like children 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. There must be a grovvth in godlinesse In knowledge of the truth there must be no stay There is to be no liking of our estate but in the practise of godlinesse That vve may be furthered in godlinesse vvhat things vvee are to consider 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. Who profiteth most in godlinesse Hovv necessary it is to have a resolute purpose to practise pietie The Apostafie of others must avvaken us to bevvare The bare historie of the Gospel not applied by faith hovv burtfull it is The Gospel strange to Reason The meanes considered greater grovvth in grace might have beene got then is Why there is so little grovvth of grace amongst us Most Christians use not a full but an half dyet or else by some ill meanes hinder the same Simil. Christians must seeke and keepe an holy dyet and direction for their lives Christians must not be as men sold to their appetite What things vvee are to consider that vve may keepe an holy dyet and direction for our lives 1. 2. Our emptinesse in grace barrennesse in good vvorkes many and strong corruptions too too palpable A principall cause of the little grovvth in grace No sound repentance which comes not from faith The onely right way to encrease faith Of all matters in the Scriptures Gods promises are novv least regarded Store of Gods promises to be had in memorie about every particular duty Even the regenerate must daily desire to be further partakers of Christ What vvee are to strive against The earnest panting after grace compared to the breath of the body Graces like to tender plants Meanes to obtaine and encrease grace 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. Grovvth in grace vvherein it chiefely appeareth Note An enemie of grovvth in grace Simil. Nothing harder then to get grace It is more then apparent that vvho so grovveth not in grace is not in Christ Simil. Among Christians many botchers In vvhat particulars our grovvth must appeare 1. 2. 3. Most seeing theiâ— vvant of grace yet profit but a little therein The causes hereof 1. 2. 3. Remedies 1. 2. 3. We are like to die beggers Our after fruits must exceed our first What the care for invvard graces vvoâ—keth Why many be so barren in grace What graces do not alvvayes succeede one another Gods graces are the svveetest in our new birth Hovv vve may lament the sinnes of others The vvant of feare or griefe hovv dangerous The use to be made in cares of extremity The heart chiefely to be controuled The Lord best pleased vvith the heart A signe of an hard heart An hard heart hovv dangerous it is The Remedie thereof The fittest time for God to helpe What use to make of the practises of hereticks The ground of heresie Heresie novv to be feared Such are not in Christ vvhich are alive unto sin dead unto God Presumption an hinderance to an holy life The Remedie The commodities of a godly life inducements thereunto Foure properties of true hope Hope of others how long to be continued A grievous frailtie in travailing about some duties to forget and neglect others Why the Lord thus exerciseth his Saints Christians must not be content vvith the doing of some duties but grovv in al. Note Hovv to obtaine Gods speciall mercies At vvhat time danger vvorketh most The profit of humiliation An effect or fruit of humiliation A note of true humiliation A true triall of humilitie Hypocrisie in dispraising ones selfe Palpable ignorance in these times Hovv to goe and come from the house of God Hovv to vvorke on the ignorant by setting before them the joyes of heaven and paines of hell Why at sometimes they may be done at sometimes not From generall rules particulars may bee dravvne What the sense of our vvants ought to vvorke in us The fight of our selves a meanes of perseverance How particular infirmities are no hinderances Hovv to speak charitably of others infirmities Difference betvveene the godly and ungodly about the infirmities of others Tvvo chiefe causes of joy 1. 2. Comfort in the remembraÌ„ce of Christs second comming True faith cannot bee vvithout this effect Godly sorrow and joy fit companions The matter of joy and tháksgiving one Many vvant delight in Gods service The cause The remedie Not safe to judge of one action The effect of hard judging In vvhom God vvill spare his judgemeÌ„ts A great judgement to thrive in sinne Gods judgemeÌ„ts shall seise upon the vvicked Hovv vvee are to bee affected in denounceing Gods judgemeÌ„ts What profit to make of Gods judgemeÌ„ts on others Not to observe them hovv hurtfull Not to make conscience of our vvayes hovv dangerous Obedience must follovv upon it The Lavv Gods precepts judgments or righteousnesse hovv taken The preaching of the Lavv necessarie Defects in the greatest Scholars What is the chiefest divinitie To doe good unto others is the end of all duties vvithout vvhich all our profession is vaine Hovv to live in love and peace The excellencie of love Note Love dravveth love as hatred doth hatred Those are to be loved vvhom God loveth The Christian Sabbath a memoriall of Christs resurrectioÌ„ Hovv to be upheld in a conscionable sanctification of the Sabbath A Magistrate may conceale a fault Man the most excellent creature doth most dishonour God Gods justice herein Naturall gifts not sanctified make the possessor thereof more odious Note When to submit ones selfe unto this condition Why many are more dull vvhen they have most meanes Gods Spirit not to be tyed to any one meane Vpon vvhat things Christians are to meditate Most are unskillfull in the art of meditation The cause hereof When the things vve heare or read become our ovvne What things bee fittest for for daily meditatioÌ„ What meditation it The oftner vvee meditate the better Hovv to meditate on the vvord Reading meditatioÌ„ and prayer must accompany one another Hovv to remember good things Simil. At vvhat time vvee are to speake of Gods mercies and vvhat then vve are to think upoÌ„ Favourably to bee exercised in conscience is a principall mercie Many in teaching others doe not teach themselves The chiefe cause here of The Remedies Not to practise vvhat vvee preach hovv dangerous it is Wee must be tronhled hereat Note The Remedie Hovv vvee are to esteeme the preaching of the Gospell Hovv vvee may delight in our ministerie Difference betvveene the externall ministerie and invvard vvork of the Spirit Who are unfit teachers To vvhom the Lord sendeth carefull or carelesse teachers In begetting or encreasing faith Gods vvisedome is not to be tyed to the ordinary meanes Hovv to knovv vvhether the Lord hath pardoned the sinne of raâ—h entâ—ance into the ministerie Wherein a Pastor must resemble a plovvman The truest triall of doctrines Who they are that shall be saved vvho not An order in bringing men to God What a minister is first to preach vvhen he commeth to a place Hovv to deale vvith a mans conscience Whercin the skill of
and their owne great unworthinesse doe feare they shall never obtaine it though they above all desire it they I say ought to be bold and count it no presumption to give credit to God in his word that hee will according to his promise bestow his Sonne and in him eternall life upon them for such doth Christ expressely call unto him Mat. 11. 28. yea hereupon ought they boldly without feare to adventure their soules health eternall happinesse that by this perswasion they may bee drawne to love and obey God and so bee confirmed yea more to feare their hearts from this horrible sinne of unbeleefe the greatest of all other whereby they knowing what God hath said yea unto them doe yet in not giving credit to him that he will be as good as his word make him a lyar and so a false God much more such as have received the earnest of Gods Spirit renewing their heart◠and lives ought to be of good comfort and shake off such doubts The cause of this distrust is in many their owne unworthiness which bewrayeth great ignorance and errour that God giveth his Sonne to the worthy though not of merit which no Protestant holdeth but ofmeer mercy to those that truely repent them which is petie Poperie whereas the truth of God is that hee having given his Son to none but such as had no grace nor repentance in them that they by receiving Christ by faith might receive grace to beginne to repent and so daily to grow therein therefore as none ought to beleeve because they have repented so none ought to be afraid to beleeve because of his unworthinesse the sense whereof doth make him most fit to beleeve and receive Christ The want of knowledge and due regard of this one point is a principall cause of distrust on the one side and vaine presumption on the other both workes of perdition 7. For removing of our doubts of Gods favour either generally or in some particular actions there must bee 1. A sound judgement to direct when wee ought to doubt or not and 2. A daily labour according to our judgement to doubt and beleeve as cause is Dreames Of dreams which make some deepe impression in us and abide longer its good to make some profit and they may be thought to come from God or the devill according to their divers ends and effects An evill dreame shewes an evill heart in some sinne either committed or whereto we be subject and may shortly follow If they be terrible they may forewarne of some evill to come that we may avoide it by good meanes yet so as we neither feare them too much nor quite contemne them so for the good that we perswade not our selves of having it nor yet neglect it The same may be said for the event of witcheries and slanders Dulnesse and Deadnesse 1. A common thing it is in Gods children after their greatest joyes to feel great dulnesse and deadnesse of minde When the same seiseth upon us 1. We ought to search the cause whetherdoing some evill leaving off some good to bee done neglecting the meanes of salvation not seeing or not repenting some sinne seene or not repenting so soundly or for unthankfulnesse for former graces 2. Wee must use the remedie not pleasing our selves in this deadnesse but stirring up our selves as from slumber calling to minde Gods speciall mercies on us and our unworthy receiving and using of them using all good meanes to quicken us 3. In using the meanes to offer our selves to God waiting patiently for his helpe esteeming neither too little nor too much our affliction 2. It falleth out that Gods children are sometimes more dull with the publique meanes then without which may arise from hence that either they are too remisse in the use of the private or else fall to loathing the publique because they have them so often or put too much confidence in such places which the Lord correcteth by denying the use and such like Dutie For infirmities sake to leave a duty undone is to cover sinne not to overcome it Earnestnesse IN our earnestnesse its necessary to searth our hearts whether it be of the Spirit or of the flesh and if we cannot see the depth of our hearts it argueth want of prayer and travailing with our affections to know them Ease Long ease will bring either superstition prophanenesse or heresie through our corruption Elect and Reprobate A Reprobate of knowledge lying in despaire may beleeve that both Christ can and would ease him if hee could beleeve and come unto Christ to be eased but distrusting this comes not turnes away frō God But the elect beleeving that Christ will ease all commers to him is drawne by Gods Spirit to apply this to himselfe and make reckoning he comming shall bee eased and therefore indeed seeketh with faith to Christ and is eased to come to Christ is not simply to beleeve but beleeving Christ will be as good as his word in spirit to goe unto the throne of grace and desire the same as a begger invited comes for reliefe Evills These be two evills very dangerous To pretend great comfort and make small conscience in our life and to confesse our faith is weake and yet to be content therewith Excuse When we are unwilling to doe good an excuse is too readie its good therefore earnestly to strive to overcome this and then to take opportunity to doe the same Examples Particular examples may be made generall instructions when the cause of the mis generall Exercise As God hath given great variety of heavenly exercises and matters to be exercised in so we shall finde such irkesomenesse in our nature that wee care not to use this variety for our reliefe Failings WHen we see wherein wee have failed in any part of our daily practise we are not to make slight thereof or favour our selves therein but labour speedily to recover lest we grow hardned and incurable Faith 1. Such as by hearing of witches and fearefull practises of Satan be sore frighted are to know their faith is weake and comfort small for the sound beleever shall not feare for any evill tidings and therefore they must never cease striving for faith and comfort till they finde a sweet and bold resting in the Lord their father who will preserve them 2. Faith being the band of our union with Christ we doe thereby enjoy peace with God are favourably accepted of him joy in the hope of happinesse have comfort in affliction patience experience hope boldnesse to pray love to God and delight to serve him wee please God long for heaven 3. The way to encrease faith is to apply to our selves Gods promise in his word and Sacraments by hearing the word praying meditation conference and the like and to this end also every one who desires
con ceale our sinne yet wee with David freely confesse it 7. When many are more grieved with the losse of worldly credit the motion whereof is sinne than with the sense of their sinnes and losse of Gods glory the Lord striketh them with the want of that which is most precious to them when they make no conscience of his honour which is most precious unto him 8. If we will truely lament the sinnes of others we must first bee touched for our owne and as touching others so to lament as the sinne requireth and with love not contempt of the person and pray for him 9. When we have cause of sorrow it is good not to cast it off till wee see the fruit thereof 10. Heavenly sorrow it is to talke of good things which we want or ill which we have 11. We cannot heartily be grieved for that sin in others whereof wee have made no great conscience our selves 12. That is a true godly sorrow for sinne when no outward pleasure can steale it away nor continuance of time waste it but onely Christ 13. This ought to bee alwayes in Gods children that in the want of affection to any godly exercise when they should have it that at least they should be grieved thereat 14. Two notes there are of godly sorrow 1. that it be for a just cause and 2. a proportionable measure to the cause for it is a subtle policie of Satan against tender consciences to urge them to a continuall sorrow whereby he may more prevaile in his accusation against them for when they sorrow so much for little offences hee will dismay them in their greater faults or accuse them of hypocrisie in making no more account of great sins than of common infirmities wee are then to take heed how wee give our selves to sorrow continually especially seeing wee are commanded to rejoyce alwayes and never to sorrow alwayes although there be a necessary time of sorrow and moreover this ought to be considered that God will not account of men for one particular defect but according to his generall course and tenour of life Soule and Body 1. It were great wisedome and grace to bee more carefull to feede and provide for our soules which even a world cannot ransome than our bodies not feeding these till those be fed 2. There is never any corrupt action in the body whereof there hath not beene first a corrupt motion and affection in the soule so that the soule is the enemy of the body in using it to sinne and not the contrary as many falsely complaine and therefore punish their bodies and spare their soules whereas wee ought rather to nourish the body as the friend to the soule for the exercise of repentance of mortification and of sanctification Spirituall decay It s high wisdome when wee see any plague upon us earthly or spirituall as losse of our spirituall comfort and cheerefulnesse in well-doing or wound of conscience by sinne remitted then to turne to the Lord crave help of him both to shew us the cause and to teach us truely to remove it that so humbling our selves wee may obtaine mercy and be freeed from the plague Disquiet Spirit A punished minde is a disquiet Spirit Godly Strife Seeing we are naturally unwilling to any good thing it is good to strive to that thing which wee are most unwilling to doe Students This course have I by experience found profitable and resolved upon namely to bee diligent in reading the holy Scriptures and of them at the least every day foure chapters in like manner for the encrease of my knowledge to spend three houres in the forenoone in searching out the sense of the hardest places as two in the afternoone in the searching out the proprieties of the tongues and other two in perusing the tracts and commentaries of learned men one in meditation and prayer what time remaineth to spend the fame in brotherly conference Suffering They that will suffer great things in persecution and that of Papists must suffer smaller in peace and that of Protestants Selfe-suspition He that can neglect the private meanes and use them without any lively touch and he that can heare the word without any check of his conscience when the word rebuketh his corruption or he that hath his heart accusing him of sinne and can bee merry and follow the world and passe over his sinne is greatly to suspect himselfe and to deny comfort to his heart till God truly humble him The best may accuse themselves and this is comfortable if wee truly judge our selves in this case Table-talke SEeing all are anointed with the same oyle and not the Minister alone all men at a table are to move and further good matters with reverence and discretion Teares Howsoever wee please our selves with smal grace yet if wee compare our selves with that wee see should be in us and is in some wee are exceeding short as in this one thing that so few teares come from us in any cause we are too ready to excuse our selves hereby that we are not so prone to weepe as others and yet for earthly things wee can readily What was it in Paul that drew so many teares continually from him but his tender love to God and his Saints Let this be in us so shall wee weepe Temptations 1. As it is a great comfort that no temptation invade us but that which taketh holde of the nature of man so this ought to make us with profit humble our selves that there is no temptation in any man which may not take hold on us in time 2. Wee are never the further from temptation for misliking it but the neerer unlesse as in judgement wee mislike it so in affection wee humble our soules in feare and prayer before the Lord as knowing the same in time may invade us 3. Satan in good causes doth use golden temptations to allure the children of God as in prayer he affordeth meditation in meditation prayer in hearing almesgiving in reading admonition and still envyeth the good thing whereunto wee are called 4. As there is a vicissitude of the meanes and comforts of our salvation so is there of temptations which being repelled will come againe 5. As some sicknesse takes away all sense of life so some temptation may take away the feeling of spirituall life 6. In any grievous temptation wee must flee to prayer and to reading the word that part thereof which is fittest and this not prevailing to conferre with some faithfull brother and bee diligent in these meanes when if yet we prevaile not then must we follow our callings diligently and with patience waite the Lords leisure not reasoning with our temptation lest thereby we be made dull or desperate neither yet wholly contemning it as a trifle lest we fall into
he is not to proceede 4. Whether they purpose to solemnize their marriage in the congregation These being granted before the parents or their vicegerent to proceede to prayer and exhortation to some generall duties of men and women and so to contract according to the common Liturgie in the sight of God with prayer The exhortation after the defence of this duty belonging to the Minister may be briefly a discourse of the doctrine of the law and faith applyed to their estate of marriage and so their speciall callings and most neede 2. They which contract themselves without their governours or parents consent if they be alive are to confesse their fault publiquely before they be marryed that others may heare and feare Corruption 1. Such is the corruption of our nature that though wee bee wonderfully delighted with Gods graces yet when wee abound with them we lesse esteeme them then when wee begunne to enjoy them 2. Our corruption is like to the wantonnesse of children who either will doe as they list or else leave all undone 3. It s a common corruption so to grieve at evills present that unthankfully wee forget former mercies 4. It s too common a corruption that wee can disclose many of our infirmities and keepe the greatest close Good Counsells Beleeve to be saved as a Publican live as a Justiciarie Pray as idle beggars who live by begging Labour for grace as worldlings toil for wealth Provide for thy soule as thou doest for thy bodie rest food apparell and such like necessaries feede to be fitter to labour so labour as to get a stomack to thy food Holy Dayes IN those wee must redeeme the time in resting from our callings Death 1. This amongst others ought often to be thought on to have all things in a readinesse against our departure out of this wretched world and therefore not onely to set our outward estate in order which naturall wise men doe for the good and peace of our posteritie but especially to set our spirituall state in such a readinesse that wee may with continuall care and comfort waite for our change and our Saviours second comming and withall to leave to our posteritie some testimonie of Gods satherly dealing with us and fidelitie in performing his promise to us the seede of faithfull parents that our posterity may be hereby stirred up to serve the Lord God of their fathers 2. Wee can better away to meditate on death which Sathan covereth with eternitie following then on the day of judgement where wee all must make our accounts 3. The bare meditation of death doth so farre move us from suffering with delight to dwell on earthly things as reason disswadeth us to make any cost about a tenement where wee know we shall dwell but a while yet such imaginations of death build up in the meane time the kingdome of pride in us Wherefore it shall bee more availeable when wee meditate of putting off this Tabernacle wee thinke also of putting on the Tabernacle of Righteousnesse and how without that we shall never stand with comfort before Christ in his Kingdome 4. As wee are so to thinke of life that wee bee content to die so wee are to thinke of death that wee be contented to live The feare of death is no more to be disliked then not to feare for both may be with good conscience and in faith if they exceed not for it s allowed by grace and nature to feare Gods judgements 5. To call to minde old sinnes of them which are a dying is necessary to bee done of those which visite them for if they have truly repented them then are they not guilty of them and others may profit thereby If they bee guilty the trouble of their minde shall turne to their good in that they finde their judgement in this world and escape the everlasting judgement to come Decay in grace 1. A most grievous judgement of God it is though secret and therefore not to us so sensible that having many excellent helps for our spirituall nourishment yet Gods curse seemeth to be thereon in that wee thrive so little thereby wherein notwithstanding the Lord is to be cleered who giving his grace ordinarily by meanes doth most justly keepe it from us partly for our unworthinesse either for some olde sinne unrepented of or some present corruption not resisted and partly for our contempt of it in that we setting so little by it have so sleightly sought it and having received it in any measure were no more charie and carefull in keeping it but through our carelessenesse lost it and through our pride and presumption provoked the Lord to take it from us let our earnest purpose and prayer bee for the better obtaining of it to avoide the letts and to use more carefully and constantly all good helps and particularly holy conference which by experience wee shall finde to be exceeding profitable 2. The causes why many decrease in godlinesse be divers as namely the neglect of those meanes which before they used especially of the private dealings with themselves and brotherly conferences in such strict manner as before whereof wee be soon wearie in that by nature wee seeke our ease and through custome grow cold and through security and pride waxe blinde and see not our neede thereof So also that wee by Satans suggestion and our owne corruption doe privily fall into a good liking of our estate in regard of former grace received wherby it comes to passe that wee feeling our selves to bee freed from the danger of sinne and condemnation doe not so feare it neither are terrified with the sight of it in us but through a privie presumption of our safety we easily pardon our selves and deale not so straitly with our selves as before and thus sinne creepes sore upon us to our great hurt Some there be though the fewer who more then they ought torment themselves for their little growth Others and those the greater sort who have and doe continue in a carelesse peace whom indeed it much cōcerneth to be humbled for their little growing in grace The meane wherin a man may with some comfort stay himselfe must partly arise from a wise judgeing of himselfe by comparing his former and present estate both in the use and profit received by the meanes wherein this may fitly be considered that a young plant doth more sensibly shew his growth then an olde tree but the olde tree brings forth more sound fruit in his season the decay or want whereof wee must thus remedie even by calling our selves to a strait account to see upon what warrant wee enjoy our peace and so to feare our hearts with such testimonies of Scripture as doe tell us that this life is not the life of a Christian who must bee a new creature and must walke in the
spirit and must mortifie the deeds of the flesh that so we may withdraw peace from our consciences till wee see some change of our troubled state and recoverie thereof Delay Many times when wee have used all good meanes the Lord deferreth the successe that we being the more humbled may bee the fitter to receive comfort Delight Who so delighteth in the Lord in him doth the Lord delight Devills 1. By creation good Spirits by their fall damned and wicked spirits changed into evill finite immortall invisible adversaries to mans salvation exceeding many of great power Lyons able to doe any thing not above nature in respect of their malice compared to Dragons their subtiltie Serpents their experience termed olde using secret ambushes with shewes of good tempting the prophane never to minde salvation the civill to rest in common honestie as the carnall protestant in outward holinesse the weake beleever either to be scrupulous or to take vice for vertue through ignorance the strong to sin against knowledge and presume to hinder a greater duty by a lesse to use good actions to bad ends to doe evill that good may come thereof to grieve so for one sinne as to neglect others so running into extremities yea to winke at sinne to thinke it tolerable to tast it to commit it to continue in it to defend it 2. This is much to bee lamented that in time of superstition men were more feared with the devill when they heard of his hornes clawes hollow voice and such like then now in the Gospell when they heare of his privie working and fighting against mens soules which is much more dangerous and yet is nothing feared and yet wee can never beleeve and feele the gracious help of Gods holy Angels till wee beleeve and feele the hidden assaults of Satan and his Spirits 3. As God and his good Angels are about us so is the devill and his evill spirits and as good Angels have beene seene so have and may bee the wicked spirits not soules of men but devills in the ayre and the knowledge hereof is greatly for our comfort in well-doing that being in great danger voide of all helpe of man yet God is with us and his Angels for our humbling in evill doing that though no man see or can hurt us yet the devill and his spirits bee about us Discerning 1. Many are outwardly well that is rich in this world which are inwardly ill that is poore in Gods account and many hate outward evill things which for want of spirituall knowledge or the spirit of discerning see not the corruptions of the heart 2. Wisedome must bee desired in discerning of men but charitie in judgeing and praying for them 3. They with whom we would converse may be tryed by these three notes 1. Whether in professing godlinesse they speake upon grounded knowledge 2. What feeling they have of their inward corruptions 3. How loving they are to others in being ready to do them good and warie to speake of their infirmities and that with griefe Discipline 1. Wee are bound to be thankfull to God for that discipline wee have though there bee great want of it for its the Lords will to advance his glory hereby in taking that to himselfe which if we had stricter discipline wee would attribute to it for besides that hee doth that by his word and prayer which may bee done by discipline it may be discipline would hide many hypocrites which now are discovered and cover many a Christian heart which now are knowne for they that bee godly now be godly of conscience being a discipline to themselves but many may seeme godly under discipline which doe it for feare rather then for love 2. This is a good order of discipline first generally to declare that 1. Sinne is broken forth 2. To name the sinne 3. The partie offending after to admonish him then to suspend him lastly to leave him to Satan Despaire 1. It s a fearefull and dangerous policie of Satan to make men continue in sinne without care of recoverie in taking from them all hope thereof which he doth by perswading them that their sinnes bee so great so many and of so long continuance that they cannot be forgiven 2. A dangerous policie of Satan it is to provoke men to despaire inperswading them they have no faith at all because they have it not in this and that particular againe in provoking to presumption to perswade them thus I hope I have faith in generall and therefore my faith is sound in every particular Distrust 1. Distrust is a doubting of Gods helpe in our neede it s a capitall sinne above others robbing God of his truth power wisedome mercie and his other attributes drawing others by our example to distrust which in like manner robbeth man of his chiefe comfort in all distresses 2. How prone we are to it may appeare in our tryalls of paine debt and the like wherein we trust to meanes 3. Wee fall into this by resting too much on meanes neglecting to meditate on Gods truth 4. To trust on God is the speciall remedie to cure this maladie 5. It s a common temptation to afflicted consciences to perswade themselves after some few deliverances that they can looke for no more because the Lord hath beene so liberall but these must know that God is not like man for his gifts are without repentance and when he beginnes to shew mercie he will never cease Doctrine When there is a doctrin generall or equitie in the word the exāples though particular may bee generally applyed Doubting 1. What manner of doubting may stand with faith though it weaken faith and what doubting quite shuts out faith is not easily seene and more hardly uttered to the sight of the weake 2. Although this be by the wise providence of God that many of Gods true children who therefore have had sound com for t in Christ doe especially in their infirmitie oft greatly waver and doubt and so become uncomfortable which the Lord for good cause disposeth lest by their sudden change from so damnable State and uncomfortable to so happy and joyfull they should be lifted up made conceited and secure and so presumptuous the forerunners and causes also of a fearefull fall yet this is certaine that this is their sinne a weaknesse which must be withstood and overcome for the attaining whereto the cause of this doubting must be searched and so removed which ordinarily is our owne infirmities neglect and weaknesse in good duties too great pronenesse and strength in sinne whereupon the tender conscience feareth his former comfort was vaine and so doubteth of his estate for the right removing hereof this is duly to be considered that as the roote of our comfort in Christ is not the strength of our Christian life so the weaknesse herein ought not to breede doubting of
our salvation by Christ But for so much as all our comfort stands in this that God who justifieth the ungodly hath freely given his Sonne and in him is reconciled to us being his enemies and hath by his Gospell called us and by his spirit wrought faith in our hearts to receive Christ so given unto us whereby wee being dead in sinne and having no goodnesse in us were made alive to God and so were new borne and then doe beginne to bee changed first in affection and then in conversation by little and little from a childe growing to a riper age in Christ Therefore if wee have this assurance of our new birth though we feele much weaknesse of the spirituall life yet wee ought not to doubt whether wee bee Gods children seeing hee that is so new borne as aforesaid can never dy but rather we are to remember 1. Wee are but children and therefore weak 2. Wee are very subject to many spirituall diseases some such as take away sense of life and therefore must seeke to bee cured and not despaire of life seeing wee cannot perish This cannot breede securitie in sinne to any for he that seeing himselfe miserable doth beleeve to bee saved by Christ cannot but love God and for love studie and travell to obey him no more then fire can be without heate so that they who say they thus beleeve and live not Christianly are lyars the truth is not in them If any tender conscience ignorant weak for so must they needs be should say I am such a one because they feele so little grace in them they may manifestly be disproved by the true effects of faith which no faith can be without true love of God his Word his Saints desire to please God griefe for former and present sinnes and such like If any hypocrite will say he thus beleeveth and in some measure thus liveth let him try his inward affections why hee doth all duty it will bee found not in love to God and recompence of his kindnesse but either for the credit of the world or mercenarily for obtaining Gods favour whom his securitie jollitie presumption and want of sense of his infirmities and of an holy feare of falling and care to please God in secret will descrie 3. A true beleever falling into sin ought if hee can hold his confidence though he be foulie fallen and rather lament that hee Gods childe should so dishonour his father for the doubting of Gods favour cannot raise him from his fall but the beholding of it is that alone which will breede holy and acceptable sorrow for sinne and conscience of amendment 4. It s evident that many of the carefullest Christians seeing their infirmities doe most doubt whether they have faith who yet for the most part in time of tryall finde more then others who bee more secure and confident but yet this is their fault that they looke too much to effects and not to the cause of their justification and in beholding the effects through ignorance and feare judge amisse not seeing the true effects of faith in them being blinded with their wants 5. This is found in many true Christians that they oft doubt of their salvation and feare they bee not Gods children because they see such sinnes and wants in themselves and hereupon be oft moved to greater care of an holy life thinking that otherwayes they may not beleeve and on the other side that if they see more mortification of their corruptions and more strength to good duties that they may boldly beleeve wherein they pittifully deceive themselves many wayes 1. That they often obtaine not their desire in mortification 2. That if they by this meanes prick themselves to more care for a season yet so soone as their feare is slacked their care is ended 3. That if their care should continue yet this is not that which can either cause them first to beleeve or else any way encrease their faith onely this can more certainely prove that they have and do indeede beleeve and so may comfort them for there is nothing that can beget or encrease faith but Gods promise and seales thereof truly applyed They therefore who doubting doe thus think to encrease faith by leading a better life doe take a wrong course and plainely shew that in their holy life they seeke themselves and not the Lord and are not moved thereto by the true love of God which is the chiefe mother of true obedience whereas they ought rather having good cause to doubt whether they have soundly beleeved seeing they finde in themselves no comfortable fruits of their faith to labour more stedfastly to beleeve that so their faith as fire encreaseth by the heate of it may send forth more fervent effects of love to God and obedience which shall then effectually comfort them seeing such fruits of such a root 6. In the deepest thoughts of our salvation this oft riseth up to weaken our faith that God having ordained some to destruction and yet to make the sole cause of mans perdition to bee in himselfe prepared a remedy for all and in his testament bequeathed it to all and publiquely proclaimed it to the world though for his part determining to give grace to receive it onely to his chosen and to leave the other to themselves what warrant wee have to beleeve that we are of them to whom God hath determined to give his grace and who indeed shal receive it and not of those who herein deepely deceive themselves whereunto the soundest answere is this that the secret determination of God is to himselfe and not to be enquired in to of us who cannot know our election till wee know our effectuall calling who to this end must attend to his revealed will wherein he certifieth all to whom the Gospell commeth that he would have none perish but beleeve therefore inviteth all of them exhorteth entreateth thē by his ministers to be reconciled unto him and sore threatneth if they beleeve not Upon all which this may bee concluded that its great sinne and follie for him to whom the Lord hath revealed his will concerning his salvation and by many meanes prepared him thereto as giving him sight and sense of his miserie knowledge of and unfained desire of Christ the onely remedy calling and commanding him to receive him together with cleere knowledge that he in his word hath promised this remedie to him for him I say its great sinne notwithstanding all this upon no ground but onely a suspicious feare to doubt that God will not yet save him but doth this to his farther condemnation whereof there is no feare but to such as contemne this grace or receive it in vain not being drawne thereby in truth to love and seeke Gods honour by unfained obedience to his will whereas all they who knowing the benefit by Christ in respect of the greatnesse of it
for if faith be lively then shall we finde our hearts cheered and ready to serve God in any duty prayer heareing the word and the like yea then will our zeale burne to bee thankfull to God and willing to die ready to forsake all but if the heart be dull drowsie or dumpish then is faith cooled For how can any have feeling of Gods love and not bee quickened in love to God againe which will constraine us to deny our selves and to seeke his glory and to please him in all things 16. We doe in nothing more deceive our selves then thinking and quietly resting herein that wee have faith when indeed if we saw the want thereof it could not but shake us 17. Musing what is the chiefe cause why wee so hardly beleeve and put not such confidence in Gods word and seales as wee doe in mans I observe these 1. That this is our feeble nature that we can hardly but feare so long as there appeares any danger that may fall on us though we have great securitie against it as a man at sea or on an high scaffold or tower when wee looke downeward we cannot but feare though there be great safety Howbeit as they who have had oft experience be acquainted with these doe feare lesse so in matters of the soule some are hardned and desperate others remaine quaking and fearefull the best keepe the meane betweene both so feare the danger as that they are made carefull to avoide it and that with hope of escaping 2. That this also is in all by nature till it be defaced that sin condemnes and drives from God and it s as much against nature for a sinner to looke for favour from God as fire to be cold we more easily may beleeve that shall be which God hath said shall be though it be above nature as our bodies to arise but in matters concerning our selves if they be contrary to nature we ever feare that evill will come which wee have deserved and wee shall not have that benefit which wee are unworthy of though God by his word and seales give us great securitie to the contrary And this I note the maine errour that we measure Gods goodnesse by some worthinesse in us whereas his truth should be set against all in us whatsoever Although I doubt not but that there be divers measures of faith in divers men and in one and the same at divers times yet there is no faith without some certaintie and none with all but the best faith hath feare and doubting when we looke upon our vile unworthinesse 18. Faith to our spirituall life is in many things like to fire in the naturall then which what is more necessarie for without it what comfort can wee have It is it which makeeth our prayers and all our Christian endeavours acceptable As fire will goe out so faith therefore it must be daily repaired as the Levites holy fire which else will be hardly recovered The way is to lay on matter enough oft to renew the fire this is by oft meditation on Gods goodnesse promised and performed 19. The way to get faith whether yet none or but weake is this that knowing what true faith is namely to know by Gods word that God is our Father in Christ 1. We examine whether we have any and then how weake which may be most soundly knowne by causes and effects among all the purging of the heart by faith the surest 2. Finding either no faith or weake deepely weigh the great miserie of want of faith and benefit of true faith as whereby all grace and whatsoever is to be desired without it none that this may breede an insatiable desire of faith and daily encrease of the same 3. Being thus desirous of faith but having no abilitie to get it it being the gift of God runne to Gods word and see there to whom God promiseth to give it where you shall finde God heares the desires of the poore Psal 10. 17. and satisfieth the hungrie with good things and bids us aske and we shall receive whereupon all that feele a true desire of faith may take hold even upon Gods word that hee will give them faith which is indeed a beginning of faith 4. Hereby they must bee moved to use these two meanes prayer and labour to get true saving faith they must pray to God to worke it in them by his word and spirit meditating on Gods mercie in free offering Christ to all sinners and on his truth in bestowing Christ on all that come to Christ with a true heart in assurance of faith both which being continued will certainely obtaine faith in the time and measure which God seeth most meet 20. It s without question many be deceived whether they be in the faith most presume some few mistrust The surest proofe is by the causes and effects both joyned otherwise no certainty under causes we comprehend all works of Gods Spirit by which he leades men by faith which principally be these three 1. True humiliation 2. Earnest desire of Christ 3. True beleeving in him in all which many be deceived with shadowes in stead of substance or at best with tasts for full feeding The best evidence we can thinke of that all those be sound bee these for humiliation if a man carry about with him a true feeling of his wretchednesse Rom. 7. 24. For his desire of Christ if hee be not full but having tasted hunger more after Christ For his drawing to Christ by the spirit if after all stormes to draw him from beleefe he yet finds Gods word and spirit causing him to rest on Gods faithfulnesse Now for the effects which bee many the principall is the receiving of the Spirit not as a stranger to doe a work and so away but as an inhabitant to dwell for ever which spirit is as the sap which comes from the vine Christ to the faithfull the branches this spirit compared to fire hath two effects light and heat joy and love comfort and conscience many times when the fire is covered there appeares no light but if you come neere there will be some heate So is it with weake beleevers they have still some love though joy be covered not felt as in the causes so in these effects many be deceived with false fire in both There be comfortable notes of soundnesse in both which though a deceived person will dreame to bee in himselfe yet where they bee indeed it will not be hard to finde and therein wee may rest quietly 1. One speciall marke of a sound heart is a feare of being deceived which breeds care to search well our selves and to be glad to be tryed by God and men 2. Upon sight of our selves that we have some grace that wee have a sight also of our povertie a mourning for it and meane judgeing of
not profiting so much by Gods wayes are reclaimed by his corrections Godlinesse 1. Whereas every thing hath his time of growing and his growing in time it s most unreasonable that any godlinesse should bee so straitned that no growing is to be looked for in it yea also it s a grosse errour that in knowledge of the truth there may be a stay and rest in true zeale too great a fervencie in holinesse of life too great precisenesse when as our knowledge shall alwayes be in part our zeale too cold our conversation too much corrupted be we never so precise 2. This is a good comfort to any Christian heart never to be quiet or liking his state when hee feeles not some readinesse and cheerefulnesse in the practises of godlinesse 3. That we may be furthered in the practise of pietie consider wee these particulars 1. That the enjoying of earthly treasures is uncertaine and dangerous the dealing with them great hinderances the great delight most hurtfull 2. That the unchangeable purpose of a godly life is a continuall consolation 3. That the bold reprehension of sin in others is a notable bridle to our selves 4. That the daily use of all holy exercises prayer meditation reading conference are the onely nurses of a Christian life and of much comfort and assurance of Gods favour to our salvation 5. That seeing the Lord is at hand wee must not be weary of this course but labour so to hold out to the end that we may be found thus occupied 6. That the daily consideration and use of these will make our battell against sinne more easie and fruitfull for our very hearts will be better kept in order then otherwise 7. That if we well behold what exceeding comfort and joy through the assurance of salvation we finde in this godly life and what heavinesse in the neglect thereof its reason sufficient to perswade us to hold on to the end yea this present sense and further hope of the unspeakable reward to come makes Christs yoke easie 4. He hath most profited who spends most time in this practise of godlinesse denying himselfe and taking no thought to satisfie his carnall minde 5. Except we keepe this in the purpose of our hearts and resolutely bind our selves hereto it cannot bee wee should stand fast but many things as the rarenesse of this course in others and our owne dulnesse will beat us from it and sore shake us 6. We have great need to take heed of leaving off seeing so many fearefull examples who harkening to the world seeking themselves and waxing weary of this strait way and practise of repentance have given over their diligence in teaching fervencie in exhorting zeale in prayer painfulnesse in private instructing and readinesse in conference for the edifying of others in meetings and daily meditation lamenting their owne and other mens sins earnest desire of forgivenesse daily purpose of amendment meeknesse patience liberalitie great rejoycing in God with earnest thanksgiving and the like The oft perusing of those will awaken us when we are fallen asleep Gospell 1. The letter of the Gospell that is the bare historie thereof being received without the Spirit thereof that is the true use thereof applyed unto us by faith doth no lesse kill then the Law for what comfort can it bring to a wounded conscience to know Christ dyed c. nay it woundeth them more if by faith they apply it not to themselves 2. Nothing more strange to reason then the Gospell of salvation by Christ Grace with the growth therein 1. This may be justly complained of by many good ministers and people of our times that exceeding much more grace of wisedome and strength to every duty and experience for guiding others might have beene obtained under so long peace and many helpes had they not trifled out much time unprofitably and beene as sloathfull in paines taking as affraid to bee ill occupied 2. It s our shame and ought to bee our griefe that we having had so many helps above others are so farre behinde them that hardly we can follow them whom we should have gone before for what is it but our owne sin that we are not as patterns for others to follow A principall cause hereof is this our too great respect of all earthly things which must needs hinder this godly proceeding as also that wee are not capable of such a lifting up being too much conceited for the little grace we have and not humbled sufficiently with our many wants 3. Considering with my selfe what the cause should be why almost all Christians doe very little grow since their first calling though they use ordinarily the exercises of religion and many of them dwell under a profitable ministerie mee thinkes this may be said that either they use not a full but an halfe dyet or else by some ill meanes hinder the same There is no Christian who useth not some meanes whereby he maintaines life and by Gods blessing on his ordinance all holy meanes have their profit therefore the more is our sinne in not using all whereby we might bee fat and flourishing in Christianitie But as it fareth with crasie bodies they must have a dyet prescribed and rules to order their whole life else can they not long hold out but weaknesse and diseases will oppresse them whereas otherwise by precise keeping their dyet in all points they be much preserved and freed from much griefe and paine So for all the world it is with our soules the best whereof is so crasie that without a good direction precisely followed long health and peace cannot bee held but our lives will be filled with many griefes and troubles And if these be not felt at first the longer they fester inward they will cost the more paine and griefe before they bee cured It shall be our wisedome therefore never to rest till we have a good direction fit to preserve our soules in peace and good estate and then precisely to keep it in all parts lest the neglect of one marre another and so wee much hinder our selves At least this care must be had that wee doe not as men sold to their appetite who to please their tast will leave that which is wholesome and take that which is poyson to their nature who therein for a short pleasure bring long and tedious paine which makes repent too late when this yet is more that some bee so farre spent that they having once or twice broken their dyet and finding no present paine doe wilfully proceede saying As good bee sicke for something as for nothing and in the end cast off utterly all care and so bring upon themselves incurable diseases horrible paines and certaine death That this former advice may be the more profitable that is that wee may see what good cause wee who bee Gods children have to seeke after
that they be dead and buried unto sinne but alive to God I cannot but wonder how any can so securely assure themselves to be in Christ who be so living to sinne that they serve it so dead to God that they are farre off from all obedience 2. A principall hinderance to an holy life is a presuming of Gods fatherly affection that hee will spare us whereof this may be the remedie to have oft before us the terror of his judgement to nourish a continuall feare of provoking his anger a nurse of an holy life 3. The commodities of a godly life be such as will enforce any that knowes them thereto namely liberty tranquillitie pleasure and such like whereof whosoever truly tasteth he will thinke no paines too much to bestow therin Hope 1. True waiting must be 1. Outward aswell as inward 2. On the word for many waite rather for hope of some profit then for Gods glory 3. Continuall though God defer long 4. Without wearinesse and vehemently 2. Wee are not to bee without hope of any that hath sometimes shewed effectuall workes of Gods childe till all be blotted out Humiliation 1. Among many frailties of our nature remaining in Gods children this is a very dangerous and grievous one that when wee have by much travaile gotten strength to one duty wee forget or neglect another as needfull as the former whereby our comfort is much abated and we are or ought to be much humbled which in measure the Lord leaveth in his dearest Saints to exercise them in true humilitie for their wants in faith to depend upon him for grace and in prayer to seek it from him continually 2. Such ought to bee humbled after an especiall manner which having through Gods blessing on their travailes in Christianity attained unto some graces and conscience of discharge of duty in some things specially common and ordinary such as private prayer conscionable dealing with men and the like doe so content themselves with these testimonies of their faith that they enquire not after others to grow up into full holinesse in the feare of God whence it commeth to passe that haply they are very zealous yet very much wanting in love very just dealers but hard hearted having little mercy or liberalitie not so forward in some as backward in other duties 3. Wee cannot obtain Gods mercies in speciall measure unlesse we use to humble our selves in speciall meanes 4. Though danger worke in a man much yet it never prevaileth more then when it commeth with the word of God which may both give a more lively and cleere sight of sinne and shew us the mercies of God withall to deliver us from our evills the profit whereof is so great that we prevaile more by humbling our Soules then by all chastisements of the Lord whatsoever for Iebosapbat was more humbled by the speech of Iehn the Seer then hee was being compassed with an host of enemies 2 Chron. 19. 2. 5. This fruit of humbling our selves is to bee looked for even to enter upon a farre better course of Christianitie to bee more like the faithfull in former ages in comfort of faith in mortification in love in zeale that so wee may shine as lights in this darke world 6. To be touched with the sense of sinne in particular is a note of true humiliation 7. This is a note of a man truly humbled when he is readie to shame himselfe that God may be glorified Humilitie A true tryall of humilitie is this to be content to be taught of our inferiours and admonished of our faults Hypocrisie It s hypocrisie in publick to dispraise ones selfe seeking thereby a secret praise Ignorance 1. IT s to be lamented that after so long preaching of the Gospell the most yea many true Christians are yet so ignorant of and therefore so much wanting in the practise of many speciall duties and indeed so farre off from that strait course not onely which God requires but the faithfull in times past and some too now a dayes doe carefully and constantly walke in for example to goe to the publick assemblies as to a feast with such hunger and carefull trimming of our soules as wee use for our bodies and to come from them so cheerfully as men refreshed with good cheere 2. By oft proofe this is found a chiefe meanes to pierce the hard skin of the heart of the ignorant sort to set before them the joyes of heaven and paines of hell as forcibly as may be and then shewing that they when they die which is like to be sooner then they be aware of shall goe into one of these to aske them what warrant they have God will have mercy on them and so to strip them of all vain confidence to teach them that they can never have the least hope that God will save them till they feele such a feare of hell and desire of heaven as moves them above all to seeke how to be saved and therefore so long as they goe on as they have done with no more care for their soules they can have no hope of mercie Things Indifferent 1. Whatsoever is neither forbidden nor commanded in the word may sometimes bee done for maintenance of love and sometimes be undone for avoiding of superstition 2. Where the Scriptures give generall rules the Church may give particulars keeping order decencie and edification so that hereby a man of authority may have his assistant a Chaplaine and the father in Baptisme may have an helper to witnesse and promise for his childe and afterwards to helpe him in his education being such a necessary dutie of love and gloria patri may be used to shew our Church an enemy to Arrianisme so we may to avoide Anabaptisme have witnesses to testifie to the Church that we are Christianly baptised Infirmities 1. It s to bee laboured after that the sense of our infirmities many wants may abase us before God and bring us neerer to him 2. It were not possible for us to continue in a good course if God did not give us to see our selves and so abased to come to him 3. Particular infirmities doe not hinder the preparing of our hearts for the Lord if we have a true love of his word as Iehosaphat had and Hezekiah 4. This will teach us to speake charitably of others infirmities when as wee remember the like may befall us and to bee often teaching it to others and to remember the reason of the thing if wee would remember the thing it selfe 5. Gods children cover many infirmities under one good gift in another the wicked contrarily bury good gifts in another under one infirmitie and that a small one Ioy. 1. Wee reade in Scripture of two cheif causes of rejoycing for a Christian One that hee is by faith made Gods childe without
any righteousnesse of his owne the other that he hath received the grace of Gods spirit to leade an holy life either of which alone can give no sound rejoycing but both must goe together Rom. 5. 2 Cor. 1. 12. Gal. 6. 14. 2. No Christian professor can have any sound comfort of his faith if hee finde no such matter in the remembrance of Christs comming as doth rejoyce his heart and so in some measure stirre up in him a longing after his appearance for howsoever a true faith may bee without some other effects yet this being the very principall of all cannot be wanting the want whereof shewing the want of faith is the cause of that little profiting and so of that little comfort which is to bee found in many whereas if this were more laboured for and so more attained to it would soone cause a great change in any mans profession and hereby indeed the face of our profession would be even almost renewed the alteration would be so great in all respects publick and private 3. There is no well ordered course in Christianitie where godly sorrow and joy be not continuall companions for severed wee runne into some extremitie 4. Whatsoever is the matter of true joy ought to bee a matter of thanksgiving to the Lord. 5. This is much to bee lamented that even among such as make some good profession very few finde that comfort in the Lord as to serve him with delight and so rejoyce in their portion as might draw others to desire the like This comes to passe by our security contenting our selves with our course of living without open reproach and our slothsulnesse loath to straine our selves any further The remedie must be by considering better our state how short wee come and be wanting as in many duties so in many comforts and finde not that full contentment in the Lord for this life and that to come which others do and so leese the sweet and have the sowre of our profession Iudge 1. It s not safe to judge of our selves or others for one action but to waite Gods leasure in revealing the truth 2. For the most part hard judging and false is the fountain of all breaches betweene Christians Iudgements 1. The Lord will spare his judgements in them in whom he seeth a true love of true religion for they that love religion will heare and hearing the word will not lie long in any knowne sinne 2. It s the greatest judgement that can bee to thrive in sinne 3. Let the wicked rebell as they will and think how by their subtilties they may escape Gods threatened judgements for a while yet they shall be pursued from farre and shall tast the heavie hand of God both fearefully and wonderfully as came to passe in Ahad 2 Chron. 18. 33. 4. In denouncing Gods judgements against any we ought to be so affected that we earnestly pray for them that they may bee delivered from them 5. The carefull beholding of Gods judgements on others is very profitable as whereby observing the causes thereof we may warily avoide them lest the like fall on us 6. The not observing of Gods judgements maketh so little either to feare them or love his mercies 7. Who so maketh not conscience to walke uprightly I will not free him from povertie from sicknesse from heresie for as well can and will the Lord punish the minde as the body Knowledge KNowledge must goe before obedience obeeience must follow knowledge apace Law 1. THe Law is often taken for the morall Law of God his precepts for the ceremoniall his judgements or righteousnesse for the sanctions of the Law whether the Lord either accomplish his promises to his children or executeth his wrath on his enemies 2. In these dayes offecurity the preaching of the Law is the neerest way to draw men to Christ out of themselves Learning The greatest Scholars have often most unstable mindes fullest of doubting and least staid in that they know and not able to keepe themselves from foule fallings or being fallen to comfort themselves or others Therefore the greatest Divinity is in teaching or learning the word of God as the word of God comparing spirituall things with spirituall things Love I. All our travaile in Religion to know God to beleeve in him to love and feare him and all our prayers exercises in the word and the like are referred to this to doe all good to our neighbour in our severall callings agreeable to that He that loveth another hath fulfilled the Law Rom. 13. 8. and Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is to visit the fatherlesse c. Iames 1. 27. Therefore as we are to bee carefull of all those duties we owe to ourselves so to others good or bad for all zeale in Gods service and profession of our love to God is vaine unlesse it make us carefull for the salvation and bodily preservation of our neighbour 2. There are no stronger meanes to make man and wife or two brethren or sisters living together in peace and love then to joyne together often in prayer and christian conference 3. By musing upon that which often the Scripturesdoe teach us concerning love that it is the fulfilling of the Law and to give all we have to the poore without love is nothing and especially that when our faith and hope shall cease love shall remaine most flourish in the life to come I doe grow to an admiration of the excellencie thereof the sense whereof I most feele when as by some good meanes as some sweet conference my affection is enlarged to any of Gods Saints me thinkes I tast of the happinesse to come then which what more delectable How great therefore is our folly and sinne who provide no better for our selves by encreasing this pleasure 4. The Lord doth often so work that the good affection wee beare to others doth breed the like love in them to us and so the contrary they of whom we thinke hardly have in like manner an heart burning against us 5. Wee must beware that we never further sin but if we love God wee must love them whom God loveth hate them whom God hateth Psal 15. 3. and 139. 21 22. how dare they then in whom are some good things hand over head be friends with Gods enemies Prov. 29. 27. The Lords day 1. Seeing by the appointment of the holy Ghost the Apostles did change the Jewish Sabbath on the seaventh day unto the next day for the memoriall of the Resurrection therefore wee are bound especially on that day to keepe a memoriall of Christs resurrection with thankes unto God for the same 2. There be two things specially needfull to bee much every Lords day in our mindes to uphold us in a conscionable sanctification thereof 1. The gaine to
be gotten thereby which is glory to God grace to our selves and others 2. The sweetnesse of the duty to be all day sucking hony Magistrate A Magistrate having a thing privately tolde him may upon some occasion keepe it close Man It seemeth to many men a wonder that man in the whole frame of his soule and body excelling all the creatures upon earth and in most wonderfull manner expressing the image of his Creator should yet in highest measure dishonour him and be thereby most loathsome unto him yet this is most just with the Lord seeing hee preferred man by creation above all earthly creatures for his rebellion to take away all grace from him for wheras he was most able above all other earthly creatures to glorifie his maker his sinne must be the greater and by Gods justice his punishment answerable for so wilfull disobedience and this commonly is seen among men the more excellent naturall gifts any man hath if they bee not sanctified the viler that man is in Gods sight above others and his sinne more grievous for armed iniquity is more dangerous then naked Marriage Such as finde themselves unfit for this condition are to use all lawfull meanes and that a good while and so not prevailing to submit themselves to Gods ordinance Meanes 1. There is a corruption of nature which maketh us most dull when we have most meanes which ariseth from hence that when wee have the meanes publickly wee esteeme lesse of them then when wee wanted them using the private meanes likewise more sparingly yea because wee put too much confidence in the outward the preaching of the word not so earnestly seeking the inward and principall which is the blessing of Gods most holy Spirit 2. It s not safe to tie the working of Gods Spirit to any one particular meane seeing all must be used Meditations 1. Christians must often meditate and consider what blessings and what afflictions they have in private and in common and how they undergoe both and what use they make of them likewise to what corruptions they be most carryed and what meanes they use against them and what profit they finde by them also how constant or unsetled they be in a good course and what be causes of either 2. What infinit store of heavenly matter is to be meditated on seeing every doctrine in the Scripture containes more then ever we can sufficiently consider and yet so unexpert are most professors in this exercise of meditation that they are empty of any fit matter to meditate on A principall cause whereof is they savour the things of the flesh and very little the things of the Spirit 3. Those things wee heare and read are other mens untill by applying them unto our selves by meditation they bee our owne 4. Matters fittest for daily meditation bee such as every man in his condition hath daily most need of as to humble or breede sorrow in us to comfort us to awake us being asleepe and when we think our selves senselesse or benummed to soften our hardnesse to pull us backe from any evill way to weaken any corruption to strengthen such graces as be weakest in us to weane us from the love of this world to teach us a sober use of our prosperitie to arme us against uphold us in adversitie and such like 5. Meditation is a study to get grace whereby upon all occasions wee make some good use of all that comes to our minde whereof the frequentest use shewes the most heavenly soule as contrarily the neglect thereof the carnall 6. Wee are to meditate at set times and on speciall occasions the oftner the better but hard to doe it well 7. To have our meditation tyed to the word wee must occupie it upon some particular matter and reverently consider that wee as it were draw neere the Lords privie chamber 8. To reade and not to meditate is unfruitfull to meditate and not reade is dangerous for error to reade and meditate without prayer is hurtfull Memorie Whereas many complaine of ill memorie in good things thinking thereby to cover many wants this is found the only remedie that wee must first reforme our hearts and bring them to affect such heavenly doctrines and then valuing them as they be they would aswell remember as a worldly man hearing of a good bargaine whereby hee is assured he may have great gaine will hardly forget the same yet hereto let this be added an hiding of Gods word and treasuring of it up in our hearts which oftrecounting with our selves and others the same shall not be forgotten Mercies 1. In speaking of any of Gods mercies towards us it s profitable to thinke upon our sinnes lest wee be too proud and robbe God of his glory and also a fit opportunity in respect of others must be chosen lest the same bee not beleeved and so edifie not 2. Of all the mercies of God this is a principal not to be left without some favourable exercise of conscience though it bee grievous to the flesh therby to be drawne neerer to God if for Paul it were so necessary how much more for us Ministers or Preachers 1. It s a matter whereof we that are Gods ministers may justly complaine that in teaching others we doe not so carefully teach our selves but too often binde heavy burthens upon others which we our selves will not set our hands unto urging the people to many excellent practises of Christianity and not so carefully urging our selves to the practise of the same that wee might by experience commend the excellencie of such heavenly medicines and so perswade by our practise as well as doctrine which is in our dayes most necessary seeing men look most to our lives A chiefe cause of this evill is that through our corruption we deale with the word as merchants doe with their wares they seeke after the best wares not to use them themselves but to utter them to others so we seek out most heavenly instructions not to use our selves but to commend to others The remedie whereof is when wee first finde out some precious matter which we like of then to make use of it our selves and as it were trie the medicine on our selves so shall we better commend it 2. To content our selves with preaching profitably to others and not to practise those things our selves is very dangerous and cannot be free from hypocrisie and must needs breede hardnesse and so a very bad course the end whereof is miserable and wofull In any hand therefore wee are to be disquieted with such an estate else no amendment and it must feare us that we be not disquieted when as we heare Gods children professe that they have no longer peace then they thēselves be ready to every Christian duty and have some delight therein and therefore we must by all
meanes in such an estate before said deny our pleasures and provoke our selves to humiliation till God reforme us this being indeed a just cause of fasting and generally not to rest in any exercise of religion whereby the heart is not bettered 3. Wee should so esteeme the benefit of preaching the Gospell that wee should redeeme it with our losse travailes griefe as S. Paul 2 Thess 3. 8. and therefore be farre from refusing to preach to those that would but cannot releeve us for want of living 4. That we may be occupied in this high service of the ministerie with the greater delight and so rejoyce therein wee are to remember that its a most high honour to be admitted and used of God as his instruments in saving soules that no worke is more profitable that hereunto the Lord himselfe called us not we intruded our selves that the Lord in some sort blesseth our labours bestowing upon us not a few encouragements therein 5. The externall ministerie must proclaime salvation by Christ to all without exception and compell all but it s the inward operation of the Spirit to draw and incline any one to apply by faith the generall to himselfe 6. They that teach not themselves cannot teach others 7. Where the people heartily desire by prayer the ministery of the word the Lord will send them faithfull ministers and will multiply his graces in them but if the people be carelesse they shall have a minister which for abilitie either cannot or for affection will not deliver the truth unto them 8. Although the Lord hath promised a speciall blessing to the publick ministerie of his word yet we must not tye his wisedome to the ordinarie meanes either of begetting or encreasing our faith but if any shall at any time have more effectuall feelings by private conference let him neither contemne nor neglect the publick ministerie but with all holy and humble thankfulnesse yeelde this soveraignty to the Lord that hee is to dispose his gifts when to whom by whom and where it pleaseth him 9. It is not to be doubted but that God hath pardoned the sinne of rash entrance into the ministerie unmeet through want of gifts when as he blesseth the minister both with able gifts and a pure minde and also giveth a blessing thereby unto his people Therefore though one have no assurance for his first calling yet from hence may he gather that God now accepteth thereof 10. A minister must be like a wise tills-man who having sowen his feede long after lookes for the fruit of his labour 11. Two things especially may warrant both the speakers and the hearers of their doctrine If their calling be good and godly and if the generall course of their doctrine be sound and pure Ier. 16. 17. 12. When there is no vision the people perish those then onely to whom the feete of them which bring glad tidings of salvation bee precious shall be saved others that neglect them neglect salvatiō 13. In bringing men to God first shew them that there is certaine salvation for them if they will then that there is a way thereto which is by the fight of sinne wherein they must bee humbled as low as may be 14. A minister comming in a new place ought first to preach the truth therby to win credit in the consciences of the people then to envey against corruptions which may breede man hurts to himselfe and others 15. In examining a mans conscience a minister is thus to proceede by the law to try whether he hath a knowledge feeling and misliking of his sins or not whether he hath any feare of Gods judgements for sinne or faith in his promises whether by particular applying of these things to himselfe he can shew any effects by prayers Sacraments new birth and repentance 16. It s a greater thing in a Pastor to deale wisely and comfortably with an afflicted soule and soundly and discreetly to meete with an heretick then to preach learnedly 17. It s a fault of our time that too hastie tryall is made of a mans gifts in the ministerie to the great hurt of the Church Mirth Wee must bee merry in the Spirit not in the flesh Mistrust In mistrust its good to set before us Gods wayes upon others in our presumption Gods judgements Mortification It s very profitable to quicken us in mortification to set our olde sinnes often before us and to search the bottome of our corruptions in day sinnes night sins c. that shaming our selves we may be humbled and seeing the height length and depth of sinne wee may the neerer comprehend the same measures of Gods mercies to us in Christ Motions 1. When good motions are stirred up in us it s good as soone as may bee to draw them to practise lest either we forget them or want opportunity to doe them and for helpe of memory to set them down in writing 2. The cause of much weaknesse in minde and body comes not from Satan alwayes but from our selves in wandering after the motions of the flesh A Good Name THese be two effects of godlinesse and notably maintaine one another favour and a good name which bee better then riches as at all times and in all persons may be seen without which all gifts helpe little 2. Wee ought in no case to hurt the good name of our brethren as whereby he is more wronged then by the losse of goods 3. Wee ought to bee most carefull by all good meanes to maintaine our owne good name and therefore learne how it may be gotten and preserved as also if we be discredited what profit to make thereof 4. Seeing a good name ariseth of a good life without this to be well reported of is a fierce punishment of God being a great hardening of the heart in sinne and hinderance from repentance 5. The first step to a good name is to avoide carefully and continually all evill outward and inward and especially wherunto wee bee by nature most inclineable for as one dead flie corrupteth an whole boxe of oyntment so doth some one sinne often crack the credit of a man of good report before Gods children are especially to be carefull herein because of the hatred of the world who will commend their owne though never so prophane if there be but any naturall gift but contrariwise if any of Gods children be never so full of grace if hee have but one infirmitie or bee once overtaken with some sinne the world will count him a wicked man and thereby take occasion to speake evill of their profession As open so secret sinnes and corruptions of the heart doe bring out of favour with God who will soone detect us and make our secret sinnes come to light as he often hath for hee can make his dumbe creatures
8. 27. as of terror that God seeth our corruptions in prayer both must breede conscience 17. As its a rare mercie to pray in faith which God gives to none but to his children and not alwayes to them but when hee is well pleased with them so this is hardly got and kept and therefore such as will enjoy it must spare no cost for it and be carefull not to displease God 18. It s not meet in variety of Gods dealings to have alwayes one forme of prayer but upon occasion to varie the same 19. Repetitions in prayer are not unlawfull when as they arise upon some great sense of sinne or our wants or seeing our selves to have prayed before in fashion would now desire to pray in truth or if it bee through forgetfulnesse of what we prayed for before else they are vaine 20. To avoide tediousnesse in prayer it is good to pray briefely and often as our Saviour did in the garden yet as in long prayer we must take heede of custome superstition and ambition so in short of prophanenesse and carelessenesse 21. If it come to passe that the Lord crosse our fervent prayers and blesse our cold and weake ones as oft he doth it is not to quench our zeale and favour our coldnesse which is the way to heresie and prophannesse but to teach that on the one side wee leane not too much to our prayers as tying the Lord to them and on the other side to heate our coldnesse in prayers that seeing the Lord heareth our cold prayers how much more will he heare our fervent and faithfull prayers Pride 1. If God preferre us and lift us up take wee great heede of pride lest God cast us downe into some foule sinne or reproach 2. The Lord hath suffered many strong pure and wise men to have fallen by women to punish their pride in his graces Priviledges of the Saints 1. Assurance of salvation Gods protection a godly life to be kept from reproachfull falls to enjoy the helps to godlinesse to delight in Christianity to use prosperity well as also adversitie to encrease in grace persevering therein 2. It s a sore evill that we who perswade our selves to be heires of salvation doe so little thinke of therfore so little know therefore so little glory in our priviledges and comfort our hearts in the expectation of them and so by all good meanes hasten for the possession of them the want of all which is no small cause of our so little profiting in godlinesse 3. The Saints are free God is their father loves them will withhold no good thing from them will save them are protected by him are taught to live godly 4. They which bee in Christ are freed from condemnation being justified by him Rom. 8. 1. They have Christs Spirit dwelling in them and guiding them so to live as pleaseth God whereby their corrupt nature is mortified and a new nature quickned in them ibid. 9. By the same Spirit they bee boldened to call God their sweet father ibid. 15. being sure they be his children and therefore coheires with Christ that suffering with him they may be glorified also ibid. 17. They be taught also by the same Spirit to sigh waiting for their adoption even their full glory ibid. 23. and truly hoping for is with patience to abide it ibid. 25. likewise they be taught so fervently and faithfully to pray as God will accept thereof ibid. 26 Howsoever God dealeth with them and whatsoever befalleth them God disposeth it so that its better so then otherwise which comes to passe by the eternall determination of the Lord accordingly effecting the same in every degree ibid. 28. Profession and Professors 1. Foure sorts there are of Professors 1. false brethren great professors but grosse hypocrites knowing they dissemble 2. such as are choaked with worldly cares of honour riches and the like 3. such as are forward in Christian exercises but neglect the practice of godlinesse 4. which so heare that they doe understand and that doe they practise in their words workes thoughts 2. If we will have joy in our profession the word must winne ground daily in us in subduing sinne even in the roote of the heart as well as in the branches otherwise wee doe onely draw nigh with our lips 3. This seemeth a sound difference betweene true and false professors the true preferring grace before all vanities and thinking them that have most most happie ever complaine of their spirituall povertie thirsting and labouring for grace more and more The false they rest in that little grace they thinke they have and are drawne to the earnest pursuit of vanitie Promises Promises properly appertaine to the renewed part threatnings to the unrenewed Punishment of sinne When our sinnes proceede of particular and not of generall defects if we offend of infirmity and not of presumption the Lord will not punish so straitly in temporal things for the particular sinne bringeth not wrath but the being in that sin and not repenting for it which drawing in other sinnes withall may draw wrath from the Lord so that one sinner is said to bee spared five punished if for his particular sinnes he being admonished shall be humbled as David by Nathan 2 Sam. 12. Iehosaphat by Iehu 2 Chron. 19. Or being afflicted shall profit thereby because in this case he seeketh not to draw other sinnes but laboureth to put away that one sinne punished when notwithstanding admonitions for mercie and threatnings for judgements hee maketh a way for the Lords indignation so that we may comfort our selves for particular offences if in the generall course of our life wee follow the Lord neither have the wicked here any liberty to nourish sin secretly who use to sinne by degrees but when they presume to lye still in one sin thinking that for it they shall not be punished it is the judgement of God to suffer them to fall from one sinne to many so from little sinnes to grosse offences Reconciliation 1. IN reconciliation making this is the best way that either party weighing their owne sin which shall most hurt them doe chiefely accuse themselves and excuse the other and withall doe professe they will no more so offend but will love though they should not bee loved againe 2. It s in vaine to speak unto God for others unlesse wee our selves bee reconciled unto him through Christ Redemption Unlesse a man see himselfe even utterly lost unable any wayes else to bee delivered he never priseth redemption whereof this is the power profit and praise that when all helps faile and all creatures bee against us yet a full ransome is given to our hands and perfect restitution beyond all hope Regeneration In regeneration or dying unto sinne wee then come to the tryall of our hearts
by false reports doth often correct us for sinne long agoe committed and yet not fully repented or for some contrary corruption or generally he would have us see and amend some sinne we saw not before Reproofe 1. It falleth out often that some grudging at reprehension profit afterward when their choller is past others receiving it well after neglect it 2. At a table its good for them whose duty it is so to rebuke sinne that it may be reformed rather than the person shamed without there be necessary cause so to doe 3. No reprehension must bee but upon good ground according to a mans calling with care not to discredit our brother and prayer unto God for a blessing thereon 4. For the most part its a note of an uncharitable and unquiet Spirit in those that governe to admonish rebuke or chide as wee call it by ironies questions and scoffes Riches The love of riches or earthly things hinders us in good things but the use of them furthers us therein Sacrament I. A Pastor may not debar any from the Sacrament for a secret offence though being admonished he repent not 2. The Sacraments of the Jews were obligations to binde them of Christians to absolve them Saints In comparing our selves with Gods Saints we must not despaire in our weaknesse because wee bee not like them nor presume to be like them Salvation Even of those that have knowledge and sense of their miserie and of Christ the onely remedie yea of Gods large and free offer of salvation unto them and faithfull promise to save them if they will come to him not a few never bee saved for that not beleeving if they goe not or goe amisse not as Heb. 10. 22. but some ignorantly some fainedly some doubtingly some prophanely some not constantly and therefore have no answer or a deniall and an heavie answer who can have no comfort But besides these even such as have in their perswasion a gratious answer from God that he will save them which they shall finde by the inward comfort it brings them are to looke whether this be not a lying Spirit wherewith thousands bee beguiled one sort taking their comfort and building their perswasion that God will save them only and chiefly on this that their lives be amended which as it may be true so it may bee false is no good ground of our perswasion but at the best a prop whereas the true Spirit teacheth us to build all our perswasion on Gods goodnesse freely offered and faithfully to be performed of both which wee are assured by the Gospell the word of truth the onely ground of our assurance But further seeing how many bee beguiled having a good ground but building loosly thereon this is to bee tryed by the effects of the true Spirit whereof all though many may be referred to this one a conscionable studie to please God in all things Satans courses subtiltie temptations 1. Our common adversary Satan never ceasing to seeke our destruction doth chiefely labour 1. to rock us asleepe and so quiet in securitie that we may not see the state of our soules 2. if we be awakened and look about how it is with us then through our privie pride he drawes us to think better of our estate than it is and by that meanes gets us asleepe 3. If this prevaile not but our infirmities many wants doe humble us then doth he with all his power beate us downe to discourage us and weaken our profession In all which severall conditions 1. Some doe wholly and long lye and either asleep see nothing or are too wel pleased and jocond or else altogether cast downe and uncomfortable 2. A better sort goeth through all these sometimes asleepe sometimes too much contented and so fall asleepe againe sometimes oppressed with griefe and after a while either lifted up or fall asleepe againe and thus they spend their dayes unconstantly and therefore indeede with little sound rejoycing and doe hereby lye open to many temptations on every side 3. A third sort and indeede the best through the strength of grace received seldome fall asleep so as they see not how they walke neither be so lifted up as to forget their wants nor so cast downe as to have no joy in the Spirit but wisely considering what is the condition of Gods true children in this world and watching over their hearts especially doe rejoyce in trembling and goe on constantly in their christian course though with infirmity yet rarely or never falling into any offensive trespasse or doubting of Gods favour 2. Satan under a pretence of Repentance brings many unto extream sadnesse and strictnesse in the use of Gods creatures as under a pretence of lawfull libertie hee stirreth up others to excessive and unsanctified mirth and an untemperate use of Gods creatures 3. Wee must pray that the Lord give not out that measure of leave to the devill to tempt us which wee give out to sinne to worke rebellion in us against his majestie but that God would make Satan a Surgeon to open our sinnes 4. It s the policie of Satan to hide Gods present blessings upon us that we may be unthankfull and to set before us greater which we want to make us murmur against God 5. Satan is most ready to make us unwilling to that which shall bee most for Gods glory and the good of his Church 6. This is a common practice of Satan whereby hee much hindereth Gods children from many duties even both by outward object and inward temptation to draw them to some other thing though lawfull than at that time ought to be and therein to hold them what he can whereby hee may keepe them from the duty and also accuse them of neglect of duty and so at least disturbe their quiet and make them unfit for other duties it shall bee therefore high wisedome for every true Christian both to discerne what is to be done in his time and to watch straitly that hee bee not any way pulled therefrom But if he cannot keep men from doing their duty yet will he not cease to corrupt thē in the manner of doing either through hypocrisie or carelessenes and so either make thē cōtent thēselves with that which is naught worth before God or else oppresse them with feare that they have not done their duty in such sort as they ought The remedie is manifest To have speciall care over our hearts that they be sound and fervent humbling our selves in our wants and comforting our hearts in the testimonie of a good conscience 7. Through the subtle malice of Satan working on our corrupted nature it commeth to passe that if faith be taught most abuse it to libertie in sinne if obedience be urged to put confidence therein for justification they are therefore joyntly to bee urged yet faith as
for our soules Note The use of holy dayes We are to be in readinesse against our departure out of this vvorld daily preparing for the same To meditate on death or judgemeÌ„t vvhich best liked Hovv to meditate on death profitably Hovv to thinke of life and death The feare of death not to be disliked The use to be made of dying people A great judgement it is not to thrive by the many helps vvee have of our spirituall nourishment The causes hereof 1. 2. The Râ—medie The causes vvhy many decrease in godlinesse 1. 2. 3. 4. The Remedies Why the Lord often delayeth comfort Who the Lord delighteth in A description of the devills or evill spirits Of olde men vvere more affraid of the devill then novv Note The protection of the good angels comforteth in vvell doing as the evill spirits being about us humbleth in evill doing Man seeth not as God seeth Wisedome and charitie requisit Three notes vvhereby to try those vvith vvhom vve vvould converse Gods vvisdome in affording no stricter discipline A good order of discipline Hovv the devill driveth to despaire Satan tempteth at sometimes to desperation as at other to presumption Hovv capitall a sin distrust is Wee are prone to it Hovv vvee fall therein Hovv to remedie it Gods former liberalitie doth not prejudice his future mercies Note Hard to discerne vvhat doubting stands vvith faith Gods children doubt and vvaver oftentimes vvhich the Lord disposeth to good To doubt is a sinne and to bee vvithstood Hovv to remove the same Causes of Salvation The assurance of our nevv birth a remedie against doubting Sense of our vveaknesse and infirmities no breeder of security Faith and an holy life goe together Comfort to a tender conscience The hypocrite disproved Having fallen into sinne to doubt of Gods favour vvill not raise up They vvho most suspect their ovvne vveaknesse prove strongest in the time of tryall The saints looke too much on the effects too little on the causes of justification Many seeing much corruption in themselves vveaken their faith that they might by feare be made more carefull in life vvho should indeed increase their faith that they might be more quickened thereby to an holy life A principall means of vveakning faith The removall thereof It s no presumption to give credit to God in his Word Unbeleefe an horrible sinne Causes of distrust Our unvvorthines must not let us from beleeving Hovv to remove doubts of Gods favour The use to be made of dreames vvhether evill terrible or good Dulnesse vvhen chiefely found The causes thereof to be searched The remedie to bee used Gods help to be vvaited for Note Why the godly are sometimes more dull vvith the publique meanes then vvithout The omission of a duty for infirmities sake hovv dangerous In earnestnesse the heart is to be searched Long ease hovv dangerous Difference betvveene the faith of the elect and of the reprobate What it is to come to Christ Tvvo dangerous evills Unvvillingnesse to do good to be striven against Particular examples vvhen to be made generall instructions The variety of heavenly exercises tedious to our nature What use is to bee made of our failings A proofe of a vveake faith What benefits vvee enjoy by faith Hovv to encrease faith Mâ—anes vvhereby to be encouraged unto all godlinesse 1. 2. 3. Difference betvveene knowledge and faith The true doctrine and practise of faith a stranger Fevv knovv or doe every thing in faith Foure things to be laboured for of him that vvould doe any thing 〈…〉 1. 2. 3. 4. Note True faith never throughly quenched An holy life shevveth in vvhat sort vve beleev as iniquity vvho beleeve not Hinderances of faith 1. Security occasioned thorough ignorance neglect or contempt 2. Presumption or discouragements Remedies hereof 1. 2. 3. Faith likened to fire How dangerous not to be armed vvith faith Whether this speech I vvill goe to my father be of faith or before it Whence it is that being persvvaded that God is true in all that he saith vvee should yet not beleeve some things vvhich hee saith Faith coÌ„pared to a noble princesse Graces preceding and succeeding faith By the temper of the heart faith may be best tried Note Many deceived in thinking they have faith and have not Chiefe lets of faith or causes vvhy so fevv beleeve 1. Simil. 2. Wee more easily beleeve vvhat God hath said shall be though it be above nature then things coÌ„cerning our selves if they bee contrary to nature Faith like unto fire in sundrie particulars How it s to be kept The vvay to get faith 1. 2. 3. 4. The surest proofe of faith is by the causes and effects thereof The causes The tryall of our humiliation The tryall of our desire of Christ The try all of dravving to Christ The effects Comfortable notes of a sound heart 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. A speciall point of Gods mercie Hovv to prove vve have saith A reverend estimation of Gods mercies to be-retained A svveet comfort In affliction of minde vvhat is to be done The greatest faith is vvhere there is least feeling No man but may fall they soonest that think least of it What use to make of the falls of others He that standeth is to take heed lest he fall Even the best have some slips the vvorse some goodnesse The elect hardly fall tvvice into one grosse sinne Familiaritie vvith sinne hovv dangerous Fellovvship vvith the ungodly hovv fearefull With vvhat sort of persons and hovv farre vve are to converse Hypocrisie is to be avoided in fasting Benefits by fasting Difference betvveene feare and presumption How profitable to feare even those things vvhich never come to passe Those feares vvhich have not their events not to be accounted triviall We are to feare though not immoderately What use to be made of feasts Want of feeling to be prayed against Note Where and why the ungodly love or hate Affinitie vvith the vvicked dangerous The friendship of the vvicked deceitfull The flesh is to bee beaten dovvne the motions of the spirit to bee entertained The dutie of ministers tovvards their flocks A fault in friends meeting Hovv to have comfort of our friends What gift may bee received Upon the event of spirituall blessings upon any hovv to behave our selves Whence it commeth to passe that vvee are more affected vvith mans favour then Gods To meditate on Gods goodnesse how profitable it is Christians are to bee humbled for their light esteeme of Gods glorie In glorifiing God vve seeke our ovvne glory Gods glory still to be aimed at Hovv to knovv when God is glorified An encouragement to glorifie God God in shewing mercie is farre unlike unto man The use to be made of Gods long-suffering Hovv dangerous it is to play vvith our affections Serò sed seriò Gods providence in every thing is duely to be vveighed Gods providence to be observed in the speeches of our enemies Secret things are for the Lord the revealed for us Wherein the godly are