and dost thou not rest in Negatiues abstaining only from what is forbidden but hast thou also regard to affirmatiues doing what God hath enioyned to bee done esteeming this latter as necessary as the former Surely if it bee thus thou mayst haue comfort that thy obedience to the Commandements is sound and good but yet a little further thou abstainest from grosse euils and art seuere and sore against others that fall into them such such sinnes thou dost not commit but what is the ground of thy abstaining Is it the law of the Magistrate feare of Gods wrath or shame of the World or is it because thou wantest ability or opportunity if this be the ground let me tell thee this is a false ground will deceiue thee in the end But dost thou leaue these H s 3.5 Psal 130.4 because they are euill and displeasing to the Lord Dost thou feare the Lord and his goodnesse and tremble to offend him because of his mercy Why then it is an euident signe of a sanctified soule Oh that we would deale truely with our selues that we would now at the last learne to be wise and not gull our soules as most doe and therefore consider with thy selfe and be thou better aduised cast of all profainenes follow holines and piety for without it no man shal euer see God to his comfort Seeing therfore examination is so necessary for euery one Examination so necessary that without it no state of life can bee rightly ordered let vs goe one step further in this tryall of our selues Hast thou felt by thine owne experience this great worke of regeneration and change wrought vpon thy soule Hath the powerfull Word by the inward and effectuall working of his Spirit broken and bruised thy hard stony heart Hath it pierced and purged the very closest and vnsearchable corners thereof hath it humbled it with the sight of thy sinnes hath it filled it with fearefull terrours remorse and true sorrow for thy life past hath it after quieted and refreshed it with a sure faith in Christ Iesus and a delight in heauenly things hath it mortified thy inward corruptions broke the heart of thy sweet sin hath it planted a holy moderation in all thy affections that whereas heretofore they haue beene enraged with lust with immoderate anger with ambition with insatiable desire for the inlargement of thy possessions greatnesse and with hatred of Gods dearest seruants and their holinesse are they now inflamed with zeale for Gods honor truth seruice with a feruent loue vnto the Lord and his Saints with Christian courage to oppose against the sinnes of the time to defend goodnesse good causes to contemne the lying slanders and profane scoffes of worthlesse men hath it begot in thy will an hunger and thirst after the spirituall foode of thy soule the Word and Sacraments so that thou hadst rather part with any worldly good then not enioy the incomparable benefit of a conscionable and constant ministery are thy thoughts which hertofore did wander vp downe at randome wickedly idly wantonly are they now bounded within a sacred compasse and spent vpon holy things and the necessary affaires of thy honest lawfull calling Is thy vnderstanding informed acquainted with the mistery of saluation which the world the wise men thereof account nothing but madnes and folly is thy memory which hath heretofore bin stuffed with trash and toyes vanities and follies now capable and greedy of diuine knowledge are thy words which heretofore haue bin full of profanenes worldlines now directed to glorifie God to giue grace to the hearers Nay yet further besides this reuocation of the faculties of thy soule hath the power of grace sanctified all thy outward actions Dost thou order in euery particular all the businesses of thy vocation religiously conscionably by direction out of the Word of God Dost thou now heare the Word of God not only of course and custome but of zeale conscience to reforme thy selfe by it to liue after it Do not the weekdaies duties and worldly cares drown thy mind on the sabbath dost thou exercise daily with fruit feeling prayer that precious cōfort of the faithfull Christian Thou being conuerted dost thou labor the cōuersion of others especially of those which are committed any way to thy charge and for whom thou must giue a more strickt account as if thou be a master of a family dost thou pray with them instruct them in the doctrine of saluation wayes of godlinesse dost thou now not only sticke at and forbeare great and grosse sinnes but dost thou euen hate the garment spotted of the flesh and all appearance of euill Thes 15.22 doth the tendernes of thy conscience check thee for the least sin make thee feareful to offend thogh it be but in a wandring cogitation after euery fal into infirmities art thou carefull to renew thy repentance learn wisedom watchfulnes to auoid thē afterwards dost thou feele thy selfe profit grow increase in these fruits effects of grace hast thou such a gracious taste of the glory of God of eternal life that thou art euen willing desirous to meete thy Sauior in the clouds not so much to bee rid out of the miseries of this life as to be freed from the heauy burden of Heb. 12.1 sin which hangs on so fast to enioy his presence in the heauens for euer in a word as thy soule giues life spirit motion to thy whole body euery part thereof doth the Spirit of God euen so inspire thy soule and body and all thy actions with the life of grace why then thou art possest of the state of true blessednes Here is great comfort for all such as can find this vprightnesse in themselues they neede not feare thogh the earth should bee mooued yet they shall abide and be safe in the Day of the Lord. thou art then happy that euer thou wast borne thy life is certainely the way of life and I can assure thee and I dare boldly speake it that thou art already out of the reach of all the powers of Hell Satan is chained vp for euer doing thee any deadly hurt all the creatures are reconciled vnto thee at league with thee thou hast filled the angels with ioy at thy conuersion they will for euer gard thee thou shalt neuer more be afraid for any ill tidings though the earth bee moued Psal 46.2 and though the mountains fal into the middest of the sea thy heart shall abide strong vnshaken and comfortable when thou fallest downe vpon thy bed of sickenesse thou shalt finde no mortall pryson in thy flesh no sting in death no darkenesse in the graue no amazement at that great and fearful day for all the merits and sufferings of Christ are thine all the comforts of Gods children are thine all the blessings in the booke of God
all so that it will make vs blessed happy in all our waies so that the feare of the Lord brings with it alwaies a plenty of al good things and comes laden with the blessings of God wheresoeuer it comes for all these causes now rehearsed should we feare the Lord and endeauor to please him The feare of the Lord giueth vnderstanding to the simple Fourthly hee that feareth the Lord hath the promise of spirituall graces as knowledge instruction wisedome and the like Art thou ignorant in Gods matters and wouldest faine know and vnderstand the wayes of God then feare the Lord. For what man is he that feareth the Lord him shall hee teach in the way that hee shall choose Psal 25.12 Verfe 14. yea the secret of the Lord is among them that feare him and he will shew them his Couenant the feare of the Lord is the beginning of wisedome A good vnderstanding haue all they that doe thereafter Psal 111.10 Wouldest thou haue the Lord to shew pitty and compassion vpon thee and to forgiue thee all thy sinnes O then feare the Lord Mal. 3.16.17 For the Lord wil spare them that feare him as a man that spareth his owne sonne that serueth him as a father pittieth his Children so the Lord pittieth them that feare him Yea the mercy of the Lord is from euerlasting to euerlasting vpon them that feare him and his righteousnesse vpon childrens children Againe Psal 103.13 the Lord heareth the Prayers of those that feare him and granteth their request Yea the Lord will giue grace and glory and no good thing will hee withhold frō them that walke vprightly Psal 84.11 Thus wee see no grace needefull to saluation shall be wanting to vs if we feare the Lord Lastly it hath the maine promise of eternall life in the world to come His endlesse mercy is on them that feare him from generation to generation The maine reason to enforce vs to labour for this holy feare is that it hath the promises of eternall life in the world to come Luke 150. Psal 85.9 Mal. 2.5 Psal 25.12 This is a main reason to enforce vs to labour for this holy feare and howsoeuer the wicked beleeue it not but account it altogether in vaine to feare God and serue him yet let no man doubt of it who belongs to God for as Dauid speaketh Surely Gods saluation is nigh all them that feare him And the couenant of life and peace was with Leui because he feared God and the soule of him that feareth God shall dwell at ease Deut 5.20 yea If we feare the Lord alwayes it shall be well with vs and with our children for euer The consideration of all which should moue euery one of vs to breake out with the Prophet saying Who would not feare thee Ier. 10.7 Reuel 15.7 Psa 115.13 O King of Nations and with Gods seruāts Who wil not feare thee O Lord and glorifie thy Name for thou onely art holy Loe These gracious promises should moue vs to feare the Lord. 2. Cor. 7.1 Phil. 2.12 Esay 8.13 thus will the Lord blesse them that feare him both small and great Therefore seeing we haue such promises let vs cleanse our selues from all filthinesse of the flesh and spirit perfecting holinesse in the feare of God Worke out your saluation with feare and trembling sanctifie the Lord of Hosts himselfe and let him be your dread Now let the feare of the Lord be vpon you take heede and doe it And whatsoeuer yee doe doe it in the feare of the Lord faithfully and with a perfect heart Let vs with good King Iehosaphat feare the Lord 2. Chr. 19.79 and set our hearts earnestly to seeke him For as the Heauen is high aboue the Earth 2. Chr 20.3 Psal 103.11 so great is Gods mercy towards them that feare him as farre as the East is from the West so farre hath God set our transgressions from vs. Psal 33.8 O let all the earth feare the Lord let all the Inhabitants of the World stand in awe of him Psal 2.11 Serue the Lord with feare and reioyce before him with reuerence The Lord of his mercy giue vs this grace and good Lord vnite our hearts to thee that wee may feare thy Name For thou onely Psal 86.11 Psal 76.7 O Lord euen thou art to be feared and who may stand in thy sight when thou art angry Wherefore let vs performe these things with care and conscience and no doubt but wee shall haue the true feare of the Lord within vs which will bee a comfort vnto vs for euermore Our chiefest ioy and delight should be in the Commandements of God Now follwes the practise of this blessed man and that is in actions of piety and delights greatly in his Commandements that is the whole Doctrine diuinely inspired is the very ioy of his heart and delight of his soule It is sweeter vnto him then the Honny and the Honny-combe It is more precious vnto him then gold yea then much fine gold It is more worth vnto him then the whole World and where the heart is once enkindled with loue there the imagination imbraceth with dearest apprehension the thoughts are impatient of any other obiect all the powers of the Soule are vnited in a strong endeauour for the attainement the whole minde must needes bee possest with Meditation and Prayer If hee delight in the Law of the LORD his GOD hee must needes meditate therein And this feruency of the heart cannot possibly be inclosed within the compasse of the brest it will spred it selfe in speech and actions as is plaine by Dauids speech Psal 37.30 The mouth of the righteous will speake of wisedome and his tongue will talke of iudgement for the Law of God is in his heart Psa 119.167 and Dauid saith My soule hath kept thy testimonies for I loue them exceedingly And this loue delight meditation and exercise in the Commandements of God of this blessed man is not a morning cloud and as the morning dew before the Sunne but like the light of the Sunne that shineth more and more vnto perfect day it is not for a start for feare vpon restraint for rereputation for aduantage or to couer the terrors of conscience for a while but it is out of a free resolution and with vndaunted constancy as hee speakes else where day and night So that Gods Law and Word cannot simply profit vs Gods word cannot bee profitable except first it be comfortable vnto vs. except we take ioy and comfort in the same We must first taste and proue the sweetenesse thereof wee must before hand finde out and feele the vertue thereof When wisedome entreth into thy heart Pro. 2.10.11 Psal 1.2 and knowledge delighteth thy soule then and not before shall counsell preserue thee and vnderstanding shall keepe thee and deliuer thee from the euill way and from the man that speaketh
he himselfe expresseth the manner Behold I come quickly my reward is in my hand to giue euery man according to his workes Blessed is euery one that doth my Commandements that he may â—ate of the Tree of life and enter thoâ—ow the gates into the Citty In all which happines in this life that to come is confirmed vpon the liuing acts and exercises not vpon the dead habits of any grace whatsoeuer In all labour there is abundance but in the conceits of the braine and talke of the lips nothing but emptinesse and misery Next to Gods glory and a mans owne good a Christian placeth much happinesse in winning and edifying others 1. Cor. 12.10 to which purpose a speechles life hath more life in it then aliue speech So Chrysostome commends a good life aboue afarre profession For it is able saith hee to confute and conuert Pagans withall he tels vs they haue a louder language then the sunne and Moone whose sound yet goes ouer all the world publishing Gods glory therefore saith Christ to his Disciples goe and tell not what you haue heard me preach but saw me doe How the blind receiue sight c. If I doe not such workes as none other hath done before me The best course for vs to take to winne others is to be doers of that wee professe I desire not men to belieue in me By these courses Peter would haue Christians win their neighbours and wiues their husbands rather theÌ„ by tutering of them then would neighbours follow one another to the right Religion and true Church as TradsmeÌ„ do to those markets where they see them gather wealth fastest yea imitate their liues and bring forth fruits as Iacobs sheepe if they saw their rods speckled with works as well as with words thus saint Augustines famous mother taught one of her neighbour Gentlewomen complaining of her churlish Nabal wondring how she won her peruerse husband why sayes she I obserued his mind and pleased him in all indifferent things forbore him in his passions gaue him all content in dyet and attendance and so haue made him first Gods and then mine by degrees These are the Arts and charmes that if they were now vsed by one Christian to another would couer multitudes of sins and conuert multitudes of sinners These things mind and exercise these things if you know and doe you shall saue your selues and those you liue withall and so be euery way blessed men The doers of the Commandements are only blessed Thus wee see that doing the Commandements only brings in the blessednes without which all our knowing makes and leaues vs but dishonorable to God vncomfortable to our selues scandalous to others in no neerer keeping the Commandements then Balaam Iudas and the diuell himselfe who the more they know the worse for them the more sinne and the more punishment If knowing made vp blessednes England were an happy Nation out times as happy as euer any but if doing be required great is the felicity of both questionlesse the more any man knowes or professes to know and the lesse they doe the more they doe dishonor God And what are such themselues the better for their knowledge They which know them do them not they do increase their sorrow but as the Preacher speaketh in another sence Hee that encreaseth such knowledge addeth sorrow What a misery is it for a man to haue no inward faithfull knowledge or affection to the Gospell nor better proofe of his loue thereto then that hee carried it alwayes about him at his Girdle My meaning is not to taxe Bible carrying Christian conference which I hold a better grace then Bootes Spurres and Rapiers on Sundayes or Fannes of Fethers top-gallant Ensignes of vanity euery day but only to shew the foppery of them that carry Gods word and law not in their hearts but only in their heads or in their memories or vnderstandings Let these bee as wise as they may in their own conceits to me they are no better then Asses which carry dainty burdens but taste not of them Verily a man knowes no more rightly then he Practises it is said of Christ hee knew no sinne because he did no sinne and in that sence hee knowes no good that doth no good Hee that will obey shall know my Fathers will and such as will not doe what they know to bee good The abuse of that wee know will be the chiefe cause to depriue vs of it shall soone vnknow that which they know it being iust with God to punish shipwrack of a good conscience with the fraught of knowledge according to that imprecation in the Epistle to the Hebrewes that if they should abuse their skill in musicke their right hand might forget his cunning and their tongue cleaue to the roofe of their mouth from which iust Iudgement it comes to passe that many become colder in matters of Religion and keeping the Commandents For a good vnderstanding haue all they that doe thereafter and cursed are all such as know these things and doe the cleane contrary Cursed I say are they because they not onely cast away themselues but also lay a stumbling block before others both weake ones within and bad ones without such as these know God and yet deny him in their liues and are reprobates to euery good worke such as buy by one Ballance and sell by another haue a forme of knowledge which they pretend in themselues prescribe to others with all seuere seuerity and liue themselues in secret by contrary rules Friends in shew but indeed Enemies to the Crosse of Christ Phil. 3.18 vncleane beasts for all the chewing of the Cud which makes men mislike not only their persons but the very religion which they professe in the highest streine of stricktnesse I wonder with what face such can call themselues Christians or vvith vvhat eares can heare themselues so called doth any man looke to bee accounted a Carpenter that calleth himselfe so but neuer squares timber nor erected frames therefore to all hearers and goers to Sermons I say play not the fools as most doe heare not to heare goe not to Church as many now adayes do for fashioÌ„ sake or to get an opinion of zeale or as boyes go into the water to play and paddle there onely not to wash and be cleane Therefore let vs all that lay clayme to that honourable name Let vs therfore doe the workes of Christians and so approue our selues doe the workes of Christians and thereby approue your selues to God and man as the Angell to Manoch who being asked of his name made answer It was wonderfull and did wonderfully ascend in the flame and made good his name by his action The art of doing is that which requires study strength and diuine assistance do the sinnes that swarm in our times proceed from ignorance or incontinence rather and wilfulnes It were happy if men had that plea if the