is thou thy selfe hast innumerable sinnes and there is no man alive that sinneth not in the whole world now if every man have innumerable contagious diseases what a loathsome pest-house is this world to live in The thoughts of a man can reach to the depth and length of this argument but inconsideration buries all wholsome counsell motives But besides this respect of sinne a Christian findes from his owne sinnes if there were none else in the world great cause to be weary of life first because sinne argues the imperfection of his nature both in soule and body and so long as he is in this sinfull life he can never have a perfect nature now a a man that loves himselfe for this reason would never love life Rom. 7.23 Secondly because sinne is an offence to God now a child of God should therefore loath life because by sinning he doth injury to God his mercifull father and in the most holy Christians this argument hath extraordinary force The sixth reason may be taken from the crosses of life Hath not every day his griefe Is there any estate or degree of men free from them Are not those whom God loves corrected yea and perhaps more than other men Seriously thinke of what thou dost suffer in thy particular What diseases or infirmities are in thy body What unquietnesse and vexation doest thou suffer in the house where thou livest What crosses doe follow or feare thee in thy calling Yea doth not thy religion breed thee trouble If the reproaches and oppositions be considered of which godly men somtimes suffer we might say with the Apostle Of all men they are most miserable 1. Cor. 15.19 Paul saith he was a man crucified while he lived Gal. 2.20 and did alwaies in his body carry about the dying of the Lord Iesus 2. Cor. 4.10 Besides consider of the danger of what may come upon thee in life What if war come or the pestilence or sudden poverty that cannot be cured or fearefull diseases that will fill thee with horrible paine Nay what if thou shouldest fall into some shamefull fault Oh what were the misery would follow upon it The seaventh reason may bee taken from the extreame vanity of those things that seeme to be felicities in life all the things in life that with any colour of reason can be made objects of thy love are either the people of the world or the commodtties of the world Now for the first of these thou hast no reason to be in love with life for the people of the world with whom thou livest for 1 Amongst all the thousands of men and women thou seest in the world it may bee there is scarce one that loveth thee entirely scarce one from whom thou maiest enjoy delight or comfort They are poore things thou canst have from the rest whether they be neighbours or strangers More then thou givest thou shalt not receive unlesse it be in poore complements of salutations and ceremonies of life 2 If thou didst excell in the priviledge of being loved by friends kindred wife or children yet reckon how smal a portion of thy life is refreshed from them there is sometimes more delight in one poore dreame than will be had this way in a long time 3 Thinke of it what changes and losses thou doest or maiest suffer if there were any thing worthy thy love in friendship or acquaintance thy friends may be daily lost either by the change of their mindes from thee or by distance in habitation or by death and the pleasure is had by thy acquaintance is made not worth the having either by interruption or by discord and taking of offence or want of power or will to helpe when thou hast most need 4 Who would not hate life for this very reason which I now give Let a man consider by experience in all others how little the world cares for him If thou wert to dye what would the world care or almost any in the world let it bee thy wife children neighbours hearers dearest friends yea thy religious friends what would any of these care for thy death Looke not at their words but note it in their deeds How few will be sorry for thee or for how short a time and how soone wilt thou bee cleane forgotten or how poore a thing is the greatest memory any man hath when he is dead Doest thou live to heare this and yet wilt be so mad as to love life for the love thou bearest to any other 5 The evill thou sufferest from the world is greater than the good thou canst get by it thinke of the reproaches injuries oppositions contempts persecutions infections thou maiest finde from unreasonable men How many thousand would triumph over thy poore fame if thy feete doe but slippe Lastly the company thou shalt have of Angells and spirits of just men in another world should make thee loath all these things in this life whether thou respect number or power or dearnesse in friends even in such as must be companions of thy life and therefore for the company that is in the world thou hast no reason to love life The commodities of the world are lands houses money honour credit beauty pleasure and the like now men have no cause to be so in love with these if they consider 1 How small a portion they have of these If a man had won the whole world and the glorie of it yet it were not worth the having if he must lose his owne soule Nay if it were all had upon the best conditions yet it would not make a man truely happy and therefore much lesse these silly parcells of the world wee can attaine to Eccles. 1.3 2 These are all common things and that in two respects first there is nothing new now to be had which hath not been had heeretofore ordinarily What is now hath beene before and will be afterwards Thou canst enjoy no felicity of life that can be proper to thy selfe Eccles. 1.9 10. 3.15 And then further all these things a fool may enjoy as well as a wise man and a wicked man as well as a godly man A man shall never know love or hatred by these things for they fall alike to all sorts of men Eccles. 2.14 3 All things are full of labour who can utter it If men doe reckon the paines and care and unquietnesse and wearinesse they are put to about the getting or keeping or using of these things they would finde little cause to love them especially considering that unto the use of the most of these is required a daily labour with toile that men that possesse these things cannot possesse themselves they are so overburthened with the cares and labours of life Eccles. 1.8 4 If a man had never so much of these things yet they cannot satisfie him his soule will not bee filled with good The eye is not satisfied with seeing nor the eare with hearing Hee that loveth silver shall
God and walke in his waies 3 It greatly staies and supports the heart of man in the evill day when temptations or afflictions befall us yet the comfort of our assurance sustaines us and refresheth us greatly For helpe in the evill day the Apostle saith wee should above all things put on the shield of faith which if it remove not the crosse yet it quencheth the fiery temptations of Sathan with which we may be assaulted Eph. 6.16 and it greatly helpes us against the feare and terrour of death Heb. 10.19 20 22. In a word it overcomes the world 1. Iohn 5.4 5. 4 The faith of a Christian is all his living hee lives by faith in all the occasions of life as his faith helps him when all other meanes failes him and makes all other meanes more successfull when he useth them The just man lives by faith The people in captivity that were Gods children raised a living for themselves in a strange land by their faith Hab. 2.5 5 It puts life into all the duties of religion or righteousnesse it worketh by love it sets all our affections on worke towards God and his people and creatures Gal. 5.6 6 It opens a spring of grace in the heart of a Christian every good gift from above is excited and made to flow from within him by the benefit of his certaine knowledge and assurance of faith Iob. 7.38 Now if any aske how a Christian comes to know his calling I answer 1 By his sensible feeling of his sinnes to be a heavie burthen to him of which hee is truely weary so as hee desireth more to be rid of them than of any burthensome crosse whatsoever Mat. 11 2â— 9.13 2 By his manner of receiving the voice of Christ and the preaching of the Gospell not in word but in power The voice of Christ hath a marvellous power over him above all things in the world which appeares by the effects of it For he feeles in hearing the word first such an estimation of it as he acknowledgeth nothing like it for power and wisdome 1. Cor. 1.23 24. Secondly he finds at sometimes especially such an assurance of the truth of his religion and the doctrine hee heareth that he is fully established and â—â—eed from his naturall uncertainties about the true religion Thirdly the Word worketh in him spirituall senses and very life from the dead which hee feeles in all parts of his conversation making conscience of his waies in all things bewailing his frailties and striving to be such as God would have him to be Fourthly it makes him to separate himselfe from the world avoiding all needlesse society with the wicked and exciting in him constant desires to use the world as if he used it not Fiftly much spirituall joy before the Lord even then when in respect of outward things he is in much affliction The most of these effects are noted 1. Thes. 1.4 5. 3 By the Image of the vertues of Christ in his heart by new gifts in some measure for when God calls a man he reveales his Sonne in him Gal. 1.15 16. There is begotten in him a likenesse of Christ his very disposition is changed into the similitude of the vertues of Christ God gives him a new heart with the Image of Christ stamped upon it and hee is like Christ in respect of lowlinesse of minde and meeknesse and contempt of the world and love of God and the godly mercy wisdome patience love of his very enemies and desire to live without offence and praying to God as to his father Quest. But if Christians may know their calling what should be the reason that so many Christians are so unsetled and are not assured of their calling Ans. Distinguish of Christians some are Christians in name and outward profession but not in deed beeing not at all converted though they have the meanes of conversion and this is the estate of the most men and women in all places Now some are indeede converted but are weake Christians as it were infants that lye but in the cradle of religion Now for the first sort the answer is easie They know not their calling because they are not called yea they are so far from knowing it that they generally are offended at it that we should teach that any body can know his owne calling certainly Carnall Christians then know it not because they have it not and in particular the causes why these Christians attaine not assurance is because they rest upon common hope of mercy in God which house is but like the house of a Spider and will give up the ghost when the evill day commeth upon them And besides they live in knowne sinnes which they love and preferre before all things can bee offered to them by the Gospell Now it is impossible to have true assurance and to lye at the same time in knowne grosse sinnes without repentance And further many Christians by their wilfull unteachablenesse and incurablenesse in sinning doe so provoke God that all meanes notwithstanding yet those things that concerne their peace are hidden from their eies Luk. 19.42 Now for the weake Christian the causes of his want of assurance are such as these Sometimes ill opinions about assurance either that it may not be had contrary to the charge given 2. Pet. 1.10 or if it be had it will not bee profitable contrary to the reasons given before Sometimes it is their ignorance they are so unexpert in the Scriptures that not discerning the frame of godlinesse in generall they can never tell when they fully know this or any other doctrine in particular And this let is the stronger when they smother their doubts and will not aske the way or seek resolution in things they understand not especially in cases of their owne consciences In some Christians this want of assurance ariseth from meare slothfulnesse though they bee often called upon and convinced yet they returne to their former carelesnesse and will not bee at the paines to use the directions given them for the setling of their hearts In some Christians it is a violent pronenesse in their natures to take offence at such infirmities or mistakings as they observe in such as have professed religion before them yea sometimes they take offence at the liberty of those that are truly godly though they abuse not their libertie And this offence is sometimes so deadly that they give way to the projects of renouncing of all religion because they have observed such things in those that professe religion As in the primitive church many Christians took grievous offence at other Christians for the use of their liberty in things indifferent so as the Apostle was affraid they would fall away and perish in their scandalls Lastly some Christians are not setled because when the evill day comes upon them they cast away their confidence and strive to thinke that because God afflicteth them therefore they are not his being for the
hates whoâ—edome in men aswell as women But yet it is true that some sinnes as they are abominable in any so they are much more in women as wee see in swearing and drunkennesse so it is true of filthinesse in the woman and therefore the whorish woman is called a strange woman in the Proverbs But I thinke it is not safe to restraine the sense of this place or other the like places so but I take the meaning of the Apostle to be so to commend chastity in the wife as that which is necessary in all both men and women And so I come to consider of Chastity and so would shew first the motives to it secondly the meanes to preserve it and thirdly the way how Chastity may be manifested and made knowen to others For the first many things should perswade with a Christian to preserve chastity and to avoide whoredome and bodily lusts First it is the speciall will of God and a speciall part of their sanctification to avoide fornication 1. Thes 4.3 Secondly the promises of God all of them should allure men to perfect their holinesse and to avoide all filthinesse both of flesh and spirit 2. Cor. 7.1 Thirdly the hatefulnesse of the nature of the sinne of fornication and whoredome should deterre Christians from the committing of it This is an hainous crime an iniquity to bee punished by the Iudges Iob 31.11 These lusts are lusts of the Gentiles 1. Pet. 4.3 A sinne not so much as to be named amongst Christians Eph. 5.3 A sinne that utterly corrupts naturall honesty Pro. 6.27.29 It is a sinne not only against the soule but against the bodie of a man even that body that was bought with the blood of Iesus Christ and was made for God and is the Temple of the holy Ghost and is a member of Christ's mysticall body 1. Cor. 6.15 to the end Fourthly the consideration of the cause of this sin should abash men it is a work of the flesh even a fruit of a corrupted and filthy nature Gal. 5.22 Fiftly the effects of whoredome are very fearefull for it is a sinne that defiles a man Mat. 15. and it makes a man unfit for the company of any Christian 1. Cor. 5.9 It brings dishonour and a wound can never bee blotted out Prro 6.33 and it causes the fearefull curse of God upon men Heb. 13.4 and that both upon their states and soules in this life By meanes of a whorish woman a man may bee brought to a morsell of bread Pro. 6.26 It is a sin will root out all a mans increase Iob. 31.11.12 And upon the soule it brings a fearefull senselessenesse and disability to make use of the meanes of salvation Whoredome and wine take away the heart Hosea 4.11 and God casts them many times into a reprobate sense Rom. 1. so as they are past feeling Eph. 4.18 so as the adulterous person goeth about like a Foole â—o â—he slocks or like an Oxe to the slaughter Pro. 7.22 In a word the adulterous person destroieth his owne soule Pro. 6.32 yea which is worst of all it deprives men of the kingdome of Heaven 1. Cor. 6.9 and casts both body and soule into the Lake that burnes with fire and brimstone Pro. 9. ult Rev. 2â— 8 22.15 For the second the meanes to preserve chastity in married persons are these First they must labour to excite and nourish matrimoniall love one to another Pro. 5.18.19 Secondly they must doe as Iob did make a covenant with their eyes and not carelesly give liberty to their senses to wander about after vaine objects Iob. 31.1 Thirdly they must store their heads and hearts with Gods words especially such words of God as doe give reasons and motives to disswade from this sinne Pro. 2.1.3.4.11.12.16.17 Psal. 119.9 Fourthly they must continually meditate of their mortality and that they are but strangers and pilgrims here and must come to judgement 1. Pet. 2.11 Eccles. 11.9 Fiftly they must by confession and godly sorrow and prayer crucifie these first risings of inward lusts and so by repentance for the lust of the heart prevent the filthinesse of the flesh Gal. 5.24 Sixthly they must walke in love that is exercise themselves in a Christian and profitable society with such as feare God Eph. 5.1.3.4 Lastly they must with all care and conscience avoide all the occasions of this sinne such as are 1 Idlenesse that sinne of Sodome Exech 46.49 2 Fulnesse of bread and drunkennesse as is noted in the same place They must beat downe their owne bodies 1. Cor. 9.27 3 The desire to be rich for the love of money breeds noisome lusts 1. Tim. 6.9 4 Ignorance of God and his truth Eph. 4.17.18 5 Evill company especially the society of such as are filthy 6 Lascivious attire and filthy dressing such as are strange colours and naked breasts This is whoredome between the breasts Hos. 2. 7 Lascivious pictures and prophane representations of filthie practises such as are exprest by those wicked Stage-Plaiers against which the very light of nature pleadeth 8 Chambering and wantonnesse and all provocations to lusts Rom. 13.13 For the third point if you aske how those huâ—bands could behold the chast conversation of the wives I answer they might know that they were chast boâ—h by their modesty in secret in the use of the marriage bed by their strict care to behave themselves modestly soberly abroad in the family or in other places by their great conscience to avoide all occasions of evill when they discerned that they did abhorre the society presence of light vain persons detested all the provocations to lust of what kind soever The next verse shewes one way how they may know they were chast even by their care to avoide pride and vanity in attire Such men as have wives that are proud and follow the fashion of the world in attire or delight in vaine company and haunt stage-plaies are fooles if they bee over-confident of their wives chastity unlesse it be in case of necessity where they want either beauty or temptation or opportunity And it is a probable argument of a chast minde in the wife when she keepes house and is diligent and carefull and painefull in the businesse of the family and desires to please her husband in all things and willing to be subject to his will Thus of a chast conversation A conversation with feare followes Some refer this fear to the carnall husbands make the sense thus While they with feare behold your chast conversation It is true that wicked men feele a great deale of feare many times in themselves when they look upon the godly and get the feare as the fruit of their watching and prying and observing That wicked men are smitten many times with feare many Scriptures shew as Deut. 28.10 1. Sam. 18.15 Psal. 102.15 The reasons why they are afraid are divers 1 Naturall conscience doth homage to the image of God stamped upon
the natures and workes of the godly when they see in them that which is above the ordinary nature of men or their expectation they are affraid of the Name of God which is called upon by them Deut. 28 9.10 2 They feare when they see that they behave themselves wisely and religiously and that God is with them and they prosper notwithstanding all the oppositions are made against them 1. Sam. 18.12.15.19 Nehe. 6.16 Psal. 48.4 Zach. 9.5 3 They feare because the good conversation of the godly doth rebuke their ill conversation the chaste conversation of the Wives amazeth the hearts of the Husbands when they thinke of their owne unchaste conversation so the piety patience mercy and goodnesse exprest by godly men makes the hearts of wicked men ake within them 4 They feare extreamly because the goodnesse of the conversations of the godly is to them a very token of their owne perdition if they continue in the state they are in Phil. 1.28 Quest. But what doe wicked men doe when they feele these feares Answ. Eyther they strive to drive them out and forget them or else they strive to imagine scandalous and vile things to oppose their wicked surmises or false accusations against the glory of the godly life of such as are good as the Pharisees did against Christ the wicked Courtiers against David or else they use all meanes to remove the godly further off from them as Amaziah did to Amos and Saul to David in the place quoted before or else they increase in hatred and malice as their observation of the good hand of God upon his servants doth increase 1. Sam. 18.15.29 or else as men conquered by the truth they give glory to God and confesse the wickednesse of their owne estate and be wonne as the Husbands here by the conversation of the Wives The use should be to stirre up godly Christians to look to their owne salvation the more and to hold on and doe good still and walke wisely towards them that are without and keepe their way for hereby they shall not only convince and confute carnall persons but so daunt them as their good lives will often make their very hearts to ake within them and the rather because this effect may follow the conversation of women aswell as men and servants aswell as masters inferiours aswell as superiours Thus of feare as it is referred to the Husbands But the most Divines doe referre this feare to the Wives as they were Christians and so thereby is â—oted a second thing in their conversations which did much affect their unbeleeving husbands and that was their holy feare which they exprest in their lives Now this conversation with feare may two waies bee considered the one as it was common to these women with other Christians and so it belongs to other Christians aswell as to them and the other was as it was particularly required in them as wives For the first a conversation with feare is required in all the godly so saith Salomon Blessed is the man that feareth alwaies and Paul saith Worke out your salvation with feare and trembling Phil. 2. and againe Be not high minded but fear Rom. 12.3 This conversatton with feare was in Paul 1. Cor. 2.3 It is required that the mighty men of the earth should serve the Lord in trembling Psal. 2.12 this is a fruit of godly sorrow 2. Cor. 7.11 Now in our conversations we are to expresse both the feare of men and the feare of God There is a feare of men to bee shewed by other Christians aswell as wives in their conversations as children must feare their parents Levit. 19.3 and subjects must converse with feare and shew it in their carriage towards their rulers and so all inferiours must expresse a conversation with feare towards their superiours Hence the Apostle saith Give feare to whom feare belongeth Rom. 13.7 so such as have lesser gifts must submit themselves to such as have greater gifts in fear Eph. 5.21 But the speciall feare wee should shew in our conversation should be the feare of God and so a conversation with feare doth import more than barely to feare God for it imports that it must be by such a fear as doth appear to the view of others and such a feare as is continuall We reade of a Spirit of the feare of God Esa. 11.3 and there bee other phrases of Scripture that expresse this conversation with feare as where wee are charged to bee in the feare of God all the day long Pro. 23.17 and the godly are said to walke in the feare of God Acts 11.31 God was said to bee the feare of the Patriarches Gen. 31.42.53 so also Eccles. 8. 10. Mal. 2.5 Quest. But what cause have Christians to shew so much fear in their conversations Answ. They have reason to feare alwaies 1 Because of their owne insufficiency to performe those holy dueties are required of them in such a holy manner as they desire or ought to doe this made Paul so fearfull 1. Cor. 2.3 2 Because of the danger that the godly themselves are in if this feare be not in them as we see by the miserable instance of the Apostle Peter who fell shamefully when he shooke off this feare and grew bold and confident of his owne strength and therefore they that stand are charged to feare lest they fall Rom. 11. 3 Because of the many and fearfull adversaries our soules and religion have in this world Wee bee to wrestle with principalities powers and spirituall wickednesses Eph. 6.10 2. Cor. 11.3 and our taske is to overcome the world and the flesh which hath many difficulties in it considering the multitudes of evill examples and scandals are in the world and the great treachery of our owne flesh 4 Because of the lamentable reproach of the Heathen and such as are without God and Christ of all sorts and all places which would be powred out if we should misse it in our conversation if our foote should but slippe Neh. 5.9 5 Because of the dreadfull relation in which we stand unto God who hath authority over us and is our Master and Father Mal. 1.6 and is able to kill both body and soule Mat. 10.28 and is the Lord God Almighty and the King of Saints and hee is onely holy and of most pure eyes and hath power over all Nations Revel 15.3.4 and doth wondrous things Hee hath placed the sand for the bounds of the sea by a perpetuall decree that it cannot passe it though the waves thereof tosse themselves and roare yet they cannot prevaile Ier. 5.22 Hee is the true God he is the living God and an everlasting King at his wrath the earth shall tremble and the Nations shall not bee able to abide his indignation Ier. 10.7.10 so Iob 31.23 David said his flesh trembled for feare of God Psalm 119. vers 120. 6 Because of the fearefull falling away and rejecting of many Churches and particular persons
out of the house yet the sonne abideth for ever Iohn 8.35 Lastly we should the lesse feare death seeing hence wee learne that wee have many things that will last with us even after our bodies be rotten in the grave Thus of the third doctrine Doct. 4. Now a fourth point is also cleare and that is That incorruptible things doe wonderfully adorne and make men comely This is the maine scope and drift of the Text. and therefore wee should the more seeke after these things for if wee could see the beauty of the inward man as it is adorned with grace we would bee wonderfully ennamoured and in love with it No comelinesse of the body can so allure as would this inward beauty of the man of the heart and therefore againe we should hence learn to make the more account of poore Christians There are no persons in the world so comely as they if wee knew the worth and ornament of true grace And so in generall wee should love the godly above all people because they are the fairest and best adorned of all the men and women in earth and in particular those husbands that have gracious wives should learn so much religion as to love them entirely even for the beauty of the man of the Heart though they wanted the outward ornaments of riches or extraordinary comelinesse of the outward man Women also should especially hence learne to get grace and knowledge and holinesse into their hearts for their best handsomnesse is in their qualities and gifts 'T is not their cloathes but their manners disposition that becomes them or disgraces them A faire body doth commend little if the heart bee fowle It is a small praise to have a good face and an ill nature Some women are like Helen without and like Hecuba within Thus of the adorning of the man of the Heart in generall Now followes the particular ornament which the Apostle commends by name and that is a meek and quiet spirit Of a meeke and quiet spirit Quietnesse is added to Meeknesse lest by mistaking the definition of Meeknesse they should not understand the Apostles meaning Now the doctrine hence to bee gathered is That amongst all the particular vertues required in Christians meeknesse and quietnesse of nature and spirit is a speciall vertue and carefully to bee sought and in particular by Christian wives as this and other Scriptures shew Eph. 4. 2. Mat. 11.28 Zeph. 2.3 Col. 3.12 Before I make use of this point I must consider what is comprehended in those tearmes of a meeke and quiet spirit and first we must know before hand what it doth not comprehend It doth not require that women or men should be so quiet as not to bee troubled for their sinnes or not to humble their soules for sinne or that they should be carelesse of their callings eyther generall or particular or that they should not admonish or reprove sinne in others when they have a calling and fitnesse But unto the constituting of true meeknesse and quietnesse of spirit is requisit 1 Freedome from the evills that disquiet and molest the spirits of men such as are first anger frowardnesse fretting and peevishnesse secondly worldly sorrow crying and aptnesse to take unkindnesse and fullennesse thirdly distrustfull cares of life arising from covetuousnesse 1. Tim. 6.10.11 fourthly rash zeale and fiercenesse or inordinate striving and wilfulnesse as may be gathered in the case of a Minister 2. Tim. 2.24 25. 26. fifthly contention and evill speaking or ill language as may be gathered from Tit. 3.2 and stirring up contention or brawles sixthly all inordinate desires and raigning heart-sinnes whether sinnes of ambition lust malice or the like Iam. 1.21 seventhly unconstancy and levity of minde Especially it crosseth those evills which are noted to be most usuall in women such as are fretting crying taking unkindnesses unconstancy wilfulnesse complaining on the husbands or the like 2 A kind of peacefull contentment when Christians are habitually well pleased with their condition 3 A gentle behaviour in case of wrongs or faults from or in others so as to be first able to beare them secondly not to render evill for evill but rather to overcome evill with goodnesse thirdly ready to forgive fourthly not provoked to anger 4 A harmelesse and innocent behaviour Zeph. 2.3 5 The fixing of the heart by trusting upon God and living without care like a little child that beleeves his father will provide for him Mat. 18. 6 Lowlinesse of minde thinking no great thoughts of our selves and esteeming the gifts of God in others and accounting others better than our selves and therefore is Lowliness so often added to the word Meeknesse to explane it 7 Silence from many words from vaine and rash speeches especially provoking tearms 8 Retirednesse when a Christian is no busie-body in other mens matters and his feete will bee kept out of his neighbours house and refuseth to have to doe with the strife that belongs not to him 9 Tractablenesse and easinesse to bee directed or appointed and governed as in relation to God it is meeknesse to take his zeale upon us Mat. 11.28 and so in a wife it is a property of a meek and quiet spirit to be easie to bee directed and advised and governed Obhect But is it not lawfull to be angry Sol. Yes it is at some times for some persons upon some causes and in some manner Anger is a tender vertue and such a one as by reason of our unskilfulnesse may be easily corrupted and made dangerous Object But we must reprove or correct Sol. You may doe so but that you must reprove with passion or unquietly I reade not but rather you must reprove with the spirit of meeknesse And besides many rules are requisite to the right use of reproofe and correction Object But can all this be attained Sol. It may or else it would not be required in the new Covenant so often and so vehemently urged and the Church of God is not without instance of such as have attained it and though in many things we may sinne all yet this vertue may bee had though not in the perfection of it Object But I have desired and endevovred to attaine to it and cannot Sol. 1. Vse the means to attain it yet still it may be had at length though not presently Secondly it may bee doubted of many that pretend this that they have not such desire nor use not such endevour in sincerity they are not watchfull and carefull to looke to the opportunities of this vertue or the occasions of the contrary vices Object But may not one have comfort of this vertue if he be at any time angry Sol. Moses the meekest man on earth was once angry and Christ himselfe we read was angry but where this vertue of anger is not habitually it raignes not and where it is it is bridled and ordered Or else I may answer that the act of meeknesse may be interrupted and yet the habite
130.7 Esay 25.4 26.3 4. 2. Chron. â—3 18 3 It openeth for us a most comfortable intertainment in Gods house our hearts that can trust in Gods mercie drinke out of the rivers of his pleasures when wee come into his house and are satisfied with his goodnesse Psal. 36.7 8. The use of this point may be diverse 1 Such as finde want of this grace should use all meanes to attaine it And that wee may be able to put all our trust upon God we must looke to these rules following 1 We must hate them that regard lying vanities Psal. 31.6 40.4 2 We must know Gods Name Psal. 9.10 wee must get knowledge of Gods goodnesse and so the warrant of our trust in the word of God We must thence learne both what to doe and upon what grounds to trust upon God To this end did God give his word to his people Psal. 78.5 7. Rom. 15.4 Pro. 30.5 Psal. 56.3 4. 3 We must labour to get assurance of Gods love to us in Iesus Christ to know that God is our God and wee are the children of God Psal. 31.14 36.7 for the confidence of an unfaithfull man in time of trouble is like a broken tooth or a foot out of joint Pro. 25.19 and the ground of our trust must be in the merits of Iesus Christ. Ephe. 1.12 4 When we know God to be our God we must strive to get our hearts to it to make God our portion and to rest satisfied with Gods goodnesse and love to us whatsoever else we want Lament 3.24 5 We must be sure that we be upright in heart and that we have warrant for our actions and do not live in any sinne that might provoke God against us Psal. 64.10 And to this end we should pray God to cause us to know the way wee should walke in and to let us heare of his loving kindnesse in the morning to encourage us in all good courses Psal. 14â— 8 6 Wee must be sure wee doe not draw upon our selves needlesse troubles Prov. 28.25 and when wee are in a good way we should not give way to our owne vaine feares Proverb 29.25 7 When we finde troubles to arise and feare and care to surprise us we must make our refuge to get one selves under the shadow of Gods wings till the calamitie be overpast Psal. 57.1 91.1 Now Gods wings are his Ordinances especially Prayer and his Word Thus of the first use Secondly seeing to trust in God is such an excellent grace such as doe endevour to practise this trust in God must looke to diverse rules in the exercise of it which are necessarie to a right trusting in God as 1 They must trust him with their hearts their soules must trust in God Psal. 57.1 28.8 2 They must put all their trust in God God will have no partners All my trust is in thee saith David 3 They must trust in God at all times continually and with praise for what they have felt of Gods goodnesse Psal. 62.8 71.14 Esa. 26.4 4 If God doe deferre to answer our helpe they must wait for the Lord their soules must waite Psal. 130.5 6. 5 They must make the most High their habitation they must dwell with God by setting the Lord alwayes before them and attending upon all meanes of communion with God They must not be strangers from God to goe dayes or weekes without directing their hearts after him Psal. 91.9 6 They must handle their matters wisely and not upon pretence of trust in God carrie themselves indiscreetly or neglect the use of any lawfull meanes Pro. 16.20 7 Their trust in God must be joined with an awfull feare of God and sense of their owne unworthinesse they must not be conceited persons or despise the care of their wayes Psal. 147.11 8 They must declare all Gods workes that is they must labour to glorifie God by telling others of the experiences they have had of Gods goodnesse Psal. 73. ult 9 When they have committed their wayes to God they must be quieted as a weaned childe and contented with whatsoever the Lord shall lay upon them Psal. 131.2 3. Lam. 3.26 10 They must beleeve above hope and under hope they must rest upon Gods promise how unlikely soever the performance seeme to be Rom. 4.18 Thus of the second use Thirdly we may from the reasons of this doctrine gather evidently That all Gods servants that trust in God are in a wondrous safe condition as David shewes of himselfe Psal. 18.2 3. Neyther may they say that they cannot look that God should be to them as he was to David for God hath given his word for it that he will be good to all that put their trust in him 2. Sam. 22 31. Psal. 34.22 and therefore all true Christians that finde themselves prone to feare or discontent should speake to their soules and chide their owne hearts as David did Psal. 42.5 See Esa. 30.2 Fourthly wicked men have little cause then to deride and scoffe at the people of God for trusting in God and refusing to use such evill courses as they doe for by the doctrine and reasons before it appeares plainely that they doe both holily and happily by committing all to God Psal. 14.4 7. 22.9 Thus of the second doctrine Doct. 3. It is a speciall praise in women to trust in God and the more praise because it is so rare in women who use to relye upon either their parents or their husbands to provide for them seldom look up to God And besides it produceth excellent effects for it makes them subject to their husbands and that with all quietnesse and meekenesse and feare to displease their husbands as is implyed here And besides women that trust in God will be a great helpe and comfort to their husbands in their crosses they will encourage them to relye upon God in whom they put their trust which verie helpe is worth great riches The use should be therefore to perswade wives to be the more carefull of their faith trust in God and to looke to it that it be a true faith and a right trust in God for such wives as are a vexation to their husbands by their carelesnesse and frowardnesse and unquietnes and such as are so farre from comforting their husbands in distresse that they rather adde affliction to their afflictions by censuring them and crossing them they may justly feare that their trust in God is not right Yea it may be observed that some wives that professe Religion and are unquiet and live frowardly and stubbornly towards their husbands they are unquiet in their consciences too and when crosses come upon them call their faith into question and cannot be established in their trust in God And it is just with God it should be so that such women as dare live in known transgressions against their husbands should not know their portion in the consolation of God God will not
dead 4 Mutuall benevolence or the mutuall use of each others bodies 1. Cor. 7. 5 Delight in her company so as to bee loath to be absent from her 't is not inough to be with her but hee must dwell with her Pro. 5.19 6 Serving of God together as the last reason in the end of the verse shewes Now divers reasons may bee given of this why husbands should dwell with their wives 1 From the institution of marriage divers things may bee noted as that God said hee would provide a helper for man to be before him Gen. 2.18 and besides Adam confessed she was bone of his bone and flesh of his flesh which the Apostle urgeth Eph. 5. And further it is said For this cause shall a man leave father and mother and cleave to his wife and they shall be one flesh All which imports a necessity of living together 2 From the example of Christ Husbands should love their wives as Christ loved the Church Now how Christ desires to be with the Church may bee seene in the Canticles and he hath promised he will bee with his Church to the end of the world Mat. â—8 3 From the unnaturalnesse of the offence of living asunder did ever any man hate his owne flesh saith the Apostle Ephes. 5. or can the arme or head in the naturall body live well from the other parts of the body no more either comely or convenient is it for husbands to live from their wives The use is therefore for great reproofe of many husbands that haue so little desire or delight to converse in this holy and loving manner with their wives but study all occasions to draw them from home yea some men had rather live abroad with their dogs or hawkes than at home with their wives But especially those beasts are abominable that leave the society of their wives to follow strange women that is Whores Secondly here is somewhat for wives too If they would haue their husbands to keepe home and delight in their company they must labour to be amiable and pleasing and study to be quiet and obedient that their husbands may be encouraged with delight to live with them Againe the indefinite propounding of the duety shewes that they must dwell with them at all times not for the first quarter after they are married but for ever and that for conscience sake not only to avoide shame or the displeasure of the wives friends or only while her portion lasts or for such like carnall respects But before I leave this point something would bee said of foure cases of absence which may be put as first the case of absence in respect of Calling secondly the case of separation from bed and boord thirdly the case of Nullities fourthly the case of Divorce For the first when God gives a man a just calling to live from his wife or to goe into forraine parts it is lawfull to forbeare cohabitation for the time As in the case of Souldiers or Marchants or Ministers that are called to exercise their Ministeries in remote places In these cases when the wives cannot or will not goe with them they may lawfully live absent yea though their wives consent not to it Because all relations to man must give place to our relation to God Now when God calls any man to any imploiment no man can disanull that calling and therefore such in the Ministery as have lawfull callings to exercise their Ministeries in other countries and have not sit imploiment at home doe very sinfully when they refuse to preach the Gospel in such places upon that silly pretence that they cannot get their wives to consent For the second viz. the case of Separation from bed boord it is for the most part verie wicked and abominable because we have not eyther commandement or permission or example of any such in the Word of God And besides experience shewes it breedes a world of scandalous inconveniences Though I doubt not but in some speciall cases the Magistrate or Church may cause such a separation for a time but as it is ordinarily practised by divers husbands and wives it is verie vile For the third viz. the case of Nullities we must understand in divers cases though the man have bound himselfe by the contract or consummation of marriage to the woman yet he must not dwell with her because such contracts and marriages are meere Nullities in the sight of God and of no force 1 If hee marry her that is divorced for any other cause than fornication Matth. 19.9 2 If the marriage be incestious that is within any of the degrees prohibited in the law of God see Levit. 18. Which lawes were not ceremoniall or politicall but morall and naturall which may appeare as by other reasons so by this one God saith hee did destroy the Nations for such incestious Matches Levit. 18.24 Now God could not punish the Nations for breaking a law was never given them The ceremoniall and politicall lawes were given to the Iewes and not to the Gentiles thus it was not lawfull for Herod to have his brothers wife nor must the Corinthian that married his fathers wife be suffered to dwell with her 1. Cor. 5. 3 Divines generally agree that if there be a precontract with another person in verbis de presenti in the words of the present time made with consent of parents c. then the marriage after with another is a meer Nullitie and such dwelling together is whoredome Zanchius brings reasons for this from the law of God and Nature and civill and common lawes 4 If a marriage be made without the free consent of the parties or in cases where they are not able to give a free consent as in the marriage with children under age or with mad men or persons that are drunke when they give consent and doe disclaime it when they are sober These are Nullities in the common opinion of Divines of all sorts and the reason is Because the consent of parties is essentially requisite to such a bond 5 If there be error personae an error of the person that is if a man meane to contract marriage with one person and another person is given him as when Leah was given in stead of Rachel to Iacob Divines agree that Iacob might have rejected Leah and that his owne consent afterwards did onely binde him to dwell with her But yet error about the condition or state of the person is no Nullitie If a man contract himselfe to a woman he thinkes to be a free woman and shee proves a bond woman or he thinkes he marries with a rich woman and she proves a poore woman these errors doe not cause a Nullitie he must dwell with her for all this 6 If marriage be contracted with such as are utterly and incurably unapt for marriage this marriage is a Nullitie as in the case of Eunuches some kindes of incurable palsies or the like And about
they doe soe is because they themselves did feele by experience how unable they were to beare crosses when they fell upon them It was this Peter that denied his Master upon the very sight as it were of adversaries and it was this David that gave this advice after himselfe had changed his behaviour before Abimelech as you may see by the title of the Psalme Which should teach us to bee thankfull for that publike or private quietnesse any of us doe enjoy and besides it should warne those unruly froward Christians that live not in quiet either at home or abroad to repent and amend their words and workes They cannot imagine what singular comfort and contentment they withhold from their owne lives and the lives of others If they did but know how much God abhors a froward Christian they would be more affraid than they are Thus of the generall observations The first part concernes the persons that are exhorted and they are described by two formes of speech the one Such as will love life the other Such as would see good daies If any man will love life From this forme of speech three things may be observed Doct. 1. That men by nature are prone to the love of life and so prone that the most men will breake all bounds and will love life whatsoever bee said to them or done to them This is a point so sensibly felt by the experience of the most that heare it that it needs no proofe If any man aske what the reason should bee why there is such an inordinate love of life in the most many things may be answered The first cause of it is the generall corruption of nature in the most men which came in by sinne To love it selfe is nature but to love life so pertinaciously is from degeneration and the great abasement of the nature of man that cannot now move it selfe towards the perfection of it selfe for unto the godly the change of life is an alteration that brings perfection Secondly ignorance and unbeliefe is the cause of it If men did know beleeve those glorious things God speaks of a better life they would loath this present life long to be in heaven Thirdly the cause in many is that their hearts are â—ngaged upon such perplexed and intricate projects about profit or pleasure or greatnesse in the world that they are not at leasure to examine the reasons of the love of life the heart of man is usually oppressed with some one or other of these projects Fourthly in all sorts of people there is such an incurable inconsideration that no warning from the Word or workes of God no experience of their owne or other mens can force them to a serious and constant meditation of the things concerne their true happinesse Fiftly the love of life ariseth in the most from the Idols of their hearts There is one thing or other that they have set their hearts upon in a vicious manner and this unreasonable love of their particular sinnes doth hold them downe in bondage to this present life and so cannot be cured of the disease till they repent of their beloved sinnes And the guiltinesse of their consciences makes them affraid of death and judgement and to embrace this present life upon any conditions And in godly people this inordinate love of life ariseth from the defect of particular repentance for it Thus of the first point Doct. 2. Men have cause to take off their affections and not to bee so desperately bent to the love of this present life This is a point very profitable to be urged and most men and women have need of it and therefore I will shew more largely the reasons why wee should not love life or not so inordinately as to be unwilling to leave it upon any tearmes The first reason may be taken from the commandement of Christ who gives this in charge to all that will bee his Disciples that they must not love life As they must deny themselves in other things so in this particular And hee so gives this in charge as hee seemes to threaten them with the losse of life if they love it so Luk. 17.33 Iob. 12.25 The second reason may bee taken from the example of the godly that have not loved life Iob detested life Iob 3. Salomon tels of a multitude of occasions that he had to hate life in his book of Eccles. and a multitude of godly men have shewed the proofe of it in laying downe their lives willingly when they have beene called to it Act. 20.24 Phil. 2.20 Heb. 11.35 37. The third reason may bee taken from the consideration of life in it selfe both in the nature of it and in the end of it for the nature of it it is but a winde or a vapour Iam. 4. so meane a thing that no man can well tell how to describe it perfectly which is the greater wonder that it should get the love of all the world and yet no body knowes what it is hee loves And for the end of it it is not in the power of man to number his owne daies God hath set an appointed time for every mans death and though they love life never so much they cannot hold it beyond that time Iob 7.1 And besides our times are so hid that a man cannot bee sure of a moneth a weeke a day an houre and shall our hearts be so bewitched with that which wee know not how long wee shall enjoy Iob 24.1 and the rather because there are so many waies for life to goe out at though but one way to come in And further we can find no means that hath sufficient power to make a man live God hath so reserved the power of life in his owne hands that none of the meanes we use to preserve life can do it to make it hold out for a moment if God doe not from above give speciall assistance Man liveth not by bread Mat. 4. and if a man had abundance of all worldly things yet a mans life consisteth not in that Luk. 12.15 c. The fourth reason may bee taken from the profession of a Christian or his state or relative calling or condition in this life First we are Christs spirituall souldiers Now men that goe to war intangle not ahemselves with the things of this life that they may please them that have chosen them to bee souldiers 2 Tim. 2.4 Secondly we are pilgrims and strangers in this life and therefore nothing should be more easie to us than to be weary of the present condition and to long to be at home Thus did the Patriarches Heb. 11.13 Thirdly in this life we are but poore cottagers that dwell in poore houses of clay and shall wee love to be here rather than in those eternall mansions 2. Cor. 5.1 Iob. 14.2 The fift reason may be taken from the sinnes of life Even sinne is a disease and a loathsome contagious one Now then see what life
the Church of God in generall to prosper Psal. 128.5 6. when God keeps his Church as his Vineyard and waters it every moment and watcheth it night and day and destroyeth every thing that might annoy it Esay 27.2 3. In particular a Christian finds divers sorts of good daies as first the Sabbath daies well sanctified are good daies above all other daies of the week when his body enjoyes rest his soule is blessed according to Gods promise with spiritual rest and grace in Iesus Christ. Secondly the dayes in which the soule of a Christian after sinne and the judgment of God for it is humbled soundly and anew admitted into Gods presence and reconciled to God those daies when God entertaines the repenting sinner that praies unto him especially at the first reconciliation are wonderfull good daies Iob 33.25 26. with the coherence 36.11 Psal. 90.14 Luk. 4.21 with Esay 61.1.2.10 Thirdly all the daies in which a Christian thrives and prospers in the knowledge of Gods word and growes in the spirituall understanding in the mysteries of Gods kingdome are all good daies for this knowledge is that wisedom Salomon speakes of whâ—ch makes a man so happy Pro. 3.18.2.16 Thus of the good daies that are so in the judgement of the inward man God is pleased also to grant such good daies as are or ought to be so accounted in the judgement of the outward man and so First the daies of youth in which a man hath strength of body and vigour of minde to fit him not onely for the comforts of life but for the service of his creator are good daies Eccles. 12.1 it being a blessed thing to beare Gods yoake in a mans youth Secondly the daies of speciall prosperity in the world which sometime God grants unto his people are also good daies when God gives his people abundance of blessings in their families and estates and withall publike honour and respect withall sorts even the great ones of the world as was in the case of Iob which hee describes in the whole 29 Chapter of his booke but then it must have this indeed that in this prosperity the godly man be imployed in all well doing and get himselfe honour by the flourishing of his gifts and good workes as is shewed in that Chapter by Iob. Thirdly such daies in which a man enjoyes a quiet estate free from all trouble or vexation or contumely at home or abroad being free from Gods aflicting hand or mans injurious dealing are good daies and such as perhaps are specially meant in this place Thus of the sense of the words Divers doctrines may bee observed from hence 1 That the daies of men usually are evill which is true not onely of the wicked but of the godly also This Iacob said long agoe his daies were few and evill Gen. 47.9 but of this point before Only this may serve for great reproofe of those that so little minde a better life and so wilfully love this life that though they live in much misery are loath to thinke of dying take no course to provide for a better life 2 It is evident from hence that the life of man is but short whether hee live happily or miserably yet his life is reckoned by daies not by longer measures of purpose to signifie the shortnesse of our lives This is expresly affirmed in other Scriptures Iob 10.20 Iob saith his daies were few and of all men that are borne of women that they have but a short time to live Iob 7.1 And this is resembled by divers similitudes so our life is compared to a Weavers shuttle Iob 7.6 to a Post for swift running out Iob 9.25 to the grasse of the field Iob. 7.12 Esay 40.6 to an hand breadth so as he saith his age is as nothing Ps. 39.5 to a watch in the night Psal. 90.4 to a sleepe vers 5. to a tale that is told vers 9. Thus the life of man is said to bee short either as he is in Gods sight with whom a thousand years are but as yesterday when it is past Psal. 90 4. or in his owne account if he measure time to come as hee measures time past and in plaine reckoning let the life of man be improved according to mans utmost strength ordinarily a mans yeares are threescore and ten and if hee live to fourescore it is but labour and sorrow to him Psal. 90. Quest. But what should bee the cause that mens lives are so short Ans. If there were no other cause but the will of him that hath the disposing of the times seasons in his owne power yet that might satisfie us but we may ghesse at other causes as both the mercy and justice of God This world is so bad to the godly that it is Gods mercie to take them quickly out of it and contrariwise it is so good to the wicked considering their deserts that it is justice in God to take them hence and send them to their owne place which is hell Besides many men bring speedy death upon themselves by their own il courses or by sinning against their own bodies by lewd courses by eating up their owne hearts with worldly cares and sorrowes or by living in any grosse sinne to provoke God to cut them off or by falling into such disorder as the Magistrate cuts them off or by laying of violent hands upon themselves or by getting their goods unlawfully to bring upon themselves that curse Ier. 17.11 Finally in this last age of the world there may bee this reason assigned that the Lord makes hast to have the number of his elect fulfilled and therefore he dispatcheth away the generations one after another and so shortneth the daies of man for his elect sake Now for the uses Are our lives so short then it should teach us divers lessons 1 To pray God to make us able to thinke so and so to number our daies that we may not make any reckoning of any long continuance here Psal. 39.3 90.12 2 To make hast and dispatch our repentance and all the businesses that concerne our sound reconciliation and so to walke while wee have the light and to use all good meanes while we enjoy them 3 To redeeme the time and save as much of it as wee can for the uses of a better life Ephs. 5. and to worke the harder to fulfil thy measure and dispatch that taske God hath set thee to doe 4 To lay fast hold upon eternall life 1. Tim. 6. and to make that sure 5 Every day to provide for our departure even all the daies of our appointed time to waite when our changing shall come Iob 14.14 FINIS An Alphabeticall Index of the most Principall things handled throughout the whole Booke A ADoption the glory of it 133 How it is attained 136 Markes thereof 136 Amazement in wives 109 Causes thereof 109 Antiquity when ill pleaded 91 Apparell See Attire Attire reasons against the vanity
of it 58 Attire vitious 14 waies 63 B Blessing kinds thereof 204 Blessings how inherited 214 How they may be gotten 216 How grow in comforts of them 217 Brethren who are so 189 Motives to love as Brethren 190 Brethren how to be loved 191 Rules for brotherly love 193 Brethren how to bee respected in case of sinne 194 C Calling to Christianity 205 Necessity of knowing it 208 Chastity in married persons 44 Motives thereto 45 Preservatives of Chastity 46 How a Chaste wife may be discerned 47 Christians divers sorts of them 209 Church of Rome not to be agreed unto 187 Cohabitation of husbands and wives 114 Compassion 188 What bowells of Compassion import 196 How Compassion rightly ordered 196 Conversion why all not at once converted 31 Corruptible things 71 Courtesie 199 D Daies evill in what respect 229 Daies good in what respect 232 Discords in opinions 184 Causes thereof 185 Divorce 118 Doing well 107 Motives thereto 107 E Earthly things vaine 224 Why they are not to bee loved 226 Example Two vertues of good example 88 How example bindos 90 F Feare of God how shewed 52 Motives to Feare 51 Feare how discerned 50 Feare servile of wicked 48 Who are without Feare 54 Frowardnesse the causes and effects thereof 80 G Good actions how marred 106 Grace manifold 163 What Grace excludes and includes 165 Graces previledge 166 Who sinne against Grace 168 Guile Signes of spirit without Guile 19 H Heart See Man of the heart Heires to Gods Saints 132 Markes of Heires 136 How to carry themselves 138 Men women all Heires 169 Husbands to live quietly with wives 2 Sixteene motives thereto 3 Helpes thereto 6 Causes of disorder betwixt them 5 Husbands duties why in the last place 111 Motives for Husbands to doe their dutie 112 Husbands to dwell with their wives 114 Cases for absence 115 Separation vnlawfull 116 Husbands must dwell with knowledge 123 Husbands must honour their wives 126 I Incorruptible things 73 Ioy spirituall 156 K Knowledge divine excellent 119 Meanes of making Knowledg powerfull 121 How man dwells with Knowledge 123 Properties and effects of Knowledge 144 L Life naturall 224 A meane thing 139 Life spirituall 141 Degrees of it 141 Originall of it 144 Nature of it 144 Nourishers of it 147 Difference betwixt spirituall and eternall life 149 How spirituall life is attained 157 Helpes thereto 158 Signes therof 160 Properties thereof 161 Duties required by vertue of spirituall life 162 Life of man short 234 Love of Life 223 How life to be prolonged 228 Love See Brethren M Man of the heart 66 Wherein he excells the outward Man 67 His naturall condition 68 How he ma be mended 69 How knowne to be right 70 Meckenesse what requisite thereto 76 Helpes to attaine it 81 Minde All of one minde 180 Helpes thereto 182 Miseries of life how avoided 219 N Nullities of Mariage 116 O Obedience six things required thereto 25 Old times what respect to be had thereto 92 P Peace 155 Pittie Motives thereto 168 See Compassion Pleasing God rules for it 84 Praiers excellency 171 Sorts of Praiers 173 How praier is hindred or interrupted 174 Pure how Saints are so stiled 40 Q Quietnesse See Meekenesse How kept quiet in trouble 177 R Repetition of the same things what imported thereby 9 Revenge 201 Revolting causes thereof 17 Righteousnesse 154 S Salvation how furthered 34 Sarah's Daughters 103 Scripture Gods Word 22 See Word Separation betwixt man and wife 116 Spirituall life See Life Subjection of Wives 1â— See Wives T Trust in God Signes thereof 95 Excellency of it 97 Effects of it 97 Rules about it 99 V Vnitie of minde See Minde W Winning men 29 Divers waies thereof 17 Signes of being wonne 18 Divers kinds of Winning 27 How Ministers win Soules 29 How wicked wonne by our conversation 36 How Wives may winne their Husbands 37 WIVES See Husbands See Women Why Wives dueties largely set downe 8 Why Wives ought to be subiect 12 In What Wives are subiect 13 How Wives must be subiect 14 Sonnes of Wives against subiection 15 Wives how they may win their husbands 37 Wives Chastity how seens 47 Wives feare of husbands 55 Wives amazement how caused 109 Women See Wives Women ought first to bee taught their duty 7 Womens frailties 129 Word of God to be obeyed 23 See Scripture FINIS Generall scope Note 16. motives for man and wife to live quietly and comfortably together Vsc. Five speciall causes of disorder betweene man and wife Helpes for man and wife to attaine an orderly and quiet life Reasons to prove that women ought to be taught their duties aswell as men Why the Apostle is so large in setting downe wives duties What things are imported by often repeating of them Note 8. reasons why wives ought to be subject Why the Apostle chargeth wives only with subjection In what things they are to be subject The maner how they must submit In wht cases the wife ought to subject her selfe Particular sinnes of the Wife against subjection Divers waies of winnnig men Note Causes of revolting in many are divers 9 signes to know whether wâ— be wonne effectually 6. things required to sound obedience Divers kinds of winning Note What a Minister must doe to winne soules To be wonne what it imports Note Why all are not converted at once Divers waies from God to further our salvation Doct. â— By what meanes we may winne wicked men in our conversation What things a wife must especially practise to winne her husband Note Vse In what respects godly men are said to be pure Vse Note Motives to chastity Preservatives of chastity How a chast wife may be discerned Reasons why wicked men are smitten with a servile feare Feare two waies considered Reasons why we ought to express this feare of God in our conversation By what waies we must shew this feare of God By what waies we are to expresse this feare of God towards men What sorts of men have not Gods feare Wherein wives shew their fear of their husbands 11. Reasons against vaine attire in women 14. Waies by which apparell or dressing our selves becomes vicious What the man of the heart is His originall Wherein bee excells the outward man His naturall condition very miserable many waies Especially in his workes which are abominable By what means the man of the heart may be mended How we may know when the man of the heart is right Note 7. Things are incorruptible Note What things are requisite to meeknesse Motives to meeknesse Odiousnesse of frowardnesse from the causes and effects of it Helpes for the attaining of quietnesse and meeknesse Rules for our practise so as God may be pleased with us Note â—â—o singular â—ertues in a â—ood example â—hen an examâ—â—e bindes In what things Antiquity is ill pleaded In what cases respect is to be bad unto old times Signes of such as trust in God Reasons proving the excellency of this trusting in God Admirable effects
of this trusting in God Helpes to attaine this grace of trusting in God Rules to be observed in our right trusting in God Vid. 1. Tim. 5.5 Ier. 49.11 Note Doct. Godly women daughters of Sarah three waies What things marre a good action How we are said to do well Reasons why we ought alwayes to be doing well Causes of amazement in wives Why Husbands duties are noted in the last place Motives to perswade Husbands to be carefull of their duties What things cohabitation doth import Reasons why husbands ought thus to dwell with their wives In what cases it is lawfull for the husband to be absent Whether separation from bed and boord be lawfull Cases of Nullitie Concerning Divorce what rule is to be observed Excellency of divine knowledge in many respects Meanes to give power to our knowledge What this dwelling with knowledge imports How many waies husbands honour their wives In what things women are more frayle than men How godly men come to be heires Wherein the greatnesse and glory of our Adoption appeareth What kinde of persons we must be to attaine this Adoption Marks of Gods heyres and adopted children How Gods heirs must carry themselâ—es Naturall life but a meane thing in divers respects Degrees of spirituall life The originall of this life It hath its originall from God three waies The nature of it consists in a saving knowledge or celestiall light Which knowledge must haue these properties and effects in it Divers things nourish this life This life differs from eternall life many waies 1 In respect of place 2 In respect of the meanes that preserve this life 3 In respect of the company 4 In respect of the quality of the life it selfe 5. In respect of the effects of life in each degree as to instance 1. For righteousnesse 2. for peace 3. for joy What men must doe to attaine this life A Christian hath many helpes to attain it Signes of this life are six Properties of this life are five What duties this doctrine should compell godly men to practise Grace manifold What is meant here by grace Two wayes considered What is excludes What it includes What priviledges follow on such as enjoy Gods grace Men transgresse against the grace of God many waies Godly men and women are heyres together many waies The excellency of prayer appeares in many respects From whence the sorts and difference of Prayer doth arise Prayer may be hindred seven waies in the bearing of it How it is interrupted in the making of it Five things of singular use to keepe us quiet in trouble Note For what reason we ought to be all of one minde Helpes unto unity of minde 2 Pet. 1. ult Aggravations against discord in opinion Many are the ill causes of dissenting In what things we may not be of one minde with the Church of Rome Wherein we expresse our compassion The motives or reasons to perswade us to it Who are brethren Reasons to perswade us to love as brethren With what kind of love we are to love the brethren Rules to be observed that brotherly love may continue Either such things we are to avoid Or such things wee are to praâ—lise How to order ourselves towards our brethren in case of sinne against God or trespasse against us Three caveats to be looked unto in our loving of them What things bowells of compassion or mercy import When our bowels of mercy are right Motives to bee pittifull What things are comprehended under courtesie Divers kindes of blessing When wee blesse in deed Wherein particularly For what reasons a Christian should bee much affected with the consideration of his calling Reasons proâ—ng the necessity of knowing our calling and assurance By what means a christian comes to know his calling Divert sorts of Christians Carnall Christians know not their calling and why Causes why many weake Christians know not their calling Note Godly men doe inherit blessings many waies 1. From men 2. From their owne consciences 3. From God and that divers waies In this life godly men have Gods blessing three waies What we must doe to get Gods blessing How godly men may grow in the comforts of Gods blessing Note Note For what reasons men ought to take off their affections from the love of this life In what respects the vanity of earthly things appeare Men have no reason to bee in love with earthly commodities and that for divers causes In what cases it may be lawfull for some persons to be in love with this life What such must doe to prolong their life What daies are evill in respect of wicked men Wherein godly mens daies are evill Great difference betweene the evill daies of wicked and godly men Evill daies common to wicked and godly men What are good daies in generall In particular there are divers sorts of good daies to the godly Mans life is short In what respect it is short Causes why most mens lives are so short Vses