all times as to the Iewes It was also reserved in the Arke with the other ten and is one of the Commandements mentioned in the new Testament as parcell of the Royall Law of which S. Iames saith Whosoever shall offend in one point hee is guiltie of all he meanes the ten Commandements hee understands the fourth Commandement for one else he would not say all Wherefore albeit there are some things that have particular reference to the Iewes in the written Law as the reason taken from bringing them out of the Land of Aegypt which concerneth us onely by Analogie and albeit the circumstance of time in respect of which day of the Seven was alterable but by the Lord of the Sabbath removing it from the seventh of the Creation to the day of Christs Resurrection yet there is not any of those tenne Commandements which is not morall and of morall equitie But some object The observing of the weekly Sabbath was a signe betweene God and the Iewes that they might know that the LORD did sanctifie them therfore was abrogated by Christ with other Ceremonies Answ I â—â—â—gh every Ceremony determinable in Christ was a signe yet every signe was not a ceremony to end at Christs death All signes and types of justification by Christ to come were nailed on the Crosse with him but signes of the worlds preservation also declarative and probative signes and arguments of sanctification together with the type of rest and glorie did not end at Christs death there being as much use of them to us now as was to any other before Obiect They object farther All Sabbath daies are abrogated by expresse termes Col. 2. 16. Answ Hee speaketh there of none but Leviticall Sabbaths for marke it he saith they were shadows of such things to come whereof Christ was the body verse 17. But the weekely Sabbath had no more shadow or reference to Christ than any other of the ten Commandements Obiect They yet object No man must esteeme one day above another for conscience sake Rom. 14. 5. Answ No such thing can be concluded thence For the Apostle warning both strong and weake Christians not to offend nor bee offended one with another would have each doe as they should be fully perswaded in their owne minde and not judge or despise each other but in what things in every thing no but onely in things in their owne nature indifferent or for the time tolerable be instancing in meaâ—s and dayes But I deny the fourth Commandement ever to have beene of the number of indifferent things If yet they say If the fourth Commandement be moral why doe you not keep the day which the Iewes did I answer Keeping holy a Sabbath or the Sabbath is absolutely morall and the principall intention of the fourth Commandement but the keeping it upon that day which is intimated in the Commandement or the keeping of this day practised now by us became a morall duty that to them this to us because by a Divine positive institution God had appointed that day to bee observed by them and since that he hath appointed this to bee observed by us Now sith that the Lord of the Sabbath hath ordained another day in so doing he hath caused though not an abolishing yet some change of the Law which hath caused the former to cease and bindeth us in conscience to observe this That it was the will of our Lord and Saviour Christ that we should since his Resurrection keepe for our Sabbath that first day of the weeke on which he arose it may easily appeare to any whose judgements are not corrupted with prophanenesse of heart or are not clouded with selfe-conceit and prejudice For in that he arose on that day and appeared divers times on this our Lords day to his Disciples before his Ascension and did on this day being the day of Pentecost fill his Disciples with the gifts of the holy Ghost they being assembled together this giveth a preeminence to this day and a probabilitie to the point The Apostles who followed Christ and delivered nothing but what they received from Christ and whose determinations were infallible did observe this Day as a Sabbath The Apostle Paul staying seven daies at Troas might haue chosen any of the other dayes for the people to assemble to heare the Word and receive the Sacrament but they assembled to receive the Sacrament and to heare the Word upon the first day of the weeke which is our Lords day Moreover the keeping holy of the Lords day hath constantly and universally from the Apostles downeward to vs beene observed amongst Christians in all places and in all ages Now the approved practice of the Apostles and of the Church with them recorded in Scripture carrieth with it the force of a precept and argueth divine institution Moreover the Spirit of GOD honoureth this day with the Title of Lords Day as he doth the Communion with the Title of the Supper of the Lord What doth this argue but as they both have reference to Christ so they are both appointed by Christ The Spirit of Christ knew the minde of Christ who thus named this day Secondly being coÌ„vinced of the holines of this day the better to keepe it holy when it commeth you must on the weeke dayes before the Sabbath or Lords 〈…〉 remember it to the end that none of your worldly businesse be left undone or put off till then especially upon Saturday you must prepare for it Then you must put an end to the workes of your Calling doe whatsoever may be wel done before-hand to prevent bodily labour even in your necessary actions that when the day coÌ„meth you may have lesse occasion of worldly thoughts lesse incumbrance and distractions and may be more free both in body and minde for spirituall exercises Thirdly you your selfe and as much as in you lyeth all under your authority must rest upon this day even in earing time and in haruest the space of the whole day of foure twenty houres from all manner of workes except those which have true reference to the present dayes works of pietie mercy and true â—…ssity not doing your owne waies not â—â—nding your owne pleasures nor speaking your owne words Obiect If you obiect that some understand this place of the day of Atonement and yeerely fast spoken of in the beginning of the Chapter Answ Many Interpreters understaÌ„d it of the weekly Sabbath yet suppose it should be understood of the Sabbath of Atonement I urging it onely to prove the externall rest it serveth for my purpose for these two differed not in their externall rest except that in the day of Atonement they abstained from meat and drinke untill even Vpon all other Gods Sabbaths and holy feasts the children of Israel were forbidden not all worke but onely servile worke But neither on the weekly Sabbath nor on the day of Atonement might any manner
licentious in company keeping daliance and the like or by reserving that day for journeyes idle visits and for dispatch of bychares Have I not beene carelesse of the Service of God frequenting it no oftener then Law or very shame did compell me Have I not beene carelesse whether my servants or children did keepe the Sabbath or no And when I was at Church did I not idle out the time by gazing about or by sleeping or by worldly thoughts Have I not bought sold let hyred spoken of or done other works forbidden to be done spoken or plodded upon that day Have I not under the name of Recreation sought mine owne pleasre using sports and games which cause the minde to be more indisposed to the due performance of holy duties then honest labours doe to which they are subordinate and with them forbidden to be done that day Hath not the strict observance of the Sabbath beene at least tedious unto me so that I could have wished that it had beene gone long before that it was ended The second Table concerneth duties of love and righteousnesse towards man the performance whereof tendeth immediately to the good of man but mediately to the proofe of his being truely religious to the glory of God God made man not to be alone nor to be all for himselfe Therefore for the greater good of mankind he hath endued men with variety of gifts and degrees of place some excelling other both in Family Church and Common-wealth yet so as each is excellent in his gift and place even the meanest made worthy of respect from the greatest because of his usefulnes for the common good even as the least member of the natural body is truely useful and to be respected as well though not so much as the most honourable Now when each member in the body politike do acknowledge the severall gifts and mutuall use one of another according to their place then is there a sweet harmony in the society of man and there is a sure foundation laid of all good Offices of love betweene man and man Wherefore in the first place God in this fift Commandement provideth that the order which he had set amongst men should inviolably be observed Requiring all Inferiors under the name of Children to honour their superiours that is to acknowledge that dignity and excellency which is in another shewing it in giving due respect unto his person and name Implying that all Superiours should walke worthy of honour and that they should mutually show good respect to their Inferiours tendring their good as well as their owne Touching this fift Commandement thinke thus Doe I live in a lawfull Calling and have I walked worthy my General Calling of Christianity and discharged my particular Calling and imployed the gifts which GOD gave me for the good of the society of man in Family Church or Common-wealth Have I honoured all men for that they were made after the Image of God and have yet some remaines thereof are capable of having it renewed if it be not renued already and because they are or may be useful for the common good of man using them with all curtesie and kinde respect excepting when and wherein they have made themselves vile by open wickednesse so that it will not stand with the glory of God good of others or of thēselves or with the discharg◠of my place to shew them countenance Have I shewed my due respect to others in praying to God and as there hath beene cause in giving him thankes for them Have I conceived the best that in charity I might of others And by love have indevoured according to my place to cure their grosser evils and to cover their infirmities And have I to my power furthered my neighbors good name and reputation and have beene contented nay desirous that he should be esteemed as well nay better then my selfe And have I both in his life time and after his death given him the honour of common humanity as in common curtesies at least and in comely buriall so far as any way it did belong to me and in maintaining his wronged reputation c. Have I being before others in gifts in any kinde as learning wit wealth strength c. imployed those gifts to the honor of God and the good of man more than others As I am before others in yeares am I before them in grauitie good counsell and good example As I am above others in Authority doe I acknowledge that it is not originally in me but derived to me from God and have I held it and used it for him keeping within the due limits thereof gouerning with wisedome and moderation procuring the good of their bodies and soules so far as lay in me commanding onely things lawfull conuenient encouraging them in well-doing by commendation and rewards preventing evill as much as I could and restraining it in them by seasonable and due reproofes according to the quality of the offence and of the person when fairer means would not prevaile As I am an equall Have I esteemed others better then my selfe and striven in honor to preferre them As I am behind others in gifts and age have I in word and gesture done them due reverence and thankfully made vse of their good parts and experiences As I am under Authoritie whether in Family Church or Common-wealth haue I submitted my selfe to all my Gouernors reverencing their persons obeying readily all those their lawfull Commandements which are within the compasse of their Authoritie to command Have I received their instructions and borne patiently and fruitfully their reproofes and corrections Or do I not live without a lawfull Calling Or Idlely or unprofitably in it Have I not buried or abused my Talent and place to the hurt rather than the good of my selfe and others Have I not beene high minded esteeming better of myselfe then there was cause hunting after the vaine applause of men Have I not despised others yea those which were good yea my superiours shewing it by my unreverent gestures and by my speeches to them and of them Have I not some way or other detracted from and diminished the credit of others or at least envyed their due estimation As I am a Superiour have I not carried my selfe insolently lightly or dissolutely As I am under Authority have I not carried my selfe stubbornly and undutifully God having set an order in humane societie doth next provide for the life and safetie of the person of man who must keepe this order and make this societie by forbidding in the sixt Commandement whatsoever may take it away or impaire it Have I had a care of mine own health in a sober use of meate drinke labour sleepe recreation physicke weapons or whatsoeuer esse is apt to procure health and to prevent disease Have I beene or am I meeke patient long-suffering easie to be appeased apt to forgive full of compassion kinde mercifull shewing al these in soft speeches gentle answers
hony enough from any one neither would Salomon have tryed so many conclusions if the enioyment of anie creature could have made him happy Would you know the cause why so many like Ixion make love to shadowes and leave the substance or that I may speake in a better phrase forsake the fountaine of living water and dig to themselves broken Cisternes that will hold no water Briefly it is because man who in his pride would have seene as much as God is now become so blinde that hee seeth not himselfe For if men knew either the disposition of their soules by Creation or the distemper of their soules by corruption they would easily escape this delusion 1. The soule is a spirituall substance whose originall is from God and therefore its rest must be in God as the Rivers runne into the Sea and as every body rests in its center The noblest faculties are abased not improved abused not imployed vexed not satisfied when they are yoaked and subiected to these in eriour obiects as when Nebuchadnezzar fedde amongst beasts Or when as they that were brought up in Scarlet embraced the dung Or as when Servants rode on horse-backe and Masters walked like Servants on the ground Or as when 70. Kings like dogges did eate bread under Adoni-bezeks table Or as when Sampson made the Philistims merry with his eyes put out 2. Consider the soule as it is now in this state of corruption nothing can now content it but that which can cure it The soule is full of sinne which is the most painefull sicknesse hence the Prophet compares wicked men to the raging waves of the Sea that is never at rest whose waters cast up mire and dirt what will you doe to comfort him that is heart-sicke Bring him the choisest delicates Hee cannot relish them Compasse him about with merry company and musicke It 's tedious and troublesome to him bring him to a better Chamber lay him in an easier bed all will not satisfie him Bring the Physician to him then he conceives hope let the Physician cure him of his distemper and then hee will eat courser meat with a better stomacke and sleepe on a harder bed in a worse chamber with a more quiet and contented heart Iust so it is with a guilty Conscience though hee is not alwayes sensible of it What comfort can his friends give him when God is his enemie What delight can hee take in his stately buildings or frequent visits who may expect even this night to have his soule fetcht away from him and to be cast into hell amongst Devils What is a golden chaine about a Leprous person or the richest apparell upon a dead carkasse Or what comfort will a costly banquet yeeld to a condemned malefactor who is now going to execution Surely no more than Adam found when hee had sinned in the Garden or then Hamon had when Assuerus frowned on him in the banquet On the other side Let a man bee in peace with God and in a sweet communion enioy the influence of heavenly graces and comforts in his soule he can rejoyce in tribulation sing in prison solace himselfe in death and comfort his soule against principalities and powers tribulation and anguish height and depth things present and things to come This true happinesse which all men desire but most misse it by mistaking the readie way conducing to it is the subiect matter of this Booke Here you shall learne the right way of peace How a man may doe every dayes duty conscionably and beare every dayes crosse comfortably receive it thankefully and read it carefully But this course is too strict In bodily distempers we account that Physician the wisest and best who regards more the health than the will of his patient The â—â—rpenter squares his worke by the Rule not the Rule by his worke Oh miserable man what an Antipathy against truth is in this cursed corrupted nature which had rather perish by false principles then be saved by receiving and obeying the truth But secondly as it 's strict so it 's necessary and in that case strictnesse doth not blunt but sharpen the edge of industry to dutie Therefore saith our Saviour strive to enter in at the straight gate that is therefore strive to enter because the gate is straight Bradford well compared the way of Religion to a narrow Bridge over a large and deepe River from which the least turning awry is dangerous Wee see into what a Gulfe of miserie Adam plunged himselfe and his posterity by stepping aside from Gods way Therefore forget not these Rules of the Apostle Walke circumspectly and make straight steppes to your feet lest that which is halting be turned out of the way But many of Gods children attaine not to this strictnesse yet are saved It 's true though all Gods children travell to one Countrey yet not with equall agility and speed they all shoote at one marke yet not with the same dexterity strength Some difference there is in the outward action none in their inward intention some inequality there is in the event none in the affection in degrees there is some disparity none in truth and uprightnesse All that are regenerate are alike strict in these five things at least First they have but one path one way wherein they all walke Secondly they have but one rule to guide them in that way which they all follow Thirdly All their eyes are upon this rule so as they are not willingly ignorant of any truth Nor doe they suppresse or detaine any knowne truth in unrighteousnesse but they stand in the waies and aske for the old way which is the good way Fourthly They all desire and endevour to obey every truth not onely to walke in all the Commandements of God without reproofe before men but also in all things to live honestly and uprightly before God Fiâ—tly If they fall by occasion as a member may by accident bee disioynted yet they are in paine tâ—â— they be set right againe if they stumble through infirmity as sheepe may slip into a puddle yet they will not lye downe and wallow in the mire which is the property of Swine if they are sometimes drawne aside by violent temptations or step aside by mistake yet they will not walke on in the Counsaile of the wicked nor shall any way of wickednesse that is a constant or daily course in any one sinne bee found in them They are so far from perverting the straight wayes of God that is Speaking evill of that is good that they will iustifie God in condemning themselves and subscribe to the righteousnesse of his Word praying that their wayes might be directed to keepe his statutes To conclude Laying aside all cavils beg of God a teacheable dâ—sposition and make thy best profit of the labours of this faithfull servant
going to bed at nighâ— my meaning is not to urge thâ—… as necessary as if it were sinneâ— omit any of these particulars bâ—… except better come in place 〈…〉 most coÌ„venient Wherfore taâ—… these Cautions First as I said if other pertiâ—ent more profitable thoughts â—ffer not themselves or if you be â—…rren of other holy meditatiâ—ns use these Secondly the bare similitudes â—nd allusions with all such reâ—emblances which are free not â—ommanded by God but in our â—…oyce to take up from things â—atural artificiall to put vs in â—…ind of spirituall things and to â—…eare our judgements therein â—ust beused with puttinga wide â—ifference betweene them and â—hofe which are Sacramentall â—or the SacrameÌ„ts besides their â—aturall aptnesse to signifie what â—hey doe represent they have diâ—ine institution from GOD whereby to the beleever they â—re through Gods Spirit effectuâ—ll not onely outwardly to signiâ—ie exhibit seale but inwardâ—y to apply and confer the thing signified these not so yet as â—elps to your memory and understanding these are of singular use For our Saviour in his speeches while hee lived upon the earth and in his writings in the holy Scripture is frequent in the use of them as you may observe in the manifold parables and similitudes in the Gospell CHAP. III. Of beginning the day well walking with God SECTION I. VVHen you are thus awake and are risen out of your bed that you may walke with GOD the remainder of the day It will be needfull that you first renew your peace with God and then keepe it by doing those workes of pietie equitie mercy and sobrietie which any way may concerne you that day For how can two walke together safeâ—y especially a weake one with him that is strong except they be agreed And how can any walke with God if hee be not holy in â—ll his conversation You have as much cause to beware of him and to obey his voice and not provoke him who goeth before you in the wildernesse of this world to guide and bring you to his heavenly kingdome as the Israelites had to beware of him who went before them to keepe them in the way and to conduct them unto the earthly Canaan the place which he had promised and prepared for them It was for this that Iosuah told the people that except they would feare the Lord and serve him in sincerity and put away their strange gods they could net serve God they could not walke with him For he is saith he a holy God he is a iealous God hee will not forgive your transgressions nor your sinnes For this cause if unavoydable necessity hinder not Begin the day with solemne prayer and thanksgiving Before which that these duties may bee the better performed it wil be convenient if you have time that you prepare your selfe by meditation the matter whereof should be an enquiry into your present estate how all things stand betweene God and you How you have carried your selfe since you last prayed and renewed your peace with God what sinnes you have committed what graces benefits you want what fresh favours God hath bestowed on you since last you gave him his Tribute of thankes and how much prayse and thanks you doe owe to him also for continuance of the old Thinke also what imployments you shall have that day Consider likewise what ground and warrant you have to approach to the Throne of Grace to aske â—ardon and to aske and expect â—avour and helpe of God Vpon â—hese considerations rightly proâ—ecuted you must worke your â—eart to a resolution through Gods grace to reforme whatsoever you find to be amisse And that you will flie unto and only relie upon Gods mercy in Christ that you will acknowledge him in all things and that you will now seeke grace and helpe of him whereby you may walke as in his sight in all well-pleasing all that day To further you herein doe thus First lay a peremptory charge upon your conscience to deale unpartially plainely and fully in this examination and judging of your selfe Secondly you should be so well acquainted with the summe and meaning of the Law that you may bee able to carry in your head a Catalogue or Table of the principal duties and vices required and forbidden in each Commandement whereby you may try your obedience past and may set before you a rule of your life for time to come Thirdly lest the calling to minde the multitude and greatnesse of your sinnes by the Law should make you despaire of Gods favour you should be so well exercised in the Articles of the Christian faith and in the principall promises and precepts of the Gospell that you may be able also quickly to cal them to mind for the strengthening of your faith and hope in God The patterne of wholesome words should be familiar unto you for these purposes All this need not take up much time you will finde it to bee time well redeemed For first by such preparation you shall keepe your selfe from that rude and rash thrusting yourselfe into Gods holy presence whereof â—ou are warned in the Scripâ—ures Eccles 5. 1 2. Secondly when by this meanes â—ou have well humbled softeâ—ed seasoned and set streight your heart to God-ward so that you can say you regard no iniquity in your heart and when hereby you have called your thoughts in from stragling and have gotten composednesse of minde and inward strength of soule without which the arrow of prayer can never flye home to the marke then you may approach unto Gods speciall presence with more faith and boldnesse you shall be more able to utter before him apt confessions lawfull requests and due thankesgivings more understandingly more distinctly more humbly more devoutly more feelingly more fervently and with more assurance of a gracious hearing all which are requisite in prayer then possibly you could ever be able to doe without such preparation Thirdly this due preparation to prayer doth not only fit you to pray but is an excellent furtherer of a godly life For it maketh the conscience tender and watchfull over you by the daily exercise of the knowledge of the precepts and threats of the Law and of the precepts and promises of the Gospell And it being enforced to examine accuse judge and passe sentence yea to doe a kind of execution upon you for your sinne smiting your heart and wounding it selfe with godly feare griefe and shame a worke to which the coÌ„science is loth to come till it must needs wherefore to prevent all this trouble vexation and smart it will rather give all diligence in other acts which are more pleasing namely it will direct you in the wayes of God check and warne â—ou before-hand lest you should sinne to the end that when you come to examine your selfe againe it might finde matter not of grieving and tormenting but of reioycing comforting your heart
Civill observed for the good of the Common-weale For choise hath beene oft made of Wednesdayes and Fridayes both in and out of Lent for to be kept for Religious Fasts which needed not to haue been if the Fasts kept before upon those daies had beene judged to be Religious Yet they have their lawfull use so farre forth as they conduce to their civill end and are freed from Popish abuse and superstition And I doe advise you and all good Subjects according as it will stand with your health for to observe them The Fast which I mentioned in the end of the former Chapt. of which I am to treat in this is a Religious Fast Which is A sanctifying a day to the Lord by a willing abstinence from me atâ— and drinke and from delights worldly labours that the whole man may be more thorowly humbled before God and more feruent in prayer This Fast hath two parts the one outward the chastening the body the other inward the afflicting of the soule under which are contained all those Religious acts which concerne the setting of the hart straight to Godward and the seeking helpe of God for those things for which the Fast is intended Take Fasting strictly for bodily abstinence so it is an indifferent thing and is no part of Gods worship But take it as it is joyned with the inward part and is referred to a religious end being a profession of an extraordinary humiliation and a great furtherance to a mans spirituall reasonable service of God giving a stronger and speedier wing to prayer which must alwaies goe with it so it is more then an ordinary worship It hath the name from the outward part it being most sensible But hath its excellency and efficacy from the inward it being that for which the outward is observed It is called Publicke when a whole State or when any one publike Congregation doth fast Private when one alone one family or some few together do fast God commanded a set Fast to be observed yearely of the Iewes By which they forbearing onely the Sacrifices and publike Solemnities did learn to keepe the private according as they had cause Publike and private haue their warrant from the new Testament as well as from the Old Which sheweth that religious Fasts were not peculiar to the Iewes but are a Christian dutie belonging to all fitly qualified for them In the times of the government of Iudges and Kings before the Captivitie and of the Rulers of the Iewes after the Captiuitie we have manifold examples of private Fasts and examples commandement for publike Our Lord and Saviour said that his Disciples after his departure from them should fast giveth direction unto all touching priuate fasts The Apostle speaketh of the husbands and wiues abstaining from the marriage bed that they might giue themselvs to fasting and prayer And wee haue the practise of the Apostles againe and again for publike fasts All which prove fasting to be a Christian duty The case of a mans selfe of others yea of the Church and Common-wealth may be such that ordinary humiliation and prayer will not suffice For as there were some Divels that could not be cast out but by fasting and prayer so it may be that such hardnesse of heart may be grown upon a man or some sinfull lusts â—ay have gotten so much streÌ„gth â—at they will not be subdued â—ome evils private and publike â—hich cannot be prevented or â—â—moved some speciall graces â—â—d blessings which shall not be â—â—tained or continued but by â—â—e most importunate seeking of â—od by Fasting and Prayer Fasting is contrary to that fulâ—…sse of bread which maketh â—…th body and soule more prone â—…vice and indisposed to religiâ—…s duties through drowsinesse â—…head heavinesse of heart dulâ—…sse and deadnesse of spirit â—…ow these being removed and â—…e pamprednesse and pride of 〈…〉 flesh taken down by fasting 〈…〉 body will be brought into â—…jection to the soule and both â—…dy and soule to the will of â—…d more readily then otherâ—…e they would be A day of Fast is a great furâ—…rance to the soule for the better performing of holy duties such as Meditation Reading and Hearing the Word Prayer Examining Iudging and Reforming a mans selfe both because his spirits are better disposed when he is fasting to serious and sad devotion by reason of so large a time wherein the minde is taken wholly off froÌ„ the thoughts cares and pleasures of this life he may be more intent more wholly taken vp in seeking of God Fasting is an open profession of guiltinesse before God and an expression of sorrow and humiliation it being a reall acknowledgement of mans unworthinesse even of the common necessaries of this present life But it is not enough that the body be chastned if that the souls be not withall afflicted because 1 it is else but a meere bodily exercise which profiteth little nay it is but an by pocriticall fast abhorred condemned of God frustrating a chiefe end of the outward fast which is that the soule may be afflicted Afflicting the soule worketh Repentance another chiefe end and companion of Fasting For godly sorrow causeth repentance never to be repented of When the soule is afflicted and heavie laden with sinne then a man will readily and earnestly seeke after God even as the sick will to the Physitian for Physicke and as a condemned man to the King for a Pardon In their affliction saith God they will seeke me diligently If this be true of the outward then much more of inward affliction The afflicted soule is a fit obiect of Gods mercy to him doth God looke that is poore and of a contrite spirit that trembleth at his word yea the bowels of his fatherly compassion are troubled for him that is troubled and ashamed for his sin Moreover upon a day of humiliation if a man deale sincerely this affliction of his soule driveth him quite out of himselfe to seeke helpe of God in Christ and maketh him endevour to bring his soule into such good frame that hee may truely say that he doth noâ— regard iniquity in his heart and haâ— his unfained purpose is and endevour shall be to keep a good â—onscience toward God and man 〈…〉 Whence followeth boldnesse and assurance that God will be found of him and that in Gods owne time and in the best manner he shall have all his holy desires fulfilled All whom lawfull Authority enjoyneth are to keepe a publik Fast so farre as health will permit These onely may keepe a private Fast Such as are of understanding els how can they search out their wayes judge theÌ„selves or pray In publike Fasts if Authoritie thinke fit little children may be caused to fast that the Parents and others of understanding may as by objects of misery be stirred up to a
more thorow humiliation but in private Children and Ideots are to be exempted Secondly Novices and unexperienced Christians are not to fast in private such were Christs Disciples then when exception was taken at our Saviour because they fasted not whom he excuseth not onely for that it was unseasonable to fast in a time of joy while he the Bridegroom was with thē but because they were not able to beare so strong an exercise they being like old vessels and old garments which would be made worse rather than better by the new wine or new cloath of fasting Strong physick is good but not for babes There is not the same reason why they may fast in private as in publike because the Minister by teaching them by praying with them and for them taketh from them the greatest part of the burden of the fast in publike Thirdly all such as are not in their owne power are not to keepe a private fast when those under whose power they are shall expresly contradict it For the husband might disallow the vow of his wife even that wherewith she had bound her selfe to afflict her soule by fasting Wherefore none may fast against the will of those which have full power to command their service and attendance Publike Fasts are to be kept as oft as Authoritie shall see cause Private as oft as a man shall have more then ordinary cause of seeking unto God either for others or himself for removing or preventing imminent judgements from the Church and Common-weale or for the procuring their necessary good for subduing some head-strong lust for obtaining some necessary grace or speciall blessing for preparing himselfe for some speciall service of God or the like Though I cannot but justly complain of Christians seldome fasting yet I dare not allow you to make this extraordinary exercise of Religion to be ordinary and common for then it will soone degenerate into meere Forme or Superstition but wish you to observe it as you shall have speciall occasion and when ordinary seeking of God is not likely to prevaile It is indifferent which of the six daies you set apart for fasting according as shall best sute with your occasions As for the Lords day though it cannot be denyed but that if the present necessitie require you may fast upon that day neither can I utterly denie servants and such as are under the power of others if they can have no other time sometimes to make choyce of that day yet because the Sabbath is a day of Christian Chearefulnesse And for that Heretikes have heretofore made the Sabbath their Fasting day and so it may be a scandall to Religion and because Fasting is somewhat of the nature of a free-will-offering I thinke you shall doe best to set such a day apart to your selfe for Fasting which is more your owne and not the Lords day The Scripture hath not determined how long a continued fast should be kept We have examples that some have fasted a longer time as Three dayes some a shorter but none lesse than one day In hotter Countryes they could without impeachment of health abstain from food longer then wee can who live in a colder but the body cannot be sufficiently afflicted through want of food in lesse time than one day Thus I have proved Religious Fasting to bee a Christian dutie And have shewed what it is also the parts and kindes of it Who should and may fast when and how long It remaineth that I shew you how you may keepe a Fast acceptably to God and profitably for your selfe which is the principall thing to be regarded in a fast And this I doe the rather because many wel-affected Christians have importuned mee thereunto who have professed that they would gladly set about the dutie but ingeniously confessed that they knew not how to doe it and in particular how to bee intentive and spiritually imployed for want of matter for a whole day together But of this in the next Section SECTION 2. BY way of preparation to a religious Fast doe thus Take but a moderate supper the night before for if a man glut himselfe over night hee will be more unfit for the duty of humiliation the next day and it differeth in effect little from breaking of fast next morning When you commend your selfe to God alone by praier that night as every good Christian usually doth then set the time alloted apart for that holy work setting your selfe in a special sort to seek the Lord as the Saints of God in the beginning of their fasts have done propounding to your selfe the end of your intended Fast Remembring this that if the chiefe occasion and end be your owne private good that you forget not others nor the publike or if it be the publike yet minde also your owne private For untill you have made your owne peace with GOD your fasting and praying will prevaile little for the publike And God having joyned the publike with our private good in prayer we must not disjoyne them in our fasting Resolve with your selfe to the utmost of your power to keepe a religious fast unto God according to his will For this cause in those your prayers adde serious petitions to God in that behalfe When you awake that night let not your thoughts bee upon worldly businesse much lesse upon any wicked thing but let them be holy such as may tend to the furtherance of the holy actions to be done the next day Fourthly if necessitie hinder not Arise early the day of your fast It agreeth wel with a fasting day whereon your flesh is to be tamed that you give not your selfe to so much sleep as at other times It is probable that for this cause some lay on the ground others in sackcloth in the nights of their fasts not onely to expresse but to further their humiliation by keeping them from sleeping over-much or oversweetly Your body being emptie if withal your soule continue earnestly bent upon afflicting it selfe these will keepe you from drowsinesse that day When the day is come Be you strict in observing the outward Fast To this end First forbeare all meat and drinke untill the set time of the Fast be ended which usually is about Supper time A generall Councell in the Primitive Church decreed that totall abstinence should be observed untill Evening prayer was ended In case of necessitie that is when totall abstinence shall indeed disable you from doing the maine duties of that day you may eat or drinke for in such cases GOD will have mercy rather than sacrifice but then it must bee a small refection onely such and so much as may remove the impediment to the spirituall performance of the duties of that day Secondly Abstaine from all other worldly delights as so farre as will stand with comelinesse from fine and best apparell also from all sports and pleasant musicke
way and affoordeth meanes to attain both through the commands and promises thereof in the doctrine of faith and repentance Now therefore bring your self to the Gospell Try your selfe thereby first whether your first faith and repentance were sound then set upon reforming getting pardon of particular and later offences But learne to put a difference betweene the Commandements of the Gospell and of the Law the Law exacteth absolute obedience The gracious Gospell doth through CHRIST accept of the truth of Faith and Repentance so that there be an endevour after their perfection It would be too long to shew you at large the signes of unfained Faith and Repentance I will for the present onely say this Have you been humbled heretofore and through the promises and commandement of the Gospell which biddeth you beleeue have you conceived hope of mercy relying on Christ for it and thereupon have had a â—â—ue change in your whole man so that you make God your utmost end and out of hatred oâ—… and love unto Christ and â—is wayes have had a will in all things to live honestly and to â—…devour in all things to keepe alwayes a good conscience to wards God and man desiring the sincere milke of the Word to grow by it loving the brethren desiring and delighting in communion with them then be you confident that your first faith repentance and new obedience was sound If upon tryall you finde that they were not sound then you must begin now to repent and beleeve it is not yet too late Touching reformation and obtaining of pardon and power of your particular sinnes doe thus Consider the Commandement which biddeth you to repent and amend Consider the Commandements which bid you to come unto Christ when you are weary and beavie laden with your sin beleeving that through him they shall be pardoned and subdued to this end Consider that Christ hath fully satisfied for such and such a sinne yea for all sinne and that you have many promises of grace and forgivenesse yea a promise that God will give you grace to beleeve in him that you may have your sinnes forgiven Consider that there is vertue and power in Christs death and resurrection appliable by faith through his holy Spirit for the mortifying the old man of sinne and quickning the new man in grace as well as merit to take away the guilt and punishment of your sinne Improve this power of Christ in you unto an actuall breaking off your sinnes and living according to the wil of Christ which is done by mortifying the old man of sinne and by strengthning the new and inner man of grace In mortifying your sinne doe thus Take all your sinnes especially your bosome sins those to which the disposition of your nature and condition of your place doth most incline you your strongest and Captaine sinnes and with them the body of corruption in you the originall and mother-sinne smite at them strike at the very roote arraigne them condemne them in your selfe dragge them all to the Crosse of Christ and nayle them thereunto that is by Faith see them all nayled with Christ to the Crosse whereon he was crucified and beleeve that not onelyin respect of their guilt but also of their raigning power they are al crucified with him dead and buried as is signified to you lively in your Baptisme When you see that your old man is crucified with Christ that the body of sinne should be destroyed you will take courage against sinne and will refuse to serve it sith by Christ you are freed from the dominion of it When you thus by faith put on the Lord Iesus Christ you shall not fulfill the lusts of the flesh Grieve heartily for your sinnes conceive deadly hatred against them displeasure against your selfe for them These like a corrasiue will eate out the core and heart of sinne Make no provision for the flesh to fulfil the lusts of it but be sober in the use of all earthly things this by little and little will starve sinne Avoid all obiects and occasions of sinne yea abstaine from the appearance of it this wil disarme sinne When you feele any motion unto sinne whether it rose from within or came from without resist it speedily and earnestly by the Sword of the Spirit the Word of God as your Saviour did and as Ioseph did for which cause it must dwell plentifully in you Thus you shall kill sinne That you may strengthen the inner man by the Spirit whereby you may not onely mortifie the deeds of the flesh but bring forth the fruits of the Spirit doe thus First Apply Christ risen from the dead for you particularly beleeving that God by the same power quickneth you and raiseth you together with Christ to walke in newnes of life reckoning your selfe now to be alive unto God being dead unto sinne become the servant of righteousnesse This beleeving in Christ embracing and relying upon the precious promises of the Gospell doth draw downe Christ into your heart and doth more and more incorporate you into him by it he by his Spirit dwelleth in you wherby of his life grace you receive life and grace and so as the Apostle saith are made partaker of the divine nature flying the corruption which is in the world through lust Affect your heart with ioy unspeakeable and with peace in beleeving considering that you are iustified through our Lord Iesus Christ this Ioy of the Lord as a cordiall will exceedingly strengthen grace in the inner man Take heed of quenching or grieving the Spirit but nourish it by the frequent use of holy meditation prayer hearing and reading of the Word receiving the Sacraments by a Christian Communion with such as feare God and by following the motions of the Spirit of God which you shall know to be from it when the thing wherunto it mooveth is both for matter circumstance according to the Scripture the Word of the Spirit This is to be led of the Spirit and this will be to walke in the Spirit and then you shal not fulfil the lusts of the flesh Vpon your fasting day you shal doe well to renew your Covenant with God and in some cases so that it be done advisedly to enter into a particular vow to leave some grosse sinne with the occasions of it and to doe some necessary neglected dutie and to embrace all furtherances thereof This also will much strengthen your resolution against sinne and for holinesse There remaineth yet one principall work wherein a chiefe busines of the day of your fast lyeth for which all formerly spoken to maketh way and by which with the former meanes you may attaine to true reformation of your selfe reconciliation with your
their Covenant with God Now unlesse wee doe joyne the inward with the outward we may fast but the Lord seeth it not wee may afflict our selves but hee taketh no notice wee may cry and boule but cannot make our voyce be heard on high But when God seeth the workes of them that fast that they turne from their evill way yea that they strive to turn and seek him with all their heart then hee will turne to them his bowels of compassion doth yerne towards them and I will have mercy on them saith the Lord. After the time of the Fast is ended eat and drinke but moderately For if you then shall glut your selfe it will put your body and soule much out of order Secondly your Fast being ended hold the strength which you not that day as much as you can keepe your interest and holy acquaintance which you have gotten with God and with the holy exercises of Religion Though you have giveÌ„ over the exercises â—â— the day yet unloose not the â—ent of your care and affections against sinne and for God It is a corruption of our nature and it â—â— a policie of Satan to helpe it forward that like some unwise â—arriours when they have got the day of their enemies wee â—ow full of presumption and severity by which the enemy taketh advantage to recollect his forces and comming upon us â—â— looked for giveth us the fosse not the overthrow we are too apt after a day of humiliation to fall into a kinde of remissenesse as if then we had gotten the mastry whereas if Satan fly from us if sinne be weakned in us it is but for a season and but in part and especially if we stand not upon our watch Satan will take occasion to returne and sin will revive in us I 〈…〉 few Cautions â—ouâ—… excellent but neglected duty â—â— Fasting 〈…〉 body although it must be 〈…〉 downe yet it must not buâ— destroyed with Fasting It musâ— not be so weakened as to be disabled to performe the workes 〈…〉 your ordinary Calling In private Fasts you must 〈…〉 be open but as private as conveniently you may â—ever not the inward from 〈…〉 outward Thinke not to merit by yoâ—… Fasting aâ— Papists doe Presume not that presently up on the worke done God must grant your asking as Hypocrites doe that say to him we have fasted and thou dost not regard it You may and must expect a gracious hearing upon your unfained humiliation but as for when and how you must wait patiently faith secureth you of good successe but neither prescribeth unto God how nor yet doth it make hast but waiteth his leisure when in his wisedome hee shall judge it most seasonable CHAP. VI. Of the Sabbath IF it bee the Sabbath or Lords day you must remember to keep it holy according to the Commandement For this cause First put a difference betweene this and the other six dayes even as you put difference betweene the bread and wine in the Sacrament and that which is for common use And that because it is set apart for holy use by divine institution For as the Seventh day from the beginning of the Creation untill the day of Christs blessed Resurrection so our Lords Day which is the day of the Resurrection iâ— morall and by divine institution The Commandement to keepe an holy rest upon the Seventh day after six worke dayes which is the â—…stance of the fourth Commandement remâ—â—neth the same And Adam â—o doubt by the instinct of incorrupted nature which yeeldethâ— time for Gods honour and â—o lemne worship he knowing thaâ— God finished the Creation in six daâ—es and rested on the seventh might by discourse of his reason have judged one day in seven the fittest time to bee dedicated to his service But certaine hee could not bee either that God would have one day in Seven or which of those dayes he would have set apart for rest and for holy use Wherefore it pleased the Lord of the Sabbath by a positive institution to determine that the Sabbath should bee one day in Seven and that from the beginning of the world unto the Resurrection of Christ it should be the Seventh from the Creation but as it shall appeare by the change of the day under the Gospell after the Resurrection hee appointed it to be kept the Seventh from thence by vertue whereof wee now keepe the Lords day a holy Sabbath to the Lord So that to keepe a day holy to the Lord and to keepe that day which the Lord should appoint is absolutely morall as all the other Commandements are according to the light and Law of nature And in particular the keeping the Seventh from the Creation till the Resurrection and the Seventh from the Resurrection ever since to the end of the world was to them and is to us a morall duty immediately binding the conscience and is no way alterable by man because it is set apart by Diuine institution That there was such an Institution I shall evidently prove For the Sabbath was sanctified by God and was to be observed by his people from the beginning of the world when there was no distinction of Iew and Gentile untill the writing of the morall Law I know some deny this but without good ground For wee haue reason to thinke that ever since the Creation Time hath beene divided by weeks whereof the seventh day is the boundary as well as by Moneths and Yeares And this reason of the Commandement He blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it importing the prime institution did concerne Adam and all before the Law as well as since This was a received opinion amongst the ancient Iewes that this Feast did belong to all Nations from the beginning of the world And the Fathers observed it before Moses And though there be no mention of the Saints observing of it before Israels going out of Aegypt yet where there is an Institution there it must in charitie be presupposed that it was observed of the godly except the Scripture deny it which it doth not but doth imply the contrary For the Sabbath day is spoken of before the re-delivering of it in the Mount as of a solemne day ordained before and wel known to the Iewes Tomorrow saith Moses is the rest of the holy Sabbath unto the Lord. And againe he saith The seventh day which is the Sabbath Moreover the Apostle doth intimate that the rest of the Sabbath was kept from the beginning of the world This be said of the Sabbath before the pronouncing and writing of the Law And when it was written God wrote and placed it in the heart of the ten Commandements as that which by the holy exercise thereof and keeping it holy should give life to the keeping of all the rest The reasons of the fourth Commandement doe as well urge the observing of it to all men at
strength and meanes be fully imployed in some lawfull businesse 5. Out of the fit the party thus affected must not oppresse his heart with feare of falling into it againe any more then to quicken him to prayer and to cause him to cast himselfe upon God 6. Out of the fits and in them also if the partie distempered be capable spirituall counsell is to be given out of GODS Word wisely according as the partie is fit for it whether to humble him if he hath not beene sufficiently humbled or to build him up and comfâ—â—â— him if he be already humbled 7. Lastly remember alwayes that when the troubled person is himselfe that he be moved to prayer and that others then pray much with him and at all times pray much for him When these troubles are mixt comming partly from naturall distemper and partly from spirituall temptation then the remedie must be mixt of helpes naturall and spirituall What the natural helps are hath bin shewne also what the spirituall in generall and shall be shewed more particularly in removing false feares rising from spirituall temptations The feares which rise for the most part from distemper of body may be knowne from those which for the most part or onely rise from the spirituall temptation thus When the first fort are clearely resolved of their doubts and brought unto some good degree of chearefulnesse and coÌ„fort they will yet it may be within a day or two sometimes within an houre or two upon every slight occasion and discouragement returne to their old complaints and will need the same meanes to recover them againe But those whose trouble is meerly out of spirituall temptation and trouble of conscience although for the time it is very grievous and hardly removed and sometimes long before they receive a satisfying answer to their doubts yet wheÌ„ once they receive satisfaction and comfort it doth hold and last untill there fall out some new temptation and new matter of feare This is because their Phantasies and memories are not disturbed in such sort as the others were The seeming grounds of feares that a man is not in state of grace when yet he is are for varietie almost infinite I have reduced them into this order and unto these heads First they who are taken with false feares will say their sinnes be greater than can be pardoned Secondly when they are driven from that they say then that they feare GOD will not pardon When they are driven from this by causing them to take notice of the signes of Gods actual love to them which give proofe that he will save them Then Thirdly they will question the truth of Gods love and favour But being put upon the ttyall whether God hath not already justified them and given them faith in Christ which are sufficient proofes of his love then Fourthly they will seeme to have grounds to doubt whether they have faith from which they are driven by putting them to the tryall of their Sanctification then Fifthly they doubt and will obiect strongly that they are not sanctified which being undeniably proved then Sixthly and lastly they feare they shall fall away and not persevere to the end Which feare being taken away also and all is come to this good issue they shall have no cause of disquiet feare This is the easiest most familiar and the most naturall method so farre as I can conceive both in propounding and in removing false feares SECTION 2. Removing false feare rising from thoughts of the greatnesse of punishment and sinne FIrst some in their fits of despaire speake almost in Cains words saying that their punishment which they partly feele and which they most of all feare is greater than they can beare or than can be forgiven I answer such If sense and feare of wrath and punishment be your trouble I would have you not to busie your thoughts about the punishment but divert them and pitch them upon your sinnes which are the onely cause of punishment for get your sinnes off and in one the same worke you get off and free your selfe from the punishment Labour therefore that your heart may bleed with godly sorrow for sin cry out as David did against his sinne so doe you against yours confesse them to GOD strike at the root of sinne at the sinne of your nature wherein you were conceived aggravate your actuall sinnes hide none spare none finde out arraigne accuse condemne your sinnes and your selfe for them grow first into utter detestation of your sinnes which have brought present punishment and a sense and feare of the eternall vengeance of hell fire then likewise grow into a dislike with your selfe for sinne loath your selfe in your owne sight for your iniquities and for your abominations Now when you are as a prisonerat the barre who hath received sentence of condemnation when you are in your owne apprehension a damned wretch fearing every day to be executed Oh then it concerneth you and it is your part and duty to runne to GOD the King of Kings whose name and nature is to forgive iniquity transgression and sinnes and that you may be accepted goe to him by Iesus Christ whose Office is to take away your sinnes and to present you without sinne to his father whose Office is also to procure and sue out your pardon Wherefore in Christs name pray and aske pardon of God for his Sonne Iesus Christs sake and withall bee as earnest in asking grace and power against your sinne that you may serve him in all well-pleasing Doe this as for your life with all truth and earnestnesse then you may nay must beleeve that God for Christs sake hath pardoned your sinne and hath done away the punishment of your sinne For this is according to the Word of Truth even as true as God is who hath Commanded you to doe thus and to beleeve in him But some will Reply this putting me unto a consideration of my sinnes breedes all my woe and feare for I finde them greater and more than can be pardoned Oh Say not so for you can hardly commit a greater sinne than indeed to thinke and to say so It is blasphemy against GOD yet this sinne if you will follow GODS Counsell and all other may and shall be pardoned I intend not to extenuate and lessen your sinne but you must give me leave to magnifie Gods truth and mercy and to extoll Christs love and merit Howsoever it is true that because sinne is a transgression of a law of infinite holinesse and equity in respect of the evil disposition of the heart is of infinite intention would perpetuate it selfe infinitely if it had time and meanes and because God the object and Person against whom sinne is committed is infinite therefore sinne must needes contract an infinite guilt and deserve infinite punishment which the very least sinne doth yet because the subiect of sinne the man that sinneth is
is not of it selfe so strong nor so constant nor so infallible as the certainty of Faith and Adherence is For sense and reason since the fall even in the regenerate though they will lay some foundation in the Rules of Faith to proceed by yet erring in or misapplying the rule are weake variable and their conclusions are not so certaine as those of pure Faith Because Faith buildeth onely upon Diuine Testimonie concluding without reasoning or disputing yea many times against reasoning So that notwithstanding the excellent and needfull use of Assurance and certainty of Evidence it is Faith and the certainty of Adherence whereby even in feares and doubts a man cleaveth fast to the promises and is that which we must trust unto and is the Cable wee must hold by lest we make ship wracke of all when wee are assaulted with our greatest temptatioÌ„s for then many times our Assurance leaveth us to the mercy of the winds and Seas as Marriners speake If you have Faith though you have little or no feeling you are yet sure enough of Salvation indeede though not in your owne apprehension When both can be had it is best for then you have most strength and most comfort giving you chearefulnesse in all your troubles but that certainty of Faith and cleaving to the naked word and promise is that to which you must trust See this in the examples of most faithfull men for when they have beene put to it it was this that upheld them and in this was their faith commended Abraham against all present sense and reason even against hope beleeved in hope both in the matter of receiving a sonne and in going about to offer him againe unto God in Sacrifice He denyed sense and reason he considered not the unlikelihoods and seeming impossibilities in the iudgement of reason that ever he should have a seed hee being old and Sarah being old and barren or having a seed that he should be saved by that seed sith hee was to kill him in Sacrifice He onely considered the Almighty power faithfulnesse and soveraigntie of him that had promised he knew it was his dutie to obey and to waite and so let all the businesse thereabout to rest on Gods promise For this his faith is commended and hee is said to be strong in faith Iob and David or Asaph shewed most strength of Faith when they had little or no feeling of Gods favour but the contrary rather Iob had little feeling of Gods favour when for paine of body hee said wherefore doe I take my flesh in my teeth and in anguish of soule he said Wherefore hidest thou thy face and takest me for thine enemie Yet then this certainty of faith which made him cleave unto GOD made him to hold fast and say in the same Chapter Though hee slay mee yet I will trust in him When David said to GOD Why hast thou forgotten mee His Assurance was weake yet even then his Faith discovered it selfe when he saith to his soule Why art thou disquieted within mee Hope in God who is the health of my countenance and my God You see then that the excellencie of Faith lyeth not in your feeling but as the Psalmist speaketh by experience in cleaving close unto the promise and relying on God for it upon his bare word For he saith It is good for mee to draw neere to God I have put my trust in the Lord God this was it which secretly upheld him and kept him in possession when as you may see in that Psalme his Evidences and Assurance was to seek Wherefore Beleeve Gods promises made to you in Christ and â—est on him even when you want â—oy and feeling comfort For â—aving Faith you are sure of heaven though you be not so fully â—ssured of it as you desire It will â—e your greatest commendation when you will be dutifull servants and children at GODS Commandement though you have not present wages when you wil take Gods word for that Those are bad servants and children which cannot go on chearfully in doing their Master or Fathers will except they may receive the promised wages 〈◊〉 least in good part aforehand Oâ— every day or except they may have atleast a good part of the promised inheritance presently and in hand Feeling of comfort is part of a Christians wages and inheritance to be received at the good pleasure of God that freely giveth it rather than a Christian duty To comfort and stay ourselves on God in distresse is a duty but this joyous sense and feeling of Gods favour is a gracious favour of God towards us not a duty of ours toward God It is from too much distrust in God and too much self-respect when wee have no heart to goe about his worke except we be full of feeling of his favour Hee is the best child or servant that will obey out of love duty and conscience and will trust on God and wait on him for his wages and recompence Though want of apprehension of Gods favour and of feeling of comfort may be accounted a great misery yet it is not to be judged a proofe of no grace or of no true Faith Thirdly when you say you cannot feele that you have faith or hope you meane as in deede many good soules doe you cannot finde and perceive that these graces bee in you in truth which if you did you would not doubt of your salvation My answer is If faith and hope be in you then if you would judiciously enquire into your selves and feele for them you may finde and feele them and know that you have them For as certainly as he that seeth bodily may know that he seeth so he that hath the spirituall sight of Faith may know that he hath Faith Wherfore try and feele for your Faith and you shall finde whether it be in you yea or no. For this cause 1 Try whether you ever had the necessary Antecedents and Preparatives which ordinarily make way for the seed of Faith to take deepe root 2 Consider the nature of saving Faith and whether it hath wrought in you accordingly 3 Consider some consequents and certaine effects thereof First hath the Law shut you up in your owne apprehension under the curse so that you have beene afraid of Hell And hath the Spirit also convinced you of sin by the Gospell to the wounding of your conscience and to the working of true humiliation causing the heart to relent and to desire to know how to be saved and if after this you have denied your selfe and received and rested on Christ according to the nature of true Faith as followeth then you have Faith If you doubt you were never sufficiently humbled then reade Chap. 16. Sect. 6. Secondly Consider rightly the nature and proper acts of Faith lest you conceive that to be faith which is not and that to be no faith which is You may know wherein true saving Faith consists by