wise as they will be sure that none of them shall doe them good For rather then they would haue nothing to except against them if they cannot finde those accusations that are iust they are content with any shew why they should refuse to bee counselled and perswaded by them And therefore if they be old they say they dote and know not what they say if they be yong they haue no iudgement nor experience if they be wealthie then they are couetous if poore then base and contemptible if they be maried they can not follow their callings but the world if vnmaried then they liue suspiciously And thus to say no more it is fearefull to see how little the people in one respect or other are seasoned with the sweete fruite of the Ministerie and therefore if ye feare God regard your owne welfare and peace and will not come to iudgement imbrace the Ministery reuerently as Gods message and the greatest and most lets of faith are remoued Thus I hauing set downe these lets which doe chiefly hold from faith both on the Ministers part and the peoples and hauing said somewhat to both in way of exhortation seeing out of these two kinds of men God chuseth out his elect I conclude that there are many lets from faith but yet withall it may be seene that there is apparant remedie to be found against them as I haue said and how subtilly soeuer the diuell bewitcheth and holdeth men backe by them yet the Scripture offereth greater grace by the which they may breake through all hindrances and discouragements which may keepe them from it if the Minister and people would make conscience of their duties CHAP. 7. What desire breedes faith BVt seeing it were both long to stand in prescribing remedie against all these lets and the way for all hath been set downe to come by faith alreadie I will therefore briefly stirre vp and aduise such as are in good way and haue made some good entrance that they may see what to take heede of and what to imbrace and to seeke faith by the meanes and in the manner which before I haue set downe and a little to strengthen them after they haue attained to any true measure of it Wherein it is to be marked because I before highly commended a good desire that a naked and bare desire of saluation now and then stirred vp in men is not to beleeue as many thinke although without any ground But seeing such as haue a desire sometime are they for the most part whom God doth make beleeuers for while men are voide of that there is little hope to be conceiued of them I will therefore shew for the helpe of them who doe anything looke after true happines what desire it ought to be and whereto it groweth if it be true and sincere that it may not deceiue them For we may finde many who haue sometime desired it earnestly and yet neuer obtained it as Balaam that a man could hardly haue shewed any difference betwixt their desiring of it and the desire of such as haue attained to it indeede for that instant But in time it hath appeared that it was but sudden or of short continuance and failed before it obtained that which it sought as by them who in the Gospell are said to haue ioyed in that which they desired to heare but it vanished whereas the desire of the other cannot be satisfied without it but mourneth and longeth for it and pineth for sorrow when any thing commeth in the way to weaken the hope which was conceiued of it till that bee remoued which hindred them from that benefit Therfore such must know that their desire which is sometime fleeting and somtime faint must become both feruent and constant as in the parable of the pearle may be seene That as soone as it was found the value of it being knowne of the skilfull Merchant he neuer rested till he had gotten it for his owne for wee must know that he who thus desireth it is forcibly drawne hereunto by God who hath shewed him his great neede of it and what he shall gaine by it and thereby hath prepared and made him fit to receiue it for otherwise if God draw not men to the valuing of it it is of no account with them Now further this desire if it be the worke of Gods spirit is strengthened hereby namely while hee prizeth and valueth it according to the worthines of it as farre as he is able that is to say thus that in his account it farre surmounteth and excelleth all the world with whatsoeuer is of account in it he esteemeth of it as a most pretious treasure to beleeue because hee knoweth that he which beleeueth is deare vnto God and shall be saued And so must faith and assurance of eternall life be valued indeed of him who shall finde the blessing of it for which cause S. Peter calleth it pretious faith Now who can esteeme thus of it as that it is better then all profit pleasure and preferment but he must needes thinke all his praying for it hearing the word which worketh it his questioning about it and his trauaile and labour in meditating of the promises whereby the spirit of God writeth it in the heart but he I say must needes thinke all his paines well bestowed in seeking it yea and infinitly recompenced though he hath long waited the Lords leisure for the enioying of it Al which meanes another man thinketh very needlesse and that it is meere follie to make all this adoe to come by it and yet he will say it is better then the world also but he can content himselfe when he hath heard the promise without any setting of his desire in it to wash away all with a word of course that he hopeth to be saued by Iesus Christ as well as other Which slight esteeming of it is too cleere a token how farre hee is from it Now who seeth not the difference betwixt these two to be this that the one is led by the spirit of God whereby the father of heauen doth reueale this secret mysterie of faith to him and doth wonderfully draw his heart vnto it the other is led by fleshly reason as his guide which is the greatest enemie to this worke For our reason thinketh it vnnecessarie to set more by that which we cannot see with carnal eyes then by that which we haue in present possession and see it handle it enioy and vse it therefore no man doing thus is led by the spirit of God which assureth him who is led by it that God hauing promised glorie greater then the world though hee seeth it not he shall finde no lesse then is promised therefore he setteth more by it then by all things here before his eyes And this is the way to beleeue in God indeede though wee see him not that by this our confidence in him wee may haue ioy and
matter about which we may and time to bestow therein and freedome from lets therefrom is an estate much to bee made of and yet for the most part they who haue almost all outward incouragements cannot tell what to doe with them Whereas the very name of death is fearefull when men heare that they must be readie to suffer for the Gospell and therefore many are dismaied we must know that we are the more vnwilling to heare of it because wee accustome our selues to loue this world and our life here too well which must be lesse set by And God by diseases and the miserable estate of things in this world and by many other meanes can make our liues loathsome and death welcome which if wee would thinke much of the hearing of it would be more welcome But begin in time least it bee too late when wee can stay here no longer It is needful besides our set times of prayer in the day to haue oft recourse to God by watchfulnes and prayer in all our dealings least we goe too farre in surfeiting our hearts with them and as we can to looke to God secretly though not so solemnly as at other times praying him to keepe vs. Neh. 2.4 Whatsoeuer taste of good things we haue gotten and how sweete soeuer they seeme yet it is certaine that God hath yet much more then wee can thinke of if they be the matters which wee haue in greatest price but being set light by and the meanes neglected which preserue them they die That estate is to be made much of wherein we are not onely delighted in seruing God by the duties we doe presently but also as ioyfull to thinke of them which are to come and the more the better they be It is a singular mercie that wee take comfort and delight in the things which we hope for and in the seruice of God which to the world are most irkesome and tedious The more sure of Gods fauour thou art by faith the more humble also thou art and not contrarily Matth. 15.27 They are worthie of great punishment who set light by the plentie of that grace the crummes whereof Gods hungrie seruants doe set great store by What is more liuely to our vnderstanding then the heauenly and spirituall course of a Christian in comfort and godlines throughout the Scriptures as Rom. 5.4.5 and what is more vnlike it then the liues of men One especiall point of profiting is to know our owne vilenes and miserie better daily that so we may come to know the inestimable bountie of God and what wee are beholding to him for receiuing increase from him in pardon and other graces As excesse of eating and drinking doe bring slouth and sleepe so surfeiting our soules in pleasures cares c. rocketh vs asleepe and maketh vs vnwilling and vnfit to see what is amisse In steed whereof sobrietie that is a ruling of our passions and watchfulnes are to be our daily companions 1. Peter 5.7 Psal 5.8 We must not flatter deceiue our selues with the calling to mind of the forwardnes and care that hath bin in vs in times past hereby to gather slouth vnto the flesh which is readie to take the smallest occasions that may be to fauour it selfe and to make vs grow cold and slacke in duties but we are to looke to continue and increase any good and forwardnes which hath bin for hereafter as to delight more in walking with God in a Christian course and to hold fast our faith and comfort euen in trouble and not to thinke our state the worse for it But with our Sauiour to despise the shame of the crosse although it be euen to the thrusting of vs out of the world and therfore much more in prosperitie to be fruitfull in all good workes Ioh. 15.8 Seeing it pleaseth the Lord to let vs know that we haue this pretious and blessed libertie al the day long to be with him to inioy his presence by faith to solace our selues in bold affiance in him and that for all good things and to be free from the feare terrour and anguish which hunteth the vngodly It were pitie that we should for some deceiueable follie depriue our selues of such sound happines and peace as he alloweth vs euen here to be partakers of When men receiue not the word with meeknes that it may be ingraffed in them Iam. 1.21 and doe not so heare that they may beleeue Act. 14.1 but take a taste and a liking at the most I denie not but for some cause one may hold out longer then another but if they goe not forward ye shall see them fall vnto nothing for a momentany and weake desire is not enough to hold vp a godly life but a delight in it which faith worketh When we are afflicted and the wicked spared our state seemeth to them most vile When we are both in prosperitie they seeme more happie thē we When they and we be both afflicted they count our state happier then their owne But especially when they are afflicted and we spared Exod. 14.25 We may not assigne the Lord in what place state condition or in what companie we would liue but as strangers wait on him euen as the hand-maide on her mistres for whatsoeuer he will allow vs. And when great afflictions come yet not to be discomforted nor vnquiet but cheerefull still through hope as may be obtained of vs as we were in prosperitie least we should declare that we serue God for our belly and ease and seeing our God is neuer changed in any sort we not to change We are readie most commonly to be called away by death before we be fit or haue learned how to liue Looke what care conscience zeale thou haddest when thou first imbracedst the Gospell what reuerent admiration at the excellencie of it and what loue towards it the same at least retaine and be sure thou keepest still afterwards And howsoeuer thy heart was weaned from the inordinate loue of the world and vaine delights which might quench those which are spirituall see that the longer thou liuest in this vale of miserie thou doest not drinke vp the draffe of it and fashion thy selfe after the iniquitie of it nor the more knowledge thou hast that thou beest not the more secure For thus it is with many at this day who therefore doe smart for it If a man be a diligent obseruer of his course of life he shall seldome finde himselfe free from all kindes of offences but one shall trouble him much if another be weakned yea and without much faithfulnes and strength of grace shall preuaile against him But if there be care that they weigh not downe the affections in being too much taken vp of them it is well for the Christian mans life is a continuall battaile and when it ceaseth we are readie on the left
to looke more deepely into it And I could with all my heart desire that they so many as neglect this worthie worke and necessarie dutie might be constrained to attend vpon it with all diligence which being done with a very Christian care had of giuing good example and shewing themselues in all good conuersation lights vnto their flocks and free from reprochfull faults great good must needs insue And there should not onely be a recouering of the due credit and reuerence to the Ministerie which the popish Prelacie and barbarous rudenes blindnes and shameles life of many vnder the Gospell hath lost but also it should bring many home to God who otherwise must vtterly perish And if with this there were a willing and ready mind in them to satisfie them priuatelie by conference who should resort to them vpon speciall neede and occasion to comfort them in their heauines and to stirre them vp to religious and godly communication in their meetings priuately and at their table by their own examples rather then to be companions with them in profane worldly and needeles talke that so they might as well speake good things in priuate as teach the truth in publike as Christ did I make no doubt but that God would plentifullie blesse their haruest CHAP. 6. Of the lets that hinder faith on the behalfe of the People BVt if the Minister be framed both in life and doctrine as were to be wished thus to giue warning to the people of Sathans malicious intents and other impediments and so seeke to winne them to the faith yet are there such swarmes of euils in the people and so many kinds of them that except they for their parts be willing to be counselled and to receiue their message and doctrine they shall finde that through one let or other few of them shall be partakers of this pretious faith which I speake of To speake more plainelie my meaning is Sathan layeth infinite stumbling blockes in their way for when God by the Preaching of the Gospell sheweth the world how their sinnes are pardoned and their deadly woe remoued in Christ they will not marke it nor take any paines about it but esteeme of it as of a light matter as though God did seeke his owne good by making such an offer to them rather then theirs and that he must be more beholden to them for hearing the way to saluation preached then they to him for teaching them and so count it not thanke worthie Other haue weightier matters as they thinke to looke after namely their pleasures and their profits with the beautie and loue whereof the diuell dazeleth their eyes that they see nothing there that is in their preaching which can prouoke them to be in loue with it although that which can saue them be onely there to be had So by one deceite or other he preuaileth so farre with them that they beleeue not no not euen they who hearing receiue the doctrine with liking it and for that very cause thinke that they beleeue And what is cleerer at this day then this that of many thousands which receiue the glad tidings of eternall life by our preaching willingly or at the least without resisting our doctrine yet few yea very few attaine to the power of faith neither declare any worke thereof to bee in them For either they feele no neede within themselues whereby they should be driuen to seeke helpe out of themselues in Christ or if they doe they by and by before they sustaine any smart lay their burthen vpon him so that he is neuer sought nor cared for of them but when their need pincheth them and then they beleeue in him they say but be indeede no more staied and confident by their faith nor in their liues reformed then they were before and so serue him with their tongues and lips and follow their owne lusts in their hearts or staggering still betwixt hope and doubt at a blush reioycing and not able to render a reason why and at another time cast downe as farre againe in token of no stay nor peace Now of all these how truly are the Apostles words verified the Gospell being hidden from them that is the promises of it not being beleeued of them what other cause is there then this the diuell by one meanes or other hath so blinded them all that they beleeue not and as for this latter sort they seeing their miserie what it is and how vnauoidable by any way that they can finde out how could they if they were not inchanted and depriued of their right minde by the diuell be content to goe without the remedying thereof it being so freely and graciously offered them The which thing also is prooued further to be true by the practise of true Christians who hauing sure hold and taste by faith of Christs merits will admit no delusions that deceiue the other whereby they might be depriued of the assurance thereof But although they haue temptations strong and fierce as well as the other yet they so looke to the greatnes of Gods loue and the truth and certaintie of his promises and the benefit which they reape thereby that although with strong fighting and lowd cryes through depth of sorrow they are in combat with Sathan yet they will not giue ouer nor yeeld their right into his hand But as one in the perill of drowning taketh hold of a naked sword though it cut him deepe rather then yeeld his life to the water so they chuse to keepe their faith with some great difficulties rather then to giue ouer their soule which is vpholden onely thereby into the diuels hand and themselues into perdition Whereupon we heare such speeches testifying sore conflicts betweene Sathan and them Although thou kill me O Lord yet will I trust in thee and Though I walke in the middest of the vale of death yet will I not forsake thee By which appeareth that the same god of this world is not wont to cast mists onely before the eyes of the best but euen attempteth sore to take away all the light of their faith from them as hee doth keepe it from the other altogether But God hath taught their hands to warre and their fingers to fight as it is in the Psalme the which skill because the other want they are foyled And thus by this which hath been said let all learne to know that none are kept voide and destitute of the fruite of the Gospell and the beleeuing of the same vnto saluation but such as willingly put their neckes in Sathans yoke and are contented to bee depriued of the crowne of righteousnes and life through their owne follie whiles others more wise then they will by no meanes let it goe But to the end that euery sort may see themselues as in a glasse and what their seuerall lets are I haue thought good to set them down briefly and particularly or
and desire as their frailtie doth permit for they know who haue so farre been instructed that they cannot loath some sinne and loue other that were but halting but as he who taught them that they should not commit adulterie taught also they should not lie nor steale in like manner they who are taught of him doe so iudge and therefore disclaime the one and the other For how can they loath one sinne and loue another which were to do contraries And as pure and sweete water and filthie cannot come from one fountaine so neither doth the heart reformed send foorth good and euill So that as one in prison hardly dieted feedeth with great appetite and greedines vppon scrappes and parings and is well at ease if he may fill his bellie with them who yet when he is set at libertie and conuersant with his friends where hee findeth varietie and plentie cannot fall to his old fare againe but wondreth now how he could finde sauour in euery mans leauings euen so it is with him who hath besotted and made drunken himselfe with the deceitfull baits of sinne who if like a swine he may fill himselfe with that which his heart desireth and his eye lusteth after he is safe and hath what he would but when he shall see his estate as in a glasse how shamefull and daungerous it is and hath but tasted of the heauenly priuiledges and liberties of a Christian he casteth out that former draffe as vomite and by no meanes can be brought to be in loue with it againe Behold such honour giueth God to his seruants that their old conuersation wherein they liued sometimes with the rest of the world and could by no meanes be drawne from it they haue it in most vile account and detestation and they which were of the synagogue of Sathan shall worship God among the faithfull This is the power of faith which hath changed their heart that it is able to make him who hath it to ouercome I say not himselfe but euen the spirituall craftines whereby the diuell deceiueth many thousands and euen the poysoned baites and allurements of the world also O power vnconquerable and not to be matched If there were any earthly stay or fleshly hold in any sort comparable to it which is impossible in what price and reckoning should it be had think we If there were any thing which at mens request could giue the life of their enemie into their hands or helpe them with long life or satisfie their desire with abundance of wealth and varietie of sinfull pleasure oh how welcome should that be But consisider O ye seruants of God and behold it ye mightie and wise of the world here is a greater and another manner of treasure then all these and bringeth other delights then these are able This suffereth you not to pine away with desire of your enemies death but it will make you as it did Dauid to turne your hearts towards your greatest enemie which is true manhood and wisedome and to preserue his life when you had him in your hands to kill him And this suffereth not you to hunt about the world for varietie of sinful pleasures as though there were no better vse to bee made of the time which is so pretious but this will make you with Moses to renounce them when yee might haue them and to finde greatest pleasure in doing so and yet in forgoing them to thinke your selues plentifully rewarded Finally this will not suffer you to fret and to be vnquiet in thinking vpon the day of death and to put the remembrance of it farre from you by wishing long life but it will make you sigh and groane to be out of your life and with Paul to account it a prison to liue in the bodie still and as the Preacher saith to reckon the day of death when you must liue here no longer better then the day of birth which is the beginning of life O ye men of this world if ye can tell vs of greater commodities and tidings of better things then these and assure vs how we may come by them wee will forsake and leaue all and reioyce with you If ye cannot but rather your best things are those which I haue spoken of alreadie namely great riches pleasures your enemies death and desire of long life to your selues the vanitie vncertaintie and danger of the which I haue set downe alreadie then renounce you all that ye cannot safely keepe and reioyce with vs doe but taste and see how good the Lord is and when you see what is best imbrace it or els I will pronounce the saying of the Prophet against you which in time shall most surely finde you out and take holde of you although you hide your selues from it Behold and wonder and vanish away for I will worke a worke in your daies that if a man tell you the truth ye shall not beleeue it More might be said of this point but the treatise is too long now I will returne againe to shew that the beleeuing Christian doth renounce the sinfull course which all the world besides lieth and walloweth in though some more then others who as I haue shewed that he renounceth al kinds of wickednes so hee doth it not in some good moode onely neither crieth out of his old conuersation when he seeth shame or daunger approch he doth not I say then onely signifie his mislike of it but vpon good deliberation hee maketh protestation no more to haue to doe with it as Ephraim was counselled to say being called to repentance What haue I to doe with Idols which yet before had been her glorie So whatsoeuer others doe he is resolued to forsake it and casteth off all such behauiour as a loathsome and ragged garment And this is it which our Sauiour acquainted his Disciples and followers with after that they had testified Peter answering for the rest that they beleeued in him vnto saluation He that will be my disciple must denie himselfe which is as much as vngodlines and worldly lusts for then onely indeed and not till then are men fit to heare of any such thing but doe keepe out of the sound of such doctrine as much as they can which is the cause at this day that many professing the Gospell yet neuer know what this meaneth namely to abstaine from the filthie lusts which fight against their soule Others which doe and must needs heare such things taught that all Gods seruants doe and shall disclaime their liues past and be ashamed of them it is pitie to thinke how coldly they receiue it Some of them scorne it and mock and so turne it off that way some neuer conceiue it some are often accused and made afraid to see their liues so farre off from that which is taught them but soone forget it because they see the most of the world to doe so Some are
and which cause sorow are most deare and pretious to vs. For how were the Apostles oppressed with both not onely at their scattering from their maister at his apprehension before his death though he had with many perswasions and strong reasons prepared them for it but euen while he was yet conuersant with them and namely that one time when he went into Iudea to raise Lazarus from death Who answering sayd to him when they heard him prouoke them to go thither Maister the Iewes sought lately to stone thee and doest thou go thither againe As if they should haue sayd Except they had bene weary of their liues there was cause inough to make them vnwilling yea fearfull to come there And so it is with vs that how great comforts soeuer we haue inioyed by the heauenly doctrine of the word of God which we haue heard yet as if we had neuer receiued any when we heare any newes of trouble comming towards vs we are on the sudden so taken and oppressed with it yea though it be but a litle that it vnsetleth vs out of our present estate of peace and quietnesse wherein we were and wholly possesseth all our senses and scattereth our former comforts as if they neuer had bene any whereas the Lord hath to that end vnder-propped vs before with strong consolation that when afflictions come we might the better beare them and retaine our peace with him such as his word had before warned vs of as it is sayd in Iohn besides many other places These things I haue sayd vnto you speaking of his comfortable doctrine which he had before taught them that in the middest of your tribulations ye may haue peace in me This feare and faintnesse therefore vnder the crosse we must know the Diuell will strongly assault vs with and thereby buffet vs so reproachfully for that we reioyced so yea boasted of Gods fauor before and yet now in our afflictons we find not deliuerance many times but we are rather made ridiculous to the world thereby and a gazing stocke therein besides the fainting of our owne hope which is more then all the rest He will insult ouer vs in such extremities as he spared not to do to our Sauiour himselfe Where is now your God Let him deliuer you now if he loue you so dearely or else know that ye haue put your trust in a bruised reed renounce him therefore and shift for your selues except ye will miscarie for there is no helpe for you in him euen as his cursed instrument Rabshakeh Captaine of the King of Assyria did perswade Ezekiaes men not to trust in or depend on the God of Israell in their trouble And therefore that we may find some ease in our troubles let vs gather strength from him who will not faile neither can be resisted his word is the sword that must cut off this Goliahs head and our faith is the hand in which we must hold it And thus God saith in his word to all his This short trouble of yours is to bring you a long comfort afterwards when yee haue indured it a while and they are sent you that my power may appeare in your weaknesse and that you may haue proofe of my grace dwelling in you as faith hope loue humblenesse obedience and to make the world contemned and all that is in it as our fleshly lusts which fight against our solues to be renounced that they may not annoy vs and to cure many diseases as carelesnesse high mindednesse and too much ease-taking in the world for the rodde bringeth wisedome and Iosephs brethren sayd We suffer these things worthily for that we sinned against our brother They are not I say sent but for our good and they driue vs more feruently to God and cause vs to call on him yea and they make vs happie whiles we suffer them and like vnto Christ himselfe who was called the man of sorrowes and giue vs matter of reioycing after and therefore we should be thankfull for them But we do not a litle bewray our vnkind dealing with God who are so vnwilling to heare of them For it is no lesse then a great gift yea a priuiledge vnto vs as the Apostle saith To you it is giuen for Christ that not onely ye should beleeue in him but also suffer for his sake And what vnquietnesse doth it raise in vs when we refuse and impatiently cast off the Lords yoke the very feare of it is farre greater then the suffering it selfe Therefore we ought to resolue with our selues when we see the will of God is we shall suffer it that it is the best for vs very expedient as Christ sayd to his Disciples when he was to depart from them It is expedient for you that I go and therefore indeuour to bow and submit our neckes vnto the yoke praying for that power which our God seeth we haue need of assuring our selues of helpe in due time yea though he sometime deferre it For if he call vs to suffer he will most certainely succour and deliuer vs that so we may find it verified in vs which is written We are afflicted on euerie side yet not in distresse persecuted but not forsaken cast downe but we perish not And the meditation of this shall through Gods goodnesse be a preseruatiue to vs in our afflictions Saint Peter teacheth such as are distracted with these feares so that they vnsettle them and disquiet their minds to cast their care vpon God for he careth for them And the same in effect saith Saint Paule Be nothing carefull and pensiue but in all things let your requests be shewed vnto God in prayer and supplication with giuing of thankes and the peace of God which passeth all vnderstanding shall preserue your hearts from Sathan who seeketh by vnquietnesse to take your peace from you and settle your minds in Christ Iesus So that if God haue either any credite with them that they dare trust him in saying That he will vanquish their vnquietnesse that made them pensiue or if they beleeue that he hath any helpe in him so that he is able to helpe they may with reuerence be bold in their distresse to looke for it and promise it to themselues and yet so that as they trust in him so they tempt him not but pray for it in token that they beleeue in him and vse the meanes to remoue such pensiuenesse from them This remedie is found to be throughly proued and sufficient as oft as it is applied to any such kind of disease And herewith let them weigh the examples of other seruants of God Moses Peter c. who after greater grace receiued beleeued more strongly But if they neglect and passe by such remedies and so fall from feare and doubting to boldnesse and presuming that is to go from one extremitie to another they are grossely bewitched and must
as appeareth by the parable of the talents deliuered to be occupied till it should be demanded how they were imployed and by that of the steward who was called to giue an account of his stewardship The account which shall then be demaunded shall be according to the doctrine which hath bene set downe in the foure remedies namely whether we haue not vsed them to the hurt and iniurying of others and how long and wherein And secondly whether we haue done good with thē as we in conscience haue seene our selues bound to do and as occasion hath bene offered Thirdly whether we haue not our selues yeelded to commit some noisome and fearefull sinnes for and by occasion of them which we should not otherwise haue bene bold to do And lastly whether we haue bene furthered by them to euerlasting life By this we see we may not deale and behaue our selues about these earthly commodities as we shall thinke good for we are but stewards and disposers of them as the owner our Lord and maister hath appointed Wherein as we haue failed we shall haue litle cause to reioyce considering that whatsoeuer we haue gotten and gained yet the worst is behind euen our account giuing which we shall not be able to yeeld no not one of a thousand And though I deny not but there is mercy with the Lord and plentifull redemption yet it is that he may be feared of vs for the time to come in occupying our goods and talents as he hath commaunded and it is also for them that tremble when in remembring and thinking how ill they haue vsed them they say penitently within themselues What haue we done But to the rest shall be tribulation and anguish when they not wisely casting their reckoning before shall be vrged to it by the Lord they being vtterly vnready for it In this regard therefore as in all the former we see good cause to withstand carefully this sinne of worldlinesse These are the remedies and reasons which perswade to giue a foile to this couetousnesse now heare the direction in few words how to vse them both For although we know them yet if they do but swimme in our braine and be talked of now and then they shall be so farre off from doing vs the good they may do that we shall the rather deceiue our selues with a false conceit of practising them when yet we remaine drowned in some grosse point of worldlinesse still Therfore it is necessarie that we nourish and retaine a mind willing to see and find out what is amisse in vs this way and then as the sins of this kind are most daungerous and many that therefore we force our selues from day to day to stoupe and submit our selues in an honest and good heart to vse these remedies and be perswaded by these reasons till we find ease by them through practise of them that is a ready mind to vse the world soberly and aright and desirous lest we should deceiue our selues through selfe-loue both to learne by the publicke ministerie and by our priuate reading as also by the helpe of any faithfull brother which can shew vs what blemish remaineth to annoy and hurt vs. Thus vsing both remedies and reasons from time to time for this must be no worke of a dayes or a yeares continuance with feruent prayer to God both to see and cast out such excrements we shall not need to doubt but that we shall be blessed in our worke And yet this I will adde because I know that the matter which I haue set downe for the redresse of couetousnesse will sauour but harshly in the tast of worldly minded Christians that I do not in all that I haue sayd speake or except against any libertie that God alloweth his people about the vse of the world for some will be ready so to gather For concerning skill and wisedome in mens trades dealings and occupyings I am so farre from counting them points or properties of couetousnesse that I hold them for comely ornaments if they be not choaked and ouer-growne with the weedes of their corruptions Yea I say more that ignorance and vnskilfulnesse if ye except the contrarie extremities subtilty and craftinesse is one of the greatest occasions of euill dealing among men Also I deny not but that forecasting and thrifty prouidence in a familie is both lawfull and meete and that no more be spent then for necessarie and comfortable vse to make prouision also of things needfull in the fittest time so as it be without fraudulent dealing in fore-hand bargaines also good husbandrie warinesse in their doings sure bindings of men in their contracts and couenants and sufficient securitie for mortalitie sake euen betwixt the best by writings or witnesse and a taking heed of suretiship as Salomon willeth that one be not vndone by another diligence also in mens callings with such other like religion and Gods word alloweth them all And all to this end that the more outward dangers a man can auoide the more free he may be to liue godly But seeing it falleth out commonly that the wisest are the worldliest and these fore-mentioned liberties are much abused of earthly minds and such do too easily passe their bounds and much nigardly nipping go vnder the cloake of frugalitie and honest sparing therefore these fore-mentioned liberties which being well vsed are also commendable vertues grow into ill report among the ignorant and vnstayed which otherwise are not reproachfull neither deserue any blame And this I haue spoken to meet with an obiection which might rise in the minds of some by occasion of that which went before And if this content them not they shew themselues iustly to be suspected of worse meaning then in their obiection they pretend As for them who say If they had riches they might ioynt their enemies and stand against them and do many other things which now they cannot for want of them it is not worth the answering For God doth not giue these his blessings to men to bestow them on their lusts but to profitable and necessarie vses And where men do not make that reckoning of them and learne not to be maisters ouer them rather then to be seruants and slaues to them what one among a thousand is the better but the worse for them And therefore to a reasonable man I would say What if we could in diet and apparell countenance and controling of others flourish and please our selues also in other iolity libertie and exercise what were we the better All men see that we may want these better then the pairing of our nailes and that we may please God better without them and that we shall not haue so many things to let and hinder vs if we be free from them We haue promise of sufficiencie if we desire to liue vnder his gouernemnt and without that cursed is all plentie But here an end of this matter
in smaller things that they may beleeue him in greater The third meane The word and sacraments The fourth A daily humiliation for sinne The fifth Their former experience The faithfull haue neere acquaintance with God They are called his friends Let no place be giuen to doubting How faith is weakned Thinke of this as the weightiest matter in the morning if it may be The sixth The example of others who of weake become strong CHAP. 12. THe sweet fruit and benefit of preseruing and confirming our faith No outward meanes confirme faith if we price it not the best of all things A pithy speech of a worthy person The chiefest thing euery morning is to remember Gods loue Gods children not so wise for their good as the bad for theirs Many good Christians haue not halfe the comfort they might haue Their example hurteth others Vnsetling of our selues from nourishing faith is full of dangers The longer we liue the better we should be Many haue found small comfort through their life Three degrees of faith The second Treatise CHAP. 1. OF the life of a beleeuer The summe and order of this treatise Why godlines should be ioyned with faith Diuers opinions about godlinesse It is necessary to vnderstand wherein a godly life consisteth The necessary connexion of this treatise with the former Faith and godly life are as twinnes and go together The heads of this treatise are foure CHAP. 2. THe first point of the first head of this treatise Where true faith is not there is no good life No good thing in the vnbeleeuer that pleaseth God Men are dangerously deceiued about this point This is no new doctrine It is hard only to the obstinate None that haue faith can liue wickedly Proofes of it Faith is not content with a wandring desire of godlines The Gospel despised because it is not knowen Many would be thought beleeuers who liue not a godly life Too hasty repentance seldome sound Change of life without faith vaine A simile It is vaine to thinke we haue faith without a new life CHAP. 3. THe second point of the first head of this treatise The beleeuer must beleeue other promises beside that of saluation Also the commandements and threats The beleeuers do not thus The cause why Another cause Want of this faith worketh much inconuenience The beleeuer must beleeue that he shall be sanctified And particular promises of benefits and deliuerance And precepts and threats euen the word it selfe Examples of such as did so This doctrine little seene into and practised This kinde of faith not oft beat vpon by teachers The lesse conceiued and in vse with the better kinde of hearers What causeth tedious troubles to many Christians The testimony of good Christians touching this matter An exhortation to the ministers A minister must haue experience in himselfe of that which he teacheth others Answere to such as thinke otherwise Let faith and godlinesse be oft taught The same things without vaine repetition and barbarousnesse The peoples wants require it Want of this kinde of faith makes the godly life difficult A simile Where it is inioied the practise of godlinesse becoms easie The want of a good foundation is the ruine of many CHAP. 4. THe second general head of this treatise Of the heart The heart the fountaine of godly life must first be purged Like heart like life The heart is a dungeon of iniquity A simile A view of the filthinesse of the heart Men see it not and therefore suspect no danger What the purging of the heart is He that dieth in a weake estate shal be saued Holy desires be oft times quenched in the beleeuer How to reuiue them How the heart is purged By the power of the holy ghost This is at the first turning of a sinner to God Euen this is a gracious worke We must not stand at a stay in this The heart is purged by faith Worldly delights so sought for because the heauenly are not felt So soone as any are assured of Gods fauour so soone are their hearts changed Faith purgeth onely as the instrument True repentance what Without the change of the heart there is no amendment of life The simplest Christian findes some measure of these Proofes that this change is wrought by faith By this change the beleeuer sensibly descerneth his present estate from his former The weake troubled that this change is so small Yet this is a note that their state is good This change of the heart is the foundation of a godly life If men at the first gaue God their hearts then should their whole life be better Not a peece of the heart Many hardly brought to giue their whole heart therefore giue ouer CHAP. 5. OF the renouncing of all sinne which is the first effect of a renued heart in the true beleeuer We must be changed before our liues can be amended What the life of the beleeuer is All vngodlinesse not some onely is to be renounced The beleeuer loatheth his former filthy life The power of faith and gaine thereby The vanity of worldly ioies The beleeuer renounceth sinne in good aduisednesse and not in some good moode onely For want of this setled denying of our selues diuers neuer attaine to true godlinesse Worst sort of protestants who hate this doctrine Gods seruants are at vtter defiance with the world They leaue not sinne for a time nor by constraint or for company feare c. They vow and performe Not by their owne strength Their helpe is from God attained by faith waited for by hope It is got with much striuing Which ought to be no discouragement The faithfull alwaies preuaile not Yet finde comfort No hurt by abasing Gaine of our falles to purge vs. This gaine is onely to the beleeuer Beleeuers can renounce all Vnbeleeuers cannot No dram of goodnesse in a naturall man CHAP. 6. DIuers kindes of euill to be renounced First inward lusts All doe not hold them vnder in like measure The effects of our naturall corruption be heere meant The roote of them all is vnbeleefe Three sorts of inward lusts 1. against God and his honor and worship in the first table Ignorance of God and no minde to come out of it Distrust In aduersity impatient obstinate c. In prosperity no thankefulnesse carnall reioicing drunke with pleasures No pleasure in Gods true worship Superstition and blinde deuotion Prophanesse dissolutenesse c. Abuse of peace Loathing the Lords Sabbath 2. Wicked lusts towards man in the second table Com. 5. contempt of betters vnthankefulnesse saucinesse in youth Com. 6. reioicing in euell wrath no bearing reuenge no fellow feeling c. Com. 7. vncleane lusts E. Feeding of them 106. F. Eies full of adultery the minde made a nursery of filthinesse Not onely the worst sort deceiued this way Com. 8. coueteousnesse c. Com. 9. lust against our neighbours name Surmises deuising of libels c. Things not alwaies yet these be common Com. 10. the heart is taken
The chiefest thing euery morning is to remember Gods loue Gods children not so wise for their good as the bad for theirs Many good Christians haue not halfe the comfort they might haue Ephes 5.18 Deut. 33.12 Psal 90. Vnsetling of our selues from nourishing faith is full of dangers The longer we liue the better we should be Many haue found small cōfort through their life 2. Pet. 1.1 Iames 2.26 2. Pet. 1.5 6 7 Diuers opinions about godlines Matth. 27.3 Mark 6.20 Jt is necessarie to vnderstand wherein a godly life consisteth The necessarie connexion of this treatise with the former Faith and a godly life are as twinnes and goe together The heads of this treatise are foure Ezek. 36.26 Iames 2.18 Where true faith is not there is no good life Ephes 2.3 Heb. 11.6 Gen. 6.5 No good thing in the vnbeleeuer that pleaseth God Gen. 9.6 Prou. 28.9 Psalm 50.16 Gen. 4.4 No new doctrine Jt is hard only to the obstinate 2. Pet. 3.16 None that haue faith can liue wickedly 2. Cor. 5. Proofes of the former Tit. 2.12 Faith is not content with a wandring desire of godlines 2. Cor. 5. Act. 26.28 Gospell despised because it is not knowne Many would be thought beleeuers vvho liue not a godly life Hos 7.8 Rom. 7.4 Phil. 2.12 Ierem. 8.6 Iam. 1.26 Too hastie repentance seldome sound Note Change of life without faith vaine A simile It is vaine to thinke we haue faith without a new life 1. Pet. 3.4 Hos 14.6 Rom. 6.17 Luk. 1.75 Matth. 11.29 Tit. 3.8 Ephes 4.22 The beleeuer must beleeue other promises beside that of saluation 1. Cor. 1.30 1. Tim. 4.8 Also the threats and commaundements Rom. 15.4 The beleeuers doe not thus 1. Cor. 3.1 The cause why A second VVant of this faith worketh much inconuenience Heb. 4.2 Heb. 11.6 Rom. 14.23 The beleeuer must beleeue that he shall be sanctified And particular promises of benefits and deliuerance And precepts and threats euen the word it selfe Rom. 1.5 Examples of such as did st Hebr. 11.8 Iohn 5.46 Ios 6.10 Hebr. 10.38 Gal. 2.19 This kinde of faith not oft beat vpon by teachers The lesse conceiued and in vse with the better kind of hearers Luk. 1.28 Obiection Rom. 7.18 Answere Philip. 4.13 Exod. 5.11 VVhat causeth tedious troubles to many christians The testimonie of good christians An exhortation to the Ministers 2. Pet. 1.12 Matth. 11. Ioh. 10.4 Let faith and godlines be oft taught Phil. 3.1 The same things without vaine repetition and barbarousnes Act. 13.42 Hos 14.2 A simile Matth. 7.25 The heart the fountaine of godly life must first be purged Like heart like life Matth. 12.35 The heart is a dungeon of iniquitie Iam. 3.8 A simile A view of the filthines of the heart Ierem. 17.9 Matth. 15.19 What the purging of sinne is Rom. 6.2 Ephes 4.23 He that dieth in this weake estate is saued Holy desires be oft times quenched in the beleeuer Psalm 43.5 Psalm 103.1 How the heart is purged By the power of the holy Ghost Act. 15.9 Esai 11.2 This is at the first turning of a sinner to God A simile Euen this is a gracious work VVe must not stand at a stay in this Act. 15.9 1. Ioh. 3.5 Hart is purged by faith Act. 15.9 Act. 26.18 Iam. 3.15 VVorldly delights so sought for because the heauenly are not felt Iam. 5.5 Hebr. 11.6 Hos 1.10 So soone as any are assured of Gods fauour so soone are their harts changed Gal. 5.6 Faith purgeth only as the instrument Col. 3.9 Rom. 6.4 1. Tim. 1.5 True repentance 1. Thess 5.23 2. Cor. 7.1 Col. 3.9.10.15 Rom. 6.2 1. Pet. 2.24 VVithout the change of the heart there is no amendment of life The simplest Christian finds some measure of these Prooues that this change is wrought by faith 1. Pet. 1.4 opened Rom. 7.5.6 opened Iohn 15.1.2 Ephes 4.16 Gal. 1.4 Luk. 1.74 1. Iohn 5.20 Luk. 7. Psalm 50. Rom. 6.6.11 By this change the beleeuer sensibly discerneth his present state from his former The weake troubled that this change is so small Yet this is a note that their state is good This change of the heart is the foundation of a godly life Note Prouer. 13.26 Jf men at first gaue God their hearts then should their whole life be better Not a peece of the heart Leuit. 1.13 Many hardly brought to giue their whole heart therefore giue ouer Psalm 78.35 Iudg. 2.11 1. Sam. 15.4 Ezech. 36.25 26 27. We must be changed before our liues can be amended What the life of the beleeuer is All vngodlines not some onely is to be renounced The beleeuer loatheth his former filthie life Reuel 3.9 Power of faith and gaine thereby 1. Sam. 24.10.11 Heb. 11.24 Heb. 11.6 2. Cor. 5.3 Eccles 7.1 Vanitie of worldly ioyes 1. Timot. 3. Act. 13.41 1. Ioh. 5.19 He renounceth sinne in good aduisednes and not in some good mood onely Hos 14.9 Ephes 4.24 Matth. 16.24 For want of this setled denying our selues diuers neuer attaine true godlines VVorst sort of Protestants who hate this doctrine Gods seruants are at vtter defiance with the world Ezra 10.12 Iere. 31.19 They leaue not sin for a time nor by constraint or for company feare c. Nehem. 10.29 Abiure sinne Not our owne strength Phil. 4.13 Rom. 9.31 Got with much striuing No discouragement Matth. 19.29 Faithfull alwaies preuaile not Yet finde comfort 1. Pet. 1.5 2. Cor. 12.6 Psal 116.11 2. Cor. 7.8.9 No hurt by abasing Gaine of our falles to purge vs. Prou. 28.13 This is only to the beleeuer Beleeuers can renounce all Vnbeleeuers cannot No dramme of goodnes in a naturall man Diuers kinds of euill to be renounced First inward lusts Not all in like measure The effects of our naturall corruption here be meant Iam. 1.14 A simile Col. 3.5 Heb. 3.12 Three sorts of lustes A view of some corruptions 1. Against God and his honour and worship in the first Table Iob. 13. Acts 24.25 Iob. 21.14 15. Matth. 15.9 Distrust Jn aduersitie Jmpatient Obstinate Loathsome guests Jnward corruptions in prosperitie No thankefulnesse Carnall reioycing Iames 4.4 Drunke with pleasures Ioh. 4. Ioh. 5. Matth. 15. Deut. 28.46 Abuse of peace Psal 8.5.6 VVicked lusts towards man The 2. table fift Commandement Contempt of betters Rom. 12. Vnthankefulnes to men Saucines in youth Reioyce in euil 1. Ioh. 3.18 VVrath Gen. 13.8 9 No bearing Prou. 12.15 Ephes 4.32 Rom. 12.15 No fellow feeling Vncleane lusts Feed their lusts Zach. 12.8 Couetousnes 1. Tim. 6.9 Prou. 9.17 1. Thess 4.4 Psal 15.6 Lust against our neighbours name Surmises 1. Sam. 22.8 2. Sam. 15.7 Exod. 2.14 Libels Psalm 50.22 Though not alwaies yet these be common These lusts be causes of all woe Euill lusts concerning our selues Fretting when crossed of their will 1. Sam. 31. Acts 16. Excessiue delight in abundance Iames 5.5 Pride of life Iohn 2.13 Iames 4.13 Frowardnes Prou. 27.1 Selfe lov◠A speciall part of a godly life to renounce these Hebr. 3.12 Iusts marre
doth make the same knowne vnto his minde and beare witnes to his spirit that he is the Lords and teacheth him thus to reason If God will forgiue him who hath receiued grace to seeke without fainting wearines who longeth for it in a melting heart for offending him who desireth it more then al earthly pleasure and profit and is willing to cast away all impediments that may hinder it if he will forgiue such and he hath framed me to be such a one then doubtles he will be mercifull and forgiue me Thus God maketh him of whom I speake to see cleerely that he is his no more to be separated from him when he hath opened his heart as he did the heart of Lydia and causeth him to beleeue that the sonne of God who was giuen to the vnworthie world is giuen to him being one of the same For if earthly fathers be kind to their childrē crying to thē how much more the father of fathers For we must think that this afflicted person now mentioned doth often and deeply weigh the truth vnchangeablenes and perpetuitie of the pretious promises which hee heareth preached vnto him yea and that with more delight then he doth any thing els he weigheth what may be like to hinder and hold him from hauing his part in thē and when he considereth that God who willeth him not to feare is greater thē al that letteth him what hee may hee remoueth it though neuer so precious to him and considereth what doth giue him greatest encouragement and so imbraceth the same we must think when he once cōceiueth the incomprehensible excellencie of eternall life and how it maketh the soule alwaies cheereful euen here we must think I say that he weighing what his misery is without it counteth it the most soueraigne medicine to heale his sore and therefore he is readie to vse any meanes and bestow any diligence to come into the possession of it and to make it his owne especially when he seeth that it is so freely and mercifully offered Thus setting his heart vpon it as that which hee seeth would make him more happie then all the world though for a time he hath not been able to attaine vnto the assurance of it the diuell holding him backe by many lets and subtilties abusing his errour weakenes and simplicitie thereto yet the Lord suffereth him not to giue ouer till he hath waded thorough and ouercome all hinderances And if this be too hard to doe by himselfe he seeketh the helpe of others wheresoeuer they may be come by men of deeper insight and greater iudgement and experience in and about the will and purpose of God concerning saluation by whose louing trauaile counsell and labour he groweth more expert and resolute and so setleth his heart in beleeuing as he seeth he hath good cause and strong incouragement to his full quiet and contentation The Lord himselfe speaking thus If any thirst let him come to me and I will giue him the water of life to drinke So that as Iacobs hart failed when he beleeued not his sonnes report that Ioseph was aliue and the chiefe gouernour vnder Pharaoh yet when they told him the words of Ioseph and shewed him the Chariots which he had sent to carrie him the spirit of Iacob reuiued and he said I haue enough c. Ioseph my sonne is yet aliue So though the goodnes of the message shall be so farre beyond the expectation of him to whom it is brought as fearing the cleane contrarie yet when hee shall weigh and consider aduisedly the truth of the matter and certaintie of the promises and therein behold the depth of loue which is in God and that to the broken hearted though vnworthie it quickeneth the soule and refresheth it aboue all that can be expressed And so hee beholding his estate without these promises and what neede he hath of them and who it is that offereth them euen he who cannot be gainsaid that is the Almightie he imbraceth them and by little and little as he gathereth more strength by the infalliblenes of them so he beleeueth them and taketh exceeding comfort by them giueth God thankes and as he hath good cause he cannot satisfie himselfe therewith nor as he thinketh haue enough of them And thus doth his soule stay vp it selfe for seeing God doth giue it freely to him and he desireth it aboue all other things as seeing that he cannot bee safe without it who is hee which shall hinder it Thus are all teares wiped away the ragges are cast off the robes are put on the spouse is betrothed to Christ her husband and she by faith made partaker of all the good things which he bringeth with him who is giuen vnto his Church not poorely nor bare but to be her wisedome righteousnes sanctification and redemption And he that hath thus put on the Lord Iesus God will know him for his wheresoeuer he findeth him neither shall any take him out of his hands so saith our Sauiour himselfe My sheepe whom in the verse before he calleth those which beleeue in him My sheepe heare my voyce and I know them and they follow me and I giue vnto them eternall life and they shall neuer perish neither shall any plucke them out of my hands for my father which gaue them me is greater then all and none is able to take them out of my fathers hand Like vnto these are they all who shall glorifie God in this life separated from the world though annoyed by the people of it as the sillie sheepe are by the goates whose conuersation what it is another place shall declare and lay foorth hereafter And this is faith which making them inwardly perswaded in some sort by so cleere euidence as I haue said causeth them outwardly in time to professe the same more boldly without feare as occasion shal be offered although it be for y e time both weake and faint yet is it sound and sure and after experience in a godly life I meane the life that is led by faith it shall be strengthened better confirmed and procure withall rest to their soules For where the forementioned graces are as true contrition the heart broken with sorrow and meekened hungring and pining for mercie and grace confessing and forsaking the sinne with accusation and deepe groanes for pardon there is some true measure of sauing faith for Gods graces are not separated for our Sauiour pronounceth them blessed which haue these graces but none are blessed without faith therefore faith is there also because the spirit of Christ dwelleth in such and he dwelleth in his by faith therfore it must needs be in them Which thing I doe the rather stand vpon to proue seeing it is rather tried and discerned by these then knowne by it selfe without other holy affections going with it and for that many of tender age in Christ and yonglings cannot be certaine and throughly
ye would not forgoe your portion for a kingdome And thinke this of me who am not ashamed to be said to haue giuen you this counsell I know what I say in thus prouoking and labouring to perswade you if ye refuse neuer looke to come to the like offer And to you and as many as desire saluation how farre off soeuer as yet ye be know that ye are in the estate of diuels if ye continue as ye be and ye are the liker to continue so the longer ye liue if while ye be called ye refuse You are as outlawes Gods care reacheth not to you neither are you vnder his protection being his enemies but he or some of his sergeants will arrest you when you thinke not of it and hell will receiue you and the happines which other shall haue will flie from you which God forbid CHAP. 10. Of the eyght companions of Faith NOw I haue spoken of those who are weakest in faith and haue the smallest measure of it and haue laboured to stay them in their temptation I haue also shewed the causes of their conuersion the loue of God the father in giuing his sonne the loue of the sonne in reconciling them to God and deliuering them from all their miserie the word of promise preached to bring them tidings of this Gods spirit assuring them by working faith in them and perswasion thereof and to this end I haue set down these because in the ordinarie comming to eternall life there is no other way yet seeing these are not so easilie felt of vs as they are sure and infallible groundes in themselues to vs of saluation therefore I will adde some other effects or rather properties of true faith which doe accompanie the assurance of the loue of God and of Christ Iesus in vs and are the workes or fruites of the holy Ghost by the Gospell which although they be not of like authoritie with the former yet are they easilier felt to be in vs. So that both sorts of euidences laid together and meeting and concurring in one and the same person shall giue him most cleerely to vnderstand that as God hath graciouslie bestowed it so we may effectuallie receiue and hold it as our owne and that with more certaintie euery day as our saluation shall euery day be neerer then when we first beleeued And thus I come vnto the third generall part of this treatise wherein seeing I hope the weakest beleeuers are or may be somewhat staied by that which I haue said already I now purpose in this last part to shew how all such of Gods people as are staied from strong feare trouble of mind may by other cleere euidences haue further proofe and triall of their faith and be able to preserue and confirme it and how much such an estate is to be desired for the benefit it bringeth And first to teach the beleeuer to trie that he hath this excellent gift of faith these eyght graces being companions of it and more easilie perceiued and discerned then faith it selfe will cleerely testifie that where these be there shall that be found also This true beleeuer therefore whosoeuer he be first as soone as he shall perceiue that God farre otherwise then he looked for hath giuen him his sonne to bring life vnto him and to be his wisdome righteousnesse sanctification and redemption he must needes feele in his heart great ioy and comfort as we see in the example of the Eunuch when Philip had conuerted him he went away reioycing Acts 8.39 and in Samaria where when he had preached Christ there and had brought them to repentance there was great ioy in the Citie Acts 8.8 And what maruaile for how can a man be perswaded by good and infallible grounds that greater happines is giuen him of God then all the world is worth but he must needes reioyce with ioy vnspeakeable as they which dreame For is there any naturall man so senseles that if he should vnderstand that some portion of goods as an hundreth pounds value by the yeere were befallen him yet he should not feele his heart made ioyfull thereat and can this honour befall any that he is highly in fauour with the Lord of heauen and earth and thereby of a child of wrath made heire of heauen for euer but it must needes glad his heart exceedingly and raise sensible ioy in him which cannot be expressed as in him who found the pearle But doe common professors thus or worldlings when they manifestly bewray that they are glutted with the tidings of it So that as the Eunuch before mentioned immediatly after he had been instructed in this mysterie of faith went on his way reioycing and as Paul soone after his conuersion was marueilously comforted although before as farre from it and as deepely cast downe as any so let it not be doubted of but when God hath once inlightened the heart of any which before sate in darkenes to see himselfe vndoubtedly saued but that it raiseth vp in him ioy vnspeakeable and glorious in his measure Indeede it shall not perhaps so much be seene or appeare to another as by good euidence it is felt of himselfe Neither shall a stranger that is a man otherwise affected be partaker of this ioy but that it accompanieth them who are by faith made assured of their election our Sauiour Christ teacheth saying Reioyce not that the spirits are subdued vnto you but rather reioyce because your names are written in heauen And whereas it may be obiected that it is sore shaken and slaked by afflictions let that trouble none for no affliction for the time present is ioyous but grieuous and yet we reioyce euen in them through hope that maketh not ashamed Rom. 5.4 Besides we haue it here but in part as we haue all other graces and yet affliction after we haue been exercised with it aright shall make our ioy the greater in the end when Gods former graces shall be restored to vs which we were wont in him to finde therefore Saint Peter saith Though ye haue not seene yet ye loue him in whom though ye see him not yet ye beleeue in him and reioyce with ioy vnspeakeable Now seeing it must needes be thus it may well proue to vs that the common opinion of faith which most haue where the Gospell is preached namely that they beleeue in Iesus Christ deceiueth them and is nothing lesse then true For were they perswaded of their happines how could they chuse but feele withall their soules more ioyfull and glad within them then all the commodities of this life could make them For we no sooner know our selues iustified before God by faith but we are at peace with him and such peace as passeth all vnderstanding Which after we know how sweete and pretious it is we will by no meanes forgoe againe although for want of stronger faith and sounder knowledge it is more flitting in some
thereon in such wise that he dares ieopard his soule vpon the truth and doctrine of them euen as he is to looke for saluation only by our Lord Iesus Christ euer counting that for sinne which shall be found to iarre or iangle with the same either in his heart or life But though all who haue hope to be saued should doe this yet it is manifest they doe not They make not conscience of many sinnes they looke not to many promises they feare not many threats all which doe much testifie against them that they be not so well fenced as they might be and by meanes hereof they holde euen the promise of saluation it selfe more weakely And this commeth to passe the more commonly that they be no better stablished and rooted in the truth to beleeue it because these things as they be worthiest and most excellent so they be not plainely soundly and thoroughly beaten into the people and that againe and againe till they that are willing haue them for their owne And another cause is for that the people who haue some taste of this doctrine namely how they should ioyne good life with their faith take not paine when they haue been well taught them to call them to minde and digest them onely they haue pieces and fragments of many good points but rarely it shall be found that one Christian among many groweth to see this which I now speake of by teaching much lesse hath it in vse and practise for his owne that is to giue credit to one part of the word as well as to another and not euery one to take that which liketh him And therefore when they haue some work of true faith in them yet they see not how to set vpon repentance and a godly life how to begin and how to proceede therein but are off and on now forward then backward and scarcely at any time setled and staied the which although it be so in great part through their owne weaknes yet is it also in respect of their ignorance I speake of the better sort of people and such as haue receiued the first fruites of the spirit Whereas if they were perswaded that they ought to make conscience of all sound doctrine that they heare and to giue assent to euery part of the word of God and submit themselues thereto promises threats and commandements they should hold more firmely the perswasion of their saluation and also be better prepared how to flie euill and how to doe dutie and how to trust God in all kindes of his promises Therefore it is said to the Hebrues To vs was the Gospell preached as also vnto them but the word that they heard profited not them because it was not mixed with faith in those that heard it Againe Without faith it is impossible to please God With the which agreeth that which is written by S. Paul to the Romanes Whatsoeuer is not of faith is sinne that is whatsoeuer we doe not being perswaded in our consciences that we please God in doing of it we sinne against him Now then when our iudgements be not setled in this doctrine and truth and consequently we follow no such rule in our actions must wee not needes wander vp and downe the more vnprofitably and heauily or when we be at the best must we not needs be doubtfull and vncertaine whether wee please God or no whereas our chiefe care should be least we doe any thing which might crase or cracke our faith especially when it is tender and weake and like the bruised reede which is easily broken Therefore if any beleeue to be saued let them beleeue also that they shall be sanctified for with one and the same faith we beleeue both and that they shall receiue grace from God to bring foorth fruites of amendment of life and that they shall be made able by him through the hearing of the holie Scriptures to cast off their old conuersation This faith much auaileth to the furthering of the deare children of God in a godly course euen at their first comming vnto God as it doth alwaies after to liue by it And although God by the same spirit regenerateth them by the which he assureth them of their adoption yet is it wrought in them much more hardly and in greater feare when they doe not first know and be perswaded in their iudgements that it shall be so And though it can be but weake in any at their first conuersion to God yet shall they sooner wade through their doubts and grow out of their feare if they haue this faith as a foundation to vphold them and incourage them to goe about it But otherwise they shall faint and feare oft times and be without hope nothing is more cleere then this if we obserue it in weake christians And thus must they be perswaded also concerning all blessing good successe deliuerance out of troubles or patience and meekenes to beare them as well as to beleeue the forgiuenes of sinnes and finally whatsoeuer God saith in his word either the forbidding of any sinne or the requiring of any dutie they are bound to beleeue it as the truth of God to depend vpon it and to be built vpon it and to trust him vpon his bare word and to suffer themselues to be led by it and that because it is his word hauing in them alwaies a setled purpose to doe so and this is called by the Apostle the obedience of faith For they must be resolued of this that to whom God giues Christ to them also he giues all things needfull for this life and the life to come in and by Christ And thus Noah did not only beleeue that he was made heire of righteousnesse but also that he and certaine of his household should be saued in the flood and Abraham likewise beleeued not only that he was iustified but also went to a place which he knew not only seeing God commaunded and abode in the land of promise as in a strange countrey and beleeued that he should haue a sonne in his olde age And they who beleeued among the Israelites in the Sauiour which was to come of whom Moses though darkely had taught before the same beleeued other promises as that the walles of Iericho should fall downe after they had bin compassed about seuen daies Many other such examples who shewed themselues not only to beleeue the promise of forgiuenes of sinnes and of eternall life but also other temporall promises yea and precepts also and threats which God had set downe in his word very profitable for vs to this purpose many such I say both thoroughout the Scriptures and namely in that eleuenth chapter to the Hebrues are set downe vnto vs. And this generall faith so called for that it giueth assent and credit to the word of God in the elect as well to one part as to another with an honest heart ready to
them such as God will confirme vnto the end and to consider that they themselues had more neede to bee setled in the knowledge of the truth then to take vppon them to censure those which are wiser then themselues The dutie of the strong is to beare their infirmities neither to please themselues in the things which they doe but to build vp the weake and to vse their libertie aright seruing Christ therein and seeking the good and benefit of their neighbour which is done when for his sake they abstaine when neede is euen from things lawfull and then it is necessarie when their weake brother by their example is led to doe that which he hath no warrant of and therefore his conscience is defiled and wounded thereby and so he waxeth the more backward in the seruice of God But besides these gifts in the stronger sort such as God hath beautified with any gifts which others doe want ought to bee had in honour and account for the same and not saucily and proudly to be contemned for by such God helpeth forward the welfare of those who do want the same And namely the ancient in yeeres and gray-headed are of the yonger sort to bee esteemed and had in reuerence as Elihu hath giuen example in the booke of Iob who being in the companie of sage and graue men himselfe but yong did keepe silence a long space and when he spake he said he did so reuerence their age that he was afraid to speake And if wee can frame our selues to giue these duties to our betters and inferiours it shall be the easier to regard the dignitie and worthines of those which are our equals which in that one sentence of the Apostle is taught vs that when the case so standeth that we might seeme as worthie persons as others and not any thing inferiour to them in the iudgement of men yet let vs giue ouer our right vnto thē if it be any and in giuing honour to them go before thē And when we haue had experience of carefull practise in giuing this due to our neighbor we shall both perceiue our want and be ashamed to see how manifoldly wee sometime failed herein which without faithfull examining will neuer appeare by meanes of our secret selfeloue and what benefit wee haue of Christs righteousnes in this one commandement to couer our so great vnrighteousnes against it and thereby set our selues more earnestly to grow sound in the duties of it This point of humilitie is for good cause required of vs towards our neighbour that wee may the more readilie yeeld to other duties which follow And this of the duties which we owe to the person of our neighbour to the which if we adde this that wee be carefull to maintaine our owne reuerence and credit among men by a course beseeming our holy profession we shall doe well Now we are to see what God inioyneth vs towards their life To name the duties onely and barely to mention them doth little good to the most that shal reade them either for vnderstanding or practising of them and to stand long I may not the least that can be said of the particular duties in euery commaundement though breuitie bee studied for is more then I meant to bee occupied about the wise reader must haue consideration thereof The duties to their liues are many and those both to the bodily life and the spirituall From whence wee must fetch for our daily practise all that wee are bound to performe about this part of dutie And to the preseruing of bodily life health and welfare in our neighbour as much as lieth in vs it is required at our hands first that he sustaine no hurt by vs or any of ours as farre as we can hinder it in stripe wound bitter taunt or hard handling any other way either he or his whereby his life might be made vnpleasant while he liueth harmelesse amongst vs nay though he should ouershoote himselfe towards vs and prouoke vs yet God will haue vs armed against such offences by that mildnes of spirit which changeth our boisterous nature into sweete amiablenes verifying that which is written by the Prophet the lambe and the lion shall feed together Esai 11.6 whereby we are made able and fit to liue euen with bad persons Which mildnes teacheth vs to beare much and suffer farre rather then to bee angrie in our owne cause which how weightie soeuer it seemeth to vs is no better then follie and madnes therefore not to desire reuenge at their hands but to wish still their good And for our owne parts wisely and carefully both in words and in deeds to auoide and cut off all occasions of discord yea though it be with the forgoing of some part of our right as Abraham did to Lot and to procure peace so farre as it may be without offence to God or the hindring of our own saluation and taking al things in good part as far as possibly we may Oh how much doth he comfort the life and glad the heart of his neighbour whose earnest endeuour it is to liue thus with all men though it be a gift of God which should shine euen in the rich themselues as the Apostle sheweth saying Charge them which are rich in this world that they be not high minded but easie to be liued withall But yet is it further required at our hands that besides the hurting no man as hath been said we should doe them good And indeede such should our whole course be towards others that we might make easie as many mens burthens as we can seeing God in the riches of his mercie hath vnburthened vs of so intolerable weight as pressed vs by our sinne euen as he hath loued vs therefore so from hence it is that we haue loue one to another as to haue care of their life and welfare to maintaine it as their necessitie shall require and our abilitie can performe To manifest it in their miseries by pitying them and hauing a fellow-feeling of the same with them and so to testifie it both by words and deedes as our Sauiour by doing the the same in pitying the people who were dispersed as sheepe without a shepheard gaue vs example to doe the like And as their troubles and calamities shall be the greater so the more speedily to lend our helpe to them to ease them as much as in vs lieth That this may the better be conceiued and practised of vs we may take two examples for all the rest to shew it in for this being so needefull and that oftentimes I meane to shew mercie and so much complained of to be wanting I will stay a while in it The one is in the distressed case of seruants who if all hard measure being offered them they must yet not be suffered to answere for their innocencie their burthen should be great
set downe the points that thou shouldest meditate on in sentences not applyed to thee thou must apply that which is set downe generally to all Christians to thy selfe as if it were spoken onely to thee As thus for example if thou wouldest meditate on this point The Lord is all in all and who is like vnto him thinke after this or the like manner in applying it to thy selfe O Lord whom haue I in heauen but thee and whom doe I desire on earth in comparison of thee For thou art my portion and my ioy of whom I make my songs euen in the night season I sigh to be vnburdened and desire to be dissolued and be with thee Oh when shall I come into thy glorious presence c. And so draw all other holy sentences to thy behoofe and vse If thou wouldest meditate on this point because of mens wandring and inconstant profession of the Gospell without fruite it is both wisedome and our happines to reioyce in our owne going forward not in other mens and in prouing our selues we may reioyce in our selues not in other Gal. 6.4 Lift vp thine heart to God and pray him that it may be so with thee No man shall be fit to gouerne himselfe aright before men if he doe not vsually acquaint himselfe with and frame himselfe after that Christian course first before God No man can rest in his priuate meditations and prayers before God if a well ordered life as a fruite thereof appeare not before men When a man looketh so diligently to the seuerall parts of his life and calling that he may haue peace thereby it is well It is a point of Christian wisdome to be most circumspect and best armed where we be weakest It is no way tolerable to lie still if a man be fallen Ierem. 8.6 but to haue recourse to God againe if we be ouertaken though with much adoe we obtaine it Exod. 33.8 Although in a well ordred course all crosses and incumbrances be not vtterly remoued yet many by it are auoided and others profitably sustained Prou. 19.23 It is some grace to vse prosperitie well that is that a man may cheerefullie and fruitfully passe his time but if wee be voide of this vnder the crosse wee may gather that the benefits of God make vs merrie and not our resting in this fauour of God It is a good thing to reioyce in our Sabboths and communion with Gods people but so as wee rest not euen in them but in this that God is our portion in all estates and places Psal 119.57 2. Cor. 5.16 When many earthly troubles take hold of vs at once wee must carrie our selues very soberly and gratiously if wee be not vnsetled from willingnes to dutie by some of them Frowardnes impatience and forgetting our selues being so readie by the smallest occasions to breake out of vs. We seldome inioy commoditie when we doubt of the lawfulnes or conueniencie of keeping or comming by it but the Lord maketh it as sowre and discommodious in the end Wee seldome haue in great price any thing below as house land c. but the Lord crosseth vs some way in it that we may loue it with measure Reioyce not at the first hearing of heauenly things only but more soundly continue it when thou knowest them more soundly and better by experience Prepare and look for affliction before it come least thou be besotted with thy peace and prosperitie and also that the burden of trouble may be easier when it commeth In the middest of tribulation because that easily oppresseth thinke of the best priuiledges which thou hast that is Christ with all that commeth with him 1. Sam. 30.6 Dauid and Psal 77. The greater thy troubles are the greater must thy strength bee and the more godly must thou be When thy heart can rest in God and the pleasures which come thereby take in hand all thine affaires soberly that thy ioy be not quenched thereby It would make one wonder to see how by such occasions the heart is vnsetled Deadnes of spirit loggish vnprofitablenes if not wound take hold of a man when he doth not faithfully make vp any breaches made in his conscience by true returning to God The Lord is not farre off from vs nor hard to be intreated when after any fall or escape wee turne to him in humilitie and repentance 1. Sam. 7.10 and 12.22 Of the manifold vexations that fall into our liues wee may obserue that the most of them doe become annoyances to vs through our owne fault that wee either preuent them not when wee may or beare them not as wee ought or make not vse of them as we might doe The talking of the commodities of this life is so sauourie and sweete to flesh that being in it wee hardly get out of it no not when better things are in speech before When our callings become a pleasure to vs to discharge them faithfully for the Lords sake what outward helpes of blessing soeuer God sendeth vs they shall make our liues so much the more easie and comfortable but these without the other are but deceiueable vanities The place wherein Christ vsed to pray often and had found much comfort in the same he was taken and betrayed but yet he continued his godly custome euen till he was led away so must we looke to haue our best places of prayer and walkes made traps for vs for the subtiltie of the world know our haunt and where to find vs. But let vs perseuere that if we be taken euen there wee may reioyce as being found well occupied when the Lord shall come Although for want of proofe we count all afflictions hard yet when wee haue experience Heb. 5.13.14 and haue bin exercised in bearing them and see that the feare is more then the thing it selfe our confidence in God will make them easie when our cause is good But yet by degrees that is when we can first beare sharpe words and firie contentions of men after stripes imprisonment and so death As Moses Exod. 3.11 compared with chap. 10.25 26. and the Apostles Act. 5.41 When matters of more importance then our saluation is fall into our hands let vs bee occupied in them with more feruencie then in that but if there be no such why should we more earnestly looke after them and why should not that be with greatest delight wrought on and looked after How can we say we loue the Lord when wee be not euer willing to goe home to him and in the meane while to be as neere him in all communion as we may Christianitie and practise of godlines is compared to a rich and gainfull trade Prou. 3.14 wherein little profit commeth in except it be well followed and diligence vsed in it and one thing not letted nor slacked for another To haue a willing mind to be well occupied and
for no such labour doth God approoue of But contrariwise we must so play the good husbands that we become not worldlings and such as find more sweetnesse and pleasure in our earthly dealings and the comming in of our profites then in our heauenly trafficke through the practise of Christianitie we must so follow our owne businesse and shunne medling in other mens matters vnnecessarily that we be not shut vp in our owne without regard of our brethren or care for their matters when cause shal require for that were great vnkindnesse and want of charitie towards them ioyned with too much selfe loue toward our selues To be short we must so vse the world as though we vsed it not not lifting vp our hearts when we prosper nor casting them downe with deadly sorrow when we sustaine losses and discommodities but so carie our selues throughout that we may be patternes and examples to other of right vsing the world for so hath the Lord appointed men to liue in and vse their vocations And this kind of walking in them is highly pleasing and acceptable to him For they who thus set vpon common actions and worldly businesse are not caried after their owne earthly minds as men of the world but set the Lord before them and looke what he will haue done they bridle their desires which would else carie them after them So Moses was faithfull in all Gods house and Iosua in his place and Iob who had much to do in matters of profite and commoditie yet was a rare patterne to all men of vsing the world aright euen earthly things with an heauenly mind that they may haue the more to accuse them and that iustly who will not in farre meaner affaires take him for their example This regard must be had of all Christians and of all sorts both of rich and poore one and another in their earthly dealings though it be a lesson most hardly learned that whiles we auoide slouth and idlenesse on the one side yet walking in our callings we be not worldly minded on the other side that it may come to passe that our calling being one part of Christian obedience and dutie to God may not onely for the time while we are occupied in it witnesse well to vs that we please him but also make vs more fit to other christian duties after and that we seeing this maner of passing our time to be enioyned of God who hath promised blessing thereto and seeth what is good for euery one and considering duly with our selues the infinite fruite that commeth thereof we may more willingly and of conscience betake our selues thereunto that so we may find in this faithfull walking in our calling a peaceable course of liuing here which may bring happines with it in the end The necessitie and benefite of this in a Christian few do sufficiently know or consider For all are naturally giuen to seeke libertie amisse and stolne waters as it is in the Prouerbe are sweet and many who zealously professe a godly life not painefully following some lawfull calling doe by wofull practise proue this to be true and so shall find much sorrow in their dayes which others shall be free from Now to the end we may thus chearefully go about them as knowing that God alloweth such workes of ours and so thereby be disposed more readily to other parts of dutie which we see to be no common thing in the world first this must be considered that it is the Lord that setteth vs in our callings and hath promised to be with vs and to giue vs good successe in them and to helpe vs beare all tediousnesse therein and further that he hath willed vs to do all such duties for his sake in such manner as if we did them vnto him and from him to looke for a reward Now what true Christian is there who if he beleeue this is not encouraged to do his businesse readily and willingly who would not be glad to do any thing which might please God and whose heart should not be ioyfull to go about the Lords worke whereby tediousnesse vnquietnesse and manifold vnsetlings are remoued And so should we not grow out of frame but haue our minds readily prepared to other duties And most sure it is that mens callings and labours are so burthensome vnto them euen for this cause that they do not thinke thus of them Neither are such chearefull at their worke but onely for the gaine that moueth thē or for that they must needs being so vnwillingly corruptly occupied in them neither are they fit for any good thing or dutie after The Minister who is consecrated by the Lord euen to diuine studies and passings of his time and hath it enioyned him for his calling that he attend daily to reading priuately and to doctrine and exhortation publikely how hardly obtaineth he it of himselfe as heauenly and sweet a calling as it is to abide and hold out therein yea and how few do it I speake euen of such as haue receiued good gifts of God not of the worser sorts onely but trifle out their precious time as other do As though it were litle to be regarded which is written He that winneth soules is wise and they that haue instructed others shall shine as the starres Dan. 12.3 And therefore of others whose calling is not to be occupied through the day in that heauenly maner how were it to be looked for if they should not of conscience tye themselues thereto and walke chearefully and faithfully therein But when men shall know and may be bold to remember and consider that they are appointed by God to bestow the most part of the time in their callings though they be not meerly spirituall actions to the end that they may with better appetite returne to exercises of religion againe after and that they haue a promise of blessing therein with what peace may they be occupied in them and ouercome that tediousnesse and wearisomenesse which would otherwise cleaue vnto them Thus I could wish that Christian men tooke their callings to be in such sort enioyned them of God that they neither durst neglect them nor yet find them burdensome and wearisome to them but that they could wisely see how when and why to intermit them that is to say for necessarie and profitable causes and considerations as for the ministerie of the word the visiting of friends moderate lawfull and necessarie refreshings of themselues and in good sort to returne to them againe more fitly Furthermore we shall not be vnsetled by the workes of our callings nor wearisomely cast them off when we shall be able to see that we haue practise of most duties in Christianitie therein as diligence obedience faith patience truth c. and thereby learne experience that God who hath giuen vs wisedome chearefulnesse patience and the rest heretofore to beare the burthen of them contentedly and willingly when in the prayer
they are most prone and besides except they haue a wise care to keepe themselues beseeming the Gospell especially in those parts of their liues which lye open to greatest daungers that therein they be best furnished and if they take a foile and sustaine a checke to their conscience yet to seeke the curing and ease of it by due humiliation speedily But this will not much preuaile except their owne hearts haue bene brought to take sound delight in the christian course and waine themselues from that which they shall know to be against it and to be glad to be aduised and directed how to recouer But of this second kind of lets thus much CHAP. 10. Of worldly lusts and namely The loue of carnall pleasure and the inordinate desire of riches BVT further as he findeth best oportunitie he deceiueth vs many other wayes and namely in taking vp our hearts in endlesse foolish and vaine desires of things which we neither can nor ought to enioy as the lust of the heart of the eye and the pride of life and so feeding vs with the ayre euen with most vaine and deceiptfull dreames besotteth vs with too much pleasure-taking in transitorie liberties and commodities of this life which pull our mindes as much from godly duties as they carie them after such vnsauourie follies About many daungerous fantasies he occupieth our heads that we may neglect the seeking of better things especially in the time when we should be best occupied I meane by these all sorts of worldly lusts which are more noysome and daungerous then the euill affections mentioned before though one would think we had litle need to be shaken and distempered with greater then they but rather studie how to make them weakened and subdued in vs. These worldly lusts are lusts of the flesh which belong to the present state of this life and world as the exceeding loue and desire of pleasures riches and estimation or honor c. For if he can fasten our delights on these we are caried headlong as the chariot by wild horses is ouerturned I will shew the daunger we are in by meanes of these worldly lusts in two kinds The lustes of the flesh properly so called and the inordinate desire of riches and cares of the world How a true Christian may possibly be disguised by these I say that he shall be thereby as another man and sometime grossely ouercome of them I will first shew and then adde some remedies against them The first is when he shall be drowned in sensualitie and the sottish pleasure of the bodie so that he is blind and imporent and hath no power to consider what the Scripture saith Fauour is deceiptfull and beautie is a vaine thing And what is the cause of this for it would not easily be beleeued that a true Christian should fall so farre The cause is this that he hauing giuen his heart libertie to desire stolne waters and to count them sweet when he should rather haue loathed and cast them vp as vomite and haue made a firme couenant against the nourishing of such delights and he hauing giuen his eye leaue also to feed it selfe with such sights he was made vtterly blind And that being done his prayers became feeble and weake though sometime attempting it to expell and driue out such sottishnesse but it lodged in him and made him a slaue vnto it Which cannot be plainelier seene then in Sampson a man of great gifts as may be gathered by the storie but made so impotent by the looke of a woman that he yeelded himselfe to her lure most reprochfully and being caught with that which was precious in her became a foole in Israell who had bene wise enough before to rule the whole land And to this bondage doth a man indued with grace bring himselfe when he will not see the daunger which he cannot but know is readie to meet with him For can a man take fire in his bosome and not be burnt No more may such an one who will be caried of his raging lusts looke to be free from great euill and daunger But behold further what goeth with it euen this that he is senslesse at the sight of it when he should rather tremble to behold in what estate he is For besides that he knoweth he doth euill which makes his sin the greater his prayers are lost which he bestoweth about it his burden of conscience is importable the losse of grace thereby is vnspeakeable the griefe of the godly that heare of it vnutterable and the reioycing of the wicked vnsatiable And yet this is not so to be taken as though it could be no otherwise with any of Gods people for many are free from that slauerie who yet haue the same allurements but they giue not place to their vnruly desires beleeuing that which is taught them How deare it will cost them Oh subtilties of Sathan hardly to be discerned and deceiptfulnesse of the heart not to be trusted so soone to let loose not a filthie man or woman onely giuen ouer to euill desires who can do no other but fulfill the same to the vttermost but a sonne and daughter of Abraham who doth loath and abhorre such wickednesse and yet to be taken in such a time that they should be readie to venture vpon that which must needs worke their vndoing and to wish that by the enioying whereof they were better be dead But I must say such do purchase to themselues the iust fruite of their labours for though they may be sealed vp by the spirit of God to saluation for of such onely I speake yet what then Ought they not therefore to be more holy and beware of the least occasions of emboldening them to sinne And of all other sinnes to be most suspicious and fearefull of those to the which they know that they are most prone and inclined and by the committing whereof they are sure that their shame and sorrow must needes be greatest Which two when they are by their iust deserts once brought vpon them they will confesse with vs then that we cannot be too circumspect and warie and that it is no precisenesse to beware of the deceiptfulnesse of sinne at any time or in any place or companie the which grace yet and care was thought to be too much austeritie till they smarted so bitterly for the want of it But euery one can tell that this is true He that standeth furthest from a raging flame is freest from burning and he who goeth farre off from the brimme of a riuer is safest from drowning A word to the wise is more then an hundred stripes to a foole And I pray God that numbers of them who mocke some for their precisenesse haue not oft times iust cause to blush and be wounded for their bold sinning I meane as well the sinne which I now here speake of as other kinds and all for this that
seuen as they say in the world and to make them shift for themselues as orphans and to trust to their owne wisdome and strength to preserue them from sathan and sinne but that he as a father caring for them hath sufficient power in his hand to strengthen them and requireth this of them that they should beleeue it which they cannot doe but thereby they are mightily staied and vpholden and by the same faith shall more and more be vpholden daily vntill they see themselues set at great liberty and that it was the diuill who before held them in feare and bondage The common obiection will heere be put foorth vnto me that they would if they durst be so bolde beleeue with all their hearts that God will subdue and slea their sinne and lead them forward to liue godly if they could first ouercome some particular sinnes which doe most trouble them but as long as they preuaile in them they dare not thinke they say that God will giue them that grace which he doth vnto others But to answere them I haue said before that they haue no power in them of their owne whereby they may weaken any sinne in them but this they must obtaine by faith as well as grace to liue and that commands them to doe so that they may know it pleaseth them that they should doe so And till that they are holden from their owne right through the deuils craft who hideth from them as their euidence this confidence in God euen as if a subtile man should keepe backe from his neighbour any part of his lande or liuing I conclude therefore that Gods children who pardoneth their infirmities through Christ and will not looke streightly vpon them haue this prerogatiue that they may lead their liues acceptable to him and if they be carefull to know what liberty he hath giuen them whereby they may obtaine ablenesse thereto they may walke woorthy the Gospell indeauouring to please him in all things and so to be vnrebukeable in the middest of a wicked and froward generation although as I haue said through the deuils tirannie and the vnbeliefe of their owne hearts many euen of them are farre from inioying this priuiledge The which as it is accompanied with happinesse it selfe so that it may be seene to be a priuiledge indeed peculiar to them know we that as for other it shall not neither can be so with them they haue no part in this treasure no not euen they which at sometimes will seeme more holy then the rest The wicked I say haue no fitnesse nor aptnesse to receiue this grace To liue godly no more then a dead man is fit to rise againe and walke or the blacke Moore by washing to change his blacke skin And therfore although they like well enough of the name of it yet that they are such as deny the power of it heereby it may appeere that as the worst sort of them like dogges and swine tread it vnder feete and scoffe at it the common sort count it and tearme it precisenesse and loue to be conuersant with those that are of their owne mindes so the best sort of them are such as finde in themselues and know that they haue no pleasure in it No better is the patched life of the best sort of papists who liue not by faith but please themselues in this that their works are good if they doe the outward works which God and their church commend All of them remaine and continue in the damnable estate they were in at the beginning Neither doe I maruell at this which the Scripture affirmeth so plainly that the vngodly are not obedient to the will of God neither possibly can be For I my selfe saith Paule when I was in darkenesse and liued after the lustes of mine ignorance was greedily set to commit sin Therefore if it be impossible for a man vnrenued to forsake some particular sinne but by infinite degrees much more impossible to clense his heart from whence onely good life can come it is most certaine and cleare that all wicked men while they abide so are far off from this priuiledge To be able to lead a godly life and therefore that is peculiar onely to Gods children to doe so CHAP. 5. Of a second branch of the third priuiledge ANother branch of this priuiledge or honour that Christians haue aboue other men which though it necessarily accompanie the former yet because it best appeareth when it is particularly laide open and helpeth much to strengthen the weake and to comfort the best is this that they may be kept and preserued from great and reprochfull euils that seldome or not at all if it be expedient they shall be ouercome of them which the Apostle would neuer so often and earnestly haue exhorted the godly vnto saying See that yee walke vnblameable and without rebuke and in another place Walke not offensiuely towards them that are without except he had seene how they might haue attained thereunto Therefore the prophet saith I haue hid thy word in my heart that I might not sinne against thee and againe Let me not wander from thy commandements and againe I swarued not from thy precepts they are the ioy of my heart And the same spirit guiding Gods people they are like minded to him and would not wander nor swarue from his will And the cause of this must be considered which is this they count preciously of gods worde and therefore lay it vp in their heart and are perswaded that it is the greatest gaine to folow the doctrine of it and therefore they count it not tedious to absteine from the sinnes which other cannot be drawne from but willingly forsake them which other men with tooth and naile hold fast and continue in Enoch Abraham Moses Iosua after Moses death Samuell Daniell Iob with others many in the former ages of the world how doe stories report of them After they had any neere acquaintance with God they committed not any such heinous trespasses as were common staines and blots in the liues of others I speake not now of their vertues but they departed and withdrew thēselues from euil euen as God had chosen them out of the world to verifie that which is written All these liued and died in faith The Apostles after they had receiued more fulnesse and greater measure of the spirit were farre from the scandals and offences which before were vsuall and daily rebuked in them and committed of them Yet to shew what need the best haue to be kept by God continually sometime the deuill preuailed as to make breaches amongst them though we seldome finde any of them to haue beene thus deceiued So some of the churches haue beene commended to vs to haue beene so farre off from shamefull falles as the Thessalonians the churches of Smirna and Pergamus that they were good examples and lights to others
to him I say breake our minde lay open our griefe and commune familiarly with him as with a friend when we will he neuer being wearie of vs nor taking scorne of vs or reiecting vs when yet to haue this accesse to an earthly prince but at some time for some one pleasure or other is few mens cases to obtaine and hardly inioied But this is yet more that we know how to come before the Lord with confidence and reuerence so as we need not doubt but he will heare and regard vs and so to come with delight when yet praier is counted a cold helpe to men of the world to be vpholden by Of watchfulnesse to say a little also what a treasure is this that whereas the diuill deceiueth thousands they being not wise wary to escape his sleights yet he teacheth his farre greater wisdome and care to take heed to themselues for he draweth some to whoredome and vncleanesse some to vaine and dangerous expence of the precious time in play and folly some to hunt after the wealth of this world with pined and hunger starued souls and vndoeth others after sundry other waies when yet we may by watchfulnesse shift and shunne them and not be taken in the snare as others are and the oftener that we haue preuailed we may be the better able to preuaile still for heereafter and that we thus resisting and ouercomming in the greatest danger we may much more auoide the smaller But neither our gaine by it nor their losse who are not acquainted with it is greatly considered of them till they haue throughly smarted for the neglect of it And so I may say of the viewing of looking backe vnto our whole course of life in the day when we are ready to lie downe at night What a sweet liberty is this that whereas the most are either stung or wounded at night with the remembrance of their euill spending of the day or a great part of it or some euill that they haue done in it or else thinke not of it at al but digest it merily and forget it which of the two is farre more dangerous as that which surfiteth them yet we may by this priuiledge of looking backe to our bestowing of the day auoid both the one and the other of these daily sicknesses or if we remember any thing to haue escaped vs amisse we are ready to bewaile and acknowledge it to our God and to pray for pardon in faith and renounce our sinne and yet who seeth not that for the most part we may be sure to finde little to accuse vs then at our lying downe or to hinder our sleepe because we were watchfull against it through the day while we were awake The same I may say of the rest For as he hath promised to blesse the vsing of these helpes so he draweth our hearts to beleeue it that he will doe so indeed and thereby to looke for the accomplishing of his promise euen as certainly as if it were already performed as Iosua did in all the Lords battels which he fought for the people of Israell when God had said of the whole land of Canaan I haue or which is all one in God I will giue it into thy hand he beleeuing that he would doe so indeed was incouraged thereby to fight for it and to goe against their enimies and make warre with them in an other maner of proceeding either in cheerefulnesse or confidence then they which came against him And so to say the same of the particulars when the Lord said I haue giuen Iericho and Ai into thy hands the king of Ierusalem with his band of other kings and their men of warre the king of Haser with all the kings and people that came with him whose multitude was as the sande of the sea shore what was his munition or armour but his faith wherein lay his strength but in this that he beleeued that the God of heauen and earth was stronger then all they and that he which had promised would also doe the same although he was inuisible For the which cause it is written in the scriptures that by faith the walles of Iericho a thing in reason most absurd yet by faith and not by battery or strength or pollicy they fell downe The same I might but for auoiding tediousnesse say of many other who beleeuing that God would blesse the same meanes which he commanded them to vse haue with great courage interprised them as Noah in making the arke Abraham in offering to kill his sonne who if they had not beleeued that God would blesse their indeuours and turne them to their great good would neuer haue attempted the same And thus hauing made this matter plaine by examples I will now proceed in applying them to the present occasion Therefore as Iosua hauing promises giuen him of God beleeued them and thereby preuailed against difficulties and discouragements so Gods seruants hauing the like promises are strengthened by God to beleeue them as he was and by beleeuing them obtaine that which is promised For God promiseth that by the helpes which he hath giuen he will inable his people to get victory ouer their sinnes to leade a godly life and when they fall by any infirmity not to suffer them either to faint and dispaire of forgiuenesse on the one side or to make light of their sinne and to be carelesse about it one the other side These promises therefore whosoeuer beleeue they by the helpes which they vse obtaine the blessing namely the thing that is promised So that it is not the bare vsing of these helpes which effecteth much lesse meriteth any such fruit or blessing but that they are vsed in faith and the parties who vse them looke constantly for blessing vpon the same and power and strength from God to helpe their weakenesse This was necessary for me to say how and in what case the meanes and helpes which we vse to the constant practising of a godly life become effectuall vnto vs namely when we beleeue God that he will blesse them to vs. And indeed otherwise let not men looke to receiue any thing thereby which the apostle Iames affirming of one especial helpe namely of praier is as truly said of all the rest that he which doubteth and wauereth when he should beleeue whether by those helpes he shall be furthered and bettered or not let not that man looke to receiue any thing Therefore we must learne to be acquainted with faith euen as we desire to be acquainted with God for by no other meanes can we know him or haue accesse vnto him and thereby we receiue power and strength through the helpes which we vse to liue well and godly These helpes what they are and which ought to be vsed euery day and which by other occasions I haue before set downe in the third and fourth part of this treatise Now
vp with dreames and hurtfull thoughts These lusts be causes of all woe CHAP. 7. 3. EVill lusts concerning our selues Fretting when we be crossed of our will Excessiue delight in aboundance Pride of life Frowardnesse Selfe-loue c. The word of God maketh his Children wary against these A speciall part of a godly life to renounce these It is not done without daily striuing Lusts marre all Weake seruice accepted if it be sound He that obserues these lusts and resists them is occupied in a godly life All ouercome not these alike The better sort how farre they come and how Examples of such The weaker are not to distrust for not matching the best These lusts are resisted of all beleeuers in their measure They who be ruled by their lusts can claime no part in a godly life The weake may stay their comfort in these three speciall graces 1. That they haue a cleere knowledge of their saluation 2. That they account it as their chiefe treasure 3. That they be set forward in some good course whereby they may grow in faith and obedience These three must be earnestly laboured for The chiefe end of this booke is to set forward a weake Christian How to make godlinesse a pleasure The gaine of such a course Why God witholds some grace from his Causes in our selues of not growing Ignorance Slouth Fauouring sinne Timorousnesse and vnbeleefe Remedy of our vnbeleefe CHAP. 8. HOw the minds of the godly are occupied Three ages of Gods children 1. Childhood 2. Middle age 3. Old age The highest degree of Christians How the mindes of such are vsually taken vp The best are molested sometimes with lusts They are not comparable to the Apostles Paule had speciall priuiledges These are called fathers The second sort of the godly in battell The practise of such Sinne is odious to them though not euer ouercome ef them These are sometime discouraged Glad to vse all helps Set against smaller sinnes They are held vnder their infirmities for their good The third sort of the godly About what their thoughts are chiefely occupied The dangers that these are subiect vnto 1. Danger in comfort 2. Danger when they feele want of comfort Many defects are in these Yoong Christians compared to children These must grow Their duty Gods children are in danger sometimes to be dazeled and without feeling Yet euen in this estate they differ from hypocrites and vnregenerate How they differ These degrees may in some respect fall one into another Examples of these three sorts of Gods people CHAP. 9. OVtward wickednesse must be renounced Prooued 1. by doctrine of the scriptures 2. by examples The sinnes that he loued best are renounced of the beleeuer CHAP. 10. FOure sorts of men which hope for saluation and yet renounce not open sinnes 1. Grosse offenders The vngodly will scorne professours if their liues be faulty Such are seldome reclaimed 2. Sort of bad professors ignorant and carelesse The wofull estate of such Yet there want not such as flatter them in it Many laugh at the rude for their homely speeches who yet are like them in qualities 3. sort Ciuill professors Some of all these three sorts are sometimes prickt in conscience Notes of their hypocrisie Sudden flashes of grace 4. sort Schismatickes They are taunters railers and slanderers of their bretheren Censurers of others Soone ripe in their owne conceit Inordinate liuers Worse in dealing then men who professe no religion These with the former are farre from a godly life Other disorders of such professors Earthlinesse Vnquietnesse Vnprofitablenesse Pride of life Ill educating their children Vncharitable surmises CHAP. 11. OBiect Are all such damned Answere No if they repent God shoales out some from others h. Infirmities in all The godly somewhat infected with common corruptions Difference betweene the falles of the godly and the wicked The godly fall not but when they are secure and take liberty How we may be fenced No warrant of not falling dangerously We may be preserued from soule falles The ends why God suffers some to fall so 1. To humble men 2. To magnifie his mercy in forgiuing great sinnes 3. In regard of others Otherwise no feare of falling Gods tendernesse ouer his Sweet comfort to the weake What infirmities the godly be subiect to The state of weaker Christians These differ much from all wicked What the sinne of infirmitie is The wicked sinne boldely Their sorrow is carnall CHAP. 12. THe heart purged must so be kept How the heart is kept What danger growes when the heart is not kept Great labour thus to keepe the heart With this heart it is easie to renounce euill An ill gouerned heart the cause of all disorder Little acquaintance with our hearts brings great bondage An high grace to liue well without the whip The faithfull in part thus kept downe Sinne is not shaken off as a burre Grace to vanquish sinne may be attained and more and more from day to day The good treasurie of the heart being kept bringeth forth good things A peece of heauen to liue with such as keepe their hearts well Without it nothing sauoury The fruite of a well ordered heart The looking to the heart in a good moode onely dangerous The heart may alwaies be lookt to An other cause why the heart should be lookt to otherwise it will not be ready to any duty How we may be fitte to pray and meditate The onely way to curbe vp our lusts is to looke to our hearts Without this small fruite or comfort This clensing of the heart is not perfect This clensing though weake is a great priuiledge CHAP. 13. THe second generall branch of the life of a beleeuer More hard and excellent to doe good then to eschew euill Not to rest in eschewing euill Three branches of this second part of this treatise 1. Setteth downe rules to direct to the practise of duties 2. Sheweth wherein this part of godlinesse consisteth 3. Answereth obiections Necessity of rules to liue well by The first rule to liue well is Knowledge Knowledge what To grow in this knowledge With this knowledge must goe Delight in it Without this delight no fruite of knowledge Knowledge an excellent gift But without the salt of grace vnsauory The second rule Practise Practise is first in an hearty desire Our affections must be stronger as the good is greater As we desire so must we indeauour to doe good All parts of our bodies must be giuen to serue God Make a trade of godlinesse Vertues that further vs to the former rules 1. Vprightnesse 2. Diligence 3. Constancie or perseuerance Vprightnesse what Pretences in good actions Necessity of these rules and vertues Vnarmed venturing abroad is cause of sore wounds CHAP. 14. OBiect We cannot doe as we desire Ans 1. Gods grace shall be sufficient 2. The best desire without looking for Gods helpe is vaine Why Paul ouercame not all rebellion Paul was not caried into grosse iniquitie We may looke for the like grace
which God hath giuen them And therefore at this stay they keepe and will not be drawne from it till God bewray to them more clearely the diuels subtiltie in holding them there and what they haue lost by the hote maintaining of their vaine liberties that which they lose for them being far more precious and how for want of daily and more heartie embracing of these good meanes they are driuen by experience to see and confesse that they were kept long in bondage If therefore through our neglect of these we be otherwise fallen into Sathans hands then we were wont there is no other remedie but that we beare our punishment for a season euen heauinesse and reproch because we haue sinned but although we haue thus fallen yet let vs rise againe and that betimes for he hath smitten vs and he will heale vs. Let vs not harden our harts against God when he hath so iustly chastised vs but as humble children let euery of vs say My father my father we are ashamed that we haue turned aside from thee for why should we prouoke our God any while after wee once see his frowning face beginning to arise vpon vs we being his sonnes and daughters vnlesse we thinke it a small thing to haue him frowne vpon vs I stand the longer in this point because I haue experience by many how hardly they dare or can be perswaded to craue pardon with confidence after that they haue bene caried by their rebellious hearts to offend in somewhat which they knew to displease him Of whose weakenesse regard must be had and for such especially haue I taken this labour in hand though I know that for such as haue experience lesse might haue serued And yet whose case soeuer it shall be of vs all in triall we shall find it no easie matter after carelesse or wilfull offending of God to haue immediatly vpon the sight thereof relenting and tender-hartednesse and when we durst a litle while before prouoke him so soone after to be bold to beleeue in him that euen that so great a trecherie shall be pardoned for canst thou beleeue forgiuenesse of thy sinne who beleeuest not that thou must forsake sinne No no relenting commeth not by and by in the best who haue thus offended God but hardnesse of heart till after awhile when there hath bene a considering of the matter and of the state in which they are that so they may waxe ashamed of their so great vnkindnesse But otherwise where there is boldnesse in sinning there is no strength in beleeuing Thankes be vnto God for his vnspeakeable mercie that many of these times fall not out to his deare seruants who are resolutely prepared to stand vpon their watch for it is an heauie worke when that betideth vs and they who see not this see litle in the mysterie of godlinesse And as I would haue my good brethren farre from lying still and abiding in vnbeliefe at such a time when they haue cast themselues into it by their owne default so yet to let all bold presumers vpon God and abusers of his mercie vnderstand that Gods bountifulnesse is not set foorth in the Scriptures to adde drunkennesse to thirst in men and to giue them libertie to sinne who are alreadie too forward that way this I say That as the people of Israel perceiuing God to be iustly displeased with them for their trespasse of the calfe and therefore remouing the tabernacle where his presence was a farre off from them and their tents they durst not presume to go to the tabernacle to seeke the Lord who in displeasure was departing from them but they sought him a farre off that is standing in their tent doore and worshipping so let those who see their shame and nakednesse by sinning against God blush and be ashamed yet because he neuer taketh away his louing kindnesse from those whom he loueth let them shew themselues as guiltie persons though at the first afarre off and with much difficultie to seeke vnto him that they may be receiued againe And thus I haue made mention of the first let which hindreth from godly life euen the want of daily direction to serue God by and haue shewed how Sathan holdeth Christians in daungerous vnprofitablenes by keeping them vnsetled in a godly course and withall haue set downe some helpe against the same CHAP. 6. Of another let The leauing our first loue NOW followeth the second let in this first sort that is that many such as do hold on in some Christian course do yet lose and fall from their first loue not for a short time as they before mentioned but euen for years dayes as they say whē yet they hauing once receiued it of the Lord at their first effectuall calling and conuersion it ought to grow vp with them and accompanie them throughout their life to make euery part of it more sweet and comfortable And great reason there is why it should be so for if we be truly conuerted vnto God the longer that we haue bene trained vp in his house which is the militant Church and tasted of the diet of his seruants how good it is in comparison of any other the more we had need to take liking of his seruice and with all chearefulnesse to liue in it afterwards which at our first entrance we saw so great cause to like and approue of In so much that although wee shall haue strong perswasions to waxe wearie and slouthfull therein yet there are many more and greater considerations to moue vs to constancie and good liking in the same But that it may the better be seene what our first loue is I will in fewe words lay foorth the same We are to know therefore that when God first called vs from darknesse to light and from vnder Sathans tyrannie and feare of hell to see our selues deliuered from them which we saw were by our sinne due vnto vs and that yet for all that he would pardon our sins receiue vs graciously and loue vs freely whereas before we were his enemies this astonished vs and after due consideration inflamed our hearts and caused vs to admire this kindnesse of his and to esteeme and preferre it before all pleasures and to haue our hearts knit to him for it for this loue of his constrained vs to loue him most feruently and dearely againe Which our Sauiour Christ knowing well asked of Peter in that case if he loued him not more then the rest euen as Dauid also calling the same to mind brake out into these wordes saying I loue the Lord because in the sorrowes of death he heard and deliuered me Thus when we first saw the exceeding loue of God and Christ to vs we could not I say but loue him sensibly and heartily and therefore our brethren and so his word and Ministers that brought vs tidings of it for we no sooner beleeued but faith that worketh by loue
wrought this in vs. And seeing we loued him we therefore began to keepe his commaundements And this is the cause why Gods people are affected thus and delight in his seruice and one in another as they haue perswasion of their true conuersion and do therefore other duties readily which others will not set vpon nor go about and this is that which the Scripture calleth Our first loue Thus feruent are Gods children in the beginning to the admiration of many and no dutie is thought too great for them to perfourme to him as he thinkes nothing too good to bestow vpon them Yea it may truly be said If euer we loued we loued God and Christ more then any thing as Paule sheweth to the Philippians and our brethren as it is in the Psalme All my delight is in the Saints vpon earth and the Ministers as Paule speaketh I beare you witnesse that to do me good you would haue plucked out your eyes Now then to come to our purpose when this loue shall waxe cold as here our Sauiour chargeth many with it and many now a dayes are iustly to be charged for it is it not an intollerable trecherie When we shal let slake in vs the consideration of such loue of God to vs in Christ which neuer faileth nor chaungeth towards vs and we thought sometime that it could neuer be forgotten of vs is not this slaking of our loue towards him a iust cause of complaint against vs And do we not declare thereby that either we be growne dull slouthfull forgetfull or that we thinke that the Lord hath ceassed to be mercifull Is it not a plaine testifying that we thinke we are not regarded and prouided for by him so as we may continue all wonted duties and seruices towards him Yea rather are we not iustly to be charged that we are couenant-breakers or haue as adulteresses broken our faith to our first husband Whereas we hauing so long enioyed the priuiledges of his people and citizens should now much more do so and looke confidently for the promised reward our saluation being now nearer then when we first beleeued For why should pleasure or profite wealth or fauour things present or to come put out of place that loue of God in vs or cause vs for thē to be rebuked Why should not our workes be more at the last then at the first as our knowledge is more and our experience greater And therefore who seeth not cause sufficient that our affections of first loue should continue I may iustly make a heauie complaint of the decay thereof in many Ministers whose glorie and crowne it was sometime to see the peoples profiting in godlinesse as Paul saith whose meate and drinke was to do the will of their Father and who did well prooue that they loued Christ more then all other things by their diligence in feeding his sheepe and lambes and what prey or bootie soeuer they haue met with and got since sure I am that some of them do sometime wish those seasons past were now present still And whatsoeuer causes of this decay they alleadge yet when they weigh their case vprightly they can say no lesse but the fault is principally in themselues How many of the people also may I speake of who verifie that saying of Christ Iohn was a burning light and for a season ye delighted in him who neither can honour God as then they did nor giue that light to other All which I wish to consider that which was said to them that had offended in the like case I haue somewhat against thee because thou hast left thy first loue Remember from whence thou art fallen and repent c. Thus I haue in some sort laid foorth this first loue which God by his spirit worketh in all his elect children when he first bringeth them home and maketh them to know how greatly they are bound to him for their so admirable deliuerance and happie conuersion And herewith I haue shewed how easily both teacher and hearer leaue and depart from the same and fall from it though otherwise they keepe some course in seruing God as the Church of Ephesus did whom yet the Lord reproued sharpely for that they had lost this For thus he saith I know thy workes and thy labour and thy patience and that thou canst not beare with them that are euill c. Neuerthelesse I haue somewhat against thee that thou hast left thy first loue Our Sauiour likewise in Saint Mathew foretelleth that this should be one thing among many other worthily to be complained of That in the latter dayes in which these wherein we now liue are reckoned the loue euen of many good Christians as also of such as seemed by good likelihood to be so shall decay and waxe cold whereby what other thing did he meane then this that mens affection in the worshipping and seruing of God the zeale of his glorie loue to their brethren and feruencie towards the preaching of the Gospell should be sore and much abated ouer it was in the beginning when they first embraced it and were enlightened by it to beleeue in him And as though he would teach that it should be a very hard thing to recouer this first loue againe he giueth this watch-word in the same place But they that continue to the end shall be saued Whereby me thinke◠he doth liuely admonish and warne all sound-hearted Christians to looke heedfully and carefully to nourish and preserue that holy pure and first sparkle of grace kindled in them against all that might come in the way to quench and put out the fame As though he would say Although all pietie and christian care of honouring God be not extinguished in men yet if they decline thus farre to suffer their earnest and feruent affection and loue to God and goodnes to be cooled in them euen this is a blemish not to be borne or allowed and a sinne which both God cannot nor will not beare and passe by in them and which striketh at the very life and saluation of those that offend in that manner and such a losse as will be hardly recouered againe And though in other wordes yet fully to the same purpose Saint Paul speaketh to the Thessalonians when he saith Quench not the spirit as if he would say The worke of grace wrought in you by the spirit of God to fixe your delight on heauenly things and not on the earth and whereby ye were caried to set vp in your hearts the Creator and the things which he commaundeth before the creature this worke of the spirit destroy ye not neither let your feruent desires and holy affections which haue bene kindled in you therby be as fire which water quēched Now then if the words of our Sauiour both to the church of Ephesus and his prophesie of that which should come to passe in the last dayes