hearts betweene him and his enemies the diuell Idols and the earthly Mammon 1 King 18. 21. like the Israelites which halted betweene God and Baal the true Iehouah 2. King 17. 33. and Idols of the Heathens and the Samaritans who feared the Lord and serued their owne gods And of such the Prophet Hosea complaineth Their heart saith he is diuided namely betweene the true Iehouah and Hos 10. 2. their Idols And the Apostle Iames calleth them double-minded who Iam. 1. 8. are vnstable in all their wayes one while offering vnto God some formall seruice and another while seruing the world and their owne lusts And as they haue double hearts so also double tongues speaking vanity Psal 12. 2. to their neighbours with flattering lips and with an heart and an heart or a double heart The second is sincerity and vprightnesse of heart without any mixture of guile and falshood when as wee worship God in simplicity truth and singlenesse of heart and in performing the duties of his seruice doe lay aside all carnall worldly and by-respects and doe them onely in conscience of his Commandement and out of a desire to glorifie him by our obedience to his holy will seeking him therein with our whole hearts and not our selues and our owne worldly ends like seruile mercenaries who serue their masters not out of any loue they beare him but onely for their owne gaine and aduantage Vnto which is opposed dissimulation and hypocrisie which maketh men to content themselues with outward shewes which haue no substance with outward profession without all sound practice with a dead carcase of Religion without the soule of sincerity or any vertue and vigour appearing in their actions and with a formall false and counterfeit seruice in the outward man without any substance or truth in the inward parts §. Sect. 3 Reasons mouing vs to imbrace integrity and sincerity 1. Because the Lord chiefly loveth and delighteth in it Now because these two are neuer seuered neither in the subiect nor in our practice I will not disioyne them in my discourse but will shew first the reasons which may moue vs to performe all our seruice vnto God and the duties of a godly life with integrity and sincerity and then the meanes whereby we may attaine vnto it For the former wee are to imbrace this integrity and sincerity truth and vprightnesse of heart in all duties of a godly life because the Lord chiefly loueth and delighteth in them preferring them much before all outward duties seeme they neuer so glorious For he loueth truth in the inward parts and esteemeth it farre Psa 51. 6 16 17 aboue all legall sacrifices and therefore after all they are abrogated and abolished retaineth it still in all duties of his seruice And as Dauid also 1. Chron. 29. 17. speaketh in another place He tryeth the heart and hath pleasure in vprightnesse Neither doth he see as man seeth for man looketh to the outward appearance 1. Sam. 16. 7. but the Lord looketh vpon the heart Whereof it is that hee chiefly requireth this integrity and sincerity in all his seruice Thou shalt keepe his Statutes and Iudgements with all thine heart and with all thy soule So Ioshuah Deut. 26. 16. Feare the Lord and serue him in sincerity and truth And Samuel Feare the Josh 24. 14. 1. Sam. 12. 24. Lord and serue him in truth and with all your heart And this God requireth of Abraham Walke before me and be vpright And Dauid of his sonne Gen. 17. 1. 1. Chron. 28. 9. Salomon Know thou the God of thy father and serue him with a perfect heart and with a willing minde And finally our Sauiour faith that hee requireth it of all who offer to doe him any seruice that as he is a Spirit so also they Iohn 4. 24. should worship in spirit and in truth And as we must generally obserue it in all Gods worship so in all the parts and duties of it For we must call vpon Psal 145. 18. God in sincerity and truth if wee desire that hee should heare vs wee must with Dauid Praise God with vprightnesse of heart and in singing Psal 119. 9. Psalmes and hymnes and spirituall songs we must not chiefly respect the vocall tune but make melody vnto the Lord with our hearts as the Apostle speaketh Col. 3. 16. 1. Cor. 5. 8. We must keepe vnto God the spirituall Passeouer not with the old leauen of malice and wickednes but with the vnleauened bread of sincerity and truth We must doe the workes of mercy and giue our almes with our hearts as well as with our hands for the Lord loueth a cheerfull giuer And 2. Cor. 9. 7. Col. 3. 23. in a word whatsoeuer duty we performe vnto others we must doe it heartily as vnto the Lord and not vnto men On the other side he condemneth dissimulation and hypocrisie as vices which are most lothsome and odious vnto him yea so much doth the Lord abhorre it that in the Law hee Exod. 12. 15. 1. Cor. 5. 8. Leuit. 22. 19. Deut. 22. 9 10. forbiddeth the very signes and shewes of it He would haue no leauen in his Passeouer nor their garments made of linsey-woolsey nor their fields plowed with an Oxe and an Asse nor sowne with seeds of diuers kinds not that God cared for these things but to shew vnder these types and shadowes how much he detesteth all hypocrisie and double-dealing §. Sect. 4 That our imperfect obedience is accepted of God if if it be done in sincerity and integrity Secondly this may mooue vs to imbrace integrity and sincerity because the Lord so highly esteemeth it that he accepteth of our obedience as perfect which springeth from it though it bee stained with much corruption and ioyned with many imperfections Whereof it is that in the Scriptures integrity and perfection are promiscuously put the one for the other and those are said to haue been perfect before God who in simplicity and vprightnesse of heart laboured after perfection and serued God in sincerity and truth as Noah Abraham Iob Dauid Asa Zachary and Elizabeth though they had many corruptions and imperfections which in the Scriptures are recorded of them And contrariwise the best graces or rather the most glorious shewes of them and the most resplendent and formall actions which are not ioyned with it are no better at the best then glorious sinnes in Gods sight whereof it is that the Lord specially Iam. 3. 17. 1. Tim. 1. 5. Joel 2. 12 13. requireth in all our graces and vertuous actions that they bee in sincerity and truth without dissimulation and hypocrisie So that wisedome which is from aboue is without hypocrisie and dissimulation though carnall men thinke them most wise who most excell in it Our faith must bee vnfained and so must our repentance also and with our whole heart and not like Ahabs in outward shew onely dissembled and
221 2 Their obiection answered who pretend want of leasure to pray 222 3 That before we pray we must vse preparation and what is required vnto it 223 CAP. XIIIâ— Of such things as are required as essentiall vnto prayer 225 Sect. 1. That we must pray in truth with attention and not with wandring thoughts 225 2 The meanes hereof 226 3 That wee must pray with our vnderstandings 227 4 That wee must pray in faith 228 5 That we must pray in humility with reuerence and feruency 229 CAP. XV. Of the circumstances of Prayer their quantity and quality 230 Sect. 1. Of our gesture and voyce in prayer 230 2 That we must not affect prolixity and superfluity of words in prayer 231 3 Of the quality of our prayers 233 CAP. XVI Of the forme and methode which are to bee vsed in our Prayers 233 Sect. 1. Of formes of prayer set downe by others 233 2 Of formes of prayer inuented by our selues 234 3 Of conceiued prayers and how farre foorth they are commendable 235 4 What methode is best in disposing the parts of our prayers 236 5 What duties are to be performed after we haue prayed 237 6 Of the time in the Morning when wee are to vse our priuate Prayer 238 7 Of prayer with the rest of the family 239 CAP. XVII Of singing Psalmes and reading the Scriptures in the family 240 Sect. 1. That singing of Psalmes is inioyned in the Scriptures and practised by the faithfull 240 2 How we may sing Psalmes in a right manner 241 3 That wee must diligently reade the Scriptures and the great profit of this exercise 242 CAP. XVIII Of our daily exercise in the duties of our callings and of diuers vertues required in them 243 Sect. 1. That wee must make choyce of lawfull callings 243 2 That we must be regenerate before we can serue God acceptably in our callings 244 3 That wee must performe the duties of our callings in faith 245 4 That the duties of our callings must proceed from loue 245 5 That they must bee directed to right ends 246 6 That they must bee done in a right maner and first with heauenly minds 246 7 That they must bee sanctified by the Word and Prayer 247 8 Of the vertues which must accompany vs in the duties of our callings 248 CAP. XIX Diuers reasons to perswade vs to bee faithfull and diligent in the duties of our callings 251 Sect. 1. That God hath ordained man to labour and in many places of the Scriptures hath strictly inioyned it 251 2 That it is Gods Ordinance that wee should labour in our callings 252 3 That God blesseth the diligent with many benefits 253 4 That the Lord abhorreth idlenesse and negligence and seuerely punisheth it 254 5 That idlenesse is the cause of innumerable sinnes 254 6 That it maketh vs liable to many punishments 256 CAP. XX. That all persons without exceptions are bound by Gods Law to walke painefully in the workes of their callings 257 Sect. 1. That the former reasons bind all men to painefulnesse in their callings 257 2 That Gentlemen haue no priuiledge to bee idle and how they should spend their time 258 3 That the poorer sort must labour painefully in their callings notwithstanding that the badnesse of their Trades afford small earnings 259 4 That the impotent are not bound to labour but may with good conscience take their ease 261 CAP. XXâ— Of Recreations which are not onely lawfull but also profitable and necessary if we bee exercised in them according to Gods Word 262 Sect. 1. That we cannot continually bee exercised in the workes of our callings 262 2 What lawfull recreation is and that it may be vsed with good conscience 263 3 That recreations are profitable and necessary 264 4 That we must make choyce of such recreations as are lawfull and what they are 265 5 Whether it be lawful to play at games which stand vpon hazard and chance 267 CAP. XXII Of diuers cautions which ought to be vsed in all our recreations 269 Sect. 1. That recreations must bee vsed with moderation in respect of our loue of them 269 2 That moderation must be vsed in respect of time 270 3 That recreations must bee so vsed as that they may refresh the body not pamper the flesh 271 4 That in our recreation we must auoyd giuing of offence 271 5 That all due circumstances must bee obserued in our recreations and what they are 272 6 That we must in our recreations consort our selues with good company 274 7 That we must take heed lest our recreations steale our hearts from God 274 CAP. XXIIâ— The last caution is that our recreation be a liberall exercise and not for sordid gaine 273 Sect. 1 That greedy gaming for gaine is vnlawfull 275 2 Whether it bee simply vnlawfull to game for money 275 3 A serious admonition that none abuse their liberty in recreations of this nature 278 CAP. XXIIIâ— Of the duties which ought daily to bee performed at our meales 279 Sect. 1 That wee ought to take speciall care of our carriage at our meales 279 2 Of the duties which ought to be performed before we eate and first that we must sanctifie the creatures to our vse by the Word 280 3 That wee ought to sanctifie the creatures to our vse by prayer and thanksgiuing 280 4 Of some short meditations before we eate 282 5 Of the duties which ought to be performed at our meales and first that we vse the creatures with temperance and sobriety 283 6 That we must be temperate and moderate in respect of the quantity of our meats and drinkes 284 7 Other directions concerning the quantities of our meates and drinkes 286 8 Of moderation in respect of the quality of our meates 287 CAP. XXV Of diuers other duties which wee ought to performe at our meales 289 Sect. 1 That wee ought to bee content with our allowance 289 2 That we may be merry at meales 289 3 Of our conferences and discourses at our tables 291 4 Of the choyce of our company at our meales 292 5 Of the manifold abuses of our feasting one another 293 6 That after our meales wee must shew our thankfulnesse by praising God 295 CAP. XXVI Of the duties which wee ought to performe when we are solitary and alone 297 Sect. 1 That when wee are alone wee must not be idle and vnfruitfull 297 2 That wee must spend our solitary houres in good exercises shunning vaine thoughts and entertaining Christian meditations 297 3 That in our solitarinesse wee must auoyd carnall concupiscence and the pleasures of sinne 299 4 That it is pleasant profitable and necessary to spend our solitary houres in Christian duties 300 CAP. XXVIâ— What duties we ought to performe when we are in company 302 Sect. 1 That ciuill conuersation excelleth solitarinesse 302 2 That we must not rashly rush into all companies but with good choyce and aduice and also with due preparation 304 3 That our
offered vnto vs. Neither must we thinke it sufficient vnto a godly life to reserue his Sabbaths for Gods seruice and spend the rest of the weeke in the seruice of the world and our owne lusts nor that we serue him in some things and these in others nor on some other dayes besides the Sabbath or some part onely of euery day reseruing the rest to liue as we list But wee must constantly and continually in euery thing and at euery time performe seruice vnto God in all our actions and throughout our whole course and conuersation not onely in abstaining from all sinne which he hath forbidden but also in performing of some Christian duty of holinesse righteousnesse and sobriety which he hath commanded or in vsing the meanes whereby wee may be inabled vnto them Neither is God alone serued when we performe some religious act as praying hearing the Word singing Psalmes or some eminent workes of charity and sobriety but also in the meanest duties of the basest calling yea euen in our eating and drinking lawfull sports and recreations when as wee doe them in faith which not onely assureth vs that these actions are commanded 1. Cor. 10. 31. of God and warranted by his Word but that we and our workes are accepted of him and so inableth vs to doe them with cheerefulnesse and delight as being not chiefly the seruice of men but of God And also when in doing these our ordinary businesses which belong to our callings wee doe repose our trust and affiance in God that hee will blesse vs in them and giue them such successe as shall be most for his glory and our good and inioy the fruit and benefit of them as blessings sent from God with praise and thankesgiuing And when as in them we haue an eye and due respect to God seeking in them chiefly his glory and doing them in loue and obedience to his Commandements and not for necessity only praise or profit feare of punishment or hope of reward which though we may respect secondarily and in some degree in the ordinary actions of our liues yet not first and principally if we would be accounted to doe God seruice in them And in the next place to our owne and our neighbours mutuall good especially the inriching of vs with spirituall graces and the euerlasting saluation of their and our owne soules §. Sect. 2 That no time is exempted from Gods seruice prooued first by testimonies of Scripture In which generall sense if we take the seruice of God and thus largely with these references vnderstand the Christian duties of a godly life then is there no day houre or minute wherein we are not to bee exercised in some of them And this appeareth both by testimonies of Scriptures and firme reasons The Scriptures require that our whole liues be spent in the seruice of God and that we daily performe vnto him the duties of holinesse righteousnesse and sobriety So the Apostle would haue vs to walke daily according as God hath directed vs and make his Word the rule of our conuersation from which we must neuer swarue neither on the right Gal. 6. 16. Psal 119. 9. Ios 1. 7. hand nor on the left and to keepe a continuall watch ouer our selues lest there be at any time in any of vs an euill heart of vnbeliefe in departing from the Deut. 5. 32. Heb. 3. 12 13. liuing God and to exhort one another daily whilst it is called to day lest any of vs should be hardened through the deceitfulnesse of sinne The Apostle Peter perswadeth vs to passe the whole time of our soiourning heere in the 1. Pet. 1. 17. Pro. 28. 14. feare of God and not some part of it onely which we can best spare and that we liue no longer the rest of our time in the flesh according to the lusts of 1. Pet. 4. 2. men but the will of God seeing the time past of our liues may be enough yea farre too much to haue walked and wrought after the will of the Gentiles The Tit. 2. 11 12. grace of God appearing hath taught vs to deny all vngodlinesse and worldly lusts and to liue soberly righteously and godly whilest wee continue in this present world And therefore hath the Lord redeemed vs that being deliuered out Luk. 1. 74 75. of the hands of our enemies we might serue him without feare in holinesse and righteousnesse before him all the dayes of our life Of which we haue also examples in the Scriptures in the Saints and seruants of God who after their conuersion passed their whole time in his feare and spent their strength in doing vnto him continuall seruice So Enoch is said to haue walked Gen. 5. 22. with God that is in the whole course of his pilgrimage to haue kept him in his sight and to haue carried himselfe in all his actions as in his presence that he might be accepted of him And Dauid as he maketh it a marke of a blessed man to meditate and exercise himselfe in the Law of Psal 1. 1 2. God day and night so doth he in many places shew that it was his owne practice My mouth saith he shall shew foorth thy righteousnesse and thy Psal 71. 15. Psal 55. 17. Psa 119. 97 11◠145. 2. Act. 26. 7. 2. 46. saluation all the day for I know not the numbers thereof Euening and morning and at noone will I pray and cry aloud O how loue I thy Law it is my meditation all the day I haue inclined my heart to performe thy Statutes alway euen vnto the end Euery day will I blesse thee and will praise thy name for euer and euer So the Apostle saith of the whole Church of the Iewes that they did instantly serue God day night and particularly of himselfe that it was Act. 24. 16. his continuall exercise to haue alwayes a good conscience voide of offence towards God and towards men But the best president of all for our imitation is our Sauiour Christ who spent his whole time in doing the workes of him that sent him in the day time preaching and doing miracles and workes of mercie that he might bring saluation vnto the lost sheepe of the house of Israel and in the night sequestring himselfe for prayer meditation in the mount of Oliues Secondly God hath giuen his Law not that we should sometimes obserue his Commandements and sometimes breake them but that we might obserue them daily and continually in all things and at all times and that it might serue as a rule and squire according vnto Psal 119. 9. which we are to frame our whole liues and euery particular action For there he prescribeth duties to be performed at all times on his Sabbath and on the sixe dayes besides the generall duties which belong to all and those that respect vs in our particular callings the duties of piety whereby we offer vnto him immediate seruice and
haue betimes performed this duty priuately by themselues CAP. XVII Of singing Psalmes and reading the Scriptures in the family §. Sect. 1 That singing of Psalmes is inioyned in the Scriptures and practised by the faithfull VNto prayer we adioyne that holy exercise of singing Psalmes in the family which though it bee not in practice next in order according to ordinary vse yet I would not seuer it from the former seeing it is a religious duty and like vnto it being a notable meanes whereby wee praise God and render vnto him thankes for all his benefits And though it be not tyed vnto any part of the day nor yet euery day to bee necessarily performed and though in no family it be alwayes alike seasonable as in the time of mourning for some priuate or publike calamity but in the time of reioycing when we haue occasion to praise Gods holy name for his gifts and blessings conferred on vs according to the Apostles rule Is any man among Iam. 5. 13. you afflicted let him pray Is any merry let him sing Psalmes And though in some families it can seldome be done for want of leasure and opportunity vnlesse it be on the Sabbath and in some places not then for want of conuenient company to ioyne together yet where it may conueniently be performed in respect of company leasure and other occasions it is an excellent duty which is no wayes to be neglected For first it is inioyned in the Scriptures The Prophet Dauid in many places exhorteth to it O come saith he let vs sing vnto the Lord let vs make a ioyfull noise to the Psal 95 1 2. Rocke of our saluation Let vs come before his presence with thanksgiuing and Psal 100. 1 2. make a ioyfull noise vnto him with Psalmes Make a ioyfull noise vnto the Lord all ye lands serue the Lord with gladnesse come before his presence with singing Sing aloud vnto God our strength make a ioyfull noise vnto the God of Iacob c. Psal 81. 3. 47. 6. 68. 4. Esa 42. 10. Sing vnto him a new song play skilfully with a lowd noise So the Prophet Esay Sing vnto the Lord a new song and his praise from the end of the earth And Ieremy Sing ye vnto the Lord praise ye the Lord for he hath deliuered the Ier. 20. 13. soule of the poore out of the hands of euill doers The Apostle Paul likewise exhorteth vs to speake vnto the Lord in Psalmes and Hymnes and spirituall Eph. 5. 19. Iam. 5. 13. Songs singing and making melody in our hearts to the Lord. Of which wee haue the Saints of God in all ages examples for our imitation in the time both of the Law and the Gospell and in the purest ages of the primitiue Church who were complained on to the persecuting Emperours for their diligent performance of this duty day and night Yea our Sauiour Christ himselfe at the celebration of his last Supper is sayd with his Disciples to haue concluded that holy action with singing of a Psalme Which examples that we may imitate let vs further consider in the next place that it is a notable meanes to rowze vp our drowzie and dead hearts and by the sweete melody affecting our outward sense to rauish them with ioyfull delight and make them cheerefull in Gods seruice which was the cause why Elizeus being to prophecie and finding his Spirit dulled with the vnpleasing presence of the idolatrous King who together 2. King 3. 15. with Iehosaphat was to haue the benefit of his good indeuours desireth a Musician to play before him to stirre vp his heart vnto the more cheerefull performance of this duty Secondly it is an acceptable seruice vnto God as being a singular meanes to glorifie him when as our hearts are filled with thankfulnesse and our mouthes with his praises according to that of the Psalmist Whoso offereth praise glorifieth me the which in the Psal 50. 23. same Psalme he preferreth before oblations and burnt sacrifices Finally Vers 13. 14. Apoc. 5. 9. 14. 3. it is an heauenly exercise of the glorified Saints which we shall performe with them in that place of ioy and happinesse if wee take delight in it whilst we liue in the earth §. Sect. 2 How we may sing Psalmes in a right maner Now if we would performe this in an acceptable maner our care must be that it be done with our soules as wel as our tongue and lips And first with our minds both vnderstanding what we sing so as we may say with the Apostle I will sing with the Spirit and I will sing with the vnderstanding also and applying our minds vnto it with due attention not suffering them to be carried with wandring thoughts Secondly we must sing with our hearts also according to that of the Apostle Speake to your selues in Psalmes singing Eph. 5. 19. and making melody in your heart vnto the Lord which elsewhere he calleth singing with grace in our hearts to the Lord the which Dauid practised Col. 3. 16. I will praise thee saith he with my whole heart And this we shall doe if we Psal 138. doe apply and fit them to the matter of the Psalme and put on the same affection which Dauid had in penning them as humility in the confession of sinne feruencie of desire in petitions and suites alacrity and cheerefulnesse in prayses and thanksgiuings assent and beliefe in prophecies and predictions teachablenesse and willingnesse to learne in doctrines and instructions readinesse to obey in commandements and exhortations c. and at all times and in all things reuerence of Gods maiesty in whose presence we performe this duty In the meane time we must take heed that we doe not apply his imprecations which were vttered by a propheticall spirit against those who were desperate enemies to God as well as Dauid against our priuate enemies with a reuengefull desire that those euils may befall them seeing our Sauiour hath taught vs to pray for them But wee must either make vse of them for doctrine and instruction or if we apply them it must not be against particular persons but against all those whatsoeuer whom the Lord in his wisedome knoweth to be desperate enemies vnto him and his Church Secondly our care must bee that we doe not make it a bodily exercise singing Psalmes for recreation only and as wee doe other songs for meere pleasure and sensuall delight but we must performe it as a religious duty of Gods seruice and striue in it to please him rather then our selues We must not seeke to delight the eare and affect the heart with the ayre musicke and sweetnesse of the tune but that there being an harmony betweene it and the voyce we make sweete melody in Gods eares which if it be wanting our best musicke as one saith is no Aug. Confess lib. 10. cap 33. more acceptable to God then the barking of Dogs the lowing
them rashly and hand ouer head without choyce and haue neither care nor conscience in our manner of vsing them but when wee obserue diligently those lawes and cautions wherewith wee are limited and bounded in their vse by the Word And these either respect the matter or manner the recreation it selfe or our course and carriage in exercising our selues in it For the recreation it selfe our first care must be that it be lawfull and either approoued and warranted or at least not forbidden and condemned in the Scriptures And here we are to obserue not onely those recreations which are particularly named but likewise all those which haue some analogie and similitude with them And these are either of the minde alone or of the body and minde ioyntly together The recreations of the minde as the propounding of Riddles and resoluing of them for the exercise of wit of which we haue an example in Samson propounding vnto the Philistines at his marriage feast this Riddle Out of the eater came foorth meate and out Iudg. 14. 12 13. of the strong came foorth sweetnesse c. Wherein wee are to obserue that both the words and meaning bee modest and chaste and not like many Riddles propounded in obscene words which men thinke excused by their modest resolution So also the contemplation of Gods workes flowers and plants birds fishes and beasts that out of their beauty and excellent properties and qualities wee may take occasion to see and admire the infinite wisedome and power of their Creatour without which the bare sight of the creatures and delight that ariseth out of them is vaine and fruitlesse in respect that it faileth of one principall end and will as experience sheweth rather distract vs from our callings then fit vs for them And this seemeth to haue beene one of Salomons recreations in his best times who out of this exercise of contemplation was able to speake of all trees from the Cedar that was in Lebanon euen to the hyssope that 1. King 4. 33. sprung out of the will and also of beasts and fowles creeping things and fishes Vnto which we may adde the delighting of our mindes one with another with pleasant discourses and witty conceits and by our selues by vsing the excellent Art of Poetry either making Poems our selues or reading those which are composed by others In all which and the like exercises of the minde our care must be that our recreations neither in respect of words matter or manner be wanton or wicked insulse or corrupt and neither bitter and biting tending to the disgrace of others nor prophane and filthy tending to the poysoning of our hearts and affections or to the corrupting of our manners and conditions neither to the impeaching and losse of Christian grauity nor to the hindring of that harmony and Caueamu◠ne dum relaxare animum volumu◠soluamus omnem harmoniam quasi concentū quendam bonorum operū Ambr. de offic cap. 20. seemely decency which ought to be obserued in all our conuersation The recreations of the minde and body ioyntly together are many as the exercise of the senses especially the eyes with delightfull sights and the eares with harmonious musicke which aboue all other recreations is commended in the Scriptures and by the example of the Saints who not onely vsed it in Gods worship to cheere and fit the heart the better for holy duties but also for ciuill recreation that they might thereby be the better inabled for the duties of their callings And thus the Prophet in almost innumerable places stirreth vp both himselfe and others with voyce and musicall instruments to praise the Lord hauing penned the Psalmes for his owne vse and the benefit of the Church appointeth them to be sung by the most skilfull Musicians to diuers instruments Whose steps Salomon his Eccl. 2. 8. sonne heerein followed and appointed most exquisite musicke not onely to be vsed in the Temple in Gods seruice but also in his owne house for his recreation and delight The which continued in the Church euen in the time of their captiuity for howsoeuer they refused to gratifie the Ps 137. 1 2 3. proud and scornefull heathens by making them musicke in their misery yet they continued this recreation for the solacing of themselues as hereby appeareth in that at their returne out of Babylon to their owne Countrey they had amongst them two hundred forty and fiue singing men and Nehem. 7. 67. singing women And vnto these wee may adde hunting hawking fishing fowling feates of actiuity running leaping wrastling fencing with all lawfull sports and games amongst which that laudable exercise of shooting chiefly excelleth as being not onely a manly exercise most fit to preserue 2. Sam. 1. 18. the health and strength of the body and delightfull to the minde in respect of that Art and skill which may be shewed in it but also a good defence both priuately for our selues and publikely for our Countrey if it were rightly vsed as in ancient times §. Sect. 5 Whether it be lawfull to play at games which stand vpon hazzard and chance Contrariwise our care must be that wee auoyd such recreations as are vnlawfull which howsoeuer for the time they may bee pleasing vnto the flesh yet leauing behind them the sting of sinne they will like the play of Ioab and Abners souldiers be bitter in the end and not bring vnto the mind any lasting delight but at the best mournfull repentance and afflicting griefe And such are all those sports as are so vaine and light that they will not beseeme Christian grauity all those which tend to breake peace and weaken loue as bitter or scurrilous iesting and rude horse-play all lasciuious and effeminate sports which corrupt the minde or weaken the body inflame the lust or poyson the manners as vaine dalliance and courting of women chambring and wantonnesse prophane stage-playes and Enterludes which make the Theater a Schoole of all impiety and profanenesse lust and vncleannesse and wanton dancing of both sexes one with another especially in those light and lewd Lauoltoes and Corrantoes vsed in these times which are so full of lasciuious and immodest gestures and actions Goate-like iumpes and friskes of women as well as men proclaiming wanton immodesty and tending onely to the inflaming of lust that they would not well beseeme an honest Pagan and better fit a cunning Curtizan who cast before men these alluring baites that they may be catched in the snares of lust then for a true Christian who esteemeth modesty and chastity her best ornaments Vnto these we may adde carding and dicing as they are almost generally vsed For suppose that all games at them are not simply vnlawfull and that the argument of lots taketh no hold of them because they are in nothing like but as they are both disposed by Gods prouidence which hath a chiefe stroke in disposing all things or because as they alledge the most games stand not so
together with vs and so by his wise and powerfull prouidence guide and prosper all our indeuours as that they shall wholy tend to his glory and our good For thus performing our dutie he will double and redouble his fauours vpon vs blessing our seruants and children for our sakes and vs for their sakes by causing all their labours to prosper in their hands as wee see in the example of Abrahams seruant Iacob Ioseph Gen. 24. 52 56. Gen. 30. 27. 39. 3 22. Act. 10. 2 7 23. and the Souldiers and seruants of Cornelius who being trayned vp in the feare of God either by their masters or their own parents prospered in their proceedings and so brought a blessing vpon them the whole families Whereas contrariwise the neglect of these religious duties bringeth Gods wrath vpon the gouernours those likewise that belong vnto him according to that of the Prophet Powre out thy fury vpon the heathen that Ier. 10. 25. know thee not and vpon the families that call not on thy Name Lastly it would bee a notable incouragement to make vs diligent in performing these religious duties in our families if wee would but consider that wee should heereby bee speciall meanes of gayning many vnto Christ which shall heereafter bee the Crowne of our reioycing that wee shall much more comfortably trauell in the way of holinesse and righteousnesse and in our tedious pilgrimage towards our heauenly home when wee goe not aboue but haue those that belong vnto vs to beare vs company who will be ready at hand to assist vs in our iourney to admonish vs when wee are going out of the way to keepe vs from falling and when we are falne to put to their helping hand for the raising of vs vp againe and to fight on our side against those spirituall theeues that come to rob vs of the rich treasures of Gods graces and the malicious enemies of our saluation when they incounter vs in the way that they may foyle vs in the fight or force vs with their fury to desist from our course and to returne backe againe into the wayes of sinne and death Finally that we shall with vnspeakeable ioy and rauishing comfort appeare before the Lord at the latter day when being accompanied with those who hauing beene by God committed vnto our charge we haue carefully gouerned and guided in the wayes of saluation we shall resigne and re-deliuer them vnto God to be crowned with the same happinesse which our selues shall inioy saying with our Sauiour of our families as he of his Church Behold mee and Heb. 2. 13. the children which thou hast giuen me which will infinitely more reioyce our hearts at that day then if hauing beene Monarchs of the whole world we should haue left it to our posterity as an inheritance after vs. §. Sect. 3 That it is the dutie of housholders to catechize their family and of the causes why it is neglected Now that wee may thus nurture our familie in Gods feare and trayne them vp to the performance of all religious and Christian duties as prayer singing of Psalmes reading the Scriptures holy conferences and such like of which wee haue already spoken there is required first that we instruct them in the knowledge of God and his will and secondly wise gouernement whereby they may be moued and drawne to put in practice and make an holy vse of all that is taught and learned for the right informing of their liues Concerning the former it is the duty of parents and gouernours of familyes that they instruct and catechize their children and seruants in the true knowledge of God and in the maine principles of Christian Religion which though it be a most necessary and profitable dutie to bee performed of all yet is it in these dayes exceedingly neglected of the most as a thing needlesse and not belonging vnto them Of which neglect these seeme to bee the chiefe causes first the profanenesse of mens mindes and contempt of religion which maketh them thinke this one thing so necessary in Christs iudgement to bee in theirs Luke 10. 42. of all things most vnnecessary and that whereas knowledge in all other professions is required in some perfection some little smattering or a bare shew is sufficient in the profession of Christianity which notwithstanding as farre excelleth them as the soule the body or heauen earth Secondly An erroneous iudgement whereby they perswade themselues that though this knowledge bee necessary for all yet that the dutie of instructing their familie in it belongeth not at all vnto them but vnto the Ministers onely Thirdly their ignorance which disableth them vnto it being such as the Apostle complaineth of who when for the time Heb. 5. 12. they ought to be teachers yet had neede to bee catechized themselues in the first principles of Religion and to be fed with milke rather then strong meate Which is accompanied with a carnall shame of bewraying it to their inferiours Fourthly A much more impious shame to be noted of those who are as bad or worse then themselues for men too precise and forward in things not pertaining vnto them The last and chiefest cause is worldly-mindednesse whereby men are wholy taken vp with earthly affaires so as they haue neither leysure nor pleasure to follow spirituall exercises which so farre preuaileth with many that they not onely neglect this dutie themselues but also will not suffer those who are vnder their charge to be taught by others First because they would not haue them more wise or religious then themselues Secondly because they imagine that they would bee lesse pliable to vniust courses for the getting of vnlawfull gaine and that being more intent to Gods seruice they would become lesse diligent in the seruice of the carthly Mammon Lastly because they cannot indure that any time should be spent in religious duties as thinking all lost which is not spent in worldly imployments and consecrated to their earthly Idoll of gaine and profit Yea this dutie of catechizing is not only neglected of houshold gouernours but also of Ministers not onely such as are either idle or insufficient to teach the people but likewise of many who are otherwise able and diligent And that first because they consider not the profit and necessity of this excellent exercise Secondly because they suppose that it is not pleasing and plausible to the people And lastly because they thinke it too meane a subiect for their great learning and eminent gifts But let such in the feare of God consider not what they are able to teach but what the poore people committed to their charge are able to learne and that they must like nurses giue vnto their children not the best and strongest meate but that which they finde by experience the fittest to nourish them Let them remember Christs charge to feede the tender Lambes as well as the stronger sheepe and the Apostle Iohn 21. 15. Pauls practice
fruits we haue found of our Baptisme and whether wee haue felt the vertue of Christ Iesus his death effectuall for the mortification of our sinfull corruptions and of his Resurrection for our spirituall quickening vnto newnesse of life Lastly in respect of the party baptized wee ought to stay that we may performe vnto him such Christian duties as God requireth First to commend him vnto God by our prayers that hee may be truly regenerate ingraffed into the body of Christ as a liuely member and so made partaker of his death merits and all his benefits Secondly that we may as free-men of this Christian Corporation by our presence giue our assent to his outward admission into the Congregation And finally that we may with the rest of the people ioyne in praising and giuing thankes vnto God in his behalfe for admitting him as a new member into the communion of Saints and entertaining him for a seruant of his owne family All which duties we neglect if wee depart before the celebration of the Sacrament and as much as in vs lyeth make them vtterly voyd by our ill example for if all should doe as wee doe as euery one may thinke such liberty belongeth vnto him which he seeth taken by another there should not any at all be left to performe them The last action which is to be performed at our departing out of the Congregation or before if the custome be so is that if there be any collections for the poore we contribute towards them according to our ability and their necessity and that with a willing and cheerfull mind knowing that 2. Cor. 9. 6 7. Heb. 13. 16. Prou. 19. 17. with these sacrifices God is well pleased that what is thus giuen is lent vnto the Lord who will bountifully repay it in this world and the world to come and giuen to Christ himselfe in his poore members who of his free and meere grace will reward these workes of mercy with an heauenly and euerlasting Math. 25. 34. inheritance in his Kingdome And these are the publike duties of Gods worship and seruice which wee ought to performe in the Congregation on his Day And that not onely in the morning with which some content themselues but we must renew them or the most of them in the afternoone as Prayer hearing the Word and singing of Psalmes c. seeing God euen in the time of the Law would haue an euening as well as morning sacrifice offered vnto him and therefore will not haue his seruice more negligently performed in this greater light of the Gospell wherein he affoordeth vs more plentifull meanes of our saluation For the performance of which duties I shall not need to giue any other directions then those which I haue before set downe for the morning exercise CAP. XLII Of such duties as are to be performed on the Lords Day after our comming from the Church §. Sect. 1 That we must meditate vpon that which we haue heard ANd these are the publike duties of Gods seruice which wee are to performe on his Holy-day The priuate duties are diuers The first is that at our comming home we meditate vpon those things which we haue heard and not onely carefully recall them to our remembrance that they may be imprinted in our memories but also apply them vnto our owne vse for the sanctifying of our hearts and affections and the reforming of our liues and conuersations purposing with a full resolution that wee will put in practice whatsoeuer we haue learned both in the forsaking of those vices and sinnes which we haue heard condemned and the imbracing and performing of those vertues and Christian duties which haue beene commended vnto vs. For if we doe not thus make it our owne and as it were couer this holy seede of Gods Word in the furrowes of our hearts the deuill will steale it away as the birds doe the seede that falleth by the high way and make it altogether vnfruitfull so that after much hearing we shall still remaine children in knowledge and in the spirituall growth of grace and godlinesse and like riuen and leaking vessels retaine little or nothing of this precious liquor because it runneth out as fast as it commeth in Secondly with this Meditation we are to loyne feruent and effectuall prayer desiring Gods blessing vpon that which we haue heard whereby it may be made effectuall for his glory and our owne saluation and the gracious assistance of his holy Spirit to bring home not onely to our memories but also to our hearts consciences those things which we haue heard and learned that we may as occasion serueth fruitfully practise them in the whole course of our liues concluding these our prayers with praise and thanksgiuing vnto God for this gracious liberty in inioying his Sabbaths and in them the exercises of Religion meanes of our saluation §. Sect. 2 Of family exercises after we are come from the Church At our meales we are to spend the time in such holy and religious conferences as may be no lesse profitable for the cheering and refreshing of our soules then our corporall food for the nourishment of our bodies and in the performance of such other Christian duties tending to piety and Gods seruice as before wee prescribed for other dayes which vpon the Lords Day aboue all the rest ought to be done with greatest zeale and deuotion which being finished it is good to sing a Psalme to Gods praise and to reade one or more Chapters of the holy Scriptures After which Christian exercises wee may if time will permit conferre together of those things which we haue heard and learned at the forenoones Sermon and by causing euery one as it were to offer his shot to make vp the whole reckoning one remembring what another hath forgotten and he againe supplying that wherein the other is defectiue whereby it will come to passe that whatsoeuer any one hath gathered of these spiritual treasures shall not onely be more firmely locked vp and deepely imprinted in his owne memory but shall also serue as a common stocke for the inriching of the whole company And this being done we are then againe by Prayer and Meditation to prepare our selues for the well performing of Gods publike seruice in the euening exercise as we did in the forenoone which being finished in that holy and religious manner before prescribed and afterwards by some meditation recalled to our remembrance for our own priuate vse it will be profitable for gouernours of families to call together their children and seruants and either by strength of their memories or helpe of their Notes taken of the Sermon to repeate as neere as they can what hath beene deliuered that so the things not marked may be better obserued and that which was forgotten may be recalled and by this repetition may more surely bee ingrauen in the memory Sometimes also it will be fit and necessary to preuent negligence in the yonger sort that the
vs. §. Sect. 4 That the Spirit of God is the Author of spirituall life 1. And if we thus gaine his company and giue him friendly intertainement when he dwelleth in vs possessing our vessels in sanctification and honour Thes 4. 3. Eph. 4. 30. 1. Thes 5. 19. that they may be fit Temples for this pure Maiestie and not vexing and grieuing this holy Ghest by quenching those good motions which he suggesteth vnto vs then will not he be idle in vs but will direct and guide vs in all our wayes and inable and strengthen vs vnto all Christian duties of holinesse and righteousnesse nor come alone to dwell in vs but accompanied with the sweet society of all sanctifying and sauing graces And first of all he will quicken vs in the life of grace who were before dead in trespasses and sinnes and giue vnto vs spirituall motion in all holy actions Eph. 2. 1. the which though at first it be but weake and scarcely to be discerned like a child newly quickned in the wombe yet shall it increase by degrees vntill we be strengthened for the spirituall birth and grow vp from age to age and from strength to strength vnto a perfect man and vnto the Eph. 4. 13. measure of the stature of the fulnesse of Christ of which life the Spirit of God is the principall Author according to that of the Apostle If the Spirit of Rom. 8. 11. him that raised vp Iesus from the dead dwell in you he that raised vp Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortall body by his Spirit that dwelleth in you without the which we cannot once mooue in the wayes of godlinesse nor after that we haue begun proceede or grow vp vnto any perfection And therefore when we finde our selues dead and dull vnto all good actions we are earnestly to pray with Dauid that God will reuiue and quicken vs Ps 119. 25 107. by his grace and holy Spirit that we may become actiue and able to performe the duties of a Christian and holy life §. Sect. 5 That the Spirit inlighteneth vs in the wayes of godlinesse Secondly hauing giuen vnto vs this life of grace hee will in the next place indue vs with spirituall light and illuminate the blinde eyes of our mindes that we may vnderstand the will and wayes of God reuealed in his Word and attaine vnto such a measure of sauing knowledge as may be sufficient to direct vs in all our thoughts words and actions And this is that voyce of the Spirit which in our conuersion vnto God secretly whispereth in the eare of our minds as it were behind vs saying This is the way walke yee in it when ye turne to the right hand and when yee turne to Esa 30. 20. the left This is that day-spring which the Sunne of righteousnesse with his arising hath caused to appeare and visit vs to giue light vnto vs who sate Luk. 1. 78 79. in darkenesse and in the shaddow of death and to guide our feete into the way of peace This is that Comforter which our Sauiour promised to send after his resurrection who should leade his Disciples and with them all the faithfull into all truth This is that grace of God which hath appeared teaching Iohn 16. 13. Tit. 2. 11 12. vs to deny vngodlinesse and worldly lusts and to liue soberly righteously and godly in this present world This is that holy oyntment and precious eye-salue which openeth and illighteneth the blinde eyes of our minds that we may know all things appertaining to our saluation so as we need no Tutor to teach vs any other doctrine but as the same anoynting hath 1. Ioh. 2. 20 27. taught vs of all things Whereof he is called the Spirit of truth not onely because he is most true and Truth it selfe but also teacheth and guideth vs in the wayes of truth And the spirit of illumination and wisedome not onely Ioh 14. 17 15. 26. because there is in him a measure without measure of light and knowledge but also illighteneth our minds darkened with ignorance and maketh vs who were only wise vnto euill wise vnto good and to the eternall Ier. 4. 22. saluation of our owne soules And vnlesse we be thus illightened by the Spirit of God and haue the way of saluation reuealed vnto vs it remaineth an hidden mysterie of which we are not capeable in our naturall vnderstanding for as the Apostle teacheth vs The naturall man vnderstandeth Eph. 3 3 5. not the things of the Spirit of God for they are foolishnesse vnto him neither can 1. Cor. 2. 14. he know them because they are spiritually discerned and the things of God knoweth no man but the Spirit of God and they vnto whom by the Spirit they are reuealed Vers 10. 11. Vnlesse this light shine in our hearts we remaine in more then an Aegyptian darkenesse sitting still in errour and sinne and not being able to mooue in the actions of holinesse and righteousnesse neither is it possible that we should walke in the wayes of God vntill by the light of his Spirit they be reuealed vnto vs. Finally we must first know the will of God before wee can doe it and so attaine vnto euerlasting blessednesse And Ioh. 13. 17. therefore in the next place if we would leade this godly life we must desire to be inlightened by Gods Spirit in the knowledge of his will and to haue the light of spirituall wisedome added to the life of grace that knowing it in our vnderstandings we may yeeld obedience vnto it in our liues and conuersations praying to this purpose without ceasing for our selues as the Apostle for the Ephesians That the God of our Lord Iesus Christ the Eph. 1. 17 18. Father of Glory would giue vnto vs the spirit of wisedome and reuelation in the knowledge of him the eyes of our vnderstanding being inlightened that we may know what is the hope of his calling and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the Saints c. §. Sect. 6 That we must bee ingrafted into Christ before wee can leade a godly life The second maine thing required in those who are to leade a godly life is that they be ingrafted into Iesus Christ by vertue of which vnion he becomming their head and they his members they haue communion with him and are made partakers of the vertue of his death and resurrection Rom. 6. 12. whereby their sinnes are mortified and crucified so as they can no longer raigne in their mortall bodies and they quickned vnto holinesse and newnesse of life and so inabled to bring foorth the fruits of obedience in the whole course of their conuersation For we are naturally dead and buried in the graue of sinne and not able to stirre or mooue in the actions of godlinesse but no sooner are we ioyned to him and touch his body crucified by the hand of faith
99 100. then our teachers if wee haue more care then they in keeping Gods Commandements For the feare of the Lord is wisedome and to depart from euill is vnderstanding Iob. 28. 28. Psal 111. 10. And as Dauid saith The feare of the Lord is the beginning of wisedome a good vnderstanding haue all they that doe his Commandements CAP. VIII Of a liuely and iustifying faith which is the second mayne ground of a godly life §. Sect. 1 That without fayth we cannot performe any duties of a godly life THe second mayn ground of a godly life is a true and iustifying faith without which we cannot performe any duty acceptable to God For before our workes can be acceptable our persons must be accepted neither can the actions of an enemy be pleasing vnto him with whom he is at emnity before they be reconciled we must first bee good trees before we can bring forth any good fruits and haue our hearts sanctified by faith before we can doe the workes of sanctification For who can bring a cleane thing out of an vncleane Not one saith Iob. And what is Iob 14. 4. 15. 14. man that he should be cleane and he that is borne of a woman that he shoud be righteous As Eliphaz speaketh First Abels person must be accepted before Gen. 4. 4. his sacrifice could be acceptable And we cannot be accepted in our selues being dead in sinne and the children of wrath as well as others till being by faith vnited vnto Christ God accepteth of vs in his best Beloued Without Heb. 11. 6. faith therefore it is impossible to please God for till our persons please him our actions cannot Againe Whatsoeuer is not done of faith is sinne and our Rom. 14. 23. best actions which seeme most glorious in the eyes of men will not indure the sight of Gods iustice because they are imperfect and stayned with the filth of our corruptions till hauing applyed Christ vnto vs by faith our vnrighteousnesse bee couered with his perfect righteousnesse and our corruptions be washed away with his blood And this was the cause why the Iewes who followed after the law of righteousnesse did not attayne Rom. 9. 31 32. vnto the law of righteousnesse because they sought it not by faith in Christ but by their owne workes of the law Moreouer we are wilde vines till we be ingrafted into the true Vine Iesus Christ and can bring foorth no good fruit for without him we can doe nothing But being planted into this liuing Iohn 15. 5. Stocke by a liuely faith we deriue from him such sap of grace that wee are made fruitfull in all holy obedience and as without him we can doe nothing so with him we are enabled to the performance of all good duties according to that of the Apostle I can doe all things through Christ that Phil. 4. 13. strengthneth me Furthermore faith is the prime grace that is after we are illuminated wrought in vs by the Spirit and the onely liuing Fountaine from which all true obedience floweth for till it purifieth the heart we haue Act. 15. 9. Gal. 5. 6. not so much as a desire to please God in the performance of any duty nor any power to produce a good action till faith worketh by loue and giueth 1. Iohn 4. 19. vnto vs life and motion And finally without faith there can bee no loue for wee cannot loue God till first we be assured that he loueth vs and without loue there can be no obedience for loue is the fulfilling of Rom. 13. 8. the law and therefore the want of loue is the roote of all disobedience and transgression But when by faith we are perswaded of Gods loue in Christ then doe we loue God againe who hath so loued vs and this loue worketh in vs a desire to please him in all things both by hating and forsaking that which he hateth and by louing and imbracing that which he loueth and commandeth So that according to the measure of our faith such is the measure of our loue and if our loue be great or small such also will be the fruits of our obedience §. Sect. 2 That faith and a godly life are inseparable companions Faith therefore and a godly life are inseparable companions being vnited together in the bond of loue which is stronger then death it selfe Cant. 8. 6. and as a godly life cannot possibly bee without faith no more then the fruit without the tree or a wel-built house without a foundation or breath without a liuing body So neither can a liuely faith be seuered from a godly life For being by faith assured of Gods loue we cannot chuse but loue him againe and approue our loue by our new obedience Being by faith ingrafted into Christ and so become trees of righteousnesse of Gods owne planting we cannot but bring foorth good fruits For as an euill tree Mat. 7. 17 18. cannot bring forth good fruit so neither can a good tree bring foorth euill fruit seeing the fruit alwaies followeth the nature of the tree And as men doe not gather Grapes of thornes nor Figges of thistles so neither Crabs of Apple-trees nor wild and sowre grapes of a good and fruitfull vine Finally faith and the fruits of obedience in a godly life are the one the cause and the other the effect which haue such mutuall relation that they argue and proue eyther the presence or absence one of another as if there be a Father there must needs be a child of which he is a father and if there be a child there must needs be a father of whom he is a child If there be a Sunne there must needs be beames spreading from it and if there bee beames there must needs be a Sunne from which they are spred If there be a liuing body it must needs moue and breathe and if there be a vitall breath then must there needs be a liuing body from which it is breathed And therefore as we may conclude that if there be no father sonne nor body there can be no child beames nor breath so where there is no faith there can be no fruits of obedience seeing these as effects doe arise and spring frō that cause And contrariwise as we may infer that if there be no child beames or breath there can be no father light or body so also that if there be no fruits of obedience in a godly life there can be no faith but onely some shew and shadow of it as a man though wanting a child is like a father the shaddow of the sunne in the water like vnto the sunne in the firmament and a dead carkasse like a liuing body nor yet a godly life Jam. 2. 18 26. and true obedience without faith but some glorious resemblance of it in outward appearance As a fatherlesse boy is like a child who hath a father the lightening hath some similitude of the beames of
that hath a good conscience reioyceth in it when it is alone without the company of any worldly comfort in the greatest solitude it presenteth vnto vs a Theater Nullum Theatrum virtuti conscientiâ maius Cic. Tusc l. 2. of delights And not only in the absence of all worldly good but also in the presence of the greatest worldly euils For he that hath peace with God and peace of conscience reioyceth in tribulatiō as the Apostle speaketh So when the Apostles were beaten for Christs cause their backes were no more loaded Rom. 5 3. Act. 5. 41. with stripes then their hearts lift vp with ioy because they were thought worthy to suffer for him So when Paul and Sylas were imprisoned Act. 16. and their feete in the stockes their ioy was at liberty and the roome that contained them was not able to confine it It accompanieth the Conscia mens recti famae men dacia ridet Ouid. 4. Fast faithfull in all their afflictions and maketh their burthen light which is intolerable to those that want it In their greatest pouertie it is in stead of riches In all their sicknesse it is a comfortable cordiall In the noysome stench of worldly slanders and reproaches it is a sweete oyntment and precious perfume which cheereth and reuiueth their spirits So when Paul was apprehended and arraigned as an hainous malefactor this comfort refreshed him that he had liued with all good conscience before God So when he was pressed out of measure euen vnto death with troubles and Act. 23. 1. persecutions he reioyced in this the testimony of his conscience Yea euen at the day of death when all worldly comforts like false friends forsake 2. Cor. 1. 12. vs or staying with vs doe become like Iobs kinsmen miserable comforters seruing for no vse but to aggrauate our griefes the ioy of conscience triumpheth ouer death it selfe because it is vnto vs but a straight doore thorow which we shall enter into a faire Palace of euerlasting blessednesse Yea it shall cheere our hearts at the day of Iudgement and when they who haue spent their dayes in carnall delights shall droope and desire the hills to fall vpon and couer them the ioy of conscience Apoc. 6. 16. will cause vs to lift vp our heads because the day of our full redemption Luk. 21. 28. Benè sibi conscius falsis non debet moueri conuitijs nec aestimare plus ponderis in alieno esse conuitio quà m in suo testimonio Amb. de offic Nemo plus videtur aestimare virtutem c. quà m qui boni veri famam perdidit ne conscientiam perderet Sen. Epist 72. draweth neere If then wee can finde in our selues this true spirituall ioy that will beare vs vp in all estates and keepe vs aboue water in the greatest stormes of worldly afflictions it is a manifest signe of a good conscience whereas contrariwise if we haue no ioy sauing that which is fed with the fewell of worldly prosperity and is presently extinguished when the water of tribulation is cast vpon it if it leaue vs when we most neede it and will stay on no termes any longer with vs then whilest it may haue the company of health wealth pleasures and preferments friends and fame If we reioyce more in earthly then in spirituall and heauenly things in the name and credit of vertue and grace more then in the things themselues and in the fame more then in the conscience of well-doing and lesse grieue when we haue made shipwracke of conscience then when we are at a losse in the pursuite of glory and esteeme amongst men it is a signe that the conscience is carnall and corrupt sauouring more of the world and earthly vanities then of spirituall grace and the things of God §. Sect. 8 That a good conscience may be known by the integrity and constancie of it Finally a good conscience may be knowne by the integritie and constancy of it For it laboureth to approoue it selfe before God and men in all things and at all times It respects the whole Law of God and sheweth it selfe in euery commandement as well as in any due order and proportion being obserued in the waight and excellencie of euery duty It ioyneth piety and holinesse with honesty and righteousnesse and faith with good workes and so giueth place and precedency to the chiefe duties as that it doth not thrust out of dores the least and meanest with carelesse neglect As we see in the example of Dauid who had respect to all Psal 119. 6. Gods Commandements and of Paul who kept a good conscience in all things So Heb. 13. 18. also a good conscience is knowne by our constancie in holy and righteous duties and may iustly take to it selfe that Motto or word of our late renowned Queene of happy memory Semper eadem It is the same in all places and in all companies at home as well as in the Church alone as in company among the godly and sincere as the godlesse and prophane It changeth vpon no occasion but keepeth a iust and equall tenour in the performance of the duties of holinesse and righteousnesse whether honour 2. Cor. 6. 8. or dishonour good report or euill report gaine or losse prosperity or aduersity attend vpon them Which integrity and constancie if we find in vs it will giue vnto vs this comfortable euidence that wee haue a good conscience But if contrariwise wee share stakes betweene God and the world and in some things like Herod heare and obey his Word willingly and willingly in other things stop our eares and neglecting his reuealed will giue our selues ouer to be ruled by our owne carnall lusts If like ciuill worldlings we onely make conscience of the duties of Iustice and honesty and neglect the duties of Religion and piety or if with hypocrites we are forward in the outward duties of piety and make no conscience of honesty and iust dealing with all men nor of the workes of mercie towards those that are in want and misery and are so wholly for faith that we are nothing for good workes If wee are religious and honest by fits when it will best serue our worldly ends and be Saints in the Church and deuils at home or fit our conuersation to all companies seeming zealous and deuout among them that feare God and cold and carelesse of all Christian duties among the godlesse and wicked wee may hence conclude that our consciences are corrupt and carnall CAP. XVII Of the meanes whereby we may get a good Conscience and preserue it being gotten §. Sect. 1 The first meanes of getting a good conscience is highly to esteeme it NOw when by these signes we haue examined our selues wee shall finde either that we haue a good conscience or that we want it If we haue it not then are we carefully to vse all good meanes whereby we may attaine vnto it but if vpon triall we
Commandement And Iehoshaphat is commended because he sought the Lord God of his father and walked in his commandements which duties if 2. Chro. 17. 4. we ioyne together we shall be blessed according to that of the Psalmist Blessed are they that keepe his Testimonies and that seeke him with their whole heart Psal 119. 2. §. Sect. 8 That we must seeke to haue and hold Gods grace and fauour in Iesus Christ Finally to this duty of seeking God is required that we seeke to haue and to hold his face and fauour in Iesus Christ desiring nothing more in Act. 17. 28. the world then to haue the bright beames of his countenance continually shining vpon vs and to finde and feele the sweete and vitall influences of his fauour warming our hearts with ioy and comfort for in him wee liue and mooue and haue our being and if hee graciously behold vs with the benigne aspect of his mercy and loue we liue and flourish but if hee doe turne away his face we are troubled and if he but blow vpon vs with the Ps 104. 29 30. breath of his displeasure our breath will faile and dying we shall returne to our dust He is the life-giuing Planet and Sunne of all comfort and ioy who by the beames and influences of his fauour both giueth vs life and preserueth vs in our well-being And therefore as the inferiour creatures are much indammaged when in the eclipses of the Sunne they are for a short time depriued of its presence and vitall influences so cannot our soules but receiue much hurt and spirituall detriment if the beames of Gods fauour be for the shortest moment eclipsed from vs. Heereof it is that we are exhorted to seeke the Lord and his face because in him our Psal 105. 4. life and strength vertue and vigour chiefly consisteth Seeke the Lord and Hos 5. 15. Psal 106. 4. his strength seeke his face euermore And therefore no sooner was Dauid mooued to performe this duty but presently he vndertaketh it as being aboue all other things most pleasant and profitable When thou saydest Psal 27. 8. saith he Seeke yee my face my heart said vnto thee Thy face Lord will I Vers 9. seeke And hence it is that if the Lord did neuer so little estrange himselfe he doth so earnestly pray that hee would not hide his face from him and cryeth out as a man vtterly forlorne and forsaken of all hope and comfort My God my God why hast thou forsaken me why art thou so farre Psal 22. 1. from helping me and from the words of my roaring And contrariwise when he inioyed Gods face and fauour he thought himselfe much more happy then in the fruition of all earthly blessings There are many saith he that say Who will shew vs any good Lord lift thou vp the light of thy countenance Psal 4. 6 7. vpon vs. Thou hast put gladnesse in my heart more then in the time that their corne and wine increased Now the meanes whereby we may preserue and assure vnto our selues the face fauour and louing countenance of God is daily to striue and labour after greater perfection in all spirituall graces and in the duties of his seruice as to know him more perfectly to beleeue in him more assuredly to loue him more intirely to feare him more reuerently to trust in him more firmely to hope in him more cheerefully and patiently to call vpon him more deuoutly and feruently to heare his Word more attentiuely and to performe all the duties of piety righteousnesse and sobriety more sincerely and diligently then we did the day before And if we thus labour and indeuour to please God in all things we shall be sure of his fauour and notwithstanding our manifold infirmities he will shine vpon vs with the light of his countenance and graciously accept and be well pleased with vs in the face of his Beloued and our Mat. 3. 17. onely Sauiour Iesus Christ CAP. V. Of the right manner of seeking God so as we may be sure to finde him and of the benefits which arise from it §. Sect. 1 That we must seeke God first and principally seasonably and constantly AND these are the things which are required to this duty of seeking God daily The second point propounded was the Matth. 6. 33. manner how he is to be thus sought of vs. In which respect wee are to seeke him rightly according to the direction of his Word Wherein is required first that we seeke God first and principally that is aboue all things in the world more highly esteeming him in our iudgements more often thinking on him in our meditations more feruently cleauing vnto him in our hearts wils and affections more diligently seeking his grace and fauour in all our actions then the greatest excellencies that heauen or earth can affoord vnto vs. Secondly wee must seeke him first in time and before all other things as men vse to seeke first things chiefly necessary profitable and of greatest value and excellency and when they haue any spare time things of lesse vse vtility or worth as treasures before lumber meanes of life foode apparell liberty and peace before superfluities and such things as serue onely for ornament and delight Thirdly wee must seeke him in the opportune seasonable and acceptable time when he may bee found that is whilst the day of saluation lasteth and whilst yet God offreth vnto vs his grace and fauour and still vouchsafeth vnto vs his holy Ordinances that seeking we may find him in them Yea whilst God biddeth vs seeke his face and euen assoone as the word is come out of his mouth our hearts must answere Thy face O Lord will I seeke So the Lord by his Prophet Psal 27. 8. exhorteth vs Seeke ye the Lord while he may be found and call vpon him while he is neere And the Church and people of God perswade one another Esa 55. 6. Let vs goe speedily to pray before the Lord and to seeke the Lord of hosts and Zach. 8. 21. I will goe also We must seeke the Bridegroome when hee is come into his Garden and inuiteth vs to feast with him in his spirituall delicacies And whilst he knocketh at the dore of our hearts with the finger of his Spirit and calleth vnto vs by the ministery of his Word saying Open vnto mee Cant. 5. 1 2. my sister my loue my doue my vndefiled Wee must not giue him a come-againe nor put him off with slight excuses lest he punish our sloth by withdrawing himselfe and the comforts of his Spirit from vs and because we would not open when he knocked nor answere when hee called he make vs to knocke and call and cry before he will heare vs and to seeke him with sorrow before he will be found of vs that so he may make vs afterwards to esteeme more of his gracious offers and to make more precious account of his comfortable
for our priuate prayer in the morning respecteth the time when it is to bee performed of which though I can giue no necessary rule because all mens occasions and opportunities are not alike yet for the greatest part it is most conuenient that we doe it betimes as soone as we are ready before wee vndertake any worldly businesse and haue our mindes taken vp with any earthly thoughts Because wee shall then bee most free from all incumbrances which may distract vs in this holy exercise and make vs lesse fit to performe it as wee ought as also because if we offer vnto God the first fruits of our thoughts and affections they will sanctifie all our following indeuours and season them so with holinesse that they will become more acceptable vnto God Or if some extraordinary occasion and waighty businesse haue caused vs to deferre it our second care must bee that wee doe not neglect it altogether but sequestring our mindes and affections from all earthly thoughts and wordly imployments wee must take the next and best opportunity which shall bee offered vnto vs and thinke no excuse or businesse so important as may make vs vtterly to omit it §. Sect. 7 Of prayer with the rest of the family The next duty of piety after our priuate prayer is prayer with the rest of the family which is to be performed ordinarily by the master and gouernour who is to be the mouth of the rest to commend them and their suits vnto God For according to the example of the Patriarches and holy men in times past he ought to be not only a gouernour to rule them and a Prophet to teach and instruct them but also a Priest to offer the sacrifice of prayer and thankesgiuing not onely for himselfe but also for all those that are committed to his charge neither ought any man to thinke that he may be exempted from this duty or that in respect of his honour and greatnesse he may be priuiledged from this holy seruice vnto God and as an inferiour duty delegate it to his deputy if he himselfe bee able to performe it but rather with the holy Patriarches to esteeme it an honourable prerogatiue which he will no more put off from himselfe to another then he will the regiment and gouernment of his house and family Much lesse must we thinke it sufficient that wee haue prayed alone or content our selues with our priuate deuotions if we haue others vnder our gouernment and committed to our charge seeing we are to take no lesse care of their soules then of their bodies nor that they serue vs in the duties of their callings then that they serue God in the duties of piety and Christianity without which we can expect no blessing vpon their labors For if Ioshua though a great Captaine and Commander and so greatly imployed both in warres and gouernment would not hereby excuse himselfe but vndertaketh for al in his family that he and his houshold would serue Iosh 24. 25. the Lord if Dauid though a King would not content himselfe with his Psal 101. 3. integrity in the gouernment of the State but voweth also that hee would performe all domesticall duties with a perfect heart And if Salomon though a mighty Monarch in the height of his honour thought himselfe more honoured in being the mouth of the whole people to commend their suits vnto God let not any man thinke himselfe so great that hee is too good to performe this duty But alas the neglect hereof is growne so ancient among honourable personages that it now pleadeth prescription so that these family duties are wholly neglected or else put off from themselues to be performed by a deputy And little hope I haue that my writings and reasons should be so powerfull as to infringe this custome which hath in it almost the strength of a law and reuoke the practice of family duties vnto ancient perfection and yet I thought it fit to speake the truth and leaue the successe to the authour of it neither thought I it conuenient in setting downe the rules of piety that I should fit the straight square to the generall crookednesse of the worke but to leaue it in its perfection that the worke in Gods good time may be reduced vnto it Let therefore all masters of families know that it is their duty which God will require of them not onely to pray by themselues but also to call together all their family and to ioyne with them in this holy exercise vnto which they may be incouraged by Gods gracious promise that where two or three be gathered together in Christs name there hee will be in the Math. 18. 20. midst of them Secondly because by making their house a house of prayer they shall make it a little temple which God will fill with his presence and replenish with his blessings both temporall and spirituall Thirdly because nurturing their children and seruants in the feare of the Lord and exercising them in this duty of Gods seruice they shall make them more faithfull and conscionable in performing all duty and seruice vnto themselues not onely formally and in outward appearance but cheerfully and from the heart Fourthly because it is the chiefe meanes of the preseruation of the whole house and family from sinne and from danger and of deriuing Gods manifold blessings vpon the whole society Lastly because they can no otherwise expect that God will prosper their labours Psal 127. 1 2. to the good of the master and the whole house and family vnlesse they vse the meanes which he hath ordained and obtaine his blessing by their daily prayers without which they shall not thriue in their labours but spend their indeuours and strength in vaine Now for the time of the morning when this duty is to be performed no certaine rule can bee prescribed only this in generall that it be then done when as all or the most of the family may in respect of their common occasions most conueniently assemble together And although it were to be wished that it may be betimes in the morning before they goe about their worldly businesse that they may be free from distraction and sanctifie all their following labours by these good beginnings yet because the imployments are diuers in almost all the members of the family and require that some should goe about them sooner and some later and because it often falleth out that the gouernours by reason of age weaknesse or other infirmities cannot rise so soone as others because they must haue regard to their health therefore if in these respects this time cannot be allotted to this seruice some other which is most conuenient may be chosen which if it can bee no sooner in regard of the common meeting together of the whole household it will be fit that it be done before dinner Of which the lesse inconuenience will follow if euery one in the family and the gouernours for all the rest
much vpon chance and casualty as on the Art and skill of the player the which they thinke cleared by experience in that a bungler playing with a cunning gamester though he get some games yet he is no constant winner but if he continue long at play is almost sure in the end to depart a loser yea let it be granted vnto them either that they are not therefore vnlawfull because prouidence ruleth them which is not abused when we depend vpon it for decision of the least matters but when it is ioyned with irreuerence and prophanenesse or that there is great Art and skill to be vsed in those games that are most casuall without all deceit and imposture which is allowed amongst all gamesters yet can they not deny but that they are lyable to many abuses which are so generally incident vnto them that spend their time in them that they are at least generally of euill report in regard of their common abuse beseeming Christians and dangerous snares in respect of common corruption to intangle vs in many sinnes or else such multitudes would not be inueagled with them as fretting and chafing cursing and swearing repining and murmuring against Gods prouidence when it crosseth their pleasure and doth not giue them such successe as they wish sharpening their tongues like swords against it and wounding it with reproaches vnder the names and as it were thorow the sides of lucke and fortune that they are common theeues which rob men of much precious time because they doe not like other exercises weary them with labour either of body or minde and draw them on with expectation of new variety yea also rob many of their purses and states more then any other recreations For wheras in other games which stand most vpon skill and cunning men being beaten are willing to giue ouer with little losse when they find themselues therein inferiour to those who play with them in these which stand so much vpon hazzard their losses draw them on further and further out of an expectation of the changing of chance and recouery of their losse Now if any will say that they are neuer serious in these sports and can so moderate their passions and affections that they neuer bewray any such infirmities and corruptions and can long play before they burst out into any of these sinnes playing for little which they respect not and only for recreation and hauing such power ouer themselues that they can take vp at pleasure and spend at them as little time as they list To such I answere that if by the arguments which by Diuines are ordinarily brought against them as the abuse of lots and Gods prouidence directing them they are proued simply vnlawfull or if by them they are brought to staggering and doubting whether they be lawfull or no then can they not be lawful vnto them seeing he that playeth doubting offendeth in playing for whatsoeuer is not done of faith is sin though in it owne nature it be indifferent Rom. 14 23. But suppose that vpon thine owne grounds thou art perswaded that such games are allowable then my resolution is that if withall thou hast such rule of thy passions and pleasures that thou canst preserue thy selfe wel enough both from inward fretting and outward fuming from couetous desiring gaine by play and canst also moderate thy selfe in expence of time then it were thy best course to forbeare them altogether and next vnto that to vse them rarely For it is vnto thee a matter of small difficulty and labor seeing he that hath truely such power ouer himselfe that playing at these games he can with ease shun the abuses of them may with much more ease refraine from vsing them euen as it is much better and more safe to auoyd infected places when we are at our choyce then to goe into them presuming vpon our Antidotes and preseruatiues to keepe our selues if we can from danger of being hurt and wounded then to vndertake quarrels trusting to our valour and skill Besides if thou art a man of such excellent temper and moderation it is pitty that so well a composed minde should not bee exercised in better imployments for make the best of these games that thou canst yet are they but of euill report in respect of the daily abuse vnto which they are subiect and though they were lawfull vnto thine owne single selfe yet they may prooue offensiue to others Rom. 14. 15 21. grieuing those who are well affected and condemne these sports to see thee so ill exercised drawing on weakelings to follow thine example who are apt to abuse them wanting thy gouernement and moderation and countenancing and incouraging those who being loose and prophane make these games their ordinary occupation to continue in their course when they can excuse themselues by such patternes and precedents as are vertuous and religious Finally these games which are vnto such multitudes the common causes of so much sinne and euill cannot bee but somewhat dangerous vnto vs. And who that respecteth not his gaine more then his safety will walke aloft vpon a rope with much difficulty and perill when as hee may securely goe vpon the firme ground For hee that loueth danger shall perish in it it being iust Ecclus. 3. 27. vvith God by vvithdrawing his helping hand to let vs catch a fall because wee rush into tentations and take delight to walke in such slippery places CAP. XXII Of diuers Cautions which ought to bee vsed in all our Recreations §. Sect. 1 That recreations must bee vsed with moderation in respect of our loue of them THe next point to be considered in our recreations is the rules and cautions which are to be obserued in the maner of vsing 1. Cor. 10. 31. them The first whereof is this that as much as in vs lyeth wee so compose our mindes and hearts as that wee take our chiefe delight in those which most tend to Gods glory and the furthering of our owne saluation In which respect it were much to be desired that we were so heauenly-minded and so weaned from worldly vanities as that wee could take our chiefe pleasure in holy duties and esteeme it our meate and drinke to doe the will of our heauenly Father recreating Ioh. 4. 34. our mindes like the Saints and Angels in heauen in glorifying God by singing of his praises holy conferences tending to mutuall edification and stirring vp one another to performe seruice vnto God with all cheerefulnesse and delight Or if we cannot being clogged with the flesh attaine vnto this perfection our next care must bee that wee delight our selues in things indifferent with such lawfull and lawdable recreations as that we may in all things and euen in our sports haue with the Apostle a good conscience willing to liue honestly Secondly because in nothing more Heb. 13. 18. then in recreation we are apt to forget ouershoote our selues by taking vnto vs an excesse and
buyer and when hee is gone away Pro. 20. 14. then hee boasteth of his bargaine So those who offer much vnder that iust value of the wares which their owne iudgement doth set vpon them whereby the seller is driuen to aske much aboue that so hee falling as the other riseth like the Scales which interchangeably tossing vp and dovvne stand at last in their due equipoyse hee may bring the price to some indifferencie all which vaine-spent time and labour might vvell haue beene saued many idle words spared and diuers abuses shunned and auoyded if on both sides they had vsed Christian simplicitie Finally the buyer much offendeth vvhen hauing agreed vpon the price and comming to pay it hee giueth not vnto the seller his full due but either wittingly misreckoneth him in the summe or tendreth vnto him in stead of currant and lawfull money slippes and base coyne vvashed clipped and light gold or pieces of lesse value oftentimes for those of greater vvhich through ouer-sight by reason of their likenesse may very easily bee mistaken the one for the other §. Sect. 7 How to auoid the faults commonly coÌ„mitted betweene buyers and sellers All which faults among buyers and sellers which so intolerably raigne in these times would easily bee auoyded if as wee professe wee would preferre Iustice and charity before deceit and selfe-loue and accordingly would labour to mortifie the one as hurtfull and pernicious and magnifie the other as most excellent and profitable both for the setting foorth of Gods glory and the furthering and assuring of our owne saluation If wee would but consider that God is present and beholdeth all our dealings and will one day as a righteous Iudge call them to account to reward them if they bee vpright and iust or to punish 1. Thes 4. 6. them if they bee wicked and deceitfull If finally when wee come to summe vp our gettings in our Trades at the yeeres end wee would put all our gaines in the one Scale and our soules which wee haue hazzarded to euerlasting losse by our vniust vntrue and deceitfull dealing into the other and consider how light they bee in comparison of it which as our Sauiour hath taught vs cannot bee counterpoysed by the Mark 8. 36. waight and worth of the whole world And so much concerning our dealings with one another in contracts and bargaynes the which I thought necessary to bee in some briefe manner handled in this Treatise because all Christians almost are often imployed in them and many whose callings consist in trading doe spend the most part of their liues in it As also because the corruptions of the times are so many and grieuous so backed with the multitude and countenanced with custome that they are scarce thought to bee any sinnes insomuch as many which otherwise feare God are often ouertaken with them either through ignorance walking according to the common course for want of better direction or being compelled as they suppose with vrgent necessitie to doe as others doe because there being so few which doe as they should and such multitudes which vse fraud and deceit if they should in their trading and dealings vse truth and iustice simplicity and honest plainenesse they should as the Prophet complaineth of his times become Esa 59. 15. a prey vnto others and bee exposed to the common spoile The which danger would in great part bee auoyded if men could liue by faith and cast themselues vpon Gods prouidence in the vse of lawfull meanes seeing hee neuer faileth them that trust in him And also if there were a generall reformation of these abuses and corruptions among them that sincerely professe Religion and truely feare God which might easily bee done without any danger to their estates seeing what is wanting in ill-gotten gaines would bee abundantly supplyed by the greatnesse of their custome for who that is wise would goe ordinarily to others where hee is likely to be deceiued when as hee may trade with them from whom he may assuredly expect honest and plaine dealing And so much concerning those duties of Christian conuersation which are to bee obserued in all companies and societies CAP. XXXI That Gouernours of families ought to traine vp those which are vnder their charge in the duties of godlinesse §. Sect. 1 That it is not enough for gouernours to be themselues religious but they must also traine vp those which are vnder their gouernment in the knowledge and practice of Religion THe next duties belonging vnto a godly life are such as a Christian ought to performe in his family all which may generally bee referred to this mayne duty that hee not onely duly and diligently serue God himselfe but also teach those who are vnder his charge to ioyne with him and not onely by instruction shew them the right way but also by wise and religious gouernement guiding and training them vp in the feare of the Lord hee must cause them to accompany him and to put in practice the holy duties of Gods seruice in which he hath informed them Neither is it sufficient that gouernours of families be good Christians in their owne particular and personall carriage but according to that place wherein God hath set them and that vocation whereunto they are called they ought to be Christian gouernours and not onely fight the Lords battels as common Souldiers but as wise and valiant Captaines they must leade on those which are vnder their charge and see that they in their places performe good seruice to our grand Emperour and chiefe Commander the Lord of Hosts as well as they And as Stewards and Bayliffes vnder our great Lord and Master they must appoint their children and seruants vnto their taske and see also that they performe it And thus Ioshuah as a gouernour of the Common-wealth instructed the whole congregation in the Law of Ios 8. â—5 24. 15. God with the women little ones and the strangers that were conuersant amongst them And as a master of a family vndertaketh not onely for himselfe but also for his whole houshold that hee with them would serue the Lord. And as Dauids care extended to the wise and religious gouernement of the whole Common-wealth as their King and Soueraigne so he thought these high and waighty imployments no priuiledge to exempt him from performing his speciall duty as a Master in the well ordering of his family And therefore he professeth that hee would walke within his house with Psal 101. a perfect heart neither nourishing wickednesse in himselfe nor induring it in any of his seruants And that hee would driue out and expulse vngodly men out of his family and setting his eyes vpon the faithfull of the land and such as walked in a perfect way as his speciall fauourites he would make choice of them for his houshold seruants Yea vertuous Hester Hest 4. 16. though a Queene matched with an idolatrous King and vnder an heathenish gouernement not onely her selfe diligently
the office of an accuser then of a Iudge and lastly of a mediatour to craue pardon and sometime find out thy selfe For hee willingly erreth who knoweth not his errour and too much loueth himselfe who will haue others erre that his errour may lye hid By which exercise wee should receiue singular profit For hereby wee should preserue our soules and hearts in a thriuing estate when wee doe like wise Merchants and shopkeepers examine them and search ouer our consciences as it were our bookes of accounts to see whether wee haue gayned or lost in our spirituall trading by examining what wee haue receiued and what we haue layd out which if we would doe we should not easily be cast behind hand when as we preuent our errours and vse meanes to repaire our losses in their first beginnings nor as many are be bankrupted in our estates at vnawares for want of care to examine them Wee should sleepe much more sweetely and securely when as we haue so composed and set straight our reckonings as that wee neede not to feare though the great Iudge should before morning call vs to an account In which regard the same Author commendeth this exercize The minde saith he is daily to be called to an account Sextius vsed at the end of the day and when he retired himselfe to rest to examine his minde What euill of thine hast thou cured What vice hast thou withstood in what art thou better that anger will cease or be more moderate which knoweth that it shall not escape the censure of an vnpartiall Iudge What therefore is more excellent Quid pulchrius hac consucâ—udine excutiendi totam diem c Sâ—neâ— de ira lib. 3. cap. 36. then this custome of examining euery day How sweete is that sleepe which followeth the reuiew of our selues How quiet sound and free when the minde is commended or admonished and as a watchman and secret censurer of it selfe doth iudge of it owne manners We should also preserue our hearts in their purity and soundnesse if not from all infirmities and corruptions yet at least from deepe putrifaction and the festering sores of sinne when as we cure the wounds being yet greene and cast out sinne by repeetance as soone as it is first entred not suffering it to lodge and sleep with vs no not one night We should hereby keepe our spirituall state well settled so as it would not easily be shaken or at least ouerthrowne with the assaults of the enemies of our saluation when as we constantly looke to our Christian Armour and watching ouer our hearts as our chiefe forts repaire the breaches as soone as they are made Finally wee shall preuent carnall security and hardnesse of heart when wee examine our selues daily and bee better fitted and prepared for the day of death and Iudgement when as wee keepe our accounts euen and haue our bookes of reckonings betweene God and our consciences made vp and in continuall readinesse For he may soone cleare his accounts with his Master at the yeeres end who like a faithfull and diligent Factor doth make all reckonings straight at the end of euery day §. Sect. 5 Meditations at our first lying downe Besides this examination there are also other Meditations very profitable as to call to our remembrance Gods manifold blessings and benefits bestowed vpon vs the day past respecting our soules bodies and states in that he hath preseru'd vs from innumerable euils with which many others haue beene ouertaken for continuing vnto vs still the acceptable time and day of saluation and suffering vs with so much patience to continue in this life that we may make our calling and election sure notwithstanding our manifold and grieuous sinnes for giuing vnto vs some poore desires and indeuours to doe him seruice and to accept of it in Christ though in it selfe full of wants and imperfections Especially if we haue in any measure performed the former duties of the daily exercise we must not forget to render vnto God the praise and glory due vnto him for it by the gracious assistance of whose holy Spirit we who of our selues are not able so much as to thinke a good thought haue beene inabled vnto them So likewise it is requisite that at our lying downe we call our sinnes to our remembrance the duties which wee haue omitted or corruptly performed and the vices which we haue committed and though through Gods mercy wee haue beene preserued from grosser sinnes yet wee must not thinke our selues so excused but call to minde our frailties and infirmities for which God in his righteous iudgement might condemne vs. Our sloth and backwardnesse to good duties our coldnesse wearinesse and many distractions in Gods seruice our excesse in mirth or sorrow the neglect of our Christian watch ouer our thoughts senses words and workes our idlenesse or vnprofitablenesse pride selfe-loue vniust anger sinister conceits and vniust censures of our neighbours and such like In the sight and sense whereof we must truely humble our soules before God by vnfained repentance and earnestly begge in Christs Name mercy and forgiuenesse Finally it is profitable then to remember our mortality and mutability death and Iudgement that we who now goe well to bed may shortly bee cast vpon the bed of sickenesse and we that now liue may within a while be imprisoned vnder the arrest of death yea let vs not looke vpon it as a thing farre off but approching at the threshold and ready to knocke at Luk. 12. 19 20. the doore and thinke that this very night as well as another may bee the time when God by sicknesse and death will summon vs to appeare before his Tribunall And if in respect of thy health and strength this seemeth vnlikely Cuiuis potest accidere quod cuiquam potest Sen. consider that it hath beene the case of many before thee and that which befalleth any may happen to all In which regard let vs not dare to sleepe till through Christ we are at peace with God haue made our accounts euen by pleading Christs satisfaction and full payment and haue our pardon in our hands to shew sealed to all the faithfull with his blood and to vs in particular by his holy Spirit and a liuely faith applying the fruit and benefit of his death vnto vs. And then resigning our soules and bodies into the hands of him who is a faithfull Sauiour and able to keepe safe whatsoeuer is intrusted vnto him we may with Dauid lying downe in 2. Tim. 1. 12. Psal 4. 8. peace take our rest because it is he onely that maketh vs dwell in safety §. Sect. 6 Duties to bee done in the night And first Prayer and Thanksgiuing In the night also there are other duties to bee performed for euen then we must seeke the Lord according to the example of the Church which Esa 26. 9. Cant. 3. 1. Psal 119. 55. professeth that with her soule shee desired the Lord in the night
and that with her Spirit within her shee would seeke him early So the Spouse in the Canticles By night on my bed I sought him whom my soule loueth And the Prophet Dauid was careful euen in the night to approoue himselfe vnto God by performing these religious exercises I haue saith he remembred thy Name O Lord in the night and haue kept thy Law And this the Lord requireth of vs as being Lord both of night and day according to that of the Psalmist The day is thine and the night also is thine And will be serued as Psal 74. 16. Infoelix tota quicunque quiescere nocte sustinet somnos praemia magna vocat Ouid. Amor. El. 9. with our whole hearts so with our whole time seeing he is the God of our saluation who day and night preserueth vs and multiplyeth his blessings vpon vs whereby he incourageth vs to doe him seruice Yea euen in the night the Lord goeth in his visitation to see how wee carry our selues and will call vs to account either to reward vs if we doe well or to punish vs if wee neglect our dutie as Dauid sheweth by his owne experience Thou hast prooued my heart saith he thou hast visited mee in the night thou hast Psal 17. 3. tryed me and shalt finde nothing And therefore wee must in the night approoue our hearts and actions vnto him and not thinke that the darkenesse giueth vs any priuiledge to doe the workes of darkenesse seeing as the Psalmist speaketh The darkenesse hideth not from him but the night shineth as the day the darkenesse and the light are both alike to him Now the Psal 139. 12. duties of the night doe consist chiefly in Prayer and Meditation For when wee awake out of sleepe we must not suffer our mindes to roue after worldly vanities nor our hearts to be fixed vpon them but as wee are to esteeme the Lord and spirituall and heauenly things our chiefe treasure so our hearts and minds at our first awaking must be exercised about them as their chiefe ioy and comfort And first we must lift them vp vnto God in prayer according to the example of holy Dauid who professeth that in the night his song should be with him and his prayer vnto the God of his life Psal 42. 8. And againe O Lord God of my saluation I haue cried day and night before Psal 88. 1. thee The which is chiefly to be done when the hand of God is heauy vpon vs by some grieuous affliction because then being freed from all worldly distractions we may with greatest zeale and feruency of Spirit powre foorth our soules before God for helpe and deliuerance And thus Dauid in his great extremity calleth vpon God day and night O my God saith he I cry in the day time but thou hearest not and in the night season I am not silent Psal 22. 2. So the afflicted Church and people of God in their heart cryed vnto the Lord O wall of the daughter of Sion let teares runne downe like a riuer day Lam. 2. 18 19. and night giue thy selfe no rest let not the apple of thine eyes cease Arise cry out in the night in the beginning of the watches powre out thine heart like water before the face of the Lord lift vp thine hands towards him for the life of the yong children that faint for hunger in the top of euery streete And our Sauiour Christ himselfe in his bitter agonie made choyce of the night as Luk. 22. 44. the fittest time for those powerfull and effectuall prayers which hee made for himselfe and his Church vnto God his Father Whereby wee learne that when we haue suits of great importance which wee would sollicite with all earnestnesse and importunity the night is a fit time to commend them vnto God in our feruent prayers Yea euen at ordinary times if there be any speciall suite which we would make vnto God either for the assistance of his holy Spirit for the mortifying of some strong corruption which cleaueth vnto vs or the pardon of any sinne which hath lately wounded our consciences or for the obtaining of some speciall grace wherein we finde our selues most defectiue or for deliuerance from some imminent danger it is most profitable that at our first waking we presently pitch vpon them and in some short Prayer and earnest desire of the heart offer vp our suites vnto God in the mediation of Iesus Christ And as we are thus in the night to pray for the things we want so also ought we to praise and giue thankes vnto God for his gifts and blessings already receiued according to the example of Dauid who did not content himselfe to shew foorth Gods louing kindnesse in the morning but also his faithfulnesse Psal 92. 2. in the night The which duty vpon extraordinary occasions must be extraordinarily performed and in some set and solemne manner as when our hearts are rauished with the apprehension of Gods mercy and bounty after the receiuing of some speciall and singular benefit as we see also in Dauids practice who at midnight did rise to giue thankes vnto the Lord as Psal 119. 62. he professeth The which his night-songs as they were his solace in the time of his flourishing prosperity so the remembrance of them were his chiefe comfort in his deepest distresse as being infallible signes of Gods loue and his owne integrity For when his afflictions both of body and mind were so great that he had no manner of consolation in his present sense and feeling he calleth to remembrance his songs in the night and the sweet visitations of Gods holy Spirit in these spirituall exercises Psal 77. 6. Which example let vs learne to imitate and if no other occasion come presently to our minds yet at least let vs when we awake lift vp our soules vnto God praising him for his gracious preseruation hitherto and our quiet rest and commending our soules and bodies into his gracious protection for the rest of the night desiring the continuance of his fauour for our preseruation and of our quiet sleepe for the refreshing and strengthening of our fraile and weake bodies §. Sect. 7 Meditations fit for the night The other duty is meditation in which we are to exercise our mindes after an holy and religious manner when wee cannot or list not to sleepe and not suffer them to range and roue after idle or hurtfull vanities which will not bring vnto vs any profit The subiect matter of which our meditation may be diuers according to our seueral occasions and estates As first and principally we must call God to our remembrance and meditate on his sauing attributes his infinite loue mercy goodnesse and bounty towards vs wherein holy Dauid tooke singular comfort and delight My soule saith he shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatnesse and my Psal 63. 6. mouth shall praise thee with ioyfull lips when I remember
rest compose our selues to sleepe in such a Christian and holy manner by prayer and meditation that euen as much as may be our imaginations and dreames may retaine some rellish and sauour of our former religious exercises Where by the way wee may note that as the Christian Sabbath is to begin at the dawning of the day because it was instituted in remembrance of Christs Resurrection who was that Sunne of righteousnes who brought light and life vnto vs by performing and finishing that great worke of our Redemption and not ouer-night like the Iewes Sabbath which was ordained to put them in mind of the worke of Creation and the rather because it was fit that there should vpon these diuers reasons be a difference betweene their Sabbath and ours so also it is to continue to the dawning of the next day as wee haue formerly shewed by Pauls example §. Sect. 2 That we must rest from our owne workes on the Lords Day And thus we see the time of the Lords Day how long it is to continue now we are to speake of the duties which ought to be performed in it And these are all comprized in these two things first in obseruing a Rest and secondly in keeping it holy or in sanctifying this Rest vnto Gods seruice The Rest consisteth in the forbearing or not doing of our owne workes but onely in cases of necessity and when the sanctification of the Lords Day requireth them as duties tending to the aduancing of Gods seruice or such workes of mercy and Christian charity as belong to this Day as the study and paines of the Minister the trauell of the people to places of diuine worship visiting and helping of the sicke and distressed confounding of contentions and making peace betweene neighbours feeding and tending of cattell and such like Where by our owne workes I vnderstand all our thoughts words and actions which simply or chiefly tend to our owne profit or pleasure As first the workes of our callings Exod. 31. 15. of all kinds whatsoeuer as all workes of husbandry euen in the time of haruest buying and selling carrying of burthens trauelling and such like Secondly all kinds of recreations which are not necessary for the preseruing of health and life and tend not to the better fitting and inabling of vs for religious duties but to sensuall and carnall delight Of which sort are walking abroad that we may take the ayre or that wee may conferre one with another or meditate on the creatures some bodily exercise in course of physicke to refresh the body and in some cases musicke not onely vocall by singing of Psalmes which is a duty of the Sabbath but also on instruments when as it is vsed not for carnall and sensuall delight but to refresh our spirits and quicken our dull and drowzie hearts and minds that they may with more cheerefulnesse returne vnto the performance of religious and holy duties in which cases there may at some times be the same vse of these recreations so they be in moderation in an holy manner and to these ends which is of physicke meates and drinkes But from all other recreations which tend onely to carnall and sensuall delight we must wholly abstaine first because the Lord expressely forbiddeth vs to doe our owne pleasure on his holy Day and contrariwise commandeth vs to call his Sabbath our delight Esa 58. 13. the holy of the Lord honourable and that we should honour him nor doing our owne wayes nor finding our owne pleasures nor speaking our owne words Secondly because they are our owne workes from all kindes whereof Gods Commandement restraineth vs that wee may bee wholly deuoted to the seruice of God and the meanes which inable vs thereunto yea they may in some sort be called more our owne workes then the workes of our callings because these are more expressely commanded and are ordinarily more necessary and more directly tend to Gods seruice then the other for it is possible to liue and serue God without these recreations but not vnlesse we walke in the duties of our callings And therefore if these bee forbidden on the Lords Day then much more the other which are of lesse vse and necessity Finally because these worldly recreations doe more dangerously and cunningly winde into our hearts steale them away from holy duties and distract vs in Gods seruice then the duties of our callings the workes and labours whereof we doe not loue for themselues but onely as they are meanes of deriuing pleasure or profit vnto vs whereas we loue these sensuall pleasures for themselues and oftentimes so dote vpon them that we neglect our worldly profit yea the seruice of God it selfe and the eternall saluation of our soules that we may inioy them §. Sect. 3 That on the Lords Day we must abstaine from carnall recreations Now if any obiect that to depriue vs of these recreations is to take away all the ioy and comfort of our liues to this I answere that it is an obiection which altogether misbeseemeth a Christian For howsoeuer Infidels and carnall worldlings may reioyce chiefly in them as hauing no greater cause of ioy and comfort yet it ought not to bee so with the faithfull who should chiefly reioyce in the Lord and in the pledges and testimonies of his loue and fauour in their Communion with him who is their Phil. 4. 4. summum bonum and chiefe happinesse and the visible signes of his gracious presence vnto which spirituall ioy Dauid exhorteth Delight thy Psal 37. 4. selfe in the Lord and he shall giue the desires of thine heart Of which he in many places propoundeth himselfe as an example for our imitation Secondly if we be spiritually and not carnally and worldly-minded we may make the Lords Day it selfe our delight as he requireth which if we Esa 58. 13 14. doe then we shall indeed finde sweete delight in the Lord. For what greater delight can there bee to a Christian then to praise God by singing of Psalmes who hath beene so good and gracious vnto vs then to heare the Word whereby God assureth vs of his fauour and of the pardon of our sinnes and receiue the Sacrament whereby it is sealed and assured vnto vs then to feast our soules at this spirituall banket and afterwards meditate on and peruse our spirituall euidences whereby the assurance of heauenly happinesse is conuayed vnto vs then to be assured that wee are redeemed out of the hands of all our spirituall enemies and restored to the glorious liberty of the Sonnes of God then to solace our selues in the sweete society of Christ our Bridegroome in his Banketing-house and to be stayed and comforted with his flagons of wine apples and kinde imbracements Cant. 2. 4 5 6. which spirituall ioyes if we rellish not what doth it but argue a carnall taste and appetite which we ought to bewaile and mortifie and not feede and cherish it with vaine sports and worldly recreations
that we know the furnishing of our soules with sanctifying and sauing graces and bringing foorth the fruits of them in the whole course of our liues the making of our calling and election sure and getting into our owne custody the assured euidences of our saluation that if we be wise wee will thinke all too little for these vses and finde none to spare for idle and vaine exercises Let vs consider that the time which is spent in the pleasures of sinne and pursuing of worldly vanities brings for the present no true profit or sound and solid comfort and ending at the best in late repentance leaueth nothing behinde it but griefe and vexation of spirit That now is the acceptable time and day of saluation which wee were best presently to take hold of if wee loue our owne soules because wee know not how soone it will bee past and withall that when it is gone it can by no possible meanes bee recouered That our momentany and vncertaine time being well spent shall bee rewarded with infinite and eternall happinesse but being idlely and vnprofitably wasted shall bring vpon vs euerlasting woe and misery Finally that in this short time heauenly happinesse is either wonne or lost which shall continue beyond all times and that damnation and hellish torments most intolerable and endlesse are either escaped or else procured and sealed vp vnto vs. §. Sect. 2 That we must not stay for occasions of Christian duties but seeke for them before they offer themselues The second rule is that we doe not stay for occasions and opportunities of performing the Christian duties of a godly life but that wee seeke for them earnestly before they offer themselues and carefully take hold of them when we haue found them Concerning the former we are with our longing desires to preuent the occasions of well-doing before they are offered and vse all our best indeuours to finde them out when they seeme to lye hid and to pursue them with all our speed when they seeme to flee from vs. Heerein imitate we the practice of worldlings who hauing set their hearts vpon earthly things doe not sluggishly stand still till they bee put into their mouthes but with all vigilancie and diligence spie out all opportunities whereby they may atchieue their ends and become rich Psal 111. 10. Pro. 1. 7. Pro. 16. 16. Pro. 8. 12. Iob 28. 15. Pro. 2. 4. and honourable in the world And seeing spirituall and heauenly wisedome which chiefly consisteth in true godlinesse is much better then riches and worldly honours according to that of the Wiseman How much better is it to get wisedome then gold and of greater price and more to be desired then precious stones or any worldly thing besides therefore we must seeke it as siluer and search for it as for hid treasures and being as Pro. 4. 7. Eccle. 12. 13. he teacheth vs the principall thing and chiefe end of all we must labour to get it with all our gettings that is make it our chiefe businesse to attaine vnto it according to the example of the wise Merchant who hauing by Matth. 13. 44. diligent search found the hid treasure neuer resteth till he hath made himselfe owner of it and gotten it sure in his owne possession Neither is it sufficient with all diligence to seeke for all opportunities of godlinesse but when we haue found them we must with all speed lay hold of them and not suffer them to slip from vs through our carelesse delayes And first when God offereth vnto vs opportunity and meanes of seruing him in the duties of a godly life calling and exhorting vs vnto them in the Ministery of his Word and incouraging to imbrace them by offering vnto vs the gracious assistance of his holy Spirit we must in this very day hearken vnto his voyce and not harden our hearts when he inuiteth vs to his Supper wee Psal 95. 7 7. Luke 14. 16. must not pretend excuses and put him off with delayes and whilest hee knocketh at the dore of our hearts by the sound of his Word and finger of his Spirit we must open vnto him that hee may come in and feast vs Apoc. 3. 20. with a banquet of his spirituall graces Whilest hee calleth vs to repentance Act. 17. 30. 2. Cor. 6. 2. and offreth vnto vs the meanes which formerly haue beene denyed let vs hearken and turne vnto him whilest the acceptable time and day of saluation lasteth For it is but a day and nor an age and when the Sunne-shine of the Gospel setteth and the night of ignorance and superstition commeth there will be no time of working Now our Bridegroome calleth and knocketh and if we open vnto him we shall solace our selues in Cant. 5. 2 3 4. our sweete communion with him and the fruition of his loue But if with the sluggish Spouse we pretend excuses and will not let him in hee will withdraw himselfe and then we may long seeke him before we shall find him Now wisedome cryeth out vnto vs in our streets and happy are we Pro. 1. 24. 25 26 27 28. if we hearken to her voyce for if wee now stop our eares to her call wee shall in the day of our affliction cry and call and not be heard as the Lord Zach. 7. 11 12. threatneth §. Sect. 3 That we must set our selues most seriously about Christian duties whē wee finde our selues best prepared and fitted for them Secondly when we finde our selues best fitted and prepared for the performing of holy and religious duties the Spirit of God disposing vs vnto them by inlarging our hearts and inflaming vs with the loue of spirituall exercises by the sweet taste and comfortable feelings which wee finde in them we are not to let slip this opportunity but entertaining these good motions and nourishing in vs these spirituall inclinations we must set our selues seriously about them As when the Lord calleth vs in the Ministery of the Word and thereby awakeneth vs out of the sleepe of sinne we must be ready to say with Samuel Speake Lord for thy seruant heareth When 1. Sam. 3. 10. the Lord boreth the eare and openeth our hearts we must with Lydia attend Act. 16. 14 15. vnto the things that are spoken imbrace them by faith and bring foorth the fruits of it in the workes of loue When he powreth vpon vs the spirit Zach. 12. 10 12 13. of grace and supplication we must retire our selues a-part into our Closets and powre forth our soules and suites before him by feruent prayer When our hearts like Dauids are with meditating vpon Gods manifold mercies and the sweete taste of his inestimable benefits duly prepared wee must not lose this opportunity by delayes but presently with him sing and Psal 108. 1. giue praise When God hath giuen vnto vs ability to performe spirituall duties whereby we may mutually further the saluation of one another and put also some
in our want of wisedome and prouidence that wee doe not rightly dispose of them and allot to all sorts of duties their seasonable times or in our worldlinesse and immoderate loue of earthly things which maketh vs thinke all time lost that is not spent about them and that we are quite vndone if but a little while we intermit our diligence in seeking of them For God by one Commandement doth not crosse another nor bringeth vs into such straits but that we may if it be not our owne fault haue seasonable time of yeelding our obedience to them all Hee would haue vs looke to our state and prouide for our families but he would not haue vs so immoderate in our care and labour that we should mind nothing else and haue no leisure for religious duties seeing hee is both able and willing to prouide all necessaries for vs and them if casting our care vpon him and relying vpon his prouidence wee set apart seasonable time for both And therefore he would not exempt Ioshua though as a man would Iosh 1. 8. thinke wholly taken vp in the warres and in the gouernment of a mighty people from spending some good part of his time in this duty of meditation And we see that Dauid himselfe though wonderfully imployed in warre and peace the gouernment of a whole Kingdome and the care of his owne family did yet much exercise himselfe in this religious duty Yet say which we ought not to doe that our worldly businesse must haue the precedence if wee would not haue it appeare to be a false friuolous and carnall pretence deuised of purpose to hide our vtter neglect and contempt of religious duties let vs at least allot vnto them some of that time which we can spare from our worldly and necessary imployments and set our selues about this exercise when our businesse is ouer Or suppose they will take vp the whole day let vs allot to this vse some small part of the night and make bold to borrow some little time from our sleepe that we may not by the vtter neglect of this duty sleep in sin and so much intend the refreshing of our bodies as that we suffer our soules to droope and languish by with-holding from them their spirituall food and the comfort of their communion and secret conferences with God For if wicked men are so vigilant and diligent in plotting and performing euill towards others and themselues that they are content to allot the time of their rest to labour in these workes of darknesse and as Dauid saith of them deuise mischiefe vpon their bed Yea if their minds bee so intentiue Psal 36. 4. and their hearts so wholly set vpon it that vnlesse they haue deuised or executed some mischieuous designe their sleepe departeth from Prou. 4. 16. them as Salomon speaketh how much rather should wee bee willing to spare some time from our sleepe that we may spend it in some such holy and heauenly meditations as may inrich vs with spirituall grace inable vs to Gods seruice and helpe vs forward in the way of saluation Finally suppose that we are so wholly diuided betweene businesse and sleepe that neither night nor day we can finde any time for this holy exercise yet we haue no colour of excuse if wee doe not set apart some time vpon the Lords Day which may be spared from publike duties in the Congregation and priuate with our families to be spent in meditations seeing then in what state soeuer we be whether bound or free Masters or seruants rich or poore we cannot reasonably pretend any such excuses of distraction by our worldly businesse all which we are bound to set apart and to consecrate our selues wholly our actions words and secret thoughts to the seruice of God and to vse all good meanes which may inrich vs with grace and further our saluation and this especially among the rest for though our case and state may be such that wee are necessarily restrained from Gods publike seruice in his holy assemblies as we see in the example of Dauid and of captiues and prisoners the sicke and seafaring men and Psal 42. 1 2. and 84. 1 2 3. some seruants yet all men and in all conditions may on this day spend some time in holy meditations vpon some things which they haue obserued out of Gods Word or workes As for that last pretence of wanting a fit and priuate place for meditation by reason that we are straitened in our dwellings and haue alwayes some with vs in the same roome who would hinder vs in this exercise it is of so small waight that it is scarce worth the answering For there is no man that earnestly desireth to performe this duty who may not at one time or other find some conuenient place for the doing of it For if hee haue no roome in the house he may with Isaac walke abroad into the fields or if dwelling in the City he be debarred of this priuiledge hee may as Dauid exhorteth commune Psal 4. 4. with his owne heart vpon his bed and be still of which his precept hee propoundeth himselfe for an example in diuers places of the Psalmes wherein as thinking the day too short or too much taken vp with other imployments he professeth that he spent also some part of the night in diuine meditations And so much concerning the reasons which may mooue vs to this exercise and the impediments which hinder vs from vndertaking and performing it CAP. XVII Of the circumstances of Meditation as the place time and gesture of the body §. Sect. 1 Of the place of meditation IN the doctrine of meditation which is the next poynt to be handled according to that order which I before propounded I will intreat first of the circumstances of this duty and then of the substantiall parts of it The circumstances are either the subiect place or the adiuncts which either respect the time of it or the disposition and gesture of him that meditateth The place ought to be priuate that being solitary and alone wee may be free from outward distractions which would hinder vs in this exercise and that being wholly sequestred both in mind and body from all worldly impediments we may intirely and seriously deuote our selues to the seruice of God in the performing of this duty And thus Isaac when hee would meditate walked solitarily in the field our Sauiour retired himselfe sometime to the Desart sometime to the Mount of Oliues Dauid meditated Psal 4. 4. Dan. 8. 2. Act. 10. vpon his bed Daniel in his chamber and by the riuer of Vlai Peter vpon the house top So that there is no place limited to this exercise seeing God is present euery where and will be found in all places alike if we seeke him with deuout and holy hearts And therefore it is not much materiall whether we meditate either vpon our bed in the morning euening or in the night watches or in
all lawfull things might command him and had power to reward him if he condescended to her desire and to bring him into much trouble and danger if he gaue her a repulse and had also the opportunity of secrecie which freed him from shame and punishment yet resisted the tentation by this alone consideration that he should hereby grieuously sinne against Gen. 39. 9. God who was a beholder of all his actions Whereas on the other side nothing doth make men sinne more boldly and securely then when hauing put God out of their sight they imagine they are out of his and that he eyther seeth or regardeth not their workes of wickednesse Thus the eye of the adulterer waiteth for the twy-light saying No eye shall see mee Iob 24. 15. And wicked men thus incourage themselues in their wickednesse saying How doth God know can he iudge thorow the darke cloud Thicke cloudes are Iob 22. 13 14. a couering to him that he seeth not and he walketh in the circuit of heauen So the Psalmist saith that the mighty men of the world hearten themselues on in their oppressions breaking in pieces Gods people and afflicting his heritage Psal 94. 5 6 7. slaying the widdow and stranger and murthering the fatherlesse saying The Lord shall not see neither shal the God of Iacob regard it And hauing complained that the proud and violent had risen against him and sought to destroy his innocent soule he rendreth this as the reason of it Because they Psal 86. 14. and 10. 4 5. had not set God before them §. Sect. 3 That the consideration of Gods presence would effectually moue vs vnto all good duties And as this consideration that God is present and beholdeth all our actions powerfully restraineth vs from all sinne so doth it effectually moue vs vnto all good duties of his seruice For if it be a strong motiue to make a subiect diligent and cheerfull in doing the will of his Soueraigne who is able to preferre him and bountifull to reward him when he taketh notice of his paines and is an eye-witnesse of all his seruice and if a souldier will fight valiantly and hazard himselfe to all dangers when the eye of his Generall is vpon him then much more would wee spare for no paines in performing the duties of Gods seruice and in fighting his battels against the spirituall enemies of our saluation if wee alwayes remembred that the eye of our supreme Soueraigne and chiefe Commander were still vpon vs who is infinitely able and no lesse willing to preferre and reward vs for our well-doing And this argument Dauid vseth to stirre vp himselfe vnto all good duties I haue kept saith hee thy Psal 119. 168. precepts and thy testimonies for all my waies are before thee Yea this consideration will preserue vs from all hypocrisie and cold formality in Gods seruice and make vs to performe all good duties in a good manner with integrity and vprightnesse of heart Because the Lord beholdeth not only our outward actions but also our secret intentions and as hee chiefly requireth that we should giue him our hearts and worship him in spirit and truth so doth he take speciall notice whether we doe so or no. And this argument the Lord himselfe vseth to perswade Abraham to vprightnesse because he was euer before him Walke before me saith hee and bee Gen. 17. 1. vpright And Dauid walked in his integrity because he knew that he was to Psal 26. 1 2. be iudged and examined not by men but by God who would try not onely his outward actions but also his reynes and his heart And the same motiue he vseth to perswade his sonne Salomon to serue the Lord with an vpright 1. Chron. 28. 9. heart and a willing mind because he searcheth all hearts and vnderstandeth all the imaginations of the thoughts And finally this moued Cornelius to heare Act. 10. 33. the Word of God with all feare and reuerence because they were all in Gods presence and the Apostle to preach it purely and not deceitfully as 2. Cor. 2. 17. though he would make Merchandize of it but in all sincerity because as it was the Word of God and not of man which he preached so hee did speake it in Christ as in Gods sight and presence And surely if when wee set our selues to serue God we did duely consider that his piercing eye did behold our hearts and thoughts as well as our outward behauiour wee could not content our selues with the seruice of our lips hands and knees and suffer our hearts to goe a wandring about worldly vanities because we would know that God whom we serue is not contented with it Wee would be ashamed that he should behold our hypocrisie and formall seruice our hearts going one way and our tongues another seeing wee would blush for shame if men like vnto our selues could looke into our hearts and see how we dally and trifle with God who will not be mocked Leuit. 10. but if they will not honour him will honour himselfe in all that draw neere vnto him CAP. XXVI Of the last priuate meanes of a godly life which is experimentall knowledge §. Sect. 1 What this experimentall knowledge is and the practice of it in many examples THe last priuate meanes whereof I will speake which may helpe and inable vs to leade a godly life is experimentall knowledge whereby wee apply whatsoeuer we know either concerning God or our selues vnto our owne particular vse and indeuour to profit by it in the practice of holinesse and righteousnesse Thus wee are not onely to know that God is a gracious Father in Christ as to others so vnto vs but to labour to haue the experience of it in our selues by feeling the beames of his fatherly loue warming our hearts and inflaming them with vnfained loue towards God againe by obseruing his fatherly prouidence watching ouer vs and how often wee haue been thereby powerfully defended from our many and mighty enemies deliuered out of imminent dangers freed from many afflictions when as we saw no meanes of escaping and graciously relieued and prouided for in our wants and necessities when we haue had no possible meanes to supply them Thus knowing God to be Omnipotent in power we must labour to haue a feeling experience of it in his continuall supporting vs both in respect of our soules and bodies notwithstanding our owne frailty and weaknesse in which we should haue often perished in respect of the one through worldly dangers and in respect of the other through spirituall tentations did not he sustaine vs with his might and glorifie his power in our infirmities and 2. Cor. 12. 9. weaknes And thus knowing God to be true of his word yea truth it selfe we must labor to haue the experience and feeling of it in our selues by obseruing how he hath at all times made good his promises vnto vs euen then when by reason of
we euer so much desire of the wholesomest food though we know it to be so as when wee haue by experience found that it is pleasing to our owne taste and affoording vnto vs good nourishment hath been a notable meanes to preserue our health and increase our strength And thus also it is in spirituall things Though we see the danger of our corruption with the manifold euils which doe accompany them and thereby are made carefull in some degree to auoyd them yet we may be ouertaken and with the violence of our lusts and passions be drawne to fall into them but if by experience we haue felt the smart of them how their poyson hath wrought in our hearts infeebled our graces as it were the vitall spirits and weakened and disabled vs vnto all good duties wee will euer afterwards mortally hate them and more carefully shunne them then in former times And contrariwise though we know and beleeue that such graces and duties are excellent and therefore to be loued and imbraced of vs yet shall wee neuer doe it vvith that ardency of affection as vvhen vvee haue tasted the svveetnesse of them in themselues and the manifold comforts and singular benefits vvhich doe accompany them as peace vvith God and peace of conscience assurance of Gods loue and our ovvne saluation invvard refreshment and ioy in the holy Ghost and such other blessings of like nature All vvhich considerations should povverfully persvvade vs not to content our selues with the knowledge of Christianity but to labour after the feeling and experience the vse and practice of what wee know which will be a singular helpe to further vs in all the duties of a godly life CAP. XXVII Wherein is shewed that prayer is a singular meanes of a godly life §. Sect. 1 That nothing more then prayer maketh vs godly and religious HItherto we haue spoken of those priuate meanes of a godly life which are to be vsed by our selues alone and now it remaineth that we intreat of those which wee are to vse both by our selues and also together with others The first whereof is prayer the which we haue before handled in the chiefe parts and poynts thereof onely here we are to shew that it is a powerfull and effectuall meanes whereby we are furthered in all the duties of a godly life To which purpose let vs know that nothing can be more auaileable to this end seeing there is not any thing which maketh vs more godly and religious more like vnto God and partakers of the diuine nature then this daily communion and intercourse which wee haue with him For as friendship familiarity and neere society ariseth amongst men out of similitude of natures and manners and contrariwise likenesse of manners and conditions groweth by degrees out of friendly acquaintance and common conuersing one with another so that if wee vsually keepe company and entertaine conference with wicked men wee are made wicked like them by their society and corrupt communication which poysoneth our manners but if we delight to conuerse and talke with those which are godly and religious wee increase thereby in godlinesse and piety so much more if wee often haue this communion and conference with God by prayer who is infinitely good in himselfe and the Authour and Fountaine of all goodnesse which is in the creatures wee shall daily increase in all piety and holinesse and by conuersing with him like Moses shine in his light whereas the further wee withdraw our selues from this Fountaine of light and heate goodnesse and perfection the more frozen shall we be in the dregs of our sins the more stony-hearted and muddy-minded and vtterly vnlike the diuine nature Prayer saith one causeth maruellous effectually an holy life and worthily fit for Gods Piam vitam ac Dei cultu dignam miris modis oratio conciliat conciliatam auget ac ceu thesaurum recondit in animis c. Chrys lib. de orando Deum Tom. 5. seruice and what it causeth it increaseth and like a treasure layeth it vp in our mindes For if a man indeuoureth to doe any thing appertaining to a godly life prayer being his guide and preparing the way hee is sure to finde a commdious and easie passage c. It is a signe of madnesse not to be perswaded that it is the very death of the soule if wee doe not often prostrate our selues at Gods feet who is the Authour of life For as our body seuered from the soule is but a dead carcase so the soule is dead and miserable if it approch not often vnto God by prayer And this the common experience of all times hath plainly proued seeing those who with Dauid haue been most exercised in this religious duty haue been also most holy and men according to Gods heart those who haue neglected it most prophane and such as haue vtterly contemned it no better then wicked Atheists God esteeming it all alike not to haue him at all and not to call vpon him And therefore the Psalmist describeth the Atheisticall foole that saith in his heart There is no God by this outward Psal 14. 1 2 4. marke that he neuer calls vpon his Name for if he acknowledged a God that were able to helpe him he would sue vnto him when he needed his helpe §. Sect. 2 That prayer is the meanes of obtaining all Gods gifts and graces Secondly heereby it appeareth that prayer is a most excellent and necessary helpe vnto a godly life in that we are able to doe nothing without Gen. 6. 5. 2. Cor. 3. 5. Phil. 2. 13. it but are inabled by it to doe in some measure whatsoeuer good thing we can desire For of our selues we are weake and impotent vnto all duties and all the imaginations of our hearts being continually euill wee are not able to thinke a good thought or to entertaine a holy desire but it is the Lord onely who beginneth continueth and perfecteth his worke of grace and sanctification in vs and inableth vs to returne vnto him those workes of holinesse and righteousnesse which in respect of ability to performe Phil. 1. 6. them we haue first receiued from him So that if wee tender vnto him any good duty we may say with Dauid Of thine owne haue wee offered 1. Chro. 29. 14. vnto thee Now the meanes which God hath ordained and sanctified for the obtaining of any grace or helpe at his hand whereby wee may bee strengthened vnto all duties of his seruice is feruent and earnest prayer Mat. 7. 7. Joh. 16. 23. which he hath appointed to be the hand of the soule to receiue from him all gifts of grace and goodnesse And though like a bountifull Prince he offereth liberally vnto vs whatsoeuer we can lawfully desire yet he will not deliuer his rich gifts to those who hold their hand in their bosome and will not vouchsafe to put it foorth that it may receiue them We are dry and empty cisternes who haue
before at large The fourth dutie is reprehension whereby we rebuke those that wittingly fall into sinne and wilfully continue in it without amendment The which the Apostle requireth where he chargeth vs to haue no fellowship with the vnfruitfull Epe 15. 11. workes of darkenesse but to reproue them rather implying that if wee see sinne in our brother and doe not rebuke him for it hauing a calling thereunto wee haue communion and fellowship with him and are accessary to his sinnes The right course of performing which dutie our Sauiour plainely setteth downe If thy brother shall trespasse against Matth. 18. 15. thee goe and tell his fault betweene thee and him alone and if he shall heare thee thou hast gained thy brother c. Which dutie if wee neglect we hate our brother in truth whatsoeuer shew we make to the contrary and doe nothing hereby but discouer our selfe-love which maketh vs loth to trouble our selues in so vnpleasant a businesse and suffer others rather to perish in their sinnes then wee will venter the alienation of their hearts from vs by giuing them any distaste And this reason the Lord vseth to presse this duty Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thine heart Leu. 19. 17. but thou shalt in any wise rebuke thy neighbour and not suffer sinne vpon him The fifth dutie is exhortation whereby wee incite and prouoke others vnto all duties of godlinesse pricking forward those which are dull and sluggish dehorting and disswading from vice and sinne those that are in danger to fall into it and incouraging those who runne well in the Christian race that they may continue faithfull and hold out vnto the end And vnto this the Apostle perswadeth vs Exhort one another dayly while it is called to day lest any of you be hardned through the deceitfulnesse Heb. 3. 13. of sinne The sixth dutie is consolation whereby wee strengthen the weake hands and feeble knees and refresh with seasonable Heb. 12. 12. comforts those which are ready to faint vnder the waight of their afflictions And this the Apostle requireth of all Christians Comfort 1. Thes 5. 11 14. saith he your selues together and edify one another euen as you doe and againe Comfort the feeble-minded support the weake be patient towards all men Reioyce with them that reioyce and weepe with them that weepe be of the same Rom. 12. 15. minde one towards another for it is an ease to those that are in misery to haue companions of their griefe and the heauiest waight is made more tolerable when as it is borne by many shoulders The seuenth duty is counsell whereby we aduize those who doe not know of themselues what to doe in the best course which is an excellent office to bee performed by those whom God hath indued with wisedome and sound iudgement towards them who are weake and defectiue in these gifts Yea in truth it is very profitable when it is giuen by those which are of equall parts yea oftentimes by those who are much inferiour vnto vs as we see in Abigails counsell to Dauid because lookers on being free from all preiudice and passion can see more cleerly then those who are interessed in the busines though at other times more quick-sighted pride selfe-loue and vnruly affections corrupting and blinding their iudgement and mis-leading them out of the right way The last duty tending to further one another in godlinesse is good example by which shining before them in the light of an holy conuersation we doe not onely shew them the wayes of righteousnesse but also as it were by the hand leade them in it And vnto this our Sauiour exhorteth Let your light so shine before men that seeing Mat. 5. 16. your good workes they may glorifie your Father which is in heauen And the Apostle Peter Haue your conuersation honest among the Gentiles that 1. Pet. 2. 12. and 3. 1. whereas they speake against you as euill doers they may by your good workes which they shall behold glorifie God in the day of visitation And so much concerning the ordinary helpes and meanes whereby wee may be inabled and furthered in all the duties of a godly life CAP. XXXIII Of extraordinary meanes of a godly life and first of feasting and solemne thankesgiuing §. Sect. 1 Of solemne thankesgiuing what it is and when to be performed HAuing intreated of the ordinary meanes of a godly life it now followeth that we say something of the extraordinary which are such as are to be vsed vpon extraordinary occasions when God offereth them vnto vs. And these are specially two the first is holy feasting wherein we returne vnto God thankes and praise for his speciall blessings and benefits the other an holy fast wherein we doe after an extraordinary manner humble our selues before him in the sight and sense of our sinnes or some afflictions which they haue deseruedly brought vpon vs. Concerning the former I shall not need to say much seeing I haue already spoken of it and am here onely to shew what extraordinary thankes and praise we are to returne vnto God when as we are stirred vp thereunto by some extraordinary and speciall benefit The which is the same thanksgiuing spoken of before performed in a solemne special maner for some great extraordinary fauour of God shining cleerly in some more then vsuall benefit receiued as it were from his owne hand when in respect of secondary causes we could not so much as hope for it and in regard of our sinnes and vnworthinesse we had good cause to expect the contrary As when God hath magnified his wisedome power and goodnesse vnto vs in some wonderful deliuerance from some dreadful and desperate danger threatening imminent destruction or out of some grieuous calamity into which we are already plunged when as we could not reasonably expect helpe and safety from our owne meanes or the assistance of any creature but from God alone to whom nothing is impossible or in bestowing vpon vs some positiue benefit of great vse and worth when vpon the former considerations we could conceiue small hope that euer we should haue inioyed it Of the former we haue diuers examples in the Scriptures As in that solemne thanksgiuing rendred vnto God by the people of Israel for their freedome out of the Egyptian bondage and for drowning their enemies in the red Sea for which Moses Miriam with the rest of the people Exod. 15. men and women reioyce before God and sing vnto him songs of deliuerance The which they yeerly renewed in a most solemne manner in the celebration of the Feast of the Passeouer wherein they litterally magnified Gods mercy for that temporary deliuerance and typically for their spirituall Redemption from sinne Satan and all other enemies of their saluation by the true Paschall Lambe the Messias who was to bee slaine and offered to God his Father as a propitiatory sacrifice and all-sufficient price of Redemption
hands because being created wee haue Act. 17. 28. Psal 104. 28. no power to subsist of our selues but wholy depend vpon God for the continuance of vs in our life and good estate for as the Apostle saith In him we liue moue and haue our being so that if he withdraw his assisting power we perish and returne vnto our dust By his all-ruling prouidence we are euery day in the yeere euery houre in the day and euery minute and moment in the houre preserued from innumerable dangers which otherwise would seaze vpon vs from the assaults of our many and mighty enemies and especially of that roring and deuouring 1. Pet. 5. 8. Lyon who is alwaies ready to destroy vs if wee were not preserued vnder the wings of the Almighty from his rage and malice By it wee are gouerned and directed in all our waies so as we cannot stirre a foote nor moue a hand nor open our eyes or eares nor speake a word if wee had not strength from him By it all the creatures become seruiceable vnto vs and worke together for our good which otherwise would bee our bane From God wee haue all the benefits which we inioy the Sunne which giueth vs light and vitall heate the ayre which wee breathe the earth which sustaineth vs the meate which feedeth vs the apparell which couereth our nakednesse and keepeth vs warme our health and wealth our peace plenty and prosperity and all other blessings fit both for necessity and for our comfort and delight And not onely the things themselues but all their vertue and vigour whereby they become profitable to those ends for which we vse them doe come from him and doe as meanes and instruments serue his Prouidence for the deriuing of all good vnto vs himselfe still remayning the chiefe and principall cause which worketh by them or can deriue vnto vs all things needefull without them if they bee wanting For it is he who feedeth vs by our meate by our clothes keepeth vs warme by our friends doth comfort and relieue vs for which vses they would be vneffectuall yea produce the cleane contrary effects if they had not from his blessing their power and efficacy Now to what end O man dost thou receiue daily at the hands of God such innumerable blessings but that thou shouldest acknowledge him the Author of them and praise him for all the good which he doth vnto thee Why doth hee preserue thy life but that thou shouldest liue to his glory Why doth hee make all his creatures in heauen and earth seruiceable vnto thee but that thou shouldest hereby be moued with more cheerefulnesse to serue him who hath created both them and thee Why doth he preserue thee from dangers and protect thee from enemies and deliuer thee out of troubles and afflictions but that thou shouldest glorify and serue him without feare in Psal 50. 15 Luke 1. 74 75. holinesse and righteousnesse all the dayes of thy life Why doth he giue the light of the Sunne but that thou shouldest shun the workes of darkenesse and serue him in the duties of thy calling Why doth he let thee breathe the ayre but that thou shouldst spend this breath in speaking singing to his praise Finally why doth hee feed and clothe thee and giue vnto thee those manifold blessings which thou inioyest but that by this rich wages hee may incourage thee to doe him faithfull and cheerful seruice which if thou neglectest and mis-spendest all the rich gifts which thou hast receiued to the dishonour of him that giueth them in the seruice of sinne and Satan and in satisfying of thine own carnall and sensuall lusts what dost thou hereby but bewray thine horrible ingratitude towards such a gracious and bountifull Lord and Master What dost thou but alienate his loue from thee and prouoking his wrath against thee mooue him in his iust displeasure to withdraw his gifts from thee which thou abusest or let thee inioy them in his anger to thy greater hurt leauing them with thee as testimonies to conuince thee of thy shamefull vngratitude and as talents lent vnto thee which when thou hast mis-spent to the dishonour of thy Lord or not imployed them in his seruice will but prepare for thee a fearefull account at the terrible Day of Gods last Iudgement CAP. XXXVII Two other reasons mouing vs vnto a godly life The first taken from Christ giuen vnto vs by his Father the other from the Couenant of grace made in him §. Sect. 1 Of the inestimable gift of Iesus Christ which should moue vs to loue and serue God THe fourth mayne benefit which God hath giuen vnto vs is his onely begotten and dearely beloued Sonne Iesus Christ to be our Head and Sauiour in whom we were elected by whom we were to be saued redeemed For being falne in Adam who was the head and roote of all mankinde and not onely partakers of the guilt and punishment of his sin but also of the corruption of nature deriued from him whereby we were disabled to all good and made prone vnto all euill it would not stand with Gods Iustice to elect or saue vs till it were fully satisfied and wee freed from this sinfull condition Which being a worke impossible to men and Angels in respect of that infinite price which was to bee payd God of his free grace and loue ordained and appointed in his eternall Counsell his Sonne to be our Sauiour and Redeemer and to this end to take our nature vpon him that hee might be vnto his elect the second Adam and the Head of his Church in whom he chose them to life and saluation which the first Adam lost both for himselfe and all his posterity For howsoeuer the free loue and meere grace and good will of God be the supreme and highest cause of our election and saluation and Christ in respect of it but a meanes or subordinate cause of working that for vs which Gods loue had first decreed neither was Christ the cause that moued God to loue vs John 3. 16. with this first loue and free grace but this loue the cause which moued God to giue his Sonne vnto vs to be our Sauiour and Redeemer yet may it be truely said that wee could no otherwise be elected then in Christ as our Head and the roote of all our righteousnesse that iustice and mercy meeting together God might be glorified in them both although we be not elected for him but of Gods absolute will and free grace which moued him to giue vs his Sonne and all other good which wee receiue by him And this the Apostle plainely affirmeth that God hath chosen vs in him before the foundation of the world and that he hath predestinated vs to the adoption of children by Iesus Christ Ephe. 1. 4 5. vnto himselfe according to the good pleasure of his will to the praise of the glory of his grace wherein he hath made vs accepted in his Beloued
that they dare rush into all desperate perils and fight at the push of pike yea euen at the Canons mouth for a little pay or booty or for the applause of their Captaine and fellow souldiers or vaine fame and momentany glory in the world what difficulty should be so great that should be able to discourage vs from resoluing to leade a godly life which shall be rewarded with the infinite and euerlasting riches and inestimable glory and happinesse of Gods Kingdome §. Sect. 8 That by daily and constant practice we may easily ouercome all difficulties The last meanes whereby we may be inabled to ouercome all difficulties is the daily and constant practice of all Christian duties seeing howsoeuer they may seeme at the first harsh and vnpleasant to our corrupt nature yet continuall vse will make them easie and familiar and bring vs at length to such a custome and settled habit that wee shall performe them with much comfort and delight For as the mind is more and more darkened by the often acts of sinne and so loseth the light of truth that no sauing knowledge remaineth in it but malignity onely and pollution so by the many and often acts of piety and righteousnesse the mind is more inlightened and aspireth vnto a greater measure of true wisedome this righteousnesse and holinesse offering themselues as cleere glasses vnto the eyes of the vnderstanding as Chrysostome hath well obserued Besides Sicut enim qui peccat dum peccat magis atque magis tenebrescit mens eius c. Chrysost in Mat. 7. Hom. 18 Psal 19. 10. the more often that we performe these Christian and religious duties and the longer and more constantly that we continue in them the more we shall rellish and taste their sweetnesse so that though at first they seemed to our carnall appetite as bitter and vnpleasant as the infusion of gall or wormewood yet continuall vse and daily practice will make them sweeter to our mouthes then the honey and honey combe as wee see in Dauids example by reason that we shall finde in our owne good experience the manifold comforts which accompany the diligent performance of these Christian duties as peace with God and the beames of his loue and fauour shed abroad in our hearts and shining vpon vs the peace of a good conscience and inward ioy of the holy Ghost sweete communion with God accesse and increase of all spirituall graces contentation in all estates and assurance of our saluation and that in the meane time all things whatsoeuer and euen afflictions themselues shall turne to our good These and many such like benefits accompanying our constant walking in the wayes of godlinesse will make them not onely easie but sweet and delightfull And whereas at first wee came to the performing of Christian duties as a Beare to the stake and found nothing in them but vexation and irksome wearinesse by vse and custome comming to know and rellish their profit and excellency wee finde such spirituall sweetnesse that it is our meate and drinke to be exercised in them So that now we esteeme Gods Sabbaths our delight heare reade pray meditate conferre and doe the workes of mercy with much ioy and cheerfulnesse Now the meanes to attaine vnto this daily and constant practice which taketh away all difficulty and distast is to inure our selues thereunto by degrees and with a firme resolution to break off all excuses and set apart some short time as a day week or month for the strict leading of a godly life in the performance of all Christian duties as they haue bin before set downe Which when we haue done let vs looke backe and examine our selues if we can in our consciences find any cause of repenting this course in leauing worldly and wicked delights and the pleasures of sinne and betaking and consecrating our selues to serue God in the duties of holinesse and righteousnesse yea if we doe not finde in this short time more sound comfort and true ioy then in many yeeres before when wee neglected them §. Sect. 9 That worldlings take more paines about earthly vanities and in the seruice of sinne and Satan then is required to a godly life Now if any notwithstanding of all these helpes and comforts still complaine of the difficulties which he findeth in the course of Christianity Pro. 26. 13. and vse it as an excuse for his neglect of all the duties of a godly life let such a man know that the fault is not in the hardnesse and crookednes of the way but in his own negligence who will not vse the meanes which God offereth vnto him for the ouercomming of these difficulties and neither take any paines to be truly informed nor to trauell in it after hee knoweth it For because they are lazie and haue no list to worke therefore they sit in the house and complaine that there is a Lion in the way a Lion in the streets Because they would sit still by the flesh-pots of Egypt and glut themselues with carnall pleasures therefore they cauill against their entring into and proceeding in that way which leadeth to the holy Land as though the difficulties were so many and great which affront vs in it that it is vnpassible and impossible to be trauelled by them Their affections are so strong that they cannot master and mortifie them their bodies tender and delicate and not inured to take that paines which is required to the well performing of Christian duties and their natures are so easie and flexible that they cannot withstand the allurements and importunity of their old companions drawing and perswading them to accompany them in their sinfull courses All which excuses what doe they argue but their sloth and negligence yea rather their want of loue and contempt of spirituall grace and heauenly glory Seeing the same men who pretend these difficulties are ready to vndertake farre greater paines for the obtaining of those worldly vanities whereupon they haue fixed their hearts and euen delight themselues in these toylesome labours then is required for the attaining of heauenly happinesse and goe willingly thorow many more and greater difficulties in those wayes that leade to hell and destruction then they should euer finde in the way that would bring them to life and saluation For first consider the paines which worldly men are content to indure for the compassing of honours riches and pleasures how they carke and care toyle and moyle watch and labour trauell by sea and land and runne into many desperate dangers for the getting of these worthlesse vanities which are alike vncertaine in the possession as in the pursuit and acquisition How they tire their thoughts in the restlesse night about plots and policies for the preuenting or circumuenting one another How their hearts are continually vpon the racke of their owne passions being diuersly distracted betweene hopes and feares false ioyes and true griefes loue and dislike longing desires and lothing auersation Consider also what
his holy Spirit are not onely nourished and strengthened with their ordinary food as hearing the Word prayer holy conferences and good company but through Gods Spirit assisting them are able to turne euen Iron ages into good nourishment and the poyson of euill examples into cordials and preseruatiues to strengthen them the more against common corruptions and raigning sinnes And therefore to excuse our neglect of Christian duties belonging to a godly life because we liue in euill places and times what is it but to proclaime that we are like vnto them and are not yet regenerate by Gods Spirit nor changed in our natures but still remaine in the state of corruption and consequently lyable to death and condemnation CAP. XX. Diuers other obiections made by the flesh against a godly life propounded and answered §. Sect. 1 That it is not enough to liue harmlesly vnlesse we performe religious duties ANother obiection which the flesh maketh against the strict performances of Christian duties is that it is vnnecessary seeing if we be harmlesse and not guilty of hainous sinnes as idolatry blasphemy murther adultery drunkennesse theft and such like but liue honestly amongst our neighbours doing no man any hurt and in good fame and name in the world the Lord will accept of vs and beare with our infirmities though wee be not so precise as many others in performing the duties of a godly life as they haue been before described To which I answere that the Lord will neuer accept of vs as his seruants and children if wee doe not at least desire resolue and indeuour to yeeld vnto him intire obedience to his whole Law as well by doing the duties which he hath commanded as in leauing vndone the vices which he hath forbidden and that this obedience chiefly consisteth rather in performance of that which is good then in abstinence from that which is euil that if to be harmelesse and innocent were all that is required to Christianity then were wee best Christians when we sit idly still rather then when wee are in action yea though we should sleepe out our whole liues because then wee are furthest off from doing any hurt But let vs consider that God requireth seruice at our hands and he is counted but a sorry seruant who receiuing meate drinke and wages doth content himselfe if he doe his Master no harme though he neuer indeuour to doe him any good That the axe is set to Math. 3. 10. the root of the tree to cut it downe that it may be cast into the fire if it bringeth not forth good fruit though it should beare none that is euill and the barren tree must be hewne downe and cast out of the Lords Vineyard Luk. 13. 7. because it doth but cumber the ground That we must be not onely trees of innocency but trees of righteousnesse if we be of Gods planting which Esa 61. 3. Luk. 8. 44. are distinguished from euill trees destinated to the fire not by bearing nothing but by bringing forth good fruit Let vs remember that the Fig-tree was cursed by our Sauiour not because it had vpon it figs like those in one of Ieremies baskets which were so very naughty that they could Ier. 24. 2. Math. 21. 19. not be eaten they were so bad but because it had none at all when Christ purposely came to finde some vpon it That the vnprofitable seruant is by Math. 25. 30. his Lord reputed an euill seruant and adiudged to punishment for not increasing his Masters Talent though he had not mis-spent it in riotous liuing And that the sentence of condemnation shall passe against those Mat. 25. 41 42. who neglect to doe the workes of mercy to Christs poore members though they neuer oppressed or wronged them Finally let vs know that they deceiue themselues who dreame of a meane betweene not doing good and doing euill for if we be not on Gods side wee are against him if Luk. 11. 23. we gather not with Christ we scatter abroad neither can wee sooner cease to Esa 1. 16. doe euill but presently we begin to doe that which is good §. Sect. 2 That it is not sufficient to serue God in some things and at some times Againe it is ready to obiect that if it be not sufficient to abstaine from euill and from grosse and hainous sinnes but that wee must also performe the contrary duties yet at least it is not necessary that we should be tyed so strictly vnto all duties of holinesse and righteousnesse which God requireth or if to all yet not at all times but that it is enough if wee performe some good duties either towards God or our neighbours though wee neglect others and that wee bee at some times zealous and deuout though at other times we take our liberty and ease our selues of this hard taske by taking our pleasures seeing as long as wee liue in this world wee cannot be Saints but must liue like other men as being alike fraile and full of infirmities To which I answere that euen in this life we must be of the communion of Saints if euer we meane to communicate with them in glory and happinesse and howsoeuer corruption of nature and humane frailties hang vpon vs yet we must not willingly nourish them and cheerfully obey the flesh in the lusts thereof for if we liue after the flesh we shall Rom. 8. 13. dye but we must labour through the Spirit to mortifie the deeds of this body of sinne that we may liue as the Apostle teacheth vs. And although we cannot by reason of the law of the members and the sinne that hangeth vpon vs yeeld vnto the Law that perfect and strict obedience which it requireth for in many things we sinne all yet if euer we would haue any Iam. 3. 2. sound comfort in the gracious promises of the Gospell wee must yeeld vnto God the obedience of sonnes which consisteth in an earnest desire full resolution and diligent indeuour to please our heauenly Father by framing our liues according vnto his will in all things and at all times We must put off as much as in vs lieth the whole old man with all his corrupt Eph. 4. 22 23 24 and deceitfull lusts and being renewed in the spirit of our mindes we must put on the New man which after God is created both in righteousnesse and true holinesse Wee must haue with Dauid respect vnto all Gods Commandements Psal 119. 6 20. and leade our liues both in godlinesse and in honestie For though wee be 1. Tim. 2. 2. neuer so deuoute and zealous in religious duties yet if we doe not ioyne with them the duties of charity and righteousnesse God will reiect vs as being no better then hypocrites according to that of the Prophet I hate Amos 5. 21 22 24. I despise your feast dayes and I will not smell in your solemne assemblies Though yee offer me burnt offerings and
the Lord hath done for vs which will make vs thinke that we can neuer be too earnest in seeking his glory nor too intent and feruent in all holy duties of his seruice That it is an inseparable propertie of all grace to be zealous in them and therefore there can be no grace at all where zeale is wanting That is an vndoubted signe of those who are the redeemed of the Lord to be zealous of good works therfore where there is no zeale there can be no Tit. 2. 14. signe of redemption by Christ finally that luke-warmenesse is most lothsome vnto God and that those who are so he will spue out of his mouth Apoc. 3. 17. §. Sect. 3 Of reioycing in God what it is and the meanes wherby we may attaine vnto it The second vertue arising from loue is ioy and reioycing in God when being assured of his loue towards vs and louing him againe tasting for the present how good the Lord is and perswading our selues of the full fruition of him in the life to come we are exceedingly delighted and euen glory in the assurance and sense of Gods fauour For it is the nature of loue to make vs reioyce in the thing beloued and as the more excellent any thing is in our conceite the more our loue exceedeth so according to the measure of our loue such also is our ioy when we inioy it And therefore needes must our ioy and reioycing in God exceed all other ioy because our loue ought to bee proportioned to his goodnesse and excellency and our ioy to our loue In which respect this diuine ioy swalloweth vp all worldly griefe and causeth vs to glory not onely in worldly prosperity but also in persecution and tribulation Rom. 5. 3. And this is that ioy vnto which the Scriptures exhort vs Reioyce in the Phil. 4. 4. 1. Thes 5. 16. Psal 37. 4. Lord alway and againe I say Reioyce Reioyce euermore Delight thy selfe in the Lord and he will giue thee the desires of thine heart Which if we attaine vnto then haue wee euen in this life the first beginnings of our heauenly happinesse For as the Apostle teacheth vs the Kingdome of God Rom. 14. 17. consisteth in righteousnesse peace and ioy in the holy Ghost Now the meanes to obtaine this ioy is to labour after assurance that wee are vnited vnto Christ for we cannot haue it in our selues but in and through him according to that of the Apostle We ioy in God through our Lord Iesus Christ Rom. 5. 11. by whom now we haue receiued the atonement Secondly if we would haue this ioy we must labour after the assurance of our iustification and remission of our sinnes for peace with God followeth our iustification by faith Rom. 5. 1 3. and ioy this peace Thirdly let vs labour after this assurance that wee are the sonnes of God by adoption and grace and to haue it sealed vnto vs in our hearts and consciences by his holy Spirit that so our assurance of our heauenly inheritance may vphold our ioy and reioycing in the middest of temporary crosses and afflictions Finally let vs labour to feele Gods loue shed abroad in our hearts by the holy Ghost which wee shall best discerne by finding them inflamed with feruent loue towards God approoued to bee sincere by our care to flee all sinne which is odious vnto him and imbracing all vertue and goodnesse which is acceptable in his sight And if wee inioy God in this mutuall loue wee shall in all estates glory and reioyce in it and in the middest of all worldly extremities comfort our selues with Dauid in the Lord 1. Sam. 30. 6. 1. Thes 1. 6. our God §. Sect. 4 Of thankfulnes vnto God what is required vnto it and the meanes of it The third vertue arising from the loue of God is vnfained thankfulnes for when in consideration of Gods goodnesse mercy and bounty towards Psal 116. 12. vs our hearts are inflamed with his loue and replenished with ioy vnspeakeable and glorious then doe we thinke with Dauid what wee may returne vnto him for all his benefits and finding no possible meanes of making the least requitall in regard of our impotency and Gods all-sufficiency we doe at last resolue to remaine for euer thankfull debters and to expresse our thankefulnesse both by our words in praysing and magnifying and in all our actions by glorifying him our Benefactour who hath beene so infinitely gracious vnto vs seeing wee haue nothing else to returne vnto him So that our loue of God proceeding from his loue towards vs is the roote of our thankefulnesse and our reioycing in his loue and goodnesse an inseparable companion of it For this thankefulnesse is a vertue whereby knowing acknowledging and reioycing in the sense and feeling of Gods loue goodnesse and bountie towards vs wee are inwardly thankefull vnto him for all his benefits and outwardly expresse it by praysing and glorifying his holy Name both by our lips and liues whereby it appeareth what is required to this vertue of thankefulnesse First that wee apprehend Gods loue and inwardly reioyce in it hauing our hearts thorowly affected with the sense of his goodnesse and bounty towards vs. Secondly that wee doe not ascribe the blessings and benefits which wee inioy vnto any Jam. 1. 17. thing else but onely vnto God as our supreme and chiefe Benefactour who is the principall Author of all our good Thirdly that wee doe not smother our thankefulnesse in our hearts but cause it to breake forth first in our words by praysing magnifying Gods holy name for as the Psalmist speaketh It becommeth the righteous to be thankefull and secondly in Psal 33. 1. our workes by doing those things which are pleasing vnto God in whom our soule delighteth that so the light of our godly liues shining before men we may cause them also to glorifie our Father which is in heauen Mat. 5. 16. The which ought to be performed of vs in all things and at all times both in prosperity and aduersity plenty and penury health and sicknesse according to that of the Apostle But be filled with the Spirit speaking to your selues in Psalmes and Hymnes and spirituall songs singing and making melodie Eph. 5. 18 19. in your hearts to the Lord giuing thankes alwayes for all things vnto God the Father in the name of our Lord Iesus Christ An example whereof wee haue in Iob who blessed the Lord when he was depriued of all his substance Iob 1. 21. and in the Church grieuously afflicted who in the middest of all her calamities did acknowledge Gods mercies in that they were not vtterly Lam. 3. 32. consumed Now the meanes whereby vve may be stirred vp to this duty and inabled to performe it are first to consider that this thankfulnes and thanksgiuing is good pleasant and comely according to that of the Psalmist Praise ye the Lord for it is good
to sing praises vnto our God for it is Psal 147. 1. pleasant and praise is comely Secondly consider that it is the will of God that we should be thankefull vnto him for all his benefits which if we performe he requireth nothing else at our hands nor any other requitall for all his mercy and goodnesse towards vs. And this reason the Apostle vseth 1. Thes 5. 18. Psal 50. 13 14. In euery thing giue thankes for this is the will of God in Christ Iesus concerning you Thirdly that it is most pleasing vnto God and that the sacrifice of the calues of the lips is much more acceptable then of Bulls and Goats Fourthly let vs continually meditate vpon Gods manifold and inestimable mercies bestowed vpon vs in time past his eternall loue our election creation the great worke of our redemption by the death of his onely begotten and dearely beloued Sonne our vocation and effectuall calling to the participation of this great benefit from which innumerable others are excluded our iustification sanctification continuall preseruation together with our assured hope of glorificatiō with al special blessings which from day to day he bestoweth vpon vs. With all which our hearts will be filled with thankfulnes and our mouthes with praises thankesgiuing if we throughly meditate on them especially if withall we consider our vnworthines of the least of Gods fauours and according to Iacobs example Gen. 32. 10. compare Gods inestimable mercies with our demerits Lastly let vs meditate and consider what a foule vice vngratitude is how vile and odious in the sight of God mē that the Lord wil neuer let it go vnpunished nor suffer any to inioy his benefits who through their vngratitude wil not acknowledge them nor render the praises which are due vnto him §. Sect. 5 Of obedience vnto God what it is and wherein it consisteth and of the properties of true obedience The fourth and last vertue arising from the loue of God is obedience which is a fruit of our loue and thankfulnesse whereby in all things we submit our selues our wills and actions wholy vnto Gods good will and pleasure both in doing all that he requireth and in patient suffring whatsoeuer he imposeth So that this obedience is of two kinds First our actiue obedience to Gods Law whereby wee conforme our whole man vnto the reuealed will of God The which is an inseparable fruit of our loue towards God and an infallible note whereby wee may discerne that which is sound and sincere from that which is false and counterfaite for if we loue God we will keepe his Commandements And this is the loue of God if we keepe his Commandements and his Commandements are not grieuous The Ioh. 14. 15. properties of this obedience are these First that it be absolute vnto whatsoeuer 1. Ioh. 5. 3. God requireth and admit of no discourse of reason when we know his will but whether profit or disprofit honour or disgrace the fauour or displeasure of men doe follow vpon it we are to doe the things that he Act. 4. 19. 5. 29. inioyneth Secondly it must be total both in respect of the obiect and subiect In respect of the obiect we must obey God in all his Commandements at all times neither adding nor detracting nor declining therefrom Gal. 3. 10. Deut. 12. 32. Ios 1. 7. on the right hand or on the left Neither is it sufficient that wee obey God in some things and neglect others or in many and most things and not in some few for he that thus sinneth in one thing is guilty of all but we must propound vnto our selues the whole Law of God for the rule Iam. 2. 10. of our liues obseruing one table as well as another and worship him both in holinesse and righteousnesse and that not only for some small time but Luke 1. 74 75. all the dayes of our liues In respect of the subiect our obedience must bee Deut. 11. 1. with the whole man and like our loue from which it springeth it must be performed with all our hearts soules and strength But especially the Lord requireth the inward obedience of the heart wherein he chiefely Pro. 23. 26. Iohn 4. 23. Luke 1. 74. 2. Chro. 25. 2. delighteth we must worship him in spirit and truth in sincerity and vprightnesse of heart as before his face and in his sight and presence neither is it sufficient that we doe that which is right vnlesse we doe it vprightly It must be voluntary with cheerefulnesse and delight as the Saints and Angels doe the will of God in heauen For loue maketh euery burthen light and the Commandements of God not to be grieuous Yet this internall obedience is not sufficient vnlesse the externall be ioyned with it 1. John 5. 3. For God will bee worshipped with the whole man with our bodies as well as with our soules with our outward actions as well as with our inward affections §. Sect. 6 Of the meanes of obedience whereby we may be enabled to performe it Now the meanes which may moue and enable vs to yeeld this obedience are these first we must consider that the Lord hath created vs to this 1. Cor. 6. 20. Luke 1. 74. Rom. 6. 18. end that we should serue him and to the same purpose when we were by sin vtterly lost hath redeemed vs with the inestimable price of his Sonnes most precious blood that wee should worship him in holinesse and righteousnesse before him all the dayes of our liues that being freed from sinne we should become the seruants of righteousnesse and from the slauerie of Satan that we should spend our dayes in Gods seruice Secondly let vs meditate on the riches of reward and that liberall wages which the Lord hath freely promised to giue vnto those who faithfully serue him in which respect we may iustly say of our actiue obedience as the Apostle of our passiue that all our seruice in this present world is not worthy the glory Rom. 8. 18. 2. Cor. 4. 17. which shall be reueyled for it is slight short and imperfect but shall cause vnto vs a farre more excellent and eternall waight of Glory Thirdly let vs consider that though our best seruice be mingled with many imperfections and stayned with our corruptions yet God in Christ will accept of it and not only pardon our wants but reward our wills and workes For he will Mal. 3. 17. spare vs as a man spareth his sonne that serueth him accepting of our will for the deede and of our sincere affections as of perfect actions Fourthly let vs consider that hereby we shall be assured of all Gods promises for Godlinesse is profitable for all things hauing the promises of this life and of that 1. Tim. 4. 8. which is to come Neither doth God require our obedience for his owne sake for he is most absolute in perfection and our righteousnesse doth not