Body a bloody sweat And his externall sufferings as his betraying by his owne Apostle his apprehension by his cruell enemies who haled him before the Iudgement seat as a malefactour who was the Lord our righteousnesse falsly accused him who had committed no sinne and in whose mouth there was no guile vniustly condemned him who was iust and innocent mocked and scorned him blindfolded and buffeted him reuiled and spit vpon him clothed him with purple and crowned him with thornes whipped and tormented him crucified and killed him And here we may meditate of this kind of death which was most bitter and painfull ignominious and shamefull accursed and vncomfortable seeing he suffered not only a bodily death but the wrath of God which is the death of the soule and was vtterly emptyed as the Apostle speaketh Phil. 2. 8. of all diuine comfort and was as a man forlorne and forsaken of God in his owne sense and apprehension which made him to cry out vpon the Crosse My God my God why hast thou forsaken me Thus also wee haue matter of meditation from those things which followed his death as from his triumph vpon the Crosse ouer the wrath of God the curse of the Law Satan death hell and all the enemies of our saluation in respect of the vertue of his merits From his descension and buriall whereby he was held for a time vnder the arrest of death From those things likewise which were done by him in his state of exaltation as his Resurrection mansion vpon the earth for the space of forty dayes teaching and instructing his Disciples in those things which appertained to his Kingdome His Ascension sitting at the right hand of God and there making intercession for vs. And that which followeth of all these as the generall effect and fruit of them all the great worke of our Redemption So haue we matter of meditation from Christs Kingly Office by which sitting at the right hand of his Father in all glory maiesty and power hee raigneth ouer all the world and more peculiarly ouer his Church And heere we may meditate vpon the parts of his Kingly Office which are his speciall administration and generall and last Iudgement In the former wee may consider the gouernment of his Church and the abolition of the kingdome of darknesse In that we may meditate on his calling and gathering of it out of the world and the consecration of it being gathered by his presence and protection prouiding for it all necessaries and preseruing it from all dangers where we may take occasion to meditate vpon all Gods blessings and benefits both temporall spirituall and eternall which he hath and will bestow generally vpon his whole Church and also vpon those which he hath particularly and in speciall manner vouchsafed vnto vs both in our preseruation from euill and fruition of good The abolition of the kingdome of darknes is the ouerthrow and destruction of all his enemies and especially that grand aduersary Antichrist the whore of Babylon §. Sect. 7 Of the externall meanes of executing Gods Decree of Election Moreouer we may haue plentifull matter of meditation from the externall meanes of executing the Decree of our Election As from the Couenant of grace made with vs in Christ wherein the Lord hath promised that he will be our God and wee shall be his people the remission of our sinnes and saluation of our soules grace and all good things in this life and euerlasting happinesse in the life to come vpon the alone condition of faith which being liuely and effectuall bringeth forth the fruits of vnfained repentance So also from the meanes whereby this Couenant is administred namely the ministery of the Word and administration of the Sacraments Baptisme and the Lords Supper both which affoord vnto vs plentifull matter of meditation From the degrees likewise of the executing Gods Decree of Election and Reprobation As the loue and free grace of God in Christ and the degrees of the declaration of this loue both in this life and afterwards The first degree in this life is our effectuall calling the parts whereof are our election and separation from the world Gods donation giuing Christ vnto vs to be our Sauiour and vs to Christ to be saued by him and finally our insition into Christ and vnion with him From the meanes of executing this our calling which is the sauing hearing of the Word the softening of our hard hearts making them humble contrite penitent and sorrowfull for sinne which are all preparatiues to our sound conuersion and regeneration whereby wee who were dead in sinne are quickened and reuiued by the Spirit of God effectually applying vnto vs the vertue of Christs death and Resurrection From the worke of grace thus begun in vs we may haue much profitable matter of meditation As of the illumination of our minds with sauing knowledge of iustifying faith with the causes effects degrees properties and signes of it our iustification by faith in Christ our reconciliation and adoption and manifold other priuiledges of the faithfull of which I shall haue occasion to speak hereafter The speciall fruits of faith respecting our Iustification as our entrance into grace by which wee stand the loue of God shed abroad in our hearts confidence free accesse to the Throne of grace peace of conscience ioy in the holy Ghost and an holy glorying in Gods benefits The fruits of faith respecting our adoption as the Spirit of adoption hope Christian liberty So also we haue excellent matter of meditation from our sanctification the causes effects degrees properties meanes and signes of it and from the speciall parts of it our mortification vnto sinne and vinification to newnesse of life From the imperfection of our sanctification which is but begun in this life and to be perfected in the life to come and that by reason hereof the reliques of all sorts of sinne doe still remaine in vs blindnesse in our mindes errour in our iudgments impurity in our consciences forgetfulnesse in our memories rebellion in our willes security impenitency infidelity and hardnesse in our hearts corruption and disorder in our affections and by reason of all these many sinnes breaking out into our actions And heere we may meditate of those speciall sinnes and corruptions whereunto our natures are most prone and wherewith wee are most often ouertaken and of the meanes whereby we may mortifie and subdue them that they may no longer beare this sway in vs as in former times So also wee haue heere occasion to meditate of our begun sanctity in all our parts and actions of the internall holinesse of our natures and the change that is wrought in vs by repentance from euill to good from corruption to grace the which is to be obserued in all our inward faculties as the holinesse of our minds and vnderstandings in their spirituall illumination whereby they become wise and prudent in the things appertaining to God and our saluation the purging of our
duties which they command and committing the sinnes which they forbid Whereof I shall not need heere to set downe the particulars according to which triall is to bee made seeing I haue done it already in the former part of this Treatise vnto which I referre the Reader who desireth to make vse of it for this purpose Only let vs know that the Law of God being a most perfect abstract of his will doth containe in it all vertues which he commandeth and vices which he forbiddeth and though it be briefe in words yet as Dauid saith it is in the sense and meaning exceeding Psal 119. 96. large And therefore when we goe to examine our selues according vnto it we must not looke so much to the bare words of euery Commandement as to their sense being inlarged according to the rules of extention which are grounded vpon the Scriptures and euen vpon reason and common equity As first where any vice or sinne is forbidden there the contrary vertue or duty is commanded and contrariwise Secondly where one particular vice is forbidden or duty commanded there all vices or duties of the same nature and kinde are forbidden or commanded as our Sauiour hath taught vs in his exposition of the Law Thirdly Mat. 5. 21 22 the Law being perfect doth require perfect obedience of the whole man and euery part inward and outward soule and body so also whole obedience vnto all and euery Commandement for hee that breaketh one of Iam. 2. 10. them is guilty of all and not onely that our obedience bee whole and totall in respect of the parts but also in respect of degrees that it bee in that perfection which this perfect Law requireth Fourthly the Law being spirituall and hauing a spirituall sense and power doth binde not Rom. 7. 14. onely the outward man to externall obedience but also the soule and secret thoughts the heart and conscience Yea the first and last Commandements haue a large extent aboue all the rest reaching euen to our thoughts and first motions which haue not the consent of will ioyned with them Fifthly where any vertue or vice is commanded or forbidden there also all the meanes and occasions are commanded or forbidden Sixthly where any duty is commanded or vice forbidden there also the signes of them both are also inioyned or prohibited for wee must haue a good conscience both before God and also before men and auoyd not Act. 24. 16. onely the euill it selfe but also all appearance of it And lastly the common rule of charity binding vs to loue our neighbours as our selues and that God may be glorified in their obedience as well as our owne the Law of God requireth that wee should not onely obserue all that is contriued Psal 119. 139. in it our selues but also prouide as much as in vs lyeth that it bee likewise obserued by our neighbours yea euen by our enemies §. Sect. 5 How we must aggrauate our sins in respect of circumstances And if by helpe of these rules we inlarge the Law of God according to the true sense and meaning of it and examine our selues answerably in all the duties which it commandeth and all the vices and sinnes which it forbiddeth we shall heereby come to a cleere and liuely sense and feeling of our sinnes in all the sorts and kinds of them vnto which when we haue in some measure attained we must then further examine our selues how often and innumerable times we haue reiterated and multiplyed the same sinnes against euery of Gods Commandements in thought word and deed And then wee shall plainely see that our sinnes in number exceed the haires of our head and the starres of heauen Which when we haue done we must in the next place consider how haynous they haue many of them beene in respect of their quality and degree Where we are carefully to take heed that we doe not as corrupt nature pride and selfe-loue perswade the most excuse minse and extenuate our sinnes but that wee looke vpon them in their naturall vglinesse and outragiousnesse and aggrauate them by all their circumstances of persons manner time place and the meanes which God hath giuen vs to preserue vs from committing them or of raising vs out of them by repentance As that wee haue thus and thus sinned not onely when wee were the vassals of Satan vncalled and vnregenerate with full consent of will and with all delight and cheerefulnesse but since wee were called regenerate and inlightened by Gods Spirit and since we haue giuen our names to Christ and professed our selues to be his seruants we haue oftentimes done seruice vnto Satan his arch-enemy by committing many sinnes not onely through frailty and infirmity either through ignorance or because we were taken vpon the sudden and at vnawares but oftentimes wittingly and willingly against knowledge and conscience yea sometime wilfully being transported with the violence of our carnall lusts and passions and as it were with an high hand against God That we haue thus sinned not onely in secret committing that wickednesse in Gods presence which wee would haue forborne in the presence of a mortall man but also openly and scandalously to the dishonour of God and slander of our profession That wee haue not seldome falne into these sinnes but often and many times yea euen after that we haue repented of them and haue resolued vowed and promised that we would leaue and forsake them That we haue committed these sinnes not against an enemy a stranger or one of meane condition like vnto our selues but against God omnipotent in power and glorious in Maiesty and vnto vs so infinite in grace and mercy that with all other blessings which we inioy or hope for he hath giuen the Sonne of his loue vnto vs and for vs that he might by his death worke that great worke of our Redemption and giue vnto vs life and happinesse who were the slaues of Satan dead in our sinnes enemies to God and our owne good and the children of wrath as well as others That we haue not by strong inducements beene drawne to offend so great and gracious a God but for meere trifles and the contemptible wages of worldly vanities That wee haue committed these sinnes being the members of Iesus Christ our Head and so as much as in vs did lie haue defiled him with the taint of our sinnes and drawne him as much as we could into communion with vs in our wickednesse that shed his precious blood to purge and purifie vs that we might be holy and without all blemish of sinfull pollution That we haue by our sinnes grieued the good Spirit in vs vexing him who is our Comforter by quenching his good motions and obeying the suggestions of Satan and the lusts of our sinfull flesh That we haue thus sinned and hauing falne haue lien in our sinnes without repentance notwithstanding the plentifull meanes which God hath granted of grace and sanctification As the
neglect of the duties of thy seruice and our weake imperfect performances when we haue vndertaken them our profanation of thy Sabbaths and abuse of thine holy Ordinances our little profiting by those plentifull meanes of our saluation which for a long time thou hast graciously affoorded vs either for the increasing of sauing knowledge the strengthening of our faith or bringing forth fruits of new obedience our want of faith and feruency of spirit in calling vpon thy Name our want of reuerence and attention in hearing thy Word our many distractions and wandring thoughts our want of care to treasure it vp in our hearts and of conscience to make an holy vse of it in our liues and conuersations By all which and innumerable other sinnes we acknowledge good Lord that we haue iustly deserued to be depriued of all meanes of our saluation and that thou shouldest take away from vs the food of our soules and cause them to perish through Spirituall famine or that thou shouldest turne our meate into poyson and make it to become the sauour of death to our deeper condemnation which in it owne nature is the sauour of life vnto life and thine owne strong power vnto saluation But wee beseech thee good Lord for thy Sonnes sake to be gracious vnto vs in the free pardon of these and all other our sinnes and seeing hee hath fully satisfied thy Iustice by that all-sufficient sacrifice which he hath once offered vpon his Crosse be reconciled vnto vs in him and clense vs thorowly from the guilt and punishment of all our sinnes that they may not be as a wall of separation to stop from vs thy blessings nor as strong chaines to pull downe vpon vs thy iudgements and punishments either in this world or in the world to come And being thus freed from all our sinnes let vs deuote our selues wholly to thy seruice which that we may performe with greater cheerfulnesse and diligence let vs haue the comfortable assurance of this thy mercy in the remission of our sinnes sealed in our hearts by thy good Spirit witnessing vnto vs that we are thy children by adoption and grace And thereby not only seale vs vp vnto the Day of our Redemption but also sanctifie vs throughout in our bodies and soules by the mortification of the flesh and our spirituall quickening in the inner man that wee may in the whole course of our liues serue and please thee But in a more especiall manner we beseech thee good Lord to sanctifie vs that we may sanctifie this thy Sabbath and assist vs by thy grace and holy Spirit that wee may so performe the religious duties of thy seruice as that wee may bee made more holy and inabled vnto the leading of such a Christian life as may bee acceptable in thy sight Take away from vs the corruption of our natures wherby we are made backward and vntoward to the duties of thy seruice and make vs willing to sequester our selues from all worldly affaires that we may wholly be imployed in them Let vs reioyce in thy Sabbaths as being the time of our spirituall refection and the market of our soules and let vs not rest in a formall keeping of them but performe the duties required in them with all care and good conscience not onely in the outward man but with our hearts and soules in spirit and truth Free vs from carnall wearines as thinking the time long till they be past but knowing that time to be best spent which is imployed in thy seruice let vs take most comfort and contentment in it Inable vs good Lord by priuate preparation to fit our selues for thy publike seruice meditating on our wants that we may vse all good meanes whereby they may be supplyed and on our speciall sins corruptions that we may get spiritual strength against them and imploring the assistance of thy good Spirit that we may be inabled thereby to performe in an holy manner all duties which thou requirest Let vs keep an holy Rest vnto thee and abstaine not only from the ordinary workes of our callings and worldly affaires but also from all carnall pleasures and sensual delights Suffer not our thoughts to be taken vp with worldly or wicked cogitations but let our minds bee exercised in spirituall and heauenly meditations Set a watch before our mouthes that we may not on thine holy Day speak our owne words nor vtter any idle vaine worldly or wicked speeches but let our tongues speak to thy praise and be exercised in holy religious conferences tending to the mutuall edification one of another Let vs not content our selues with a meere cessation from our labours but refer this Rest to holinesse as the maine end thereof without which the outward rest is but vaine and with the externall let vs ioyne the internall rest from sin exercising our selues in repentance from dead workes Make vs carefull in vsing all good means which thou hast ordained for the sanctifying of thy Day both publikely and priuately and let vs with one hart and voyce ioyne with the rest of the Congregation in all the parts of thy seruice Inable all thy Ministers in all places and him especially to whose charge thou hast committed vs that they may break vnto vs the Bread of life and rightly diuide thy Word for our spirituall nourishment Furnish them with all gifts and graces necessary for their high calling and let them deliuer thy truth as in thy presence faithfully and powerfully truly and sincerely and so assist them with the inward working of thine holy Spirit that thy Word may be effectual for the conuersion edification and saluation of their hearers Inable vs by the same Spirit to call vpon thee with faith feruency and with all loue and thankfulnes to praise thee for all thy blessings vouchsafed vnto vs. Let vs with all due reuerence attention heare thy Word lay it vp in our harts and memories and bring forth the fruits of it in our liues and conuersations Giue vs grace also O Lord to sanctifie thy Sabbaths priuately by performing by our selues and in our owne families those priuate duties which are specially required on this thy Day Let vs meditate on thy Word after we haue heard it and apply it vnto our selues for our owne vse Let vs meditate on thy maruellous works of Creation Preseruation and Redemption but especially on the death and Resurrection of our Lord and Sauiour that they may be effectuall to mortifie our sins and to quicken vs vnto newnes of life Let vs spend our time in religious exercises and in the works of charity mercy as being those sacrifices wherein thou most delightest but especially in those spirituall duties which tend to the saluation of our owne and others soules taking care not onely to sanctifie thine holy Day our selues but as much as in vs lyeth that it may be sanctified by all those who any wayes belong to our charge Accept of our praise and thanksgiuing
this day past in all the duties of thy seruice which we haue performed vnto thee But seeing we doe acknowledge our wants and weaknesses and doe bewaile them with vnfained sorrow we beseech thee deare God accept of vs in Iesus Christ according to thy gracious promises couering all our imperfections with his most perfect obedience and washing away our corruptions in that pure Fountaine of his precious blood In him accept of our poore desires and indeuours to doe thee seruice seeing what is wanting in vs is abundantly supplyed by his absolute and all-sufficient righteousnesse which is made ours by faith And that we may for the time to come performe seruice vnto thee with more diligence and cheerfulnesse let thy Spirit witnesse vnto our spirit that thou hast forgiuen all our sins past passed by and couered all our infirmities and frailties and doest graciously accept of vs in thy Best-beloued And with the same thine holy Spirit prosper and perfect thine owne good worke of grace and sanctification which thou hast begun in vs. Thou seest Lord how we are hampered and fettered in the chaines of our corruptions which so distract and hinder vs in all holy duties that we performe them with much discouragement and little ioy Helpe vs O God of our saluation and breake in sunder these chaines of sin that being set at liberty we may with all alacrity and delight run the way of thy Commandements and esteeme it our meate and drinke to doe thy will To this end assist vs good Lord by thine holy Spirit thereby sanctifie vnto vs thine holy Ordinances and meanes of our saluation that they may be effectuall for the effecting perfecting of thine own good work of grace and sanctification in vs. Apply vnto vs powerfully thy Word which either this day or any other time we haue heard that it may inlighten our minds with sauing knowledge sanctifie our hearts and affections that they may be more and more weaned from the loue of the world earthly vanities and fixed vpon spirituall heauenly things and may be effectuall for the reforming of our liues and conuersations and the strengthening of vs vnto all duties of a godly life that so being not only hearers of thy Word but also doers of it we may be assured of eternall blessednesse Let vs walke worthy our high and holy calling and in all things adorne our Christian profession that by our holy and vnblameable liues we may gaine others to thy Kingdome Let vs exceed all others as much in spirituall graces and in bringing foorth the fruits of new obedience as we are preferred before them through thy free grace in outward priuiledges and in the gracious meanes of our saluation and as thou doest continually sow in our hearts the seed of thy Word and water it with the dew of thine holy Spirit so let vs answerably grow in grace from one measure to another till we come to a perfect age in Iesus Christ Do not only pardon graciously all our wants and weaknesses which either this day or heretofore we haue shewed in the duties of thy worship seruice but inable vs for the time to come to performe them daily with more more perfection and grant that we may so sanctifie thy Sabbaths heere vpon earth as that we may be assured that we shal keep an eternall Sabbath with thee in thy glorious Kingdom Finally we beseech thee for thy Christ his sake to take vs this night euer into thy gracious protection therby preserue vs from all perils and from the malice of all our enemies spirituall and temporall Leaue vs not now vnto our selues but still assist vs with thy grace holy Spirit that we may performe the duties of thy Sabbaths which yet remaine in some good acceptable maner Season our hearts with those holy instructions and comforts which thou hast imparted vnto vs this day past make them faithful treasuries of these precious Iewels Let our minds whilst we are waking be so wholy taken vp with heauenly Meditations that euen our dreames may sauour of them in our deepest sleep let our minds and soules watch waite vpon thee Thou hast sowne good seed in our hearts O let not the enemy steale it away nor whilst we sleepe sow in them the malicious tares of euill and vaine thoughts and imaginations and so hinder the growth thereof Giue vs quiet moderate rest for the better refreshing of our bodies minds that so to morrow we may be inabled to perform such faithful seruice vnto thee in the generall duties of Christianity the speciall duties of our callings as may tend to thy glory and the euerlasting saluation of our owne soules And together with vs blesse thy whole Church and euery member thereof c. And vouchsafe both to them vs these and all other blessings which in thy wisdome thou knowest needful euen for Iesus Christ his sake to whom with thee thy blessed Spirit we acknowledge to be due frō our hearts desire to giue all glory and praise both now euermore Amen A Prayer before receiuing the Sacrament of the Lords Supper O Lord our God who art infinite in goodnesse grace and mercy most true in all thy promises and most iust and powerfull in performance thou hast when we were strangers and enemies subiect to the curse of the Law and liable to thy wrath by reason of our manifold and grieuous sinnes and vtterly vnable to free our selues out of the state of death and condemnation giuen vnto vs thine onely and deare Sonne to worke the great worke of our Redemption by his perfect satisfaction death and obedience By whom thy Iustice being fully satisfied and thy wrath appeased thou hast made with vs in him thy Couenant of grace wherein thou hast promised the free pardon of our sinnes and the saluation of our soules grace in this life and glory and happinesse in the life to come vpon the alone condition of faith laying hold vpon Christ and his righteousnesse and bringing forth the fruits thereof in hearty repentance and amendment of life The which though it be in it selfe of most infallible truth yet hauing respect to our weakenesse doubting and infidelity thou hast beene graciously pleased to confirme it vnto vs by adding thereunto thy Seales the Sacraments So that nothing hath beene wanting on thy part either for the perfecting the great worke of our Redemption or the effectuall applying of it vnto vs for our vse and benefit But O Lord wee humbly confesse that as wee haue shamefully broken the Couenant of workes by fayling in the condition of perfect obedience and haue made voyd thy promises of life and happinesse by our grieuous and innumerable sinnes both originall and actuall so also as much as in vs lyeth wee haue depriued our selues of the benefits which thou offerest vnto vs in the new Couenant of grace in Iesus Christ by our manifold faylings wants and imperfections in
causeth vs not in pride and selfe-conceit to content our selues with that we haue but seeing our imperfections to labour in the vse of all good meanes after a greater measure till by attaining to one degree after another wee doe in the end obtaine with perfection of knowledge perfect happinesse But yet in this imperfect knowledge there are diuers degrees which accordingly are diuersly required that they may be acceptable vnto God and sufficient for vs and our saluation First in respect of the diuers times of illumination for in the twy-light of the Law when as the Sunne was not yet risen there was not so great a measure of knowledge required as in the broad day of the Gospel when as God requireth some proportion between our sight of knowledge and the light of his truth shining vnto vs. Otherwise wee can haue no assurance that we are in the number of his Church and of those Esa 11. 9. Ier. 31. 34. Ioel. 2. 28. with whom the Couenant of grace is made vnlesse the Prophecies foretold of such be verified in vs and among the rest that we who are taught by his Sonne and Spirit shall know God and his will in farre greater perfection then they did which were vnder the Pedagogie of the Law So in respect of the meanes God requireth a greater measure according to their greatnesse expecting much where he hath giuen much as more of those where the Gospell is freely and openly preached then of those who liuing in times of persecution haue it only by stealth and with many difficulties and dangers And in a flourishing Church such as ours is hee requireth the greatest measure where hee hath planted the most faithfull Ministerie And therefore in this cleere light of the Gospel and liberall meanes which God alloweth vs wee are to labour after a like measure of knowledge as the Apostle exhorteth the Colossians Let the Word of Christ Col. 3. 16. dwell in you richly in all wisedome to which end we must not cease to pray for our selues as the Apostle for them that wee may be filled with the knowledge Col. 1. 9. of Gods will in all wisedome and spirituall vnderstanding Finally that our knowledge may be acceptable there is a diuers measure required in respect of diuers callings As that the Ministers must exceed the people seeing they are appointed their teachers and guides and the Priests lips Mal. 2. 7. must preserue knowledge that the people may seeke the Law at their mouth That the rich exceed the poore because they haue more leasure liberty and opportunity to vse the meanes that the husband exceed the wife and the father the children because they are bound by their places to teach and instruct them And finally that they who haue beene long Schollers in Christs Schoole doe excell those who are nouices and but newly admitted for want of which proficiencie the Hebrews are sharply reprooued by Heb. 5. 12. the Apostle But yet wee are to know that in all true members of the Church who are of age and capacity it is required that they vnderstand the maine principles of Christian Religion which are contained in ordinary Catechismes that they may bee able to render an account of their 1. Pet. 3. 15. 1. Thes 5. 21. 1. Ioh. 4. 1. Act. 17. 11. faith to those that aske them to instruct those who are vnder their gouernment and to know and discerne the voyce of Christ from the voyce of a stranger to try the spirits whether they bee of God or no and not hand ouer head receiue whatsoeuer is deliuered by those who are in the habit and place of a Minister but to discerne at least in maine points necessary to saluation the sound doctrines of their faithfull teachers from the errours and vntruths of false seducers §. Sect. 2 Of the quality of our knowledge that must be effectuall The last thing required in our knowledge respecteth the quality of it that it be sanctifying effectuall and sauing knowledge Neither doth euery kind of knowledge make vs and our liues acceptable vnto God for 1. Tim. 1. 4. 6. 20. there is a false knowledge consisting in vaine speculations fables quirkes and conceits of wit endlesse and vselesse genealogies which minister questions rather then edifying which is in faith and making men rather more proud and contentious then more holy and religious which is odious vnto God And there is a litterall or speculatiue knowledge swimming in the braine which not being effectuall for the sanctifying of the 1. Cor. 13. 2. 8. 1. heart and amendment of the life doth not profit but rather hurt those that haue it pussing them vp with pride and making them disdaine those that want it The which as it increaseth their sinne because it is committed against knowledge and conscience and leaueth men without excuse so doth it make their punishment more grieuous and their condemnation more intolerable for the seruant that knoweth his masters will and doth Luk 12. 47. it not shall be beaten with many stripes and it shall bee more easie for Sodom Mat. 11. 21 22. Iohn 9. 41. and Gomorrah at the day of Iudgement then for Corazin and Bethsaida because hearing Christs Word and seeing his workes they repented not This knowledge though it be true in respect of the obiect which is the Word and truth of God yet is it vaine in regard of the effect being vneffectuall to a godly life and to the assuring vs of life eternall in which when we excell neuer so much yet shall wee come short of many wicked men who are in the state of death and condemnation yea of the deuils themselues who in theory and speculation know more then wee Yea in truth such knowledge is no better then ignorance in Gods estimate seeing we know onely so much in Christianity as we bring into vse and practice according to that of the Apostle Heereby we doe know that wee know God if we keepe his Commandements he that saith I know him and keepeth not 1. Iob. 2. 3. his Commandements is a lyer and the truth is not in him And againe Whosoeuer abideth in him sinneth not whosoeuer sinneth that is in whomsoeuer 1. Iob. 3. 6. sinne ruleth and reigneth hath not seene him neither knowne him §. Sect. 3 That sauing knowledge is necessary to a godly life And therefore if we would be accepted of God and haue our liues and wayes pleasing in his sight wee must not content our selues with such a Stude non vt plus alijs scias sed vt melius Seneca Tit. 1. 16. 1. Tim 4. 8. Ioh. 4. 24. Psal 16. 8. Gen. 5. 24. Gen. 17. 1. knowledge as swims in the braine but labour after such a sauing effectuall knowledge to be the guide of all our works and actions which maketh vse of all we know for the sanctifying of our hearts and affections and the reforming of our liues and conuersations For example
which might hinder vs as infidelity impenitencie carnall security worldly distractions and earthly-mindednesse prophanenesse and small esteeme of the Word excessiue eating or drinking conceite of our owne knowledge as though little or nothing could be added vnto it preiudice and forestalled opinions of our teachers hypocrisie curiosity itching Iam. 1. 21. Luke 18. 34. Acts 17. 20. 2. Tim. 4. 3. 1. Cor. 1. 11 12. eares factious affections whereby men haue the truth of God in respect of persons hearing or not hearing according to that opinion which they haue conceiued of him that speaketh And partly this preparation consisteth in vsing all good helpes and meanes which may enable vs to the carefull and conscionable hearing of the Word As to consider the waightinesse of the action which wee are about to performe namely an high and holy seruice vnto God which will further and seale vp vnto vs our saluation or condemnation and be either the sauour of life vnto life or of death vnto death soften vs like waxe or harden vs like clay and make vs one step neerer eyther to heauen or hell For Gods Word shall neuer returne voide but accomplish what he pleaseth and shall prosper in the thing whereto he sends it Secondly to meditate on the ends for Esa 55. 11. which we heare which are to glorifie God in the meanes of our saluation to be built vp in all sauing grace knowledge faith obedience loue of God zeale patience and the rest Thirdly we must examine our selues to finde out our sinnes that we may gather strength for the mortifying of them and our spirituall wants that we may haue them supplied in this spirituall market of our soules Fourthly we must renew our repentance Heb. 4. 2. that wee come not in our sinnes and our faith without which our hearing will not profit vs. Finally we must vse faithfull and feruent prayer that God will so assist with his holy Spirit the Minister in speaking and vs in hearing and sanctifie to our vse his holy ordinances that they may be effectuall to build vs vp in our most holy faith and more and more inrich vs with all sanctifying and sauing graces And being thus prepared our next duty is that setting aside all worldly impediments we resort vnto the holy assemblies to be made partakers of Gods holy Word that wee may profit thereby §. Sect. 5 Of the duties required in hearing and after we haue heard The second sort of duties respect the action of hearing it selfe vnto which is required that wee set our selues in the presence of God and 〈…〉 s. 10. 33. ◠Thes 2. 13. 〈…〉 4. 20. ◠19. 48. heare the Word preached not as the word of mortall man but as the Word of the euerliuing God with all feare and reuerence with all diligence and attention with alacrity and cheerefulnesse humility and a good conscience auoiding as much as lieth in vs all distractions wandring thoughts priuate reading dulnesse drowzinesse and carnall wearinesse Finally with hungring and thirsting after the foode of our soules and earnest desire to profit by it To which end we must apply and fit our selues to euery thing which is spoken to profit by it whether it be doctrine Luke 8. 15. 2 19. Pro. 4. 21. confutation reproofe or consolation receiue the Word into good and honest hearts and there reserue it as a precious treasure for our vse in the whole course of our liues and conuersation The third and last sort are those duties which are to be performed after we haue heard which are First to meditate on that which hath beene deliuered vnto vs that we may imprint it in our memories and worke it into our hearts Secondly conference with others that wee may be mutuall helpers for the vnderstanding remembring imbracing and practising of that which we haue heard Thirdly that we sanctifie the Word vnto our vse by effectuall prayer desiring that God will giue a blessing vnto it and make it effectuall by his Spirit for the inlightning of our minds the sanctifying of our hearts and affections and the reforming and amending of our sinfull liues Lastly we must on euery fit occasion call to mind what wee haue Rom. 2. 13. Iam. 1. 22. Luk. 8. 15. heard that we may bring it vnto vse and conscionably practise what wee haue learned §. Sect. 6 Of the administration of the Sacraments The third sort of duties required in this Commandement respect the administration of the Sacraments which are only two Baptisme and the Lords Supper Vnto both which it is generally required that they bee administred First by a lawfull Minister and no other Secondly only to those which are in the Couenant either the faithfull or their seede Thirdly that they be administred according to Christs institution without the mixture of humane inuentions More especially vnto the receiuing of the Lords Supper there is required that we receiue it worthily to which purpose diuers duties are required before in and after the Communion Before that wee duely prepare our selues for this holy action which consisteth first in an examination of our selues how we are qualified with such sauing graces as are necessary to the worthy receiuing of the Lords Supper the which are an hungring and thirsting after Christ and his benefits as after that spirituall foode which alone is sufficient to nourish vs to life euerlasting Secondly knowledge of the mayne principles of Christian Religion respecting either God or our selues without which we cannot discerne the Lords body no more then a blind man can by his bodily sight discerne the outward signes of bread and wine Thirdly faith in Iesus Christ approoued to be true and liuely by the fruits of it in the inward sanctification of our hearts and in our outward workes of piety mercy and righteousnesse Fourthly vnfained repentance consisting in an hearty sorrow for our sinnes past springing out of faith and the apprehension of the loue of God towards vs and a settled purpose and resolution not onely to leaue them for the time to come but also to serue the Lord in the contrary duties of holinesse righteousnesse and sobriety Fourthly loue and charity towards our neighbours approoued by our willingnesse and readinesse to giue vnto those that want and to forgiue those that offend Secondly after this examination there is required vnfained humiliation in the sight and sense of our wants and weakenesses especially in these sauing graces before spoken of Secondly an hungring after the meanes whereby they may be supplied especially the Sacrament which was purposely ordained to supply our wants and strengthen our weakenesse in these graces Thirdly humble confession of our sinnes in generall and especially of those which haue come to our mind in our examination wherein we renewed our faith and repentance Fourthly a stedfast resolution in our hearts and faithfull promise to God that if he will in Christ accept of vs though not prepared according to the preparation of the Sanctuary but
hearts with renewed ioyes in the holy Ghost and after that they are exhausted with our infirmities and miseries renewed faith will like afresh Rom. 14. 17. Heb. 12. 11. hand draw new supplies from God the fountaine of our ioy vntill they be replenished and ouerflow Yea it will make our ioy not like that of worldlings in the fact and not in the heart momentany and mutable like the cracking of thornes vnder a pot whilst the brushie fewell of prosperity feedeth it but constant and permanent euen in afflictions and Rom. 5. 3. Iohn 16. 22. nothing shall be able to take it from vs. It will fill our hearts daily with the comforts of the Spirit when as being daily renewed it doth afresh assure vs of our communion with God and that Christ and all his benefits doe belong vnto vs which either respect this life or the life to come §. Sect. 5 Of diuers other benefits which follow the daily renewing of our faith Fifthly the daily renewing of our faith is the most effectuall meanes of our vnfained repentance For what can bee so powerfull an argument to make vs mourne for our sinnes with bitter griefe as with the eye of faith to looke vpon him whom by our sinnes we haue pearced and through the wound in his side to see his heart so replenished with diuine loue and as it were supplying the place of that blood and water that issued out of it and what can make vs more hate sinne or to resolue to please God in all holy and righteous duties then beleeuing that the Lord being so infinitely iust and abhorring sin with such implacable hatred that he spared not his onely begotten and most dearely beloued Sonne but when he bore our sinnes caused him to beare also our griefes and sorrowes wounded him for our transgressions and bruized him with the paines of death and fearefull burthen of his wrath for our iniquities to beleeue also that he is towards vs so infinitely merciful that he gaue his Sonne to vs and for vs to suffer all these torments for a time that wee might not suffer them for euer that he wounded him for our transgressions that we might be healed by his hurts cleansed and purified from the guilt punishment and corruption of all our sinnes with the streames of his blood acquitted by his condemnation and reuiued by his death For who is so audaciously desperate as to dare by voluntarie sinning prouoke such a Iustice who is so hard-harted and vngratefull as would be inticed with the baites of worldly vanities to neglect in any thing to please so infinite a goodnesse So what can more powerfully moue vs to flee all sinne and to practise with all diligence all Christian duties of holinesse and righteousnesse then by faith not only to inioy Gods present blessings in their owne worth and excellency but as earnest pennies and first fruits pledges and pawnes of heauenly and eternall reward wherewith God of his free grace hath promised to crowne all our labours and Illi terrena sapiunt qui coelestia promissa non habent Illi breui huic vitae se totos implicent qui aeterna nesciunt c. Hieronym ad Celantiam holy indeuours whereas if there were no beliefe and expectation of reward wee should faint vnder the waight of afflictions languish in the performance of Christian duties which are so ill esteemed and accepted in the world and be wholy taken vp in the pursuite of earthly vanities because we haue entertained no better hopes For as one saith They sauour earthly things which beleeue not heauenly promises They wholy addict themselues to things that belong vnto this transitory life which apprehend not those things which are eternall They feare not to sinne who thinke that it shall haue no punishment and finally they become slaues to their vices who expect not the future rewards of vertue c. Sixthly by this daily renewing of our faith wee shall bee strengthened against all the tentations of our spirituall enemies so as they shall not be Ephe. 6. 17. able to hurt and wound vs whether these darts be cast against vs from the right hand or from the left For faith as an impenetrable Shield enableth vs to ouercome and beate back tentations arising from worldly prosperity whilst apprehending heauenly and euerlasting excellencies it maketh vs to contemne these base and momentanie vanities and the tentations which arise from crosses and afflictions by perswading vs that they are the straight way that leadeth to happinesse that they are not worthy Acts 14 22. Rom. 8. 18. 2. Cor. 4. 17. 2. Tim. 2. 12. the glory that shall be reuealed that these light and moment any afflictions worke for vs afarre more exceeding and eternall waight of glory and that if we suffer with Christ we shall also raigne with him Finally faith thus dayly renewed not onely effectually perswades vs vnto an holy resolution of leading a Christian and godly life but also powerfully enables vs to performeall the duties thereunto required with alacrity and cheerefulnesse ioy and delight for it moues vs to consecrate our selues wholy to the seruice of him who hath graciously redeemed vs out of the hands of all our spirituall enemies and to testifie our loue and thankefulnesse vnto him who hath done all this for vs by our new obedience It vnites vs vnto Christ and applieth vnto vs the vertue of his death by which sin is mortified and crucified in vs we vnto it to the world so that we wil no longer serue them in fulfilling worldly and carnall lusts and the vertue of his resurrection whereby we are enabled to rise from the death of sinne to holinesse and newnesse of life It giueth vnto vs with spirituall life spirituall motion it cleanseth and changeth our hearts and taking away the old it worketh in vs a new nature which is actiue and operatiue in all holy and righteous duties and diligent and cheerefull in the performance of them And whereas before we either did them not at all or but in outward shew formally and coldly and that not without much paines and difficuly it enableth vs now to performe them like naturall actions with much ease and delight so as wee can say with Dauid that the Law of God is our Psal 119. chiefe delight better vnto vs then thousands of gold and siluer and sweeter then the hony or hony-combe And with our Sauiour that it is our meate Iohn 4. 34. and drinke to doe the will of our heauenly Father And as vnnaturall motions are not without outward violence lasting no longer then it lasteth but natural are easie and permanent as the Sun shineth and the riuer runneth of their owne accord freely and without compulsion so by helpe of this new nature which faith worketh in vs our actions and motions in the waies of godlinesse are easie and pleasant which vnto corrupt nature were euen in respect of the outward act harsh and
our seruice shall bee accepted of him The sixth rule is that with all care and watchfulnesse wee preserue our zeale and deuotion in holy duties in their full strength and not suffer them to decline in any part of their heate and feruency seeing as in all things that are good declinations are dangerous so most of all in spirituall graces and holy duties which being no naturall habits but continually opposed by our inbred corruption and the malicious fury of all our spirituall enemies declinations in them doe speedily bring vs to headlong ruine the least remissions causing intermissions and these totall neglect and vtter defection An example whereof wee haue in the Church of Ephesus who falling from her first loue that is remitting Apoc. 2. 4 5. some degrees of the feruour and zeale of her affection and not repenting of it when by Christ shee was admonished stayed not in this first degree of declination for who can stay himselfe that is going downe the hill who besides his owne naturall pronenesse to goe on hath so many malicious enemies at his backe to thrust him forward but from one degree to another fell within a while to vtter Apostacie Neither must it in our declinations giue vs any comfort that we still retaine some parts and remainders of our former goodnesse for as no man can rise to any height of perfection but by degrees so neither any that hath had any shewes of goodnesse though meerely ciuill can at the very first become extremely euill but by degrees declineth till at last hee commeth to the height of wickednesse And as a small chinke in a ship doth not at first let in water enough to sinke it if it bee carefully looked to and the water pumped out as fast as it commeth in but if it bee neglected from a little rift groweth at last to a desperate leake so our small slips will not sinke our soules into the gulph of perdition if they bee quickly espied and carefully repented of and amended but if wee continue in them with carelesse neglect they will inlarge themselues and increase from one degree to another till they come to a full height of desperate wickednesse The same care and prouidence therefore which wee take for our bodies let vs also take for our soules vsing wholesome spirituall food and diet to preserue them in their perfect health and strength or if wee so much as feare any declinations let vs withstand the first beginnings with timely Physicke seeing small and scarce sensible remissions will by degrees bring vs into deepe consumptions of all grace and goodnesse And as wee finde it necessary for the preseruing of water in its full heate to keepe a good fire still vnder it because it is not a naturall property of it and therefore if it bee not preserued by the same meanes by which it was first caused it will within a while grow luke-warme and soone after stone-cold and as the fire it selfe will continue no longer burning then wee put fuell vnto it because it is not in its proper element but will slake and abate by degrees vntill at last it vanish into ayre and leaue nothing behind it but cold ashes so our zeale and deuotion in holy duties being supernaturall gifts and qualities contrary to corrupted nature and being spirituall and of an heauenly nature when they bee in vs who are earthly and sensuall as it were out of their owne proper place and element they will not continue if wee nourish them not by the same meanes by which they were bred adding daily vnto them new fuell to preserue their heate but will soone grow remisse and quickly after soone cold And as they so also their motions in the duties of godlinesse not being naturall if they bee not followed with a continued strength by which at first they were made to mooue they will like the vnnaturall motion bee violent in the beginning slacke and slow in the middle and in the latter end faint and vtterly desist The which wee haue seene often verified by the too lamentable experience of many professours in our dayes who hauing beene forward and feruent in their youth by remitting some degrees of their zeale and through the tentations of the world fawning or frowning vpon them become more slacke and slothfull in religious duties resting in a formall fashion and in the outward act without any quickning power or internall life of zeale and deuotion haue declined in their riper yeeres to a lothsome lukewarmenesse and to dead and desperate coldnesse worldlinesse and prophanenesse in their old age CAP. IIII. That wee must not content our selues with a small measure of grace but labour to grow vnto perfection §. Sect. 1 That the Scriptures require this growth in grace from the least degrees to the greatest THe last rule of direction for the leading of a godly life is that wee content not our selues with that small measure of grace which wee haue receiued nor rest in those duties which wee haue already performed but that wee labour to grow daily and increase in grace and in the Christian practice of a godly life For as in nature things stand not at a stay but as weary of the state of imperfection tend to perfection gro 〈…〉 p therein from one degree to another till they come to the high 〈…〉 as the graine of come taking roote in the earth shooteth vp into 〈…〉 ade and then groweth to haue an eare and so ripening multiplyeth it selfe in its kinde and the little kernell springeth first into a small shute and then groweth by degrees to a flourishing and fruitfull tree and man himselfe conceiued of a little excrementall matter groweth first in the wombe by degrees to a perfect shape in all the parts and lineaments of a true humane body and then after the birth from childhood to youth and from thence to ripe age and full stature so the growth of grace proceedeth from imperfection to one degree of perfection after another vntill wee come vnto a perfect age in Christ And as sicke men newly recouered cannot rest contented that they liue but long after their wonted strength desiring first to sit vp and when they can doe this are not satisfied but desire ability to walke and to recouer their stomacke and appetite and then to goe abroad and not so content wish to bee freed from faintnesse to bee restored to their former good habitude plight and liking and in a word are neuer quiet in their desires till they haue recouered their perfect health so wee hauing beene sicke in sinne vnto the death after wee are reuiued and quickened by Gods Spirit doe not content our selues vvith some first degrees of spirituall life and beginnings of health and strength but long and labour by all good meanes that wee may daily increase in them vntill wee attaine vnto them in full perfection And this growth in grace and in the practice of all holy duties is commended vnto vs both by
preseruing and nourishing of all our other parts §. Sect. 2 That the ministery of the Word is a chiefe meanes of our spirituall life The first meanes of a godly life is the ministery of the Word the which is the ordinary meanes of begetting vs to the life of godlinesse and of beginning in vs all spirituall and sauing graces by which as inward causes we outwardly mooue in all Christian and holy duties Of raising vs from the death of sinne and cleansing and purging vs from the guilt and corruption of it and also of so quickening and reuiuing vs that we are inabled to performe the actions of holinesse and to bring forth the fruits of a godly conuersation Thus the Apostle calleth it Gods Rom. 1. 16. strong power whereby hee pulleth vs out of the state of death into the the state of life and saluation and the Apostle Peter The immortall and incorruptible seed which begetteth vs vnto God liuing and abiding in vs for 1. Pet. 1. 23. euer And hence it is that the Ministers of the Word are called our spirituall 1. Cor. 4. 15. fathers who beget vs vnto God because being dispensers of the Word of grace they are instruments and meanes of our Regeneration Thus our Sauior saith that the houre was comming yea euen then was that Joh. 5. 25. the dead should heare his voyce and liue that is those which were dead in trespasses and sinnes should be quickened and haue their part in the first Resurrection by vertue of his Word preached for at this death and Resurrection that whole discourse aimeth And as we haue first our spirituall life from the ministery of the Word so also our cleansing and sanctification from the corruption and filth of sinne whereby we are wholly disabled vnto all holy duties of a godly life For so our Sauiour telleth his Disciples that they were cleane through his Word which hee had spoken vnto Ioh. 15. 3. them By which meanes he desireth his Father in his holy Prayer to sanctifie them more and more Sanctifie them with thy truth thy Word is truth Ioh. 17. 17. So the Apostle saith that our Sauiour gaue himselfe for his Church that hee Ephes 5. 26. might sanctifie and cleanse it with the washing of water by the Word and implyeth elsewhere that we cannot ordinarily haue faith by which the iust man liueth but by the preaching and hearing of the Word How can they Rom. 1. 17. beleeue in him of whom they haue not heard and how shall they heare without a Preacher And after expressely affirmeth That faith commeth by hearing and 10. 14 17. and hearing by the Word of God And in another place he intimateth that we cannot put off the old man and being renewed in the spirit of our minds Ephes 4. 21 22. put on the new which after God is created in righteousnesse and true holinesse vnlesse we haue first heard Christ and been taught by him in the ministery of his Word But here we must take heed that we doe not attribute our new birth and spirituall cleansing vnto the Word preached as hauing in it any inherent power to giue life and grace in it owne nature or as it is by man preached vnto vs for then all that heare it would be quickened vnto holinesse and new obedience whereas common and wofull experience teacheth vs that after the Gospell hath been long preached in diuers places the greatest number remaine vnregenerate and dead in their sinnes nor yet as vnto a principall and chiefe cause of reuiuing vs for this were to make an Idol of it by attributing vnto it Gods prerogatiues and peculiar Math. 23. 9. actions who alone is able to regenerate vs as hee onely could first create vs. But we are to attribute this vertue of giuing spirituall life to the Word preached not as comming from man but as it is the Word of God and his holy ordinance which hee hath instituted and sanctified to this vse of giuing spirituall life and the begetting and increasing of his graces in vs. By vertue of which ordination and the blessing of God vpon it the Word receiueth all its power and vigour to quicken and preserue our spirituall life euen as by the ordinance of God and his blessing wee receiue our naturall life by generation and the preseruation of it by food and clothing which in themselues exceed not other creatures in their vertue for these vses but onely so far forth as God by his blessing inableth them vnto them The which if he withdraw our meate will not nourish Math. 11. 21. Luk. 12. 47. vs but rather become our bane and poyson and the Word preached will be so farre from being a Word of life and saluation that it will become the sauour of death vnto death to our deepe condemnation In which regard 2. Cor. 2. 16. wee must not rest in the preaching and hearing of the Word as in the deed done for the begetting of Gods graces and beginning in vs the life of godlinesse for thus it is onely the Spirit that quickeneth making the Ioh. 6. 63. same Word and at the same time effectuall vnto some for these ends by an inward secret and powerfull operation which for want hereof is heard of others without any profit but vse it as Gods ordinance vnto which his blessing is promised and doth so ordinarily accompany it in the harts of all those that vse it in obedience to God and desire to profit by it for the former ends that we may as well hope for spirituall life by feeding on this food as for the preseruing of naturall life by meate and drinke seeing both alike are Gods ordinance and by his power he is effectuall in the one as well as the other And so contrariwise the neglect of this meanes when God giueth it doth take away all hope of the spirituall life of grace seeing we tempt the Lord in refusing the meanes and despising his ordinance like those who pretending that they rest vpon Gods sole power and promise for the preseruing of their liues should vtterly refuse to eate or drinke Againe whereas I say that the preaching of the Word is the ordinary meanes of life and grace when the Lord granteth it vnto vs we are to beware that we doe not limit Gods power vnto it as though hee could not any other way quicken sanctifie and saue vs. For he is able without all meanes to doe all these by the sole and secret worke of his holy Spirit being such an All-sufficient workman in himselfe that he needeth not the helpe of any instruments as we see in his sanctifying and sauing of elect Infants dying whilest they are vncapable of outward meanes for euen in them these two goe together seeing the rule is generall that without holinesse no man shall see the Lord. And hee is able to sanctifie other Heb. 12. 14. meanes for these vses as he ordinarily doth where
before whom we are to present our selues that we may heare him speaking vnto vs not of ordinary matters of small importance but such as meerely concerne his glory and the euerlasting saluation of our owne soules Whereby we shall be preserued from rushing rashly into the holy assemblies and be made carefull to looke vnto our feet before we enter into the House of God For if worldly men Eccles 5. 1. duely considering that they are going into the presence of an earthly King to heare him speake of the waighty affaires of the Common wealth or such things as neerely concerne them in their owne particular prepare themselues accordingly that they may bee fit to come into such a royall presence how much more should wee vse the like and greater care when we are to come into the presence of the King of Kings and to heare him speaking vnto vs of such things as much more concerne vs and the euerlasting good of our soules and bodies Secondly being to come vnto this spirituall feast we are to prepare our selues by getting a good appetite that we may not idlely fit by and looke on when others feed on these spirituall delicacies for the refreshing and strengthening of their soules To which end wee must by renewing our repentance purge and clense our soules from sinfull corruptions as our stomacks from clogging and hurtfull humours which otherwise will take away our appetite and make vs lothe and refuse or eating against stomacke not able to disgest our spirituall nourishment Of which kinde are wrath maliciousnesse guile dissimulation Jam. 1. 21. 1. Pet. 2. 1. hypocrisie preiudice and forestalled opinions and such like seeing if these beare sway in vs it is not possible that the Word of God should take any effect or become profitable nourishment for the preseruing and increasing of our spirituall health and strength So also wee must banish out of our minds worldly cogitations about our pleasures or profits which wil distract vs from hearing the Word with any attention and out of our hearts earthly cares which like thornes will choake the seed of the Word and make it vtterly vnfruitfull in vs. Moreouer we must stirre vp our appetite by considering our spirituall wants which can no otherwise be supplied then by comming vnto this feast for as hunger and sense of our emptinesse maketh vs to long after our bodily food so if we duly consider how empty we are of all Gods graces and feeble vnto all good duties it will much increase our appetite to the food of our soules and wee shall goe to this Market with all cheerefulnesse if we consider that heere and no where else wee may fit and furnish our soules with all necessaries Againe we must examine our sinnes which beare sway in vs that repenting of them we may receiue the assurance of pardon in the publike ministery to our inestimable comfort and may also bee strengthened against the power of them that we may subdue them and not suffer them to raigne in vs as in former times being armed against them and the tentations of our spirituall enemies alluring or forcibly drawing vs into them with the whole armour of God and especially the sword of the Spirit And this will also prouoke our appetite and make vs goe with cheerefulnesse to the hearing of Gods Word like the malefactour to receiue his pardon or the Souldier that hath beene often wounded and foyled by reason of his nakednesse to put on sufficient armour and to receiue from his Commander defensiue and offensiue weapons Finally we must prepare our selues and stirre vp our appetite by considering the properties of the Word which we goe to heare As first the excellencie of it as being the Word not of man but of God the Word of truth life and saluation Secondly the power and efficacie of it as being the power of God himselfe to our saluation Rom. 1. 16. Heb. 4. 12. sharper then any two-edged sword pearcing euen to the very deuiding of the soule and the Spirit the ioynts and marrow and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart A Word that hath alwayes its operation and returneth Esa 55. 11. neuer in vaine but bringeth that to passe for which it is sent and is either the sweete sauour of life vnto life or of death vnto death Thirdly the great 2. Cor. 2. 15 16. vtility and profit of it being a perfect and pure Law that conuerteth the soule Psal 19. 7 8. a light that shineth vnto vs who sate in the shaddow of death and guiding our feete into the way of peace heauenly wisedome that giueth vnderstanding vnto Luk. 1. 79. the simple and maketh the wise more wise our Counseller to aduise vs our food to nourish vs our weapon to defend vs and repell our enemies an effectuall meanes to worke in vs all sauing graces and the way that bringeth vs to eternall blessednesse Finally let vs prepare our selues and whet our appetite by considering the necessity of it seeing without it wee can attaine vnto no good nor escape any euill in which regard our Sauiour saith to Martha that this one thing is necessary as though there were no Luk. 10. 42. necessity of any other thing in comparison of it The which necessity lyeth not only vpon weakelings and those who are simple and ignorant that they may learne the truth but also vpon those who haue made greatest progresse in Christianity and are richest in knowledge that they may bee mooued to practise what they know and bring it to holy vse and that the graces of God may be confirmed and preserued in them Vnlesse any man would foolishly imagine that he is so strong in grace that he needeth not to eate any more food for the restoring of that spirituall strength which is daily abated and impaired through our corruption and the assaults and tentations of our neuer-resting enemies Satan the world The last duty to be performed in our preparation is that we feruently pray vnto God for his grace and the assistance of his holy Spirit both to his Ministers in speaking our selues with the rest of his people in hearing that he may be so inabled therby to speak the Word truly sincerely powerfully profitably and we to heare in a Christian and holy maner that God may be glorified and we edified in our holy faith and strengthened more and more vnto all the duties of a godly life §. Sect. 2 Of duties to be performed in the hearing of the Word In the hearing of the Word diuers duties are to be performed As first we must set our selues in Gods presence that we may heare all things that are Act. 10. 33. Esa 66. 2. 1. Thes 2 13. commanded vs of him according to the example of good Cornelius in which regard we must not heare the Word after a carelesse and cold maner but with feare and trembling if we would haue God that speaketh take any
leaueth not his eyes loose to their owne liberty but ruleth and gouerneth them with wisedome and discretion not suffering them to behold vnlawfull obiects or those which are lawfull vnlawfully either in respect of manner or measure whereas a foole vseth no restraint but suffereth them to roue into all the corners of the world Into which folly Dauid fell when he suffered his eyes to gaze their fill vpon the beauty of another mans wife this folly drawing him on to commit a greater folly in Israel and therefore hauing lamentable experience of his owne frailty he keepeth afterwards ouer them a surer watch which yet not being sure enough he desireth the Lord to watch ouer him and to turne away his Psal 119. 37. eyes lest he should behold vanity With like care wee must watch ouer our eares to keepe them from hearing any thing which is vaine and sinfull tending to the corrupting of our soules or the hindring of them in the growth of grace As all filthy communication and speeches tending to Gods dishonour and our owne or our neighbours hurt all infulse and vnsauory talke bitter taunts and vnchristian and spitefull iests all whisperings backbiting and slandering and all such discourses as feed the flesh and starue the spirit wed vs to the world and weane vs from God For though like the Syrens songs they tickle and delight the eare yet they wound the heart and conscience with sinne and bring vs into such a spirituall phrenzie that we are ready to leape ouer-boord into a sea of perdition And therefore we must stop our eares against these bewitching sorcerers and not for the pleasing of our carnall sense hazard the destruction of our precious soules The hearing is called the learned sense and happy are they who by their care and watchfulnesse prouide for themselues profitable and good Masters of whom they may learne sauing wisdome and not such as teach nothing else but vanity and sinne And the eares like conduit-pipes conuey vnto the soule either the cleere streames of the water of Life or the filthy puddles of sinne and death and therefore let vs be carefull to bring them daily to be filled at Gods Fountaine lest the diuell abuse them to draine the filth out of the polluted sinkes and channels of wicked mouthes Thus we must watch ouer our taste that we doe not to please the palate vse such excesse in our diet as will disable vs to Christian duties and that the end of our eating be chiefly the refreshing and comforting of our bodies that they may be fit for Gods seruice who hath fed them and not the pampering of the flesh with sensuall delight For if we giue way to our appetite this short and brutish pleasure will bring vpon vs innumerable euils As vpon our bodies sicknesses and short life and vpon our soules and bodies both sloth and idlenesse lumpish heauinesse and vnaptnesse to any good action drowzie dulnesse or vaine mirth and futilous babbling shortnesse of memory and blockishnesse of vnderstanding wanton dalliance and inflammation of our hearts with vnlawfull lusts And thus finally wee must watch ouer our sense of touching that we doe not to please it inslaue our selues to effeminate daintinesse thinking that wee are quite vndone if wee may not tumble at our ease vpon our beds of downe and goe like those in Kings Math. 11. 8. houses in soft rayment or like Diues be clothed in Purple and fine linnen Luk. 16. 1 2. euery day But let vs inure this sense to man-like hardnesse that wee may not thinke it strange and intolerable to lye hardly and goe barely if Christ who suffered so much for vs doe call vs to suffer a little for the testimony of his truth And much more must wee restraine this sense from all vnlawfull obiects as vnchaste kisses lasciuious imbracements and wanton dalliances which tend to the inflaming of our hearts with vncleane lusts and make our bodies which are the Temples of the holy Ghost polluted brothel-houses and filthy styes for wicked spirits §. Sect. 2 That we must watch ouer our tongues Secondly we must keepe a carefull watch ouer our tongues according to the example of the Prophet Dauid I said I will take heed to my wayes that I sinne not with my tongue For the well-ruling and ordering of our tongues is a matter of great moment for the furthering or hindering of vs in the course of a Christian conuersation according to that of Salomon A wholesome tongue is a tree of life but peruersenesse therein is a breach in Prou. 15. 4. the spirit If we vse it well it will be our glory as being a notable instrument of glorifying God whilest we speake to his praise and those that honour him he will honour but if wee abuse it vnto sinne it will become 1. Sam. 2. 30. our shame seeing thereby we dishonour God who hath giuen it vs and all good things If we order it wisely and speake things profitable and worth the hearing we shall edifie our brethren For the lips of the wise disperse Prou. 15. 7. and 25. 11. knowledge and a word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in pictures of siluer that is pleasant and profitable like workes of gold curiously and artificially grauen by a cunning workman but if we vent nothing but filth and folly bringing vp as it were our excrements by a wrong way we shall annoy our hearers with our rotten and vnsauory speeches and by our euill words 1. Cor. 15. 31. corrupt their good meanes as the Apostle speaketh If we speake wisely and to edification we shall in profiting others haue the comfort of it in our owne hearts For as Salomon speaketh A man hath ioy by the answere of his Prou 15. 23. and 18. 20. mouth and a word spoken in due season how good is it both to the speaker and to the hearers But when a man hath pleased himselfe for the time with scurrilous iests the fome and froth of wit it is his sinne and shame and leaueth nothing behind it but sorrow the tormenting sting of an euill conscience If our discourse be religious and honest such as becommeth Christian grauity it is a good signe comfortable euidence vnto vs that we are iust and vpright in Gods sight For the mouth of the righteous speaketh Psal 37. 30. wisdome and his tongue talketh of iudgment And If any man offend not in word Iam. 3. 2. the same is a perfect man and able also to bridle the whole body but if our talke be corrupt and vnsauoury it is a signe of a rotten and wicked heart for as our Sauiour telleth vs out of the abundance of the hart the mouth speaketh A Mat. 12. 34 35. good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things and an euill man out of the euill treasure bringeth forth euill things In a word Life and death are in the power of the tongue
the fall as the participation of Adams sinne guilt and punishment The propagation of their sinne and misery to all their posterity Their originall sinne and corruption of nature both in respect of their soules and bodies The ignorance and vanity of our mindes the errour of our iudgements the wickednesse and worldlinesse of all our imaginations the impurity stupidity and horrour of our consciences the losse of our freedome of will in chusing that which is good their auersenesse and rebellion against the will of God and pronenesse to all euill the blockishnesse of our memories to receiue into their keeping any good motions and their slippery feeblenesse to retaine them the infidelity security and hardnesse of our hearts the corruption and disorder of our affections and passions the pollution of our bodies their feeblenesse and lumpish heauinesse vnto any good action From which root of originall corruption haue sprung all kinds of actuall transgressions we being made thereby vtterly vnable so much as to thinke a good thought or to will that which is good Whereof it commeth to passe that our best actions in this state of corruption and vnbeliefe are no better then sinne how glorious soeuer they seeme to the world And heere wee may meditate of the seuerall kinds of actuall sinnes those that are internall as wicked thoughts errours in iudgement forgetfulnesse in our memories vncleane and carnall lusts and those which are externall secret or manifest raigning or not raigning of omission or commission in our words or deeds which we haue committed as principals or accessaries Sinnes of ignorance or of knowledge of infirmity and frailty or of contumacy and rebellion which wee haue wilfully and presumptuously committed against God The like matter of meditation the punishment of our sinnes doth minister vnto vs As namely that by our sinnes wee haue made our selues subiect to the fearfull wrath of God the curse of the Law all the plagues and punishments of this life As all external miseries which are innumerable respecting our estate as pouerty penury losses and crosses or our bodies as heat cold hunger thirst sicknesses and diseases shortnesse and vncertainty of life and death it selfe So also the internall miseries of the soule as terrours of conscience and griefes of minde or contrariwise to be giuen vp of God to our security and hardnesse of hart infidelity finall impenitency and to a reprobate mind And finally the eternall and euerlasting punishments of body and soule in their separation from God and the vnspeakable torments of hell fire And finally we may meditate of the remedilesnesse of this our miserable condition in respect of any created helpe of men Angels or any creature as the top and consummation of all our misery seeing the infinite Iustice of God being offended by our sinnes would not admit of any finite satisfaction The which kind of meditations vpon sinne and punishment serue not only to humble vs before God by bringing vs vnto a true sense of our sinne and misery to make vs to deny our selues in the worke of our Redemption and to fly vnto Christ but also cause vs to admire and praise Gods mercy and goodnesse patience and long-suffering who hath so long borne with vs in the state of infidelity and hath not inflicted vpon vs all these fearfull punishments which our sinnes haue deserued yea to inflame our hearts with most feruent loue towards God and his Christ and holy Spirit who seeing vs in this wretched plight loaded and defiled with the filth of sinne and guilty and liable to all punishments and miseries did pitty vs in this miserable estate and when there was no other meanes of saluation and deliuerance from all these euils wrought our freedome and redemption by the death and obedience of the Lord of life §. Sect. 6 Of the great worke of Redemption by our Sauiour Christ The which great worke of our Redemption by Christ doth aboue all other parts of Diuinity minister vnto vs most plentifull and fit matter for our meditations as seruing notably to worke in our hearts a true hatred of sinne to inflame them with Gods loue to worke them to his feare to kindle in them the zeale of his glory to confirme our faith strengthen our affiance and hope renew our repentance and to stirre vs vp to performe with all cheerfulnesse the duties of a godly life that by walking before him in holinesse and righteousnesse we may glorifie him who hath redeemed and made vs his owne at so high a price Now the poynts which heere affoord vnto vs matter of meditation are manifold As first that it was necessary wee should haue a Sauiour and Mediatour betweene God and vs seeing in his Decree of Election he hath ordained the meanes as well as the end and that none but Christ could saue vs who is the foundation of our Election In Christ wee may meditate both vpon his person and offices And in his person consider both his natures and states both of humiliation and exaltation Heere wee haue plentifull and profitable matter of meditation concerning the Incarnation of Christ his Conception by the holy Ghost in the wombe of the blessed Virgin the framing and sanctifying of his humane nature the assuming and vniting of it to the Diuine nature by a substantiall vnion without confusion separation or alteration of either nature in their properties His Birth and Circumcision and that this Christ borne of the Virgin Mary is the true Messias So likewise we may meditate on his Office of Mediatorship as that he is the alone Mediator betweene God and man How he was called to his office and the testimonies of it of his Baptisme fasting in the Wildernesse and Diuine vnction with the Spirit aboue measure Of the eternity of his Office and parts of it being anoynted of God to bee our Prophet Priest and King Of his Propheticall Office whereby hee hath both outwardly reuealed vnto vs the knowledge of God and his will and inwardly inlighteneth our minds to conceiue it by his grace and holy Spirit and of the confirmation of this doctrine by miracles Of his Priestly Office and of his All-sufficient satisfaction for our sinnes Of his perfect obedience both actiue whereby he hath fulfilled the Law for vs and passiue whereby he hath suffered all those punishments which were due vnto vs for our sinnes And this yeeldeth vnto vs most excellent and profitable matter of meditation in all the parts thereof as his tentations in the Wildernesse by the diuell the manifold miseries which hee indured as pouerty hunger wearinesse contempt disgraces scoffes and bitter taunts reproches slanders reuilings and such like which he suffered in the whole course of his life and those his passions and sufferings a little before his death as his internall and bitter agony in the Garden where his wrastling with Gods wrath and the burthen of his Fathers heauie displeasure for our sinnes which he had taken vpon him forced out of his most blessed
consciences from dead works and their naturall impurity the sanctity of our memories whereby they become faithfull Registers of good things the freedome of our willes in chusing good and refusing of euill the suppling softening and sanctifying of our hearts the rectifying right ordering purging and and renewing of our affections as loue hatred confidence hope feare despaire ioy sorrow anger zeale and the rest The sanctity of our bodies and outward actions appearing in our new obedience and good workes The integrity sincerity alacrity and constancy of them the parts of this obedience which are the denying of our selues and the profession of Christ How we are to deny our selues namely by resigning vp our selues wholly vnto God to be not onely his seruants but also his souldiers in the Christian warfare where we may take occasion to meditate of that due preparation which is required to this warfare and of the Christian armour and of the conflict it selfe consisting in the manifold tentations of our spirituall enemies and our resistance and of our standing and falling in it How we are also to deny our selues in taking vp our crosse and following of Christ bearing with patience whatsoeuer afflictions hee imposeth and of the meanes whereby we may attaine vnto it In respect of our profession of Christ we are to meditate how we are to carry our selues towards Christ himselfe and how towards his members How wee are to professe Christ at all times by inuocation and calling vpon God in his name and mediation And here we haue much profitable matter of meditation concerning prayer both in respect of the doctrine and vse of it of which I haue before spoken and the particular practice of it in the Lords Prayer of which we may profitably meditate proceeding from one petition to another The profession of Christ in time of danger which is either the profession of the mouth by Christian apologie or of the fact by suffering persecution and martyrdome of which we may meditate and the meanes whereby we may be prepared and strengthened vnto them The profession of Christ respecting his members is our edifying them by instruction admonition exhortation consolation and good example or our helping and relieuing them by the workes of mercy and almes-deedes whereon we may profitably meditate and of the motiues and meanes whereby we may be stirred vp and inabled to performe them And finally our perseuerance in grace and in all these Christian duties euen to the very end of our liues which is the consummation of all the rest is necessary to be thought vpon our certainty of it and by what meanes wee may come to this assurance And thus wee must meditate on the degrees of Gods executing the Decree of our election in this life In respect of the life to come hee executeth it by our glorification of which we may meditate as it is begun or perfected It is begun at the death of the Elect whereby their soules being separated from their bodies are receiued into the ioyes of heauen The which our death is an excellent subiect of meditation as of the nature of it to the elect the certainty of it and vncertainty of the time of our preparation to it and meanes whereby we may be armed against the feare of it §. Sect. 8 Of the meanes of executing the Decree of reprobation Contrariwise there is much matter of meditation afforded from the proper meanes of Gods executing the Decree of reprobation in the wicked as both from the foundation of it the fall of Adam and the hatred and wrath of God following vpon it and also from the degrees of executing this Decree in the wicked and vnfaithfull which are proper to those which are either called or not called or common to them both The former are either hypocrites or openly prophane The degrees proper to these are an vneffectuall calling and their relapse from it into their former wickednesse Here we may meditate of the degrees of this calling which are inward illumination of the minde in the knowledge of the truth worldly and carnall penitence and sorrow arising from terrour and feare or sense and feeling of punishment temporary faith taste of heauenly gifts and externall reformation of life Where wee may consider how farre a reprobate may goe in Christianity and what reall and substantiall differences we can obserue betweene those shewes of graces which are in them and the truth of them in our selues that wee may be the better assured of our sincerity and vprightnesse before God The degrees of relapse in those which are thus vneffectually called are first that they are deceiued with sin and the fraud of their owne deceitfull hearts from whence their hearts become hardened and from thence stubbornly peruerse and so through incredulity not assenting to the truth of Gods Word they breake out to open prophanenesse which is in the end accompanied with despaire and finall Apostacie Vpon all which wee may meditate that wee may make our owne calling and election sure by withstanding the first degrees of Apostacie watching ouer our selues as the Apostle warneth vs that we be not hardned and drawne away by the deceitfulnesse of sinne that there be not found in vs an euill heart of vnbeliefe Heb. 3. 12 13. in departing from the liuing God The degrees of executing this Decree in those which are not called who for the most part are ignorantly superstitious Idolaters Pagans and Atheists are the holding and detayning of the truth in iniustice naturall ignorance and vanity of mind hardnesse Rom. 1. 20 21 c. of heart a reprobate minde and committing of sinne with greedinesse And the degrees common to both are their pollution with all sinne and wickednesse in their liues and their entrance into condemnation at their death when as their soules being separated from their bodies are cast in the torments of hell and pursued with the wrath of God On all which we may meditate that we may take occasion to magnifie Gods Iustice towards them in their deserued punishments and his free grace and vndeserued loue towards vs who being in the same masse and lumpe of corruption are separated from them and made vessels of honour that Gods grace and mercy might be magnified in our saluation §. Sect. 9 Of the eternall execution of Gods Decree at the end of the world c. Of the eternall execution of Gods Decree wee may likewise meditate which shall be at the end of the world and is either generall respecting 2. Pet. 3. 11 12 13 14. the whole world as the destruction of it with flaming fire which consideration the Apostle Peter maketh a strong motiue vnto godlinesse that we may be found of God in peace without spot and blamelesse and the renouation and perpetuall conseruation of it or else the speciall execution of it in the inhabitants of the world which shall be at the generall Iudgement and the eternall retribution which followeth it And heere we may profitably
such manifold and plentifull meanes to presse it vpon thee for thine owne inestimable benefit For hee sendeth daily his Ambassadours vnto thee to call and inuite thee to repentance by preaching vnto thee the glad tidings of reconciliation Hee by them instructeth thee in the right way wherein thou must returne admonisheth thee of thy errours reprooueth thy transgressions and wilfull wandrings comforteth and incourageth thee against all difficulties and oppositions perswadeth thee by his gracious promises terrifieth thee in thy course of sinning with his seuere threatnings allureth thee by his manifold blessings discourageth thee in the way of sinne by his chastizements and gentle corrections all which outward meanes he presseth vpon thee that they may become effectuall by the inward motions of his Spirit drawing thee from thy sins and driuing thee to God O thrice vngratefull soule if thou sufferest so great grace to be spent in vaine O more then miserable if thou like the barren earth drinkest so many gracious showres of heauenly blessings and bringest forth no other fruits vnto him Heb. 6. 6 7 8. by whom thou art dressed but thornes and briers seeing then thou shouldest be reiected of God and neere vnto his fearefull curse But I am perswaded Vers 9. better things of thee my soule and things that accompany saluation though I haue thus spoken For though this and all other thy graces are but weake and imperfect yet are they in sincerity truth Acknowledge with thankfulnesse Gods graces in thee and thine owne wants Behold with sorrow thy imperfections labour without discouragement after more perfection He that could begin this worke of grace when it was wanting can increase Phil. 1. 6. it now it is begun Hee that could raise thee who wast dead in thy sinnes can quicken thee more and more seeing it is a farre greater worke Eph. 2. 1. to giue life to the dead then health to the liuing §. Sect. 3 Motiues to perswade vs to the renewing and perfecting of our repentance and first our humiliation and vnfained sorrow for sinne Rest not then thy selfe O my soule in some first beginnings of this worke but goe vnto him that is both able and willing to finish it Content not thy selfe in some small degrees seeing that is no true grace which standeth at a stay and tendeth not towards perfection Thou hast already repented but let not that suffice thee He seemeth to repent of his repentance that doth not renue it againe and againe Doe not cease to sorrow till thou ceasest to sinne Neuer leaue striking at this many-headed monster whilest any one remaineth If thou willingly suffer any one to liue they will multiply and such mortall enemies they are vnto thee that their life will be thy death God begun this worke and inioyned thee to continue it giue it not ouer till hee call thee from it to pay thee thy wages Mourne for thy sinnes till hee come and wipe away the teares from thine eyes and with thy sinnes take away thy sorrowes and thinke not that it is time to cease amending till thou commest to perfection and art made compleate both in holinesse and in happinesse Practise repentance O my soule not by patches and pieces but in both the parts ioyntly together Repent and amend Sorrow for thy sinnes and withall forsake them For he that lamenteth his sinnes and indeuoureth not to leaue them doth it not out of hatred but of loue which maketh him to grieue because feare of Gods Iudgements make him thinke of their parting But first humble thy selfe my soule in the sight and sense of thy sinnes that God may exalt thee in his due time Humble thy selfe thorowly with vnfained sorrow and bitter griefe for the deeper thou layest the foundation of thy repentance the more substantiall shalt thou finde thy building Thy sinnes are many and grieuous and great sinnes would haue great sorrow Thy God whom thou hast offended and dishonoured is not onely glorious and full of Maiesty but infinitely gracious and of abundant mercy Yea thou my soule hast not onely seene and tasted how good thy God is but hast drunke deepe draughts out of the fountaine of his bounty Hee hath giuen thee thy being and preserued thee in it he hath multiplied his blessings vpon thee temporall and spirituall and is the Author and giuer of all the good which thou inioyest or expectest And which is first of all and aboue all he hath loued thee vnworthy sinfull rebellious soule before thou couldest loue him yea so loued thee that he hath giuen his onely begotten and best beloued Sonne that by his death thou mightest liue Admire this infinite loue O my soule and loue thy God againe as much as thou canst and be sorry thou canst loue him no better Loue him who is most worthy in himselfe and best deserueth it of thee which if thou truely doest thou canst not but lament thy sinnes with bitter griefe whereby thou hast displeased him who so loueth thee and whom thou so louest Looke also vpon thy Sauiour whom by thy sinnes thou hast pearced and lament thy sinnes which haue beene the causes of his sufferings as a man mourneth for his sonne and be sorry for them as one is sorry for his first borne It is not so much Iudas that betrayed him nor the Scribes and Pharises that accused him nor Pilate that condemned him nor the Souldiers that crucified him nor the deuill himselfe that set them all on worke as thy sinnes deliuering him into their hands that haue beene the chiefe causes of his death These these my soule were the whips that scourged his innocent body the nailes that fastened him to the Crosse the speare which pearced his blessed side and heart Mourne then and lament thy sinnes O my soule whereby thou hast caused him to be condemned that came to iustifie thee to be killed that came to saue thee to be put to a cursed death who being the Lord of life was content to die that hee might Eph. 2. 3. giue vnto thee life and happinesse that wast dead in thy sins and liable to Gods wrath as well as others Thinke not much my soule to shead teares for thy sins seeing thy Sauiour was content to shead his blood for them nor that it is too much trouble to bee a little grieued in the sight and sense of their burthen and thy heauenly Fathers displeasure seeing Christs innocent soule was troubled for them and heauy vnto the death yea was so Mat. 26. 38. oppressed with their waight and his Fathers wrath that it forced out from his body a bloody sweat and from his distressed and afflicted soule that lamentable complaint My God my God why hast thou forsaken me Consider also O my soule how often thou hast vexed and grieued the good Spirit of God dwelling in thee and made him weary of his lodging by polluting it with thy sinnes How often thou hast tyred this peaceable Ghest by contending with him
who were worthily reiected in Adam both for the guilt of his sinne and the corruption of our nature which we haue deriued from him Now this benefit of Christ giuen vs of God to bee the foundation of our election and saluation may be vnto vs a most forcible argument to make vs loue God aboue all things who hath so loued vs that hee hath not spared to giue his onely begotten and dearely beloued Sonne vnto vs and for vs euen vnto the death that wee by him might attaine vnto eternall life and happinesse and also to expresse this loue by labouring and indeuouring to serue and please him in all the duties of a godly life For what should withdraw our hearts from God which he hath tyed vnto him by such a bond of loue that was much stronger then death it selfe why should any hire intice vs to neglect his seruice and to serue Satan the world and our owne lusts by committing any knowne sinne vnlesse it be of equall value to that gift that God hath giuen to vs and for vs that he might redeeme vs from all iniquity and appropriate vs vnto himselfe for his own seruice But ten thousand worlds cannot match this gift and why then should we lose the benefit of it by neglecting the seruice of God and hiring our selues to worke wickednesse for the base hire of worldly vanities §. Sect. 2 That the work of redemption should mooue vs to serue our Redeemer in all duties of a godly life Againe as Christ our Sauiour giuen vnto vs by God his Father so also the great worke of Redemption wrought by him may serue as a most powerfull argument to mooue vs vnto the diligent performance of all the duties which belong to a godly life For though the worke of our Creation and preseruation are inestimable benefits yet this much exceedeth them being farre aboue all humane conceit and so vnspeakeable that it can neuer be sufficiently expressed and magnified by the tongue of men and Angels Yet let vs take as we are able some slender view of it and with rauishing wonder admire and adore the rest which we are not able to comprehend And consider first what wee were who were thus redeemed Rom. 5. 8 10. to wit mortall men dust and ashes weake and of no strength strangers sinners yea enemies vnto God and our owne saluation Secondly from what we were redeemed namely out of the greatest and most desperate misery which could possibly bee incident vnto any creature For Christ hath deliuered vs from the wrath of God the curse of the Law and all the fearefull plagues therein threatned temporall and eternall from the miserable bondage and captiuity of sinne and Satan from death hell and euerlasting condemnation both of body and soule and that when we were so desperately and vnrecouerably plunged into these fearefull miseries that wee were vtterly vnable to helpe our selues yea when all the power of men and Angels was altogether vnsufficient to doe vs any good Thirdly consider who redeemed such poore sinfull wretches out of this wofull plight euen the glorious Sonne of God equall to his Father in power and Maiesty hee vouchsafed to pitty vs in our misery and to take vpon him our deliuerance Fourthly consider the meanes which he vsed to effect this great worke of our Redemption namely by humbling himselfe in taking vpon him our nature and vniting it in a substantiall and inseparable vnion vnto his Diuine nature that so he might in our stead doe and suffer whatsoeuer was necessary for our saluation Fifthly consider the manner of effecting this great worke or the meanes which hee vsed that he might redeeme vs namely by offering himselfe vnto God his Father as a sacrifice for our sinnes and an all-sufficient price for our Redemption and to suffer in his body and soule all those punishments which were due vnto vs for our sinnes As all the miseries of his life pouerty and meane birth flight from his enemies the tentations of the deuill hunger wearinesse the persecutions scornes reproches and slanders of the world and wicked men And those especially which he indured a little before his death for he was betrayed by his owne Apostle and forsaken by the rest apprehended by his enemies and by them most iniuriously and barbarously abused and haled from one Iudgement seat to another falsly accused wrongfully condemned blindfolded buffeted rayled at spit vpon scorned and mocked whipped crowned with thornes and crucified and so suffered for vs that cruell ignominious and accursed death of the Crosse and his Fathers wrath due to our sinnes which made him to sweate drops of Blood and vnder the waight of this intolerable burthen to complaine as a man forlorne and forsaken of God All which he willingly meekely and patiently suffered for vs that he might redeeme vs out of the hands of all our enemies and purchase vs vnto himselfe Psal 100. 2. as his owne peculiar people So that wee are now his by a treble right for he hath made vs and therefore we are his euen his home-borne seruants who owe vnto him our birth and being hee preserueth vs and giueth vnto vs all the good things which we inioy and so we are his hired seruants who owe vnto him all loue and duty for the rich wages of his bounteous benefits and finally he hath redeemed vs out of the hands of our mortall enemies by giuing for vs not siluer or gold or any corruptible 1. Pet. 1. 17 18. thing but himselfe and his owne precious Blood as a price to satisfie his Fathers iustice for our sinnes and therefore we are no more our owne but 1. Cor. 6. 20. his by the Law of Redemption What then remaineth but that we yeeld vnto our Sauiour his owne right which hee hath so dearely bought and seeing he hath giuen a price for vs which is of ten thousand yea infinite times more value then his purchase O let vs not defraud him of his bargaine but deuote our bodies and soules wholly to him that we may glorifie him by our seruice and be sorry that we haue no more to giue vnto him Wee owed our selues vnto him before by right of creation but by our sinnes robbed him of his due by selling our selues ouer to Satan as his slaues for the base hire of worldly vanities and now hee hath againe made vs his owne by giuing himselfe as the price of our Redemption and therefore let vs not againe depriue him of his right and defraud him of his seruice which if we vngratefully doe there remaineth no further sacrifice Heb. 10. 26. for sinne He hath giuen himselfe for vs and shall we thinke it too much to giue our selues to him He came not to be serued but to serue and to giue Mat. 20. 28. his life a ransome for many and shall the seruant detract his seruice when his Lord and Master his King and Soueraigne hath abased himselfe to doe seruice for him Hee hath
tentations that they shall not be able to doe vs any hurt For whereas those who liue in their sinnes and neglect the duties of a godly life doe giue vnto him all aduantage against them and by leauing off the brest-plate of Righteousnesse doe lie open to his poysonous darts so as he may easily perswade them that they are subiect to Gods wrath and the curse of the Law seeing they continue in their sinnes that they are not ingrafted into Christ seeing they bring forth no fruits of holinesse and righteousnesse that they are out of Gods fauour seeing they haue no care to please him by performing such duties as are acceptable in his sight and finally that they are not the children of God because they are nothing like him nor reformed according to his image nor heires of heauenly happinesse seeing they haue not purged themselues as it becommeth those who haue this hope Contrariwise when we keepe this brestplate of Righteousnesse fast buckled vnto vs wee may without danger repell all his fiery darts seeing we are assured that we are in Gods fauour whilest wee labour in all things to please him that wee are in Christ seeing without him wee could doe nothing that we are Gods children seeing we resemble him Ioh. 15. 5. in holinesse and righteousnesse and labour after perfection as he is perfect That we are freed from the curse of the Law and the guilt and punishment of all our sinnes seeing we feele the vertue of Christs death effectuall in vs for the mortifying and subduing of our corruptions And finally that maugre all the malice of our spirituall enemies we shall attaine vnto heauenly happinesse seeing our mercifull God hath graciously promised that he will reward our temporary seruice with this inestimable and eternall wages and crowne his owne graces in vs and the fruits which wee haue brought forth of them in the Christian duties of a godly life with endlesse ioy and immortalitie §. Sect. 5 That by a godly life we are prepared against the day of death The fourth benefit of a godly life is that thereby wee are continually prepared against the day of death so that the manifold euils Heb. 9. 27. which accompany it cannot hurt vs nor the dreadfull terrours thereof daunt and dismay vs. For howsoeuer it is appointed that all must die and this sentence like the lawes of the Medes and Persians is irreuocable yet to those that walke in the waies of godlinesse the nature of death is quite changed and the sting thereof taken away For of the last and greatest euil it is made vnto them a preparatiue to the chiefest good of an enemy it is become a friend of a Sargeant to arrest vs and imprison vs in hell it is become a ioyfull messenger sent of God to deliuer vs out of all worldly miseries and to bring vs into the ioyes of heauen In which regard the Wise man saith that howsoeuer Pro. 14. 32. the wicked is driuen away in his wickednesse yet the righteous hath hope in his death And that riches profit not in the day of wrath but righteousnesse deliuereth Chap. 11. 4. from death that is from the sting of death and all the euils that doe accompany it And the Spirit of God pronounceth them Blessed Apoc. 14. 13. that die in the Lord for they rest from their labours and their workes follow them Namely that they may be crowned with ioy and immortality The which if it were well weighed might iustly not onely free the faithfull from the immoderate feare of death but also make it appeare precious in their eyes as it is in the sight of God and moue them Psal 116. 15. Phil. 1. 21 23. August in 1. Epist Ioan. with the Apostle to desire to be dissolued and to be with Christ seeing that is best of all and as one saith not to die patiently but to liue with patience and to die with ioy For who reioyceth not when after a wearisome pilgrimage hee approcheth neere vnto his owne Country when after a dangerous passage wherein hee hath beene tossed and turmoiled with aduerse windes and tempestuous stormes hee is ready to arriue safely in the long expected hauen when after his dayes labour hee commeth to receiue liberall wages and when after a dangerous and doubtful fight hauing conquered all his enemies hee is to be presented by the holy Angels before his Soueraigne King that hee may receiue the Crowne of victory And howsoeuer death hath many terrours which doe accompany it yet to those that haue serued God in the duties of a godly life they need not seeme terrible seeing against euery blow they haue their ward against euery poyson their soueraigne antidote They must leaue the world but they must goe to heauen forgoe their riches but for them enioy heauenly treasures bee depriued of momentanie delights but that they may attaine vnto euerlasting ioyes lose the comfort of all their friends but in lieu of it shall haue the sweete society of the Saints and Angels yea the fruition of God himselfe and his Christ and holy Spirit whom to enioy is to bee perfectly happy Yea but it is a grieuous sight to behold our friends mourning for our departure but this is recompenced with the hope of our happie meeting and the present ioyes of our heauenly entertaynement by the rest of our friends that are gone before vs. Yea but death is a straight and paynefull passage but it bringeth vs to a spacious and glorious Palace In our bodies wee are afflicted with many griefes of sicknesse but these are eased with the inward peace of conscience and comfort of the Spirit Wee are in euery part of our bodies racked with paine but they are onely the throwes that goe before our heauenly birth whereby we are borne to euerlasting and immortall glory Our bodies must be buried and corrupt in the earth but being sowne in corruption they shall arise incorruptible and our mortall shall 1. Cor. 15. 42 43 put on immortality our weaknesse strength and our basenesse glory Finally if liuing in Gods feare wee dye in his fauour wee may bee strongly armed against all the terrours of death and expect it at all times with a ioyfull countenance §. Sect. 6 That by leading of a godly life we are assured to be freed from iudgement condemnation Lastly by leading of a godly life wee may be assured that wee shall bee freed from Iudgement and condemnation in the world to come For if we liue here in the feare of God our sinnes shall not come into Iudgement because they are already iudged in Christ who hath satisfied Gods Iustice for them and payed our debt to the vttermost farthing If wee haue beene carefull here to play the good Stewards and dayly keeping our reckonings straight receiue our acquittance and discharge before wee sleepe sealed with the blood of Christ applied vnto vs by a liuely and renewed faith wee shall haue nothing to account for
sinnes whereby the conscience would be defiled And so hauing nothing to lay to our charge or to accuse vs of before God sauing humane frailties and infirmities for which we haue as it were a pardon of course sealed by the blood of Christ the conscience becommeth peaceable and speaketh nothing but good and ioyfull things vnto vs testifying the remission of our sinnes our reconciliation with God and that we and our workes are accepted of him So that if with vprightnesse of heart we will serue the true Melchisedech in the duties of a godly life he will be vnto vs not onely a King Heb. 7. 2. of righteousnesse but also a King of peace For dying for our sinnes and rising againe to iustifie vs he hath at his departure left this rich legacy to all his true Disciples Peace I leaue with you may peace I giue vnto you The Ioh. 14. 27. and 16. 33. which is not to be esteemed a gift of small value seeing as the Apostle telleth vs it passeth all vnderstanding being one of those fruits wherein Phil. 4. 7. the Kingdome of heauen and our euerlasting happinesse is begun in vs in this life for as he saith The Kingdome of God is not meate and drinke but Rom. 14. 27. righteousnesse and peace and ioy in the holy Ghost The which may effectually mooue vs to all Christian and holy duties of a godly life seeing these first fruits of heauenly ioy are incomparably of more value then a whole haruest of all earthly happinesse euen in their present worth as bringing with them more sound comfort and contentment more durable and lasting ioy and also because they are sure euidences and earnest-pennies of our heauenly Inheritance and full fruition of euerlasting blessednesse §. Sect. 7 That a godly life causeth constancy and perseuerance vnto the end The fifth benefit which we shal receiue by a godly life is that if we once with a firme resolution earnest indeuour set our selues to serue please God we shall continue in this estate notwithstanding our manifold infirmities and corruptions which make vs daily prone to fall into sinne For they who are once receiued into couenant with God haue not onely the gracious promise of the remission of their sinnes but also haue the meanes offered vnto them yea wrought in them by God of vnfained repentance whereby turning vnto him from their sinnes and renewing their faith which is the condition of the couenant in the assurance that they are all pardoned in Christ they may with peace and comfort proceed againe in their course of godlinesse as if they had neuer failed in it nor gone astray Neither doth the Lord onely as a gracious Father prouide fit nourishment for his children to preserue them in their health and strength but like a skilfull and wise Physician soueraigne medicines to recouer them when they are sicke and weake and not onely affoordeth vnto them meanes to keepe them whole and sound but the precious Balme of Gilead the blood of Christ applyed by faith and the salue of all sores of sinne vnfained repentance to heale them when in the spirituall conflict they are hurt and wounded The which he proudeth for them and as it were putteth it into their hands by his earnest exhortations O Israel turne vnto the Lord thy God for thou hast falne by thine iniquity Take Hos 14. 1 2. vnto you words and turne to the Lord Say vnto him Take away all iniquity and receiue vs graciously And againe As I liue saith the Lord God I haue Ezek. 33. 11. no pleasure in the death of the wicked but that the wicked turne from his way and liue Turne ye turne ye from your euill wayes for why will ye dye yee house Ier. 8. 5 6. of Israel Yea he is displeased with them and sharply reprooueth them if they neglect this medicine when he offereth it vnto them that they may be cured Why is this people slidden backe by a perpetual backsliding they hold Ier. 31. 20. fast deceit they refuse to returne no man repented him of his wickednesse saying What haue I done c And if thus they are not moued to returne his bowels are troubled and yearne with compassion as the Prophet speaketh and he is sorry that they sorrow not as wee see in the example of our Sauiour Christ who wept ouer Ierusalem because they would not make vse Luk. 19. 41. of the acceptable Day whilest it lasted that they might repent and so escape Gods imminent Iudgements Yea he doth not so leaue them but effectually worketh in the hearts of his faithfull and chosen Ones this repentance Act. 5. 31. which he requireth for he giueth repentance to the house of Israel Ezek. 36. 26. Zach. 12. 10. he taketh away their stony hearts and giueth them hearts of flesh hee powreth the Spirit of grace vpon the house of Iudah and causeth them to bewaile their sinnes The which may be vnto vs a singular incouragement in our Christian course when as wee are assured that notwithstanding our many frailties and infirmities wee shall not be cast off and though we haue many foiles and fals yet we shall not lie still and perish in our sinnes seeing the Lord giueth vnto all his that feare and serue him the grace of vnfained repentance so as they rise againe and recouer their former estate of holinesse and withall his wonted grace and fauour as though they had neuer sinned and with it their wonted peace of conscience and ioy in the Holy Ghost §. Sect. 8 Of the benefits which a godly life bringeth at the houre of death And these are the benefits which accompany a godly life whilest we continue in the world the benefits which it bringeth when by death we are to depart out of it are also great and inestimable For when all worldly blessings faile and like miserable comforters leaue and forsake vs when being in greatest agony and distresse wee stand in most neede of helpe then the consolations which it bringeth doe exceedingly cheere and refresh vs. For the good Spirit of God which hath ruled and guided vs throughout the whole course of our liues doth not leaue and forsake vs at the houre of death but then especially doth accompany and assist vs and the more our afflictions and griefes abound the more it causeth our consolations to abound also For it sealeth in our hearts and consciences the assurance of the pardon and remission of all our sinnes and saith vnto vs as sometimes Christ to the sicke of the palsie Sonne be of good comfort thy sinnes are Matth. 9. 2. forgiuen thee It incourageth vs against the feare of death by assuring vs that it hath lost its sting and therefore though like a serpent it still hisse yet it is not able to doe vs any hurt It causeth the beames of Gods loue to shine cleerely in our hearts by which they are so warmed and cheered that the
is agreeable to Gods will and Christ our Aduocate and Master of Requests to preferre them vnto God in our behalfe not pleading our deserts but his owne merits and his Fathers promises but also this high Court of Requests night and day open vnto vâ— that in all our necessities wee may make our suites and supplications knowne vnto God with confidence and assurance that they shall bee heard and granted §. Sect. 2 The seuenth maine priuiledge is that God granteth vnto them the meanes to build them vp in grace vnto saluation The seuenth priuiledge peculiar to the godly is that God granteth vnto them the meanes to build them vp in grace and to bring them to saluation with hearts to vse them and the inward assistance of his holy Spirit whereby they become profitable and effectuall to their ends The which is to bee vnderstood first of the publike meanes as hearing the Word Sacraments and Prayer which the most in the world haue not at all but those onely that liue in the Church of which the fewest and least number inioy them to their vse and benefit either because they neglect and contemne them or vse them after a cold carelesse and formall manner without any desire and indeuour to profit by them wanting in themselues faith and a good conscience and also the inward co-operation of Esa 6. 9. Gods holy Spirit to blesse and sanctifie them to their vse By reason whereof it commeth to passe that after they haue long been partakers of Gods holy â—dinances they are neuer the better but remaine as ignorant and full of â—fidelity as impenitent and vnprofitable as they were at the first yea in â—uth much the worse seeing for want of faith and preparation the prâ—ching of the Word which is in it owne nature Gods strong Math. 11. 21. Rom. 1. 16. power to theiâ— saluation and the sauour of life vnto life becommeth vnto them the saâ—ur of death to their deeper condemnation and the Sacrament 2. Cor. 2. 16. 1. Cor. 11. 29. which is the â—ale of saluation through their vnworthy receiuing of it sealeth vnto â—em iudgement and condemnation yea euen their prayers themselues aâ— turned into sinne whilest they know not how to pray as they ought â—th faith and feruency in spirit and truth but draw neere vnto Esa 29. 13. God with thâ—r lips onely when as their hearts are farre from him whereas vnto the godâ— they are great and inestimable priuiledges because the Lord by his Sâ—irit stirreth vp their appetite to hunger and thirst after Psal 42. 1 2. them and giuâ—th grace to vse them aright after that manner as hath before been sheâ—ed mixing faith with them whereby they become profitable Heb. 4. 2. and that â—ot onely a iustifying faith without which it is impossible to Heb. 11. 6. please God but â— speciall faith or branch of the other whereby they vse Gods holy orâ—ances without doubting assuring themselues that hee will according â—o his gracious promise accompany their diligent carefull Iam. 1. 6. and conscioâ—able vse of the outward meanes with the inward operation of his holy â—pirit and make them effectuall for the inriching of their soules with all â—pirituall and sanctifying graces and the furthering of their euerlasting saluation And secondly the godly haue this priuiledge more peculiar vâ—to themselues in respect of the priuate meanes before spoken of as watâ—hfulnesse meditation examination of themselues priuate prayer and tâ—e rest seeing scarce any but they vse them or if they doe slightly coldly and to no purpose whereas God giueth them grace to vse them aright and with an earnest desire to profit by them the which he also satisfieth whilest by the inward assistance of his holy Spirit he maketh them powerfull and effectuall for their spirituall nourishment and the inriching of their soules with all sanctifying and sauing graces And this also may be an effectuall reason to moue vs to godlinesse that we may inioy these great priuiledges and not only haue and vse them with others but also haue them blessed and sanctified by Gods Spirit that they may become profitable and effectuall to our saluation without which our nourishment it selfe will turne to poyson and Gods holy ordinances which are the meanes of life and happinesse being abused by vs for want of grace and godlinesse will but harden vs in our sinnes and so increase our condemnation and punishment §. Sect. 3 The eighth maine priuiledge iâ— that they shall perseuere in the state of grace vnto saluation The eighth priuiledge peculiar to the godly is that they shall perseuere in the state of grace and saluation vnto the end and howsoeuer through the violence of the tentations of their spirituall enemies and their owne frailty and corruption they haue many slips and falls yet they shall neuer fall away and though they erre sometimes out of the way of righteousnesse into the by-wayes of sinne yet they returne into it againe by vnfained repentance and redeeme this lost time with more then ordinary diligence in Gods seruice So that though there may bee and are some ill premises in their liues which truly feare God yet they alwayes make a good conclusion though they haue many rubs in the â—beay yet at length they come safely to their iourneys end And though â—hey haue many faults and failings in their liues yet they are alwayes bleâ—d in their death according to that of the Psalmist Marke the perfect â—n and behold Psal 37. 37. the vpright for the end of that man is peace and that of thâ— Preacher Though a sinner doe ill an hundred times and his dayes be prolongâ—d yet surely I know it shall be well with them that feare God which feare befoâ—â— him The which their perseuerance in the state of grace vnto the end â— not grounded vpon themselues or the strength of the graces which â—ey haue receiued for then it were but a poore priuiledge which woulâ— euery day be subiect to losing but vpon the power and promises of Gâ—d his Nature and Attributes the Intercession of Christ and the vertuâ— of his holy Spirit assisting and strengthening them For It is God whicâ—â—stablisheth vs 2. Cor. 1. 21. in Christ It is his strength whereby we are inabled to stand â—st against all Eph. 6. 10 12. the tentations of our spirituall enemies it is his power â—hereby we are 1. Pet. 1. 4. kept through faith vnto saluation And though wee are able tâ— doe nothing of our selues yet we can with the Apostle doe all things though the power Col. 3. 3. of Christ which strengtheneth vs neither is our spirituall lifâ— in our owne custody but it is hid with Christ in God as the Apostle speâ—keth It standeth not vpon the strength of our owne free will but of Gods will and as our Sauiour telleth vs This is the Fathers will that of â—ll which hee had Ioh. 6. 39. giuen him he should not lose one but
the world vse such spite and spleene towards the most outragious offender that euer liued as it doth to the Saints and seruants of God for the truth sake For towards them oftentimes it quite blunteth the poynt and edge of humane lawes and commonly moderateth and mitigateth the extreme rigour of them in their punishments but against the faithfull it sharpeneth the poynt and edge where none is yea deuiseth new lawes when the old restraine their malice And whereas they content themselues with those punishments which the lawes determine against the most notorious and hainous offenders and when they are forced for the safety and preseruation of humane societies to execute them they doe it as the Law requireth and oftentimes with some pity and compassion contrariwise when they haue to doe with those who being Gods faithfull seruants haue made themselues liable to their lawes they sport themselues in their torments and out of meere malice to them for their Religion and piety they execute the Lawes with all sauage cruelty adding both by their words and actions many outrages ouer and aboue those punishments which the Law requireth as we see in the example of our Sauiour Christ and the theeues crucified with him For whereas they contented themselues with their simple death without any additaments of malice they could neuer satisfie their spitefull rage in vexing and tormenting our Sauior Christ but vsed him with all contumelious reproch spitting vpon and buffetting him scourging and crowning him with thornes scoffing and deriding him mocking and moing at him giuing vnto him when he thirsted gall and vineger and insulting ouer him in mirth and triumph when they saw the bitter anguish of his soule The which also is to be obserued in the examples of those punishments which haue been inflicted vpon most hainous malefactours as murtherers traytors paricides and vpon the innocent Martyrs of Iesus Christ if wee compare the one with the other Of which no other reason can be giuen but that the world loueth her owne and hateth those which belong vnto God affecting the persons of wicked men and setting themselues onely against their crimes not out of any loue towards God or simple hatred of their sinnes as being transgressions of his Lawes but out of selfe loue because their offences are against humane lawes which if they should not be preserued and maintained obserued and obeyed societies could not subsist nor the safety and welfare of their owne estates bee otherwise vpheld Whereas contrariwise it maligneth and hateth euen the very persons of the godly as being the members of Iesus Christ onely for their profession of Religion and practice of holy duties and in these respects can neuer sufficiently disgorge its malice against them §. Sect. 2 That it hath alwayes been the lot of the godly to bee persecuted in the world Now the meanes to remoue the former impediments are manifold The first is to consider that it hath alwayes from the beginning of the world been the lot of Gods children to be persecuted of the wicked in which regard it is vnto vs a notable and comfortable euidence that wee loue God and are beloued of him when the wicked world maligneth and pursueth vs with all rage and cruelty for righteousnesse sake For thus Cain persecuted Abel because his seruice was accepted of God Thus Pharaoh and the Egyptians raged against the Israelites when they did but make mention of going into the Wildernesse to offer sacrifice Thus the wicked Kings and more wicked Priests persecuted Gods true Prophets the Scribes and Pharises the Apostles of Iesus Christ the idolatrous Emperours the Christians of the Primitiue Church and the limmes of Antichrist the holy Martyrs because they professed Gods true Religion and brought forth the fruits of it in their holy practice More particularly Dauid often professeth that he was maligned by his wicked enemies without cause onely because he did that which was good and sought in all his courses to be approued of God And the Apostle Paul in many 2. Cor. 11. 23 24 c. words setteth downe the grieuous persecutions which hee often suffered at their hands who were enemies to Gods truth But as these holy Saints of God were not by all these persecutions discouraged in their course of godlinesse but the more boysterously the stormes of malicious rage blowed against them the more firmely and constantly they held the cloke of their Christian profession and holy practice according to that of Dauid Many are my persecutors and mine enemies yet doe I not decline from Psal 119. 157. thy testimonies so must we doe in this case following their good example if we would haue any comfortable assurance that God will thinke vs worthy to be ranked in this number And this argument taken from these examples our Sauiour vseth to arme his Disciples against this discouragement Reioyce saith he and be exceeding glad seeing your reward is great in Mat. 5. 12. heauen for so persecuted they the Prophets which were before you Yea our Sauiour Christ himselfe hath begun to vs that wee may not feare to pledge him and hath drunke the deepest draught in this bitter cup of worldly persecutions For what mischiefe could hell it selfe raise vp out of her infernall bowels what cruell rage and exquisite vexations and torments could malicious wit deuise which were not inflicted vpon this innocent Lambe the Lord our righteousnesse Now what can be a more effectuall reason to moue vs with all patience and cheerfulnesse to indure the greatest extremities for Christs sake then to remember what grieuous torments he hath suffered for vs who were strangers and enemies vnto God and the children of wrath as well as others For if our great and glorious Generall and Soueraigne King hath thus exposed himselfe to the extremest dangers and thrust himselfe into the thickest crowd of enemies where he hath receiued grisly and mortall wounds that hee might rescue and recouer vs who were taken captiue by them and set vs at liberty how valiantly should we fight his battels euen vnto blood against the enemies of our saluation especially considering that he looketh vpon vs incourageth vs to the fight supporteth and strengtheneth vs with his grace and holy Spirit defendeth and succoureth vs when we are ouer-matched raiseth vs vp when wee are foyled and holdeth in his hand the Crowne of victory being ready to set it vpon our heads when wee haue finished the fight And this argument our Sauiour vseth to incourage vs in all our sufferings and persecutions Remember saith he the word that I said vnto Joh. 15. 20. you The seruant is not greater then his Lord. If they haue persecuted mee they will also persecute you And so likewise the Apostle Peter For as much then 1. Pet. 4. 1. saith he as Christ hath suffered for vs in the flesh arme your selues likewise with the same mind for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin c. The which
rewards How coldly carelesly how dully drowzily how irreuerently and negligently do I performe them How soone am I weary of these holy exercises and desire to returne to my worldly imployments How little sweetnesse doth my aguish taste feele in thy loue though it be better then wine and in feeding vpon thy spirituall delicacies in thy banqueting-house thy Word and Sacraments How little delight haue I had in thy Sanctuary and Sabbaths and how haue I consecrated the least part of them as an holy Rest vnto thee and misspent the greatest part in thinking mine owne thoughts in thinking mine owne words and doing mine owne workes How much and often haue I abused thine holy ordinances through my worldlinesse and prophanenesse and after that I haue long inioyed them how little haue I profited by them Mine heart is still full of grosse infidelity which is the cause that I am not much raised and comforted with thy sweet promises nor deiected and humbled with thy terrible threatnings It is full of impenitency being vnapt to mourne for sinnes past or to resolue vpon amendment for the time to come It is full of carnall security making mee to apprehend no danger when as I walke in the middest of pernicious snares which are in euery place laid in my way by my spirituall enemies and to put the euill day farre from me when as pulling it on with my sins it approcheth neere and is ready to seaze vpon me It is much hardened through the deceitfulnesse of sinne custome in sinning depriuing mee of the sense of it There is much spirituall pride that lyeth lurking in it which maketh me ready to arrogate the good things I haue not to ouerweene those I haue and to attribute the praise of both vnto my selfe and so to rob thee of the glory of thine owne gifts Hypocrisie also still hangeth vpon me being ready like a slie thiefe to steale in when I open the doore of mine heart to let in any grace or religious duty I am still tainted and poysoned with carnall selfe-loue which maketh mee oftentimes to incurre spirituall hurt and damage whilest I labour ouer-eagerly after worldly good and earthly aduantage Yea as hereby I am made apt to neglect my soule for the seeming and present good of my body defrauding it of all dues that belong vnto it so likewise the duties of righteousnesse and loue which I owe to my neighbours when as they are in my partiall affection ouer-ballanced with some worldly profit pleasure or preferment O that my head were a fountaine of teares that I might wash my defiled body and soule in the floods of vnfained sorrow O that I could mourne for my sinnes as a man mourneth for his onely sonne and be sorry for them as a man is sorry for the death of his first-borne O that I could looke vpon him whom I haue pierced with bitter griefe and be thorowly displeased with my selfe because I haue by my sinnes so much displeased thee who hast been euer vnto me so gracious a God and so louing a Father O that thou wouldest come downe and strike my rocky heart that out of it might flow wholesome streames of repentance But alas the filthy staines and deepe dye of my sinnes cannot bee washed cleane with these waters It is onely that Fountaine which thou hast opened to the house of Dauid and the inhabitants of Ierusalem for sinne and for vncleannesse that is sufficient to purge me from my ingrained filthinesse It is those bloody streames alone which so plentifully flowed out of my crucified Sauiour that can clense me from all my sins And therefore O Lord for thy mercies sake and for thy Christs sake wash my leprous body and soule in the streames of this thy Iordan Yea Lord seeing they are so deepely stained with the double double dye of imputed and inherent originall and actuall sinnes that no slight and ordinary washing can purifie and restore them to their created cleannesse multiply thy washings drench and diue me thorowly in the streames of this liuing Fountaine that being cleansed from my Scarlet and Crimson sinnes both in respect of their guilt and punishment I may become as white as Snow and that no spot remaining of spirituall defilement I may be iustified when thou iudgest and stand righteous in thy sight And together with the staine of sinne take away also the sting of conscience and worke in it sound and secure peace by perswading me by the infallible testimony of thy Spirit that my sinnes are remitted I reconciled through the death and satisfaction of thy Sonne and that of the child of wrath and heire of perdition I am now become thine owne child by adoption and grace And to this end let me finde and feele it in mee not only the Spirit of Adoption perswading me of thy fatherly loue and sealing me vp vnto the Day of my Redemption but also the Spirit of Sanctification mortifying in me all my sinfull corruptions by applying vnto mee the vertue of Christs death and quickening mee in the inner man vnto holinesse and newnesse of life by the power and efficacy of his Resurrection Let me put off concerning the former conuersation the old man which is corrupt according to the deceitfull lusts and being renewed in the spirit of my minde let me put on the new man which after thine owne glorious Image is created in righteousnesse and true holinesse Let me continually keepe a narrow watch ouer my selfe that I bee not againe intangled in the snares of the diuell nor circumuented and mis-led through the deceitfulnesse of my corrupt flesh but being freed from sinne let me now become the seruant of righteousnesse Let mee make conscience of all my wayes and shunne not onely open and notorious but also secret sinnes yea all the occasions of euill and hate euen the garment which is spotted of the flesh Let mee put on daily the whole armour of God that being weake in my selfe I may bee strong in thee and in the power of thy might and bee inabled to withstand the wiles of the diuell and resist all tentations in the euill Day praying alwayes with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit and watching thereunto with all perseuerance Weane mine heart and affections more and more from the loue of the world and earthly vanities and being a pilgrim on earth let my conuersation be in heauen from whence I expect a Sauiour and Redeemer Begin and worke in me all spirituall gifts and sauing graces which yet are wanting and daily increase and confirme those that are begun and let me daily bring foorth the fruits of them all throughout my whole life and conuersation in new obedience labouring to performe vnto thee faithfull seruice in all my thoughts words and deeds Let me delight in the wayes of thy Commandements and performe all the duties of holinesse righteousnesse and sobriety with all cheerfulnesse and inward ioy Let me daily seeke thy face and fauour aboue all
liueth an entrance into thy Kingdome not onely by the assurance of faith and hope but also by letting him haue a liuely taste of those heauenly ioyes which thou hast prepared for him Moderate his griefes and paines that they may not hinder his soule from mounting aloft in diuine contemplations and secretly whisper vnto his heart sweet comforts by thy Spirit when as he is through weaknesse insensible of outward consolations Inflame his heart with feruent loue towards thee and his brethren yea euen his enemies for thy sake that he may bee assured that his sinnes are forgiuen of thee because thou giuest him grace to forgiue all men Strengthen him against the tentations of all his spirituall enemies and manifest thy power in his weaknesse by giuing vnto him a full and finall victory ouer them Frustrate the malice of Satan defeat his policies and confound his power that he may not preuaile against him in this last conflict Arme him against the feare of thy wrath and seuere iustice by assuring him that Christ hath appeased the one and satisfied the other Comfort him against the feare of death by perswading him that Christs death hath swallowed it in victory pulled out the sting thereof and made it harmelesse yea exceeding profitable as seruing now for a passage to glory and happinesse and by strengthening him to apply vnto himselfe these consolations by a liuely faith Weane his heart from worldly cares that they may bee no distractions to hinder him in his heauenly iourney and let the assurance and taste of immortall ioyes take away all lothnesse to leaue earthly comforts Set a guard of thy blessed Angels about him and let them serue as thy Messengers and Ministers to conuey his soule as soone as it is separated from his body into thy Kingdome that it may bee there crowned with glory and immortality Finally wee beseech thee giue vs all heere present an holy vse of these examples of our mortality that thereby our hearts being weaned from the world wee may make it our chiefe businesse to prepare our selues against the day of death and Iudgement that so wee may with ioy and comfort appeare before thee when thou shalt bee pleased to call vs to giue vnto thee an account of our Stewardship Heare vs we beseech thee in these our suits and supplications for thy Sonne and our Sauiour Iesus Christ his sake to whom with thee and thy holy Spirit be ascribed all glory and praise power and dominion both now and for euermore Amen A Prayer for Children O Almighty God and my most gracious Father in Iesus Christ I humbly confesse that I am a most wretched sinner and altogether vnworthy to bee in the Couenant of grace and saluation For I was not onely conceiued and borne in sinne and corruption whereby thy glorious Image was defaced in me but I haue added thereunto many actuall sinnes by breaking thy Commandements in thought word and deed whereby I haue deserued thy iust anger in this life and eternall death in the world to come But seeing thou hast vouchsafed to receiue me into thy Couenant of thy free mercy giuing me the signe thereof the Sacrament of Baptisme and hast sent thy Sonne Iesus Christ to dye for and by his death to redeeme the young as well as the old I beseech thee for his sake to pardon all my sinnes and to wash them all away in his most precious blood to receiue me into thy loue and fauour and to make mee thine owne child by adoption and grace Giue me thine holy Spirit to sanctifie rule and gouerne me that according to my age and small ability I may labour to serue thee Make me daily to increase in grace as I increase in yeeres inlighten my mind with the knowledge of thee and my Sauiour Christ and his truth Sow in me the seeds of faith and let it shew it selfe assoone as I am capable thereof in repentance and true obedience Make mee louing dutifull and awfull to my Parents and Gouernours and let mee learne by obeying them in my tender youth to obey thee in my riper age Giue me grace to hearken to their good admonitions and instructions and to profit and amend by their reproofes and chastisements Make me humble courteous and meeke modest and sober diligent to please in all good things and vertuous in my whole course of life that so I may increase in fauour with thee and all good men And as I beg these benefits at thy hands so I yeeld vnto thee all humble and hearty thankes and praise for all benefits both spirituall and temporall vouchsafed vnto me and namely for that it hath pleased thee to giue mee quiet rest and sleepe this night past and hast safely preserued mee from all perils and dangers to which my fraile life is daily subiect Continue O Lord thy loue and fauour towards mee for euer and especially this day take mee into thy fatherly protection preserue mee from sinne and perill and grant that being diligent and industrious in learning such good things as are taught me I may increase in knowledge and profit by instruction in such vertues and good qualities as are fit for me O Lord blesse and preserue my father and mother my brethren and sisters with all other my kindred and friends together with thy whole Church and grant that we may liue in thy fauour dye in thy faith and after death inherit the ioyes of thine euerlasting Kingdome through Iesus Christ our Lord to whom with thee and thy holy Spirit be all honour and glory both now and for euermore Amen FINIS Faults escaped in Printing Page 27. line 23. reade be in the Church p. 29. l. 12 r. internall booke p. 30. l. a fin 8. r. he hath made p. 33 l. 5. r. The will of God and l 7. r. will and most free p 28. l. 11 r. and make men p. 42. l. 12. r. Sunne p 30. l. 17. r. strong corruptions p. 52. l. 7. r. act of p. 57. l a fin 11. read end that we may p. 62. l. 23. returne to their p 66. l. 30. r. for the scanning l. 36. r. yet it neuer l. 39. r. bare act 41. Thesi p. 71. l. 3. r. strong wind l. 37. r. freed from p. 73 l. 4. r. when ceasing and l. 38. r. vpon vs. p. 74. l. 5. r. carry it quietly p. 75. l. 35. r. in a storme p. 85. in Margine l. 15. 16. r. bons viri p. 95. l. 24. r. not deuided and line 2◠r. Chap. 2. Of piety which is the summe of the first Table § Sect. 1. page 125. line 17. reade dominion ouer all p. 125. l. 17. r. one lawfully and l. 33. r. not men p. 128. l. 16. r. God and vs. p. 138. in Margine l. 2. r. The manner p. 140. l. 13 r. dampe it p. 142. l 4 r in our neighbours p. 156. l. a fin 9. r. Frier like affectation p. 179. l. last r. any intercision p. 181 l. 7 r. in
in the sight of the same but to defend it as though it were lawfull yea to glorie in it as if it were commendable as wee see in the example of Doeg who not onely did abominable wickednesse but also boasted Psal 52. 1. himselfe in his mischiefe as the Psalmist speaketh For sinne as oft as it is committed leaueth a blot and poysonous taint behind it in the heart and conscience which if wee doe not labour to wash away with the precious blood of Christ applyed afresh vnto vs by a liuely Faith and by bathing them in the teares of vnfayned repentance it will make them readie to receiue the infection of the next tentation and at last so wholly corrupt and sinfull that they will bee sensible of no wickednesse because it is of the same nature and temper with them To which purpose one saith that these pricks of tentations comming Minus autem dolent sed magis inficiunt quia dum menti diutius adhaerent taâ—to fiunt minus pauendi quantò magis assâ—â—eâ—i Gregor Moral lib. 24. cap. 7. into common vse are made more large and wide though not more sharpe and sensible They grieue lesse but infect more because sticking long vnto the minde they are by so much the lesse feared by how much they are become the more familiar For out of many acts of sinne at last it commeth to an habite which as it is long in getting so it is not easily lost And whilest it continueth sinne is committed at ease without any reluctation of minde or checks of conscience and liued in with great securitie these euill habites producing actions like themselues with as great facilitie as the eye seeth or the eare heareth Againe this often sinning groweth vnto a custome which being euill is the greatest Tyrant hauing in it the nature of a Law which bringeth an vrgent necessitie with it that cannot bee resisted yea it becommeth a second Nature and causeth men to sinne as familiarly and easily as the Riuer runneth the stone descendeth or the sparks flye vpwards It hardneth the heart and seareth the conscience making it like vnto the path-way which is much trampled vpon in which the seed of the Word can take no roote but as soone as it is cast vpon it the Fowles or Fiends of hell come and take it away as our Sauiour speaketh It maketh the heart like vnto the hand Matth. 13. which by much labour getteth such a callum or thicke skin vpon it that it is almost insensible and the Conscience like vnto the Backe which is at first sensible of the smallest stripe but with much whipping becommeth so stupid and benummed that the greatest lashes cause little smart §. 6 The sixt cause of Securitie is the present impunitie of sinners The sixt cause of this carnall Securitie is impunitie of sinners after much wickednesse committed by them For although God out of his goodnesse patience and long suffering differreth the execution of his righteous Iudgements and after sinners haue often deserued Death and condemnation doth giue vnto them many Repriualls that in the meane time they may sue out their Pardon and escape punishment by turning vnto him by vnfayned repentance yet the vessells of wrath ordayned to destruction through the hardnesse of their hearts which cannot repent take occasion vpon this Mercy and Patience of God of liuing securely in their wicked courses and so by multiplying their sinnes treasure vp vnto themselues wrath against the day of wrath and reuelation of the righteous Iudgement of God as the Apostle Rom. 2. 4 5. speaketh Like herein to desperate Malefactors who because they haue often escaped securely goe on in their wickednesse as though they were free from all danger or rather to such as being apprehended arraigned and adiudged to die are through the fauour of the Iudge repriued for a while that they may vse meanes to procure their pardon But they because day of Execution is a little deferred conclude with themselues that all the storme of perill is ouerblowne and with Agag that the bitternesse of death is past and therefore spend their whole time in Pleasures and Delights in Dancing and Reuelling Drinking and Whoring yea securely returne to their former wicked courses Stealing and Robbing Quarrelling and Killing till the Iudge seeing his Mercy and Patience thus abused doe giue out his Warrant for their speedy Execution So the wise Man telleth vs that because sentence against an euill worke is not executed speedily therefore Eccles 8. 11. the heart of the sonnes of men is fully set in them to doe euill An example whereof wee haue in the Israelites who because God held his Esa 57. 11. peace for a long time therefore they feared him not Yea it grew to a wicked prouerbe amongst them that the dayes were prolonged and euery vision fayled that is because the Iudgements of God threatned by the Prophets were deferred therefore their prophesies were worthy Ezecb. 12. 22. no credit as being neuer likely to be fulfilled So Scoffers of these latter times securely walke after their owne lusts and say Where is the 2. Pet. 3. 3 4. promise of Christs comming to iudgement seeing since the Fathers fell asleepe all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation as the Apostle Peter hath fore-warned vs. And what is the cause of all this but the abuse of Gods patience and long-suffering and a false and blasphemous conceit of his Nature and Actions arising from it For when hee delayeth to inflict his Iudgements vpon the wicked for their sinnes they conclude that there is no God or no Prouidence that hee sitteth in Heauen and either seeth not or regardeth not what is done on Earth yea that hee is like them allowing and approuing of their wicked courses as the Psalmist speaketh Psal 50. 21. and therefore they may securely proceed in their sinnes without feare or danger §. 7 The seuenth cause presumption on Gods mercy The seuenth cause of carnall securitie is presumption on Gods mercy whereby men conceiue that though they liue as they list and daily prouoke his wrath against them by wilfull sinnes committed against knowledge and conscience yet hee is so pittifull and tender in compassion that hee will not at all or but very slightly punish them for their wickednesse or though they doe make them lyable to his displeasure by their sinnes yet they may continue in them for a time and not depriue themselues of the pleasure and profit of them seeing whensoeuer they repent they shall haue pardon and bee receiued to Grace and Mercy The which they may doe time enough hereafter when God beginneth to execute iudgement which if hee deferre to doe vntill the houre of their death euen then it will bee time enough to repent seeing hee offereth his Grace to all whatsoeuer at all times whensoeuer that forsake their sinnes and call vpon him for mercy and forgiuenesse And thus doe wicked men make an
Idoll of a mercy in God falsely fancied vnto themselues whilest they seuer it from his Iustice which will not let the sinnes of such presumptuous wretches goe vnpunished and from his Truth which hath denounced fearefull Iudgements against them who securely abuse his patience and long suffering which should leade them to repentance and make them sorry and ashamed that they should offend so gracious and mercifull a God as an incouragement to hearten them on in their course of wickednesse and to make them contemne his Iudgements and Threatnings §. 8 The eight cause the neglect or contempt of the meanes of grace and saluation The eighth cause is the neglect or contempt of the meanes of spirituall grace and eternall saluation as of hearing the Word the vse of the Sacraments Meditation Prayer holy Conferences and such like For as these are the meanes of working our hearts to the true feare of God repentance and spirituall watchfulnesse so the neglect of them causeth carnall securitie hardnesse of heart and boldnesse in sinning And as all other Vices get head and strength by forsaking the vse of the meanes whereby the contrarie Vertues are wrought because they are the priuation of them and therefore the remouall of the one from that subiect which is capable of them is the placing of the other as wee see Light succeed Darknesse and Darknesse Light Rest Labour and Labour Rest so is it in these the putting away of the feare of God by neglecting the meanes whereby it is bred and nourished in vs is the cause of entertayning carnall securitie And so likewise as all other Vices being admitted doe mutually strengthen one another that they may keepe firmer and surer possession against the Vertues which they oppose so is it betweene these for the more we neglect the Word Sacraments and the rest the more secure wee shall be in all sinfull courses and the more strong wee grow in carnall securitie the more negligent wee waxe in those holy Exercises And therefore the Prophet ioyneth them together as mutuall causes of one another They stopped their eares that they should not heare and made Zach. 7. 11 12. their hearts as an Adamant stone §. 9 The ninth cause hearing the Word without Faith The ninth cause is the hearing of the Word without Faith giuing no credit either to the threatnings of the Law or promises of the Gospell Heb. 4. 2. For as the Word is vnprofitable if it bee not mixed with Faith in those that heare it as the Apostle speaketh so it becommeth in this respect by accident through our corruption dangerous and hurtfull Either it is the sauour of life vnto life or the sauour of death vnto death 2. Cor. 2. 16. Either it weakneth and killeth Vice or giueth more strength and vigour to it either it softneth our hearts like Waxe or hardneth them like Clay either it worketh them to Gods feare when we beleeue his Promises and Threatnings or maketh them more carnally secure when wee giue no credit to them For the Word of God proceeding out of his mouth shall not returne vnto him void but shall accomplish that which pleaseth him and prosper in the thing whereto hee sends it Esai 55. 11. as the Prophet speaketh And as oft as we heare it either it setteth vs forward in the right way that leadeth to saluation or through our corruption and vnbeliefe it maketh vs to goe faster and more securely in the wayes of death and destruction It will make our hearts melt like the heart of good Iosiah or to become more hard like the heart of Pharaoh and wee shall receiue Gods Ambassadors with feare and trembling as the Corinthians did Titus or with proud neglect and 2. Cor. 7. 15. scornefull censures fore-stalling preiudice and resolued obstinacy as the Athenians did the Apostle Paul So the Lord speaketh of some Act. 17. 18 32. who should take occasion vpon hearing the curses of the Law to blesse Deut. 29. 20. themselues in their hearts saying I shall haue peace though I walke in the imagination of my heart to adde drunkennesse to thirst And the Prophet from the Lord saith of the people of the Iewes that whilest they heard and vnderstood not and seeing perceiued not their hearts were made Esa 6. 9. more fat their eares heauie and their eyes more blind which is not caused by any naturall propertie of the Word but by accident through mans corruption that doth abuse it and so maketh that a curse which was ordayned for a blessing Like the weake and tender eye that is made more blind by the bright beames of the Sunne which cause stronger sights to see and discerne the better or the weake eare which is made more deafe by too much hearing of loud sounds or the sicke stomacke which becommeth more sicke by receiuing holesome nourishment whereby one strong and healthy would bee confirmed in health and by well digesting of it minister vigour and strength to the whole body §. 10 The tenth cause the not applying the Word preached The tenth cause is the not applying of the Word preached or read vnto our selues for our owne vse and benefit but putting it off to others as though it concerned them and not vs especially admonitions and reprehensions for sinne and the threatnings of Gods Iudgements against those that continue in them without repentance For so are men blinded with pride and selfe loue that they can see no faults in themselues or if they doe yet they seeme so small and veniall that they are scarce worth the reprouing and so defectiue are they in charitie towards their Neighbours that they can easily spie the least Motes in their eyes and make of euery Moll-hill a huge Mountayne And this maketh them to shift all rebukes for sinne and denunciations of punishment from themselues vnto others to whom they thinke they more fitly belong and so blesse themselues and securely liue in sinne as though they were free from all danger Yea though they be neuer so faultie in those Vices that are reproued yet if in truth they can find out any that in the iudgement of the World doe goe beyond them in those kinds then can they heare them sharpely rebuked without any sting of conscience or sense of the smart of their owne sinnes yea with much pleasure and delight And thus haue I often heard after some powerfull Sermon against couetousnesse a greedie Muck-worme nothing moued for his owne auarice because hee hath beene able to picke out of a whole Citie or Countrey some one supposed to bee more wretched then himselfe vnto whom hee hath applyed all that was spoken And so when pride hath beene rebuked or profanenesse or worldlinesse or any other sinne I haue noted that those who haue highly offended in these kinds in the iudgement of all others haue like innocents securely blessed themselues applying nothing spoken to their owne vse because they could point at others that haue exceeded them
the World with him and is a fruit or branch of originall corruption and one kind of hardnesse of heart whereby forgetting Gods Power and Prouidence his Iustice and hatred of Sinne and not obseruing his fearfull Iudgements executed vpon the wicked nor his Mercies extended towards those that serue him mens hearts are emptied of the true feare of God and so without checke and remorse of conscience or griefe of heart quietly and securely goe on in their sinfull courses to their eternall destruction And this is naturally bred and borne in all men alike without exception although nourished and increased diuersly by those causes of securitie before spoken of according to that predominancy which they seuerally haue in one more then in another And continueth and wholly possesseth all the powers and faculties of Heart and Mind as it were a spirituall Lethargie till the Lord awakneth them out of it as he doth euen the wicked sometimes by the thundering threatnings of the Law and sense of his heauie Iudgements for their sinnes striking horror and despaire into their mindes hearts and consciences whereby it commeth to passe that they who slept securely and neuer awaked can now take no rest at all And the godly alwayes whom he first rowseth out of this dead sleepe partly by Legall comminations and partly by some sharpe Afflictions so as like the Iaylor suddenly awakned they crie out to Gods Ministers Men and Brethren what shall we doe that we may be saued and Act. 16. afterwards by the preaching of the Gospell whereby the true feare of God is wrought in them which maketh them to watch ouer their wayes that they may not being ouer-come by tentations doe any thing displeasing in the sight of God So that euen naturally this vaile of securitie is spread ouer the eyes of all men whereby they see not or seeing like men asleepe with their eyes open consider and regard not the all-seeing Eye of God looking vpon them yea euen into all the secret corners of their hearts and reynes the Iustice and Power of God whereby hee is ready and able to punish sinne nor his Loue Mercy and Goodnesse towards all those that seeke and serue him vntill by the preaching of the Word and inward operation of the Spirit applying vnto them the vertue of Christs death this vaile is rent in sunder whereby they come to a sight of Gods sauing attributes which worke in vs a reuerent and filiall feare of him which is alwayes accompanyed with a holy care and watchfulnesse ouer our selues that we doe not any thing displeasing in his sight §. 2 Of carnall securitie which is affected and voluntarie The carnall securitie which is affected and voluntarie is when as men purposely vse all meanes to harden their hearts against Gods feare and to stop their eares that they may not heare any thing which may awaken them of their pleasing sleepe of sinne that so they may without any disturbance commit all manner of wickednesse with delight and greedinesse whereby they much strengthen and increase their naturall securitie vntill by custome it becommeth habituall They adde Arte to Nature and thinking that they cannot sleepe soundly enough and without feare of disturbance in their naturall slumber of securitie they stupifie their senses as it were with opium till they are brought into an vnrecouerable Lethargie and sleepe of death They doe not onely draw ouer their alreadie hard hearts and seared consciences a callum or thicke skin which will not be pierced with the pricke of a pin but as one saith euen a treble plated armor Triplex circa praecordia ferrum which is high proofe against the Sword of Gods Spirit the Word of God yea euen the Musket shot of his Iudgements and Punishments They doe not onely quench all good motions of Gods Spirit restrayning them from sinne but quite put out those small sparkes of the light of Nature which remayne in them They doe not alone stop the voyce and crie of their consciences with the lowder clamour of their tumultuous lusts and passions but put to silence all that would admonish them of their wicked courses with their impudency in sinning They harden their fore-heads against all reproofes and flye in their faces who reprehend their wickednesse They shut their Esa 6. 9. Zach. 7. 11 12. eyes that they may not see Gods Iudgements and stop their eares that they may not heare of them either as they are threatned in the ministerie of the Word or inflicted on impenitent sinners like vnto themselues yea they stupifie their senses that they haue no feeling of them but can out-face their owne punishments and euen laugh when they are lashed with Gods whip And though all these outward Sconces were batterd and beaten downe so as sinne dare no longer abide in the countenance Words and externall Actions yet they haue an inward Fort vnto which being impregnable it may safely retyre euen an heart of Rocky and Adamant hardnesse whereas it may sleepe in great securitie there being no engine or shot which will batter this Hold. §. 3 Of carnall securitie which is in the vnregenerate Secondly this carnall securitie is to be distinguished according to the diuers subiects in which it is For it is to be considered as it is in the vnregenerate before conuersion who are wholly ignorant and forgetfull of God destitute of Faith and the feare of God or as it doth remayne in the faithfull after they are in part regenerate and truely conuerted In the vnregenerate it continueth in it full strength wholly possessing and corrupting the mind and heart and depriuing them vtterly of Gods feare of the sight and sense of their sinnes and of the Iudgements and Punishments due vnto them either threatned and imminent or else alreadie inflicted and imposed In these it raigneth and ruleth without resistance as a King and Soueraigne vnto whom they yeeld peaceable and quiet obedience keeping all in peace without any feare or disturbance and as Satans Vice-Roy subiecteth all the powers of the Mind and Soule vnto his rule and gouernment so as quietly and without feare they doe his will according to the saying of our Sauiour When a strong Man armed keepeth his house all that hee possesseth is in peace Or if the conscience being awakned and affrighted Luk. 11. 21. with the threatnings of the Law and apprehension of Gods Iudgement doth check their lusts and passions and disturb this quiet peace Carnall securitie soone pacifieth these tumults by stopping the voyce of the Conscience and casting it into a deepe sleepe whilest it causeth it to be lulled in the lap of carnall pleasure and singeth vnto it the sweet and bewitching tunes of worldly delights with the dittie of earthly profits and preferments In which they continue till they come to sleepe that last sleepe of death and are summoned to appeare before Gods Iudgement Seate to giue an account of all their former courses vnlesse in the meane time the Lord
to keepe vs from any danger and defend vs against tentations our frailety to fall into sinne and inabilitie to any good actions our pronenesse to fall into perils and want of power to recouer out of them our vnworthinesse of Gods least fauour and worthinesse of his greatest Iudgements this would make vs to shake off all securitie and to worke out our saluation with feare and trembling as the Apostle exhorteth Phil. 2. 12 13. because of our selues wee are able to doe nothing but it is Phil. 3. 12 13 14. God onely which worketh in vs both to will and to doe of his good pleasure This would keepe vs from being secure as though we were possessed of all we desire and were alreadie perfect and make vs with the Apostle to forget those things which are behind and to reach forth vnto those Heb. 4. 1. things which are before and with all our care and endeauour to presse toward the marke for the price of the high calling of God in Christ Iesus lest hauing the promise of the garland of blessednesse through our sloth and securitie wee come short of it as the Apostle speaketh §. 4 That it is a notable meanes to weaken self-confidence if wee consider the strength of our spirituall enemies But much more effectuall would it be for the shaking off this carnall securitie if wee would weaken our selfe-confidence by our often consideration not onely of our frailetie and weakenesse which make vs prone to fall in the least trials and tentations but also of our many and mightie politique and most malitious enemies who incessantly assault vs and will easily get the victorie if the Lord for a iust punishment of our selfe-confidence leaue vs to our selues or if wee securely neglect to stand vpon our guard to fight against that in the power of Gods might and to keepe the Christian armour still buckled vnto vs. For wee can bee no more readie to giue them aduantage then they to take it and to make the most spitefull vse of it for our ouerthrow we can be no more feeble to stand then they strong and malitious to cast vs downe and to tread vs vnder foot when they haue gotten vs at their cruell mercie Yea let vs consider this humane frailetie not onely in our selues and the strength and malice of our enemies in their assaults against vs but in those who haue gone before vs who haue farre exceeded vs in grace and spirituall strength and yet haue beene fearefully foyled by giuing them aduantage through their securitie as of Noah Lot Dauid Peter and many others And so may we easily conclude that wee who are weake and fresh-water Souldiers haue little reason to be secure when the Lords greatest Worthies haue through the might and malice of their enemies and their owne heedlessenesse receiued such foiles and that wee poore shrubs may easily be troden vnder the feet of these Wolues and Lions when such tall Cedars could not stand before them Whereby wee shall not onely bee made more warie and watchfull ouer our footing by the example of their slips but also distrusting in our owne strength we shall rest with full affiance vpon Gods gracious power and promises who is alone sufficient to preserue vs in these dangers Finally adde to the power and malice the diligence and watchfulnesse of our spirituall enemies for Sathan as hee confesseth exerciseth himselfe in compassing the earth to and fro that he may spie out his Iob 1. 7. best opportunities to doe vs mischiefe And the Apostle perswadeth vs to sobrietie and watchfulnesse by this argument because our aduersarie 1. Pet. 5. 8. the Deuill goeth about continually like a roaring Lion seeing whom he may deuoure And therefore if this great Fowler still watcheth to catch vs in the nets of destruction much more should wee watch for our preseruation that we may escape them if hee layeth snares and grinnes to entrappe vs in euery place at home and abroad in our beds and at our tables in our recreations and the labours of our callings yea in our most holy exercises hearing reading praying what place is there for securitie if we haue any desire to escape them and to be kept from falling into ruine If this great thiefe watch to breake Math. 24. 43. in into the houses of our hearts and to rob vs of the treasures of spirituall grace and lead vs captiue vnto sinne O why should wee giue place to securitie in the middest of these desperate dangers and not rather stand vpon our watch that we may preuent them yea seeing wee are apt to slumber and sleepe why should wee trust to our owne watchfulnesse and not rather put our whole affiance in the great Watchman of Israel desiring him continually to watch ouer vs and when we are readie to slumber in securitie to awaken vs out of it by his Word and Spirit lest wee sleepe the sleepe of death and become a prey to our spirituall enemies §. 5 The third remedie is to vse well our prosperitie The fourth meanes is that we abuse not our prosperitie to the nourishing of our securitie nor suffer our selues to be abused by it but if God send it that we make such holy and right vse of it as that it may encrease in vs the true feare of God and make vs more diligent and spiritually watchfull vnto all religious and honest duties And to this end let vs not suffer our iudgements to be blinded with a false conceit that it is an infallible signe of Gods loue and that therefore because we enioy it we are highly in his fauour and consequently out of the gun-shot of any either present or future danger so as wee may be secure and seare nothing For these worldly things are but of an indifferent nature in respect of their vse good or euill as they are well or ill vsed and no sure testimonies of Gods loue seeing these outward things happen alike to all as the Wise-man speaketh Yea in regard Ecele 9. 1 2. that by reason of our corruption they are seldome well vsed but contrariwise abused to sinne forgetfulnesse of God pride ambition couetousnesse and many other vices therefore the Lord ordinarily bestoweth them in greatest abundance vpon wicked men as Turkes Infidels and carnall Christians that surfetting of their plentie as the Psalmist speaketh their Table may become a snare and giueth them to his best and dearest children with a sparing hand or if liberally yet hee seasoneth and tempereth them with many crosses and afflictions that their hearts may not be too much set vpon them Which being rightly considered our prosperitie will not nourish securitie but rather feare lest we should be in the greatest and worst number Secondly let not our hearts trust in these earthly things wisedome strength riches friends or any other thing wherein men place their worldly happinesse and so bee secure as though they could free vs from all danger for these earthly things are
themselues against mee round about The Lord Psal 27. 1 3. is my light and saluation whom shall I feare the strength of my life of whom shall I be afraid Though an host should encampe against mee my heart shall not feare though warre should rise against me in this I will be confident And with the Church God is our refuge and strength a very Psal 46. 1 2. present helpe in trouble therefore will wee not feare though the earth be remooued and though the mountaines be carried into the middest of the sea So in the time not onely of worldly prosperitie when God hedgeth him in on all sides with the pledges of his loue but also of affliction trouble and persecution hee is secure in the assurance of Gods fauour because he knoweth that these are signes of his adoption Rom. 8. 28. and that all things worke together for good to them that loue God to them that are the Called according to his purpose That vers 35. Afflictions Tribulation Distresse Persecution Famine Nakednesse Perill or Sword shall not bee able to separate him from the loue of Christ That they doe not hinder but further him in the way to euerlasting happinesse For by many tribulations we must enter into the Act. 14. 22. Kingdome of God wee must first suffer with Christ that afterwards 2. Tim. 2. 12. wee may raigne with him and these short and momentanie afflictions 2. Cor. 4. 17. shall cause vnto vs a farre most excellent and an eternall waight of glorie That they are not vnto them effects of the Legall curse but assurances of euerlasting Blessednes according to that of Dauid Blessed is the man whom thou chastenest O Lord and teachest him out Psal 94. 12. of thy Law And of the Apostle Peter If yee suffer for Righteousnesse Pet. 3. 14. happy are yee and bee not afraid of their terrour neither bee yee troubled And of the Apostle Iames Blessed is the man that indureth Iam. 1. 12. tentation for when he is tried he shall receiue the Crowne of Life which the Lord hath promised to them that loue him And finally that of our Sauiour Blessed are they that are persecuted for Righteousnesse Matth. 5. 10 11. sake for theirs is the Kingdome of Heauen Blessed are yee when men reuile you and persecute you and shall say all manner of euill against you falsely for my sake reioyce and be exceeding glad for great is your reward in Heauen In which respects they that are iustified by Faith Rom. 5. 1 3. and haue peace with God through our Lord Iesus Christ not onely reioyce in hope of the glorie of God and beare their afflictions with patience but euen glorie in tribulation as the Apostle speaketh In a word hee loseth not his spirituall securitie no not in the agonie of death it selfe because the Righteous hath hope in death and when hee Pro. 14. 32. is killed euen by Gods owne hand can say with Iob Though hee slay Iob 13. 15. mee yet will I trust in him And because hee knoweth that though Death bee able to separate his soule from the body yet it is not able Rom. 8. 38 39. to separate him from the loue of God in Christ Yea contrariwise it shall serue as a passage conducting him into Gods presence and hasten the fruition of this glorious Majestie and supreme goodnesse In whose presence is fulnesse of ioy and at whose right hand there are Psal 16. 11. pleasures for euer more CHAP. II. Of the Causes and Effects of spirituall Securitie §. 1 The causes of spirituall securitie respecting God HAuing shewed what spirituall Securitie is it now followeth that wee intreate of the Causes of it which are of Deus nobis haec otiasecit Virgil. Eclog. 1. two sorts the first respecting God the other our selues The chiefe and principall cause of it is Gods free grace working this spirituall securitie in our hearts that wee may with greater ioy and cheerfulnesse performe vnto him faithfull seruice when as wee are assured that though wee haue many enemies which oppose vs in it yet none shall bee able to doe vs any hurt nor hinder vs from receiuing the recompence of reward which the Lord of his free mercy and grace hath promised vnto vs. And thus Dauid acknowledgeth that it was no wisedome power or prouidence of his owne but the Lord onely that did make him dwell in safetie And that Psal 4. 1. 91. 1. he who dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide safe from all danger vnder the shadow of the Almightie Secondly we haue this securitie by the free donation and legacie of Iesus Christ who at his comming in the flesh brought this peace with him and caused it to be proclaymed by his holy Angels Glorie to God in the Highest and on Luk. 2. 14. Earth peace good will towards men And leauing the Earth bequeathed vnto the faithfull and left this peace behind him Peace I leaue with Ioh. 14. 27. you my peace I giue vnto you not as the world giueth giue I vnto you that is a worldly and outward peace for in the World ye shall haue Ioh. 16. 33. tribulation but a spirituall peace with God and peace of Conscience by which yee shall haue inward tranquillitie of mind and securitie from all danger in the middest of earthly troubles and therefore let not your heart be troubled neither let it be afraid The fruit of which peace is the securitie of all the faithfull following their regeneration and change of their nature from sauage crueltie vnto a Doue-like simplicitie and Lambe-like meeknesse one towards another according to that prophesie of Esay foretelling the state of Christs Kingdome The Wolfe shall dwell with the Lambe and the Leopard shall lye downe Esa 11. 6 7. with the Kid and the Calfe and the yong Lion and the Fatling together and a little Child shall leade them c. And the suckling Child shall play on the hole of the Aspe and the weaned Child shall put his hand on the Cockatrice Den. They shall not destroy in all mine holy Mountayne for the Earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the Waters that couer the Sea Thirdly we enioy this securitie by vertue of the Couenant of grace which God hath made with vs in Iesus Christ Wherein the Lord hath freely promised that he will be our God and King and we his peculiar People and Subiects of his Kingdome whom he will therefore receiue vnder his protection and preserue safe and secure from all danger and that he will be our Shepheard and we his Flocke and the Sheepe of his pasture whom he will keepe safe in his Sheepe-fold from the Wolfe Lion Beare and all other rauenous Beasts which shall attempt to hurt vs according to that of the Prophet I will saue my Flocke and they shall no more be a prey And I