must ioyne with our reading serious Meditation 646 7 That wee must reade with affection and deuotion applying all to vse 647 8 That wee must reade orderly with diligence and constancy 647 9 Of the fittest time for this exercise 649 10 Of the wofull neglect of it 650 CAP. XXXI That reading is a notable meanes to further vs in the duties of a godly life 651 Sect. 1. That reading is a profitable exercise 651 2 That by it the minde is much inlightened in the knowledge of Gods will 651 3 Of many other benefits which reading bringeth 652 CAP. XXXII Of the choyce of our company by which we shunne the society of the wicked and consort our selues with the godly 653 Sect. 1. That we must carefully auoyd the society of the wicked 653 2 The Scriptures often warne vs to auoyd them 655 3 Examples of the faithfull to the same purpose 655 4 Reasons moouing vs to shunne euill company first because it is a strong tentation vnto euill 656 5 Other reasons to the same purpose 657 6 That we must consort our selues with the godly 658 7 That good company taketh away the tediousnesse of good exercises 659 8 That good company preserueth vs from falling into many sinnes and inciteth vs to many duties 659 9 That by good company we are fitted to performe Christian duties one towards another 660 CAP. XXXIII Of the extraordinary meanes of a godly life and first of feasting and solemne thankesgiuing 662 Sect. 1. Of solemne thankesgiuing what it is and when to bee performed 662 2 When this duty is most seasonable how it differeth from that which is ordinary and the kinds of it 663 CAP. XXXIIII Of the second extraordinary meanes which is solemne fasting 665 Sect. 1. What a true fast is and how it differeth from all other fasts 665 2 That the duty of fasting is morall and required in the Gospell as well as the Law 666 3 Of the causes of a true fast and when it is most seasonable 667 4 Of the ends of a true fast 668 CAP. XXXV Of the parts of a true fast or the things wherein it consisteth 670 Sect. 1. That the outward fast consisteth in totall abstinence 670 2 That wee must in our fast abstaine from the most part of worldly comforts 671 3 Of the inward and spirituall exercises in our fast 672 4 Of humiliation and penitency in our fast 673 5 That prayer must be ioyned with our fasting 673 6 That with our fasting we must ioyne vnfained repentance 675 7 That we must in our fast exercise our selues in all Christian duties 676 CAP. XXXVI Of the arguments and reasons which may moue vs to leade a godly life and first such as respect Gods nature workes and loue towards vs. 678 Sect. 1. The first sort of reasons taken from Gods nature and attributes 678 2 The second reason taken from Gods loue towards vs. 680 3 The third reason taken from Gods decree of Election 681 4 The fourth reason taken from the benefit of our Creation 683 5 The fifth reason taken from the benefit of our preseruation 684 CAP. XXXVII Two other reasons mouing vs to a godly life the first taken from Christ giuen vnto vs by his Father the other from the couenant of grace made in him 686 Sect. 1. Of the inestimable gift of Iesus Christ which should moue vs to loue and serue God 686 2 That the work of Redemption should moue vs to serue our Redeemer in all duties of a godly life 687 3 That by the couenant of grace wee are strongly bound vnto all Christian duties of a godly life 689 CAP. XXXVIII Of two other reasons mouing vs to a godly life the one taken from our effectuall calling the other from our free Iustification by faith 691 Sect. 1. That the benefit of our effectuall calling should mooue vs to serue God in the duties of a godly life 691 2 The second reason taken from our Iustification and the fruits that follow it 692 CAP. XXXIX Other motiues arising from those duties which we owe vnto God and our neighbours 694 Sect. 1. The first reason taken from that thankfulnesse which wee owe vnto God 694 2 The second reason taken from that desire which should be in vs to glorifie God 695 3 The third reason taken from the will of God that wee should thus serue him 696 4 The fourth reason is that wee may adorne the Gospell of God which wee professe 698 5 That we must leade a godly life to auoyd offence 698 CAP. XL. Of such reasons mouing vs to the duties of a godly life as respect our selues 700 Sect. 1. The first reason taken from that dignity vnto which God hath called vs. 700 2 The second reason is because hereby we are assured that wee shall prosper in all our wayes 701 3 The third reason because without this indeuour all our outward exercises are vaine 701 4 The fourth reason taken from the consideration of our lost time before our conuersion 702 CAP. XLI Other reasons taken from our owne profit and the manifold benefits of a godly life 703 Sect. 1. That godlinesse is the chiefest gaine 703 2 That it assureth vs of freedome from all our sinnes 704 3 That by it we are freed from the punishment of all our sinnes 705 4 That it doth much strengthen vs against Satans tentations 707 5 That by a godly life wee are prepared against death 708 6 That therby we are freed from Iudgement and condemnation 709 CAP. XLII Other reasons taken from those singular priuiledges which are peculiar to those who serue God in the duties of a godly life 711 Sect. 1. The first priuiledge is that the Image of God is repaired in vs. 711 2 The second priuiledge is that by a godly life wee haue title to all Gods promises and first of temporall blessings 712 3 That thereby Gods sauing graces are much increased in in vs. 714 4 That it strengtheneth our hope and confidence in God 715 5 That it bringeth courage and true fortitude 717 6 That it keepeth our consciences pure and peaceable 717 7 That it causeth constancy and perseuerance 718 8 That it bringeth many benefits at the houre of death 719 9 That it bringeth inestimable benefits in the life to come 720 CAP. XLIII Of other singular priuiledges wherewith God crowneth a godly life 721 Sect. 1. Their conceit confuted who imagine that God wholly reserueth the rewards of those that serue him for the life to come 721 2 That God ordinarily giueth greatest plenty of worldly blessings to worldly men 722 3 That euen in this life God endoweth the godly with many singular and peculiar priuiledges and first that hee loueth them aboue all other his creatures 723 4 That God watcheth ouer the godly with his speciall prouidence and the benefits of this priuiledge 725 5 That hee guideth and gouerneth the godly with his grace and holy Spirit 727 6 That he guideth the godly in the time of their
but presently like the body touched by Elizaeus 2. King 13. 21. in the graue we receiue such vertue and vigour from him that we are reuiued and raised from this graue of sinne vnto holinesse and newnesse of life We are by nature wild vines who bring foorth nothing but sowre grapes of maliciousnesse and sinne but when wee are ingrafted into the Ioh. 15. 1 4 5 8. true vine Iesus Christ we change our nature and receiuing the liuely sap of grace from this roote of righteousnesse we bring foorth the fruits of obedience whereby our heauenly Father is glorified and we assured of our election and saluation Finally without him wee can of our selues doe Matth. 5. 16. 2. Pet. 1. 10. nothing as he hath taught vs but being vnited vnto him we may say with the Apostle that we can doe all things through Christ which strengtheneth vs. Phil. 4. 13. And this is that which the same Apostle teacheth vs We are buried saith Rom. 6. 4 5 6. he with him by baptisme into death that like as Christ was raised vp from the dead by the glory of the Father euen so we also should walke in newnesse of life For if we haue beene planted together in the likenesse of his death we shall be also in the likenesse of his resurrection Knowing this that our old man is crucified with him that the body of sinne might be destroyed that hencefoorth wee should not serue sinne And therefore if we would bee new creatures let vs put on Iesus Christ and labour to be vnited vnto him by his holy Spirit and a Rom. 13. 14. liuely faith for in him alone we are elected vnto holinesse in him onely we are created vnto good workes which God hath before ordained that we should Eph. 1. 4. 2. 10 walke in them §. Sect. 7 That onely those can leade a godly life who are in the couenant of grace The third thing required is that we be in the couenant of grace made with vs in Iesus Christ whereby God hath assured vs that he will bee our God and that we shall be his people he our gracious Father and we his children whom he will accept in his best beloued For vntill we be in this couenant our persons are not accepted we remaining the slaues of sinne and in the state of death and condemnation and consequently nothing which we can doe seeme it neuer so glorious is pleasing in Gods sight We are till then vnder the law and couenant of workes if not as it was giuen to the Iewes yet as it was ingrauen in our hearts in our creation and Rom. 2. 14 15. consequently vnder the curse which is denounced against all that doe not Gal. 3. 10. continue in all which is written in the booke of the law to doe it namely in that perfection which the law requireth Of which fayling innumerable times we cannot according to this strict rule yeeld obedience nor performe the duties of a godly life But when we are admitted into the couenant of grace made in Iesus Christ then this rigour of the law is remitted and we are tyed onely to the obedience of sonnes which consisteth more in our wills desires and indeuours then in our abilities to performe our dutie in perfection The which obedience as this perfect law of liberty doth require so doth it inable vs to doe that which it requireth For in this couenant the Lord promiseth that he will take away our stony hearts which Ezek. 11. 29. 36. 26. Ioh. 16. 13. will rather breake then bow vnto his will and giue vs hearts of flesh which will incline to all good motions of his Word and holy Spirit And that hee will giue his holy Spirit vnto vs to conduct and rule vs in all our 1. Ioh. 2. 27. wayes and to support strengthen and comfort vs against all the difficulties and discouragements which doe affront and crosse vs in our Christian course That he will write his Law not in Tables of stone but in our Ier. 31. 31 32 33 34. hearts that we may not depart from him And if contrary to our purpose we slip in our way the Lord hath promised that he will not remember our Mal. 3. 17. sinnes to impute them vnto vs but will spare vs as a father spareth his sonne that serueth him Now what can bee a greater incouragement vnto the performance of all the duties of an holy life then to know that wee are accepted of God and that our obedience though imperfect and mingled with much corruption and weakenesse shall in Christ not onely be pardoned but highly regarded and richly rewarded by our louing Father And therefore let vs labour to be in the couenant of grace vnto which nothing on our part is required but a liuely faith in Christ applying all Gods promises made vnto vs in him and that we bring forth the fruits of this faith in vnfained repentance and new obedience §. Sect. 8 That a liuely faith is necessarily required vnto a godly life The fourth thing required in those who are to leade a godly life is a liuely faith whereby we vnderstand not onely a generall faith whereby we know and beleeue that the duties which we performe are agreeable to Gods will and warranted by his Word but a true liuely and iustifying faith whereby we are ingrafted into Iesus Christ and made partakers of all his benefits For we must first by him be made righteous before wee can doe the workes of righteousnesse wee must first become good trees Matth. 7. 18. before we can yeeld good fruits and be liuely branches of the true Vine Iesus Christ which sucke from this roote the sap of grace and holinesse before we can beare the sweete and ripe grapes of new and true obedience which are acceptable to God and well rellishing vnto his taste In which respect the Apostle telleth vs that without faith it is impossible to please God Heb. 11. 6. because whatsoeuer is not of faith is sinne Besides our best righteousnesse is Esa 64. 6. like a polluted cloth stained with our corruptions and mingled with our imperfections and consequently cannot indure the seuere triall of Gods strict iustice nor be accepted of him who being infinite in perfection in himselfe alloweth of nothing that is imperfect vnlesse being vnited vnto Christ we be made partakers of the benefit of his death and obedience and so haue the imperfection of our actions couered with his perfect righteousnesse and their pollution washed cleane away in his most precious blood And therefore if we would leade such a godly life as may be pleasing vnto God we must first labour to be indued with a liuely faith that all our fruits of obedience springing from this roote may bee accepted in and for Christ and be allowed through his righteousnesse and obedience which deserue to bee reiected in respect of their owne pollution and imperfection §.
imperfect in vs may be made perfect through Christ and that our new obedience which cannot be accepted according to the Couenant of workes as comming from seruants may be acceptable according to the Couenant of grace as comming from sonnes whose desires and indeuours are pleasing to our heauenly Father who accepteth the will for the deed The Law prescribeth the way wherein all are to walke that will leade a godly life The Gospel as a faithfull companion incourageth vs to goe in this way and leading vs by the hand preserueth vs from falling and when through frailty wee are falne it lifteth vs vp againe §. Sect. 4 That in a godly life we must ioyne together the duties of piety righteousnesse and sobriety Now the duties of a godly life which the Law requireth respect either God or men both which are to be considered first generally as they are to be performed of euery Christian in the whole course of their liues and secondly as they are to be exercised in them euery day The duties which respect God are contained in the first Table and are all comprehended vnder the name of piety The duties which concerne men are comprehended in the second Table and are either the duties of righteousnesse and mercie which respect our neighbours or the duties of temperance and sobriety belonging to our owne persons All which must goe together and may in no wise be seuered the one from the other For piety is the roote of righteousnesse and sobriety and these the fruits and signes of piety and neither of both are accepted of God but when they goe together seeing piety without righteousnesse is like a foundation without a building and righteousnesse without piety is like a building without a foundation that as a fire without light this like the fooles fire a light without heate that alone at the best makes but hypocrites this without that no better then proud Iusticiaries and ciuill worldlings And hereof it is that the holy Ghost in the Scriptures ioyneth them altogether requiring no lesse the one then the other So he saith that those who are the redeemed of the Lord shall worship him in holinesse and righteousnesse before Luk. 1. 74 75. him all the dayes of their liues that we must pray for Kings and all that 1. Tim. 2. 2. 6. 11. Eph. 4. 24. are in authority that we may leade a quiet and peaceable life vnder their gouernment in all godlinesse and honestie That our spirituall renewing according to Gods image ought to be both in righteousnesse and true holinesse That a Bishop ought to be a louer of hospitality and a louer of good men sober iust Tit. 1. 8. 2. 12. holy and temperate that the grace of God which bringeth saluation appearing hath taught vs to deny vngodlinesse and worldly lusts and to liue soberly righteously and godly in this present world And that they who will make their calling and election sure must not imbrace loose and single vertues nor performe 2. Pet. 1. ad 10. scattered duties but linke and chaine them one with another For they are such twinnes as liue and die together and the soule life and breath of Christianity which may bee distinguished in doctrine and discourse but not derided in our practice and conuersation §. Sect. 5 Of piety comprising in it all duties of Gods seruice The first and maine duties required vnto a godly life are all comprehended vnder the name of piety required in the first Table Which is Pietas quid aliud est quam Deum pura mente colere quae alio nomine latria nuncupatur Ad fratres in Eremo Serm 24. Primò amare Deum gratis haec est pietas c. Aug. de Temp. Serm. 234. Mat. 4. 10. Deu. 6. 13. 10. 20. nothing else but that true Religion whereby we worship the onely true God according to his will reuealed vnto vs. So Augustine What is piety but to serue God with a pure minde which is otherwise called worship And againe this is piety to loue God freely and absolutely and out of him to expect no reward but what is expected from him For he is the chiefe Goodnesse and what thing of worth can he aske of God to whom God seemeth of little worth So that piety consisteth in Gods true seruice and in the performance of those holy duties of his worship which he requireth in the first Table of which piety is the summe according to that of our Sauiour repeated out of the Law Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God him only shalt thou serue The which is sometime signified by the feare of God a part of diuine worship being put for the whole Thou shalt feare the Lord thy God and serue him and shalt sweare by his Name And sometime by the loue of God which is put for all worship because all holy seruice and true obedience doth flow from it So Moses in his repetition of the Law makes this the sum of all Thou shalt loue the Lord thy God with all thine heart with Deut. 6. 5. all thy soule and with all thy might And our Sauiour Christ telleth the Lawyer that this is the great Commandement which comprehendeth in it the whole first Table Thou shalt loue the Lord thy God with all thine heart Mat. 22. 37. and with all thy soule and with all thy minde Where hee sheweth both the obiect of true worship which is the Lord our God onely and the speciall and principall act of it which is loue from which as a fountaine all other parts like streames doe spring and flow and also the subiect of this duty which is the whole man For by the heart is vnderstood all the affections desires and inclinations by the soule the will purpose and resolution by the minde the reason vnderstanding discourse and memory and by the might or strength which Saint Luke also addeth all the faculties of the soule and parts of the body with all their functions actions and Luk. 10. 27. operations both internall and externall So that the whole man must be consecrated vnto the seruice and worship of God by all those who imbrace piety and desire so to performe the duties of a godly life as they may be acceptable and pleasing in the sight of God The which as it is required by him so there is none but he who can inable vs in any measure to performe it seeing it is not in our owne power but his free gift and the worke of his holy Spirit which is bestowed vpon whom and when hee will for it is God onely who by his diuine power giueth vs all things which pertaine to life and godlinesse as the Apostle Peter speaketh and therefore 2. Pet. 1. 3. when he requireth it of vs we must returne vnto him againe and intreate him by earnest and feruent prayer that he will inable vs to performe that which hee requireth according to that of Augustine Giue what
it so may I truely say of these my labours out of which so much profit comfort and contentment haue accrewed vnto my selfe that I should haue no iust cause to repent for the scantnesse of my reward although no other fruit should spring from them But if I be not deceiued as we are apt to be no lesse blinded in iudging of our spirituall and mentall then of our naturall and corporall births these my present labours will proue no lesse profitable vnto all that peruse them then any of the former Yea if my affection corrupting my iudgment doth not cause me to looke vpon them like Fathers vpon the children of their old age with an ouer-partiall eye they are in some respects to be preferred before any of the other both because the subiect on which they intreate hath the priuiledge of excellency and necessity as being the maine duties of Christianity which are to be performed thorowout the whole course of our liues and also because they generally concerne all sorts of men who thinke themselues bound to doe God any seruice or to carry themselues so as that their works and wayes may be accepted of him If any man shall thinke that I haue described the duties of a godly life with more strictnesse and in greater perfection then any can attaine vnto in this state of imperfection and so haue required more of others then I can any wayes be able to performe my selfe let him know that the worke must be fitted to the rule and not the rule to the worke and that this must be straight and perfect although by reason of the crookednesse of the matter or stuffe no worke-man is able to frame it so but that it will in many places decline and swarue from it And though the marke of perfection be so small and so farre out of our reach that none in this life can hit it yet must it be set before vs and we must striue to shoot at it as neere as w 〈…〉 seeing they are more likely to haue the prize of the best game who aime at it then those who looke another way For my selfe none can accuse me of so many and great imperfections in my course and practice of these duties as I am ready to charge my selfe within the court of mine own conscience yet if I would not belie the grace of God in me I must professe that I doe labour to performe that my selfe which I propound vnto others and though I cannot attaine to the goale of perfection as I haue here described it out of Gods Word yet bewayling my stiffenesse and lamenesse in running the Race I indeuour and presse in some measure towards Phil. 3. 13 14. the marke for the price of the high calling of God in Iesus Christ and no more then this doe I require of others Now because wee cannot grow in grace and godlinesse without the assistance of Gods Spirit and this cannot be had vnlesse we sue and seeke for it and because also godlinesse in a great part consisteth in powring forth our soules before God in humble and hearty frequent and feruent prayers therefore lest any thing which is necessary should be wanting to this Treatise I haue in the end of it set downe diuers formes which may serue either for the vse of weake Christians who cannot fit themselues with better or for some direction to guide them in composing or conceiuing others according to their owne particular occasions If any man thinke them ouer-long and tedious to him I confesse they are so though there is scarce two amongst them that may not be treatably vttered in a quarter of an houre and therefore I would not torture his deuotion by perswading him to racke and stretch it aboue its due length and strength but rather I would aduise if hee meet not with shorter Prayers which better please him that hee deuide both the Confessions and Petitions with some marke of a Pen so as he may vse one halfe at one time and the rest at another And so Christian Reader I leaue thee to the Lord and his good blessing vpon all thy studies and indeuours only requesting these two things at thine hands First that as I haue laboured much in giuing thee directions for the leading of a Christian life so thou wilt also striue with all thine indeuour to walke in this way reuealed vnto thee And secondly that if thou reape any fruit of my paines as I doubt not thou wilt if thou reade to profit by them constantly vnto the end and not heere and there by fits and snatches thou wilt be pleased to affoord me the benefit of thy Prayers that together with thy selfe I may continue and hold out vnto the end in the profession and practice of all Christian and holy duties vntill hauing finished our course with ioy we doe both of vs receiue the Crowne of righteousnesse which God of his free grace hath laid vp for vs and for all those who loue his appearing Octob. the 16. 1622. Thine in the Lord Iesus our Head and Sauiour I. D. A TABLE CONTAINING IN IT THE CONTENTS of the Chapters and Sections in the Treatise following The Contents of the first Booke CAP. I. Containing the Preface to the following Treatise which sheweth the excellency profit and necessity of the subiect matter therein handled pag. 1. Sect. 1. THat the end of euery thing is to be preferred before the meanes which are destinated vnto it 1. 2 That the practice of Religion and godlinesse is to bee preferred before the theory and bare knowledge of it 2 3 That the practice of godlinesse is an infallible signe of the sincerity of our knowledge and profession 3 4 That the practice of godlinesse is the touch-stone of our faith 3 5 That though a godly life is not the cause yet it is the way to euerlasting happinesse 4 6 That all Gods Ministers should inforce this doctrine and practice of a godly life 4 CAP. II. Containing the definition of a godly life whereby we may know what it is and wherin it consisteth 5 Sect. 1 What a godly life is both according to the Law and the Gospell 5 2 That a godly life chiefly consisteth in Euangelicall and filiall obedience and what it is 5 3 That the regenerate onely can leade a godly life 6 4 That the Spirit of God is the Authour of spirituall life 7 5 That the Spirit inlighteneth vs in the wayes of godlinesse 7 6 That we must be ingrafted into Christ before we can leade a godly life 8 7 That onely those can leade a godly life who are in the couenant of grace 9 8 That a liuely faith is necessarily required to a godly life 10 9 That the duties of a godly life must spring from the fountaine of loue 10 10 That the duties of a godly life must proceed from thankfulnesse 11 11 That the duties of a godly life must be done in humility 11 12 That we must propound Gods glory
whole carriage and conuersation must bee religious ciuill and honest 306 4 How wee must carry our selues in the company of those which are worldly and wicked 307 CAP. XXVIIâ— Of Christian conferences which we must vse when we are in company for our mutuall good 309 Sect. 1. That our speeches must bee gracious and prudent 309 2 Of Christian admonition and what is required to the right performance of this duty 310 3 That wee may lawfully conferre of morall and ciuill things 314 4 That we must carefully auoyd all corrupt communication 314 CAP. XXâ—â— Of Christian prudence which we are to vse in all our conferences 315 Sect. 1. How wee must carry our selues when we conferre with those that excell vs in gifts 315 2 How we must behaue our selues when as we conferre with ciuill worldlings 317 3 How we must deale with them that are openly prophane 318 4 Of the manifold and dangerous abuses of conferences in these dayes and the causes of them 319 5 That Christian and religious conferences are exceeding profitable 320 CAP. XXX Of those duties which concerne our workes and actions one with another both out of contracts and in our buying and selling 321 Sect. 1. That wee must labour both to doe and receiue all the good we can in our dealings with others 321 2 That wee must take all occasions of gaining others to Christ 322 3 That in all our dealings and bargainings we must carry our selues vprightly and honestly 323 4 That wee must sell onely things saleable 324 5 That wee must set and sell our wares at an equall price 325 6 That in buying and selling all fraud and deceit must be auoyded 326 7 How to auoyd the faults commonly committed betweene buyers and sellers 327 CAP. XXXI That Gouernours of Families ought to traine vp those who are vnder their charge in the duties of godlinesse 328 Sect. 1. That it is not enough for Gouernours to bee themselues religious but they must also traine vp those who are vnder their gouernment in the knowledge and practice of Religion 328 2 Diuers reasons to mooue Gouernours vnto this duty 329 3 That it is the duty of Householders to catechize their family and of the causes why it is neglected 332 4 Reasons which may mooue all Gouernours to the duty of catechizing First because it is Gods Commandement 333 5 Other reasons inforcing the former duty 334 6 Examples of the faithfull who haue catechized their Family 335 7 Reasons moouing children to submit themselues to be catechized 335 8 Reasons mouing those which are of yeeres to submit themselues to bee catechized if they bee ignorant 336 9 Of the great profit of this exercise of catechizing 338 CAP. XXXII Of Family duties which respect wise and religious gouernment 340 Sect. 1. What things are required to wise gouernment 340 2 Of Iustice and loue required vnto gouernment 341 CAP. XXXIII How we ought to behaue our selues in the estate of prosperity that we may thriue in all spirituall graces 343 Sect. 1. What prosperity is and how apt wee are to abuse it through our corruption 343 2 That wee must bee diligent lest our prosperity become vnto vs an occasion of sinne and how it is to bee done 344 3 That wee must not forget God nor be vnthankfull and take heede that his blessings doe not draw our hearts from him 344 4 That we must beware of pride security and hardnesse of heart licentiousnesse and contempt of spirituall and heauenly things 346 5 That wee must not bee slothfull in Gods seruice and take heed that worldly things become not snares and thornes vnto vs. 348 6 That wee must carefully arme our selues against such tentations as are incident to this estate 349 7 That we must not too highly esteeme nor too earnestly affect and seeke after earthly things 349 CAP. XXXIIIâ— How wee may rightly vse the estate of prosperity so as it may be an helpe vnto godlinesse 350 Sect. 1. That wee must vse Gods temporall blessings as helpes vnto sauing graces and spirituall duties 350 2 That we must vse them for the common good of the Church and Common-wealth 352 3 Three other cautions to be obserued for the right vse of prosperity 353 4 Of the right vse of apparell 354 CAP. XXXV How we ought to behaue our selues in the estate of affliction so as we may profit thereby in all sauing graces 356 Sect. 1. What afflictions are and the diuers kinds of them 356 2 Of our preparation before the approch of afflictions 356 3 Of patience in afflictions and what is required vnto it 358 4 Of the meanes and motiues vnto patience First because God is the Authour of all our afflictions 359 5 That our afflictions tend to the setting forth of Gods glory 360 6 That afflictions are meanes of our owne good 361 7 That the world is a place destinated to afflictions 362 8 That the faithfull in all ages haue beene partakers of the like or greater afflictions with vs. 362 9 Comforts arising from the good issue of all our afflictions 363 CAP. XXXVâ— Of those Christian duties which are to be performed in the euening and night 364 Sect. 1. That the euening must not bee spent in sloth and idlenesse 364 2 Of euening exercises as meditation reading and Christian conferences 364 3 Duties to be done at our going to bed 365 4 Of examination how wee haue spent the day past 366 5 Meditations at our lying downe 368 6 Duties to bee done in the night As first prayer and thankesgiuing 369 7 Speciall meditations fit for the night 371 8 That the profit of these duties will farre exceed the paines 372 CAP. XXXVII That wee must moderate our sleepe and not spend too much time in sloth and sluggishnesse 373 Sect. 1. That this moderation is commanded in the Scriptures and the contrary sloth condemned 373 2 The manifold euils which excessiue sleepe bringeth 375 3 That sloth is displeasing to God and how it may be auoyded 376 CAP. XXXVIIâ— Of duties to bee performed on the Lords Day for the sanctifying of it 377 Sect. 1. Of our preparation before the Sabbath 377 2 Of generall preparation in the whole weeke 378 3 Of speciall preparation the Euening before the Sabbath 378 4 That in our preparation we must purge our selues from all sinfull corruptions 379 5 That wee must vse all helpes which may further vs in the sanctifying of the Lords Day 380 CAP. XXXIX That the whole Lords Day must be consecrated vnto him First by resting on it from all labour and from sinne 381 Sect. 1. That the whole Day must bee spent in religious exercises 381 2 That wee must rest from our owne workes on the Lords Day 383 3 That wee must abstaine from carnall recreations 384 4 That wee must rest from sinne of all kinds 386 5 That wee must not thinke our owne thoughts on the Lords Day 387 6 That we must not do the Lords works after our owne manner 387
CAP. XL. That we must sanctifie our rest by consecrating it to the duties of Gods seruice 388 Sect. 1. That wee must rise betimes on the Lords Day 388 2 Of Meditations fit to bee vsed on the Lords Day 389 3 Of Prayer Thanksgiuing and reading priuately 390 4 Duties to be performed when wee are going to Church 392 CAP. XLI Of publike duties to be performed on the Lords Day 393 Sect. 1. That wee must ioyne with the Congregation in all duties of Gods seruice 393 2 Of hearing the Word and what is required vnto it 393 3 That we must stay in the Church from the beginning to the end of the Sermon 395 4 Of our duty in receiuing the Lords Supper 396 5 Of our duty when Baptisme is administred 396 CAP. XLII Of such duties as are to be performed on the Lords Day after our comming from the Church 398 Sect. 1. That we must meditate vpon that which we haue heard 398 2. 3. Of Family exercises on the Lords Day 398 4. That the Euening must bee spent in religious exercises 400 5 That all our seruice must bee done in integrity and sincerity of heart 401 THE FOVRTH BOOKE of a godly life containing in it the properties of it and all the duties required vnto it p. 403 CAP. I. That all duties vniuersally of godly life must be performed in sincerity and integrity of heart 403 Sect. 1. That vniuersall and totall obedience is required 403 2 Of integrity and sincerity 404 3 Reasons moouing vs to imbrace integrity and sincerity first because the Lord chiefly loueth and delighteth in it 404 4 That our imperfect obedience is accepted of God if it be done in sincerity and integrity 405 5 That the soundnesse of all graces and holy duties consisteth in the sincerity of them 406 6 Of the rewards of sincerity and integrity 406 CAP. II. Of the meanes whereby wee may attaine vnto sincerity and integrity 407 Sect. 1. The first meanes to set God before our eyes and our selues in his presence 407 2 The second to meditate on the excellency profit and necessity of it 408 3 The third meanes to consider that if wee be sincere we shall want nothing 408 4 The fourth meanes is to watch ouer our hearts 409 CAP. III. That we must ioyne with inward integrity the seruice of the body and outward man 410 Sect. 1. That God requireth outward seruice to be ioyned with the inward 410 2 Reasons moouing vs to performe outward seruice 411 3 That Christian Apologie and outward seruice is required 412 4 That we must practise what we know in our workes and actions 413 5 Diuers reasons perswading vs to good workes 414 6 Of the rewards of good workes 415 CAP. IIII. That we must performe vniuersall obedience to the whole will of God 416 Sect. 1. That only vniuersall obedience to Gods will and Word is accepted of him 416 2 That we must performe obedience to both Tables ioyntly and to the Gospel as well as the Law 417 3 Reasons perswading vs to vniuersall obedience first because God requireth it 418 4 That our obedience cannot be sincere vnlesse it be vniuersall 418 5 That without totall obedience wee cannot attaine to heauenly happinesse 419 CAP. V. Of the properties of Christian and holy duties which respect their causes efficient and finall 420 Sect. 1. That all duties should spring from the loue of God 420 2 That wee must propound Gods will and our obedience thereunto in all duties 420 3 That all true seruice is done in obedience to Gods will 421 CAP. VI. Of those properties which respect our hearts and affections 422 Sect. 1. That wee must performe all duties of a godly life with cheerefulnesse 422 2 Reasons which may mooue vs to this cheerefulnesse 423 3 That wee must serue God in all holy duties zealously and deuoutly 424 CAP. VII Of the properties which respect the whole man and first diligence in all duties of Gods seruice 426 Sect. 1. That this diligence must be vsed in all good duties and about the meanes of them 426 2 Diuers reasons which may mooue vs to this diligence 428 3 Of the rewards promised to the diligent 429 4 That this diligence is most necessary 429 5 Of the vnwearied diligence of worldlings in pursuing worldly things 432 CAP. VIII Of constancie in all the duties of godlinesse without remission or intermission 434 Sect. 1. 2. That all those that are sincere are also constant in the duties of a godly life 434 3 A complaint of mens vnconstancie in performing the duties of a godly life 436 4 That constancie is required in Gods Word 437 CAP. IX Reasons moouing to constancy and the meanes of it 438 Sect. 1. That constancy is an inseparable companion of integrity 438 2 Of the manifold euils which accompany inconstancie in good duties 439 3 Of the meanes of constancy in good duties 441 CAP. X. Of our perseuerance in all Christian duties of a godly life 443 Sect. 1. That we must perseuere both in profession and practice of godlinesse 443 2 Of the meanes of perseuerance 443 3 That vnlesse we perseuere we cannot be accepted of God 445 4 That Prayer is a speciall meanes of perseuerance 446 THE FIFTH BOOKE of a godly life contayning in it the helpes and meanes which inable vs vnto it p. 448 CAP. I. Of the rules of a godly life whereby wee may bee directed in the right performance of all Christian duties And first of such rules as respect the causes of it both principall and subordinate 448 Sect. 1. Of the helpes inabling vs to leade a godly life 448 2 The first rule is that wee make God the supreme end of all Christian duties and wholly deny our selues in them 449 3 The second rule respecteth our Sauiour Christ namely that we ayme at him as the mayne scope of all our actions 450 4 The third rule respecting the Spirit of God dwelling in vs. 451 5 The rules respecting subordinate causes the first whereof is that wee must often renew the Couenant betweene God and vs. 452 6 The 2. rule is that we must take care to approue our wayes vnto God and our own cōsciences then vnto men 454 7 The third rule is that wee must performe all good duties with a quiet and peaceable mind 455 8 The fourth rule is that all our duties must arise from the fundamentall graces of a godly life 457 9 The fifth rule is that we must chiefly esteeme chuse and affect the duties of godlinesse according to their worth and excellency 458 10 The sixth rule is that we must vse all helpes and meanes which may inable vs vnto godlinesse 459 CAP. II. Of the rules of a godly life which respect the circumstances of it 460 Sect. 1. The first rule respecting the circumstances of a godly life is that we must make precious account of our time which God hath allotted vs for his seruice 460 2 The second rule is that wee must not stay for
occasions of Christian duties but seeke for them before they offer themselues 461 3 The third is that wee must set our selues most seriously about Christian duties when wee finde our selues best prepared and fitted for them 462 4 The last rule is that we must obserue an order in doing these duties and auoyd confusion 463 CAP. III. Of the rules of a godly life respecting the matter forme and substance of it 464 Sect. 1. The first rule is that we aspire vnto perfection by degrees 464 2 Of these degrees by which wee must aspire vnto perfection 465 3 The second rule is that wee fit our burthen according to our strength 467 4 That wee must exercise our selues in the duties of a godly life according to the measure of grace receiued 469 5 That they who vndertake matters aboue their strength cannot doe them in sincerity but in shew onely 469 6 The third rule is that wee must not vndertake too many things at once 470 7 The fourth rule is that wee must not busie our selues in other mens matters 471 8 The fifth rule is that we must take heed lest daily vse of Christian duties doe make vs cold and formal in them 472 9 The sixth rule is that wee must preserue our zeale and deuotion in their full strength and not suffer them to decline or waxe cold 472 CAP. IIII. Of the last rule of a godly life which is that we must not content our selues with a small measure of grace but labour to grow vnto perfection 474 Sect. 1. That the Scriptures require this growth in grace from the least degrees to the greatest 474 2 Reasons mouing vs to aspire vnto perfection 476 3 That except wee grow in grace wee cannot haue any sound comfort in our estate 477 4 That if wee desire to grow in grace wee must carefully vse the meanes which may further vs in it and what they be 478 CAP. V. Of the meanes whereby wee may be inabled to leade a godly life And first of the Ministery of the Word 479 Sect. 1. That if wee will leade a godly life wee must vse the meanes inabling vs vnto it 479 2 The Ministery of the Word is a chiefe meanes of our spirituall life 480 3 That it is the ordinary meanes of our new birth and of working Gods graces in vs. 482 4 What is required in the Minister that by his preaching hee may further the people in the duties of godlinesse 484 5 That the Word must bee preached powerfully and plainely 484 6 Of the duties of the people respecting the Ministers of the Word 486 CAP. VI. Of the duties of the people in hearing of the Word and first in their preparation 488 Sect. 1. That wee must vse preparation before the hearing of the Word and wherein it consisteth 488 2 Of duties to bee performed in hearing the Word 490 3 Of duties to bee performed after hearing 490 CAP. VII Of the second publike meanes of a godly life which is the administration of the Sacraments 492 Sect. 1. That the Sacraments further vs much in a godly life as they are seales of the Couenant 492 2 That the Sacraments further vs in godlinesse as they are testifications of our seruice to God 493 3 That the Sacrament of Baptisme furthereth vs in godlinesse as wee are thereby ingrafted into Christ 494 4 Secondly as it is the Sacrament of our new birth 495 5 Thirdly as it is our restipulation in the Couenant of grace 496 6 That the Lords Supper furthereth vs in Christian duties first because thereby our communion with Christ is confirmed and secondly our faith strengthened 496 7 Thirdly because it is the spirituall food of our soules 497 8 Fourthly because we doe it in remembrance of Christ 498 9 Fifthly because thereby wee are occasioned to renew our Couenant with God 499 CAP. VIII Of the third publike meanes of a godly life which is Prayer 500 Sect. 1 2. That Prayer is Gods Ordinance to obtaine his gifts and graces 500 3 That publike Prayer is most effectuall for the obtaining of all Gods graces 502 CAP. IX Of the priuate meanes of a godly life and first of Christian watchfulnesse 505 Sect. 1. That we must not rest vpon the publike meanes onely but vse the priuate also 505 2. 3. That Christian watchfulnesse is not a bodily but a spirituall exercise 506 4 What Christian watchfulnesse is 508 5 That this watch must bee kept in all things 508 6 That we must watch ouer all the powers and parts of our soules and bodies 509 7 That we must chiefly watch ouer our hearts 511 8 That we must chiefly clense and keepe our hearts from those corruptions which are most dangerous 512 CAP. X. Of Christian watchfulnesse ouer our senses tongues and actions 515 Sect. 1. How wee must watch ouer our senses 515 2 How we must watch ouer our tongues 516 3 That this watch consisteth in the right ordering of them 517 4 How we must watch ouer our workes and actions 519 CAP. XI Of the ends at which we must ayme in our Christian watch 520 Sect. 1. Of three speciall ends of our Christian watch 520 2 That wee must watch ouer our selues that wee be not circumuented by our spirituall enemies 521 3 That we must keepe this watch in all places and at all times 522 4 That wee must watch also ouer our brethren 523 CAP. XII Of the reasons whereby wee may bee perswaded to keepe this Christian watch 523 Sect. 1. That this watch is necessary because God requireth it 523 2 Other reasons shewing the necessity of keeping this watch 524 3 That this watch is most profitable because it helpeth vs much to the leading of a godly life 525 4 That by this watch wee are made constant in the course of Christianity 528 CAP. XIII Of the meanes wherby we may be inabled to keepe the Christian watch 529 Sect. 1. The first meanes is temperance and sobriety and the second the feare of God 529 2 The third meanes is the remembrance of Gods Iudgements 530 3 Of the fourth meanes which is to remember the day of death 531 4 Of the last meanes which is to meditate on the day of Iudgement 532 CAP. XIIII Of Meditation which is the second priuate meanes of a godly life what it is and the causes thereof with the reasons which may mooue vs to this holy exercise 533 Sect. 1. Of the order and reason why it is heere handled 533 2 Of Meditation what it is and how it differeth from other exercises of the mind 533 3 Of the efficient cause or person who is to meditate 535 4 That Meditation is an exercise that belongeth to all Christians 536 5 Reasons moouing vs to performe this duty the first whereof is taken from the excellency of it 537 6 The second taken from the profit of it 537 7 The third taken from the necessity of it 538 CAP. XV. Of the kinds of Meditation and first of that which is extraordinary 539
which might hinder vs as infidelity impenitencie carnall security worldly distractions and earthly-mindednesse prophanenesse and small esteeme of the Word excessiue eating or drinking conceite of our owne knowledge as though little or nothing could be added vnto it preiudice and forestalled opinions of our teachers hypocrisie curiosity itching Iam. 1. 21. Luke 18. 34. Acts 17. 20. 2. Tim. 4. 3. 1. Cor. 1. 11 12. eares factious affections whereby men haue the truth of God in respect of persons hearing or not hearing according to that opinion which they haue conceiued of him that speaketh And partly this preparation consisteth in vsing all good helpes and meanes which may enable vs to the carefull and conscionable hearing of the Word As to consider the waightinesse of the action which wee are about to performe namely an high and holy seruice vnto God which will further and seale vp vnto vs our saluation or condemnation and be either the sauour of life vnto life or of death vnto death soften vs like waxe or harden vs like clay and make vs one step neerer eyther to heauen or hell For Gods Word shall neuer returne voide but accomplish what he pleaseth and shall prosper in the thing whereto he sends it Secondly to meditate on the ends for Esa 55. 11. which we heare which are to glorifie God in the meanes of our saluation to be built vp in all sauing grace knowledge faith obedience loue of God zeale patience and the rest Thirdly we must examine our selues to finde out our sinnes that we may gather strength for the mortifying of them and our spirituall wants that we may haue them supplied in this spirituall market of our soules Fourthly we must renew our repentance Heb. 4. 2. that wee come not in our sinnes and our faith without which our hearing will not profit vs. Finally we must vse faithfull and feruent prayer that God will so assist with his holy Spirit the Minister in speaking and vs in hearing and sanctifie to our vse his holy ordinances that they may be effectuall to build vs vp in our most holy faith and more and more inrich vs with all sanctifying and sauing graces And being thus prepared our next duty is that setting aside all worldly impediments we resort vnto the holy assemblies to be made partakers of Gods holy Word that wee may profit thereby §. Sect. 5 Of the duties required in hearing and after we haue heard The second sort of duties respect the action of hearing it selfe vnto which is required that wee set our selues in the presence of God and 〈…〉 s. 10. 33. ◠Thes 2. 13. 〈…〉 4. 20. ◠19. 48. heare the Word preached not as the word of mortall man but as the Word of the euerliuing God with all feare and reuerence with all diligence and attention with alacrity and cheerefulnesse humility and a good conscience auoiding as much as lieth in vs all distractions wandring thoughts priuate reading dulnesse drowzinesse and carnall wearinesse Finally with hungring and thirsting after the foode of our soules and earnest desire to profit by it To which end we must apply and fit our selues to euery thing which is spoken to profit by it whether it be doctrine Luke 8. 15. 2 19. Pro. 4. 21. confutation reproofe or consolation receiue the Word into good and honest hearts and there reserue it as a precious treasure for our vse in the whole course of our liues and conuersation The third and last sort are those duties which are to be performed after we haue heard which are First to meditate on that which hath beene deliuered vnto vs that we may imprint it in our memories and worke it into our hearts Secondly conference with others that wee may be mutuall helpers for the vnderstanding remembring imbracing and practising of that which we haue heard Thirdly that we sanctifie the Word vnto our vse by effectuall prayer desiring that God will giue a blessing vnto it and make it effectuall by his Spirit for the inlightning of our minds the sanctifying of our hearts and affections and the reforming and amending of our sinfull liues Lastly we must on euery fit occasion call to mind what wee haue Rom. 2. 13. Iam. 1. 22. Luk. 8. 15. heard that we may bring it vnto vse and conscionably practise what wee haue learned §. Sect. 6 Of the administration of the Sacraments The third sort of duties required in this Commandement respect the administration of the Sacraments which are only two Baptisme and the Lords Supper Vnto both which it is generally required that they bee administred First by a lawfull Minister and no other Secondly only to those which are in the Couenant either the faithfull or their seede Thirdly that they be administred according to Christs institution without the mixture of humane inuentions More especially vnto the receiuing of the Lords Supper there is required that we receiue it worthily to which purpose diuers duties are required before in and after the Communion Before that wee duely prepare our selues for this holy action which consisteth first in an examination of our selues how we are qualified with such sauing graces as are necessary to the worthy receiuing of the Lords Supper the which are an hungring and thirsting after Christ and his benefits as after that spirituall foode which alone is sufficient to nourish vs to life euerlasting Secondly knowledge of the mayne principles of Christian Religion respecting either God or our selues without which we cannot discerne the Lords body no more then a blind man can by his bodily sight discerne the outward signes of bread and wine Thirdly faith in Iesus Christ approoued to be true and liuely by the fruits of it in the inward sanctification of our hearts and in our outward workes of piety mercy and righteousnesse Fourthly vnfained repentance consisting in an hearty sorrow for our sinnes past springing out of faith and the apprehension of the loue of God towards vs and a settled purpose and resolution not onely to leaue them for the time to come but also to serue the Lord in the contrary duties of holinesse righteousnesse and sobriety Fourthly loue and charity towards our neighbours approoued by our willingnesse and readinesse to giue vnto those that want and to forgiue those that offend Secondly after this examination there is required vnfained humiliation in the sight and sense of our wants and weakenesses especially in these sauing graces before spoken of Secondly an hungring after the meanes whereby they may be supplied especially the Sacrament which was purposely ordained to supply our wants and strengthen our weakenesse in these graces Thirdly humble confession of our sinnes in generall and especially of those which haue come to our mind in our examination wherein we renewed our faith and repentance Fourthly a stedfast resolution in our hearts and faithfull promise to God that if he will in Christ accept of vs though not prepared according to the preparation of the Sanctuary but
his owne good the preseruation of his life the welfare and health of his body the chastity of himselfe and his wife the prosperity of his estate and his owne credit and good name so ought we vvith like loue to seeke by all meanes the good and preseruation of our neighbours in euery of these and all other respects The speciall and spirituall loue vvhereby a man loueth himselfe causeth him chiefly to seeke the inriching of his soule vvith all sanctifying grace and to further by all meanes his euerlasting saluation and vvith such loue also vve must loue our neighbours doing them all the good vve can both in respect of their bodies and states but principally in seeking their spirituall good and the eternall saluation of their bodies and soules §. Sect. 10 That we must loue our neighbors as Christ hath loued vs. But because our loue of our selues by reason of our naturall corruption is whilst we continue in this life weake and imperfect and therfore no fit rule for our loue towards our neighbours to be squared by therefore our Sauiour hath propounded vnto vs a much more perfect patterne for our imitation euen that most admirable and diuine loue wherewith hee hath loued vs This is my Commandement that ye loue one another as I haue loued Ioh. 15. 12. you As therefore Christ hath loued vs first before we loued him or any waies deserued his loue and hereby moued vs to loue him againe so 1. Ioh. 4. 19. ought wee to preuent one another with our loue and thereby prouoke them to returne vnto vs the like dutie Secondly as Christ loued all his Rom. 5. 8. elect freely without any respect of merit yea when we were strangers sinners and enemies not because of any goodnesse in vs but that by his Loue he might bring vs to good so ought our loue to be free and not mercinary so farre foorth as it may redound to our owne profit but we must loue strangers that thereby we may make them our familiar acquaintance Our enemies that we may make them our friends and euen those that are now euill and sinners that we may bring them to grace and goodnesse Thirdly as Christ loued all the elect without respect of persons both old and young rich and poore base and noble wise and simple so ought we to loue all sorts and conditions of men in whom we finde already or may hope to finde heereafter the signes and markes of Gods election Fourthly as Christ loued vs perfectly in respect of the manner with a sincere and ardent loue and not in tongue and profession onely but in deed and truth so as no waters of affliction nor death it selfe could Cant. 8 6. drowne or dampe so ought we striue to loue one another and to be ready according to his example when iust occasion is offered to seale and approoue 1. Iohn 3. 16. our loue towards them euen with the shedding of our blood Fifthly as Christ loued vs who were in him elected of his Father in a speciall and peculiar manner aboue all others and out of this loue hath giuen himselfe for vs according to that of the Apostle Who hath loued me Gal. 2. 20. and giuen himselfe for mee so ought we to loue all with a generall and common loue but Gods elect with a peculiar and speciall loue aboue the rest and be ready as the Apostle speaketh to doe good vnto all but especially Gal. 6. 10. vnto those who are of the household of faith Lastly as Christ loueth vs with a constant loue and to the end and will not reiect vs for our frailties and infirmities because in his loue he respecteth not his owne profit but our saluation So ought our loue to be constant towards our neighbours and not to languish and faint vpon slight occasions respecting herein not our owne profit but their benefit and aboue all the euerlasting saluation of their bodies and soules CAP. X. Of the reasons which may moue vs to imbrace charity §. Sect. 1 Of the excellency of charity ANd thus haue I shewed what is that charity both towards our selues and our neighbours which is required in the second Table In the next place I will set downe some reasons which may moue vs to imbrace it all which will reduce vnto these their heads the excellency vtility and necessity of it The excellency of this charity herein appeareth in that our Sauiour Christ maketh it the summe of all other duties and vertues required in the second Mat. 22. 39. Table so that if we haue charity we haue all morall vertues if that bee wanting we are destitute of them all Yea the Apostles not without the direction of his holy Spirit doe seeme to goe further making this charity the epitome and summe of the whole Law He that loueth another saith Rom. 13. 8. Paul hath fulfilled the Law If ye fulfill the royall Law saith Iames according to the Scripture thou shalt loue thy neighbour as thy selfe ye doe well Where either by a Synecdoche of the whole for the part we are as some doe to vnderstand the second Table onely or because true obedience to it doth necessarily inferre our obedience to the first in that it is an inseparable fruit and vndoubted signe of it it may not vnfitly comprehend our totall obedience to the whole Law Secondly in that the Apostle preferreth 1. Cor. 12. 31. 13. 13. it before those chiefe and fundamentall vertues Faith and Hope and that both because if we consider them meerely in themselues it is of a more excellent nature and also in respect of the extent both of latitude and time for whereas they respect our selues only and our owne saluation this extendeth to the good and saluation of many others and whereas they continue onely for this life charity attaineth to its greatest perfection in the life to come and shall euer remaine as a principall part of our euerlasting ioyes And thus also the Apostle Peter commendeth charity vnto vs aboue all other duties Aboue all things saith he haue feruent 1. Pet. 4. 8. charity among your selues for charity shall couer the multitude of sinnes Finally the Apostle sheweth the excellencie of charity whereas hee exhorteth vs aboue all things to put on Charity as being the bond of perfectnesse or the most perfect bond seeing wee are thereby vnited vnto Christ our Col. 3. 14. Head and as fellow-members one with another For howsoeuer we are thus vnited first and principally by the Spirit of God and a liuely faith yet this bond of vnion is perfected and made more firme and strong by this grace of charity which transforming and changing vs into the very nature of the things beloued doth cause vs to become one with them and so inseparably vnited that nothing in the world no not death Cant. 8. 6. it selfe is of sufficient force to pull vs asunder §. Sect. 2 Of the profit of charity in
2. Cor. 12. 14. 1. Tim. 5. 8. Gen. 17. 23. Exod. 4. 25 26 Luk. 1. 59 60. Pro. 22. 6. 19 18. 13. 24. 22. 15. 23. 13. Gen. 31. 35. Math. 21. 30. and comfortable In respect of their spirituall life their duty is as they bring them into the couenant of grace made not onely to them but also to their seede so to procure for them the Sacrament of the couenant Secondly that they bring them vp in the feare of the Lord both by instruction example discipline Lastly that they pray for them and giue them their daily blessing The duties of children towards their parents are first to be answerable to them in loue Secondly to reuerence them highly though their state be neuer so meane in and for the Lord. d Leuit. 19. 3. Thirdly to stand in awe of them and to haue respect to their very words and countenance Fourthly e Ephe. 6. 1. Col. 3. 20. to obey them in all things lawfull and in the Lord. f Mat. 15. 4 56. 1. Tim. 5. 4. Gen. 47. 12. Fifthly to shew themselues thankefull to their parents by helping them if neede require with their goods or g Luk. 15. 29. seruice Sixthly to hearken to their parents h Pro. 1. 8. 22. 19. 4. 4. instructions counsailes admonitions and rebukes and to beare with meekenesse and loue their chastizements and i Heb. 12. 7 9. corrections Seuenthly to be contented and willing to bee ruled by their parents in matters of importance as k Heb. 5. 8. marriage Eighthly to preserue their parents goods good name and all that belongs vnto them And finally to loue and respect those who are neere and deare to their parents for their sakes §. Sect. 7 The duties of masters and seruants The duties of masters and mistresses towards their seruants are first equity and moderation both in their commandements which ought to Gen. 24. 8. 1. Chro. 11. 17. 2. King 5. 13. Phile. ver 16. Ephe. 6. 9. Col. 4. 1. Deut. 25. 4. Deut. 15. 13 14. Pro. 17. 2. be lawfull possible to them profitable proportionable to their abilities and on the Sabbath necessary and also in their gouernement which ought to be mixed with loue and sustaining the place of parents to vse them as children as brethren in Christ and children of the same Father and as fellow-seruants of the same heauenly Lord and Master Secondly they must vse towards them bounty and liberally reward their well deseruing both by suffering them to thriue with them whilst they are in their seruice by preferring and rewarding them when they depart vpon good tearmes and after a lawfull manner and by esteeming them after they are departed as their friends The duties of seruants towards their gouernours are First that they loue them and out of this loue tender their credit and welfare and beare all good affection to their children and friends Secondly a 1. Tim. 6. 1. 2. King 5. 15. Mal. 1. 6. that they reuerence honour and feare them Thirdly that they b Ephe. 6. 5. Col. 3. 22 23. submit themselues to their commandements and obey them in all things in the Lord and also to their c 1. Pet. 2. 18. Gen. 16. 9. corrections and chastizements Fourthly that they be diligent and painefull not idle and slothfull Fifthly faithfull and true doing their worke not with eye-seruice but as well when their gouernours are absent as present Sixthly that they be quiet and patient being reproued and not stubborne giuing one d Gen. 31. 40. Tit. 2. 10. Tit. 2. 9. word for another Seuenthly that they bee secret and not discouer their masters secrets Eighthly that they bee thrifty respecting in all things their masters profit and not riotous and wastfull And lastly that they bee ready to please them in all things lawfull or indifferent §. Sect. 8 The duties of Ministers and people And so much for the duties of superiours and inferiours in the family Publike gouernours and their inferiours are such as are in the Church or Common wealth In the Church superiours gouerning are the Ministers and inferiours gouerned are the people committed to their Iudg. 17. 10. 18. 19. 2. King 13. 14. 1. Cor. 4. 15. Gal 4. 19. Philem. 10. charge For Ministers are the spirituall fathers of the people being the ordinary meanes of begetting them and of their regeneration and new birth by the immortall seede of Gods Word and the people are their children begotten vnto God by their Ministery The which should mooue the Ministers to carry themselues towards their flocke as it becommeth fathers in all loue care vigilancie diligence in prouiding for the good of them by all meanes especially the spirituall good of their soules as they desire to haue the honour reuerence and respect which is due to fathers and the people to performe all duties of children towards their Ministers louing reuerencing and obeying them in all things appertaining to the good of their soules as they desire that they should receiue from them the priuiledges of children and the benefit of their Ministery for their regeneration and new birth The speciall duties of Ministers Act 20. 28. 1. Tim. 4. 16. Tit. 2 7 8. 2. Tim. 4. 2. respect either their Ministery or their life and conuersation in both which they are to goe before the people both in doctrine and holy example In regard of his Ministery he is to preach the Word of God truely sincerely diligently and powerfully in season and out of season respecting herein the performance of his owne duty to the glory of God and the a 1 Cor. 9. 16. Ezech 34. 2. Zach. 11. 17. furtherance of his owne saluation and the good of the b Luk. 11. 42. Pro. 29. 18. Rom. 1. 16 17. 1. Cor. 1. 21. people committed to his charge In his life he ought to bee an c Tit. 2. 7. 1. Tim. 4. 12. 1. Thes 2. 10. example vnto his flocke Vnto which is required generally that his life be d 1. Tim. 3. Tit. 1. 6. blamelesse and more specially that it be in respect of God e 1. Tim. 4 7 12. 6. 11. holy and religious in respect of his neighbours iust charitable meeke courteous and liberall and in respect of himselfe f 2 Tim. 2. 22. sober temperate chaste and modest The speciall duties of the people towards their Ministers are first that they g 1 Thes 5. 13. Gal. 4. 15. loue them dearely Secondly that they haue them in h Phil. 2. 29. 2. Cor. 7. 19. Gal 4. 14. high reuerence and esteeme for their workes sake Thirdly that they i Heb. 13. 17. submit themselues to their Ministery and obey them Fourthly that they k 1. Tim. 5. 17 18. Pro. 3. 9. Gal. 6. 6 7. 1. Cor. 9. 7 8 9 11 13. allow them liberall maintenance §. Sect. 9 The duties of Magistrates and subiects In the Common-wealth politicall duties
vs and them but let vs propound the getting of Christ as the maine scope of them all that so being vnited vnto him we and our duties may in him be accepted before God and receiue a rich reward by vertue of his merits and perfect obedience §. Sect. 4 The third rule respecting the Spirit of God dwelling in vs. The third rule respecteth the holy Spirit of God dwelling in vs namely that seeing we cannot of our selues pray or heare or reade or meditate Rom. 8. 15 26. or else performe any other Christian and holy duties but as this Spirit helpeth our infirmities and giueth vs power to bring them to some good effect therefore stopping our eares to carnall disputes and shaking off the yoke of naturall corrupted reason we must in the performing of all the duties of a godly life giue our selues ouer to be gouerned and guided by it both in respect of the matter manner and time of doing them And when wee heare the voyce of the Spirit secretly whispering in our hearts like the voyce of one standing behind vs saying This is the way walke thou Esa 30. 21. in it when thou turnest to the right hand or to the left we are to be directed by it And when it putteth into our mindes any good motions or inciteth vs vnto any holy duties as praying hearing reading meditating renewing of our repentance or doing the workes of mercy and such like wee must not quench the Spirit by checking these motions nor by delaying and 1. Thes 5. 19. putting them off to another time but vndertake them presently and labour to bring them to good effect whilest it offereth vnto vs its helpe and assistance without which of our selues wee are able to doe nothing that is good Let vs not grieue the good Spirit of God dwelling in vs whereby wee are Ephes 4. 30. sealed to saluation by refusing his gouernment as the Israelites dealt with Samuel notwithstanding it is so profitable vnto vs pulling as it were his 1. Sam. 12. Scepter out of his hand and saying vnto him as those Rebels to Christ This man shall not raigne ouer vs but like obedient subiects let vs submit Luk. 19. 14. our selues in all things to be ruled by it and when wee discerne that the motions which are put into our minds are his as wee may easily know them from all others both by their holinesse resembling their Author and their agreement with the voyce of the Spirit in the holy Scriptures let vs 2. Tim. 1. 6. not onely yeeld vnto them but also giue them the best entertainment nourishing and cherishing them when they seeme weake and inciting and re-inliuing them when as they begin to languish and dye in vs by meditation prayer reading and other such like religious exercises Let vs open the doore of our hearts when he knocketh and giue kind entertainment Apoc. 3. 20. to this holy Ghest who bringeth his cheere with him and will feast vs with a delicate banquet of spirituall graces But especially when he visiteth vs after an especiall extraordinary manner and giueth more euident signes of his presence then at other times by working more powerfully good motions in vs kindling our zeale and inlarging our hearts with the loue of God and the duties of his seruice then are we not by sloth to let slip so good an opportunity of inriching our soules with sauing graces but we must as we vse to say strike whilest the iron is hot and reape our haruest whilest this Sun-shine continueth we must set vp all our sailes whilest this faire gale of wind lasteth and so wee shall in a shorter time make a farre greater progresse in our course of godlinesse then in many moneths when being left by the Spirit in respect of this extraordinary efficacie and operation we shall be becalmed and haue neither will nor power to goe forward When hee offereth himselfe in an vnusuall manner vnto vs in our trauelling of the spirituall iourney as the Angell to Iacob wee must take fast hold of him not suffering him to depart before he hath giuen vs an extraordinary blessing And when hee mooueth our hearts as the Angell the Poole of Bethesda and by his speciall presence infuseth into them more then wonted vertue let vs not suffer so good an opportunity to passe without making of it some spirituall aduantage for the curing of our sores and sicknesses of sinnes and the confirming and increasing of our health and strength in our inner man §. Sect. 5 That we often renew the Couenant of grace between God and vs. The rules which respect the subordinate causes and helpes whereby we are inabled to performe the duties of a godly life are diuers The first that we often renew the couenant of grace betweene God and vs by renewing the condition of it on our part faith and repentance In which exercise as we are to renew our sorrow for all our sinnes and those aboue the rest which we haue most often committed and thereby most offended and dishonoured God so especially for those sinnes and corruptions which haue most disabled vs vnto the duties of a godly life and haue plunged vs into the contrary wickednesse whereby we haue serued sinne and Satan As our negligence and want of zeale and holy care to glorifie God by the light of our Christian conuersation and bringing forth the fruits of new obedience and adorning our profession by our holy conuersation whereby contrariwise we haue caused Gods holy Name to be blasphemed and our Christian profession to be slandered and euill spoken of as though it were the cause of all our inormities Our security and hardnesse of heart whereby we haue made no good vse either of Gods Word or workes his mercies or iudgements to be drawne by them to repentance and made more diligent in the duties of his seruice but putting the euill day farre Math. 24. 48. from vs haue taken occasion thereby with the euill seruant to be slothfull and negligent in all good duties and to take liberty in running licentious courses loathing the meanes whereby we should haue bin wakened and rowzed vp out of this spirituall lethargie Our cowardize and slothfulnes in making warre against our flesh and fleshly lusts whereby they haue often gotten to such an head strength and height of rebellion that they haue preuailed and haue shamefully foyled the spirituall part and led vs captiue vnto sinne Our negligence in preuenting the occasions and withstanding the first motions and beginnings of sinne and our want of care in banishing out of our minds and hearts the desires and concupiscence of the flesh when they were first suggested vnto vs whereof it hath come to passe that suffering them to rest in vs wee haue been allured and tick led with carnall delight in thinking of them which hath drawne vs from our former sincerity and moued vs to like and approue them to consent vnto and produce them
into act when wee haue had fit occasion Our worldlinesse and earthly mindednesse which haue made vs by affecting transitory trifles to neglect spirituall and heauenly excellencies and neglecting Gods seruice to serue Satan in hope of receiuing this base wages and rewards of iniquity Our little profiting by the long inioying and vsing of the light of the Gospell and plentifull meanes of our saluation for the inriching of our selues with Gods spirituall and sauing graces knowledge faith affiance loue zeale patience or the fruitfull exercizing of them in the duties of a godly life which hath come to passe by our irreuerent slothfull and sluggish vsing of the meanes nor bringing vnto them any faith zeale feruency of spirit or a good conscience Our want of Christian valour and resolution in the Christian warfare and our often yeelding vnto the tentations of Satan the world and our own flesh Finally our abuse of prosperity and temporary blessings which being giuen vs of God as present wages in our hands to make vs more cheerfull in his seruice we haue abused as meanes and occasions to make vs more sinfull more forgetfull of God and negligent and cold in his seruice more proud worldly and vnconscionable in all our courses And when we haue called to our remembrance these and such other sinnes whereby we haue been hindred in the wayes of godlinesse and haue vnfainedly lamented and bewailed them with bitter griefe and resolued amendment for the time to come then are we also to renew and strengthen our faith by applying afresh vnto vs the gracious promises of the Gospell which are made in Christ vnto all repentant sinners The which often renewing of our couenant with God will be a notable meanes of strengthening vs vnto all the duties of a godly life seeing this couenant of grace is the ground and foundation of them God hauing promised therein that hee will take away from vs our stony hearts and giue vs hearts of flesh and that hee Ezek. 11. 19 20. and 36. 26. will put a new spirit within vs that we may walke in his statutes and keepe his ordinances and doe them That he will giue vs one heart and one way that wee Ier. 31. 33. and 32. 40. may feare him for euer and put his Law in our inward parts and write it in our hearts that we shall not depart from him And as thus on Gods part wee are strengthened vnto all good duties by his Spirit which hee promiseth and giueth vnto vs so also on our part this renewing of our faith inabling vs hereunto for the more we are assured of the remission of our sinnes and of all Gods benefits both spirituall in this life and heauenly in the life to come the more we loue him who hath so loued vs and of his infinite bounty hath multiplied vpon vs such inestimable blessings and Nehem. 10. 29. the more wee loue him the more loth wee are to doe any thing which may displease him and the more forward and willing to glorifie him and to performe all good duties acceptable in his sight §. Sect. 6 That we must take more care to approue our wayes to God and our owne consciences then vnto men The second rule is that we chiefly labour to approoue all our workes and wayes to God and our owne consciences rather then vnto men the testimony whereof is much more to be esteemed then publike fame and humane censures For fame being but a breath of the often deceiued multitude may also deceiue vs by giuing a false testimony either on the worser or better part but our cōsciences which are priuy euen to our secret actions and inward intentions in doing them will not easily bee corrupted to giue in false euidence especially in those who are sanctified and regenerate Humane and vulgar censures are often false and friuolous ridiculous and impious applauding that which God condemneth and condemning that which he commendeth and commonly that best pleaseth the multitude which displeaseth him They call him honourable not who honoureth God and is honoured of him who is a sonne of God brother of Christ and heire of heauen but who is innobled by the vertues of his parents or who hath bought glorious titles as it were a slaue in the market or as the Centurion his freedome with a great summe They call him rich and happy who is poore beggerly naked and vtterly destitute of the riches of Gods graces because he hath some worldly pelfe which euery day may be taken from him or he from it And hee of the world is esteemed valorous and magnanimous who is so impotent in ruling his passions that he cannot beare the least iniury without taking reuenge and contrariwise he base and cowardly who dissembleth wrongs and according to Christs Commandement doth readily forgiue them leauing vengeance to God vnto whō alone it belongeth Though nothing is more contrary to true fortitude or the magnanimous constancy of a sound and well-settled minde then with euery wind of words to bee moued out of a right state and with other mens folly to become furious and frantique But a good conscience giueth in true euidence as witnessing with God or that which he witnesseth not out of a blind opinion mis-led by passion but according to the booke of holy Scriptures with which this booke of conscience commonly agreeth And therefore if wee would leade a godly life and constantly performe those Christian duties which are pleasing vnto God let vs lightly regard the censure of the multitude who ordinarily outface and discountenance vertue and piety and commend and magnifie vice and wickednesse iustifie those whom God condemneth and condemne those that hee iustifieth accounting their false praises a great dishonour and their scornes and disgraces for innocency and piety our praise and glory seeing he cannot be but honourable whom God honoureth nor want glory whom Christ his Saints and holy Angels approue and applaud And contrariwise let vs highly esteeme in all our actions the testimony of our owne conscience which will restraine vs from secret sinnes as well as from open and notorious and mooue and incite vs to all Christian duties euen in our secret closets when there is none by to censure our actions And as no wise man in running of a race is much moued with the speeches of the standers by which hee assuredly knoweth to be false and friuolous thinking euer the better of himselfe when he is cast behind all the rest of the company because they commend his speed or the worse when he hath outstripped them and is neere the goale because they discommend him for his slownesse so neither must we be lifted vp with a good conceit of our selues when others commend vs for our swiftnesse in the spirituall race if our owne consciences tell vs that wee are slow and behind all the rest with whom wee contend for the Garland nor yet deiected and discouraged when they dispraise vs if we are priuie vnto
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
helpe of their notes and examining their children and seruants and putting them to giue an account of what they haue heard and learned Lastly we must make what we haue heard our owne by applying it to our owne vse and bringing it to practice in our liues and conuersations whereby we shall Luk. 11. 28. Ioh. 13 17. Iam. 1. 25. intitle our selues to that blessednesse which is promised to all those who both heare the Word and keepe it And so much of the first meanes of inabling vs to the duties of a godly life the ministery of the Word and the things that are required vnto it The which I haue the more briefly Christian warfare 1. part lib. 2. cap. 26. passed ouer because I haue touched diuers of the poynts before and more fully handled some of them in another Treatise CAP. VII Of the second publike meanes of a godly life which is the administration of the Sacraments §. Sect. 1 That the Sacraments further vs much in a godly life as they are seales of the Couenant THe second meanes of inriching vs with all sauing graces and strengthening vs vnto all the duties of a godly life is the right vse of the Sacraments Baptisme and the Lords Supper both which doe much conduce hereunto and each of them seuerally For the Sacraments are seales annexed to the Couenant of grace purposely instituted of God to strengthen and confirme our faith in this assurance that Christ and all his benefits doe belong vnto vs that in him and for his righteousnesse death and full satisfaction vnto Gods Iustice he hath pardoned and forgiuen vnto vs all our sinnes that in him he is well pleased with vs and hath giuen vnto vs iust title and interest to all his promises both of grace in this life and glory and happinesse in the life to come that hee will giue vnto vs his holy Spirit and thereby write his Law in our hearts that we shall not depart from him mortifie our corruptions and quicken vs vnto new obedience Of all which benefits the Sacraments are not onely significant signes but also infallible seales annexed purposely by God vnto his Couenant to assure vs that he will performe all his promises and to giue vnto vs like a bond and conueyance legally signed and sealed iust title and interest vnto all those blessings euen before we sensibly haue them in possession and fruition Yea not onely so but they also serue like instruments and conduit pipes to conuey to the worthy receiuer Christ and all his benefits Now what can more forcibly perswade or more powerfully inable vs to the duties of a godly life then the representing assuring and exhibiting of all these inestimable benefits in the right vse of the Sacraments What can more inflame our hearts with most feruent loue towards God then the consideration yea sense and feeling of this admirable loue of God towards vs in giuing vnto vs when wee were sinners strangers and enemies vnto him and his grace Christ Iesus and with him all these vnspeakable benefits and what more then loue can effectually mooue vs to an holy desire in all things to glorifie and please him and to walke worthy his loue in all holinesse of life and conuersation What can more lighten the burthen of our labour and make vs to thinke all too little which we can doe and suffer for him Againe the Couenant of grace sealed vnto in the right vse of the Sacraments doth singularly incourage vs to lay aside all doubts and difficulties seeing God thereby assureth vs that he will yea hath giuen vnto vs his holy Spirit to direct and assist vs in all our good indeuours in the mortifying of all our sinfull corruptions seeme they neuer so strong and vnresistable and strengthening vs to the performance of all good duties seeme they neuer so difficult and vnpleasing vnto flesh blood And what can more effectually moue vs to go on in the worke of sanctification then to haue such an assistant to ioyne with vs vnto whom nothing is difficult being infinitely able to performe and perfect whatsoeuer he vndertaketh What can more powerfully perswade vs to doe God faithfull seruice then to haue the pardon of our sinnes put into our owne hands signed and sealed so dearly purchased and so freely giuen then to haue the present pledges and pawnes of Gods loue and fauour the earnest of his Spirit the first fruits of his graces and the conueyances of our heauenly Inheritance sealed and deliuered into our own keeping For who would be so sluggish as not to doe faithfull and diligent seruice to such a glorious and gracious Master for such liberall and bountifull wages Finally seeing in the right vse of the Sacraments wee doe really and truly though spiritually and by faith receiue Christ that he may dwell in vs and we in him and not onely communicate with him in his diuine graces imputed by God and applyed by faith but also by vertue of his Spirit assisting this ordinance haue all sanctifying and sauing graces confirmed and increased in vs whereby wee are strengthened vnto all the duties of a godly life hence also it appeareth how much they conduce and further vs in them seeing we haue Christ himselfe a co-worker with vs who by his holy Spirit sustaineth the greatest part of the waight of that his easie yoke and light burthen which he layeth vpon vs in which respect we may take courage vnto vs and say with the Apostle that we are able to doe all things through the power of Christ which strengtheneth Phil. 4. 13. vs and seeing also they cherish and increase his gifts and graces in vs whereby we are moued and inabled to worke together with him in all holy duties of Gods seruice and of a godly and Christian life §. Sect. 2 That the Sacraments further vs in godlinesse as they are testifications of our seruice to God Secondly the Sacraments are helpes vnto vs for this purpose as they are solemne testifications of our seruice and obedience vnto God seeing they are his liueries and cognizances whereby his seruants are knowne from others and the sacramentall oath which he causeth all his souldiers to take when he entertaineth them into his spirituall warfare and the pres-money which he putteth into their hands whereby hee obligeth and firmely bindeth them to continue constant in this warfare and to fight couragiously vnder his colours Now this may mooue vs to doe faithfull seruice vnto our great Lord and Master partly because hee hath so innobled vs by giuing vs entertainment into his Family and graced vs by letting vs weare his liuery and cognizance seeing it is a farre greater aduancement and dignity to be one of his meanest seruants euen a doore-keeper in his House then to be the greatest Monarch in the earth partly Psal 84. 10. because he incourageth vs to faithfull and diligent seruice by such bountifull wages and inestimable rewards and partly because wee shall otherwise
daily more and more all our sinfull corruptions and to quicken vs vnto holinesse and new obedience when vpon any occasion wee apply vnto vs the death and Resurrection of Christ signed and sealed vnto vs and for our perpetuall vse in our Baptisme and doe reuiew our spirituall euidences and the great Charter of Gods Couenant wherein he hath not onely giuen Christ vnto vs and all his benefits but also hath promised and assured vs that he will giue his holy Spirit to continue with vs vnto the end of the world who will apply vnto vs the efficacie of Christs death and resurrection not onely for the pardon of our sinnes in respect of their guilt and punishment but also for the washing away daily of the pollution of it and subduing of the flesh and the lusts thereof and for our continuall quickning and further growth in all duties of holinesse and righteousnesse §. Sect. 5 Thirdly as it is our restipulation in the Couenant of grace Thirdly it is a meanes to helpe vs forward in all duties of godlinesse as it is our restipulation in the Couenant of grace whereby hauing receiued from God the promise of the remission of our sinnes grace and glory we for our part promise vnto God againe that wee will receiue Christ and all his benefits by a true and liuely faith bringing foorth the fruits thereof in vnfained repentance and amendment of life and that vtterly renouncing Satan the world and our owne sinfull flesh with the lusts thereof we will wholly dedicate and consecrate our selues or soules and bodies to the seruice of him who is our Creatour and Redeemer The which our vow and Couenant made vnto God is a powerfull bond to restraine vs from all sinne and to tye vs vnto the performance of all duties of Gods seruice seeing if we doe not performe the condition of the Couenant betweene him and vs we can haue no true ioy and comfort in our liues because we can haue no assurance that we haue any right and interest vnto any of Gods gracious promises made vnto vs in Iesus Christ So often therefore as we haue occasion to call to our remembrance our vow and promise made vnto God in baptisme and especially when wee are present at the celebration of this holy Sacrament and heare it againe repeated and made in the name of infants admitted vnto it if wee conscionably labour to make a right vse of our Baptisme it will put vs in mind of our Couenant then made with God and renew our desires resolution and indeuour of performing that seruice in the duties of a Christian life which we haue vowed and promised vnto him lest wee should be found Couenant-breakers and dalliers with God who will not bee mocked thereby deluding our selues of all blessings and benefits respecting this life and the life to come which in the Couenant of grace are promised vnto vs. Where by the way we may obserue that those who withdraw themselues and depart out of the assembly when the Sacrament of Baptisme is administred doe not only thereby sinne against God the Church and the party baptized as I haue before shewed but also are very iniurious vnto themselues in that they lose a good opportunity of calling to minde and renewing their Couenant with God and depriue themselues of one speciall helpe whereby they might bee inabled to performe the duties of a godly life §. Sect. 6 That the Sacrament of the Lords Supper is a powerfull meanes to further vs in Christian duties first because thereby our Communion with Christ is confirmed and secondly our faith strengthened Ioh. 6. 54 56. So likewise the Supper of the Lord rightly celebrated and vsed is a powerfull meanes to inable and helpe vs forward in the performance of all Christian duties First because thereby our vnion and Communion with Christ is more and more strengthened and confirmed seeing God doth offer and giue and we take and apply vnto our selues by the hand of faith vnder the visible signes of Bread and Wine Christ and all his benefits his Body crucified and his Blood shed that they may nourish our soules vnto euerlasting life according to that of our Sauiour He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood dwelleth in me and I in him and againe He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood hath eternall life and I will raise him vp at the last day Now the more that this our vnion with Christ is strengthened and confirmed the more powerfully doe we performe all Christian duties seeing from him all grace is communicated vnto vs and all vertue and quickning life whereby we are inabled to bring foorth the fruits of holinesse and righteousnesse Secondly it strengtheneth vs vnto all good duties as it is a speciall meanes for the strengthening and increasing of our faith which was the chiefe end for which it was ordained For seeing the Lord hath not onely committed his Couenant to writing but for the further ratification of it hath annexed vnto it his seales the Sacraments there is now no place left to doubting seeing it is impossible that the Lord who is Truth it selfe and his promises Yea and Amen should faile 2. Cor. 1. 20. in any of them being thus established and confirmed In which regard the Apostle calleth the Sacraments the seales of the righteousnesse of faith Rom. 4. 11. because as seales amongst men are annexed to writings to giue them security and better assurance of the performing of Couenants agreed on betweene them so the Lord hath instituted his Sacraments and annexed them to his Couenant not to confirme it which is so infallible that it needes no confirmation but to strengthen our feeble and weake faith which needes all helpes and meanes to keepe it from wauering Now the more our faith is confirmed the more rich wee grow in all sauing graces seeing it is the fountaine from which they flow and the more we abound in all holy duties and fruits of new obedience seeing it is the roote from which they spring §. Sect. 7 Thirdly because it is the spirituall food and nourishment of our soules Thirdly because the Sacrament of the Lords Supper is the spirituall food of our soules whereby they are nourished and strengthened in life Ioh. 6. 55. and grace vnto eternall saluation euen as our bodies are nourished with corporall food and thereby strengthened and inabled for all actions and imployments So our Sauiour saith My flesh is meate indeed and my blood is drinke indeed not to feed the body but to comfort the soule to preserue our spirituall life and to strengthen vs vnto all duties of holinesse and righteousnesse And as the bodily life languisheth and strength decayeth if we refuse our corporall nourishment so the vigour and life of our soules cannot continue if we feed not vpon Christ by faith according to that vehement asseueration of our Sauiour Verily verily I say vnto you Ioh. 6. 53. except ye eate the flesh
of the Sonne of man and drinke his blood ye haue no life in you Yea this Supper of the Lord is not such a spare meale and bare Commons as onely holdeth life and soule together and doth not reuiue the spirits increase the strength and fit vs for action and imployment but it is a plentifull feast for our soules which maketh vs grow in grace and spirituall strength and stature vnto a perfect age in Christ making them strong and vigorous vnto all Christian duties of Gods seruice Whereof it is that as Baptisme is called the Sacrament of our imitation and new birth so this of our augmentation and growth in grace affording vnto vs plentifull nourishment for this end For as God is so bountifull in affording man meanes for the preseruing his bodily life that he alloweth him such things not onely which are absolutely necessary but also for delight and not bread alone to strengthen mans heart but also wine to make it glad and oyle to expresse this ioy in the face and countenance So hee hath dealt Psa 104. 14. 115. much more bountifully for our soules prouiding for their nourishment a plentifull feast the strengthening Bread of Christs Body and the cheering and gladding Wine of his precious Blood the delicious viands and dishes of his spirituall benefits and sauing graces and sweet comforts of his holy Spirit and not onely setteth these things before vs to looke vpon but giueth vnto vs gracious entertainement inuiting vs to feed vpon them not onely vnto necessity but also to delight So that our welcome is no lesse worth then our cheere and as the Spouse speaketh his loue better Cant. 1. 2. then wine Yea vnto his feast he addeth a banket of spirituall comforts imbracing vs with the armes of his loue cheering vs with the consolations of his Spirit and rauishing our soules with the sweet feelings of his fauour and such inward ioy that being with the Spouse thus brought into Cant. 2. 4 5 6. his Banketting-house and hauing for a Canopie ouer our heads his Banners of loue we are ready as it were in an extasie to cry out Stay me with flagons comfort mee with Apples for I am sicke of loue Now how can our poore soules being thus royally feasted and cherished at the Supper of the great King but bee inwardly replenished with all thankfulnesse towards God for his so rich mercies What can they doe lesse then enter into a serious consideration with themselues what they may returne vnto God that they may expresse their loue and gracefulnesse for so many and inestimable fauours without any desert vouchsafed vnto them saying with the Prophet Dauid What shall I render vnto the Lord for all his benefits towards Ps 116. 12 13. mee And finding themselues to be vtterly vnable to make any other requitall then by remaining thankfull debters what can they doe lesse then conclude with him that they will take the cup of saluation and call vpon the Name of the Lord praising and magnifying his mercies in the sight of all the people And finding our selues preserued in spirituall life growne 1. Pet. 1. 18. in Gods graces and strengthened and fitted for all good imployment by the royall bounty of our heauenly King feasting vs with such cordiall restoratiues and delicious food aboue the price of siluer or gold or any other corruptible thing how vngratefull should we be if we did not imploy this strength which he hath giuen vs in the duties of his seruice that we may glorifie his holy Name and bee accepted of him by doing that which is pleasing in his sight §. Sect. 8 Fourthly because it is an action which we doe in remembrance of Christ Fourthly the right vse of the Lords Supper much conduceth vnto a godly life as it is an action which we doe in remembrance of Christ and are thereby put in minde how much he hath done and suffered for vs. For who can lightly esteeme of any sinne which cost Christ no lesse then the price of his precious blood Who will not bewaile his sinnes past with bitter griefe abhorre his present corruptions with mortall hatred and vtterly renounce and forsake them for the time to come who duly considereth that they were the nayles which fastened our Sauiour Christ to the Crosse and that vnsupportable waight which made his soule heauy to the death pressed out of his innocent body that bloody sweate and extorted from him that lamentable complaint My God my God why hast thou forsaken me Who will bee hired with the base wages of worldly vanities to defile his soule againe with the filth of sinne which could no otherwise be clensed and purged then by the precious blood of Iesus Christ of infinite more value then ten thousand worlds And so on the other side who can bee slacke in the seruice of so gracious a Sauiour or bee sparing in his paines to glorifie him who for his redemption hath not spared his dearest blood Who would not worship him in all the duties of holinesse who hath purchased his happinesse at such a rate as men and Angels were not able to discourse who is so vnthankfully slothfull that will not spend his sweate in his seruice and his teares because he cannot spend so much as he should and euen his blood to make vp what is wanting in them both for him and his sake that hath clensed our bodies and soules from the ingrained spots and vncurable leprosie of sinne with his bloody sweate yea full streames of his precious blood Who will now grudge to doe works of mercy or to feed the poore members of Iesus Christ with his spare food to clothe them with his cast apparell which remembreth that this bread of life came downe from heauen to be our food and hath not spared to feast vs at his owne royall Table with his owne body and blood for our spirituall nourishment vnto eternall life that he who is the liuely and expresse Image of his Father and equall vnto him in glory and Maiesty dis-roabed himselfe of this glorious garment and tooke vpon him the shape of a seruant yea was content to be stripped of those poore clothes he had suiting with his meane condition and whilest he bore our sinnes to beare our shame hanging naked vpon the Crosse that he might clothe vs that were spiritually naked with the rich and glorious robe of his righteousnesse and obedience §. Sect. 9 Because thereby we are occasioned to renew our Couenant with God Finally the Lords Supper rightly vsed is a notable meanes to confirme and strengthen vs vnto all duties of a godly life because it giueth vs occasion in our preparation that we may come as worthy ghests to the Lords Table to renew our Couenant with God by renewing our faith in Christ our repentance for our sinnes our loue towards God and our neighbours and all other sauing graces in vs. We renew our faith by meditating vpon Gods infinite mercies
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
tranquilla valet inhiare Gregor Moral lib. 5. able to behold those diuine things which without much difficulty it cannot see when it is most quiet And therefore if wee will meditate with any fruit and profit wee must not be more carefull to sequester our selues outwardly from company then our hearts inwardly from worldly cares nor according to our Sauiours counsell to shut our Closet dores then to shut the doore of our hearts against earthly distractions and to keepe a narrow watch ouer them that none may enter at vnawares and distract vs in this holy exercise Neither must we onely take care to exclude at this time such wicked thoughts and such carking and carnall cares as are alwayes vnlawfull but euen those which are at other times honest and necessary about our ordinary imployments and duties of our callings yea those likewise which are religious and spirituall if they be vnseasonable and nothing pertinent to the present purpose nor any way suteable to the matter we haue in hand seeing though in respect of their matter they be good and holy yet they are cunningly thrust into our hearts and minds by the tempter who can transforme himselfe into an Angell of light in an ill manner vnseasonably and vnprofitably and to a worse end namely to distract our present Meditations and that by thinking on two things at once of a diuers nature we should receiue benefit by neither nor brings our thoughts vnto any good issue In which regard we are not vtterly to banish such things out of our hearts but onely to shut them out for the time and to let them stand at the doore like suters till we haue dispatched with those vnto whom for the present we haue giuen hearing lest rushing in vncalled and speaking altogether after a tumultuous manner nothing be dispatched through this disorder whereas by seasonable admittance in due course and conferring with one after another all may be brought to good effect Secondly as we must clense our hearts from these incumbrances so we must decke and adorne them with the ornaments of vertue that they may be fit to entertaine so high and holy a Ghest but especially we must decke them with humility in which he so chiefly delighteth that he will not onely be content to conferre with vs for a little while but will Esa 57. 15. euen dwell and keepe residence with vs if wee be of an humble spirit And therefore when we approch into Gods presence to performe this duty let vs thinke and consider of his glorious greatnesse and awfull Maiestie and of our owne basenesse and vilenesse weakenesse and vnworthinesse saying in our soules with Abraham Behold I haue taken vpon mee to speake Gen. 18. 27. vnto the Lord which am but dust and ashes O let not the Lord be angry and I will speake And without this humility we cannot profitably performe this duty for as one saith None can contemplate the wisedome of God who Contemplari Dei sapientiam non possunt qui sibi videntur esse sapientes c. Greg. in Moral lib. 18. are wise in their owne conceits because they are by so much distant from his light by how much they come short of humility in themselues For whilest the swelling of pride increaseth in their minds it closeth the sight of contemplation and thinking themselues inlightened aboue all others they are depriued of the light of vertue Finally wee must prepare our hearts for Meditation by sharpening our appetites and whetting our stomackes after this spirituall repast and food of our soules by considering seriously of those arguments by which formerly it hath beene commended vnto vs. For as it is a singular helpe to our bodily nourishment when wee come to our meate with an hungry appetite and that food doth vs but little good which wee feed vpon with lothing satiety so also is it in the nourishment of our soules for if wee receiue our food with a good stomacke we shall the better feed vpon it retaine and disgest it whereas if we come vnto it with a cloyed appetite wee shall soone cast it vp againe and neuer disgest nor conuert it to any spirituall nourishment Lastly there is some preparation also required in respect of our bodies for as we must take heed that they bee not too much pampered with excessiue diet seeing this fulnesse and fatnesse of body causeth emptinesse and leanenesse in the soule dulleth the minde drowneth the spirits and oppresseth the heart so must we on the other side beware that the body and minde bee not wearied and the spirits spent with former studies and labours so as they are wholly disabled that they cannot as fit instruments performe any good seruice to the soule in this spirituall exercise as being rather disposed to rest and sleepe then to take any profitable paines in this laborious imployment §. Sect. 3 Of the subiect matter of our Meditations And thus hauing prepared our persons the next thing to bee done is to prouide fit matter whereupon wee may meditate without which our Meditations are alwayes vnprofitable and oftentimes hurtfull and pernicious In which respect the greatest part of men doe pittifully faile for though all are willing to meditate the mind delighting in its owne motion and in discoursing vpon those subiects which it most esteemeth and vpon which the heart is wholly fixed yet few make choice of such matter as may be fit for their soules nourishment but some meditate mischiefe in their hearts thinking vpon the readiest meanes how they may atchieue it with least danger some how they may satisfie their carnall desires with worldly riches pleasures and preferments and raise themselues by other mens ruines some meditate vpon naturall things with naturall mindes neuer drawing them to spirituall vse some on domesticall matters how they may best contriue their businesse or on ciuill affaires and high points of state yea many men spend a great part of their Meditations about matters meerely concerning other men and nothing at all appertaining vnto them Vpon which and a thousand such like subiects we may spend our spirits weare out our bodies and weary our minds and yet bee neuer the holier in this life nor happier in the life to come But the matter of these Christian Meditations whereof we intreate ought to be wholly spirituall and diuine either in respect of the things themselues or at least the vse which we are to make of them And thus the whole Scriptures and euery part and parcell of them may be the subiect matter of our Meditations when wee seriously consider of the right and naturall sense and meaning of them and draw them vnto vse either for instruction admonition reproofe consolation or the reformation and amendment of our sinfull liues In which kind of Meditations whoso exercise themselues they are by the Psalmist pronounced blessed But besides the text of holy Scriptures Psal 1. 1 2. any point of the doctrine of diuinity contained in them may
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
perfect obedience Hee is infinite and therefore the actions of all things finite must tend vnto him and bee determined in him as their supreme end And being infinite hee is but one onely God and therefore requireth our whole seruice there being none other to be worshipped and serued but he alone He is an holy Spirit and therefore must be serued not onely outwardly with our bodies but also with our soules in spirit and truth He is in his nature most pure Joh. 4. 24. and simple without mixture or composition and therfore we must yeeld vnto him simple and pure obedience without any by-respect or the mixture of humane inuentions with his most pure and perfect will Hee is eternall and is therefore to be serued and glorified in all ages and from the beginning to the end of times seeing he is to day yesterday and Heb. 13. 8. the same for euer and alwaies liueth to reward those that serue him and to take vengeance of them who rebell against him He is immutable and vnchangeable in himselfe and in his loue goodnesse bounty mercie and iustice toward vs and therefore ought to be serued of vs dayly and constantly without any leuity or wauering seeing there is no change in him towards vs. He is immense and omniscient so that wheresoeuer we are we are in his presence whatsoeuer we doe we are in his sight and therefore we are alwaies and in all places to carry our selues in all dutifull obedience as being euer in the view of our Lord and Master who standeth by and taketh notice of all our actions He is all-sufficient to reward our seruice and to preserue all those who depend vpon him against all enemies and therefore we must not be discouraged in his seruice by any worldly or spirituall wants seeing he is abundantly able to supply them nor by the aduerse attempts of any that oppose vs seeing he alone though we had no other helpes is sufficient to protect vs and to bring to nought whatsoeuer might or malice seeketh to hinder vs in the waies of godlinesse He is God blessed for euer yea blessednesse it selfe in whose fruition consisteth all happinesse and therefore ought to be serued with all the powers of our bodies and mindes seeing he only is able to make vs blessed He is Almighty and able to doe whatsoeuer pleaseth him the which also should effectually withdraw vs from all 1. Cor. 10. 22. Ier. 7. 19. sinne seeing thereby wee prouoke him to wrath who is powerfull to punish vs and moue vs to serue him in all Christian duties seeing hauing all power in heauen and earth he is able to reward vs in our wel-doing He is true yea truth it selfe and in this regard ought to be serued seeing he will most assuredly make good all his gracious promises which he hath made to all that serue and please him and contrariwise will bring to passe all his fearefull threatnings against those who neglect and disobey his commandements His will is absolutely good and the most perfect rule of righteousnesse and therefore our wills and actions must be conformable vnto it seeing so farre as they digresse and differ they are wicked crooked and erroneous So also the Lord is good yea the chiefe and supreme Goodnesse vnto which all things are to be destinated as their principall and supreme end the which should make vs deuote our selues wholy vnto his seruice seeing thereby both wee and our actions doe attaine vnto their supreme end and chiefe perfection and contrariwise become vaine and to no purpose if we and they be not thus imployed He is holy yea holinesse it selfe and therefore ought to be serued in holinesse and righteousnesse of all that approch neere vnto him and would be esteemed of his family for being himselfe holy he delights in those who are like him in holinesse neither can his pure eyes indure sinnefull pollution as being most contrary to his diuine nature He is gracious bountifull and munificent and therefore is to be serued with all diligence and cheerefulnesse seeing he who is so beneficent and liberall to all his creatures will be vnspeakeably bountifull towards those who glorifie him by their willing obedience He is louing gracious yea Grace and Loue it selfe and therefore being also infinitly louely deserueth worthily all loue and that wee should bring forth the fruits of it by doing all things that are pleasing in his sight He is most mercifull gentle patient and long-suffring and therefore is to be serued with all cheerefulnesse and comfort seeing he is so mercifull that he pardoneth all our sinnes so milde and gentle that he passeth by all our infirmities so patient and long-suffring that when wee are slack and slothfull in our dutie he doth not presently inflict deserued punishment but beareth with vs and expecteth our amendment He is iust yea Iustice it selfe the which also should make vs spend all our time in his seruice seeing without any respect of persons Act. 10. 34. he is the same to all that obey him and will not faile to recompence to the full our labour of loue nor to giue vnto vs that rich inestimable wages wherewith he hath graciously bound himselfe by couenant to reward our seruice nor contrariwise to inflict deserued punishments vpon those who being bound to serue him neglect their dutie And thus also those attributes which are improperly ascribed vnto God as shewing rather his actions then affections and his workes towards vs rather then his nature in himselfe may also yeeld vnto vs powerfull reasons which may moue vs to serue him As his anger and hatred against sinne and sinners which is nothing but his rewarding Iustice recompencing them as they haue deserued may moue vs effectually to flee all sin and wickednesse seeing his wrath is a consuming fire and wee like stubble before it in which regard it is a fearefull thing to fall into the hands of the euerliuing God His ioy whereby he Heb. 10. 31. delighteth himselfe in those that feare and loue him and so also replenisheth them with all ioy and happinesse in the fruition of him and his loue His sorrow and displeasure when wee vnkindly grieue him by our sinnes who hath beene so kinde vnto vs and if we make him sorry who is our ioy who shall glad our hearts in the day of our sorrow and comfort vs in our mourning His repenting in doing vnto vs the good he hath promised when wee doe euill and in bringing vpon vs his Iudgements threatned when wee turne from our sins and reconcile our selues vnto him by our wel-doing Finally his iealousie which is mixt of loue and anger should make vs wholy deuote our selues to his seruice seeing he can abide no corriuals in our loue and dutie but will be loued serued with all our hearts and with all our soules and therefore wee must not deuide our selues betweene God Matth. 22. 37. and the deuill the world and our
made no spare of his Blood for our sakes and shall we thinke our selues prodigall in our duty if wee take a little paines and spend some sweate in his seruice Yea rather let vs thinke no time well spent which is not thus imployed and all our labour lost which by holy duty expresseth not some loue towards him to whom we owe so much and are able to pay so little Excellent is the meditation of a deuout Father to this purpose If saith he I owe my selfe wholly vnto him for Quòd si totùm me debeo pro me facto quid addam iam pro refecto refecto hoc modo c Bern. lib de diligen Deo c. 1. my Creation what shall I now adde for my restauration and Redemption especially being restored after this manner Neither was I so easily restored as created For to create me and all things else God did but say the word and it was done but he that by once speaking made mee said many things wrought wonders suffered things not onely grieuous but disgracefull and vnworthy of him that he might redeeme mee What therefore shall I returne vnto the Lord for all the good things which hee hath done vnto me In his first worke he gaue me vnto my selfe in the second he gaue himselfe to me and by giuing himselfe restored me vnto my selfe Being then both giuen and restored I owe my selfe vnto him for my self so am twice due But what then shal I giue vnto God for giuing himselfe for thogh I could giue my selfe a thousand times for recompence what am I in comparison of him Besides which argument of thankfulnes which might mooue vs to performe all duties of Gods seruice there is another of necessity which like a strong chaine tieth vs vnto them Seeing our Sauiour Christ hath propounded this as the maine end of our Redemption yea hath also ratified it by his solemne Oth that all those who are by him Luk. 1. 74 75. Rom. 14. 9. Mat. 7. 22. Mal. 1. 6. redeemed out of the hands of their spiritual enemies shall serue him in holines and righteousnesse before him all the dayes of their liues He therefore died that he might be Lord of all not in bare title profession only for that wil nothing profit vs at the day of Iudgment as himselfe telleth vs but in deed truth by performing vnto him faithfull and diligent seruice Hee hath bought vs 1. Cor. 6. 20. Col. 1. 22. 1. Pet. 2. 24. Esa 44. 22. 1. Pet. 1. 17 18. that we should no more be our owne and much lesse the deuils or the worlds but his glorifie him both in our soules bodies seeing they are his as the Apostle telleth vs. And therefore vnlesse we thinke that Christ may faile of his end which he hath propounded so die in vaine yea if he may not faile of his truth falsifie his Oath let vs not imagine that we are his redeemed or haue any part in that great worke of saluation wrought by him vnlesse we labour and indeuour to serue him in the duties of holinesse and righteousnesse and that not by fits and flashes onely but from the time of our conuersion all the remainder of our liues §. Sect. 3 That by the Couenant of Grace we are strongly bound vnto all Christian duties of a godly life The fift benefit is the Couenant of Grace which God hath made with vs in Iesus Christ for being redeemed by his full satisfaction death obedience the Lord hath made a new Couenant with vs not like that vnder the Law the condition whereof was perfect obedience the which being impossible vnto vs by reason of our imperfections and corruptions the promise was made voyd and vnprofitable seeing this new Couenant is not grounded vpon our workes and worthinesse but vpon the free mercies of God and the all-sufficient merits of Iesus Christ In which the Lord promiseth for his part that he will be our gracious God and louing Father that he will pardon and forgiue vs all our sinnes and giue vnto vs all good things spirituall and temporall in this life and glory and happinesse in the life to come And we for our part promise vnto God againe that he shall be our God and we his people and that wee will receiue and imbrace all his blessings promised by a true and liuely faith and especially Iesus Christ and all his benefits and wholly rest vpon him for our iustification and saluation that he may be all in all and haue the whole glory of his owne gracious and free gifts And because a dead and fruitlesse faith cannot doe this therefore by a necessary consequence wee promise that we will approoue our faith to be liuely and effectuall for these vses by bringing foorth the fruits thereof in vnfained and hearty repentance and amendment of life Now whereas we couenant that he shall be our God and we will be his people we doe not promise that wee will make a bare profession of these things in word onely but that in deed and truth wee will haue him to be our God in our hearts by desiring and indeuouring to cleaue vnto him alone louing fearing hoping and trusting in him and no other and that in our liues and actions we will labour to glorifie him by liuing as it becommeth his people and bringing forth the fruits of holinesse and righteousnesse in the whole course of our conuersation The which Couenant strongly bindeth vs to these duties seeing as it is on Gods part most vnchangeable being effectually ratified and confirmed by the blood of Christ by Gods owne hand-writing in his Word and Gospell whereunto he hath annexed his seales and Sacraments yea by his solemne Oth wherein it is impossible that God should lye for hauing Heb. 6. 18. no greater to sweare by he hath sworne by himselfe that hee will not faile of any of his promises made in Christ so is it confirmed on our part by our solemne Vow in Baptisme where as it were by a sacramentall oath we haue bound our selues to renounce the seruice of sinne and Satan the world and the flesh and that we will serue God and no other in the duties of holinesse and righteousnesse all the dayes of our liues To which end we make a solemne profession of our faith and take vpon vs Gods Liuery and Cognizance promising that we will fight vnder his Colours and Standard against all the enemies of our saluation And therefore seeing we haue made this vow and promise vnto God and haue vpon many occasions renewed our couenant that we wil in all things serue please him we must in the whole course of our liues carefully indeuour to performe what we haue promised vnlesse wee would bee esteemed couenant-breakers falsifiers of our word and promise not to men but to God himselfe yea perfidious traytors to him and our owne soules The which will be much more intolerable and vnexcusable seeing in this
exercises for the increasing of his graces in vs notwithstanding that God in so many places reiects these heartlesse sacrifices lip-labour and hypocriticall Esa 49. 13. formalities and being a Spirit doth require of vs such a seruice as is performed Mat. 15. 8. in Spirit and truth Thus they thinke that God is serued in an acceptable Ioh. 4. 24. manner when they repeate the Lords Prayer though they doe not vnderstand any one Petition in it and when they rehearse the Beliefe and the ten Commandements which they also vse in stead of Prayer not vnderstanding aright any one article of their faith nor any precept of the Decalogue and that they haue by this repetition blessed themselues sufficiently for the day following though a little child who is destitute of all sauing knowledge is able to performe this taske as well as they That they may liue in their sinnes without repentance vnto old age or the day of sickenesse and death and that God is so gracious that he will forgiue all their sinnes if before they depart this life they haue but leasure to say Lord haue mercy vpon me though the Scriptures teach vs that he who turneth Pro. 28. 9. 15. 8. 1. 24. 28. Zach. 7. 11 12. away his eare from hearing the Law his prayers are abominable that God abhorreth euen the very sacrifices of the wicked and that those who stop their eares when God calleth shall not be heard when they call and cry vnto him Finally they suppose that they can repent when they list though it be a free grace of God which must be accepted when he offereth it and cannot be reasonably expected if it be refused and reiected when he tendreth it vnto vs. In respect of the Christian life it selfe and the graces and duties required vnto it they doe all delude themselues with a false and erroneous iudgement For they cannot perswade themselues that the godly life is best and most blessed nor that there is such necessity of it as Preachers would beare them in hand but that they may take heere their full swindge in pleasure and set their hearts vpon riches and other worldly vanities and yet bee assured of heauenly happinesse as well as those who are most scrupulous and precise though the Scriptures tell vs that wee cannot serue God and Mammon that if wee loue the world the loue Matth. 6. 24. 1. Ioh. 2. 15. of the Father is not in vs because the loue of the one is enmity against the other that without holinesse we cannot see God and that the way to Iam. 4. 4. Heb. 12. 14. Matth. 7. 12. heauen is narrow and the gate so straight that without much striuing wee cannot enter into it Thus they imagine that they neede not to take such paines in hearing many Sermons seeing the Preacher can tell them no more then they know already namely that they must loue God aboue all things and their neighbours as themselues that the best faile in this and that wee are all sinners and must be saued onely by Iesus Christ Though the Scriptures truely preached are not onely the spirituall seed to beget vs but the food also to nourish vs the strong power of God to saluation to all that beleeue and the sword Rom. 1. 16. of the Spirit to defend our selues and beate backe our enemies Our heauenly Schoole-master to teach vs the way and the meanes also whereby wee may be enabled to walke in it and finally our guide to direct and leade vs by the hand and our comforter to support vs when wee are ready to faint in our iourney That it is sufficient if wee leade a ciuill life and be no heynous malefactours as murtherers theeues adulterers and such like and that wee are good Christians if wee doe no man harme if wee doe no good though he who hid his talent in the earth and did not increase it was cast into outer darkenesse Diues tormented in hell because he releeued not Lazarus And though our Sauiour professeth that hee will reiect at the day of Iudgement not onely oppressours theeues and mutherers but those also who haue not fed the hungry and clothed the naked Thus they thinke that they haue abundantly discharged their dutie if they haue for worldly ends had some respect to some duties of the second Table as keeping their word and dealing iustly and giuing now and then an almes howsoeuer they haue wholy neglected the duties of the first Table and haue made no conscience of Gods seruice and Sabbaths though piety be the ground and foundation of all obedience without which Iustice and morall honesty haue no true subsistance That they neede not to labour after the knowledge of God and his will because they are vnlettered and vnlearned though without knowledge of the maine principles of Religion there can be no Faith and without Faith no Saluation That they haue good hearts towards God though their speeches be filthy and prophane and their actions wicked and mischieuous notwithstanding that our Sauiour hath told vs that Matth. 7. 18. 15 18 19. the tree is knowne by its fruit and that such as the fountaine is such also are the streames that flow from it That wee are all sinners and full of infirmities and humane frailties and therefore they must be excused when wittingly and wilfully they fall into grieuous sinnes though the Apostle telleth vs that he who thus sinneth is not borne of God but 1. Iob. 3. 8 9. that he is of the deuill if with full swinge of will he doe him seruice That they are in Christ and therefore haue escaped condemnation though the Apostle saith that all who are in him walke not after the Rom. 8. 1. 2. Cor. 5. 17. flesh but after the Spirit and that all who haue put on Christ are become new creatures and being ingrafted into this Vine doe bring forth fruits in Iob. 15. 2. him Thus they erroneously alleadge that because Christ came to Matth. 9. 13. 11. 28. saue sinners therefore though they continue still in sinne they may haue their part in this saluation whereas this comfort onely belongeth vnto repentant sinners who labour and grone vnder their sinnes as vnder an heauie burthen and being weary of it doe flee vnto Christ for ease Thus they abuse Gods eternall decree of predestination concluding that because he hath decreed and ordained all men either to life and saluation or to death and destruction and his counsell must stand being immutable and vnchangeable therefore it is no matter how they liue for if they be ordained to life they shall be saued liue how they list or if to destruction they cannot attaine to saluation though they take neuer so much care and paines in Gods seruice The which their conceit is quite contrarie to the Scriptures which teach vs that God hath in his decree of predestination included the meanes with the end so that it is
their pursuers in secret corners and solitary places And of many others in our owne times who being necessarily debarred of all publique helpes discountenanced discouraged in their godly courses by those which should be their guides and leaders yet being inwardly furnished with sauing graces doe outwardly exercise them in all religious holy duties For howsoeuer the publike Ministery is the ordinary means to begin as also to preserue and increase Gods graces in vs and to giue vnto vs not onely birth and spirituall life but also growth and strength whereby wee are enabled vnto all duties of a godly life so that whosoeuer neglect it when they may haue it can neuer looke to thriue in grace or to haue any ability to serue God in any acceptable maner because they despise his holy Ordinances fancying vnto themselues alife which needeth no nourishment yet we must hold it to be but a meanes and instrument wherby God who is the supreme cause chiefe Agent is pleased ordinarily to worke but yet when he depriueth vs of them can effect his owne good worke of grace and sanctification either without them or when they are weake and insufficient as well as with them and when they are most excellent in greatest plenty Of the other we haue an exāple in Iudas who being full of inward corruption could not thriue no not vnder Christs owne Ministery and Demas Ananias and Sapphira vnder the Ministery of the Apostles who performed no acceptable seruice vnto God by all these helpes because their hearts were not sincere vpright but stil remained carnall defiled with worldly loue Yea we may haue experience of it in many vnthriuing Christians of these times who though they liue vnder a most powerfull and excellent Ministery abound in all the spirituall meanes of grace and saluation yet remaine as worldly and carnall as auerse and backward vnto all duties of a godly life as those who are vtterly destitute of them §. Sect. 6 Their obiection answered who pretend that it is not safe to be more forward then other men Finally men mis-led by carnall corruption are ready to excuse thēselues for not entring into the course of Christianity though their iudgements are conuinced of this truth that it is aboue all others most excellent profitable and necessary by obiecting that it is neither good nor safe to make greater profession then other men or to be more strict in our liues then ordinarie Christians because we are not sure that we shall be able to hold out in our sincerity and holy practice and if we should relapse our latter end would be worse then our beginning Neither can we tell in respect of humane frailty whether we may not fall into some grieuous and haynous sinnes or at least such as are contrary to our strict profession which if we doe our faults will be more obserued in vs though they would be little regarded in ordinary men and more bitterly censured and condemned yea wee our selues shall be a wonderment to all that know vs and both shame our selues and our profession To which I answer first that none can make any greater profession of strict performing all Christian duties then that which we all make at our Baptisme when we enter into couenant with God that we will renounce the seruice of sin and Satan the world and our owne sinfull lusts and betake our selues wholy to the seruice of God in all duties of holinesse and righteousnes Which if we doe not all still make and renue vpon all occasions what doe we but disgrace our selues by casting off our Lords liuerie denying and renouncing our promise and profession and returning into the ancient seruitude of sinne and Satan Yea what doe we else but dayly play the hypocrites when as praying that wee may doe Gods will in earth in that purity and perfection which the Saints and holy Angels doe it in heauen and that we may serue God in holinesse righteousnes and sobriety all the dayes of our liues we are notwithstanding so farre from desiring or going about it that we are ashamed to professe that we haue any such meaning Secondly I answer that wee are all bound one as well as another to make this profession of holinesse and sincerity neither is it left vnto vs as a thing arbitrarie and at our owne choyce but expresly commanded and enioyned that we should glorifie God by professing our selues his seruants and liuing according to this profession which none refuseth to doe but such as are destitute of a liuely Faith whereby we are assured that God is in Christ our gracious Lord and Father and we his seruants and people for as with the Rom. 10. 10. heart man beleeueth vnto righteousnesse so with the mouth confession is made vnto saluation According to that of Dauid I beleeued therefore haue I Psal 116. 10. spoken Thirdly I answer that feare of falling away or of being ouertaken with some grosse sinnes must not hinder our profession and practice of piety but rather this profession and practice must therefore be vndertaken that we may hereby be moued more carefully to vse all good meanes of perseuering in all grace and godlinesse and to obserue our wayes with greater diligence and make straight steps vnto our feete that wee doe not slippe nor hault nor turne aside out of the way And if wee with these mindes take vpon vs the profession of Christianity and indeuour to bring forth the fruits of it in our holy practice the Lord who hath begunne this good worke in vs will also finish it he will vphold vs that wee shall not greatly fall or if wee doe yet hee will not suffer vs to lie still and perish but will so assist vs with his grace and holy Spirit that wee shall rise againe by vnfained repentance In the meane time no man hath iust cause to wonder if wee fall through infirmitie though it be into some greater sinnes then many commit who make little or no profession at all if either he consider humane frailty common to all the reliques of corruption remayning still in vs after regeneration and the combat which thence ariseth betweene the flesh and the Spirit that sometime preuailing and this againe getteth the vpper hand the malice of the deuill who most fiercely assaulteth with his tentations those who haue renounced his seruice and in whom the Image of God most clearely shineth or else the examples of the Saints in former ages who haue beene subiect to like frailties and infirmities though they were iust and vpright in all their waies and men in their ordinary and common carriage according to Gods own heart and haue beene sometimes though rarely ouertaken with grosse sins as Noah Lot Dauid Peter and the rest And therefore it is no maruaile if wee likewise haue our slips and falls yea rather it is a great wonder if we who come so far short of them in grace and obedience should stand in
my life that therein I may doe thee seruice and vse all good meanes for the furthering and assuring of my saluation O Lord giue mee a true sense and feeling of thy loue that I may loue thee againe and a liuely apprehension and taste of thy rich mercy and goodnesse that mine heart and voyce may returne vnto thee the praises that are due Yea so much the more O Lord increase my thankfulnesse by how much the lesse worthy I am of the least of thy mercies by reason of my manifold and grieuous sinnes For I confesse vnfainedly that miserable estate in which I am by nature both in respect of my originall corruption in which I was conceiued and borne whereby all the powers and faculties of my body and soule haue beene wholly defiled and vtterly disabled vnto all duties of thy seruice for which I was created and that I haue made my selfe much more miserable by adding heereunto actuall transgressions whereby I haue broken all and euery of thy Commandements in thought word and deed both by omitting the duties which thou hast commanded and committing the contrary vices and sinnes which thou hast forbidden the which as they are for the quality of them haynous so doe they in number exceed the haires of mine head and the starres of heauen Yea Lord I haue not onely thus sinned against thee in the dayes of my ignorance when as I neither had any knowledge of thee and of thy will nor so much as any desire to serue and please thee but euen since the time that thou hast called mee to the knowledge of thy Truth and by the good motions of thy Spirit hast perswaded mee to imbrace professe and practise it since thou hast allured mee by thy gracious promises to serue thee and hast incouraged mee heereunto by innumerable blessings and large testimonies of thy fauour I haue often sinned against thee through frailty and infirmity and not seldome against my knowledge and conscience Oftentimes I haue neglected thy seruice to serue in the meane while mine owne sinfull lusts and when I haue vndertaken it I haue performed it oftentimes after a cold and formall manner with much weakenesse and wearinesse vnchearefulnesse and deadnesse of heart and spirit By all which my sinnes thus multiplyed against thee I haue iustly deserued to bee depriued of all thy blessings and benefits and to bee ouerwhelmed with all those fearefull punishments threatned in the Law respecting both this life and the life to come O Lord my God affect my heart with vnfained sorrow in the sight and sense of this my sinne and misery And as it is a burthen too heauy for mee to beare so let mee haue such a feeling of it that I may hunger after the righteousnesse of Iesus Christ and apply it vnto mee by a liuely faith and so make good the Couenant of grace which thou hast made with mee one speciall branch whereof is this that thou wilt remember my sinnes no more I confesse that I haue offended thy Iustice but my Sauiour Christ hath satisfied it by paying my debt to the vttermost farthing accept therefore of his satisfaction and impute not vnto mee that debt which hee hath discharged I haue deserued eternall death and condemnation but hee was condemned that I might bee acquitted and hath suffered the bitter death of the Crosse and thine anger due vnto my sinnes that I might bee freed from death and thy displeasure and therefore O Lord I beseech thee for his sake to take away the guilt and punishment of all my sinnes that they may neuer bee imputed vnto mee in this life nor in the life to come And being thus iustified by faith and at peace with thee let mee also obtaine peace of conscience in the assurance of the remission of my sinnes and thy loue and fauour in Iesus Christ Giue vnto mee thine holy Spirit and thereby seale mee vp vnto the day of my Redemption and make mee thine owne Child by adoption and grace Let mee approoue my selfe to bee thy Child by resembling thee my heauenly Father in holinesse and righteousnesse by hating and forsaking all that is euill and by louing and imbracing all that is good Sanctifie mee thorowout in my soule and body and let mee not onely make an holy profession with my mouth but let it proceed from my heart and bee expressed in the whole course of my life Encourage mee in this worke against all difficulties by assuring mee that thou wilt bring it to good effect and let mee apply vnto my selfe thy gracious promises which assure mee as well of my sanctification and victory ouer my corruptions as of my iustification and freedome from the guilt and punishment of my sinnes Let mee set continually before mee thy Law as the rule of my life and labour to conforme my obedience in all things thereunto denying vngodlinesse and all worldly lusts and liuing holily and religiously in respect of thee righteously and charitably in respect of my neighbours and temperately and soberly in respect of mine owne person Let mee labour to obserue thy whole Law in forsaking all sinne especially that which is most sweet and pleasing to my corrupt flesh and in imbracing all vertues and Christian duties which thou hast commanded especially those vnto which my nature is most auerse Let mee not content my selfe with such an hypocriticall holinesse as is destitute of righteousnesse nor with such a meerely morall righteousnesse as is without holinesse but let mee approoue my piety to bee sincere by my iustice charity and mercy and let these bee sanctified by my true godlinesse and religious deuotion Let mee not stand at a stay contenting my selfe with that small measure of sanctification which is begunne in me but let mee daily striue in the vse of all good meanes whereby I may attaine vnto more perfection and so sanctifie them vnto mee by thy holy Spirit that they may bee effectuall to perfect that good worke which thou hast begunne Inrich mee more and more with all sanctifying and sauing graces with the knowledge of thee and thy will a liuely faith in Iesus Christ vnfained repentance for my sinnes firme affiance and confidence in thee feruent loue of thee and my neighbours yea euen mine enemies for thy sake Inflame mine heart with an ardent zeale of thy glory replenish it with thy feare that it may neuer depart from thee Strengthen mine hope in the assured expectation of all thy gracious promises especially those which concerne my euerlasting happinesse giue mee patience in all my troubles thankefulnesse for all thy benefits peace of conscience spirituall ioy in the assurance of thy loue and the grace of perseuerance in the profession and practice of thy true Religion vnto the end Remoue all stumbling blockes of offence out of my way comfort me against all discouragements and arme me against all the tentations of my spirituall enemies that they may neuer preuaile against me Take me into thy gracious protection
knocketh they may open vnto him immediately Blessed are those seruants whom the Lord when he commeth shall find watching c. And this know that if the good man of the house had knowne what houre the Thiefe would come he would haue watched and not haue suffered his house to be broken thorow Be therefore readie also for the Sonne of Man commeth at an houre when ye thinke not And elsewhere Take you heed watch and pray for Mark 13. 35 36. ye know not when the time is c. least comming suddenly he find you sleeping By all which wee see the necessitie of an holy and religious feare stirring vs to watchfulnesse and the extreme danger of carnall securitie For if that bee not without much hazard and perill and ought to bee carefully shunned of vs whereof our Sauiour giueth vs once warning then how jeaperdous and full of extreme danger is this carnall securitie and with how great care to bee auoyded of vs of which Christ giueth vs so many warnings as of nothing else more oft and earnestly in so many and such great varietie of Parables Examples and Admonitions And withall thus much is implyed hereby that as this sinne of securitie is great and dangerous so we are naturally most prone to be ouer-taken by it which moueth our Sauiour to vse so many and effectuall meanes to preserue vs from it or to awaken vs out of it if wee bee alreadie fallen into this spirituall Lethargie §. 4 That Christs holy Apostles haue giuen vs many warnings to take heed of carnall securitie With like care and earnestnesse doe Christs holy Apostles admonish and warne vs to take heede of this dangerous and pernicious Rom. 13. 11 12. sinne of carnall securitie The Apostle Paul telleth vs that now it is high time to awake out of sleepe because now our saluation is neerer then when wee beleeued that is then at our first conuersion when as wee begun to beleeue And therefore as Runners for a prize make most speed when they come neerest vnto the Goale so should we be most carefull in shaking off all securitie and sloth and in running swiftly in the Race of godlinesse when we approch to the Goale of blessednes and exhorteth vs that seeing the Night is farre spent and the Day is at Eph. 5. 14 15. hand we doe therefore cast off the works of darknesse and put on the Armour of light And againe Awake thou that sleepest and arise from 1. Thes 5. 6. the dead and Christ shall giue thee light See that yee walke circumspectly not as fooles but as wise redeeming the time because the dayes are euill And elsewhere Let vs not sleepe as doe others but let vs watch and be sober c. And because we are alwayes in danger he would haue vs to be at no time retchlesse and secure but seeing we haue innumerable enemies euer readie to assault vs he exhorteth vs to haue continually the whole Armour of God fast buckled vnto vs that we may be able Eph. 6. 11 to stand against the wiles of the Deuill So the Apostle Peter vpon the same ground exhorteth vs to shake off carnall securitie and to stand still vpon our guard with all care and watchfulnesse Bee sober saith he be vigilant because your aduersarie the Deuill as a roring Lion walketh 1. Pet. 5. 8 9. about seeking whom he may deuoure whom resist steadfast in the Faith §. 5 That carnall securitie is a most dangerous sicknesse of the soule But that wee may bee moued to abhor this sinne of carnall securitie with greater hatred let vs further consider that it is a most fearefull and pernicious vice which hath in it all relations of ill being not only in it selfe exceeding euil but also the cause of many grieuous euils In it selfe it is a disease of the soule most dangerous and desperate vnlesse it be cured by vnfayned repentance for there is no disease more pernicious to the spirituall Patient sicke in sinne then the stone in heart or if you will an heart of stone no stone so hard and hardly broken For though the voyce of the Lord bee so powerfull and full of Maiestie that it breaketh the Cedars shaketh the earth and maketh it to tremble yea renteth the Rocks turning them into a standing water Psal 29. 4 5. 114. 8. Num. 20. 11. and the Flint it selfe into a Fountaine of waters as the Psalmist speaketh yet it moueth not the secure and stonie heart nor resolueth it into the teares of repentance and therefore we reade that when the Word of God by the Prophet was so mightie that it claue insunder the stonie Altar yet the more hard and stonie heart of Ieroboam was not at all 1. King 13. affected and pierced with it but notwithstanding all Gods terrible Threatnings he goeth on securely in his sinne It is as the Prophet calleth it that Spirit of deepe sleepe which closeth vp mens eyes and depriueth them of the spirituall vse of their senses and vnderstanding making the Vision and Word of the Lord as the words of a Booke which is Esa 29. 9 10 11. sealed so as Gods Ministers may complayne of such as hee doth in the same place that they are drunken but not with wine they stagger but not with strong drinke Neither is it an ordinarie sleepe but that dangerous Lethargie of the soule which maketh men as vnfit to all holy duties and spirituall exercises as death it selfe makes them vnapt and vnable to performe any naturall or morall actions It is the Deuils cradle in which he lulleth men asleepe so as he may do with them what he pleaseth that deadly stinging Viper which bringeth them into the deepe slumber of death and destruction and that Cart of Hell which in the darke night of Ignorance carrieth quietly and without noyse huge multitudes into the Pit of euerlasting death Finally it is that Circes that Syren that Witch which transformeth men into bruit beasts and depriueth them not onely of all grace but euen of naturall reason and vnderstanding It is a seeming peace more Nimia securitas mentis tempestas est Gregor in Moral dangerous then any warre and in outward appearance a quiet calme but in truth the most perillous tempest in which many millions of soules doe suffer shipwracke and sinke into the gulfe of endlesse perdition §. 6 That carnall securitie is a disease hardly cured And as this securitie is a dangerous and grieuous disease so in this respect it is the more pernicious because it is hardly cured and that in a double respect first because insensible diseases are in themselues most desperate as the Lethargie dead palsie apoplexie And euen in acute sicknesses as Feauers and burning Agues we account the patient most hopelesse and helplesse when as he is past feeling of his sicknesse Thus also the wounded members are most hardly cured when by much effusion of blood and spirits they are become stiffe