signified by that name In the eyes of worldlings a Christian is despised and accounted but the offskowring of the earth the cause of this contempt is their ignorance they see the earthen vessell but know not the treasure which is within it or else for loue of the treasure they would imbrace the vessell But against this contempt of men wee haue to set that honourable estimation which God hath of a Christian for the high and honourable stiles which Gods giues him testifie that in the Lords account the Christian is an high and honourable person Againe the manifold names which are giuen him declare that it is not one grace onely but manifold graces of God which must concurre to make vp a Christian and this doth teach vs that it is not so easie a thing to be a Christian as commonly is supposed Last of all the honourable stiles giuen the Christian admonish him to walke worthy of his calling that he may answere the names which God hath giuen him since hee is the free-man of God the brother and the member of Christ why shall he abase himselfe to the seruitude of Sathan and sinne The Censure But now the contrary conuersation of many proues that all haue not the Christians disposition who now vsurpe the Christian name THE SECOND PART WHEREIN IS DISCRIBED THE DISPOSITION OF HIS INWARD MAN CHAPTER I. Of his Inward Man The Lords Command MAN looketh to the outward appearance 1. Sam. 16. 7. but I am the Lord who searcheth the heart and the reynes Iere. 11. 20. therefore my Sonne keepe thine heart with all diligence Prou. 4. 23. wash it from thy wickednesse Ierem. 4. and giue it vnto mee Pro. 23. 26. Let the hid man of the heart be vncorrupt 1. Pet. 3. 4. and keepe thy selfe in thy spirit Malach. 2. 15. Cast off concerning the conuersation in time past which is corrupted and put on the new which after God is created in righteousnesse and true holinesse Eph. 4. 22. The Christians Prayer for Grace to obay this Command O Lord my God I know that thou tryest the heart and hast pleasure in righteousnesse and that the man is blessed in whose heart are thy wayes therefore O Lord take away from mee the stony heart and giue me a heart of flesh put a new spirit into my bowels let neuer mine heart be diuided from thee O my God but let it be vpright in thy statutes and faithfull before thee knit it to thee that I may feare thy Name so shall I neuer be ashamed Another O Lord my God who brought againe from the dead our Lord Iesus the great Shepheard of the sheepe through the bloud of the euerlasting couenant worke I beseech thee that which is pleasant in thy sight and grant according to the riches of thy grace that I may be strengthened by the spirit in the inward man that Christ may dwell in mine heart by faith and so my whole Spirit soule and body may be kept blamelesse to the comming of the Lord Iesus to whom be praise and glory for euer The Christians Practise of this Command I Haue prepared mine heart to seeke the Law of the Lord and to doe it Ezra 7. 10. I will not regard wickednesse in mine heart Psal. 66. 18. for I haue set the Lord as a seale on my heart and signet on my arme Cant. 8. 6. My heart abhorres all labour that is wrought vnder the Sunne Eccles. 2. 20. onely I delight in the Law of God as concerning the inward Man Rom. 7. When the Lord saith to me seeke yee my face my heart answereth O Lord I will seeke thy face Psal. 27. My heart is purified in obaying the truth 1. Pet. 1. 22. and it shall cleaâ—…e to the Lord without separation 1. Cor. 7. 35. THE OBSERVATIONS THE Christian soiourning in the body consisteth of an outward Man and an inward eyther of them hauing their owne kinde of life senses actions and operations of so contrary qualitities that as saith the Apostle when the one is decaying the other is renuing By the one he walkes among men and hath his conuersation honest in the world by the other hee walkes with God as Henoch did and hath his conuersation in heauen In all his outward behauiour hee sheweth himselfe an example of godlinesse so that euen in his countenance gesture and language hee carries a print of godlinesse as the high Priest had grauen on his fore-head holines to the Lord but his chiefe care is to deck the hid Man of the heart which before God is a thing much set by But in this age many carry the name of Christians who neuer knew what this inward Man is and farre lesse hath felt the power of his spiritual life they are not the holy temples of God which should be more beautifull within then without as was Ierusalems Temple but are painted sepulchers pleasant without full of rottennesse within hauing the faces of men and the hearts of beasts If the Lord Iesus whose eyes are like fire and who with one looke can see them both within and without come to iudge them hee will not giue sentence of them as hee did of Nathaniel Behold an Israelitie in whom there is no guile but will charge them with that which Simon Peter said to Simon Magus I see that thou art in the gall of bitternesse and band of iniquitie and that thy heart is not right in the sight of God The Censure And hereby also it may be knowne that all haue not the Christians disposition who now vsurpe the Christian name CHAPTER II. Of his New Minde The Lords Command THE light of the body is the eye if the eye be single the whole body shall be light but if thine eye be wicked then all the body shall be darke wherefore if the light that is in thee be darknesse how great is the darknesse Math. 6. 22. Take heed then that the light which is in you be not darkenesse Luke 11. 35. for yee are the children of light therefore sleepe not as others doe but watch and be sober 1. Thes. 5. 6. not as vnwise but vnderstanding what the good will of the Lord is Ephe. 5. 17. Not as other Gentiles who walke still on in the vanitie of their minde hauing their cogitation darkned and being strangers from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them Ephe. 4. 17. but be yee changed by the renuing of your minde that yee may proue what is the good and acceptable will of God Rom. 12. wise in that which is good simple as concerning euill Rom. 16. 19. But be not wise in your selues neyther high minded Rom. 12. 16. If any man thinke that hee knowes any thing the same knowes nothing as he ought 1. Cor. 8. 2. An high mind goes before a fall Prou. 29. 23. Neyther will the Lord
Naturall inability to fulfill these commandements he turneth all the precepts of God into prayers the vse whereof I hope in all the parts of thy life shall not be vnprofitable for thee And last of all hee liues in a continuall practise of those duâ—…ties of godlinesse which God in his word hath commanded him and he himselfe doth pray for Now in the end I haue onely to obuiate two sorts of men by the one it is surmized that I haue plowed with the Heifer of another specially of Cashmannus who hath written before me de nouo homine by the other it may be obiected that I haue presented an imperfect image of a Christian and haue left out many things which profitably might haue beene pointed out concerning him For the first as I giue thanks to God for the labours of that worthy man so if I had borrowed any thing from him I would neuer thinke shame to confesse it nam ingenui pudoris est vt ait Plinius fateri per quos profecerimus haec quasi merces authori iure optimo pensitanda est ne fures esse videamur but the truth is that many yeares before he came in this Country this Anatomie was drawne and portraited as now you see it As for the second I humbly confesse it Malim tamen aliquid agendo maiorem à me doctrinam sapientiam desiderari quam nihil agendo prudentior doctiorque iudicari It was a commendable policy of these Indian Philosophers called Gymnosophista qui à suis discipulis seuerius otis quà m negotiâ—… rationem exigendam esse arbitrabantar What I haue done in this little labour is a part of my negotiation with that one talent I haue receiued from the Lord and which hee hath charged me to put to the vttermost profit And therefore had I rather by doing of some good lay open my infirmities to the censure of men then to hide by idlenesse my talent in the earth and so to incurre the indignation of my Maister I know my selfe I haue not done what I should nay not what by the grace of God I could yet that which in regard of my daily labour in the worke of the Ministerie I might Accept therefore from me this image of a Christian in a Christian manner apply it to thy selfe and looke what similitude or dissimilitude thou findest betweene thee and it Doe as Elizeus did to the widdowes sonne when he raised him from death to life he stretched himselfe ouer the childe hee put his mouth on the childes mouth his eyes on his eyes his hands on his hands and therewithall he ioyned prayer and the childe reuiued so compare thou thy selfe with this ensample thy minde thy will thy affections thy words thy actions with these of the new man where thou â—…indest a conformity giue thanks to God for the beginning of the worke of his grace in thee where not pray to God further to quicken thee that thou mayest grow in an holy similitude and conformity with him to the glory of his holy name and thy euerlasting comfort in Christ Iesus to whom be praise glory and honour for euer Thine in the Lord Iesus Mr. VVILLIAM COWPER Minister at Perth PSAL. 49. Come and I will tell you what the Lord hath done to my soule THE ANATOMIE of a Christian. CHAPTER I. OF HIS NEW BIRTH OR REGENERATION The Lords Command concerning it I Knew that thou art obstinate and thy necke is an yron sinew and thy brow brasse Esa. 48. 4. I knew that thou wouldst grieuously transgresse therefore haue I called thee a transgressor from the wombe vers 8. In thy natiuitie when thou wast borne thy nauill was not cut thou wast not washed with water I saw thee polluted in thine own blood Ezech. 16. 4. 6. Neuerthelesse for my names sake and for my praise haue I refrained my wrath from thee that I cut theâ—… not off Esa. 48 9. Yea euen when thou wast in thy blood I said vnto thee thou shalt liue â—… sware vnto thee and entred into a couenant with thee saith the Lord and thou art become mine Ezech. 16. 8. For why shall I cause others to trauaile and bring forth and shall I remaine barren saith the Lord Esa. 66. 9. No But in the middes of my children the worke of mine hands shall my name be sanctified Esa. 29. 23. Thou shalt call me father and not turne from me Ierem 3. 19. And I will put a new spirit in thy bowels that thou maist walke in my statutes Ezech. 11. 19. Old things are passed away behold all things are made new if any man be in Christ let him become a new creature 2. Cor. 5. 17. Verely I say vnto you except a man be borne againe he cannot see the kingdome of God Ioh. 3. 3. Be yee therefore renewed in the spirit of your mind Eph. 4. 23. Putting on the new man which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him who created him Coloss 3. 10. The Christians Prayer for Grace to obey this command O Lord since flesh and blood cannot inherit thy kingdome and none can see thee but the pure in heart and such as are like thee I beseech thee Lord to transform me into thine image from glory to glorie by thy spirit that where thou art there I may be to behold thy glory It lies not in my power to change one haire of my head to make it white which is blacke farre lesse can I change mine heart to make it cleane which is filthy No man can tame the nature of man that which is crooked he cannot make straight but O Lord that which is impossible with man is possible with thee thou giuest sight to the blind thou raisest vp the crooked thou turnest a barren wildernesse into a fruitfull land thou sendest forth thy Spirit and renewest the face of the earth thou callest things which are not and makest them to be yea thou raisest vp the dead O Lord declare this thy great power in mercie vpon me turne the barren wildernesse of mine heart into a fruitfull garden water it with the dew of thy grace that receiuing a blessing from thee it may bring forth fruit vnto thy glorie Send forth thy Spirit and breath life into my dead soule that I may liue and praise thee O God of my saluation for euer thorough Iesus Christ. Amen The Christians Practise of this command I Was conceiued and borne in sinne Psal. 51. I walked as a child of wrath according to the course of the world after the spirit that workes in the children of disobedience Ephes. 2. But now I am receiued to mercie 1. Tim. 1. 16. and am by the grace of God 1. Cor. 15. 10. the workemanship of God created in Christ Iesus to good workes Eph. 2. 10. And this the Lord hath made me I made not my selfe Psal. 100. 3. he quickened me when I
of the new man arising to succeed in his roome to the possession of soule and bodie which before we possessed by him And thirdly because in the godly this corruption waxeth weake and infirme wearing daily neerer and neerer to death after the manner of old men But it is to be marked that in these two last respects sinfull corruption of nature is named the old man in men regenerate onely and in no other for in men vnregenerate their corruption shall for euer possesse them it increases vpon them and is yong strong and liuely euen when they themselues are weake and wearing to the graue Now aâ—… no birth can be without sorrow nor death without dolour nor circumcision or cutting of the flesh without paine so cannot our regeneration be wrought without godly sorrow and anguish of spirit which I marke for the comfort of the godly that they may know that sanctified troubles of conscience are but the dolours of the new birth and therefore should not be discouraged with them The infant that hath lien but nine moneths in the mothers wombe cannot throng out into the world without paine and thinkest thou to be lighter of sinne wherein thou wast conceiued and borne and which also hath beene so many yeares nourished in thy bowels without paine As Pharaoh grieued Israel forest when they stroue fastest to libertie and as that dumb spirit tormented that yong man worst when he saw he was to be cast out of him Mark 9. 25. So Sathan troubles the godly most heauily when hee sees the time of their deliuerance from his seruitude and bondage neerest But our comfort is that God is faithfull as he begins the worke so will he finish and end it Strong is Sathan indeed but Christ our Lord is that stronger one Pharaoh may repine but hee shall perish and the Israelites of God shall goe through that vncleane spirit in our parting from him may rend vs and cast vs as dead men to the ground but out shall he goe and Christ by his hand shall raise vs vp againe The other part of the Regeneration of the Soule is called as I said the viuification of the new man and the first resurrection where in our heauenly father communicates to vs his owne seed 1. Pet. 1. his nature 2. Pet. 1. 4. and his image 2. Cor. 3. 18. For since earthly fathers beget creatures like vnto themselues shall wee thinke that the heauenly father begets children to another similitude not his owne Surely they doe greatly dishonour the Lord who in their words say they are the sonnes of God and yet in their actions resemble the image of Sathan The Regeneration againe of the body consists also in two first in a right vsing of the members of our body as weapons of righteousnesse to serue God which we are taught to doe by grace Next in a full deliuerance of them from mortalitie and corruption Of this it is cleare that the Regeneration of the whole man will not be perfected till the day of resurrection called for that cause by our Sauiour the Regeneration Matth. 19. 28. Now through grace the Soule liues a happy life in the body thogh not as yet fully clensed and separated froÌ„ sin Out of the body it liues a more happy life being freed from all sin but yet not contented for the soule was not made to liue by it self but in the body and therefore cannot rest contented so long as it wants his owne organe and companion but when the body shall be raised againe and soule body revnited both of them fully deliuered from sinne and from the fruits of sinne then shall our generation which now is begun be perfected and absolued As for our parents in this generation wee haue God for our Father in Christ and Ierusalem which is from aboue to wit the Church of Christ the mother of vs all The Apostle to the Corinthians calles himselfe their Father Though ye haue ten thousand instructers yet haue ye not many fathers for in Christ Iesus I haue begotten you through the Gospel 1. Cor. 4. 15. And againe to the Galathians hee calles himselfe their mother My little children of whom I trauaile in birth againe till Christ be formed in you Gal. 4. 19. But Preachers are onely ministeriall parents yeâ—… for this same should they be honoured of people as their fathers and should againe carrie toward their people no lesse affection then fathers haue to their children specially to procure their euerlasting saluation But here both the naturall mother is to bee discerned from the stepmother and the bastard children from the lawfull for the chast spouse of Christ will receiue no seed into her bosom but the seed of her immortall husband which is the word of God and the lawfull mother of the sonnes of God will not giue them any other milke to feed vpon but the sincere and vnmingled milke of Gods word as Saint Peter calles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which shee offers to be sucked out of the pappes of the old and new Testament And therefore the Church of Rome which withdrawes these pappes from the mouthes of Gods children or giues them the milke of the word mingled with the Traditions of men pretend what shee will is but a strumpet and stepmother And as there is a stepmother so is there also bastard children they sit vpon the knee of Christs spouse but neuer sucked her pappes to draw life and grace out of her breasts such a one was Cham in the Arke such was Ismael in Abrahams house such was Esau brought vp with Iacob on the knee of Rebecca and alas such are many in our time who in regard of profession are in Gods Church pretending they are sons but are in very deed bastards no way in their life resembling the image of their heauenly father The Censure By these rules it is manifest that all are not Christians indeed who this day vsurpe the Christian name CHAPTER II. Of his New Senses The Lords Command concerning them THou knowest not how by Nature thou art wretched and miserable blind poore and naked Reu. 3. 17. For the naturall man perceiues not those things which are of the Spirit of God 1. Cor. 2. 14. he sauours onely the things of the flesh Rom. 8. 5. his wisdome is death for it is enmitie with God verse 6. Hearken therefore vnto my words and keep them in the middest of thine heart Prou. 4. 21. Come and buy from mee eye-salue to annoynt thine eyes that thou maist see Reu. 3. 18. for I am he who maketh both the eye to see and the eare to heare Prou. 20. 12. I will bring forth the blind people and they shall haue eyes and the deafe and they shall heare Esa. 43. 8. He that walks in the darke knows not whither hee goes Ioh. 12. 35. But I am come a light into the world that whosoeuer
liue but vpon his life that is delighteth in sinne which doth breed his owne destruction The third obiect of our Loue is our neighbour where first we are to regard those of our familie least we be found worse then Infidels secondly those that are of the familie of Faith thirdly all men yea euen our enemies in so much as they are the workmanship of God for he loueth his neighbour truely who loue God in his neighbour that is who loueth his neighbour eyther because hee seeth that God is in him or else because he would haue God in him Now as for the measure of our Loue it is not one and alike toward all the obiects of our Loue the right measure of our Loue to God is to loue him without measure at least with all that wee haue with all our heart all our mind and all our strength but the loue of our selues and our neighbour is limited so far forth may wee loue our selues and them as may stand with the loue of God Beatus qui te amat amicum in te inimicū propter te nam solus is nihil charum amittit cui omnia chara sunt in eo qui non amittitur blessed is hee who loues God and his friend in God and his enemie for God onely that man cannot loose any thing which he loueth who loueth nothing but in God who cannot be lost Thus the affection of Loue being ordered by grace is in the soule like a sparkle of heauenly fire which no way can be borne downe but carries vp by course and degree the desires of our heart toward the Lord from whom it came till at length wee be consummate with his Loue. The Censure But now the great number of them who want this Loue proues that all are not Christians indeed who now vsurpe the Christian name CHAPTER VI. Of his Hatred The Lords Command YEe who loue the Lord hate that which is euill Psal. 97. 10. for they that call on the name of the Lord should depart from iniquitie 2. Tim. 2. 19. and should hate euen the garment that is spotted with the flesh Iude. 23. but thou shal◅ not hate thy brother in thine heart Leuit. 19. 17. for if any man say that he loues God and hates his brother hee is a lyar 1. Iohn 4. And hee that saith he is in the light and hateth his brother is in darknesse vnto this time 1. Ioh. 2. 9. He walketh in darknesse and knowes not whither he goes because that darknes hath blinded his eyes 1. Iohn 2. 11. Yea hee that hates his brother is a man-slayer and ye know that no man-slayer hath eternall lise abiding in him 1. Iohn 3. 15. The Christians Prayer for Grace to obay this Command QVicken me O Lord according to thy louing kindnesse so shall I keepe the testimonies of thy mouth Deale with thy seruant according to thy mercy and teach me thy statutes I am thy seruant grant me therefore vnderstanding that I may know thy testimonies The Christians Practise of this Command I Hate falshood and abhorre lyes Psal. 119 163. I hate vaine inuentions 119. 113. and all false waies 119. 128. I hate the assemblies of the euill Psal. 26. 5. and them that giue themselues to deceitfull vanitie Psal. 31. 6. My soule hateth Idols 2. Sam. 5. 8. and the worke of them that fall away it shall not cleaue to mee Psal. 101. 3. Doe I not hate them O Lord that hate thee and doe I not earnestly contend with those that rise vp against thee surely I hate them with vnfained hatred as if they were mine vtter enemies Psal. 139. 21. THE OBSERVATIONS AS by nature mans heart is emptied of all holy Loue so it is filled with a sinfull hatred a monstrous euill offensiue to God to our neighbour yea and to our selues Naturally Man hates the Lord according to that which our Sauiour saith hee that doth euill hateth the light the euill Conscience of the wicked abhorreth the Lord who is that first and great light from whom all others haue that light which they haue wishing that eyther there were not a God at all or else that he were like them He hates in like manner good men euen for that good which is in them and that with such a raging malice that no band of Nature can restraine it thus Caine hated his brother Abel and why onely because his works were good Rahel hated her Sister Leah and why onely because shee was fruitfull her selfe being barren and Ioseph also was hated of his owne brethren for no other cause but for that his earthly Father loued him and his heauenly Father had blessed him with the gift of Reuelation or Prophecie aboue them O cursed roote of bitternesse which doth cause man to hate his owne and that onely for the good that is in them O greatest euill so directly contrary to the greatest good God is so good that of euery euill hee worketh good to his owne and hatred is so euill that the good things of God become vnto it a matter of greater euill Thus is man who was made to the similitude of God become an incarnate diuell or as Augustine cals him Secundus Diabolus inferior onely to Sathan in two respects For whereas Sathan being now very neere sixe thousand yeares olde hath the subtiltie of his Nature wherein also he doth exceed man helped by long experience to doe wickedly Man being of shorter continuance cannot equall him Againe man is clogged with a body which is a great impediment to the perfection and accomplishment of that which his Spirit conceiueth it being farre otherwise with the actions of the bodie which require the circumstances of place and persons then with the conceptions of the minde which without any such thing are perfected Otherwayes if the wickednesse of mans heart brake out as it is conceiued if euery hatefull thought brake out into murther and euery vncleane lust into a carnall act O what a world of wickednesse should then be discouered in man then should it be manifest that Man for similitude of Natures were but an incarnate Diuell as I haue said As the graces of the Spirit keepe one fellowship so disordered affections which vnder their proper name in effect are but vices goe together like the linkes of one chaine For Hatred comes of euill parents Pride begets Anger Anger breeds Enuy and Enuy brings out Hatred If any man loue not the daughter suffoca matrem non erit filia let him suffocate and slay the mother the daughter shall not be Anger is festuca in occulo but if it benourished fit grandis trabes ira enim inveterata fit odium of a mote in the eye of our Conscience it becomes a beame for inveterate anger turneth into Hatred Against this euill wee are to embrace the wholesome counsell of the holy Ghost Let
thee hearken to the prayer of thy seruant who desireth to feare thee Giue me good Lord that holy feare of thy Name which thou hast commanded that I may not erre from thy wayes nor harden my heart from thy feare for I know that great is thy goodnesse which thou hast laid vp for them that feare thee Lord therefore knit mine heart vnto thee that I may feare thy Name and may receiue grace to serue thee so that I may please thee with reuerence and feare through Iesus Christ. The Christians Practise of this Command VVHo would not feare thee O King of the nations for to thee appertaines dominion Iere. 10. 7. Surely I tremble for feare of thee and am afraid of thy iudgements Psal. 119. 120. My whole conuersation hath beene in weakenesse feare and much trembling 1. Cor. 2. 3. I haue had fightings without and terrours within 2. Cor. 7. 5. Yea from my youth I haue suffered thy terrours doubting of my life Psal. 61. yet will I not feare what Flesh can doe vnto mee Psal. 56. 4. nor be afraid of ten thousand of the people that should beset me round about Psal. 3. 6. Neyther will I be afraid of euill tidings because mine heart is fixed and beleeues in the Lord Psal. 112. 7. hee is mine hope and strength in trouble ready to be found therefore I will not feare though the earth be moued and the mountaines cast into the sea Psal. 46. 1. Yea though I should walk through the valley of the shadow of death yet will I feare none euill for the Lord is with me his staffe and his rod they comfort me Psal. 23. THE OBSERVATIONS FEare among the rest of our Affections is also disordered by Nature so farre that now wee feare where there is no cause and do not feare where we haue cause to feare Naturally men are more afraid of Sathans shadow then of Sathan himselfe his apparition without terrifieth men but the power of his kingdome commanding their affections within is not feared It is now the matter of mans feare which should be the matter of his ioy Adam in his innocencie placed not his ioy in the creatures which were vnder him and gaue him obedience but in the Lord who was aboue him and with whom hee had his familiar conuersation but now after his apostacie it is become far otherwise the Lord is become a feare and terror vnto man who before his fall was his principall ioy And where it shall be our ioy in heauen to see that glory of Christ which hee had with his Father from the beginning wonderfull it is that those three Disciples who were pillars of the Church should haue beene confounded and afraid at the onely representation of that glory which was made to them on mount Tabor so vnmeet are wee now to haue fellowship with God by reason of our sinnes that as I said the matter of our ioy is become the matter of our feare Yea so farre are wee now fallen away from a similitude with our God that wee are afraid at the sight of one of those holy Angels that minister vnto him Nay if a man like our selues in regard of our bodies should come from him illuminate with his brightnesse we might not abide him no more then Israel could abide the shining face of Moses when he came down from the Lord but ranne away from him therefore doth Basile call our corrupted feare a certaine ebrietie which makes vs be strange with our friends and start at shadowes that is to say feare where no cause of feare is We are therefore to consider how in the regeneration this affection is renewed and rightly ordered and how in holy Scripture there is a feare commanded and commended which we must embrace another forbidden and condemned which wee must eschew Feare renewed in our regeneration is the daughter of Faith the sister of Loue the mother of Humilitie and Obedience Therefore Moses Deut. 10. 12. ioynes these three together that to feare the Lord to loue him and to serue him is all that God requires of Israell The obiects of godly feare in the man regenerate are either in God in our selues or in the creature without vs. The obiects of our feare in God are first his iudgements secondly his mercies For first we are taught to feare him as our iudge then to feare him as our Father For the holy Spirit in the work of our regeneration keeps this order first he rebukes vs for sin terrifies vs with the iudgements of God due to them and then comforts vs with the sense of his mercie in Christ. This feare of Gods iudgements primus est incipientium gradus it is the first steppe of them who are beginning to learne godlinesse If thou hast not yet learned to loue God deerely yet it is a good beginning if thou feare him If thou loue not the pleasures of Paradice yet be afraide of the torments of Gehenna Sicut enim aqua extinguit ignem c. For as water quencheth the fire so this feare queneth the heat of sinne And this feare of iudgement in the Christian begets at length a feare of God for his mercies therefore Basile called it a Paedagogue that instructs the man to godlinesse Timor transit in Charitatem said Gregorie Vincat itaque in te pius timor erit amor let therefore godly feare ouercome in thee and at length there shall be loue feare shall not abide in thee but as a Master shall lead thee vnto loue Therefore said I that the second obiect of our feare in God is his mercy according to that in the Psalmist Mercy is with thee that thou maist be feared And this reconciles that apparant discord between the Psalmist and the Apostle The feare of the Lord is cleane and endures for euer saith Dauid Perfect loue casts out feare saith Saint Iohn If feare be cast out how doth it endure but the answere is that feare whereby we feare the iudgements of God and is as I said in the godly an introduction to the loue of God shall be cast out when our loue is perfected but that feare whereby wee feare him for his mercies and reuerence him as our Father shall endure for euer In heauen wee shall haue no feare of Gehenna wee shall be so filled with his Loue yea euen on earth the more wee grow in the loue of God the lesse feare of his iudgements is in vs Maior est peregrinantium timor minor propinquantium nullus peruenientium The obiects of Feare in our selues are our sinnes which wee haue done and our infirmities by which wee are ready and prone to sinne againe This feare ariseth in the godly from the feare of God for his mercies for the sweeter and more desired his mercies are vnto vs the more fearefull vnto vs are
non est ibi dissolutio est vitae said Augustine where no feare of God is there is dissolution of life It is semen Iustitiae said Bernard the seed of righteousnes without which can be no ingresse into godlinesse without it can be no religion said Lactantius quod enim non metuitur contemnitur quod contemnitur non colitur for that which is not feared is contemned and what is contemned cannot be worshipped In a word it is in holy Scripture compared to a naile which being stricken into the heart of man by the hand of God keepeth it stable that neither the tyranny nor deceit of sinne can carry it away therefore doth the holy Ghost conioyne these two feare God and cleane to him The Censure But now the licentious liues of many in this age led without all feare of God proue that all haue not the Christians disposition who now vsurpe the Christian name CHAPTER VIII Of his Confidence The Lords Command THe Lord is God in heauen aboue and in earth beneath Ios. 2. 11. blessed is the man that makes the Lord his trust regardeth not the proud Psal. 40. 4. for they who trust in the Lord shall be as mount Sion which cannot be remoued Psal. 125. 1. The eye of the Lord is vpon them that trust in his mercy to deliuer their soule in death and to preserue them in famine Psal. 33. 18. The Lord is good and as a strong hold in the day of trouble and hee knoweth them that trust in him Nahum 1. 7. Therefore trust in the Lord for euer and you shall be assured 2. Chron. 20. Trust in the Lord and hee shall comfort thine heart Psal. 2â—… 14. Commit thy way to the Lord trust in him and hee shall bring it to passe Psal. 37. 5. Hee that walketh in darknesse and hath no light let him trust in the name of the Lord and stay vpon his God Esay 50. 10. for in the Lord is strength for euermore Esay 26. 4. But in his owne might let no man be strong 1. Sam. 2. 9. leane not to thine owne wisedome Prou. 3. 5. for he that trusteth in his owne heart is a foole Prou. 28. 26. Neither put you your trust in Princes nor in the Sonne of man Psal. 146. for confidence in man is like a broken tooth Prou. 29. there is no help in him his breath doth depart and hee returneth to his earth then his thoughts perish Psal. 146. 4. Cursed is the man that trusteth in man and doth make Flesh his arme and with-drawth his heart from the Lord. Ierem. 17. 5. The Christians Prayer for Grace to obay this Command O Lord who dost preserue the state of the righteous and art the hope of Israel seeing all that forsake thee shall be confounded and they that depart from thee shall be written in the earth it is good for me to draw neere vnto thee O Lord therefore be thou my strong rock wherunto I may alwyes resort be thou the glory of my strength that by thy fauour my horne may be exalted for my shield appertaineth to the Lord and my King is the holy One of Israel Haue mercy on me O God haue mercy on me for my soule trusteth in thee and in the shadow of thy wings will I trust till these afflictions ouerpasse Giue me help against trouble for vaine is the help of man and let thy mercy be vpon me as I trust in thee through Iesus Christ. Amen The Christians Practise of this Command TRuely the hope of hils is but vaine and the multitude of mountaines but in the Lord our God is the health of Israell Ieremie 3. 23. Some trust in Chariots and some in Horses but I will remember the name of God my Lord Psal. 20. 7. The eternall God is my refuge and vnder his armes I am for euer Deutro 33. 27. I will not say to the wedge of Gold thou art my confidence Iob. 31. 34. but O Lord thou art my fort my strength and my refuge in the day of affliction Ierem. 16. 9. I trust not in my Bow nor my sword thou sauest me from mine aduersaries Psal. 44. 6. My defence is in the munition of rocks Esay 33. 16. euen in the Lord who preserueth the vpright in heart Psal. 7. 10. he is my rocke my fortresse the horne of my saluation and my refuge Psal. 81. 21. he is the strength of my heart Psal. 73. 26. his Name is a strong tower Prou. 18. therefore I will trust in the Lord and will not feare what flesh can doe vnto me Psal. 56. 4. THE OBSERVATIONS IN a worldling feare and confidence consists not together the one of them weakeneth the other in a Christian it is not so his feare of God is not without confidence in God neither is his confidence in God without feare of God and of this it is euident that the confidence by which the feare of God is weakened and empayred is carnall and not Christian. Christian confidence is that grace of God whereby the beleeuing man rests so vpon the promises of God that in greatest commotions and temptation he abides fixed stedfast and vnmoued As a rocke in the Sea beaten with the waues which are raised by euery Winde so liues a Christian in the world an obiect of all tentations sometime impugned by trouble comming from God sometime by trouble comming from men and sometime by trouble comming from Sathan but in all these assured confidence sustaines him For in such troubles as come immediatelie from God it is the Nature of faith that by it his Children cleaues fastest to God when hee seemes sharpliest to put them from him they runne to the hand that strikes them and will know no other Come and let vs returne to the Lord for he hath spoyled and hee will heale vs he hath wounded and he will binde vs vp So deeply is the assurance of Gods truth rooted in their hearts that their conclusion is set downe with that holy man Iob albeit the Lord would slay me yet will I trust in him And as for all those troubles that come by men they consider that they are moderated by God according to that which our Sauiour said to Pilate Thou couldst haue no power ouer mee were it not giuen thee from aboue And in this by manifold experience hath God confirmed them For hee made the Barbarians courteous to Paul Artarxerxes fauourable to Nehemiah the keeper of the prison friendly to Ioseph yea the Lyons peaceable to Daniel Againe hee raised Absalom against Dauid to chastise him he made Pharaoh rigorous to Israel that so hee might winne them from the loue of Egipt Seeing it is so that their harts are ruled by God to like or dislike his Children as hee sees may be for their good why shall trouble comming from them disquiet vs And by the same consideration is the
my mouth Zeph. 3. 13. but my words shall be in the vprightnesse of mine heart Iob. 33. 3. Neyther will I suffer my mouth to sinne by wishing a curse to the soule of him that hated mee Iob. 31. 30. There is no lewdnesse nor frowardnesse in my words Prou. 8. 8. My tongue also shall spread abroad knowledge Prou. 15. 7. and my mouth shall be as a well-spring of life Prou. 10 11. I will vtter the words of grace Eccles. 10. 12. that my lips may feed many Prou. 10. 21. and the comf◅ of them may asswage the sorrow of the afflicted Iob. 16. 15. confirming him that is ready to fall and strengthening the weak knees Iob. 4. 4. for God hath giuen me the tongue of the learned that I should know how to minister a word in season to the weary Esa. 50. 4. and hath enriched me with all kinde of speech and necessary knowledge for the which grace I thank my God in Christ Iesus THE OBSERVATIONS AS in the Apostasie of Adam the poyson of sinne like a fretting canker ranne through the whole nature of man so in the regeneration the grace of our Lord Iesus goes through the whole man sanctifying him throughout both in soule and body to make him a new creature Sinne hath not taken away the members of mans body but the right motion and vse of them for the eye still lookes the tongue speaketh the hand moueth but not as they should When the Palsie looseth the members of the body to moue against the will of him that possesseth them it is counted a pittifull disease but now when sinne hath loosed them to moue against the will of him that made them and the well of them that owe them it is a pitie to see how foolishly naturall men reioyce in it not considering it is a sicknesse which tends to the second death If man had beene created for God onely he should not haue needed a tongue for the Lord knowes the meaning of the minde without the tongue and if hee had beene made for himselfe onely the motions of the mi◅e had ben sufficient for himselfe also but God hath made one man to be a comfort to another and therfore hath giuen him such Organe◅ as whereby euery man may giue intelligence of his minde to another For this is the office of the tongue to be a faithfull interpreter of the minde and a trench-man betweene hart and hart but as they who vnderstand not others languages though they see others faces can conclude nothing between them without the helpe of a faithfull interpreter so cannot the heart of one man communicate the conceptions thereof to another vnles the tongue be as Ambrose calls it speculum mentis a glasse wherein the minde may be seene But that which God made for good Sathan hath turned into euill for now the hart and tongue are so peruerted from their originall innocencie that now the tongue is imployed by the heart to deceiue exponing in word the thoughts of the hart otherwise then they are indeed A threefold diuision hath ensued vpon the sall of man as a punishment thereof first a diuision of harts secondly a diuision of tongues thirdly a diuision of the tongue from the hart The diuision of one mans heart from another is a iust punishment of mans diuision from God so long as Adam and Euah liued at one with God they liued at one among themselues but so soone as they were diuided from God by sinne they became also diuided among themselues Adam blaming Euah and accusing her to God in whom before hee reioyced as bone of his bone and flesh of his flesh And this hath proceeded so far among their posteritie that looke how many men there are in the world as many sundry iudgements and wils there is among them which would not faile to breede horrible confusion if God had not locked vp the heart of man and made it vnknowne to another or otherwise where it is knowne did not restraine the heart of man and that for entertaining a societie and fellowship among men As for the diuision of tongues it came into the world as a iust punishment of mans rebellion against God in the building of Babel for where before the sloud for the space of one thousand and sixe hundred yeares and more the whole world spake one language and one hundred and thirtie yeare after the Floud also for their high conceit in building of Babell to get themselues a name God confounded their languages And yet it is strange that this diuision of tongues inflicted on man for a punishment of his pride and threatned also by God as a curse vpon his people to send a nation vpon them whose language they vnderstand not should be receiued into the Popes Church as a blessed policie for there hee that is in the roome of a builder speakes that which the people vnderstands not But the diuision of the tongue from the heart is the worst of all being not onely a punishment of sinne as the former but a sinne also and such a sinne as is a protector and maintainer of many sinfull and mischieuous conceptions of the heart Whereof it comes to passe that innumerable euils are committed by the tongue for which Saint Iames iustly termes it A world of wickednesse and accounts so much of the gouernment or misgouernment of the tongue that the one he esteemes the proofe of a perfect man the other an argument of an irreligious man For this cause also Nazianzen affirmes that the halfe of the sins of our life are committed by the tongue lingua dimidiam humanorū vitiorum partem sibi vendicat but Basil going further saith tota vita nostra linguae delictis est referta that our whole life is full of the sinnes of our tongue If we goe through the decalogue wee shall finde the tongue guiltie of the transgression of all the precepts thereof a seruant to all sorts of sinnes which breake out in action Against the first Commandement it offends by blaspheming God as Pharaoh did while hee said Who is Iehouah as Sennacherib did your God is not able to deliuer you as the foolish do who say there is not God as the prophane do who say he seeth not or he doth not regard these are stout words against the Lord. Or else in cursing by the name of the Diuel some customably sacrifice to him deuoting that in their anger to Sathan which should be dedicated to God others seeke vengeance from Sathan vpon such as haue offended them not remembring that God is the God of vengeance thus both of them by a most horrible impietie set vp Sathan in the roome of God Lamentable it is to heare how this sinne abounds in this Land as if it were Calicut or Narsinga where Sathan is worshipped Against the second Commandement the tongue offends in speaking reuerently
the deed yea Prauis assuescere sermonibus via quaedam est ad rem ipsam But to the children of God it is a very griefe to heare any thing that doth not edifie their hearts in the loue of God intoller abile aestimant quicquid illud non sonat quod intus amant In all purposes the holy Spirit keepeth a holy language when hee speakes of Adams copulation with Euah he saith that Adam knew his wife when he speakes of Sauls going to the caue for naturall purgation hee saith he went in to couer his feet This as it teacheth vs to speake of all things in an holy manner so it shewes of what spirit they are whose lips are no sooner opened to speake but incontinent ye may smell the stinking corruption of their heart infecting with their filthy breath both the ayre and the eares of the hearer Against the eight Commandement it transgresseth in like manner in one of these extremities either in giuing to men more then is due by flattery and assentation or else in taking from them by slandering and backbiting that which iustly appertaines vnto them For where a man hath two things necessarie to make him a profitable instrument of Gods glory and the good of others to wit his Conscience by which hee is approued to God and his good name by which hee hath fauour with men Sathan because hee cannot corrupt their conscience doth what hee can by euill tongues to steale away their good name that they should be the lesse able to doe good to others The ninth commandement is transgressed generally by lying which becomes the more grieuous sinne the more artificially it is set out As a potsheard ouerlayed with siluer drosse Pro. 26. 23. so is falshood and hatred when by dissimulation they are cloked with the shadowes of truth and loue This disposition to lie with dissimulation belongs to the feede of the crooked Serpent who hauing his head one way can wry his hart another way but the children of God are vpright men who haue their hearts and their tongues going vpon one line It is therefore an exceeding great shame to the Popes Church that they professe and practise so abhominable and damnable a doctrine as that a man may thinke one thing with his hart and sweare another thing with his tongue This also amongst many other sheweth of what spirit they are Thus wee see how the tongue is subiect vnto many spirituall diseases for remedy whereof two rules in all our speech would be vsed meditation before we speake and then moderation in speaking It is very expedient that meditation goe before speech wherein we are to consider first if that we would speake be lawfull and though it be yet are we to see whether also it be expedidient to be spoken at such time in such place to such persons our first thought may be corrected with a second better without hurt or shame but it is not so with our words The next that in speech we vse moderation for this cause God hath giuen man but one tongue with two eares to teach him he should be more ready to heare then to speake he hath also placed it within and guarded it with a double hedge one of flesh another of bone and therewithall hath bound it by a bridle to the breast by all these recommending to vs moderation of speech The Censure But now the great number of them who abuse their tongues to all the sinnes whereof I haue spoken euidently proues that all are not Christians indeed who now vsurpe the Christian name CHAPTER V. Of his Eating The Lords Command EVery Creature of GOD is good and nothing ought to be refused if it be receiued with thanksgiuing 1 Tim. 4 4. for it is good that the heart be stablished with grace not with meates Heb. 13. 9. therefore eate and drinke of such things after thanksgiuing as shall be set before you Luke 10. 7. for thou maist kill and eate flesh whatsoeuer thine heart desireth according to the blessing of the Lord thy God which he hath giuen thee Deut. 12. 15. Euery thing that moueth and liueth shall be meat for you as the greene hearbe haue I giuen you all things Gen. 9. 3. But whether yee eate or yee drinke or whateuer yee doe doe all to the glory of God 1 Cor. 10. 31. Take heed least at any time your hearts be ouercome with drunkennesse and surfetting least that day come vpon you vnawares Luke 21. 34. Be not filled with wine wherein is excesse but be ye filled with the spirit Ephe. 5. 18. Eate for strength and not for drunkennesse Eccles. 10. 17. for he that refraines not his appetite is like a Citie broken downe without wals Prou. 25. 28. Neither eate yee the bread of oppression but worke with quietnesse and eate your owne bread 2 Thes. 3. 12. being content with that which God hath giuen you for better is a little in the feare of the Lord then great treasure and trouble therwith Prou. 15. 16. And when ye haue eaten and are satisfied then praise yee the name of the Lord Ioel. 2. 26. and deale thy bread to the hungry and bring the poore that wandereth into thine house then shall thy light spring out in the darknesse and the Lord shall guide thee continually and satisfie thy soule and thou shalt be like a watred garden and like a spring of water whose waters faile not Esay 58. 10. The Christians Prayer for Grace to obay this Command THE eyes of all things doe wait vpon thee O Lord thou giuest them meat in due season thou openest thine hand and fillest all liuing things of thy good pleasure Thou giuest food to all flesh yea euen to the beasts and young Rauens that cry feede me also O Lord with food conuenient for mee and let neuer my table be a snare vnto mee that when I am filled my heart should be exalted against thee but strengthen mee in the inward man with that bread of life that came downe from heauen and doth giue life to the world So shall I be satisfied with thy fauour and filled with thy blessing through Iesus Christ. Amen The Christians Practise of this Command I Esteeme the words of thy mouth more then mine appointed food Iob. 23. 12. I will reioyce continually in thy name Psal. 89. 16. and in all things giue thanks to thee I haue learned in whatsoeuer estate to be contented Phil. 4 11. Therefore I will eate to the contentation of my minde Prou. 13. 25. And albeit to the cleane all things be cleane Tit. 1. 15. and all things be lawfull to mee 1 Cor. 6. 12. yet will I not vse my libertie as an occasion to the flesh Gal. 5. 13. neyther will I eate of any thing whereof my brother may be offended 1 Cor. 8. 13. farre lesse