of the new man arising to succeed in his roome to the possession of soule and bodie which before we possessed by him And thirdly because in the godly this corruption waxeth weake and infirme wearing daily neerer and neerer to death after the manner of old men But it is to be marked that in these two last respects sinfull corruption of nature is named the old man in men regenerate onely and in no other for in men vnregenerate their corruption shall for euer possesse them it increases vpon them and is yong strong and liuely euen when they themselues are weake and wearing to the graue Now aâ—… no birth can be without sorrow nor death without dolour nor circumcision or cutting of the flesh without paine so cannot our regeneration be wrought without godly sorrow and anguish of spirit which I marke for the comfort of the godly that they may know that sanctified troubles of conscience are but the dolours of the new birth and therefore should not be discouraged with them The infant that hath lien but nine moneths in the mothers wombe cannot throng out into the world without paine and thinkest thou to be lighter of sinne wherein thou wast conceiued and borne and which also hath beene so many yeares nourished in thy bowels without paine As Pharaoh grieued Israel forest when they stroue fastest to libertie and as that dumb spirit tormented that yong man worst when he saw he was to be cast out of him Mark 9. 25. So Sathan troubles the godly most heauily when hee sees the time of their deliuerance from his seruitude and bondage neerest But our comfort is that God is faithfull as he begins the worke so will he finish and end it Strong is Sathan indeed but Christ our Lord is that stronger one Pharaoh may repine but hee shall perish and the Israelites of God shall goe through that vncleane spirit in our parting from him may rend vs and cast vs as dead men to the ground but out shall he goe and Christ by his hand shall raise vs vp againe The other part of the Regeneration of the Soule is called as I said the viuification of the new man and the first resurrection where in our heauenly father communicates to vs his owne seed 1. Pet. 1. his nature 2. Pet. 1. 4. and his image 2. Cor. 3. 18. For since earthly fathers beget creatures like vnto themselues shall wee thinke that the heauenly father begets children to another similitude not his owne Surely they doe greatly dishonour the Lord who in their words say they are the sonnes of God and yet in their actions resemble the image of Sathan The Regeneration againe of the body consists also in two first in a right vsing of the members of our body as weapons of righteousnesse to serue God which we are taught to doe by grace Next in a full deliuerance of them from mortalitie and corruption Of this it is cleare that the Regeneration of the whole man will not be perfected till the day of resurrection called for that cause by our Sauiour the Regeneration Matth. 19. 28. Now through grace the Soule liues a happy life in the body thogh not as yet fully clensed and separated froÌ„ sin Out of the body it liues a more happy life being freed from all sin but yet not contented for the soule was not made to liue by it self but in the body and therefore cannot rest contented so long as it wants his owne organe and companion but when the body shall be raised againe and soule body revnited both of them fully deliuered from sinne and from the fruits of sinne then shall our generation which now is begun be perfected and absolued As for our parents in this generation wee haue God for our Father in Christ and Ierusalem which is from aboue to wit the Church of Christ the mother of vs all The Apostle to the Corinthians calles himselfe their Father Though ye haue ten thousand instructers yet haue ye not many fathers for in Christ Iesus I haue begotten you through the Gospel 1. Cor. 4. 15. And againe to the Galathians hee calles himselfe their mother My little children of whom I trauaile in birth againe till Christ be formed in you Gal. 4. 19. But Preachers are onely ministeriall parents yeâ—… for this same should they be honoured of people as their fathers and should againe carrie toward their people no lesse affection then fathers haue to their children specially to procure their euerlasting saluation But here both the naturall mother is to bee discerned from the stepmother and the bastard children from the lawfull for the chast spouse of Christ will receiue no seed into her bosom but the seed of her immortall husband which is the word of God and the lawfull mother of the sonnes of God will not giue them any other milke to feed vpon but the sincere and vnmingled milke of Gods word as Saint Peter calles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which shee offers to be sucked out of the pappes of the old and new Testament And therefore the Church of Rome which withdrawes these pappes from the mouthes of Gods children or giues them the milke of the word mingled with the Traditions of men pretend what shee will is but a strumpet and stepmother And as there is a stepmother so is there also bastard children they sit vpon the knee of Christs spouse but neuer sucked her pappes to draw life and grace out of her breasts such a one was Cham in the Arke such was Ismael in Abrahams house such was Esau brought vp with Iacob on the knee of Rebecca and alas such are many in our time who in regard of profession are in Gods Church pretending they are sons but are in very deed bastards no way in their life resembling the image of their heauenly father The Censure By these rules it is manifest that all are not Christians indeed who this day vsurpe the Christian name CHAPTER II. Of his New Senses The Lords Command concerning them THou knowest not how by Nature thou art wretched and miserable blind poore and naked Reu. 3. 17. For the naturall man perceiues not those things which are of the Spirit of God 1. Cor. 2. 14. he sauours onely the things of the flesh Rom. 8. 5. his wisdome is death for it is enmitie with God verse 6. Hearken therefore vnto my words and keep them in the middest of thine heart Prou. 4. 21. Come and buy from mee eye-salue to annoynt thine eyes that thou maist see Reu. 3. 18. for I am he who maketh both the eye to see and the eare to heare Prou. 20. 12. I will bring forth the blind people and they shall haue eyes and the deafe and they shall heare Esa. 43. 8. He that walks in the darke knows not whither hee goes Ioh. 12. 35. But I am come a light into the world that whosoeuer
regard any that are wise in their owne conceit Iob. 37. 24. but pronounceth a woe against them Esay 5. 21. Let therefore the same minde be in you which was in Iesus Christ who being in the forme of God thought it no robberie to be equall with God but made himselfe of no reputation and was found in shape as a seruant Philip. 2. Deck yee also your selues in lowlinesse of minde 1. Pet. 5. 5. that yee may walke worthy of the calling wherevnto yee are called with all humblenesse of minde Ephe. 4. Furthermore thinke of those things which are of good report are which and true honest iust pure pertaining to loue Philip. 4. 8. Let there not be in your heart a wicked thought Deut. 15. 9. for many minde earthly things whose God is their belly and whose glory is their shame Philip. 3. 19. But vnto him who doth thinke on good things shall be mercy and truth Prou. 14. 22. The Christians Prayer for Grace to obay this Command O Lord I am a man void of Counsell neyther is there any vnderstanding in me I am not sufficient of my selfe so much as to thinke a good thought but my sufficiency is of thee for thou Lord dost giue wisedome and out of thy mouth comes knowledge and vnderstanding thou art he who puttest wisdome into the reynes and giuest vnderstanding to them who haue erred in spirit I therefore pray thee O Lord if I haue found fauour in thy sight shew me thy way that I may know thee thy hands haue made me and fashioned me Lord giue me vnderstanding that I may learne thy commandements lighten my darknesse that being filled with the knowledge of thy will I may walke in thy light studying alwayes to doe that which is good and pleasant in thy sight through Iesus Christ. Another O Lord who didst command light to shine out of darknesse make it I beseech thee to shine in mine heart to giue me the light of the knowledge of thee my God in the face of Iesus Christ take away good Lord the vaile wherewith my mind is couered that I may behold as in a mirrour thy glory with open face and may be changed into the same Image by thy spirit let me not be of the number of those Infidels whom the God of this world hath blinded that the light of the glorious Gospell of Christ who is the Image of God should not shine vnto them but make me to abound more and more in knowledge and in all iudgement that I may discerne betweene good and euill and betweene things which differ one from another and may be kept pure and without offence till the day of Christ filled with the fruits of righteousnes which are by Iesus vnto the praise and glory of God Amen The Christians Prayer for Grace to obay this Command ONce I was darknes but now I am light in the Lord Eph. 5. 8. I walked in darknesse and dwelt in the land of the shadow of death but now the light hath shined vpon me and I haue seene light Esay 9. 2. and God hath giuen me a minde to know him who is true 1. Iohn 5. 20. for his word is my wisdome and vnderstanding Deut. 4. 6. and his commandements haue made me wiser than mine enemies for they are euer with me yea I haue had more vnderstanding then all my teachers for thy testimonies are my meditation Psal. 119. 99. I will not any more lift vp my minde vnto vanitie but I will thinke vpon God in the night Psal. 63. 6. and I will meditate in the Law of the Lord continually Psal. 119. 97. and of the beauty of his glorious Maiestie and his wonderfull acts Psal. 145. 5. And I will alwaies giue thanks to him who hath made me meet to be partaker of the inheritance of his Saints in light who hath deliuered me from the power of darknesse and hath translated me into the kingdome of his deare Sonne to whom be praise and glory for euer Amen Col. 1. 13. THE OBSERVATIONS AS in the first creation God began at the light so in the second he begins at the illumination of the mind and the mind changed and renued by the Lord worketh a change also of the will and affections Naturally the minde of man is darke proud and prophane the ignorance that is in it being both a punishment of mans first sinne a sinne it selfe and the cause of all other sinne For man aspiring to an higher knowledge then God vouchsafed vpon him lost the knowledge wherewith God endued him by creation except some generall notices of good and euill which like sparkles of fire couered with the ashes of mans corrupt nature are left in him to make him inexcusable By his first creation he was made a companion of Angels but falling from that honour hee became a companion of beasts and hath so far degenerated from that which God made him that hee hath assumed the very properties of beasts wherefore also God giues vnto him the name of a beast Quidenim an non tibi videtur ipsis bestijs bestialior homo ratione vigens ratione non viuens And now seeing restitution is proclaimed in Christ how carefully should hee take heede to himselfe that hee despise not grace which is offered by his first fall hee fell from light to darknesse his second fall shall cast him into vtter darknesse the transgression of the couenant of workes made him a companion of beasts but the contempt of the couenant of grace shall make him a companion of damned Diuels And as this ignorance is a punishment of mans first sinne so is it also a sinne as is euident out of 2. Thes. 5. 1. The Lord shall appeare in staming fire to render vengeance vnto all them that know not God Thirdly it is a cause of other sinnes as we are taught by the Apostle Eph. 4. that the Gentiles wer strangers from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them As Balaam went on blindlings in an euill course because he saw not the Angell standing with a naked sword against him so the wicked walke boldly in their sins because they know not the danger thereof A body destitute of eyes cannot discerne the day from the night a friend from a foe nor the pit from the plaine no more can a darkned minde discerne the manifold snares of Sathan but as our Sauiour saith where the blinde leads the blinde both of them must fall at length into the ditch so where a blinded minde is the directer of a corrupted will what can the end be but fearefull damnation and yet no better is mans miserable estate by Nature But this naturall ignorance is remoued in the regeneration and a holy light created in the minde of man which the Lord workes by degrees as hee opened the eyes of
my mouth Zeph. 3. 13. but my words shall be in the vprightnesse of mine heart Iob. 33. 3. Neyther will I suffer my mouth to sinne by wishing a curse to the soule of him that hated mee Iob. 31. 30. There is no lewdnesse nor frowardnesse in my words Prou. 8. 8. My tongue also shall spread abroad knowledge Prou. 15. 7. and my mouth shall be as a well-spring of life Prou. 10 11. I will vtter the words of grace Eccles. 10. 12. that my lips may feed many Prou. 10. 21. and the comf◅ of them may asswage the sorrow of the afflicted Iob. 16. 15. confirming him that is ready to fall and strengthening the weak knees Iob. 4. 4. for God hath giuen me the tongue of the learned that I should know how to minister a word in season to the weary Esa. 50. 4. and hath enriched me with all kinde of speech and necessary knowledge for the which grace I thank my God in Christ Iesus THE OBSERVATIONS AS in the Apostasie of Adam the poyson of sinne like a fretting canker ranne through the whole nature of man so in the regeneration the grace of our Lord Iesus goes through the whole man sanctifying him throughout both in soule and body to make him a new creature Sinne hath not taken away the members of mans body but the right motion and vse of them for the eye still lookes the tongue speaketh the hand moueth but not as they should When the Palsie looseth the members of the body to moue against the will of him that possesseth them it is counted a pittifull disease but now when sinne hath loosed them to moue against the will of him that made them and the well of them that owe them it is a pitie to see how foolishly naturall men reioyce in it not considering it is a sicknesse which tends to the second death If man had beene created for God onely he should not haue needed a tongue for the Lord knowes the meaning of the minde without the tongue and if hee had beene made for himselfe onely the motions of the mi◅e had ben sufficient for himselfe also but God hath made one man to be a comfort to another and therfore hath giuen him such Organe◅ as whereby euery man may giue intelligence of his minde to another For this is the office of the tongue to be a faithfull interpreter of the minde and a trench-man betweene hart and hart but as they who vnderstand not others languages though they see others faces can conclude nothing between them without the helpe of a faithfull interpreter so cannot the heart of one man communicate the conceptions thereof to another vnles the tongue be as Ambrose calls it speculum mentis a glasse wherein the minde may be seene But that which God made for good Sathan hath turned into euill for now the hart and tongue are so peruerted from their originall innocencie that now the tongue is imployed by the heart to deceiue exponing in word the thoughts of the hart otherwise then they are indeed A threefold diuision hath ensued vpon the sall of man as a punishment thereof first a diuision of harts secondly a diuision of tongues thirdly a diuision of the tongue from the hart The diuision of one mans heart from another is a iust punishment of mans diuision from God so long as Adam and Euah liued at one with God they liued at one among themselues but so soone as they were diuided from God by sinne they became also diuided among themselues Adam blaming Euah and accusing her to God in whom before hee reioyced as bone of his bone and flesh of his flesh And this hath proceeded so far among their posteritie that looke how many men there are in the world as many sundry iudgements and wils there is among them which would not faile to breede horrible confusion if God had not locked vp the heart of man and made it vnknowne to another or otherwise where it is knowne did not restraine the heart of man and that for entertaining a societie and fellowship among men As for the diuision of tongues it came into the world as a iust punishment of mans rebellion against God in the building of Babel for where before the sloud for the space of one thousand and sixe hundred yeares and more the whole world spake one language and one hundred and thirtie yeare after the Floud also for their high conceit in building of Babell to get themselues a name God confounded their languages And yet it is strange that this diuision of tongues inflicted on man for a punishment of his pride and threatned also by God as a curse vpon his people to send a nation vpon them whose language they vnderstand not should be receiued into the Popes Church as a blessed policie for there hee that is in the roome of a builder speakes that which the people vnderstands not But the diuision of the tongue from the heart is the worst of all being not onely a punishment of sinne as the former but a sinne also and such a sinne as is a protector and maintainer of many sinfull and mischieuous conceptions of the heart Whereof it comes to passe that innumerable euils are committed by the tongue for which Saint Iames iustly termes it A world of wickednesse and accounts so much of the gouernment or misgouernment of the tongue that the one he esteemes the proofe of a perfect man the other an argument of an irreligious man For this cause also Nazianzen affirmes that the halfe of the sins of our life are committed by the tongue lingua dimidiam humanorū vitiorum partem sibi vendicat but Basil going further saith tota vita nostra linguae delictis est referta that our whole life is full of the sinnes of our tongue If we goe through the decalogue wee shall finde the tongue guiltie of the transgression of all the precepts thereof a seruant to all sorts of sinnes which breake out in action Against the first Commandement it offends by blaspheming God as Pharaoh did while hee said Who is Iehouah as Sennacherib did your God is not able to deliuer you as the foolish do who say there is not God as the prophane do who say he seeth not or he doth not regard these are stout words against the Lord. Or else in cursing by the name of the Diuel some customably sacrifice to him deuoting that in their anger to Sathan which should be dedicated to God others seeke vengeance from Sathan vpon such as haue offended them not remembring that God is the God of vengeance thus both of them by a most horrible impietie set vp Sathan in the roome of God Lamentable it is to heare how this sinne abounds in this Land as if it were Calicut or Narsinga where Sathan is worshipped Against the second Commandement the tongue offends in speaking reuerently
by God to the Christian. a Esay 62. 2. b Nomb. 6. 27. c 1 Chro. 17. 23. d Esay 56. 4. e Esay 29. 23. f Ephes. 4. 1. g Esay 56. 5. 1 The dignitie of a Christian far abouâ—… the dignitie of Adam appeareth in his new names 2 For Gods giues no vaine stiles but with the name he giues the matter answerable to it 3 A Christian is despised of worldlings and why 4 But he is honourable in Gods estimation 5 Many graces must concurre to make a Christian. 6 The Christian by his names is admonished of his duty With what care a Christian should keepe his heart a 1. Chron. 29. b Psal. 84. 5. c Ezech. 11. 19. d Hos. 10. 2. e Psal. 119. 80. f Nehem. 9. 8. g Psal. 86. 11. h Psal. 119. 80. a Heb. 13. 20. b Ephes. 2. 16. c 1. Thes. 5. 23. How the Christiâ—…n answeres the commandements of God 1 How in the Christian man there are two men 2 The Christian is holy both without and within 3 Carnall Christians compared to painted Sepulchers 4 They are not like Nathaniel but like Simon Magus Iohn 1. 47. Acts. 8. Three singular ornaments of the minde of the new Man 1 The first is light 2 The second is humblenesse 3 The third is holinesse a Deut. 32. b 2. Cor. 3. 5. c Prou. 26. d Iob. 38. 36. e Esay 29. 24. f Exod. 33. 13. g Psal. 119. h Psal. 18. 28. i Colos. 1. 9. k Esay 2. 5. l Heb. 13. a 2 Cor. 4. 6. b 2. Cor. 3. 13. c 2. Cor. 4. 4. d Phil. 1. 9. e 1. King 3. f Phil. 1. g Phil. 1. What a change is made in the minde by regeneration 1 In the new creation God begins at the light 2 The minde of man by nature is first darke secondly proud thirdly prophane 3 Some knowledge left in the minde of apostate man to make him inexcusable 4 Man by his first fall is become a companion of beasts Bern. in Cant. Serm. 53. 5 If now he fall by despising grace he shall goe to a worse estate 6 Ignorance is 1. A Stone 2. A Punishment of sinne 7 3. A Cause of sinne 8 A cause also of a most fearefull damnation Math. 15. 14. 9 Light created in the minde by degrees Math. 9. 29. 10 Euery knowledge doth not sanctifie 11 Gentiles and carnall Christians shut vp the light in the prison of their vnrighteousnesse 12 For either they seeke not the counsell of light or else they doe against it 13 Liuely knowledge workes humilitie and banisheth a three-fold pride 14 Blinde Pride 15 Foolish Pride 16 Vaine Pride 17 Pride both a dangerous and deceitfull euill Aug. de ciuit Dei lib. 14. c. 13. 18 Humilitie taught vs by the example of our Sauiour Philip. 2. 5. 19 No peace can be to a proud heart 20 No grace can lodge in a proud heart 2 Sam. 1. 21. 21 Examples of humiâ—…e in the godly 22 How the Seruants of God are great by humilitie 23 The greatnesse of Pride is but like a swelling August 63. 24 No obedience to God till pride be slaine 25 Liuely knowledge with humilitie doth worke holinesse If we renounce not our owne will we cannot be the seruants of God a 1. Chron. 29. b Phil. 2. 13. c Psal. 143. 10. d Psal. 27. e Rom. 1. f Psal. 119. 103. g Heb. 13. 21. The perfection of a Christian in this life is in a willing of good rather then doing of it 1 The onely question betweene God and man is whose wil should be done 2 Mans will by nature how far disordered 3 It is not subiect to God yet vsurpes dominion ouer his creatures 4 An intollerable rebellion to seeke seruice from Gods creatures and giue none to himselfe 5 The will of man would haue the wils of all men subiect vnto it 6 It riseth also into a plaine opposition to the Creator himselfe Bern. dâ—… râ—…sur Seâ—… 3. 7 For this cause God is an enemie to mans will for in all his plagues he 〈◊〉 of seth the will 8 Thus in resisting God man receiues the worst Bern. de considâ—… lib. 5. 9 For he willeth that which shall neuer be but be the contrary 10 Mans will iustly at variance with it selfe 11 A three-fold disorder of the will of man Aug. enchirid cap. 30. Ber. in Cant. Serm. 81. 12 In mans nature no free-will to good Aug. cont Pelag. lib. 2. c. 48. 53 Concil Arausi acanum can 7. an 445. Can. 13. 13 The naturall man hath a minde that cannot vnderstand a will that cannot be subiect to God till it be regenerate 14 Necessitie of sinne lying on the will excuseth it not and why Bern. in Cant. Serm. 81. 15 How the will is both bound free Ibid. 16 The will is renued in the regeneration 17 For the first lesson a Christian learnes is to renounce his owne will No fighting without faith a good conscience The power of conscience a 1. Thes. 3. 13. b 2. Tim. 1. 3. c Esay 38. 3. d Philip. 4. 7. Alas how far are wee from this perfection so to order our wayes that our heart reproue vs not 1 Conscience considered as concerning her Nature 2 It is a different facultie from the will and minde 3 Conscience considered as concerning her Office 4 The word of conscience imports that another with it is vpon our secrets 5 God and Conscience know our deeds together and will iudge them together 6 Conscience is Gods deputie and therefore not to be despised 1 Iohn 3. 20. 7 The sentence giuen by Conscience will be confirmed by God 8 The maiestie and authoritie of Conscience it stands against all the world 1 Corinth 4. 4. 9 If Conscience terrifie no creature can comfort Dan. 5. 10 The seat of conscience is not the body but the soule 11 After death of the body conscience liues 12 The three-fold office of Conscience 13 Conscience goes with vs whereuer we goe to beare record of all that wee doe 14 In euery action Conscience determines with vs or against vs. 15 In determining of our doings Conscience proceedes according to light 16 How the reasoning of conscience is very forcible 17 Difference to be put between Conscience and error of Conscience 18 The sentence of Conscience is neither perfect nor supreame 91 Therefore when it absolues it giues not perfect and permanent peace in this life 20 Yet in this life it begins the execution of the sentence giuen by it 21 Affections are novv louder then Conscience but it vvill not be long so 22 Good to agree vvith conscience in time Gen. 42. 21. 23 For what ends is Conscience placed in man 24 Conscience proues that God desireth not the death of a sinner 25 The vvicked who liue against Conscience vvill before conuicted 26 Vse of Conscience to the godly is 1. As a Paedagoge to lead them the right vvay 27 2. As a vvarner to tel them vvhen they goe vvrong 28 A feeling
33. i Deut. 33. 23. The Christian eateth his meat with thanksgiuing With contentation of his owne minde With Charitie toward others 1 Sufficiency of food allowed by God to man 1 Cor. 3. 12. 2 Sathan makes man count it lawfull meat which God cals vnlawfull or by the contrarie 3 Doctrine of Diuels defended by Papists Durand lib. 6. cap. de alijs Ieiunijs 4 Thus they pollute that which God hath purified 5 How the Christian in eating respecteth God his neighbor and himselfe 6 First he respecteth God and receiueth his meat with prayer 7 For it is not bread but Gods blessing that maintains life 8 In euery creature Sathan hath a snare therefore he eateth circumspectly 9 As Iob in banquetting sacrificed for his children so the Christian for himselfe and others 10 Secondly hee respecteth his brother and will not eate to offend him 11 Hee hath a respect also of them who are in necessitie 12 Thirdly hee respecteth himselfe eating with contentment temperance 13 Temperance is not so well knowne in want as in wealth 14 Sathan tempts eyther to forbidden meate or to forbidden measure 15 Intemperance is both a sinne and a mother of many sinnes 16 It makes a man vnable for all spirituall exercises 17 It prouokes him to manifold euils and that first against God 18 The first example of drunkennesse that euer was in the world 19 The second example 18 It prouoketh also man to euil against his neighbour Prou. 23. 29. 19 What euill it doth to a man himselfe Plin. lib. 24. c. 22 20 A drunkard in gods iudgement becomes his owne executioner 21 More prophane then Esau. 22 Three rules to be obserued in eating by a Christian. 23 First that he eate not forbidden meate 24 Secondly that hee eate not in a forbidden measure 25 Drinking by measure without measure a customable sinne now Basil. de ebriet 26 The same sin damned in the dayes of Basil and Augustine Aug. de temp Ser. 131. 27 Thirdly that hee eate not in a forbidden manner How the hands of a Christian should be gouerned toward God Toward the poore And in his owne vocation a Esay 3. 8. b Psal. 90. 17. c Psal. 24. 41. d Psal. 141. 2. e Deut. 33. 11. Hands vncleane idle bloudy blackt with bribes not open to the poore are not the hands of a Christian. 1 Hee is a monstrous man who hath a mouth to speake eate and hath no hands to doe good 2 Idlenesse was not suffered by God nay not in innocent Adam Gen. 3. 19. 3 The wages of an idle man is that he should want his meate 4 Euery man hath something wherein he should worke 5 The actions of a Christians hand are three 6 The first is to lift them vp to God by prayer Psal. 127. 2. 7 For mans labour in any calling is nothing without gods blessing 8 Actions begun and prosecuted with prayer cannot but prosper 9 The second action is to worke with them in our calling 10 Religion takes not away lawfull trades and vocations 11 Onely it corrects the abuses of them 12 The third action is to stretch them out to the poore 13 Why God hath made some rich others poore 14 As we take from God so should we giue to the poore Deut. 15. 7. 15 Liberalitie toward the needie recommended by the example of God 16 And of his creatures 17 Specially of the Sunne Cloudes Trees yea and of the Angels 18 A more blessed thing to giue then to receiue 19 Worldlings liue like monsters of the earth 20 Compared to the lake of Sodome 21 If worldlings giue they are like clouds powring raine on the Sea 22 Motiues to almes giuing 23 He which keepes that which God bids giue doth lose it 24 How he punisheth such by his officers 25 How otherwise also hee crosseth them 26 The gaine we get by giuing is more then that which we giue 27 This is manifested by the example of the widdow and Elijah 28 What vantage hee reapes who rightly giueth almes Amb. ossic lib. 1 cap. 30. 29 Hee that ministreth to the necessities of the poore doth him selfe more good then he doth them Nazian orat 46 in ecclesiast How the Christian is commanded to gouerne his feet by measure and rule a 1 Sam. 2. 9. b Esay 35. 8. c Psal. 5. 11. d Psal. 17. 5. e Psal. 119. 5. f Luke 1. 79. a Ierem. 10. 23. b Psal. 43. 6. c Psal. 5. 10. d Psal. 119. 133. The feet of a christian how they are refrained from euil And directed to good 1 Mans first and last glory is to haue the Image of God 2 How miserable are they who shall be found to want gods Image Ierem. 2. 21. 3 Sathan first and last enuieth this Image of God in man 4 The grace of regeneration teacheth vs also how to gouerne our feet Eccles. 12. 3. 5 The feet of man artificially made by God 6 That in the basest part of his body man might haue cause to praise God 7 But by nature the canker of sin hath run from the heart to the feet also 8 For naturally mans feet are impotent to good 9 But nimble inough and able to euill 10 The Christian by regeneration receiues the right vse of them 11 For he walkes after God as a seruant after his Master 12 And therefore delights to haunt those places wherein most frequently his Master appeares that is holy assemblies 13 With his feete hee treads vpon earth but vvith his face he looke to heauen 14 So the vvhole Church is described hauing the World vnder her feete 15 Thus vvalking on earth hee keepes an heauenly minde 16 For in all his vvayes he lookes eyther to Gods command or his license 17 Sathans snares laid in all his vvayes 18 Against vvhich the Christian armeth himselfe vvith prayer consideration 19 Seeing vve looke to tread Sathan vnder our feet let vs not pollute them 20 God hath honored vs by subduing all his vvorkes vnder our feet let vs not dishonour them 21 In that our Sauiour once vvashed his Disciples feet it vvas to teach vs all to vse our feet in holinesse and humility Company vvith the vvicked forbidden Cor ◅anting and marrying with them much more forbidden a Psal. 26. 9. b Prou. 2. 13. c Psal. 141. 4. d Psal. 119. 79. e Psal. 16. 3. f 1 Iohn 4. 10. How the Christian flyeth the company of the wicked But delights in the companie of them who feare the Lord 1 Man by creation made a sociall creature Gen. 2. Eccles. 4. 9. 2 Angels delight in mutuall societie and fellowship 3 How this good ordinance is abused to two extremities for some run to the solitarie life 4 Which is neither so profitable for Gods glory nor good of the Church as is the publicke Born in Cant. Serm. 12. 5 Solitarie life repudiates Charitie in the iudgement of Nazianzen Nazian erat 33 in laudē Heronts Chrisost. de Sacerd lib. 6. 6 The superstitious folly of Eremits now rebuked 7 On the other extremitie are they who liue in fellowship but not conioyned by the right band 8 Some keepe companie onely of custome as the beasts doe Aug. hom 38. 9 Others are moued to keepe company by selfe-loue 10 Some by similitude of manners 11 Similitude of good manners is the sureest band of friendship Amb. offic lib. 2 cap. 12. 12 A Christian flyeth the companie of the wicked for feare of the euill they may doe him 13 How dangerous their company is in the iudgement of Gods spirit 14 Men of excellent graces haue beene hurt by the company of the wicked 15 A Christian also slies the company of the wicked for feare least he doe them euill 16 A Christians respect in all companie is first to doe good 17 Secondly to get good Rom. 12. 8.
Sathan the Christian as he will not speake filthie language so he will not heare it As he will not murther with his hands so stops his eares from hearing of bloud Esa. 33. and as hee will not slander with his tongue so will hee not receiue in his eares a false report when another hath made it Psal. 15. For I pray you what difference is there betweene the willing reporter and receiuer of a false tale but that where the one carryeth Sathan in his tongue the other carryes Sathan in his eare The forger of falshood is the striker of Sathans coine the willing hearer is Sathans resetter and hee that after hearing reports it for a truth which he knowes not to be true is Sathans ventor this man turnes his eares into his eyes while as that which he hath heard hee giueth out for as vndoubted a truth as if he had seene it Therefore is it that as the mouth tastes the meat and lets none goe downe to the stomack vnlesse it be approued so the eare of the godly tastes words and lets none goe downe to the soule which is not from God And herein the Christian takes not so much heed to the speaker as to that which is spoken were the person neuer so honourable yea like an angell of God the heart that feares God receiues not his speech without examination so Mary discussed in her minde the words of the Angell and thought with herselfe What manner of salutation may this be And if otherwise for outward estate the person were neuer so contemptible yet if he speake the words of God he is reuerenced of the Christian for euen the feet of him that brings the glad tidings of peace are beautifull to him No man despiseth good corne because he finds it in a contemptible sack nor reiects precious pearles because they are in earthen vessels far lesse will the Christian refuse the message of grace because it is brought by a base messenger As the eare was the first port by which the Seducer entring in brought death to the soule so is it the first by which our Sauiour enters and restoreth life vnto it Hearing must goe before seeing wee must sit downe and reuerently heare the Lord on earth that wee may ascend and ioyfully see the Lord in heauen then shall wee sing that song As we haue heard so haue we seene in the citie of our God but if wee will not heare the Lord speaking in his word on earth we shall neuer see the Lord shewing his ioyfull face in heauen The Lord Iesus accounts our voyce sweet to him delights to heare it My Doue let me heare thy voyce for it is sweet Cant. 2. 14. And shall not we esteeme his voyce sweet vnto vs and delight to heare it Certainely if wee delight not in his word whereby hee speakes to vs hee shall take no pleasure in our prayers whereby wee speake vnto him For hee that turnes away his eare from hearing of the Law his Prayer shall be abhominable Yet it is not inough to heare Our Sauiour also warnes vs to take heede how wee heare Some heare malitiously such as come to trap the Preacher as the Pharisees often heard Christ that they might snare him This now is a common sinne that men resorts to preaching as if they come to amend the Preacher and not to amend themselues Others heare for curiositie seeking rather tidings of occurrents among men then the glad tidings of peace sent from God these are like vnto Herod who hauing our Sauiour Christ present before him sought a miracle to feede his curiositie but sought not grace whereby hee might be saued Some againe are not so euill disposed as any of the former two yet they heare vnpofitably for the present they are somwhat moued but carry nothing away whereby they may be mended these goe out of the Church as the vncleane beasts went out of the Arke that is they go out vncleane as they came in vncleane The Apostle compares them to vessels that runne out or to the sieue â—…ribrum which as long as it is in the water is full but if you take it vp no water remaines in it something they haue while they heare but so soone as they goe out it goes from them the remedie of this euill were to lay vp the word in our heart as Mary did The last sort of euill hearers are they who heare the word remember it and can report much of it to others but not as of a thing that concerneth their life and therefore while they speake of it to others they forget to doe it God hath placed in the body the eare the tongue and the hand not far asunder to teach vs that what wee heare with our eare and professe with our mouth we should practise with our hand The Censure And of this also it is euident that all are not Christians indeed who now vsurpe the Christian name CHAPTER III. Of his Eyes The Lords Command THe eyes of a foole are in the corners of the world Prou. 17. 24. but the wise mans eyes are in his head Eccles. 2. 14. Cast not thine eyes vpon that which is nothing Pro. 23. 5. For all that is in the world as the lust of the slesh the lust of the eyes and the pride of life is not of the father but of the world Ioh. 2. 16. As the graue and destruction can neuer be satisfied Pro. 27. 20. so the eyes of man are not satisfied with seeing Eccles. 1. 18. Let not therefore thine eyes and heart be for couetousnesse Ierem. 22. 17. neither full of adulterie Iude. 7. Haughtie eyes the Lord abhorreth Pro. 6. 17. and the high looke of the proud shall be humbled Esa. 2. 11. The eye that mocketh his father and despiseth the instruction of his mother let the Rauens of the valley pick it out and the young Eagles eate it Pro. 30. 17. Cast away therefore the abhomination of thine eyes Ezech. 20. 7. Let not my word depart from thine eyes but obserue wisedome and counsell Prou. 3. 21. that thine eyes may behold the right and thine eye-lids direct thy way before thee Prou. 4. 25. The Christians Prayer for Grace to obay this Command BE mercifull to mee O Lord and blesse mee cause thy face to shine vpon mee that I may know thy way vpon earth Let mee not be like the wicked who haue not the feare of God before their eyes But as thou hast made both the eares to heare and the eyes to see so I pray thee good Lord to teach me thy feare Turne away mine eyes from regarding vanitie and let not mine heart walk after mine eye except when I looke to my Maister and when mine eyes are toward the holy One of Israel that so I may be deliuered from euery euill worke and preserued to
feare and confidence consists not it is otherwise in the Christian. 2 As a Rocke in the Sea beaten with the waues of euery winde so is a christian in the world 3 The confidence refuge of a Christian in such troubles as come from God immediately Hosea 6. 1. Iob. 4. 4 The confidence of a Christian in such troubles as come by men Matth. 27. 5 Hee knowes the harts of men are in the hands of God 6 The confidence of a Christian in such troubles as come by Sathan 7 The confidence of worldlings is eyther in themselues Luke 18. 13. 8 Or in others without them 9 How in trouble outward and second meaâ—… are to be vsed 10 Miserable are the wicked whose confidence is not in God The matter of a Christian mans ioy is 1 The Lord our God 2 Our owne saluation 3 The prosperitie of the Church 4 Sufferings with Christ. 5 All the gifts of God The Christians ioy is tempered with feare a Psal. 89. 16. b Psal. 119. 77. c Psal. 51. 6. d Rom. 15. 13. 1 The Christian reioyceth first in God and that saluation conquered for him by the Crosse of Christ. 2 What a ioy the Christian hath in the word of God And in the house of God 3 How the Christian reioyces in well doing albeit hee should suffer euill for it The welfare of Gods Church is also a ioy to the Christian. The conuersion of a sinner reioyceth the Christian. Hee hath ioy in all Gods gifts as in the tokens of his loue 1 Man by his fall lost not the affections but the holinesse of them 2 Neyther doth Christs grace take away affections but onely rectifies them 3 The nature of ioy Psal. 89. 16. Basil. de grat Deo agendis 4 Ioy is eyther naturall or spirituall 5 The obiects of naturall ioy are Gods gifts abused Sathans bâ—…its disguised 6 How Gods gifts are abused by the wicked 7 Abuse of Gods gifts punished in the wicked 8 Naturall men haue their ioy in that which is their destruction 9 How they reioyce in the baites of Sathan disguised Gregor Moral lib. 20. Serm. 8. 10 They are like birds eating meat vnder the fowlers net 11 Their ioy compared to the burning of a Candle 12 Three properties of a Christans ioy it is 1. Solid 2. Internall 3. Eternall 13 Obiects of a Christians ioy are first God 14 Then Gods benefits principall 15 And secondarie Mourners for sin are blessed and marked of God To worldlings sinne is a ioy correction a griefe to the christian by the contrary sinne is a griefe correction a ioy a Esay 66. 1. b Psal. 51. 10. c Ierem. 9. 1. d Esay 38. 15. e Psal. 126. 5. The life of a Christian is fraughted with heauinesse that 1. For his owne sinnes 2. For his absence from the Lord. 3. For the sinnes and abhominations committed by others 4 For the trouble of the Church 5 For euery one that is in trouble 1 Our ioy in this life not without griefe 1 Pet. 1. 5. 6. 2 Comfort is sometime scant euen in the heart of the Christian. 3 Causes of griefe arising from our selues are threefold 4 A man so long as he is in his sinnes thinkes them no cause of griefe 5 An example hereof in Dauid 2. Sam. 11. 25. 6 Another in Paul 7 When God looses a man from sin he binds him to an hatred of sinne Why the memory of sinne remaineth when the guilt thereof is remoued 8 Persian Kings could suffer no mourners in their presence but it is not so with God 9 The Lord liketh our mourning countenance best Cant. 2. 14 10 The Christians tentations are a griefe to him 11 And his manifold crosses 12 And the troubles of Gods Church Nehem. 2. 3. 13 And the long delay of that promised Kingdome Aug. de sanct serm 45. Psal. 56. 14. Ioy and griefe agree not in worldlings it is otherwise in Christians Macar hom 15 Let them mark this who do think their tentations singular and that none of Gods children wer troubled euer so sore as they a Psal. 77. 7. b Esay 63. 15. c Ierem. 15. 18. d Psal. 13. 2. e Deut. 4. 31. f Esay 42. 3. g Iob. 5. 11. h Iob. 13. 24. i Lam. 1. 20. k Esay 57. 16. l Psal. 6. 2. m Ierem. 10. 24. n Iob. 7. 20. o Psal. 51. 9. p Psal. 51. 12. Euery tentation hath an issue Comfort against spiritual desertions Gods mercy to his Children is sure euerlasting 1 The greatest griefe is griefe of Conscience Prou. 19. 2 The health of conscience consists in two things 3 Where-from the disease of conscience proceeds to wit 1 When God forsakes it and takes away the sense of mercy then is the soule sore troubled 4 2. But when hee pursues it with a sense of his wrath then it is worse troubled 5 Trouble of minde distempers the whole body Psal. 32. Bern. in paruis serm 48. August in Ioan. tract 19. 6 The first of these spirituall troubles compared to a lingring disease 7 The second to a fearefull consumption Bern. in assump Mariae serm 4. 8 For three causes doth the Lord exercise his Children with these inward sufferings 9 The wicked are not grieued with the absence of God because they neuer felt the comforts of his presence The praise of Patience What neede wee haue of Patience The cause should be good for which we suffer The fruit of Patience a Psal. 115. 14. b 1 Cor. 1. 7. c Colos. 1. 10. d Colos. 1. 11. The christian waiteth on the Lord whereas the worldling runs about seeking reliefe and rest in other things but can neuer finde it 1 The Gospel a mirror wherein we see the similitude of Gods Image and are transformed into it 2 The light and goodnesse of God is extended vnto all men 3 But his Image is communicated to his children onely How wee may know whether we be Gods workman ship by the new creation or no. 4 Patience is reformed also in our regeneration 5 A description of the Nature of Patience Hebrewes 10. 6 Patience suffers not the euils of sinne but the euils of affliction 7 Patience necessary for two causes 1. Because the good that God hath pro misâ—… dis not presently performed 8 2. Because of the present euils wherwith now wee are exercised 9 No peace between the elect and reprobate But in this discord the reprobate are alwayes the persecuters 10 As a rocke in the sea so is a Christian in the earth 11 The principall praise of Patience 12 By Faith we possesse Christ by Loue our neighbour by Patience our selues 13 Patience preserues the other Graces of the Spirit Tertul. de patien 14 It mittigates euill and makes heauy crosses easie August Marc. Epist. 5. August de Patien chap. 2. 15 Three waies chiefly is our Patience impugned by Sathan Bern. in coâ—…uers Pauli 16 Troubles comming from euill men should not commoue vs and why 2. Sam. 16. 12. 17 Wicked men are but