99 100. then our teachers if wee haue more care then they in keeping Gods Commandements For the feare of the Lord is wisedome and to depart from euill is vnderstanding Iob. 28. 28. Psal 111. 10. And as Dauid saith The feare of the Lord is the beginning of wisedome a good vnderstanding haue all they that doe his Commandements CAP. VIII Of a liuely and iustifying faith which is the second mayne ground of a godly life §. Sect. 1 That without fayth we cannot performe any duties of a godly life THe second mayn ground of a godly life is a true and iustifying faith without which we cannot performe any duty acceptable to God For before our workes can be acceptable our persons must be accepted neither can the actions of an enemy be pleasing vnto him with whom he is at emnity before they be reconciled we must first bee good trees before we can bring forth any good fruits and haue our hearts sanctified by faith before we can doe the workes of sanctification For who can bring a cleane thing out of an vncleane Not one saith Iob. And what is Iob 14. 4. 15. 14. man that he should be cleane and he that is borne of a woman that he shoud be righteous As Eliphaz speaketh First Abels person must be accepted before Gen. 4. 4. his sacrifice could be acceptable And we cannot be accepted in our selues being dead in sinne and the children of wrath as well as others till being by faith vnited vnto Christ God accepteth of vs in his best Beloued Without Heb. 11. 6. faith therefore it is impossible to please God for till our persons please him our actions cannot Againe Whatsoeuer is not done of faith is sinne and our Rom. 14. 23. best actions which seeme most glorious in the eyes of men will not indure the sight of Gods iustice because they are imperfect and stayned with the filth of our corruptions till hauing applyed Christ vnto vs by faith our vnrighteousnesse bee couered with his perfect righteousnesse and our corruptions be washed away with his blood And this was the cause why the Iewes who followed after the law of righteousnesse did not attayne Rom. 9. 31 32. vnto the law of righteousnesse because they sought it not by faith in Christ but by their owne workes of the law Moreouer we are wilde vines till we be ingrafted into the true Vine Iesus Christ and can bring foorth no good fruit for without him we can doe nothing But being planted into this liuing Iohn 15. 5. Stocke by a liuely faith we deriue from him such sap of grace that wee are made fruitfull in all holy obedience and as without him we can doe nothing so with him we are enabled to the performance of all good duties according to that of the Apostle I can doe all things through Christ that Phil. 4. 13. strengthneth me Furthermore faith is the prime grace that is after we are illuminated wrought in vs by the Spirit and the onely liuing Fountaine from which all true obedience floweth for till it purifieth the heart we haue Act. 15. 9. Gal. 5. 6. not so much as a desire to please God in the performance of any duty nor any power to produce a good action till faith worketh by loue and giueth 1. Iohn 4. 19. vnto vs life and motion And finally without faith there can bee no loue for wee cannot loue God till first we be assured that he loueth vs and without loue there can be no obedience for loue is the fulfilling of Rom. 13. 8. the law and therefore the want of loue is the roote of all disobedience and transgression But when by faith we are perswaded of Gods loue in Christ then doe we loue God againe who hath so loued vs and this loue worketh in vs a desire to please him in all things both by hating and forsaking that which he hateth and by louing and imbracing that which he loueth and commandeth So that according to the measure of our faith such is the measure of our loue and if our loue be great or small such also will be the fruits of our obedience §. Sect. 2 That faith and a godly life are inseparable companions Faith therefore and a godly life are inseparable companions being vnited together in the bond of loue which is stronger then death it selfe Cant. 8. 6. and as a godly life cannot possibly bee without faith no more then the fruit without the tree or a wel-built house without a foundation or breath without a liuing body So neither can a liuely faith be seuered from a godly life For being by faith assured of Gods loue we cannot chuse but loue him againe and approue our loue by our new obedience Being by faith ingrafted into Christ and so become trees of righteousnesse of Gods owne planting we cannot but bring foorth good fruits For as an euill tree Mat. 7. 17 18. cannot bring forth good fruit so neither can a good tree bring foorth euill fruit seeing the fruit alwaies followeth the nature of the tree And as men doe not gather Grapes of thornes nor Figges of thistles so neither Crabs of Apple-trees nor wild and sowre grapes of a good and fruitfull vine Finally faith and the fruits of obedience in a godly life are the one the cause and the other the effect which haue such mutuall relation that they argue and proue eyther the presence or absence one of another as if there be a Father there must needs be a child of which he is a father and if there be a child there must needs be a father of whom he is a child If there be a Sunne there must needs be beames spreading from it and if there bee beames there must needs be a Sunne from which they are spred If there be a liuing body it must needs moue and breathe and if there be a vitall breath then must there needs be a liuing body from which it is breathed And therefore as we may conclude that if there be no father sonne nor body there can be no child beames nor breath so where there is no faith there can be no fruits of obedience seeing these as effects doe arise and spring frō that cause And contrariwise as we may infer that if there be no child beames or breath there can be no father light or body so also that if there be no fruits of obedience in a godly life there can be no faith but onely some shew and shadow of it as a man though wanting a child is like a father the shaddow of the sunne in the water like vnto the sunne in the firmament and a dead carkasse like a liuing body nor yet a godly life Jam. 2. 18 26. and true obedience without faith but some glorious resemblance of it in outward appearance As a fatherlesse boy is like a child who hath a father the lightening hath some similitude of the beames of
way of the Lord. §. Sect. 2 Of the last meanes of obtaining faith which is meditation on diuers subiects The last meanes is often to meditate vpon these points following First vpon Gods euerlasting and vndeserued loue which mooued him euen whilst we were sinners the children of wrath the vassals of Satan and enemies to God and his grace to send his onely begotten and dearely beloued Sonne into the world that taking our nature vpon him hee might therein redeeme and saue vs by satisfying his iustice in paying for vs an all-sufficient price for our redemption And therefore hee that sought vs when wee were lost will not cast vs away when hee hath found vs. Hee that so loued vs when wee were enemies will not forsake vs now if wee seeke his fauour He that out of meere loue gaue Christ to redeeme vs by his death will not when he hath bought vs at so deare a price suffer vs to perish if we apply Christ and his merits by faith when as a free gift hee offereth him vnto vs. Secondly let vs meditate on Gods infinite mercy which causeth him to delight not in death and destruction but the conuersion and saluation of sinners The which his mercy being aboue all Rom. 5. 10. Ezek. 33. 11. his workes and infinitely greater then all our sinnes is freely offered vnto vs and wee are sure to receiue it if wee doe not reiect it by vnbeliefe Thirdly let vs meditate on Gods immutable and infallible truth in his promises and his omnipotent power whereby hee is able to performe them Fourthly vpon the all-sufficiency of Christs righteousnesse and obedience whereby Gods iustice is fully satisfied and his wrath appeased of which wee shall bee partakers if wee beleeue in him as our onely Sauiour and Redeemer Fifthly let vs meditate on the Couenant of grace wherein the Lord promiseth the pardon of our sinnes and the saluation of our soules not vpon the condition of our workes and worthinesse nor with exception of our sinnes but vpon the alone condition of a liuely faith which bringeth foorth the fruits thereof in vnfained repentance Sixthly let vs meditate vpon the generality and indefinitenesse of Gods promises which exclude no sorts of sinners who doe not exclude themselues by their vnbeliefe reiecting Gods pardon when as it is offered and pulling off the soueraigne salue of Christs merits and obedience so as it cannot cure their sores of sinne Lastly let vs meditate vpon faith not only as it is an instrument whereby Christ is applyed but also as it is a duty which is not arbitrary to be done or not done at our free choyse but expresly commanded by God as the condition of the couenant which Mark 1. he hath made with vs the which we also in our baptisme haue vndertaken to performe And therefore setting all doubts and disputes aside wee must beleeue in obedience to Gods Commandement And so much the rather because God hath not only required it at our hands but hath also vsed all meanes enabling vs to performe it For he hath made his couenant with vs of grace and saluation and though he be truth it selfe and cannot fayle of his promises yet respecting our imbecility and weakenesse of faith he hath to put away all doubting confirmed them by his oath and by annexing vnto his hand-writing his seales the Sacraments §. Sect. 3 Of the meanes whereby we may attaine vnto fulnesse of perswasion And these are the meanes of begetting and confirming of our faith that it may not only assent vnto the truth of Gods promises but also apply and apprehend them to our owne particular vse Now that from these two first degrees we may grow vnto fulnesse of perswasion which in assurance of our perseuerance in the fruition of Gods loue doth make vs with the Apostle to triumph ouer all difficulties and dangers there are diuers Rom. 8. 38 39. other things required As first that we esteeme faith our chiefe riches and this will make vs spiritually couetous and carefull by all meanes to adde vnto this treasure Secondly we cannot come to this fulnesse of fayth but by often experience of Gods loue shining in the riches of his mercies especially in things appertaining to grace and eternall glory To which purpose we must bee sensible of Gods goodnesse and diligently obserue his fauours towards vs and so by induction of particulars that seeing so often and many wayes he hath bin gracious and hath giuen vnto vs such innumerable testimonies and pledges of his loue hence we may gather an experimentall conclusion that being immutable in his goodnesse wee shall liue and dye in his fauour and nothing shall be able to separate vs from it Thirdly we attayne vnto this fulnesse of perswasion by becomming more and more acquainted with God in the vse of his holy ordinances as prayer hearing the Word receiuing the Sacrament of the Supper and meditation for hereby our communion and acquaintance with God is increased and the better we know him the more firmely will we trust and beleeue in him tasting hereby the sweetenesse of his goodnes and the infallibility of his mercy and truth Fourthly we attaine vnto certaine and full assurance of Gods loue toward vs by our often testifying and approuing of our loue towards God in our care to keepe all his Commandements that thereby we may glorify his Name by hauing the light of our holy conuersation shining before men seeing we could not possibly loue 1 Iohn 4. 19. Ier. 31. 3. Iohn 13. 1. him if he had not loued vs first and whom he loueth to the end he loueth them Finally we attaine vnto it by continuall exercizing our selues in good workes and by the dayly practice of Christian duties and leading of a godly life For as faith iustifying vs by applying Christs righteousnesse doth cause a good conscience after we haue peace with God so when we keepe our consciences purged with Christs blood cleare and vnspotted of any knowne willing and grosse sinne it doth maruailously confirme our faith in the assurance of Gods loue seeing we are carefull to maintayne our peace with him and therefore assuredly he will be at peace with vs according to that of the Apostle If our hearts condemne vs not then haue we confidence towards God 1. John 3. 21. §. Sect. 4 Of that special faith whereby we apply Christ for our sanctification And so much concerning iustifying faith which is the ground and foundation of a godly life Besides which generally considered there is a speciall faith or rather a branch of the other which is very profitable and necessary to vphold and further vs in our course of Christianity namely when as we doe by faith apply Christ not only for saluation but also for sanctification and apprehend the promises both for iustification and life eternall and also for the subduing of our corruptions and renouation vnto newnesse of life in this World In which respect also it may be
in themselues effectuall vnto vs for our purification For as the Poole of Bethesda had Ioh. 5. by the mouing of the Angell vertue in it to cure diseases but yet did good to none but those only which were put into it so though the blood of Christ be sufficient to cure the heart of the leprosie of sinne and to make it cleane yet it is of no efficacie vnto any sauing those who are by the holy Spirit dipped and washed in it seeing like the poore lame cripple wee are naturally impotent and cannot make any vse of these meanes of our recouery vnles we be assisted by the holy Spirit The instrumentall cause of this purificatiō is a liuely faith wrought in vs by the Spirit to this end the which we may apply vnto our selues Christ his death and precious bloodshed for our spirituall purging from sinne which is perfected in our iustification in respect of the guilt and punishment and begun in our sanctification by purifying our hearts from their natural corruptions Act. 15. 9. In which respect faith is said to purifie our hearts not materially or formally by any vertue inherent in it selfe but instrumentally by applying vnto vs the vertue of Christs death and bloodshed And vntill we haue this faith wrought in vs by the Spirit whereby we are assured of the riches of Gods grace in this life and glory and happinesse in the life to come our hearts remaine it their naturall filthinesse and are full of all carnall and worldly lusts neither is it possible that they should be perswaded to contemne the baites of worldly vanities and to tread vnder-foot the pleasures of sinne with which they are naturally so much delighted till they haue an offer of better things from God and haue some assurance that vpon their renouncing of the world and fleshly lusts and seeking after these richer gifts they shall most certainely attaine vnto them according to that of the Apostle Blessed be God and the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ 1. Pet. 1. 4. who according to his abundant mercy hath begotten vs againe vnto a liuely hope by the resurrection of Iesus Christ from the dead to an inheritance incorruptible and vndefiled and that fadeth not away reserued in heauen for you And this purged Moses heart from the loue of the world and made him willing to suffer afflictions with the people of God because with the eye of faith he looked vpon the recompence of reward And this caused the Saints of God Heb. 11. 25. to content themselues to dwel in tabernacles not to regard any earthly mansions because they looked for a City which hath foundations whose builder Heb. 11. 9 10. and maker is God the holy Martyrs to indure with patience ioy most cruell persecution not accepting deliuerance because by faith they were perswaded that they should obtaine a better resurrection Of which comforts of Heb. 11. 33. fayth wee haue great neede to be thereby supported vnder the Crosse and perswaded vnto the contempt of the world seeing Iesus the Author and finisher of our faith who was free from all worldly lusts and carnall corruption was by his heauenly hopes incouraged in his earthly sufferings for as the Apostle testifieth He for the ioy that was set before him endured the crosses despising the shame and is set downe at the right hand of the Heb. 12. 2. Throne of God CAP. XI Of the signes of a pure heart and the meanes whereby we may both obtaine and preserue it §. Sect. 1 Of the inward signes of a pure heart ANd these are the causes of a pure heart The signes whereby we may know whether our hearts bee thus purified or no are either inward or outward The inward signes are first the loue of holinesse and purity for as when our hearts are defiled with naturall corruption we loath sanctitie and loue and delight in impure lusts and the pleasures of sinne so when our hearts are purified by faith they are chiefly pleased with those things which please God and louing purity and piety they delight in the exercises of holinesse and righteousnesse And therefore when we loue purity and holinesse it is an euident signe that our hearts are pure and holy seeing the cause of loue is likenesse and where there is no similitude there can be no loue The second signe is hatred of sinne which vpon the same ground we naturally loue especially of those sinnes vnto which our corrupted nature is most inclined because they most molest and trouble vs and polluting the heart with their defilements hinder most our progresse in sanctification and holinesse And thus Paul when his heart was purified abhorred all corruption and delighted in Gods Law hating that sin most which he did most commit because like a Rebell it warred against the law Rom. 7. 15. of his minde and made him captiue to the law of sinne The third signe is our carefull auoyding all meanes and occasions of spirituall pollution for as he that hath filthy hands careth not to handle filthy things but when they are washed cleane will not willingly touch that which will defile them so an impure heart shunneth not the occasions and meanes of impurity because they cannot make it worse then it is in it owne nature in the quality though they may increase the pollution in respect of the degree yea rather being like filthy hogges naturally inclined vnto filthinesse they seeke the occasions of more vncleannesse and purposely wallow themselues in the sinke and puddle of sinne as often as they haue opportunity of satisfying their carnall lusts More especially he that hath a pure heart delighteth in the company of those who are pure and holy by whose Christian conuersation his purity and sanctification may be more and more increased and cannot indure the society of the wicked no not when like filthy dogs they fawne vpon him because he knoweth that the leprosie of sinne is of an infectious and spreading nature that he who toucheth pitch shall be defiled with it and that worldly men most defile when they most fawne and doe vs least hurt when they are farthest from vs. §. Sect. 2 Of the outward signes of a pure heart The outward signes of a pure heart are the fruits of sanctification and holinesse for the tree is knowne by the fruits and the fountaine by the Mat. 7. 17 18. streames that flow from it whether they be good or euill for a good tree cannot bring foorth euill fruit nor an euill tree good fruit as our Sauiour hath taught vs. If therefore the fruits we beare be pure and holy it is an euident signe that our hearts be purified and sanctified if the streames be cleere and sweete such also is the fountaine from which they spring and if the coyne wee outwardly spend and vse in our Christian trading one with another be currant of pure metall and the right stamp then is the treasury of our
be in aduersity we are not to contemne or to bee hard-hearted towards them much lesse to reioyce at their euils and miseries but to take i Luk. 7. 13. Rom. 12. 15. Luk 6. 36. pitty and compassion on them and according to our ability to shew mercy vnto them Vnto these vertues and duties wee may adde k Pro. 18. 24. Deut. 13. 6. Christian friendship in the Lord which ought to be sincere and constant l Luk. 6. 35. Christian charity wherby wee loue our enemies for the Lords sake m Eph. 4. 27. Mat. 23. 24. placablenesse and desire of reconciliation abstayning from all enmity open hostility and secret grudge n Pro. 6. 1◠19. 17. 9. a desire and forwardnesse to preserue friendship betweene others and to restore it being dissolued by making peace and amity Toward those which are vnder our power we must abstaine from all o Pro. 12. 10. 11. 17. cruelty backed either with our authority or might and vse all p Iude v. 22. 23. Tit. 3. 2. Pro 17. 14. Gen. 13. 8. Mat. 17. 26. Rom. 12. 13. 1. Pet. 4. 9. Heb. 13. 2. Gen. 4. 6. 1. Sam. 18. 9. Mat. 27. 39. Psal 37. 12. clemency towards them as much as will stand with their good and contrariwise from indulgence and fond cockering not bearing with their sinnes for foolish loue to the parties but vsing due and necessary seuerity when vices can no otherwise bee reformed and amended Vnto those who dwell in the same society wee are to vse concord and peaceablenesse to which purpose we must resist the beginnings of contention take away the occasions and sometimes depart from our owne right to preserue or redeeme peace And towards strangers our dutie is to vse good hospitality especially to the poore and harbourlesse Finally as wee are to preserue our neighbours person and life by performing all these inward duties vnto them so are wee to shew the outward signes of them in our countenance eyes gesture and voyce which must be so milde sweet and gracious that they promise to the beholders and hearers nothing but humanity brotherly loue and good will §. Sect. 3 Of outward duties here required respecting the person of our neighbours The outward duties tending to the preseruation of our neighbours Psal 34 12 13. Pro. 12. 18. Pro. 17. 19. Mat. 5. 22. Eph. 6 9. Phil. 2. 14. Gal. 4. 29. Rom. 12. 14. Leuit. 19. 16. Ezech. 22. 9. Pro. 25. 23. Psal 82. 4. Iob 29. 12. Mat. 27. 24. Pro. 24. 11 12. Exod. 21. 33. Deut. 22. 8. Tit. 3. 2. Mat. 26. 52. Exod. 21. 24. Leuit. 24. 19. Tit. 1. 7. Ps 26. 6. Gen. 9. 6. Num. 35. 33. Apoc. 22 15. Heb. 13. 16. Gal. 6. 10. 5. 22. Rom. 12. 13. person and life respect our words or deedes In respect of the former there is required that wee haue a peaceable tongue which speaketh all good and no euill to and of our neighbours Vnto them wee must vse louing and courteous speeches and abstaine from all brawling and scolding rayling and reuiling scoffing and scorning vnchristian menacings towards inferiours and murmuring towards superiours and cursings and imprecations towards any man And of them we must not behind their backes vse tale-bearing and slandering nor lend our eares to those who offer these wrongs vnto them In respect of our deeds all our workes and actions must tend to the preseruation and defence of our neighbours life and person but especially of his immortall soule which ought as it is most precious in it selfe so to be most deare vnto vs. In which regard we must omit no duty which may defend and preserue the life and person of our neighbours when we can and may lawfully performe it We must not by our negligence leaue any thing vndone nor by our wilfulnesse doe any thing whereby they may be indangered Neither must we commit any act which tendeth to his hurt and hazard But we must haue peaceable hands and not in time of peace quarrell and fight and innocent hands free and cleane from blood neither hurting and wounding the body of our neighbours nor killing and taking away his life but contrariwise we must be beneficent and in all our actions doe them all good vsing humanity and mercy to all and brotherly loue and kindnesse towards those who are of the houshold of faith §. Sect. 4 Of the duties which we owe to our neighbours soule The duties which tend to the preseruation of the life of our neighbours soule are either naturall or spirituall In the former respect wee Gen. 45. 27. Pro. 17. 22. Gen. 27. 46. Exod. 1. 14. Pro. 10. 1. 1. Sam. 1. 6 7. 1. Cor. 10 32. 1. Ioh. 2. 10. 1. Cor. 9. 19 2. ought to preserue their liues in cheering and comforting them by our sweete and Christian conuersation and not vniustly offer vnto them any occasion whereby they may be vexed and grieued In respect of the latter we are not to hinder by any meanes the saluation of others nor to be any wayes an offence vnto them neglecting their saluation as though it were a thing not belonging to vs but contrariwise vse all good meanes whereby they may be wonne to Christ edified in their most holy faith and furthered in the way of holinesse and righteousnesse which will bring them to euerlasting happinesse To which end we must not commit any act whereby we may be scandalous vnto another and a cause of his sinne either by a 1. Kin. 21. 7 25. prouocation b 2. Sam. 16. 21. Mat. 16. 23. euill counsell or c Rom. 14. 15. bad example but contrarywise performe cheerefully all duties belonging to the communion of Saints e Rom. 1. 11 12. 1. Thes 5. 11 14. Iam. 1. 19. in spirituall things as mutuall f Heb. 10. obseruation one of another g Dan. 12. 3. instructing the ignorant confuting conuincing and reclaiming him that erreth that he may be sound in the faith admonishing and h Heb 3. 12 13. exhorting the negligent and backward i Leuit. 19. 17. Gal. 6. 1. reproouing those that offend k 1. Thes 5. 14. comforting the comfortlesse and l Mat. 5. 16. 1. Pet. 2. 12. shining before all in the light of a good life and holy example §. Sect. 5 Of duties belonging to our owne persons Besides which duties which we owe to our neighbours there are diuers others required in this Commandement which are to bee performed to our selues for the good preseruation and defence of our persons and liues and especially for the saluation of our soules In respect of our bodies and liues heere is required that wee vse all good and lawfull meanes Mat. 6. 1. Pro. 17. 22. Eccl. 3. 22. whereby our health may be preserued as temperance and sobriety in diet moderate sleepe and labour honest and moderate recreations of body and minde cheerefulnesse and honest ioy reioycing in the fruition
and therefore cannot apply vnto vs Christ our Righteousnesse Though they doe not iustifie vs before God yet they iustifie vs before men that is declare that we are iustified Though they be not causes yet they are necessary and inseparable effects of our iustification Though they are not required vnto the act of iustification but faith onely vniting vs vnto Christ our Righteousnesse yet vnto the party iustified for as hee that doth righteousnesse is righteous so hee that is righteous 1. Ioh. 3. 7. doth righteousnesse the cause and effect alwayes concurring and going together Finally though they bee not meritorious causes of saluation which is Gods free gift an inheritance and not a purchase made by our selues yet they are the meanes which assure vs of it and though they be not the cause of our raigning yet they are the way to the Kingdome Finally they are the vndoubted signes and as the Apostle calleth them the proofe of our loue whereby we may try whether it be vnfained or hypocriticall Ioh. 14. 15. for if we loue God we will keepe his Commandements and also of the truth and sincerity of our Religion which is not so well knowne from that Iam. 1. 27. which is false by an outward profession as by the holy practice of it in the workes of piety iustice mercy and Christian charity §. Sect. 6 Of the rewards of good works Lastly let vs consider that the Lord will richly of his free grace reward these workes with glory and happinesse in his Kingdome For though the strength of our title stand vpon Gods free gift yet wee are entred into the possession of it by the workes of mercy as being infallible signes that wee are the true and lawfull heires vnto whom this heauenly patrimony doth belong by right of Couenant according to that of our Sauiour Come ye Mat. 25. 34 35. blessed of my Father inherit the Kingdome prepared for you from the foundation of the world for I was hungry and ye gaue me meate I was thirsty and ye gaue me drinke c. So the Apostle saith that at the day of Iudgement Christ will render to euery man according to his deeds To them who by patient continuance Rom. 2. 7 8. in well-doing seeke for glory honour and immortality eternall life but to them that are contentious and doe not obey the truth but obey vnrighteousnesse indignation and wrath c. Whereby it appeareth that if euer we meane to attaine vnto euerlasting happinesse we must not content our selues with an opinion of our inward piety and sincerity nor with an outward profession of Religion but we must bring foorth the fruits of them both in the workes of holinesse and righteousnesse For not euery one that saith Lord Mat. 7. 21 22. Luk. 11. 28. Ioh. 13. 17. Apoc. 1. 3. Lord shall enter into Gods Kingdome but they that doe his will And they only are pronounced happy who heare the Word of God and keep it As for those who please themselues with the profession of piety neglect the practice in the fruits of obedience and duties of a godly life they are presently in danger to be cut off like hypocrits dead branches with Gods iudgemēts according to that of Iohn the Baptist Now is the axe laid to the root of the trees Mat. 3. 10. Ioh. 15. 2. Therefore euery tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewne downe cast into the fire And in the World to come shall be excluded from Gods presence and haue their portion in euerlasting fire prepared for the deuill and his Mat. 7. 23. 25. 41. angels not only as workers of iniquity but also as neglecters of the workes of mercy and Christian charity to the poore members of Iesus Christ CAP. IIII. That we must performe vniuersall obedience to the whole will of God §. Sect. 1 That only vniuersall obedience to Gods will Word is accepted of him AND thus haue we shewed that our obedience ought to bee vniuersall in respect of the subiect or the person that performeth it In the next place we are to shew that there is also an vniuersality required in respect of the obiect whereby we vnderstand the whole will of God reuealed in the Scriptures Neither is it sufficient that we performe some or many duties and neglect the rest but wee must in all things bee conformable to all Gods Commandements which is not so to be vnderstood as though we could actually doe all that God requireth for in many things wee sinne all but of Iam. 3. 2. an habituall obedience and disposition of our hearts whereby wee desire resolue and indeuour in all things to doe Gods will in as great perfection as we can bewailing our wants and imperfections when we faile and come short of our desires Of which we haue an example in Dauid who Psal 119. 6. had respect vnto all Gods Commandements and in the remnant of the Captiuity who bound themselues by couenant and oath to walke in Gods Law Nehem. 10. 29. and to obserue and doe all the Commandements of the Lord their God and in Zachary and Elizabeth who were righteous before God walking in all the Luk. 1. 6. Commandements and Ordinances of the Lord blamelesse The contrary whereof we see in the example of Iehu who obeyed God in destroying the house 2. King 10. of Ahab and Baal with his Priests for the establishing of his owne Kingdome but not in taking away the golden Calues In Herod who Mark 6. 20. heard Iohn the Baptist willingly and obeyed his doctrine in many things but would not leaue his Incest In Iudas and Demas who performed many good duties but would not forsake their couetousnesse and loue of the world And finally in Ananias and Saphyra who were content to share Act. 5. with God but kept part of the possession which they had wholly consecrated vnto him for their owne vse But our obedience must be vniuersall keeping no sinne as sweet vnder our tongue but we must in the disposition Job 20. 12. desire and purpose of our hearts renounce all sinnes whatsoeuer without exception be they neuer so pleasing or profitable yea wee must with greatest hatred pursue those vnto which our corrupt natures are most inclined making warre as against all these wicked enemies of God so most earnestly against this Canaanitish brood which dwell in our Land And contrariwise we must loue and imbrace all vertues and practise all Christian duties which God hath commanded though they be neuer so hard and difficult to our corrupt disposition yea the more auerse our sinfull natures are vnto them so much the more earnestly we must labour to imbrace and practise them For if we make any composition with Satan and our owne flesh to giue willing entertainement vnto any sinne or to neglect any vertue or Christian duty our obedience is but hypocriticall and fained and the sinne reserued like a
next vnto faith vpon Luk. 24. 37. which hee would haue them to preach in his Name A duty that belongs vnto all and is neuer vnseasonable alwayes necessary An Euangelicall grace and chiefe fruit of faith in which it liueth without which it is dead So that as faith is the life of our soules by applying Christ vnto vs in whom we liue so repentance in respect of our sense and feeling which can no otherwise iudge of the hidden roote but by the outward fruit is the life of this life As faith is the onely condition of the Couenant of grace which assureth vs of all good things temporall and eternall so repentance as a counter-bond assureth vnto vs this assurance by a sensible infallibility outward euidence perswadeth vs that we performe this condition of beleeuing in Christ and apprehending all the promises by faith vnfained Now that thou mayest O my soule proceed in some order what is this repentance but an Euangelicall and sauing grace of God wrought in thine heart by his holy Spirit applying by faith as by his instrument Christ and all his benefits which inflaming thine heart with feruent loue doth make thee looke vpon him whom thou hast pearced to bewaile thy sinnes as the chiefe causes of his death to hate and forsake them and to turne vnto God offering vnto thee grace and pardon by amendment of life and bringing foorth the fruits of new obedience So that it is a grace and free gift and no naturall endowment which commeth by inheritance or else procured by thine owne purchase It is the gift of God who giueth vnto thee all good things It is a gift of his free grace preuenting thee when thou didst neuer so much as thinke of it by putting into thy mind the profit and necessity of it and into thy heart some desire of receiuing it preparing and fitting thee for it by the preaching of the Law working humiliation contrition and legall sorrow and fitting thy mind and will that they might consent and obey the motions of the Spirit outward in the Word and inward in the heart and conscience working it first in thee by changing the mind and heart and turning them from sinne vnto holinesse and righteousnesse co-working with thee that thou mayest continue renew and increase in the practice of it and perfecting thy repentance in the parts and degrees of it which himselfe begun It is hee that calleth vs to repentance and inableth vs to repent He striketh our stony hearts and maketh them to relent by sound contrition before these rocks will yeeld any waters of true repentance It is he that powreth the Spirit Ezek. 11. 29. 36. 26. Zach. 12. 10. Act. 5. 31 11. 18. 2. Tim. 2. 25. of grace vpon the house of Iudah before they can lament for their wickednesse and that giueth repentance to the house of Israel and with it remission of sinnes Thou canst not turne vnto him O my soule before hee first turne vnto thee nor weepe bitterly with Peter till hee thaw thy frozen heart by reflecting vpon thee the beames of his gracious countenance Yea when he turneth thou canst not turne till hee turning his face turne also thine heart as it is running away with feare and neuer looking backe that thou mayest behold his gracious countenance promising nothing but good and his stretched out Arme to receiue thee vnto grace and fauour Surely saith the Church after I was turned I repented and after that Ier. 31. 19. Lam. 5. 21. I was instructed I smote vpon my thigh No man can sorrow for his sinnes nor resolue to forsake them but hee that hateth them nor any hate them but they who loue God nor any loue him whose hearts hee first inflameth not by sheading abroad his loue in them by the holy Ghost which hee giueth vnto Rom. 5. 5. 1. Joh. 4. 19. vs. Neither doth he worke alone but together with his Sonne and holy Spirit For it is the blood of this Lambe of God which worketh our adamantine hearts to this relenting softnesse and the water which issued out of his pierced side which being beheld with the eye of faith doth draw out of our eyes the brinish waters of repentant teares And therefore because he is the Author of our repentance both as hee procured it by the meritorious vertue of his death and worketh it by his blood-shed applyed by faith he inioyneth his Apostles to preach repentance in his Name Finally Luk. 24. 47. it is the oyle of the holy Spirit which suppleth and softneth our hard and stony hearts It is this diuine fire which warming our cold hearts with the flame of Gods loue and the hot blood that issued from our Sauiour causeth them to send vp into our heads these salt yet sweet waters of vnfained repentance which distill by our eyes and in trickling teares drop from our cheekes This winde of the Spirit must blow vpon vs yea must blow into vs before wee can returne vnto God one sigh to expresse our sorrow for our sinnes And therefore O my soule seeing God is the principall cause of thy repentance rob him of no part of his due but ascribe vnto him the whole glory of his owne worke Which though hee could effect by his sole immediate power yet hee is pleased to vse in it many subordinate causes meanes and instruments by which he worketh this grace in thee As ministeriall and helping causes namely the Ministers of the Word who in this worke are co-labourers with Christ sent by him to open mens eyes and to turne them from darkenesse to light and from Act. 26. 18. the power of Satan vnto God that they may receiue forgiuenesse of sinnes and inheritance among them that are sanctified by faith in Christ in which respect they are called spirituall fathers begetting them to God by the seed of the 1. Cor. 4. 15. Word So likewise instrumentall causes which are inward precedent and immediate as sauing knowledge shewing the way to repentance a liuely faith vnfained loue and true feare of God both in respect of his mercies and iudgements especially the last and generall Iudgement at Act. 17. 30. the end of the world or else outward which either lead and draw or else mooue and perswade vs to repentance Of the former sort are many instruments and meanes to bring vs to it As the Ministery of the Word and first the preaching of the Law which prepareth vs for it and of the Esa 55. 7. Gospel which worketh it in vs by assuring vs that if wee will turne to the Lord he will haue mercy vpon vs and forgiue vs our sinnes So also crosses Psal 119. 71. Luk. 13. 1 2 3. Rom. 2. 4. and afflictions either vpon our selues or others Gods blessings and benefits either promised or bestowed The moouing and perswading causes are innumerable as the loue of God towards vs his patience and long suffering his truth in his
the mind are not onely preserued but also much improoued by continuall exercise so vertuous actions and workes of piety and righteousnesse being the exercises of our faith doe tend much to the strengthening of it whereas contrariwise by the neglect of these duties it is much weakened and by the contrary vices and acts of sinne exceedingly shaken and grieuously wounded In which regard the Apostle ioyneth the holding of faith and a 1. Tim. 1. 19. 1. Cor. 15. 58. good conscience because the one will not stay without the other being such louing twins as cannot be diuided but liue and die together More especially the duties of a godly life doe confirme our faith in the assurance of our election not as causes for the election of God is free of grace and Rom. 11. 6. Eph. 1. 4. not of workes but as the effects and fruits of it and as the end vnto which wee are elected for wee are not chosen because wee were holy but to the end that wee might bee holy as the Apostle sheweth Thus the Apostle Peter exhorting vs to make our calling and election sure 2. Pet. 1. 10. prescribeth this as the onely meanes the ioyning of one vertue and Christian duty with another telling vs that if wee doe these things wee shall neuer fall The Psalmist likewise setting downe the markes and signes whereby wee may know whether God hath chosen vs to dwell in his holy mountaine maketh this the first chiefe to walke vprightly and work righteousnesse Psal 15. 2. 24. 4. and to haue cleane hands and a pure heart Secondly hereby our faith is perswaded of Gods grace and loue in Christ For by keeping of Gods Commandements we are assured that we loue God according to that of the Apostle Iohn Whoso keepeth his Word in him verily is the loue of God perfected 1. Ioh. 3. 6. 1. Ioh. 4. 19. and consequently that he loueth vs seeing we loue him because he loued vs first our loue being but a sparke of that diuine and infinite flame Thirdly of our effectuall calling this being the meanes which the Apostle prescribeth to make it sure For heereby we know that the grace of God 2. Pet. 1. 10. Tit. 2. 11 12. bringing saluation hath shined vnto vs when as we are taught thereby to deny vngodlinesse and worldly lusts and to liue soberly righteously and godly in this present world that wee haue in a sauing manner heard Gods Word when hauing receiued it into honest hearts wee haue brought foorth fruits Luk. 8. 15. with patience That wee are ingrafted into Christ the true Vine when Ioh. 15. wee bring foorth the ripe Grapes of holinesse and righteousnesse That wee are trees of righteousnesse of Gods owne planting when like the tree planted by the riuers of waters wee bring foorth fruit in due season That wee are good men when out of the good treasure of our heart Psal 1. 2. Mat. 7. 17 18 20 we bring foorth that which is good That wee are of God and the Sheepe of Christ when we heare Gods Word and follow him And that wee are truely Luk. 6. 45. a kinne to Christ when wee doe the will of his Father which is in heauen Ioh. 8. 47. Mat. 12. 50. Fourthly by a godly life and the workes of piety and righteousnesse our faith is assured of it selfe that it is liuely and vnfained for as our good workes doe shew it vnto others so also they approoue it vnto our selues as being the fruits of this tree and the very breath of this body without which it is but a dead stocke and rotten carkasse For as the Apostle Iames Iam. 2. 17 26. telleth vs Faith if it haue no workes is dead being alone And as the body without the spirit is dead so faith without workes is dead also Fifthly our faith is heereby assured of our iustification and of all the fruits and benefits that doe accompany it As that we are freed from our sinnes both in respect of their guilt and punishment by the death and resurrection of Iesus Christ when as by the vertue and power of them we feele our selues deliuered from the corruption of them so as they doe not rule and raigne in vs as in former times and quickned in the inner man vnto holinesse and newnesse of life That we are reconciled vnto God when as we feele an earnest desire and constant indeuour wrought in vs of pleasing him in all things That we are his children by adoption and grace when we liue as it becommeth his children and resemble our heauenly Father in holinesse and righteousnesse That we are sanctified by his Spirit when as wee bring forth the fruits of our sanctification in a godly and Christian life That we haue vnfainedly repented of our sinnes when as wee bring forth fruits worthy amendment and doe daily exercise our selues in good workes Finally that we are Citizens of heauen and heires of euerlasting happinesse when as we haue our conuersation there setting our hearts and affections on things aboue and not on things beneath and when hauing Phil. 3. 20. Col. 3. 2. Joh. 3. 2 3. this hope that we shall be made like vnto Christ we haue purged our selues as he also is pure §. Sect. 4 That a godly life strengthneth and increaseth our hope and confidence in God The second spirituall benefit of a godly life is that it strengtheneth and increaseth our hope and confidence in God grounded vpon this assurance Psal 34. 15. that hee will preserue all those that feare and serue him from all euill all perils and dangers and the malice and might of all their enemies and that he will prouide for them all things necessary seeing he who is so bountifull euen to his enemies will not let his owne children want any thing that is good who haue a desire to serue and please him So that they which feare the Lord haue great cause to trust in the Lord as the Psalmist Psal 115. 11. exhorteth because he is their helpe and shield And this made the three Children so confident that they cared not for the rage of the Tyrant nor for the fiery Furnace though seuenfold hotter then ordinary because they had serued God with a good conscience and thereby were assured that the God whom they serued was both able and willing to deliuer them Dan. 3. 17. This made Daniel to serue God constantly whom hee had formerly serued notwithstanding the cruell edict of the King because he well knew that the God whom he serued was able to deliuer him from the Lions as Dan. 6. 16. Darius also acknowledged From which confidence there arise diuers other singular benefits as inward ioy and comfort in all estates seeing in this confidence we haue cast all our care vpon God patience in all troubles seeing we trust assuredly in God for helpe and deliuerance in that time which shall be most seasonable both for his glory
it so may I truely say of these my labours out of which so much profit comfort and contentment haue accrewed vnto my selfe that I should haue no iust cause to repent for the scantnesse of my reward although no other fruit should spring from them But if I be not deceiued as we are apt to be no lesse blinded in iudging of our spirituall and mentall then of our naturall and corporall births these my present labours will proue no lesse profitable vnto all that peruse them then any of the former Yea if my affection corrupting my iudgment doth not cause me to looke vpon them like Fathers vpon the children of their old age with an ouer-partiall eye they are in some respects to be preferred before any of the other both because the subiect on which they intreate hath the priuiledge of excellency and necessity as being the maine duties of Christianity which are to be performed thorowout the whole course of our liues and also because they generally concerne all sorts of men who thinke themselues bound to doe God any seruice or to carry themselues so as that their works and wayes may be accepted of him If any man shall thinke that I haue described the duties of a godly life with more strictnesse and in greater perfection then any can attaine vnto in this state of imperfection and so haue required more of others then I can any wayes be able to performe my selfe let him know that the worke must be fitted to the rule and not the rule to the worke and that this must be straight and perfect although by reason of the crookednesse of the matter or stuffe no worke-man is able to frame it so but that it will in many places decline and swarue from it And though the marke of perfection be so small and so farre out of our reach that none in this life can hit it yet must it be set before vs and we must striue to shoot at it as neere as w 〈…〉 seeing they are more likely to haue the prize of the best game who aime at it then those who looke another way For my selfe none can accuse me of so many and great imperfections in my course and practice of these duties as I am ready to charge my selfe within the court of mine own conscience yet if I would not belie the grace of God in me I must professe that I doe labour to performe that my selfe which I propound vnto others and though I cannot attaine to the goale of perfection as I haue here described it out of Gods Word yet bewayling my stiffenesse and lamenesse in running the Race I indeuour and presse in some measure towards Phil. 3. 13 14. the marke for the price of the high calling of God in Iesus Christ and no more then this doe I require of others Now because wee cannot grow in grace and godlinesse without the assistance of Gods Spirit and this cannot be had vnlesse we sue and seeke for it and because also godlinesse in a great part consisteth in powring forth our soules before God in humble and hearty frequent and feruent prayers therefore lest any thing which is necessary should be wanting to this Treatise I haue in the end of it set downe diuers formes which may serue either for the vse of weake Christians who cannot fit themselues with better or for some direction to guide them in composing or conceiuing others according to their owne particular occasions If any man thinke them ouer-long and tedious to him I confesse they are so though there is scarce two amongst them that may not be treatably vttered in a quarter of an houre and therefore I would not torture his deuotion by perswading him to racke and stretch it aboue its due length and strength but rather I would aduise if hee meet not with shorter Prayers which better please him that hee deuide both the Confessions and Petitions with some marke of a Pen so as he may vse one halfe at one time and the rest at another And so Christian Reader I leaue thee to the Lord and his good blessing vpon all thy studies and indeuours only requesting these two things at thine hands First that as I haue laboured much in giuing thee directions for the leading of a Christian life so thou wilt also striue with all thine indeuour to walke in this way reuealed vnto thee And secondly that if thou reape any fruit of my paines as I doubt not thou wilt if thou reade to profit by them constantly vnto the end and not heere and there by fits and snatches thou wilt be pleased to affoord me the benefit of thy Prayers that together with thy selfe I may continue and hold out vnto the end in the profession and practice of all Christian and holy duties vntill hauing finished our course with ioy we doe both of vs receiue the Crowne of righteousnesse which God of his free grace hath laid vp for vs and for all those who loue his appearing Octob. the 16. 1622. Thine in the Lord Iesus our Head and Sauiour I. D. A TABLE CONTAINING IN IT THE CONTENTS of the Chapters and Sections in the Treatise following The Contents of the first Booke CAP. I. Containing the Preface to the following Treatise which sheweth the excellency profit and necessity of the subiect matter therein handled pag. 1. Sect. 1. THat the end of euery thing is to be preferred before the meanes which are destinated vnto it 1. 2 That the practice of Religion and godlinesse is to bee preferred before the theory and bare knowledge of it 2 3 That the practice of godlinesse is an infallible signe of the sincerity of our knowledge and profession 3 4 That the practice of godlinesse is the touch-stone of our faith 3 5 That though a godly life is not the cause yet it is the way to euerlasting happinesse 4 6 That all Gods Ministers should inforce this doctrine and practice of a godly life 4 CAP. II. Containing the definition of a godly life whereby we may know what it is and wherin it consisteth 5 Sect. 1 What a godly life is both according to the Law and the Gospell 5 2 That a godly life chiefly consisteth in Euangelicall and filiall obedience and what it is 5 3 That the regenerate onely can leade a godly life 6 4 That the Spirit of God is the Authour of spirituall life 7 5 That the Spirit inlighteneth vs in the wayes of godlinesse 7 6 That we must be ingrafted into Christ before we can leade a godly life 8 7 That onely those can leade a godly life who are in the couenant of grace 9 8 That a liuely faith is necessarily required to a godly life 10 9 That the duties of a godly life must spring from the fountaine of loue 10 10 That the duties of a godly life must proceed from thankfulnesse 11 11 That the duties of a godly life must be done in humility 11 12 That we must propound Gods glory
as the end of all our actions 13 CAP. III. Of the maine matter of a godly life namely that it must be framed according to Gods will in holinesse righteousnesse and sobriety 14 Sect. 1 That we can no otherwise please God then by framing our liues according to his will 14 2 That not Gods secret but reuealed will must be the rule of our liues and actions 15 3 Reasons prouing that wee can no otherwise please God then by doing his will 15 4 Of the speciall duties wherein a godly life chiefly consisteth 18 CAP. IIII. Of the forme and manner how all Christian duties ought to be performed namely with feruency of desire a settled resolution and earnest indeuour to please God in all things 19 Sect. 1 That these desires resolutions and indeuours are required of all those who will serue and please God 19 2 That all Euangelicall obedience consisteth chiefly in these desires resolutions and indeuours 20 3 That they must not be faint and weak but feruent and earnest 21 4 That they must be intire and totall both in respect of the subiect and obiect 22 5 That our desires resolutions and indeuours must aime at the meanes as well as at the end 23 6 That they must not be lazie and idle but diligent and painfull 23 7 That they must not bee by fits and flashes but constant and durable 24 CAP. V. Of sauing knowledge which is the first maine ground of a godly life How necessary it is and the causes of it 25 Sect. 1 Of the maine grounds of a godly life 25 2 That sauing knowledge is the prime vertue and mother grace from which all others haue their beginning 25 3 That ignorance estrangeth vs from God and the life of grace and glory 27 4 That God is the chiefe Authour and efficient cause of sauing knowledge 28 5 Of the instrumentall causes of sauing knowledge 29 CAP. VI. Of the obiect of sauing knowledge namely God himselfe and his attributes his Word and workes 30 Sect. 1 That there is a God and how we may know it 30 2 Who this God is and how he may be described 30 3 Of Gods attributes and how they are ascribed vnto God 30 4 Of Gods primary attributes and how they may be described 31 5 Of Gods secondary attributes and how they differ from those shadowes of them which are in the creatures 31 6 What Gods secondary attributes are and how they may be described 32 7 Of the persons in Trinity 33 8 Of the knowledge of Gods workes and first of his decree 34 9 Of the execution of Gods decree in mans Creation fall and misery 34 10 Of our recouery out of our misery 35 CAP. VII Of the quantity and quality of sauing knowledge and how necessary it is to a godly life 36 Sect. 1 Of the quantity of knowledge and the diuers degrees of it 36 2 Of the quality of our knowledge that it may be effectuall 38 3 That this sauing knowledge is necessary to a godly life 38 4 Of the meanes of sauing knowledge 39 CAP. VIII Of a liuely and iustifying faith which is the second maine ground of a godly life 40 Sect. 1 That without faith wee cannot performe any duty of a godly life 40 2 That faith and a godly life are inseparable companions 41 3 That they deceiue themselues who dis-ioyne faith from a godly life 42 4 Of a generall faith 43 5 Of iustifying faith what it is and what is required vnto it 43 6 Of the degrees of faith and how they are wrought in vs. 45 7 That the duties of a godly life hold a proportion with our faith whether it be weake or strong 46 CAP. IX Of the meanes whereby wee may obtaine a liuely faith and daily increase it from the least to the highest degree 47 Sect. 1 Of fiue speciall meanes whereby we may obtaine a liuely faith 47 2 Of the sixth meanes 48 3 Of the meanes whereby wee may attaine vnto fulnesse of perswasion 49 4 Of that speciall faith whereby we apply Christ for our sanctification 50 5 Of the meanes whereby wee may strengthen our faith in the assurance of our sanctification 50 CAP. X. Of the third ground of a godly life which is a pure heart 52 Sect. 1 Of a pure heart what it is and from whence it ariseth 52 2 That all true fruits of godlines spring from a pure heart 52 3 That God chiefly desireth the heart aboue all other parts 53 4 That God respecteth no duty vnlesse it proceed from a pure heart 54 5 That all sound repentance must begin at the heart 55 6 Wherein purenesse of heart consisteth 55 7 Of the causes of the hearts purity 57 CAP. XI Of the signes of a pure heart and of the meanes whereby wee may obtaine and preserue it 58 Sect. 1 Of the inward signes of a pure heart 58 2 Of the outward signes of a pure heart 59 3 That it is a good meanes of a pure heart highly to esteeme it 59 4 Of the manifold euils which accompany a polluted heart 61 5 That faith is a chiefe meanes of a pure heart 61 6 Of the meanes to preserue the purity of our hearts the first whereof is to watch ouer them 62 7 The second meanes is to preserue them from all sinne 63 8 The third meanes is to auoyd the occasions of sinne 64 9 The fourth meanes is often to examine our hearts in the sight of God 64 10 The fifth meanes is to be continually taken vp in holy exercises 65 CAP. XII Of Conscience in generall the nature properties and effects of it 65 Sect. 1 That the nature of conscience may partly be knowne by the name 65 2 What conscience is being generally considered 66 3 Of the diuers offices of conscience 67 4 That conscience hath all its power and authority from God onely 68 CAP. XIII Of a good Conscience which is a maine ground of a godly life what it is and the causes of it 69 Sect. 1 What a good conscience is and what is the efficient cause that worketh it in vs. 69 2 Of the meritorious cause of a good conscience 69 3 Of the instrumentall causes 70 4 That a good conscience springeth from a liuely faith 71 CAP. XIIII Of the actions and effects of a good conscience of the peace which it truly speaketh and how it differeth from the false peace of secure worldlings 72 Sect. 1 That a good conscience speaketh goodnesse and peace onely 72 2 That it speaketh peace according to the truth of Gods Word 73 3 The differences betweene the peace of a good and bad conscience as first that the peace of the wicked proceedeth from ignorance of their estate 73 4 That the peace of a good conscience proceedeth from spirituall life of an euill from senselesnesse and deadnesse 74 5 That the peace of the wicked proceedeth from carnall security 75 6 That the peace of an euill conscience proceedeth from worldly imployments 76 CAP.
221 2 Their obiection answered who pretend want of leasure to pray 222 3 That before we pray we must vse preparation and what is required vnto it 223 CAP. XIIIâ— Of such things as are required as essentiall vnto prayer 225 Sect. 1. That we must pray in truth with attention and not with wandring thoughts 225 2 The meanes hereof 226 3 That wee must pray with our vnderstandings 227 4 That wee must pray in faith 228 5 That we must pray in humility with reuerence and feruency 229 CAP. XV. Of the circumstances of Prayer their quantity and quality 230 Sect. 1. Of our gesture and voyce in prayer 230 2 That we must not affect prolixity and superfluity of words in prayer 231 3 Of the quality of our prayers 233 CAP. XVI Of the forme and methode which are to bee vsed in our Prayers 233 Sect. 1. Of formes of prayer set downe by others 233 2 Of formes of prayer inuented by our selues 234 3 Of conceiued prayers and how farre foorth they are commendable 235 4 What methode is best in disposing the parts of our prayers 236 5 What duties are to be performed after we haue prayed 237 6 Of the time in the Morning when wee are to vse our priuate Prayer 238 7 Of prayer with the rest of the family 239 CAP. XVII Of singing Psalmes and reading the Scriptures in the family 240 Sect. 1. That singing of Psalmes is inioyned in the Scriptures and practised by the faithfull 240 2 How we may sing Psalmes in a right manner 241 3 That wee must diligently reade the Scriptures and the great profit of this exercise 242 CAP. XVIII Of our daily exercise in the duties of our callings and of diuers vertues required in them 243 Sect. 1. That wee must make choyce of lawfull callings 243 2 That we must be regenerate before we can serue God acceptably in our callings 244 3 That wee must performe the duties of our callings in faith 245 4 That the duties of our callings must proceed from loue 245 5 That they must bee directed to right ends 246 6 That they must bee done in a right maner and first with heauenly minds 246 7 That they must bee sanctified by the Word and Prayer 247 8 Of the vertues which must accompany vs in the duties of our callings 248 CAP. XIX Diuers reasons to perswade vs to bee faithfull and diligent in the duties of our callings 251 Sect. 1. That God hath ordained man to labour and in many places of the Scriptures hath strictly inioyned it 251 2 That it is Gods Ordinance that wee should labour in our callings 252 3 That God blesseth the diligent with many benefits 253 4 That the Lord abhorreth idlenesse and negligence and seuerely punisheth it 254 5 That idlenesse is the cause of innumerable sinnes 254 6 That it maketh vs liable to many punishments 256 CAP. XX. That all persons without exceptions are bound by Gods Law to walke painefully in the workes of their callings 257 Sect. 1. That the former reasons bind all men to painefulnesse in their callings 257 2 That Gentlemen haue no priuiledge to bee idle and how they should spend their time 258 3 That the poorer sort must labour painefully in their callings notwithstanding that the badnesse of their Trades afford small earnings 259 4 That the impotent are not bound to labour but may with good conscience take their ease 261 CAP. XXâ— Of Recreations which are not onely lawfull but also profitable and necessary if we bee exercised in them according to Gods Word 262 Sect. 1. That we cannot continually bee exercised in the workes of our callings 262 2 What lawfull recreation is and that it may be vsed with good conscience 263 3 That recreations are profitable and necessary 264 4 That we must make choyce of such recreations as are lawfull and what they are 265 5 Whether it be lawful to play at games which stand vpon hazard and chance 267 CAP. XXII Of diuers cautions which ought to be vsed in all our recreations 269 Sect. 1. That recreations must bee vsed with moderation in respect of our loue of them 269 2 That moderation must be vsed in respect of time 270 3 That recreations must bee so vsed as that they may refresh the body not pamper the flesh 271 4 That in our recreation we must auoyd giuing of offence 271 5 That all due circumstances must bee obserued in our recreations and what they are 272 6 That we must in our recreations consort our selues with good company 274 7 That we must take heed lest our recreations steale our hearts from God 274 CAP. XXIIâ— The last caution is that our recreation be a liberall exercise and not for sordid gaine 273 Sect. 1 That greedy gaming for gaine is vnlawfull 275 2 Whether it bee simply vnlawfull to game for money 275 3 A serious admonition that none abuse their liberty in recreations of this nature 278 CAP. XXIIIâ— Of the duties which ought daily to bee performed at our meales 279 Sect. 1 That wee ought to take speciall care of our carriage at our meales 279 2 Of the duties which ought to be performed before we eate and first that we must sanctifie the creatures to our vse by the Word 280 3 That wee ought to sanctifie the creatures to our vse by prayer and thanksgiuing 280 4 Of some short meditations before we eate 282 5 Of the duties which ought to be performed at our meales and first that we vse the creatures with temperance and sobriety 283 6 That we must be temperate and moderate in respect of the quantity of our meats and drinkes 284 7 Other directions concerning the quantities of our meates and drinkes 286 8 Of moderation in respect of the quality of our meates 287 CAP. XXV Of diuers other duties which wee ought to performe at our meales 289 Sect. 1 That wee ought to bee content with our allowance 289 2 That we may be merry at meales 289 3 Of our conferences and discourses at our tables 291 4 Of the choyce of our company at our meales 292 5 Of the manifold abuses of our feasting one another 293 6 That after our meales wee must shew our thankfulnesse by praising God 295 CAP. XXVI Of the duties which wee ought to performe when we are solitary and alone 297 Sect. 1 That when wee are alone wee must not be idle and vnfruitfull 297 2 That wee must spend our solitary houres in good exercises shunning vaine thoughts and entertaining Christian meditations 297 3 That in our solitarinesse wee must auoyd carnall concupiscence and the pleasures of sinne 299 4 That it is pleasant profitable and necessary to spend our solitary houres in Christian duties 300 CAP. XXVIâ— What duties we ought to performe when we are in company 302 Sect. 1 That ciuill conuersation excelleth solitarinesse 302 2 That we must not rashly rush into all companies but with good choyce and aduice and also with due preparation 304 3 That our
whole carriage and conuersation must bee religious ciuill and honest 306 4 How wee must carry our selues in the company of those which are worldly and wicked 307 CAP. XXVIIâ— Of Christian conferences which we must vse when we are in company for our mutuall good 309 Sect. 1. That our speeches must bee gracious and prudent 309 2 Of Christian admonition and what is required to the right performance of this duty 310 3 That wee may lawfully conferre of morall and ciuill things 314 4 That we must carefully auoyd all corrupt communication 314 CAP. XXâ—â— Of Christian prudence which we are to vse in all our conferences 315 Sect. 1. How wee must carry our selues when we conferre with those that excell vs in gifts 315 2 How we must behaue our selues when as we conferre with ciuill worldlings 317 3 How we must deale with them that are openly prophane 318 4 Of the manifold and dangerous abuses of conferences in these dayes and the causes of them 319 5 That Christian and religious conferences are exceeding profitable 320 CAP. XXX Of those duties which concerne our workes and actions one with another both out of contracts and in our buying and selling 321 Sect. 1. That wee must labour both to doe and receiue all the good we can in our dealings with others 321 2 That wee must take all occasions of gaining others to Christ 322 3 That in all our dealings and bargainings we must carry our selues vprightly and honestly 323 4 That wee must sell onely things saleable 324 5 That wee must set and sell our wares at an equall price 325 6 That in buying and selling all fraud and deceit must be auoyded 326 7 How to auoyd the faults commonly committed betweene buyers and sellers 327 CAP. XXXI That Gouernours of Families ought to traine vp those who are vnder their charge in the duties of godlinesse 328 Sect. 1. That it is not enough for Gouernours to bee themselues religious but they must also traine vp those who are vnder their gouernment in the knowledge and practice of Religion 328 2 Diuers reasons to mooue Gouernours vnto this duty 329 3 That it is the duty of Householders to catechize their family and of the causes why it is neglected 332 4 Reasons which may mooue all Gouernours to the duty of catechizing First because it is Gods Commandement 333 5 Other reasons inforcing the former duty 334 6 Examples of the faithfull who haue catechized their Family 335 7 Reasons moouing children to submit themselues to be catechized 335 8 Reasons mouing those which are of yeeres to submit themselues to bee catechized if they bee ignorant 336 9 Of the great profit of this exercise of catechizing 338 CAP. XXXII Of Family duties which respect wise and religious gouernment 340 Sect. 1. What things are required to wise gouernment 340 2 Of Iustice and loue required vnto gouernment 341 CAP. XXXIII How we ought to behaue our selues in the estate of prosperity that we may thriue in all spirituall graces 343 Sect. 1. What prosperity is and how apt wee are to abuse it through our corruption 343 2 That wee must bee diligent lest our prosperity become vnto vs an occasion of sinne and how it is to bee done 344 3 That wee must not forget God nor be vnthankfull and take heede that his blessings doe not draw our hearts from him 344 4 That we must beware of pride security and hardnesse of heart licentiousnesse and contempt of spirituall and heauenly things 346 5 That wee must not bee slothfull in Gods seruice and take heed that worldly things become not snares and thornes vnto vs. 348 6 That wee must carefully arme our selues against such tentations as are incident to this estate 349 7 That we must not too highly esteeme nor too earnestly affect and seeke after earthly things 349 CAP. XXXIIIâ— How wee may rightly vse the estate of prosperity so as it may be an helpe vnto godlinesse 350 Sect. 1. That wee must vse Gods temporall blessings as helpes vnto sauing graces and spirituall duties 350 2 That we must vse them for the common good of the Church and Common-wealth 352 3 Three other cautions to be obserued for the right vse of prosperity 353 4 Of the right vse of apparell 354 CAP. XXXV How we ought to behaue our selues in the estate of affliction so as we may profit thereby in all sauing graces 356 Sect. 1. What afflictions are and the diuers kinds of them 356 2 Of our preparation before the approch of afflictions 356 3 Of patience in afflictions and what is required vnto it 358 4 Of the meanes and motiues vnto patience First because God is the Authour of all our afflictions 359 5 That our afflictions tend to the setting forth of Gods glory 360 6 That afflictions are meanes of our owne good 361 7 That the world is a place destinated to afflictions 362 8 That the faithfull in all ages haue beene partakers of the like or greater afflictions with vs. 362 9 Comforts arising from the good issue of all our afflictions 363 CAP. XXXVâ— Of those Christian duties which are to be performed in the euening and night 364 Sect. 1. That the euening must not bee spent in sloth and idlenesse 364 2 Of euening exercises as meditation reading and Christian conferences 364 3 Duties to be done at our going to bed 365 4 Of examination how wee haue spent the day past 366 5 Meditations at our lying downe 368 6 Duties to bee done in the night As first prayer and thankesgiuing 369 7 Speciall meditations fit for the night 371 8 That the profit of these duties will farre exceed the paines 372 CAP. XXXVII That wee must moderate our sleepe and not spend too much time in sloth and sluggishnesse 373 Sect. 1. That this moderation is commanded in the Scriptures and the contrary sloth condemned 373 2 The manifold euils which excessiue sleepe bringeth 375 3 That sloth is displeasing to God and how it may be auoyded 376 CAP. XXXVIIâ— Of duties to bee performed on the Lords Day for the sanctifying of it 377 Sect. 1. Of our preparation before the Sabbath 377 2 Of generall preparation in the whole weeke 378 3 Of speciall preparation the Euening before the Sabbath 378 4 That in our preparation we must purge our selues from all sinfull corruptions 379 5 That wee must vse all helpes which may further vs in the sanctifying of the Lords Day 380 CAP. XXXIX That the whole Lords Day must be consecrated vnto him First by resting on it from all labour and from sinne 381 Sect. 1. That the whole Day must bee spent in religious exercises 381 2 That wee must rest from our owne workes on the Lords Day 383 3 That wee must abstaine from carnall recreations 384 4 That wee must rest from sinne of all kinds 386 5 That wee must not thinke our owne thoughts on the Lords Day 387 6 That we must not do the Lords works after our owne manner 387
and ashamed in our selues that we can shoot no higher of which we haue the holy Apostle as a patterne for our imitation who forgetting those things Philip. 3. 13 14. which were behind namely the former part of his race in the way of godlinesse and reaching foorth vnto those things which were before to wit that Christian perfection vnto which he had not yet attained did presse towards the marke for the price of the high calling of God in Iesus Christ And this is that Euangelicall and Sonne-like obedience which God now vnder the Couenant of grace requireth of vs which if we labour to performe he will accept of vs in Christ and remember our sinnes no more but will Ier 31 34. Mal. 3. 17. 2. Cor. 8. 12. spare vs as a man spareth his sonne who serueth him accept of the will for the deede and couering the imperfections of our obedience with Christs perfect righteousnesse and washing away the pollution and corruption of it in his most precious blood he will be well pleased with vs and approoue of vs as though we had attained to perfect righteousnesse §. Sect. 2 That a godly life chiefely consisteth in Euangelicall and filiall obedience and what this is And in this filiall obedience doth that godly life principally consist which we now intreate of for it is nothing else but a feruent desire sound resolution and sincere indeuour to conforme our whole liues in all holy obedience to Gods will that we may please him in all things and glorifie his holy name by our Christian conuersation or if we would haue a more full description of it A godly life is the life of a Christian who being regenerate quickned and illuminated by Gods Spirit and ingrafted into Christ thereby and by a liuely faith assuring him of Gods loue and his owne saluation doth in loue and thankefulnesse towards him desire resolue and indeuour to please him in all things by doing his will reuealed in his Word and to glorifie his name by walking before him in the duties of holinesse righteousnesse and sobriety with faith a pure heart and good conscience all the dayes of his life In which description we are to consider two things First the person that leadeth this godly life and secondly the actions in this life performed by him the person is first named and then described by his state and properties Concerning the first he that leadeth this life is the Christian onely For as for the life of Heathens and Pagans seeme it neuer so strict iust and glorious as of Socrates Aristides Cato Seneca and such like it is voyd of all true godlinesse and not accepted of God because it is ioyned with ignorance of the true God and Iesus Christ idolatry will-worship infidelitie and all kind of heathenish impiety §. Sect. 3 That the regenerate onely can lead a godly life Neither doe all that beare the name of Christians leade this godly life but they who are so not in name and profession onely but in deed and truth that is such only who are in that state and qualified with those properties which are set downe in the former description As first that he be regenerate for they that are vnregenerate cannot performe any dutie of a godly life which is pleasing and acceptable to God because being out of the Couenant their persons and consequently their actions are not accepted of him but are the slaues of Satan held captiue to doe his will the 2. Tim. 2. 26. Eph. 2. 1 3. children of wrath and enemies vnto God and his grace dead in trespasses and sins and therefore no more able to doe the duties of holinesse and righteousnesse then a dead man is able to doe the actions of the liuing In which respect the Apostle saith that we are not of our selues able to thinke a good 2. Cor. 3. 5. Phil. 2. 13. thought nor so much as to will that which is good because it is God onely which worketh in vs both the will and the deed Neither can we better our estate by our own strength for as the Prophet teacheth vs as well may the Aethiopian Ier. 13. 23. change his blacknesse and the Leopard his spots as we doe well that are accustomed to doe euill So that the regenerate man alone can lead a godly life or performe any dutie acceptable vnto God for first Abel was accepted and then his sacrifice and our persons must first be sanctified before they Gen. 4. 4. can please God by our works of holinesse For as in the ceremoniall law the touching of holy things did not sanctifie and clense the polluted person but the person polluted did make the holy things to become vncleane as Haggai speaketh so the workes which in themselues materially Hag. 2. 12 13. are good and holy doe not sanctifie the vnregenerate man that doth them but through the taint and pollution of his sinne they also are polluted and defiled Now vnto this regeneration two things are necessarily required First that we haue the Spirit of God dwelling in vs And secondly the sanctifying and sauing graces of the Spirit which alwayes doe accompany it for the Spirit of God is the Author of our regeneration which begetteth vs vnto God according to that of our Sauiour Except a man be borne of water and the Spirit he cannot enter into the Kingdome of God And that Iohn 3. 5. of the Apostle But ye are washed but ye are sanctified but yee are iustified in 1. Cor. 6. 11. 2. Cor. 3. 2 3. Tit. 3. 5. the name of the Lord Iesus and by the Spirit of our God It is the Spirit which mortifieth our sinnefull corruptions by applying vnto vs the vertue of Christs death and so by destroying the kingdome of sinne raiseth vs out of the state of death and which giueth vnto vs the spirituall life of grace by applying vnto vs the vertue of Christs resurrection which inableth vs to doe the actions of the liuing It is the Spirit that leadeth vs into all Iohn 16. 13. Rom. 8. 14. truth and hereby assureth vs that we are the sonnes of God seeing wee performe vnto him filiall obedience And therefore they who will walke in the wayes of godlinesse must haue this holy Spirit to bee their guide They who would outwardly mooue in the actions of piety and righteousnesse must haue this inward cause to stirre strengthen and support them for as well may a blinde man trauaile vncouth wayes without a leader or the body mooue without the soule as we goe in this Christian way or doe the workes of God vnlesse his holy Spirit be our guide and strength The which must mooue vs in the first place to labour earnestly to haue this Spirit dwelling in vs and to vse to this purpose that powerfull meanes of effectuall prayer seeing our heauenly Father hath promised to giue his holy Spirit to them that aske him as our Sauiour hath Luke 11. 13. taught
holy Spirit This is that sonne-like obedience which God now requireth of vs which if we performe we and our seruice shall be accepted of God in Christ our imperfect righteousnesse being couered with his perfect obedience and our corruptions washed away in his blood For he spareth vs as a louing father spareth his sonne that serueth him who in the duties Mal. 3. 17. which he requireth respects his affection more then the action and the intention and desire of his heart to please him more then of his abilities in performance according to that of the Apostle If there be first a willing 2. Cor. 8. 12. minde it is accepted according to that a man hath and not according to that hee hath not An example whereof we haue in Dauid who hauing in his heart 2. Sam. 7. 16. a desire and resolution to build the Temple though he did it not was accepted and rewarded of God as if he had built it And in Abraham Gen. 22. 16. whose resolution to sacrifice his sonne was as pleasing in Gods sight as if he had beene sacrificed Now the reason why our desires and resolutions are so acceptable vnto God is first because they are the chiefe seruice of the heart which the Lord respecteth aboue all other parts and outward performances And secondly because all our indeuours and actions are according to our desires either forward and feruent or slacke and remisse For as Philosophie teacheth the loue and desire of attaining to the end is the first cause in the intention of the agent which setteth him on worke and according to the greatnesse of this loue and desire to the end at which wee ayme such is our care and diligence in the vse of all good meanes whereby wee may attaine vnto it Moreouer as it will make our persons and actions accepted of God so our prayers which God hath promised to heare and grant According to that of the Psalmist Lord thou Psal 10. 17. hast heard the desire of the humble thou wilt prepare their heart thou wilt cause thine eare to heare And againe He will fulfill the desire of them that feare Psal 145. 9. him he will heare their cry and will saue them And the Wiseman telleth vs that the desire of the righteous shall be granted that is not they who are Pro. 10. 24. righteous according to the rigour of the Law but they who are Euangelically righteous and desire and labour to attaine vnto it as it is expounded in the prayer of Nehemiah O Lord I beseech thee let now thine eare be attentiue Nehem. 1. 11. to the prayer of thy seruant and to the prayer of thy seruants who desire to feare thy name And consequently this being one of their most principall desires that they may be so freed from their corruptions and imperfections as that they may performe vnto God that perfect obedience which the Law requireth and their soule longeth after the Lord will satisfie it and though for a time they bee turmoiled and humbled in the sight and sense of their corruptions yet by degrees he will bring them vnto this perfect age in Christ and to that height of perfection which they so much desire when as hauing put off with their mortalitie all relikes of corruption they shall be clothed with those long white robes of perfect Apoc. 6. 11. holinesse in his heauenly Kingdome Vnto which happy estate in the meane time their longing and thirsting desires doe giue them full title and interest for they are blessed not who are replenished with perfect righteousnesse but who hunger and thirst after it as our Sauiour hath Matth. 5. 6. taught vs. §. Sect. 3 That our desires resolutions and indeuours must not be faint and weake but seruent and earnest But yet that we may not in our carnall sloth and security deceiue our selues with shaddowes in stead of substances we are to know that not all kind of desires resolutions and indeuours are acceptable vnto God nor make vs to be accepted of him but those only which are sound and solid sincere and vpright vnto which diuers properties are required First that they be not faint and weake fickle and slight but strong and vehement earnest and feruent like the desires of women with child which are euen heart-sicke vnlesse they be satisfied in the things which they long after as Dauid implyeth where he saith Behold I haue longed after thy precepts Psal 119. 40. quicken me in thy righteousnesse And againe My soule fainteth for thy saluation Vers 81. but I hope in thy Word that is thy promise whereby thou hast assured me that thou wilt satisfie my desire They must not be inferiour to the desires of worldlings seeing the things desired are so much superiour exceeding them in excellencie profit and permanencie as farre as heauen exceedeth earth Now we know that the desires of worldlings after their riches pleasures and preferments are so feruent and earnest that they wholly take vp their thoughts in thinking of them and their care in compassing them Neither is there any paines so great or danger so desperate which they will not venter vpon but night and day by sea and land labour after that which their soule loueth They must be like the desires of the Spouse in the Canticles which made her sicke through their feruent Cant. 2. 5. heate and ready to swoune had she not beene stayed and refreshed with the wine and apples of spirituall comforts They must so inlarge our hearts that they will be ready to breake if they be not replenished and mollified with the oyle of Gods grace and holy Spirit according to that of Dauid My soule breaketh for the longing that it hath to thy iudgements at all Psal 119. 20. times They must as they are compared resemble hunger and thirst Matth. 5. 6. which make men sicke till they bee satisfied and so resolute that nothing can withstand them no difficultie or danger so great and desperate which they will not hazard themselues vnto that they may procure meate and drinke to preserue them from famishing and with such care and diligence vse all meanes tending heereunto as if they were religiously bound to doe it by a solemne oath as we see in that desire and resolution of Dauid I haue sworne and will performe it that I will keepe thy righteous iudgements Psal 119. 106. And thus Iob to strengthen his desires and resolutions in shunning sinne and seruing God bindeth himselfe and all his members heereunto by solemne couenant I haue saith he made a couenant with mine eyes why then Iob 31. 1. should I thinke vpon a maiden §. Sect. 4 They must be intire and totall both in respect of the subiect and obiect Secondly these desires resolutions and indeuours must be intire and totall both in respect of the subiect and obiect For they must proceed from the whole heart and will so farre foorth as
a Iewell of such price we may not thinke to haue it for the bare wishing but that we must compasse it with some difficultie and haue our cost and labour in some proportion answerable to this precious pearle which is much to bee preferred before many worlds And considering what cost and paines worldly men willingly vndergoe in pursuing their earthly desires out of a bare and often false hope to obtaine them with what industry and labour hazard and danger the ambitious man aspireth vnto honours the couetous man hunteth after riches and the voluptuous man after pleasures let vs be sorry and ashamed to thinke any paines or perill too much in walking in the way of a godly life which shall assuredly be crowned with glory and immortalitie rewarded 1. Cor. 2. 9. with heauenly treasures which will neuer fade and with such euerlasting ioyes as our eyes haue not seene nor our hearts conceiued The soule Pro. 13. 4. of the sluggard saith Salomon desireth and hath nothing but the soule of the diligent shall be made fat The which as it is true in respect of earthly riches so also of spirituall grace and the treasures of holinesse the which we may long idly wish and yet neuer inioy them whereas if as our desires be earnest so our indeuours diligent and laborious wee may haue much more assurance to be inriched with them then to compasse with all our paines our worldly desires seeing we haue Gods promises more absolute for them Neither doe they flee their followers as earthly riches doe which make themselues wings and flie away as the Eagle towards heauen Pro. 23. 5. deluding their hopes which with most speede pursue them Yea slothfull desires rather hurt then helpe vs in the wayes of godlinesse causing the sluggard to rest in them as sufficient without vsing any meanes to haue them satisfied In which respect the saying of Salomon is truely verified of them The desire of the slothfull killeth him for his hands refuse to labour For Pro. 21. 25. as his body must needs famish who onely wisheth meate but vseth no indeuour to satisfie his hunger so his soule will soone bee depriued of the spirituall life of grace and godlinesse who idlely desireth to bee replenished with this spirituall foode and taketh no paines to attaine vnto it The Kingdome of God saith our Sauiour suffereth violence and the violent Matth. 11. 12. take it by force Neither shall they enter into it who sit downe idlely and cry out Lord Lord open vnto vs that is content themselues with a bare Mat. 7. 12 13 21 profession of Christianity and labour not to doe the will of our heauenly Father but they who striue to enter in at the straight gate and take much paines in trauailing that narrow path of righteousnesse which leadeth to Gods Kingdome §. Sect. 7 That our desires resolutions and indeuours must not be by fits and flashes but constant and durable Lastly our desires resolutions and indeuours must not be by fits and flashes one while hot and earnest and another while cold and remisse Perseuerandum est assiduo studio robur addendum donec bona mens sit quod bona voluntas est Sen. Epist 16. but constant and durable like those in couetous men which neuer cease till they be satisfied or rather because they can neuer be satisfied whilest we liue on earth therefore they must neuer cease but the more wee haue of these spirituall riches the more earnestly we must desire and indeuour to haue them still increased For this life is not the time of our perfection and full age in Christ but of spirituall growth in grace from strength to strength and from a lesser to a greater measure of godlinesse and righteousnesse We must not like those who are sicke of an ague be one while cold and another while hot nor haue a good day for Gods seruice and an ill day for the seruice of the deuill and the world for this were a sicknesse and no spirituall health which would prepare vs for death and destruction and not for life and happinesse Neither will God euer accept of it who can no more indure to haue thus our time then to haue our hearts diuided betweene him and his enemies But our soules with Dauids must Psal 119. 20 33 112. breake for the longing that they haue vnto Gods iudgements at all times we must with him resolue to keepe Gods statutes vnto the end and haue our hearts inclined to keepe his statutes alway Wee must not like the hypocrites of whom Hosea speaketh offer vnto God a righteousnesse like vnto the morning dew which vanisheth when the Sunne ariseth but such as will indure the heate Hos 6. 4. of the day like the streames that flow from a springing fountaine For the waters of life which Christ doth giue are neuer dry but shal be in him that hath them a well of water springing vp to euerlasting life And the trees Ioh. 4. 14. of righteousnesse which are of Gods planting are like those planted by the Psal 1. 3. riuers side which are neuer barren but bring foorth their fruit in due season and they that be planted in the House of the Lord shall like the Palme Ps 92. 12 14. tree perpetually flourish and bring foorth fruit in their old age as the Psalmist speaketh CAP. V. Of sauing knowledge which is the first mayne ground of a godly life How necessary it is and the causes of it §. Sect. 1 Of the maine grounds of a godly life HAuing explained the description of a godly life and in part shewed what is required in him that is to leade it and wherin it principally doth consist wee will now proceed and more fully handle some mayne poynts before briefly touched which are necessary to be knowne of him who desireth to make any progresse in the wayes of godlinesse And heere two things come chiefly to be considered First the grounds And secondly the parts of a godly life which containe the duties that are to bee performed by those who leade it The grounds of this godly life are certaine fundamentall vertues whereupon it is built and from which as liuing fountaines all other vertues and holy duties doe spring and flow And these are principally two First sauing knowledge of God his will and workes And secondly a liuely faith in Iesus Christ From which two other maine graces arise which as principall causes produce all speciall duties of a godly life namely First a sanctified heart purified by faith Act. 15. 9. And secondly a good conscience which followeth our iustification §. Sect. 2 That sauing knowledge is the prime vertue and mother grace from which all others haue their beginning The first maine ground of a godly life is sauing knowledge which is the prime vertue and mother grace from which all others take their beginning It is the roote of this tree of grace from which being
good powerfull iust bountifull a liberall rewarder of good and reuenger of euill according to the saying of the Apostle That which may be knowne of God is manifest in them for God hath shewed it vnto them then how much more clearely doth this light Rom. 1. 19. shine in the faithful when as it is renewed and made much brighter and clearer by Gods holy Spirit The Booke also of the creatures doth conuince all men that there is a God and that he is infinite in wisedome and power omnipresent and full of goodnesse according to that of the Apostle The inuisible things of him from the creation of the world are cleerely seene Rom. 1. 20. being vnderstood by the things that are made euen his eternall power and Godhead so that they are without excuse And therefore how much more may the faithfull profit by learning and reading this Booke who haue the holy Spirit for their Tutor which openeth their eyes that they may see Gods wisdome goodnesse and power shining in them and their hearts that meditating on them they may make an holy vse of this knowledge for the stirring of them vp to render vnto God prayse and thanksgiuing The Booke of grace also is either the internall writing of Gods Law and will in the heart and inward parts by the Spirit of God which the Lord promiseth to doe in the couenant of grace or the outward Booke of the Ier. 31. 34. holy Scriptures in which are contained all things necessary to be knowne of God and his will for the saluation of our soules And lastly Gods Ministers are his instruments whereby he reuealeth himselfe and his will vnto vs who doe expound vnto vs his written Word and vnfold the mysteries and difficulties thereof that we may vnderstand them And therefore if we would attaine vnto the knowledge of God and his will we are to vse the helpe of those instruments which he hath ordained for this purpose especially we are to desire that inward writing of the Spirit in our hearts and to make vse by reading and meditation of the Scriptures and by often hearing of them expounded and applied vnto vs by Gods faithfull Ministers CAP. VI. Of the obiect of sauing knowledge namely God himselfe and his attributes his Word and workes §. Sect. 1 That there is a God and how we may know it ANd these are the causes of sauing knowledge The obiect of it is God his will and workes Where first we are to know that there is a God who is to be worshipped and serued of vs. Vnto which we attaine by the light of nature which reuealeth this principle vnto vs and conuinceth all men of this truth by the Booke of the creatures in which the infinite wisedome power and goodnesse of the Creator shineth by the terrours of conscience following the commission of heynous sinnes though neuer so secret by the series and dependancy of causes one vpon another in the disquisition whereof there is no end till we come to the cause of causes who hauing his being of himselfe giueth being vnto all things by the goodly order which may be obserued in the creatures and the motion of the heauens and the celestiall bodies by the finall causes one thing being referred to another till wee come to the summum benum and supreme end of all things which is God by the accomplishment of Prophecies foretold long before their euents by the consent of all Nations in acknowledging this principle and finally by the iudgements and punishments executed vpon the wicked euen in this life by all which we come to the cleare vnderstanding of this truth that there is a God although in truth it is so euident in it selfe that no argument can be brought to illustrate it seeing nothing is so cleare and manifest §. Sect. 2 Who this God is and how he may be described Secondly we are to know what this God is or rather who he is For what he is in his owne essence he hath not reuealed in the Scriptures neither are we capeable of this knowledge nor any other creature seeing he is infinite and we finite But who he is he hath made knowne in his Word namely that he is Iehouah Elohim a Spirit infinite in all perfection one in nature and three in persons the Father Sonne and holy Ghost By which description it appeareth that God is primum ens and the first being who hath his essence of himselfe and giueth being to all things as his name Iehouah signifieth that he is vncreated and a Spirit as our Sauiour John 4. 23. the wisedome of the Father hath made him knowne vnto vs not so much thereby shewing his essence what he is which is ineffable and incomprehensible as distinguishing him from all corporeall substances That he is but one because he is infinite in all perfection wisedome power presence and the rest and it is against the nature of infinitenesse to bee more then one because hee made and gouerneth all as supreme Monarch in which Monarchy there can be no copartners and because he is the cause of causes from which all things haue their being and vpon which they wholy depend §. Sect. 3 Of Gods attributes and how they are ascribed vnto God Thirdly we must know that this diuine essence is infinite in all perfection The which perfection is seene in his properties which are not properly in God who is all essence and no qualities for whatsoeuer is in God is God but according to the capacity of our shallow vnderstanding neither doe they differ from his essence nor one from another for God is one and of a most simple nature admitting no diuision into parts faculties or properties nor yet any essentiall distinction but onely in our comprehension or maner of vnderstanding So as we must not take his properties to be any parts of his essence seeing euery essentiall propertie is his whole essence and therefore howsoeuer distinguished in respect of his diuers manner of working towards the creatures yet not in themselues but are inseparable one from another In which respect the wisedome of God is the wise God the power of God the powerfull God and so in the rest And his wisedome power mercy goodnesse iustice truth are all one in their essence there being in God but one most simple and pure act vnto which diuers names are giuen in the Scriptures to shew vnto vs how it is diuersly exercised towards the creatures §. Sect. 4 Of Gods primary attributes and how they may be described Now these Attributes are of two sorts First primary Secondly secondary Primary are those which declare vnto vs the essence of God as he is absolutely in himselfe of which there being no similitude in the creatures they are attributed vnto God alone without communication to any other And in this number are Gods Simplicity Infinitenesse Eternity Immensity Immutability and Omnipresence all-sufficiency and omnipotency His simplicity is an essentiall attribute by which
the Sunne and the breath of the winde hath some resemblance to the breath of life §. Sect. 3 That all those deceiue themselues who disioyne faith from a godly life Where by the way wee may perceiue that diuers sorts of men are notably deceiued and coozen themselues of their owne saluation As first carnall gospellers and prophane protestants who bragge of their faith as being strong and certaine and yet liue in all impiety and vnrighteousnesse bringing forth no fruits of their faith in good workes and the duties of a godly life Secondly ciuill worldlings and superstitious Papists who pleasing themselues with their blinde deuotion will-worship humane inuentions and some outward shewes of good workes as fastings penances almesdeeds hospitality and such like doe thinke God also pleased with them and will reward them with heauenly happinesse when as they are destitute of true faith and vtterly ignorant of God and his will making no conscience of the duties of the first Table to performe them in that manner which God hath required but eyther neglect them altogether or else doe them according to their owne meanings wills and humane inuentions and traditions Thirdly such as being touched with some inward guilt of conscience for their sinnes through some affliction or vpon the hearing of some powerfull Sermon doe somewhat grieue for their sinnes and so betake themselues at least in many things to a new course of life The which their sorrow accompanied with this reformation they thinke pleasing to God and sufficient to secure them of their saluation though they bee destitute of the sauing knowledge of God and a liuely faith in Christ and doe these duties not out of loue towards God following their assurance of his loue towards them but out of selfe-loue and seruile feare either of temporall punishments or eternall death and condemnation But let them all know that a liuely faith and a godly life are inseparable companions which neuer goe asunder for as well may we part the heate from the fire the light from the Sunne and make a good tree retaining still its nature barraine of fruit as separate true faith and a godly life one from another And therefore that the strong faith of carnall Protestants is nothing else but fruitlesse security and fond presumption that the deuotion and good workes of ciuill worldlings and ignorant Papists are blind superstition will-worship and glorious sinnes like trees that haue no roots and faire buildings that haue no foundation and that the sudden flood of sorrow raised by some tempest of conscience or storme of affliction and springeth not from the fountaine of faith is but worldly sorrow that causeth death which commonly lasteth but a while and when the causes of it are remooued doth easily giue place to the contrary extreme of worldly reioycing and carnall liberty §. Sect. 4 Of a generall faith Now the faith that is required vnto a godly life as the ground and foundation of it is either generall or speciall The generall faith is a common gift of the Spirit by which we beleeue and giue firme assent to the whole Word of God as true and certaine It is called generall because the obiect of it is generall euen the whole Word of God and euery part of it and but a common gift of the Spirit because it may be in the reprobate as well as in the elect seeing it applyeth not Christ and his benefits for our iustification For by this faith Ahab beleeuing and assenting to the truth of Gods threatnings outwardly humbled himselfe and so adiourned his punishments And the Nineuites beleeuing the truth of Gods Word in the mouth of Ionas repented as they beleeued that is after a generall and legall manner out of feare to bee attached with those heauy iudgements which were threatned and so escaped them Yet this faith is more then a doubtfull opinion seeing it firmely assenteth to the whole truth and is to be preferred before naturall knowledge and persvvasion grounded vpon the euidence of sense and reason seeing it resteth vpon the sole authority of Gods infallible truth and consequently is more firme and vndoubted 2. Pet. 1. 19. because sense and reason may be deceiued but the truth of God can neuer faile Againe though it be not a sanctifying gift of the Spirit yet it is more properly then the other a gift of the sanctifying Spirit and necessary vnto iustifying faith as being a degree leading to it as also vnto a godly life seeing it is required that not onely all wee doe be agreeable to the Scriptures but also that we beleeue and be perswaded that they are agreeable for as the Apostle teacheth vs whatsoeuer is done in doubting whether it please God or no and hath not this warrant of faith to make vs confident it is though materially a good action yet formally no better then sinne in Gods sight Rom. 14. 23. §. Sect. 5 Of iustifying faith what it is and what are the things required vnto it The speciall faith which is the maine ground of a godly life is a true liuely and iustifying faith which is a sanctifying grace infused by Gods holy Spirit whereby wee doe firmely and effectually beleeue and assent vnto the promises of the Gospell especially those which offer Christ and his benefits vnto vs and also them particularly vnto our selues with assurance that they all doe belong vnto vs and so rest wholly vpon them for our iustification and saluation whereby it appeareth that there are foure things required vnto iustifying faith First knowledge of Gods Word especially the gracious promise of Christ and all his benefits to all that will receiue him as their Sauiour and rest vpon him for their saluation For first we must know the promises before we can beleeue them according to that of the Apostle How shall they beleeue in him of whom they Rom. 10. 14 17. haue not heard namely by the preaching of the Gospell for as faith commeth by hearing so this hearing is only of the Word of God Secondly assent to the truth of the Scriptures especially the promises of the Gospell for after that our mindes are inlightened with the knowledge of Gods truth by which is reuealed vnto vs first our sinne and misery and that we cannot by our selues nor the helpe of any creature come out of it to the end that we may be humbled and despaire of our owne strength and secondly the infinite loue of God and his free mercies in Iesus Christ together with the gracious promises of the Gospell made in him whereby is offered vnto vs mercy reconciliation the forgiuenesse of our sinnes and the saluation of our soules to all that beleeue and will receiue them by the hand of faith bringing foorth the fruits thereof in hearty repentance and new obedience then doth Gods holy Spirit by his secret operation make the Ministery of the Word effectuall to worke in vs a firme assent to this truth of God respecting our saluation not
so much in respect of the cleere euidence heereof in it selfe or the forciblenesse of the arguments which are brought to conuince and perswade naturall reason as in regard of Gods authority who is most infallible in his truth infinite in his goodnesse and almighty to performe whatsoeuer he hath promised Which assent being effectuall in vs doth worke in our vnderstandings a perswasion that our sinnes though in themselues haynous yet compared with Gods infinite mercies and the all-sufficient merits of Iesus Christ are pardonable in our iudgements a precious and high esteeme of these mercies and merits aboue all worldly things In our hearts an hungring and thirsting desire to be made partakers of them for the remission of our sinnes in our wils a firme resolution to renounce all other meanes and to rest wholly vpon Gods mercies and Christs merits for our iustification and saluation And in our actions a carefull indeuour to vse all good meanes whereby we may bee more and more assured of Gods loue in Christ and among the rest in all things to please God in all our thoughts words and workes that so we may glorifie him from whom wee expect so great grace and mercy and make our calling and election sure The third thing required is an apprehension and application of the promises of the Gospell the infinite mercies of God and all-sufficient merits of Christ vnto our selues in particular which is the forme and very life of faith and maketh the things thus applyed vsefull and effectuall for our iustification and without which wee shall haue no more benefit by them then a man hath by a soueraigne salue and cordiall medicine not applyed and taken or by warme clothes which are not put on The last thing required is affiance and confidence when as knowing assenting vnto and applying Gods mercies and Christs merits vnto our selues we rest and rely wholly vpon them for our iustification and saluation §. Sect. 6 That after illuminatiō there are three degrees of faith and the maner how they are wrought in vs. So that after illumination there are three degrees of faith the first is an effectuall assent to the promises of the Gospell which worketh in our hearts an hungring desire after Christ and his benefits and in our wills a resolution to cast our selues vpon him alone for our saluation By which the Christian truly liueth but yet like a new borne babe who weakely performeth the actions of life but knoweth not that he either liueth or mooueth And so weake it is in apprehension and application that he can hardly discerne it and often calleth in question whether he hath any hold at all or no. It is strong in desiring but feeble in performing resolued by all meanes to sticke vnto Christ but yet scarce sensible of any vnion It admireth the glorious beames and brightnesse of Gods loue shining in the Word but feeleth little warmth of ioy and comfort by it in his owne heart and conscience It worketh in the weake Christian an hungring after the sincere milke of the Word that he may grow vp thereby but with little or no sense that he is nourished or any whit increased in the spirituall growth He seeketh earnestly for grace and peace but they seeme to fly from him and is still wishing for more and more but hath little comfort in feeling and fruition His desires so farre exceed the proportion which he hath receiued that it is swallowed vp of them so that nothing in appearance remaineth And like couetous men he thinketh not on what he hath but vpon what he hath not and spends a great part of that time in complaints of his wants which should be imployed in praysing God for that plenty which hee hath receiued But this faith is still in growth though they that haue it doe not see it growing for the Lord is no more ready to inlarge our hearts with hungring desires after grace then to satisfie them this being his maine end why like the Merchant hee stretcheth out these empty bags that he may replenish them with a greater portion of these hid treasures And therefore when the weake beleeuer carefully and conscionably laboureth in the vse of all good meanes for the strengthening and increasing of his faith as hearing the Word Sacraments Meditation Prayer and such like the Lord with his Spirit so blesseth them vnto him that from this first degree of faith he commeth to the second namely to a comfortable apprehension of Gods promises as belonging to himselfe to some sense and feeling of the loue of God shed abroad in his heart by the holy Ghost and to some assurance that hee in particular hath part and interest in Gods mercies and Christs merits whereby he is iustified and shall be saued And this is the second degree of faith which being but weake in the apprehension of Christ and his righteousnesse and in the sense and feeling of Gods loue is assaulted with much doubting and oftentimes shaken with grieuous tentations whereby the Christians hold seemeth for the time wholly lost and his faith in the operations of it almost quite extinguished and therefore hauing attained vnto this degree he resteth not in it as sufficient but laboureth in the vse of all good meanes whereby his faith may bee more and more strengthened and increased vntill it come to the third and last degree of perfection which is that plerophorie and fulnesse of perswasion of the remission of our sinnes of our vnion with Christ and Gods vnchangeable Rom. 8. 38 39. loue towards vs in him from which nothing in the world shall be able to diuide vs as we see in the Apostle Pauls example Vpon which followeth Christian security in the assurance of Gods protection and peace of conscience that passeth all vnderstanding which though it be assaulted yet Rom. 5. 3. is seldome impeached and impugned with any violence of tentations trouble of mind or terrours of conscience And from hence springeth inward ioy vnspeakeable and glorious out of our assurance and sweete feeling 1. Pet. 1. 8. of Gods loue and the certaine perswasion of our owne saluation whereby wee are made cheerefull and constant not onely in doing all which God commandeth but also in suffering whatsoeuer hee inflicteth §. Sect. 7 That the duties of a godly life hold a proportion with our faith whether it bee weake or strong And these are the degrees of a liuely faith without which or some one of them we cannot doe any thing pleasing vnto God or set one step forward in the way of godlinesse for faith is a cause and an inseparable companion of a godly life of which if we be destitute in the least degrees well may we be ignorantly deuout and zealously superstitious but wee shall neuer performe any one dutie in such sort as God will accept of it And according to the degree and measure of our faith such also will bee our fruits of godlinesse they holding a proportion the one with
truly sayd that the iust doe liue by their faith and that they cannot leade their Heb. 2 4 liues in holinesse and righteousnesse without it For there are so many mighty enemies that encounter vs in this way so many difficulties and dangers which we must ouercome so many duties contrary to our corrupt nature to be necessarily performed and so many strange corruptions to be mortified and subdued in vs that if we respect our owne strength it will plainely appeare to be vtterly impossible to goe forward in the course of godlinesse or to attaine vnto any measure of that sanctification which we labour after whereas contrariwise if wee renounce our selues and our owne strength and by a liuely fayth rest vpon the power and promises of God for the beginnign continuing and perfecting of this worke then neede we not to be discouraged by our wants and weakenesses from vndertaking or proceeding in it nor by the malice and might of our spirituall enemies or any other difficulties which meete vs in the way seeing we are assured that the Lord our God is all-sufficient to remoue all impediments to giue vs strength against all opposition to make things in themselues impossible to become possible and easie vnto vs and not only able but also willing to bring vs on in the wayes of godlinesse and to perfect that good worke of grace in vs which he hath begunne In which respects we haue great cause with all courage and cheerefulnesse to vndertake this worke and to goe on in the wayes of godlinesse if by faith wee are once perswaded that we shall in Gods good time ouercome our spirituall enemies subdue our strong corruptions performe with ease and comfort those duties which seeme yet so difficult and in some good measure attaine vnto that sanctification and holinesse of life which wee labour after §. Sect. 5 Of the meanes whereby wee may strengthen our faith in the assurance of our sanctification Now the meanes to attaine vnto this faith and to be more and more confirmed in it is to consider that God the Father hath elected vs as well Ephes 1. 4. to the meanes as to the end and as he hath ordayned vs vnto life eternall so also that we shall walke in the way of holinesse and righteousnes that leadeth vnto it according to that of the Apostle he hath chosen vs before the foundations of the world that we should be holy and without blame And therefore as his election is certaine to bring vs vnto euerlasting happines so also to conduct vs thither by this way of holinesse eyther by a shorter cut as the thiefe vpon the Crosse who was not cōuerted before he suffred or by alonger way as Simeon Iohn the Apostle and many others So in that golden chaine of saluation whom hee did predestinate them also he called Rom. 8. 30. whom he called them he iustifyed and whom he iustified them he glorifyed the decree of God is coupled and linked vnto the end by the meanes which come betweene them Againe we haue Gods promises vpon which wee may build our faith as well for our sanctification as for our saluation and that not only as the promises of life eternall include the promise of holynesse and a godly life as the way that leadeth to that end but seuerally and in speciall manner For in the Couenant of grace the Lord promiseth to write his Law in our hearts by which phrase is signified that we shall not only know his will in our vnderstandings but incline vnto it with our affections Ier. 31. 34. that we may practise it in our liues euen as the law of nature written in the heart of Adam by creation inabled him both to know it and also to imbrace and obey it So God promiseth that vnder the Kingdome of Christ he will take away their corruptions of nature and make them to become new creatures Yea the Lord hath not onely said but Esa 11. 6 9. sworne it that all who are redeemed out of the hands of our spirituall enemies Luke 1. 74 75. shall worship and serue him in holinesse and righteousnesse before him all the daies of their liues that is not by fits and starts but from the day of their conuersion to the day of their death Againe the Lord promiseth to giue his Spirit to those that aske him and our Sauiour that he will send the Comforter who shall leade vs into all truth so that he shall not barely teach Luke 12. 11. Iohn 16. 13. vs the way but guide vs in it subduing the flesh with the lusts thereof and inabling vs to withstand the tentations of Satan and the world to ouercome all difficulties and to hold out in our profession and practice of true godlinesse vnto the end Moreouer we may haue a sufficient ground for this speciall faith if we consider that the vertue of Christs death being Rom. 6. 4. applied by faith is as effectuall for the mortifying of our flesh and sinfull corruption as for the taking away of the guilt and punishment of our sins and that his resurrection is as powerfull to rayse vs vp to newnesse of life in this world as to the life of glory in the world to come and therefore they that haue part in Christ may apply him vnto themselues by faith for assured sanctification as well as for iustification or saluation according to that of the Apostle But ye are in Christ Iesus who is of God made vnto vs wisedome and righteousnesse and sanctification and redemption that is not 1. Cor. 1. 30. onely sufficient to make vs holy by imputation of his holinesse but by working in vs inherent holinesse by his Spirit Finally the holy Ghost who dwelleth in vs is all-sufficient to perfect the worke which hee hath begun and will not willingly lose his labour in giuing it ouer before he Phil. 1. 6. hath attayned his end And therefore though our flesh be neuer so rebellious he both can and will tame and mortify it though our enemies bee neuer so many and malicious he is all-sufficient by his owne strength in our greatest weakenesse to ouercome them And though we meete with neuer so many difficulties he will so assist and strengthen vs that they shall not bee able to hinder vs from proceeding in the way of holinesse till we come to our place of happinesse Now if by these considerations we strengthen our fayth in this speciall perswasion that if wee will waite Gods leysure in the vse of all good meanes wee shall certainely attayne vnto that sanctification which we labour after it will bee a notable incouragement to make vs goe on cheerefully in the practice of all duties which concerne a Christian life for who would not couragiously fight that is beforehand assured of victory or run a race that is sure to come to the goale and winne the garland or vndertake waighty and necessary enterprises though of great difficultie if he
speaking peace and offering vnto vs reconciliation grace and saluation in Iesus Christ assuring vs vpon the condition of a liuely faith bringing forth the fruits thereof in vnfained repentance that all Gods gracious promises respecting this life and the life to come doe belong vnto vs. In which regard it is called glad tidings which cause euen the very feete of those that bring them Rom. 10. 15. Iohn 14. 27. to seeme beautifull vnto vs and the Gospell of peace which Christ himselfe first preached Peace I leaue with you my peace I giue vnto you not as the Ephes 2. 17. Luke 10. 5. 2. Cor. 5. 20. world giueth giue I vnto you Let not your heart be troubled neyther let it be afraide And when he had reconciled vs vnto God by his Crosse and slaine enmity thereby he came also and preached this peace vnto vs And afterwards sent his Disciples as his Heralds to proclaime it to all who by faith receiued it yea as his Ambassadours to beseech vs in his stead to be reconciled vnto God By which meanes when the peace of a good conscience is begunne in vs it is thereby more and more confirmed and increased as also by the vse of the Sacraments which being as seales annexed to the couenant of grace doe confirme our faith in God promises and so worke peace and ioy in our consciences out of this assurance that Christ and all his benefits are ours and that wee in him are reconciled vnto God §. Sect. 4 That a good conscience springeth from a liuely faith For neither the Gospell nor the Sacraments no nor yet Christ himselfe will bring vnto vs this peace of conscience vnlesse wee receiue and Heb. 5. 2. apply them by the hand of faith as the best salue will not heale vnlesse it be applied to the wound nor meate nourish vs vnlesse it be receiued into the stomake nor the purest water purge vs from our filth vnlesse we be washed in it But when this precious balsam is applied to our wounded consciences and when by the hand of faith they are washed in the Lauer of his precious blood then they are healed of the sores of sinne and being rified from the guilt punishment and power of it do speake peace vnto vs and are the messengers of such ioyfull tydings as cannot be damped with any worldly tribulation According to that of the Apostle Being iustified by faith we haue peace with God through our Lord Iesus Christ by whom also we Rom. 5. 1 2 3. haue accesse by faith into this grace wherein we stand and reioyce in hope of the glory of God And not onely so but we glory in tribulation also c. Whereof it is that in the Scriptures faith and a good conscience are as the 1. Tim. 1. 19. cause and effect ioyned together so that one of them cannot miscarry in the storme of tentations but we shall make shipwracke of them both and together with our faith lose both our peace with God and our peace of conscience Wheras our assurance of faith will embolden vs to drawneere to the Throne of Gods grace with a true heart hauing our hearts sprinkled Heb. 10. 22. from an euill conscience and our soules washed with pure water But yet we must take heede that we doe not attribute that to the instrument which is peculiar to the principall cause nor imagine that faith by any vertue that is in it selfe doth purifie our consciences or worke peace in them For this it can no more doe then the hand it selfe can cure a sore by touching it or nourish the body and keepe it warme without food or clothes though it be the instrument to apply and put them on but it is onely our good Ionas which being cast into the raging Sea of our troubled consciences maketh them cleane and still it is the wood of his Crosse alone that is the vertue of his death and passion which being cast into these waters embitterd with the guilt of sinne that can make them to yeeld vnto vs the sweete and pleasant waters of ioy and consolation Although he will doe no more good to pacifie the stormes and sweeten the bitter torments of a raging conscience if he be not applied by a liuely faith then Ionas in the ship or the branches still growing vpon the tree and not at all cast into the tempestuous Sea and bitter waters CAP. XIIII Of the actions and effects of a good Conscience of the peace which it truly speaketh and how it differeth from the false peace of secure worldlings §. Sect. 1 That a good conscience speaketh goodnesse and peace only ANd so much of the causes of a good conscience both principall and instrumentall The next point to be considered is the actions and effects of it which are to speake peace and to testifie vnto vs truly and according to the Scriptures good and comfortable things as a Iudge acquitting and absoluing vs as an aduocate pleading for vs as a witnesse excusing and giuing euidence on our side and as a sure and faithfull friend admonishing vs that we may not fall or rebuking vs being falne that we may rise againe by vnfained repentance Where we are to consider what the conscience witnesseth and secondly the rule according to which it giueth testimonie The things which the good conscience speaketh and witnesseth are goodnesse and peace only neither is it the action of a good conscience properly to accuse and terrifie vs for sinne but to speake peace vnto vs and to iustifie vs as righteous not in our owne naturall righteousnes but in the righteousnesse of Christ applied by fayth which is most pure and perfect and in our sanctification and inherent righteousnes wrought in vs by the renewing of the holy Ghost which is but begun spotted and imperfect in this life but yet is growing towards purity and perfection and in the meane while hath the imperfections couered with Christs perfect righteousnesse and the spots and staynes of it washed away in his blood So that the good conscience is the peaceable conscience onely which witnesseth good things vnto vs as most neerly resembling the conscience of Adam in the first Creation whilst he remained in the state of innocency which onely iustified him and his actions and thereby comforted and strengthened him in Gods seruice and neuer accused or terrified him before his fall because he was pure and free from all taynt of sinne vnto which purity of Creation lost by transgression the holy Ghost reneweth the conscience by degrees vnto the highest whereof it attaineth when casting to accuse and terrify vs it iustifieth and excuseth vs before Gods Tribunall being then most good and perfect when as it is most quiet and peaceable so as we can say with Paul I haue liued in all good Acts 23 1. conscience before God vntill this day namely from the time of my first effectuall calling and conuersion §. Sect. 2 That a good conscience
worldly prosperity and singing vnto it the bewitching songs of carnall pleasures And if conscience will needs start vp and bee meddling either accusing or condemning them for sinne or terrifying and tormenting them with the guilt and punishments due vnto it then doe they corrupt this Iudge and witnesse with carnall pleasures and when they cannot be ridde of their Iaylour but they must needes goe abroad vnder his custodie they will make him drunke with these alluring cups of worldly delights that they may haue more liberty to doe what they list without checke and controulement And thus when conscience groweth melancholy through the neglect of dutie they cheere it againe that it may still goe on with them in carnall courses by feasting and reuelling musicke and merry company sporting and gaming iesting and wanton dalliance sttage-playes vnchaste sonnets and pleasant histories And if notwithstanding all these conscience stirreth and beginneth to speake then doth the world giue such a Plaudite to these pastimes and the flesh entertaine them with so loud an outcry of clamorous lusts and passions that the voyce of conscience being quite drowned it becommeth silent because it speaketh to no purpose And thus also conscience is sometimes at ease and peace through worldly cares and imployments in compassing these earthly things for hauing their hearts wholly set vpon these vaine obiects and all their actions and indeuours taken vp in these exercises and imployments conscience is silent because they haue no leisure to attend what it saith chusing rather to say nothing then to speake much to little purpose CAP. XV. Of the good things which a good Conscience witnesseth to the faithfull §. Sect. 1 The first thing which it witnesseth is pardon of our sins and reconciliation with God ANd so much generally of the matter which a good conscience testifieth namely peace and good things and of the manner how it giueth witnesse to wit truely and according to the rule of Gods Word wherein the peace which it bringeth diuersly differeth from the peace of an ill conscience Now we are to speake more particularly of the good things whereof it giueth euidence and of the fruit and benefit which ariseth from it First it witnesseth vnto vs truly and according to the rule of Gods Word that all our sinnes are pardoned and we reconciled vnto God not by any satisfaction which our selues haue made or any worthinesse in vs for which God should accept vs aboue others but only out of our assurance of faith which perswadeth vs that God of his free grace and mercie for the alone merits and satisfaction of Iesus Christ hath forgiuen vs all our sinnes and accepteth of vs in the face of his best Mat. 3. 17. Beloued in whom only he is well pleased vpon which ground a good conscience giueth comfortable euidence not onely when wee please our selues in the sight and sense of Gods graces in vs and in our cheerefull obedience and best seruices which we performe to God but also when we see and feele our corruptions and imperfections our slips falls and manifold faylings in our best actions Because it giueth euidence according to the assurance of faith which is grounded on Gods mercies and Christs merits and not vpon our workes and worthinesse and therefore cannot be ouerthrowne by our wants and weakenesses our corruptions and vnworthinesse In which respect the Apostle saith that baptisme doth saue vs not the putting away of the filth of the flesh but the answere of a good 1. Pet. 3. 21. conscience towards God by the resurrection of Iesus Christ. Which answere is nothing but this that when Gods iustice and the Law layeth sinne to our charge and requireth obedience the conscience giueth in euidence that Christ by his death and resurrection hath made full satisfaction and in our stead hath done all which was required of vs. §. Sect. 1 That a good conscience witnesseth vnto vs our sanctification And as the conscience thus beareth witnesse of our iustification and reconciliation so also of our sanctification namely that being freed from sinne we are become seruants of righteousnesse and not onely deliuered from the guilt and punishment of finne but also from the corruption power and dominion of it so that though it dwell in vs as a trayterous slaue yet it doth not raigne and rule in vs as in times past And though we be not wholly freed from all reliques of sinne and corruption nor can performe vnto God that perfect obedience which the Law requireth yet our consciences giue in euidence with vs that wee are in part sanctified and shall in Gods good time haue this worke thorowly perfected and that in the meane while we hate the euill wee doe and loue the good we doe not delighting in the Law of God in the inner man euen when we Rom. 7. 15. are led captiue vnto sinne that we desire and resolue to please God in all things and indeuour in the vse of all good meanes to haue our desires satisfied and consequently that we performe that Euangelicall obedience which God requireth and are through Christ accepted of him In which regard we may say with Paul from the time of our effectuall calling that we haue liued with all good conscience vntill this day Againe a good conscience is our warrant for all our actions testifying vnto vs that what wee Act. 23. 1. haue done and are about to doe is commanded of God whereby we are comforted in those duties which we haue performed and incouraged to proceede in well-doing because we doe not our owne will but the will of God And though our actions bee imperfect in themselues yet being done in sincerity and with vpright hearts we shall not be discouraged in the sight and sense of our imperfections yea rather we shall find cause of reioycing and glorying in them because being done with a good conscience it will iustifie and giue witnesse vnto vs that wee are also iustified and approoued of God and haue both our persons and workes accepted of him through Iesus Christ according to that of the Apostle Iohn If our heart condemne vs not then haue wee confidence towards God And this 1. Job 3. 21. made the Apostle Paul most gladly to glory in his infirmities which otherwise in themselues would haue beene a cause of griefe and mourning and 2. Cor. 12. 9. to reioyce in the conscience of his well-doing which in respect of the imperfections euen of his best actions would haue filled his face with blushing and his heart with shame Our reioycing saith he is this the testimony 2. Cor. 1. 12. of our conscience that in simplicity and godly sincerity not with fleshly wisedome but by the grace of God we haue had our conuersation in the world §. Sect. 2 That a good conscience witnesseth vnto vs that we are in all estates blessed Moreouer a good conscience testifieth vnto vs that we are through Christ in an happy and blessed
Garland of blessednesse that we may not be discouraged with the sense of our weakenesse and wearinesse nor with the assaults of our spirituall enemies who incounter vs in the way seeing fighting Eph. 6. 10. against them not in our owne strength but in the power of Gods might we are sure of support to hold out in the fight and haue his neuer-fayling promise of obtaining victory CAP. XVI Of the signes and properties of a good Conscience §. Sect. 1 The first signe are the causes of it THe next point to be considered is the signes whereby we may discerne whether we haue a good conscience or no that if 2. Cor. 1. 12. we haue we may with Paul reioyce in it if not wee may labour to obtaine this precious iewell Besides therefore these signes which by the diligent Reader may be easily gathered out of the former discourse there are diuers others which may be added And first if we haue a good conscience wee may discerne it by the causes of it for it is not the worke of nature which by the fall was corrupted in this as in all other faculties but the free gift of God not purchased by our owne merits not purged from naturall defilements with our owne satisfactions but purified from dead workes by the precious blood of Christ Heb. 9. 14. applied vnto vs by his holy Spirit and a liuely faith And therefore if wee feele no change in our consciences but that they still remaine the same which they alwayes were if they be not washed with the blood of Christ which purgeth them not only from the guilt of sinne but also from dead workes that wee may serue the liuing God or if their purity and peace proceede from any thing then from this that being bathed in this fountaine Zach. 13. 1. opened to the house of Dauid and to the inhabitants of Ierusalem for sinne and for vncleannesse they are assured that their sinnes are pardoned and shall neuer be imputed nor laid to their charge if they be not purified by faith which both assureth vs of saluation and also worketh by loue but Gal. 5. 6. are grounded alone vpon groundlesse presumption it is cleare and manifest that we deceiue our selues with a shaddow and haue not yet attained to a good conscience §. Sect. 2 The second signe is taken from the manner of working this good conscience The second signe is the manner of working this good conscience For it is not wrought by worldly perswasions taken from our credit pleasure or profit but by the ministery of the Word begetting faith in vs whereby the heart and conscience is purified And this it doth first by terrifying it with the sight and sense of our sinnes and the punishments due vnto them whereby we are humbled and brought to despaire of our owne strength for our recouery out of our misery and then by pacifying and comforting it by offering vnto vs in Christ the free pardon of our sinnes reconciliation with God and the eternall saluation of our soules So that heere the saying is truely verified that peace is the daughter of warre for if our consciences haue had no conflict with Gods iustice and the curse of the Law and haue not beene truly humbled in the sense of his wrath and the enmitie which hath beene betweene him and vs our peace is carnall and corrupt springing not from assurance of faith but from securitie and presumption which haue caused this ease not by recouery of health but through the numnesse and stupidity of the disease §. Sect. 3 That a good conscience is knowne by the effects of it Thirdly a good conscience is knowne by the effects for it excuseth and acquitteth vs before God of all sinne and speaketh peace vnto our hearts assuring vs that we are reconciled and in Gods fauour and grounding this testimonie vpon the infallible truth of holy Scriptures It maketh vs bold in all dangers and like armour of proofe it contemneth the gun-shot of any worldly perils It makes vs couragious in the performance of all good duties and not greatly to care who liketh or misliketh them because we carry our warrant in our bosomes which will iustifie our actions before God what censure soeuer men passe of them It maketh vs like good seruants to come often into our Masters presence because it witnesseth vnto vs that we are in his fauour and that he accepteth of vs and our seruice It maketh vs often to examine the booke of our accounts euen in the presence of our Lord and to desire him to suruey our reckonings because it testifieth vnto vs that we haue dealt faithfully with him So Dauid Examine me O Lord and prooue me try my reines and my heart After Psal 26. 2. which Audit it will iustifie vs in respect of our integritie as it did him Thou hast prooued mine heart thou hast visited me in the night thou hast tryed me and shalt find nothing Not in respect of the perfection of our performance Psal 17. 3. which is full of wants and weakenesses but of our desire and resolution as he expoundeth himselfe in the next words For I am purposed that my mouth shall not transgresse If therefore our consciences produce these Psal 130. 3. 143. 2. effects in vs it is an euident signe that they are pure and peaceable But if contrariwise they accuse and terrifie vs or excuse and acquit vs without the warrant of Gods Word If we are bold and valiant in our peace and prosperity fearing no euill but cowardly timorous when we are incountred with any danger If wee are so couragious in euill that we are not ashamed though men heare vs talke wantonly and vainely or see vs in our actions imitate the greatest number though vnlawfull and without warrant but are ready to blush if a good speech hath slipped from vs in bad company or if we be ouertaken at vnawares in performing some religious dutie by such as are ready to flowt vs for it If wee care not how little wee come into Gods presence and seldome or neuer examine the booke of our accounts betweene vs and him or else slightly and ouertly for forme and fashion sake and like vnfaithfull factors cannot indure to haue our Master audit our reckonings then are our consciences defiled and can giue no true testimony of peace vnto vs. §. Sect. 4 That a good conscience is knowne by the properties of it as first that it is pure and peaceable Fourthly a good conscience is knowne by the properties of it First as it is peaceable so also it is pure not onely from the guilt of sinne but Heb. 9. 14. also from the corruption For the blood of Christ as it doth like a soueraigne salue pacifie the rage of conscience caused by the sores of sinne so doth it draw out the corrupt matter that causeth it clensing these wounds as fast as it healeth them and as it saueth vs from this body
no contentment in their greatest abundance but like sweete drinkes encrease thirst and as fuell put into the fire inflame the heate of carnall concupiscence Or if they giue some seeming content in the time of health yet how little pleasure doe we take in them vpon our sicke beds though they haue some taste vnto our carnall appetite in the time of life and strength yet what an after tang leaue they at parting and how little comfort and contentment bring they against the terrours of death and the dreadfull apprehensions of approaching Iudgement §. Sect. 4 The third reason which is taken from the necessity of piety The third reason is taken from the necessity of piety seeing without it wee can haue no assurance of any spirituall benefit neither in this life nor in the life to come For it is the end which God hath proposed vnto Ephe. 1. 4. them all vnto which he most certainely attaineth if we euer attaine vnto them seeing he who is infinite in wisedome and power can neuer faile of his end which he propoundeth to his actions Now the Lord hath chosen vs that we should be holy hee hath redeemed vs out of the hands of all our Luke 1. 74. Col. 1. 22. spirituall enemies that we should worship him in holinesse and righteousnesse all the dayes of our liues We are reconciled by Christ in the body of his flesh through death that hee may present vs holy and vnblameable in Gods sight He hath adopted vs for his children that wee may be holy as he is holy He hath iustified and pardoned all our sinnes that being freed from Leuit. 19. 2. Mat. 5. 45. Rom. 6. 18. sinne wee may become the seruants of righteousnesse And therefore without this holinesse we can haue no assurance that we are elected redeemed reconciled adopted or iustified and consequently that we shall be saued for though it be not the cause of our happinesse yet it is the way that leadeth vnto it in which if we walk not we shal neuer come into that place of blessednes for without holinesse none shall see the Lord as the Apostle teacheth vs. Heb. 12. 14. §. Sect. 5 The fourth reason perswading vs to piety which is the consideration of Gods manifold mercies and of Christs comming to Iudgement Vnto these reasons we may adde the consideration of Gods manifold mercies in Iesus Christ which ought to bee notable inducements to moue vs to the imbracing and practising of piety For what greater incouragement can we haue to make vs zealous and cheerefull in the duties of Gods seruice then to consider how gracious and good God hath beene vnto vs in our creation redemption and continuall preseruation in giuing vnto vs his Sonne and pardoning our sinnes in freeing vs out of the cruell bondage of all our spirituall enemies and in multiplying his blessings vpon vs both in spirituall and corporall things And this argument the Apostle vseth to this purpose I beseech you therefore brethren by the mercies of God that yee present your bodies a liuing sacrifice holy acceptable Rom. 21. 1. to God which is your reasonable seruice And as the fruition of Gods present fauours ought to make vs forward in his seruice so also the consideration of his gracious promises concerning better and more excellent things in time to come euen the full fruition of his glorious presence and eternall blessednesse in his euerlasting Kingdome And this reason also the Apostle vseth to this end Hauing therefore these promises dearely beloued let vs 2. Cor. 7. 1. clense our selues from all filthinesse of the flesh and spirit perfecting our holinesse in the feare of God Finally the consideration of Christs comming to Iudgement should perswade vs vnto holinesse when as the heauens being on fire shall be dissolued and passe away with a noyse the elements melt with feruent heate and the earth with all the workes thereof shall be burnt vp For then onely they shall bee happy who haue beene holy and raigne with God in glory who haue faithfully serued him in holinesse and righteousnesse in the Kingdome of grace And thus the Apostle Peter reasoneth Seeing then saith he that all these things shall be dissolued what manner of persons ought yee to be in all holy conuersation and godlinesse But I shall 2. Pet. 3. 11. haue hereafter occasion to speake more fully of this point when I come to shew the manifold reasons and motiues which may induce and perswade vs vnto a godly life and therefore for the present I will content my selfe thus briefly to haue touched them referring the Reader for his more full satisfaction to the following discourse CAP. III. Of our adhering and cleauing vnto God with the full purpose and resolution of our hearts §. Sect. 1 Of the summe of the first Commandement WE haue spoken of piety which is the summe of the first Table And now it followeth that we speake briefely of the particular precepts the first whereof is contayned in these words Thou shalt haue no other gods before me or before my face The maine scope and summe whereof is this that wee know acknowledge and worship Iehouah the Father Sonne and holy Ghost in Trinity of persons and vnity of Essence and no other gods besides him For to haue God is in our mindes and vnderstandings to know and acknowledge him to bee our God all-sufficient incomprehensible omnipotent immutable eternall iust mercifull and infinite in all perfection in our hearts and affections to adhere and cleane vnto him with faith affiance hope loue zeale whom we know to be the chiefe Goodnesse and supreme cause of all our happinesse in our wills with all earnest desire and constant resolution to serue and obey him in all his Commandements with all the power and faculties of our bodies and soules whom we know and acknowledge to be the chiefe end of all things and so infinitely good gracious vnto vs and with our bodies actions and indeuours to worship and serue him alone with all our might and strength So that the true sauing knowledge of God is the ground of all other vertues and obedience as we haue shewed and therefore if wee would imbrace any vertues or perform any Christian duties of a godly life we must in the first place labour to haue our mindes inlightened with the knowledge of God and his truth without which our deuotion will bee no better then superstition and all our indeuours in the performance of religious duties meere will-worship and idolatry as wee see in the example of the Idolaters who in stead of worshipping the only true God worship stocks stones and Images Saints and Angels and in stead of doing Gods will in their deuotions do their owne wills and therefore tire themselues and spend all their strength in vaine §. Sect. 2 Of adhering to God what it is and the necessity of it But of this knowledge of God which is the maine ground of a godly life wee
and bodies in purity and honour free from the pollution of any sinne To which end wee must daily with all conscionable care keepe a diligent and straight watch ouer all our workes and wayes but especially ouer our hearts that they be not ouertaken with Pro. 4. 23. any loue or liking of sinne but constantly repell the first motions and allurements of it when they present themselues vnto vs especially we must haue an eye to our naturall infirmities and those sinnes vnto which being Heb. 12. 1 4. most prone we are most easily ouertaken of them Yea wee must in this watch carefully auoide not onely the sinnes themselues but also all the occasions and meanes which may draw vs to the committing of them especially the familiar society of wicked men who are most apt to corrupt and infect vs with their perswasions and euill examples Finally wee must daily resolue and indeuour not onely to leaue and forsake all sinne but also to serue the Lord in performing all the contrary duties of holinesse righteousnesse and sobriety according to all good occasions and opportunities which in the whole day or any part thereof shall be offred vnto vs and in all our thoughts words and deeds to please the Lord by yeelding cheerefull obedience vnto his holy will Especially our care and indeuour must be to perfect those graces in which wee finde our selues most defectiue and with extraordinary diligence to practise those duties towards God our neighbours and our selues which our consciences tell vs we haue formerly most neglected and vnto which we feele our corrupt natures to bee most backward and auerse that so we may daily aspire to a greater growth in godlinesse and bring forth the longer we liue the more and better fruits of new obedience §. Sect. 6 The benefits which would arise of this exercise of renewing our repentance And if wee would thus daily renew our repentance the benefits arising vnto vs from this holy exercise would be inestimable For first we should preuent innumerable sinnes into which through the neglect of this duty we fall daily vnaduisedly and at vnawares but especially wee should bee armed heereby against all sinnes committed against knowledge and conscience Secondly if at any time through frailty we be ouertaken with any sinne we should not lye in it but rise againe by vnfained repentance and so heale the sores of sinne whilest the wound is greene with much greater ease and not suffer them to fester and rankle to our greater paine and danger Thirdly wee should much abate the violence of our fleshly lusts when as though they with much labour put vs to a foyle yet they shall not bee able no not for one day to keepe their hold and rule ouer vs and who will take any great paines to so little purpose or swallow downe that potion with any pleasure which he must be forced to cast vp so quickly with much griefe or imbrace that sinne vvith any great delight which within a few houres shall be plucked from him with an holy violence and indignation or offend so good a God or hazard a precious soule or disturbe the sweete peace of a good conscience for the fruition of a sinfull pleasure so vaine so momentany Fourthly though through infirmity we sometimes fall yet shall wee hereby be preserued from sleeping in carnall security and from being hardned through the deceitfulnesse of sinne and though through weakenesse of the flesh we slumber Heb. 3. 13. with the Spouse in the Canticles yet shall we not fall into a dead sleepe but say with her I sleepe but my heart waketh Fifthly we shall heereby preserue Cant. 5. 3. our consciences tender so as they will giue vs warning when sinne maketh the least appearance and our hearts pure and soft so as they will easily relent with the least touch Sixthly we shall make the practice of a godly life easie and familiar and Christs yoke light when as we are accustomed to beare it euery day Seuenthly wee shall either altogether keepe it from entring into our hearts or at least from holding possession by pleading custome and prescription Eighthly we shall preserue peace with God and an holy communion with him and the peace also of a good conscience or if there be any cause of inward iarres we shall compound and take them vp before we sleepe Ninthly we shall goe to rest securely when as we goe to bed with our quietus est and sleepe quietly Psal 4. 8. when we haue our pardon vnder our pillow Finally we shall alwayes be prepared for the approach of death and Iudgement when as we keepe alwayes our accounts ready made and though with the fiue wise Virgins we sometimes slumber and sleepe as well as the foolish yet hauing our oyle in our lampes we shall be ready to rise at the first call to enter with our Bridegroome into the marriage chamber and communicate with him in all ioy and happinesse CAP. III. Of our daily exercise in renewing of our faith §. Sect. 1 That the daily renewing of our faith is very profitable and necessary VNto this daily exercise of renevving of our repentance vvee must adde also the renewing of our faith which is no lesse necessary then the other for as the vertue and vigour of our bodies soone fainteth and decayeth if they be not often and daily nourished with those elements whereof they are made and composed so will the strength of faith be weakened and abated if it bee not daily sustained and refreshed with those meanes and helpes by which it was begot and begun in vs and therefore if vvhilest vve haue good stomacks in our youthfull dayes vve thinke it not enough to refresh and nourish our bodies one day in a vveeke nor yet once in a day but must haue our dinners and suppers breakefasts and beuers let vs not thinke that it is enough for the nourishment of our soules and strengthening of our faith to vse spirituall repast on the Sabbath onely vvhich though it may hold life and soule together yet shall vve not be thriuing and in good liking in our spirituall man if vvee relieue and cherish it not vvith a more liberall hand and allot some part of euery day to this spirituall exercise Againe as faith in it selfe will faint and languish if it be not daily refreshed and renewed so are there also outward causes which shake and weakē it if it be not duly euen daily nourished For we daily wound and weaken it with our sins whilst our inward guilt abateth our assurance of Gods loue and confidence in his fauour by laying to our charge our great vnworthines of his least mercies And therfore we had need to renew daily our faith as we daily renew our sins by laying hold on the Couenant of grace which assureth vs that our sinnes shall not stop the course of Gods mercies because their current is free and if the streames bee not dammed vp as it were in
the fountaine with vnbeliefe it is not our vnworthinesse can keepe them from vs. Finally the spirituall enemies of our saluation doe daily and continually assault vs and the chiefe meanes to repell the firie darts of their tentations is the shield of faith which in it Eph. 6. 16. selfe is not so impenetrable and of high proofe were it not strengthened and made effectuall to preserue vs by Christs mediation but that it is often Luk. 22. 32. much battered and bruised in the conflict of tentations And therefore seeing their malice neuer ceaseth which maketh this shield of faith alwayes necessary and their daily assaults doe cause it to be of daily vse it is our wisedome to let no day passe without reuiuing and renewing it that we may by such meanes as God hath appointed repaire and strengthen it so as it may bee fit to preserue vs against all assaults of tentation Ioyne we then with the daily exercise of renewing our repentance this also of renewing our faith and the rather because they mutually further and strengthen one another being conioyned but being seuered both are weakened and dismembred and either cannot at all be exercised of vs or but lamely and to little purpose in semblance and shew not in deed and truth For faith is the cause and very life of repentance none truely mourning for sinne but such as by faith being assured of Gods loue are grieued in their hearts that they haue grieued so louing a God and without this filiall affection proceeding from faith our repentance would be but like that of Cain and Iudas a worldly and desperate sorrow that worketh 2. Cor. 7. 10. death And contrariwise repentance is the very breath of faith which if it haue free passage then faith not onely liueth but flourisheth and thriueth so that heereby as by an infallible signe we may know and discerne it from security and presumption but if it faile then the life of faith also faileth and becommeth a dead carcasse without all vertue and vigour sense or motion §. Sect. 2 What this renewing our faith is and the meanes wherby we may be inabled to doe it which consist first in diuers meditations Now this daily renewing of our faith is nothing else but after we haue humbled our soules in the sight and sense of our sinnes by vnfained repentance to refresh and strengthen it and as it were to heale the wounds which our sinnes haue made by applying Christ with the soueraigne salue of his precious blood and the sweete promises of the Gospell made in him assuring vs of the remission and pardon of all our sinnes Now the meanes and helpes whereby wee may be inabled to renew our faith and in the application of these benefits may confirme and strengthen it against doubting and incredulity doe either respect meditation or action We must meditate on the eternall and immutable free and vndeserued loue of God euen before we were created and after that by sinne wee had made our selues strangers and enemies which mooued him to giue his best Beloued to the death for vs and from hence conclude for the strengthening of our faith that he will neuer cease to be gracious vnto vs when as by Christ being reconciled wee adhere and cleaue vnto him with vnfained loue and hearty affection Secondly on Gods inestimable and infinite mercies which are farre aboue all his workes and therefore may assure vs that they will bee much more powerfull and all-sufficient to saue vs then our sinnes though neuer so innumerable and grieuous can bee to condemne vs. Thirdly on Gods truth which will neuer faile in any of his promises and omnipotent power and wisedome whereby he is infinitely able to accomplish them Fourthly on the all-sufficiency of Christs obedience and satisfaction for the discharging of all our debts and satisfying of Gods Iustice for all our sinnes if wee make them our owne by a liuely faith Fifthly on the Couenant of grace which is free and assureth vs of the pardon of our sinnes and saluation of our soules vpon no condition of workes or worthinesse but onely of faith bringing foorth the fruits of vnfained repentance Sixthly on the promises of the Gospell which being generall and indefinite exclude none though neuer so sinfull and vnworthy if they will thankefully receiue them as they are freely offered and apply them to themselues by a liuely faith Seuenthly wee must meditate on the Sacraments and seales of the Couenant whereby God hath giuen vnto vs as it were into our hands Christ Iesus and all his benefits and of his most infallible oath whereby he hath confirmed his promises vnto vs as also of his Spirit whereby he hath inwardly sealed vnto vs our redemption and saluation Eighthly on the manifold examples of his mercy and goodnesse extended to all repentant sinners and that he being no respecter of persons is as ready to make vs partakers of them if wee doe not reiect them through vnbeliefe Ninthly on the manifold experience which we haue had of them towards our selues both in temporall and spirituall benefits and that being vnchangeable in his nature and gifts he is still ready to be alike good and gracious if by faith we will rest and rely vpon him Neither is it enough that wee know and habitually beleeue that God hath giuen vnto vs many and singular priuiledges as his Sonne to be our Sauiour and Redeemer his Word Sacraments and holy Spirit by which he hath effectually called vs to the knowledge and participation of this great worke of our redemption iustification and remission of all our sinnes reconciliation and adoption whereby we are made not onely children of God but also heires of his Kingdome assurance of continuall preseruation in this life and of saluation and glorification in the life to come but we must actually exercise our faith by allotting some part of the day to thinke and meditate on the excellency of these priuiledges as what a blessed thing it is to bee saued by Christ and deliuered out of the power of all our spirituall enemies and to liue and die in the state of saluation What a singular benefit it is to haue all our sinnes pardoned and our debts cancelled so that we neede not feare at any time to be called to Iudgement and to giue vp our accounts seeing Christ hath satisfied for all and made our reckonings euen for vs What a sweet and comfortable a thing it is to haue peace with God and peace of conscience and the beames of his fauour continually shining vpon vs and warming our hearts with ioy and gladnesse What an inestimable priuiledge it is to be the child of God and heire apparant to the Kingdome of heauen which considerations if wee seriously thinke on them will be singular meanes to inflame our hearts with Gods loue to rauish them with spirituall ioy and to make them cheerefull in Gods seruice throughout the whole day yea to the very end of the longest
difficult continuing no longer then some outward cause of feare or reward doth set them on going And as the heate of a bath continueth alwaies because it proceedeth from an inward cause which changeth the nature of the water whereas the waters of a pond cannot be made warme but with much labour and and difficultie and continue in their heate no longer then the outward cause worketh it in them so when as faith hath warmed our hearts with zeale of Gods glory and made them actiue and operatiue in performing the duties of his seruice this heate and motion continue with ease and cheerefulnesse because they are spiritually naturall and proceede from an inward cause whereas if worldly causes worke this heate of zeale as honour and preferment in the heate of Iehu it being vnnaturall and forced soone returneth to its wonted coldnesse Finally faith thus renewed will make vs to serue God with cheerefulnesse and delight because it incourageth vs in our labours by apprehending and putting into our hands not onely the present pay of all Gods temporary blessings and benefits but also the euidences and conueighances of our heauenly happinesse which God of his free grace hath by his writings in the Word and his seales the Sacraments made ouer vnto vs. And who wouldnot cheerefully and with ioy doe him faithfull seruice who giueth vs present pay aboue the worth of our worke and for our better encouragement assureth vs that all this shall be but a small earnest in respect of the mayne bargaine and but the first fruits of that full crop and plentifull haruest of heauenly happinesse CAP. IIII. Of our daily exercise in seeking God and what are the things which are required vnto it §. Sect. 1 That our seeking God daily is a necessary duty THe second mayne dutie which wee are dayly and euen throughout the day to performe is to seeke the Lord our God by consecrating our selues wholy both in our soules and bodies vnto his worship and seruice The which dutie is required in many places of the Scriptures So Dauid exhorteth the Princes of Israel to set their hearts and soules to seeke the Lord their 1. Chro. 22. 19. God and the Lord by his Prophet requireth it of all the people Seeke ye Esa 55. 6. the Lord whilst he may be found and call yee vpon him while he is neere And againe Seeke yee the Lord and yee shall liue For howsoeuer the Lord in Amos 5. 4. respect of the infinitenesse and immensitie of his nature and essence filleth all places with his presence and therfore cannot be farre as the Apostle speaketh from euery one of vs for in him we liue and moue and haue our being as the heathens saw euen by the very light of nature and though Acts 17. 27 28. in the state of innocencie and integrity man had sweete communion with God and inioyed the comfortable and liuely influences of his sauing graces and dwelled in God and God in him yet through the fall of our first parents and the ouerspreading corruption which did accompany it man lost God was depriued of his presence was wholy estranged from that happie and holy communion and had all influence of his grace stopped from And together with this inestimable losse he lost also the sense of this losse and of all the miseries which did accompany it and therefore neuer cared or desired to seeke and finde him that being againe revnited vnto him hee might thereby recouer his lost happinesse till God out of his free grace and infinite goodnesse pittying mans losse and misery like the good Shepheard sought vs first who like wandring sheepe Esa 53. 5. Luke 15. 4 5. did stray from him without any desire of returning and carrying vs home to his sheepefold caused vs to finde him before we sought him yea when wee gainesaid and refused to make this search according to that of the Prophet cited by the Apostle I was found of them who sought mee not I Esa 65. 1 2. Rom. 10. 20 21. was made manifest vnto them that enquired not after me All the day long I haue stretched out my hands vnto a disobedient and gaine saying people Yea but seeing wee haue now found God and haue him alwaies by his grace present with vs what needeth may some say this daily search and disquisition seeing that labour may seeme vaine and to little purpose which is spent in seeking that which is already found To which I answere that we may doe that act in an higher degree of perfection which in the first degrees is done already yea seeing wee can neuer in this world doe it so perfectly as we should therfore we ought to doe it daily and continually that we may aspire vnto more perfection And this God who by his preuenting grace caused vs to seeke him for our owne good requireth vs to doe daily and more and more for our greater good and because all our happinesse doth consist in our finding and inioying him not contenting himselfe that we should be in the first and least degrees happie by finding and inioying him in some small measure hee maketh it our daily taske to seeke him more and more that finding him more perfectly wee may perfect our happinesse in our full finding and fruition Yea in truth there is none that hath truely found him who doth not daily indeuour to finde him more and more For what hungry man that hath once tasted delicate meates that can content himselfe with a taste onely and doth not rather desire to feede on them till he be satisfied and his hunger allayed what wise Merchant finding a treasure in a field which he hath long sought contenteth himselfe onely to haue found it and doth not rather purchase the field that he may inioy the treasure hid in it or finding a precious pearle satisfieth himselfe with a slight sight of the lustre and beautie of it and doth not rather sell all he hath to buy it being neuer at quiet till he safely possesseth it in his owne Cabinet or who finding a rich mine of gold or siluer is contented with the first oare which it offereth vnto his view and doth not rather digge deeper and deeper till hee haue made himselfe owner of the whole treasure And therefore it is impossible for any man that hath tasted how good God is to those that seeke him to leaue off and so content himselfe but hee will labour still to feede on him more and more till he as the Psalmist speaketh be satisfied with his likenesse in the Kingdome of heauen seeing Psal 17. 15. in his greatest fruition in this life hee knoweth that he wanteth much of him And to leaue off further hungring after God after that wee haue tasted of his loue bounty and goodnesse and to content our selues with a taste only without further feeding on them is an euident signe that we are in the number of those relapsed hypocrites who cannot be renewed
confusion into Church and Common wealth and to crosse Gods wise prouidence in the gouernment of the world who hath giuen variety of gifts which he hath appointed to be exercised in variety of callings that being helpefull and seruiceable mutually vnto one another humane societies might be preserued peace and loue nourished in them And therefore as in a well-gouerned Army euery one keepeth his place and station vnto which his Generall hath designed him not only serueth him generally as a Souldier but in that place and office vnto which he is appointed and chosen So must wee demeane our selues towards our great Commander and not thinke it enough to performe good duties vnlesse we doe those which belong to our callings not out of fancie and fickle vnconstancie leauing our station but as the Apostle requireth abide in the same calling wherein God hath placed vs. 1. Cor. 7. 20 24. §. Sect. 2 That we must be regenerate before we can serue God acceptably in our callings But it is not sufficient that we be settled in a lawfull calling and that we painfully performe the duties that are required in it for this a meere worldling may doe out of carnall and earthly respects either for his owne pleasure credit or profit but that we so carry and demeane our selues in it as that we may by our labours and indeuours glorifie God further our own saluation and aduance the good of the Church Common wealth Vnto which diuers things are required some whereof respect our persons and some the actions and duties which we performe Vnto our persons there is required that we be regenerate and sanctified For our persons must be accepted before any of our workes can please God and bee holy and righteous before we can bring foorth the fruits of holinesse and righteousnesse For as vnto the pure all things are pure so vnto them that are defiled and vnbeleeuing Tit. 1. 15. Pro. 21. 27. verse 4. is nothing pure but euen their minde and conscience is defiled And if the sacrifices of the vvicked are abominable and their very prayers are turned into sinne hovv much more are the ordinary vvorkes of their callings sinfull and odious in Gods sight Neither can such as are vnsanctified expect any blessing of God vpon their labour or that they should prosper Psal 1. 3. 112. 1 2. c. Psal 128. 1. in any thing vvhich they doe or take in hand seeing by Gods promise this priuiledge is limited vnto the righteous and such as feare him § Sect. 3 That we must performe the duties of our callings in faith Vnto the actions also and duties of our callings that they may be acceptable vnto God diuers things are required And these are either such vertues and graces which goe before as being the causes of all our good actions and proceedings or such as doe accompany and attend vpon them Of the former sort the first and principall is a true and liuely faith whereby I vnderstand not only a iustifying faith which assureth vs of the remission of our sinnes and of the loue and fauour of God and which by vniting Hab. 11. 6. Iohn 15. 5. Rom. 14. 23. vs vnto the true vine Christ doth inable vs in him to bring forth the fruits of righteousnesse without which we cannot please God nor doe any good thing seeing all wee doe is sinne but also a particular act of this faith whereby we are perswaded that our callings and the duties which wee performe in them being pleasing vnto God the Lord wil giue a blessing vpon all our labours and indeuours For which purpose our faith must haue a warrant and ground out of Gods Word both inioyning these duties and promising a blessing vnto the performance of them And thus shall wee Hab. 2. 4. liue the life of faith which is so often commended vnto vs in the Scriptures when as therein wee doe not only the religious duties of Gods seruice but also the duties of our callings whereby wee shall bee incouraged to goe forward in them with all alacrity and cheerefulnesse when as we are assured that God will blesse those labours which himselfe hath required and not bee dismayed with those crosses and troubles which befall vs in them seeing we are sure that by Gods blessing and gracious assistance wee shall ouercome them and haue a good end and issue of all our labours § Sect. 4 That the duties of our callings must proceede from Loue. Secondly the duties of our callings must proceede out of vnfained loue towards God and our neighbours which is the fountaine of all true obedience and not principally from selfe-loue or loue of the world which being poysonous rootes of all sinne will taint all our workes and actions which spring from them They must arise from the loue of God which moueth those in whom it is to consecrate wholy vnto him their liues and labours in all things desiring to serue him who so loueth vs and whom we so loue both in the immediate duties of his worship and also in the ordinarie duties of our callings And this is done when as wee labour in them not first and chiefly for worldly gaine and aduantage thereby to please our selues but in obedience to Gods Commandement who requireth these duties of vs studying in all things to please him and that our actions both for the matter and manner may be approued and accepted in his sight Secondly wee must performe the duties of our callings out of loue towards our neighbours seeking in them their good 1. Cor. 13. 5. Gal. 5. 13. as well as our owne seeing true charity seeketh not her owne but is also seruiceable vnto others which if wee doe then will we not wrong them to benefit our selues nor gaine by thir losse wee will not depriue them of some great good to get vnto our selues some small aduantage neither will we be so wholy intent and greedily gripple in following our owne businesse but that wee will spare them some of our time and afford them our best helpe when their necessity shall require our assistance and reason charity and conscience shall binde vs to afford it §. Sect. 5 That they must be directed to right ends Thirdly as our labours must arise from these causes so they must bee directed to right ends As first and principally to Gods glory which in 1. Cor. 10. 31. all wee doe wee must labour to aduance Neither is God onely glorified when wee professe and practise religious duties but also when wee walk conscionably in our callings and with all diligence performe the duties required in them in obedience to his Commandements Secondly we must propound vnto our selues in them the good of the Church and Common wealth which wee are to preferre before our owne priuate and so carry our selues in all things as that we may be profitable members in these societies In which regard wee must not seeke to gaine by the common
excesse and emptinesse of the purse preuent not this too much fulnesse of the belly Whereof it is that in the Scriptures they are ioyned as companions and mutuall causes one of another So it is said that the sinnes of Sodom were pride fulnesse of bread Ezech. 16. 49. and abundance of idlenesse and that the Israelites sate down to eate and drinke Exod. 32. 6. and rose vp to play For when mens mindes are not imployed about their callings they are set vpon their bellies not onely to please their appetite but also to take away the tediousnesse of time which is caused by idlenesse Which I am perswaded is the chiefe cause of the excessiue and hurtfull vse of Tobacco in these dayes for because mens heads are idle and empty of businesse they fill them with smoke and for want of better imployment they betake themselues to this vaine exercise making hereby their idle time lesse tedious taking away melancholy the vsuall companion of sloth by intoxicating their braines stupifying their senses so as they become lesse apprehensiue of their mis-spent time and the manifold euils which accompany their idlenesse till by much vse and custome they grow to such an habit that they now vse it not onely for delight but also for necessity hauing no power to forbeare and weane themselues from it Of which I am the rather perswaded because I see it most vsed amongst those who are most idle as inordinate youth and loose gallants and by those who are otherwise industrious and laborious when they intermit the workes of their callings and vpon any occasion are at leasure from their imployments Finally idlenesse is the cause of whoredome and all vncleane lusts not onely as it is a speciall meanes to pamper the flesh and so to inable and prouoke it to these workes of darkenesse but also because it giueth leasure and liberty to the heart and eyes to wander and roue after wanton and lasciuious obiects as the lamentable example of holy Dauid 2. Sam. 11. 2. and of innumerable others since his time and euen in our owne dayes haue too manifestly prooued §. Sect. 6 That idlenesse maketh vs liable to many punishments Secondly as idlenesse and negligence in our callings produceth these manifold euils of sinne so is it no lesse fruitfull in bringing forth the euils of punishment both in this life and in the life to come For first as it is the roote of all sin so by consequence it generally bringeth with it all punishments that these sinnes deserue of which it is the cause and roote seeing they are but the after-fruits of the same tree Besides which it may be truely and properly said to be the cause of diuers speciall punishments As first of pouerty and penury of all Gods blessings through neglect of the workes of our callings which are the ordinary meanes ordained by him whereby he deriueth vnto vs his gifts and benefits And this Salomon often affirmeth and much beateth vpon in many places Hee becommeth poore that dealeth with a slacke hand but the hand of the diligent maketh rich The Pro. 10. 4. Pro. 13. 4. soule of the sluggard desireth and hath nothing but the soule of the diligent shall be made fat The sluggard will not plow by reason of the cold therefore shall he Pro. 20. 4 13. 6. 11. 24. 30 34. beg in haruest and haue nothing Loue not sleepe lest thou come vnto pouerty open thine eyes and thou shalt be satisfied with bread Yea it is punished not onely with want of riches but also of necessaries and with pinching hunger the worst of all corporall euils For slothfulnesse casteth into a deepe Pro. 19. 15. sleepe and an idle soule shall suffer hunger For as they haue no store of their owne but want in others greatest plenty and beg through extreme penurie euen in the time of haruest so doe they deserue by their slothfulnesse to be neglected of others and harden the hearts of those who are able and willing to giue so as they thinke it no Almes-deed to relieue them out of their store for they that will not worke are not worthy to eate seeing they are vnprofitable burthens of the Common wealth the blemish of a well gouerned 2. Thes 3. 10. Church and idle Drones who deuoure the fruit of other mens labours Or if men seeing their want and misery giue charitably to their necessity though they respect not their person yet it is punished with seruitude and base subiection For through penury they are constrained to liue vpon begging borrowing and as the Wiseman obserued The rich ruleth Pro. 22. 7. ouer the poore and the borrower is a seruant to the lender againe The hand of Pro. 12. 24. the diligent shall beare rule but the slothfull shal be vnder tribute Finally in the life to come it is punished with euerlasting death for not only the wasting and riotous seruant which mis-spendeth and consumeth his Lords talents but also the idle and vnprofitable seruant which doth not increase them by his honest labour shall be cast into outer darknesse where shall be weeping Mat. 25. 26 30. and gnashing of teeth CAP. XX. That all persons without exceptions are bound by Gods Law to walke painefully in the workes of their callings §. Sect. 1 That the former reasons bind all men to painfulnesse in their callings ANd these are the reasons which may moue vs to be paineful in our callings and preserue vs from idlenesse But a question may bee made whom it concerneth to be thus daily imployed seeing common practice of the world doth plainely proclaime that they thinke all are not tied by these reasons to spend their time in paines and labour and that many may liue without any calling at all or hauing one may onely labour so much as they neede or will stand with their credit and place As though there were no other bonds to tye them vnto any paines but necessity among the poorer sort increase of riches among those who desire to increase their wealth to an higher pitch and honour and authority among those who are in place of gouernement As for the rich that are contented with their wealth and Gentlemen who liue vpon their lands and great reuenues and desire not to haue the honour with the burthen of gouernement they neede not to imploy themselues in any calling but may spend their time in all ease and pleasure in hunting and hawking in gaming and reuelling with which conceite they are so possessed that they hold it some disparagement to bee otherwise exercised or to take any paines in any lawfull calling For answering whereof wee are to know that these reasons concerne all men of all estates and conditions rich and poore noble and base so long as they are able to take paines and are not made vnfit by age and impotency sicknesse and such other infirmities For the Law imposed vpon Adam bindeth also all his
shamefull ouerthrow vnlesse our Christian Armour be put on and fastened vnto vs with the girdle of verity and vnlesse wee be trained vp in this Christian warfare and taught rightly to vse the sword of the Spirit the Word of God Now if vowes must be paid without delay then Psal 76. 11. how much more this which importeth vs as much as our saluation A third reason may be taken from Gods loue and fatherly care and prouidence watching ouer vs and preseruing vs from all perils and dangers in the time of our infancie and childehood vnto which as we were naturally most prone so were wee vtterly vnable to auoid them by our owne prouidence or to vse any meanes to helpe our selues Which consideration should moue vs as soone as we are come to knowledge and discretion to testifie our thankefulnesse by learning his waies that wee may walke in them and thereby glorifie him who hath so graciously preserued vs. Fourthly let vs consider that the Law was giuen not onely to the ancient and them of ripe age but also to children and young men that they might cleanse their wayes by taking heede thereunto according to Gods Psal 119. 9. Word which made Iosuah to reade it vnto them all alike And both old Iosh 8. 35. and yong shall be called to giue an account of their workes and waies at the last day according to that in the Reuelation I saw the dead great and Apoc. 20. 12. small stand before God and the bookes were opened c. and the dead were iudged out of those things which were written in those bookes according to their workes And therefore the young as well as the old must prepare themselues for their reckoning and learne both what strength the Booke of the Law hath to indite and condemne him and how by the Gospell they may trauerse this inditement and be acquitted from that dreadfull sentence of condemnation by pleading full satisfaction by Iesus Christ And therefore when his soule wallowing it selfe in carnall delights saith vnto him Reioyce Eccles 11. 9. O yong man in thy youth and let thine heart cheere thee in the dayes of thy youth and walke in the waies of thine heart and in the sight of thine eyes then let him remember that for all these things God will bring him to iudgement Fifthly consider that this age aboue all others is most fit to receiue and retaine instruction and information in the wayes of the Lord as also reformation and amendment of our sinfull courses Which if it bee deferred to riper age they will be lesse able to learne the will and wayes of God to hold them in memory or to obey and walke in them For the faculties of the soule will bee more enfeebled and they distracted with earthly cares and loue of the world ambition couetousnesse voluptuousnesse they will then be more apt to content themselues with their ignorance wherin they haue bin so long nuzzled their passions will grow strong and violent and custome of sinning laying fast hold on them will pull them backe from the schoole of piety yea will make them openly to professe that they are now too old to learne by all which who seeth not how desperately they hazzard their saluation who put off instruction and neglect the meanes of it in the time of their youth And therefore let vs hearken to the Wise mans counsell and remember now our Creator in the daies of our Eccles 12. 1. youth while the euill daies come not nor the yeeres draw nigh when thou shalt say I haue no pleasure in them Sixthly let vs remember that God would haue first fruits offered vnto him as a type to teach vs that the prime of our age is an oblation wherein he chiefly delighteth that our Sauiour was much pleased when little children entertained him with their applause Crying Math. 21. 15. Psal 8. 2. Hosanna to the Sonne of Dauid that God out of the mouth of babes and sucklings hath ordained strength because of his enemies that he might stil the enemie the auenger Finally that in the time of the law they were inioyned to offer vnto God the yong and lusty not the old and lame to shew that the Lord would haue the prime of our age and strength consecrated to his seruice although in the Gospell all are inuited to the marriage Supper the poore Luke 14. 21. maimed halt and blinde because so we bring with vs the wedding garment it is better in our age to come halting to the feast and through the dimnesse of our sight groping for the right way then to frame worldly excuses and absent our selues altogether §. Sect. 9 Of the great profit of this exercise of catechizing Lastly let the profit manifold benefits which accompany this dutie be an effectuall meanes to perswade vs vnto it For they only are saued who Ioh. 3. 16 17 36 Mar. 16. 16. Rom. 10. 15 17. haue faith and they faith alone who haue knowledge both which come by hearing as the Apostle teacheth vs How shall they call vpon him in whom they haue not beleeued and how shall they beleeue in him of whom they haue not heard and how shall they heare without a Preacher So then faith commeth by hearing and hearing by the Word of God And this the Apostate Iulian well knew and therefore to roote out the Church he thought it the most effectuall way to put downe Christian Schooles and Religious exercises that being depriued of all meanes of knowledge hee might leade them in their ignorance which way hee listed Secondly it is a notable meanes to free them from errours and heresies when they are grounded in the knowledge of the truth and the analogie of faith that will serue them as a touchstone and rule according to which doctrines must bee examined which whoso want may easily be led euen into fundamentall errours For as the Apostle saith there must bee heresies in the world vnto 1. Cor. 11. 19. which men naturally are more inclined then vnto the truth and therefore we must not hand ouer head hearken vnto euery spirit nor when we heare iudge of them according to our naturall reason but wee must as the Apostle Iohn exhorteth vs try them whether they be of God or no by 1. Ioh. 4. 1. bringing them to be examined by the touchstone of his Truth The which wee shall be vtterly vnable to doe if we be not acquainted with the Scriptures and haue no knowledge of the maine principles and the analogie of faith contayned in them Where by the way wee may note the cause why Popery so much increaseth amongst vs namely because for want of catechizing in many places the people remaine ignorant of the principles of Christian Religion and so vpon the alleadging of any carnall reason plausible to corrupted nature they become an easie prey to the Priests and Iesuites Thirdly It helpeth notably to the hearing of Sermons with profit
and amendment All things also which crosse our desires and doe molest and grieue vs either in their owne nature or in our opinion and conceit which are as innumerable in their multitude and intolerable in their supposed waight as those which are so in deed and truth Afflictions that haue some true existence are of diuers kinds first publike as warres plague famine ill gouernement in Magistrates rebellion and disobedience in subiects open persecution for the profession of the Truth suppressing of the Ministery and the light of the Gospel and such like Secondly such as fall out in societies betweene vs and others as vnfaithfull dealing and fraudulent courses vsed by those who commerce with vs wrongs and oppressions hard censures and ill reports discourtesie and vnkindnesse from neighbours and friends with many others of like nature Thirdly such as are domesticall and in our owne families as disobedience and vnrulinesse vnthriftinesse and vntowardnesse want of loue and dutie in our children crosnesse and frowardnesse riot and wastefulnesse negligence and vnfaithfulnesse in seruants ill successe in our worldly businesse dammage and hurt in houshold commodities and the rest Finally such as are personall as sores and sickenesses pouertie and want of necessaries exile imprisonment shame contempt losse of goods or friends with innumerable others which are daily incident to the life of man §. Sect. 2 How we ought to prepare our selues before afflictions come that we may be able to beare them with patience when they come In which estate of aduersity and afflictions accompanied with such innumerable euils and miseries of all kinds if wee would rightly and as we ought carry and demeane our selues so as wee should receiue no dammage to our spirituall estate nor hindrance to our saluation yea for the present make our troubles and griefes more easie and tolerable there are some things to be done before they happen and some things when they haue already light vpon vs. Before we are to labour in mortifying and subduing of our inordinate affections and vnruly passions that they may become in all things subiect to the will of God and in the denying of our selues and our owne wills that wee may in all estates submit our persons goods and liues to his good pleasure and so take vp our crosse and follow Christ More especially we must seeke to moderate our feare which aggrauates our griefes and is oftentimes more troublesome then the euill feared confine our vnlimited hopes which when they are crossed as much afflict vs as the losse of those comforts which we truly inioy stint our desires according to the necessitie of nature and not leaue them to the libertie of inordinate concupiscence bridle and subdue our rash anger which oppresseth vs with waights of our owne making and maketh a mountaine of euery Mole-hill mortifie our melancholike discontent by a true faith which will perswade vs that that estate is best for vs in which God hath placed vs pull downe our pride and haughtinesse of spirit which is one chiefe cause of impatiency murmuring and repining vnder the crosse as though we were worse dealt with then we deserue cast away all emulation in prosperity which in our afflictions will vexe vs as much in the sight of others rising as in the sense of our owne fall Finally we must not in our prosperity be excessiue in our ioy for then in our aduersity we will bee as immoderate in our griefe lighting by so much the more heauily in our downe-fall of sorrow by how much wee fell higher from the top of ioy Secondly wee must not fayne afflictions vnto our selues nor make those Hest 5. 13. things become crosses by a false conceit which others would esteeme comforts and benefits We must not become miserable by thinking our selues so nor make vnto our selues burthens by a false apprehension when as God doth not impose any vpon vs. Thirdly we must not by feare anticipate our griefe nor make our selues miserable before our time by pulling crosses presently vpon vs through a fearefull and cowardly expectation which either would neuer happen or not of a long season Fourthly though we must not anticipate them by feare nor make our selues presently miserable because wee suppose we shall be so in the time to come yet wee must by wise and Christian prouidence foresee them before they happen not onely that wee may vse all good meanes to preuent them but if they must needes befall vs that wee may be prepared and so armed with patience that they may not hurt vs. For that which is it may bee fabulously reported of the Cockatrice is heere rightly moralized If wee see them first by a wise and working prouidence they will lose all their vigour and venome dye and doe vs no harme but if they first reflect vpon vs their malignant eyes before we discerne their approaching they will hurt and kill our soules with their poysonous influences Fifthly wee must not in our prosperity set our hearts and affections vpon any worldly things or temporall benefits for they who immoderately loue them when they haue them will grieue as immoderately when they lose them and if we looke vpon them as fee-simples perpetuities we shal be more impatient in our sorrow when we are turned out of them as tenants at wil. Sixthly we must not either cōtemne afflictions before they assault vs nor yet conceiue that they are so strong and vnresistable that it is in vaine to oppose their fury For a contemned enemy though weake getteth an easie conquest because we being vnprepared he findeth no resistance And hee that is possessed with too much feare out of an opinion of his enemies strength and his owne weakenesse is ready to flie or yeeld before the skirmish And therefore as we must not securely presume of victory in confidence of our owne strength and our enemies weakenesse so must we be bold and couragious in the assurance of Gods assistance and as the Apostle speaketh neither despise the chastening of the Lord nor faint when we are rebuked of him Heb. 12. 6. Lastly we must take heed that we doe not wilfully runne into afflictions but vse all lawfull meanes to preuent them before they come or to bee freed from them when they are inflicted For he that loueth danger shall perish in it and hee that voluntarily when he needeth not layeth a crosse vpon his owne shoulders hath no promise that God will take it off Wee must drinke of this bitter cup but it is onely when our heauenly Father doth put it into our hands otherwise we cannot say that we are chastized by him but that wee scourge our selues with whips of our owne making like the Lyon which is said to prouoke himselfe to anger when there is none to hurt him by beating himselfe with his owne taile And as we must not voluntarily take crosses vpon vs when we may lawfully auoyd them so may we not lye vnder them still when God giueth vs lawfull
Congregation And next vnto it our speech must tend to the furthering of our owne saluation and edification of our brethren For if our hearts bee sincere and holy such also will our conferences bee as before wee haue shewed more at large §. Sect. 4 That we must practise what we know in our works and actions Secondly with our words and outward profession wee must ioyne also our workes and actions in doing seruice vnto God without which wee cannot approoue our hearts to bee vpright before him Neither is it sufficient to make vs accepted of God that wee speake religiously and make a glorious profession of the Truth vnlesse our practice be sutable in the works of holinesse and righteousnesse It is not enough as our Sauiour hath taught vs to cry Lord Lord for entring into Gods Kingdom vnlesse we Mat. 7. 21 23. do the wil of his Father which is in heauen no nor yet that we haue prophecied and preached in his Name seeing we shal be excluded depart from him if we be workers of iniquity For not the hearers and talkers of the Law but the Rom. 2. 13. doers therof shall be iustified Neither will God render vnto vs according to our outward profession but according to our deeds we shal receiue at Christs Rom. 2. 6. 2. Cor. 5. 10. Tit. 1. 16. appearing to Iudgement not according to our words and shewes but according to that we haue done whether it be good or bad Yea in truth bare profession without practice doth make vs the more odious in Gods sight And if we deny God in our works whō we professe to know with our words we become abominable hypocrits who dishonour him more by their sins then any other In which regard the Lord would haue none to make profession of Religion who do not indeuour to practise what they know in their liues What hast thou to doe to declare my Statutes or that thou shouldest take my Couenant Psal 50. 16. into thy mouth seeing thou hatest instruction and castest my words behind thee And such our Sauiour reprooueth Why call ye me Lord Lord and doe Luk. 6. 46. not the things which I say Before therefore we compasse Gods Altar to offer vnto him with our tongues the sacrifice of praise wee must first with Dauid wash our hands in innocencie If we would approoue the sincerity of Psal 26. 6. our faith outward confession of the Truth we must with those beleeuers in the Acts of the Apostles shew it by our deeds If we would make it manifest Act. 19. 18. that our harts are inwardly inflamed with the loue of God we must shew it by our actions rather then by our words according to that of our Sauiour If ye loue me keepe my Commandements And againe He that hath my John 14. 15 21. Commandements and keepeth them is he that loueth me Yee are my friends if ye doe whatsoeuer I command you Iohn 15. 14. §. Sect. 5 Diuers reasons perswading vs to good workes By all which it appeareth that vnto the duties of a godly life there is required reall practice in our workes as well as verball profession with our mouthes neither doth an holy profession alone make any man holy but only bindeth him to the duties of holinesse The which though it bee acknowledged of all men yet because it fareth with the most as with men grieuously sicke who hauing lost their appetite approoue good meate in their iudgment and discourse but when they are mooued to eate of it put it by because it is lothsome to their corrupted stomacks therefore it will not be amisse that we inforce this point a little further that I may set an edge on their appetite and as the Apostle requireth may prouoke them vnto Heb. 10. 24. loue and good workes First therefore let vs consider that as the Lord requireth an vpright heart and holy profession so also the fruits of them both in good workes For he would haue vs not onely hearers of his Word but also doers of it and chargeth vs to doe good vnto all to be rich in good workes Iam. 1. 22. Gal. 6. 10. 1. Tim. 6. 17 18. 2. Thes 3. 13. Tit. 2. 14. Luk. 1. 74 75. 1. Tim. 2. 10. and neuer weary of well-doing Secondly that he hath created vs vnto good workes that we should walke in them and redeemed vs that wee should not onely doe good workes but also bee zealous in doing of them Thirdly that they are the chiefe ornaments of Christians which much more decke and beautifie them in the sight of God and all good men then all Iewels gold and gorgeous apparell Fourthly let vs consider the exceeding profit of them seeing God doth richly reward them both in this life and the life to come Fifthly that they are notable and singular meanes to assure vs of all Gods graces in this life and eternal happinesse in the life to come whereby we attaine vnto spirituall comfort peace of conscience and ioy in the holy Ghost For they are the assured signes of our election and effectuall calling seeing if we doe these things we shall neuer fall They are the 2. Pet. 1. 10. fruits of our regeneration and new birth whereby wee are assured of our spirituall life euen as the naturall life is knowne by action and motion and that we are trees of righteousnesse which Gods owne hand hath planted for the tree is knowne by the fruits seeing a good tree cannot bring foorth Math. 7. 17. 12. 33. those which are euill nor an euill those which are good They assure vs of our iustification for he that doth righteousnesse is righteous as the Apostle Iohn 1. Job 3. 7. Rom. 2. 13. telleth vs. They are signes of our adoption and spirituall kindred with Christ for they that heare the Word and doe it are his brethren and sisters By them we may be assured that our wisedome is spirituall and heauenly according Mat. 12. 50. to that of the Apostle Iames Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge amongst you Let him shew out of a good conuersation his workes with Iam. 3. 13. meekenesse of wisedome That our faith also is liuely and iustifying For they and they onely doe truely beleeue in God who are carefull to maintaine good workes seeing as it inwardly purifieth the heart so also it worketh outwardly Tit. 3. 8. Act. 15. 9. Gal. 5. 6. Iam. 2. 14. 17. 26. by loue And therefore the Apostle Iames concludeth that such a faith as bringeth not forth these fruits doth nothing profit vs for our iustification and saluation because it is dead and not a liuing body but a dead carkasse which breatheth not So that though workes doe not iustifie vs but faith onely for wee are first made righteous before wee can bring foorth the fruits of righteousnesse yet that faith which is alone doth not iustifie vs because it is a dead faith
vs and them but let vs propound the getting of Christ as the maine scope of them all that so being vnited vnto him we and our duties may in him be accepted before God and receiue a rich reward by vertue of his merits and perfect obedience §. Sect. 4 The third rule respecting the Spirit of God dwelling in vs. The third rule respecteth the holy Spirit of God dwelling in vs namely that seeing we cannot of our selues pray or heare or reade or meditate Rom. 8. 15 26. or else performe any other Christian and holy duties but as this Spirit helpeth our infirmities and giueth vs power to bring them to some good effect therefore stopping our eares to carnall disputes and shaking off the yoke of naturall corrupted reason we must in the performing of all the duties of a godly life giue our selues ouer to be gouerned and guided by it both in respect of the matter manner and time of doing them And when wee heare the voyce of the Spirit secretly whispering in our hearts like the voyce of one standing behind vs saying This is the way walke thou Esa 30. 21. in it when thou turnest to the right hand or to the left we are to be directed by it And when it putteth into our mindes any good motions or inciteth vs vnto any holy duties as praying hearing reading meditating renewing of our repentance or doing the workes of mercy and such like wee must not quench the Spirit by checking these motions nor by delaying and 1. Thes 5. 19. putting them off to another time but vndertake them presently and labour to bring them to good effect whilest it offereth vnto vs its helpe and assistance without which of our selues wee are able to doe nothing that is good Let vs not grieue the good Spirit of God dwelling in vs whereby wee are Ephes 4. 30. sealed to saluation by refusing his gouernment as the Israelites dealt with Samuel notwithstanding it is so profitable vnto vs pulling as it were his 1. Sam. 12. Scepter out of his hand and saying vnto him as those Rebels to Christ This man shall not raigne ouer vs but like obedient subiects let vs submit Luk. 19. 14. our selues in all things to be ruled by it and when wee discerne that the motions which are put into our minds are his as wee may easily know them from all others both by their holinesse resembling their Author and their agreement with the voyce of the Spirit in the holy Scriptures let vs 2. Tim. 1. 6. not onely yeeld vnto them but also giue them the best entertainment nourishing and cherishing them when they seeme weake and inciting and re-inliuing them when as they begin to languish and dye in vs by meditation prayer reading and other such like religious exercises Let vs open the doore of our hearts when he knocketh and giue kind entertainment Apoc. 3. 20. to this holy Ghest who bringeth his cheere with him and will feast vs with a delicate banquet of spirituall graces But especially when he visiteth vs after an especiall extraordinary manner and giueth more euident signes of his presence then at other times by working more powerfully good motions in vs kindling our zeale and inlarging our hearts with the loue of God and the duties of his seruice then are we not by sloth to let slip so good an opportunity of inriching our soules with sauing graces but we must as we vse to say strike whilest the iron is hot and reape our haruest whilest this Sun-shine continueth we must set vp all our sailes whilest this faire gale of wind lasteth and so wee shall in a shorter time make a farre greater progresse in our course of godlinesse then in many moneths when being left by the Spirit in respect of this extraordinary efficacie and operation we shall be becalmed and haue neither will nor power to goe forward When hee offereth himselfe in an vnusuall manner vnto vs in our trauelling of the spirituall iourney as the Angell to Iacob wee must take fast hold of him not suffering him to depart before he hath giuen vs an extraordinary blessing And when hee mooueth our hearts as the Angell the Poole of Bethesda and by his speciall presence infuseth into them more then wonted vertue let vs not suffer so good an opportunity to passe without making of it some spirituall aduantage for the curing of our sores and sicknesses of sinnes and the confirming and increasing of our health and strength in our inner man §. Sect. 5 That we often renew the Couenant of grace between God and vs. The rules which respect the subordinate causes and helpes whereby we are inabled to performe the duties of a godly life are diuers The first that we often renew the couenant of grace betweene God and vs by renewing the condition of it on our part faith and repentance In which exercise as we are to renew our sorrow for all our sinnes and those aboue the rest which we haue most often committed and thereby most offended and dishonoured God so especially for those sinnes and corruptions which haue most disabled vs vnto the duties of a godly life and haue plunged vs into the contrary wickednesse whereby we haue serued sinne and Satan As our negligence and want of zeale and holy care to glorifie God by the light of our Christian conuersation and bringing forth the fruits of new obedience and adorning our profession by our holy conuersation whereby contrariwise we haue caused Gods holy Name to be blasphemed and our Christian profession to be slandered and euill spoken of as though it were the cause of all our inormities Our security and hardnesse of heart whereby we haue made no good vse either of Gods Word or workes his mercies or iudgements to be drawne by them to repentance and made more diligent in the duties of his seruice but putting the euill day farre Math. 24. 48. from vs haue taken occasion thereby with the euill seruant to be slothfull and negligent in all good duties and to take liberty in running licentious courses loathing the meanes whereby we should haue bin wakened and rowzed vp out of this spirituall lethargie Our cowardize and slothfulnes in making warre against our flesh and fleshly lusts whereby they haue often gotten to such an head strength and height of rebellion that they haue preuailed and haue shamefully foyled the spirituall part and led vs captiue vnto sinne Our negligence in preuenting the occasions and withstanding the first motions and beginnings of sinne and our want of care in banishing out of our minds and hearts the desires and concupiscence of the flesh when they were first suggested vnto vs whereof it hath come to passe that suffering them to rest in vs wee haue been allured and tick led with carnall delight in thinking of them which hath drawne vs from our former sincerity and moued vs to like and approue them to consent vnto and produce them
which wee haue spoken in part and shall say more in the following discourse But aboue all inuocation and prayer desiring God who is the Authour of our spirituall birth and being and also of our preseruation and growth in godlinesse that hee will perfect his good Phil. 1. 6. 2. Cor. 13. 9. Phil. 1. 9 10 11. Col. 1. 9. and 4. 12. Heb. 13. 21. 1. Pet. 5. 10. worke which he hath begun in vs sanctifie vs throughout in our soules and bodies and bring vs from one degree to another till at last wee come to a perfect man in Christ whereof we haue the holy Apostles in many places as fit precedents and examples who by their feruent prayers craue at Gods hands this growth in grace for themselues and others Finally if we would be good proficients in Gods seruice wee must often thinke of the worthinesse and excellency of our heauenly Master who is the chiefe Goodnesse and infinite in all perfection and therefore aboue all deserueth our best paines and diligence of his inestimable loue towards vs shining in our Creation Preseruation and that great worke of our Redemption by the death of his deare and onely Sonne for who would not loue him that hath so loued vs and labour to approoue it by striuing to serue him daily in more perfection Of the Passion and sufferings of Christ which will make vs thinke that we can neuer doe too much for him who hath done and suffered so much for vs. Of the perfection which the Law requireth vnder the penalty of a fearfull curse and of the gracious promises and sweet incouragements of the Gospell belonging to all those who striue and labour daily to attaine vnto this perfection Of the manifold and inestimable blessings both temporall spirituall and eternall which God hath partly put presently into our hands and partly confirmed vnto vs by infallible assurances all which liberall and bountifull wages if we be not too too ingratefull will make vs daily to double our diligence in doing him seruice Finally we must oftentimes meditate of the breuity of our liues and vncertainty of this short time compared with the excellency and eternity of our heauenly happinesse promised to all them who spend this momentany and vncertaine time in the duties of Gods seruice the which if any thing will moue vs to improoue the time present to the best aduantage seeing we are not sure of another day like wise Merchants who lay hold of a good penny-worth when it is offered and the prudent Pilot who setteth vp all his sailes whilest the wind and tide fauour him because he is vncertaine how long it will last and his opportunity being once past cannot be recouered at his owne pleasure CAP. V. Of the meanes whereby we may be inabled to leade a godly life and first of the ministery of the Word §. Sect. 1 That if we will leade a godly life we must vse the meanes inabling vs vnto it VNto the rules of direction which helpe and further vs in the duties of a godly life wee are to adde the consideration of certaine speciall meanes respecting practice whereby wee may be the better inabled to performe them For as God in his Decree hath ordained the ends at which we must chiefly aime that we may attaine vnto them so also the meanes which conduce vnto these ends As for example hee hath propounded his glory as the supreme end of all things and withall diuers meanes whereby it is aduanced and magnified as our faithfull seruice and obedience to his Commandements faith in Christ and such like He hath ordained vs to saluation and that we may attaine vnto it hee hath linked his Decree to this end by certaine subordinate causes and meanes as Creation Redemption Effectuall calling Iustification Sanctification and Preseruation Hee hath decreed that we should liue our naturall life vnto our appoynted time but withall that we should vse the meanes of food clothing sleepe physick by which it is preserued and maintained And thus also as hee hath ordained that we should liue the life of grace so likewise that wee should vse the helpes and meanes which hee hath appoynted for the beginning continuing and finishing of it which if wee neglect wee can haue no more hope of attaining vnto it whatsoeuer faire pretences wee make of our feruent desires to atchieue this end then of comming to happinesse being destitute of holinesse without which the Apostle telleth vs Heb. 12. 14. we shall neuer see God or of liuing to old age without the vse of the meanes meate drinke and apparell or of liuing to Gods glory when as we delight in the workes of darknesse and shine not in the light of an holy life The which as it must make vs carefull to vse all good helpes appoynted by God for the inabling vs vnto the duties of a godly life so our second care must be that wee vse them as meanes and not supreme and principall causes but relying our selues chiefly vpon God his wisedome and goodnesse power and promises the death and Resurrection of Christ effectually applyed vnto vs by the holy Spirit let vs vse these meanes as being his ordinances which hee hath appoynted to serue his prouidence yet without putting our trust and confidence in them as sufficient in themselues to conferre grace or to inable vs vnto the duties of a godly life seeing without the chiefe Worker assisting vs in the vse of them by his holy Spirit they are able to doe nothing and contrariwise if they be wanting he is all-sufficient without them to make vs liue holily in this world and happily in the life to come Now these meanes are either ordinary and in continuall vse vpon all occasions or extraordinary and to be vsed but at some times when some speciall causes mooue vs vnto them and both of them either publike or priuate or else mixt and to be performed sometimes publikely in the Congregation and sometimes priuately by our selues or with others The publike meanes are the ministery of the Word the Sacraments and prayer The which admit of a double consideration in respect of their diuers relations to seuerall ends For as they are duties performed vnto God that wee may glorifie him by doing vnto him seruice in them they are parts and branches of piety and a godly life in which sense we haue already intreated of them but as they helpe and further vs for the begetting and increasing in vs of all spirituall graces and the inabling of vs vnto all other Christian duties they are the meanes of a godly life in which sense we are now to speake of them Wherein they may be resembled vnto coyne and treasure the which is not onely a part of our wealth but also the meanes of purchasing and procuring house lands goods and all other riches or vnto the hand which in one relation is a part or member of the body but in another respect an instrument and speciall meanes for the
gracious call sounding in his Word saying vnto vs Awake thou that sleepest and Open vnto me my sister my loue my Eph. 5. 14. Cant. 5. 2. doue my vndefiled we would quickly fall into our old Lethargy of carnall security In respect of which drowzinesse of nature by reason of the reliques of sinne remaining in vs we are vnfit to keepe the spirituall watch vnlesse we continually rowze vp ourselues and shake off this sloth of carnall security And therefore as it is said of the Nightingale that being to delight her selfe with her night songs and fearing lest falling asleepe shee should indanger her selfe to birds of prey doth set her brest against a thorne to keepe her waking so we being to sing the songs of Sion and to spend our time continually in holy duties must vse all good meanes to keepe vs waking because wee are euery hand-while apt through our sluggishnesse to take a nap and thereby to indanger our soules to those rauenous and hellish fowles who take their chiefe delight in the workes of darkenesse and are ready to seaze vpon vs if they find vs sleeping Thirdly this watch is necessary in regard of the wickednesse and deceitfulnesse Ier. 17. 10. of our owne hearts which are ready continually to withdraw themselues from God to start aside like a deceitfull bow when wee aime at any good Psal 78. 57. duty and so make vs to misse the marke and to breake from vs when wee set our selues to performe any religious exercises distracting and pulling our minds from them that they may wander about in worldly cogitations And therefore seeing it is such a slippery Eele we must take the surer hold of it seeing it is such a false and flitting seruant which hath often deceiued vs accompanying vs into the Church and euen vnto our Pewes and then secretly slipping frō vs that they may spend the time allotted to Gods seruice in ranging abroad about worldly vanities there is no way but to set it before vs in Gods presence and to keepe it continually vnder the straight watch of a vigilant eye that it may not slip away at vnawares as it hath done often in former times And this the Lord requireth as necessary in this case Take heed to your selues that your heart be not deceiued and ye turne Deut. 11. 16. aside that is lest you heart deceiue your heart your corrupt and deceitfull heart preuailing against your heart which is sanctified and regenerate for neither can the world nor the deuill draw vs away from God till our sinfull flesh and corrupt nature betray vs into their hands And of this also the Apostle giueth vs warning Take heed saith he brethren lest there bee Heb. 3. 12. in any of you an euill heart of vnbeliefe in departing from the liuing God Fourthly this watch is necessary because without it we are apt to relapse into our former condition of the sleepe of sinne For wee are in this life like men not thorowly awaked but betweene sleeping and waking so as we may say with the Spouse I sleepe but my heart waketh and if we be not Cant. 5. 2. continually vsing all good meanes to keepe vs waking wee will but open our eyes and shut them againe and as it vvere but turne vs to the other side and so returne to our former sleepe Wee are like men but nevvly recouered out of dangerous diseases vvhich haue great need to looke vnto themselues seeing vpon euery slight cause the least taking of cold or distemper through ill diet they are ready to relapse into their former sickenesse Wee are like vveakelings that can but hardly goe and yet must needs trauell in slippery places or as it vvere aloft vpon a narrovv beame vvhere vve often slip and are sure to catch grieuous falls vnlesse vvee carefully watch ouer our selues and looke diligently to our footing and being falne are sure to perish vnlesse wee rise vp againe and recouer our selues by vnfained repentance according to that of our Sauiour Remember from whence thou art falne and repent and doe thy first workes or else Apoc. 2. 5. I will come against thee quickly c. The which relapses and falls be most dangerous vnto our spiritual life because they make our estate worse then it was before our conuersion when as we were sicke in sinne and death seeing we are but like men who in their departure are dawed as they say and wakened by the out-cries of the standers by who reuiue not to liue but to dye againe and so to indure the paines of a continued sicknesse and double death in which respect our Sauiour Christ saith that the end of Math. 12. 45. such is worse then their beginning And the Apostle Peter affirmeth that it 2. Pet. 2. 21 22. had been better for them not to haue knowne the way of righteousnesse then after they haue knowne it to turne out of it like the dog to his vomit or the washed sow to her wallowing in the mire Lastly in regard of our selues this watch is necessary because without it we can haue no assurance that we are spiritually inlightened and awakened out of the sleepe of death For this is the difference which the Apostle maketh betweene the faithfull and the vnbeleeuer that these still lye sleeping and snorting in the darke night of ignorance and errour doing in the darke the workes of darknesse and wholly neglecting the Christian Watch but the other being children of 1. Thes 5. 5 6 7. the light and of the day doe not sleepe as doe others but watch and are sober and being of the day doe the workes of the day putting on the brest-plate of faith and loue and for an helmet the hope of saluation And as there are great and manifold causes respecting our selues which make this watch necessary so also in respect of the enemies of our saluation who being powerfull and politicke farre mightier then we and yet many to one doe labour by all meanes to worke our destruction The which argument alone should keepe vs waking for when should we vvatch if not in the time of our Christian warfare when as we are beset on all sides with such dangerous and malicious enemies especially if we consider that the chiefe commander of all these forces Satan that roring rauening Lion neuer 1. Pet. 5. 8. slumbreth nor sleepeth but goeth continually about and watcheth all opportunities of working our destruction And therfore if they be so watchfull that they may worke our ruine by casting vs into the deep sleepe and spirituall lethargie of sin death how vigilant and carefull should we be by preuenting their malice to escape this imminent desperate danger §. Sect. 3 That this watch is most profitable because it helpeth vs much to the leading of a godly life The reasons which may induce vs to keepe this watch respecting our profit are also diuers First because it helpeth vs much to the leading
small difference betweene Meditation and Contemplation yet as the Schooles define it there is some in degree Meditation being an exercise of a lower and meaner nature within the reach of all Christians which will put out their hand vnto it Contemplation more high and heauenly fit only for such as by long exercise haue attained to much perfection That exercised about any spirituall obiect not onely originally in the vnderstanding but also imaginary and brought vnto it by the Ministery of the senses as the creation of the world the death and passion of Christ and such like but this about things chiefly intellectuall sublime and heauenly as the nature and attributes of God the Trinity of persons in Vniâ—â— of essence the ioyes of heauen and others of like nature Finally it is an exercise which of the most is performed with much difficulty because of their weakenesses and want of vse being hindred in their spirituall flight by hauing the waight of earthly cares and distractions as it were hanging at their heeles and the wings of their soules somewhat besmeared with the lime of worldly vanities but this of great Proficients who by much practice haue brought their Art into an habit and are able with ease yea with much pleasure and delight to soare with the Eagle an high pitch in their heauenly thoughts and to spend heerein great part of their time not stooping towards the earth but when they are forced by naturall necessity which being satisfied and their bodies and mindes somewhat refreshed they doe as weary of the earth raise vp their soules and renew their wonted flight §. Sect. 3 Of the efficicient cause or person who is to meditate The efficient cause or person who is to performe this exercise is the Christian onely and the man regenerate for holy things must not bee Hag. 2. 13. touched with prophane hands seeing they doe not sanctifie them but are polluted with their vncleanenesse Neither can they that are dead in sinne doe the actions of the liuing and are so farre from performing this holy duty in any acceptable manner that they are not able so much as to thinke a good thought Neither is it enough that we be once purged from their guilt and punishment in our iustification by the death and bloodshed of Christ applyed by faith or that we be freed from the corruption of sinne in the first acts of our sanctification but seeing wee doe daily renew our sinnes and thereby defile our soules and bodies we must daily clense them by renewing our repentance and not presume to vndertake this holy worke liuing and lying in our spirituall defilements but we must wash our soules as sometimes the Israelites their clothes before we presume to approach vnto this mount of Meditation wherein God hath promised to be seene and to clense the Tables of our hearts with the teares of true contrition before we goe about to haue any holy impressions written in them And seeing sinne like a thicke cloud doth dimme and dazle the eyes of our mindes so as we cannot see holy and heauenly things wee must first dispell them by vnfained repentance before we can receiue any comfort of diuine and heauenly light And being to entertaine our Bridegroome Christ in his spirituall presence into our hearts as it were into our houses and to solace our soules in a more heere communion and familiarity with him we are first to purge them from all noysome defilements which will make our company lothsome vnto him and though wee cannot so sufficiently purifie them that they may bee worthy to entertaine so pure and holy a ghest yet at least in a sincere affection let vs labour to doe the best we can that it may not appeare to be a fault of negligence but of our spirituall pouerty and impotency which disableth vs to giue him any better welcome The formall cause of this exercise is a serious cogitation or intentiue deliberation Neither is this worke of the Lord to be done negligently and slightly letting the reines loose to our cogitations that they may wander whither they list but wee are to intend the whole powers of our mind vnto it and to set them strictly to this holy taske not suffering them to wander abroad whither they please but to apply themselues to that which they haue vndertaken vntill they haue brought their worke vnto some good perfection The subiect-matter of our Meditation is something diuine spirituall and heauenly vnto which our thoughts for the time it lasteth are to be restrained and not suffered to wander after or to intermingle with them any worldly things The finall causes or ends of it are the glory of God and our owne saluation both which are aduanced when as wee handle after an holy manner in our Meditations some such holy and spirituall matter as may tend to the bettering of our iudgements and increase of our inward sanctity by working in our hearts the loue and feare of God zeale and deuotion in his seruice an vtter hatred of sinne and a sincere purpose to please him in all things and to glorifie his Name by performing more carefully and conscionably all the duties of a godly life §. Sect. 4 That Meditation is an exercise which belongeth to all Christians And thus we see generally what Christian Meditation is and the causes of it the which being a singular and effectuall meanes of working in our hearts a great increase of all sauing graces and of strengthening vs to the duties of a godly life is not to be appropriated vnto any one profession or sort of men which were a dangerous Monopolie tending to the inestimable preiudice of the Christian Common-wealth when such a singular commodity as is profitable for all is ingrossed into the hands of some few but is to be laid out in common to all the faithfull who are any way interessed in grace or godlinesse Neither ought any sort or sexe to thinke that they are exempted from this exercise vnlesse they thinke themselues so strong in grace that all meanes of spirituall growth are needlesse or so weake and impotent that they hold them boot lesse seeing such exemption is no prerogatiue but a disfranchisement at least in part of their spirituall freedome and a losse of a singular priuiledge which the Lord in that great Charter of his Couenant made in Christ hath granted vnto them For he hath not onely allowed all the faithfull to haue the Booke of his Law in their hands to reade it or in their mouthes to talke of it but with the finger of his Spirit hath written and ingrauen it in their Jer. 31. 34. hearts that they may continually thinke and meditate vpon it Yea hee hath not onely left it vnto vs as a gracious liberty which we may take and leaue at our pleasure but hath strictly imposed it vpon all his people as a necessary duty These words which I command thee this day shall be in thine Deut 6. 6 8.
Body a bloody sweat And his externall sufferings as his betraying by his owne Apostle his apprehension by his cruell enemies who haled him before the Iudgement seat as a malefactour who was the Lord our righteousnesse falsly accused him who had committed no sinne and in whose mouth there was no guile vniustly condemned him who was iust and innocent mocked and scorned him blindfolded and buffeted him reuiled and spit vpon him clothed him with purple and crowned him with thornes whipped and tormented him crucified and killed him And here we may meditate of this kind of death which was most bitter and painfull ignominious and shamefull accursed and vncomfortable seeing he suffered not only a bodily death but the wrath of God which is the death of the soule and was vtterly emptyed as the Apostle speaketh Phil. 2. 8. of all diuine comfort and was as a man forlorne and forsaken of God in his owne sense and apprehension which made him to cry out vpon the Crosse My God my God why hast thou forsaken me Thus also wee haue matter of meditation from those things which followed his death as from his triumph vpon the Crosse ouer the wrath of God the curse of the Law Satan death hell and all the enemies of our saluation in respect of the vertue of his merits From his descension and buriall whereby he was held for a time vnder the arrest of death From those things likewise which were done by him in his state of exaltation as his Resurrection mansion vpon the earth for the space of forty dayes teaching and instructing his Disciples in those things which appertained to his Kingdome His Ascension sitting at the right hand of God and there making intercession for vs. And that which followeth of all these as the generall effect and fruit of them all the great worke of our Redemption So haue we matter of meditation from Christs Kingly Office by which sitting at the right hand of his Father in all glory maiesty and power hee raigneth ouer all the world and more peculiarly ouer his Church And heere we may meditate vpon the parts of his Kingly Office which are his speciall administration and generall and last Iudgement In the former wee may consider the gouernment of his Church and the abolition of the kingdome of darknesse In that we may meditate on his calling and gathering of it out of the world and the consecration of it being gathered by his presence and protection prouiding for it all necessaries and preseruing it from all dangers where we may take occasion to meditate vpon all Gods blessings and benefits both temporall spirituall and eternall which he hath and will bestow generally vpon his whole Church and also vpon those which he hath particularly and in speciall manner vouchsafed vnto vs both in our preseruation from euill and fruition of good The abolition of the kingdome of darknes is the ouerthrow and destruction of all his enemies and especially that grand aduersary Antichrist the whore of Babylon §. Sect. 7 Of the externall meanes of executing Gods Decree of Election Moreouer we may haue plentifull matter of meditation from the externall meanes of executing the Decree of our Election As from the Couenant of grace made with vs in Christ wherein the Lord hath promised that he will be our God and wee shall be his people the remission of our sinnes and saluation of our soules grace and all good things in this life and euerlasting happinesse in the life to come vpon the alone condition of faith which being liuely and effectuall bringeth forth the fruits of vnfained repentance So also from the meanes whereby this Couenant is administred namely the ministery of the Word and administration of the Sacraments Baptisme and the Lords Supper both which affoord vnto vs plentifull matter of meditation From the degrees likewise of the executing Gods Decree of Election and Reprobation As the loue and free grace of God in Christ and the degrees of the declaration of this loue both in this life and afterwards The first degree in this life is our effectuall calling the parts whereof are our election and separation from the world Gods donation giuing Christ vnto vs to be our Sauiour and vs to Christ to be saued by him and finally our insition into Christ and vnion with him From the meanes of executing this our calling which is the sauing hearing of the Word the softening of our hard hearts making them humble contrite penitent and sorrowfull for sinne which are all preparatiues to our sound conuersion and regeneration whereby wee who were dead in sinne are quickened and reuiued by the Spirit of God effectually applying vnto vs the vertue of Christs death and Resurrection From the worke of grace thus begun in vs we may haue much profitable matter of meditation As of the illumination of our minds with sauing knowledge of iustifying faith with the causes effects degrees properties and signes of it our iustification by faith in Christ our reconciliation and adoption and manifold other priuiledges of the faithfull of which I shall haue occasion to speak hereafter The speciall fruits of faith respecting our Iustification as our entrance into grace by which wee stand the loue of God shed abroad in our hearts confidence free accesse to the Throne of grace peace of conscience ioy in the holy Ghost and an holy glorying in Gods benefits The fruits of faith respecting our adoption as the Spirit of adoption hope Christian liberty So also we haue excellent matter of meditation from our sanctification the causes effects degrees properties meanes and signes of it and from the speciall parts of it our mortification vnto sinne and vinification to newnesse of life From the imperfection of our sanctification which is but begun in this life and to be perfected in the life to come and that by reason hereof the reliques of all sorts of sinne doe still remaine in vs blindnesse in our mindes errour in our iudgments impurity in our consciences forgetfulnesse in our memories rebellion in our willes security impenitency infidelity and hardnesse in our hearts corruption and disorder in our affections and by reason of all these many sinnes breaking out into our actions And heere we may meditate of those speciall sinnes and corruptions whereunto our natures are most prone and wherewith wee are most often ouertaken and of the meanes whereby we may mortifie and subdue them that they may no longer beare this sway in vs as in former times So also wee haue heere occasion to meditate of our begun sanctity in all our parts and actions of the internall holinesse of our natures and the change that is wrought in vs by repentance from euill to good from corruption to grace the which is to be obserued in all our inward faculties as the holinesse of our minds and vnderstandings in their spirituall illumination whereby they become wise and prudent in the things appertaining to God and our saluation the purging of our
promises and all-sufficiency in performance the profit of it in this life seeing it bringeth with it peace of conscience and ioy in the holy Ghost and maketh way for our eternall saluation in the life to come the necessity of it seeing without it nothing can saue vs with it no sinne can condemne vs being an inseparable fruit of faith which is the alone condition of all promised happinesse c. And these with many other are the causes O my soule which all concurre together to worke thy heart vnto vnfained repentance which being in themselues so powerfull and preualent to produce this effect will leaue thee quite without excuse if they be not effectuall to this end §. Sect. 7 Of the matter forme parts of repentance and first of humiliation And now my soule that thou seest the efficient causes of repentance consider also the matter and forme of it as they meet together in the parts thereof which are humiliation and godly sorrow for thy sinnes and turning vnto God by reformation and amendment the former part more directly expressing the matter the latter the forme of thy repentance And both these the Scriptures conioyne in this one worke For thus Salomon speaketh of it when they shall humble themselues and turne from their euill 2. Chro. 7. 14. wayes and Ioel exhorteth the people to turne vnto the Lord with weeping to Joel 2. 11 12. Act. 26. 20. rend their hearts and not their garments and to turne vnto the Lord. Howsoeuer in many places they name but one of them and thereby vnderstand the other And therefore O my soule see that thou disioyne not those things which thy God hath ioyned together content not thy selfe with Esa 58. such a sorrow as bringeth foorth no amendment which was reiected in Ahab Iudas Cain and the people of the Iewes for these teares like filthy waters doe but the more pollute thee and this worldly sorrow proceeding 2. Cor. 7. 10 11. not from hatred of sinne or loue of God but from selfe-loue and feare of punishment causeth death and is a sorrow which must be sorrovved for nor yet vvith such an amendment vvhich ariseth not from sense of sinne and godly remorse and sorrovv for it vvhich vvas the repentance of Herod who is said to haue done many things according to the Baptists doctrine and direction but not to haue sorrowed for sinne past as hee obeyed for the present of Iudas who was outwardly reformed as the other Apostles but neuer truely and thorowly humbled and so of Demas and many ciuill worldlings and temporaries who in many things change their course from euill to good but haue no change of their hearts grounded vpon vnfained contrition and humiliation But what is this but to build without a foundation and to dismember and destroy this perfect body by pulling one part from another And therefore my soule ioyne these parts in thy repentance lay first the foundation and then build vpon it bewayle thy sinnes with bitter griefe and then forsake them in heart and action and turne to thy God in amendment of life Now vnto this humiliation thou must first be prepared by the Law which like a Schoole-master whippeth thee and maketh thee to cry out in the sense of thy sinnes and the curse due vnto them and vtterly to deny thy selfe and thine owne righteousnesse as altogether insufficient to satisfie Gods Iustice and then it must be wrought in thee by the Gospell which reuealeth vnto thee the perfect righteousnesse and obedience of thy Sauiour Christ by which his Iustice being fully satisfied his wrath also is appeased the pardon of thy sinnes if thou bathe thy selfe in the blood of Christ by the hand of faith and assureth thee that thou art reconciled vnto God and become his child by grace and adoption The which will make thee to melt and resolue into teares of vnfained sorrow for thy sinnes whereby thou hast displeased so gracious a Father which godly griefe will cause repentance not to bee repented of And this is that sound humiliation which the Scriptures doe so often call for which thou mayest discerne if it be truely in thee by diuers signes that alwayes accompany it For the obiect of it is not punishment chiefly but thy sinne and not sinne as it stingeth and tormenteth thy conscience but as it is an offence which hath displeased thy God causing thee to say vnto him with Dauid Take away my sinne and purge me from my guilt and not with Pharaoh Let my sinne alone but take away this plague It alwayes causeth thee to draw neerer vnto God that thou mayest begge and obtaine pardon and not to flee from him to escape his punishing Hos 6. 1. hand It worketh repentance and reformation of those sins which we bewayle and not like children to lye still and cry It is a willing and free-will Psal 51. 17. offring of thine heart in which as God is delighted so is it pleasing and sweet vnto thee causing thee to lift vp thine head with hope and comfort when thou art thus humbled and to reioyce in such sorrow and is not pressed out of thee by the waight of Gods wrath the curse of the Law or smart of punishment The effects of this thy humiliation is that it driueth thee to God by prayer wherein thou humbly acknowledgest thy sinnes accusing thy selfe for them as liable to the curse by reason of their guilt aggrauating them by many circumstances condemning thy selfe as worthy of all punishments temporall and eternall iustifying Gods righteous iudgement if he should impose them magnifying his mercy with the repentant Church if hee spare thee in any and doe not vtterly consume Lamen 3 22. thee After which confession there followeth an humble and earnest suite for pardon and remission wherein thou must with Dauid cry out vnto thy God Haue mercy vpon me O Lord according to thy louing kindnesse according to the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions wash mee Psal 51. 1 2. thorowly from mine iniquity and cleanse me from my sinne §. Sect. 3 Of the second part of repentance which consisteth in conuersion and amendment The second part of thy repentance O my soule is thy conuersion and amendment whereby thou turnest from thy sinnes vnto God desiring and indeuouring to serue and please him in newnesse of life the things from which thou must turne O my soule are thy sinnes yea from all thy sinnes great and small none being so great that they need to discourage thee seeing they are incomparably exceeded by Gods infinite mercies and the All-sufficient merits of thy Sauiour nor any so small that thou shouldest neglect amendment seeing the least bring euerlasting death if they be not washed away with the blood of Christ who also dyed for them as well as for the greatest Or if there bee any difference in thy conuersion from thy sinnes O my soule it must be in leauing those sinnes with
our seeming wisedome be not foolishnesse and that wee mistake not the stained cloth of our imperfect obedience for the pure white linnen of perfect sanctity and so grosly abuse our selues for if a man thinketh Gal. 6. 3. himselfe to be something when he is nothing he is deceiued and coozeneth himselfe of his owne saluation With which deceit it is easie to be ouertaken with proud Iusticiaries by reason of our selfe-love if wee doe not often and seriously examine our selues according to the perfect rule of Gods Law and in this cleere Looking-glasse behold our blemishes and the manifold wants and imperfections of our best actions Furthermore the necessity of this examination heereby appeareth in that the neglect thereof is the cause of all sinne For what is the reason why men rush headlong into all manner of grosse and notorious wickednesse Why they blaspheme Gods holy Name for no worldly aduantage but vpon meere vanity Why they displease God and disable themselues vnto all duties of his seruice by surfetting and drunkennesse without any gaine yea to the discredit of their persons and ruining of their estates Why they commit filthinesse and vncleannesse thereby weakning their bodies and shortning their liues and why they continue in these and many such sinnes with impenitency and hardnesse of heart Surely not so much through the ignorance of their mindes or because their iudgements are not conuinced that these are grieuous sinnes which for the present draw Gods fearefull plagues vpon them and will heereafter be punished with euerlasting death For they heare these things daily sounding in their eares in the Ministery of the Word and see fearefull examples and presidents continually of them in others who haue liued in the like wickednesse But because though they haue sight and knowledge yet they haue no vse of it the deuill hauing so hud-winkt and blind folded the eyes of their minde that they neuer examine their state nor consider with themselues what they doe whither they are a going nor what will be the issue and end of these things And so like hooded Hawkes are carried quietly by the deuill into all wicked courses which leade them to destruction §. Sect. 4 The former point prooued by the Scriptures Esa 1. 3. And this is manifest by the Scriptures which in many places shew that men commit many of their sinnes and liue in them without repentance because they examine not their estate nor enter into due consideration what they doe Thus it is said that the cause of the Israelites vngratitude and rebellion against God was because they did not consider either Gods goodnesse and bounty nor their owne wickednesse and the manifold euils which thereby they brought vpon themselues That the cause why many of them followed drunkennesse and sported themselues in this sinne with all sensuall delight was because they regarded not the worke of Esa 5. 11 12. the Lord neither considered the operation of his hands That they forsooke the Lord and worshipped stockes and stones the works of their owne hands Esa 44. 19. because none considered in their hearts the vanity of Idols and that themselues had made them of the same tree wherof they had burned a part and conuerted other parts of it to other vses That the cause of Babylons insolency pride wherby they tyrānized ouer Gods people was because they did not cōsider that God had made them only scourges rods to correct his people which hauing done he would cast thē into the fire which things Esa 47. 7. 57. 11. they did not lay to heart nor remember the latter end namely their destructiō and the deliuerance of Gods people And as neglect of this consideration is the cause of sinne so also it exposeth vs to fearefull punishments for if we will not iudge our selues we shall be iudged of the Lord if we forget his Iudgements and neuer thinke of them hee will rub our memories and helpe vs to recouer our lost wits by whipping vs like Bedlems and making vs sensible by smart who were insensible of reason Thus the Lord saith that the whole Land was made desolate because no man laid it to Ier. 12. 11. heart And thus he threatneth the Israelites that because they did not remember and consider his former mercies and their owne sinnes and vnworthinesse therefore he would recompence their wayes vpon their head and Ezek. 16. 43. make them to know him by his Iudgements when as his mercies would not make them acknowledge him Lastly this may shew vs how necessary this examination is seeing it must of necessity bee done either in this world or the world to come For all shall render a reckoning of all that they haue done in the flesh and therefore if wee doe not examine and iudge our selues heere God will examine and condemne vs heereafter If we doe not call our selues to account in this life when as finding our selues short in our reckonings we haue time to sue through the Mediation of Christ for the pardon of our debts and to procure a generall acquittance and discharge we shal be accountant to Gods Iustice at the day of Iudgement when the Day of grace and saluation being past there will bee no place for procuring of pardon but being much indebted and hauing nothing to pay we shall be cast into the prison of outer darkenesse without hope of mercy or deliuerance from that endlesse misery Which fearefull Iudgement and condemnation if we would auoyd let vs heere whilst the Day of saluation lasteth examine iudge and condemne our selues that wee may turne from our sinnes by vnfained repentance and so hauing Christ to be both our Aduocate and Iudge we shall then escape Gods seuere and strict Iudgement seeing he will answere for vs and our examination and iudgement being already dispatched in this life nothing shall then remaine but that he our Iudge should pronounce the sentence of absolution and enter vs into the full fruition of that heauenly happinesse and euerlasting ioyes of his Kingdome which by his death and merits he hath purchased for vs. CAP. XXV Of the fourth priuate meanes of a godly life which is walking daily with God §. Sect. 1 That we are alwayes in Gods presence THe fourth priuate meanes of a godly life is with Enoch to walke with God that is to set our selues in his presence alwayes Gen. 5. 22. remembring that he is with vs hearing all our words and beholding all our actions yea euen the very secret thoughts of our hearts And that not as an idle spectatour but as a righteous Iudge who is both able and willing to reward vs bountifully if wee doe well and to punish vs seuerely if wee doe euill Wherein wee haue holy Dauid for our example who professeth that hee Psal 16. 8. did set the Lord alwayes before him Which that wee may imitate let our iudgements first be thorowly informed in this truth that howsoeuer God keepeth his chiefe
of our strength crying with Moses vnto him for helpe and deliuerance when we are pursued by our spirituall enemies Exod. 14. 15. And acknowledging with Asa our owne impotency to resist them 2. Chro. 14. 11. let vs make it our ground to implore Gods helpe Let vs bee as children in the hand of our heauenly Father and the more we finde and feele our owne weakenesse and pronenesse to fall let vs take so much the surer hold of him by a liuely faith and implore his helpe with the more feruency who is able and willing to support vs and by the assistance of his holy Spirit to doe all our workes for vs as the Prophet Esa 26. 12. speaketh Finally when we are most weake in our selues this is no hinderance vnto vs but that wee may be so strong in the Lord and in Ephe. 6. 10. the power of his might as that we may bee able to withstand and ouercome all Satans tentations whereby he laboureth to hinder vs in the wayes of godlinesse For though this strong armed man is able to keepe in safety all that hee possesseth against weaker opposition yet God who is stronger then he is able to disarme him and to set vs at Luk. 11. 22. liberty from vnder his tyranny Though our aduersarie bee mighty yet our Sauiour who hath redeemed and deliuered vs is almighty and no power of earth or hell is able to pull vs out of his hand And therefore when we see our owne weakenesse let vs labour also to see the Ioh. 10. 28 29. Ephe. 1. 18 19. exceeding greatnesse of Gods power not onely in himselfe but also towards vs who beleeue in him and pray for our selues as the Apostle for the Colossians not onely that wee may walke worthy of the Lord vnto all pleasing Col. 1. 10 11. being fruitfull in euery good worke but also that we may be strengthened with all might according to his glorious power and ouercome all difficulties which our spirituall aduersaries cast in our way to stoppe and hinder vs in this course of godlinesse The like comforts we may haue in the performance of all good duties when as wee consider Satans craft and policy and compare it with our ignorance and simplicity seeing this need not to discourage vs if we deny our owne wisedome as insufficient to guide vs and suffer our selues to be wholy directed by the light of Gods truth which is sufficient to discouer and defeate all his subtilties and hellish stratagems whereby hee indeuoureth to circumuent vs and giue our selues ouer to bee guided in all our waies by the good Spirit of God who being infinite in wisedome is able to turne this Achitophels policies into foolishnesse to fustrate all his cunning plots and proiects and so to direct vs in all our courses that wee shall easily auoid all the snares and secret ambushments of this subtill enemie And finally his vigilancy and diligence in seeking to turne vs out of the right way that wee may fall into his snares cannot discourage vs if denying our owne prouidence and watchfulnesse wee commit and commend our selues vnto Gods protection seeing hee is that great Watch-man of Israel who neuer slumbreth Psal 121 3. 4. or sleepeth but continually keepeth vs vnder the all-seeing eye of his prouidence that he may preserue vs safe from the malice and might of Satan and all the enemies of our saluation §. Sect. 4 Satans tentations whereby he impugneth our faith And thus wee see how wee may generally incourage our selues in the duties of a godly life against those impediments which arise from the nature of this grand enemy who opposeth vs in them Many others there are which are cast in our way by his tentations which either respect our faith or the fruits of it in a godly life Concerning the former this wily and experienced enemie mainely bendeth all his forces and engines of battery against our faith because hee well knoweth that if he can destroy the roote the branches and fruites which spring from it will wither and faile of their owne accord And therefore sometime taking aduantage of our wants and vnworthinesse our falls frailties and infirmities hee perswadeth vs that wee haue no faith at all when as wee haue it and sometimes laboureth to make vs neglect all meanes of getting faith when it is wanting by causing vs to rest vpon that shew and shaddow of it carnall security and fond presumption Yea hee assaulteth our faith diuersly in respect of all the causes and meanes of our saluation that so hee may hinder vs in the wayes of godlinesse For first hee mooueth vs either falsly to beleeue that all men are beloued of God and so wee among the rest because wee inioy testimonies of his fauour in worldly prosperity though these outward gifts are giuen in common to the good and bad or to doubt of Gods loue in respect of our afflictions and so to neglect all duties of his seruice because wee know not whether wee or our workes are accepted of him Secondly hee perswadeth vs either to thinke that all are elected to saluation and so wee among others liue as wee list or if some be elected and some reprobated that this Decree is vnchangeable and therefore if wee be elected wee shall be saued though wee take our pleasure and neglect all good duties or if we be reiected wee shall bee condemned though wee take neuer so much paines in the wayes of godlinesse Finally that wee can haue no assurance that wee are elected and therefore it is in vaine to labour after it but rather that it is our wisest course to leaue it to the venter and take the benefit of present pleasures Thirdly hee will tell vs that all are redeemed by Christ and wee with others and therefore wee may liue in our sinnes seeing he hath satisfied for them or that if he haue redeemed but some onely that we cannot be assured that we are in this number though wee be neuer so diligent in Gods seruice Fourthly hee will suggest that all are vniuersally called and yet seeing many fall away few are chosen and consequently that it is a matter impossible to be assured that we are in Christs little flocke because when we haue done all we can we may become Apostates and no better then Wolues and Goats and therfore it were best to spare our paines and to inioy our pleasures when we may haue them Fifthly he will tell vs that we are iustified by faith alone and therefore by that faith which is alone and that good workes are not required to the act of iustification and therefore are needlesse to the party iustified that they are not the causes of our saluation and therefore wee neede not to walke in them but may easily goe to heauen by another way Sixthly that none vpon earth can be perfectly sanctified and therefore seeing we cannot be Saints heere we must liue like other men and not tire
our persecutions we may well suffer with greater patience and comfort if we consider that they are not punishments for our sinnes from all which Christ hath fully freed vs but the trials of our faith which being approued shall be crowned with euerlasting ioy and happinesse In which regard we haue cause greatly to reioyce as the Apostle Peter speaketh 1. Pet. 1. 6 7. though now for a season if need be we are in heauinesse through manifold tentations that the triall of our faith being much more precious then the gold that perisheth though it be tryed with fire might be found vnto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Iesus Christ So the Apostle Iames My Iam. 1. 2 12. brethren count it all ioy when ye fall into diuers tentations of which hee afterwards rendreth this reason Because blessed is the man that indureth tentation for when he is tryed he shall receiue the Crowne of life which the Lord hath promised to them that loue him And indeed what a wonderfull priuiledge is this and what great cause doth it minister vnto vs of comfort and reioycing when we consider that the Lord hath vouchsafed vnto vs this great honour to suffer afflictions for his owne glory and the furthering and assuring of our saluation when as he might haue iustly inflicted them and farre greater vpon vs for our sinnes and to the burthen of our sufferings haue deseruedly added the vncomfortable waight of shame and infamie All which blessed priuiledges we shall lose and run into the contrary mischiefes and euen hellish condemnation if we shrinke from our profession and holy practice for feare of persecution and refuse to suffer for his sake who hath suffered so much for vs. For he that loueth his life shall Ioh. 12. 25. lose it and hee that hateth his life in this world shall keepe it vnto life eternall And againe If any man come to me saith our Sauiour and hate not his father Luk. 14. 26 27. and mother and wife and children and brethren and sisters and his owne life also namely when they come in comparison with Christ and when the loue of both cannot stand together hee cannot be my Disciple And whosoeuer doth not heare his crosse and come vnto me cannot be my Disciple §. Sect. 3 That our Sauiour hath foretold these persecutions Secondly let vs consider that our Sauiour Christ hath long agoe foretold that whosoeuer wil be his Disciples must suffer in this world troubles and persecutions and that those who will attaine vnto heauenly happinesse must trauaile vnto it by that afflicted way which himselfe and all his seruants haue gone before them If any man saith he will come after mee Luk. 9. 23 24 25 let him deny himselfe and take vp his Crosse daily and follow me For whosoeuer Mat. 16. 24 25. will saue his life shall lose it and whosoeuer will lose his life for my sake shall saue it Now what is a man aduantaged if he gaine the whole world and lose himselfe or be cast away So the Apostles first offered the Crosse vnto them who Act. 14. 22. would afterwards weare the Crowne and haue told vs before-hand that by many tribulations we must enter into the Kingdome of God And that whosoeuer 2. Tim. 3. 12. Luk. 14. 27 28 c. will liue godly in Christ Iesus shall suffer persecution And therefore our Sauiour Christ seriously aduiseth vs that before we take vpon vs the profession of Christianity we first sit downe and cast vp our accounts examining our selues whether we can be content to suffer with him that wee may afterwards raigne with him and to indure afflictions and persecutions in this world that wee may eternally triumph with him in glory and happinesse in the world to come Now what more faire dealing could be vsed then to tell vs before-hand what we must trust to and before hee entertaine vs into his seruice to acquaint vs thorowly with our worke which he requireth of vs before we can receiue our wages which wee expect from him If indeed hee had allured vs to serue him by promising that we should inioy pleasures riches and honours in the world and that for his sake wee should bee well accepted and fauoured of all men wee should haue had great cause of discouragement when wee should come so farre short of our hopes and finde nothing in the world but crosses and afflictions paines for pleasures pouerty for riches and for glory shame and disgrace for then seeing his promises faile in things that concerne this life we had cause to doubt of those that respect the life to come But now contrariwise seeing he hath foretold that we must in this world suffer troubles and persecutions and be hated of all men for his Name sake and that afterwards when by our patient suffering we haue approued our saith and loue towards him he will crowne these his graces in vs with ioy and happinesse in the life to come our afflictions and persecutions should not daunt and dismay vs yea rather wee should reioyce in them as the infallible signes of our future hopes for hauing found Christs Word verified in the first part of his predictions respecting our afflictions and persecutions we may vndoubtedly expect that we shall finde it also true in that part which concerneth our crowne of victory and heauenly ioyes which after our momentany sufferings we shall euerlastingly possesse according to the gracious promises which he hath made vnto vs. §. Sect. 4 That worldly persecutions cannot greatly hurt vs. Thirdly let vs incourage our selues against these persecutions because they cannot greatly hurt vs for first they are either light and easie if they be long and tedious or short and momentany if they be sharpe and grieuous For God hath graciously so composed and framed our natures that their frailty and weakenesse cannot hold out to beare any heauy burthens and hath made them mortall and of such short continuance that their afflictions and grieuances must needs be short and momentany Secondly the greatest persecutions which rage and malice can raise against vs can but reach vnto the body and onely extend to the time of this life but cannot at all hurt the soule nor hinder our happinesse in the life to come In which respect our Sauiour incourageth vs against these persecutions Feare not them which kill the body but are not able to kill the soule but Mat. 10. 28. rather feare him who is able to destroy both body and soule in hell Thirdly these persecutions cannot much hurt vs because our gracious God keepeth and preserueth vs so as we cannot faint and fall and pulleth out their sting so as they shall neuer be able to giue vnto vs any mortall wounds And therefore as the Apostle Peter exhorteth Let them that suffer according 1. Pet. 4. 19. to the will of God commit the keeping of their soules to him in well-doing as vnto a faithfull
in vaine lest in that great Day of accounts the blood of these men who haue perished by their euill example be required at their hands Let them remember that counterfet piety is double iniquity that the hypocrite shal be cut off his hope perish that the seeming holy Pharise is much more odious in Gods sight then Publicanes and open sinners seeing they more dishonor God disgrace his holy truth then any other Finally that God wil be honored in all those that draw neere vnto him either by rewarding their sincerity or punishing their hypocrisie and that aboue all others the hypocrite shall be assuredly plunged into that bottomelesse Gulph of hellish condemnation in which regard when our Sauiour speaketh of the vndoubted punishments of desperate sinners he vsually saith that they shall haue their portion with hypocrites in outer darkenesse where shall be weeping and gnashing Matth. 24. 51. of teeth Those also who are not yet called and regenerate are to be admonished as they tender the euerlasting saluation of their soules that they doe not suffer themselues to be hindred and discouraged by this scandall of the euill liues of hypocrites and weake Christians from the profession of Gods true Religion and the practice of holy duties And to this purpose that they ascribe these enormities or frailties to any thing rather then vnto the profession of the truth or the outward practice of it in any Christian duties of Gods seruice As namely to the malice of the deuill who with his tentations assaulteth professours with more hellish policy fury then other men because their sins fals doe most dishonor God and blemish the beauty and brightnesse of his shyning truth to the wily spite of worldlings who with all their indeuour intice or compell those that make any shew of Religion to accompany them in their wicked courses that they may countenance their actions by their examples or escape their admonitions and reprehensions when as they are now become alike faulty Or to their deepe and poysonous corruptions which notwithstanding their outward profession doe still lye secretly lurking in their hearts which cause them to breake out into those sinnes which their owne consciences inlightened with Gods truth doe vtterly condemne Neither can they with more shew impute their scandalous sins and foule falls to the iust and pure Religion professed by them then the crookednesse of the worke to the right and perfect squire or the foulenesse of their hands to the pure cristall fountaine which if it were rightly vsed would wash and make them cleane For what are all their faults but crooked aberrations from this straight way of truth What are they but such sinnes as are continually condemned and beaten downe in the preaching of the Gospell For how can they haue any incouragement to goe on in their wickednesse by their often hearing of Gods Word wherin his fearfull Iudgements are daily denounced against all those who liue in their sinnes And therefore accursed be that foule mouth if it bee not washed in the teares of vnfained repentance that dare belch out such a blasphemie against Gods holy truth as to say that if there were lesse preaching and hearing of the Word there would be more obedience towards superiours and more loue and charity towards equalls and inferiours And likewise thrice vnhappy they who will so stumble at this stone of offence cast into their wayes by the euill liues of hypocrites as that they refuse to take vpon them this holy profession or to bring forth better fruits then they in their Christian practice As if all should refuse physicke because some dye that take it or wholsome food because some who haue their stomackes full of corrupt humours are not nourished thereby but becomming more sicke doe presently cast it vp againe without profit Finally let no weake Christians bee discouraged by the euill liues of hypocrites from making open and bold profession of Gods truth and bringing forth the outward fruits of it in the practice of all Christian duties because they would not be thought like vnto them For what were this but to deny Christ before men because we would shun their reproches and to be in truth impious in the neglect of Christian duties because we would shunne the suspicion of hypocrisie What were this but to esteeme more of the vaine and false censures of prophane worldlings then of the approbation which our good actions and holy duties shall haue from God and a good conscience What were this but to refuse to be Gods true treasure and pure gold because there are in the world many counterfeit slips to grow in his field and to lye in his barne like good wheat because there are tares in the one and chaffe in the other What were this but to giue ouer our lawfull callings and honest labours in them because there be some of the same trade that discred it themselues and their calling by their fraudulent and deceitfull dealings But if this preuaile with vs let vs also be ashamed to eate wholsome food because some haue surfeted on it or to drinke such drinkes as others haue abused to drunkennesse Yea rather because others haue disgraced the pure and true Religion which we professe by their wicked liues let vs who are sincerely minded make open profession of it that we may adorne it by our holy conuersation for the more it is blotted and blemished with their fruits of iniustice the more it needeth the hands of innocents to wash and restore it to its natiue purity And thus much of that scandall which ariseth from the euill liues of hypocrites of that which is caused by the bad example of euill Ministers I haue before spoken and therefore refer the Reader to that which hath been said CAP. IX Of the impediments of a godly life arising from the flesh and first such as arise from the intellectuall faculties §. Sect. 1 That the most dangerous impediments arise from our owne corrupt flesh IF there were no other or greater impediments to hinder vs in the wayes of godlinesse then those which are already handled yet were there no cause why we should flatter our selues with a vaine conceit that we may goe forward in this course with much ease as being a thing so slight and ordinary that the atchieuing of it needeth little care and small indeuour But how much more will this fond opinion vanish and the necessity of vniting all our forces cleerly appeare for the attaining vnto any perfection in spirituall graces and the outward practice of them in the duties of a godly life if we further consider that there are many more and far more dangerous impediments which arise from our sinfull flesh and the inbred corruption of our polluted nature the which is so auerse and contrary vnto the sincere and spirituall seruice of God that nothing in the world seemeth more irksome and tedious vnto it In which regard wee can no sooner set our selues seriously
not possible to be condemned if wee conscionably vse the meanes of attayning to saluation or to be saued if wee neglect these meanes and walke in the wayes of wickednesse which leade to destruction For whom he Rom. 8. 30. hath predestinated to saluation those also he calleth iustifieth and sanctifieth Those whom he hath chosen he hath also ordained that Eph. 1. 4. they should be holy and without blame before him in loue and hath elected 1. Pet. 1. 2. them through sanctification of the Spirit vnto obedience and sprinkling with the blood of Christ Those whom he hath ordained vnto glory he hath predestinated them to be conformed to the Image of his Sonne and hath created Rom. 8. 29. Eph. 2. 8. them in him to good workes And therefore if wee be effectually called iustified and sanctified we may thereby be assured that we are elected to saluation but if none of these can be found in vs wee still continue in the state of reprobation seeing the meanes and end doe inseparably goe together Finally when as the Scriptures teach vs that Faith alone iustifieth as being the onely instrument that applieth vnto vs Christ our righteousnesse loose Libertines doe hence conclude that that Faith which is alone iustifieth and therefore so they beleeue in Christ they haue liberty to liue as they list and need not to take any paines to serue please God in the duties of a godly life Wheras the Apostle plainly telleth vs that we shal be iudged according to our works 2. Cor. 5. 10. whether they haue bin good or euill And our Sauiour hath taught vs that he will pronounce the last sentence according to the workes of mercy either Matth. 25. 34 35 36. performed or neglected by vs as being the signes and vndoubted euidences of our Faith whereby it is approued as sound and sincere or condemned as counterfet hypocriticall And the Apostle Iames expresly affirmeth that Faith without works is dead like a carkase without Iam. 2. 17 26. breath or life And therefore though good workes are not required as causes to the act of iustification yet they are necessary as effects to the Matth. 25. 34. Rom. 6. 23. party iustified though they doe not merit euerlasting happines seeing it is a gracious inheritance Gods free gift yet they are the way that leadeth vnto it in which we must necessarily walke if we wil be saued for without holinesse we shall neuer see the Lord as the Apostle telleth vs. Heb. 12. 14. §. Sect. 6 That infidelity is a great impediment to a godly life Againe the corruption of our intellectuall faculties doth exceedingly hinder vs from seruing God in the duties of a godly life not onely as it blindeth them with ignorance and misleadeth them with errour but also as it poysoneth them with cursed infidelity which is the roote of all other sinnes and the chiefe impediment of all Christian duties the ground of all which is a liuely faith For as the Apostle speaketh No man can come vnto God vntill he first know that God Heb. 11. 6. is nor performe any faithfull seruice vnto him vntill he be perswaded that he is a rich rewarder of them who diligently seeke and serue him Againe Without faith it is impossible to please God because whatsoeuer is not Rom. 14. 23. done of Faith is sinne Without Faith wee cannot be ingrafted into Christ seeing it is the bond of this vnion nor bring forth in him any fruits of new obedience for without Christ we can doe nothing Vnlesse Ioh. 15. 2 5. by Faith we be assured of Gods loue towards vs we cannot loue him for as the Apostle Iohn saith We loue him because he loueth vs first and 1. Ioh. 4. 19. without loue there is no obedience seeing it is the summe of the whole Law And therefore if we would leade a godly life wee must with all care and indeuour remooue this impediment then the which none is more pernicious for how should wee flee from that sinne which we naturally loue or practise those duties vnto which our natures are auerse if wee neither beleeue Gods threatnings restrayning vs from sinne nor his promises alluring vs to obedience And to this end wee must carefully vse all those meanes of which I haue before spoken both of begetting Faith in vs if it be wanting and of confirming and increasing of it if it be begun CAP. X. Of those manifold impediments of a godly life which arise from our sinnefull and corrupt hearts and affections §. Sect. 1 The first impediment is an heart hardned through the deceitfulnesse of sinne ANd thus haue I shewed how we may remooue those impediments of a godly life which arise from the corruption of the intellectuall faculties Those which respect the heart and affections are many and dangerous The first is when our hearts are hardened through the deceitfulnesse of sinne and so habituated and accustomed to euill courses that it is death to vs if we indeuour to forsake them and to serue God in the duties of a godly life Of this wee haue many warnings in the Scriptures as being a most dangerous rocke vpon which many haue suffred shipwracke To day if you will heare his voyce harden not your hearts Psal 95. 7 8. And Take heed brethren lest there be in any of you an euill heart of vnbeliefe in departing from the liuing God But exhort one another dayly while it is Heb. 3. 12 13. called to day lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulnesse of sinne Which impediment if we would remooue let vs withstand sinne in the first motions of it and if at any time we be ouertaken let vs carefully take heed that wee doe not lie in sinne but rise againe speedily by vnfained repentance Let vs beware that wee doe not often fall into the same sinnes after wee haue repented of them seeing by many acts wee come at last to an habit and custome Or if this custome hath already preuailed and is now come to haue in it the strength of a Law and to be as it were a second nature let vs not suffer it any longer to continue inuiolable but bend all our power and strength to disanull and breake it Neither let our corrupt nature pleade prescription for sinne or the neglect of holy duties as though because we haue long done that which God forbiddeth or not done that which he hath commanded therefore we must be borne with if we doe so still seeing this is no excuse at all but rather the greatest aggrauation of our sinnefulnesse and negligence For though they might be somewhat excused if they were done but once or twice they are altogether intolerable when they grow common and customable And therefore our long liuing in sinne and in the neglect of Christian duties should be so far from excusing our continuing in these courses that it ought to be a strong motiue to
Thus Zacharias Elizabeth were reputed righteous perfect because in the sincerity vprightnes of their hearts they did labour and striue after righteousnesse and perfection And thus Asa is said to haue done that which was right in the sight of the Lord notwithstanding his manifold 1. King 15. 11 14. 2. Chro. 24. 2. compared with Chap. 15. 7. and 16. 2 7 10 12. slips and great infirmities because his heart was perfect or vpright before him So that the impossibility of leading a godly life need not to discourage vs seeing the Lord is all-sufficient to make it possible vnto vs for he that could create vs pure and holy according to his owne Image is as able to restore vs to this purity and perfection Vnto which though it be not his pleasure that wee should attaine in this life because he would traine vs vp in humility and moue vs to ascribe vnto him the whole glory of our saluation yet will he enable vs vnto such a measure and degree as himselfe will accept of as it it were in full perfection and dayly adde vnto his owne gifts of grace vntill we come to a full age in Christ for vnto euery one that hath shall be giuen vntill he haue abundance as our Sauiour speaketh Matth. 25. 29. §. Sect. 2 To whom a godly life is difficult and the causes of it Secondly the flesh is ready to obiect that though the duties of a godly life are not absolutely impossible yet at least they are so full of difficulty and vnpleasant so tedious and troublesome to our feeble and fraile natures and so vncomfortable and painefull that there is no likelihood that euer wee shall hold out in the doing of them and therefore it is as good for vs to neglect them altogether as to take vpon vs such an insupportable burthen as wee shall be forced to cast off before we come halfe way to our iourneyes end The which obiection our corrupt flesh doth much strengthen against vs to hinder our Christian resolution and both our ingresse and progresse in the wayes of godlinesse by setting before vs the manifold examples of those that haue liued in former times and in our owne dayes who hauing made some good beginnings haue falne backe and relapsed into their former courses and hauing begunne well with a purpose to proceede haue through wearinesse desisted before they could attaine to their iourneyes end And thus like the sluggard the flesh perswadeth vs to sit still in the house because there is Pro. 26. 13. a Lyon in the streetes And like the murmuring spies though it confesseth that the spirituall and heauenly Canaan be worth the desiring as abounding with all Gods blessings yet it bringeth vp an euill report of it in respect of the manifold difficulties whereby we must passe vnto it and the sonnes of Anachim the mighty enemies of our saluation which must be ouercome by vs who are so farre inferiour vnto them in strength before wee can attaine vnto that place of rest and ioy The which tentation is exceeding dangerours and a notable impediment to hinder many from once entring into the course of Christianity because they imagine it to be so irkesome and painefull that they shall quickly be tyred and neuer be able to hold out vnto the end For the answering whereof that it may be no impediment vnto vs in the wayes of godlinesse wee are first to know and acknowledge that it is true in part namely that the course of Christianity is full of difficulties hard and tedious vnpleasant and euen intolerable and impossible in some respects For the Deuill which is that strong man who holdeth all that he possesseth in peace will not easily leaue his hold nor Mar. 9. 25 26. be cast out without many combates and conflicts And howsoeuer he seemeth deafe and dumbe whilest he is in quiet possession and lulleth vs asleepe in the cradle of carnall delights yet when our Sauiour Christ by the Ministery of the Word and Gospell seeketh to dispossesse and cast him out then he both heareth and cryeth out rageth and renteth vs with the violence of his tentations making vs to seeme both to our selues and others as if wee were quite depriued of all spirituall life And though this infernall Pharaoh suffereth vs whilest wee doe him seruice to sit quietly by the flesh-pots of worldly and sensuall delights and euen to glut our selues and take our fill of the pleasures of sinne without any great disturbance yet no sooner doe wee inwardly resolue and outwardly make mention of departing out of his bondage that we may serue the Lord but presently he rageth against vs and pursueth vs with hellish furie that he may hinder vs in our Spirituall iourney towards the heauenly Canaan and againe recouer vs into his captiuitie Againe the practice of Christianity becommeth vnto vs tedious and difficult by reason of our sloth which maketh vs vnwilling to take any paines in the duties of a godly life and euery thing seemeth tedious and wearisome to a minde that is indisposed and auerse vnto it And also because of our carnall sensuality which maketh vs thinke that we are not at liberty if we may not runne with full careere into all manner of licentiousnesse And like vnto those Heathen Rulers to fret and fume when we are restrained from going on in our wicked courses by Gods Law saying Let vs breake his bonds Psal 2. 1 1 3. asunder and cast away his cordes from vs. And hereof it is that the godly life is in the Scriptures compared to a wearisome pilgrimage which cannot be finished without much paines and trauaile to a dangerous Warfare in which wee must haue many a sore and dangerous conflict before wee get the victorie to a narrow and afflicted way Matth. 7. 12 13. and strait gate thorow which wee cannot passe without much striuing So likewise to the mortification and cutting off our bodily members which cannot be without much griefe To a circumcision yea the circumcision of the heart and how can the heart-strings be cut without much sense of paine And finally to the birth of a childe which cannot be without sore trauaile going before Now if the infant which hath continued but nine moneths in the mothers wombe cannot in the ordinary course of nature bee borne without much paine and many sharp throwes then how much lesse can we be spiritually borne againe without great griefe and labour who haue lyen for the space of many yeeres in our sinnes and strengthened our naturall corruptions with long and continuall custome seeing this is a worke contrary vnto and aboue nature §. Sect. 3 The causes why the duties of a godly life seeme difficult and tedious euen to the regenerate Rom. 7 22. Againe the duties of a godly life are somewhat tedious and troublesome euen vnto the regenerate who haue made some entrance into them because this worke of regeneration is not perfected at once but
saith that the redeemed of the Lord shall returne and come with singing vnto Sion and euerlasting Esa 51. 11. ioy shall be vpon their heads they shall obtaine gladnesse and ioy and sorrow and mourning shall flee away They are called to the Marriage of the Math. 22. 2. Kings Sonne and feasted with a delicious banquet of his speciall fauours and none but they haue communion with Christ that they may reioyce Cant. 2. 4 5. and solace themselues in the fruition of his loue They and none besides are iustified of Gods free grace through the righteousnesse and obedience of Iesus Christ and therefore haue cause to be of good comfort seeing Math. 9. 2. their sinnes are forgiuen them So the faithfull professe that they would greatly reioyce in the Lord and that their soules should be ioyfull in their God Esa 61. 10. because he had clothed them with the garment of saluation and couered them with the robe of righteousnesse as a Bridegroome decketh himselfe with ornaments and as a Bride adorneth her selfe with her Iewels They also haue cause aboue all others of ioy and reioycing in that they are reconciled vnto God by Iesus Christ and are at peace with him and with their owne consciences Rom. 5. 1 3. in which respect they haue iust cause of glorying in their tribulations for this peace with God passeth all vnderstanding and his loue is Phil. 4. 7. Cant. 1. 2. better then wine refreshing and cheering our harts more then all the cold qualmes of worldly crosses can daunt and dismay them seeing by Gods loue towards vs and our loue towards him wee haue this priuiledge that all things shall worke together for our good They alone haue the Spirit of Rom. 8. 28. God dwelling in them which worketh in their hearts this spirituall ioy Gal. 5. 22. and by vniting them vnto Christ and through him vnto God his Father the Authour and Fountaine of all goodnesse blessednesse and ioy doth giue vnto them cause sufficient of triumphing with ioy vnspeakable and Esa 51. 12. glorious in the fruition of all happinesse through this sweet and happy communion Finally the faithfull onely who serue and please God haue hope and assurance of eternall blessednesse in the Kingdome of heauen when all teares being wiped away from their eyes they shall bee comforted Apoc. 21. 4. after their mourning and after their weeping laugh and reioyce For Math. 5. 4. the Lord will shew them the path of life and cause them to inioy in his presence Luk. 6. 21. fulnesse of ioy and at his right hand pleasures for euermore In which regard Psal 16. 11. the godly in this assurance of faith haue as much greater and better cause of reioycing aboue all worldlings who abound in their present possessions of earthly wealth and wallow themselues in voluptuous pleasures as a young heire in his nonage who expecteth the inheritance of some goodly Lordship or if you will some great and glorious Monarchy hath more cause of reioycing then a poore cotager in a silly tenement in which for the present he dwelleth but yet onely holdeth it at the Landlords pleasure For there we shall haue riches and treasures which Mat. 6. 19 20. cannot rust with canker nor we be robbed of them by theeues there are honours subiect to no blemish of disgrace and pleasures for euermore In all which respects let the righteous be glad as the Psalmist exhorteth let Psal 68. 3. them reioyce before God yea let them exceedingly reioyce And that not by fits and flashes but at all times and vpon all occasions according to that of the Apostle Reioyce euermore Neither is there any time vnseasonable for 1. Thes 5. 16. the spirituall ioy of the righteous so long as they haue the face and fauour of God shining vpon them which is all-sufficient in it selfe to turne all their mourning into mirth and their sorrow into gladnesse euen when they are sore pinched and pressed with the waight of their afflictions and cause them to reioyce inwardly in their hearts when their cheekes are bedewed with their teares Heerein quite contrary to the wicked who reioyce in the face but not in the heart whereas the faithfull 2. Cor. 5. 12. doe inwardly glory euen in their tribulations which notwithstanding being bitter and vnpleasant to the flesh do make them to discouer nothing but griefe in their outward countenance Yea sorrow for sinne it selfe when as wee mourne as a man mourneth for the death of his onely sonne and first borne doth not abate our spirituall ioy yea in truth it doth much increase it for this godly sorrow worketh repentance to saluation not to 2. Cor. 7. 10. be repented of and causeth the true Christian exceedingly to reioyce in that he can heartily grieue because by his sinnes hee hath displeased his God And this trembling in the sight and sense of our sinnes and the Iudgements of God due vnto them may through faith assuring vs that by Christ we are freed from them be ioyned with inward gladnesse according to that of the Psalmist Serue the Lord with feare and reioyce Psal 2. 11. with trembling §. Sect. 7 An admonition to the faithfull to lay hâ—ld on this ioyfull priuiledge and to shake off sorrow and sadnesse By all which it appeareth that godlinesse doth not depriue any of ioy and gladnesse yea rather the more godly we are the better right and title we haue vnto it and may iustly exceed all others as much in mirth and cheerfulnesse as we haue in vs more then they the causes of all sound and solid reioycing The which as it should perswade all who are yet vnresolued to enter without delay into this Christian course that they may attaine vnto this high and excellent priuiledge and not suffer themselues to be any longer discouraged with this vaine and false conceit that they must leaue all their chiefest ioyes when they leaue and forsake the pleasures of sinne so should it mooue those who haue a desire and purpose to serue and please God to lay hold of this ioyfull priuiledge seeing God freely offereth it vnto them and not any longer to please themselues with their melancholike dumpes and affected sadnesse as though they were greatest proficients in mortification when they most exceed in lumpish heauines which needs to be mortified as well as any other carnall affection that in stead thereof our hearts may bee replenished with spirituall ioy For hereby they doe not onely exceedingly discredit and disgrace a godly life and by casting vpon it this false aspersion of sorrow and sadnes discourage others from entring into it but also make it to become so tedious and troublesome harsh and vnpleasant that they cannot proceed in it without much vncomfortablenesse nor performe the duties of Gods seruice with any cheerfulnesse and delight when as their spirits are dulled and deaded with this mournfull and deiected heauinesse
godlinesse aboue fine gold seeing it is more precious then rubies and all things that we can desire are not to be compared vnto it So the Lord by Ieremie reckoneth all worldly things in comparison of this as chaffe to wheate Ier. 23. 28. And the Apostle esteemeth those things that were greatest gaine vnto him no better then dung yea then losse for the excellency of the knowledge of Phil. 3. 7 8. Joh. 6. 27. Iesus Christ And therefore let vs not labour so much for the meate that perisheth as to neglect for it the meate which endureth to eternall life as our Sauiour Mar. 8. 36. exhorteth vs for what will it profit vs to gaine the whole world and to Mat. 6. 19 20. lose our owne soules To get earthly treasures and riches which the rust will fret and the moth eate and to lose those heauenly and euerlasting treasures which are not subiect to any casualties To compasse by our care and labour Diues his dainty fare and costly clothing and by neglecting the seruice of God and the meanes of our saluation to be cast with him into hell where is weeping and gnashing of teeth For there as one saith Illi vtique omnes plangent illi lugebunt qui ita se curis vitae praesentis inuoluunt vt obliuiscantur futuram c. Hyer ad Celant they shall waile and lament who haue so infolded themselues with the cares of this life present as that they could find no leasure to thinke of the life to come whom the comming of the Lord shall take at vnawares oppressed with the sleepe of ignorance and carnall security §. Sect. 4 That they who neglect the duties of Gods seruice cannot expect good successe to their labours Secondly let all such know that neglect the duties of Gods seruice vnder the pretence of their great and waighty imployments that they cannot in so doing reasonably expect any good successe of their toylesome Pro. 10. 22. Deut. 8. 18. labours or that they will answere their hopes in the getting and preseruing of that wealth which they so much loue and long after for it is not their most carefull and painefull indeuours but Gods blessing onely that maketh rich It is he alone that giueth them power to get wealth And how can they expect this blessing from God vpon their labours when as they can finde no leasure to craue it at his hands how can they thinke that he will notwithstanding all their paines prosper their worldly estates vnlesse it bee for a further and more fearefull Iudgement when as they haue no care to serue and please him Yea why may they not iustly feare that he will blow vpon their wealth and cause it to vanish like smoake and Hag. 1. 9. euen to melt like butter in the Sunne or cause that riches which is thus wickedly gotten by neglecting all duties of Gods seruice to bee as wickedly spent by their heires and successours seruing vnto them as inducements and helpes to further them in all riotous and luxurious courses to their ruine and destruction as the getting of them hath beene the cause and occasion of many fearefull sinnes and of the vtter neglect of all religious duties that so both they and their heires though they runne contrary wayes may yet meete together in hell and condemnation Let them also know that if before they goe about the workes of their callings they would renew their Couenant with God by renewing their faith and repentance and so being reconciled vndertake their imployments with peaceable minds and good consciences if they would first call vpon the Lord for his blessing vpon their labours and resigne themselues and all their affaires to the gracious guidance of his good prouidence If they would propound his glory as the mayne end of all their labour and as they liue the life of faith so also they would labour in the strength thereof resting vpon Gods gracious promises and wayting for a blessing vpon all their affaires if they would sanctifie their 1. Tim 4. 5. workes by the Word and Prayer vvithout which euen those things which are in their owne nature pure and honest become impure and 1. Cor. 10. 31. prophane to the irreligious and vnbeleeuers and desire the assistance of his holy Spirit for the directing of all their labours to a right end Finally if they would by all these religious exercises sharpen their tooles before they goe to worke they should not heereby finde their labours put backe and hindered but profitably aduanced and better atchieued then if they vndertake them being blunt and dull seeing by the sharpenesse of the instruments they shall soone redeeme the time which is spent in whetting them Neither would this hinder our Christian thrift nor our godly and lawfull gaines but much further and increase them and repaire all wee lose by that time which wee spend in Gods seruice with much aduantage through his powerfull blessing vpon our labours from which Fountaine alone all lawfull prosperity springeth and floweth Whereas contrarywise if neglecting these religious duties of Gods seruice wee rest vpon our owne paines and prouidence and as the Prophet speaketh sacrifice vnto our owne nettes either God will curse and Hab. 1. 16. crosse our labours and frustrate all our hopes or if wee thriue by them in our worldly estates all that wee get by this meanes shall bee but like Naboths Vineyard to Ahab which rooted out both him and all his posterity like the Israelites Quayles which came out of their nostrels like Iudas his sop with which the deuill entred or like cold water giuen to gratifie those who are sicke of a burning feauer seeing it but inflameth the heate of their carnall concupiscence and prepareth matter for their euerlasting burning in the vnquenchable flames of hell fire §. Sect. 5 That the duties of our particular callings must giue place to the generall calling of Christianity Thirdly let them know that the duties of our particular callings must giue place to the generall calling of Christianity when as both of them as they ordinarily may will not stand together For by these duties we draw neere vnto God and haue communion with him and no calling must call vs from God or withdraw vs from this blessed fellowship They are the spirituall repast of our soules by which they get spirituall strength and liue the life of faith and therefore if wee so highly prize the health and life of our bodies that wee thinke no businesse so important that should make vs neglect the meanes of preseruing them as eating drinking resting sleeping and such like why should wee imagine any to bee so waighty and necessary as that for the following of it wee should neglect the health and welfare of our precious soules Let vs consider that our callings were made for vs and not we for our callings for our good and benefit and not for our hurt and ruine for the glorifying of
their pursuers in secret corners and solitary places And of many others in our owne times who being necessarily debarred of all publique helpes discountenanced discouraged in their godly courses by those which should be their guides and leaders yet being inwardly furnished with sauing graces doe outwardly exercise them in all religious holy duties For howsoeuer the publike Ministery is the ordinary means to begin as also to preserue and increase Gods graces in vs and to giue vnto vs not onely birth and spirituall life but also growth and strength whereby wee are enabled vnto all duties of a godly life so that whosoeuer neglect it when they may haue it can neuer looke to thriue in grace or to haue any ability to serue God in any acceptable maner because they despise his holy Ordinances fancying vnto themselues alife which needeth no nourishment yet we must hold it to be but a meanes and instrument wherby God who is the supreme cause chiefe Agent is pleased ordinarily to worke but yet when he depriueth vs of them can effect his owne good worke of grace and sanctification either without them or when they are weake and insufficient as well as with them and when they are most excellent in greatest plenty Of the other we haue an exāple in Iudas who being full of inward corruption could not thriue no not vnder Christs owne Ministery and Demas Ananias and Sapphira vnder the Ministery of the Apostles who performed no acceptable seruice vnto God by all these helpes because their hearts were not sincere vpright but stil remained carnall defiled with worldly loue Yea we may haue experience of it in many vnthriuing Christians of these times who though they liue vnder a most powerfull and excellent Ministery abound in all the spirituall meanes of grace and saluation yet remaine as worldly and carnall as auerse and backward vnto all duties of a godly life as those who are vtterly destitute of them §. Sect. 6 Their obiection answered who pretend that it is not safe to be more forward then other men Finally men mis-led by carnall corruption are ready to excuse thēselues for not entring into the course of Christianity though their iudgements are conuinced of this truth that it is aboue all others most excellent profitable and necessary by obiecting that it is neither good nor safe to make greater profession then other men or to be more strict in our liues then ordinarie Christians because we are not sure that we shall be able to hold out in our sincerity and holy practice and if we should relapse our latter end would be worse then our beginning Neither can we tell in respect of humane frailty whether we may not fall into some grieuous and haynous sinnes or at least such as are contrary to our strict profession which if we doe our faults will be more obserued in vs though they would be little regarded in ordinary men and more bitterly censured and condemned yea wee our selues shall be a wonderment to all that know vs and both shame our selues and our profession To which I answer first that none can make any greater profession of strict performing all Christian duties then that which we all make at our Baptisme when we enter into couenant with God that we will renounce the seruice of sin and Satan the world and our owne sinfull lusts and betake our selues wholy to the seruice of God in all duties of holinesse and righteousnes Which if we doe not all still make and renue vpon all occasions what doe we but disgrace our selues by casting off our Lords liuerie denying and renouncing our promise and profession and returning into the ancient seruitude of sinne and Satan Yea what doe we else but dayly play the hypocrites when as praying that wee may doe Gods will in earth in that purity and perfection which the Saints and holy Angels doe it in heauen and that we may serue God in holinesse righteousnes and sobriety all the dayes of our liues we are notwithstanding so farre from desiring or going about it that we are ashamed to professe that we haue any such meaning Secondly I answer that wee are all bound one as well as another to make this profession of holinesse and sincerity neither is it left vnto vs as a thing arbitrarie and at our owne choyce but expresly commanded and enioyned that we should glorifie God by professing our selues his seruants and liuing according to this profession which none refuseth to doe but such as are destitute of a liuely Faith whereby we are assured that God is in Christ our gracious Lord and Father and we his seruants and people for as with the Rom. 10. 10. heart man beleeueth vnto righteousnesse so with the mouth confession is made vnto saluation According to that of Dauid I beleeued therefore haue I Psal 116. 10. spoken Thirdly I answer that feare of falling away or of being ouertaken with some grosse sinnes must not hinder our profession and practice of piety but rather this profession and practice must therefore be vndertaken that we may hereby be moued more carefully to vse all good meanes of perseuering in all grace and godlinesse and to obserue our wayes with greater diligence and make straight steps vnto our feete that wee doe not slippe nor hault nor turne aside out of the way And if wee with these mindes take vpon vs the profession of Christianity and indeuour to bring forth the fruits of it in our holy practice the Lord who hath begunne this good worke in vs will also finish it he will vphold vs that wee shall not greatly fall or if wee doe yet hee will not suffer vs to lie still and perish but will so assist vs with his grace and holy Spirit that wee shall rise againe by vnfained repentance In the meane time no man hath iust cause to wonder if wee fall through infirmitie though it be into some greater sinnes then many commit who make little or no profession at all if either he consider humane frailty common to all the reliques of corruption remayning still in vs after regeneration and the combat which thence ariseth betweene the flesh and the Spirit that sometime preuailing and this againe getteth the vpper hand the malice of the deuill who most fiercely assaulteth with his tentations those who haue renounced his seruice and in whom the Image of God most clearely shineth or else the examples of the Saints in former ages who haue beene subiect to like frailties and infirmities though they were iust and vpright in all their waies and men in their ordinary and common carriage according to Gods own heart and haue beene sometimes though rarely ouertaken with grosse sins as Noah Lot Dauid Peter and the rest And therefore it is no maruaile if wee likewise haue our slips and falls yea rather it is a great wonder if we who come so far short of them in grace and obedience should stand in
much I honor you for those singular vertues and graces wherewith God hath inriched you especially your piety towards him and loue of his truth much approoued as by many other fruits so especially by your loue to his Ministers and Ambassadors The which were ample matter for a larger discourse to incourage others of your ranke to imitation did not your modesty and humility attending and adorning all the rest admonish mee that such praises of you vnto you will bee thought vnnecessary if not vnpleasing and distastfull The Lord infinitely rich in all goodnesse and perfection more and more multiply all Christian Vertues and sauing Graces in you both in the light and lustre whereof you shall be euer more truly honorable in the sight of God and all those that feare him then in the highest dignities and noblest aduancements that the world can yeeld vnto you Your Honors most obliged in all Christian duetie and humble seruice IOHN DOWNAME Faults escaped in the Treatise of Securitie Pag. 6. l. 3. r. his mercies p. 64. l. 9. r. idle spectator p. 65. l. 22. r. opinion of our p. 66. l. 6. r. against them in p. 68. l. 22. r. by inuring p. 70. l. 28. r. let vs watch p 83. l. 13. r. in the vse p. 89. l. 16. r. for a spurt p. 92. l. 8. r. peace and securitie And l. 20. r. God infinite THE CONTENTS OF THE FIRST BOOKE Jntreating of Carnall Securitie CHAP. I. Of Securitie in generall and more especially of Securitie in the state of Innocencie and of that which is in vs after the fall § 1. THat God the supreame Goodnesse turneth all euen euill it selfe into good Pag. 1. § 2. That it is the nature of sinne and corruption to turne all into euill pag. 2. § 3. That fleshly corruption abuseth prosperitie to the begetting in vs of carnall Securitie pag. 3. § 4. The motiue inducing to the writing of this Treatise pag. 3. § 5. That it is necessary to distinguish securitie into seuerall kinds pag. 3. § 6. Of Securitie in the state of Innocency pag. 4. § 7. Of Securitie in the state of corruption and the originall of it pag. 4. CHAP. II. Of carnall Securitie and what it is § 1. OF the generall parts of this Treatise pag. 6. § 2. Carnall Securitie defined pag. 6. § 3. Testimonies of Scripture shewing what it is pag. 7. § 4. Examples of carnall Securitie pag. 7. CHAP. III. Of the manifold causes of carnall Securitie § 1. THe first cause ignorance of God and his sauing Attributes pag. 8. § 2. The second cause want of consideration of that we know pag. 9. § 3. The third cause Selfe-confidence pag. 9. § 4. The fourth cause abuse of worldly prosperitie pag. 10 § 5. The fift cause is customable sinning pag. 11. § 6. The sixt cause is the present impunitie of sinners pag. 12. § 7. The seuenth cause presumption on Gods mercy pag. 13. § 8. The eight cause the neglect or contempt of the meanes of grace and saluation pag. 14. § 9. The ninth cause hearing the Word without Faith pag. 14. § 10. The tenth cause not applying the Word preached pag. 15. § 11. The eleuenth cause the mis-applying of the promises of the Gospell pag. 16. § 12. The twelfth cause a flattering Ministerie pag. 16. CHAP. IIII. Of the diuers kinds of carnall Securitie § 1. OF naturall securitie which is in all men pag. 18. § 2. Of carnall securitie which is affected and voluntarie pag. 19. § 3. Of carnall securitie which is in the vnregenerate pag. 19. § 4. Of that which remayneth in the Regenerate and how it groweth vpon them pag. 20. § 5. Of insensible and sensible securitie in the faithfull pag. 22. § 6. Of the causes of carnall securitie in the faithfull first prosperitie worldly or spirituall pag. 23. § 7. The second cause is spirituall pride pag. 24. CHAP. V. Of the differences betweene the carnall securitie of the Vnregenerate and Regenerate § 1. THat the carnall securitie of the Vnregenerate and Regenerate are in many things alike pag 25. § 2. Of the differences betweene the carnall securitie of the Vnregenerate and Regenerate in the highest degree pag. 16. § 3. Of the differences betweene the carnall securitie which is ordinarily in the faithfull and wicked and first in respect of their causes pag. 27. § 4. The second difference in their effects pag. 28. § 5. Another difference in their effects pag. 30. § 6. That they differ in respect of the subiect pag. 30. § 7. That they differ in their properties pag. 30. § 8. That they differ in their time of continuance pag. 32. CHAP. VI. Of the signes of carnall securitie arising from the causes of it § 1. THat the causes of carnall securitie doe argue and shew the effect pag. 32. § 2. The first signe of carnall securitie is ignorance of God and his Attributes pag. 33. § 3. The second signe is when wee are forgetfull of God his attributes pag. 33. § 4. The third signe pride and selfe-confidence pag. 34. § 5. The fourth signe abuse of prosperitie pag. 34. § 6. The fift signe customable sinning pag. 35. § 7. The sixt signe abuse of Gods patience and impenitency pag. 36. § 8. The seuenth signe presumption on Gods mercy pag. 36. § 9. The eight signe contempt of the meanes of saluation pag. 36. § 10. The ninth signe hearing the Word without Faith pag. 38. § 11. The tenth signe not applying of the Word pag. 39. § 12. The eleuenth signe mis-applying of the Promises pag. 39. § 13. The twelfth signe is to delight in aflattering Ministerie pag. 39. CHAP. VII Of eight other signes of carnall securitie arising from the effects and other arguments § 1. THe first signe is not to profit by afflictions on others pag. 40. § 2. Secondly such as are inflicted on our selues pag. 41. § 3. The second signe is to haue no desire to keepe Gods Commandements pag. 43. § 4. Secondly when we yeeld obedience but by fits pag. 43. § 5. Thirdly when we doe not yeeld obedience to the whole Law but some parts onely pag. 44. § 6. Fourthly when our obedience ariseth not from spirituall causes nor is directed to right ends pag. 44. § 7. The third signe delaying of Repentance pag. 45. § 8. The fourth signe is Hypocrisie pag. 46. § 9. The fift is to feare Man more then God pag. 46. § 10. The sixt signe immoderate feare in time of danger pag 47. § 11. The seuenth signe is to run from God and to rest on inferiour meanes in danger and affliction pag. 47. § 12. The eight signe is contempt of Gods Ministers pag. 48. CHAP. VIII Of such reasons as may mooue vs to abhor carnall securitie and to vse all meanes either to preuent it or to bee freed from it § 1. THat it is necessarie to haue our hearts wrought vnto the hatred of this Vice pag. 49. § 2. That Christ hath giuen vs speciall warning
to flee securitie pag. 50. § 3. That the examples of securitie fearefully punished in others ought to be warnings vnto vs. pag. 51. § 4. That Christs holy Apostles haue giuen vs many warnings to take heed of it pag. 52. § 5. That carnall securitie is a most dangerous sicknesse of the soule pag. 52. § 6. That it is a disease hardly cured pag. 53. § 7. That it is the cause of all sinne pag. 54. § 8. That it emptieth the heart of all grace and prepareth and maketh it fit to receiue Satan and all his tentations pag. 54. CHAP. IX Wherein is shewed that carnall securitie is the cause of many fearefull punishments § 1. THat carnall securitie depriueth vs of Gods fauour and protection and dispoyleeh vs of spirituall grace pag. 56. § 2. Of some speciall graces whereof it depriueth vs. pag. 57. § 3. That Gods Spirit will not dwell in a secure heart pag. 57. § 4. That carnall securitie depriueth vs of eternall happinesse pag. 58. § 5. That it exposeth vs to positiue euills and first to all dangers pag. 58. § 6. That it exposeth vs to Gods fearefull Iudgements pag. 59. § 7. The former point illustrated by Examples pag. 60. § 8. That it plungeth men into euerlasting condemnation pag. 60. § 9. That carnall securitie is a fearefull punishment of other sinnes pag. 61. CHAP. X. Of the meanes whereby we may be preserued from carnall securitie As first auoyding and taking away the causes of it § 1. THe first remedie is to auoid ignorance and to labour after knowledge pag. 63. § 2. The second remedie is to consider and meditate often on Gods Attributes pag. 63. § 3. The third meanes is to cast off all selfe-confidence pag. 65. § 4. That it is a notable meanes to weaken selfe-confidence if we consider the strength of our spirituall enemies pag. 65. § 5. The third remedie is to vse well our prosperitie pag. 67. § 6. The fift remedie is to shun customable sinning pag. 68. § 7. The sixt remedie is to make precious account of Gods grace and forbearance pag. 68. § 8. The seuenth remedie is to shun presumption pag. 69. § 9. The eighth remedie is to vse carefully the meanes of saluation pag. 69. § 10. The ninth remedie is to heare the Word with Faith pag. 71. § 11. The tenth remedie is to apply the Word vnto our selues pag. 71. § 12. The eleuenth remedie is not to misapply the promises pag. 71. CHAP. XI Wherein are set downe diuers other remedies whereby we may be preserued from carnall securitie § 1. THe first remedie is to withstand securitie in the first degrees of it pag. 72. § 2. The second remedie is to nourish in our hearts the true feare of God pag. 74. § 3. The third remedie is to make great account of a soft and relenting heart pag. 75. § 4. The fourth remedie is examination of our estate pag. 76. § 5. The fift remedie is to esteeme much of priuate admonitions pag. 77. § 6. The sixt remedie is to visit those who are in affliction pag. 79. § 7. The seuenth remedie is to meditate on the tentations and sufferings of Christ pag. 80. § 8. The eighth remedie is to consider that securitie in this life is vnseasonable pag. 81. § 9. The ninth remedie is to meditate often on the last iudgement pag. 82. § 10. The last remedie is frequent and feruent prayer for Gods blessing vpon all the former meanes pag. 83. THE CONTENTS OF THE SECOND BOOKE Intreating of Spirituall and Christian Securitie CHAP. I. Wherein spirituall securitie is defined and the definition explaned § 1. THat all securitie is not to be condemned but that it is in some kind commendable and to be desired pag. 85. § 2. The description of spirituall Securitie pag. 86. § 3. That God is the authour of spirituall Securitie pag. 87. § 4. That the Regenerate onely are the subiect of spirituall Securitie pag. 88. § 5. The grounds of spirituall Securitie on which it resteth pag. 88. § 6. Of the continuance and perpetuitie of spirituall Securitie pag. 89. CHAP. II. Of the Causes and Effects of spirituall Securitie § 1. THe causes of spirituall Securitie respecting God pag. 90. § 2. The causes of spirituall Securitie respecting God pag. 91. § 3. Of the particular causes of spirituall Securitie first sauing knowledge pag. 92. § 4. The second cause a liuely Faith in Christ. pag. 93. § 5. The third cause Charitie pag. 93. § 6. The fourth cause the true feare of God pag. 94. § 7. The last cause is new obedience pag. 94. § 8. Of the effects of spirituall Securitie pag. 95. CHAP. III. Of the meanes of spirituall securitie whereby it may be obtayned or preserued and increased § 1. THe first meanes is highly to esteeme it and to seeke it from God and in him pag. 96. § 2. The second meanes is to labour to be in the number of Christs Disciples and Sheepe of his flocke pag. 97. § 3. The third meanes is that we labour to be in the couenant of Grace pag. 98. § 4. The fourth meanes is to labour to haue the causes of it in vs. As first the Spirit of adoption and the chayne of sauing Graces pag. 99. § 5. The fift meanes is to labour to be indued with those speciall sauing Graces which are the causes of it first knowledge and remembrance of God and his Attributes Secondly Faith Thirdly Affiance fourthly loue of God fiftly the feare of God sixtly Christian righteousnesse seuenthly new obedience pag. 100. § 6. The sixt meanes contempt of the World pag. 101. § 7. The seuenth meanes to keepe our hearts vpright and our consciences pure pag. 102. § 8. The last meanes is Christian watchfulnesse and often examination of our estates pag. 103. FINIS Of Securitie first in Generall what it is lib. 1. chap. 1. § 6. In speciall and of the seuerall kinds which are 1. Natural which are either that in the state of lib. 1. Innocency which was holy and good chap. 1. § 6. Of corruption which is carnall in handling whereof is shewed 1. What it is and this is illustrated by Testimonies chap. 2. Examples chap. 2. 2. The causes of it which are twelue in number chap. 3. 3. The diuers kinds of it distinguished by the diuers degrees of it in which respect it is either naturall c. 4. § 1. affected and voluntarie § 2. subiects in which respect it is cōsidered as it is either in the Vnregenerate cap. 4. § 3. Regenerate where of the c. 4. kinds which are either insensible and not perceiued § 5. sensible and discouered § 5. causes of it which are two prosperitie § 6. pride § 7. 4. how we may know one kind from another where is shewed that they differ in their Causes and effects chap. 5. § 1. and 6. Subiects and properties chap. 1. § 6. 7. 5. The signes of it which arise from their seuerall Causes chap. 6. Effects and other arguments
Idoll of a mercy in God falsely fancied vnto themselues whilest they seuer it from his Iustice which will not let the sinnes of such presumptuous wretches goe vnpunished and from his Truth which hath denounced fearefull Iudgements against them who securely abuse his patience and long suffering which should leade them to repentance and make them sorry and ashamed that they should offend so gracious and mercifull a God as an incouragement to hearten them on in their course of wickednesse and to make them contemne his Iudgements and Threatnings §. 8 The eight cause the neglect or contempt of the meanes of grace and saluation The eighth cause is the neglect or contempt of the meanes of spirituall grace and eternall saluation as of hearing the Word the vse of the Sacraments Meditation Prayer holy Conferences and such like For as these are the meanes of working our hearts to the true feare of God repentance and spirituall watchfulnesse so the neglect of them causeth carnall securitie hardnesse of heart and boldnesse in sinning And as all other Vices get head and strength by forsaking the vse of the meanes whereby the contrarie Vertues are wrought because they are the priuation of them and therefore the remouall of the one from that subiect which is capable of them is the placing of the other as wee see Light succeed Darknesse and Darknesse Light Rest Labour and Labour Rest so is it in these the putting away of the feare of God by neglecting the meanes whereby it is bred and nourished in vs is the cause of entertayning carnall securitie And so likewise as all other Vices being admitted doe mutually strengthen one another that they may keepe firmer and surer possession against the Vertues which they oppose so is it betweene these for the more we neglect the Word Sacraments and the rest the more secure wee shall be in all sinfull courses and the more strong wee grow in carnall securitie the more negligent wee waxe in those holy Exercises And therefore the Prophet ioyneth them together as mutuall causes of one another They stopped their eares that they should not heare and made Zach. 7. 11 12. their hearts as an Adamant stone §. 9 The ninth cause hearing the Word without Faith The ninth cause is the hearing of the Word without Faith giuing no credit either to the threatnings of the Law or promises of the Gospell Heb. 4. 2. For as the Word is vnprofitable if it bee not mixed with Faith in those that heare it as the Apostle speaketh so it becommeth in this respect by accident through our corruption dangerous and hurtfull Either it is the sauour of life vnto life or the sauour of death vnto death 2. Cor. 2. 16. Either it weakneth and killeth Vice or giueth more strength and vigour to it either it softneth our hearts like Waxe or hardneth them like Clay either it worketh them to Gods feare when we beleeue his Promises and Threatnings or maketh them more carnally secure when wee giue no credit to them For the Word of God proceeding out of his mouth shall not returne vnto him void but shall accomplish that which pleaseth him and prosper in the thing whereto hee sends it Esai 55. 11. as the Prophet speaketh And as oft as we heare it either it setteth vs forward in the right way that leadeth to saluation or through our corruption and vnbeliefe it maketh vs to goe faster and more securely in the wayes of death and destruction It will make our hearts melt like the heart of good Iosiah or to become more hard like the heart of Pharaoh and wee shall receiue Gods Ambassadors with feare and trembling as the Corinthians did Titus or with proud neglect and 2. Cor. 7. 15. scornefull censures fore-stalling preiudice and resolued obstinacy as the Athenians did the Apostle Paul So the Lord speaketh of some Act. 17. 18 32. who should take occasion vpon hearing the curses of the Law to blesse Deut. 29. 20. themselues in their hearts saying I shall haue peace though I walke in the imagination of my heart to adde drunkennesse to thirst And the Prophet from the Lord saith of the people of the Iewes that whilest they heard and vnderstood not and seeing perceiued not their hearts were made Esa 6. 9. more fat their eares heauie and their eyes more blind which is not caused by any naturall propertie of the Word but by accident through mans corruption that doth abuse it and so maketh that a curse which was ordayned for a blessing Like the weake and tender eye that is made more blind by the bright beames of the Sunne which cause stronger sights to see and discerne the better or the weake eare which is made more deafe by too much hearing of loud sounds or the sicke stomacke which becommeth more sicke by receiuing holesome nourishment whereby one strong and healthy would bee confirmed in health and by well digesting of it minister vigour and strength to the whole body §. 10 The tenth cause the not applying the Word preached The tenth cause is the not applying of the Word preached or read vnto our selues for our owne vse and benefit but putting it off to others as though it concerned them and not vs especially admonitions and reprehensions for sinne and the threatnings of Gods Iudgements against those that continue in them without repentance For so are men blinded with pride and selfe loue that they can see no faults in themselues or if they doe yet they seeme so small and veniall that they are scarce worth the reprouing and so defectiue are they in charitie towards their Neighbours that they can easily spie the least Motes in their eyes and make of euery Moll-hill a huge Mountayne And this maketh them to shift all rebukes for sinne and denunciations of punishment from themselues vnto others to whom they thinke they more fitly belong and so blesse themselues and securely liue in sinne as though they were free from all danger Yea though they be neuer so faultie in those Vices that are reproued yet if in truth they can find out any that in the iudgement of the World doe goe beyond them in those kinds then can they heare them sharpely rebuked without any sting of conscience or sense of the smart of their owne sinnes yea with much pleasure and delight And thus haue I often heard after some powerfull Sermon against couetousnesse a greedie Muck-worme nothing moued for his owne auarice because hee hath beene able to picke out of a whole Citie or Countrey some one supposed to bee more wretched then himselfe vnto whom hee hath applyed all that was spoken And so when pride hath beene rebuked or profanenesse or worldlinesse or any other sinne I haue noted that those who haue highly offended in these kinds in the iudgement of all others haue like innocents securely blessed themselues applying nothing spoken to their owne vse because they could point at others that haue exceeded them
giueth life and vigour to that which bred it Euen as wee see in some Herbs and Flowers the Roote giueth life to the Leaues and Branches which spring from it and they being growne the Roote againe liueth in them and dyeth when they are plucked from it As for example contempt of Gods Word causeth Securitie and Securitie being entred into the heart causeth the Word to be the more contemned §. 2 The first signe of carnall securitie is ignorance of God and his Attributes The first signe then of carnall securitie is when men are grosly ignorant either through blindnesse of nature or affectation So that we may vndoubtedly conclude that if Ignorance be seated in the head Securitie holdeth his residence in the heart For were they not secure they could not content themselues to liue in this damnable estate quite destitute of all sauing Grace or sound assurance and hope of eternall saluation but would vse all meanes to come out of it and to attayne vnto the sauing knowledge of God and his will Againe of contraries there is the same reason But the true feare of God is caused by sauing Knowledge and this Knowledge is an infallible signe of Gods feare Yea these are mutuall causes one of another for Knowledge is the cause why we feare God and the feare of God is as the Pro. 1. 7. wise Man saith the beginning of Knowledge Whereof it is that Psal 111. 10. the Law of God is called the feare of God because this feare is wrought Psal 19. 9. in vs by the knowledge of it So Moses is commanded to gather the Deut. 31. 12. 4. 10. people together that they may heare and learne the feare of the Lord their God As therefore the light of sauing Knowledge discouereth the habitation of Gods true feare so the fogs of Ignorance which blind the mind plainly shew to them who haue spirituall discerning that carnall securitie lodgeth in that heart Neither is there any meanes to be freed from that securitie which is naturally borne and bred with vs till we know and acknowledge our manifold sinnes whereby we haue grieuously transgressed Gods Law and made our selues subiect to the curse thereof as also the Iustice Power and Truth of God whereby he is both able willing and resolued to punish them who continue in their sinnes without repentance §. 3 The second signe is when wee are forgetfull of God and his Attributes The second signe of carnall securitie is forgetfulnesse of God and his Attributes when as we seldome or neuer remember or thinke of his Omnipresence and all-seeing Wisdome beholding vs at all times and in all our actions his Iustice and hatred of sinne and those that liue in it his Mercy Goodnesse and loue of Holinesse and Righteousnesse extended to those that feare and serue him or finally of the last Iudgement when as we must giue a strict account of all which we haue done in the flesh before a iust and vnpartiall Iudge which will not let Vertue goe vnrewarded nor Sinne vnpunished For as we would thinke that Malefactor most secure and retchlesse who being liable to the Law guiltie of haynous crimes and bound ouer to giue an account of all his offences the next Assizes before an vpright Iudge should spend his time in drinking and reuelling pleasure and delight and neuer thinke of the day of his Arraignment nor how he may so answere for himselfe that he may escape the sentence of death or procure his Pardon so much more is he to be thought not onely asleepe but euen starke dead in his securitie who neuer calleth to mind either his owne sinnes or Gods Iustice and righteous Iudgements or those eternall Punishments vnto which he is liable and shall neuer escape if in this life he hath not procured his Pardon by Faith in Christ and bringing forth the fruits of it in vnfayned repentance §. 4 The third signe Pride and self-Confidence The third signe is Pride and selfe-Confidence For as the true feare of God and Humilitie are alwayes ioyned together and are mutuall causes one of another so that the more humble we are the more we feare God and the more that we feare him the more we humble our selues in his sight because they both proceed from the same Roote and are streames of the same Fountayne namely the sauing Knowledge of Gods Wisedome Power Iustice Goodnesse Truth and our owne vilenesse and vnworthinesse So Securitie and Pride accompanie one another neither could we euer be secure if Pride did not possesse our hearts making vs to ouer-weene our gifts and to thinke our estate better then it is Neither could we euer be lifted vp with pride if Securitie did not shut our eyes and stupifie our senses so as we cannot see or discerne how little cause we haue of being exalted and how great and manifold of deiection and humiliation So confidence in our selues as in our owne wisedome strength merits and worthinesse is a notable signe of carnall securitie euen as diffidence in our selues and affiance in God is a sure signe of his feare and therefore they are ioyned by the Psalmist Ye that feare the Lord trust in the Psal 115. 11. Lord. For who would not thinke him most deeply secure who being assaulted by a mightie Enemie armed at all points should trust in a Reede and paper Buckler presuming that they are sufficient not onely for defence but also obtayning victorie especially if at the same time he should refuse Armor of proofe and approued weapons being offered vnto him But such and farre greater is their securitie who being to fight against not onely worldly Enemies but spirituall euen the wrath of God the curse of the Law and the tentations of the Deuill trust in the bruised Reede of their wisedome and strength and in the paper Buckler of their owne works and worthinesse refusing in the meane time the sure defence of Gods wisedome power and gracious assistance and the all-sufficient Shield of his free Grace and Mercy and Merits and Obedience of Iesus Christ §. 5 The fourth signe abuse of prosperitie The fourth signe is when being in worldly prosperitie we abuse it to pride and carnall presumption saying with the Wicked Wee shall Psal 10. 6. neuer be moued nor euer see aduersitie For what greater securitie then to presume of standing in such slippery places in which we haue seene so many fall before vs to thinke that we can keepe the Sea in one setled course whose nature is to ebbe and flow to keepe the Moone constant and alwayes at the full whose nature is to change encrease and wane or to thinke that we shall haue for a long time firme fruition of these earthly vanities when as both they and we are so mutable and momentanie as that euery day we are in danger to be taken from them or they from vs what greater securitie then to be proud of a flitting shadow and to presume of our safetie which
will Ezech. 34. 22 to 31. set one Shepheard ouer them and he shall feede them euen my seruant Dauid that is Iesus Christ the Sonne of Dauid hee shall feede them and he shall be their Shepheard And I the Lord will be their God and my seruant Dauid a Prince among them I the Lord haue spoken it And I will make with them a couenant of peace and I will cause the euill beasts to cease out of the Land and they shall dwell safely in the Wildernesse and sleepe in the Woods c. §. 2 The causes of spirituall securitie respecting our selues The causes of this spirituall securitie on our part are those vertues and graces receiued from God which haue the promise of it and make vs fit and capable to receiue and apprehend it when as the Lord of his free grace doth offer it vnto vs. The principall whereof is the Spirit of adoption crying in our hearts Abba Father which sealeth vp Rom. 8. 15 16. in our hearts the assurance of Gods loue and beareth witnesse with our spirit that we are children of God And if Children then Heires and Heires of God and Co-heires with Christ who as we suffer together so shall we be glorified together The which Spirit of adoption is opposed to the Spirit of bondage and freeing vs from all seruile feare doth inuest vs with the priuiledge and together with it the peace of securitie of the Children of God And this Spirit also is accompanyed with an whole Armie of spirituall Graces which taking vp and as it were manning the Fort of our hearts doe keepe them and vs safe and secure in all assaults of danger and the spirituall encounters of tentations so as they shall neuer bee able to make vs fall away or alienate vs from Gods vse So the Apostle Peter telleth vs that if we giue all diligence 2. Pet 1. 5 6 10. to make our Calling and Election sure by adding one Grace and Vertue to another this golden Chaine will so keepe and strengthen vs that we shall neuer fall that is neither from the estate of Grace in this life into the state of sinne and death nor from our assurance of the state of Glorie in the life to come into that miserable condition of condemnation and destruction §. 3 Of the particular causes of spirituall securitie first sauing knowledge But besides these Graces in generall there are speciall Graces which are the causes of this spirituall Securitie both because the promise of it is made by God vnto them and because in this respect wee become capable of it and fit to apprehend and receiue it when the Lord in mercy bestoweth it vpon vs. The first of these is the sauing Knowledge and remembrance of God and his sauing Attributes of Wisedome Power All-sufficiency Mercy Goodnesse Loue and Truth not onely as they are infinitely in God and of his Essence and Nature but as they extend and are exercised towards vs. For when we acknowledge and remember that God is infinite in all goodnesse and perfection is our God and we his Seruants and Children that he is infinite in wisedome and knoweth what is best for vs how to preuent all dangers to supply most fitly and fully all our wants and to deliuer vs most seasonably from all euill both of sinne and punishment that he is infinite in power and able to doe whatsoeuer he will and can at pleasure destroy our Enemies and defeate all their projects and purposes and arme vs with strength in our greatest weaknesse so as we shall be able to ouer-come them and withstand all their tentations that he is al-sufficient and by himselfe able to supply all our wants as well without as with meanes and a rich portion which is sufficient to make them who inioy him happy in the absence of all earthly good and presence of all temporall miseries that he is infinite in mercy goodnesse and loue towards vs in Christ and therefore as willing as able to doe that for vs which he knoweth to be best and most fit to make vs eternally happy and that he is also infinite in truth most infallibly verifying and accomplishing his Word and gracious Promises made vnto vs of Grace and Glorie temporall protection and euerlasting saluation then doe wee cast our selues securely vpon his prouidence for supply of all our wants protection from all dangers and deliuerance out of all miseries and afflictions So that as carnall securitie is caused through the ignorance and forgetfulnesse of God and his Attributes so Christian securitie which is opposite vnto it is caused by the knowledge acknowledgement and remembrance of them §. 4 The second cause a liuely Faith in Christ The second cause which produceth this spirituall securitie as the fruit and effect of it is a liuely faith in Christ and firme affiance and Rom. 5. 1 3. confidence in God For being iustified by Faith we haue peace with God and peace of Conscience and with them inward securitie and spirituall ioy euen in afflictions and tribulations So being by Faith ingrafted into Christ and become members of his body we may be secure in his power and protection assuring our selues that hee will preserue his owne members from all euill prouide for them all necessaries and defend them from the malice and power of all Enemies so as they shall not be able to hurt and destroy them which were to suffer a mayme in his owne blessed Body If we by Faith relye our selues vpon this Rocke of strength then though the Rayne descend and the Floods come and the Winds blow and beate vpon vs yet we are secure Matth. 7. 26. from all danger because wee cannot sinke or fall being founded vpon a Rocke If wee beleeue Gods Promises of preseruation and protection there is no cause of feare in the greatest extremities because we are sure of helpe and deliuerance which is certainly promised to all the faithfull according to the saying of Iehosaphat Beleeue 2. Chron. 20. 20. in the Lord your God so shall yee bee established beleeue his Prophets and yee shall prosper If beleeuing in God we put our affiance in him and cast our selues wholly vpon his prouidence and protection this will worke in vs this spirituall securitie For he that dwelleth in the secret of Psal 91. 1 2 3 c. the most High shall abide vnder the shadow of the Almightie Hee that maketh the Lord his refuge fortresse and trust shall bee deliuered from the snare of the Fowler and from the noysome pestilence Hee will couer him with his feathers and vnder his wings shall he trust his Truth shall be his shield and buckler He shall not be afraid for the terror by night nor for the arrow that flyeth by day c. because hee hath made the Lord his refuge and the most high his habitation There shall no euill befall him neither shall any plague come neere his dwelling For hee will giue his Angels charge ouer
want of them wee want also this assurance how can wee haue any roome in our hearts for securitie to lodge in seeing they are wholly taken vp with feares and doubtings or at least with carnall securitie which keeps all quiet because it shuts our eyes and benummeth all our senses so as we cannot see nor feele our danger Finally these vertues and spirituall graces are our Christian armour which being buckled vnto vs is of high proofe to preserue vs in safetie against all assaults of enemies that would disturbe our peace but if they be wanting then like the Israelites Exod. 32. 25. we are naked dis-armed of Gods assistance dis-furnished of all munition and weapons wherby we might make any resistance against the encounters of our spirituall enemies and so an easie prey to be seazed on and led captiue by them §. 5 The fift means is to labour to be indued with those peciall sauing graces which are the causes of first knowledge and remembrance of God and his Attributes Secondly A liuely Faith More especially if we would vse the meanes whereby wee may in ioy this Christian securitie wee must labour to know acknowledge and remember Gods sauing Attributes as he exerciseth them towards vs for our good as his Wisedome Power All-sufficiencie Mercy Goodnesse Truth and the Rest For these are the foundation and ground of this securitie vpon which it is built and resteth of which if we are ignorant or forgetfull it is no more possible for this Fort of securitie to be erected in vs then to set vp a goodly building without a foundation or to make it durable if it be seated without other support vpon the Moores or Sands In the second place let vs labour after a liuely and iustifying Faith which is the condition of the Couenant vpon which alone all our safetie and securitie resteth and relyeth the alone instrument which vniteth vs vnto Christ and the only hand by which we receiue all Gods promises and the fruits and benefits which doe accompanie them Finally that impenetrable shield which repelleth all the fierie darts of Satan and maketh vs vndanted and without feare when wee are encountred with his tentations And therefore if we be indued with Faith there is cause enough why we should be secure seeing we are in Couenant with God and by vertue thereof vnder his protection the members of Christ who is so armed with power that all the malice of the Deuill and power of Hell are not able to vanquish or doe vs any hurt and haue all our vitall parts couered with a shield of proofe which cannot be pierced with all the Darts of Satans tentations Thirdly let vs vse all good meanes to Thirdly Affiance in God haue our hearts comforted and confirmed with firme affiance and confidence in God which is a fruit of the former grace wherewith if we be indued the Lord will be the Rocke of our refuge our Sanctuarie Psal 18. 1 2. 144. 2. and Castle of strength vnto which if we flee in the time of danger we may inioy safetie and securitie For the God in whom wee trust is able to supply all our wants to preserue vs in the day of danger and to defeate and bring to nought all the plots and practises of all our enemies and if we make him our hope and confidence he will be our strength and tower and he will so watch ouer vs with his prouidence that we may sleepe securely vnder the shadow of his wings Fourthly Fourthly Loue of God let vs seeke with all earnestnesse to haue our hearts inflamed with that heauenly fire of Gods loue which being but a reflection or little sparke of his diuine loue towards vs will be an euident signe to assure vs of it And this loue of God in vs and towards vs will worke in vs spirituall securitie in the assurance of Gods protection who so loueth vs and whom we so loue and this filiall affection when we finde and feele it in vs will cast out all seruile feare and make vs bold and confident in the sense and apprehension of his fauour towards vs knowing that hee who so deerely loueth vs is all-sufficient in wisedome and power to turne all things to our good and to make all our afflictions and tentations our Enemies power and our owne weaknesse to become helpes and furtherances to our saluation Fiftly if wee would Fiftly The feare of God haue this spirituall securitie we must by all meanes cleanse our hearts from carnall securitie and nourish in them the true feare of God For as well may we accord Light and Darknesse Fire and Water Good and Euill as spirituall securitie with that which is carnall Whereas contrariwise the true feare of God dwelling in vs will banish all other feares and make vs secure in those gracious Promises which the Lord hath made vnto all that feare him as namely that there shall bee nothing Psal 34. 9. 145. 19. wanting vnto them and that hee will fulfull the desire of them that feare him and will heare their crie and saue them So that if they be not short in desiring safetie and securitie the Lord will not be slow to grant it or though they should be wanting vnto themselues in this regard yet the Lord will not be wanting vnto them seeing he is both willing and able to doe exceeding abundantly aboue that wee can either Eph. 3. 20. aske or thinke Sixtly if we desire this securitie we must labour that Sixtly Christian righteousnesse wee may be alwayes found clothed with the garment of righteousnesse both the imputed righteousnesse of Christ applied by faith which doth perfectly free vs from all danger and bring with it peace Rom. 5. 1. of conscience and ioy in the holy Ghost and inherent righteousnesse and holinesse wrought in vs by vertue of Christs death and resurrection whereby wee are entitled vnto all the promises of Gods grace and protection made vnto the righteous and among the rest vnto them especially which concerne our safetie and securitie of which I haue before spoken Seuenthly which is like vnto the former wee Seuenthly New obedience must studie and indeauour to performe vnto God in lieu of thankfulnesse for all his benefits new obedience not that of the Law which is impossible but Euangelicall which is the obedience of faith when hauing respect vnto all Gods Commandements wee labour to walke in them with sincere and vpright hearts and with constancie and perseuerance Psal 119. 6. vnto the end And if wee thus seeke out this old and good Ier. 6. 16. way it will bring vs to this rest of spirituall securitie which we labour after If we take this sweet and easie yoke of Euangelicall obedience and hating all Pharisaicall pride learne of Christ to bee meeke and lowly in heart we haue his gratious promise for it that wee shall find Matt. 11. 28 29. this rest for our soules If we
hearts with renewed ioyes in the holy Ghost and after that they are exhausted with our infirmities and miseries renewed faith will like afresh Rom. 14. 17. Heb. 12. 11. hand draw new supplies from God the fountaine of our ioy vntill they be replenished and ouerflow Yea it will make our ioy not like that of worldlings in the fact and not in the heart momentany and mutable like the cracking of thornes vnder a pot whilst the brushie fewell of prosperity feedeth it but constant and permanent euen in afflictions and Rom. 5. 3. Iohn 16. 22. nothing shall be able to take it from vs. It will fill our hearts daily with the comforts of the Spirit when as being daily renewed it doth afresh assure vs of our communion with God and that Christ and all his benefits doe belong vnto vs which either respect this life or the life to come §. Sect. 5 Of diuers other benefits which follow the daily renewing of our faith Fifthly the daily renewing of our faith is the most effectuall meanes of our vnfained repentance For what can bee so powerfull an argument to make vs mourne for our sinnes with bitter griefe as with the eye of faith to looke vpon him whom by our sinnes we haue pearced and through the wound in his side to see his heart so replenished with diuine loue and as it were supplying the place of that blood and water that issued out of it and what can make vs more hate sinne or to resolue to please God in all holy and righteous duties then beleeuing that the Lord being so infinitely iust and abhorring sin with such implacable hatred that he spared not his onely begotten and most dearely beloued Sonne but when he bore our sinnes caused him to beare also our griefes and sorrowes wounded him for our transgressions and bruized him with the paines of death and fearefull burthen of his wrath for our iniquities to beleeue also that he is towards vs so infinitely merciful that he gaue his Sonne to vs and for vs to suffer all these torments for a time that wee might not suffer them for euer that he wounded him for our transgressions that we might be healed by his hurts cleansed and purified from the guilt punishment and corruption of all our sinnes with the streames of his blood acquitted by his condemnation and reuiued by his death For who is so audaciously desperate as to dare by voluntarie sinning prouoke such a Iustice who is so hard-harted and vngratefull as would be inticed with the baites of worldly vanities to neglect in any thing to please so infinite a goodnesse So what can more powerfully moue vs to flee all sinne and to practise with all diligence all Christian duties of holinesse and righteousnesse then by faith not only to inioy Gods present blessings in their owne worth and excellency but as earnest pennies and first fruits pledges and pawnes of heauenly and eternall reward wherewith God of his free grace hath promised to crowne all our labours and Illi terrena sapiunt qui coelestia promissa non habent Illi breui huic vitae se totos implicent qui aeterna nesciunt c. Hieronym ad Celantiam holy indeuours whereas if there were no beliefe and expectation of reward wee should faint vnder the waight of afflictions languish in the performance of Christian duties which are so ill esteemed and accepted in the world and be wholy taken vp in the pursuite of earthly vanities because we haue entertained no better hopes For as one saith They sauour earthly things which beleeue not heauenly promises They wholy addict themselues to things that belong vnto this transitory life which apprehend not those things which are eternall They feare not to sinne who thinke that it shall haue no punishment and finally they become slaues to their vices who expect not the future rewards of vertue c. Sixthly by this daily renewing of our faith wee shall bee strengthened against all the tentations of our spirituall enemies so as they shall not be Ephe. 6. 17. able to hurt and wound vs whether these darts be cast against vs from the right hand or from the left For faith as an impenetrable Shield enableth vs to ouercome and beate back tentations arising from worldly prosperity whilst apprehending heauenly and euerlasting excellencies it maketh vs to contemne these base and momentanie vanities and the tentations which arise from crosses and afflictions by perswading vs that they are the straight way that leadeth to happinesse that they are not worthy Acts 14 22. Rom. 8. 18. 2. Cor. 4. 17. 2. Tim. 2. 12. the glory that shall be reuealed that these light and moment any afflictions worke for vs afarre more exceeding and eternall waight of glory and that if we suffer with Christ we shall also raigne with him Finally faith thus dayly renewed not onely effectually perswades vs vnto an holy resolution of leading a Christian and godly life but also powerfully enables vs to performeall the duties thereunto required with alacrity and cheerefulnesse ioy and delight for it moues vs to consecrate our selues wholy to the seruice of him who hath graciously redeemed vs out of the hands of all our spirituall enemies and to testifie our loue and thankefulnesse vnto him who hath done all this for vs by our new obedience It vnites vs vnto Christ and applieth vnto vs the vertue of his death by which sin is mortified and crucified in vs we vnto it to the world so that we wil no longer serue them in fulfilling worldly and carnall lusts and the vertue of his resurrection whereby we are enabled to rise from the death of sinne to holinesse and newnesse of life It giueth vnto vs with spirituall life spirituall motion it cleanseth and changeth our hearts and taking away the old it worketh in vs a new nature which is actiue and operatiue in all holy and righteous duties and diligent and cheerefull in the performance of them And whereas before we either did them not at all or but in outward shew formally and coldly and that not without much paines and difficuly it enableth vs now to performe them like naturall actions with much ease and delight so as wee can say with Dauid that the Law of God is our Psal 119. chiefe delight better vnto vs then thousands of gold and siluer and sweeter then the hony or hony-combe And with our Sauiour that it is our meate Iohn 4. 34. and drinke to doe the will of our heauenly Father And as vnnaturall motions are not without outward violence lasting no longer then it lasteth but natural are easie and permanent as the Sun shineth and the riuer runneth of their owne accord freely and without compulsion so by helpe of this new nature which faith worketh in vs our actions and motions in the waies of godlinesse are easie and pleasant which vnto corrupt nature were euen in respect of the outward act harsh and