Sathan but pittie the weake creature who is abused by him to offend thee In the third roome wee haue a prescribed remedie against carnall Anger if it ouer-take vs Let not the Sunne goe downe vpon thy wrath There are some men slow to Anger but if once they conceiue it they cannot easily be pacified others are both hastily angry and stubborne in continuance in it the third sort are slow to anger and ready to forgiue and these are the best ad tranquillitatus bonum plus appropinquant for they come neerest the nature of God It is an euill thing to conceiue this carnall Anger but it is farre worse to keepe it such is our corruption receiued from the first Adam that wee cannot hold Anger out of our heart but such is the obedience wee owe to the second Adam that wee should not let it lodge in our hearts after the setting of the Sunne As Bryers and thornes which pricke euery hand that doth handle them are the cursed fruit of the earth so are these spightfull men whom if thou dost stirre neuer so lightly they pricke thee with bitter speeches yea oftentimes though thou dost not stirre them they sting thee in secret with their backbitings manifested by their fruits to be of the cursed race of Caine the first murtherer of his Brother But the Children of God are full of gentlenesse loue and meeknesse they will not pricke thee no when thou dost handle them roughly by the words of sobernesse and truth they endeuour to make euill men better rendring good euen to those that haue offended them The Censure But now the want of this holy disposition proueth that all are not Christians indeed who now vsurpe the Christian name THE THIRD PART WHEREIN IS DISCRIBED THE DISPOSITION OF HIS OVTWARD MAN CHAPTER I. Of his Outward Man The Lords Command I Beseech you brethren by the mercies of God that yee giue vp your bodies a liuing sacrifice holy and acceptable to God which is your reasonable seruing of God Rom. 12. 1. And suffer not sinne to raigne in your mortall bodies that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof Neither giue your members as weapons of vnrighteousnesse to sinne but giue your selues to God and your members as weapons of righteousnesse to God Rom. 6. 12. The night is past the day is at hand cast away the workes of darknesse and let vs put on the armour of light so that we may walke honestly as in the day not in gluttonie or drunkennesse or chambring and wantonnesse nor in strife and enuie but put ye on the Lord Iesus Christ and take no thought for the flesh to fulfill the lusts thereof Rom. 13. 12. Let your conuersation be such as becommeth the Gospell Phil. 1. 27. that yee may walke worthy of God who hath called you to his heauenly kingdome and glory 1 Thes. 2. 12. for the grace of God which bringeth saluation to men hath appeared vnto vs and teacheth vs to deny vngodlinesse and worldly lusts and to liue soberly righteously and godly in this present world Tit. 2. 11. Therefore as obedient Children fashion not your selues to the former lusts of your ignorance but as he who hath called you is holy so be ye holy in all manner of conuersation 1 Pet. 1. 14. Cleanse your selues from all filthinesse of the flesh and spirit and grow vp vnto full holinesse in the feare of God 2 Cor. 7. 1. hauing an honest conuersation that they who speake euill of you as of euill doers by your good workes which they shall see may glorifie God The Christians Prayer for Grace to obay this Command SHew the light of thy countenance O Lord vpon thy seruant and teach me thy Statutes that I may walk worthy of thy calling blamelesse and pure as thy Sonne without rebuke in the middest of this noughty and crooked generation and may shine among them as a light in the world To this effect I beseech thee good Lord to performe thy worke toward me thy mercy endureth for euer therefore forsake not the worke of thine hands but fulfill in mee the good pleasure of thy goodnesse and the worke of Faith with power that the Name of my Lord Iesus may be glorified in mee and I in him according to the grace of thee my God and of the Lord Iesus Christ. Amen The Christians Practise of this Command VVHen I was in the flesh the motions of sinne which were by the Law had force in my members to bring forth fruit vnto death but now I am deliuered from the Law being dead vnto it whereof I was holden that I should serue God in newnesse of spirit Rom. 7. 5. God therefore be thanked that albeit I was once the seruant of sin yet now I haue obeyed from the heart the forme of doctrine wherevnto I was deliuered and so being now made free from sinne I am become the seruant of righteousnesse Rom. 6 17. and doe bring forth fruit in holinesse ver 22. For I know that my body is the Temple of God and that the holy spirit of God dwelleth therein 1 Cor. 3. 16 and I know that I am not mine owne but bought with a price 1 Cor. 6. therefore doe I beat downe my body by discipline and studie by all means to glorifie God both in body and spirit 1 Cor. 6. THE OBSERVATIONS HItherto wee haue spoken of the new disposition of the inward man in the Christian it remaineth that now wee speake of his outward Man In regeneration first the soule is renued then the body restored Sinne began in the soule and from it shame and death came vpon the bodie Grace againe first reformes the soule and then proceeds to reforme and restore the body for as the inward Man is so is the outward The regeneration of the body hath in it two things first a restitution of it to originall dignitie and glorie and greater this shall be done in the resurrection secondly a sanctification of all the members thereof whereby they are made weapons of righteousnesse and this is presently done by grace For as by grace the Christian is renued in the spirit of his minde so also in all his externall conuersation As those holy Angels that stand about the throne of God are full of eyes within and without so all the Saints of God foris se intus circumspiciunt within them they haue light and holinesse by which they looke to their Iudge euer seeking to please him without them also light and holinesse by which they looke to their brethren euer labouring to giue good example to them Fidelem decet vndique esse manifestum a godly man should be manifested and knowne by all the parts of his life ab incessu aspectu a vesâ—…e a voce both from his vestment and his voice from his looking and his walking Vox enim quidam
may reape in ioy through Iesus Christ. Amen The Christians Practise of this Command MY life is wasted with heauinesse and my yeeres with mourning Psal. 31. 10. All the worke wrought vnder the Sunne is grieuous to me for all is vanitie and vexation of Spirit Eccle. 2. 17. Specially because the good I would I doe not but the euill I would not that I doe for there is a Law in my members rebelling against the Law of my minde and leading me captiue to the Law of sinne Rom. 7. O miserable man that I am who shall deliuer me from this body of death ver 24. Woe is mee that I remaine in Mesech and dwell in the tents of Kedar My soule hath too long dwelt with them that hate peace Psal. 120. 5. for I am in daily heauinesse through continuall temptations 1. Pet. 1. 6. therefore I sigh in my selfe waiting for the adoption euen the redemption of my body Rom. 8. 23. And beside this I am vexed euery day with godly Lot by hearing and seeing the vnlawfull deeds of the wicked among whom I soiourne 2 Pet. 2. 8. as Dauid was grieued when hee saw how that transgressors did not keepe Gods law Psal. 119. 158. for which his eyes gushed out riuers of water vers 136. As Ieremie weeped in secret for the sinnes of his people Ier. 13. 17. and as Ezra rent his clothes and plucked his haire off his head and beard when hee heard that the people who came home from the captiuity had sinned against the Lord Ezra 9. 3. As our Sauiour mourned for the hardnesse of heart in the Iewes Mar. 3. 5. and weeped sore because Ierusalem knew not those things that belonged to her peace Luke 19. 41. As Paul had great sorrow and heauinesse of hart for his brethren Rom. 9. 2. and in great affliction and anguish with many teares craued their amendment to whom he wrote 2 Cor. 2. 4. euen so hath my teares been my meat night and day Psal. 42. 3. and I mourne for all the abhominations that are done by others in the Citie Ezech. 9 4. Moreouer as godly Nehemiah was sorrowfull for Ierusalems desolation Nehe. 2. 3. and as the Iewes weeped in Babell when they remembred Sion Psal. 137. 1. As the wife of Phinees was not so sorrowfull for the losse of her husband as for the captiuitie of the Arke and departure of the glory of God from Israell so doe I mourne for the affliction of Ioseph Amos. 6. 6 and mine eyes droppes downe teares night and day for the trouble of Ierusalem Ier. 14. 17. for aboue all things I wish her peace and prosperitie Psal. â—…22 Finally I am sorrowfull with him that is afflicted and I weepe for euery one that is in trouble and my soule is in heauinesse for the poore one Iob. 30. 25. yea with godly Samuel I will mourne euen for wicked Saul 1 Sam. 15. 35. and with louing Dauid for rebellious Absalom 2 Sam. 18. 33. but much more with good Ionathan will I weepe sore if Dauid be reuiled and persecuted 1 Sam. 20. 34. THE OBSERVATIONS OVr ioy in this life is not without griefe and heauinesse so witnesseth Saint Peter we reioyce in the saluation prepared for vs and yet wee are in heauinesse through manifold tentations the like we finde in our owne experience As wine failed euen in that banquet at which Christ was present so comfort sometime is interrupted euen in that heart wherein Christ dwels but as in the one hee turned water in wine in the end so in the other shall he turne all sorrow into ioy at the last The causes of griefe in a Christian are threefold the first is the consideration of that which wee haue beene the second is the consideration of that which we are the third the consideration of that which we would be and are not As for the first so long as a man and his sin are one he neither feeles the weight of it nor the wrath that followes it but reioyceth in that which should be the matter of his griefe but so soone as man by grace is parted from his sin then becomes sin a burden to him and a matter of his griefe which before was the matter of his ioy One example of this we haue in Dauid who hauing committed adultery and going about to cloake it with murther was neither troubled himselfe with this abhominable sinne nor yet would haue others troubled with it and therfore wrote he to Ioab a command indirectly to slay Vriah and there withall subioyned let not this trouble thee but how much it troubled him when God renued him by repentance the 32. and 51. Psalmes doe testifie Another we haue in the Apostle Saint Paul who while hee was in his sinnes persecuted with pleasure the Saints of God but when God sundred him from his sinnes what a griefe that sinne in speciall was to him he witnesseth himselfe I am not said hee worthy to be called an Apostle because I persecuted the Church of God For when the Lord looseth a sinner from his sinne hee bindeth him to a perpetuall hatred of his sinne and therefore is it that when hee hath taken away the guiltinesse of a sinne yet hee will haue the memory thereof to remaine for as thornes which are euill in the garden are good in the hedge to fence it so sinnes which are euill in the affection hindring the growth of grace in the soule are good in the memorie to humble vs for our former sinnes and guard vs against sinnes to come And this godly sorrow for sinne committed being no other but the dolors of our new birth should not discourage Gods children but rather they are to be comforted with it Certainly the Lord our God is best pleased with vs when wee are most displeased with our selues Mourners might not stand in presence of the Persian Kings therefore Mordecai clad in sackcloth got not entrance at the Kings gate but whom doth the Lord comfort is it not those who mourne to whom grants hee most familiar accesse surely to those that are most entirely humbled and cast cowne before him Then are wee most welcome to God and our face most pleasant vnto him when it is watred with the teares of repentance therefore is it his comfortable speech to his Church My Doue which mournes in the clefts of the rocke shew me thy face As for the second the consideration of that which wee are is also to a Christian the matter of his griefe first in regard of our continuall temptations to sinne Sathan euer seeking to recouer his old possession in vs. As Pharaoh followed Israel so Sathan followeth the redeemed man doing all that he can to bring him backe againe to his former seruitude and bondage Secondly also in regard of our manifold crosses and troubles which like vnto the waues of the sea one after another come
beleeues in me should not abide in darkenesse vers 46. While therefore ye haue the light walke in the light that ye may be the children of light Ioh. 12. 36. The Christians Prayer for Grace to obey this command LOrd remoue from me that curse that in seeing I should not see and in hearing I should not vnderstand quicken me according to thy louing kindnesse so shall I keep the testimonies of thy mouth Specially worke faith in my heart for it is thy gift I beleeue O Lord but help thou my vnbeleefe Increase my faith that mine eyes may be opened to see the wonders of thy law Speake to the heart of thy seruant that I may get cares to heare what thy Spirit saith that I may tast how gracious thou art that I may smell the sauour of life in thy Gospel and may so touch thee that in beleeuing I may get life through thy holy name and may so bee ioyned with thee that I may become one spirit with thee through Iesus Christ to whom be glory for euer The Christians Practise of this command I Was borne of my naturall mother deafe dumbe and blind but now the Lord hath opened mine eares Esa. 50. 5. so that I discerne the voyce of my shepheard and will not heare the voyce of a stranger Ioh. 10. 5. for the Lord hath giuen vnto me eares to heare what the spirit saith Reuel 2. he hath also annoynted mine eyes with eye-salue Reu. 3. 18. I looke not on things which are seene but on things which are not seene 2. Cor. 4. 18. And haue attained to some in-sight of that glorious inheritance prepared for the Saints Eph. 1. Yea with open face I behold as in a mirrour the glory of the Lord 2. Cor. 3. 18. I haue smelled the sweet sauour of his garments Psal. 45. 8. and of his oyntments for which I loue him Cant. 1. 2. I haue tasted how gracious the Lord is Psal. 34. 8. his word is sweeter to my mouth then the hony or the hony combe Psal. 119. And I haue touched my Lord and his vertue hath staied the filthy issue of my sinne Luk. 8. 44. THE OBSERVATIONS THe Naturall man liues not till fourtie and fiue daies after his conception be expired but the Christian begins to liue as soone as he is conceiued The principall effects of life are Sense and Motion and the more excellent the life is the Sense and Motion is In the Naturall man Motion goes before Sense at least before the vse of the Senses but in the Christian Sense goes before Motion For it is the new Sense which causes the heart to moue and stirre in a new manner Therefore is it that first wee will speake of the Christians Senses and then of his motion or disposition Naturall parents often times bring out their children either dead or wanting some Sense or mutilate of some member but in the new generation it is not so for the Lord begets no dead no senselesse no imperfect children but liuing indued with all their Senses and perfect in regard of the number of their parts The first Sense by regeneration restored to the Children of God is the Sense of Hearing As the eare was the first port by which death was conuayed to the soule so is it the first by which life enters into it Euah by hearing what the Serpent said was brought to a delectation in sinne and the Christian by hearing what the Spirit saith is brought to a contrary hatred of sinne The Spirit of God opens our eares before he open our eyes if we refuse to heare the Lord wee shall neuer see him Auditus est gradus ad visum Hearing is a step to Seeing As Adam after his Apostacie heard the Lord when he cried to him but saw him not so is it with all his children we may liue in the body and heare him but no man can liue and see him It is the order appointed by God that wee should heare him before we come to see him Auditus aspectum restituet we lost our sight by transgression of Gods word we get it againe by obedient hearing thereof Sanet itaqúe auditus oculum qui turbatus est vt serenus vi leat quem turbatus non potuit Let vs therefore by hearing learne how to cure our eye that the eye being made cleare may see the Lord whom it cannot see so long as it is troubled then shall wee sing As we haue heard so haue wee seene in the citie of the Lord of Hoasts Oh what a fearefull sentence they seale against themselues who delight not to heare the word of the Lord Hee that turneth away his eare from hearing of the Law euen his prayer shall be abhominable for if on earth they get not accesse to God when they pray to him how shall they in heauen get accesse to see him A iust punishment of mans rebellion if hee will not heare when God speakes God shall not heare when he prayes and shall neuer admit him to see his face in heauen But the eares required in the Christian are internall by which he may heare what the spirit saith Of these speakes our Sauiour He that hath eares let him heare All that heard him saith Augustine had eares and yet few of them had eares Omnes habebant aures audiendi paâ—…ci aures obediendi Eares to heare but not eares to obey like those of Samuel Speake Lord for thy seruant heareth and of Dauid I will hearken what the Lord God will say for he will speake peace to his people and Saints that they turne not againe to follie And they who haue receiued these eares doe heare in such sort that they are sanctified by hearing according to that of our blessed Sauiour Now are ye cleane through the word which I haue spoken to you But alas how great is the number of them who after so long a hearing of the Gospel doe still retaine the filthinesse of their old sinnes they are hearers onely and not doers of the word deceiuing themselues for either else when they heare the word they vnderstand it not or if they vnderstand it they are not moued with it or if they be mooued they are not mended by it their motion beeing but like that of Foelix and their repentance like vnto the morning dew but few they are whose ears God hath opened by the grace of Regeneration The second Sense we receiue in the Regeneration is the Sense of Seeing Sathan promised to our parents that if they would eat of the forbidden tree they should become like God in knowledge but like a false deceiuer as he is hee made them like vnto himselfe for the knowledge of good which they had by creation instantly they lost it by their transgression and
in time he repent and turne from his euill wayes And wonderfull it is how this shall conuince the wicked man in the houre of death when their conscience shall stand vp before the supreame Iudge and testifie against him in this manner O Lord I haue giuen this man according as thou deputed me warning euery day for his sinnes and hath terrified him for them but hee would not receiue my correction Oh that impenitent men could consider how this despising of Conscience shall be a great augmentation of their iudgement But on the other part to the children of God Conscience of his speciall mercy is giuen for these two vses first it is as a Paedagoge appointed by God to guide his children in the right way Secondly when they goe wrong it is a diuine warner within them which suffers them neyther to eate nor sleepe long in rest till they returne to the Lord by repentance for as Peter was wakened by the crowing of the Cock and made to weepe bitterly for his sinnes so is the crowing and accusing voyce of Conscience to the godly Thus we see how it is a great benefit to Gods children to haue a liuing feeling and wakeing Conscience for eyther it keepes them that they do not euill or that they continue not in it as we may see in Dauid whose Conscience was more troubled for cutting the lap of Sauls garment then Saul was for cutting off the liues of fourescore seruants of the Lord. Wheras on the contrary the Lord in his anger suffers Sathan so to benumbe the conscience of the wicked as if they were burnt with an hot yron whereof it comes to passe that being past feeling they commit iniquitie with greedines Surely a good conscience is mans paradice vpon earth therefore Salomon called it a continuall feast it is the fruit of righteousnesse and euer bringeth out peace and ioy in these three stands the beginning of eternall life But as Sathan enuyed Adam dwelling in his Paradice so doth he enuy euery Christian that dwels in the Paradice of a good Conscience and therefore doth what he can to entise him to sinne that so he may driue him out of it for which cause we haue neede by daily repentance to take away the euill wee haue done and by godly circumspection to eschew his snares in time to come The Censure But now the small regard which is made of a good Conscience proues that all haue not the Christians disposition who now vsurpe the Christians name CHAPTER V. Of his Affections And first Of his Loue. The Lords Command LOue ye the Lord al his Saints Psal. 31. 23. for they who loue him shall he as the Sun when he riseth in his might Iudg. 5. 31. If any man loue not the Lord Iesus let him be had in execration yea excommunicated to the death 1. Cor. 16. 22. Loue not the world nor the things that are in the world if any man loue the world the loue of the Father is not in him 1. Iohn 2. 15. Hee that loueth siluer shall not be satisfied and he that loueth riches shall be without the fruit thereof Eccles. 5. 9. but keepe you your selues in the loue of God looking for the mercy of our Lord Iesus Christ vnto eternall life Iude. 21. A new commandement also I giue vnto you that you loue one another Iohn 13. 34 yea that you serue one another by Loue Gal. 3. and let the peace of God rule in your hearts to the which you are called in one body and be ye amiable Colos. 3. 15 He that loueth his brother abideth in the light and there is no occasion of euill in him 1. Iohn 2. 10. but hee that loueth not knoweth not God for God is Loue 1. Iohn 4. 7. and Loue commeth of God Euery one that loues is borne of God 1. Iohn 4. 7. therefore loue one another without faining with a pure heart and feruently 1. Pet. 1. 22. that your loue may be without dissimulation Rom. 12. 9. not in word nor in tongue onely but in very deed and in truth 1. Iohn 3. 18. Moreouer loue your enemies blesse them that curse you doe good to them that hate you pray for them that persecute you for if ye loue them that loue you what reward shall yee haue doe not the Publicanes the same Mat. 5. 44. Finally let all your things be done in Loue. 1. Cor. 16. 14. The Christians Prayer for Grace to obay this Command O Lord I know that though I speake with the tongue of Angels if I haue not loue I am but as a sounding brasse or tinckling Cymball and though I had the gift of prophecie and knew all secrets and knowledge yea if I had all faith so that I could remoue mountaines and had no loue I were nothing therefore guide thou mine heart in thy Loue Encrease me also and make me to abound in Loue towards all men Another O God of all patience and consolation grant vnto vs that wee may be all alike minded one toward another according to Christ that with one minde and with one mouth wee may praise thee endeuouring to keepe the vnitie of the spirit in the bond of peace and so our Loue may yet more and more abound in all knowledge and in all iudgement to the glory of thy name through Iesus Christ. The Christians Practise of this Command I Loue thee dearly O Lord my God Psal. 18. 1. the desire of my soule is to thy name to the remembrance of thee whom haue I in heauen but thee and I haue desired none on earth with thee Psal. 73. 25. Surely as the Hart brayeth for the riuers of water so panteth my soule after thee O God Psal. 42. 1. My soule desireth after thee as the thirstie land Psal. 143. 6. and waites on thee more then the morning watch waites for the morning Psal. 130. 6. Yea it fainteth O Lord for thy saluation Psal. 119. 81. And as for the Lord Iesus Christ albeit as yet I haue not seene him yet I loue him and reioyce in him with ioy vnspeakable and glorious 1. Pet. 1. 8. And as for thy Law except it had beene my delight I should now haue perished in my affliction Psal. 119. 92. for thy promises are sweeter then hony to my mouth Psal. 119. 103. and I loue thy Commandements aboue gold Psal. 119. 127. O how loue I thy Law it is my meditation continually Psal. 119. 97. yea for the loue I beare to thy Law I loue the habitation of thy house and the place where thine honor dwelleth Psal. 26. 8. and I desire nothing more then this one that I may dwell in the house of my God all the dayes of my life to behold the beautie of the Lord and to visit his holy temple Psal. 27. 4. for thy Tabernacles are amiable to mee blessed are they who dwell in thy
non est ibi dissolutio est vitae said Augustine where no feare of God is there is dissolution of life It is semen Iustitiae said Bernard the seed of righteousnes without which can be no ingresse into godlinesse without it can be no religion said Lactantius quod enim non metuitur contemnitur quod contemnitur non colitur for that which is not feared is contemned and what is contemned cannot be worshipped In a word it is in holy Scripture compared to a naile which being stricken into the heart of man by the hand of God keepeth it stable that neither the tyranny nor deceit of sinne can carry it away therefore doth the holy Ghost conioyne these two feare God and cleane to him The Censure But now the licentious liues of many in this age led without all feare of God proue that all haue not the Christians disposition who now vsurpe the Christian name CHAPTER VIII Of his Confidence The Lords Command THe Lord is God in heauen aboue and in earth beneath Ios. 2. 11. blessed is the man that makes the Lord his trust regardeth not the proud Psal. 40. 4. for they who trust in the Lord shall be as mount Sion which cannot be remoued Psal. 125. 1. The eye of the Lord is vpon them that trust in his mercy to deliuer their soule in death and to preserue them in famine Psal. 33. 18. The Lord is good and as a strong hold in the day of trouble and hee knoweth them that trust in him Nahum 1. 7. Therefore trust in the Lord for euer and you shall be assured 2. Chron. 20. Trust in the Lord and hee shall comfort thine heart Psal. 2â—… 14. Commit thy way to the Lord trust in him and hee shall bring it to passe Psal. 37. 5. Hee that walketh in darknesse and hath no light let him trust in the name of the Lord and stay vpon his God Esay 50. 10. for in the Lord is strength for euermore Esay 26. 4. But in his owne might let no man be strong 1. Sam. 2. 9. leane not to thine owne wisedome Prou. 3. 5. for he that trusteth in his owne heart is a foole Prou. 28. 26. Neither put you your trust in Princes nor in the Sonne of man Psal. 146. for confidence in man is like a broken tooth Prou. 29. there is no help in him his breath doth depart and hee returneth to his earth then his thoughts perish Psal. 146. 4. Cursed is the man that trusteth in man and doth make Flesh his arme and with-drawth his heart from the Lord. Ierem. 17. 5. The Christians Prayer for Grace to obay this Command O Lord who dost preserue the state of the righteous and art the hope of Israel seeing all that forsake thee shall be confounded and they that depart from thee shall be written in the earth it is good for me to draw neere vnto thee O Lord therefore be thou my strong rock wherunto I may alwyes resort be thou the glory of my strength that by thy fauour my horne may be exalted for my shield appertaineth to the Lord and my King is the holy One of Israel Haue mercy on me O God haue mercy on me for my soule trusteth in thee and in the shadow of thy wings will I trust till these afflictions ouerpasse Giue me help against trouble for vaine is the help of man and let thy mercy be vpon me as I trust in thee through Iesus Christ. Amen The Christians Practise of this Command TRuely the hope of hils is but vaine and the multitude of mountaines but in the Lord our God is the health of Israell Ieremie 3. 23. Some trust in Chariots and some in Horses but I will remember the name of God my Lord Psal. 20. 7. The eternall God is my refuge and vnder his armes I am for euer Deutro 33. 27. I will not say to the wedge of Gold thou art my confidence Iob. 31. 34. but O Lord thou art my fort my strength and my refuge in the day of affliction Ierem. 16. 9. I trust not in my Bow nor my sword thou sauest me from mine aduersaries Psal. 44. 6. My defence is in the munition of rocks Esay 33. 16. euen in the Lord who preserueth the vpright in heart Psal. 7. 10. he is my rocke my fortresse the horne of my saluation and my refuge Psal. 81. 21. he is the strength of my heart Psal. 73. 26. his Name is a strong tower Prou. 18. therefore I will trust in the Lord and will not feare what flesh can doe vnto me Psal. 56. 4. THE OBSERVATIONS IN a worldling feare and confidence consists not together the one of them weakeneth the other in a Christian it is not so his feare of God is not without confidence in God neither is his confidence in God without feare of God and of this it is euident that the confidence by which the feare of God is weakened and empayred is carnall and not Christian. Christian confidence is that grace of God whereby the beleeuing man rests so vpon the promises of God that in greatest commotions and temptation he abides fixed stedfast and vnmoued As a rocke in the Sea beaten with the waues which are raised by euery Winde so liues a Christian in the world an obiect of all tentations sometime impugned by trouble comming from God sometime by trouble comming from men and sometime by trouble comming from Sathan but in all these assured confidence sustaines him For in such troubles as come immediatelie from God it is the Nature of faith that by it his Children cleaues fastest to God when hee seemes sharpliest to put them from him they runne to the hand that strikes them and will know no other Come and let vs returne to the Lord for he hath spoyled and hee will heale vs he hath wounded and he will binde vs vp So deeply is the assurance of Gods truth rooted in their hearts that their conclusion is set downe with that holy man Iob albeit the Lord would slay me yet will I trust in him And as for all those troubles that come by men they consider that they are moderated by God according to that which our Sauiour said to Pilate Thou couldst haue no power ouer mee were it not giuen thee from aboue And in this by manifold experience hath God confirmed them For hee made the Barbarians courteous to Paul Artarxerxes fauourable to Nehemiah the keeper of the prison friendly to Ioseph yea the Lyons peaceable to Daniel Againe hee raised Absalom against Dauid to chastise him he made Pharaoh rigorous to Israel that so hee might winne them from the loue of Egipt Seeing it is so that their harts are ruled by God to like or dislike his Children as hee sees may be for their good why shall trouble comming from them disquiet vs And by the same consideration is the
therefore I will reioyce in the workes of thy hands O Lord Psal. 92. 4. THE OBSERVATIONS MAn by his fall lost not the naturall affections which GOD created in him but the rectitude and holinesse of his affections which now are moued in him no otherwise then members in a paraliticke body to wit out of order Neither doth the grace of Regeneration take away from man naturall affections but onely the peruerse inclination and disordered motion of them by restoring them againe to their originall rectitude and holinesse What the Nature of ioy is may better be felt then can be defined It is an affection of the soule whereby the soule vpon knowledge of some good eyther present or to come is inlarged as saith the Apostle or exalted as saith the Psalmist Ita vt animam prope exilire ad exterior a prorumpere dicas This ioy is eyther Naturall such as is the ioy of men vnregenerate or Spirituall such as is in the regenerate The Naturall man againe hath his ioy eyther in the gifts of God wickedly abused by himselfe or else in the baites of Sathan cunningly disguised for the Naturall man doth in such sort vse the gifts of God that hee neyther seeks nor finds comfort in God who gaue them and this is Idolatry to set vp in thy affection the creature before the Creator beside this he vseth not the creature after the will of him who gaue it but after the lust of his owne will and this also is sacriledge to abuse that to wicked and prophane ends which God created good and holy And hereof it comes to passe that vnto the wicked the good creatures become the meanes of their greater condemnation yea and oft-times also of their present confusion in this life The Lord most iustly suffering them to perish in the abuse of that creature wherein they reioyced more then in him and of this daily examples haue we before our eyes Thus Haman like a foole reioyced in his preferment specially that hee was bidden to the Banquet by Queene Esther not knowing that the same was the beginning of his fall thus Achitophel thinking by his wit to beare out an euill cause was snared thereby himselfe so Absalom carnally reioycing in his beautifull haire found it at length a rope to hang himselfe so the Philistims eating and drinking before Dagon and reioycing to make a play-foole of blind Sampson had their banquetting house by him made their buriall Yet the other obiect of their ioy is worse by which they ioy in the disguised baites of Sathan couered with a shew of deceitfull pleasures that endure but for a season but vnder it lurkes the hook that slaies them to death that endures for euer here is a most lamentable case to see men with a carnall ioy swallowing vp the pleasures of sinne which will be their perdition Lachrymarum causas tripudiantes peragunt ridentes mortis negotium exequâ—…ntur In this they are like Birds which lay downe their heads to take vp the cornes of Wheat cast to them by the Fowler but see not the snare which hee hath spread ouer to take them or like the Fish in the pleasant streame of Iordan taking pleasure in that same water which carryeth them that they know not of into the salt sea where incontinent they die As also this ioy arising of the pleasure of sinne is not vnproperly compared to the light of a candle which in burning consumeth that same which nourisheth it till at length both of them die together and the light end in darknesse and stinking smoake It is euen so with carnall ioy which consumeth by degrees those same things which nourish it as outward substance and strength of bodie and then being consumed it selfe endeth in fearefull anguish and perturbation But the ioy of the man regenerate hath these three properties first it is a great and solide ioy for he neuer layes it vpon any small thing God is the matter of his ioy secondly his ioy is internall whereas the heart of the wicked euen in laughing is sorrowfull the heart of the godly in mourning is ioyfull thirdly it is eternall and endures for euer where the ioy of the wicked is but like a point wherin there is no continuance The obiects of a Christians ioy are as I said first God and then those benefits which of his loue and mercie slow from him to vs in Christ Iesus these are either principal or secondary Principall benefits wherein the Christian reioyceth are Election Calling Iustification Sanctification deliuerance in tentations which breedes experience and experience begets and encreaseth a sure and liuely hope of our Glorification which maketh our ioy to abound Secondary benefits are also the matter of the Christians ioy according to that Deu. 26. 11 Not so much for the gifts themselues as for that they are giuen of God tokens of his fatherly loue and pledges of better things to come Where it is to be marked that in one and the selfe same externall gift where the Naturall man is onely delighted with the goodnesse of the thing it selfe the Spirituall man is much more refreshed with the sense of Gods loue from which the gift came then he is with the gift it selfe The Censure But the want of this disposition proues that all are not Christians indeed who vsurpe the Christian name CHAPTER X. Of his Griefe The Lords Command BLessed are they that mourn for they shall be comforted Math. 5. The sacrifices of God are a contrite Spirit a contrite and a broken heart the Lord despiseth not Psal. 51. 17. Set a marke on the fore-head of them that mourne and cry for all the abhominations that are committed in the Citie Ezech. 9. 4. It is better to goe to the house of mourning then to the house of banquetting because this is the end of all men and the liuing shall lay it to his heart Eccle. 7. 4. Mourne yee therefore with them that mourne for if one member suffer allought to suffer with it 1. Cor. 12. 26. But be not grieued with the Lords correction for he correcteth those whom he loueth Prou. 3. 11. But concerning them who are asleepe sorrow not as others doe which haue no Hope 1. Thes. 4 13. The Christians Prayer for Grace to obay this Command O Lord thou to whom heauen is for a throne and the earth for a foot-stoole and yet hast said in thy word that thou wilt looke vnto him that is of a poore and contrite spirit and trembleth at thy words create I beseech thee in me a cleane heart and renue a right spirit within mee fill my head with water and make mine eyes a fountaine of teares that I may weepe both night and day recounting my former sinnes in the bitternesse of my heart and so may now sow in teares that after this I
Sathans instruments Gregor Moral lib. 13. cap. 15. 18 It is great weaknes to be prouoked to wickednes by wicked men Tertul. de Patient 19 Wee should not sight against Sathan with his own armour 20 He that cannot suffer euil words how will he suffer a sharper crosse 21 A good conscience and a good name are both necessary and why Aug. ad frat in Erem serm 53. Philo. lib. d◅ migratione Abrahae 22 But no innocency can defend vs against the tongues of wicked men 23 It is Sathans work to obscu◅e the good name of Gods children Cyp Antoniano frat Epist. 52. 24 Hs is poore that stands in need of another mans praise 25 How the Christian depends not vpon the estimation of other men Amb. offic lib. 1 cap. 5. 26 Troubles comming immediately from God are most patiently to be borne Ioh. 27. 27 Seeing we suffer willingly corrections from men y◅a the cutting of our flesh it is a shame not to suffer Gods corrections 28 A rebuke of those that cannot abide to be touched with any wrong Micah 7. 4. Carnall anger forbidden and the manifold euils that come by it Holy Anger allowed a Esay 43. 21. b Psal. 119. 73. c Esay 32. 15. d Esay 38. 3. e Psal. 25. 8. f Gal. 5. 20. g 1. Pet. 3. 4. h Iam. 3. 13. The Christian is gouerned by the word of the Lord. He is gentle toward all men euen those that are contrarie minded But yet so that hee is z◅lous I The holy Spirit appeared first in the likenes of a Doue after that in likenesse of Fire 2 Teaching vs meeknesse in our owne cause but burning zeale in the cause of God 3 Anger a natural affection created by God in man 4 Anger is eyther carnall or spirituall Gregor Moral lib. ◅ Sect. 125. 5 For the commotion of the minde is according to the mouer thereof Nazian Cygneorum ca◅minum lib. Ibid. 6 Anger stirred by Sathan is eyther without a cause or without moderation 7 What a compound euil carnal anger is Nazian ibid. 8 It makes a man vsurpe the roome of God 9 It makes a man like vnto Sathan Nazian ibid. For a man cannot keepe the meeknes of God and malice of Sathan together 10 It shakes off all reuerence of man Gregor Moral lib. 34. 17. 11 Compared to a raging riuer and to that destroying beast in Daniel How it deformeth the body 12 How it disturbeth the soule Gregor Moral lib. 5. cap. 121. 13 How it interrupts prayer and cuts off fellowship with God Ibid. 14 The Apostles precept serues for a remedie against this euill 15 Three things considered in the precept 16 A holy anger which is commended 17 Three helpes against carnall anger 18 The first is determinate silence Many men ignorantly make their aduersaries their maisters learning at them how to speake euill for euill 19 How meeknesse patience ouer-come stormie words Nazian 20 The second help is consideration 21 Consider thou hast deserued more contempt then man can lay on thee Naz. Cyg car 22 How all the euill words of men whether they be true or false are to be receiued Aug. cont Pet. lib. 3. cap. 10. 23 It is vnreasonable for vs to seeke reuenge seeing Christ and his Saints are not yet reuenged 24 It is also hurtfull all carnall reuenge being like that of Thamers 25 The Patience of Christ stands for an example of patience to vs. 26 In all our wrongs we are to consider Sathan as our principall enemie 27 For the wicked are his members moued by him 28 Remedy against carnall Anger 29 Three sorts of men diuersly disposed tovvard Anger Gregor Moral lib. 5. sect 122. 30 It is humane srailty to conceiue Anger but a diuellish thing to keepe it 31 The vvicked are like bryers and thornes that prick euery one vvho touch them 32 It is farre othervvise vvith the children of God It is not enough to keepe the heart for God hee vvill haue the seruice of the body also Let them marke it vvho thinke they may bovv their knee to Baal Professors liuing prophanely dishonour God shame the Gospell but it shall turne to their ovvne shame in the end A good life is the best defence of a Christian. a Psal. 119. 135. b 2 Thes. 1. 11. c Phil. 2. 15. d Psal. 138. 8. e 2 Thes. 1. 11. It is a great shame if novv professing Christ vvee bring not forth the fruit of godlinesse seeing vvhen vve vvere in the estate of Nature vve vvere fruitfull to sinne Let carnall Christians be ashamed to read this 1 Now followes the disposition of his outward man 2 For first the soule is renued and then the body restored 3 The regeneration of the body consists in two things 1. A restitution of it to original glory 2. A sanctification of all the members thereof 4 The Christian is like the Angels holy both within and without Gregor Moral lib. 19. Sect. 30. 5 A Christian should be knowne by all the parts of his life Chrisost. in Mat. hom 4. 6 Many Christians now being tryed by the parts of their behauiour will be found counterfait He is a poore man who hath his tongue onely and not his deeds to defend him 7 How an euill life is an argument of an euill heart Mar. hom 15. God should dwell in the Eare as in the doore of his owne Temple The Eare of the wicked is open to Sathan but closed to God What blessings are promised to them who lend their eare to the Lord. a Iob. 33. 16. b Iob. 36. 10. c Esay 6. 10. d Ierem. 6. 10. e Psalm 40. 8. f Esay 50. 4. g Luke 8. 15. The eare is the taster of the soule Let such as delight not to heare the word of the Lord be ashamed 1 Suppose the minde be diuine yet the good in it could not be communicated without an Organ 2 Man first made for God secondarily for man 3 Therefore hath God giuen him a minde by which he hath intelligence with God and bodily organes by which he hath intelligēce with men 4 For by the tongue we giue and by the eare we receiue intelligence 5 The fabrick of mans eare teacheth him to be ready to heare 6 But to heare onely such things as come from God 7 The wicked haue an eare for Sathan but none for the Lord. Psal. 58. 4. Iere. 6. 10. Esay 6. 10. Zach. 7. 11. 8 An eare opened to God is a great grace 9 How the Christian closeth his eare vpon Sathan 10 As he wil not carry sathan in his tongue to lye so not in his eare to receiue a false report 11 The author hearer and reporter of lies compared together 12 The eare is the taster of the soule 13 A Christian mesureth words by their owne weight not by the qualitie of the speaker 14 Great folly to reiect the word of God for the basenesse of the person that speakes it 15 As the eare was the first port of death so is
it made the first port of life 16 Seeing Christ delights in our voyce it is a double sinne for vs not to delight in his 17 It is noâ—… inough to heare we must take heed how we heare for some heare malitiously to trap the Preacher 18 Others heare for curiositie not for Conscience 19 Some heare vnprofitably 20 Compared to vessels that run out 21 In the body the eare the tongue and the hand are not farre a sunder to teach vs what we heare and professe wee should practise The eyes of fooles are in the corners of the world They are cast vpon that which is nothing Eyes for couetousnesse can neuer be satisfied Eyes ful of adultery Eyes of pride Eyes of disdaine All these are abhomination to the Lord and abhorred by the christian a Psal. 67. 1. b Rom. 3. 18. c Prou. 20. 12. d Psal. 34. 11. e Psal. 119. 37. f Iob. 31. 1. g Esay 17. 7. h 2 Tim. 4. 18. How the Christian gouerneth his eyes according to the will of his maister 1 The heart cannot be kept vnlesse the senses be kept 2 Two sorts of euill in man 1. innatum 2 seminatum 3 Both of these haue their course by the senses for euill bred within vs breakes out by the senses 4 And euill without vs is conuayed in by the senses specially by the eye and eare 5 A Christian like a besieged citie that hath traitors within 6 We haue need therfore to watch that these two armies of euils doe not meet within vs. 7 We must fortifie our selues against both 8 It is best to sight against the beginnings of euils with in vs. 9 The soule cannot be kept if Sathan possesse the ports of the Bare and the Eye 10 The Eye sees not it selfe and therefore hath need of the help of another 11 The couering made by God for the eye warnes vs it should not be open to euery obiect 12 Two rules good for gouernment of the eye The first rule is that wee looke to God before wee looke to the creature 13 For as God hath giuen vs an eye to see his works so an eye to see himselfe 14 How Adams eyes were opened after the fall 15 So are the eyes of his miserable posteritie 16 Man by nature looketh as the beast regarding nothing but the belly 17 As Euah considered no more in the apple but that it was good for meat 18 Creatures far abused by naturall men to couetousnesse 19 Creatures also to an euill gouerned eye are the snares of concupiscence Gregor Moral lib. 21. 20 As the heart is so iâ—… the eye Ambr. de poenit lib. 1. cap. 14. 21 The second rule is that wee acquaint our eyes with tears so shall they not be carryed away easily with vanitie 22 Euery creature presenteth to vs some matter of mourning 23 Why the apparent beautie of the creature should not delight vs. How our tongue should be gouerned in speaking to God Swearing forbidden Presumptuous speaking condemned Babling and much talking condemned Cursed and froward speaking All lying and backbiting forbidden Filthy prophane speaking Generally all corrupt communication forbidden a Psal. 141. 3. b Psal. 119. 43. c Psal. 51. 15. d Psal. 71. 8. e Psal. 19. 14. How the Christian vseth his tongue to the honouring and praising of God Let them be ashamed who delight to speak of any subiect but not of Gods saluation How the Christian vseth his tongue to the edisication of others 1 The grace of regeneration doth goe through the whole man 2 Sinne hath taken away not the members but the right motion of them 3 Man naturally is diseased with a spirituall palsie 4 How necessarie the tongue is to the minde of man 5 The office of the tongue is to be a trench-man be tween hart hart 6 The tongue by Sathan diuided from the hart â—… A 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 on hath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 on the fall oâ—… 〈◊〉 8 The diuision of one mans heart from an other is a punishment of mans diuision from God 9 In great wisedome hath God hid one mans heart from an other 10 The diuision of tongues is also a punishment of mans sinne 11 Yet is it receiued for a blessed policie in the Popes Church which God laid on for a bitter curse 12 Diuision of the tongue from the heart is both a sin and a punishment of sinne 13 A world of wickednesse committed by the tongue 14 Not the halfe onely but our whole life is full of the sins of our tongue Nazian in deplor cal animae Basil. in Psal. 32. 15 By the tongue wee transgresse all the Commandements 16 Sins of the tongue against the first Commandement Exod. 5. 2. Esay 36. 14. Psal. 14. 1. Psal. 94. 7. 17 Cursing also by the name of the Diuell 18 The second Commandement transgressed by reuerent speaking of Idols 19 Vanitie of Idols knowne by Natures light 20 But much better by the light of the Word 21 The third Commandement transgressed by idle and vnreuerent vsing of Gods Name 22 Idle talking counted a necessary recreation 23 The time of grace should not be vainly spent 24 It is transgressed also by rash and vnnecessary swearing 25 Horrible oathes made customable 26 How a certaine Iudge tryed the right childe of a dead father 27 Not vnlike as Salomon tryed the right mother of a dead childe 28 By this same rule godlesse swearers are proued not to be the sonnes of God 29 The fourth Commandement transgressed by rashnesse in prayer Eccles. 5. 1. 30 Or by speech in hipocrisie 31 The tongue not right ordered toward God will neuer be right ordered toward man 32 Three comely ornaments of our speech toward all ment 33 In speaking to our superiors wee must vse reuerence 34 Against the sixt commandement murther committed by the tongue 35 How an euill tongue is described by Dauid 36 The seauenth commandement transgressed by filthy speaking Basil. de legend lib. Gentil Gregor Moral lib. 7. sect 21. 37 Of all purposes Gods Spirit speakes in a holy manner 38 They are led with an vncleane spirit who speak filthily 39 The â—…yght Commandement is transgressed by flattery or back-biting 40 Sathan laboreth to defame the name where he cannot corrupt the conscience 41 The ninth Commandement transgressed by lying 42 Lying with dissimulation belongs to the feed of the Serpent 43 This is the shame of the Popes Church 44 Two necessary rules for gouernment of our speech 45 First that before we speake we vse meditation 46 Next that in speaking we vse moderation The great bountifulnesse of God appeares in that hee hath made all his creatures to serâ—…e for mans vse But hee will not haue vs to vse them with any excesse Nor to take them from others by oppression Neither yet to take them from himselfe without thanksgiuing a Psal. 145. 15. b Psal. 136. 25. c Psal. 147. 9. Iob. 39. 3. d Prou. 30. 8. e Psal. 69. 22. f Hose 13. 6. g Ephes. 3. 16. h Iob. 6.