for their sinnes and all others who should beleeue in him And such a solemne thankesgiuing was made by Deborah Iudg. 5. and the people for their victory ouer Sisera and their freedome from the tyranny of Iabin King of Canaan who had long oppressed them By Dauid when as God had deliuered him out of the hands of all his enemies and especially out of the hand of Saul and by Hester Mordecay and the Iewes Hest 9. of the Captiuity from that feareful conspiracy of Haman who had plotted the destruction of the whole Nation And such a feast of thanksgiuing we worthily celebrate vpon the fifth of Nouember for that maruellous and almost miraculous deliuerance of our King and State from that horrible and vnmatchable Powder-treason by giuing wisdom to our gracious Soueraigne to interpret their darke riddle as he did somtime to Daniel for the expounding of Nebuchadnezzars dreame when the wisedome of the wisest in the Land could not vnfold it Of the other we haue an example in Abraham who made a solemne feast that he might render vnto God Gen. 21. praise and thankesgiuing for giuing vnto him contrary to all hope a son in his old age of whom should come that promised seed in which both himselfe and all the Nations of the earth should be blessed §. Sect. 2 When this solemne thanksgiuing is most seasonable how it differeth from that which is ordinary and the kinds of it Which examples we ought to imitate consecrating vnto God some day for solemne thankesgiuing whensoeuer wee receiue from him any great and extraordinary benefits either priuatiue consisting in deliuerance from some imminent or present euill or positiue when as he vouchsafeth vnto vs some great and vnexpected blessing But aboue all other times we must performe this duty when wee celebrate the Sacrament of the Lords Supper in remembrance of that inestimable benefit the great worke of our Redemption wrought by the death and Passion of Iesus Christ whereby we are deliuered out of the hands of all our spirituall enemies The which is called the Eucharist or a Sacrament of thankesgiuing because therein wee doe in a solemne manner render vnto God thankes and praise for Christ and all his benefits the pardon of our sins and that great Charter of our peace sealed first by his blood and now by this Sacrament instituted to put vs in remembrance of it and as it were afresh to renew his Couenant and to put our Pardon into our owne hands Now this extraordinary thankesgiuing to bee vsed vpon such speciall occasions differeth from that which is ordinary not in the matter which is one and the same but in the manner and measure which according to the occasion ought to be extraordinary in quantity and degree For our hearts must be more then vsually inflamed with the apprehension of Gods loue and goodnesse and inward ioy in the speciall fruition of his singular blessings which must affect them with extraordinary zeale to glorifie and praise him and to expresse our thankfulnesse by renewing our couenant with God binding our selues by firme resolution that in sense of his present fauours wee will be more deuout and zealous in all duties of his seruice for the time to come then euer we haue been in time past And by continuing our thankesgiuing in a solemne manner for a longer time then ordinary setting it apart as a Sabbath of rest from all our worldly labours that it may be wholly spent in Gods praises and in testifying our loue and inward ioy and reioycing in him by outward feasting and more liberall vse of meates and drinkes and all other comforts of this life and in shewing our loue and bounty in obedience to God by entertaining at our table and by sending gifts and rewards vnto our poore neighbours that they also may reioyce with vs. And this solemne feasting and thankesgiuing is according to the occasion of it publike or priuate Publike for some publike benefit which concerneth the welfare of the Church or Common-wealth which is to bee appoynted onely by the publike authority of Christian Magistrates and is to be celebrated in a most solemne and publike manner all sorts and conditions of men assembling together in the Church to magnifie and praise Gods holy name and to craue the continuance of his loue and fauour The which prayers and prayses are profitably conioyned with the preaching of the Word for the stirring vp of the whole Assembly to extraordinary thankfulnesse when as thereby the greatnesse of the blessings receiued and the inestimable mercie of God is set forth vnto them Priuate for some speciall benefits bestowed either on a particular person or a whole family which is to bee solemnized by singing of Psalmes prayer and thankesgiuing reading of some portions of holy Scriptures fit for the present occasion holy conferences whereby wee are to magnifie Gods mercies and to recount and tell what great things hee hath done for vs and also expressing our inward ioy by a more free and liberall vse of Gods creatures whereof wee must also cause our poore neighbours to haue some taste The which kind of feasting and solemne thankesgiuing is a notable helpe vnto true godlinesse as it worketh our hearts to a more liuely sense feeling of Gods loue stirreth vs vp to more zealous performance of all religious duties vnto him who hath been so gracious and good vnto vs and as it giueth vs occasion to renew our couenant with God and to confirme our resolution that wee will be more diligent and zealous in doing all things which may please and glorifie him CAP. XXXIIII Of the second extraordinary meanes which is solemne fasting §. Sect. 1 What a true fast is and how it differeth from all other fasts THe other extraordinary meanes of a godly life is an holy fast of which it is my purpose to speake briefly though the vse and benefit of this duty is so great that it well deserueth a more full discourse because it is already so excellently and exactly handled in diuers Treatises purposely written of this argument and especially in one which is called The holy exercise of a true fast and in another intituled The Christian exercise of fasting written many yeeres since by the right Reuerend Father and my most deare brother that nothing materiall can be added vnto it And therefore I will content my selfe to set downe after mine owne manner some of those poynts briefly which are most essentiall and necessary vnto this exercise for how should I in a Chapter expresse all fully which would require a whole Treatise referring the Christian Reader vnto those learned Treatises if he desire more thorow satisfaction and particular direction in any of them And first that wee may begin with the description of this duty A fast as we here vnderstand it is a voluntary religious and solemne action vndertaken vpon some extraordinary occasion wherein we seriously humble our selues before God in the sight and sense of
vnto him and a proud scorner of his humble zeale in Gods seruice If Iehoram the sonne of good Iehosaphat marry with Ahabs daughter it will be a strong inducement to make him an Idolater and to doe euill in the sight of the Lord. 2. King 8. 18. §. Sect. 3 Examples of the faithfull who haue shunned wicked company Vnto these testimonies of holy Scriptures dehorting vs from entertaining neere society and alliance with the wicked we may adde the examples 2. King 3. 14. of Gods seruants who haue carefully shunned all fellowship with them Thus Elisha so much detested the wicked life and raigne of idolatrous Iehoram that had he not respected the presence of Iehosaphat who was in his company he would not as he professeth so much as haue looked towards him nor seen him So the Apostle Iohn as it is recorded of him finding Cerinthus a blasphemous heretike in a bath with some of his consorts Ierenaeus aduers Haeres l. 3. c. 3. belching out blasphemies against our Sauiour Christ in haste departed with his cōpany for feare of being attached by Gods Iudgments together with them Who was no sooner gone out of the company but presently the house fell downe and ouerwhelmed all that cursed crue But most plainely may we see this practised in the example of holy Dauid who in many places sheweth how much he hated and shunned the society of wicked men I haue not saith he sate with vaine persons neither will I goe in with Psal 26. 4 5. dissemblers I haue hated the congregation of euill doers and I will not sit with the wicked A froward heart shall depart from me I will not know a wicked person Psal 101. 4 7. He that worketh deceit shall not dwell within my house he that telleth lies shall not tarry in my sight So elsewhere he banisheth them out of his company Depart from me ye workers of iniquity and Away from me ye wicked Psal 6. 8. Psal 119. 115. c. I will keepe the Commandements of my God §. Sect. 4 Reasons perswading vs to shun the society of wicked men first because it is a strong tentation vnto euill Besides which testimonies and examples we may adde diuers effectuall reasons which may disswade vs from keeping company with wicked men As first because we shall be in great danger to grow in short time like vnto them For it is a strong tentation to draw vs vnto all euill and it is iust with God to leaue vs when we wilfully rush into it The loue which wee beare to their persons will lessen daily our mislike of their sinnes making vs to thinke them at first lesse haynous then they are afterwards small and veniall then tolerable and excusable till at last we come to iustifie and defend them to approoue and practise them Besides sinne is of a contagious nature and wee most apt to receiue infection in which regard it spreadeth as fast as the plague in a City or the rot in a flocke of Sheepe For not onely are the examples of the wicked of such great force that if wee keepe them company they thinke it a strange thing if we doe not runne with them into the same excesse of riot but they are also ready to set vpon vs 1. Pet. 4. 4. with perswasions and to vse arguments of worldly aduantage to allure vs to accompany them in their wickednesse as Salomon teacheth vs. Being Pro. 1. 10 11 12 heerein like to them who are sicke of the plague that care not how many are infected by them that so the fewer may shunne their company And this Dauid knew to bee so strong a tentation that resoluing to keepe Gods Commandements he first caused the workers of wickednesse to depart from him Psal 119. 115. because so long as they consorted with him he had little hope of making good his resolution And finding not power in himselfe to resist it because of the many allurements and baits of wickednesse hee desireth by prayer Gods assistance Incline not mine heart to any euill thing to practise wicked workes with men that worke iniquity and let me not eate of their dainties Psal 141. 4. Thus Elymas the Sorcerer being it seemeth in times past gracious with Sergius Paulus the Deputy so maliciously withstood the Apostles Paul and Barnabas and so powerfully wrought with the Gouernour to turne him away from the faith that the Apostle was faine vehemently to Act. 13. 8. oppose him and to disgrace him with the Deputy by bringing vpon that caytife by miracle a fearefull Iudgement of God And this danger of being tainted and corrupted with the sins of wicked men by keeping them company Salomon plainely implieth where he perswadeth vs to make no friendship with an angry man and not to goe with one that is furious lest wee Pro. 22. 24. learne his wayes and get a snare to our soules for as he saith before Thornes Vers 5. and snares are in the way of the froward he that doth keepe his soule shall bee farre from them And so likewise the Apostle where perswading the Corinthians to excommunicate the incestuous person lest they should be infected with his example vseth this as a reason because sin is like vnto leauen a little whereof leaueneth the whole lumpe The which we see 1. Cor. 5. 6. verified in the example of Ioseph who notwithstanding that he was Gen. 42. 15 16. so vertuous and Religious yet liuing in the Kings Court learned to sweare ordinarily by the life of Pharaoh Yea if their example be not strong enough to allure vs to sinne yet other motiues draw vs into it and especially feare of their scornes and reproches violence and persecution if we goe not with them hand in hand in their euill courses As we see in the example of Dauid who being in the Court of Achish one time basely counterfeiteth madnesse and at another time dissembleth and faineth himselfe to be a friend to the Philistims and an enemy to Gods people and in the Apostle Peter who Nazian ad Caesarium being amongst the High-priests seruants for feare of them denieth his Master So that as one saith wittily If wee keepe companie with wicked men though wee be not burnt with their fire yet wee shall be smutcht with the smoke Yea not onely doe wicked men hurt vs in these respects by this societie and familiarity if seeing their sinnes we doe not shew our dislike by our rebuke and if they will doe no good by leauing their companie but wee also shall hurt them and harden them in their sinnes because it is no small heartning and incouraging of wicked men to goe on in their euill courses when as they are countenanced with the societie of the godly and are mooued to thinke that they are if not commendable yet at least tolerable or else men of such Pietie would not be so inward and familiar with them Whereas contrariwise by shunning
example of God himselfe for our imitation that you may bee the children of your Father which is in heauen for hee maketh his Sunne to rise on the euill and the good and sendeth rayne on the iust and on the vniust And also by his Parable of the man which fell among theeues who being a Iew Luk. 10. 29. 30. was relieued by a Samaritane though an enemy to that nation and therefore approoued as a neighbour vnto him All men therefore being our neighbours they are all in respect of their persons to bee loued of vs with such loue in respect of the qualitie as is sincere vnfained and feruent euen as wee loue our selues although in respect of the quantitie wee may and ought in our loue to obserue diuers degrees For seeing wee loue others in and for God therefore wee must loue those aboue others which are of the houshold of faith and our kindred in the Spirit brethren of the same heauenly Father and fellow members of the same body in whom the Image of God most brightly shineth so the whole Church and Common-wealth more then a priuate man and among priuate men our parents children kindred Gal. 6. 10. 1. Tim. 5. 8. familiar friends and benefactours more then strangers or ordinary men §. Sect. 7 The meanes of louing our neighbours namely as our selues The manner of our loue towards our neighbours is that we loue them as our selues In which the loue of our owne persons is necessarily implied Leuit. 19. 18. Mat. 22. 39. for if the loue of our selues be the rule of our loue towards our neighbours then must our charity begin at home and from it as from the fountaine the streames of brotherly loue must spring and flow And howsoeuer we haue in the Scriptures no direct precept inioyning vs to loue our selues yet it is necessarily implied First when we are cōmanded to loue God for seeing loue vniteth vs vnto him who is the chiefe Good and fountaine of all happinesse we chiefly loue our selues in louing him in whose fruition consisteth all blessednesse and felicity Secondly in all those Commandements which require of vs that we seeke our owne good and preseruation both in respect of our soules bodies and states temporall and eternall both by auoyding all sinne which would hurt vs as selfe-murther vncleannesse prodigality exposing of our fame and good name to slanders and imputations and by imbracing all vertues and practising all good duties which may further our euerlasting saluation Besides where our Sauiour saith that whosoeuer loueth his owne life better then him Eph 5. 28 29. is not worthy of him he implyeth that wee ought to loue our selues but with such a loue as is subordinate to the loue of him who hath loued vs better then his owne life And the Apostle in pressing a mans loue towards his wife which ought to exceed all other naturall loue because of that neere vnion betweene them whereby they become one flesh vseth this as a reason that no man euer hated his owne flesh implying thereby that seeing man and wife are both one therefore we should loue our wiues as our selues and consequently our selues first according to which rule we are to loue them §. Sect. 8 That naturall and carnall selfe loue is not the rule of louing our neighbours but that which is holy and spirituall But seeing our naturall loue of our selues is carnall and earthly plunging vs head-long into sinne and death and is no better then true hatred in respect of those miserable effects and fruits which it produceth both to our soules and bodies therefore this carnall loue ought not to be our rule in louing our neighbours although in truth wee can loue them with no other whilest this loue ruleth and swayeth in vs but first this loue must be mortified in vs and in stead thereof our hearts must be replenished with a iust and holy loue whereby we loue our selues in and for God for the aduancing of our temporall and spirituall good and the eternall saluation of our soules and bodies in the fruition of him whom wee chiefly loue and with him of euerlasting ioy and happinesse And when wee thus truly loue our selues according to this rule wee must loue our brethren So that when we are commanded to loue our neighbours as our selues Leuit. 19. 17. it is not required that we should so loue them as we loue our selues in the state of corruption with a carnall and earthly loue which would draw them together with vs into eternall death and destruction and is therefore to be esteemed no better then hatred but as wee ought to loue our selues in the state of regeneration with a right lawfull and holy loue which is alwayes subordinate to the loue of God and louing him first and chiefly doth cause vs to loue them in and for him and not in such respects as are carnall and sinfull In which regard as we are bound to loue all men euen our enemies yea the most wicked in the world in respect of their persons which are Gods workemanship so not our dearest friends in respect of their vices or their vices together with them seeing our loue must be subordinate to the loue of God and for his sake and as we loue their persons which he also loueth so must wee hate their sinnes and corruptions euen as wee ought also to hate our owne because he hateth and abhorreth them And wee must loue our selues and them according to Gods will and not contrary vnto it so farre foorth as it may stand with Gods loue and not when there is any opposition betweene them And thus Dauid who mourned for his enemies because they Ps 119. 136 137 Psal 119. 113. Psal 139. 21 22. kept not Gods Law and prayed for them in respect of their persons yet hated them in respect of their sinnes which vvere hatefull to God as he often professeth §. Sect. 9 The properties of lawfull selfe-loue Novv the lavvfull and right loue of our selues hath diuers properties for first it is vnfained and not counterfeit and dissembled and seated and settled in the heart and not in the tongue and lips onely Secondly it is feruent and effectuall and not cold remisse and carelesse Thirdly constant and permanent and not fickle and mutable alienated and estranged by frailties and infirmities And such ought our loue to be towards our neighbours sincere and vnfained feruent and effectuall seeking by all meanes their good not onely in word but in deede and action doing Mat. 7. 12. that vnto them which we would haue them do vnto vs and finally we must loue them with a constant loue and not alienate our affections from them in regard of their frailties and imperfections And thus wee are to loue our neighbours either with a common and naturall loue sanctified by Gods Spirit or with a special and spirituall loue In respect of the former as euery man out of a naturall loue doth seeke
our march in the Christian warfare and so prepared against all afflictions and troubles which like thornes and briers molest vs in our iourney that we shall not be discouraged nor faint in the way but by that inward peace which the Gospel bringeth vnto vs wee shall be confirmed and comforted in the middest of all worldly garboyles and troubles By the shield of faith wee shall repell the firy darts of Satans 1. Pet. 5. 8. tentations and resist and beate him backe when he assaulteth vs with greatest fury we shall also thereby ouercome the world on the one side 1. Ioh. 5. 4. tempting vs with the wages of earthly vanities by contemning it in comparison of heauenly happinesse of which faith assureth vs and on the other side threatning and terrifying vs with crosses and afflictions whilst it receiueth them as tokens of Gods loue and signes of our adoption and perswadeth vs that they shall worke together for the best and serue as Rom. 8. 28. meanes to further our saluation By the helmet of saluation wee are also notably strengthened in the spirituall conflict so as though Satan the old Serpent may bite and bruize our heele yet he shall not bee able to hurt our Head wee are also thereby incouraged to labour diligently after sanctification and hauing hope of inioying with Christ heauenly happinesse it is a notable meanes to mooue vs to purge and purifie our selues 1. Ioh. 3. 2. as he also is pure Finally we are incouraged to fight valiantly the Lords battels by assured hope of victory and to passe with patience and comfort throughout all worldly discouragements because we expect that after we haue trauailed thorow a little spot of foule way we shall come safely to a Palace of pleasure and to all the ioyes of our heauenly Countrey Lastly by the sword of the Spirit if we can skilfully vse it we shall be fitted for all purposes strengthened against all enemies ouercome all difficulties answere all obiections repell all tentations Yea such a glorious light commeth from this glittering weapon that it is sufficient not onely to defend vs and beate downe like that light which appeared to Saul Act 9. and his company with feare and astonishment all our enemies but to guide and direct vs in all our wayes and to make vs perfect and wise for attaining vnto saluation 2. Tim. 3. 15 17. CAP. VIII Of the fourth mayne daily duty which is to arme our selues against all sinne and to deuote our selues wholly to Gods seruice §. Sect. 1 That we must necessarily arme our selues against all sin and the reasons of it THe fourth mayne duty daily to be performed is to arme and strengthen our selues daily against sinne and deuote our soules and bodies wholly to Gods seruice in the performance of all Christian duties which may bee pleasing in his sight Concerning the former It is most necessary that wee continually arme our selues against sinne and gather daily new strength to withstand and mortifie our corruptions First because Satan like a roaring 1. Pet. 5. 8. Lyon walketh continually about seeking to deuoure vs laying at all times and in all places his nets and snares of perdition and many baites of worldly vanities and seales of euill examples to allure vs to stoope and giue ouer our heauenly flight that so he may catch and insnare vs to our destruction Secondly because the world as a strong enemy daily ioyneth with him labouring one while with her smiles and fauours her allurements and proffers of prosperity to intice vs to follow those patternes and precedents of euill which she setteth before vs and another while with frownes and threats afflictions and persecutions to thrust vs by mayne force into sinne Thirdly because we nourish continually a secret traytour in our bosomes which is daily ready to betray vs into their hands euen our owne flesh and corrupt nature which is prone to all euill and taketh delight in nothing more then in glutting it selfe with the pleasures of sinne So that no sooner doe we giue ouer fighting but we are presently foyled no sooner doe we desist rowing and tugging against the streame of our naturall corruptions but they presently carry vs downe with a swift course into some one or other sinfull action Fourthly because many are the wiles and deceits of sinne which will easily circumuent vs if wee doe not daily obserue and labour to defeate them One while they will pretend friendship and that they will doe vs good or at least that they are innocent and will not hurt vs and at another time necessity that wee cannot liue without them or if wee doe a life no better then death vncheerefull and vncomfortable Sometime they will pleade custome and prescription which entreth them into possession as it were by course of Law And if we can answere this they will offer themselues like ghests crauing but one nights lodging with promise then to be gone but afterwards when they are admitted either by force take possession or else vpon further acquaintance and better liking desire to make longer abode Lastly because the occasions of sinne daily are many as the obiects of vnlawfull pleasures which bewitch vs with their alluring tunes and of sinfull gaine and profit which like golden chaines draw vs into wicked courses and of pride and vaine-glory which easily perswade vs who are naturally ambitious to vse any meanes which may further our aduancement Vnto which wee may adde the daily occasions of vniust anger thrusting vs on to reuenge of enuy or disdaine of wantonnesse and vncleannesse of vaine vnsauoury and rotten communication through sinfull society and wicked company and innumerable such others all which will powerfully draw vs to sinne if wee be not daily armed against it In all which respects it is most necessary that wee arme our selues and make daily warre against all our sinnes especially against those which cleane fastest to our corrupt natures and vnto which we are most prone and apt to fall Of which we may take the better and surer notice if wee consider what they were which before our conuersion did most raigne and rule in vs seeing these in the state of regeneration though they be deposed from their regency yet will of all others be most hardly expelled or being in some measure driuen out yet out of their experience of their former victories will conceiue hope of repossessing their wonted hold and to this end will lurke and honer about vs that they may spie opportunity of re-entring like Crowes and other birds of prey which are beaten off a field where they haue long vsed to feede As also if we obserue what are those sinnes which our corruption most liketh and longeth after and is most ready to extenuate and excuse when we are touched and reprooued for them making them light and veniall by gilding them ouer with vaine friuolous or false pretences And finally wee may know them by our owne lamentable experience
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
and out of a desire to drinke of stolne waters because they are sweeter to a fleshly palate then surely such are well worthy to be turned out into the bare commons of penury and misery in this life and if they repent not of their folly to be eternally pounded in hell in the life to come And so much of the first kinde of cessation from our labours by lawfull recreations of which I haue spoken much more largely then at the first I intended because howsoeuer it may seeme but a light subiect to bestow much paines vpon yet I plainely perceiued that it is of no light consequence seeing it is a matter that concernes all men and not seldome but almost euery day of their liues seeing also nothing is more commonly abused vnto sinne it being one of Satans most alluring baites to intice vs to come within the compasse of his pernicious nets and snares of wickednesse and finally because that many who truely feare God and desire to vse them with a good conscience indeuouring to please him as well in their recreations as their labours yet know not how to doe it as they ought and so out of scruple and timorous doubting forbeare them altogether or else transported with their pleasure take greater liberty then God hath allowed them which though it bee sweete for the present yet in the end it turneth to bitternesse In all which respects there are few other things in the whole course and carriage of our liues for which wee stand in more neede of counsell and direction and the rather because there are few particular rules heereof in the Scriptures of which chiefly the weaker sort of Christians are capeable but onely some generals out of which they cannot so easily gather speciall directions in this behalfe vnlesse they haue some guide to goe before them CAP. XXIIII Of the duties which ought daily to bee performed at our meales §. Sect. 1 That we ought to take speciall care of our cariage at our meales THe second kind of cessation from our labours is that time which is spent daily in taking our repast and refreshing of our bodies by receiuing of our food whereby our decayed strength is repaired our health preserued and we inabled to the better performance of the duties of our callings The which is to be performed of vs not as meere naturall men but as Christians vsing therein such rules and cautions as the Word of God prescribeth vnto vs that we doe not famish our soules whilest wee feed our bodies nor weaken our spirituall part and defile our selues with sinne whilest our outward man is refreshed and strengthened with the vse of Gods creatures For as the deuill layeth in euery place baites and snares to intrap vs so especially vpon our tables and mingleth the poison of sinnefull corruption with our meates and drinkes that if we doe not vse them in the feare of God and keepe a narrow watch ouer our selues that we offend not in them they will prooue no lesse dangerous to our soules then necessary and profitable for the refreshing of our bodies And this Dauid implyeth where making many fearefull imprecations against Psal 69. 22. his owne and our Sauiour Christs desperate enemies he prayeth that their table might become a snare before them and that that which should Iob 1. 5. haue beene for their welfare should become a trap The which made holy Iob so carefull to sanctifie his children after the dayes of their feasting and to offer burnt sacrifices to expiate their sins because he well knew how prone they were through humane frailty to offend against God by abusing of his blessings §. Sect. 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 Let vs therefore in the next place consider the duties which belong to all Christians in receiuing of their food the which are to be performed either before we eate at our meales or afterwards Before we eate our duty is to sanctifie the creatures by the Word and prayer for howsoeuer euery creature of God is good in it selfe yet it is not so vnto vs vnlesse it be sanctified vnto our vse They are sanctified by the Word when as the vse of them is warranted vnto vs by the Scriptures that is when as we doe not receiue them as absolute owners of them but acknowledging God the Author and chiefe Lord both of them and vs doe receiue them at his hands as his free gifts the which he bestowed vpon vs first by his law of Gen. 1. 26. to 30. 9. 3. creation not onely making all the creatures for mans vse but also by his word giuing him dominion and lordship ouer them and liberty to vse them for his food and nourishment But this first gift and donation from God is no sufficient warrant vnto vs seeing through the fall of our first parents we lost all our dominion right and interest which we had vnto the creatures vnlesse our Charter be renewed by Christ who by satisfying Gods Iustice for our sinnes hath recouered our right and reentered vs into our possession which we lost by Adam and hath purchased for vs that glorious liberty of the sonnes of God whereby we may with a good conscience freely vse all Gods creatures without any doubting scruple or superstition for our necessity and profit yea for our comfort and delight So that now we are not to put any difference betweene meates seeing vnto the pure all things are pure and euery creature thus sanctified is Tit. 1. 15. good and if for conscience sake we abstaine from flesh more then fish or any one meate more then another we shall shew heereby that wee are not taught of Christ but that we haue as the Apostle plainely speaketh 1. Tim. 4. 1 3. learned this lesson in the schoole of the deuill Onely our care must bee that we bee ingrafted into Christ by a liuely faith by whom onely wee haue right vnto the creatures and that wee know our liberty to the end we may vse it without doubting For otherwise we are intruders and vsurpers who hauing no right vnto any of Gods blessings shall haue a fearefull account to make for incroaching vpon them and as it were like theeues liuing vpon the spoile §. Sect. 3 That we ought to sanctifie the creatures to our vse by prayer and thanksgiuing But howsoeuer it is necessary that we be alwayes in this state of Christian liberty and haue the knowledge and acknowledgement of it habitually in vs yet not that we should euery time we eate particularly meditate of all these things onely it is sufficient that hauing this Charter of our liberty in our keeping we bring it out as oft as wee haue occasion especially when our right vnto the creatures is called into question either by the deuill the world or our owne flesh And that acknowledging God to bee the Author of all these
shamefull ouerthrow vnlesse our Christian Armour be put on and fastened vnto vs with the girdle of verity and vnlesse wee be trained vp in this Christian warfare and taught rightly to vse the sword of the Spirit the Word of God Now if vowes must be paid without delay then Psal 76. 11. how much more this which importeth vs as much as our saluation A third reason may be taken from Gods loue and fatherly care and prouidence watching ouer vs and preseruing vs from all perils and dangers in the time of our infancie and childehood vnto which as we were naturally most prone so were wee vtterly vnable to auoid them by our owne prouidence or to vse any meanes to helpe our selues Which consideration should moue vs as soone as we are come to knowledge and discretion to testifie our thankefulnesse by learning his waies that wee may walke in them and thereby glorifie him who hath so graciously preserued vs. Fourthly let vs consider that the Law was giuen not onely to the ancient and them of ripe age but also to children and young men that they might cleanse their wayes by taking heede thereunto according to Gods Psal 119. 9. Word which made Iosuah to reade it vnto them all alike And both old Iosh 8. 35. and yong shall be called to giue an account of their workes and waies at the last day according to that in the Reuelation I saw the dead great and Apoc. 20. 12. small stand before God and the bookes were opened c. and the dead were iudged out of those things which were written in those bookes according to their workes And therefore the young as well as the old must prepare themselues for their reckoning and learne both what strength the Booke of the Law hath to indite and condemne him and how by the Gospell they may trauerse this inditement and be acquitted from that dreadfull sentence of condemnation by pleading full satisfaction by Iesus Christ And therefore when his soule wallowing it selfe in carnall delights saith vnto him Reioyce Eccles 11. 9. O yong man in thy youth and let thine heart cheere thee in the dayes of thy youth and walke in the waies of thine heart and in the sight of thine eyes then let him remember that for all these things God will bring him to iudgement Fifthly consider that this age aboue all others is most fit to receiue and retaine instruction and information in the wayes of the Lord as also reformation and amendment of our sinfull courses Which if it bee deferred to riper age they will be lesse able to learne the will and wayes of God to hold them in memory or to obey and walke in them For the faculties of the soule will bee more enfeebled and they distracted with earthly cares and loue of the world ambition couetousnesse voluptuousnesse they will then be more apt to content themselues with their ignorance wherin they haue bin so long nuzzled their passions will grow strong and violent and custome of sinning laying fast hold on them will pull them backe from the schoole of piety yea will make them openly to professe that they are now too old to learne by all which who seeth not how desperately they hazzard their saluation who put off instruction and neglect the meanes of it in the time of their youth And therefore let vs hearken to the Wise mans counsell and remember now our Creator in the daies of our Eccles 12. 1. youth while the euill daies come not nor the yeeres draw nigh when thou shalt say I haue no pleasure in them Sixthly let vs remember that God would haue first fruits offered vnto him as a type to teach vs that the prime of our age is an oblation wherein he chiefly delighteth that our Sauiour was much pleased when little children entertained him with their applause Crying Math. 21. 15. Psal 8. 2. Hosanna to the Sonne of Dauid that God out of the mouth of babes and sucklings hath ordained strength because of his enemies that he might stil the enemie the auenger Finally that in the time of the law they were inioyned to offer vnto God the yong and lusty not the old and lame to shew that the Lord would haue the prime of our age and strength consecrated to his seruice although in the Gospell all are inuited to the marriage Supper the poore Luke 14. 21. maimed halt and blinde because so we bring with vs the wedding garment it is better in our age to come halting to the feast and through the dimnesse of our sight groping for the right way then to frame worldly excuses and absent our selues altogether §. Sect. 9 Of the great profit of this exercise of catechizing Lastly let the profit manifold benefits which accompany this dutie be an effectuall meanes to perswade vs vnto it For they only are saued who Ioh. 3. 16 17 36 Mar. 16. 16. Rom. 10. 15 17. haue faith and they faith alone who haue knowledge both which come by hearing as the Apostle teacheth vs How shall they call vpon him in whom they haue not beleeued and how shall they beleeue in him of whom they haue not heard and how shall they heare without a Preacher So then faith commeth by hearing and hearing by the Word of God And this the Apostate Iulian well knew and therefore to roote out the Church he thought it the most effectuall way to put downe Christian Schooles and Religious exercises that being depriued of all meanes of knowledge hee might leade them in their ignorance which way hee listed Secondly it is a notable meanes to free them from errours and heresies when they are grounded in the knowledge of the truth and the analogie of faith that will serue them as a touchstone and rule according to which doctrines must bee examined which whoso want may easily be led euen into fundamentall errours For as the Apostle saith there must bee heresies in the world vnto 1. Cor. 11. 19. which men naturally are more inclined then vnto the truth and therefore we must not hand ouer head hearken vnto euery spirit nor when we heare iudge of them according to our naturall reason but wee must as the Apostle Iohn exhorteth vs try them whether they be of God or no by 1. Ioh. 4. 1. bringing them to be examined by the touchstone of his Truth The which wee shall be vtterly vnable to doe if we be not acquainted with the Scriptures and haue no knowledge of the maine principles and the analogie of faith contayned in them Where by the way wee may note the cause why Popery so much increaseth amongst vs namely because for want of catechizing in many places the people remaine ignorant of the principles of Christian Religion and so vpon the alleadging of any carnall reason plausible to corrupted nature they become an easie prey to the Priests and Iesuites Thirdly It helpeth notably to the hearing of Sermons with profit
foorth the fruits of our inward sincerity in our outward practice that men seeing the light of our Mat. 5. 16. 1. Pet. 2. 12. godly liues may take occasion thereby to glorifie our heauenly Father for heerein he is glorified if wee bring foorth much fruit the which being Ioh. 15. 8. the maine and supreme end of all things we are in whatsoeuer wee doe chiefly to aime at it as the Apostle exhorteth Thirdly wee must ioyne 1. Cor. 10. 31. outward conformity vnto our inward sincerity to testifie our thankefulnesse vnto God for his innumerable benefits both spirituall and corporall without which we shall fall into the vice of vngratitude which is so odious both to God and men In respect of our neighbours also wee must approoue our inward piety by our outward practice that wee may edifie them by our good example for if our lights shine before them they will glorifie our Father which is in heauen if we haue our conuersation honest among Mat. 5. 16. 1. Pet. 2. 12. vnbeleeuers they will giue glory to God in the day of their visitation Secondly to auoyd offence which they are ready to take when they see our conuersation 2. Cor. 6. 3. contrary to our profession Now we must giue no offence in any thing because there is a fearefull woe denounced against those by whom offences Mat. 18. 7. come and that iustly because as much as in them lyeth they destroy those for whom Christ hath died Thirdly that we may hereby gaine them 1. Cor. 8. 11. to Christ when they see our holy conuersation coupled with feare Wherein we are to follow the Apostles example who pleased all men in all things not 1. Pet. 3. 1 2. seeking his owne profit but of many that they might be saued In respect of our selues we are to approue our sincerity by our outward practice in an holy conuersation that heereby we may be assured that our hearts are vpright before God seeing the goodnesse of the tree can no otherwise be knowne Mat. 7. 17. Iam. 2. 27. then by the good fruits which it beareth nor the life of Grace discerned but by the breath of holy and righteous words and actions Secondly because we can no otherwise haue the peace of a good conscience in the assurance of our election and saluation vnlesse we bring foorth in our liues the 2. Pet. 1. 10. fruits of sanctification Thirdly because by our outward obedience our inward graces are exercised and by exercise increased which otherwise will faint and languish Neither will God giue vs the Talents of his graces vnlesse we will put them out to vse that he may be glorified and our brethren aduantaged by their increase Whereas if like good Vines we be fruitfull in the duties of piety and righteousnesse he will purge and prune vs that Joh. 15. 2. we may bring forth more fruit Fourthly that we may adorne our profession when as we walke worthy that high calling whereunto we are called and approoue Eph. 4. 1. Mat. 5. 48. our selues to be the children of God and heires of heauen by resembling our heauenly Father in holinesse and righteousnesse according to that of the Apostle As he that hath called you is holy so bee ye holy in all 1. Pet. 1. 15 16 17. manner of conuersation Because it is written Be ye holy for I am holy And if ye call him Father who without respect of persons iudgeth according to euery mans worke passe the time of your soiourning heere in feare §. Sect. 3 That Christian apologie and outward profession of the Truth is required Now as wee are to exercise the wholy body in the outward practice of obedience and the duties of a godly life as our eyes in seeing our eares in hearing c. so especially must we approoue our practice of piety both by our words and workes By our words both by Christian profession and holy communication For if our hearts bee vpright before God and serue him in sincerity and truth then will wee make an outward profession of what wee inwardly beleeue namely that God is our God and we his Children and seruants and that wee imbrace his truth of Religion and will in all things conforme our selues vnto his reuealed will So the Apostle saith that as with the heart man beleeueth vnto righteousnesse Rom. 10. 10. so with the mouth hee confesseth to saluation And the Psalmist I beleeued Psal 116. 10. and therefore I spake the which as it was his owne practice as appeareth in those words I will declare thy Name vnto my brethren in the Psal 22. 22 23. middest of the Congregation will I praise thee so in the next words hee telleth vs that it is generally the practice of all that feare God Yee that feare the Lord praise him all yee the seede of Iacob glorifie him The which profession of our faith ought not to bee forced and constrained but free and liberall as oft as wee haue any hope thereby to glorifie God or edifie those that heare vs according to that of the Apostle Peter Sanctifie the Lord God in your hearts and bee ready alwayes to giue an 1. Pet. 3. 15. answere to euery man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekenesse and feare For otherwise if our profession is likely to tend to Gods dishonour by exposing his Truth to skorne and blasphemy and our persons to the rage and violence of prophane miscreants our Sauiours rule must take place Cast not that which is holy vnto Dogs nor pearles Mat. 7. before Swine c. And as wee are to bee free and cheerefull in our profession so also to bee bold and couragious not fearing the face of man nor denying or suppressing the truth for feare or fauour either to please men or to auoyd our owne trouble according to the example of Dauid who professeth that hee would speake of Gods Testimonies Psal 119. 46. before Kings and would not bee ashamed and the Apostle Paul who professed before the Gouernour that after that way which was called Act. 24. 14. heresie by the enemies of Gods Trueth hee worshipped the God of his Fathers beleeuing all that was written in the Law and the Prophets To which purpose wee are alwayes to remember that saying of our Sauiour Christ Whosoeuer shall confesse mee before men him will I confesse also before Mat. 10. 32 33. my Father which is in heauen But whosoeuer shall deny mee before men him will I also deny before my Father which is in heauen Secondly vvee must testifie our integrity of heart by our holy communication the principall scope whereof must bee the glory of God according to the example of Dauid who professeth that hee had not hid Gods righteousnesse Psal 40. 10. within his heart but had declared his faithfulnesse and saluation and had not concealed his louing kindnesse from the great
our selues but wee must also with like care and circumspection watch ouer our brethren seeing the Lord hath not committed vs to our owne single watch but hath inioyned vs to be mutuall obseruers and keepers one of another not curiously to pry out one anothers faults to censure and aggrauate them but charitably to take notice of them that wee may helpe to amend them Thus the Apostle inioyneth vs to consider one another to prouoke vnto loue Heb. 10. 24. 3. 13. and to good workes and that we should exhort one another daily while it is called to day lest any of vs should be hardned through the deceitfulnesse of sinne For this care and watchfulnesse being an inseparable effect and fruit of Christian charity extendeth it selfe not onely to our owne persons for this were nothing but selfe-loue but as farre as it stretcheth that is to all our neighbours Thus Dauid tooke notice not onely of his owne sinnes to mourne for them but saith that riuers of waters did runne downe his eyes because Psal 119. 136. other men did not keepe Gods Law Yea this his care extended to his enemies My zeale saith he hath consumed me because mine enemies haue Vers 139. not kept thy Word But though our care must extend to all yet wee must keepe this watch in a speciall manner ouer those who are committed to our speciall charge as the Housholder ouer his family and the Pastour ouer his flocke according to that of the Apostle Take heed to your selues Act. 20. 28. and to all the flocke ouer the which the holy Ghost hath made you ouerseers c. Which whoso neglecteth and taketh care onely for himselfe hee is worse then an Infidell and plainely discouers that hee is of Cains speech and spirit Gen. 4. 9. thinking it enough to looke to himselfe and scorning to bee his brothers keeper CAP. XII Of the reasons whereby wee may bee perswaded to keepe this Christian watch §. Sect. 1 That this watch is necessary because God requireth it THe next point to be considered is the meanes whereby wee may both be stirred vp and also inabled to keepe this Christian watch which are partly reasons that may mooue vs to vndertake it and partly helpes inabling vs to performe it The reasons which may perswade vs vnto this watchfulnesse are diuers all which may be reduced vnto two heads 1. Because it is most necessary 2. Because it is exceeding profitable The necessity of it appeareth diuers wayes First because God hath expresly required it Take heed to Deut. 4. 9. Luk. 12. 36. thy selfe keep thy soule diligently c. Let your loynes be girded about and your lights burning and ye your selues like vnto them that wait for their Lord when he will returne from the wedding that when he commeth and knocketh ye may open vnto him immediately So Ioshua exhorteth the people to take diligent heed to doe the Commandement and the Law to loue the Lord their God and to Ios 22. 5. 23. 11. walke in all his wayes and to cleaue vnto him and serue him with all their heart and with all their soule And our Sauiour Christ exhorteth all to watch and Mar. 13. 33 37. pray because we doe not know when the time of his comming should be And stirreth vp the Church of Sardis to be watchfull and to strengthen the things Apoc. 3. 2. which did remaine and were ready to die The which his Commandement he powerfully and effectually presseth by diuers parables as of the goodman Luk. 12. 37. of the house who carefully watcheth the comming of the thiefe that hee may not rob and spoile him Of the wise and faithfull seruant who watcheth for the comming of his Lord that hee may finde him imployed in his businesse who being found faithfull is richly rewarded for his care and diligence And of the euill seruant who neglecting this watch is fearefully punished And of the ten Virgins whereof fiue were wise and fiue Mat. 25. 1. to 14 foolish the wise watching diligently for the comming of the Bridegroome and being found prepared were receiued with him into the bridall Chamber of ioy and happinesse the foolish through their carelesse negligence being taken at vnawares and vnprouided were excluded from his glorious presence for euermore So that no duty is more straightly inioyned and earnestly inforced then the spirituall watch to the end wee might obserue it with the greater care and diligence or if wee neglect it hauing had so many and effectuall warnings wee might bee left without excuse §. Sect. 2 Other reasons shewing the necessity of keeping this watch The second reason to inforce the necessity of this watch is taken from our estate and condition heere on earth First because through our corruption we are exceeding weake and full of frailty and infirmity by reason whereof we are prone vnto sinne and easily ouercome with the tentations of our spirituall enemies if wee neglect the keeping of this vvatch and be taken vnprouided The which reason our Sauiour vseth to inforce the necessity of vvatching and praying Watch and pray saith he lest ye fall into tentation The Spirit indeed is willing but the flesh is weake So the Apostle Mat. 26. 41. in this regard vvilleth him that thinketh he standeth to take heed lest he 1. Cor. 10. 12. fall and exhorteth vs to worke out our saluation with feare and trembling And the Wiseman pronounceth him blessed vvho in the sight and sence of Phil. 2. 13. his ovvne frailty and infirmity feareth alwayes For as it is necessary for Pro 28. 14. those vvho haue vveake and sickly bodies to obserue a strict diet and for those Citizens vvho being besieged by mighty and malicious enemies and haue many breaches in their vvalls to be very diligent to make them vp againe and in the meane time to keepe a carefull and strong vvatch ouer those vveake places because their enemies are ready to take all aduantages and to giue the fiercest assaults vvhere they are likeliest to haue the speediest entrance and least resistance So vve vpon the same grounds must thinke it necessary to double our vvatch because our soules are sickly and full of vvants and vveaknesses and many breaches are made in the chiefest Bulvvarkes of our ovvne strength by the cruell and continuall assaults of our spirituall enemies Secondly our care is necessary in keeping this vvatch because naturally vvee are drovvzy and sleepy like those in a Lethargy vvho need to haue some continually standing by and to keepe them avvake by pricking and pinching them that they may not fall into the sleepe of death Yea and after that vve are regenerate and are espoused vnto Christ vve are apt vvith the fiue vvise Virgins to nod often and take a nap vvhen as vvee should vvaite for the comming of our Bridegroome And if hee did not avvake vs daily by his Spirit knocking at the doore of our hearts and his
of a godly life in which we thriue and profit or decline and goe backward as we either keepe and obserue or intermit and neglect this Christian watch For when we watch ouer our selues God likewise watcheth ouer vs and by the assistance of his holy Spirit inableth vs to stand against all tentations and to goe forward in our Christian course but when through our slacknesse and negligence we runne wilfully into tentations hee leaueth vs to be foyled of them that we may learne the next time to take better heed More especially the Lord will inlighten the eyes of our minds that we may discerne the right way in which we should walke according to that of the Apostle Awake thou that sleepest and stand vp from the dead Ephes 4. 14. and Christ shall giue thee light And seeing the way we shall haue our faith so strengthened and our courage and resolution so confirmed and increased that we shall manfully proceed in it notwithstanding all opposition whereof it is that the Apostle conioyneth and linketh all these together as inseparable companions Watch ye stand fast in the faith quite your selues 1. Cor. 16. 13. like men be strong For as those who for want of heed and circumspection fall into secret ambushments at vnawares are soone discomfited and by running away leaue to their enemies an easie victory whereas those who by their watchfulnesse discouer them are no whit daunted in their courage because they can easily auoyd them or defeating the stratagem of their enemies can circumuent and catch them in their owne snare so is it also in the Christian warfare wherein the discouery of our enemies policies by our carefull watch is a principall meanes of preuenting them the finding out of their secret ambushments more then halfe the way vnto assured victory and the very sight of their nets lying neere their stales and of their deadly hookes of sinne lying hid vnder the baits of worldly profits and pleasures are sufficient warnings to make vs shunne and escape them if we haue any care of the saluation of our soules So that there is no readier and surer way to auoyd all manner of sinne the bane and poyson of our soules then by our watch to espie the danger when it is offered vnto vs in these golden cups no meanes more forcible to make vs flie the hellish imbracements of this painted strumpet then by our diligent watch and circumspection to pull off the deceiuing vizard of momentany gaine and delight and to behold her in her naturall deformity and vgly filthinesse Whereas contrariwise the neglect of keeping this carefull watch is the ready way to all wickednesse the mind being let loose to vaine and sinfull thoughts the heart to sinfull concupiscence and vnlawfull lusts the tongue to light wanton and wicked words the hands to act the workes of darkenesse and the whole man exposed to the dangerous assaults and tentations of our spirituall enemies wherewith being vanquished we are easily led captiue into all sinne Of which we haue lamentable experience in Noah Lot Dauid Peter and many others who whilest they carefully kept the spirituall watch triumphed ouer the enemies of their saluation and went on couragiously in the wayes of godlinesse but when they did but for a little while intermit and neglect it receiued dangerous and shamefull foyles But most euidently doth this appeare in the example of our first parents who so long as they obserued this watch continued constant in their integrity but remitting their care and circumspection and letting loose their eares to heare the voyce of the Tempter their hearts to admit through fond credulity his false suggestions their eyes to gaze on the forbidden fruit their hands to touch and their mouthes to taste it they were soone ouercome and caught both themselues and for all their posterity a fearfull fall And therefore if they fell in the state of innocency by intermitting this watch who can neglect it in the state of corruption and imperfection and yet hope to stand Finally it conduceth and furthereth vs much vnto a godly life as it maketh vs fit and ready for the well-performing of all Christian duties For when all our parts are hereby kept in a good and constant order they are alwayes prepared for all good imployments and if wee take care that our Instruments be well stringed and kept in tune no more remaineth but to touch them with a skilfull hand and there will be a melodious harmony between the heart tongue and outward actions And therefore Dauid demanding how a young man might order his steps and cleanse his wayes that they might be pure and vpright in the sight of God doth thus resolue the question that it is to be done by taking heed thereto according to Gods Psal 119. 9. Word §. Sect. 4 That by this watch we are made constant in the course of Christianity Secondly this watch is exceeding profitable not onely as it preserueth vs from all sinfull wayes and fitteth vs to walke in the wayes of godlinesse but also as it inableth vs to be constant in this course and to perseuere in it euen to the end Seeing hereby we are strengthened against all discouragements auoyd or leape ouer all impediments that like stumbling blockes are cast into our way and are prepared and armed against all the assaults of our spirituall enemies and all other oppositions which might incounter vs in our Christian course Thirdly it is a notable meanes of Christian security so as keeping this watch we may with Dauid grow so confident that though wee should walke thorow the vale of the shadow of Tsal 23. 4. death yet we will feare no euill because God also watcheth ouer them who thus watch ouer themselues so as hauing once set their watch they may lay them downe securely and take their rest because the Lord maketh them to Psal 4 8. dwell in safety So also vpon the same grounds it causeth vnto vs inward peace euen peace with God and the peace of a good conscience when as by helpe of this watch we carry our selues so in all things as that wee and our works are accepted of him and pleasing in his sight The which peace cannot be impeached with the malice and might of all our enemies for if God be with vs who can be against vs If he speake peace vnto our consciences Rom. 8. 31. though all the world should proclaime warre it needs not to dismay vs for though thousands fall on one side and ten thousand on the other it shall not hurt vs or disturbe our peace for either the Lord will bee a wall of defence and tower of strength to preserue vs from all danger and to make vs shot-free euen at the Canons mouth or else wee shall bee with Iosiah taken away in peace although we fall by the hands of our enemies 2. Chron. 34. 28. and 35. 23 24. 1. Pet. 1. 8. From which security and peace ariseth
Apostle perswadeth Christians in diuers callings to performe their duties in them that they might not cause the Word of God to be blasphemed 1. Tim. 6. 1. Tit. 2. 5. seeing it is the common custome of worldly and wicked men to to lay the faults of Professours vpon their profession and to impute their scandalous sinnes to their much going to Church and hearing of the Word as though their profession and hearing were the cause of their wicked and vnlawfull courses whereas in truth they would if they abused them not bee as strong cables to draw them from all impiety and vnrighteous dealing And contrariwise he would haue them to liue in an holy conuersation that they might adorne the doctrine Tit. 2. 10. of God our Sauiour in all things For men are apt to speake of the Religion and truth which wee professe either in the better or worser part according to the fruits which we bring forth of it in our liues thinking our Religion to bee pure and good if we approue our selues to bee so by our holy and Christian practice and conuersation but contrariwise if like those of whom the Apostle speaketh wee haue onely a forme of Godlinesse and in our liues deny the power there of or professe 2. Tim. 3. 5. that we know God but in our workes disclaime him being abominable and Tit. 1. 16. disobedient and vnto euery good worke reprobate wee shall open their mouthes not onely against vs but also against all Professours of Gods true Religion yea euen against the Religion and Doctrine of truth it selfe which we professe For if euer Dauid himselfe fall into foule sinnes it will not onely tend to his owne dishonour but also giue occasion to the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme as though he were 2. Sam. 12. 14. a patrone or approuer of such crimes §. Sect. 5 The 1. reason that we may auoid giuing of offence And so much of those reasons which respect God The second sort respect our neighbours from whom also wee may draw diuers arguments 1. Cor. 10. 32. to perswade vs to an holy conuersation And first because we shall being vnblameable auoid giuing vnto them any iust offence eitherby laying stumbling blockes in their way whereby they should be hindred from the professing of the true Religion when as they are able to take exceptions to the liues of Professours or if they bee religious bee grieued in their righteous soules when they see our liues full of blots and blemishes or make the weake fall by our ill 2. Pet. 2. 7 8. example The which we must carefully auoid because our Sauiour Matth. 18. 7. pronounceth a fearefull woe against those by whom such offences come and contrariwise labour with the Apostle to exercise our selues Acts 24. 16. dayly in this that wee may haue alwaies a conscience void of offence towards God and towards men Secondly we may be moued to the practice The second reason of al holy duties of a godly life that we may gaine those that are without to Christ to imbrace that true Religion which we professe For if we haue our conuersation honest among the Gentiles they seeing our good 1. Pet. 2. 12. workes will glorifie God in the day of their visitation And this argument the Apostle Peter vseth to perswade wiues vnto their dutie that they which 1. Pet. 3. 1. obeied not the Word might without the Word be won with their Christiā conuersation The which so much preuailed with the Apostle Paul that he vtterly denied himselfe and his owne will and became all things to all men that he might gaine some to Christ and was content to please all 1. Cor. 9. 19 22. Chap. 10. 33. men in all things not seeking his owne profit but the profit of many that they might bee saued And how much more then should we with all willingnesse walke in such a course of holinesse and righteousnesse which in gayning others will profit our selues and not onely saue them by gayning them to Christ through our good example but assure our selues also of our saluation Finally wee may be perswaded vnto all The third reason holy and Christian duties because they so much tend to the good and profit of our brethren who are in the same holy communion with vs. First because by the light of our godly liues we shall moue them together with vs to glorifie our heauenly Father who is the Author Matth 5. 16. and Fountaine of all good things which they see in vs. Secondly because we shall edifie them by our good example and moue them to imitate those good things they shall see in vs and by our communion and fellowship with them like kindled coales on the same heape wee shall inflame their zeale and by an holy emulation make them striue to match vs in their Christian duties as the Apostle sheweth in the example of the Corinthians whose zeale in Christian beneficence 2. Cor. 9. 2. had as hee saith prouoked many And thus hee perswadeth Timothy to bee an example vnto beleeuers in word in conuersation in charity 1. Tim. 4. 12. in spirit in saith in puritie And exhorteth vs all to consider one Heb. 10. 24. another to prouoke vnto loue and to good workes To which purpose nothing can bee more effectuall then good examples when as we see those duties constantly performed by our brethren with much comfort and delight which wee feared as tedious troublesome and almost impossible and in this regard durst not vndertake them Finally wee shall doe good to our brethren euen in the duties themselues both of piety by teaching admonishing exhorting comforting and counselling them that neede our helpe and also of mercy by feeding the hungry clothing the naked visiting the sicke and such like workes of Christian charity whereby wee minister vnto their necessities CAP. XL. Of such reasons moouing vs to the duties of a godly life as respect our selues §. Sect. 1 The first reason taken from that dignity vnto which God hath called vs. IN respect of our selues there are also many effectuall arguments and reasons which may mooue and perswade vs vnto all duties of a godly life As first that high and heauenly dignity vnto which God of his free grace and goodnesse hath called vs out of a most miserable and wretched condition which should effectually mooue vs to walke worthy this high and excellent Eph. 4. 1. calling as the Apostle exhorteth vs. For wee were in darkenesse and in the shaddow of death but the Lord hath called vs into a marueilous light reuealing cleerely vnto vs the knowledge of himselfe and his will the great mystery of saluation by Iesus Christ and the meanes whereby we may be made partakers of the fruits and benefits of it in which respect it becommeth vs to walke as children of light circumspectly not as fooles Eph. 5. 8 15 16. 1. Th. 5. 5 6 7 8 Col.
yee not Eph. 5. 7 11. partakers with them neither haue any fellowship with the vnfruitfull workes of darkenesse Separate your selues from them and come out from amongst Num. 16. 26. Apoc. 18. 4. Exod. 23. 1. them lest you bee partakers of their plagues Secondly when their prosperity allureth vs to accompany them in their euill courses let vs not iudge according to outward appearance nor consult with flesh and blood but with Dauid goe into Gods Sanctuary and there wee shall Psal 73. 17. learne the end of these men namely that being set in slippery places they shall quickly catch a fall and be so wholly rooted out that their place shall no more be found Thirdly that if we keepe company with the wicked we shall not only communicate with them in their sinnes but also in their punishments for the companions of fooles shal be destroyed and they that will not come out of Babylon shall be partakers of her plagues Finally let vs remember Pro. 13. 20. that they are blessed who walke not in the counsell of the vngodly nor stand Psal 1. 1. in the way of sinners nor sit in the seat of the scornfull But of these motiues I haue before spoken and therfore content my selfe here thus briefefly to haue touched them CAP. IIII. Of priuate impediments on the left hand as afflictions and persecutions §. Sect. 1 How the world seeketh to hinder our course in godlinesse by afflictions and persecutions ON the left hand the World assaulteth vs with afflictions and persecutions that it may hinder and discourage vs in the wayes of godlinesse For first it loadeth vs as much as in it lyeth with crosses and calamities euen for righteousnesse sake and then perswadeth vs that we serue God not only in vaine but euen to our losse and therfore that it were our best course to take our liberty and to liue as others doe seeing wee haue no other rewards for all our painfull seruice our strictnesse of life and abandoning of our pleasures the vnpleasant exercises of mortification and denying in all things our owne wills and delightfull lusts but misery and affliction And thus Dauid was assaulted when hee was ready to conclude that Psal 73. 13. he had cleansed his heart and washed his hands to no purpose in innocency seeing he was afflicted euery morning And with the like tentation Iob was often discouraged when as his three friends in so many places labour to perswade him that all his former labours in Gods seruice were vaine and of no worth because of the extraordinary afflictions which he indured And Ieremy likewise was so much troubled with the sight of the Jer. 12. 1. and 20. 14 18. wickeds prosperity and the sense of his owne miseries that hee breaketh out into great impatiency For the remouing of which impediment wee are to know that howsoeuer the world and worldly men vse all their might and malice to hinder vs in our course of godlinesse yet they are no wayes able to doe what they intend seeing they are not the chiefe causes of our afflictions but onely Gods instruments who ouer-ruleth them at his pleasure and so ordereth and disposeth of all our crosses and calamities which they inflict vpon vs both in respect of their matter and manner measure and time of continuance as that they shall not any wayes hurt vs but shall wholly tend to our good not consume and destroy vs but purifie and purge vs like gold in the fire from the drosse of our corruptions not coole or quench our zeale and deuotion but rather kindle and inflame them and finally not hinder vs at all in the duties of a godly life but further and make vs more forward and cheerfull in performing them causing vs by these many tribulations to goe more surely and safely by the way of grace and godlinesse into the Kingdome of heauenly ioy and happinesse §. Sect. 2 Of the worlds professed hatred whereby it seeketh to discourage vs in the duties of a godly life Now these afflictions and persecutions which the world raiseth against vs to discourage vs in all the duties of a godly life are manifold which in their owne nature are to flesh and blood bitter and grieuous And first it pursueth vs with professed hatred maligning all with all spleene and spite who leaue the world and loue God For though whilest we are of the world it loueth vs because wee are her owne yet when Christ hath chosen vs out of the world and we haue giuen our names vnto Joh. 15. 9. him professing that wee will be his souldiers and seruants then the world out of that hatred which it beareth to our Lord and Master will begin for his sake to hate vs. And as they who make themselues friends Jam. 4. 4. of the world doe by reason of that enmity which is betweene them make themselues thereby the enemies of God so contrariwise those that become friends vnto God doe hereby make themselues enemies to the world So Dauid saith that they who rendred euill for good were his aduersaries Psal 38. 20. because he did follow the thing that was good And therefore hee professeth the like enmity against them because they were Gods enemies Doe Psal 139. 21 22 not saith he I hate them O Lord that hate thee and am I not grieued with those that speake against thee I hate them with a perfect hatred I count them mine enemies The which hatred of the world and malicious enmity against the faithfull is a strong tentation and great discouragement especially to those who are of mild gentle and peaceable dispositions to hinder their speed in the wayes of godlinesse Against which that wee may be the better armed let vs first consider that it is a matter of meere necessity to vndergoe the worlds hatred if we would be assured that we either loue God or that we are beloued of him For such enmity there is betweene them that he who maketh himselfe a friend to the one doth necessarily Iam. 4. 4. 1. Ioh. 2. 15. become an enemy to the other and if any man loue the world the loue of the Father is not in him So our Sauiour telleth vs that wee cannot Math. 6. 24. serue God and Mammon being Masters of such a contrary disposition but we shall hate the one whilest we loue the other or else cleaue to the one and forsake the other Secondly let vs consider that there is no great losse of the worlds loue which doth vs little good yea no little hurt seeing like a miery dog the more it fawneth vpon vs the more it defileth vs nor any great harme yea no small gaine in the worlds hatred seeing it doth but so much the more weane our hearts and affections from the loue of earthly vanities that they may with more intirenesse cleaue vnto God and bee wholly fixed vpon spirituall and heauenly excellencies Thirdly let vs remember that the hatred of
the world vse such spite and spleene towards the most outragious offender that euer liued as it doth to the Saints and seruants of God for the truth sake For towards them oftentimes it quite blunteth the poynt and edge of humane lawes and commonly moderateth and mitigateth the extreme rigour of them in their punishments but against the faithfull it sharpeneth the poynt and edge where none is yea deuiseth new lawes when the old restraine their malice And whereas they content themselues with those punishments which the lawes determine against the most notorious and hainous offenders and when they are forced for the safety and preseruation of humane societies to execute them they doe it as the Law requireth and oftentimes with some pity and compassion contrariwise when they haue to doe with those who being Gods faithfull seruants haue made themselues liable to their lawes they sport themselues in their torments and out of meere malice to them for their Religion and piety they execute the Lawes with all sauage cruelty adding both by their words and actions many outrages ouer and aboue those punishments which the Law requireth as we see in the example of our Sauiour Christ and the theeues crucified with him For whereas they contented themselues with their simple death without any additaments of malice they could neuer satisfie their spitefull rage in vexing and tormenting our Sauior Christ but vsed him with all contumelious reproch spitting vpon and buffetting him scourging and crowning him with thornes scoffing and deriding him mocking and moing at him giuing vnto him when he thirsted gall and vineger and insulting ouer him in mirth and triumph when they saw the bitter anguish of his soule The which also is to be obserued in the examples of those punishments which haue been inflicted vpon most hainous malefactours as murtherers traytors paricides and vpon the innocent Martyrs of Iesus Christ if wee compare the one with the other Of which no other reason can be giuen but that the world loueth her owne and hateth those which belong vnto God affecting the persons of wicked men and setting themselues onely against their crimes not out of any loue towards God or simple hatred of their sinnes as being transgressions of his Lawes but out of selfe loue because their offences are against humane lawes which if they should not be preserued and maintained obserued and obeyed societies could not subsist nor the safety and welfare of their owne estates bee otherwise vpheld Whereas contrariwise it maligneth and hateth euen the very persons of the godly as being the members of Iesus Christ onely for their profession of Religion and practice of holy duties and in these respects can neuer sufficiently disgorge its malice against them §. Sect. 2 That it hath alwayes been the lot of the godly to bee persecuted in the world Now the meanes to remoue the former impediments are manifold The first is to consider that it hath alwayes from the beginning of the world been the lot of Gods children to be persecuted of the wicked in which regard it is vnto vs a notable and comfortable euidence that wee loue God and are beloued of him when the wicked world maligneth and pursueth vs with all rage and cruelty for righteousnesse sake For thus Cain persecuted Abel because his seruice was accepted of God Thus Pharaoh and the Egyptians raged against the Israelites when they did but make mention of going into the Wildernesse to offer sacrifice Thus the wicked Kings and more wicked Priests persecuted Gods true Prophets the Scribes and Pharises the Apostles of Iesus Christ the idolatrous Emperours the Christians of the Primitiue Church and the limmes of Antichrist the holy Martyrs because they professed Gods true Religion and brought forth the fruits of it in their holy practice More particularly Dauid often professeth that he was maligned by his wicked enemies without cause onely because he did that which was good and sought in all his courses to be approued of God And the Apostle Paul in many 2. Cor. 11. 23 24 c. words setteth downe the grieuous persecutions which hee often suffered at their hands who were enemies to Gods truth But as these holy Saints of God were not by all these persecutions discouraged in their course of godlinesse but the more boysterously the stormes of malicious rage blowed against them the more firmely and constantly they held the cloke of their Christian profession and holy practice according to that of Dauid Many are my persecutors and mine enemies yet doe I not decline from Psal 119. 157. thy testimonies so must we doe in this case following their good example if we would haue any comfortable assurance that God will thinke vs worthy to be ranked in this number And this argument taken from these examples our Sauiour vseth to arme his Disciples against this discouragement Reioyce saith he and be exceeding glad seeing your reward is great in Mat. 5. 12. heauen for so persecuted they the Prophets which were before you Yea our Sauiour Christ himselfe hath begun to vs that wee may not feare to pledge him and hath drunke the deepest draught in this bitter cup of worldly persecutions For what mischiefe could hell it selfe raise vp out of her infernall bowels what cruell rage and exquisite vexations and torments could malicious wit deuise which were not inflicted vpon this innocent Lambe the Lord our righteousnesse Now what can be a more effectuall reason to moue vs with all patience and cheerfulnesse to indure the greatest extremities for Christs sake then to remember what grieuous torments he hath suffered for vs who were strangers and enemies vnto God and the children of wrath as well as others For if our great and glorious Generall and Soueraigne King hath thus exposed himselfe to the extremest dangers and thrust himselfe into the thickest crowd of enemies where he hath receiued grisly and mortall wounds that hee might rescue and recouer vs who were taken captiue by them and set vs at liberty how valiantly should we fight his battels euen vnto blood against the enemies of our saluation especially considering that he looketh vpon vs incourageth vs to the fight supporteth and strengtheneth vs with his grace and holy Spirit defendeth and succoureth vs when we are ouer-matched raiseth vs vp when wee are foyled and holdeth in his hand the Crowne of victory being ready to set it vpon our heads when wee haue finished the fight And this argument our Sauiour vseth to incourage vs in all our sufferings and persecutions Remember saith he the word that I said vnto Joh. 15. 20. you The seruant is not greater then his Lord. If they haue persecuted mee they will also persecute you And so likewise the Apostle Peter For as much then 1. Pet. 4. 1. saith he as Christ hath suffered for vs in the flesh arme your selues likewise with the same mind for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin c. The which
may be reclaimed from going on still in this erroneous and tedious course and that others may not be discouraged by their example from resoluing to lead a godly life let vs know that there is no ioy comparable vnto that which is or ought to be in Christians that desire to serue and please God in their holy conuersation For if as Bernard hath Oblatus siquidem Isaac sanctificatus est non mactatus Non Isaac sed aries morietur non peribit tibi laetitia sed contumacia c. Bernard sermo de verbis Petri Ecce nos reliquimus omnia excellently obserued wee can be content with Abraham in faith and obedience towards God to offer and sacrifice our Isaac First our laughter and ioy it shall onely be sanctified but not slaughtred and killed Thy Isaac shall not die nor thy mirth perish but the Ram only that is the peruersnesse and prophanenesse of thy pleasure and ioy which endeth alwayes in griefe and anxiety Isaac thy ioy shall not die as thou supposest but shall surely liue onely it shall be lifted aloft vpon the Altar and vpon the wood that thy ioy may be holy and heauenly sublime and lofty not in the flesh and things beneath but in spirituall things in the crosse of Christ those high and holy priuiledges which we haue through him For howsoeuer Christians in their first conuersion and humiliation chiefely act the part of sorrow heauines in the sight and sense of their manifold and haynous sinnes and shead teares of bitter griefe looking vpon him whom they haue pierced yet being Zach. 12. 10. Rom. 5. 1 3. iustified by faith hauing peace with God in assurance of his mercy and remission of their sins they triumph with ioy euen in their afflictions and tribulations and though they sow in teares yet they reape in ioy though they haue a dropping and sorrowfull seed-time yet their haruest which yeeldeth vnto them a fruitfull crop of sauing graces which yet are but the first fruits of their succeeding ioy and heauenly happines is full of mirth gladnes So that with Dauid they reioyce Psal 4. 7. more in the bright beames of Gods gracious countenance shining vpon them then worldlings doe or can doe when their corne and wine is increased And though they be in respect of their afflicted estate As sorrowfull yet they are alwaies reioycing as the Apostle speaketh because 2. Cor. 6. 10. they know that all things euen crosses and calamities themselues worke together for their good The which will more manifestly appeare if we a little further consider the testimonies and examples of holy Scripture For the Psalmist telleth vs that the voyce of reioycing and Psal 118. 15. saluation is in the Tabernacles of the righteous And Salomon speaking of Wisdome which consisteth in the sauing knowledge of God and his truth and the practice of it in all holy and religious duties saith that her wayes are wayes of pleasantnesse and all her paths are peace So Dauid saith Pro. 3. 17. of the Church and children of God the liuely members of it That Psal 36. 8. they should be abundantly satisfied with the fatnesse of his house and that he would make them drinke of the riuers of his pleasure Our Sauiour also promiseth vnto the Disciples and in them to all the faithfull that he Iob. 16. 22. would giue them such a permanent ioy as no man should be able to take it from them And finally the Apostle setteth it downe not as a common gift but as a speciall fruit of the Spirit not drooping sorrow and disconsolate heauinesse but ioy and peace And this also appeareth Gal. 5. 22. by the examples of the holy men of God recorded in the Scriptures Thus Dauid saith My soule shall bee ioyfull in the Lord it shall reioyce Psal 35. 9. in his saluation Neither did he onely thus reioyce in the testimonies of Gods fauour and conquest of his enemies but also in his obedience and keeping of Gods Law I haue reioyced in the way of thy Psal 119. 14 16. testimonies as much as in all riches I will delight my selfe in thy Statutes I will not forget thy Word And againe I delight to doe thy will O my God Psal 40. 8. yea thy Law is within mine heart Thus the Apostles reioyced euen in Act. 5. 41. their persecutions because they were thought worthy to suffer for Christs sake and Paul and Silas when as their backes were torne Act. 16. with sore stripes and their feete locked in the Stockes Thus the Apostle found matter enough to glorie in through Iesus Christ in things Rom. 15. 17. pertayning to God And tasted such vnspeakeable ioy in the knowledge of Christ and him crucified that he disclaymeth all other Gal. 6. 14. ioy And else-where he professeth that he had no scant measure of this sweet delight but that he was filled with comfort and was exceeding 2. Cor. 7. 4. ioyfull euen in all his tribulations Neither is this ioy whereof I speake in which the Christian exceedeth all other men sensuall and carnall in the pleasures of sinne and the fruition of earthly vanities not in rioting and reuelling in swilling and drinking dicing and carding vaine dalliance and good fellowship chambring and wantonnesse for such Eccles 2 1 2. pleasure he accounteth vanity and such mirth madnesse and chuseth rather to goe into the house of mourning then into the house of such feasting reioycing because such ioy laughter is but short and momentany like the crackling of thornes vnder a pot and alwaies endeth in Eccles 7. 2 6. sorrow and anxiety It is not in mad mirth and in sinfull and vnlawfull delights for Christian charity reioyceth not in iniquity but reioyceth in the 1. Cor. 13. 6. truth and this ioy is alwayes ioyned with righteousnes and the peace of a Rom. 14. 17. good conscience in which the Kingdome of God consisteth For being subiects of Christs Kingdome such as it is such also is their ioy but his Kingdome is not of this world but spirituall heauenly and therefore their ioy and reioycing is likewise of the same nature And howsoeuer Gods children may and ought to reioyce euen in his temporary blessings as they are testimonies of their heauenly Fathers loue and also in honest sports and recreations of which I haue before spoken wherby they are fitted for higher duties as musicke shooting hunting hawking and such like those cautions before set downe being duely obserued yea howsoeuer in these respects they haue greater more iust cause of ioy and reioycing then any worldling because these are but vsurpers who haue a fearefull account to make of their intrusion whereas the other haue their right restored vnto them by Iesus Christ yet these are not the chiefe ioyes which they rest vpon as being in cōparison dull and heartlesse cold and comfortlesse only they vse them for the
to keepe vs from any danger and defend vs against tentations our frailety to fall into sinne and inabilitie to any good actions our pronenesse to fall into perils and want of power to recouer out of them our vnworthinesse of Gods least fauour and worthinesse of his greatest Iudgements this would make vs to shake off all securitie and to worke out our saluation with feare and trembling as the Apostle exhorteth Phil. 2. 12 13. because of our selues wee are able to doe nothing but it is Phil. 3. 12 13 14. God onely which worketh in vs both to will and to doe of his good pleasure This would keepe vs from being secure as though we were possessed of all we desire and were alreadie perfect and make vs with the Apostle to forget those things which are behind and to reach forth vnto those Heb. 4. 1. things which are before and with all our care and endeauour to presse toward the marke for the price of the high calling of God in Christ Iesus lest hauing the promise of the garland of blessednesse through our sloth and securitie wee come short of it as the Apostle speaketh §. 4 That it is a notable meanes to weaken self-confidence if wee consider the strength of our spirituall enemies But much more effectuall would it be for the shaking off this carnall securitie if wee would weaken our selfe-confidence by our often consideration not onely of our frailetie and weakenesse which make vs prone to fall in the least trials and tentations but also of our many and mightie politique and most malitious enemies who incessantly assault vs and will easily get the victorie if the Lord for a iust punishment of our selfe-confidence leaue vs to our selues or if wee securely neglect to stand vpon our guard to fight against that in the power of Gods might and to keepe the Christian armour still buckled vnto vs. For wee can bee no more readie to giue them aduantage then they to take it and to make the most spitefull vse of it for our ouerthrow we can be no more feeble to stand then they strong and malitious to cast vs downe and to tread vs vnder foot when they haue gotten vs at their cruell mercie Yea let vs consider this humane frailetie not onely in our selues and the strength and malice of our enemies in their assaults against vs but in those who haue gone before vs who haue farre exceeded vs in grace and spirituall strength and yet haue beene fearefully foyled by giuing them aduantage through their securitie as of Noah Lot Dauid Peter and many others And so may we easily conclude that wee who are weake and fresh-water Souldiers haue little reason to be secure when the Lords greatest Worthies haue through the might and malice of their enemies and their owne heedlessenesse receiued such foiles and that wee poore shrubs may easily be troden vnder the feet of these Wolues and Lions when such tall Cedars could not stand before them Whereby wee shall not onely bee made more warie and watchfull ouer our footing by the example of their slips but also distrusting in our owne strength we shall rest with full affiance vpon Gods gracious power and promises who is alone sufficient to preserue vs in these dangers Finally adde to the power and malice the diligence and watchfulnesse of our spirituall enemies for Sathan as hee confesseth exerciseth himselfe in compassing the earth to and fro that he may spie out his Iob 1. 7. best opportunities to doe vs mischiefe And the Apostle perswadeth vs to sobrietie and watchfulnesse by this argument because our aduersarie 1. Pet. 5. 8. the Deuill goeth about continually like a roaring Lion seeing whom he may deuoure And therefore if this great Fowler still watcheth to catch vs in the nets of destruction much more should wee watch for our preseruation that we may escape them if hee layeth snares and grinnes to entrappe vs in euery place at home and abroad in our beds and at our tables in our recreations and the labours of our callings yea in our most holy exercises hearing reading praying what place is there for securitie if we haue any desire to escape them and to be kept from falling into ruine If this great thiefe watch to breake Math. 24. 43. in into the houses of our hearts and to rob vs of the treasures of spirituall grace and lead vs captiue vnto sinne O why should wee giue place to securitie in the middest of these desperate dangers and not rather stand vpon our watch that we may preuent them yea seeing wee are apt to slumber and sleepe why should wee trust to our owne watchfulnesse and not rather put our whole affiance in the great Watchman of Israel desiring him continually to watch ouer vs and when we are readie to slumber in securitie to awaken vs out of it by his Word and Spirit lest wee sleepe the sleepe of death and become a prey to our spirituall enemies §. 5 The third remedie is to vse well our prosperitie The fourth meanes is that we abuse not our prosperitie to the nourishing of our securitie nor suffer our selues to be abused by it but if God send it that we make such holy and right vse of it as that it may encrease in vs the true feare of God and make vs more diligent and spiritually watchfull vnto all religious and honest duties And to this end let vs not suffer our iudgements to be blinded with a false conceit that it is an infallible signe of Gods loue and that therefore because we enioy it we are highly in his fauour and consequently out of the gun-shot of any either present or future danger so as wee may be secure and seare nothing For these worldly things are but of an indifferent nature in respect of their vse good or euill as they are well or ill vsed and no sure testimonies of Gods loue seeing these outward things happen alike to all as the Wise-man speaketh Yea in regard Ecele 9. 1 2. that by reason of our corruption they are seldome well vsed but contrariwise abused to sinne forgetfulnesse of God pride ambition couetousnesse and many other vices therefore the Lord ordinarily bestoweth them in greatest abundance vpon wicked men as Turkes Infidels and carnall Christians that surfetting of their plentie as the Psalmist speaketh their Table may become a snare and giueth them to his best and dearest children with a sparing hand or if liberally yet hee seasoneth and tempereth them with many crosses and afflictions that their hearts may not be too much set vpon them Which being rightly considered our prosperitie will not nourish securitie but rather feare lest we should be in the greatest and worst number Secondly let not our hearts trust in these earthly things wisedome strength riches friends or any other thing wherein men place their worldly happinesse and so bee secure as though they could free vs from all danger for these earthly things are
in sleepe our dreames may rellish of their sweetnesse and when we awake our thoughts and Meditations may bee wholly taken vp and exercised about such holy things as tend chiefly to the glory of God and the euerlasting saluation of our soules §. Sect. 5 That we must performe all our seruice to God in integrity and sincerity of heart And these are the duties which ought to bee done on the Lords Day which if we would performe after a right manner so as they may bee acceptable vnto God then our care must be that howsoeuer we haue many wants and imperfections in our best and most religious seruice yet that we doe performe it with integrity and sincerity of heart labouring and striuing to the vttermost of our power to doe all that which God hath commanded and as neere as we can in that manner and according to all other circumstances as he requireth being heartily grieued in our soules when we faile that we can doe them no better For example though we find in vs naturall auersenesse to the strict keeping of Gods Day holy and much dulnesse and spirituall deadnesse in the duties of Gods seruice yet if our hearts be vpright with God we will labour to make his Day our delight and to consecrate it wholly as an holy Rest vnto his worship with all alacrity and cheerefulnesse as he requireth and we will striue to finde such Esa 58. 13. spirituall sweetnesse in holy and religious duties as may make vs to delight much more in them then in our ordinary food when wee come vnto it with hungry appetites And finding our corruptions so hanging vpon vs that we faile much in satisfying our holy desires we will heartily bewaile our auersenesse and vntowardnesse our drowzinesse and wearinesse in holy duties and seeing our frailties and infirmities will resolue to labour after more perfection Againe howsoeuer through forgetfulnesse negligence or other distractions we may omit some of those duties before prescribed for the spending of the Lords Day yet if our hearts bee vpright before God we will not blesse and please our selues in this negligence but indeuour in some sort to performe them all as we are able without omitting any of them As both the priuate and publike meanes of Gods worship Prayer Meditation hearing reading singing Psalmes holy conferences and the rest so farre foorth as God granteth vnto vs time and opportunity And if we haue through forgetfulnesse or negligence omitted any we will be vnfainedly sorry for it and purpose amendment for the time to come Furthermore if we sanctifie this Day with integrity of heart then will we consecrate the whole Day to this holy Rest as God hath appointed and not abridge him of any part of his due or voluntarily spend any houre of the Day in prophane and worldly exercises And howsoeuer wee may through our frailty and corruption be often ouertaken thinking our owne thoughts speaking our owne words and doing sometime our owne workes on the Lords Day yet if our hearts be vpright before God we will not please our selues in this prophanation but our hearts smiting vs for it we will repent make humble confession of it among our other sinnes and earnestly desire to be freed not onely from guilt and punishment of it by Gods gracious pardon but also from the corruption it selfe for the time to come by his grace holy Spirit Finally hauing laboured to performe these duties of the Lords Day in the greatest perfection wee are able and hauing in some poore measure satisfied our selues in them yet if our hearts be vpright with God we will not be proud of any thing which wee haue done nor exalt our selues aboue others which we thinke come short of vs but we will humbly praise God for that which we haue receiued and ascribe all that is good in vs to his free grace and holy Spirit yea wee will easily discerne and acknowledge our best actions stained with so many corruptions and mingled with so many imperfections that when vve haue done all we can we are but vnprofitable seruants who are sufficiently rewarded if we be not punished THE FOVRTH BOOKE CONTAINING IN IT THE PROPERTIES OF A GODLY LIFE and of all the duties which are required vnto it CAP. I. That all duties vniuersally of a godly life must be performed in sincerity and integrity of heart §. Sect. 1 Of that vniuersall and totall obedience which is required HAuing shewed what the godly life is and the duties which are required vnto it generally in the whole course of our conuersation and more specially those which belong vnto euery day it now followeth according to that order which we haue propounded that we intreate of the properties of this Christian life and the duties belonging to it which may serue as markes and signes whereby wee may know them and also distinguish them from all other which are false and counterfeit All which may be referred to two heads the first sort respecting the duties themselues the other our manner of doing them and that both in respect of the action and also the time of their continuance The first property respecting the duties themselues or the matter and forme of them is Vniuersality for God being the vniuersall Creator preseruer and Soueraigne Lord of all things will haue vs wholly taken vp in performing of all duties of his seruice and requireth of vs vniuersall and totall obedience both in respect of the subiect and obiect of it In respect of the subiect or person that performeth it the Lord requireth the obedience not of some few or many parts alone but of the whole man internally in the soule and all the faculties of it especially the heart and will and externally in all the powers and parts of the body and chiefly our tongues and speeches and our workes and actions Internally God inioyneth vs to serue him in the duties of a godly life with all our hearts and soules which is that wherein he chiefly delighteth and without which all outward actions be they neuer so formall and glorious are vaine and worthlesse yea lothsome and odious in his sight And heereunto there are two things required which are so like and neere in nature that they are commonly taken the one for the other but yet as I take it they may be distinguished though neuer seuered §. Sect. 2 Of integrity and sincerity The first is integrity whereby we serue the Lord in all Christian duties with our whole hearts according to Gods Commandement Thou Deut. 10 12. and 6. 5. and 26. 16. Math. 22. 37. Psal 119. 10. shalt feare the Lord thy God to walke in all his wayes and to loue him and to serue the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soule The which Dauid performed as he professeth With my whole heart haue I sought thee O let me not wander from thy Commandements Vnto which is opposed seruing God by the halues lamely and haltingly diuiding our
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