perisheth as the Wiseman speaketh CAP. V. Of the loue of God and diuers vertues which spring from it §. Sect. 1 Of the loue of God what it is and wherein it consisteth and of the measure and meanes of it THe next mayne and principall dutie is the loue of God when as knowing beleeuing and remembring his infinitenesse in all goodnesse excellency beauty and all perfection and his inestimable loue grace and bounty towards vs we doe loue him againe with all our heart soule minde and strength aboue all things and all other things in him and for his sake So that the causes of our loue towards God are his goodnesse excellencie beautie and perfection in himselfe and his goodnesse grace and benignity towards vs. For goodnesse is the onely obiect of loue neither doe wee loue any thing which is not either truely good or at least appeareth good vnto vs. And therfore seeing God is the summum bonum and chiefe goodnesse when his nature appeareth to be so we should loue him chiefly and place our chiefe happinesse in his fruition But yet because in this state of corruption we are full of selfe-loue therefore wee cannot loue God perfectly and absolutely for himselfe as we ought till wee bee assured of his loue towards vs and haue it shed abroad in our hearts by the holy Ghost for we loue him because he loued vs first as the Apostle speaketh Now the Rom. 5. 5. 1. Ioh. 4. 19. measure of our loue wherewith we are to loue God ought to be without measure both because he is immeasurable in goodnesse in his owne nature and also because his loue towards vs hath exceeded all measure the which appeareth not only in our creation whereby he hath giuen vs vnto our selues and made vs his most excellent creatures but also in our Redemption wherein he hath giuen himselfe vnto vs euen his onely begotten and dearely beloued Sonne of the same nature with himselfe to die for our sinnes and rise againe for our iustification and that when we were not friends but of no strength strangers sinners enemies vnto him and his grace the slaues of Satan and children of wrath as well as others And therefore if he thus loued vs when we merited no loue yea when we deserued wrath and hatred how much more if it were possible should wee loue him who is most louely and infinitely deserueth our loue But because our nature being finite we cannot loue him infinitely wee ought therefore to loue him as much as is possible for vs with all our hearts soules and strength Or if we cannot thus doe in respect of our corruption yet at least we must loue him in sincerity and vprightnesse of heart as much as we can and be heartily sorry that wee can loue him no better We must loue him aboue all things in the world as house lands parents children wiues yea our owne liues and be ready with all cheerefulnesse to lay them downe for him as he hath first laid downe his life for vs. For if we ought to loue all things in him and for him then ought wee to loue him much more preferring his glory euen before our owne saluation when as they come in comparison the one with the other And this is that loue of God which is to be imbraced of vs as being in it selfe a most excellent vertue and in diuers respects to be preferred before faith and hope 1. Cor. 13. 13. and to vs most profitable feeing it assureth vs of Gods loue and remission Luk. 7. 47. of our sinnes transformeth vs after a manner into the diuine nature for where is loue there is likenesse and it is the nature of it to change the louer as much as may be into the party beloued and finally weaneth our hearts from the loue of the world and earthly vanities and lifteth vp our affections and thoughts vnto God and heauenly things maketh all that we doe or suffer for Gods sake easie and tolerable yea sweete and comfortable for it seeketh not her owne beareth all things endureth all things it inableth 1. Cor. 13. 6 7. vs to offer vnto God cheerefull obedience and to performe all duties of holinesse and righteousnesse required vnto a godly life with ioy and delight which without it are irkesome and vnpleasant yea intolerable and impossible vnto flesh and blood Now the meanes whereby our hearts may be inflamed with this diuine fire of Gods loue are first that we often meditate vpon Gods infinite goodnesse excellency beauty and perfection which make him worthy of all loue and how hee hath exercised these sauing attributes towards vs in our creation and preseruation in our redemption giuing his only Sonne to die for vs and for his sake forgiuing vs all our sinnes and in bestowing vpon vs all the good things which wee inioy in this life or hope for in the life to come §. Sect. 2 Of the zeale of Gods glory what it is and wherein it consisteth Now the vertues and graces which arise and issue from loue are diuers as zeale of Gods glory ioy and reioycing in God thankefulnesse and obedience Zeale is the fruit and effect of our feruent loue towards God and as it were a flame arising from this diuine fire whereby we are made most carefull and earnest in seeking Gods glory both in aduancing and furthering all meanes whereby it is furthered and in opposing hindring and remoouing all the impediments whereby it may bee hindred And this is to be shewed in all other vertues as being the intension of them and in all duties which we performe vnto God So the Apostle telleth vs generally that it is good to be zealously affected alwayes in a good thing Gal. 4. 18. Our loue towards God and hatred of sinne must be zealous and hot and not cold or luke-warme our repentance must bee ioyned with zeale Bee zealous and amend We must zealously worship and serue God according Apoc. 3. 19. to that of the Apostle feruent in Spirit seruing the Lord. Wee must not Rom. 12. 11. Tit. 2. 14. 1. Thes 3. 10. onely doe good workes but be zealous of them Wee must pray with zeale exceedingly and powre out our hearts like water before the Lord with Lam. 2. 19. zeale we must preach the Word and be inwardly affected with that wee speake that so also we may affect others and we must with zeale heare the Word and euen hunger and thirst after this spirituall food of our soules 1. Pet. 2. 1. that we may grow vp thereby But yet our care must be that our zeale be guided with knowledge and not shew it selfe in all things but as the Apostle speaketh onely in a good matter and also that in aduancing of the Gal. 4. 18. meanes of Gods glory and remoouing the impediments wee keepe our selues within the limits of our callings Now the meanes to attaine vnto this zeale is to consider often and seriously how great things
the Lord hath done for vs which will make vs thinke that we can neuer be too earnest in seeking his glory nor too intent and feruent in all holy duties of his seruice That it is an inseparable propertie of all grace to be zealous in them and therefore there can be no grace at all where zeale is wanting That is an vndoubted signe of those who are the redeemed of the Lord to be zealous of good works therfore where there is no zeale there can be no Tit. 2. 14. signe of redemption by Christ finally that luke-warmenesse is most lothsome vnto God and that those who are so he will spue out of his mouth Apoc. 3. 17. §. Sect. 3 Of reioycing in God what it is and the meanes wherby we may attaine vnto it The second vertue arising from loue is ioy and reioycing in God when being assured of his loue towards vs and louing him againe tasting for the present how good the Lord is and perswading our selues of the full fruition of him in the life to come we are exceedingly delighted and euen glory in the assurance and sense of Gods fauour For it is the nature of loue to make vs reioyce in the thing beloued and as the more excellent any thing is in our conceite the more our loue exceedeth so according to the measure of our loue such also is our ioy when we inioy it And therefore needes must our ioy and reioycing in God exceed all other ioy because our loue ought to bee proportioned to his goodnesse and excellency and our ioy to our loue In which respect this diuine ioy swalloweth vp all worldly griefe and causeth vs to glory not onely in worldly prosperity but also in persecution and tribulation Rom. 5. 3. And this is that ioy vnto which the Scriptures exhort vs Reioyce in the Phil. 4. 4. 1. Thes 5. 16. Psal 37. 4. Lord alway and againe I say Reioyce Reioyce euermore Delight thy selfe in the Lord and he will giue thee the desires of thine heart Which if we attaine vnto then haue wee euen in this life the first beginnings of our heauenly happinesse For as the Apostle teacheth vs the Kingdome of God Rom. 14. 17. consisteth in righteousnesse peace and ioy in the holy Ghost Now the meanes to obtaine this ioy is to labour after assurance that wee are vnited vnto Christ for we cannot haue it in our selues but in and through him according to that of the Apostle We ioy in God through our Lord Iesus Christ Rom. 5. 11. by whom now we haue receiued the atonement Secondly if we would haue this ioy we must labour after the assurance of our iustification and remission of our sinnes for peace with God followeth our iustification by faith Rom. 5. 1 3. and ioy this peace Thirdly let vs labour after this assurance that wee are the sonnes of God by adoption and grace and to haue it sealed vnto vs in our hearts and consciences by his holy Spirit that so our assurance of our heauenly inheritance may vphold our ioy and reioycing in the middest of temporary crosses and afflictions Finally let vs labour to feele Gods loue shed abroad in our hearts by the holy Ghost which wee shall best discerne by finding them inflamed with feruent loue towards God approoued to bee sincere by our care to flee all sinne which is odious vnto him and imbracing all vertue and goodnesse which is acceptable in his sight And if wee inioy God in this mutuall loue wee shall in all estates glory and reioyce in it and in the middest of all worldly extremities comfort our selues with Dauid in the Lord 1. Sam. 30. 6. 1. Thes 1. 6. our God §. Sect. 4 Of thankfulnes vnto God what is required vnto it and the meanes of it The third vertue arising from the loue of God is vnfained thankfulnes for when in consideration of Gods goodnesse mercy and bounty towards Psal 116. 12. vs our hearts are inflamed with his loue and replenished with ioy vnspeakeable and glorious then doe we thinke with Dauid what wee may returne vnto him for all his benefits and finding no possible meanes of making the least requitall in regard of our impotency and Gods all-sufficiency we doe at last resolue to remaine for euer thankfull debters and to expresse our thankefulnesse both by our words in praysing and magnifying and in all our actions by glorifying him our Benefactour who hath beene so infinitely gracious vnto vs seeing wee haue nothing else to returne vnto him So that our loue of God proceeding from his loue towards vs is the roote of our thankefulnesse and our reioycing in his loue and goodnesse an inseparable companion of it For this thankefulnesse is a vertue whereby knowing acknowledging and reioycing in the sense and feeling of Gods loue goodnesse and bountie towards vs wee are inwardly thankefull vnto him for all his benefits and outwardly expresse it by praysing and glorifying his holy Name both by our lips and liues whereby it appeareth what is required to this vertue of thankefulnesse First that wee apprehend Gods loue and inwardly reioyce in it hauing our hearts thorowly affected with the sense of his goodnesse and bounty towards vs. Secondly that wee doe not ascribe the blessings and benefits which wee inioy vnto any Jam. 1. 17. thing else but onely vnto God as our supreme and chiefe Benefactour who is the principall Author of all our good Thirdly that wee doe not smother our thankefulnesse in our hearts but cause it to breake forth first in our words by praysing magnifying Gods holy name for as the Psalmist speaketh It becommeth the righteous to be thankefull and secondly in Psal 33. 1. our workes by doing those things which are pleasing vnto God in whom our soule delighteth that so the light of our godly liues shining before men we may cause them also to glorifie our Father which is in heauen Mat. 5. 16. The which ought to be performed of vs in all things and at all times both in prosperity and aduersity plenty and penury health and sicknesse according to that of the Apostle But be filled with the Spirit speaking to your selues in Psalmes and Hymnes and spirituall songs singing and making melodie Eph. 5. 18 19. in your hearts to the Lord giuing thankes alwayes for all things vnto God the Father in the name of our Lord Iesus Christ An example whereof wee haue in Iob who blessed the Lord when he was depriued of all his substance Iob 1. 21. and in the Church grieuously afflicted who in the middest of all her calamities did acknowledge Gods mercies in that they were not vtterly Lam. 3. 32. consumed Now the meanes whereby vve may be stirred vp to this duty and inabled to performe it are first to consider that this thankfulnes and thanksgiuing is good pleasant and comely according to that of the Psalmist Praise ye the Lord for it is good
be directed by them and tread in their footsteps so long as they goe before them in the wayes of truth and godlinesse and finally that they should march after their spirituall Captaines and Leaders and ioyne with them in fighting against the enemies of their saluation For it were as good for them to want these burning and shining Lights if they sit idly still and doe nothing to haue no such examples if they neuer imitate them to bee without guides if they will not follow them and these Captaines and Leaders if they let them sustaine alone the brunt of the battell and not like faithfull Souldiers ioyne common forces against common enemies Thirdly I answere that if the speciall imployments of our particular callings might make vs dispence with the generall duties of Christianity and Gods seruice the Ministers calling if we faithfully walke in it and diligently performe our duties hath as much businesse and imployment and not many fewer or lesse distractions from priuate religious duties then those which are of other professions As besides his priuate studies Reading and Meditation vnto 1. Tim. 4. 15 16. which hee must seriously attend that hee may prepare and fit himselfe for the publike seruice of the Church and the gouernment of his owne family hee must also watch ouer his flocke visit the sicke strengthen the weake comfort the afflicted priuately admonish those that erre and goe out of the way exhort those that are sluggish and rebuke those who wilfully offend and continue in their sinnes All which if they be performed with that conscionable care which they ought will leaue them as little time as other men for their priuate deuotions although vnder this pretence they must not bee neglected Finally though more bee required of Gods Ministers in respect of degree seeing where the Lord bestoweth a greater measure of his gifts and graces there hee requireth that they should in a greater measure bring foorth the fruits of holy obedience yet the same duties are to bee performed of all Christians according to the proportion of their grace receiued and both alike are tyed to yeeld vnto God their common Master religious seruice although those who exceed in knowledge and other gifts are bound to doe them in more perfection And howsoeuer a greater measure of knowledge is required of the Minister then the people because his lips must preserue Mal. 2. 7. it as in a common Treasury that they may haue recourse vnto him for the supplying of their wants yet as all men must liue by their owne Habac. 2. 5. faith so also they must walke by their owne sight and haue such a measure of knowledge and illumination of the Spirit as may be sufficient to direct them in all Christian and religious duties For their soules being alike precious vnto them as theirs are who are called to the Ministery and the way and meanes the same which bring both to eternall life and happinesse it behoueth them both alike to labour after this common saluation in the performance of the same Religious duties which are also required of both as common vnto them §. Sect. 5 Their obiection answered who pretend the want of meanes But here againe they are ready to obiect that if they had such means of knowledge and other sauing graces as others enioy and such helpes and furtherances in the duties of a godly life as many abound with then with some reason they were to be blamed if they did neglect them But alas they are vnder some ignorant or idle minister which cannot or wil not instruct them or such vnconscionable guides as shine not in the light of a good example but rather lay stumbling stones of offence before them by their enormious and scandalous liues and neglecting all good duties themselues doe dis-hearten and discountenance them who are carefull to performe them rather then any wayes encourage them either by their words or actions In which regard they thinke that they may be excused if they be not so zealous and forward in performing the Religious duties of Gods seruice and of a godly life To which I haue in part before answered namely that if this be our case first we must vse all good meanes to moue them to their dutie especially that we powre forth our hearty prayers vnto God for our Pastours and Ministers intreating him that he will inlighten their mindes and sanctifie their hearts and affections and so make them as able as willing to performe those high and holy duties vnto which they are called And secondly if the courses which they still hold affoord vs no better hopes then accounting the glorifying of God in the eternall saluation of our soules that one thing necessary which is farre to be preferred before all earthly commodities wee must labour to place our selues vnder such Pastors and Teachers as will carefully and conscionably breake vnto vs the bread of life and shine before vs not onely in the light of doctrine but also of an holy life conuersation In the meane time these outward wants must not make vs neglect the Religious duties of a godly life or if they doe they cannot be sufficient to excuse our negligence which doth not so much proceed from the want of externall meanes or those discouragements which are without vs as from the secret corruptions that lie lurking within vs. Which if they were thorowly mortified and our hearts inflamed with feruent zeale and true deuotion we would not be moued by these publique defects and discouragements to neglect the priuate duties of Gods seruice yea rather wee would vse them with more diligence as being through want of the other pressed vpon vs with a greater necessity For he that hath no friends or parents to looke vnto him or such as greatly care not whether he feed vpon wholesome food or famish for want of bread findeth that he is the more bound hereby to prouide for himselfe Whereas contrariwise these corruptions which make vs neglect the duties of Gods seruice still remayning in vs and quenching in our hearts all zeale and deuotion would make vs alike cold and negligent in our priuate exercises of Religion although the publike meanes which we enioyed were neuer so excellent Of the former we haue an example in Dauid who when he liued in the barren wildernesse had his soule so watred with the dew of Gods grace that it neuer brought forth more better fruits of holines and so inflamed with the fire of Gods Spirit that he was neuer more deuout in religious exercises nor more zealous in the priuate duties of Gods seruice though being banished and exiled from the Tabernacle and the publike place of Gods worship he was withall depriued of the ordinary means of his saluation And the like we see in the example of the persecuted Martyrs who neuer were more feruent in their priuate deuotions then when they durst not shew themselues in open assemblies but hid their heads frō
221 2 Their obiection answered who pretend want of leasure to pray 222 3 That before we pray we must vse preparation and what is required vnto it 223 CAP. XIIIâ— Of such things as are required as essentiall vnto prayer 225 Sect. 1. That we must pray in truth with attention and not with wandring thoughts 225 2 The meanes hereof 226 3 That wee must pray with our vnderstandings 227 4 That wee must pray in faith 228 5 That we must pray in humility with reuerence and feruency 229 CAP. XV. Of the circumstances of Prayer their quantity and quality 230 Sect. 1. Of our gesture and voyce in prayer 230 2 That we must not affect prolixity and superfluity of words in prayer 231 3 Of the quality of our prayers 233 CAP. XVI Of the forme and methode which are to bee vsed in our Prayers 233 Sect. 1. Of formes of prayer set downe by others 233 2 Of formes of prayer inuented by our selues 234 3 Of conceiued prayers and how farre foorth they are commendable 235 4 What methode is best in disposing the parts of our prayers 236 5 What duties are to be performed after we haue prayed 237 6 Of the time in the Morning when wee are to vse our priuate Prayer 238 7 Of prayer with the rest of the family 239 CAP. XVII Of singing Psalmes and reading the Scriptures in the family 240 Sect. 1. That singing of Psalmes is inioyned in the Scriptures and practised by the faithfull 240 2 How we may sing Psalmes in a right manner 241 3 That wee must diligently reade the Scriptures and the great profit of this exercise 242 CAP. XVIII Of our daily exercise in the duties of our callings and of diuers vertues required in them 243 Sect. 1. That wee must make choyce of lawfull callings 243 2 That we must be regenerate before we can serue God acceptably in our callings 244 3 That wee must performe the duties of our callings in faith 245 4 That the duties of our callings must proceed from loue 245 5 That they must bee directed to right ends 246 6 That they must bee done in a right maner and first with heauenly minds 246 7 That they must bee sanctified by the Word and Prayer 247 8 Of the vertues which must accompany vs in the duties of our callings 248 CAP. XIX Diuers reasons to perswade vs to bee faithfull and diligent in the duties of our callings 251 Sect. 1. That God hath ordained man to labour and in many places of the Scriptures hath strictly inioyned it 251 2 That it is Gods Ordinance that wee should labour in our callings 252 3 That God blesseth the diligent with many benefits 253 4 That the Lord abhorreth idlenesse and negligence and seuerely punisheth it 254 5 That idlenesse is the cause of innumerable sinnes 254 6 That it maketh vs liable to many punishments 256 CAP. XX. That all persons without exceptions are bound by Gods Law to walke painefully in the workes of their callings 257 Sect. 1. That the former reasons bind all men to painefulnesse in their callings 257 2 That Gentlemen haue no priuiledge to bee idle and how they should spend their time 258 3 That the poorer sort must labour painefully in their callings notwithstanding that the badnesse of their Trades afford small earnings 259 4 That the impotent are not bound to labour but may with good conscience take their ease 261 CAP. XXâ— Of Recreations which are not onely lawfull but also profitable and necessary if we bee exercised in them according to Gods Word 262 Sect. 1. That we cannot continually bee exercised in the workes of our callings 262 2 What lawfull recreation is and that it may be vsed with good conscience 263 3 That recreations are profitable and necessary 264 4 That we must make choyce of such recreations as are lawfull and what they are 265 5 Whether it be lawful to play at games which stand vpon hazard and chance 267 CAP. XXII Of diuers cautions which ought to be vsed in all our recreations 269 Sect. 1. That recreations must bee vsed with moderation in respect of our loue of them 269 2 That moderation must be vsed in respect of time 270 3 That recreations must bee so vsed as that they may refresh the body not pamper the flesh 271 4 That in our recreation we must auoyd giuing of offence 271 5 That all due circumstances must bee obserued in our recreations and what they are 272 6 That we must in our recreations consort our selues with good company 274 7 That we must take heed lest our recreations steale our hearts from God 274 CAP. XXIIâ— The last caution is that our recreation be a liberall exercise and not for sordid gaine 273 Sect. 1 That greedy gaming for gaine is vnlawfull 275 2 Whether it bee simply vnlawfull to game for money 275 3 A serious admonition that none abuse their liberty in recreations of this nature 278 CAP. XXIIIâ— Of the duties which ought daily to bee performed at our meales 279 Sect. 1 That wee ought to take speciall care of our carriage at our meales 279 2 Of the duties which ought to be performed before we eate and first that we must sanctifie the creatures to our vse by the Word 280 3 That wee ought to sanctifie the creatures to our vse by prayer and thanksgiuing 280 4 Of some short meditations before we eate 282 5 Of the duties which ought to be performed at our meales and first that we vse the creatures with temperance and sobriety 283 6 That we must be temperate and moderate in respect of the quantity of our meats and drinkes 284 7 Other directions concerning the quantities of our meates and drinkes 286 8 Of moderation in respect of the quality of our meates 287 CAP. XXV Of diuers other duties which wee ought to performe at our meales 289 Sect. 1 That wee ought to bee content with our allowance 289 2 That we may be merry at meales 289 3 Of our conferences and discourses at our tables 291 4 Of the choyce of our company at our meales 292 5 Of the manifold abuses of our feasting one another 293 6 That after our meales wee must shew our thankfulnesse by praising God 295 CAP. XXVI Of the duties which wee ought to performe when we are solitary and alone 297 Sect. 1 That when wee are alone wee must not be idle and vnfruitfull 297 2 That wee must spend our solitary houres in good exercises shunning vaine thoughts and entertaining Christian meditations 297 3 That in our solitarinesse wee must auoyd carnall concupiscence and the pleasures of sinne 299 4 That it is pleasant profitable and necessary to spend our solitary houres in Christian duties 300 CAP. XXVIâ— What duties we ought to performe when we are in company 302 Sect. 1 That ciuill conuersation excelleth solitarinesse 302 2 That we must not rashly rush into all companies but with good choyce and aduice and also with due preparation 304 3 That our
a godly life is made easie through the power of God the Father assisting vs. 825 3 That God the Sonne ioyning with vs taketh away all difficulty 827 4 That the duties of a godly life are made easie by the assistance of the holy Spirit 829 5 That the sauing graces of the Spirit make it easie and familiar 829 6 That Christian fortitude ouercommeth all difficulties and maketh a godly life easie 830 7 Of meanes whereby wee may attaine to Christian fortitude 831 8 That by daily and constant practice we may easily ouercome all difficulties 833 9 That worldlings take more paines about earthly vanities and in the seruice of sinne and Satan then is required to a godly life 835 CAP. XV. That a godly life is not harsh and vnpleasant mopish and melancholike but aboue all others most cheerfull and pleasant sweet and delightfull 836 Sect. 1. That though a godly life were sad and sorrowfull yet this should not discourage vs from it 836 2 That sanctification taketh not away our ioy delight but only changeth and improueth it 838 3 That no ioy of worldlings is comparable to that which is in Christians 839 4 Of the diuers obiects of our spirituall ioy 841 5 That the Christians chiefest ioy is spirituall and wherein it exceedeth all other ioyes 842 6 That this spirituall ioy is proper to the godly and belongeth to none other 844 7 An admonition to the faithfull to lay hold on this ioyfull priuiledge and to shake off sorrow and sadnesse 846 CAP. XVI Three other obiections of the flesh against a godly life propounded and answered 848 Sect. 1. That a godly life taketh not away any lawfull liberty but rather establisheth it 848 2 That it taketh not away friendship and good society but rather confirmeth it 849 3 That a godly life doth not bring with it want and pouerty 850 4 That though many godly men are poore that godlinesse is no cause of their pouerty 851 CAP. XVII Their obiection answered who alleage that their pouerty presseth them to such continuall labour that they haue no leisure for the duties of a godly life 852 Sect. 1. That Gods Commandements bind to obedience poore and rich 852 2 That pouerty hindreth not Gods graces in vs but rather furthers them 853 3 That the more poore we are the more earnest we should be in Gods seruice 854 4 That if being poore wee carefully serue God wee may securely cast our selues vpon his gracious prouidence and expect him to be our reward 854 5 That the obiection of pouerty is but a friuolous and false excuse 856 CAP. XVIII Their obiection answered who pretend that their multitude of worldly imployments will allow them no leisure for religious duties 857 Sect. 1. That earthly blessings are no hindrances to godlinesse but the immoderate loue of them 857 2 That we must not vndertake all imployments which the world and the flesh will presse vpon vs. 859 3 That no businesse is of like moment as by seruing God to saue our soules 859 4 That they who neglect the duties of Gods seruice cannot expect good successe to their labours 860 5 That the duties of our particular callings must giue place to the generall calling of Christianity 861 6 That we haue time sufficient for religious and ciuill duties if it bee wisely husbanded 863 7 That none are exempted by God from the duties of his seruice vnder pretence of any businesse 860 CAP. XIX Their obiection answered who excuse their neglect of religious duties vnder pretence that the times and places wherein they liue are full of corruption 866 Sect. 1. That the corruption of the times is a strong tentation to withdraw vs from godlinesse 866 2 That though it bee hard to flesh and blood to liue righteously in corrupt times yet it is possible yea easie to the regenerate 868 3 A note of difference betweene true zeale and deuotion and that which is false and hypocriticall 869 CAP. XX. Diuers other obiections made by the flesh against a godly life propounded and answered 870 Sect. 1. That it is not enough to liue harmelesly vnlesse wee also performe religious duties 870 2 That it is not sufficient to serue God in some things and at some times 871 3 Their obiection answered who pretend that they haue outgone many others 872 4 Their obiection answered who affirme that Ministers onely are bound to the strict performance of religious duties 873 5 Their obiection answered who pretend want of meanes 875 6 Their obiection answered who pretend that it is not safe to be more forward then other men 876 7 That the duties of a godly life must not be delayed 877 8 The Conclusion of the whole Treatise 881 A Paraphrase vpon the Lords Prayer 884 A priuate Prayer for the Morning 891 Another priuate Prayer for the Morning 896 A Prayer for the Family in the Morning 899 Another Morning Prayer for the Family 903 A Prayer for the Family in the Euening 906 Another Euening Prayer for the Family 909 Another Morning prayer for the Lords Day 913 A Prayer for the Lords Day in the Euening 916 A Prayer before the receiuing of the Sacrament of the Lords Supper 928 A Thankesgiuing after the receiuing of it 923 A Prayer for the sicke 956 A Prayer for children 960 The end of the Table THE FIRST BOOKE OF A GODLY LIFE CONTAINING THE GROVNDS AND fundamentall graces whereby it is supported CAP. I. Containing the Preface to the following Treatise which sheweth the excellencie profit and necessity of the subiect matter therein handled §. Sect. 1 That the end of euery thing is to be preferred before the meanes which are destinated vnto it ACcording to the rules of reason wee esteeme the end of al things to be the best and to be preferred before the things which are destinated to the atchieuing of it and euery thing as it doth more of lesse conduce hereunto so doth it gaine or lose a higher place in the worke of excellency because that which aduanceth the end most furthereth that which is most to be desired namely perfection and fruition Thus the end of Physicke is health and therefore that Physicke is to be esteemed best which most soundly and surely confirmeth or recouereth it The end of Lawe is Iustice that euery man may quietly inioy his owne and therefore that Law and practice of it is to be chiefely esteemed not which through the helpe of Sophisticall wit and audacious skill filleth the Lawyers purse by protracting suites and hindering or delaying the course of Iustice but which best helpeth the Clyent to the speediest and surest recouery of his right The end of Warre is Peace and therefore that warre to be preferred which being iust alwaies endeth in such a peace as is sure secure and permanent Thus man being the end of all vnreasonable creatures in the heauens and earth they being made for his vse and benefit is in this regard to be aduanced in excellency aboue them
yet thought of most to be no sinnes and free from the censure of law the which the Papists doe stifly defend making this concupiscence and lust after baptisme to bee no sinne Now this purity of minde and heart here required consisteth of two parts originall righteousnesse and perfect loue of our neighbours and our selues and the concupiscence of the Spirit Originall righteousnesse is both a cleanenesse from all vnrighteousnesse and euill concupiscence against our neighbours and a disposition and pronenesse to all the duties of charity the which righteousnesse the Lord hauing in our first creation planted in our natures doth iustly require it of vs in his Law though by our fall in the loynes of our first parents we haue lost it and can neuer attaine vnto it in any perfection Yea he doth it not onely in iustice towards all but also in mercy towards his elect to this end that seeing hereby their vnrighteousnesse corruption and misery in themselues they might bee forced to renounce themselues and their own righteousnesse and flee vnto Christ that both they might be clothed with his righteousnesse and by his Spirit be renewed according to his Image Ephe. 4. 22 23 24. Luke 1. 74 75. Tit. 2. 12 13. Rom. 8. 6 7. 7. 8 23. Gal. 5. 17. 1. Tim. 6. 9. 1. Pet. 2. 11. in wisdom holines and righteousnes Contrariwise here is forbidden euill concupiscence which is either originall concupiscence or sin as it is referred against our neighbours the which is that habituall corruption of our natures and that euill inclination and pronenesse to lust against our neighbours contrary to the Law of God or actuall concupiscences which are euill motions in our mindes and hearts against our neighbours both hurtfull and foolish which motions are either euill phantasies and thoughts of the minde or euill affections and perturbations of the heart 1. Cor. 13. 5. all which inclining men to euill are repugnant to charity §. Sect. 10 Of the Spirit lusting against the flesh The spirituall concupiscence here required containeth the good motions of the Spirit and the lusting of the Spirit against the flesh The good motions of the Spirit are righteous charitable cogitations in our mindes concerning our neighbours and like affections in our hearts towards them which are to be imbraced and nourished in vs and contrariwise euill thoughts are to be shunned which either are cast into mens mindes by the diuell and are called his suggestions or arise from originall corruption and habituall concupiscence and both of them either sleeping or waking The lusting of the Spirit against the flesh whereby we Gal. 5. 17 24. fight against our corruptions and crucifie the flesh with the lusts thereof is here also commanded and to be intertained and imbraced of vs. Of which I haue written more fully in another * The fourth part of Christian warfare Treatise §. Sect. 11 Of the meanes inabling vs vnto the obedience of this Commandement The meanes whereby we may be enabled to yeeld obedience to this Commandement are of two sorts first such as tend to the attayning and preseruing of the purenes of the heart which are First to walke with God seeking to approue our hearts vnto him who searcheth and trieth as well our secret thoughts and inclinations as our outward words and actions Secondly to obserue and watch ouer our hearts and senses that no euill concupiscence doe arise in vs or enter into vs or if they doe arise or be suggested that we doe not admit them or forthwith extinguish and quench them Secondly to watch ouer our selues that no euill concupiscence do arise in vs or enter into vs to which end a twofold care is needful 1. When we are awake to keepe our minds occupied in good and holy meditations and exercised about lawfull things not suffring them to be idle or to wander about things vaine vnlawful 2. When we are to sleepe that we commend our soules into the hands of God desiring him to keep them safe from tentations and pure from concupiscences Thirdly to obserue and guard our sences especially our sight by whose ministery Gen. 3. 6. Josh 7. 21. Job 31. 1. Psal 119. 37. Ephes 6. 12. 2. Cor. 10. 5. the obiects of concupiscence are represented to the minde Fourthly that we put on and keepe fast buckled vnto vs the whole spirituall Armour of God which is mighty to cast downe imaginations and to subdue euill thoughts And finally that we frequently vse feruent and effectuall prayer vnto almighty God that he will assist and gouerne vs with his holy Spirit against all tentations and suggestions of the diuell the world and our owne flesh THE THIRD BOOKE OF A GODLY LIFE CONTAINING IN IT THOSE DVties which are required in our daily exercise both generally at all times of the day and vpon all occasions and specially in the seuerall parts of it CAP. I. That the duties of a godly life ought daily and constantly to be performed and not by fits and spurts onely §. Sect. 1 That the duties contained in the former Booke are to be performed daily and constantly vpon euery fit occasion AND thus haue wee intreated of the duties which are to bee performed of all those who desire to leade a godly and Christian life Now we are to shew how all these duties of piety righteousnesse and sobriety are to be daily and continually exercised of vs so farre foorth as our callings and occasions meanes and opportunity will suffer and inable vs. Neither is it possible that all these duties should be performed by euery man seeing diuers of them are appropriate to diuers persons sexes and callings in which respect the subiect is not tied to performe the duties of the Prince nor the Prince of the subiect the husband of the wife nor the wife of the husband c. nor yet that all duties common to all Christians should be performed euery day seeing many times we want fit obiects to exercise them vpon as also conuenient time and leasure ability and opportunity But this is required of vs that at no time we commit any thing against the holy Law of God or thinke that any time company or other circumstance can make sinne seasonable nor yet omit any of the former duties when God requireth them at our hands giuing vs fit obiects occasions meanes and ability to performe them And that not onely some spare time bee allotted to these Christian duties taking liberty to spend the remainder of our dayes after our owne sinfull lusts or in the vnlawfull and base seruice of the world and the prince thereof for the worthlesse hire of earthly vanities but we must bee wholly taken vp of them and bee still exercised in the practice of some one or other of them as shall be most conuenient and will best sort with the aduancing of the glory of God and the spirituall and temporall good of our selues and our neighbours in respect of meanes and occasions
offered vnto vs. Neither must we thinke it sufficient vnto a godly life to reserue his Sabbaths for Gods seruice and spend the rest of the weeke in the seruice of the world and our owne lusts nor that we serue him in some things and these in others nor on some other dayes besides the Sabbath or some part onely of euery day reseruing the rest to liue as we list But wee must constantly and continually in euery thing and at euery time performe seruice vnto God in all our actions and throughout our whole course and conuersation not onely in abstaining from all sinne which he hath forbidden but also in performing of some Christian duty of holinesse righteousnesse and sobriety which he hath commanded or in vsing the meanes whereby wee may be inabled vnto them Neither is God alone serued when we performe some religious act as praying hearing the Word singing Psalmes or some eminent workes of charity and sobriety but also in the meanest duties of the basest calling yea euen in our eating and drinking lawfull sports and recreations when as wee doe them in faith which not onely assureth vs that these actions are commanded 1. Cor. 10. 31. of God and warranted by his Word but that we and our workes are accepted of him and so inableth vs to doe them with cheerefulnesse and delight as being not chiefly the seruice of men but of God And also when in doing these our ordinary businesses which belong to our callings wee doe repose our trust and affiance in God that hee will blesse vs in them and giue them such successe as shall be most for his glory and our good and inioy the fruit and benefit of them as blessings sent from God with praise and thankesgiuing And when as in them we haue an eye and due respect to God seeking in them chiefly his glory and doing them in loue and obedience to his Commandements and not for necessity only praise or profit feare of punishment or hope of reward which though we may respect secondarily and in some degree in the ordinary actions of our liues yet not first and principally if we would be accounted to doe God seruice in them And in the next place to our owne and our neighbours mutuall good especially the inriching of vs with spirituall graces and the euerlasting saluation of their and our owne soules §. Sect. 2 That no time is exempted from Gods seruice prooued first by testimonies of Scripture In which generall sense if we take the seruice of God and thus largely with these references vnderstand the Christian duties of a godly life then is there no day houre or minute wherein we are not to bee exercised in some of them And this appeareth both by testimonies of Scriptures and firme reasons The Scriptures require that our whole liues be spent in the seruice of God and that we daily performe vnto him the duties of holinesse righteousnesse and sobriety So the Apostle would haue vs to walke daily according as God hath directed vs and make his Word the rule of our conuersation from which we must neuer swarue neither on the right Gal. 6. 16. Psal 119. 9. Ios 1. 7. hand nor on the left and to keepe a continuall watch ouer our selues lest there be at any time in any of vs an euill heart of vnbeliefe in departing from the Deut. 5. 32. Heb. 3. 12 13. liuing God and to exhort one another daily whilst it is called to day lest any of vs should be hardened through the deceitfulnesse of sinne The Apostle Peter perswadeth vs to passe the whole time of our soiourning heere in the 1. Pet. 1. 17. Pro. 28. 14. feare of God and not some part of it onely which we can best spare and that we liue no longer the rest of our time in the flesh according to the lusts of 1. Pet. 4. 2. men but the will of God seeing the time past of our liues may be enough yea farre too much to haue walked and wrought after the will of the Gentiles The Tit. 2. 11 12. grace of God appearing hath taught vs to deny all vngodlinesse and worldly lusts and to liue soberly righteously and godly whilest wee continue in this present world And therefore hath the Lord redeemed vs that being deliuered out Luk. 1. 74 75. of the hands of our enemies we might serue him without feare in holinesse and righteousnesse before him all the dayes of our life Of which we haue also examples in the Scriptures in the Saints and seruants of God who after their conuersion passed their whole time in his feare and spent their strength in doing vnto him continuall seruice So Enoch is said to haue walked Gen. 5. 22. with God that is in the whole course of his pilgrimage to haue kept him in his sight and to haue carried himselfe in all his actions as in his presence that he might be accepted of him And Dauid as he maketh it a marke of a blessed man to meditate and exercise himselfe in the Law of Psal 1. 1 2. God day and night so doth he in many places shew that it was his owne practice My mouth saith he shall shew foorth thy righteousnesse and thy Psal 71. 15. Psal 55. 17. Psa 119. 97 11◠145. 2. Act. 26. 7. 2. 46. saluation all the day for I know not the numbers thereof Euening and morning and at noone will I pray and cry aloud O how loue I thy Law it is my meditation all the day I haue inclined my heart to performe thy Statutes alway euen vnto the end Euery day will I blesse thee and will praise thy name for euer and euer So the Apostle saith of the whole Church of the Iewes that they did instantly serue God day night and particularly of himselfe that it was Act. 24. 16. his continuall exercise to haue alwayes a good conscience voide of offence towards God and towards men But the best president of all for our imitation is our Sauiour Christ who spent his whole time in doing the workes of him that sent him in the day time preaching and doing miracles and workes of mercie that he might bring saluation vnto the lost sheepe of the house of Israel and in the night sequestring himselfe for prayer meditation in the mount of Oliues Secondly God hath giuen his Law not that we should sometimes obserue his Commandements and sometimes breake them but that we might obserue them daily and continually in all things and at all times and that it might serue as a rule and squire according vnto Psal 119. 9. which we are to frame our whole liues and euery particular action For there he prescribeth duties to be performed at all times on his Sabbath and on the sixe dayes besides the generall duties which belong to all and those that respect vs in our particular callings the duties of piety whereby we offer vnto him immediate seruice and
of righteousnesse and sobrietie whereby we serue him mediately in doing the duties which hee hath commanded towards our neighbours and our selues because in doing them we obey him Whereby it appeareth that there ought to bee no time nor any action of our liues exempted from Gods seruice seeing hee hath giuen vs his Law to serue for our direction at all times and in all things Finally the Word of God giueth vnto vs directions and rules according to which wee are to frame our whole liues both in respect of persons and callings as the duties of superiours and inferiours fathers and Ios 1. 8. 1. Tim. 2. 1. children magistrates and people domesticall and politicall towards God themselues and one another and also in respect of euery part of the day for the well beginning continuing and ending of it and of all states and conditions whether we be merry and cheerefull or sad and sorrowfull in sicknesse or in health in poore or rich estate prosperity or aduersity to Iam. 5. 13. 1. Thes 5. 16 17 18. 1. Cor. 10. 31. Iam. 1. 15. Luk. 9. 23. Deut. 4. 30. Psal 50. 15. shew vnto vs that there is no time or state wherein any man is left to his owne liberty to liue as he list but that continually and in all conditions euery man is bound to conforme his life in euery particular action according to Gods reuealed will To which end wee are inioyned at all times to meditate and speake of Gods Law and Commandements to haue them in our hearts to teach them vnto our children at home and abroad at our lying downe and at our rising vp and to binde them for a signe vpon our Deut. 6. 8. hands and as frontlets betweene our eyes And so the Wiseman commandeth that we binde them continually vpon our hearts and tye them about Pro. 6. 21 22. our neckes because when we goe it shall leade vs when we sleepe it shall keepe vs and when we awake it shall talke with vs the Law being such a lampe and light as is sufficient to guide and direct vs in all our wayes Psal 119. 105. §. Sect. 3 Diuers reasons proouing the necessity of the daily exercise of a godly life Secondly this daily practice of all Christian duties in the whole course of our liues and in euery particular action of them may be inforced with these reasons first because the Lord hath created and redeemed and doth continually preserue vs to this end that we should spend our whole liues in his seruice by performing the duties of holinesse and righteousnesse and not some part onely reseruing the rest for the seruice of the world and the satisfying of our carnall lusts Secondly he giueth vnto vs the continuall wages of his blessings and benefits for the present and hath promised to giue vnto vs the euerlasting reward of heauenly happinesse in the life to come not that we should doe our owne wills and workes much lesse of his professed enemies but that wee approoue our selues and our seruice vnto him in all things who hath giuen vnto vs this rich wages and chiefly respect his glory in whatsoeuer we doe either in his immediate seruice or in performing the duties which he hath commanded vs towards our neighbours and our owne persons seeing wee are bought at an high 1. Cor. 6. 20. Rom. 12. 1. price that we might no longer be our owne but his and glorifie him both in our soules and body by offering vnto him that seruice which he requireth Thirdly seeing it is the best wisedome to imploy all and euery of our actions to the best purpose and no time is so well imployed as in Gods seruice whether we respect God our chiefe Goodnesse to whose glory all Matth. 5. 16. 2. Pet. 1. 10. should tend as vnto their supreme end or our owne saluation which by this and no other meanes can be assured vnto vs and contrariwise the greatest folly to spend our liues or any part of them in vaine to no purpose or profit as all that time is which is not taken vp in Gods seruice by performing some duty of piety righteousnesse or sobriety seeing those maine ends at which we ought in all things to aime namely Gods glory in our owne saluation are not hereby aduanced and furthered but crossed and hindred Fourthly to be daily exercised in Christian duties is the best meanes to keepe our soules in good plight and state by nourishing in them all sauing graces for as it is not enough to keepe our bodies in a good case and habitude that we preserue the vigour and strength of them by seasonable and conuenient foode vnlesse wee also digest it and confirme our strength by fit exercise so for the preseruing of our soules in good state it is not sufficient that we nourish Gods graces in vs by hearing the Word and feeding on this spirituall Manna vnlesse wee daily exercise them in the performance of all Christian duties And as it is the best meanes to preserue our soules in health when they are well so also to recouer them when through surfets in sinne it declineth and is impaired whereas if we haue onely some generall purposes of liuing Christianly or performe these duties but by fits and starts wee shall easily fall into spirituall consumptions of grace and dangerous sicknesses of sinne before we be aware and when they haue by neglect and customable continuing in them taken fast hold of vs wee shall either not recouer or at least with great difficultie §. Sect. 4 The many and great dangers which follow the neglect of this daily exercise Fifthly we may bee mooued to this daily and continuall exercise by consideration of the many and great dangers which doe accompany the neglect of it first because we shall mooue the Lord to withdraw from vs his graces when as we are secure slothfull in the exercise of them For he giueth vnto vs these spirituall Talents not that we should wastefully misspend them or idlely tye them vp as it were in a napkin and cast them in a corner where they doe no good but that we should by imploying improoue them to the glory of our Master and good of our selues and our fellow-seruants which when we neglect to doe he will take them from vs and giue them vnto others who will vse them to more purpose and profit And thus Dauid growing secure and beginning through sloth to 2. Sam. 11. 2. remit something of his spirituall exercises in which he had beene formerly zealous was left vnto himselfe to fall into tentation God withdrawing the assistance of his grace and holy Spirit and so was ouertaken of foule and grosse sinnes Secondly without this daily exercise wee shall soone fall off from all power of godlinesse and grow by degrees from bad to worse till there be no prints of goodnesse remaining in vs. For our course and proceedings in piety is no naturall motion but against the current and
alone able to deliuer vs from all euill and craue instantly his protection from all enemies and the direction of his holy Spirit that by the good guide thereof we may thorowout the whole day be preserued and kept in the way of righteousnesse and holinesse and from erring and going astray in the by-paths of sinne §. Sect. 4 That wee must imbrace all vertues and Christian duties And as we are thus daily to arme our selues against sinne so are wee constantly and continually to desire and resolue in our hearts that we will imbrace all vertue and performe all Christian duties both vnto God our neighbours and our selues thorowout the whole day not thinking any grace or good duty so small that it may be neglected or so difficult and of such an high nature that it may not be attempted and sought after Neither must we content our selues to take the occasions of well-doing when they are offred thrust vpon vs but we must exercise our minds by studying and aduising how we may get gaine the best opportunities of doing most good both for the aduancement of Gods glory and our owne and our neighbours good But especially wee must set our selues with most earnest study and serious diligence to attaine vnto and adorne our soules with those graces wherein they are most defectiue and to performe those duties which our consciences tell vs that wee haue in time past most neglected not because they were in their owne nature lesse excellent profitable or necessary for so when time and opportunity will not suffer vs to performe all we may omit lawfully those duties which are of least vse and importance but because our corrupt natures being most auerse vnto them we finde them most difficult and vnpleasant vnto vs. For so shall we receiue a double benefit not onely doing that which is good but also in doing it profit daily in the denying of our selues and our owne wils in the mortifying of our corrupt nature in that wherein it is most strong and rebellious and in strengthening our regenerate part and new man in that wherein it is most weake and defectiue And if wee would thus daily inlarge our desires and strengthen our resolutions to the imbracing and practising of all vertuous actions and good duties we should receiue singular profit by it For we should not so easily as we doe let slip the occasions of well doing but take hold of the opportunity when it is offered we should not be so faint-hearted and weake-handed in good duties nor so easily daunted and discouraged in them but should become strong and valorous if we would thus daily confirme and strengthen our hearts and hands by these good resolutions that we will let passe no opportunity of performing those Christian duties which God requireth of vs. Finally notwithstanding our many frailties and infirmities in our best actions and slips and falls into sinne we should be accepted of God through Christ in this Euangelicall obedience as though it were free from all imperfection seeing he respecteth more our hearts then our hands and our resolutions and indeuours more then our abilities and performances CAP. IX Of the fifth and sixth daily duties which are to conforme our selues to Gods Law and to submit our selues to his good pleasure §. Sect. 1 That we must conforme our thoughts words and actions according to Gods Law THe fifth maine duty wherein we are daily to exercise our selues is that we rightly dispose of all our thoghts words and actions so as they may in all things be conformable Phil. 3. 20. Matth. 6. 33. Col. 3. 2. to the Law of God In respect of our thoughts our care must be that we be not earthly minded like Citizens of the world nor suffer them to be fixed and fastened vpon earthly and momentany vanities which profit not as how we may get or keepe the honours riches and pleasures of the world by carnall and vnlawfull meanes which are too base obiects for them which are of so high and diuine a nature but that they be chiefly taken vp and exercised about spirituall holy and heauenly things as of their excellency profit and necessity by what meanes we may obtaine or hauing them in some measure may be more inriched with them how we may safely keepe them and bee secured from feare of losing them How wee may bee more and more vnited vnto Christ and assured that both he and all his benefits doe belong vnto vs. How wee are so to carry our selues that wee may more sensibly and feelingly apprehend the power and efficacie of his death and resurrection working in vs and replenishing our hearts with Phil. 3. 10. sweete consolations and ioy in the holy Ghost How we may be daily more assured of Gods grace and fauour and feele and discerne the light and warmth of his louing countenance shining vpon vs and inflaming our hearts with his loue How we may withstand tentations and get mastery ouer our strongest corruptions and how wee may daily bee more renewed and strengthened in all grace and goodnesse that we may increase in bringing foorth more fruits of holinesse and righteousnesse And with these and such like holy and heauenly meditations our mindes must chiefly be taken vp and when wee exercise them about earthly things and the duties of our callings it must be as vpon meanes which tend to these endes and like birds we must vse the earth as a helpe to raise vp our selues and to gather wing that wee may soare aloft in heauenly meditations The which wee shall doe if we performe the workes of our callings in faith and a good conscience in loue and obedience vnto God as duties of his seruice which hee hath required at our hands with prayer for good successe and thankesgiuing when by Gods blessing wee haue obtained it and when wee vse them as meanes to further our maine ends namely the aduancement of Gods glory and the eternall saluation of our soules §. Sect. 2 Of the right ordring of our tongues and the meanes of it The like care and indeuour we must daily vse in the right ordering of our tongues and speeches either by seasonable silence when wisdome discretion and grauity requireth it of which the generall rule is that it is better to forbeare and say nothing then to vent that which is vaine vnprofitable or worse then silence or else by speaking that which is vsefull and necessary for the aduancement of our maine ends which are Gods glory the profit of our brethren and the comfort and saluation of our owne soules God is glorified by our speech when as we doe not presume to speake of him his attributes and persons his name Word or workes vpon any light or slight occasion vainely or in iest but when the cause is waighty and important and then grauely and seriously with all humility and due reuerence Our neighbour is profited when as our speech is Col. 4. 6. gracious powdred with the
for our priuate prayer in the morning respecteth the time when it is to bee performed of which though I can giue no necessary rule because all mens occasions and opportunities are not alike yet for the greatest part it is most conuenient that we doe it betimes as soone as we are ready before wee vndertake any worldly businesse and haue our mindes taken vp with any earthly thoughts Because wee shall then bee most free from all incumbrances which may distract vs in this holy exercise and make vs lesse fit to performe it as wee ought as also because if we offer vnto God the first fruits of our thoughts and affections they will sanctifie all our following indeuours and season them so with holinesse that they will become more acceptable vnto God Or if some extraordinary occasion and waighty businesse haue caused vs to deferre it our second care must bee that wee doe not neglect it altogether but sequestring our mindes and affections from all earthly thoughts and wordly imployments wee must take the next and best opportunity which shall bee offered vnto vs and thinke no excuse or businesse so important as may make vs vtterly to omit it §. Sect. 7 Of prayer with the rest of the family The next duty of piety after our priuate prayer is prayer with the rest of the family which is to be performed ordinarily by the master and gouernour who is to be the mouth of the rest to commend them and their suits vnto God For according to the example of the Patriarches and holy men in times past he ought to be not only a gouernour to rule them and a Prophet to teach and instruct them but also a Priest to offer the sacrifice of prayer and thankesgiuing not onely for himselfe but also for all those that are committed to his charge neither ought any man to thinke that he may be exempted from this duty or that in respect of his honour and greatnesse he may be priuiledged from this holy seruice vnto God and as an inferiour duty delegate it to his deputy if he himselfe bee able to performe it but rather with the holy Patriarches to esteeme it an honourable prerogatiue which he will no more put off from himselfe to another then he will the regiment and gouernment of his house and family Much lesse must we thinke it sufficient that wee haue prayed alone or content our selues with our priuate deuotions if we haue others vnder our gouernment and committed to our charge seeing we are to take no lesse care of their soules then of their bodies nor that they serue vs in the duties of their callings then that they serue God in the duties of piety and Christianity without which we can expect no blessing vpon their labors For if Ioshua though a great Captaine and Commander and so greatly imployed both in warres and gouernment would not hereby excuse himselfe but vndertaketh for al in his family that he and his houshold would serue Iosh 24. 25. the Lord if Dauid though a King would not content himselfe with his Psal 101. 3. integrity in the gouernment of the State but voweth also that hee would performe all domesticall duties with a perfect heart And if Salomon though a mighty Monarch in the height of his honour thought himselfe more honoured in being the mouth of the whole people to commend their suits vnto God let not any man thinke himselfe so great that hee is too good to performe this duty But alas the neglect hereof is growne so ancient among honourable personages that it now pleadeth prescription so that these family duties are wholly neglected or else put off from themselues to be performed by a deputy And little hope I haue that my writings and reasons should be so powerfull as to infringe this custome which hath in it almost the strength of a law and reuoke the practice of family duties vnto ancient perfection and yet I thought it fit to speake the truth and leaue the successe to the authour of it neither thought I it conuenient in setting downe the rules of piety that I should fit the straight square to the generall crookednesse of the worke but to leaue it in its perfection that the worke in Gods good time may be reduced vnto it Let therefore all masters of families know that it is their duty which God will require of them not onely to pray by themselues but also to call together all their family and to ioyne with them in this holy exercise vnto which they may be incouraged by Gods gracious promise that where two or three be gathered together in Christs name there hee will be in the Math. 18. 20. midst of them Secondly because by making their house a house of prayer they shall make it a little temple which God will fill with his presence and replenish with his blessings both temporall and spirituall Thirdly because nurturing their children and seruants in the feare of the Lord and exercising them in this duty of Gods seruice they shall make them more faithfull and conscionable in performing all duty and seruice vnto themselues not onely formally and in outward appearance but cheerfully and from the heart Fourthly because it is the chiefe meanes of the preseruation of the whole house and family from sinne and from danger and of deriuing Gods manifold blessings vpon the whole society Lastly because they can no otherwise expect that God will prosper their labours Psal 127. 1 2. to the good of the master and the whole house and family vnlesse they vse the meanes which he hath ordained and obtaine his blessing by their daily prayers without which they shall not thriue in their labours but spend their indeuours and strength in vaine Now for the time of the morning when this duty is to be performed no certaine rule can bee prescribed only this in generall that it be then done when as all or the most of the family may in respect of their common occasions most conueniently assemble together And although it were to be wished that it may be betimes in the morning before they goe about their worldly businesse that they may be free from distraction and sanctifie all their following labours by these good beginnings yet because the imployments are diuers in almost all the members of the family and require that some should goe about them sooner and some later and because it often falleth out that the gouernours by reason of age weaknesse or other infirmities cannot rise so soone as others because they must haue regard to their health therefore if in these respects this time cannot be allotted to this seruice some other which is most conuenient may be chosen which if it can bee no sooner in regard of the common meeting together of the whole household it will be fit that it be done before dinner Of which the lesse inconuenience will follow if euery one in the family and the gouernours for all the rest
of Oxen or the grunting of Hogs Yea as the same Author saith If I be delighted more with the musicke then with the matter in stead of seruing God I fearefully sinne And therefore diuision and fraction of voyce broken repetitions and reports which take away the sense hinder the vnderstanding both of the singer and hearer and tend onely to affect the eare with the melody and not the heart with the matter are not to be vsed in this holy exercise For this is to sing not like men indued with reason but rather Aug. enarrat in Psal 18. like birds which are sensible onely of the tune but haue no vnderstanding of the matter and ditty §. Sect. 3 That we must diligently reade the Scriptures and the great profit of this exercise Vnto prayer and praysing of God by singing of Psalmes we are to adioyne another religious exercise which is reading of the Scriptures and other holy writings of which we will onely heere speake as it is a daily duty to bee performed of vs referring the more full handling of it vnto another place when we are to intreate of the meanes whereby we may be inabled to leade a godly life Here let it suffice to shew that it is a duty no day to bee neglected if wee can borrow any time from other necessary imploiments and find any conuenient leysure and fit opportunity to performe it For wheras we should labor after a daily increase in spiritual graces there is scarce any meanes more effectuall for this purpose seeing it is a notable helpe for the inlightning of our mindes in the knowledge of God and his will according vnto which we are to frame our liues for the Word of God is a lampe vnto our eyes and a light vnto our paths it inlighteneth the Psal 119. 105. Psal 19. 7 8. Pro. 1. 4. eyes and giueth vnderstanding vnto the simple It giueth wisedome to the ignorant and to the young man knowledge and discretion It is a singular helpe for the strengthening of our faith when as we haue daily before our eyes the couenant of grace and the sweete promises of the Gospell made vnto vs in Iesus Christ and obserue the infinite mercies of God extended to all without respect of persons who haue beleeued and trusted in him It much inflameth our loue towards God when in reading of them we obserue his loue towards vs and maketh vs zealous of his glory when we take notice of the infinite bounty of our Lord and Master and what a rich rewarder he is of our poore and imperfect seruice It will serue for a looking-glasse wherein we may see our spots and spirituall deformities and bee directed also by it to reforme and amend them It is a fit guide in the time of prosperity which will teach vs to vse Gods blessings aright so as they may be not onely truely comfortable in themselues but also as they are pledges of Gods loue and earnest pennies of our saluation It will be our comforter in our aduersitie whilst it teacheth vs so to profit by them as that they may be signes of our adoption and notable meanes to assure vs of Gods loue and our owne saluation It containeth in it the euidences of our heauenly inheritance and teacheth vs how to get them into our owne keeping without feare of losing them and who cannot daily with much comfort spend some time in perusing these assurances wherein so rich and glorious a Kingdome is ratified vnto him It is a diuine treasury of all spirituall and heauenly riches and who is so vnwisely moderate in his spirituall desires as not once in a day to please his eye with the sight of these treasures Finally it is our spirituall armorie in which is munition of all kinds and all sorts of weapons fit to defend our selues and offend our enemies and therefore seeing we are daily in the Christian warfare and continually assaulted by the enemies of our saluation why should we not also daily goe into this armory to fit our selues with spirituall armour and to take out of it the most preuailing weapons Now for the time of the day when this duty must bee performed in respect of priuate reading it cannot bee limited but must bee left to bee prescribed by mens leasure and opportunity And for that which is vsed as a family-exercise it is most seasonable as I take it before prayer either morning or euening because then they are assembled together and multitudes of occasions will hardly admit of often meetings CAP. XVIII Of our daily exercise in the duties of our callings and of diuers vertues required in them § Sect. 1 That we must make choyce of lawfull callings HAuing thus begun the day by the performance of these religious duties we must in the next place betake our selues to the duties of our lawfull callings Neither can we sufficiently approoue our selues vnto God if we doe not ioyne these with the other for he will be serued not onely in the generall duties of Christianity but also in those speciall duties which are peculiar vnto those places and callings in which he hath set vs either in the Church or Common-wealth Neither is it sufficient for him who is called to be a Magistrate Minister Master of a family or seruant that hee performe those duties which are common vnto him with all Christians vnlesse he also with like care and indeuour performe those speciall duties which belong to his owne place and calling And heere first is required that our calling be lawfull and agreeable to Gods will and Word that is such an one as our labours in it may tend to Gods glory the good of the Church and Common wealth and the furthering not onely of our temporall but also our spirituall good and the eternall saluation of our soules and not such as being vnlawfull hindreth these ends as those that liue by vnlawfull Artes and Trades Players Gamesters and such like for then the greater paines wee take in such callings the greater is our sinne the more wee dishonour God hurt our neighbours and hinder our owne saluation Secondly that wee bee in some measure qualified with such gifts as are fit for our callings for those whom God calleth vnto any place hee furnisheth them with such competencie of gifts as that they may profitably performe the duties required vnto it And if our calling bee lawfull and wee thus fitted for it then may wee say with the Apostle Paul that wee are called by the will of God and may with cheerefulnesse 2. Cor. 1. 1. and comfort goe on in it expecting his blessing vpon our labours and in the end of our liues a rich reward for doing him therein faithfull seruice Thirdly our minds and hearts must be settled in our callings so as we neither shift and change vnlesse it be vpon waighty and necessary causes nor intrude and busie our selues in the callings of others for this were to ouerthrow all order and bring
confusion into Church and Common wealth and to crosse Gods wise prouidence in the gouernment of the world who hath giuen variety of gifts which he hath appointed to be exercised in variety of callings that being helpefull and seruiceable mutually vnto one another humane societies might be preserued peace and loue nourished in them And therefore as in a well-gouerned Army euery one keepeth his place and station vnto which his Generall hath designed him not only serueth him generally as a Souldier but in that place and office vnto which he is appointed and chosen So must wee demeane our selues towards our great Commander and not thinke it enough to performe good duties vnlesse we doe those which belong to our callings not out of fancie and fickle vnconstancie leauing our station but as the Apostle requireth abide in the same calling wherein God hath placed vs. 1. Cor. 7. 20 24. §. Sect. 2 That we must be regenerate before we can serue God acceptably in our callings But it is not sufficient that we be settled in a lawfull calling and that we painfully performe the duties that are required in it for this a meere worldling may doe out of carnall and earthly respects either for his owne pleasure credit or profit but that we so carry and demeane our selues in it as that we may by our labours and indeuours glorifie God further our own saluation and aduance the good of the Church Common wealth Vnto which diuers things are required some whereof respect our persons and some the actions and duties which we performe Vnto our persons there is required that we be regenerate and sanctified For our persons must be accepted before any of our workes can please God and bee holy and righteous before we can bring foorth the fruits of holinesse and righteousnesse For as vnto the pure all things are pure so vnto them that are defiled and vnbeleeuing Tit. 1. 15. Pro. 21. 27. verse 4. is nothing pure but euen their minde and conscience is defiled And if the sacrifices of the vvicked are abominable and their very prayers are turned into sinne hovv much more are the ordinary vvorkes of their callings sinfull and odious in Gods sight Neither can such as are vnsanctified expect any blessing of God vpon their labour or that they should prosper Psal 1. 3. 112. 1 2. c. Psal 128. 1. in any thing vvhich they doe or take in hand seeing by Gods promise this priuiledge is limited vnto the righteous and such as feare him § Sect. 3 That we must performe the duties of our callings in faith Vnto the actions also and duties of our callings that they may be acceptable vnto God diuers things are required And these are either such vertues and graces which goe before as being the causes of all our good actions and proceedings or such as doe accompany and attend vpon them Of the former sort the first and principall is a true and liuely faith whereby I vnderstand not only a iustifying faith which assureth vs of the remission of our sinnes and of the loue and fauour of God and which by vniting Hab. 11. 6. Iohn 15. 5. Rom. 14. 23. vs vnto the true vine Christ doth inable vs in him to bring forth the fruits of righteousnesse without which we cannot please God nor doe any good thing seeing all wee doe is sinne but also a particular act of this faith whereby we are perswaded that our callings and the duties which wee performe in them being pleasing vnto God the Lord wil giue a blessing vpon all our labours and indeuours For which purpose our faith must haue a warrant and ground out of Gods Word both inioyning these duties and promising a blessing vnto the performance of them And thus shall wee Hab. 2. 4. liue the life of faith which is so often commended vnto vs in the Scriptures when as therein wee doe not only the religious duties of Gods seruice but also the duties of our callings whereby wee shall bee incouraged to goe forward in them with all alacrity and cheerefulnesse when as we are assured that God will blesse those labours which himselfe hath required and not bee dismayed with those crosses and troubles which befall vs in them seeing we are sure that by Gods blessing and gracious assistance wee shall ouercome them and haue a good end and issue of all our labours § Sect. 4 That the duties of our callings must proceede from Loue. Secondly the duties of our callings must proceede out of vnfained loue towards God and our neighbours which is the fountaine of all true obedience and not principally from selfe-loue or loue of the world which being poysonous rootes of all sinne will taint all our workes and actions which spring from them They must arise from the loue of God which moueth those in whom it is to consecrate wholy vnto him their liues and labours in all things desiring to serue him who so loueth vs and whom we so loue both in the immediate duties of his worship and also in the ordinarie duties of our callings And this is done when as wee labour in them not first and chiefly for worldly gaine and aduantage thereby to please our selues but in obedience to Gods Commandement who requireth these duties of vs studying in all things to please him and that our actions both for the matter and manner may be approued and accepted in his sight Secondly wee must performe the duties of our callings out of loue towards our neighbours seeking in them their good 1. Cor. 13. 5. Gal. 5. 13. as well as our owne seeing true charity seeketh not her owne but is also seruiceable vnto others which if wee doe then will we not wrong them to benefit our selues nor gaine by thir losse wee will not depriue them of some great good to get vnto our selues some small aduantage neither will we be so wholy intent and greedily gripple in following our owne businesse but that wee will spare them some of our time and afford them our best helpe when their necessity shall require our assistance and reason charity and conscience shall binde vs to afford it §. Sect. 5 That they must be directed to right ends Thirdly as our labours must arise from these causes so they must bee directed to right ends As first and principally to Gods glory which in 1. Cor. 10. 31. all wee doe wee must labour to aduance Neither is God onely glorified when wee professe and practise religious duties but also when wee walk conscionably in our callings and with all diligence performe the duties required in them in obedience to his Commandements Secondly we must propound vnto our selues in them the good of the Church and Common wealth which wee are to preferre before our owne priuate and so carry our selues in all things as that we may be profitable members in these societies In which regard wee must not seeke to gaine by the common
losse but neglect our owne particular when as it will not stand with the publike and generall good Thirdly we must in all our labours ayme so at our owne profit as that we ioyne therewith the welfare and benefit of our neighbours whom by the Law of charity wee are to loue as wee loue our selues and not raise our gaine out of their losse and disaduantage as it is the common custome of the world But as wee professe our selues members of the same body so must wee as becommeth members ayme chiefly at the preseruation of the whole and then at the ioynt good one of another not thinking those goods well gotten which are raysed and gayned out of our neighbours losse §. Sect. 6 That the duties of our callings must bee performed after a right manner and first with heauenly mindes And these things are to bee obserued in the labours of our callings in respect of their causes both efficient and finall In the next place our care must be that we performe them after a right manner vnto which is required that wee be exercised in our earthly businesse with heauenly mindes and affections and not suffer our worldly imployments so wholly to take vs vp both in soule and body as that thereby wee should bee hindred from hauing our conuersation in heauen But like Citizens of heauen and pilgrims on earth whilst our bodies are trauailing in worldly imployments we must haue our mindes hearts and affections lifted vp in spirituall and heauenly meditations and desires contemplating and longing after the ioyes of our owne countrey and not so much minding the things beneath as the things aboue where Christ sitteth at the right Phil. 3 20. Col. 3. 1 2. hand of God Especially we must not neglect in the middest of our ordinary businesse to lift vp our hearts often vnto God either crauing his blessing in the beginning of our worke or giuing him thankes and praise in the end and not suffer our thoughts to be so wholly set vpon our bodily imployments and earthly obiects as not sometimes to fixe them vpon spirituall and heauenly things For it worldlings and citizens of the earth are seldome or neuer so intent vpon their workes and present imployments but that their minds and hearts will take liberty of wandring after those carnall pleasures wherein they most delight let it be a shame for vs who professe our selues Citizens of heauen so wholly to mind earthly obiects as neuer to finde leasure to thinke of the ioyes of our owne Country or of the spirituall meanes whereby wee may be inabled to attaine vnto them As therefore we are to auoide Monkish sloth and idlenesse giuing ouer the painefull labours of our callings vnder pretence of contemplation so are we with no lesse care to auoyd the contrary extreme of turning worldlings and being earthly-minded hauing our mindes and hearts so wholly fixed vpon worldly things as that we can finde no leasure to thinke vpon those which are spirituall and heauenly But we must be so imployed in the duties of our callings as that we neglect not the generall duties of Christianity and the exercises of Religion in their due time nor be so intent and earnest in pursuing momentany gaine and worldly profit as that in the meane time through spirituall sloth we suffer any of Gods sauing graces heauenly thoughts or holy affections and desires to bee cooled and quenched in vs. Wee must so play the good husbands as that we doe not forget Christs counsell First seeke the Kingdome of God Mat. 22. 2 3 4. and his righteousnesse and not be so taken vp with our Oxen farmes and earthly matches and marriages as to neglect the meanes whereby wee may bee fitted to come as worthy ghests to the marriage of the Kings sonne Wee must chuse with the Philosopher rather to neglect our Aristippus apud Plut. de tranquil animi farmes then our soules and suffer some weedes to grow in our fields rather then to haue our mindes ouergrowne with vices or to lose any good opportunity of weeding them out or of sowing in them the seeds of Gods graces §. Sect. 7 That the duties of our callings must be sanctified by the Word and prayer Secondly vnto the performing of the duties of our callings after a right manner there is required that we sanctifie them by the Word and 1. Tim. 4. 5. prayer The former is done when as we doe nothing but that for which we haue our warrant out of the holy Scriptures and vse them as the rule and squire according to which we frame all our actions doing that which the Word of God requireth and leauing that vndone which it forbiddeth and condemneth The which is to be obserued both in respect of the matter and workes themselues and also the manner and circumstances doing all things both in substance and forme as it requireth and directeth The latter is performed when as by prayer wee desire Gods blessing vpon all our labours and render vnto him praise and thanksgiuing when wee haue obtained it and haue succeeded and prospered in the workes of our hands And this the Apostle requireth in all our affaires Whatsoeuer yee doe in word or deed doe all in the name of the Lord Iesus giuing Col. 3. 17. thankes to God and the Father by him The necessity whereof will plainely appeare if we consider that it is Gods blessing onely which maketh rich and causeth vs to thriue and prosper in all the vvorkes of our Pro. 10. 22. hands That it alone inableth vs to build goodly houses and causeth our Deut. 8. 13 18. heards and our flocks our siluer and gold and all that wee haue to multiply and that hee onely giueth vs power to get wealth That it is he vvho at his pleasure giueth and taketh away maketh poore and rich bringeth low and lifteth Job 1. 21. vp raysing the poore out of the dust and lifting vp the begger from the dunghill to set them among Princes and to make them inherite the Throne of glory 1. Sam. 2. 8. Psal 113. 7. As we see in the example of Abraham and Lot who by the blessing of Gen. 13. 5 6. God vpon their labours waxed so rich that the land was not able to beare them that they might dwell together and of Isaac who being a soiourner and stranger in the land prospered in all his labours and sowing the ground receiued in the same yeere an hundred fold because the Lord blessed him And in Iacob who passing ouer Iordane like a poore Pilgrim Gen. 26. 3 12. with his staffe in his hand at his returne backe againe was multiplyed in Gen. 32. 10. wealth Whereas contrariwise if Gods blessing be wanting as wee are not likely to haue it vnlesse we craue it all our labours and indeuours will be spent in vaine For except the Lord build the house they labour in vaine Psal 127. 1 2. that build it except the
Lord keepe the City the watchman waketh but in vaine It is in vaine for vs to rise earely to sit vp late and to eate the bread of sorrowes not affording our selues a good meales meate out of our earnest desire to become rich For if wee neglect Gods seruice the Lord will blow vpon our labours and then though we sow much we shall bring in little wee shall Hag. 1. 6 9. eate but not haue enough we shall drinke but not be satisfied clothe our selues and not bee warme and earning wages for our worke we shall not bee the richer but put it all into a bag with holes Or if our labours prosper for the increasing of worldly wealth yet Gods blessing being wanting it shall doe vs more hurt then good bringing with it no sound comfort and contentment but carking care feare and griefe whereas the blessing of the Lord maketh rich and hee addeth no sorrow with it as the Wiseman speaketh Pro. 10. 22. And if we thus performe the duties of our callings in loue towards God and in obedience to his commandement and desire by prayer his blessing vpon our labours and yeeld him praise when he hath vouchsafed to giue it then shall we therein doe seruice vnto God though our condition and the workes of our vocation be neuer so meane and base as well as in hearing the Word or receiuing the Sacrament or in performing the most excellent duty which he hath commanded seeing though they differ in the matter yet not in respect of our minde and manner of doing them And so we may be assured not only that the Lord will prosper vs in them and giue them such good successe in this world as shall be most fitting for his glory and our spirituall good but also will richly reward them among other duties of his seruice with euerlasting ioy and happinesse in the life to come The which argument the Apostle vseth to perswade seruants to walke faithfully in their calling obeying their masters according to Col. 3. 23 24. the flesh and herein performing their duty with all cheerefulnesse and singlenesse of heart as vnto the Lord and not vnto men knowing that of the Lord they should receiue the reward of the inheritance because in seruing their masters they serued him §. Sect. 8 Of the vertues which must accompany vs in the duties of our callings The next thing to be considered is the vertues which ought to accompany vs in the right and religious performance of the duties of our callings For howsoeuer all vertues and graces are necessary vnto the person that must thus walke acceptably before God and scarce any can bee wanting to the well-performing of any good action yet there are some which more specially and properly belong to these duties of our callings and doe so immediately concerne them that they can in no good sort bee done of vs vnlesse in some measure we be qualified with them As first knowledge and iudgement whereby we must be inabled to discerne betweene good and euill right and wrong which must be our light to guide vs in all our wayes and our loade-starre to direct vs in all our courses which if it bee wanting we shall walke in darkenesse and be apt to fall into many errours Secondly affiance in God whereby we cast our selues vpon his promises and prouidence in the vse of lawfull meanes the which the Psalmist requireth of vs Commit thy way saith he vnto the Lord trust also in him and Psal 37. 5. he shall bring it to passe The which we may more easily doe if wee rightly consider our Sauiours argument which he vseth to the same purpose for if the Lord take care to feede the fowles of the aire which take no care for themselues and clotheth the lillies of the field which neither toyle nor spin how much more will hee prouide for vs all things necessary who rest vpon him in the vse of all lawfull courses and take moderate care and Mat. 6. 25 28. conuenient paines to serue his prouidence which affiance if it bee wanting we shall be subiect to innumerable discouragements macerate our selues with carking care and rush vpon all occasions into the vse of vnlawfull meanes when lawfull are wanting thereby shifting for our selues because we haue no assurance that God will prouide for vs. Thirdly wee must be accompanied with a good conscience both towards God and towards men and willing with the Apostle to liue honestly wee must with Act. 24. 16. him keep it in all things For hauing alwayes in our company this Monitour Heb. 13. 18. and Iudge it will notably preserue vs from all secret sinnes and craftie conueyances whereby we are naturally apt to wrong our neighbours that we may benefit our selues from all halting dissembling and double dealing when as it may be so cunningly and closely carried that respect of our credit worldly shame nor legall punishment are no sufficient bonds to restraine vs from them and from sloth and vnfaithfulnesse in performing our duties when no eye of man can take notice of it Fourthly we must haue contentation for our companion whereby we are in all things contented with Gods good pleasure and thinke that estate and condition best for vs in which he hath placed vs giuing indifferent welcome to prosperity or aduersity pouerty or riches gaine or losse because they are messengers alike of his sending and though some more then others doe in rougher tearmes deliuer his message yet when we doe entertaine them aright they all assure vs of his loue as being meanes to further our saluation And of this we haue an example in the Apostle Paul Who had learned Phil. 4. 12. both how to be abased and how to abound to be full and to be hungry to exceede and suffer want Vnto which if we attaine then shall we not be discontented with the basenesse of our callings nor enuie others their greater preferments their lesse labours and more gaines we shall not bee set vpon the racke of ambition aspiring daily after higher dignity seeing the place in which we are being of Gods appointing is most fitting for vs. Neither can any calling be thought too base for vs wherin acceptable seruice may be offered vnto God yea wherein he ioyneth with vs as our helper and assistant and rewards the paines which we take in them with no lesse wages then an heauenly inheritance We shall be preserued from that deadly dropsie of vnsatiable auarice for our conuersation may bee without Heb. 13. 5. 1. Tim. 6. 6. couetousnesse if we come to thinke godlinesse the greatest gaine and can bee content with such things as we haue And consequently we shall walke honestly in our callings when being contented with our estate and condition we will vse no indirect and vnlawfull meanes nor fraudulent violent or vniust courses to inrich our selues with other mens goods And goe on in our duty with much comfort and inward peace when
our heads are not vexed with carking cares nor our hearts affrighted with the terrours nor gnawed on with the worme of an euill conscience But of this I haue spoken largely in another place Fifthly we must possesse our soules Christian warfare 2. part l. 2. cap. 19. with patience if we will as we ought walke in the duties of our callings for besides that our labours in themselues are tedious and troublesome we are daily subiect to many crosses and mis-carriages in them which will discourage vs from going on or if we doe being constrained by necessitie yet with much discontentment and disquietnesse of minde murmuring and repining if we be not armed with patience and resolution to suffer with meekenesse whatsoeuer God shall be pleased to send Sixthly we must haue our hearts replenished with thankefulnesse vnto God and bee ready at all times when we obserue his loue in blessing our labours to lift Gen. 32. 10. them vp rendring vnto him praise and thankesgiuing And acknowledging that we are lesse then the least of Gods mercies we must giue him the whole glory of them and not sacrifice vnto our owne nets nor attribute our well-proceeding and good successe to our owne policie and skill industry Hab. 1. 16. and abilities but knowing that whatsoeuer we haue we haue receiued it from God wee must take all occasions of rendring vnto him the praise 1. Cor. 4. 7. which is due vnto him Seuenthly wee must performe the duties of our callings with alacrity and cheerefulnesse and whatsoeuer we doe we must doe it heartily as vnto the Lord and not vnto men who will richly reward our labours Col. 3. 23 24. with an heauenly inheritance For as he loueth a cheerefull giuer so also a cheerefull labourer in all things more respecting our inward affections then our outward actions And as it is acceptable to God so will it bee most comfortable vnto vs making all our labours easie when our hearts and hands are conioyned in doing them Eighthly we must obserue Iustice in all the duties of our callings doing nothing in them but that which may aduance our neighbours good as well as our owne And this will make vs auoyd all vniust and vnlawfull courses which are commonly vsed to gather wealth all fraud and deceit extortion and oppression 1. Thes 4. 6. all vnprofitable labours which tend to the hurt rather then the good of the Common-wealth and deceitfull dealing in those that are lawfull Finally by this Iustice wee shall bee mooued to giue euery man his due and to doe no man wrong in the carriage of our callings but so deale in them with others as we would haue others in their callings to deale with vs. CAP. XIX Diuers reasons which may perswade vs to be faithfull and diligent in duties of our callings §. Sect. 1 That God hath ordained man to labour and hath in many places of the Scriptures strictly inioyned it NOw when we are thus qualified with these vertues and graces the last thing required in the duties of our callings is that we walke in them with all painefulnesse and diligence which because it is tedious to flesh and blood and men are naturally giuen to ease and liberty desiring no calling at all or if any bee put vpon them by necessity rather then choyce to walke in them with as much sloth and negligence as desire of their gaine and aduantage will permit and few of many that are painefull are diligent in their callings in obedience vnto God or out of conscience of their duty or any other religious consideration labouring no otherwise in them then Infidels and Pagans onely for worldly benefit and earthly respects Therefore it will be profitable to propound some reasons out of the Scriptures both to incite vs to honest labour in the workes of our callings and to make vs auoyd sloth and idlenesse First then let vs consider that God hath ordained man as naturally to labour as the sparkes to flee vpwards and Iob 5. 7. Gen. 2. 15. in the state of innocency would not indure that man should be idle but made his labour easie and comfortable that he might labour with delight And therefore much lesse will he now suffer man vnpunished to liue at his ease seeing he hath imposed it vpon him as a penalty for his transgression that in the sweate of his face he should eate his bread and hath purposely Gen. 3. 19. cursed the earth with barrennesse without tilling and manuring being content that it should want its naturall fruitfulnesse rather then that man should want necessary cause and occasion of labour And though hee would haue his Saints in heauen to keepe vnto him a perpetuall Sabbath not that they should be idle but wholly intent to his prayses yet prescribing a Law vnto sinners on earth he appointeth but one day for rest and sixe for labour to shew vnto vs that in this world he will bee serued not onely with religious duties but in the greatest part of our time by walking faithfully and conscionably before him in the duties of our callings expressing and exercising our inward graces and religious vertues in our vocations and the outward duties required in them And this Law hee hath backed with many speciall commandements and testimonies of holy Scripture requiring at our hands that we should daily exercise our selues in the duties of our callings Thus Salomon sendeth the sluggard to Pro. 6. 6. learne of the silly Ant diligence and industry in his labours that at least shame might driue him to the performance of his duty when hee seeth himselfe a reasonable man who hath so many motiues to induce him and ability to propound so many good ends vnto his paines to bee exceeded heerein by a silly creature who hath no other helpe nor inducement but the instinct of nature So the Apostle Paul requireth of all men that they 1. Thes 4. 11. studie to be quiet and to doe their owne businesse and condemneth them who worke not in their owne callings but busie themselues in other mens matters as inordinate persons adiudging them to this punishment that if they would not worke neither should they eate because they haue no right vnto it before they haue laboured for it but are theeues who liue by the sweate of other mens browes and like idle drones vniustly deuoure the fruit of their labours And this the Apostle implieth where hee first requireth them to worke with quietnesse and then to eate their owne bread for if earning it by our labours make it our owne then it is not our owne before we haue earned it neither will free gift of friends or inheritance giue iust title vnto it vnlesse we strengthen it by performing obedience to that first Law after the fall In the sweate of thy face thou shalt eate thy bread And therefore the Apostle seemeth to make stealing and not labouring to be all one Let him saith he that stole
steale no more but rather let him labour Eph. 4. 28. working with his hands the thing that is good Vnto which precepts of holy Scriptures prescribing labour in the duties of our callings we may adde the examples of all the Saints of God in all ages as fit patternes for our imitation who haue alwayes liued in lawfull callings and haue faithfully laboured in the duties of them as of Abel and Noah before the flood the one a Shepherd the other an Husbandman and after the flood of the Patriarkes Abraham Isaac and Iacob and all their posterity that descended of them of Moses Dauid the Kings and Prophets of the Disciples of our Sauiour Christ and especially of the Apostle Paul who as he professeth laboured more aboundantly then they all not onely 1. Cor. 15. 10. 1. Thes 2. 9. 2. Thes 3. 7 8 9. imploying himselfe in his painefull Ministery and Apostleship but labouring also with his hands that he might not be offensiue but be a good example for others to imitate Yea our Sauiour Christ himselfe who though hee were free borne and the onely begotten and dearely beloued Sonne of his Father submitted himselfe as a seruant to the common Law of mankinde tying himselfe by a voluntary necessity to labour in his calling and to doe the workes of him that sent him The which hee did with Iohn 9. 4. such cheerefulnesse and delight that he professeth it to bee his meate and Iohn 4. 34. drinke to doe the will of him that sent him and to finish his worke And therefore if the Sonne and heire could not be free from labour how should any of his seruants be exempted If the Lord of the Vineyard could not bee Matth. 20. 6. priuiledged from taking paines with what face can any of the hired labourers excuse their idlenesse §. Sect. 2 That it is Gods ordinance that wee should labour in our callings Againe let vs consider that the Lord himselfe is the Author of our callings and that it is his ordinance that we should labour in them It is he that created and redeemed and continually preserueth vs who hath called and set vs in our places and hath appointed vnto euery one their worke and taske and hath not onely promised his helpe and assistance in all our labours but also hath incouraged vs to take paines by assuring vs that he will richly reward them when wee haue finished our worke And therefore if after all this we will detract our labour and spend our time in sloth and idlenesse what is it but to leaue our standings and to withdraw our selues from vnder his gouernment to neglect Gods worke and to doe seruice vnto Satan and the sinfull lusts of our owne flesh what is it but to depriue our soules of that comfort which we might haue in his company and assistance and by pretending difficulty in the atchieuing our labours to argue and accuse him of insufficiency who hath vndertaken to assist vs and by his helpe to giue good successe vnto all our iust indeuours what is it but for the inioying of short and carnall ease to our flesh to forfeit all hope of obtaining those rich heauenly and euerlasting rewards which he hath promised vnto vs as the free and gracious wages of our momentany labours §. Sect. 3 That God blesseth the diligent with many benefits Finally let vs consider the manifold benefits wherewith God hath promised to blesse our labours if we be painefull and diligent in the duties of our callings And contrariwise how much he abhorreth and condemneth sloth and idlenesse punishing them that liue in it with innumerable euils which he hath iustly caused to attend vpon it Concerning the former it may be a strong inducement to make vs diligent in our callings if we consider the benefits which accrew vpon it For whereas euery one is ready to aske Who will shew vs any good and is easily drawne to any course by the Psal 4. 6. golden chaine of gaine and aduantage the Wiseman telleth vs first generally that in all labour there is profit whereas idle talking with the lips tendeth Pro. 14. 23. onely to penurie And in many other places he setteth foorth more particularly the manifold benefits that doe accompany it For it exalteth to honour and authority according to that The hand of the diligent shall beare Pro. 12. 24. rule but the slothfull shall be vnder tribute And againe Seest thou a man diligent Pro. 22. 29. in his businesse he shall stand before Kings he shall not stand before meane men It buildeth the house and maketh and erecteth mansion places for themselues and their posterity So saith Salomon Prepare thy worke without Pro. 24. 27. and make it fit for thy selfe in the field and afterwards build thy house Contrary to the practice of many in these times who preferre building and neglect husbandry and take care to set vp faire houses before they haue any land to lay vnto them building themselues quite out of dores and like fooles making houses for wise men to dwell in It is crowned by the Lord with riches and plenty For he that tilleth the land shall be satisfied with Pro. 12. 11. 28. 19. Pro. 10. 4. 20. 13. bread and the hand of the diligent maketh rich And whereas that which commeth lightly is as idlely spent that which is gotten by honest labour is preserued and multiplied according to the saying of the Wiseman Wealth gotten by vanity shall be diminished but he that gathereth by labour Pro. 13. 11. shall increase It preserueth the body in health which languisheth with idlenesse maketh the meate pleasant by quickning the appetite and the sleepe sweete whereas the idle turne vpon the bed as a dore vpon the Eccl. 5. 12. Pro. 26. 14. hindges and not being able to rest because they haue not laboured toyle themselues with too much ease and are tired with tumbling euen vpon their beds of downe being iustly punished by God with restlesse tossing and sweating in the night because they would take no paines to serue him in the day It affordeth comfortable and liberall meanes not only for the maintenance of our selues and those that belong vnto vs but also whereby we may be beneficiall vnto others that neede our helpe and exercise our charity in the workes of mercy and in relieuing the poore members of Iesus Christ which hee will richly reward and crowne with glory and Mat. 25. 34 35. 1. Tim. 6. 18 19. Pro. 21. 25 26. happinesse at the day of Iudgement For whereas the sluggard whose hands refuse to labour getteth nothing for himselfe to satisfie his desire though hee coueteth greedily all the day long the righteous that is diligent in the workes of his calling hath not onely sufficient for his owne vse but giueth liberally to others and spareth not And this end the Apostle propoundeth to our paines in our honest callings willing men to labour Eph. 4.
set vpon these but vpon the mayne bargaine of heauenly happinesse assured by them and would bee content with all cheerefulnes to leaue them to lay downe their talents at Gods feet when as he shall call them to enter into the ioy of their Lord. §. Sect. 3 That the poorer sort must labour painfully in their callings notwithstanding that the badnesse of their trades afford small earnings Now if the rich and noble are not priuiledged from diligent walking in their callings then much lesse can any of the poorer sort who are able to take paines thinke themselues exempted seeing they are tyed to the performance of their duty not only by the same golden bond of conscience but also by the yron chaine of necessity that they may haue wherewithall to relieue and sustaine themselues and those that belong vnto them which if they be not strong enough to tye them to their duty but that they will liue like idle loyterers and not labour for their liuing it is fit that vnto these two there be added a third which is the bond of authority whereby they should bee compelled to take paines and not liue as idle and vnprofitable Drones in the Common wealth And if this treble bond will not hold them then are they as inordinate liuers according to the Apostles rule to be cast out of all ciuill society and not suffered to eate 2. Thes 3. 6 10. because they will not worke or else to feede vpon the bread of affliction and the water of sorrow because they will not eate the bread of their honest labour nor earne their liuing in the sweate of their face Neither doth any law binde vs to relieue such as will be subiect to no law nor to pitty their wants who will take no pitty on themselues But what if being poore they cannot maintaine themselues and their charge either because it is so great or the gaine so small that commeth of their labours and what if their trade be so hard and paines in it prized at such low rates that there is no competencie in their earnings to minister vnto them and theirs necessary reliefe In this case the poore are ready to say that it is as good to sit still as to rise and fall and that they had as liefe play for nothing as worke for nothing But it is farre otherwise for howsoeuer if the case truly standeth thus for it is not alwayes so when it is pretended and oftentimes the trade is blamed when the fault is in the negligence and sloth of them that loyter in it as heereby it appeareth in that many others of the same trade by their laborious diligence doe with their earnings comfortably maintaine themselues and their families yet as I say if it be truth which they speake howsoeuer they may in this case if they can change their calling for a better which will affoord them more sufficient meanes and maintenance for the labourer is worthy of his hire and by Gods Law if we be liberall in spending our sweate wee should not bee scanted in eating our bread yet so long as they hold their calling as they ought to hold it till they can change for a better they must not surcease and giue ouer their labour in it To which end let them consider that they doe not only thereby serue cruell man who being straight in his bowels will not suffer them to get their liuing by their labour nor allow them foode to recouer that strength which they haue spent in his seruice but that in all their workes and laborious paines they serue as their chiefe Lord the bountifull King of heauen and earth which will richly reward their diligence if it bee done in obedience to his Commandement and supply aboundantly whatsoeuer is defectiue and wanting on the behalfe of their earthly master The which if he doth not to their full content in this life but to humble them and weane them from the world doth feede them with a sparing hand yet if they will performe their duty and possesse their soules with patience what is wanting in full payment heere hee will double and redouble yea infinitely multiply by crowning their paines and patience with vnspeakeable ioy and endlesse glory in the life to come Yea if they will making conscience of their duty cast themselues into the armes of Gods prouidence he will assuredly prouide for them according to that of the Psalmist Trust in the Lord and doe good so shalt Psal 37. 3. 5. Pro. 26. 3. 1. Pet. 5. 7. thou dwell in the land and verily thou shalt be fed And either he will allow them more liberall maintenance by powring out a larger blessing vpon their labours or by opening the hearts of those who are rich to contribute to their necessities or else seeing man liueth not by bread onely but by euery Mat. 4. 4. word that proceedeth out of Gods mouth hee will giue such an extraordinary blessing vpon their little poore pittance that like vnto the widdowes handfull of meale and cruize of oyle and Daniels pulse and water it shall be as sufficient to preserue their health and strength as the dainty fare and full tables of the rich In the meane time they whom God hath blessed with sufficient plenty are to be perswaded to let the chiefe streames of their bounty and Christian beneficence runne into these dry and thirsty lands and to take speciall care that aboue all other poore these who are painefull in their callings and yet not able thereby to sustaine themselues and their families may be relieued and comforted For of seed so seasonably sowne in such choyce grounds they may assuredly expect an heauenly haruest and plentifull crop of ioy and happinesse Whereas if they shut vp the bowels of their compassion and will not communicate some little part of those many rich talents which God hath entrusted to their disposing for the glory of their Master and good of their fellow-seruants but let them or theirs famish and starue for want of reliefe their riches and they will perish together and that little pittance of portion which they hold in their hands and of right belongeth to the poore shall bring them in the end no more comfort then Achans wedge of gold or Diues riches when he was in hell torments For in this life it shall canker and corrupt Jam. 5. 1 3. the rest of their treasure and the rust of it in the day of Iudgement witnessing against them shall cause them to heare that fearefull and dreadfull sentence Depart from me ye cursed into euerlasting fire prepared for the Mat. 25. 41. deuill and his angels For I was hungred and yee gaue me no meate I was thirsty and yee gaue mee no drinke c. In which respect I should ten thousand times rather chuse to perish for hunger then abounding in their wealth to let others perish for want of charity and with Lazarus to die at the rich mans gate
then with Diues to sit gorgeously apparelled at a full table §. Sect. 4 That the impotent are not bound to labour but may with good conscience take their case Now concerning those who are impotent and cannot worke being disabled by age sicknesse lamenesse or other infirmities they are not by the former reasons bound to labour in their callings because God himselfe hath exempted them from the common rule and law and hath left their consciences free from guilt of sinne in the omitting of those duties vnto the performing whereof he himselfe hath disabled them And therefore if they be rich they may liue at ease and inioy thankfully their portion as the gift and blessing of God Or if they be poore they may with good conscience liue vpon those charitable beneuolences which others shall bee pleased to bestow vpon them praising God for raising vp such good instruments to serue his prouidence for their reliefe and maintenance and praying vnto him daily for their benefactours Yea in this case men are bound in conscience to lay open their wants if others take no notice of them and to craue and receiue their helpe and assistance which if out of an high stomacke in a low estate or out of a proud modesty and bashfulnesse they neglect to doe and so perish for want of reliefe they are iniurious to their able and willing neighbours in refusing to be subiects of their charity and so hindring them of that heauenly haruest which they should reape of it and guilty also of their owne death in not vsing those lawfull meanes whereby their liues should be preserued And of these also the rich are bound to take care that according to order and Law in this case prouided nothing which is necessary be wanting vnto them for God hath lent them their wealth to this end that what they can spare from their owne necessary expences they should cheerefully bestow for the reliefe of others which if they neglect to doe they shall haue a fearefull reckoning to make at the day of Iudgement But of this I haue largely written in a Treatise of this Argument and therefore heere passe Treatise of Almes or the Plea of the poore it ouer CAP. XXI Of Recreations which are not onely lawfull but also profitable and necessary if wee bee exercised in them according to Gods Word §. Sect. 1 That we cannot continually be exercised in the workes of our callings THe chiefe end for which God hath created redeemed and doth preserue and sustaine vs is that we should serue him and the principall meanes whereby he is worshipped and serued are the generall and religious duties of Christianity and the speciall duties of our callings In which regard it were much to be desired that we could spend our whole times in the performance of them and esteeme it our meate and drinke to doe the will of our heauenly Father and our chiefe delight to exercise our selues continually Ioh. 4. 34. in these duties But because this is impossible in regard of humane frailtie and weakenesse therefore hath God graciously permitted yea inioyned vnto vs some time of intermission and cessation from these labours wherein we may refresh our selues and repaire our decayed strength exhausted and spent in these Christian exercises that so we may be the better inabled and fitted to returne vnto them againe with renewed vigour reassume our taske and performe our duties in them with more ability and dexterity And these are the times which are allotted to recreation taking of our repast by eating and drinking and composing our bodies to rest and sleepe For that we cannot alwayes labour in the duties of Christianity and of our callings nature it selfe teacheth vs and the experience of our weakenesse which maketh vs to sinke vnder this burthen if wee neuer lay it aside and the example of our Sauiour Christ himselfe who though in his diuine nature he were omnipotent and needed not to rest yet as he was man who had taken vpon him not onely our nature but our infirmities Heb. 4. 15. also after his painefull labours he needed being weary to rest and being hungry to refresh himselfe and repaire his strength And therefore after his iourney being weary and hungry hee rested himselfe at Iacobs well Ioh. 4. 6 8. whilest he sent his Disciples into the City to buy him meate And in another place being tired with the comming and going of the multitude whom he taught so as he had no leasure so much as to eate he commandeth his Disciples to accompany him and to go apart into a desart place Mark 6. 31. that there they might rest a while and take their repast Which whoso neglect and thinke that they can spend their whole time in labour they foolishly tempt God in refusing his ordinance and the meanes which he hath appointed to repaire their strength and preserue their health they proudly presume on their owne power as though they were better able to doe the duties which God hath inioyned then Christ himselfe and are no better then selfe-murtherers bringing themselues vnto an vntimely death because they refuse to vse the meanes which God hath ordained and sanctified for the sustaining of their liues §. Sect. 2 What lawfull recreation is and that it may be vsed with a good conscience Seeing then it is not onely allowed as lawfull but commended as necessary and profitable that ordinarily we should spend some part of the day in vacancy from labour and remission of the workes of our callings therein taking our recreation diet and repast rest and sleepe that wee may more cheerefully returne to our labours and more ably performe them when as our bodies and minds are refreshed by this intermission we will in the next place speake of them seuerally and shew how we may lawfully so vse them as that they may be helpes and not hindrances to the well-performing of all Christian duties And first we will speake of recreation which is an intermission of our labours and spending of conuenient time in some delightfull exercise for the refreshing of our mindes and bodies that their vigour and strength being repaired wee may more cheerefully returne to our callings and performe the duties of them with more ability Which that wee may vse without scruple of conscience which would make it though lawfull in it selfe vnlawfull vnto vs because whatsoeuer is not done of faith is sinne let vs know that honest recreation Rom. 14. 23. is a thing not onely lawfull but also profitable and necessary The lawfulnesse of it hence appeareth in that it is according to Gods will which he hath manifested both by his workes in that he hath made man so finite in his powers and abilities both of body and minde that he cannot hold out in continuall labour nor long subsist in well-being in health and strength vnlesse he be refreshed with seasonable recreation and also by his Word For the same Law which inioyneth painefull and
profitable labour in our callings requireth honest recreations as a speciall meanes which inableth vs vnto it seeing in euery Commandement wherein a duty is imposed all the helpes and furtherances which inable vs to doe it are also inioyned And though God hath appointed this world to be a place of pilgrimage and warfare and not a Paradise of pleasure and Chariot of triumph reseruing that for his owne Kingdome when hauing finished our iourney and obtained victory we shall rest from all our labours and be compleate in all ioy and happinesse in which regard it becommeth vs not heere to spend most of our time in sports and pastimes but rather in painefull trauaile and sore conflicts with our spirituall enemies yet because we could not hold out in our pilgrimage and warfare without some refreshing he hath graciously allowed vs some time as it were to lye in our Inne and Garrison to take our pleasure and delight that being refreshed we may more lustily proceede in our iourney and more couragiously renew our warfare and fight and to this end hath fitted his creatures both for the vse of necessity and also comfort and delight and not onely alloweth man bread and water to sustaine him in life but as the Psalmist obserued wine that maketh glad the heart of man and oyle to make him looke with a cheerefull countenance Psal 104. 15. §. Sect. 3 That recreations are profitable and necessary Neither is recreation onely allowed as lawfull but also inioyned as profitable and necessary It is profitable because it inableth vs to hold out in our labours and to performe all good duties with more vigour and in much greater perfection For as the strings of a Lute let down remitted doe sound sweeter when they are raised againe to their full pitch and as our fields being euery yeere sowed become at length more barren in bearing but being sometime laid fallow repay the Husbandmans patience and forbearance with double increase so our bodies and minds if Intermissio vt aruis sic ingenijs prodest they haue no remission from our labours will make but dull musicke if we doe not sometimes let them lye fallow and giue them a Summer-tilth of seasonable recreation they will remit much of their vigour and become quickly more barren to bring foorth any good fruits whereas by timely remission they will afterwards make more harmonious melody and double their fruitfulnesse if languishing with labour we refresh them and repaire their strength with some pleasant intermission And as recreation in these respects is very profitable so also is it no lesse necessary for if like bowes wee should alwayes stand vpon our bent wee would in a while proue starke slugges and if like Lute strings wee should alwayes haue our strength stretched to the highest pitch it would not onely be deadded and dull but still in danger to cracke and faile We are not made of God fit instruments for perpetuall motion but rest is to hold interchangeable course with it The which is to bee vnderstood not onely of our bodies but also of our minds for both of them haue but a finite vertue and their powers and faculties proportioned vnto finite actions and operations and therefore as they cannot doe things aboue their strength so neither can they continue in doing beyond their time or if they doe they are soone wearied and spent and forced to leaue their labour vpon the necessity of impotency which we would not intermit vpon the choyce of discretion But chiefly this falleth out in the studies and labours of our minds when as they are exercised about intellectuall obiects and intentiuely bent vpon discourses of reason For sensible things are con-naturall and familiar vnto vs and therefore being exercised about them we doe it with ease and delight as being like the fish in the water and the bird in the ayre in our owne proper element but when they are imployed about things onely intellectuall especially in diuine contemplations which are most contrary to corrupted nature and are eleuated aboue their pitch and wholly abstracted from all things sensible as in diuine studies prayer and heauenly meditations then they cannot like men in the element of water support themselues without much intention and labour In which regard as the body needeth rest both when it is wearied by greatnesse of labour or long continuance in that which is more easie in the proper obiects of its owne actions and also after serious studies and contemplations of the minde seeing it worketh not alone but exerciseth its faculties by the body and the chiefe parts of it as organs and instruments so likewise the minde and soule it selfe after it is wearied with labours and studies needs refreshing not like the body by rest but by delighting it selfe with change of obiects and operations leauing those which being serious high and difficult need much intention and study that we may conceiue and comprehend them for those which being easie familiar and delightfull to the senses recreate also the minde and bring vnto it much ease and pleasure And if it want these seasonable recreations the powers and faculties of it will be soone blunted and dulled and made vtterly vnfit for intellectuall studies and diuine contemplations To which purpose there is a Story of the Apostle and Euangelist Iohn recorded in the collations of the Fathers and cited by Aquinas who when one found him recreating and sporting Aquin. secunda secundae quaest 168. art 2. himselfe with his disciples and was offended at it as a thing misbeseeming his Apostle-like grauity inioyned one in the company to put his arrow into his bow and draw it to the head which when he had done often he willed him to continue drawing it still vnto which when he answered that if hee should so doe his bow would either bee broken or become sluggish the Apostle inferred that so likewise the minde of man would bee broken or grow dull and blockish if it should alwayes stand vpon the bent and neuer bee remitted from the earnest intension of serious studies §. Sect. 4 That we must make choice of such recreations as are lawfull and which they are And thus it appeareth that recreations are not onely lawfull but also profitable and necessary Now because many are apt to abuse this liberty vnto licenciousnesse and to rush vpon all sports and pleasures without choyce or difference or if they pitch vpon those which are allowable in themselues care not how shamefully they abuse them in respect of their il carriage in the manner of vsing them We are in the next place to know that recreations are not absolutely good but of an indifferent nature good to those that vse them well and euill to those who abuse them vnto sinne not simply good being considered apart by themselues but as they in their vse tend to the aduancing of those ends for which they are vsed Finally not good at all vnto vs if we rush vpon
Cor. 5. 10. Math. 12. 36. will take an account of vs for euery idle word which wee esteeme as winde and therefore much more will call vnto a reckoning our precious time spent in idlenesse and vanitie and will make vs exceede in euerlasting punishments as wee haue in this life exceeded in momentanie pleasures Apoc. 18. 7. Luk. 6. 25. §. Sect. 3 That they must be so vsed as that they may refresh the body not pamper the flesh The third caution to be obserued in our recreations is that wee vse them so as they may refresh the body but not pamper the flesh and Gal. 5. 17. Rom. 8. 12 13. 1. Pet. 2. 11. Gal. 5. 13. that wee so indeuour by them to cheare our friend as that wee doe not strengthen our enemie For the flesh lusteth against the spirit and the spirit against the flesh and therefore wee must not vse such recreations or after such a manner as may feede and fat it with carnall delight neither are wee debters vnto it to liue after it seeing this life bringeth death but rather as the Apostle exhorteth let vs abstaine from fleshly lusts because they fight against our soules and so vse this gracious liberty which God hath giuen vs that the spirituall part may take occasion of doing good duties and not the flesh of plunging vs into sinne §. Sect. 4 That in our recreations we must auoid giuing of offence The fourth caution is that in all our recreations wee doe not giue any scandall and offence neither vsing such before our weake brethren 1. Thes 5. 22. though lawfull in themselues whereat they sticke or stumble with some scruple of conscience nor yet carrying our selues offensiuely in such as they approue either by spending vnseasonably our time in them or too much of that which is in moderation allowable or with any lightnesse and vanity or by giuing our selues ouer to some vnruly passion Yea as much as in vs lieth wee must abstaine not onely from these faults themselues but also from the least shevv and appearance of them and not onely take care to doe those things which are true and iust pure and louely Phil. 4 8. Pro. 22. 1. Eccl. 7. 1. but also which are of good report not onely taking care to be vertuous but also to bee so esteemed and haue the reputation and praise all pride and vaineglory being auoided which as the shaddow the body doth attend and waite vpon it And seeing recreations are things indifferent we are rather vtterly to forbeare them then to giue vnto our brethren any iust cause of offence because the greatest danger that can heereof come vnto vs is but the hazard of our health whereas by offending them wee may indanger the losse of their precious soules for which Christ hath shed his blood In which regard if the Apostle was so charitable that he would Rom. 14. 15 21. refraine from his lawfull foode rather then offend his weake brother then how small is our charity if we will not forbeare for this cause or at least in offensiuely vse our sports and recreations §. Sect. 5 That all due circumstances must be obserued in our recreations and what they are The fifth caution is that we obserue in our recreations all due circumstances As first that it be decent and beseeming our person place and calling neither is it fit that age and youth Magistrates and common people should vse the same recreations lest for the gaining of a little vaine sport they lose their grauity and with it their authority and that reuerence which is due vnto them from their inferiours in respect of their age and gouernment Secondly that it be apt and fit for our callings and to refresh and make vs more able for the well-performing of the duties belonging to them For that recreation is best which commeth neerest to the end for which we vse it and best fitteth vs to attaine vnto it as rest of the body and exercise of the minde for those that are wearied with corporall labours and bodily exercise for them whose callings doe wholly stand in the study of the minde Or at least some easie exercise after the greater labour of the body or some slight and pleasant imployment of the minde after that it is wearied with more serious and earnest studies In which regard I haue always thought the play at Chests most vnfit for Students and Schollers because it as much occupieth and wearieth their intellectuall faculties as their other studies and on the other side violent exercises vnmeete recreations for those vvho ordinarily spend their strength in painefull labours of the body because both these faile of their proper end which is to refresh the body and minde but contrariwise doe more weary and tyre them and so make them vnfit for the duties of their callings And although as I confesse there is some recreation and delight in change and variety of imployment both of body and minde yet it tendeth not greatly to the refreshing of either but rather deludeth men with a false shew and remedieth not the euill but onely depriueth them of the sense of it whilst their pleasure lasts and causeth them to spend and consume themselues with more delight Thirdly in respect of the circumstance of time there is required that our recreations be seasonable according to the saying of the wise Salomon To euery thing there is a season Eccl. 3. 1 4. and a time to euery purpose vnder heauen a time to weepe and a time to laugh a time to mourne and a time to dance In which regard there is required that first our recreations doe not goe before but succeed the labours of our callings vnlesse in case we may thereby be the better inabled for the performance of them as when they shake off dulnesse and drowsinesse and make vs more actiue and cheerefull for imployment which rarely happeneth in the labours of the body but sometime falleth out in the studies of the minde as we see in the example of Elisha who by musicke 2. King 3. 15. was better fitted for prophecie whilest it made him more apt to receiue diuine reuelations For wearinesse is a kinde of disease and recreation is of the nature of a medicine and therefore as it is preposterous that the cure should precede and goe before the malady or the medicine the sickenesse vnlesse it be such as is fit to preuent it so that wee should refresh our selues with recreation before labour hath caused wearinesse for this were to apply the salue to a sound place which doth no good but if it hath any great strength and attractiue vertue will rather cause it to pimple and draw off the skin And therefore as Salomon saith of the vse of wine Giue strong drinke vnto him that is ready to perish and wine vnto those Pro. 31. 6 7. that are of heauy hearts that he may forget his pouerty and remember his misery no more so
and strength or troubled with such infirmities which cause greater appetite then good disgestion they doe not fully satisfie hunger nor eate so much as the stomacke craueth seeing this fulnesse within a few houres will turne to a superfluous burthen and this enough will proue too much but they must as we say rise with an appetite and not make such a churles feast as we can eate no more For heerein Christian temperance is exercised when we stint the stomacke of its desire and teach it good manners following heerein the direction of reason and not like bruite beasts of sense and appetite In which respect one giueth this rule that our ordinary Sunt tibi quotidiana ieiunia refectio satietatem fâ—giens c. Hyer ad Eustoch diet should be a daily abstinence and our refection without all glutting satiety for it profiteth not to goe two or three dayes with empty bellies if afterwards we surcharge them with too much fulnesse and recompence our fast with saturity and excesse Lastly seeing the end of our eating and drinking is that we may bee fitted and better inabled for the seruice of God in the common duties of Christianity and the particular duties of our callings wee must therein respect grace as well as nature the glory of God as well as the preseruing of our health and strength and the thriuing of our soules as well as the nourishment of our bodies In which regard the best rule of Christian moderation in our diet is that we eate and drinke so much onely as may make vs fit to serue God in religious duties as hearing reading conferring praying and in the duties of our callings that we may hauing our spirits refreshed and our strength repaired more cheerefully and vigorously vndertake and performe them and not so much as dulleth our spirits and maketh our bodies heauie and sluggish whereby we faile of our ends and become lesse fit for any good duties And this the wise Salomon requireth euen of Princes themselues that Eccl. 10. 17. they eate in due season for strength and not for drunkennesse And our Sauiour Christ would haue vs so to eate and drinke as that thereby we should Luk 21. 34 36. not be disabled vnto continuall watchfulnesse and prayer To which purpose one saith well that when we rise in the night to prayer our stomakes Ad orationem tibi nocte â—ergenti non indigestio ructum faciat sed initaâ— Hier ad Eustoch Non est ergo omnino à varijs cibis abstinendum Sed in ijs non est studium ponendum Clemens paedag l. 2. c. 1. should rather vpbraide vs with their emptinesse then with their crudities and indigestion And as we must auoide excesse in quantity so also in variety not that it is vnlawfull to eate of diuers dishes so farre foorth as it will stand with our health and strength but that we doe not too much affect it and pitch our studie vpon it For if wee doe it will be a notable meanes to draw vs on to excesse and gluttony when as hauing eaten enough we will still feede on new and more dainty dishes then the former because we would please our taste with this variety It is a notable meanes vnlesse we haue Ostridge stomackes to disturbe concoction and impaire the health when we make them like a Noble mans kitchin furnished and fraughted with all varieties which land and sea can yeeld vnto them iumbling together like wares in a Brokers shop things of a farre different nature some whereof are of easie disgestion and some of hard and some also of a middle nature as if herein also they would make this Microcosme and little world of man like vnto the greater world containing in it at least some small fragments of innumerable creatures Finally as it is hurtfull for the body so not good for the soule the which is wained from spirituall comforts whilest it is too much affected with these carnall delights For as one saith When the body is resolued and as it were melteth Cum corpus refectionis delectatione resoluitur cor ad inane gaudium relexatur Gregor in this pleasure of refection the heart is loosened vnto vaine ioy and sensuall delight §. Sect. 8 Of moderation in respect of the quality of our meates In respect of the qualitie of our meates and drinkes Christian temperance and moderation must be vsed in bridling our appetite and taste that they doe not licourously long after at least in our ordinary dyet such as Luk. 16. 19. are curious and costly daynty and delicious which was the sinne of the rich Glutton who in the parable was condemned vnto hell and tormented in that part wherein he had chiefly offended For howsoeuer it is lawfull for all men at some times to feede vpon the choysest of the creatures if the cost exceede not their state and meanes and if they bee not much affected but come into their way without any great care or trouble and though it be lawfull at all times for those that are weake and sickly 1. Tim. 5. 23. and cannot safely eate courser and and ordinarie meates to prouide if they be able such dainties and meates of good nourishment and easie concoction as will agree with their stomacks yet for those that are healthy and strong it is not lawfull that they should with the rich Glutton euery day fare deliciously nor conuenient though it were lawfull to doe it often and ordinarily seeing he who will doe all that is lawfull Citò enim adducuntur vt ea faciant quae non licent qui faciunt omnia quae licent Clemens paed l. 2. c. 1. Solus in illicitis non cadit qui se aliquando à licitis cautè restringet Greg. in Moral Exod. 19. 12. will within awhile doe also that which is vnlawfull he that will walke vpon the brinke is still in danger of falling into the water though yet he be vpon firme ground and hee that will stretch his desires to the extreme borders of vertue is within one step of vice the which was typically implied at the giuing of the Law where the Lord forbiddeth the people not only to come into the Mount but also to touch the borders of it And therefore if we would shun intemperance in diet which is vtterly vnlawfull we must moderate our appetite euen about those things which are lawfull and auoide carefully all meanes that tend vnto it Among which one of the chiefest is delicacie of meates which draweth on the appetite vnto excesse with the strong Cable of bewitching delight And not much lesse dangerous are pleasant sawces curiously cooked both which are to be ordinarily shunned of all who would be temperate in their diet For as wee cannot attaine vnto Iustice by coueting much wealth nor vnto temperance by the meanes of intemperancie so neither as one saith can we be Clem. Alex. paed l. 2. c. 1. brought vnto a Christian-like course in our diet
those in the day and that in all of them wee may carry our selues so as becommeth Christians And in this regard there are some duties to be performed at our going to bed and some in the rest of the night At our going to bed we are generally to cōsider that wee are still in the sight and presence of God who seeth our downe-lying and our vprising and searcheth our most secret actions yea euen our hearts and reines And that there is also a guard of holy Angels who are appointed by our great Lord to pitch their tents about vs and to watch ouer vs that they may preserue vs from all perils and dangers vnto which wee are waking and sleeping continually subiect In regard of which glorious and holy presence we are as carefully and conscionably to behaue our selues in all Christian duties as if all the world should looke vpon vs. The first whereof is that at our lying down when all things being quiet about vs and wee freed from all worldly distractions wee spend some little time in holy meditations calling to our remembrance and examining our conuersation how wee haue behaued our selues in the performance of all Christian duties required of vs in the day past of which we haue before spoken As first how wee haue performed those generall duties which belong to euery day and all parts of it Whether and in what manner wee haue renewed our couenant with God by renewing of our faith and repentance How wee haue sought the Lord our God by consecrating our selues wholy both in our soules and bodies vnto his worship and seruice and haue laboured to make him our owne in and through Christ and to recouer our right in him which we had lost in Adam How wee haue profited in the sauing knowledge of him and in our adhering vnto him with our hearts and affections how our sweete communion with him hath bin increased and the comfortable fellowship of his holy Spirit dwelling in our hearts sealed and assured in vs and how we haue indeuoured to haue and hold his face and fauour in Iesus Christ Whether wee haue kept the whole Armour of God fast buckled vnto vs and if wee haue failed herein then in what graces wee haue found greatest defect How wee haue indeuoured to arme our selues against all sinne and what new strength wee haue gathered to withstand and mortifie our corruptions especially those vnto which wee are naturally most inclined and with what desire and resolution wee haue imbraced all vertue and laboured to performe all Christian duties vnto God our neighbours and our selues Whether wee haue rightly disposed our hearts tongues and actions so as they might in all things bee conformable to the Law of God How we haue submitted our selues in all things to Gods will and pleasure and resigned our soules bodies and states to be gouerned and guided by his wise prouidence without murmuring and repining Finally whether wee haue beene frequent and feruent in powring forth our soules in prayer vpon all good occasions desiring the things wee neede and praysing him for those benefits which we haue receiued §. Sect. 4 That we must examine our selues how we haue spent the day past So likewise we may examine our selues how we haue performed those duties which belong to the particular parts of the day As whether wee did awake with God and offred vnto him our morning sacrifice of prayer and meditation with what faithfulnesse wee haue walked in the duties of our callings and how therein we haue ioyntly aymed at Gods glory and the good of our neighbours together with our owne profit whether we haue done the duties of them in the obedience and loue of God and haue performed our earthly duties with heauenly minds and affections Whether we haue rightly vsed our recreations refreshing our bodies and mindes with lawfull sports in a good manner to right ends with obseruation of the rules and cautions required in them especially in respect of their time that we haue not beene ouer-lauish to the thrusting out but rather fitting our selues for better exercises How wee haue carried our selues in receiuing of our food blessing it by prayer and thanksgiuing and vsing it with temperance and sobriety so as wee haue thereby beene better fitted for Gods seruice Whether wee haue rightly vsed our solitarinesse spending our time neither idly nor vnprofitably and how we haue behaued our selues in our society both in our choyse of good company and in performing with them all Christian duties of piety Iustice and ciuill honesty for the mutuall good of one another How we haue performed duties belonging to the family and what care wee haue had that not onely our selues but also those who are vnder our charge should serue the Lord. How we haue carried our selues in our prosperity by praising God for it and by so vsing it as that wee might be the better inabled to glorify him and to performe all good duties to our neighbours and how also we haue profited by our afflictions and chastizements for the drawing of vs neerer vnto God in all holy and righteous duties and the weaning of our hearts and affections from the loue of the world The which examination wee should not thinke too tedious and laborious if at least wee be in our health and strength and not disabled thereunto by our weakenesse infirmities and vnaptnesse to take our rest if at the first it be but a little disturbed in which case if our imployments will affoord vnto vs any fit leysure and opportunity it were good to allot some short time vnto this exercise before our going to bed seeing if wee bee once accustomed vnto it wee shall performe it at least in those points which are most necessary for our owne particular with great facility and in a little time Yea in truth if wee would but consider how farre some of the Heathens themselues haue proceeded in this dutie and what singular fruits and benefits arise from it we might well be ashamed who professe Christianity of our great neglect and bee moued to spare some little time from our sleepe when as wee may improue it to so much spirituall profit and aduantage I vse saith Seneca this authority Vtor hac potestate quotidie apud me causam dico c. Senec de ira lib 3. cap. 36 and daily pleade my cause with my selfe When the light is taken away and my wife being acquainted with my custome holdeth her peace I examine vvith my selfe the vvhole day past and reuievv all that I haue said or done I hide nothing from mine ovvne scrutiny I passe by nothing for vvhy should I feare any thing by reason of my errours vvhen as I can say See that thou doest it no more and for this time I vvil pardon thee And the same counsaile hee giueth to his friend Lucilius Conuince Quantum potes teipsum coargue c. thy selfe saith hee as much as thou canst search into thy selfe First execute
lesse seruiceable and profitable for any good vse for when our strength is repaired by moderate rest excessiue sleepe weakneth vs againe making our bodies heauie and lumpish and lesse able and actiue for any good imployment and as wee consumed the fore-part of the morning in drowzy sleeping so the latter part in lazy stretching and slothfull yawning making vs sluggish with too much sleeping as the drunkard becommeth more dry with too much drinking And when the spirits are refreshed and quickned with moderate sleepe by that which is excessiue they become dull againe and being drowned and stupified with slothfull vapours they are made vnfit instruments to the soule for any good actions and imployments Whereby we are notably hindred both in the duties of Gods seruice and in the duties of our callings not onely because it consumeth much of our time which should bee spent in them but also greatly disableth vs in that which remaineth when we set our selues to pray heare the Word reade meditate or any ciuill duties which belong vnto vs. Finally this excessiue sleeping is exceeding hurtfull both for our soules bodies and states for it hurteth the braine dulleth the wit and much impaireth the memory making all these faculties vnfit for their functions and operations It breedeth obstructions and superfluous humours and so filleth the body with innumerable diseases It impouerisheth the estate and bringeth them who immoderately vse it if they bee of meane condition to beggerie and penurie and much disableth those who are wealthy to the workes of mercy and Christian charity And on this mischiefe accompanying sloth and sluggishnesse the Wise Salomon much insisteth For hee telleth the sluggard that by his sleeping and slumbering and his folding of his hands together pouerty should come vpon him as one that trauaileth who still approcheth though hee commeth but slowly and his want like Pro. 6. 11. an armed man which cannot possibly be resisted by one that lyeth naked in his bed So else-where hee saith that the soule of the sluggard desireth Pro. 13. 4. and hath nothing but the soule of the diligent shall bee made fat that because he will not plow by reason of the cold therefore he shall beg in haruest Pro. 20. 4. and haue nothing and so in the chiefe time of others plenty hee through his sloth shall pine in penurie Finally that as hee shall haue an emptie famished belly so also a cold and tottred backe for drowzinesse shall cloath a man with ragges whereas they which haue a vigilant eye and Pro. 23. 21. diligent hand cloath both themselues and those that belong vnto them Pro. 31. 15 21. with purple and scarlet as hee sheweth in the example of the vertuous huswife Neither is this sluggish sleepinesse lesse pernicious to our spirituall estate seeing it bringeth the soule also to beggery and to penurious want of all sauing graces by taking vp the time wherein we should trade and traffike for them in spirituall exercises of which it causeth an vtter neglect or a short and slubbering performance because it scarce leaueth sufficient time for the necessary dispatch of such important businesse as doth belong to our place and calling For no sooner is the sluggard out of his bed but euen halfe vnready hee choppeth vpon his worldly imployments and vtterly neglecting prayer meditation and all spirituall exercises hee thinketh himselfe sufficiently excused because hee is scanted of time and called away by some that attend his rising or by the importunitie of his owne affaires though hee haue voluntarily by his sloth brought himselfe into these straights and might easily haue escaped them and had time inough both for religious exercises and his worldly businesse yea euen for the benefiting of his neighbours that neede his helpe if he would not haue consumed so much in superfluous sleepe §. Sect. 3 That the expence of our time in sloth is displeasing vnto God and how this is to be auoided But let vs know that this wastfull expence of our precious time in sloth and sluggishnesse is very displeasing to God who hath lent it vnto vs that wee should spend it in his seruice and that this account will not well passe at the day of Iudgement when God shall finde it written in the booke of our consciences so much time consumed in superfluous sleepe and so little imploied in the necessary duties of Gods seruice prayer reading hearing meditation in the religious duties which wee owe to our charge and family or in the workes of charity and mercy helpe and comfort which wee are bound to performe vnto one another as being children of the same Father fellow members of the same body At which day fearefull will the estate be of those nice wantons and idle sluggards who diuide the morning betweene sloth and pride hauing scarce time after they are risen out of their beds to paint and dresse themselues before they come to dinner vtterly neglecting all duties of Gods seruice and the honest labours of a lawfull calling But it was not my purpose to haue touched their abuses who haue learned to out-face all that admonish them to put off all that can be said with some merrie iest or scornefull smile like the foole laughing with great iollitie when they are going to the stockes and are ready to be called to the barre and carried out to execution but onely to admonish those who desire to leade a Christian life that they auoid such wastfull expences of precious time consuming those good houres in superfluous sleepe which being well imployed would make them rich in grace and thrice happy in this life and the World to come Which whosoeuer would doe they must carefully obserue these two rules first they must be temperate in their meates and drinkes as being a notable meanes to preserue vs from excessiue sleepe and sloth and to make vs watchfull vnto all Christian duties which is the reason why in the Scriptures they are conioyned Bee sober and watch 1. Pet. 5. 8. because as sobriety is a cause of vigilancie so excesse in meates and drinkes is the common cause of excesse in sleepe And this helpe Clemens propoundeth Let not saith he our meates oppresse but rather lighten Ne ergo cibi nos grauent sed alâ—euent c. Clem. paed l. 1. c. 9. vs that as much as may be our sleepe may not hurt vs as those that swim are oppressed when heauy burthens are fastened vpon them The second rule is that we doe not suffer an ill custome of lying long in bed to bring an habit of sloth vpon vs which is almost as hard to breake as to alter nature Or if wee haue already yeelded vnto it our best course is to dis-vse our selues from it by little and little and so attaine by degrees to a contrary habit For as the stomacke which is inured to hote waters is still crauing them and becommeth such a slugge that it will disgest nothing without these
rest compose our selues to sleepe in such a Christian and holy manner by prayer and meditation that euen as much as may be our imaginations and dreames may retaine some rellish and sauour of our former religious exercises Where by the way wee may note that as the Christian Sabbath is to begin at the dawning of the day because it was instituted in remembrance of Christs Resurrection who was that Sunne of righteousnes who brought light and life vnto vs by performing and finishing that great worke of our Redemption and not ouer-night like the Iewes Sabbath which was ordained to put them in mind of the worke of Creation and the rather because it was fit that there should vpon these diuers reasons be a difference betweene their Sabbath and ours so also it is to continue to the dawning of the next day as wee haue formerly shewed by Pauls example §. Sect. 2 That we must rest from our owne workes on the Lords Day And thus we see the time of the Lords Day how long it is to continue now we are to speake of the duties which ought to be performed in it And these are all comprized in these two things first in obseruing a Rest and secondly in keeping it holy or in sanctifying this Rest vnto Gods seruice The Rest consisteth in the forbearing or not doing of our owne workes but onely in cases of necessity and when the sanctification of the Lords Day requireth them as duties tending to the aduancing of Gods seruice or such workes of mercy and Christian charity as belong to this Day as the study and paines of the Minister the trauell of the people to places of diuine worship visiting and helping of the sicke and distressed confounding of contentions and making peace betweene neighbours feeding and tending of cattell and such like Where by our owne workes I vnderstand all our thoughts words and actions which simply or chiefly tend to our owne profit or pleasure As first the workes of our callings Exod. 31. 15. of all kinds whatsoeuer as all workes of husbandry euen in the time of haruest buying and selling carrying of burthens trauelling and such like Secondly all kinds of recreations which are not necessary for the preseruing of health and life and tend not to the better fitting and inabling of vs for religious duties but to sensuall and carnall delight Of which sort are walking abroad that we may take the ayre or that wee may conferre one with another or meditate on the creatures some bodily exercise in course of physicke to refresh the body and in some cases musicke not onely vocall by singing of Psalmes which is a duty of the Sabbath but also on instruments when as it is vsed not for carnall and sensuall delight but to refresh our spirits and quicken our dull and drowzie hearts and minds that they may with more cheerefulnesse returne vnto the performance of religious and holy duties in which cases there may at some times be the same vse of these recreations so they be in moderation in an holy manner and to these ends which is of physicke meates and drinkes But from all other recreations which tend onely to carnall and sensuall delight we must wholly abstaine first because the Lord expressely forbiddeth vs to doe our owne pleasure on his holy Day and contrariwise commandeth vs to call his Sabbath our delight Esa 58. 13. the holy of the Lord honourable and that we should honour him nor doing our owne wayes nor finding our owne pleasures nor speaking our owne words Secondly because they are our owne workes from all kindes whereof Gods Commandement restraineth vs that wee may bee wholly deuoted to the seruice of God and the meanes which inable vs thereunto yea they may in some sort be called more our owne workes then the workes of our callings because these are more expressely commanded and are ordinarily more necessary and more directly tend to Gods seruice then the other for it is possible to liue and serue God without these recreations but not vnlesse we walke in the duties of our callings And therefore if these bee forbidden on the Lords Day then much more the other which are of lesse vse and necessity Finally because these worldly recreations doe more dangerously and cunningly winde into our hearts steale them away from holy duties and distract vs in Gods seruice then the duties of our callings the workes and labours whereof we doe not loue for themselues but onely as they are meanes of deriuing pleasure or profit vnto vs whereas we loue these sensuall pleasures for themselues and oftentimes so dote vpon them that we neglect our worldly profit yea the seruice of God it selfe and the eternall saluation of our soules that we may inioy them §. Sect. 3 That on the Lords Day we must abstaine from carnall recreations Now if any obiect that to depriue vs of these recreations is to take away all the ioy and comfort of our liues to this I answere that it is an obiection which altogether misbeseemeth a Christian For howsoeuer Infidels and carnall worldlings may reioyce chiefly in them as hauing no greater cause of ioy and comfort yet it ought not to bee so with the faithfull who should chiefly reioyce in the Lord and in the pledges and testimonies of his loue and fauour in their Communion with him who is their Phil. 4. 4. summum bonum and chiefe happinesse and the visible signes of his gracious presence vnto which spirituall ioy Dauid exhorteth Delight thy Psal 37. 4. selfe in the Lord and he shall giue the desires of thine heart Of which he in many places propoundeth himselfe as an example for our imitation Secondly if we be spiritually and not carnally and worldly-minded we may make the Lords Day it selfe our delight as he requireth which if we Esa 58. 13 14. doe then we shall indeed finde sweete delight in the Lord. For what greater delight can there bee to a Christian then to praise God by singing of Psalmes who hath beene so good and gracious vnto vs then to heare the Word whereby God assureth vs of his fauour and of the pardon of our sinnes and receiue the Sacrament whereby it is sealed and assured vnto vs then to feast our soules at this spirituall banket and afterwards meditate on and peruse our spirituall euidences whereby the assurance of heauenly happinesse is conuayed vnto vs then to be assured that wee are redeemed out of the hands of all our spirituall enemies and restored to the glorious liberty of the Sonnes of God then to solace our selues in the sweete society of Christ our Bridegroome in his Banketing-house and to be stayed and comforted with his flagons of wine apples and kinde imbracements Cant. 2. 4 5 6. which spirituall ioyes if we rellish not what doth it but argue a carnall taste and appetite which we ought to bewaile and mortifie and not feede and cherish it with vaine sports and worldly recreations
mine heart to performe thy Statutes alway euen vnto the end Concerning the former it is not sufficient to intitle vs vnto true godlinesse that we be religious by fits hauing our good and bad dayes or that wee spend some time in religious exercises and then thinke that we are set at liberty to liue as wee list and to follow the lusts of our owne flesh that wee sometime performe Christian duties when our worldly profits or pleasures will giue vs any leasure and neglect or slightly performe them when wee haue other imployments or as it were in some religious humour and pang of deuotion caused by feare of some approching iudgement or by smart of some present affliction For inconstancie which is a fruit of folly will not stand with true godlinesse which is the head and prime part of spirituall wisedome the which as it inableth vs to choose that which is best so also Psal 111. 10. to be constant in our choyce Whereas folly and impiety are full of vanity and lightnesse causing men according to that sway which they beare in them to be vnsettled and inconstant in all their wayes if at least they haue any inclination vnto religious duties and be not wholly settled vpon their dregs and like Meteors hanging in the ayre sometimes moouing towards heauen and soone after falling backe againe towards the earth But no further progresse hath any made in piety then hee hath profited in the constant practice of religious duties and they who are sometimes hot and sometimes cold and sometimes betweene both luke-warme who one while performe seruice vnto God and another while neglect it now deuout and seemingly zealous in good things and soone after cold and negligent carnall and prophane haue iust cause to suspect themselues that as yet they haue made no sound entrance into the practice of godlinesse §. Sect. 2 The former point illustrated by some comparisons For the course of Christianity in the Scriptures is compared to the Kings high-way and they who goe on in it to trauellers going on in their iourney towards their owne Country and therefore to be sometime seene in this way is no signe that in good earnest wee trauell in it if wee sometimes goe forward and sometime backward but rather that wee are walking for recreation and will giue ouer when we feele any wearynesse Euen theeues and robbers doe sometimes crosse the high-way though their ordinary haunt be in the woods and mountaines yea will trauell in it for a while that they may be thought true men and so get the better aduantage by being vnsuspected of executing their designes but it is onely the honest traueller that goeth constantly in his iourney and trauelleth in it from morning to night It is compared likewise to the running of a Race wherein none get the Garland but they who runne as they 1. Cor. 9. 24. ought and as runners doe not sometime run and sometimes stand still one while hold the right course and another while leauing it spend their time and trauell in by-wayes or in going by fits forward and backward for so they should be Non-proficients ridding no ground and after much labour lost be as farre from the Goale and Garland as they were at the beginning when they first set foorth so none get the Garland of glory who doe not runne constantly in the Race of godlinesse and they who runne by fits and starts sometimes going forward and sometime standing still or going backeward or out of the way become heereby Non-proficients in Christianity and after that by much vnsettled rambling vp and downe they haue tyred themselues in this course they are like the blind Horse in the Mill in the same place and case they were in the beginning no more mortified to sinne nor richer in sauing graces no more expert and actiue in Christian duties no neerer the Goale nor surer of the Garland at the end of their liues then when they first entred into the profession of Religion Yea oftentimes hauing wearied themselues in this fruitlesse labour and seeing the small benefit that they haue reaped of it for want of hope and assurance of euer getting either the Garland of grace or the Crowne of glory they quite giue out and ceasing any longer to run in the Christian Race doe returne backe againe like the Dog to his vomit and run as fast as euer they did in their old wicked courses that so they may not lose all but may gaine at least the prizes of worldly vanities which Satan offereth vnto those who run swiftest in the wayes of wickednesse Finally the Christian life is our spirituall Husbandry in which there cannot be without losse any intermission of our labour but one businesse being finished another presently is to bee vndertaken After breaking vp of our fallow grounds and plowing there must bee sowing and harrowing after seed time weeding and then reaping and carrying into the barne Neither must the spare time between these maine imployments bee spent in idlenesse but in tending of our cattell which are the helpes of husbandry in making and mending of our fences in lopping and topping plashing and pruning threshing out of the Corne that it may be fit for our owne vse or carryed out to the Market with many other imployments of like nature So is there no intermission of our paines in the spirituall Husbandry but after one duty performed we must set our selues about another and spend our whole time either in preparing our hearts that they may be fit grounds to receiue the seede of Gods Word or about the art of sowing or couering the seede that it may not be stolne away or in weeding it from vices and corruptions when it beginneth to grow or in preseruing and strengthening all the good helpes and meanes which will inable and further vs in all our Christian labours or in making or repairing our spirituall fences which may keepe out the beasts of the field and enemies of our Christian thrift or in reaping the present crop of Gods sauing graces which will comfortably sustaine vs in the full assurance and expectation of the euerlasting Haruest of heauenly happinesse §. Sect. 3 A complaint of mens vn constancie in performing the duties of a godly life And yet alas how many of vs who seeme most forward in the profession of Christianity that haue not in the greatest part of their life come to any settled constancie in performing the duties of godlinesse How many professe themselues trauellers towards our heauenly Countrey and yet are vnconstant in all their wayes and vnsettled in all their courses sometime performing the duties of a godly life and sometime neglecting them altogether seruing God one day or in some small part of it spending the rest of their time in seruing Satan the world and their own lusts How many that make a faire shew as though they would run the Christian Race who one while go forward and another while as out of breath
thought of change The fourth meanes is to keepe our selues in acquaintance with all Fourth meanes good duties that they grow not strange vnto vs and that wee giue no place to sloth but keep our selues in continuall exercise which will inable vs to hold out with constancy For the more we doe them the more easie shall we finde them and our selues more strong and able to continue in them And as runners in a race doe daily vse exercise to keepe themselues in breath and that they may be more able and actiue to performe it and hold out when they runne for the Garland whereas if they should intermit their diligence and giue themselues to ease and sloth it would make them short-winded and vnable to continue when they striue for the mastery so in this spirituall race the more we exercise our selues in Christian duties the better able we are to continue in them without fainting or wearinesse and the lesse paines we take the sooner we are out of breath and lesse able to continue in our course The fifth meanes is that seeing Fifth meanes we are naturally glutted with saciety in the continuall vse of the same thing and delighted with some variety and change wee doe not wholly tire our selues in any one good exercise but seeing God hath giuen vnto vs variety and choyce of many Christian and religious duties and will not be serued by one of them alone but hath allotted vnto euery one of them their due time and season Therefore auoyding that vnconstant leuity before spoken of shifting and changing before wee haue brought the duty in hand to some good effect that we may receiue some fruit and benefit by it it is profitable for the inabling vs to this constancy in Gods seruice when we feele our selues weary of one good duty to betake our selues to another as from praying to reading from hearing to meditating or conferring from religious exercises to the ciuill duties of our callings and when we feele our spirits spent our minds dulled and bodies wearied with them both or either of them to refresh our selues with honest and moderate recreations whereby wee shall not onely preserue our strength that after one duty done wee may be more fit to performe another but also returne vnto the same duty againe in seasonable time with a better stomake when as we left it with some appetite and were not glutted with any lothing saciety The last meanes of constancy is that we Sixth meanes doe all good duties in due time and order For these are inseparable companions and mutuall helpes one to another so the Apostle saith that he reioyced in the Colossians beholding their order and the stedfastnesse of their Col. 2. 5. 1. Cor. 14. 33 40 faith and exhorteth the Corinthians to the same practice that all things should be done decently and in order in the seruice of God because hee was not a God of confusion but of order and peace And this will much further vs in constancy seeing those things continue longest which haue an orderly proceeding as we see in the celestiall bodies which as they much excell all earthly things in their admirable order so also in the constancy of their motion That therefore wee may be alike constant in all our courses of Christianity let vs be like them also in their orderly proceeding and beginning the day with spiritual exercises as before hath bin shewed and so proceeding to ciuil duties let vs hold on in the same tenour neither confusedly intermixing them one with another nor vpon euery slight occasion changing our course And if we constantly obserue this order this order will be a notable meanes to preserue our constancy CAP. X. Of our perseuerance in all Christian duties of a godly life §. Sect. 1 That we must perseuere both in profession and practice of godlinesse BVt as we must be euery day constant in the duties of a godly life without intermission so must we perseuere in them vnto Psal 1 3. and 92. 12 14. Psal 112. 9. Prou. 4. 18. the end without apostasie or defection For as it is the property of a faithfull and blessed man to bring forth his fruit in due time and season so also not to fade or wither but to flourish alwayes like the Palme tree and to bring forth most fruit in old age His righteousnesse indureth for euer and his wayes are like a shining light which shineth more and more vnto the perfect day An example whereof we haue in the Church of Thyatira whose last workes were more then their first Now Apoc. 2. 19. this perseuerance must be shewed both in imbracing and professing the truth of Christian doctrine and also in practising the holy duties which it teacheth in the whole course of our liues and conuersations Vnto the former the Apostle exhorteth Stand fast in the liberty wherewith Christ hath Gal. 5. 1. made vs free The Apostle Iohn likewise Let that therefore abide in you which 1. Ioh. 2. 24. you haue heard from the beginning And our Sauiour Christ in his Epistle to the Churches That which you haue already hold fast till I come The other Apoc. 2. 25. the Lord himselfe commandeth Thou shalt loue the Lord thy God and keepe Deut. 11. 1. and 12. 1. Micah 4. 5. 2. King 17. 37 his charge and his Statutes and his Iudgements and his Commandements alway or as he expoundeth it in another place In all the dayes that thou liuest vpon the earth or for euermore And contrariwise apostasie and defection is forbidden Take heed brethren lest there be in any of you an euill heart of vnbeleefe Heb 3. 12. in departing from the liuing God §. Sect. 2 Of the meanes of perseuerance 1. Meanes Now the meanes whereby wee may attaine vnto this perseuerance in the duties of a godly life are diuers The first is to consider often with Math. 24. 13. Apoc. 2. 10. Apoc. 2. 11. 26. and 3. 11. 12. our selues that all Gods gracious promises are limited and restrained vnto those not that begin well or hold out to the mid way but who perseuere vnto the end So our Sauiour Christ Hee that indureth to the end shall be saued Be faithfull vnto the death and I will giue thee a Crowne of life And not he that fighteth but in fighting ouercommeth hath the promises of freedome from all misery and fruition of heauenly happinesse made vnto him And elsewhere he indefinitely promiseth that if wee abide Joh. 15. 7. in him and let his Word abide in vs then aske what we will and it shall bee done vnto vs. To the same purpose the Apostle Iames telleth vs that who so Iam. 1. 25. looketh into the perfect law of liberty and continueth therein he being not a forgetfull hearer but a doer of the worke that man shall bee blessed in his deed And the Apostle to the Hebrewes saith that we are made partakers of Christ Heb. 3.
horse full of courage which being well backed may doe good seruice but if he be ill managed carryeth his rider into headlong danger But zeale ioyned with prudence is most necessary for our well proceeding in all vertuous actions seeing like the spirits in the body it giueth to our soules liuely heat wherby they are moued in the course of godlinesse and are made actiue in all Christian duties laboriously vsing all good meanes whereby they may bee furthered and couragiously opposing and remouing all lets and impediments which crosse vs in our way And therefore if we would deserue the name of true Christians wee must take heed that wee incline not to that damnable errour of carnall worldlings who make zeale and prudence flat opposites thinking those that are most feruent most foolish and with Iehu his companions censuring them as mad fellowes that with 2. King 9. any zeale performe their duty seeing holy Dauid who in wisedome exceeded Psal 119. 100. and 69. 9. his teachers and ancients was so zealous in Gods seruice that scoffing Michol condemned him of folly yea our Sauiour Christ himselfe 2. Sam. 6. 20. Col. 2. 3. who is the Wisdome of his Father and in whom all the treasures of wisedome are hid as the Apostle speaketh as hee excelled all men in prudence so also in holy zeale seeing he was not onely thorowly heated but Joh. 2. 17. euen consumed in this diuine flame as hee professeth Neither can true prudence be more seuered from holy zeale then zeale from prudence being Calor innatus humor primogenius siue radicalis herein like the naturall heat and radicall moysture of the body which preserue mutually one another and both faint and faile when either languisheth and decayeth For prudence without the warmth of zeale like frozen waters loseth its motion in Christian duties and like the parts of the body from which the animall spirits are stopped becommeth senselesse and benummed falling as it were into a dead Palsie Yea if zeale doe not put into it Christian courage it groweth so wary and full of caution that it attempteth nothing because in all things it foreseeth danger and so at last degenerateth into worldly wilinesse and irreligious policie Finally we must decke our selues and all Christian duties with true humility ascribing all the glory of them vnto God alone from whom onely we had power and will to doe them and reseruing nothing vnto our selues but the shame of their imperfections and corruptions let vs acknowledge that we are sufficiently rewarded if our frailties and infirmities be graciously pardoned But of this also I haue spoken in the beginning of this Treatise §. Sect. 9 That we must chiefly esteem chuse affect the duties of godlinesse according to their worth and excellency The fifth rule is that in our iudgements we esteeme in our wills chuse with our affections desire and imbrace and in our actions practise and exercise Christian vertues and duties according to their worth and excellency profit and necessity keeping as much as in vs lyeth a due proportion betweene them in our iudgements esteeming and preferring in our wills chusing in our affections louing and desiring and in our actions seeking after and practising euery good grace and duty in their due time and place preferring in our estimate choyce desires and practice the chiefe and principall vertues and duties before the meane and the meane before others that are inferiour vnto them Not that we may neglect the least grace of God or Christian duty or so regard the greatest and most excellent as that we dis-esteeme the least and meanest for as our Sauiour saith Whosoeuer breaketh one of these least Commandements and shall teach men Mat. 5. 19. so he shall be called the least that is none at all in the Kingdome of heauen but that we must when they may all stand together giue the priority and precedencie in iudgement desire and practice to the chiefest both in time and earnestnesse of indeuour spending our first and best time the feruour of our zeale and chiefe vigour and strength both of body and minde about them or if wee are brought into such straights of necessity that all cannot bee done but some must necessarily bee omitted that then the lesser giue place to the greater till wee can get fit opportunity of performing both Thus wee must preferre Theologicall vertues as faith affiance hope charity humility and the feare of God before those which are humane and ciuilly Morall as temperance chastity ciuill iustice almes-deeds and such like and generally our duties towards God before our duties towards our neighbours and our selues the Commandements of the first Table before those of the second a due proportion being obserued Morall duties being compared with Morall degree with degree as the greatest with the greatest middle with middle and least with least more desiring and zealously indeuouring to get the chiefe graces and performe the religious duties of Gods seruice then those which meerely concerne our selues or our neighbours Thus wee are more feruently to effect and diligently to practise Morall and substantiall duties then those which are ceremoniall and circumstanciall yea to reiect these latter when both will not stand together according to that I will mercy and not sacrifice and the practice of our Sauiour Hos 6. 6. who neglected the outward rest of the Sabbath that hee might doe the workes of the Sabbath in curing and healing the lame and diseased The contrary whereof God condemneth in the Iewes and reiecteth Esa 1. 11 12 17. 66. 1 2 3. their ceremoniall seruice as odious and abominable because they tooke occasion thereby to neglect the Morall And thus they offend who spend their chiefe zeale about ceremonies and circumstances of Gods seruice and imploy their best strength and indeuour either in defending or opposing them being in the meane time more cold and slacke in the mayne parts of Gods seruice and the principall duties of a godly life Thus we must preferre the seruice of God it selfe before the meanes of it and the duties of piety and charity before the helpes which further vs in them as the doing of the Word before hearing the practice of godlinesse before the teaching or learning of it when both cannot well stand together prayer and the workes of piety and righteousnesse before fasting and outward abstinence In which regard the Lord reiecteth Esa 58. 3 4 5 6. the fasts of the Iewes because they preferred them before the workes of Iustice and charity neglecting these vnder colour of doing the other And thus likewise they faile who place their Religion chiefly in hearing the Word in the meane time neglecting the practice of what they heare and learne in the duties of their callings and in the workes of Iustice and mercy towards their neighbours heerein like vnto rich misers which spend all their time and strength in gathering riches and when they haue got them into their
possession neuer care to make further vse of them But we are to know that the end is to be preferred as more excellent before the meanes that conduce vnto it As the life is better then food and rayment health then the medicine treasure then the paines that getteth it or the chest locke and key that keepeth and preserueth it In which respect the practice of religious duties in our liues and conuersations which is the end of our teaching and learning is to be preferred before either of them and accordingly our chiefe zeale and most earnest indeuour is to be imployed and spent in doing the Word rather then in hearing of it though both are most necessary in their due time and place to all that intend to lead a Christian life Finally we must preferre both in our choice and practice internall duties of the mind and heart before the externall and bodily seruice for that is the life soule of Religion this the body and without the other but a dead carkasse which God accepteth not nor will bring vnto vs any 1. Tim. 4. 8. profit as the Apostle teacheth vs. And lastly the great and waighty matters of the Law as iudgement mercy and faith before those of small importance Mat. 23. 23. as tything Mint Annise and Cummin seeing our righteousnesse shal be Pharisaicall and Hypocriticall if we spend our chiefe zeale and strength about trifles and things of small importance and be in the meane time cold and slacke in the maine parts of Gods seruice §. Sect. 10 That we must vse all helpes and meanes which may inable vs vnto godlinesse The sixth rule is that as wee desire spirituall graces and to expresse them outwardly in the duties of a godly life so also that we vse all good meanes and helpes wherby we may obtaine the one and practise the other For the meanes and the end doe inseparably goe together in all ordinary courses of proceeding they who neglect the one in vaine professe either their loue and desire or their hope that by their idle wishes the other may be obtained Neither is it more possible that wee should obtaine any sauing graces or performe the duties of a godly life if wee neglect the meanes which inable vs vnto them then it is for a man to liue without meate and drinke or come to his iourneys end and neuer trauell in the way that leadeth vnto it Contrariwise with no lesse care and diligence wee are to auoyd or ouercome all lets and impediments which stop and hinder vs in our Christian course of which I shall haue occasion to speake at large in the following discourse Heere let it suffice to name one or two as examples of all the rest First euill company which will taint and infect vs with the poyson of their breath and by their euill examples and corrupt communication will first bring vs to a neglecting and then to a lothing and vtter forsaking of all vertue and Christian duties Among these wee must shun with greatest care those dangerous tame beasts clawing flatterers which are as one calleth them the pestilence of the soule and the poysoners of good mens minds and manners Hier. ad Celant For so powerfull are their cunning insinuations being assisted with our pride and selfe-loue that wee are ready to giue more credit to their false praises then to the vnpartiall testimony of our owne consciences and to thinke our selues because they say so such proficients in all vertue Quandiu versamur in rebus seculi anima nostra possâ—ssionum redâ—â—uum procuratione deuincta est de Dâ—o lâ—herè cogitare non possumus Hier. ad Liciaium and godlinesse that wee neede not further to vse any meanes whereby wee might bee bettered and improoued in our spirituall state when as wee are so farre from the marke of perfection that wee haue scarcely as yet aimed at it But aboue all other impediments let vs carefully shunne the immoderate loue of the world and earthly things which will so wholly take vs vp that we shall haue neither leasure power nor will to thinke on spirituall and heauenly things or to spend any time in the duties of a godly life or vsing any good meanes to further our assurance of heauenly happinesse And therefore we are not to set our hearts vpon them but to vse them onely as comforts of our pilgrimage and as steps to lift vs vp in diuine contemplation and to inflame our hearts with greater loue of heauenly excellencies concluding with our selues that if the Lord in greatest plentie imparteth the best things the world can boast of to his enemies then how vnspeakeable are the riches pleasures and glory of his owne Kingdome which hee hath reserued as his peculiar blessings for his owne children and faithfull seruants CAP. II. Of the rules of a godly life which respect the circumstances of it §. Sect. 1 That we must make precious account of our time which God hath allotted vs for his seruice ANd these are the rules which concerne the causes both principall and fundamentall of a godly life and those also which are inferiour and subordinate Those which respect the circumstances of it are these First that wee make precious account of our time which God hath allotted vnto vs for his seruice suffering as much as in vs lyeth no part thereof to be spent vainely and vnfruitfully about those things which profit not either for the inriching of our soules with spirituall grace or the furthering and assuring of our saluation But either we must continually be taken vp with spirituall exercises as Prayer Meditation hearing the Word Reading holy conferences and such like or in the workes of our honest callings and of iustice and mercy for the good of our brethren or in honest and moderate recreations that wee may bee refreshed and better inabled to performe these duties with more fruit To which purpose let vs often consider that these are the mayne ends for which wee came into the world and are suffered by God to liue and continue in it and therefore that time which is not imployed to aduance these ends is spent in vaine That time is the most precious Iewell in the world which cannot bee bought at any price nor the least minute of it redeemed when once it is past with the treasures of the richest Monarchy That wee haue onely assurance of the time present for our vse and cannot promise vnto our selues one moneth or moment of that which is to come That our whole time were farre too little though it were all spent in the duties of Gods seruice from whom wee haue receiued so great and manifold blessings as pledges and pawnes of farre greater which wee assuredly expect in the life to come That our imployments in our course of Christianity are so many and important so full of difficulties and yet so necessary as attaining to the knowledge of God and his will and the practice of
zeale into our hearts whereby we are disposed vnto them let vs make no delayes but exhort one another daily whilest it is called to day Heb. 3. 13. lest any bee hardned through the deceitfulnesse of sinne Finally if God hath put power into our hands and some pitty and charity into our hearts whereby we are inabled and mooued to doe the workes of mercy we are to lay hold vpon these opportunities and not hazzard the losing of them by our slothfull delayes according to the counsell of wise Salomon Withhold Pro. 3. 27 28. not good from them to whom it is due when it is in the power of thine hand to doe it Say not vnto thy neighbour Goe and come againe and to morrow I will giue when thou hast it by thee For if we neglect our opportunity when God offereth it he may iustly deny it vs when wee would haue it or if it still continue he may withdraw his grace more and more which we haue neglectfully abused and so giue vs vp to our owne hardnesse of heart to goe forward and increase in our former neglect Finally seeing our hearts are deceitfull fickle and flitting and we haue them not so at command that we can keepe them close vnto good duties or preserue in them at our pleasure the fire of deuotion it would be our wisedome to take them in their good mood and to lay hold of the opportunity for the performing of holy duties as Prayer Meditation renewing of our Repentance and such like when we finde and feele them best affected towards them and when wee discerne that they are well warmed with the fire of Gods Spirit we are to stirre it vp and as it were to blow it more and more giuing vnto it vent in our holy actions that it may not be choked and smothered For if we doe not take them at this aduantage they will slip away and the heate of our zeale and deuotion growing coole in vs we shall become vnfit for any religious duties and as vnable to worke our hearts to any frame of godlinesse as to fashion the yron to a new figure and forme when the fire is extinguished and the heate gone out of it §. Sect. 4 That we must obserue an order in doing these duties auoid confusion The last rule respecting the circumstances of a godly life is which I haue already in part touched that for the auoyding of confusion and vnsettlednesse in our course of Christianity we doe not confound and intermingle duties one with another but that we vpon good aduice and mature deliberation propound vnto our selues some good order in the doing of them allotting vnto euery houre and part of the day some speciall duties to be ordinarily performed in them As such and so much time for Prayer Meditation Reading and other religious exercises such and so much for the duties of our callings recreations and ciuill imployments for sleeping waking rising going to bed eating and drinking conferring and the like The which howsoeuer we may not superstitiously tye our selues vnto for conscience sake because God hath left the fitting of all times and occasions to our Christian liberty and to spirituall wisedome as shall be most agreeable and profitable for vs in our seuerall places and callings yet for order sake and to auoyd confusion vnconstancy and vtter neglect of good duties after that vpon sound aduice wee haue set downe a good order and method for our proceeding in Christian duties and what time is ordinarily to be spent in them we are not easily and vpon euery slight cause to alter our course but to keepe our selues as neere as we can vnto it vnlesse either necessity charity or some vnlooked for opportunity of better and more profitable imployment offering it selfe vnto vs doe mooue vs in Christian wisedome and discretion at some times to varie from our common course of proceeding And this wee shall finde profitable not onely to auoyd disorder and confusion but also to settle our hearts in a constant practice of all good duties which otherwise naturally affecting variety nouelties and often changes in religious exercises by reason of that saciety and carnall lothing which they bring to our corrupt nature would euery hand while bee flitting and starting sometimes performing them in a confused manner and sometimes neglecting them altogether CAP. III. Of the rules of a godly life respecting the matter forme and substance of it §. Sect. 1 That we can no otherwise aspire to perfection in Christian duties then by proceeding by degrees THe rules of a godly life which respect the matter forme and substance of it come now to be intreated of The first wherof is this that we aspire vnto perfection by degrees and not dreame or imagine that we can the first day and in the beginning of our conuersion attaine vnto it For howsoeuer the Lord is not tyed to times and meanes but can as soone and as well perfect the worke of our Regeneration as he did the worke of our Creation wherein he did but say the word and it was done and howsoeuer sometimes to shew the absolutenesse and greatnesse of his wisedome power and goodnesse he maketh quicke dispatch of his great worke of grace and causeth some to attaine vnto a great measure of perfection by the extraordinary assistance of his holy Spirit especially such as are conuerted in their latter times and hauing long loytered are cast behind hand and haue much way to trauel and worke to finish in the very euening of their liues and some others also whom hee sanctifieth from their Esa 49. 1 5. birth and tender youth to be his greatest lights shining in his Church yet this is not vsuall in Gods ordinary course of proceeding nor much more to bee expected of vs then that wee should haue the stature and strength of men as soone as we are borne vnto which wee ordinarily attaine by degrees because we were at once made perfect and compleat in the extraordinary worke of our Creation Besides we haue all true sauing graces according to the measure and proportion of faith vnto which we cannot at once ordinarily attaine in any great perfection both because it selfe also must hold some proportion with our knowledge which is not Heb. 11. 6. suddenly attained as soone as we are conuerted vnlesse we had it before and also because faith as we haue shewed increaseth by degrees and wee cannot attaine vnto any great measure and fulnesse of perswasion but by much exercise in holy duties and great experience of Gods loue and goodnesse towards vs. We must not then in the childhood of our Christianity thinke that we can attaine vnto the perfection of old men in Christ and so accordingly in our words and profession after a glorious manner take vpon vs but we must be content with the Apostle whilest 1. Cor. 13. 10 11. we are children to doe and speake as children and when wee become men to put away childish
the souldiers at Joh. 24. 14 15. his Sepulchre and theeues and adulterers that lye in wait to make spoyle of their neighbours goods and chastity and yet sleepe and snort in the deepe lethargie of sinne and wickednesse So that it is not the bodily watchfulnesse or sleepe that is commanded or forbidden for of this as of all of like kinde the Apostles saying is verified namely that bodily exercise profiteth little yea it hurteth much if we rest in it as the deed done or doe it as a worke satisfactory and meritorious not subduing the flesh but puffing it vp with pride and presumption nor inabling vs to Gods seruice but making the body vnfit to bee a ready instrument for the soule whilest by immoderate watching it is weakened and infeebled and becommeth more dull and drowzie more lumpish and vncheerfull to all good duties of a godly life §. Sect. 3 The former poynt proued by the Scriptures And yet I deny not but that there may be good vse of bodily watching when as it is moderate and seasonable not onely in respect of ciuill and morall affaires as the dispatching of our necessary businesse ministring to our friends vpon their bed of sicknesse and such like but also as it conduceth vnto spirituall ends as when it furthereth vs in keeping our spirituall watch is not rested in as a bodily exercise but referred and destinated to an holy and religious end As when with Dauid Paul and Silas Act. 12 12. and 20. 7. we abridge our selues of sleepe that wee may praise God by singing of Psalmes or lifting vp in silence our thankfull hearts vnto God for extraordinary benefits or when with our Sauiour Christ and his Church in persecution we spend the night in prayer and other religious exercises And thus our Sauiour requireth of his Apostles bodily watchfulnesse to a spirituall end Watch and pray saith he that ye fall not into tentation But yet the Christian waking and watching which in the Scriptures is so much commended vnto vs is not corporall but spirituall or onely corporall so farre foorth as the Spirituall thereby may be aduanced and furthered For which the Word of God is so cleare that it needs not the light of any other Comment Awake thou that sleepest and arise vp from the dead and Christ Eph. 5. 14 15 16 shall giue thee light Out of which sleepe of sinne when they are awakened he exhorteth them to keepe the Christian watch See then that ye walke circumspectly Col. 4. 2. not as fooles but as wise redeeming the time because the dayes are euil And againe Continue in prayer and watch in the same with thanksgiuing So hauing Eph. 6. 18. commended vnto vs the spirituall armour he willeth vs to pray alwayes and watch thereunto with all perseuerance And yet more plainly Awake to righteousnesse 1. Cor. 15. 34. 16. 13. and sinne not Watch ye stand fast in the faith quite your selues like men be strong Neither doth the Apostle inhibit bodily sleepe and naturall rest but carnall security and sleepe in sinne Ye are saith he children of light 1. Thes 5. 5 6 7 8. and of the day not of night nor of darkenesse therefore let vs not sleepe as doe others but let vs watch and be sober c. putting on the brest-plate of faith and loue and for an helmet the hope of saluation §. Sect. 4 What the Christian watchfulnesse is By all which it appeareth that the Christian watchfulnesse which is commended vnto vs in the Scriptures is not bodily and naturall but supernaturall and spirituall Now let vs consider in the next place what it is and wherein it consisteth Concerning the former The Christian and spirituall watch is an heedfull obseruation of our selues in all things and a serious carefull and diligent circumspection ouer all our wayes that wee may please God by doing his will and neither commit any sinne which hee hath forbidden nor omit any duty which hee hath commanded The which description setteth foorth vnto vs the nature of the Christian watch as it is commended vnto vs in the holy Scriptures Thus the Lord inioyning this watch by Moses the Captaine of his people saith Take heed to thy selfe and keepe thy soule diligently lest thou forget Deut. 4. 9 23. the things which thine eyes haue seene and lest they depart from thine heart all the dayes of thy life And our Sauiour prescribing it doeth expresse it in these words Take yee heed watch and pray for yee know not when Mar. 13. 33 34. the time is watch yee therefore lest comming suddenly hee finde you sleeping So the Apostle expoundeth that phrase of awaking out of sleepe and arising Eph. 5. 14 15 16 from the dead in the next words See that yee walke circumspectly not as fooles but as wise redeeming the time because the dayes are euill And exhorting the Watch-men of the Church to keepe diligently this watch hee willeth them to take heed vnto themselues and to all the flocke ouer which Act. 20. 28 31. the holy Ghost had made them ouerseers to feed the Church of God which he had purchased with his blood §. Sect. 5 That this watch is to be kept in all things Now if we would know wherein this obseruation and circumspection consisteth and in what it is to be vsed and exercised the Apostle telleth vs that it must not be in some few things onely the rest being neglected but in all things whatsoeuer Watch thou in all things so that wee must keepe 2. Tim. 4. 5. this watch at all times in all places vpon all occasions when we are alone and when we are in company abroad and at home in the workes of our callings and in our recreations when we haue to deale with others and when we are exercised in our owne businesse in ciuill affaires and morall actions and in our religious duties which we performe vnto God as hearing reading praying meditating according to that of our Sauiour Take heed how ye heare watch and pray And seeing the deuill layeth baites Luk. 8. 18. and snares to catch vs in all places and in all things we must be very heedfull and circumspect that we doe not fall into his nets of perdition When wee are alone we must take heed that wee be not idle and vnprofitable wholly taken vp with worldly thoughts and sinfull imaginations nor ouertaken by Satans tentations inticing vs to the committing of secret sinnes seeing solitude exempteth vs from the feare either of shame or punishment When we are to goe into company we must looke to our selues that we be not corrupted with euill examples and vaine and rotten communication and that we doe not thus corrupt others but edifie them by our sauoury speeches and holy conuersation When we looke to be taken vp in Christian conferences we must watch ouer our selues that wee fall not through selfe-loue ouer-weening our owne gifts into pride and vaine-glory nor
which we stand in need more then others in respect of our naturall defects that we may the better dispatch our businesse and the colder wee feele our selues the more necessary we thinke it to come vnto the fire or to vse some exercise that we may recouer our naturall heate And so in like manner the sight of these defects should not hinder vs from this exercise seeing it is the meanes to inlighten our mindes with more knowledge to get spirituall health and strength whereby wee may be inabled to performe this and all other good duties daily in more perfection and to warme our cold and frozen hearts that we may performe seruice vnto God with more heate of godly zeale and feruour of deuotion Besides though we be not able of our selues so much as to thinke a good thought yet if in obedience to God we vse this his holy Ordinance he will inable vs vnto it being all-sufficient to make vs both to thinke and do whatsoeuer he requireth at our hands §. Sect. 3 Their obiection answered who pretend want of matter to meditate vpon Thirdly we are ready to obiect want of matter to meditate vpon and that we are so barren in our inuention that the fire of our deuotion is ready to goe out as soone as it is kindled for want of this fuell to nourish and preserue it But this is to excuse one negligence with another seeing the Lord hath set before vs and euen put into our hands the large Volume of his Creatures and the Booke of holy Scriptures in both which there is abundant matter of Meditation if we had but the hearts to view and reade them besides the consideration of our owne misery our manifold sinnes and corruptions wants and imperfections Gods manifold mercies and innumerable blessings vouchsafed vnto vs the administration of his iudgements and such like of which I shall haue occasion to speake more heereafter And therefore there being no want of good seed we haue no cause to complaine of any thing but the barrennesse of our hearts and their auersenesse to good things if they bring not foorth in this kind plentifull fruits The which as it is to be bewailed with true sorrow that wee who haue matter enough to thinke and meditate vpon in vvorldly things for a whole yeere together though none be prepared to our hands being heerein such quick Workemen that wee can both gather our straw and burne our bricke in full tale should bee so barren of matter when wee come to thinke of things spirituall and heauenly so it must mooue vs with so much the more diligence and earnestnesse to reade and study the Scriptures and to obserue the workes of God and finding our emptinesse to resort to Gods store-houses like the Egyptians to Iosephs that wee may be filled with such prouision as hee hath made for vs and haue no more cause to complaine of want §. Sect. 4 Other hinderances remooued Fourthly wee are hindred from performing this duty by manifold distractions both inward and outward Of the former kinde is the indisposition of our hearts to spirituall and heauenly things and their readinesse to be carried away from them when they take them into their consideration after worldly vanities The which so much discourageth many that they neglect this duty altogether because they finde themselues so vnfit to performe it But our vvants and vveakenesses should not driue vs further from God but make vs rather dravv neerer vnto him and by earnest prayer to craue the gracious assistance of his holy Spirit that we may be inabled thereby to serue him better Neither must our imperfections and distractions in performing Christian duties mooue vs to neglect them altogether for this is that which the deuill would haue and if wee thus farre yeeld vnto him wee shall be sure to performe nothing that is good seeing he will neuer let distractions and discouragements to bee wanting vnto vs but being thorowly humbled in the sight of our infirmities and bewailing our wants let vs labour daily after more perfection And to this end let vs vse due preparation before wee vndertake this exercise of which I shall speake afterwards Secondly let vs keepe the Christian watch before spoken of ouer our hearts and repell these distractions at their first entrance Thirdly let vs pray against them and desire the Lord to strengthen vs that they may not preuaile to pull away our hearts from him Fourthly wee must at other times restraine our hearts and minds that they may not wander whither they list and keepe them vnder some command that they may not be to seeke when wee would imploy them about holy duties Fifthly we must fit the length of our Meditations to the strength of our deuotion and let them be inlarged as it increaseth Which meanes when we haue vsed let vs set vpon this exercise and if our distractions are so great and many that they would giue vs leaue to thinke vpon nothing else let vs make them the matter of our Meditation accusing our hearts for their loosenesse and worldlinesse their deadnesse and backwardnesse to all good duties that so we may bring them to vnfained repentance §. Sect. 5 That company and worldly busines should not hinder vs from this exercise of Meditation The outward distractions which are alleadged as necessary impediments of this holy exercise are the company of friends who comming to visit vs take vp that time which should bee spent about it the multitude of businesse which affordeth vs no leasure and want of conuenient place wherein we might be priuately by our selues to performe this duty which cannot bee done in the company of others But for the first no company should be so deare vnto vs as that it should cause vs to breake off our communion and society with God Or if to auoyd inciuility and giuing offence we doe intermit this exercise and put it off to another time this must not make vs to neglect it altogether but wee must set our selues about it when our company is gone and redeeme this losse by doubling our diligence in this holy exercise And for our businesse and imployments we are according to our Sauiours counsell to thinke this one thing Luk. 10. 42. necessary and to be preferred before all other and first to seeke the Kingdome of God and his righteousnesse esteeming no businesse so necessary as Math. 6. 33. the inriching of our soules with spirituall grace and vsing the meanes which may further and assure vs of our saluation accounting those imployments worldly carnall and not worthy our paines which shoulder and thrust out spirituall exercises And yet if our important businesse should wholly take vs vp and that the necessity of our estate and calling should so strictly at all times bind vs vnto them that wee had no leisure for religious duties there were some colour and but a colour of excuse but the fault is not in the multitude of our imployments but either
our secret closets or in the fields and in our retired walkes Onely these two things are to be obserued in our choyce of the place first that it be free from company and noyse for our meditation must be a soliloquie with God and our owne soules and secondly this priuate place must be such as in our experience we find freest from distraction and fittest to further vs in our deuotion In which regard as I take it those places are most conuenient wherin there are fewest obiects to draw away the senses with vnusuall delights seeing they are ready to carry to the imagination what they obserue with pleasure and that being distracted withdraweth also the mind and heart from this exercise And consequently our closet and chamber or our ordinary and vsuall walke abroad where nothing is to be obserued but that which is common and often seene are to be preferred before such places wherein there is variety of new and pleasing obiects and one ordinary place better then diuers and many because we can there soonest and with most ease recollect our thoughts and being gathered keepe them together without distraction §. Sect. 2 Of the time that it must not be continuall but as we get fittest opportunity Concerning the time of this set and solemne meditation diuers things are to be obserued First it must not be perpetuall and continuall for howsoeuer the other kind of meditation which is sudden short and occasionall may be at times performed when we haue any opportunity yet this serious and solemne kind cannot be so in regard of our weaknes which cannot beare it and indure the labour and in respect of other duties which wee are bound to performe as well as this both religious and ciuill and must be all done in their due and seasonable time In which regard it is to be esteemed so farre off from a state of Angelical perfection which is wholly taken vp with contemplation that it cannot bee excused nor wiped from the blemish of deserued blame because many other duties as necessary in their due time and place are vtterly omitted and neglected Besides the obiect of this exercise being spirituall diuine and supernaturall is farre too excellent for the weake sight of our minds to be alwayes gazing on or if it should it would soone bee dazeled and dulled yea distracted and quite lost like the bodily eyes with beholding the Sunne in his full brightnesse Yea as this exercise must not bee continuall so neither should it be ouer-common the which as it causeth wearinesse and satiety they lothing and this remissenesse and slacke performance which faileth as much in the manner zeale and deuotion as it exceedeth in time and number so doth it by assiduity lose in our iudgement that esteeme and in our hearts that awfull reuerence and feruor of affection which is due vnto it and so becommeth cold and formall heartlesse and vselesse like physicke which being ordinarily taken becommeth familiar to nature and so worketh not any extraordinary effect Neither can the most men be often exercised in this duty in a set and solemne manner vnlesse they cause other necessary duties of Christianity and of their callings to giue way vnto it with great losse and inconuenience In which respect great difference is to be made between the rich and wealthy who haue much spare time and poore men who liue by their daily labour and haue little time to spare for the performance of many religious duties no lesse necessary And amongst those who haue worldly necessaries without bodily toyle mee thinkes there should bee some difference in the frequency of this exercise betweene ordinary Christians and vs of the Ministery and that we should more often apply our selues vnto it then any other sort of men both because spirituall and heauenly things are the chiefe obiects about which our minds should bee exercised and because these holy meditations doe more directly and immediately fit vs for the duties of our callings then they doe other men in theirs In which regard it were to be wished that wee would let few or no dayes passe without some time spent in this holy duty which will make vs much more profitable both to our selues and others The which I speake not to spurre on any to outrunne his deuotion which being left behind will make this exercise cold formall and not worth the while and much lesse to bridle and restraine the zeale of other men who haue will and time to performe daily this holy duty but onely because I would not insnare weake consciences with doubts and difficulties by laying vpon them this taske as a necessary burthen which the Lord hath left free and at their deuotion §. Sect. 3 Of the fittest time for meditation The second thing required in respect of the time is that it be not left at randome and at large without any certaine limits bounding it to one part of the day more then another but then doing it when we are best at leisure or when some good mood or pang of deuotion driueth vs to it for then we shall neuer be constant in this exercise but shift it off from one time to another at the first rarely performing it and at the last neglecting it altogether But when with good aduice we haue made choyce of that time of the day which is fittest both in respect of our abilities and occasions it is our best way not for conscience but conueniency to keepe vs strictly to it if some important cause and vnexpected and waighty businesse doe not presse vpon vs and change our course obseruing constantly as neere as we can the same dayes of the week and the same houre of the day for the ordinary performing of this exercise For as order in all good duties is a cause of constancy so an orderly constancy or constant order is a notable meanes of continuance and perseuerance whereas if wee intermit them and doe them onely by fits our false and deceitfull hearts vnder pretence of putting them off to a more conuenient time will make vs at last wholly to omit them For if we bee vnfit to day wee shall bee more vnfit to morrow and indisposition if wee yeeld vnto it without resistance not labouring with our hearts to bring them into better frame and to recouer the heate of our cooled deuotion will quickly bring vs to a loathing auersenesse and vtter neglect But though it bee concluded that some certaine dayes and houres must be wisely chosen and constantly deuoted to this exercise yet what speciall time this should be as what dayes of the weeke or what houre in the day should be set apart for it is not so easily determined onely the Lords Day so challengeth this duty as most proper vnto it that it cannot then be neglected in some kind or other without sinne For the choyce of other dayes and set houres in them it must be left to Christian prudence ayded by euery mans owne experience which will
examine our selues how wee haue performed or broken our vowes and promises made vnto God and principally our promise in Baptisme how we haue shaken off the seruice of sinne Satan and the world and deuoted our selues wholly to the seruice of God How wee haue profited in mortification and what corruptions wee haue subdued and weakened which formerly were potent and strong in vs how wee haue mastered and abated our pride anger ambition couetousnesse voluptuousnesse impatiencie euill concupiscence and the rest of our corrupt affections and vnruly passions How we haue profited in newnesse of life both inwardly in our minds and hearts and outwardly in our words and actions how wee haue ruled that vnruly member our tongues and haue made them instruments of Gods glory and of the edification of our neighbours and our selues How we haue growne in Gods graces waxing daily stronger in our faith and assurance of his loue and our saluation more feruent in our loue and zeale more firme in our affiance and how we haue renewed and increased our sorrow for sinne our hatred of our corruptions especially of our beloued sinnes and how we haue in our indeuours and actions answered our resolutions of seruing God in newnesse of life How we haue furnished our selues with all the parts of our Christian Armour and kept it fast buckled vnto vs in the whole time of our warfare How wee haue kept our spirituall watch and how wee haue resisted or beene ouercome with the tentations of our spirituall enemies How we haue performed the generall duties of Christianity and the speciall duties of our callings and how we haue obserued or neglected the duties of our daily exercise as they haue before beene described vnto vs. How wee haue profited by Gods Iudgements vpon our selues or others for the mortification of our sins and weaning our hearts from the loue of the world and how his mercies and blessings his patience and long-suffering haue beene auaileable with vs to leade vs vnto repentance and to make vs diligent and cheerefull in his seruice Whether wee haue beene made more carefull by our former falls to looke better to our footing and whether the remembrance of our lost time hath not made vs double our diligence that wee may redeeme it by performing vnto God more faithfull seruice for the time to come Whether we are daily carefull to renew our Couenant with God and to preserue our selues from sliding backe in the breach of our promises Whether we decay not in our first loue but nourish it and all other sauing graces in their first feruency yea increase in them daily more and more Finally whether wee are prepared to beare afflictions and to meete death with a cheerefull and willing heart and whether our accounts bee in that readinesse that we doe with comfort and ioy expect and wish for the comming of our Sauiour Christ vnto Iudgement §. Sect. 3 That we are chiefly to examine our selues in respect of our sinnes and first our original corruption But the chiefe things wherin we must most often and seriously examine our selues are our sinnes and the miseries and punishments which attend vpon them And first our originall corruption whereby we haue defaced Gods Image in vs and defiled all the powers and faculties of our soules and bodies whereby being vtterly disabled vnto all good duties of Gods seruice they are prone vnto all euill and to performe seruice vnto sinne and Satan So that there is naturally no sound place in vs but from the crowne of the head to the sole of the foot nothing but wounds and bruizes and Esa 1. 6. putrifying sores Nor any sinne and wickednesse how abominable so euer the seeds whereof doe not remaine in vs wanting nothing but the tentations of the deuill the world and our owne flesh to make them sprowt vp and come to their full growth as oft as we get fit opportunity Neither is this the case of some alone but of all without exception one as well as another being ready to commit any outragious wickednes Dauid as well as Cain Lot as the Sodomites Peter as well as Iudas Or if they doe not it is not from the benefit of nature which is equally corrupt in all all being alike the children of wrath and dead in their sinnes but from the Spirit Eph. 2. 1 3. of God which either sanctifieth and changeth the nature of the Elect or restraineth the wicked by giuing them some common and Morall gifts for the good of humane society which otherwise could not stand if they were let loose to their naturall impiety Of which restraint if they be once freed and left to themselues they burst out with Nero Hazael Iudas 2. King 8. 13. and many others into such outragious wickednesse as in the time of the Spirits restraint their owne iudgements who are best acquainted with their owne hearts would haue thought that their natures could not possibly be inclined to such abominations Heere then is matter enough for our triall and examination to be exercised about if wee will rake in this noysome sinke of all vncleannesse and rip these old sores to the bottome Which though it be vnpleasant to corrupted nature because being ful of selfe-loue it fleeth the sight of its owne deformities and being willing to flatter it selfe with a false opinion of some natiue beauty doth abhorre the discouery of its vgly filthinesse and with the Elephant wilfully muddeth the cleere waters which would giue it a view how monstrously it is mis-shapen yet is it a consideration most necessary seeing this is the roote and fountaine of all our other sinnes whereof wee should most seriously repent bewayling and reforming this inbred corruption which if wee neglect and spend all our time about our actuall sinnes it is all one as if we should bee still chopping at the branches and let the roote liue and grow or be wholly taken vp in clensing of the streames and neuer take care for the purging of the fountaine which being polluted defiles them with its filthinesse §. Sect. 4 Secondly we must examine our selues concerning our actuall transgressions according to the Law Secondly in this examination we must call ourselues to an account for our actuall sinnes which we our selues haue committed against Gods Maiesty by breaking his Law and all and euery of his Commandements in thought word and deed The rule of which examination by which we are to come to our triall is the Law of God it selfe which by our sinnes we haue transgressed for as the Apostle saith By the Law commeth the knowledge of sinne being that straight rule which best discouereth the crookednesse of our actions and wherein and how many wayes we haue swarued from it In which course the best manner of proceeding is that we begin where God beginneth and so proceed with him from one Commandement to another examining our selues how often and many wayes we haue offended against euery one of them both by neglecting the
for their sinnes and all others who should beleeue in him And such a solemne thankesgiuing was made by Deborah Iudg. 5. and the people for their victory ouer Sisera and their freedome from the tyranny of Iabin King of Canaan who had long oppressed them By Dauid when as God had deliuered him out of the hands of all his enemies and especially out of the hand of Saul and by Hester Mordecay and the Iewes Hest 9. of the Captiuity from that feareful conspiracy of Haman who had plotted the destruction of the whole Nation And such a feast of thanksgiuing we worthily celebrate vpon the fifth of Nouember for that maruellous and almost miraculous deliuerance of our King and State from that horrible and vnmatchable Powder-treason by giuing wisdom to our gracious Soueraigne to interpret their darke riddle as he did somtime to Daniel for the expounding of Nebuchadnezzars dreame when the wisedome of the wisest in the Land could not vnfold it Of the other we haue an example in Abraham who made a solemne feast that he might render vnto God Gen. 21. praise and thankesgiuing for giuing vnto him contrary to all hope a son in his old age of whom should come that promised seed in which both himselfe and all the Nations of the earth should be blessed §. Sect. 2 When this solemne thanksgiuing is most seasonable how it differeth from that which is ordinary and the kinds of it Which examples we ought to imitate consecrating vnto God some day for solemne thankesgiuing whensoeuer wee receiue from him any great and extraordinary benefits either priuatiue consisting in deliuerance from some imminent or present euill or positiue when as he vouchsafeth vnto vs some great and vnexpected blessing But aboue all other times we must performe this duty when wee celebrate the Sacrament of the Lords Supper in remembrance of that inestimable benefit the great worke of our Redemption wrought by the death and Passion of Iesus Christ whereby we are deliuered out of the hands of all our spirituall enemies The which is called the Eucharist or a Sacrament of thankesgiuing because therein wee doe in a solemne manner render vnto God thankes and praise for Christ and all his benefits the pardon of our sins and that great Charter of our peace sealed first by his blood and now by this Sacrament instituted to put vs in remembrance of it and as it were afresh to renew his Couenant and to put our Pardon into our owne hands Now this extraordinary thankesgiuing to bee vsed vpon such speciall occasions differeth from that which is ordinary not in the matter which is one and the same but in the manner and measure which according to the occasion ought to be extraordinary in quantity and degree For our hearts must be more then vsually inflamed with the apprehension of Gods loue and goodnesse and inward ioy in the speciall fruition of his singular blessings which must affect them with extraordinary zeale to glorifie and praise him and to expresse our thankfulnesse by renewing our couenant with God binding our selues by firme resolution that in sense of his present fauours wee will be more deuout and zealous in all duties of his seruice for the time to come then euer we haue been in time past And by continuing our thankesgiuing in a solemne manner for a longer time then ordinary setting it apart as a Sabbath of rest from all our worldly labours that it may be wholly spent in Gods praises and in testifying our loue and inward ioy and reioycing in him by outward feasting and more liberall vse of meates and drinkes and all other comforts of this life and in shewing our loue and bounty in obedience to God by entertaining at our table and by sending gifts and rewards vnto our poore neighbours that they also may reioyce with vs. And this solemne feasting and thankesgiuing is according to the occasion of it publike or priuate Publike for some publike benefit which concerneth the welfare of the Church or Common-wealth which is to bee appoynted onely by the publike authority of Christian Magistrates and is to be celebrated in a most solemne and publike manner all sorts and conditions of men assembling together in the Church to magnifie and praise Gods holy name and to craue the continuance of his loue and fauour The which prayers and prayses are profitably conioyned with the preaching of the Word for the stirring vp of the whole Assembly to extraordinary thankfulnesse when as thereby the greatnesse of the blessings receiued and the inestimable mercie of God is set forth vnto them Priuate for some speciall benefits bestowed either on a particular person or a whole family which is to bee solemnized by singing of Psalmes prayer and thankesgiuing reading of some portions of holy Scriptures fit for the present occasion holy conferences whereby wee are to magnifie Gods mercies and to recount and tell what great things hee hath done for vs and also expressing our inward ioy by a more free and liberall vse of Gods creatures whereof wee must also cause our poore neighbours to haue some taste The which kind of feasting and solemne thankesgiuing is a notable helpe vnto true godlinesse as it worketh our hearts to a more liuely sense feeling of Gods loue stirreth vs vp to more zealous performance of all religious duties vnto him who hath been so gracious and good vnto vs and as it giueth vs occasion to renew our couenant with God and to confirme our resolution that wee will be more diligent and zealous in doing all things which may please and glorifie him CAP. XXXIIII Of the second extraordinary meanes which is solemne fasting §. Sect. 1 What a true fast is and how it differeth from all other fasts THe other extraordinary meanes of a godly life is an holy fast of which it is my purpose to speake briefly though the vse and benefit of this duty is so great that it well deserueth a more full discourse because it is already so excellently and exactly handled in diuers Treatises purposely written of this argument and especially in one which is called The holy exercise of a true fast and in another intituled The Christian exercise of fasting written many yeeres since by the right Reuerend Father and my most deare brother that nothing materiall can be added vnto it And therefore I will content my selfe to set downe after mine owne manner some of those poynts briefly which are most essentiall and necessary vnto this exercise for how should I in a Chapter expresse all fully which would require a whole Treatise referring the Christian Reader vnto those learned Treatises if he desire more thorow satisfaction and particular direction in any of them And first that wee may begin with the description of this duty A fast as we here vnderstand it is a voluntary religious and solemne action vndertaken vpon some extraordinary occasion wherein we seriously humble our selues before God in the sight and sense of
our sinnes and the Iudgements of God due vnto them testifying our repentance for them and our vnworthinesse of his least mercies by resting from all bodily labour in the day of our fast and wholly abstaining from our food and all other comforts and delights of this life so farre foorth as it will stand with necessity of nature charity and comelinesse and much more by forsaking all our sinnes and doing the workes of piety and charity that by this renewing of our humiliation and repentance wee may increase the feruency of our prayers and strengthen our faith in this assurance that they shall be graciously heard and granted vnto vs. In which description this religious fast being principally intended as an exercise of repentance by which it is increased and as a helpe to our prayers that they may bee more feruent is sufficiently distinguished from all other kinds of fasts As first from the fast of necessity for want of sustenance or appetite to it seeing this is voluntary and at our free choyce Secondly from that ordinary abstinence whereby wee temperately soberly and sparingly feed vpon Gods creatures for the satisfying of nature and not the pleasing of our carnall lusts and appetite which is most commendable as being of common and daily vse and the other onely to be vsed vpon extraordinary occasions seeing in this fast we restraine our selues but in respect of some part of our food whereas that whereof wee intreate is a totall abstinence for the time both from all food and the most of our worldly comforts Thirdly from a physicall fast which is prescribed and vsed for the cleansing of the stomake and body from ill humours and the preseruing or recouering of our health and from a politique fast appoynted by the Magistrate for ciuill ends and the good of the Common-wealth seeing this is a religious fast which aimeth onely at such ends as are spirituall and tend to the health and welfare of our soules Lastly from a morall fast which is vndertaken by those which are single and vnmarried for the preseruing of their chastity and keeping their bodies from being defiled with filthy lusts seeing this is no solemne or extraordinary action but to be commonly put in practice so oft as wee finde it necessary and seeing also it aymeth at a farre other end then this of which I heere speake namely the preseruing of chastity Whereas the end of the religious fast is by humiliation and prayer to obtaine some speciall suites at Gods hands §. Sect. 2 That the duty of fâ—â—â—ing is not ceremoniall but â—eâ—â—iâ—ed Gospel as well as the Law Againe whereas I call it a religious act I imply hereby that God is the Author of it and requireth it at our hands seeing he hath restrained vs in all duties appertaining vnto his seruice that we worship him according to his reuealed will and not according to our owne inuentions Neither are we to esteeme it as a part of the ceremoniall Law which is abrogated by Christ for howsoeuer there were many rites about it of this nature which now are some of them abolished and some out of vse as renting of their garments wearing of sackcloth sitting in ashes and couering their heads therewith and such like yet in respect of the maine substance which is the humbling of the soule before God by all good meanes that we may testifie our repentance and be made more feruent in our prayers Ioel. 2. 12 13 14 Esa 58. 5 6 7 c. 2. Chro 20. 3. as it was required of them more especially then the outward rites and ceremonies in the time of the Law so is it no lesse commended vnto vs vnder the Gospel to be religiously obserued vpon all extraordinary occasions For our Sauiour Christ purposely teacheth vs the right manner Mat. 6. 16. 17. 21. how iâ— ought to bee done commendeth the efficacie of it being ioyned with prayer a Luk 5 31 35. and sheweth that howsoeuer his Disciples vsed it not whilest he was with them because it was vnseasonable for the children of the Bride chamber to fast the Bridegroome being with them yet they should performe it when he was taken from them And thus it was accordingly practised by the seruants of God not on certain dayes set times but vpon great and extraordinary occasions not only in the time of the Law as by b 2 Chro. 20. 3. Iehosaphat and his people by c Dan. â— 3 â—0 2. 3. Daniel d 〈…〉 21. Ezra and the children of the captiuity by e 〈…〉 18 19. Queene Hester her maids Mordecay and all the whole people of the Iewes but in the New Testament also by the f 〈…〉 14. Disciples of Iohn the Baptist g 〈…〉 2 3. and by the Church when they set apart Paul and Barnabas By h Luk. 2. â—9 Hannah the Prophetesse and i Act. 10. 30. Cornelius who it seemeth frequently vsed this exercise and not onely vpon extraordinary occasions that by the helpe thereof their prayers might be more seruent and effectuall to preuaile with God though it may bee not in that solemne manner and with that deepe humiliation as is ioyned with this whereof we speake For this is to bee performed not ordinarily and so oft as wee pray but vpon extraordinary occasions as the Apostle implyeth where he inioyneth married persons not to defraud one another vnlesse by consent 1. Cor. 7. 4. for a time that they might giue themselues to fasting and prayer seeing he must needs be vnderstood of extraordinary fasting prayer vpon vnusuall and waighty occasions because ordinary prayer is to be vsed by them euery day together without any necessity of such separation So our Sauiour telling vs that the time of fasting is a time of mourning implyeth that it is vnseasonable but when we are occasioned to mourne vpon some speciall and waighty cause for otherwise ordinarily Christians are to reioyce in the Lord as the Psalmist and the Apostle exhort and Psal 33. 1. Phil. 4. 4. Esa 22. 12. not to mourne after this extraordinary manner till God calleth them vnto it Finally it is euident that this fasting ought not to be ordinary seeing it is a Sabbath of humiliation wherein we are bound to rest from all our ordinary labours and duties of our callings in which we are ordinarily to spend our time §. Sect. 3 The causes of a true fast and when it is most seasonable The cause which should mooue vs to performe this duty of fasting is that we may by more feruent and effectuall prayer obtaine at Gods hands some great and extraordinary benefit either priuatiue or positiue Priuatiue as freedome and deliuerance from some dangerous euill either of sinne or punishment In respect of the former when we or our Country in which we liue are guilty of some grieuous sinne and other meanes ordinarily vsed haue not beene effectuall to pull vs out of it or when some strong
corruption doth yet lye vnmortified in vs and preuaileth against vs notwithstanding our many purposes and promises to subdue and root it out then is this exercise seasonable that humbling our selues in an extraordinary manner wee may with all feruency desire the assistance of Gods holy Spirit for the healing of our selues and the Land by turning vs vnto God and for pulling vs out of these preuailing and raigning sins through serious and sound repentance for the subduing of our corruptions that they may no more leade vs captiue vnto sinne and bringing of them in subiection to the spirituall part And thus Paul in the sight and sense of his sinnes especially that haynous wickednesse in persecuting the Saints of God in his first conuersion is said to haue fasted three dayes Act. 9. 9 11. And Ezra with the people humbled themselues by fasting before the Ezr. 9. 3 6. 10. 6. Neh. 9. 1 2. Lord because they had grieuously sinned by taking strange wines the which raigned and swayed so powerfully amongst them that the authority of the Magistrates and preaching of the Prophets was not for a good while sufficient to pull them out of it The euill of punishment is also a sufficient motiue to make vs humble our selues before God by fasting and prayer and that either when some heauy iudgement is threatned and imminent that we may auert it or already imposed that we may bee deliuered out of it whether it bee priuate and concerne our owne person and family or publike respecting either the Church or Common-wealth Concerning the first when the heauy Iudgements of God are but threatned and ready to light vpon vs then the Lord especially calleth vs to fasting and mourning that vnfainedly repenting of our sinnes Esa 22. 12. which are the causes the iudgement which is the effect may cease and be auerted And then this exercise is most seasonable and profitable because the sentence is more easily stayed then reuoked and the malefactour with lesse suite acquitted or pardoned then the execution put off after he once hath his doome besides that it is a greater benefit and much more safe and sweet to be kept from the fire then to be pulled out like fire-brands that are halfe burned and much more pleasing vnto God seeing he attaineth vnto the end of his threatnings which is not to punish for hee delighteth Ezek. 33. 12. Micah 7. 18. not in the smart of his children whom he correcteth but that by mature and seasonable repentance we may escape and so his mercy may be magnified in the forgiuenesse of our sinnes An example whereof we haue in Iehosaphat who by humbling himselfe by fasting and prayer escaped the inuasion of his many and mighty enemies and in the Nineuites who at Ionas preaching repenting of their sinnes were spared and preserued from that imminent destruction which was threatned against them Neither are Gods threatnings absolute but to be vnderstood with Ier. 18. 7 8. the condition of repentance namely that the punishment denounced shall be inflicted if we goe on in our sinnes but auerted if wee humble our selues before God and so leaue and forsake our sinnes But if wee haue neglected this duty till the Iudgement haue already seazed vpon vs then our best course is to doe it rather late then neuer and to labour by our sound humiliation to haue our sinnes first pardoned and then to haue the punishment remooued which we haue had no care to preuent Whether it bee a priuate iudgement inflicted on our selues as sickenesse pouerty losses disgraces and such like or publike lying vpon the Church and Common-wealth wherein wee haue our part and share either in our owne persons or by sympathy and compassion as being fellow-members Iudg. 2. 4 5. 3. 9. Dan. 9. 3. Ios 7. 6. Ioel 1 14. 2. 12 15. of the same body as the sword captiuity pestilence famine and the rest So likewise this exercise is profitable when wee addresse our selues vnto God as humble suters for the obtaining of some speciall and important benefit which is no lesse necessary for the good estate of our selues or others then hard and vnlikely to bee obtained or atchieued by any meanes of our owne deuizing And thus it is fit that wee should humble our selues before God by fasting and prayer when wee vndertake any waighty businesse either for our selues or the good of the Church and Common-wealth vpon which occasion Ezra Nehemiah and Hester Ezr. 8. 21. Nehem. 1. 4 13. Hest. 4. 16. Act. 13. 3. fasted and the Church when they sent foorth Barnabas and Paul about that great worke the conuersion of the Gentiles But especially wee haue iust cause of thus humbling our selues when we finde some great defect in any of Gods sauing graces and would labour earnestly with God by Prayer that it may bee supplied when wee finde our selues exceeding weake in faith and desire to haue it increased and strengthened when we feele our hearts hardned through the deceitfulnesse of sinne so as we cannot repent and would haue them suppled and softened that they may resolue and melt in vnfained sorrow for our sinnes when wee finde our affiance in God so feeble that it is ready to faint and faile in euery small triall or when we perceiue want of gifts and abilities in our selues for the well performing of the duties of Christianity or of our callings and would be suters to him who is the Fountaine and Author of euery good Iam. 1. 5 17. and perfect gift that hee will inable vs at least with competency and sufficiency of such gifts as are necessary for the discharge of our duty with comfort to our selues and profit to others but especially so as Gods glory may receiue no damage or detriment §. Sect. 4 The ends of a true fast And these are the causes which may moue vs to fasting The ends at which we must chiefely ayme in this action are of two sorts The first and principall is the glory of God which wee then most magnifie when we vilifie and abase our selues acknowledging our great vnworthinesse of his least mercies and extolling his grace goodnesse in that he doth not inflict vpon vs those fearefull Iudgements which our sinnes haue deserued In which respect it is quite contrary to the nature of a true Fast if we propound this as the maine end of it that we may satisfie Gods Iustice and merit by it at Gods hand the pardon of any of our sinnes or the ioyes in heauen in any part or degree For such a Fast is fit for none but Pharisees and proud Iusticiaries who would rob God of the glory of his free grace and mercie and our Sauiour Christ of the all-sufficiencie of his merits and satisfaction that they may in some part arrogate it vnto themselues by hauing some share in the praise of their iustification and saluation And they who thus fast the Lord may iustly charge them as he did the
Apostle perswadeth Christians in diuers callings to performe their duties in them that they might not cause the Word of God to be blasphemed 1. Tim. 6. 1. Tit. 2. 5. seeing it is the common custome of worldly and wicked men to to lay the faults of Professours vpon their profession and to impute their scandalous sinnes to their much going to Church and hearing of the Word as though their profession and hearing were the cause of their wicked and vnlawfull courses whereas in truth they would if they abused them not bee as strong cables to draw them from all impiety and vnrighteous dealing And contrariwise he would haue them to liue in an holy conuersation that they might adorne the doctrine Tit. 2. 10. of God our Sauiour in all things For men are apt to speake of the Religion and truth which wee professe either in the better or worser part according to the fruits which we bring forth of it in our liues thinking our Religion to bee pure and good if we approue our selues to bee so by our holy and Christian practice and conuersation but contrariwise if like those of whom the Apostle speaketh wee haue onely a forme of Godlinesse and in our liues deny the power there of or professe 2. Tim. 3. 5. that we know God but in our workes disclaime him being abominable and Tit. 1. 16. disobedient and vnto euery good worke reprobate wee shall open their mouthes not onely against vs but also against all Professours of Gods true Religion yea euen against the Religion and Doctrine of truth it selfe which we professe For if euer Dauid himselfe fall into foule sinnes it will not onely tend to his owne dishonour but also giue occasion to the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme as though he were 2. Sam. 12. 14. a patrone or approuer of such crimes §. Sect. 5 The 1. reason that we may auoid giuing of offence And so much of those reasons which respect God The second sort respect our neighbours from whom also wee may draw diuers arguments 1. Cor. 10. 32. to perswade vs to an holy conuersation And first because we shall being vnblameable auoid giuing vnto them any iust offence eitherby laying stumbling blockes in their way whereby they should be hindred from the professing of the true Religion when as they are able to take exceptions to the liues of Professours or if they bee religious bee grieued in their righteous soules when they see our liues full of blots and blemishes or make the weake fall by our ill 2. Pet. 2. 7 8. example The which we must carefully auoid because our Sauiour Matth. 18. 7. pronounceth a fearefull woe against those by whom such offences come and contrariwise labour with the Apostle to exercise our selues Acts 24. 16. dayly in this that wee may haue alwaies a conscience void of offence towards God and towards men Secondly we may be moued to the practice The second reason of al holy duties of a godly life that we may gaine those that are without to Christ to imbrace that true Religion which we professe For if we haue our conuersation honest among the Gentiles they seeing our good 1. Pet. 2. 12. workes will glorifie God in the day of their visitation And this argument the Apostle Peter vseth to perswade wiues vnto their dutie that they which 1. Pet. 3. 1. obeied not the Word might without the Word be won with their Christiā conuersation The which so much preuailed with the Apostle Paul that he vtterly denied himselfe and his owne will and became all things to all men that he might gaine some to Christ and was content to please all 1. Cor. 9. 19 22. Chap. 10. 33. men in all things not seeking his owne profit but the profit of many that they might bee saued And how much more then should we with all willingnesse walke in such a course of holinesse and righteousnesse which in gayning others will profit our selues and not onely saue them by gayning them to Christ through our good example but assure our selues also of our saluation Finally wee may be perswaded vnto all The third reason holy and Christian duties because they so much tend to the good and profit of our brethren who are in the same holy communion with vs. First because by the light of our godly liues we shall moue them together with vs to glorifie our heauenly Father who is the Author Matth 5. 16. and Fountaine of all good things which they see in vs. Secondly because we shall edifie them by our good example and moue them to imitate those good things they shall see in vs and by our communion and fellowship with them like kindled coales on the same heape wee shall inflame their zeale and by an holy emulation make them striue to match vs in their Christian duties as the Apostle sheweth in the example of the Corinthians whose zeale in Christian beneficence 2. Cor. 9. 2. had as hee saith prouoked many And thus hee perswadeth Timothy to bee an example vnto beleeuers in word in conuersation in charity 1. Tim. 4. 12. in spirit in saith in puritie And exhorteth vs all to consider one Heb. 10. 24. another to prouoke vnto loue and to good workes To which purpose nothing can bee more effectuall then good examples when as we see those duties constantly performed by our brethren with much comfort and delight which wee feared as tedious troublesome and almost impossible and in this regard durst not vndertake them Finally wee shall doe good to our brethren euen in the duties themselues both of piety by teaching admonishing exhorting comforting and counselling them that neede our helpe and also of mercy by feeding the hungry clothing the naked visiting the sicke and such like workes of Christian charity whereby wee minister vnto their necessities CAP. XL. Of such reasons moouing vs to the duties of a godly life as respect our selues §. Sect. 1 The first reason taken from that dignity vnto which God hath called vs. IN respect of our selues there are also many effectuall arguments and reasons which may mooue and perswade vs vnto all duties of a godly life As first that high and heauenly dignity vnto which God of his free grace and goodnesse hath called vs out of a most miserable and wretched condition which should effectually mooue vs to walke worthy this high and excellent Eph. 4. 1. calling as the Apostle exhorteth vs. For wee were in darkenesse and in the shaddow of death but the Lord hath called vs into a marueilous light reuealing cleerely vnto vs the knowledge of himselfe and his will the great mystery of saluation by Iesus Christ and the meanes whereby we may be made partakers of the fruits and benefits of it in which respect it becommeth vs to walke as children of light circumspectly not as fooles Eph. 5. 8 15 16. 1. Th. 5. 5 6 7 8 Col.
our selues in vaine by labouring after impossibilities Finally that though wee haue neuer so much grace and be as forward as any in the duties of godlinesse yet we may fall from this state and become as wicked as any other and therefore seeing when we haue done our best in seruing God and haue with much paines stored our selues with all spirituall graces wee may lose all our labour and become notwithstanding all our care and diligence vtter brankrupts in all goodnesse it were our best course to giue ouer this doubtfull paines in the seruice of God and to satisfie our owne lusts with the present fruition of worldly delights Of all which tentations which Satan as impediments casteth in our way to discourage vs in the course of godlinesse I haue largely spoken in the first part of my Christian Warfare and therefore heere thus briefly passe them ouer referring the Christian Reader to that Booke for his more full satisfaction in these points §. Sect. 5 Satans tentations whereby he seeketh to hinder vs from entring into the wayes of godlinesse or from proceeding in them In respect of the godly life it selfe Satan raiseth against vs many lets and impediments either to hinder vs from entring into the course of Christianity or to make vs performe the duties required in it superficially and vnprofitably In respect of the former he vseth many deuices to stop our entrance into the wayes of godlinesse And first he laboureth to keepe our eyes blinded with ignorance that wee may not see the wayes of godlinesse wherein we should walke or if they be discouered by the light of the Gospel shining vnto vs hee will indeuour to keepe vs from seeing the profit and necessity of walking in them The former whereof we may auoyd by remembring and considering that sauing knowledge is one of the chiefe grounds of a godly life without which it is no more possible that we should performe the duties of Christianity then to walke in difficult wayes hauing no eyes to guide vs nor light to direct vs in them And therefore we must not content our selues with our good meaning and ignorant deuotion which can bring foorth no better fruits then blind superstition and will-worship which are odious vnto God but vse all good meanes whereby our minds may be inlightened with the sauing knowledge of Gods truth and carefully inquire after the good and old Ier. 6. 16. wayes as the Prophet speaketh that wee may walke therein and finde rest to our soules And for the auoyding of the other wee must know and remember that nothing in the world is so profitable and necessary as to walk in the wayes of godlinesse after that by the light of truth they are discouered vnto vs seeing this alone though all worldly things bee wanting will make vs happy and blessed in this life and the life to come Luk. 10. 42. whereas if we haue all other things and want this wee shall be wretched and miserable Secondly Satan laboureth to hinder vs from entring into the wayes of Christianity by alluring vs to continue in our sinful courses with the baites of worldly vanities and by causing vs to content our selues with the present possession of these earthly trifles hee maketh vs to neglect our heauenly hopes which are infinitely more excellent and permanent For the escaping of which snare wee must labour to contemne these inticing baites by considering that these worldly things are in respect of spirituall grace and heauenly glory vaine and vnprofitable vncertaine mutable and momentany as elsewhere I haue plainely shewed Christ Warf 2. part Thirdly he hindreth vs frō all duties of godlinesse by the deceitfulnesse of sin which he secretly windeth into our hearts by degrees till by many acts of wickednesse he hath brought vs vnto a custome which is like another nature and hath in it the commanding force of an vnresistable Law Which hindrance if we would auoyd we must watch ouer our selues that our hearts be not hardned through the deceitfulnesse of sinne to which purpose Heb. 3. 13. we must shunne the first occasions withstand the first motions of it and plucke vp these cursed plants before they be thorowly rooted or if wee haue already loaded our consciences with these dead workes our second care must bee to breake off our sinnes by vnfained repentance offering heerein to our corrupt nature an holy violence and as the Apostle speaketh We must lay aside euery waight and the sinne that doth so easily beset Heb. 12. 1. vs clinging as it were about our neckes to hold vs backe that wee may so runne with patience vnto the Race which is set before vs making voyd by degrees the strong custome of sinne by the acts of piety and righteousnesse vntill wee haue confirmed in vs the contrary custome of godlinesse and new obedience Finally Satan laboureth to hinder vs from entring into the course of Christianity by perswading vs to make delayes and when he cannot any longer make vs beleeue that it is needlesse or of small waight but that seeing the profit and necessity of it wee doe resolue to leaue our former sinfull liues and to betake our selues vnto Gods seruice he will perswade vs to deferre it for a time as a thing vnpleasing to our corrupt nature and vnprofitable to our worldly ends vntill we may finde some fitter opportunity and haue better settled our earthly businesse The which impediment I shal haue fitter occasion to remoue in the following Discourse Onely let vs here remember that if we will be aduised by our Sauiours wise counsell We must first seeke the Kingdome of God and his righteousnesse Math. 6. 33. which being a matter of greatest waight and in comparison onely necessary we must not put it off till after-times which are vncertaine but secure our selues of it whilest the day of saluation lasteth And these are the common impediments which Satan casteth into our way that he may stop vs from entring into the wayes of godlinesse with which if he cannot so farre preuaile as to make vs neglect all holy duties altogether hee will in the next place indeuour to make them vnprofitable for our saluation To which purpose amongst many other lets he chiefly and most vsually vseth these two The first is to keepe vs from feeling in them any power of godlinesse for the bettering of our spirituall estate by causing vs to performe these duties in a cold and formall manner more for custome then conscience sake The other is to make vs fickle and vnconstant in them performing them by fits and flashes when we haue least to doe and haue some spare time from our worldly imployments The former whereof wee may auoyd by setting our selues about the duties of Christianity as our mayne businesse with all resolute diligence and zealous deuotion knowing that it is impossible to trauaile in this way so full of difficulties and dangers without serious indeuour or to performe duties of so high a nature
consider first that this is a shamefull and horrible abuse of Gods mercy and goodnesse which hee will neuer let goe vnpunished to take occasion thereby the more to offend and diplease him by wilfull continuing in sinne and neglecting the duties of his seruice To prouoke God to wrath because he is patient and long-suffering and to sinne against him because hee is good and gracious and ready to forgiue And finally to neglect all duties of his seruice because he is such a bountifull Master that he giueth of his free grace and mercy rich wages and rewards without all merit and desert For these should rather be arguments to inflame our loue towards him and to make vs so much the more zealous of his glory and fearefull to offend so gracious a God according to that of the Psalmist There is mercy or forgiuenesse with thee that thou mayest bee feared Or if through Psal 130. 4. frailty and infirmity we haue contrary to our purpose and resolution been ouertaken of any sinne this patience and loue of God should be a strong motiue to make vs to rise out of it by vnfained repentance according to that of the Apostle Despisest thou the riches of his goodnesse and forbearance and long-suffering not knowing that the goodnesse of God leadeth thee to repentance Secondly let vs consider that as the Lord is infinite in mercy and compassion so hee is no lesse infinite in iustice and truth that as he is mercifull Exod. 34. 6 7. and gracious long-suffering and abundant in goodnesse and truth keeping mercy for thousands forgiuing iniquity to ansgression and sinne so also hee is iust in all his wayes and holy in all his workes and will by no meanes cleare the Psal 145. 17. guilty visiting the iniquity of the fathers vpon the children vnto the third and fourth generation that as he is a mercifull Sauiour so also a iust God and Esa 45. 21. Psal 11. 7. a righteous Lord who loueth righteousnesse and will not let sinne goe vnpunished but will iudge euery man according to his works and that he is a terrible 2. Cor. 5. 10. Iudge especially to those who abuse his mercy and long-suffering And therefore let vs not disioyne these things which cannot be seuered nor imagine such a mercy in God as will not stand with his Iustice which were to mayme the Diuine nature and to pull as it were one of his hands from him which outragious violence offered vnto his holy Maiesty hee will neuer suffer to goe vnpunished Let vs with Dauid so acknowledge that hee is good as that wee doe not deny that Psal 25. 8. Psal â—01 1. hee is also vpright and in our songs so sing of his mercy as that wee doe not disioyne his Iudgement from it Let vs remember that in God and in all his workes mercy and truth doe meete together righteousnesse Psal 8â— 10. and peace doe kisse each other Let vs not say His mercy is great he will Ecclus 5. 6 7. be pacified for the multitude of my sinnes for mercy and wrath come from him and his indignation resteth vpon sinners Neither let vs presuming on Gods mercy and patience make any tarrying to turne vnto the Lord nor put it off from day to day for suddenly shall the wrath of the Lord come foorth and in thy security thou shalt be destroyed and perish in the day of vengeance Thus the Apostle telleth vs that if we despise the riches of Gods goodnesse and forbearance Rom. 2. 4 5 6 which should leade vs to repentance we shall after our hardnesse and impenitent heart treasure vp vnto our selues wrath against the day of wrath and reuelation of the righteous iudgement of God who will render vnto euery man according to his deeds And the Lord threatneth that if any man hearing the words of his curse against sinners doe blesse himselfe in his heart saying I shall haue peace though I walke in the imagination of my heart to adde drunkennesse to thirst that he will not spare him but that his anger and iealousie shall smoake against that man and all the curses that are written in the booke of the Law shall Deut. 29. 19 20. lie vpon him and the Lord shall blot out his name from vnder heauen Let vs remember what the Apostle teacheth vs namely that no outragious sinners continuing in their wickednesse without repentance shall inherit the Kingdome of Christ and of God and therefore exhorteth that wee suffer no Eph. 5. 5 6. man to deceiue vs with vaine words seeing because of these things commeth the wrath of God vpon the children of disobedience Finally let vs consider that though Gods mercies be in themselues infinite and aboue all his workes and all his gracious promises which are in Christ yea and Amen yet they are limited by his infallible truth and appropriated vnto repentant sinners and therefore cannot extend to the presumptuous who take occasion from his mercies to continue impenitently in their sinnes but he will glorifie his iustice in punishing them as hee glorifieth his mercy in pardoning the sinnes of all those who turne vnto him by vnfained repentance And therefore let vs acknowledge with the Psalmist that the Lord is good Psal 73. â— and gracious yet not to all but onely to Israel euen to such as are of a cleane heart and that as the eyes of the Lord are vpon the righteous and his eares open to heare their cry so the face of the Lord is against them that do euill to cut off the Psal 34. 15 16. remembrance of them from of the earth Let vs not presume vpon Gods mercy whilst we continue impenitently in our sins but let vs stand in awe of Gods Iustice and Iudgements and sin not and offer first the sacrifice of righteousnesse Psal 4. 4 5. and then put our trust in the Lord. Those likewise who presuming vpon the all-sufficiencie of Christs death merits and satisfaction doe take occasion thereby to continue in their sinnes without repentance and to neglect the duties of a godly life may easily remooue this dangerous impediment out of their way if they will but seriously consider that this is a most fearefull abuse of his inestimable loue who hath done so much for vs when as we vse his helpe to vphold vs in our sinnes and his death and merits as a pillow whereon we may sleepe more securely in our wickednesse Whereas he came not to ratifie and confirme but to dissolue and abolish 1. Ioh. 3. 8. the workes of the deuill And gaue himselfe for vs not onely to free vs from all sinne in respect of the guilt and punishment but also to purge Tit. 2. 14. vs from all iniquity and that being his peculiar people we should bee zealous of good workes He hath redeemed vs out of the hands of all our spirituall enemies Luk. 1. 74 75. that wee may serue him in holinesse and righteousnesse
place of paines labour and reserueth his Sabbath of rest for the world to come after wee haue finished our worke Heere we must worke in his Vineyard and the night of death must come before wee shall bee called to receiue our wages Heere wee must keepe our markes and there inioy the riches which wee haue gotten by our spirituall trading Heere wee must fight the Lords battels being couered with sweat and blood and there wee shall obtaine the Crowne of victory Finally heere wee must trauaile like poore Pilgrims and then take our ease when we haue finished our iourney and are come safe to our heauenly home Fourthly let vs call to minde the labours of the Saints which haue gone in this way before vs and especially of our Sauiour Christ himselfe who trauailed for our sakes not onely vnto wearinesse and sweat but euen vnto blood and not foolishly imagine that wee may take our ease and yet come timely and safely to the end of our hopes seeing our Sauiour hath told vs that the Kingdome of heauen suffereth violence Mat. 11. 21. and the violent take it by force and that wee must striue to enter into the Luk. 13. 24. straight gate with all earnestnesse and constancie because many shall seeke to enter and shall not bee able Lastly let vs consider the punishments denounced against those who idly sit still and refuse to trauell in the wayes of godlinesse For it casteth them into a deepe sleepe whereby all the operations of Gods graces are hindred yea it emptieth the sluggard of them all like him who wanting meate is famished with hunger According to that of Salomon Sloathfulnesse casteth into a deepe sleepe and Pro. 19. 15. the idle soule shall suffer hunger And as it depriueth him of all grace in this life so also of glory and happinesse in the life to come for hee onely must haue the wages who hath laboured in Christs Vineyard And contrariwise plungeth him into euerlasting death and destruction For the sloathfull and vnprofitable seruant must bee cast into outer Mat. 25. 26 30. darkenesse where shall bee weeping and gnashing of teeth And therefore if nothing else will mooue vs yet at least let vs take some paines in Gods seruice which being small and momentany shall bee euerlastingly rewarded that wee may escape the endlesse paines of hell For if wee cannot for a little while indure the kindly heate of the Sunne how shall wee bee able to suffer the skorching and tormenting flames of hell fire If wee are impatient of a little sweate and labour in the duties of Christianity and of our callings let vs thinke with our selues how much more intolerable the endlesse torments of the damned will bee vnto vs. §. Sect. 8 Of wearinesse in well doing and how it hindreth vs in all Christian duties And first that which proceedeth from an ill disposition of the body The last impediment which hindreth vs in the duties of a godly life is wearinesse in well-doing which proceedeth from a twofold cause The first outward which is the ill disposition of the body to the performance of Christian duties proceeding either from externall causes as hunger thirst heate cold excessiue labour in worldly imployments and such like or from inward infirmities and diseases which make the body faint and feeble weake and vnable to take any paines in the duties of a godly life For seeing the soule vseth the body as its organ and instrument for the performing of all outward actions and seeing there is such sympathie and familiarity betweene them that they mourne and reioyce together hereof it must needs follow that when the body is indisposed to the duties of Gods seruice the soule is thereby vnfitted for them when the body is feeble and faint the faculties of the soule cannot be strong and vigorous in their actions and operations When the body is weary and full of paine it must needs affect the mind and much distract it in all good duties And finally when the toole and instrument is blunt and dull vnfit and vntoward the most cunning Artificer must needs be hindred and much faile in his curious workemanship For the remoouing of which impediment wee must vse our best indeuour that wee may haue a sound minde in a sound body and to vse all good meanes of diet and Physicke for the preseruing or recouering of our health and to auoid intemperance insobriety and excessiue labour about worldly imployments Yea wee must auoyd immoderation and excesse euen in the exercises of mortification as fasting watching and the rest For as luxuriousnesse delicacie and sloth doe weaken the body for want of exercise and intemperance and insobriety doe make it feeble and vnfit for any imployment so likewise the contrary extremes and ouer-rough and rigorous handling of it doe exhaust and consume the spirits and make it so weake and faint that it is ready to sinke vnder euery burthen And therefore wee must carefully obserue the meane and auoyd both extremes especially that vnto which our corrupt nature inclineth and carryeth vs whether it bee to sensuality which pampereth the body with excesse or will-worship Col. 2. 23. and superstition in not sparing of it which is not much lesse dangerous then the other although it bee nothing so common and ordinary For as if we would make speedy iourneys our Horse must neither be pampered nor starued seeing by the one he is made either resty or out of breath and by the other so enfeebled that hee will not be able to beare vs so is it with our bodies which carry our soules and therfore they must be vsed with like prudence and prouidence §. Sect. 9 Of wearinesse in well-doing arising from the auersenesse of our wils vnto good duties The second cause is internall which is the ill disposition of the minde and will being auerse vnto all good duties and vertuous actions and prone vnto all euill delighting in worldly vanities and pleasures of sinne and dis-affecting and lothing spirituall exercises as being wearisome and tedious difficult and troublesome to our corrupted nature The which is a notable impediment to our well proceeding in the wayes of godlinesse for either this vnwillingnesse causeth such wearinesse that it will make vs either not to enter into the Christian course or soone desist and returne againe into our former wayes of wickednes sensual delights or else it will make vs vnsettled and vnconstant in all good duties doing them onely by fits and flashes when the good mood of deuotion commeth vpon vs and neglecting them when other things which better please vs come in the way or finally it quencheth our zeale and feruour of loue vnto the duties of Gods seruice so that wee performe them weakely and wearily coldly and formally with much dulnesse and spirituall deadnesse The which impediments if wee would auoyd wee must labour and striue against this wearinesse and faintnesse in well-doing and indeuour all wee may to take
bringeth low and lifteth vp Hee rayseth vp the poore out of the dust and lifteth vp the begger from the dunghill to set them among Princes and to make them inherite the Crowne of glory It is the blessing of the Lord that maketh rich and addeth Pro. 10. 22. no sorrow with it as the Wise man speaketh and it is his powerfull Word by which wee liue and not by bread onely as himselfe teacheth vs. Deut. 8. 3. Matth. 4. 4. And therefore let vs not thinke that by neglecting Gods seruice we shall thriue the better or that we shall haue the more liberall wages because we are slothfull in doing his worke and spend our whole time and strength about our owne §. Sect. 4 That if being poore we carefully serue God we may securely cast our selues vpon his gracious prouidence and expect him to be our reward Sixthly though wee be poore and haue nothing to sustaine vs and our charge but what wee earne with our dayly and painefull labour yet if wee doe not wholy addict our selues to the world but allot seasonable times to Gods worship and seruice we shall not be the neerer to want and penury yea rather laying aside all carking care wee may securely cast our selues with full affiance vpon his prouidence and promises and expect such a blessing vpon the labours of our hands performed in due place and time as that neither we nor those that belong vnto vs shal want food conuenient nor any other thing that is good For if the Lord be so gracious and bountiful that he prouideth for strangers who serue Satan and their own lusts how can we imagine that he will suffer those of his owne family who spare time from their necessary imployments that they may doe him faithfull seruice to want and pine for hunger If his prouidence extendeth to the Fowles Mat. 6. 26 28. of heauen and the beasts of the field to feed them without their care and if hee clotheth the Lillies of the field without their labour how will he not take greater care for vs that are his houshold seruants and adopted children who moderately vse our best studie and indeuour to serue his prouidence in prouiding things necessary but so in the meane time as that wee will by borrowing some time from the works of our callings rather indanger our selues to want then we will bee wanting vnto him in spirituall duties of his seruice Let vs then as the Apostle exhorteth bee carefull for nothing but resting vpon his Phil. 4. 6. care and prouidence with firme affiance let vs in all our necessities by prayer and supplication with thankesgiuing make our requests knowne vnto God For the Lord hath bound himselfe freely by many gracious promises that if casting off all carking care we trust in him and serue him in the duties of piety and righteousnesse hee will prouide for vs what wee stand in need of and will not suffer vs to want any thing that is good So the Psalmist Trust in the Lord and do good so shalt thou dwell in the land Psal 37. 3 5. Pro. 16. 3. Psal 34. 9 10. and verily thou shalt bee fed Commit thy way vnto the Lord trust also in him and hee shall bring it to passe O feare the Lord ye his Saints for there is no want to them that feare him The young Lyons doe lacke and suffer hunger but they that seeke the Lord shall not want any good things So the Wise man telleth vs that the Lord will not suffer the soule of the righteous to famish but hee Pro. 10. 3. casteth away the substance of the wicked The which Dauid saw confirmed in his owne experience hauing not obserued in all his time from his youth to old age that the righteous had beene at any time forsaken or Psal 37. 25. their seede begging their bread And thus the Apostle Peter exhorteth vs to cast all our care vpon the Lord for he careth for vs. The which promises 1. Pet. 5. 7. the Apostle to the Hebrewes layeth as a ground of his disswasion from couetousnesse and discontent Let your conuersation saith hee be without couetousnesse and be content with such things as ye haue for he hath said Heb. 13. 5. I will not leaue thee nor forsake thee Seuenthly if wee deuote our selues vnto Gods seruice loue as it beseemeth his children in holy obedience allotting time conuenient to religious duties the Lord himselfe will be our wages and exceeding great reward and he that is God all-sufficient Gen. 15. 1. Chap. 17. 1. Deus mihi sufficit etiamsi caetera cuncta ferat alius Gregor Nazian Cygn Carmin lib. Nimis auarus est cui Deus non sufficit in the absence of all earthly helpes and meanes will be our portion and inheritance which whoso inioy can want nothing And this argument the Lord vseth to incourage Abraham to serue him Feare not Abraham I am thy shield and thine exceeding great reward And againe I am the almighty or all-sufficient God walke before me and be thou vpright And therefore let vs say with one of the Ancients God alone sufficeth mee although who so will take all things else besides him for hee is too couetous whom God cannot satisfie Eightly if we be diligent in Gods seruice though wee haue not so much as others yet that little wee haue as before I shewed is much better then their great riches and reuenewes who neglect it According to that of the Wise man Better is a little with righteousnesse then great reuenewes without Pro. 16. 8. 28. 6. 15. 16 right Better is the poore that walketh in his vprightnesse then hee that is peruerse in his waies though he bee rich And Better is a little with the feare of the Lord then great treasures and trouble therewith For as the Psalmist saith The Lord knoweth the dayes of the vpright and their inheritance shall be for Psal 37. 18 19. euer they shall not bee ashamed in the euill time and in the dayes of famine they shall be satisfyed c. Againe that little which the righteous haue that feare and serue God is better then the abundance of the wicked who serue the world and their owne lusts because that godlinesse which is ioyned with it is the greatest gaine and in the lowest estate 1. Tim. 6. 6. bringeth contentation which is a Iewell of such value that it is aboue the purchase of all earthly riches and cannot bee bought with the price of a monarchy According to that of the Wise man The righteous eateth to the satisfying of his soule though his commons bee neuer so Pro. 13. 25. short but the belly of the wicked shall want euen when he sitteth at his full furnished table For when his appetite is satisfyed he is not satisfyed because he wanteth an appetite §. Sect. 5 That the obiection of pouerty is but a friuolous and false excuse Finally let all those
know who obiect their pouerty and their continuall labours to supply their wants as an excuse for their neglect of Gods seruice in the duties of a godly life that it is but a false and friuolous pretence whereby they palliat and colour their irreligious prophanenesse For they who will not serue God when they are poore would much lesse do it if they were rich They that will sue and seeke vnto God for helpe and succour when they are destitute of necessaries would much more neglect him if their storehouses were full and their tables furnished with all plenty They that will not call vpon Esa 26. 16. the Lord when they are in trouble nor powre forth a prayer vnto him when his chastizement is vpon him would much more forget him and neglect this dutie in their prosperity and security from danger And who seeth not by continuall experience that many who haue seemed diligent and deuout in the duties of Gods seruice in their poore and meane estate haue afterwards beene loose and lazie cold and negligent when the world hath smiled vpon them and their wealth and riches haue beene increased and multiplyed Neither in truth is pouerty and paines to supply our wants any hindrance to the daily and necessary duties of Gods seruice seeing if wee order our time aright and wisely dispose of our businesse both of them may well stand together For the Lord requireth not at our hands that wee should spend the greatest part of our time in religious exercises and neglect the duties of our callings but onely that wee allot some small time to holy duties and performe our honest labours in the rest therein yeelding obedience by performing these workes because hee hath required them And so farre is hee off from exacting of vs monkish idlenesse and vacancy from all labour vnder pretence that wee may wholly deuote our selues to religious exercises that hee expressely forbiddeth it and Prou. 6. 6. and 24. 30 31. Prou. 27. 23. Ephes 4. 28. 2. Thes 3. 10. strictly requireth painfull diligence in the duties of our callings and contrariwise condemneth sloth and negligence adiudging those who will not labour as vnworthy to eate and censuring them to bee worse then Infidels who by their diligence and care prouide not for their family But yet all 1. Tim. 5. 8. this inferreth no necessity of neglecting religious duties seeing there is no man so wholly taken vp with his labours that may not finde some spare time for the duties of Gods seruice seeing lesse is required hereunto then he who is most diligent spendeth in superfluous sleepe idel conferences and vpon other needlesse and vselesse occasions as wee shall more fully shew in answering the next obiection CAP. XVIII Their obiection answered who pretend that their multitude of worldly imployments will allow them no leisure for religious duties §. Sect. 1 That earthly blessings are no hindrances vnto godlines but the immoderate loue of them WHen the mind and heart are indisposed to Gods seruice and auerse to religious exercises the flesh will neuer want excuses to put them off and withdraw vs from them neither is there any estate and condition which will not minister distractions and discouragements For if wee be poore it will suggest that all our time is little enough though it be wholly spent in our labours that thereby we may earne and furnish our selues with things necessary for our maintenance if we haue sufficiency and plenty of all temporall blessings they will steale our hearts from God and so wholly fixe them vpon earthly things that they will finde little or no leisure for spirituall exercises And now they haue so many things to looke vnto the care of so many businesses lying vpon them so many and waighty imployments for the well managing of their worldly estates if they will not suffer all to goe to losse and the blessings of God to perish through their negligence that they cannot like others who haue little to doe spend much of their time in religious exercises as prayer reading and hearing the Word meditation and such like Neither doe they thinke it necessary that they should so doe seeing God will excuse if not approoue and commend them if they follow diligently the duties of their callings And this carnall disposition in worldly men our Sauiour taxeth in the Parable of those vnworthy ghests who being inuited vnto the Marriage Math. 22. 2. of the Kings Sonne pretend diuers excuses all which are borrowed from their worldly imployments One had bought a piece of ground and must Luk. 14. 18 19. needs goe and see it another had bought a yoke of Oxen and must needs goe to prooue them another had married a wife and could not come Yea euen Martha her selfe though otherwise a vertuous and religious Luk. 10. 42. woman being incumbred with worldly imployments thought her neglect of hearing Christ excused and her sister Mary worthy blame because she did not ioyne with her For the answering of which obiection let vs first know that Gods temporall blessings which hee hath bestowed vpon vs are not in themselues any causes to hinder vs from the duties of Gods seruice but our immoderate loue of them which makes vs forget and neglect the Authour of our good and to minde and affect the gifts more then the giuer For otherwise the greatnesse of our meanes and possessions would not through multitude of imployments bee distractions to hinder vs from seruing God but rather effectuall motiues to perswade vs vnto it which also being rightly and wisely managed would affoord vs better leisure for religious duties seeing we are well prouided for though we take but moderate care and but ordinary paines in the workes of our callings It is not our necessary busines and imployments which so wholly take vs vp that we haue no time to spare for Gods seruice but such cumbersome imployments which the inordinate and immoderate loue of the world and earthly things imposeth vpon vs that by excessiue care and labour our state being managed to the greatest aduantage wee may become suddenly rich It is not the comforts of this life which hinder vs in the spirituall race but the sinne and worldly concupiscence that doth so Heb. 12. 1. easily beset vs which maketh them so waighty and cumbersome vnto vs. And therefore we must mortifie our carnall loue of earthly things if wee would not haue them to be hindrances in spirituall exercises For if wee doe not immoderately affect them we shall take little pleasure so to cumber and ouertoyle our selues in our worldly imployments about them that we can finde no time for religious duties Let vs not inordinately loue the world and worldly things if we would haue the loue of the Father to 1. Ioh. 2. 15. Math. 6 24. abide in vs nor deuote our selues to the seruice of the earthly Mammon if we would haue any time to spare for Gods seruice Let vs cease from our
godlinesse aboue fine gold seeing it is more precious then rubies and all things that we can desire are not to be compared vnto it So the Lord by Ieremie reckoneth all worldly things in comparison of this as chaffe to wheate Ier. 23. 28. And the Apostle esteemeth those things that were greatest gaine vnto him no better then dung yea then losse for the excellency of the knowledge of Phil. 3. 7 8. Joh. 6. 27. Iesus Christ And therefore let vs not labour so much for the meate that perisheth as to neglect for it the meate which endureth to eternall life as our Sauiour Mar. 8. 36. exhorteth vs for what will it profit vs to gaine the whole world and to Mat. 6. 19 20. lose our owne soules To get earthly treasures and riches which the rust will fret and the moth eate and to lose those heauenly and euerlasting treasures which are not subiect to any casualties To compasse by our care and labour Diues his dainty fare and costly clothing and by neglecting the seruice of God and the meanes of our saluation to be cast with him into hell where is weeping and gnashing of teeth For there as one saith Illi vtique omnes plangent illi lugebunt qui ita se curis vitae praesentis inuoluunt vt obliuiscantur futuram c. Hyer ad Celant they shall waile and lament who haue so infolded themselues with the cares of this life present as that they could find no leasure to thinke of the life to come whom the comming of the Lord shall take at vnawares oppressed with the sleepe of ignorance and carnall security §. Sect. 4 That they who neglect the duties of Gods seruice cannot expect good successe to their labours Secondly let all such know that neglect the duties of Gods seruice vnder the pretence of their great and waighty imployments that they cannot in so doing reasonably expect any good successe of their toylesome Pro. 10. 22. Deut. 8. 18. labours or that they will answere their hopes in the getting and preseruing of that wealth which they so much loue and long after for it is not their most carefull and painefull indeuours but Gods blessing onely that maketh rich It is he alone that giueth them power to get wealth And how can they expect this blessing from God vpon their labours when as they can finde no leasure to craue it at his hands how can they thinke that he will notwithstanding all their paines prosper their worldly estates vnlesse it bee for a further and more fearefull Iudgement when as they haue no care to serue and please him Yea why may they not iustly feare that he will blow vpon their wealth and cause it to vanish like smoake and Hag. 1. 9. euen to melt like butter in the Sunne or cause that riches which is thus wickedly gotten by neglecting all duties of Gods seruice to bee as wickedly spent by their heires and successours seruing vnto them as inducements and helpes to further them in all riotous and luxurious courses to their ruine and destruction as the getting of them hath beene the cause and occasion of many fearefull sinnes and of the vtter neglect of all religious duties that so both they and their heires though they runne contrary wayes may yet meete together in hell and condemnation Let them also know that if before they goe about the workes of their callings they would renew their Couenant with God by renewing their faith and repentance and so being reconciled vndertake their imployments with peaceable minds and good consciences if they would first call vpon the Lord for his blessing vpon their labours and resigne themselues and all their affaires to the gracious guidance of his good prouidence If they would propound his glory as the mayne end of all their labour and as they liue the life of faith so also they would labour in the strength thereof resting vpon Gods gracious promises and wayting for a blessing vpon all their affaires if they would sanctifie their 1. Tim 4. 5. workes by the Word and Prayer vvithout which euen those things which are in their owne nature pure and honest become impure and 1. Cor. 10. 31. prophane to the irreligious and vnbeleeuers and desire the assistance of his holy Spirit for the directing of all their labours to a right end Finally if they would by all these religious exercises sharpen their tooles before they goe to worke they should not heereby finde their labours put backe and hindered but profitably aduanced and better atchieued then if they vndertake them being blunt and dull seeing by the sharpenesse of the instruments they shall soone redeeme the time which is spent in whetting them Neither would this hinder our Christian thrift nor our godly and lawfull gaines but much further and increase them and repaire all wee lose by that time which wee spend in Gods seruice with much aduantage through his powerfull blessing vpon our labours from which Fountaine alone all lawfull prosperity springeth and floweth Whereas contrarywise if neglecting these religious duties of Gods seruice wee rest vpon our owne paines and prouidence and as the Prophet speaketh sacrifice vnto our owne nettes either God will curse and Hab. 1. 16. crosse our labours and frustrate all our hopes or if wee thriue by them in our worldly estates all that wee get by this meanes shall bee but like Naboths Vineyard to Ahab which rooted out both him and all his posterity like the Israelites Quayles which came out of their nostrels like Iudas his sop with which the deuill entred or like cold water giuen to gratifie those who are sicke of a burning feauer seeing it but inflameth the heate of their carnall concupiscence and prepareth matter for their euerlasting burning in the vnquenchable flames of hell fire §. Sect. 5 That the duties of our particular callings must giue place to the generall calling of Christianity Thirdly let them know that the duties of our particular callings must giue place to the generall calling of Christianity when as both of them as they ordinarily may will not stand together For by these duties we draw neere vnto God and haue communion with him and no calling must call vs from God or withdraw vs from this blessed fellowship They are the spirituall repast of our soules by which they get spirituall strength and liue the life of faith and therefore if wee so highly prize the health and life of our bodies that wee thinke no businesse so important that should make vs neglect the meanes of preseruing them as eating drinking resting sleeping and such like why should wee imagine any to bee so waighty and necessary as that for the following of it wee should neglect the health and welfare of our precious soules Let vs consider that our callings were made for vs and not we for our callings for our good and benefit and not for our hurt and ruine for the glorifying of
God and furthering of our saluation and not for his dishonour by neglecting his seruice and like snares to intangle vs that wee cannot proceed in such holy duties as will make our calling and election sure When two things come together which differ in their degrees of excellency and necessity we can easily resolue in earthly things to giue priority and precedency vnto that which exceedeth the other in worth and vse O would wee could bee thus wise in this case and seeing spirituall and heauenly things and imployments about them which tend to the euerlasting saluation of our soules doe as much exceed our earthly affaires as heauen earth and those things which are permanent and euerlasting such as are momentany and of short continuance I would wee could be so wise for our owne good as to giue those duties which excell the first place and preheminence God hath so graciously respected our infirmity and weakenesse that whereas hee might haue challenged the greatest part of our time for his immediate seruice as being aboue all other imployments most honourable and profitable hee is content that wee should consecrate vnto him one day of seuen and one or two houres of euery day out of foure and twenty or some small part of the Morning and Euening leauing vnto vs all the rest for our businesses and imployments which respect the good of our bodies and estates And being left so rich will wee yet steale will wee incroach vpon Gods right who hath dealt so bountifully with vs and leaue him nothing that deserueth all Doe wee thinke it absurd to neglect the duties of our particular callings all the weeke vnder pretence of spending our whole time in regious exercises as hearing the Word Prayer Meditation and yet imagine it to bee an excuse which will passe for currant if neglecting all duties of Christianity which are much more excellent and necessary wee can say for our selues that wee are so wholly taken vp with worldly imployments that wee can spare no time at all for holy duties Yea doe wee thinke it vnequall that the duties of piety and Religion should incroach a little vpon that long time which is allotted to the duties of our callings and shall these spoile the other of their right seeing they haue ordinarily such scant allowance though they bee in their nature much more excellent and to vs more profitable and necessary O let not the world and our owne carnall loue of earthly vanities so much besot vs but let vs as willingly and cheerefully allow that short time required to religious duties which aduance our spirituall estate inrich vs with sauing graces preserue our soules in good plight and liking further our saluation and assure vs of heauenly and euerlasting happinesse as wee doe a farre longer time to worldly imployments about our corruptible bodies and fickle estates and the compassing of such earthly things as in comparison are vaine and of no worth and in respect of their durablenesse and continuance momentany and mutable And if at any time we be brought into such straights of time that the one of necessity must giue place to the other let those exercises which are of the more noble nature haue the precedencie and being much more excellent in worth and yet bounded with much narrower limits of time let the better be preferred before the worse and that which is onely poorer in time borrow from that which out of its plenty hath more to lend Wherein wee haue the poore Luk. 2. 15. shepheards for our examples and precedents who neglected their sheepe to seeke and finde out their Sauiour In Mary who spared time Luk. 10. 40. from her worldly though weighty imployments that she might nourish her soule with the bread of life and in our Sauiour Christ himselfe who being scanted of time for the publique duties of his calling in preaching the Word and working miracles yet rather chose to borrow time from his rest and sleepe then he would neglect the Religious duty of priuate prayer §. Sect. 6 That we haue time sufficient for Religious and ciuill duties if it be wisely husbanded Fourthly let vs consider that we are not ordinarily thrust into such straights but that if we will we may easily finde some conuenient time for both sorts of duties those which are religious belonging to Gods seruice and those which are ciuill about our ordinary callings Neither is there any vocation so laborious which if it be wisely followed will not affoord some fit time for holy exercises For tell me thou who complaynest of thy little leisure and thy short time for thy great imployments if thou be so niggardly thrifty in expending it that thou hast none to spare from the workes of thy calling to any other vse or purpose Doest thou not borrow from them so much as would serue religious duties not one houre in the foure and twenty to be deuided betweene thy morning and euening deuotions Doest not thou who complaynest of this waste in that time which is bestowed vpon Christ and the duties of Gods seruice spend much more vpon thine own lusts and sinfull pleasures either in superfluous sleepe or complementall inuitations or visitations or in vaine disports and vnprofitable pastimes or in fruitlesse if not carnall corrupt communication and idle chat or sitting longer at thy meales then either health or profit necessity or ciuility doth require And is thine hap so hard that thou art at liberty for all other purposes and art only pinched in the straits of time when thou shouldest spare a little for Gods seruice and the eternall wel-fare of thy precious soule Surely if this be thy case thy state is miserable for he that wanteth time for Gods seruice will also want it for his own saluation He that can finde no time for the Lords worke shall neuer haue time to receiue his wages He that can finde no leisure to inrich his soule with spirituall grace shall thereby also lose the opportunity of attayning vnto heauenly glory Doe not then for shame abuse thy selfe any longer with so vaine an excuse as though thou couldest finde in thine heart to be godly and religious if thou couldest finde any time for religious exercises For either thou must confesse that thou spendest no time worse or acknowledge thy folly in not preferring the better either that the duties of Gods seruice which concerne his glory thine own saluation are lesse excellent and necessary then any of thine ordinary imployments or else that thou art as vnwise as prophane in spending so thy whole time in those as that the other for want of time should be quite excluded But rather learne wisely to deuide thy selfe and leisure between them allotting constantly to either their due portion and thou shalt finde conuenient time both for religious and ciuill exercises when thy spirituall man like Mary hath chosen the better part let not the flesh by its murmuring pull thee from it And if the
his holy Spirit are not onely nourished and strengthened with their ordinary food as hearing the Word prayer holy conferences and good company but through Gods Spirit assisting them are able to turne euen Iron ages into good nourishment and the poyson of euill examples into cordials and preseruatiues to strengthen them the more against common corruptions and raigning sinnes And therefore to excuse our neglect of Christian duties belonging to a godly life because we liue in euill places and times what is it but to proclaime that we are like vnto them and are not yet regenerate by Gods Spirit nor changed in our natures but still remaine in the state of corruption and consequently lyable to death and condemnation CAP. XX. Diuers other obiections made by the flesh against a godly life propounded and answered §. Sect. 1 That it is not enough to liue harmlesly vnlesse we performe religious duties ANother obiection which the flesh maketh against the strict performances of Christian duties is that it is vnnecessary seeing if we be harmlesse and not guilty of hainous sinnes as idolatry blasphemy murther adultery drunkennesse theft and such like but liue honestly amongst our neighbours doing no man any hurt and in good fame and name in the world the Lord will accept of vs and beare with our infirmities though wee be not so precise as many others in performing the duties of a godly life as they haue been before described To which I answere that the Lord will neuer accept of vs as his seruants and children if wee doe not at least desire resolue and indeuour to yeeld vnto him intire obedience to his whole Law as well by doing the duties which he hath commanded as in leauing vndone the vices which he hath forbidden and that this obedience chiefly consisteth rather in performance of that which is good then in abstinence from that which is euil that if to be harmelesse and innocent were all that is required to Christianity then were wee best Christians when we sit idly still rather then when wee are in action yea though we should sleepe out our whole liues because then wee are furthest off from doing any hurt But let vs consider that God requireth seruice at our hands and he is counted but a sorry seruant who receiuing meate drinke and wages doth content himselfe if he doe his Master no harme though he neuer indeuour to doe him any good That the axe is set to Math. 3. 10. the root of the tree to cut it downe that it may be cast into the fire if it bringeth not forth good fruit though it should beare none that is euill and the barren tree must be hewne downe and cast out of the Lords Vineyard Luk. 13. 7. because it doth but cumber the ground That we must be not onely trees of innocency but trees of righteousnesse if we be of Gods planting which Esa 61. 3. Luk. 8. 44. are distinguished from euill trees destinated to the fire not by bearing nothing but by bringing forth good fruit Let vs remember that the Fig-tree was cursed by our Sauiour not because it had vpon it figs like those in one of Ieremies baskets which were so very naughty that they could Ier. 24. 2. Math. 21. 19. not be eaten they were so bad but because it had none at all when Christ purposely came to finde some vpon it That the vnprofitable seruant is by Math. 25. 30. his Lord reputed an euill seruant and adiudged to punishment for not increasing his Masters Talent though he had not mis-spent it in riotous liuing And that the sentence of condemnation shall passe against those Mat. 25. 41 42. who neglect to doe the workes of mercy to Christs poore members though they neuer oppressed or wronged them Finally let vs know that they deceiue themselues who dreame of a meane betweene not doing good and doing euill for if we be not on Gods side wee are against him if Luk. 11. 23. we gather not with Christ we scatter abroad neither can wee sooner cease to Esa 1. 16. doe euill but presently we begin to doe that which is good §. Sect. 2 That it is not sufficient to serue God in some things and at some times Againe it is ready to obiect that if it be not sufficient to abstaine from euill and from grosse and hainous sinnes but that wee must also performe the contrary duties yet at least it is not necessary that we should be tyed so strictly vnto all duties of holinesse and righteousnesse which God requireth or if to all yet not at all times but that it is enough if wee performe some good duties either towards God or our neighbours though wee neglect others and that wee bee at some times zealous and deuout though at other times we take our liberty and ease our selues of this hard taske by taking our pleasures seeing as long as wee liue in this world wee cannot be Saints but must liue like other men as being alike fraile and full of infirmities To which I answere that euen in this life we must be of the communion of Saints if euer we meane to communicate with them in glory and happinesse and howsoeuer corruption of nature and humane frailties hang vpon vs yet we must not willingly nourish them and cheerfully obey the flesh in the lusts thereof for if we liue after the flesh we shall Rom. 8. 13. dye but we must labour through the Spirit to mortifie the deeds of this body of sinne that we may liue as the Apostle teacheth vs. And although we cannot by reason of the law of the members and the sinne that hangeth vpon vs yeeld vnto the Law that perfect and strict obedience which it requireth for in many things we sinne all yet if euer we would haue any Iam. 3. 2. sound comfort in the gracious promises of the Gospell wee must yeeld vnto God the obedience of sonnes which consisteth in an earnest desire full resolution and diligent indeuour to please our heauenly Father by framing our liues according vnto his will in all things and at all times We must put off as much as in vs lieth the whole old man with all his corrupt Eph. 4. 22 23 24 and deceitfull lusts and being renewed in the spirit of our mindes we must put on the New man which after God is created both in righteousnesse and true holinesse Wee must haue with Dauid respect vnto all Gods Commandements Psal 119. 6 20. and leade our liues both in godlinesse and in honestie For though wee be 1. Tim. 2. 2. neuer so deuoute and zealous in religious duties yet if we doe not ioyne with them the duties of charity and righteousnesse God will reiect vs as being no better then hypocrites according to that of the Prophet I hate Amos 5. 21 22 24. I despise your feast dayes and I will not smell in your solemne assemblies Though yee offer me burnt offerings and
with a liuely hope and still waite vpon thee when thou seemest to defer thy helpe Let vs haue a sensible feeling of thy loue shed abroad in our hearts by thy holy Spirit that being inflamed thereby wee may loue thee againe with all our soules and strength and all others in and for thee Let this fire of holy loue shew and approue it selfe by the flame and heate of godly zeale in seeking thy glory in and aboue all things feruently yet wisely and discreetly opposing whatsoeuer hindreth it and furthering all the meanes whereby it is furthered Worke thy feare in our hearts and let vs stand in awe of thee not onely for thy Iudgements but also for thy mercies abhorring nothing more then thy displeasure who hast euer beene vnto vs so gracious and good a Father Giue vs grace to yeeld vnto thee all sonne-like and true obedience both by doing that which thou enioynest and suffring that which thou imposest Adorne vs with meekenesse and humility and let vs be base in our owne eyes that wee may be precious in thy sight Replenish our hearts with Spirituall ioy in the assurance of thy loue and our saluation that nothing may dant or dampe it and stablish vs with thy free Spirit that we may neuer fall from thee but may perseuere in the profession and practice of true godlinesse till death summoneth vs to Iudgement Let vs be iust towards all and mercifull towards the poore and afflicted still abounding in all good workes and make vs temperate sober and thankefull in the vse of all thy blessings that they may further and not hinder vs in all Christian duties And as we implore thy goodnesse for those things which we want so with thankfull hearts and voyces we prayse magnifie thy great and glorious Name for all thy mercies and fauours vouchsafed vnto vs respecting either this life or the life to come And namely for preseruing our liues and blessing our labors for releeuing our wants and defending vs from danger this day past We beseech thee vnto the multitude of thy other graces adde this with the rest that we may make right vse of them for the stirring vp of our thankfulnes and inflaming of our hearts with thy loue O Lord be still gracious vnto vs and now receiue our bodies and soules into thy hand this night that they may be safe in thy keeping from all euill both of sinne and punishment and as we cease from the workes of our callings so much more let vs rest from all workes of darkenesse with a full purpose neuer againe to vndertake them Giue vs comfortable and quiet sleepe that our spirits being thereby refreshed and our strength renewed wee may be the fitter to serue thee in the generall duties of Christianity and the speciall duties of our callings Let not our sleepe breake off our spirituall watch but let vs still be in readinesse for the glorious appearing of Iesus Christ When we wake let vs wake with thee lifting vp our hearts and soules in holy and heauenly Meditations and praysing thee for all thy goodnesse Together with vs blesse thy whole Church this in which we liue our soueraigne Lord and King our Noble Prince the Prince and Princesse Palatine the Councell Magistrates and Ministers those which are afflicted and thy whole people beseeching thee in our seuerall places to giue vs whatsoeuer thou knowest needfull for vs for Iesus Christs sake to whom with thee and thy holy Spirit wee ascribe all glory and prayse both now and euermore Amen A Prayer for the Lords Day in the Morning O Lord our God glorious in Maiesty omnipotent in power infinite in all goodnesse perfection and our most gracious Father in Iesus Christ who hast created all things of nothing for thine own glory and man especially for thine own seruice the which he is bound to performe both by the right of creation wherin thou hast vouchsafed vnto him his being of Redemption whereby thou hast giuen vnto him his wel-being by restoring him to that estate of blessednes which he had lost by his sins But yet in a more especiall maner ought this seruice to be performed on thine owne peculiar Day which thou hast appropriated to thy worship consecrated to an holy rest both by thy commandement and also thine owne example We thine vnprofitable seruants and vtterly vnworthy of these high and holy priuiledges doe here present our selues before thee desiring and in some poore measure indeuouring to sanctifie this Day of rest and to glorifie thee by performing as we are able such duties of thy seruice as thou requirest Howbeit we must needs acknowledge to thy glory our own shame that we haue vtterly disabled our selues vnto them by our manifold grieuous sins For through our naturall corruption thy Sabbaths which should be our delight are become tedious vnpleasant thy seruice which should be our meat and drinke and euen the very life of our life and ioy of our hearts is become so lothsome and distastfull to our carnall appetite that either we vtterly neglect it or else performe it after a cold and carelesse manner with much dulnesse drowzines and irksome wearinesse Our wisdome is enmity against thee our vnderstandings dull in conceiuing spirituall things our thoughts imaginations so wholy carried away with earthly vanities that when they should be wholy intent vnto spirituall exercises they roue and wander after worldly trifles Our consciences are so loaded with dead works the guilt of our sins that they weaken our faith in applying thy promises and depriue vs of that confidence and comfort which we should otherwise haue in our praying and hearing Our memories are like riuen vessels which suffer the precious liquor of thy Word to run out without vse or profit Our wils are so stubborne and rebellious that we cannot submit to thine holy Ordinances but resist both the outward ministry of thy Word and the inward motions of thy holy Spirit Our hearts are so hardned with the deceitfulnesse of sin that they are not easily mollified with thy sweet promises and gracious benefits nor terrified and broken with thy threatnings and righteous Iudgements Our affections are so wholy corrupted and disordred that they are wholy set vpon worldly things and little loue and delight in thee and thy sauing truth in thy seruice and Sabbaths doe wee feele in our dead hearts in comparison of that feruour of affection which we sensibly perceiue in the pleasures of sinne and worldly delights And with this corruption of our sinfull soules our bodies likewise are so tainted and infected that they are altogether indisposed vnto thy seruice and exceeding dead and lumpish in the performance of all holy and Religious duties From which totall corruption of our natures haue issued and sprung those innumerable numbers of actuall transgressions whereby we haue broken thy whole Law and euery Commandement thereof in thought word and deed But especially we acknowledge our fearefull
sence of our imperfections if wee did not also obserue men subiect to the like infirmities walking before vs in the wayes of godlinesse and inuiting vs to follow them who though they goe not so swiftly as they should yet haue much outstripped vs in the Christian race Furthermore this society and communion with the faithfull is a notable meanes to make vs familiar with God and to inioy the fellowship of his holy Spirit which is the chiefe bond that vniteth vs together in this holy communion For where two or three are gathered together in Matth. 18. 20. Christs name and Gods feare to performe Christian exercises and to further one another in the waies of saluation there he also is in the midst of them taking notice of their actions and making himselfe better knowne vnto them his face and fauour his bounty and goodnesse whereby they are incouraged with more chearefulnesse to doe him seruice §. Sect. 8 That good company preserueth vs from falling into many sins and inciteth vs to many duties Finally it is a notable helpe vnto a godly life because it is a powerfull Magna pars peccatorum tollitur si peccaturis testis assistat Seneca Epist 11. Malum quippe quod nemo videt nemo arguit c. Bernard Epist 115. meanes to restraine and pull vs backe when as we are ready to fall into any sinne In which regard that wise heathen man perswadeth his friend to suppose some graue man to bee present when he was alone because men would not easily offend if there were alwaies some by to bee witnesses of their faults And one of the Ancients vseth it as a reason to disswade from a solitary life because thereby wee become more prone to sinne seeing that euill which none seeth none rebuketh and where there is none to reprehend both the tempter assaulteth more securely and the offence is committed more licentiously If thou doest any good things in good company no man prohibiteth But if thou wilt doe euill thou art not suffered for presently thou art by many obserued reproued and amended whereas contrariwise if they behold any good they all admire it honour and imitate it In which respect also good company doth no more forcibly restraine vs from euill then incite and prouoke vs vnto that which is good For as iron sharpeneth iron so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his Pro. 27. 17. friend that is one friend by the presence of another is whetted on and prouoked to doe such good duties as deserue his approbation In which respect the Apostle exhorteth Christians to obserue one another that they may whet and sharpen each other to loue and good workes For if euen Heb. 10. 24. hypocrites and men of ingenuous natures though they care not for good exercises are ready to ioyne with their friends in them to get their allowance and loue Then how much more will it quicken those that are truely religious vnto euery good worke and Christian dutie which they like and loue when with the approbation of their friends they haue the allowance of God and their owne consciences And if Saul himselfe prophecied by keeping company with the Prophets being as it were rap't and rauished for the time with a diuine furie how 1. Sam. 19. 20 21. much more shall those that are truely religious bee much inflamed with zeale and deuotion in all holy exercises when being in good company they are rap't vp and rauished with the diuine breath of the holy Spirit which bloweth amongst them §. Sect. 9 That by good company wee are fitted to performe Christian duties one towards another Lastly good company is a singular helpe vnto a godly life as it fitteth and enableth vs to vse all Christian duties one towards another whereby we doe mutually further one another in all holy and religious actions tending to edification to the inriching of vs with all sauing graces and the strengthening of vs vnto all good workes The first whereof is mutuall obseruation and watching ouer one another that we may take all occasions of doing good both by restrayning those from sinne that are ready to fall into it and by inciting and prouoking one another vnto all vertuous actions Vnto which the Apostle exhorteth Let vs saith he consider one another to prouoke vnto loue and to good workes For Heb. 10. 24. the Law of charity requiring that wee should loue our neighbours as our selues bindeth vs to seeke their good as well as our owne and to this end to watch ouer them that we may take all good opportunities whereby we may further them in the waies of godlinesse And therefore let vs not thinke that wee haue discharged our duty when as wee haue vsed the meanes of our conuersion and saluation and that we haue nothing to do with other men seeing our Sauior requireth that when we Luke 22. 32. are conuerted we strengthen our brethren And the Apostle giueth vs in charge that we should not onely looke on our owne things but that euery man should also looke on the things of others And not to take care of our brethren Phil. 2. 4. as well as our selues is plainely to discouer that we are of Cains spirit Gen. 4. who refused to be his brothers keeper and no true members of Christs body whose property is not to respect their owne good alone but as it is conioyned with the good of the whole bodie and of all the rest of their fellow members The second Christian dutie is instruction whereby with all readinesse we informe the ignorant in all the waies of godlinesse inlighten them in the knowledge of God and his truth and open their eyes that they may turne from darkenesse to light and from the Acts 2◠18. power of Satan vnto God that they may receiue forgiuenesse of sinnes and inheritance amongst them which are sanctified by faith in Christ. Whereby also wee reclaime the erroneous which wander out of the way of truth which is a speciall dutie required by the Apostle Brethren if any of you Iames 5. 20. doe erre from the truth and one conuert him let him know that he which conuerteth the sinner from the errour of his way shall saue a soule from death and shall hide a multitude of sinnes Which duties if we performe wee shall be richly rewarded in Gods Kingdome where they that turne many to Dan. 12. 3. righteousnesse shall shine in the light of glory like the Starres in the firmament as they shined here in the light of truth The third dutie is admonition whereby wee put our brethren in minde of their dutie when they seeme to forget and neglect it by falling into sinne and lying Rom. 15. 14. 1. Thes 5. 14. in it without repentance or omitting the duties of Gods seruice either those which are generall and belong to all Christians or those which specially belong to them in their seuerall places and callings of which I haue spoken
before at large The fourth dutie is reprehension whereby we rebuke those that wittingly fall into sinne and wilfully continue in it without amendment The which the Apostle requireth where he chargeth vs to haue no fellowship with the vnfruitfull Epe 15. 11. workes of darkenesse but to reproue them rather implying that if wee see sinne in our brother and doe not rebuke him for it hauing a calling thereunto wee haue communion and fellowship with him and are accessary to his sinnes The right course of performing which dutie our Sauiour plainely setteth downe If thy brother shall trespasse against Matth. 18. 15. thee goe and tell his fault betweene thee and him alone and if he shall heare thee thou hast gained thy brother c. Which dutie if wee neglect we hate our brother in truth whatsoeuer shew we make to the contrary and doe nothing hereby but discouer our selfe-love which maketh vs loth to trouble our selues in so vnpleasant a businesse and suffer others rather to perish in their sinnes then wee will venter the alienation of their hearts from vs by giuing them any distaste And this reason the Lord vseth to presse this duty Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thine heart Leu. 19. 17. but thou shalt in any wise rebuke thy neighbour and not suffer sinne vpon him The fifth dutie is exhortation whereby wee incite and prouoke others vnto all duties of godlinesse pricking forward those which are dull and sluggish dehorting and disswading from vice and sinne those that are in danger to fall into it and incouraging those who runne well in the Christian race that they may continue faithfull and hold out vnto the end And vnto this the Apostle perswadeth vs Exhort one another dayly while it is called to day lest any of you be hardned through the deceitfulnesse Heb. 3. 13. of sinne The sixth dutie is consolation whereby wee strengthen the weake hands and feeble knees and refresh with seasonable Heb. 12. 12. comforts those which are ready to faint vnder the waight of their afflictions And this the Apostle requireth of all Christians Comfort 1. Thes 5. 11 14. saith he your selues together and edify one another euen as you doe and againe Comfort the feeble-minded support the weake be patient towards all men Reioyce with them that reioyce and weepe with them that weepe be of the same Rom. 12. 15. minde one towards another for it is an ease to those that are in misery to haue companions of their griefe and the heauiest waight is made more tolerable when as it is borne by many shoulders The seuenth duty is counsell whereby we aduize those who doe not know of themselues what to doe in the best course which is an excellent office to bee performed by those whom God hath indued with wisedome and sound iudgement towards them who are weake and defectiue in these gifts Yea in truth it is very profitable when it is giuen by those which are of equall parts yea oftentimes by those who are much inferiour vnto vs as we see in Abigails counsell to Dauid because lookers on being free from all preiudice and passion can see more cleerly then those who are interessed in the busines though at other times more quick-sighted pride selfe-loue and vnruly affections corrupting and blinding their iudgement and mis-leading them out of the right way The last duty tending to further one another in godlinesse is good example by which shining before them in the light of an holy conuersation we doe not onely shew them the wayes of righteousnesse but also as it were by the hand leade them in it And vnto this our Sauiour exhorteth Let your light so shine before men that seeing Mat. 5. 16. your good workes they may glorifie your Father which is in heauen And the Apostle Peter Haue your conuersation honest among the Gentiles that 1. Pet. 2. 12. and 3. 1. whereas they speake against you as euill doers they may by your good workes which they shall behold glorifie God in the day of visitation And so much concerning the ordinary helpes and meanes whereby wee may be inabled and furthered in all the duties of a godly life CAP. XXXIII Of extraordinary meanes of a godly life and first of feasting and solemne thankesgiuing §. Sect. 1 Of solemne thankesgiuing what it is and when to be performed HAuing intreated of the ordinary meanes of a godly life it now followeth that we say something of the extraordinary which are such as are to be vsed vpon extraordinary occasions when God offereth them vnto vs. And these are specially two the first is holy feasting wherein we returne vnto God thankes and praise for his speciall blessings and benefits the other an holy fast wherein we doe after an extraordinary manner humble our selues before him in the sight and sense of our sinnes or some afflictions which they haue deseruedly brought vpon vs. Concerning the former I shall not need to say much seeing I haue already spoken of it and am here onely to shew what extraordinary thankes and praise we are to returne vnto God when as we are stirred vp thereunto by some extraordinary and speciall benefit The which is the same thanksgiuing spoken of before performed in a solemne special maner for some great extraordinary fauour of God shining cleerly in some more then vsuall benefit receiued as it were from his owne hand when in respect of secondary causes we could not so much as hope for it and in regard of our sinnes and vnworthinesse we had good cause to expect the contrary As when God hath magnified his wisedome power and goodnesse vnto vs in some wonderful deliuerance from some dreadful and desperate danger threatening imminent destruction or out of some grieuous calamity into which we are already plunged when as we could not reasonably expect helpe and safety from our owne meanes or the assistance of any creature but from God alone to whom nothing is impossible or in bestowing vpon vs some positiue benefit of great vse and worth when vpon the former considerations we could conceiue small hope that euer we should haue inioyed it Of the former we haue diuers examples in the Scriptures As in that solemne thanksgiuing rendred vnto God by the people of Israel for their freedome out of the Egyptian bondage and for drowning their enemies in the red Sea for which Moses Miriam with the rest of the people Exod. 15. men and women reioyce before God and sing vnto him songs of deliuerance The which they yeerly renewed in a most solemne manner in the celebration of the Feast of the Passeouer wherein they litterally magnified Gods mercy for that temporary deliuerance and typically for their spirituall Redemption from sinne Satan and all other enemies of their saluation by the true Paschall Lambe the Messias who was to bee slaine and offered to God his Father as a propitiatory sacrifice and all-sufficient price of Redemption