duties and seruices of God when we see varietie of earthly delights set before vs to enioy and we without controulement of any person may take our fill of them Therefore if in this estate we perceiue any loathsomenesse of well doing to grow vpon vs we must charge our selues with ficklenesse inconstancie falshood against God secret dissembling vnfaithfulnesse c. If we should be content thus to fall from the Lord and if we be not readie without contradiction to stirre vp our selues to a fruitefull and chearefull vse of christian meanes againe yea if we be the worse for Gods benefites we must looke that he wil take them from vs and cause vs to yeeld him other manner of fruites by the want of them Also we must here call to mind whiles with delight we serued the Lord what comfort and godly boldnesse with him we found which now if we begin to decline from him we can enioy no more but may looke for some such recompence as shall be meete for reuolters yea and we must tell this we said to our owne hearts without flatterie that if we waxe wearie of the Lord at our pleasure it is to be feared and that iustly that he will shake vs off in our feare and necessitie we shall not dare to set vpon this christian care again if once we be glutted with it and though we do yet shall we not find it easie for vs to go forward although we set vpon it againe but that one time or other we shall be like to be driuen backe which iudgement is fearefull aboue many and next vnto despaire We must thinke that the Lord dealeth tenderly with vs if we may haue libertie to glorifie him by manifold encouragements in outward blessings whereas many haue thought it a singular priuiledge and great kindnes of his towards them that they may do it in imprisonment in bonds in pouertie in reproch c. And generally we ought to thinke that if we thus vse his benefites that we grow more vndutifull towards him then many which want them it is time for him as hath bene said to take them from vs and to bestow them vpon such as will yeeld and render vnto him better fruite of them And if this should be any occasion of licentiousnesse to vs that many yea the most of such as haue a great portion in earthly commodities do delight in them and take them not to be giuen them of God to the end that they should liue more holily or be the fruitfuller in christian duties by them we must answer to our selues thus againe that we neuer were taught it of God to follow examples no not of the best men contrarie to expresse rules of Scripture much lesse the euill examples of the multitude and common sort of such as reiect all Scripture Now though we fall not this way by meanes of our prosperitie for that were very grosse yet if we should more couertly deceiue our selues by thinking thus that we haue sufficiently profited by this direction now and therfore may cease and neglecting to see our wants daungers infirmities and discouragements which are in our way as in time past and so cast off this trauell against these deceiuings of our hearts we must resolutely be perswaded of the manifold perils outward and inward which are in our liues which full soone if we grow cold and remisse in a godly life do begin to take hold of vs therfore to keepe our selues well whiles we be well And thus we must vse our selues as hath now bene set downe that we may not vse the practises of godlinesse after a common manner But many whiles the Lord reacheth foorth encouragements to them and filleth their liues with outward blessings do accustome themselues to some commendable course who when God chaungeth their prosperous estate do immediately chaunge with it that is to say whiles daungers and great afflictions take hold of their liues they are so distressed and grieued for them that they grow froward impatient and disquieted thereby and are vtterly vnfit to continue such godly meanes as before they vsed for the growing forward in a godly life Hereby is great daunger to be feared therefore if possibly by any of Gods chastisements we shold fall thus farre yet we must confesse such slippes with griefe and with shame and astonishment behold our falles and settle no peace in our hearts till we haue returned and recouered our strength againe and so returne to our first estate againe which also most certainely we shall if with the seruants of God in all ages as the Israelites 1. Sam. 7.4 Hester and Mardocheus Hester 4. Iehosaphat 2. King 20. and others we confesse our sinnes with melting and broken hearts yea our particular sinnes of murmuring impatience fretting and such like that so we may be receiued of our heauenly father for his Christs sake to mercie and forgiuenesse THE SIXTH TREATISE SHEWETH WHAT PRIVILEDGES BELONG TO euery true Christian and how he may haue his part in them CHAP. 1. Of the summe of this Treatise the reasons why it is set out the order of it and of the diuers kindes of priuiledges THe next thing which commeth in place to be spoken of is concerning the priuiledges and liberties which God hath bequeathed vnto and freely bestowed vpon his people and beloued seruants I do not meane any of his benefits which he suffereth the vngodly to enioy which yet are farre more sweet and sauoury to his children than to them but I meane those which are peculiar to the faithfull whereof the other haue no part nor portion The which although all the faithfull enioy not and therefore feele not so great contentation in their liues as they might doe yet they haue free grant and liberty of the Lord so to doe if they knew the will of God in that behalfe or if knowing it they be not holden backe through vnbeliefe as being strongly perswaded that they doe not belong vnto them I know that of those many and great blessings which the children of God partake some are peculiar and proper to some in respect of their callings offices and places which are not common to all but I intend to make mention onely of those which one may possesse although not in a like measure aswell as an other And this I do for sundry and diuers causes partly that the godly may see their riches in some sort aswell as other men know theirs and knowing them may enioy them to their great contentation which few of them doe as they might and that if by any occasion they should be either by the baits of this world by their owne forgetfulnesse faint-heartednesse distrust or other weaknesse of their owne or by Sathans malice put out of the possession of them or any of them yet by considering and remembring these or some of them they might be able to returne home againe from whence they straied and that more easily and willingly
I shall be occasioned in another place to doe the same But all this sinne which thus ruleth and raigneth in man making him not much vnlike the diuels themselues is but one part of the miserie which he is in yea and the least of the two in their eyes and iudgement who are the greatest number in the world The other part thereof is that for this sinne he is subiect to all those fearefull and horrible plagues which God hath threatned and executeth in the world vpon the committers thereof and to that endlesse punishment of condemnation in the world to come which is the principall and most iust desert of euery sinne The particular vexations and calamities which belong to sinners in this life are innumerable and not to be expressed but some for the rest it shall be fit to mention and the rather for that many thousands neuer dreame of and much lesse are troubled with any such matter And first as the curse of God is vpon all creatures for mans cause so it is lesse to be doubted that it is cast vpon man himselfe So that whatsoeuer he doth or wheresoeuer he becommeth the wrath and anger of God followeth and accompanieth him Cursed he is in the field and cursed in the house cursed in his basket and in his store and as Moses speaketh of all the creatures wherein he should take his repast and delight saying Cursed is the earth for thy sake thornes and briers it shall bring foorth vnto thee From hence come all the dearths famines penurie and pouertie which euery where are cried out of In his bodie sicknesse diseases of many kinds aches gripings swellings burstings and other paines intolerable In the senses deafnes blindnes numnes and such like which should make any heart to quake and tremble to heare them but named As for friends and kindred wife and children father and mother or whatsoeuer may be thought of which men are wont to take greatest pleasure in how can they delight mans heart soundly or be pleasant vnto him when they are mixed with this sauce The Lord accurseth them hee will bring him to iudgement for them euen for enioying them whereto they haue no right nor lawfull libertie as being not intitled to them by Christ who is heire and Lord of all If there were but a sword hanging with the point downward ouer a mans head which were sitting at a royall banquet what pleasure could hee take in the varietie of his dainties But it is another manner of slaying a man if oft in one houre hee must be constrained with feare to remember and thinke on it this moment will they take thy soule from thee But this goeth not so neere mens hearts as it ought whiles they haue one obiection or other as it were water to quench the force and heate of it For all men they say are not in this miserable estate except some one or few who be wearie of their liues and make all their other delights vnpleasant to them for the same This as vnwise they obiect because they are moued with nothing but that which they see with their outward eyes the voyce of God pierceth not their hearts although it pronounceth as well to him that escapeth al these if any such could be found as to him who hath bin plagued with them all euen to one as to another without respect of persons Woe be to the inhabitants of the earth because they haue sinned So long as this word shall be true no mans estate is better then another all are vnder the wrath of God Therefore let no man deceiue himselfe God is not mocked How this ought to affect the heart of him that heareth it we shall see hereafter but hee that hardneth his heart at the hearing of this because he feeleth not neither seeeth any such thing shall surely come to euill I haue not yet spoken of the plagues and punishments which take hold vpon the soule which are yet more fearefull then those of the bodie if so be they could as easily be discerned A man to be giuen vp to his owne vilde lusts like a brute beast to wallow in filthines who might haue shined as an Angell in goodnes is there any of iudgement which counteth it not amongst the most fearefull iudgements To be vtterly darkned and destitute of the true knowledge of God and of the life to come the knowledge wherof is the beautie of the world and to be hastning to endles woe and yet not to vnderstand it what part of miserie can be greater in this world To be so hardned in heart as to be past all feeling remorse to fall into vtter desperation without recouery by any thing he can do such madnes frensie heaps of the like can any thing be thought more full of horror and all these is wofull man vnder There is none which hath not brought himselfe into the depth of them all which is all I may say truly that he hath to glorie of So that I thinke it cannot be denied but that he is miserable vnto the which to adde as the shutting vp of all the remedilesse feares and deepe doubts which oft bring anguish here the paines and torture of both soule and bodie in the end of this life when both must take vp their dwelling in heâ— who so shall heare it must needes confesse that there wanteth herein no piece of miserie But seeing the Scripture it selfe calleth it paine vnspeakable I wil not go about to describe it least I should any way seeme to make it lesse then it is It is sufficient for this purpose that it is most extreame easelesse and endlesse This I haue said of the miserie of man and of both the parts of it as I did purpose and that in as few sentences as well I might and fewer in deede then such a weightie matter would haue required but that it is elsewhere handled by others And I haue determined to say no more then I must needes of those things which are set foorth at large both plainly by many learned brethren and in very good sort and order alreadie These two points of mans miserie are to be knowne as an especiall part of Gods truth of him whom the Lord will saue For hee which knoweth not this swelleth and is puffed vp and goeth on in deepe securitie and cannot doe otherwise as long as hee is ignorant of this point therefore the Lord bringeth him on whom he purposeth to shew mercie to the preaching of his word and namely his law which sheweth him his sinne and damnation so that he shall cleerely vnderstand it and that he as well as any other is vnder the power of it But here I thinke it not vnseasonable to adde this seeing ignorant people which lie yet in their sinnes doe harden their hearts at the hearing of this that none haue iust cause to quarrell with the Lord for if any thing spoken of in this
cleerely shewed his word to Iacob his statutes and his iudgements to Israel and hath committed to vs his holy oracles Wherein I meane not only that we haue the Gospell so publikly and plentifully preached which though great is common to vs with many but withall that in some admirable manner God hath reuealed his secrets vnto vs such as wee know no Church vpon the earth in which the true sense of the Scriptures and sound doctrine thereof are more sincerely embraced and professed Yea with what store of rare and excellent lights the Lord hath furnished this our Church he is blind that seeth not and malitious that wil not acknowledge it wherein though generally it falleth out by humane frailtie and Sathans subtiltie that there is more light of iudgement then integritie of conscience yet herein God hath not left himselfe without witnes of many worthie Christians both Preachers and professors of the truth who liuely expresse the forme of holie doctrine into which they are cast such as vpon my vttermost perill I dare professe the deuoutest Papist neither hath nor possiblie in that profession can attaine vnto lacking true faith the right mother and nurse of a godly life And herein to giue one instance in steed of many take and examine streightly this one work and if it breathe not out more sound godlines in one leafe then all their artificiall composed treatises of Resolution which in their estimation are chiefe in this argument of a godly life let me beare my deserued blame I leaue the life of the writer of that Popish booke to such as seeme vpon better knowledge to haue set out the same And for the Author of this Treatise I may not in modestie say what I know but could and doe desire that his life were so knowne to all to whom his writing shall come as it is to such who haue heard the doctrine and seene the practise hereof in himself these well neere thirtie yeeres But to spare the person for his life time and to foretell what you shall finde in his labours In my simple opinion it might in one principal respect be called the Anatomie of the soule wherein not onely the great and principall parts are laid open but euery veine and little nerue are so discouered that wee may as it were with the eye behold as the right constitution of the whole and euery part of a true Christian so the manifold defects and imperfections thereof Whereto be added most approoued remedies for the curing of all spirituall diseases with like preseruatiues to maintaine our health in such sort as may be enioyed in this contagious ayre and so in a second respect may be called the physicke of the soule In both which how welcome it shall be to all that loue their soules health I neede not doubt onely I would desire the Christian patient not to be offended with the largenes of the work as too deare for the poore and too much to be read ouer in long time but consider with me that if the arte of bodily physicke be so long as the father of that arte testifieth then is it no marueile that this spirituall physicke doth as much exceed the other in length as it doth in dignitie And yet for the reliefe of such as desire to profit by his labour great care hath been taken so to set out apart euery seuerall matter that by the helpe of the Table they may be directed to the particulars which I perswade my selfe will be so farre from glutting any though neuer so weake stomacke that it will rather procure him a better appetite For simply to say as I feele I haue not read in any mans writing a more sauourie stile and better relished All which I leaue to euery one to speake as they finde and so with my strongest desires doe commend the fruite of these labours to the blessing of God Ezechiel Culuerwel To the Christian Reader CHristian Reader I am constrained in commending this spirituall blessing vnto thee to begin with the excuse of a good deed For although it be a good deede to commend this commendable worke yet must I plead the pardon of my defectiuenes in doing it by alleaging my calling thereto and impleade the fulsomnes of the maligners of such holy enterprises who for the most part distast all things but vanitie The eare saith Elihu trieth words as the mouth tasteth meate to wit if the eare be truly spirituall otherwise there is an vncircumcised eare where there is an vncircumcised heart and he that hath an vnmortified eare which is an affection to carnall eloquence cannot escape a reprobate sense in iudging of the wisedome of God An itching eare requireth a clawing stile and the most readers seeke after that which this treatise purposely eschueth But wisedome will be iustified of her children and the godly hearted will lay that vnlooked for imputation vpon affectation of braue words which the holy Ghost laieth vpon womens brauerie mentioned in the 3. of Esay which soone after in the 4. chap. vers 4. by passage of speech he calleth the filthines of the daughters of Sion Something I graunt may be yeelded by way of indulgence to the weake but he that seriously seeketh the Lord will not be offended nor cloyed with that simplicitie which offendeth not God by turning away the mind by trifles from a bent purpose of sound edification The matter of this booke is right worthy to occupie the minds of men and will be receiued of the gracious perusers of it The rest of the professors which like wanton and full fed children begin to play with their meate brooke nothing but conceited writing and speaking are to be bewailed and as for the dogs they are to be detested and denied holy things The blessing and comfort of grace brought S. Paul to account all things as dung in comparison and their illumination how great soeuer is vnsanctified which are not so minded and if any man loue godlines indeed and be good mettall he will blesse the fire which is ordained to melt him and the mould which is made to cast him in but they which make the founder to melt in vaine shall be called reprobate siluer It is part of the blessing of a worke to bee wrought by a blessed instrument and although it be sacrilege to interuert the praise of God yet it is of religion to take notice of Gods chosen vessels and all men are more affected by such This is the aduantage of this booke I meane the long approued godlines of the Author as he is a Christian and his zealous painfulnes as he is a Minister And if it please God that his pen may be as his tongue hath been a tree of life the very leaues thereof will cure him of the sting of Serpents tongues That which S. Luke testifieth of Barnabas may after Gods admeasurement be spoken of him and hoped of his labours that he was a good man
like of the place of a sonne But he that could bring him tidings of righteousnes that is a messenger sent of God to tell him that God will be mercifull to his offences and thinke vpon his sinnes no more this should be vnto him an odde man and one of a thousand Then to heare that Iesus Christ hath vanquished sinne death and the diuell who had power ouer him and brought to light immortalitie and life to him and hath giuen him perfect righteousnes to couer his shame and to make him comely and well fauoured in the sight of God and that hereby he is fully reconciled to him againe all the former disgrace anguish of minde and deadly thraldome abandoned what thinke we can be more welcome Is it to be thought that a man being in this case before mentioned filled with miserie from top to the toe not knowing where to hide himselfe not seeing how to go vnder the burthen of his griefe would make no reckoning of this message as if a man thirsting almost to death should refuse to drinke or one at the place of execution should reiect his pardon Among other thoughts this is not the least profitable which God enableth him to fasten vpon that laying as it were his estate in a paire of ballance he seeth that there is no hope of mercie but certaine condemnation by lying still in the estate wherin he hath liued and that he cannot appeare before Gods iudgement seate in it now on the otherside he considering that God calling sinners to repentance giuing his son to redeeme euen great offenders that it may be as the King of Niniueh said he will haue mercie vpon him so that there is some hope by suing and seeking in humility remorse vnto God thus the Lord still bringeth him on And whereas some other in this case hasteth out of his sorrow if by any meanes he may either break through it before it hath humbled him or wrought any such effect as to long after a remedy deliuerance or els ouercome of it yet the soule of the poore sinner whom God meaneth to saue being meekned humbled waiteth till God doth further stay and vphold it with continued sighs desires that the bright beames of his fauour through Christ might shine vpon him he desiring aboue al things to be vnburthened of this woe pardon of his sins and yet hath no power perhaps to pray for that which his soule most feruently desireth After this and such like manner as hath bin said is his consultation resolution and this is his mind thus he deliberateth and casteth with himself for though he in this case is not able to expresse his meaning yet if he could vtter that which he conceiueth he would say that these are his very thoughts and considerations with himselfe In which estate of his although I affirme not that he is able to applie the remedie to himselfe yet this generall hope which hee hath found by the promises that God is kind and mercifull to broken hearted sinners doth cause him to stay himself that he may perhaps be so to him and resolueth vnfainedly and with full purpose to goe forward in seeking forgiuenes of his sinnes at Gods hands this way he will take if he perisheth he perisheth yet some hope he hath he resoluing with himselfe that he will neuer walke in his former deadly estate but that he will confesse and lay foorth his long continued wickednes vnto the Lord though it be against himselfe neither will he spare himselfe wherein he hath most pleased his owne heart for why he seeth what and how vaine the desires of it be and therefore is resolute neuer to turne to them any more yet he being well instructed maketh not this purpose of forsaking sinne any meanes of his iustification but in detestation of his former wickednes is moued and drawne by God so to doe This resoluing therefore is one steppe or degree by which he passeth vnto the fuller certaintie of that happines which he seeketh and he hath receiued a great measure of grace and fauour when he hath attained to it therfore Sathan who knoweth this holdeth men by many strong cords from it that although they bee long about it yet as faint chapmen who are bidding still for the ware which they would haue but yet buy it not euen so doe they For when they haue been well counselled to make haste in seeking the Lord as that which is best of all for them yet profit or pleasure friendship or feare holdeth them backe who although in their heate and haste being sore driuen by sicknes tempests feare of death or the like occasions they doe rashly purpose and protest that they will neuer be the men which they haue been yet doe but how for a day as it were like the bulrush with the wind and therefore they are farre from the truth of it But he of whom I here speake who hath so neerely and deeply looked into his estate which the other haue not done he I say cannot be drawne backe to his former loosenes and licentiousnes nor holden and kept in it any longer by any torture because he well knoweth that none is like terrible to it Now if it be asked what he is the better for his resoluing to the end it may more cleerely appeare I answere that when this is wrought in him his heart is mollified humbled and softned as Pauls was who after hee saw that God set himselfe against his going to Damascus to persecute his Saints and threw him down on the ground said Lord what wilt thou haue me to doe And when he is brought to this point his heart is both full of relenting and sorrow for displeasing God though not in such sort as afterward it shall be which from another not hauing thus resolued is farre off and is now an heart of flesh not of stone in which the sauing grace of God being offered may be planted and receiued And all this is wrought in him by the marueilous and secret operation of Gods holy spirit who as he beginneth and finisheth the whole worke of his receiuing Christ so doth he the middle part of the same for it is not in any other thus to bow and bend mans heart Neither doth Gods spirit that onely as with an hammer breaking and brusing the clods of it but also doth leade him further The fift worke they confesse and aske pardon FOr with these holie affections in this poore sinner there is wrought an encouragement and some more bold accesse to God by the same spirit to confesse his sinnes to God euen as particularly as he can especially those in which he hath taken most pleasure and which haue most preuailed in him and to say with the prodigall child I will goe vnto my father and confesse father I haue sinned against heauen and thee c. how much soeuer it goeth against him and as he confesseth his sin
wise as they will be sure that none of them shall doe them good For rather then they would haue nothing to except against them if they cannot finde those accusations that are iust they are content with any shew why they should refuse to bee counselled and perswaded by them And therefore if they be old they say they dote and know not what they say if they be yong they haue no iudgement nor experience if they be wealthie then they are couetous if poore then base and contemptible if they be maried they can not follow their callings but the world if vnmaried then they liue suspiciously And thus to say no more it is fearefull to see how little the people in one respect or other are seasoned with the sweete fruite of the Ministerie and therefore if ye feare God regard your owne welfare and peace and will not come to iudgement imbrace the Ministery reuerently as Gods message and the greatest and most lets of faith are remoued Thus I hauing set downe these lets which doe chiefly hold from faith both on the Ministers part and the peoples and hauing said somewhat to both in way of exhortation seeing out of these two kinds of men God chuseth out his elect I conclude that there are many lets from faith but yet withall it may be seene that there is apparant remedie to be found against them as I haue said and how subtilly soeuer the diuell bewitcheth and holdeth men backe by them yet the Scripture offereth greater grace by the which they may breake through all hindrances and discouragements which may keepe them from it if the Minister and people would make conscience of their duties CHAP. 7. What desire breedes faith BVt seeing it were both long to stand in prescribing remedie against all these lets and the way for all hath been set downe to come by faith alreadie I will therefore briefly stirre vp and aduise such as are in good way and haue made some good entrance that they may see what to take heede of and what to imbrace and to seeke faith by the meanes and in the manner which before I haue set downe and a little to strengthen them after they haue attained to any true measure of it Wherein it is to be marked because I before highly commended a good desire that a naked and bare desire of saluation now and then stirred vp in men is not to beleeue as many thinke although without any ground But seeing such as haue a desire sometime are they for the most part whom God doth make beleeuers for while men are voide of that there is little hope to be conceiued of them I will therefore shew for the helpe of them who doe anything looke after true happines what desire it ought to be and whereto it groweth if it be true and sincere that it may not deceiue them For we may finde many who haue sometime desired it earnestly and yet neuer obtained it as Balaam that a man could hardly haue shewed any difference betwixt their desiring of it and the desire of such as haue attained to it indeede for that instant But in time it hath appeared that it was but sudden or of short continuance and failed before it obtained that which it sought as by them who in the Gospell are said to haue ioyed in that which they desired to heare but it vanished whereas the desire of the other cannot be satisfied without it but mourneth and longeth for it and pineth for sorrow when any thing commeth in the way to weaken the hope which was conceiued of it till that bee remoued which hindred them from that benefit Therfore such must know that their desire which is sometime fleeting and somtime faint must become both feruent and constant as in the parable of the pearle may be seene That as soone as it was found the value of it being knowne of the skilfull Merchant he neuer rested till he had gotten it for his owne for wee must know that he who thus desireth it is forcibly drawne hereunto by God who hath shewed him his great neede of it and what he shall gaine by it and thereby hath prepared and made him fit to receiue it for otherwise if God draw not men to the valuing of it it is of no account with them Now further this desire if it be the worke of Gods spirit is strengthened hereby namely while hee prizeth and valueth it according to the worthines of it as farre as he is able that is to say thus that in his account it farre surmounteth and excelleth all the world with whatsoeuer is of account in it he esteemeth of it as a most pretious treasure to beleeue because hee knoweth that he which beleeueth is deare vnto God and shall be saued And so must faith and assurance of eternall life be valued indeed of him who shall finde the blessing of it for which cause S. Peter calleth it pretious faith Now who can esteeme thus of it as that it is better then all profit pleasure and preferment but he must needes thinke all his praying for it hearing the word which worketh it his questioning about it and his trauaile and labour in meditating of the promises whereby the spirit of God writeth it in the heart but he I say must needes thinke all his paines well bestowed in seeking it yea and infinitly recompenced though he hath long waited the Lords leisure for the enioying of it Al which meanes another man thinketh very needlesse and that it is meere follie to make all this adoe to come by it and yet he will say it is better then the world also but he can content himselfe when he hath heard the promise without any setting of his desire in it to wash away all with a word of course that he hopeth to be saued by Iesus Christ as well as other Which slight esteeming of it is too cleere a token how farre hee is from it Now who seeth not the difference betwixt these two to be this that the one is led by the spirit of God whereby the father of heauen doth reueale this secret mysterie of faith to him and doth wonderfully draw his heart vnto it the other is led by fleshly reason as his guide which is the greatest enemie to this worke For our reason thinketh it vnnecessarie to set more by that which we cannot see with carnal eyes then by that which we haue in present possession and see it handle it enioy and vse it therefore no man doing thus is led by the spirit of God which assureth him who is led by it that God hauing promised glorie greater then the world though hee seeth it not he shall finde no lesse then is promised therefore he setteth more by it then by all things here before his eyes And this is the way to beleeue in God indeede though wee see him not that by this our confidence in him wee may haue ioy and
account take them so as in their iudgement they know and will say they ought to be so they are the men who will take most paine to withstand their lusts and desires they get most victorie ouer them and are least ouercome of them they it must needs be graunted haue greatest aduantage ouer them and know best what fruite in sound peace and many other waies is reaped thereby And such examples God be blessed we haue and those not a few in the Scriptures who haue attained to this I meane to a great measure of such grace and by their good example there are through Gods goodnes in this age many who haue inioyed great libertie from God this way that no man may thinke this which I am now about to bee a thing impossible to attaine vnto neither denied to be granted vs of God as it shall be sought and cared for But as I said all Gods seruants haue not one and the same therefore not this excellent measure To goe forward then for the edifying of the rest who by Gods grace are many more then the former who all desire to leaue and forsake their noysome corruptions and rebellious willes but yet haue nothing the largenes of heart and measure of grace which some others haue I would willingly say to them that which the Lord hath reuealed vnto me That they be not troubled at this that they bee behind others of Gods seruants in the ouercomming of themselues and haue not gotten masterie of all affections in such sort as some haue done neither doubt they that faith and godlines are vtterly to seeke with them because of this For all beleeuers haue not their part in one and the same measure of mortification and grace all men cannot reach and attaine to that which some do all know not alike all value not goodnes and libertie from fleshly lusts alike and therefore cannot take paines for the same as some others doe some receiue thirtie fold some sixtie fold and some an hundred fold by that which they heare It is commendable and meete that we should walke as wee haue the best for our examples and to follow them as they are paternes of good things vnto vs but to stay at this that wee are not at all in Christ because we are not in all points like vnto some other in subduing our affections that is in no sort to be yeelded vnto if that which is in vs be in vs in truth Which thing I speake for their cause who both thinke and oft vtter the same saying Oh I am not as such of Gods children they are happie for that they are not troubled with frowardnes impatience anger wearines of good exercises wandring in hearing of Sermons reading and prayer and such other like carnal desires as I am and yet the same persons both haue had a true taste of eternal life and earnest combates with their corruptions yea and while they complaine they testifie their going forward in subduing their corruptions farre otherwise then they who are not so troubled and doe declare plainly that they loue the grace which they mourne for and hate deadly the corruption which they complaine and crie out of Therefore let no man measure himselfe by another but in that little which he knoweth let him be faithfull renouncing fleshly lusts as he seeth what an excellent estate of life it is to be freed from them I meane not to bee in bondage to them for there is no libertie like this all other when wee seeke to fulfill our owne desire is vtter slauerie and bondage And these things being rightly considered it may appeare that in a godly life the inward lusts of the heart and knowne corruptions of it how common soeuer they bee in the world are resisted and declined from of all true Christians in their measure according to that which is alleaged by the Apostle S. Peter We hauing most pretious promises giuen vs of God are made thereby partakers of the grace of the holie Ghost by the which wee are able to flie the corruption that is in the world and reigneth amongst the vngodly If they then who imbrace and beleeue the promises and therefore haue fastened vpon a godlie life doe flie the lusts and corruptions which others delight in and imbrace it followeth on the contrarie that they who are ruled and led by them can claime no part in a godly life For he that is so minded cannot be but carnall estranged from God and a bondman of hel which if it were weighed would cause many thousands who now thinke themselues good Christians to take some paine to bridle their intemperate and vnruly hearts to be wounded for the same deeply who contrarily giue libertie to them in most things that they desire Let such weake Christians to omit these rest their hope in some certain estate and not ouerreach themselues with things which they canont compasse I meane by resting in some certain estate this First that they haue a cleere knowledge of their saluation Secondly that they account it as their chiefe treasure And thirdly be set forward in some plaine and good course of life whereby they may grow in faith and the obeying of God though with some striuing But if they walk destitute of any of these three they shall be snared much with feare vnquietnes while they feele that all is not well with them oft fearing that they haue not begun aright nor were euer truely called and yet if they should forgoe this hold seeing there is some liuely sparkle of the new birth in them let them not breake off and faint vtterly as the wicked doe but moane and seeke home againe as a bird wandring from her nest least otherwise they walke heauily many moneths it may be yeeres before they finde deliuerance And vntill they doe so set themselues to nourish their faith with great care diligence their godly life with what labour and toyle soeuer it be is but a building vp and a pulling downe for one day they shall like and another day mislike sometime they may feele themselues well staied and oft otherwise without peace Yea and I say againe when they are staied yet if they hold not this as their best riches to solace their soules euery while as they may well and easily doe hauing so many good helpes among them with this sweete fauour of God which may surmount all other follies and delights in their perswasion and estimation they shall not either abide long in that possession of peace or like the course of their life which they leade but the diuell who knoweth their weaknes and enuieth their godly and sweete estate will raise many occasions to vnsettle and trouble them These three things therefore being of so especall price must bee more regarded and sought after of such as want them more carefully then they haue been and preachers not onely heard teaching these but also conferred with about the
warning by his word he doth further bewray them and set them out in deed to be knowne such as he neuer tooke pleasure in by suffering now and then here and there in all ages some such to hang and drowne themselues or to die in despaire or other miserable manner if possibly he might bring some of the rest to repentance These perswade themselues that they doe liue godly and yet by apparant proofe of Scripture may see plainelie that they doe not so for of such our Sauiour speaketh when he saith to his Disciples Matth. 5.20 Except your righteousnesse exceede the righteousnesse of the Scribes and Pharisies ye cannot enter into the kingdome of heauen These it feareth me to vtter it but that it is Gods truth as farre off as they be from Gods kingdome goe in sundrie points farre before the two former sorts who yet thinke their estate to be good Oh therefore how many perish And yet some of all these three sorts are sometime pricked in conscience and sore disquieted in themselues for their sinnes which is hardly procured and wrought in the most hearers no not euen by oft and sound teaching but yet in deed this is only a slauish terrifying of them for feare of the punishment in which feare they doe also confesse their sinne and that in teares somtime There may be seene in them also a leauing for the time of some of their old euill qualities that a man would marueile at them as Iohn Baptist did when he saw the Pharisies resort to his baptisme For this is but externall in some things and for a season as Herod who did many things at Iohn his teaching and as Ephraim in Osee whose goodnes was as the morning dew In their trouble they seeke the Lord but they seeke him not as they who would find him for then would they not leaue off to seeke vntil they had found him as the church did in the Canticles chap. 3.3.4 Neither doe they regard his waies when their trouble is ended as Iob speaketh describing the hypocrite thus The hypocrite doth not pray that is serue God alwaies meaning in one condition of life as in another in peace as in trouble Yea more particularly whē God smiteth and plagueth them either by their enemies diseases losses and such like they couenant religiously with him that they will neuer fall from him any more but they flatter him with their mouth and dissemble with their tongue their heart is not vpright with him neither are they faithfull in his couenant They will sharply tell others of their faults though they be but small yea though they be but so in their opinion as though they could not abide that God should bee dishonoured but they themselues will not take a reproofe they hate to be reformed They are zealous in some things but it breaketh out many waies not to haue been true godlines by their inconstant feruencie and other passions They heare the word of God willingly sometimes and some of them speake of it with ioy and wonder at the heauenly wisedome of it but it vanisheth away and fleeteth whereas if it had been sound it would haue increased and continued as the hearbe that taketh roote in good ground becommeth fruitfull So they attaine to many good gifts of God whereby one would thinke sometimes that they were not farre from eternall life but they either burie them in a napkin and doe no good with them or vse them amisse as Iudas did Christs communion with him to their owne hurt while they dare bee bolder by meanes of these good gifts to offend God then if they had them not But if I should reckon vp the beadrolles of grosse faults which they suffer in themselues and nourish yet vnder the name of infirmities it should easily appeare to such as haue any iudgement in the Scriptures that they cannot be reckoned among the beleeuers and beloued of the Lord. For howsoeuer he gather his elect out of all these kinds yet are none of them to be accounted for his while they abide and continue so From these faults therefore let the beleeuers separate themselues A fourth sort and those diuers from these now mentioned may be added who being sore stumbling blockes and offences to many deserue to bee reprooued with the former ye shall know them by the description which I set downe of them by rehearsing their particuler properties who if they repent not will in the end though I hope better of some of them prooue no better then the rest Among whom they are to bee counted who seeming to be of the forwarder sort doe yet offend dangerously and suffer the same blemishes before men to breake foorth in countenance speech behauiour against such as they mislike though farre better then themselues which testifie that their hearts are inwardly poysoned in the sight of God who for their zeale that they haue towards the worship of God do thinke so well of themselues that they cannot brooke nor abide any other who differ from them in iudgement about some things though they haue no cleere ground in the word of God And if they bee at variance with any how honest and godlie soeuer yet cannot affoord them a Christian and friendly countenance nor speake a word to them without taunting girding rating or wounding them and in their absence deface and defame them very vncharitably for somewhat which they mislike in them and yet oft times without any iust cause at all Yea and some of them being themselues but priuate men but put the case some of them bee in the Ministerie and men vnlearned doe make it a great piece of their religion to censure sharply and descant arrogantly of their betters and superiours so that it is well knowne that many of them haue turned vtterly to become Schismatikes and others haue not been farre from them Which kind of zealous professors I do the more boldly reproue because some haue thought me a fauourer of such their readines in receiuing the Gospell I haue well liked and as I haue been able furthered it but this arrogant bold and vncharitable spirit of theirs bringing forth such fruit as I haue mentioned neuer taught them in any sound Ministerie I vtterlie mislike and haue done from time to time since I had any iudgement Who hauing been content for some yeeres space to be taught as seeing great need thereof haue in a few yeeres I may say moneths outgrowne their teachers in their owne iudgements and haue thought almost none of them good and meete enough or sufficient for them and therefore some of them haue giuen themselues as they say to grow by their priuate reading when they might haue been taught also in the publike assemblie which some of them refuse to doe especially by the ministerie of such as they are exasperated against and so for the seruing of their owne cankred humour they sinne against God in breaking one
with Peter if they haue fallen with him when yet the wicked shall lie still and waxe worse But ye demaund and would needes haue me answere whether I can warrant such as feare God that they shall neuer fall into some reprochfull and dangerous euill as other men doe as well as they may breake out some other waies If I might answere a wise and sober demaunder I would not refuse to speake my minde although it may in part be gathered by that which I haue said alreadie vnto such a one therefore I say for if any other see his owne practise not to agree with my answere let him impute it to his owne sinne rather then to my rashnes I say therefore seeing rare and deare seruants of God haue fallen thus into shamefull sinnes it may seeme scarce possible for the best in these latter times being far inferiour to some of them in grace to be free from the like fearefull falles But yet wee must know that some other of his good people God hath preserued from that kinde of shamefull sinnes and staines as Enoch Abraham Caleb Iosua with many others and therefore it may of vs be hoped for especially seeing it is no other thing then we are commanded to haue speciall regard and care of that is to liue without iust reproch in the middest of a crooked generation and vnstained Saint Peter saith If ye haue these things ye shall neuer fall that is dangerously to take any great hurt thereby Therefore by these and such other perswasions wee ought to be incouraged for to vs there is good hope to obtaine grace hereunto But seeing all Gods children cannot alike be perswaded that they ought to giue all diligence hereunto euen that they may be vnrebukeable amongst men as Paul did and so taught other to doe but thinke it impossible to liue so constantly but that they shall sometime breake out dangerously Therefore such must be taught wisedome by experience and some of them being more proud then others must haue their pride humbled and healed by such medicines for grieuous falles are phisick for pride and many who haue some grace but not the grace which is sufficient for them are daungerously proud because they haue not fallen shamefully that is into some odious crime and yet they haue fallen shamefully if they could see it in that they are dangerously proud If God therefore seeth it meete to abate their pride thereby they may possibly fall after such a manner Or if it be for the more manifesting of his glorie in forgiuing them so great a trespasse they may also fall dangerously This doth our mercifull father see expedient oftentimes as both in Peter and Dauid it came to passe as also in others who doubtlesse loued the Lord more then some others of his faithfull people which neuer fell in that manner as Peters answere and Dauids Psalmes doe cleerely testifie yea and such loued him the more Luk. 7.47 euen for that very cause seeing they obtained mercie against so great sinnes of theirs and fearefull iniquitie Yea and to adde a third end God is highly magnified by others which know and see this that hee hath forgiuen so great offences in such as haue fallen grieuously who otherwise beholding the heauenly course of such excellent seruants of his how holie and sincere it was saue in some such offence should haue been vtterly discouraged yea and like to haue despaired of their owne good estate and the rather for the high opinion that they conceiued of them if they had not seene or heard of these their falles For these causes therefore the Lord may and often hath let some of his deare seruants fall dangerously first for the humbling of them and secondly for that they may see his exceeding bountifulnes in pardoning so great sinnes that they may loue him the more and thirdly that others farre weaker then they yet faithfull may be incouraged to beleeue that their sins shall be pardoned and their weake seruice accepted of him for as much as they haue seene that God hath pardoned great offences in some otherwise farre more excellent then they which if they were not perswaded of should be discouraged much because of the great graces and gifts in them farre exceeding those which are in themselues And otherwise or in other respects they neede not feare that God taketh any pleasure to cast them downe who desire to stand when his propertie is rather to raise vp them that are fallen or that hee seeketh euery aduantage against their infirmities who doth not look streightly what is done amisse of them but helpe their weakenes supplie their wants and deliuer them from such dangers as they feare so far as it is expedient or els make them able to beare them For proofe whereof they may remember how he kept them when they had small skill or abilitie to keepe themselues after that they first imbraced his promises will hee not much more keepe them safe now they haue experience of his kindnes and the power of Christ working in them Nay that which is more when they were his enemies he gaue his sonne to die for them and now they are reconciled vnto him and approued of him as his beloued ones shall they not much more be preserued by his liuing in glorie from the fearefull iudgements which in his wrath he executeth against the vngodly of the world Therefore if thou beest grounded and established in faith and holdest fast the beginning of thine ingrafting into Christ be of good comfort thy greatest danger is past for can he that loueth thee dearely meane hardly against thee Is there with him yea and nay with whom there is no shadow of chaunge The Lord witnessing to that which I say with reuerence and thankfulnes beleeue it either thou shalt not fall reprochfully or if thou doest it shall be thus as I haue said euen so as it shal turne to thy good and it neede to be to thy great good which cannot be without the great offence of so many as shall know it For though such as shall perish may turne this which I say to their owne great hurt as they doe the Scriptures also seeing to the vncleane all things are vncleane yet if thou shouldest slide the Lord would hold thee vp and make thee stand more constantly after The world seeth no whit of this but counteth it all arrogancie boasting and falsehood because indeed they beleeue no more then they see or then their reason and fleshly wisedome can prie into which is an vtter enemie to this heauenly truth but ô faith what pretious secrets art thou able to reueale to vs of Gods minde and will and how safe is he yea in this dangerous wildernes of the world in whom thou dwellest seeing the Lord hath said This is the victorie that ouercommeth the world euen our faith And this for answere
blessing receiued bee made more readily disposed to pray often with thanksgiuing And these are some of the chiefe duties to God and in such manner as is before mentioned they are to bee performed vnto him Now further we are commaunded not onely in his worship but also in our whole life euery where to seeke his glorie for so he hath willed vs that we should frame the whole course thereof holilie throughout the sixe daies that so we may glorifie him therein And who doth not see that this should be so namely that in our life and behauiour we should as well walke worthie the Lord in al things as in the worshipping of him both publikely and priuately as we haue been directed before That so there may be in these two commandements fully laid foorth vnto vs a summe of all outward duties which in the sixe daies we ought to performe vnto him and in the due practise of both we may shew foorth the fruite of that knowledge acknowledgement faith feare and loue of God and all other inward graces which we haue bin taught to honour him with in our hearts by the first commandement Therfore as I said the duties inioyned vs in this third doe most fitly go with those of the two former that not onely in the time of preaching and prayer and such like exercises of religion but also in our common and vsuall speech and actions we declare what a worthie and reuerend estimation wee haue of the Lord as by speaking all good of his name word and workes and in our lawfull callings by ordering and behauing our selues wisely and graciously that al which liue with vs may see that our religion is ioyned with the power of godlines And that this bee done of vs in all estates and conditions of our life both in prosperitie and aduersitie and that as many as wee can preuaile with our owne familie and charge especially wee labour to perswade vnto the same yea and if wee at any time fall by infirmitie yet that wee acknowledge the same as cause requireth and so returne to the Lord againe as Iosua exhorted Achan to doe To be short Whether we eate or drinke or whatsoeuer we doe els all is to be done to the glorie of his name And in mentioning the commonest of our actions as our eating and drinking he excepteth none to the end that wee may carie our selues in a staied and well ordred course continually whilest wee shew that in the smallest matters and in our actions which seeme least weightie we be afraid to offend as in our common talke that it be sauourie and for edifying And seeing we vse the name of God very oft both in our common speech and particularly in an oth his mercie iustice wisedome and power are to moue our hearts as oft as we haue cause to speak of him with all high reuerence to vse the same But more especially when iust occasion of swearing by him is offered wee should diligently consider the person of the Lord how he is a reuenger of all such as take his holy name in vaine and the matter it selfe about which wee sweare that wee doe it in truth in righteousnes and iudgement In truth so that whatsoeuer be affirmed or denied may truly and for certaintie be affirmed or denied and whatsoeuer be vowed or promised be promised and vowed without fraud and simplie In righteousnesse that there bee a iust cause of our swearing and that which is agreeable to the will of God In iudgement that it bee done aduisedly not lightly or rashly but that we may take comfort in performing that great dutie aright namely that wee haue made knowne the truth which being made knowne by vs hath cut off some great doubt and controuersie And so should wee in the beholding of the workes of God as the firmament with the Sunne Moone and Starres the earth with her furniture as the corne grasse trees and her large prospect take sweete feeling of Gods Maiestie and beautie which shineth in them reioycing with reuerence that he hath giuen vs this cleere glasse to behold his face in although this wee must know that in all these inferiour creatures and workes of his wee see not any part of his throne but onely some part of his footstoole which should moue vs therefore in all our actions to beware of hypocrisie Seeing therefore we haue daily vse of these I thought good to make mention of them yet in as few words as I could so large matters how wee ought to vse them let the residue bee learned by ordinarie hearing those who being furnished with gifts fit for this purpose are appointed of God to make his people sound and skilfull in them that they may shew to the world that the honouring of God as it is set foorth in his word is another manner of life then the world is acquainted with and so bringeth another manner of honour to him and comfort to men then the imbracers and louers of the world can be partakers of Thus I haue spoken of the behauiour which inwardly and outwardly both in Gods holie worship and in our whole conuersation towards God directlie we are to shew in the whole sixe daies throughout our life That which followeth next is that part of holines obedience which is to be giuen to the Lord one day in seauen Nothing differing from all the three former sauing that all our owne workes though lawfull on other daies are on this day as much as is possible to be laid aside that is except in case of necessitie and the whole day to be bestowed in his worship and seruice and in things directly tending to the same So that by vertue of this part of Gods honour we are not restrained from our sinne onely which we are forbidden euery day but from common labour also which is an hinderance from the consecrating of the whole day vnto God And therefore lawfull workes being forbidden we may assure our selues that much more he condemneth the intermixting of vaine and foolish Enterludes and Playes with such like misspending of the time and the filling of mens mouthes as well as their heads with worldly cares and dealings to too common on that day although not tolerable on other But because the Lord knoweth how prone and readie we are to wearines of well doing therefore he hath not onely appointed some part of this day to be passed in publike and other some in priuate exercises of godlines but also he hath giuen vs great varietie of both sorts that so the whole time may be bestowed without tediousnes and toyle euen from our preparing our selues to the sanctifying of it at our vprising vnto the last duties at our lying downe which mercifull and wise regarde of his ouer vs if it cannot mooue vs to giue our selues to practise this part of holines whatsoeuer our excuses be we plainely shew that our mindes are earthly
and the like spirituall seruices the word preached giuing so gratious occasions that man shall be able to say that meditation is a wonderfull helpe to faith and a godly life CHAP. 7. Of the third priuate helpe which is the armour of a Christian and of the first three points of it THe third priuate helpe is the armour which was next mentioned among the rest This being not so cleerely vnderstood nor the vse of it so well seene into requireth a more full handling then I purpose to vse in the most of the rest And this armour God in his mercie hath appointed to furnish the Christian souldier withall in his warfare against all his spirituall enemies that by the helpe thereof and the other meanes in this treatise mentioned he may be able to be directed aright from time to time and keepe a good course in his life and beate backe the strong and subtill assaults of the diuell that he be not led by nor ouercome of them nor of the manifold bad passions and euill desires of his own heart which otherwise will draw him continually after them But before I proceed any further I will set downe the points worthie to be learned and practised in and about this armour that the reader may see better how to make right vse of it First therefore I will shew what this armour is and the chiefe parts of it Secondly that a Christian life cannot stand without it nor be practised of any except he be armed as God hath taught and appointed him to be Thirdly how it is gotten and come by and how wee should put it on Fourthly how we may by the helpe of it practise godlines from time to time and be able to stand fast in our Christian course and resist in the time of daunger By all which God will make vs able to liue christianly which is to haue our conuersation in heauen with our God as he requireth The whole complete armour therefore is the spirituall furniture of the gifts and graces of the holie Ghost by which God doth deliuer his from all aduersarie power and bring them to the obedience of his will I speake not here of those who are to bee called but who are effectuallie called alreadie and they by the helpe of this armour doe not onely cast downe strong holds of temptation and ouerthrow imaginations and euery high thing which exalteth it self in the opinion of him that is tempted against the knowledg of God but also bring into subiection euery euill thought in them to the obedience of Christ And this armour is that which is set downe to the Ephesians the parts whereof are these Truth or sinceritie righteousnes the shooes of peace or preparation to beare the crosse faith the helmet of saluation which in another place he calleth hope and the word of God This is the full furniture of a Christian by the which the Lord hath taught him to fight against the diuell and his instruments and thereby to preuaile in and through their captaine and head Christ Iesus And although there are other points of armour set downe in other places of the Scripture yet are they but parcels of this or the same in other words expressed Neither shall there neede any other for he who is attired and armed with this shall not in any point be vnprouided or to seeke of strength in the time of neede But yet doth not euery man see by and by how these may be accounted armour therefore will I describe them seuerally Sinceritie or vprightnes is that weapon of the spirituall warfare and that fruit of the spirit which should accompanie the whole conuersation not some few actions of a Christian by the which hee is simple and without fraud and hypocrisie bearing sway in him both towards God and his neighbour and it may the more cleerely be discerned by considering the person in whom it is found namely an vpright man whom in the description of Nathaniel our Sauiour Christ calleth a true Israelite in whom there is no guile which vertue although it be a part of the Christian armour yet that it is rare not onely the best doe see but euen the bad sort doe complaine according to the words of Salomon Many men will boast euery one of his owne goodnes but who can finde a faithfull man that is to say who will prooue himselfe to bee such an one indeede as hee will seeme to be by word and shew For to say the truth men are so infected with hollownes and glozing and through custome and continuance therein so confirmed in it that vntill God changeth the heart Ieremies words are true of this one as of other euils It is as possible for him who is accustomed to euill to returne and doe good as for the blacke Moore to change his skinne or the Leopard her spots And this veritie consisteth as well in holding and keeping the truth I meane the sound knowledge of the word of God in our iudgement as the practise of it in a good conscience Which I say because there are some who professe great friendship to the Gospell who yet maintaine strange opinions not according to the truth of it as that the law ought not to be preached in any wise and that there should no differences of men be made when yet the Scripture putteth difference betwixt good and bad both in their life and in rewards Psalm 1. The holding of such opinions therefore standeth not with sinceritie which freely admitteth all opinions to bee measured and censured by the word Now therefore if this be sinceritie and vprightnes to be free not onely from double heartednes and halting but also to be readie to yeeld a francke assent and practise to the truth and also if this vertue bee one part of the Christian armour he who is voyde of this must needes lie open to great danger both by error in opinion and by corruption in life for he wanteth that which should defend him And contrarily he who seeketh to please God vnfainedly his conscience bearing him record that he hath some true measure of this sinceritie and still laboureth after it that is to be simple and plaine though politike in his words actions and meaning he hath this part of the armour the vse whereof how great and gainefull it is shall appeare hereafter And such a thing is veritie or sinceritie But let this be added that if any will purpose this in some things yet not resolue to shew it in all euen this is the man who is farre from sinceritie Righteousnes is that part of the armour and such a gift of the spirit whereby our hearts are bent to all manner of goodnes and righteous dealing approouing of it as most excellent desiring feruently and delighting in it and that because it is good and disliking and hating all naughtines and euill And he who looketh to be preserued in manifold temptations to
before in our course of liuing Also it is duly to bee regarded that wee applie that which we reade wisely to our selues seeing all that is contained in the Scriptures is written for our instruction and comfort as perswading our selues that all precepts of dutie and good life are set downe to direct vs not others onely to the practise of the same that all sinne is forbidden vs and that all the generall promises which we reade to be made to the Church are to bee beleeued of vs whether they appertaine to this present life or to the life to come and the comforts that accompanie them Likewise that all exhortations and admonitions quicken and stirre vs vp from coldnes deadnes and drousines and all reprehensions to checke vs for faults escaped and all threats to feare our boldnes and appale our securitie which is too easily and readily kindled in vs that so wee may make that vse of them which the Apostle requireth when he saith that all Scripture is giuen by inspiration of God and is profitable to teach conuince to correct and instruct in righteousnes and thereof in matters as well concerning God as men and amongst men all particular kinds and therefore Prince and subiect noble and base men and women and more particularly in families husbands and wiues parents and children masters and seruants Thus to reade that thereby wee may be made fit vnto euery good worke and to glorifie God thereby is vndoubtedly to make our reading as it is appointed of God an especial helpe and meanes to grow forward in a godly life and therefore wee are commaunded to search the Scriptures and with the godly people of Berea to compare our hearings and our readings of them together For reading is much commended to be one of the three duties that make vs happie the Apostle saying thus Blessed is he that heareth and readeth and keepeth the contents of this booke But this one thing I cannot omit that the benefit and comfort of this exercise of reading being so great and the substance of the Scriptures being so brought to light as it is and such varietie of good bookes being granted vs of God that yet euen such as looke after eternall life delight so little in them I speake not of the prophane and vnruly whom nothing will moue to reade no nor so much as to heare Sermons till God make them see how they haue deceiued themselues But I am sure it is one speciall cause why heart is taken from many learned and godly men to set out any new workes in print seeing the professors of the Gospell doe bestow so little labour and time in reading of those which are extant alreadie And herein these two things I thinke meete to adde in regard of some Christians that such as haue not the gift of reading may endeuour to follow the foresaid rules by vsing the helpe of others exhorting all by their losse and discommoditie to haue reading in greater reckoning then it is with most at this day The second is that besides the former rules such as haue better helpes of vnderstanding memorie and leasure doe besides their publike hearing note their doubts and as they shall haue opportunitie seeke resolution of them at their learned pastors hands or of some others and mark the coherence of the Scripture how it hangeth together and the agreement that one place hath with another that thereby that which seemeth darke in one is made easie in another This shall suffice to haue said for making some better vse of reading then commonly men doe And though there are other things besides these which the learneder may take profit by yet they being more out of the reach of the greatest number of Christians they doe not so neerely nor necessarily concerne them And it must bee remembred that I propround not to say as much as may bee gathered together about reading but how it may bee profitably vsed to helpe the Christian to be fruitfull in a godly life And that which I haue said is auaileable thereunto For hee that shall consider how many waies the conscience is appeased the iudgement inlightened and inlarged the heart perswaded the memorie relieued the affections moued and in a word the whole man drawne by that which he may reade shall not neede to doubt how great the benefit of reading together with the other helpes is And that it being vsed as oft as possibly it may in such manner as hath bin prescribed and so many good things drunke in and receiued of vs as wee shall meete with in our reading who doubteth but it shall be a singular helpe and furtherance with the rest to a godly and Christian life For a mind well seasoned before shall be vndoubtedly better seasoned and refreshed when it shall vsually and oft drinke of the water of life out of the sweete fountaine of Gods word by reading And of the helpe of reading and so of al the ordinarie meanes both publike and priuate whereby a true Christian continueth a godly life and groweth to further ripenes and perfection therein thus much be said CHAP. 12. Of the extraordinarie helpes NOw follow the extraordinarie helpes which are not commonly nor daily in vse but sometime and that according to the extraordinarie occasions which the Lord offereth And these are especially two first solemne thanksgiuing and secondly fasting with prayer more then vsuall adioyned The first is when in some rare and vnlooked for deliuerance out of desperate danger wee doe by the commaundement of God and examples of the godly before vs in a most feruent manner yeeld praise to God for the same and reioyce heartily in the remembrance and consideration of it tying our selues as it were in a renuing of our holy couenant more firmely to the Lord and testifie both these by signes of vnfained good will to our brethren All which are to be seene most cleerely and liuely in that famous example of Hester and Mardocheus that I mention no other for breuitie sake who being with the rest of Gods people in those countries marked out and as sheepe appointed by Hamans subtiltie and cruell malice to be slaine did yet by prayer and fasting obtaine deliuerance when to mans iudgement all hope was past and not that onely but also their hearts desire against their aduersaries with great fauour of the King whom God had made of an heauie enemie a mightie friend and much wealth and prosperitie whereupon they caused a day and time to be appointed in the which the Lord might be praised and they might expresse their reioycing and send portions one to another to testifie their loue vnto them And this is that solemne thanksgiuing which I call one of the extraordinarie helpes to set vs forward in godlines which of all Gods people by the like occasion is to be offered vp to God differing as ye see apparantly from this dutie daily performed as in
in one day as well as another to consecrate our selues to God and according to our knowledge to walke with him whatsoeuer our workes dealings or busines be that therein wee may keepe our peace with him and declare that we feare and honour him thereby which is it that I contend for and seeke to drawe Gods people vnto and would thinke I had obtained a great matter at their hands if we agreed and consented herein For it is too manifest that this is farre off from the very perswasion of many who are yet to be hoped well of and yet rest in this that so as the sabboth be passed in religious exercises it is not so great a matter if the other dayes be parted betwixt God and them I meane they looke not to be called to so narrow a reckoning as to see their words and workes especially the thoughts of their hearts to be framed after the will of God Nay the Sabboth it selfe is farre enough off from being had in due regard euen of the most which goe for Christians but is spent idly and vnprofitably if not in worldlines or vanitie especially a great part of it euen almost as much of it as is free from publike exercises and yet I would euen that part of the day were not iustly to be complained of that men did present themselues reuerently before the Lord to their profit when they come together 1. Cor. 11.17 But what may then be looked for of such vpon other dayes It is too manifest that it is not so much as setled in the iudgement of many which are of the forwarder sort that euery day our greatest care should be how God is pleased and serued in it and that it ought to bee our chiefest worke and yet where men thinke so how many make conscience of it or shew that they dare doe no other but hold fast and nourish their good desires to serue God day by day one day as another so that there might be felt and found some agreeablenes betwixt euery dayes seruice the one and other except it be to make them all alike in securitie For then there should not be in many that professe with the best such bold taking of libertie on some dayes to be secure and licentious and others who beare shew aboue many should not haue so many apparant and foule blemishes and yet mixed with sundrie good actions which iarre witnesseth that no euen nor constant course is sought after of them that I say nothing of their many secret wounds of conscience All these and such like patternes in Christians as they are hoped to be doe prooue that few are acquainted with this to looke to be guided in the whole course of their liues by the word of God one day as well as another and therefore that they goe astray daungerously seeing Gods word directeth vs how to liue euery day CHAP. 3. Of the second reason of a daily direction consisting of two branches BVt let vs proceede to other reasons Therefore for further proofe thereof I say that seeing it is commaunded vs in the scriptures that we keepe a certaine course in seruing God and walke in a certaine and plaine beaten way namely after the word and the same course is commaunded there also to bee daily and euery day it followeth therefore that the Christian life is a certaine daily and euery dayes directing of vs in our way and not an vncertaine generall and confused liuing according to knowledge when we thinke good By a certaine direction I meane not that the selfe same particular actions and duties should be euery day but yet all euill auoyded euery day and such good done as in our calling and life shall be occasioned And seeing it is so if wee dispence with our selues to lay aside this care any day as though it were allowable before God and lawfull for vs so to doe euen that libertie taking is our sinne and that intermitting of dutie any such day is a breaking off of our course and a going out of the way euen into crosse paths and by-wayes wherein the least danger is to returne backe againe Which if it were but the losse of one dayes iourney especially when we goe about any matter of weight would be no small griefe especially when our busines is weightie and requireth speede and therefore much more in this Christian course being the high way to heauen from whence when wee haue strayed willingly wee cannot easily come into the way againe but rather goe further to our exceeding hurt and daunger This with much inconuenience besides will follow if the word of God requiring a daily walking with him after such rules as hee giueth vs wee notwithstanding shall not regarde them but walke at randon and some day frame our selues thereunto and some day not at all or one day keepe compasse and another day none or be well occupied in some part of it and in the other doe what we list But for proofe of both points of this reason somewhat is to be said that so waightie a matter and so hardly perswaded to many namely that euery day wee are to follow some certaine direction for the well ordering of our liues througout the same may not depend vpon my bare report and credit For the first poynt therefore that a Christian must bee directed in his whole life and therefore may not be left to his owne discretion and gouernment that which is written in the Psalme doth cleerely proue it when a question was put forth by Dauid the man of God in the person of a young man who of all other is hardliest kept in order for the edifying of the whole Church saying By what meanes may a young man who hath had his sinnes pardoned clense his wayes afterward that so he may be blessed He answereth the question himselfe thus Euen by taking heede thereto according to thy word O God And as he taught this in doctrine so he brought his owne example in the seuen verses following to shew that hee sought to proue himselfe happie the same way And this all will graunt that Gods word must be our guide in generall tearmes this will be affirmed of the most but what is this which they say For they obiect through the ignorance that is in them and other infirmities carrying them as a whirlewinde that they are not to bee vrged to follow this word of God so particularly for it distracteth them sore but euery man in the state he is in they say is to carry himselfe as he thinkes good in his common actions and busines they hope men be no children to be appointed what they should doe when yet God ceaseth not to sound this in our eares continually 1. Cor. 10. Whether we eate or drinke c. So that I may well answere them that God hath not onely left his Scriptures among vs to the end we should in such a loose manner looke after them and fall into
euen thus are all vnbeleeuers deceiued and holden as it were in bands and cannot either seeke or desire or know how to get out But if any be more expert and haue their hearts exercised in discerning good and euill how both are wrought and what hindereth both if God teach them to know this mysterie and secret of Sathans casting mistes before their eyes to rocke them fast asleepe in sinne and haue had proofe of these things in themselues they shall farre more easily see into it and know by the helpe that God hath left them how to shunne his deadly wounds and to see his poysoned baites and to auoide them It is not to be denyed but that in this manner Sathan besetteth all people though litle obserued and seene of vnbeleeuers and most of all vs whome he is openly and resolutely set against All of vs therefore are to know his enterprises properties practises vigilancie his malice at all times and in all actions and companies and how by his diuerse sleights he dealeth according to the occasions offered and as our weakenesse may most easily be discouraged But what then are we therefore to faint God forbid I say further as before if he doth not onely kindle the concupiscence that is within vs and our owne lusts to be more set on fire to do the euill which we are inclined to but also baiteth the outward things with poison which we deale about that he may dazle our eyes and cast vs from our hold that is that we may not keepe still in the Christian course yet ought we not for all this to be dismayed For we know that euen these although they cannot but trouble vs for the present time yet shall turne to our exceeding good by making vs to set more store by Gods protection then we did before and to abide vnder his gouernment more continually seeing we do so soone smart when we shake it off as it were neuer so litle When therefore we shall perceiue our selues to be hindered and distracted from our peaceable course and continuance in a daily good course God would haue vs know that we should not faint and be discouraged but in confidence and full perswasion of recouerie and obtaining fauour confesse humbly both our wandring and vnsetlednesse of heart and much more our hearkening to Sathans delusions whereby we were so farre estranged from God and forsake them that we may find mercy The Lord would haue none of his to be raunging from vnder his wings and much lesse if any be fallen through infirmitie or beguiled by Sathans subtiltie would he haue them thinke that he will therefore shake them off who hath made it manifest and well knowne in the Gospell That he seeketh vp that which is wandering and lost This must be throughly perswaded vnto Gods children that they may neither be discouraged as they must needes be otherwise in their fals from suing to God and yet not boldly abusing his lenitie but well encouraged by his great loue to returne to him againe For although the diuell be a mightie enemie and cruell for which cause he is called A great red dragon and The accuser of the brethren and as subtile vigilant and malicious as he is strong yet they for their parts are not naked and altogether vnarmed neither doth their strength rest in themselues but they deriue and draw it from one that is mightier then he They haue libertie nay commaundement to be strong in the might of Gods power that is to be fully perswaded that if there be any strength in God himselfe who we know holdeth all diuels in subiection theirs it is and for them and they may take it for their owne euen as if any poore man in a purchase should haue by a rich friend laid out for him and freely bestowed on him whatsoeuer he should want Yea one part of their armour I meane faith is able alone to ouercome all lets which they shall meete with and to thrust backe euen the fierie darts of the diuell which burne and sting most sharpely They must also consider who and what manner persons they are not enemies to God as in times past but beloued deare and precious vnto him euen sonnes and daughters and therefore not like to be vnnaturally forsaken or left to themselues in their neede and necessitie and if when they were enemies they were reconciled by his death how much more being reconciled shall they be saued by his life and being alreadie deliuered from the greatest feare that is of damnation they may be well perswaded that the combates which remaine to be betwixt Sathan and them cannot be deadly and to their ouerthrow but to exercise their faith that after they haue trusted God a litle and waited vpon him to see his helping hand here they may after their conflicts receiue their reward This I speake not to make any slacke and carelesse but to encourage them against these lets which follow which by his subtiltie shall seeme greater then they are that they may not be faint-hearted and discomforted seeing there is no cause For it hath pleased the Lord and so he hath promised by striuing resisting Sathan and suffering a litle afterwards to take them into glorie as our Sauiour himselfe did go that way Heb. 12.2 and yet not to be without honor euen here if we iudge rightly where and whiles to the iudgement of the flesh they are in the middest of reproch This caueat I giue vnto the beleeuers before hand putting them in remembrance that I must oftentimes call them backe to the consideration thereof that they may be vpholden in the greatest likelihoods of danger And they must be warned to learne wisedome by their experience that when they shall be able in sundrie trials to escape and bee deliuered from the foile and perill which they feared and to see that God hath vpholden them therein by faith in his promise and hope in his helpe and that thereby they haue bene taught to vse such meanes as haue brought a good end of their cōflicts they may afterwards be emboldened to waite for the same grace again in the like necessities and straights and so to grow to haue that acquaintance and communion with God that they may with confidence looke to obtaine greater things at his hands then these and to encourage and hearten on others who are weake to do the same Now if any should feare that all this looking to our selues is more then needes he is to know that if our hearts were sound and so kept without liking of euill as sometime the meanest Christian feeleth it there were no danger to be feared no not from the diuel himselfe much lesse the world according to that of Salomon Keepe thy heart with all diligence for thereout commeth life and they who haue any experience find nothing more true then that they walke at great libertie when their hearts are
learned better then the other to sustaine the same For where faith is in Gods promises without which they cannot heartily loue heauenly things they must know that they haue a liberall portion and therefore ought to lift vp their hearts out of their deadly dumps and as these and such like directions do counsell them let them grow forward but without discouragement yea though their measure be small and they in their owne iudgement be the backwardest of others Of small beginnings come great proceedings of one little sparckle a mightie flame and the talle Okes were sometime but small akornes he hath well begun who hath in truth begun and he hath much who feeleth that he wanteth much and he who in an humble and a meeke spirite hungreth after knowledge and grace hath made good proceeding towards the attaining of both and shall in time be satisfied therewith This I speake to incourage those whom Sathan abuseth by occasion of some wants of good things in them when in the meane while if they knew so much there is no cause but contrariwise of reioycing Thus much of the first kind of lets CHAP. 8. Of the second kind of generall lets namely The vnmortified affections wherewith he oppresseth the beleeuer And first Of feare that they shall not perseuere and of pride in their gifts NOw I hauing shewed how the former kinds of lets should be remoued the second kind followeth which containeth the sinnes and corruptions that are in vs whereby the Diuell hath exceeding great aduantage against vs to hinder vs from this heauenly course which we should walke in And they are besides the ignorance and blindnesse that is in vs of which I haue spoken before our vnruly and vnmortified affections and the worldly lusts which if they preuaile and be suffered to rule in vs they thrust out with violence all grace and goodnesse Of these I will mention some particulars euen the most dangerous if comparison may be made of all the rest and the Reader may the better iudge of the other I adde if comparison may be made because they are all so raging that when they are stirred vp in vs and set on fire a man cannot tell which is most odious in it selfe and worketh most furiously and that most disguiseth vs who make our selues bondmen thereto For proofe of that which I say when filthie lusts are kindled and haue gotten some strength in a good Christian though that be neuer without his owne great fault how doth it trouble and disquiet him yea wound and accuse him he thinking it the loathsomest and most shamefull of all others as indeed there need no worse thing to annoy and disturbe him and it causeth him oft to say Oh what can be more irkesome vnsauorie and shameful then this Euen as the people said in Samuel of their wilfulnesse We haue sinned many other waies but especially in asking a King so I say that sin seemeth to a penitent christian when he commeth to himselfe most odious wherewith he hath felt his heart most intangled But to proue that true which I sayd so doth he cry out of the rest when he remembreth how he hath beene deceiued by them a worldly and greedy mind seemeth most wearisome and vnbeseeming of all other to him and biteth most deeply when that hath possessed him and when he hath offended by anger malice feare impatience peeuish conceitednesse and the rest he saith the same of them euerie one for the time wherein it hath bene the chiefest prouoker of him to offend is most cried out of euen as if there were no other to be compared with it thus he speaketh of them I say when he repenteth And by this it may appeare when there are many of these euery while assaulting and as it were arresting a poore Christian which suffer no other good thing to be in place where they be that if he be not strengthened armed against these and such other of that kind he can neuer keepe a setled course and daily continue the same in a godly life Of these therefore as I sayd I will mention some that the beleeuing Christian may the more carefully auoide them And herein this aduice is not vnprofitable that euery one marke with which he is most incombred and most easily ouercome of as feare anger vncharitablenesse c. and by what occasions he is readiliest drawne to them that he may the more preuaile ouer them by such helpe as he shall haue ministred to him The remedies so farre as I shall adde here shall either be set downe seuerally with the seuerall lets or one remedie for sundry lets or where neither is know that the daily direction which we haue beene moued to practise shall be the remedie in such a case And among the vnmortified affections I will begin with that which troubleth the most of them till God giue them release or deliuerance and that is A fearfull doubting of their perseuerance I meane that poore Christians shall not so soone begin to be drawne out of the world to any liuely hope of saluation and care of pleasing God and so haue escaped one bondage but he plungeth them into another holding them vnder dreadfull feare and distrustfulnesse that they shall not perseuer to the end of a godly life especially in sore trials and when persecution and strong temptations shall come And this feare he doth fasten vpon them the more easily seeing that affection of feare is most nearly glewed to them and besides when they see examples of faintings in many professors and how cruel the vngodly prophane scorners Atheists Papists and persecuters are among whom they liue this feare is soone strengthened and confirmed in them For which cause our sauiour forewarned his Disciples of it saying Feare not them which kill the body but are not able to kill the soule but rather feare him which is able to destroy both soule and body in hell and Saint Paule In nothing feare your aduersaries c. For this cannot be predominant but it feebleth vtterly the powers of the mind as the raising of the mudde in a spring troubleth the pure water and consequently holdeth backe the instruments of the body from practising well any kind of dutie In these fetters therefore of feare and most painefull and irkesome streights he holdeth them or if any escape and so begin to reioyce in their hope againe yet shall they not attaine thereto nor grow therein distrusting themselues and resting in the promise of God nor be deliuered out of their feare but with much difficultie and striuing and yet if they be it shall not be at once but by litle and litle while the word of God soketh into their hearts as the soft raigne into the hard ground For I must confesse that as all passions are troublesome and do much vnsetle vs for the time so feare and sorow do this most of all especially when the things about which we feare
we not know that as we sow so we shall reape and if to the flesh that of it we shall reape corruption What is to be done then of vs but this namely That we looke to the roote and fountaine of this mischiefe And if it be growne by litle and litle trace it out by footsteps know that thou art beguiled For thou before didst delight and take pleasure in godlinesse as finding no safetie elsewhere and renouncedst all whatsoeuer might hinder and hold thee from the christian course and what shame is it that thou shouldest after be much backwarder Remember also that ease slayeth the foolish and the way that seemeth pleasant to the flesh is the way to death And how hard soeuer it be to go backe out of this course yet God hath encouraged thee thereto infinite wayes especially by this one that he in any thing that he setteth thee about will be with thee and not leaue thee nor forsake thee but will giue thee more then thou couldest aske or thinke and therefore much more that which thou doest desire The longer thou art led by any such slauerie the more hardly thou knowest thou shalt find recouerie CHAP. 9. Of other vnruly affections tetchinesse peeuishnesse frowardnesse c. AMONG the inward lets of godlinesse I meane the vnstayed affections of the heart though the particulars are infinite this is not the least when it waxeth tetchie peeuish and froward either against persons or things being crossed by them that we cannot haue our will yea though it be but in trifles For such is the nature of sinne to the end it may shew it selfe to be out of measure sinfull that we may be taken in such a time with the deceiptfulnesse of it and found so naked and vnarmed that the smallest matter may be an occasion fit enough to make vs trefe and fretting as if one shold stumble at a straw wheras at another time great prouocations could not moue vs and all for that the desire of the heart is not satisfied as it wisheth as Dauid could not be angry with Saul for all the iniuries with which he pursued him and yet was caried headlong by his passions against Nabal for one discourtesie offered him Which is neuer done but a sensible disquietnesse of mind and vnsetlednesse of heart doth arise therewith which ouerthroweth the wel-ordered course seeing he that is led and caried of his lusts as the cart drawne by wild horse is made vtterly vnfit for the time to pray or walke before God in peace or to do any other dutie acceptable to him And therefore who can deny but that such are caught with the deceitfulnesse of sin as well as he who is ouercome of anger wrath or any fleshly lust another way And if in this tetchinesse we haue to do and deale with men our peruersenesse sullein and disguised stomacke cannot be hidden no although we would hide and conceale it from the sight of men yet such is the nature of it that it ouerwhelmeth and couereth grace from shewing it selfe or exercising any power in vs as the cloude couereth the sight of the Sunne and as though we had alwaies bene impotent and had neuer enioyed any other estate and it blindeth the iudgement from seeing the foulenesse of such disguising and hardeneth the heart that for a time it cannot relent for it nor be humbled vnder it vntill the burden grow so great to the soule that it can no longer beare it and the partie come to himselfe and can no longer suffer or abide it It may be perceiued how this cankred corruption taking hold of a man not otherwise destitute of grace so carieth him to be incensed against some person or thing that it can no way be stayed or contained A shadow of this appeared too euidently in two rare seruants of God Paul and Barnabas when they dissenting betwixt themselues about taking Marke into their companie were so snared that they departed one from the other and with no lesse offence to others then checke to themselues brake off their fellowship for a time In such a case therefore this is to be done for the redresse of it that seeing it is an high offence to God a needlesse and fond troubling of our selues and a bereauing vs of godly wisedome yea and of common reason that I say no more this I say is to be done that we make diligent search inquirie whither we be prone and disposed to such seruile and base maisters and so shake off that yoke of bondage and if we haue fallen into it and haue bene deceiued and disguised with it that as soone as we can we do in trembling and detestation of our sinne separate our selues from all other affaires and dealings and fall into the consideration of the vnseemelinesse and absurditie of it with all speed possible till we feele perceiue our stomack to fall and relent which will be by litle and litle if we harden not our harts but go aside of purpose that we may faithfully debate the case betwixt God and our selues The Lord hath promised that such going apart one frō another yea if need so require euen the husband apart and the wife apart that such seeking of him shall find him and such dislike of our corruption and namely of such impotencie for want of grace shall be the next way to recouer it againe and when we haue seene what we haue gained thereby or rather how much we haue lost that as our Sauior admonished in the like case we go our way and sinne no more in that manner lest a worse thing befall vs. And this for a tast of the corruption Now when we shall consider how many of these sores there are to blemish wound and feeble the soule that it may be as it were in the seuerall powers thereof made vnfit to euery good worke by one or other of them and how the diuell waiteth as a fowler hauing set his net to catch vs with one or other of his ginnes snares what constancie and care thinke we had there need to be kept in a Christian mans life to the end he may be rid of them or that he may not lye long in them or not fall from one to another which is the cause why we call vpon men as the Apostle teacheth vs that they should worke on that is hold fast and maintaine the assurance of their saluation with feare and trembling giuing all diligence to ioyne with their faith vertue knowledge c. But if we escape this snare are we out of daunger Nay he hath many more to catch vs in For through our ignorance or vnbeliefe he maketh the Christian life seeme so difficult and tedious to vs that we shall waxe faint and be wearie of proceeding therein or at least in speciall duties thereof who knoweth not how fickle and inconstant we are in all good things and how soone vnsetled Insomuch that
with props and staies most mighty Consider this yee that forget God and aske not after him but especially yee seruants of his who desire to doe his will For these things doth God indeed I meane he bequeatheth many goodly and sweet liberties to his and many of his beloued ones find them and feele them and you that doe not so behold what yee loose and goe without Claime therefore with reuerence that which is your due I meane which god hath bestowed vpon you and beware lest through your default the priuiledges of Christians should not be thought as great as the Lorde in his word affirmeth them to be whiles you inioy them not as though they were no such The Lord hath done great things for vs as it is written Honorable things are reported of thee O thou citty of God And if it were not so and if the loue of God were not sweetly shed in our hearts through the holy ghost yea if we were not perswaded that the Lord is a plentifull rewarder of them that seeke him and that all the afflictions of this life are not worthy the glory which shall be shewed vpon us we might soone be caused to cast downe our countenance and be discouraged who are not onely strangers heere and therefore not knowen nor regarded but we are among professed enimies who the more we differ from them the more we are hated of them and therefore in feare of continuall and infinite dangers by reason of them and their captaine and but for that the Lord hath promised to be with vs and guide vs we should vtterly faint and be discouraged CHAP. 4. Of the third priuiledge How God giueth grace to his children to liue godly and of the first branch BVt that it may better appeare how great this priuiledge is and so I may proceed vnto the rest let vs further heare what worthy and singular fruits doe flow from this fatherly eare and most louing prouidence of God ouer his and accompany the same thorowout their liues which though they arise and proceed from the former yet I will set them downe as particular priuiledges distinctly by themselues And because it is not so easily seene and conceiued of many much lesse beleeued I will more particularly lay forth the same and first this third the summe whereof is this that who so are thus cared for of God he bestoweth this grace vpon them that they learne of him that which none can learne elsewhere nor any but his chosen ones can learne that is how to liue and goe through their whole pilgrimage according to his will and how to die and goe from this vale of misesy that they may afterwards be taken vp into glory euen this prerogatiue he granteth them And it hath these two branches the one that they may be fruitfull in good life the other that they may be kept from foule offences Now concerning the first namely the holy life which God teacheth them to lead this is not the least I might rightly say there is no greater treasure here to be inioied that they need not count the Christian life combersome vnsauory and an heauy and tedious burden as the most doe but an easie yoke an estate wherein they need neither be idle nor vnprofitable but readily prepared vnto euery good worke Now that they may be able to doe this to be setled constantly in a godly course and wise to preuent and auoide the hinderances that lie in their way and to aime at the commandements of God as at a marke that they may keepe them is not this a benefit yea a singular priuiledge when the prophet calleth him an happy man that is inabled of God thereto and Christ himselfe teacheth that it is the chiefe happinesse which can be inioied in this life to keepe the word of God which we heare that it may direct guide vs yea that one day in his house that is spent and passed in the militant church and as his seruants doe is better then a thousand in any estate besides And although it be an estate full of happinesse yet let no man maruel that I say Gods beloued ones may haue this liberty and prerogatiue to walke and liue in it for the Lord inableth them thereunto by whose power they can doe all things he giueth them an heart not defiled and vncleane as it was sometime but purged and clensed in good sort and therefore now it is able to like and loue his will which sometime it loathed and they who beleeue and are perswaded that God will bestow and doth daily offer this grace of sanctification vnto them they receiue it and thereby are strengthened to doe that good in their life which they can loue with their heart and which they approoue of and allow in their iudgement Now if this liberty of Gods seruants be not either knowen of some good Christians or not beleeued I deny not but euen they as yet may goe without this priuiledge in great part accordingly as we may see in many But this need not be if they knew and were perswaded of Gods liberality and bounty towards them as some others are who is so farre from denying grace hereto that he hath pleasure to see them vse it well to whome he granteth it And vntill this be that they draw by faith daily strength from Iesus Christ to subdue their lusts they cannot obtaine to finde the Christian life easie to them as some others doe but goe to worke by their owne strength in all their duties and by the vertue of their praiers hoping to preuaile against their sinnes which indeed are not conquered by any such meanes but remaine in their old strength still the which they seeing that for all their labouring and striuing against them yet they doe not finde that they are weakened or abated in them but that although they toile themselues much yet they profit little they begin to be discouraged and faint euen in vsing the meanes which they did beholding how they sticke fast still in the mire wherein before they lay and so they being discouraged fall into some great sorow or which is little differing breake out into security and loosenesse And this slauery they are brought vnto through the malice and subtilty of the diuil who seeing their vnablenesse to beleeue the promise of God which is that he will strengthen them against their speciall infirmities doth play the Lion holding them vnder with vnbeliefe Against the which their remedy must be this that they resist stedfast in faith that is that they yeeld not to this distrust which long hath oppressed them but by little and little suffer themselues to be perswaded that their case is farre better then they conceiue which shall neuer be hard to perswade them who found true deliuerance from the spirit of bondage and that the Lord hath not taken them into his fauour to leaue them at six and
doe in vs except we should prouide so that much vntowardnesse and awkenesse in Gods seruice which is wont either to breake it off or to be the greatest hinderance therein be remoued or at least resisted Which shall not be hard to doe if we daily consider that he hath promised to make vs fitte for that which he sets vs about and that we beleeuing his said promise shall finde the trueth of it in vs our hearts incouraged our backewardnesse and slougth repelled or much abated as Iosua and other his faithfull seruants haue done which grace if it may be obtained of vs and who doth not see cleerely that it may I meane that all true Christians may obtaine willingnesse and cheerefulnesse in their daily duties doing and to be much freed from the contrary vntowardnesse and vnfitnesse which is the greatest let that can stand in their way if I saie God haue prouided so mercifully for his that they may with delight walke in his waies set themselues to watch against their infirmities and so in their common dealings and actions practise a godly and innocent life and that they may doe earthly businesse with heauenly minds which the vnreformed cannot in the least manner attaine vnto I conclude this priuiledge as the former that the Lord hath in giuing this gift vnto his children bestowed an vnualuable blessing and prerogatiue vpon them and let vs waite for and inioy it and when we faile most acknowledge such weaknesse that we may find release of it from God and if any of his finde it not neither see it to be so it is their vnbeleefe which depriueth them of such a treasure but when they enter into Gods sanctuary they shall see it farre otherwise This were worthy to be harkened after some perhaps will say if we might indeed attaine heereto But what triumph call ye this ouer sathan and sinne when the best of vs are priuy to this that we are carried by them both to doe that which we know to be displeasing vnto God For besides this that some perticular sinnes doe draw vs through the deceitfull inticements thereof the diuill changing himselfe into an angell of light to winde vs in the more subtilely there are also strong corruptions which breake out in vs preuailing dangerously to the hindring of vs from many good duties and that often times as in the examples of Iob Dauid and Peter it may appeare These two obiections of great waight doubtlesse I must first answere before I goe further And first of the formost though they I meane the Godly be not voide of the sinnes which I haue spoken of yet that hindreth not the honour which God hath set them in and giuen vnto them For there is left in the most holy a strife betwixt the spirit and the flesh and that for this purpose by the lord himselfe euen in his elect as the Apostle teacheth by his owne example not that they should perish but partly lest they should looke to triumph before the victory which sathan would most of all wish partly that the best men being priuy to their owne weaknes and that throughout their life might not rest vpon their owne strength but alwaies depend vpon God yea and further also for this cause he doth it that the more hard the combat is and their strife with sathan sinne the more vehement the more glorious might the victory appeare And therefore as it is in warre and battels fought amongst men we doe not measure the victory by any thing done one either side whiles they are contending or skirmishing for the vhemency of the one or the remissenesse of the other neither will we count him a coward who shall be grieuously wounded no although he sometime giue backe like one which is ouercome so as he doe afterwards take heart and courage to himselfe againe euen so in this spirituall fight conflict when we shal see the good Christian to be ouer-matched as it were for the time driuen to hard distresse by sustaining the shame and reproch of some euill action committed or ranke rebellion nourished which is no lesse then if a man should in war loose some member of his body yet must we not thinke that the spirit hath yeelded it selfe vnto the flesh neither hath beene ouercome of it though sore and greuiously wounded if it shall by the feeling of the smart which it tooke by the sinne committed gather againe greater heart of detestation against it and strength and courage by spirituall armour to repell sathans poisoned dartes for heereafter Now of the examples and first of Iob yee will say How could he cry out as he doeth in the third chapter against the day of his birth crie out I say yea howle and charge God but he must needs shew himselfe to be ouercome of the flesh There is no doubt I graunt but that his aduersary the deuill did now make full reckoning that he should fall into very loathsome blasphemy and vtter desperation and it cannot be denied but that he was caried verie farre out of the way But yet as he is not to be freed from all fault so he is not to be further charged then he gaue iust cause forasmuch as the Lord himselfe doeth so determine the controuersie in the end whose sentence no man doubteth but that it was most righteous that although he reprooue him yet of his singular goodnesse he doth not make his fault so heinous but chargeth his three friends as the chiefe prouokers of him to that euill which he did and crowneth him as it were for that in so great a combat by his valiant wrestling he had preuailed yet for our further edification let vs see somewhat more particularly into this action directing our selues by that which the Lord hath said of him I say therefore that Iob sinned many waies but yet through humane frailty For his intemperate speech proceeded not from a setled and constant purpose of the mide but was wrung from the exceeding greatnesse of his griefe and paine which hindred for the time all sense and light of faith iudgement in him For in that he thought he could by no other meanes be deliuered from those so great euils which he suffered but by death it shewed that he did not throughly nor sufficiently weigh the power and might of God In that he wished either that he had neuer beene borne or together with his birth to haue died it must needs be granted that it was a speech of a man little considering what he said but which had forgotten what great mercies he had receiued yea what he himselfe had sometime vttered .i. If we haue receiued prosperitie from the Lord why should we not suffer aduersitie in that he earnestly wished deliuerance from his suffrings but asked it not of God it bewraied a minde in him sore troubled And lastly in that he had regard onely to his owne quiet and ease and thought at that time
king of Iuda who for his rash going out to fight with Pharaoh Nechoh king of Egypt was slaine of him So it may please God for causes best knowen to him but yet alwaies iust and most certainely for his owne glory to take away some of his good seruants suddenly and to visit some other of them with losse of their inward senses vnderstanding of the vse of reason memory c. for such effects some kinde of deaseases doth worke so that in that estate they shall speake they wot not what In the which condition it may be that sathan may euen as he doth in the time of sleepe occupy their braine and delude them sometime with fearefull dreames sometime with filthy and deceitfull so I say he may when they are waking and whiles they walke about draw them to that which in good aduisednesse they would not for the worlds good be brought vnto namely to lay violent hands vpon themselues by drowning by knife or any such like way Which I doe not speake as minding in the least manner to mooue men to thinke that it is but a light and small matter to cut off vnnaturally the naturall life which God as a most singular earthly benefit hath giuen for as it is fearefull so much as to heare it named so all they that doe it being in perfect remembrance and knowing what they doe shall be sure to smart for it as for committing the highest degree of murther But as no man blameth a yong infant nor rateth it for casting the hat or coat into the fire as he would a childe of fiue or sixe yeeres of age the one hauing sufficient discretion to know it doth euill the other not so it is with the two kindes of people which may possibly depriue themselues of life the one knoweth what he doth and therefore shall be sure to pay deare for it the other doth not and hauing before that pange and distraction in times past witnessed an holy and christian heart by an vnrebukeable conuersation he is not to be iudged according to that one action the which he alwaies abhorred when he had perfect and sound remembrance and when he did it did he knew not what And if we doe what we can to comfort him which against his will and through the malice and tyranny of the diuill was suddenly forced to vtter some blasphemous word against the maiesty of God and thinke that by good right we ought to doe so how much more ought we to haue a charitable iudgement of him who hauing euer since he first gaue profession to the gospell beene well reported of the brethren and of the trueth it selfe hath at one time when he wanted his right and sound iudgement fallen into this hainous trespasse And thus I hauing answered that which might seeme to breed greatest question of the perseuerance of the godly in the fauour of God which case through Gods goodnesse doth not fall out very oft I may much more boldly affirme of any other of Gods children that he will neuer forsake any of his no although he load them with some hard burden of sorrow and paine yet will he not forget them they being deare vnto him neither doth he forget himselfe in bringing a more sore death vpon any of them but theereafter he maketh their consolations to increase also And whereas persecution amongst all kindes of death is counted most grieuous yet it is our weake faith that driueth vs to that opinion For neither is any death more happy then to suffer for righteousnesse sake and the paine of body vpon the death bed hath beene found farre to exceed it But if corrupt and slougthfull flesh should thinke it great gaine to accept of life in that danger through denying Christ and renouncing the trueth we should consider what anguish we should liue in and what a hell when we haue depriued our selues of all comfort from God as hauing renounced him and when we could not liue but with those who suppressing and persecuting godlinesse must needs make our life more tedious and vncomfortable then any death which being considered what ioy thinke we is this to a godly soule to see that day when an end of all miseries is come when he seeing that his departure is at hand may say This day is that which is better to me then all that are past seeing I am now going into euerlasting glory Lastly it ought to be considered that as the three children said We haue a God that can deliuer vs but if he doe not yet we will fall into his hands and commit our selues vnto him as vnto a faithfull keeper not being vnmindefull of his promise which is Call vpon me in the time of need and I will deliuer thee And againe When they shall draw you before rulers for my sake beyce not carefull what yee shall say for it shall be giuen you in that moment what ye shall speake And this which the Lord saith of his present helpe in our necessity he will most certainly performe we beleeuing his promise and waiting for the accomplishing and fulfilling of the same So that in the partaking and inioying of all our priuiledges we see that this faith is required to be as the hand by which we should receiue them and whereby we hold and possesse them and all the comfort that commeth with them and without it we haue no part nor portion in any of them neither those which more especially concerne the life to come as the saluation of our soules neither this present life as the other fruites of the spirit which I haue already spoken of seeing the word which propoundeth these from God vnto vs must be mixed with faith for we haue not more vse of the aire fire nor water then we haue of it Heere therefore I thinke very meet to admonish the reader of this one thing that seeing the diuill hath no greater aduantage against vs in our weakenesse disgrace and feare then by setting before our eies the terrible conceit and cogitation of persecution and cruell death thereby therefore store and stuffe thy selfe with strong munition I mean variety of those scriptures which may animate thee and which haue inabled the worthy and holy Martyrs of God to set light by the fearefullest torments particularly these Feare not them which kill the body but are not able to kill the soule but rather feare him which is able to destroy both body soule in hell And againe we haue more with vs then against vs And Greater is he that is in vs then he that is in the world And that in the epistle to the Corinthians There hath no temptation taken you but such as appertaineth to man and God is faithfull which will not suffer you to be tempted aboue that yee be able but will euen giue the issue with the temptation that yee may be able to beare it These laid together doe
faith should either finde the godly life so easie or be able to iudge of the best way to it as they who haue painfully trauelled in it and spent much time about it For they must be able to report what repulses they haue had and how they haue recouered their strength againe what temptations and how they haue resisted them what hinderances and discouragements whereby they haue beene long held backe and how they haue ouercome them They must be able to say what hardnesse is in the godly life and how it is made easie how flitting and soone vanishing our faith is and how it is strengthened and confirmed what comfort and vnspeakeable peace God giueth his to incourage them to goe forward constantly They must haue good proofe of their many infirmities and how they send them the more earnestly to God in their praiers to strengthen them against the same to be short they must be acquainted with the subtile and malicious practises of the diuill in seducing them and with the falshood and deceiuablenesse of their owne hearts and how they haue withstood them and how deadly and loathsome the broad way that the wicked walke in is though it onely seeme pleasant For such honour haue his Saints such grace he bestoweth vpon them which seeke it of him in trueth And when God hath thus trained and made them fit for his seruice then shall they finde great ease and reward in seruing God and finde by proofe the exceeding benefit of a daily direction for the well ordering of their liues yea they shall count themselues much vnsetled when any day shall passe them which is not consecrated to God in that sort Of such I wish them to learne the way who would gladly please God they say as well as others but yet all meanes are tedious to them to vse besides such as they thinke good that is sometimes to pray as it falleth out but as for any further or certainer course to honour God in they thinke it meerely impossible for them to be brought vnto and therefore needlesse And as we are wont in our matters of law to resort to them for counsell which are best acquainted with the lawes and best experienced in them and in dangerous sicknesses to resort to those Physicians who besides their knowledge haue bene a long time practisers and haue done many great cures so in the practise of the rules for a godly life all which be grounded vpon the word of God none can so well teach how as they who haue taken greatest paines in the practising of them by long experience besides their knowledge which they haue in common with others And therefore we are to resort to them as being best able to perswade vs that as we ought so we may possibly attaine to the daily practise of some certaine duties and the reuerent vsing of the helps and meanes for the well passing of the day wheerunto if they who professe yea and preach could submit themselues to learne how to be setled by the furtherance of such as haue gone before them both in the searching out the way and the practise of it there need not be any doubt but that many should both finde it and with much blessing giue heartie thanks to God for it CHAP. 4. Of answer to this reason against the practise of daily direction That it is toilesome and inconuenient taking away all pleasure from men and hinders their labours BVt now I haue shewed that it is not impossible I will further answer their reasons whereby they are led to thinke it a toile intolerable that which would bring exceeding inconuenience First therefore whereas they thinke it would make mans life irkesome and a very toile to bring our selues to this point that our liues should be ouerlooked and regarded thorowout the day and that we should obserue certeine rules for the well ordering of the same the trueth is that there is no pleasure nor comfort in the world like it no nor to them who know it should be so without it howsoeuer men thinke otherwise Which if I can proue I hope they will be far from this minde to account it toile or wearisomnesse And for proofe heereof they may vnderstand that the Holy Ghost giueth the very contrary sentence and iudgement of this matter For whereas this right ordering of our liues or framing them to obey Gods commandements is the greatest wisdome euen greater then that of the aged experienced or our teachers yet of the same wisdome Salomon saith All pleasures are not to be compared vnto her therefore if thou desirest pleasure be wise and prouide that thy soule be safely kept from euill in the day and throughout For if it must needs be graunted that it is good at some time then it followeth that the oftner and more vsually it is kept so it is so much the better And if it be the greatest pleasure of all other to haue our hearts and conuersation with God some one houre in the day then by many degrees is it the greatest pleasure if we can by any good direction obtaine it for the most part or throughout the day Agreeably to the which that man of God who was so well experienced in these matters testifieth not of some one time of his life but of some whole part thereof I haue had as much delight and pleasure in thy testimonies as in all maner of riches But you wil say What is this to proue that he was thus minded through the day He speaketh I say of his daily course in such places as it is easie enough to see according to that which I alleadged before All the day long is my meditation in thy law that is as he expoundeth himselfe elsewhere casting and pondering in his minde how he might keepe and might not breake it nor wander out of the way from the direction of it And who so hath any practise of his knowledge and experience what reward there is in seruing God doth clearly iustifie this to be true For wherefore doth the godly Christian take order to haue his recourse to God by praier meditation reading when he can haue opportunitie wherefore is he fearefull of ill company and desirous of good why dareth he not fashion himselfe after the world in their common prophane delights why is the holy assembly of Saints most desired of him but because it is the pleasure which he seeketh aboue other when no man doubteth but that he hath both leasure as well as other and occasions enough offered him to the contrarie if he found not greater delight in this course then any other or if there were not pleasure in the Christian life and so the more Christian-like the more pleasure Why would the best Christians in all ages suffer mocks reproches displeasure of their friends and betters losse of their goods and other liberties and in such times and places as their profession hath