a godly life arising from the flesh and first such as arise from the intellectuall faculties §. Sect. 1 That the most dangerous impediments arise from our owne corrupt flesh IF there were no other or greater impediments to hinder vs in the wayes of godlinesse then those which are already handled yet were there no cause why we should flatter our selues with a vaine conceit that we may goe forward in this course with much ease as being a thing so slight and ordinary that the atchieuing of it needeth little care and small indeuour But how much more will this fond opinion vanish and the necessity of vniting all our forces cleerly appeare for the attaining vnto any perfection in spirituall graces and the outward practice of them in the duties of a godly life if we further consider that there are many more and far more dangerous impediments which arise from our sinfull flesh and the inbred corruption of our polluted nature the which is so auerse and contrary vnto the sincere and spirituall seruice of God that nothing in the world seemeth more irksome and tedious vnto it In which regard wee can no sooner set our selues seriously
him by an absolute faith when there is no reason for it but wee must examine his tentations by the rule of Gods Word which will easily discouer the fraud weakenesse and maliciousnesse of them For nothing giueth Satan more aduantage against weake Christians then their readinesse to giue credit to his tentations without bringing them to the touchstone of Gods Truth Fourthly if Satan taketh aduantage from the humour of melancholy abounding in vs to fill and fraught our hearts with these scruples feares we must vse the helpe of the skilfull Physician for the remouing of this cause that so the effects may cease And withal aske the counsel of some iudicious faithful Diuine who may direct vs in our wayes resolue our doubts vpon whose iudgement grounded vpon Gods Word we must more rest then vpon our owne weake conceit and opinions especially being thus blinded with those blacke and foggie mists which false feare and melancholy haue cast before them Fifthly wee must labour to haue our hearts possessed and replenished with the true and filiall feare of God springing from Faith and Loue whereby we shall be made zealous in Gods seruice and then there will be no roome for these Panicke and superstitious feares nor any aduantage giuen to Satan of seazing vpon vs with his suggestions Lastly we must carefully take heed that we doe not yeeld our selues ouer to be ruled by these scruples and feares either to doe or not to doe any thing because of some euill threatned but in things indifferent it is our best course to resist the tentation by doing the contrary to that which is suggested if Christian prudence tell vs that it is conuenient all circumstances considered And in things lawfull or vnlawfull we are to performe or omit them not out of scrupulous feare of any euils threatned by the tempter from which God is al-sufficient to shield vs but in obedience to God because he in his Word hath commanded or forbidden them §. Sect. 3 That carnall feare is a great hinderance vnto godlinesse and the meanes to be freed from it Secondly we are hindred by carnall feare in the duties of a godly life whilest thereby we are mooued to thinke that we shall neuer be able to performe them though we vse all our indeuour or if we haue begunne well yet we shall neuer hold out vnto the end by reason of our owne frailties and infirmities the afflictions and troubles which crosse vs in these courses and the manifold and malicious tentations and persecutions which are raised against vs by the enemies of our saluation By which feares our mindes are troubled our hearts vexed and turmoyled our courage quailed our resolutions weakned and we vtterly disabled and discouraged from entring into this course of Christianity when as we haue little or no hope of proceeding continuing inâ—â— vnto the end that we may be saued The which tentation is much strengthened when we see the many faintings and faylings of others that haue gone before vs who professing Christianity haue either neglected the duties belonging to it or performed them to little purpose in a cold formall carelesse maner and in the end haue wholy desisted returned back to their old prophanenes Which impediment if we would remoue we must know that neuer any did seriously sincerely seeke God in the waies of his commandements but they haue assuredly found him And therfore we must not be discouraged with the faylings and relapses of hypocrites temporaries if our owne conscices testifie vnto vs that we labour to serue and please God in the vprightnesse of our hearts Secondly our faintnes and weaknesse must not discourage vs from entring into and proceeding in the waies of godlinesse seeing we walke not in our owne strength but by the power of God assisting vs nor by vertue of our own resolutions indeuours but of Gods gracious and free promises made vnto vs in Christ that he will not onely iustifie but also sanctifie vs free vs as well from the corruption of sin as the guilt and punishment The which if we apprehend by a true liuely Faith we shal be able to ouercome all difficulties and to serue God in some good acceptable maner as I haue more fully shewed in the beginning of this Treatise Finally we need not to feare our perseuerance in the duties of godlinesse vnto the end if disclayming our owne strength we rest and rely wholy vpon Gods power and promises seeing he is able and al-sufficient to perfect that good worke which he hath begunne to enable vs likewise who are impotent in our selues to doe all things necessarie for his glory and our saluation Phil. 1. 6. 4. 13. Ioh. 10. 28. Rom. 8. 35 36 38. through the power of Christ which strengtheneth vs. To arme vs against all the tentations of the deuill the world and our owne flesh so that all the power of hell the prosperity or persecutions of the world nor any thing else whatsoeuer shall be able to separate vs from the loue of God or to put out and extinguish our loue of him in our hearts or to hinder our proceeding in the wayes of godlinesse vntill by walking in them wee attaine vnto euerlasting ioy and happinesse §. Sect. 4 That carnall sorrow is an impediment to a godly life Againe we are much hindred in the duties of a godly life by carnall sorrow and lumpish heauinesse For if as the Apostle saith 2. Cor. 7. worldly sorrow causeth death both in respect of the life of grace and glory then must it needs also disable vs vnto all actions of life being made as vnfit for them hereby as a man in the state of death to performe any works of the liuing Now this heauines excessiue sorrow ariseth from diuers causes as first from the sight sense of our innumerable grieuous sins when as it is not mixed with faith the loue of God but meerely ariseth out of seruil feare self-loue apprehending Gods terrible Iudgments against vs for our sins Secondly from the imperfection in our sanctification whereof it is that our vnmortified corruptions doe rage sway in vs disabling vs vnto Gods seruice and making vs prone vnto sin That the duties which we performe are so ful of wants weaknesses that we can with no coÌ„fort looke vpon them That the graces of Gods Spirit are imperfect continually assaulted with our contrary corruptions our faith with doubting our affiance with diffidence our humility with pride our repentance with security and hardnesse of heart and so in the rest Thirdly from our weaknesse in faith perswading vs of the remission of our sinnes and of our reconciliation and peace with God Fourthly from spirituall desertions whereby God estrangeth himselfe from vs and seemeth to haue left and forsaken vs. Fifthly from our fainting and failing in the waies of godlinesse and often relapses into sinne Sixthly from our manifold and sharpe afflictions which
him to keepe him in all his wayes c. If with Dauid we put our trust in the Lord wee shall not need to feare what Psal 56. 4. flesh can doe vnto vs. If wee trust in the Lord wee shall bee blessed and Ier. 17. 7 8. like a Tree planted by the Waters that spreadeth out her Rootes by the Riuer which shall not see when heate commeth but her leafe shall bee greene and shall not bee carefull in the yeere of drought neither shall cease from yeelding fruit §. 5 The third cause Charitie The third cause of spirituall securitie is Charitie for as the Apostle telleth vs there is no feare in loue but perfect loue casteth out feare 1. Ioh. 4. 18. Col. 3. 14 15. and if wee doe aboue all things put on charitie which is the bond of perfectnesse then also will the peace of God rule in our hearts and worke in them this Christian securitie For if wee truely loue God it is an euident signe vnto vs that he loueth vs for as the Apostle sayth Wee loue him because he loued vs first and being assured of Gods loue wee 1. Ioh. 4. 19. need not to doubt of his protection whereby hee will keepe vs from all euill and of his prouidence watching ouer vs which will prouide for vs all things necessarie And finally if wee vnfainedly loue the Lord then may we be secure in all dangers and in the middest of all troubles and crosses because the Lord through his infinite wisedome and power will cause all things euen afflictions themselues to worke together for good to them that loue him and will so weaken the Rom. 8. 28 35. strength of them that they shall neuer be able to separate vs from the loue of Christ §. 6 The fourth cause the true feare of God The fourth cause is the true feare of God for this feare remooueth all other feares whatsoeuer and if with filiall affection wee feare God Psal 34. 9. as Sonnes we may thereby be freed from the seruile feare of Slaues So also this feare of God will free vs from feare of Men and the feare of our Creator will quite expell the feare of the Creature It will free vs from feare of all danger of euill seeing nothing shall be able to hinder our happinesse For Blessed is the man that feareth the Lord hee shall not be mooued for euer but shall be had in euerlasting remembrance Psal 112. 1 6 7. He shall not be afraid of any euill tidings his heart is fixed trusting in the Lord. His heart is established he shall not be afraid vntill he see his desire vpon his enemies The fift cause is Iustice and righteousnesse both in our hearts words and actions because as the Wise-man sayth He that walketh vprightly walketh surely for the righteous shall neuer be remooued and there Pro. 10 9 10. 12. 21. shall no euill happen vnto the iust And that because the Lord watcheth ouer them to deliuer them in the time of danger and prouide for them in the time of want For as the Psalmist saith The eyes of the Psal 34. 15. 1. Pet. 3. 12. Lord are vpon the Righteous and his eares are open to heare their crie so that none shall bee able to harme vs if we follow that which is good And vnto them hee hath made his promises of peace and protection The worke of righteousnesse shall be peace and the effect of righteousnesse quietnesse and assurance for euer and my people shall dwell in a peaceable Esa 32. 17. habitation and in sure dwellings and in quiet resting places And againe In righteousnesse thou shalt be established thou shalt be farre from oppression for thou shalt not feare and from terrour for it shall not come neere Esa 54. 14. thee In assurance of which promises the righteous is bold as a Lion Pro. 28. 1. and disdaineth to goe out of his way of iustice and godlinesse though he be affronted with many dangers because being armed with this brest-plate of righteousnesse he is assured they cannot hurt him Eph. 6. 14. §. 7 The last cause is new obedience The last cause of this spirituall securitie is new obedience For when like dutifull and louing children we doe desire and endeauour to doe the will of our heauenly Father at all times and in all things and perform as much as we are able that obedience which his law requireth not onely in our outward actions but also in our hearts and inward affections and bewaile our wants and imperfections when we come short of that measure and degree which wee desire to attaine vnto it will worke in our hearts a child-like confidence in the loue of our God and make vs securely to repose and cast our selues in all estates and conditions vpon his gratious prouidence for the supplying of all our wants protection from all dangers and deliuerance out of all afflictions And so much the rather because wee are hereby strengthned in our Faith and enabled to applie vnto our selues all those sweet and comfortable promises which God hath made vnto those who bring foorth these fruits of new obedience especially those which concerne spirituall peace and tranquillitie of mind and this holy and Christian securitie So the Lord promiseth That if wee will keepe his Statutes and Iudgements wee shall dwell in the Land in Leuit. 25. 18 19. safety And in another place That if we keepe his Statutes and walke Chap. 26. 3 5 6. in his Commandements to doe them the Lord with all other temporall benefits promiseth peace and safetie and that wee shall lie downe and none shall make vs affraid And Zophar telleth vs that if wee prepare Iob 11. 13 15 19 our hearts to seeke God and stretch out our hands towards him that then we shall be steadfast and without feare lie downe securely and be freed from the feare of all things So Wisedome promiseth that who so hearken vnto her and obey her voice they shall dwell safely and shall Pro. 1. 33. be quiet from feare of euill Yea the Lord hath not onely said but sworne it that all his redeemed shall worship and serue him without feare Luk. 1. 74 75. in holinesse and righteousnesse before him all the dayes of their life §. 8 Of the effects of spirituall securitie And these are the causes of this spirituall securitie The effects of it are quite contrarie to those of carnall securitie for it doth not make vs more slothfull and sluggish in the seruice of God but more watchfull ouer all our wayes that wee may doe all things which are acceptable vnto God from whom wee enioy so great a blessing and not commit any thing against knowledge and conscience which may disturbe our sweet peace or depriue vs of the inward ioy of this spirituall securitie It doth not make vs more negligent and backward in holy duties but to performe them with all diligence and
hearts with renewed ioyes in the holy Ghost and after that they are exhausted with our infirmities and miseries renewed faith will like afresh Rom. 14. 17. Heb. 12. 11. hand draw new supplies from God the fountaine of our ioy vntill they be replenished and ouerflow Yea it will make our ioy not like that of worldlings in the fact and not in the heart momentany and mutable like the cracking of thornes vnder a pot whilst the brushie fewell of prosperity feedeth it but constant and permanent euen in afflictions and Rom. 5. 3. Iohn 16. 22. nothing shall be able to take it from vs. It will fill our hearts daily with the comforts of the Spirit when as being daily renewed it doth afresh assure vs of our communion with God and that Christ and all his benefits doe belong vnto vs which either respect this life or the life to come §. Sect. 5 Of diuers other benefits which follow the daily renewing of our faith Fifthly the daily renewing of our faith is the most effectuall meanes of our vnfained repentance For what can bee so powerfull an argument to make vs mourne for our sinnes with bitter griefe as with the eye of faith to looke vpon him whom by our sinnes we haue pearced and through the wound in his side to see his heart so replenished with diuine loue and as it were supplying the place of that blood and water that issued out of it and what can make vs more hate sinne or to resolue to please God in all holy and righteous duties then beleeuing that the Lord being so infinitely iust and abhorring sin with such implacable hatred that he spared not his onely begotten and most dearely beloued Sonne but when he bore our sinnes caused him to beare also our griefes and sorrowes wounded him for our transgressions and bruized him with the paines of death and fearefull burthen of his wrath for our iniquities to beleeue also that he is towards vs so infinitely merciful that he gaue his Sonne to vs and for vs to suffer all these torments for a time that wee might not suffer them for euer that he wounded him for our transgressions that we might be healed by his hurts cleansed and purified from the guilt punishment and corruption of all our sinnes with the streames of his blood acquitted by his condemnation and reuiued by his death For who is so audaciously desperate as to dare by voluntarie sinning prouoke such a Iustice who is so hard-harted and vngratefull as would be inticed with the baites of worldly vanities to neglect in any thing to please so infinite a goodnesse So what can more powerfully moue vs to flee all sinne and to practise with all diligence all Christian duties of holinesse and righteousnesse then by faith not only to inioy Gods present blessings in their owne worth and excellency but as earnest pennies and first fruits pledges and pawnes of heauenly and eternall reward wherewith God of his free grace hath promised to crowne all our labours and Illi terrena sapiunt qui coelestia promissa non habent Illi breui huic vitae se totos implicent qui aeterna nesciunt c. Hieronym ad Celantiam holy indeuours whereas if there were no beliefe and expectation of reward wee should faint vnder the waight of afflictions languish in the performance of Christian duties which are so ill esteemed and accepted in the world and be wholy taken vp in the pursuite of earthly vanities because we haue entertained no better hopes For as one saith They sauour earthly things which beleeue not heauenly promises They wholy addict themselues to things that belong vnto this transitory life which apprehend not those things which are eternall They feare not to sinne who thinke that it shall haue no punishment and finally they become slaues to their vices who expect not the future rewards of vertue c. Sixthly by this daily renewing of our faith wee shall bee strengthened against all the tentations of our spirituall enemies so as they shall not be Ephe. 6. 17. able to hurt and wound vs whether these darts be cast against vs from the right hand or from the left For faith as an impenetrable Shield enableth vs to ouercome and beate back tentations arising from worldly prosperity whilst apprehending heauenly and euerlasting excellencies it maketh vs to contemne these base and momentanie vanities and the tentations which arise from crosses and afflictions by perswading vs that they are the straight way that leadeth to happinesse that they are not worthy Acts 14 22. Rom. 8. 18. 2. Cor. 4. 17. 2. Tim. 2. 12. the glory that shall be reuealed that these light and moment any afflictions worke for vs afarre more exceeding and eternall waight of glory and that if we suffer with Christ we shall also raigne with him Finally faith thus dayly renewed not onely effectually perswades vs vnto an holy resolution of leading a Christian and godly life but also powerfully enables vs to performeall the duties thereunto required with alacrity and cheerefulnesse ioy and delight for it moues vs to consecrate our selues wholy to the seruice of him who hath graciously redeemed vs out of the hands of all our spirituall enemies and to testifie our loue and thankefulnesse vnto him who hath done all this for vs by our new obedience It vnites vs vnto Christ and applieth vnto vs the vertue of his death by which sin is mortified and crucified in vs we vnto it to the world so that we wil no longer serue them in fulfilling worldly and carnall lusts and the vertue of his resurrection whereby we are enabled to rise from the death of sinne to holinesse and newnesse of life It giueth vnto vs with spirituall life spirituall motion it cleanseth and changeth our hearts and taking away the old it worketh in vs a new nature which is actiue and operatiue in all holy and righteous duties and diligent and cheerefull in the performance of them And whereas before we either did them not at all or but in outward shew formally and coldly and that not without much paines and difficuly it enableth vs now to performe them like naturall actions with much ease and delight so as wee can say with Dauid that the Law of God is our Psal 119. chiefe delight better vnto vs then thousands of gold and siluer and sweeter then the hony or hony-combe And with our Sauiour that it is our meate Iohn 4. 34. and drinke to doe the will of our heauenly Father And as vnnaturall motions are not without outward violence lasting no longer then it lasteth but natural are easie and permanent as the Sun shineth and the riuer runneth of their owne accord freely and without compulsion so by helpe of this new nature which faith worketh in vs our actions and motions in the waies of godlinesse are easie and pleasant which vnto corrupt nature were euen in respect of the outward act harsh and
difficult continuing no longer then some outward cause of feare or reward doth set them on going And as the heate of a bath continueth alwaies because it proceedeth from an inward cause which changeth the nature of the water whereas the waters of a pond cannot be made warme but with much labour and and difficultie and continue in their heate no longer then the outward cause worketh it in them so when as faith hath warmed our hearts with zeale of Gods glory and made them actiue and operatiue in performing the duties of his seruice this heate and motion continue with ease and cheerefulnesse because they are spiritually naturall and proceede from an inward cause whereas if worldly causes worke this heate of zeale as honour and preferment in the heate of Iehu it being vnnaturall and forced soone returneth to its wonted coldnesse Finally faith thus renewed will make vs to serue God with cheerefulnesse and delight because it incourageth vs in our labours by apprehending and putting into our hands not onely the present pay of all Gods temporary blessings and benefits but also the euidences and conueighances of our heauenly happinesse which God of his free grace hath by his writings in the Word and his seales the Sacraments made ouer vnto vs. And who wouldnot cheerefully and with ioy doe him faithfull seruice who giueth vs present pay aboue the worth of our worke and for our better encouragement assureth vs that all this shall be but a small earnest in respect of the mayne bargaine and but the first fruits of that full crop and plentifull haruest of heauenly happinesse CAP. IIII. Of our daily exercise in seeking God and what are the things which are required vnto it §. Sect. 1 That our seeking God daily is a necessary duty THe second mayne dutie which wee are dayly and euen throughout the day to performe is to seeke the Lord our God by consecrating our selues wholy both in our soules and bodies vnto his worship and seruice The which dutie is required in many places of the Scriptures So Dauid exhorteth the Princes of Israel to set their hearts and soules to seeke the Lord their 1. Chro. 22. 19. God and the Lord by his Prophet requireth it of all the people Seeke ye Esa 55. 6. the Lord whilst he may be found and call yee vpon him while he is neere And againe Seeke yee the Lord and yee shall liue For howsoeuer the Lord in Amos 5. 4. respect of the infinitenesse and immensitie of his nature and essence filleth all places with his presence and therfore cannot be farre as the Apostle speaketh from euery one of vs for in him we liue and moue and haue our being as the heathens saw euen by the very light of nature and though Acts 17. 27 28. in the state of innocencie and integrity man had sweete communion with God and inioyed the comfortable and liuely influences of his sauing graces and dwelled in God and God in him yet through the fall of our first parents and the ouerspreading corruption which did accompany it man lost God was depriued of his presence was wholy estranged from that happie and holy communion and had all influence of his grace stopped from And together with this inestimable losse he lost also the sense of this losse and of all the miseries which did accompany it and therefore neuer cared or desired to seeke and finde him that being againe revnited vnto him hee might thereby recouer his lost happinesse till God out of his free grace and infinite goodnesse pittying mans losse and misery like the good Shepheard sought vs first who like wandring sheepe Esa 53. 5. Luke 15. 4 5. did stray from him without any desire of returning and carrying vs home to his sheepefold caused vs to finde him before we sought him yea when wee gainesaid and refused to make this search according to that of the Prophet cited by the Apostle I was found of them who sought mee not I Esa 65. 1 2. Rom. 10. 20 21. was made manifest vnto them that enquired not after me All the day long I haue stretched out my hands vnto a disobedient and gaine saying people Yea but seeing wee haue now found God and haue him alwaies by his grace present with vs what needeth may some say this daily search and disquisition seeing that labour may seeme vaine and to little purpose which is spent in seeking that which is already found To which I answere that we may doe that act in an higher degree of perfection which in the first degrees is done already yea seeing wee can neuer in this world doe it so perfectly as we should therfore we ought to doe it daily and continually that we may aspire vnto more perfection And this God who by his preuenting grace caused vs to seeke him for our owne good requireth vs to doe daily and more and more for our greater good and because all our happinesse doth consist in our finding and inioying him not contenting himselfe that we should be in the first and least degrees happie by finding and inioying him in some small measure hee maketh it our daily taske to seeke him more and more that finding him more perfectly wee may perfect our happinesse in our full finding and fruition Yea in truth there is none that hath truely found him who doth not daily indeuour to finde him more and more For what hungry man that hath once tasted delicate meates that can content himselfe with a taste onely and doth not rather desire to feede on them till he be satisfied and his hunger allayed what wise Merchant finding a treasure in a field which he hath long sought contenteth himselfe onely to haue found it and doth not rather purchase the field that he may inioy the treasure hid in it or finding a precious pearle satisfieth himselfe with a slight sight of the lustre and beautie of it and doth not rather sell all he hath to buy it being neuer at quiet till he safely possesseth it in his owne Cabinet or who finding a rich mine of gold or siluer is contented with the first oare which it offereth vnto his view and doth not rather digge deeper and deeper till hee haue made himselfe owner of the whole treasure And therefore it is impossible for any man that hath tasted how good God is to those that seeke him to leaue off and so content himselfe but hee will labour still to feede on him more and more till he as the Psalmist speaketh be satisfied with his likenesse in the Kingdome of heauen seeing Psal 17. 15. in his greatest fruition in this life hee knoweth that he wanteth much of him And to leaue off further hungring after God after that wee haue tasted of his loue bounty and goodnesse and to content our selues with a taste only without further feeding on them is an euident signe that we are in the number of those relapsed hypocrites who cannot be renewed
kill Now if thou commit no adultery yet if thou kill thou art become a transgressour of the Law For there is a chaine of vertues and vices whereby they are so fast and inseparably linked together that he who imbraceth and practiseth any one vertue and Christian duty out of his loue and obedience to God imbraceth and performeth all the rest hee that willingly liueth in the neglect of any one duty or maketh no conscience of committing any knowne sinne neglecteth all and is prepared to commit any wickednesse In which regard it may truly bee said that the vnregenerate man breaketh all Gods Commandements euen those which hee seemeth to keepe and that the sound Christian obserueth all euen those which he seemeth to breake For howsoeuer the one doth not actually transgresse euery Commandement yet there is in him an habit of sinne and a naturall disposition and readinesse to breake all when opportunity serueth and when hee is tempted thereunto with the alluring baits of worldly vanities And though the other doe not actually keepe the whole Law but faileth in many particulars yet there is in him an habit of holinesse and righteousnesse and a disposition and desire resolution and indeuour to obserue all for with the Apostle they consent vnto the whole Rom. 7. Law that it is holy and good and being in their hearts delighted in it they striue to keepe one Commandement as well as another and when they faile of their purpose doe heartily bewaile their imperfections It is true that a wicked man may not onely forsake many sinnes but may also in some sort loath and detest them but this is not out of his loue towards God or because he hateth or forbiddeth them but caused by some common restraining grace or done out of some corrupt passion and disposition not because he hateth sinne but because some contrary vice being predominant in him doth draw him vnto another extreme And thus the couetous man hateth prodigality and the prodigall couetousnesse the presumptuous man melancholike despaire and the despairing sinner bold presumption the coward bloody quarrell and the desperate backster Plerique metu peccare cessant non innocentia profectò tales timidi non innocentes dicendi sunt Seneca cowardize Yea thus may a man outwardly shun all sinnes which make him liable to legall penalties out of selfe-loue that hee may gaine rewards or escape punishments not out of loue to vertue and innocency but feare of running into danger §. Sect. 5 That without totall obedience we cannot attaine to heauenly happinesse Finally vnlesse we performe totall obedience in the desire purpose and indeuour of our heart vnto the whole Law of God wee can neither attaine vnto heauenly happinesse nor escape hellish death and condemnation though we imbrace and practise many vertues and duties and flee from many vices and sinnes For as a Mill-stone will keepe vs from mounting aloft as well as a Mountaine and the one as well as the other would cause vs to sinke into the bottome of the Sea if it were fastened vnto vs so if any one sinne haue taken such fast hold of our hearts that we will by no meanes be moued to leaue it the waight thereof will bee sufficient to keepe vs from ascending vnto heauenly happinesse and to drench and drowne vs in the sea of perdition So the Apostle saith that he that liueth not in all or many sinnes but in any one shall neuer enter into the Kingdome of heauen Neither fornicators nor idolaters nor adulterers nor effeminate c. shall inherit the Kingdome of God And the Apostle Iohn saith that 1. Cor. 6. 9 10. Apoc. 22. 15. euery sort of sinners as sorcerers and whoremongers and murtherers and idolaters and lyers shall be excluded from this place of blessednesse So that as for the losse of corporall life it is not necessary that the body should be wounded in euery place but a mortall wound in any of the vitall parts is sufficient to let in death and giue it seisure of the whole man so is it in this case And as particular sinnes depriue vs of happinesse so they plunge vs into death and destruction as appeareth by that distinct enumeration which the Prophet maketh of particulars If saith hee hee Ezek. 18. 10 13. beget a sonne that is a robber a shedder of blood and doth the like to any of these things and that neglecteth any of the duties there mentioned hee shall not liue but surely dye And the Apostle Iohn saith that sinners of euery kind shall Apoc. 21. 8. haue their portion in the Lake which burneth with fire and brimstone which is the second death Now if any will say that if for any one duty wilfully neglected or sinne committed they shall lose the ioyes of heauen and be cast into hell torments then it were as good to bee outragiously wicked and to liue in all manner of sinne let one of the Ancients make answere to such an obiection This saith he is the speech of an vngratefull and reprobate Ingrati serui est his sermo c. Chrysost in Eph. cap. 2. serm 4. seruant yet let not such an one let the reines loose to all impiety for his owne profit For though all impenitent sinners are excluded out of heauen and throwne into hell yet all in hell doe not suffer equall torments but some greater and some lesse according to the quality and number of their sinnes CAP. V. Of the properties of Christian and holy duties which respect their causes efficient and finall §. Sect. 1 That all duties should spring from the loue of God AND these are the properties which respect the duties themselues The properties which concerne the manner of doing them are diuers and respect either the causes that mooue vs to performe them or our disposition in doing them The causes are either efficient or finall The efficient cause mouing vs to performe all the duties of a godly life ought to be the loue of God which is the fountaine of true obedience and should bee so powerfull in vs that we should thereby be moued to serue like children our heauenly Father though there were no reward promised to our seruice which is the motiue that induceth mercenaries and seruants rather then children to doe their duty For howsoeuer we may in our obedience haue an eye with Moses to the recompence of reward yet the chiefe argument Heb. 11. 25. that preuaileth with vs ought to be not the loue of our selues and out of it the desire of our owne saluation but the loue of God who is the chiefe Goodnesse whose glory is much to bee preferred before our owne good Neither is it enough that the loue of God accompany our actions and that they be done in and with it as running together as it were in the same streame but also that it be the fountaine from which all our obedience doth spring and flow Consider we therefore when wee vndertake the