contempt seeing the minde is euer busie and seldome vnoccupied I answere that the persons are as I haue said sinners as others be but sanctified and weake but willing to be better and that their thoughts are according to the diuers growths and ages of Gods children which are three The highest degree is olde age or the experienced estate which yet is not the perfect age in Christ for that shall not befall vs vntill the life to come but a firme constant and setled going forward vnto that perfection The second is the middle age in christianitie in which as young men in wrastling we haue courage against our sinfull lustes but yet like vnto them we haue many foiles and are oftentimes cooled in our courage though we sometime preuaile And in this estate we are very fitly compared to the graine of mustard seede after that it is shot vp and hath a blade and stalke till it come to haue boughes and branches to shelter the fowles of the ayre so in this we are euer growing though slowlie and this degree of christianitie is betwixt olde age and infancie The third is childhood or infancie the lowest and the last the which is principallie discerned by an earnest desire of the sincere milke of the worde and namely of the promise of the forgiuenes of sinnes which although some of these deare children of God cannot with full assurance lay holde of yet this their hungring desire after it which cannot be satisfied without it with a sensible feare to offend God is a true signe thereof And this is the lowest degree of true beleeuers which estate is at first weake in respect of the other two as it is in the naturall bodie for in the young babe it is first weake and after groweth to greater strength as it groweth in yeares yea and this is an excellent estate in respect of the counterfeit which haue most neere resemblance of it in whom may be seene some flitting motions after good things but in time they vanish and goe away as they came These degrees of the spirituall birth being thus described which by the Scriptures may easilie be discerned I will now shew about what things the thoughts of these three are chiefelie occupied or desire at least to haue them occupied though they doe not euer attaine to that which they desire And to begin with the first some of Gods elect through long experience and much acquaintance with the practise of a godlie life haue obtained grace to guide them more constantlie then others whereby they so serue God that they may please him with a reuerent awe of his maiestie which holdeth them within bounds and in holie and religious feare of offending him while the other often breake out more easilie And this estate though it be to be aimed at of all godlie people yet it is not obtained but of such as haue accustomed their mindes to the heauenlie course and to whom good meditations and thoughts to shunne and auoide euill are become a pleasure and as well to be able to discerne the same by their vnderstanding and iudgement as to haue their will in good sort at commaundement to follow the good and shunne the euill Such as Saint Iohn calleth fathers in his epistle saying I write vnto you fathers because they had knowne the Lord and his manner of dealing with his people and had experience of the discipline and gouernement of his house in a godly life a long time Now such as haue been trained vp in the obedience which the Scripture teacheth from their youth are able vpon their so long triall of Gods directing them in that course not onely to goe forward cheerefullie and readilie themselues but also to perswade and hearten on others And such therefore thorough this grace receiued at Gods bountifull hands are much freed from this bondage and seldome so grosselie holden vnder of their corrupt lustes as others sauing that God will make them see their weakenes from time to time especiallie to subdue pride in them which is soone kindled in them and to holde them vnder they haue therefore their mindes vsuallie set vpon some one or other of the infinite heauenlie instructions which from time to time they haue treasured vp in their hearts both out of the Scriptures and the fountaines of other holy men whereby although they are not quickened as they would and desire to be yet they are held from much euill The particulars of Gods vnutterable kindnes of mans mortalitie the momentanie estate of all things vnder the sunne the blessed estate of the elect the endles woe of the damned c. who can recken They haue much time taken vp in the beholding and meditating of Gods maiestie as they can conceiue of him his power his wisdome his euerlasting being of his iudgements and how he is prouoked of his patience and long suffering towards the world his dailie pulling of them from their pleasures who thought they should neuer be taken from them and their owne estate and seuerall parts of their liues much occupie them how they may keepe in their way For it is the wisdome of the prudent to vnderstand their way Also how they may hold out constantlie the profession of their hope with ioy vnto the ende how they may resist all occasions of euill for they presume not without dailie helpe from God for all their strength they consider what lets they shall finde from Sathan the world and their owne hearts how they may order well their particular actions in and through the day in their callings giuing to all men their due that they may prosper and also that they may make a good account at the ende of the day and so at their last ende They who haue these and the seuerall particularities vnder all these contained to occupie their mindes about is it doubted what thoughts desires and occupying of their heads and hearts they haue to keepe them that they may neither be idle nor vnprofitable The thought they take daily vnlesse they be much blinded is in the greatest part this how they may haue a good conscience in all things pleasing God and how they may be prepared for the crosse and to keepe the same minde vnder it that being exercised therein oft and much they may reape the fruite of righteousnesse euen most sweete peace and as their saluation groweth neerer then when they first beleeued so they may be fitter and readier to meete the Lord their latter daies being farre better than their former to be merie whilest they thinke he hath blessed them and neuer at ease nor to thinke themselues well but while they are vnder his gouernement Haue suâ—â— no other things to doe but that with the scumme and ofscourings of the world they must aske how to spend the long sommers day and the wearisome winter nights Although others who are prophane haue not yet with these
is a greater honour that he hath of a rude vnbridled and vncleane diuell made a well ordered sober and meeke Christian yea a sanctified person as the Scripture calleth him for by his holy spirit through the worke of the Gospell he hath made of an extortioner and oppressor a liberall and bountifull giuer as Zaccheus of an adulteresse a penitent woman reclaimed from the course of vncleane life as the woman in Luk. 7.47 and of a persecutor a preacher yea himselfe a persecuted man euen Paul the Apostle And how doth such a change thinke we when it is seene of men and the reporte of it heard among such as knew them before cause them to say The Lord hath done great things And such grace doth God giue to them I meane that feare him that he causeth by their light which shineth among men euen their very enemie to be at one with them yea to speake well of them and to glorifie their father which is in heauen And yet their beautie is to speake as the truth is chiefly within and not seene with eye As all was not heard of Salomon a farre off which was to be seene at home and yet not all seene that might be knowne to be in him The faithfulnes innocencie and rare continence of Ioseph with other graces which were in him when they brought him into such fauour credit and admiration amongst men how thinke we was God honoured who was the giuer of them Thus doth God honour them that honour him that he may be all in all and by them shewed to be most honourable And to speake of our owne time wherein we liue notwithstanding it affoord not so many examples of so excellent gifts and graces of holy life though in learning and knowledge few haue gone beyond it as so long libertie vnder the Gospell might iustly challeng which sinne I pray God be not laide to our charge but speedily repented of so yet we will not be ashamed to affirme to the great praise of God that both many gratious and godly people since the raigne of our most noble Prince haue been alreadie gathered to their fathers who in the dayes of their flesh did honour God highly and many remaine God be blessed amongst vs who haue and doe and to their end shall we doubt not to the great comfort of many weake ones commend the power of the Gospell preached amongst vs and cause that vnfained thankes be giuen to God by many for them And that both of the ministerie though nothing be more ridiculous to the Papists our aduersaries the Lord hath raised vp many who both preach sincerely and diligently and walke warily and worthie the Lord Col. 1.10 and vnoffensiuely seeking to please him in all things and of the people he hath drawne not a fewe who doe beautifie their profession and carrie themselues vnrebukeable among them who can iudge aright and are free from reprochfull and daungerous euils In such as I haue said is the Lord made admirable As it is written In Sion his Church shall God be praised and why because for them he hath done great things The Lord maketh the weake strong the ignorant prudent and such as sate in darkenes to see great light holy and glorious is his name Yea further the Lord teacheth his beloued ones in their prosperitie to count themselues but strangers in this world he causeth the things of greatest price to be little set by of them in comparison of his treasures which are not seene This honour haue many of his Saints The Lord giueth strength in tribulation aboue hope and maketh anguish and sorrow to become comforts false accusations and contumelious reports to be crownes to their heads and chaines of golde to their neckes which beare them And to be short he teacheth his to sucke sweetenes out of sowernes and to make good vse of all estates and they are able to doe all things through him that maketh them able yea persecution it selfe he maketh tolerable and ioyfull and when our weakenes can see so farre the greatest aduancement If these gifts of God with other such doe not greatly honour the Lord in the congregation of the righteous and if they which inioy them being gratious and of high estimation doe not most highly commend the giuer which is God where will men say that God is honored at all And so doth the Apostle require that it should be with Gods people Haue your conuersation honest among the Gentiles that they which speake euill of you as of euill doers may glorifie your father which is in heauen And yet I haue said nothing of their peace of conscience which Salomon saith is as continuall banquetting to them Saint Paul saith it passeth all vnderstanding euen in this one thing which the vngodly because they haue not they therefore know not for the stranger is not partaker of the childrens ioy know not I meane as it is felt and knowne of them which haue it In this one thing I say doth God get himselfe great glorie For they beleeuing in their hearts they cannot choose but vtter with their mouthes their deliuerances and the wonderfull things that he hath done for them And though they be for the most part contemptible in the world yet is the meanest of them more happie then the greatest of the world And if these things be well weighed which haue been said of this matter it shall not be marueiled at that the Prophet thus speaketh in the Psalme Glorious things are spoken of thee O thou citie of God! Yea glorious indeede as we here inioy them though we haue but a small part of our glorie in this life and so glorious that if they could be seene with eye they would so inflame men with the beautie of them that they would force them to set all their loue vpon them And thus by the graces which are in the life of Gods seruants and which are not to be found in other men it may be seene how God is honoured of them the contrarie whereof is done most apparently by the vngodly as much as lyeth in them Therefore to conclude this first reason except we can like to see Gods name ill spoken of his Gospell lightly accounted of and his person dishonoured and that by our selues the recompence whereof cannot be borne nor abidden of vs let vs not onely come out from the vncleane conuersation of the vnbeleeuers but let vs so lay hold on eternall life that we presse hard vnto the marke for the price that is set before vs and let the words of the wise be as goades to pricke vs forward out of our slouthfulnes and as nailes to fasten vs ioyntly and closely to Christ our head without hypocrisie that we faint not neither fall away but grow vp vnto the perfect age of Christians that so we may giue good testimonie that God is truely honored of vs
wise to thinke the same of our owne afflictions and if we cannot easily be so perswaded as no man is for the most part we must be earnest with God and that oft and from time to time that our will may yeeld to Gods will and we may thinke that good for vs which he thinketh good And to the end we may bring our hearts to this let vs weigh to and fro what we can obiect against it why we need not submit our selues vnto God that when all our carnall reasons shall be answered as being to weake to preuaile with vs we may referre the whole course of our liues to be gouerned by him and what corrections soeuer he shall thinke meet for vs and to try vs with and for our benefit and to keepe vs from further hurt for he hath no worse end in chastising of vs that then we may remember in all things to be thankefull and take vp our crosse readily and welcome it seeing we know the end of it And let it not be thought much that I say He hath no worse end in afflicting vs for we ought to be perswaded throughly of this that the Lord our God louing vs he cannot intend our hurt in the least maner howsoeuer it shall please him to exercise vs. For we may be sure that he afflicteth not willingly nor at any time but when it is meet and expedient for vs and as our Sauiour said to his beloued Apostles of his bodily departing from them which was the greatest outward crosse that could befall them It is expedient that I goe away from you for otherwise the comforter cannot come vnto you so would he haue vs to thinke that if it were not for our troubles we should neuer haue such comfort as we haue which doth certainely follow the patient bearing of them And heere consider the causes why God sendeth them to his beloued ones which being knowen rightly weighed are of sufficient force to worke their great benefit comfort First that they may haue experience froÌ„ how many troubles he deliuereth theÌ„ and know after how to look for the like helpe in the like trouble secondly that they may haue proofe of their faith and patience which worketh vnspeakeable comfort thirdly that they may not be condemned with the world fourthly that by them as the body by physicke they may be purged from their sinfull drosse and feare him and fiftly that the Lord may thereby weane them from the world to the which they are so glued as a child is from the brest by bitter things which would not otherwise leaue it So that if we be thus taught of God learne this wisdome of him to beleeue that to these ends and of very loue and faithfulnesse he afflicteth vs whensoeuer he doth it we shall be sure to finde it so to our exceeding comfort And although for a while we be tried and therein may seeme to be neglected and forgotten of him when others shake off the Lords yoke and shunne the troubles by an euill conscience which he laieth vpon them yet when they shall after be plunged into dangers without recouery then shall ours be at an end and our reioicing neuer cease nor be taken from vs. Through this faith Dauid comforted himselfe in his God when wicked men consulted to take way his life Through this wisdome which I haue spoken of an inseparable companion of faith he said when his troubles were sore and great I haue held my peace because thou ô Lord haddest done it and that God was most louing vnto him for all that And so when by this wisdome and faith he had waited patiently on God he reaped experience and gladnesse as the fruite thereof which he himselfe expresseth in these words saying It is good for me ô Lord that I haue beene afflicted And the like speeches he vttered at sundry times in many of his psalmes which for breuity sake I omit whereby it may be gathered that from time to time he was thus vpholden in his troubles and therefore that he inioied this liberty and priuiledge in his life to finde his very crosses profitable and good vnto him The same may be said of Abraham both at many other times and namely when he left his owne countrey and his fathers house to goe to a place which God should shew him where he being a stranger had not a foot of ground to possesse yet hauing leasure to returne would not but waited vpon God to know his pleasuâ—â—â— which he would neuer haue done if he had not beene perswaded that the affliction was best for him which God did trie him with Ioseph had no other thing to vpholde him when he was solde put in prison and his feet pinned in the stocks And to be short if this trouble vs that although these woorthy seruants of God and many other had this wisedome to take their troubles aright and in such meeke maner that they seemed not greatly to trouble them yet we may not looke to do so to this end let the Apostles words direct and counsell vs he saith If any man want this wisdome let him aske it of God and it shall be giuen Loe he excepteth none which doe not except themselues of such as know what faith is and who are able to aske in faith as all the Lords may be bolde to do for he addeth But let him aske in faith And Whosoeuer shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saued for how can we call vpon him on whom we haue not beleeued So that if any such be destitute of this wisdome they may thanke themselues it is their owne fault But to satisfie some who I know are many which looking to the Apostles words that all turneth to the best to such as loue God and looke no further whereupon they conclude if God will haue our troubles turne to our good what need we take any further thought about the matter I answere They which beleeue that will not be carelesse in their afflictions how they be affected vnder them whether they lie downe blockishly and senselesly vnder them or whether they storme and be impatient in them but will do as Dauid did in all his troubles who laied them to heart and praied for grace to beare them and for deliuerance out of them though he was sure God would giue a good end of them euen as Daniel also did And if they behaue themselues wilfully carelesly or foolishly in them they shall see them turne to their exceeding hurt and vexation so farre is it off that they should reape good thereby they know not how For the Scripture which teacheth that afflictions are sent them for their good doth not profit them if it be not mixed with faith in them that heare it Heb. 4.2 But if they beleeue that Scripture to be written for them and applie it then they receiue their
and full of the holie Ghost and faith and much people ioyned themselues to the Lord. Receiue therefore good Reader this prouision which he hath made for thee of holesome meate not caring for conceited cookerie but remember that godly hunger is the best sauce for heauenly foode Thine in Christ FRANCIS MERBVRY THE ENTRANCE INTO THE BOOKE OR PREFACE TO THE READER which containes these foure things First the generall summe of the whole Secondly the reasons why it was set foorth Thirdly the matter and argument of euery particular treatise Fourthly a directing of the Christian reader how to reade it with most profit IN so great varietie of all learning as God hath furnished this age withall it were not onely needlesse but arrogancie and follie for me to put any in hope that I goe about to teach that which hath not been taught and set foorth alreadie by godly and learned brethren But yet least any should thinke my labour vaine in that which I enterprise I would all such might vnderstand that howsoeuer I shall bring no other thing then some haue in generall or in some part heretofore published yet they shall not be glutted with the same thing in particular whether they respect the treatise and argument it selfe or the manner of following and prosecuting the same At leastwise I may say that there hath not come to my hand any booke directly tending to this end which I propound here in the seauen Treatises following to helpe the frailtie of Gods children and namely by setting before their eies as in a glasse the infinite secret and deceitfull corruptions of the heart from whence without a gracious regarding of the same sore and dangerous euils doe arise and breake out in their life Neither haue I seene any treatise and direction particularly drawne and gathered for mens liues to gouerne and order them which tieth them to daily vse of the same throughout their whole course of both which my purpose is most chiefly as well faithfully as louingly to intreate and to aide my poore neighbours and brethren with that which I haue gathered by reading and noted by experience if by any meanes I may be able hereby to make the Christian way any thing more easie and pleasant vnto them then many finde it and to bring it into more price then the most doe value it at In few words this is that which I aime at that such as haue tasted how good the Lord is and haue felt the power of the life to come by any worke of faith and Christian life which they haue obtained by the preaching of the Gospell may after that see their wants their infirmities their corruptions rebellions hindrances other discouragements from that blessed estate wherinto they are entred and how they may euery day in the best manner remedie or at least wise weaken and diminish them and that they may also behold their liberties and prerogatiues which they haue by Christ as the certaintie of Gods loue deliuerance from the feare of the great and euill day peace and comfort through faith and the blessednes of such an estate and daily inioy the same And therefore not to be as men that haue no such priuiledges either cast downe with needeles feare or possessed with an earthly or vaine reioycing or destitute of incouragement to walke forward in an heauenly course But that they may be mery in the Lord and yet without lightnes sad and heauie in heart for their owne sins and the abominations of the land and yet without discouragment or dumpishnes resting and beleeuing in God without bold presumption and fearing their owne weaknes but yet without dreadfull and deadly despayring And that thus the Christian man and he who is faithful indeede may so carrie himselfe in his course as he may haue no thought or purpose to reuolt and turne from this hope which is set before him but be perswaded that he is infinitly incouraged to hold out constantly therein against all that might come in his way to the contrarie And that the vngodly may see how such are blessed in comparison of other and what they themselues goe voyde of which they might inioy and therefore may seeke how to become not almost but altogether Christians with them To these I say who haue set themselues in a full and resolute purpose to passe their daies godly in the midst of many encombrances and to walke with the Lord so far as of fraile flesh may be obtained how weake so euer in their owne perswasions to these I say I desire in this treatise of mine to be some helpe and assistance and to speake plainely that such as would faine doe well and yet cannot tell how may hereby be eased and relieued And if any who yet are in superstition hypocrisie prophanenes or as yet in darknes desire to be partakers thereof also and so to like of that aduice and instruction which is written for the beleeuers that they be willing to depart from the wicked crooked and cursed way which they haue walked in I should be so farre from enuying them this blessing that although this was not set out directly for them yet they may vnderstand that with such a willing mind as I haue vndertaken this worke for their good who are in Christ alreadie with the like I am readie to further and helpe forward them who thinke and know themselues as yet to be strangers from Christ altogether and to reioyce if I might vnderstand that they haue been moued hereby with their brethren to become the true disciples of Christ Indeede I haue not laboured so much to perswade these to returne from their miserie and to become penitent because many both examples of the like and reasons to moue them are plentifully plainely and in good order extant among them alreadie and for that I know that for the most part they profit not by our writing who doe not before regarde and take good by our preaching and yet they shall haue my best aduice in the end But as for such as haue alreadie been in the truth of their hearts conuerted vnto the Lord and vnfainedly been called backe from the former lusts of their ignorance and the fashion of the world after the which sometime they framed themselues for such I say I know it is the earnest desire of their hearts that they may as well haue a path-way to godlines and a direction to the same lie by them to the which they may alwayes at neede resorte when publike helpes by sermons cannot euermore be enioyed as also to be made more fit thereby to profit by them when they doe repaire vnto the same And although I looke not for it that such account should be made of this booke among the greatest number who haue resolued with themselues either not to learne or imbrace any thing more thē alreadie they haue especially proceeding from a meaner person then themselues or to scorne whatsoeuer
times were the Lord caused to be taught vnder the law in types and shadowes prefiguring Christ to come and to be exhibited euen as he saith in Ioh. 5.46 Moses wrote of me though indeede now vnder the Gospell farre more cleerely and plainly that it may now be verified if euer that Christ by preaching him hath been crucified in our eyes So that by this is this mysterie of saluation purchased by his death manifested vnto vs. Now the fourth point remaines how this tidings of Christs deliuering man from the feare of the wrath to come is receiued in the world and that is by faith For there is no way to receiue Christ and all his merits the full medicine of mans miserie but by faith This true faith therefore is to be knowne what it is and how it is wrought that so by it hee may receiue Christ and be saued Now this true faith which for the worthie effect of it we call iustifying faith is nothing else but a sound beleefe in that promise of life that poore sinners comming vnto Christ he will ease them that is free them from all woe and restore them to all happines here and for euer and to be short so to giue credit to Gods word as hee rest thereon that hee will saue him Which true faith is wrought in him by the ministerie of the word reuealing this mercie and truth of God and by these the holie Ghost inlightening him to conceiue and drawing him to beleeue and so vniting him to Christ which whosoeuer hath thus receiued is hereby made the child of God so as he himselfe shall see it and an inheritour by sure hope of eternall life This therefore is to be knowne of him who shall be saued and his iudgement is to be setled in this truth before he enioy it as his owne or can haue his part in it He must be able to see cleerely and soundly that God hath made this Christ Iesus his sonne Lord ouer all creatures conqueror of the diuels deliuerer of the captiues comforter of the heauie hearts so that by him there is as full pardon of sinne purchased as euer was by Adam procured guiltines and condemnation And thus much of these two first points that he whom God will effectually call to the assurance of saluation must haue knowledge in generall of mans miserie and Gods mercie by Christs redemption CHAP. 4. How this knowledge worketh and namely the first worke that God maketh them beleeue their miserie and to be troubled in minde for it THere is yet wanting the true imbracing and applying of Christ with all the merits of his death and passion to this man that hath the foresaid knowledge or else he can in no wise be happie Let vs see therefore how this knowledge worketh in him on whom God will shew mercie how God by the light and helpe of it draweth him forward vntill he beleeue for his owne part and in his owne person which the other who haue onely the generall knowledge before mentioned neuer attained to And this is the last of the three points which I purposed to handle about this matter namely in shewing who is the child of God Which being done the question in hand shall appeare and be manifest This onely by the way it shall be fit to admonish the reader of as I said before that he is in no way to the kingdome of heauen who is yet voide of this knowledge altogether of his miserie I meane and of the remedie which kind of people although they are least troubled in their consciences of all other men but are merrie as though no daunger were comming toward them and therefore keepe a course in their liues which is after the fashion of the world are to be pitied and prayed for and to be perswaded to heare the word preached rather then to be allowed in their madnes and follie Who verifie most rightly the saying of the Wiseman That there is a way that seemeth pleasant to them but the issues thereof are the way of death God suffering them as he did the Gentiles to walke in their owne waies But to leaue them as sufficiently conuinced of a wofull estate euen by the testimonie of men who haue any iudgement and to goe forward with that which is in hand that is to shew how this doctrine worketh in him who by it shall come to true faith and assured hope of saluation we are to know that he remaineth not an idle and vnprofitable hearer as sometime and as many other still doe but is secretly drawne he cannot tell how by the vnspeakable worke of the spirit of God to be perswaded that the doctrine taught doth conerne him the Lord giuing him with his knowledge wisedome which is a gift of the spirit whereby he applleth generall things particularly to himselfe and that he thereby speaketh vnto him as well as he doth to any other in the denouncing the threats of the law and euerlasting damnation and his eyes being now opened to beleeue this he thinketh himselfe the miserablest of all other who before nothing at all regarded the welfare of his soule but thought himselfe in as good case to Godward as any other Hee now perceiueth I say himselfe not onely a loathsome creature in Gods sight through the Ieprosie of sinne but withall a most cursed and damned creature subiect to all Gods plagues in this world and to condemnation in the world to come For although the world lie in darknes and beleeueth not the law of God least it should be conuicted by it and therefore cannot beleeue the promises of the Gospell yet God otherwise prouideth for his that they by seeing and feeling the desert of their sinnes may haue an appetite thereby to seeke mercie and forgiuenes which without it is vnsauourie to them as our Sauiour Christ saith The whole haue no neede of the Phisition but the sicke Matth. 9.12 Neither let this deepe impression of the doctrine of the law preached being no lesse sensible to the partie that feeles it then the print of the seale is to our eye in the soft waxe let it not I say be counted a meane and common mercie In deede it is meanly accounted of the doctrine of it being so common and oft taught For as it is said of faith Luk. 18.8 that when the Sonne of man commeth he shall finde it rare in the world so in some sort wee may say of this that it is rare that men who know that all are vnder the wrath of God till the Sonne of God make them free doe beleeue indeede that it is so with them and euen their owne case Oh men shunne this as death and yet without beleeuing it there is no life for did they beleeue it personally for their owne parts they could not but lay it to heart so as the whole powers thereof should be taken vp with the cogitation of it as it is
but this which I say is the lesse beleeued and regarded seeing many and those as great sinners as most others are as merie or at least as farre from any wound or sting of conscience as any which a man would thinke were not like to be if they were in such depth of miserie Let them know they haue little to take comfort in that for as I haue said this is so with some because they neither know nor beleeue this but they lie in ignorance and vnbeliefe and therefore neither suspect nor feare any such thing and so it is with all the world vntill they haue knowledge by the law and Paul sheweth that it was so with him till the law reuealed it to him for so he saith Rom. 7.8 I once was aliue before the Lawe that is I thought myselfe in most perfect safetie euen through this ignorance I say and vnbeliefe it is that this which I haue sayd lieth as dead and not a man of a thousand dreameth of or is feared with any such matter And this is furthered by the vnskilfulnesse and carelesnesse of the Ministers who as the Lords watchmen should awake their people out of their deepe and deadly sleepe when they yet haue oft-times healed the hurt of the daughter of Gods people with sweete words saying peace peace when there is no peace Ierem. 6.14 For with such as by the loue and labour of their faithfull teachers haue been wisely plied and followed it may be seene to be otherwise and there ye may find many though all take not good thereby which haue knowledge of and beleeue these things which bewrayeth the blindnes and bondage of the rest almost the whole world who would laugh out and mocke at this doctrine and make al beleeue that there is no such matter But I haue bin long in this I will now proceede to the next point and shew further how God worketh in him whom he will saue when he hath brought him thus farre The second worke they consult in this case what to doe AFter that he seeth by the doctrine which hee hath heard how the case standeth with him namely that he is guiltie before God of eternall punishment and wrath and seeth not how to escape the same hanging ouer him the Lord directeth him and guideth his heart to enter into further consideration with himselfe of and about his present estate and consulteth what to doe in that his extremitie Neither doth he this lightly or houerly as many after he hath heard the necessitie of that dutie taught him and the same earnestly vrged vnto him but mindeth it seriously and goeth about it as a matter of life and death That God thus moueth him to deliberate in so weightie and doubtfull a case no man neede to call it into question when nothing is well done without it in earthly matters of any moment where the wit of man is the chiefe or only agent and dealer For we know that rashnes doth nothing well how much more then may we think that God will not suffer him whom he meaneth to bring to so great honour as the assured hope of saluation is to goe about it without due regard and consideration especially he dealing by ordinary meanes where they may be had and come by But that he entreth into consultation what to doe it is euident by that the Prophet Ieremy saith with a vehement complaint when the people were called to repentance and the Prophet waited to see what fruit should follow that there was none that said What haue I done that is none entred into consultation about the matter Therefore it is said that the prodigall sonne who resembleth most rightly the sinner and in his returning home to his father resembleth the penitent sinner in turning to God that he did before that come to himselfe and say How many hired seruants in my fathers house haue bread enough and I die for hunger Which what other thing was it then to consider and deliberate what he were best to doe And the Steward questioning with himselfe what to doe when hee was warned to giue an account of his stewardship doth plainly teach this Besides all that hath been said if the godly who had fallen could not repent before they remembred and considered their fall and from whom they were fallen as we reade of the Church of Ephesus and Peter before he wept bitterly remembred the words of Iesus and how he had transgressed against them Vpon all these considerations let vs not doubt but that God draweth his to consult about their estate what they should doe being in anguish and distresse of mind And that they may looke for little good to come of their casting downe and sorrow which by the law is conceiued in them if they doe not in the most serious manner as they be able and as the case requireth thinke and deliberate about it And therfore they whom God watcheth ouer if they be not able to counsel themselues yet the Lord guides them to aske counsell of others as the forementioned example in the Acts and of the woman of Samaria doth teach And in what manner hee doth this what thoughts he hath about the same is not hard to coniecture but euen as other in the same estate mentioned in the Scripture doe testifie namely what he is to doe and whether there bee any hope how hee was bewitched to come to that estate what he hath lost and depriued himselfe of in this his estrangement from God by following and seeking his owne will and foolish libertie he seeth an end is come of the cursed race which he hath runne and that little time which he hath yet remaining will also full soone be gone His delights iests merrie conceits dreames and vaine hope that hee had of long life of promotion increase of riches of good cheere with his companions or such like alas they are gone he is ashamed to thinke what deceiueable pleasures they were And as for safetie and sound peace he seeth how farre off from them he is He seeth that his former life will be called to an account and is alreadie And although he thinketh of delaies excuses or other vaine shifts and deceiuing of himselfe yet he seeth that these cannot put away the deadly remembrance of his wofull estate especially when hee considereth that God will not be mocked nor his word be frustrate which hath bewraied his miserie He will therefore consult no longer with flesh and bloud as he hath done but putteth away all fleshly and carnall shifts and holds and by Gods gracious direction taketh counsell by the knowledge that hee hath and considereth that no man can come to Christ if the heauenly father draw him not by his spirit And therefore although the sorrow of hypocrites vanisheth away and commeth to nothing yet by Gods gracious working in him it becommeth an occasion of humbling and breaking of heart vnto him and of much other good as
doth make the same knowne vnto his minde and beare witnes to his spirit that he is the Lords and teacheth him thus to reason If God will forgiue him who hath receiued grace to seeke without fainting wearines who longeth for it in a melting heart for offending him who desireth it more then al earthly pleasure and profit and is willing to cast away all impediments that may hinder it if he will forgiue such and he hath framed me to be such a one then doubtles he will be mercifull and forgiue me Thus God maketh him of whom I speake to see cleerely that he is his no more to be separated from him when he hath opened his heart as he did the heart of Lydia and causeth him to beleeue that the sonne of God who was giuen to the vnworthie world is giuen to him being one of the same For if earthly fathers be kind to their childrē crying to thē how much more the father of fathers For we must think that this afflicted person now mentioned doth often and deeply weigh the truth vnchangeablenes and perpetuitie of the pretious promises which hee heareth preached vnto him yea and that with more delight then he doth any thing els he weigheth what may be like to hinder and hold him from hauing his part in thē and when he considereth that God who willeth him not to feare is greater thē al that letteth him what hee may hee remoueth it though neuer so precious to him and considereth what doth giue him greatest encouragement and so imbraceth the same we must think when he once cōceiueth the incomprehensible excellencie of eternall life and how it maketh the soule alwaies cheereful euen here we must think I say that he weighing what his misery is without it counteth it the most soueraigne medicine to heale his sore and therefore he is readie to vse any meanes and bestow any diligence to come into the possession of it and to make it his owne especially when he seeth that it is so freely and mercifully offered Thus setting his heart vpon it as that which hee seeth would make him more happie then all the world though for a time he hath not been able to attaine vnto the assurance of it the diuell holding him backe by many lets and subtilties abusing his errour weakenes and simplicitie thereto yet the Lord suffereth him not to giue ouer till he hath waded thorough and ouercome all hinderances And if this be too hard to doe by himselfe he seeketh the helpe of others wheresoeuer they may be come by men of deeper insight and greater iudgement and experience in and about the will and purpose of God concerning saluation by whose louing trauaile counsell and labour he groweth more expert and resolute and so setleth his heart in beleeuing as he seeth he hath good cause and strong incouragement to his full quiet and contentation The Lord himselfe speaking thus If any thirst let him come to me and I will giue him the water of life to drinke So that as Iacobs hart failed when he beleeued not his sonnes report that Ioseph was aliue and the chiefe gouernour vnder Pharaoh yet when they told him the words of Ioseph and shewed him the Chariots which he had sent to carrie him the spirit of Iacob reuiued and he said I haue enough c. Ioseph my sonne is yet aliue So though the goodnes of the message shall be so farre beyond the expectation of him to whom it is brought as fearing the cleane contrarie yet when hee shall weigh and consider aduisedly the truth of the matter and certaintie of the promises and therein behold the depth of loue which is in God and that to the broken hearted though vnworthie it quickeneth the soule and refresheth it aboue all that can be expressed And so hee beholding his estate without these promises and what neede he hath of them and who it is that offereth them euen he who cannot be gainsaid that is the Almightie he imbraceth them and by little and little as he gathereth more strength by the infalliblenes of them so he beleeueth them and taketh exceeding comfort by them giueth God thankes and as he hath good cause he cannot satisfie himselfe therewith nor as he thinketh haue enough of them And thus doth his soule stay vp it selfe for seeing God doth giue it freely to him and he desireth it aboue all other things as seeing that he cannot bee safe without it who is hee which shall hinder it Thus are all teares wiped away the ragges are cast off the robes are put on the spouse is betrothed to Christ her husband and she by faith made partaker of all the good things which he bringeth with him who is giuen vnto his Church not poorely nor bare but to be her wisedome righteousnes sanctification and redemption And he that hath thus put on the Lord Iesus God will know him for his wheresoeuer he findeth him neither shall any take him out of his hands so saith our Sauiour himselfe My sheepe whom in the verse before he calleth those which beleeue in him My sheepe heare my voyce and I know them and they follow me and I giue vnto them eternall life and they shall neuer perish neither shall any plucke them out of my hands for my father which gaue them me is greater then all and none is able to take them out of my fathers hand Like vnto these are they all who shall glorifie God in this life separated from the world though annoyed by the people of it as the sillie sheepe are by the goates whose conuersation what it is another place shall declare and lay foorth hereafter And this is faith which making them inwardly perswaded in some sort by so cleere euidence as I haue said causeth them outwardly in time to professe the same more boldly without feare as occasion shal be offered although it be for y e time both weake and faint yet is it sound and sure and after experience in a godly life I meane the life that is led by faith it shall be strengthened better confirmed and procure withall rest to their soules For where the forementioned graces are as true contrition the heart broken with sorrow and meekened hungring and pining for mercie and grace confessing and forsaking the sinne with accusation and deepe groanes for pardon there is some true measure of sauing faith for Gods graces are not separated for our Sauiour pronounceth them blessed which haue these graces but none are blessed without faith therefore faith is there also because the spirit of Christ dwelleth in such and he dwelleth in his by faith therfore it must needs be in them Which thing I doe the rather stand vpon to proue seeing it is rather tried and discerned by these then knowne by it selfe without other holy affections going with it and for that many of tender age in Christ and yonglings cannot be certaine and throughly
also the comfort by our preaching which may easily be greater to vs then to them which heare vs oh what can be in this life comparable vnto it whereby also our hearts are sweetly seasoned and our liues farre better gouerned and wee more safely kept from euery euill way as Salomon saith Prou. 2.10 vnlesse we be carelesse of our owne good More then this we haue incouragement and perswasion to doe our duties in this behalfe more cheerefully by considering that so many as we turne from their euill waies so many soules we are counted to saue Iam. 5.20 And this wee should doe now whiles wee may doe it in peace and whiles there are many willing to heare whose example may draw on others who if they should not be taken whiles they may will not afterterwards perhaps be brought on though we should neuer so much desire it fearing that which the Apostle saith 2. Tim. 4.3 that the time will come when they will not suffer holesome doctrine and hauing their eares itching shall after their owne lusts get them an heape of teachers and shall turne their eares from the truth and shall be giuen to fables And lastly we know that the reward after this life is a stronger motiue then all these which I haue mentioned but I am sure that all together are most strong and should be to vs as the threefold cable that is not easily broken and that is set downe in Daniel thus They which instruct others shall shine as the light of the firmament and they which turne many to righteousnes as the starres for euer This is that which I thought meete to say to my brethren in the Ministerie who according to their diuers estates places people and other occasions shall I know too well meete with discouragements enough but if they be wise against the greatest of all other which are within them I meane the distemperatures and contradictions and disputes of their owne euill hearts I doubt nothing but that the other shall be resisted and ouercome All obiections which might trouble and hinder from this worke and dutie are infinite Therefore only looke to God and haue him going alwaies before you and let his word be the man of your counsailes in which estate alone sound and durable peace is to be found and he will teach the teachable aboue their expectation and giue wisedome to the simple and strength to the weake that by him they shall finde that easie which otherwise were impossible I meane to swallow vp discouragements and finde the greatest ioy in the diligentest performing of dutie Now I turne to you my brethren or people and hearers who as I haue said raise vp lets and hindrances to too many against your selues though ye had none offered you by your Ministers Whose case for the greatest part I pitie and bewaile that you are so farre from knowing and duly considering this great mercie of God towards you in sending his preachers among you that very few of many see the end of their ministerie and therefore receiue them not as from God as the instruments by whom ye may beleeue and be reformed and consequently look and waite for the accomplishment of your happines after ye haue first tasted how good the Lord is to them by their preaching vnto you Know ye therefore that God hath appointed them as messengers of your reconciliation with him who were farre sequestred from him before and estranged and wheras he might haue taught you by other meanes and led you thorough this long and wearisome wildernes by other guides he hath seene this the fittest way to doe it by men his ministers seeing yee should neuer haue been able to heare the Lord himselfe if hee should haue spoken to you no more then the people of Israel were when they cried out at the hearing of his voyce and said Lord speake thou no more to vs but let Moses speake to vs and we will heare him in all that thou shalt say to vs by him Heare them therefore who are able to deliuer the Lords message vnto you whose preaching is life or death to you and if ye despise them in that their message ye shall doe all one as if ye despised the Lord himselfe that sent them Heare them I say in the Lords steed in all that they shall say to you from him Learne by their ministerie to see your selues to be the sonnes and daughters of God almightie who before the ministerie of the word worke vpon you mightily are his enemies your hearts being set on euill workes and vnder his wrath iustly Suffer your selues to bee launced purged wounded seeing ye cannot otherwise be healed Receiue the holesome word of exhortation and be content to put your neck in his yoke and willingly submit your selues to his word that so ye may glorifie God for his loue towards you in and by their labour and trauaile among you that ye may thereby gaine more then if you had al abundance and your hearts desire Which because you see not I will shew you how great it is in some sort and that is so much as if you attaine it ye owe no lesse then your owne soules to them for it Philem. 19. For they shall not only saue themselues who shal performe this dutie of teaching amōg you in such maner as hath bin before set down but they shall saue you also who intertaine them as Gods messengers 2. Tim. 2. and be meanes to make you see your selues happie both here and for euer Which being so who can sufficiently admire the blindnes nay the wilfull blindnes of the people the carelesnes yea the bold carelesnes and blockishnes of them who see nothing of this which I say though wee speake oft of it and aloud among them that they may regard it I thanke God to see some thing that I see in some persons I meane their reuerent and thankfull receiuing of the Gospell and their care to be reformed by it but that in so long a time of peace and free passage to the Gospel vnder her Maiesties most prosperous raigne so few make that the flower of their garland and their best portion it is most worthily to be bewailed Which testifieth too cleerely that either there are many enemies of the Gospell among vs besides Priests and Iesuites and open Recusants and among them that loue it as they pretend many of them loue darknes more then light because their deedes are euill and who doe not esteeme Gods messengers as sent from him for their singular benefit For then would not some and those not a few denie them their due which God hath giuen them that labor among them nor withhold their earthly things from them to whom they deliuer spirituall nor esteeme meanly and basely of them who would faine win them to God Neither would many of the people lay such blockes in their owne way as they doe descanting of them in such
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
desire and purpose of heart we doe it Psal 119.10 Act. 11.23 Outward when in our liues wee expresse and declare the same in our walking Act. 9.31 But to begin with the first We must haue our hearts prepared and readie to bee set on worke and imployed in any good seruice to God or our brethren as I shewed at large before in the renouncing of euill and therefore the lesse shall be spoken of it And this well ordering of the heart is a most precious grace of God as without the which no good can be well done But when wee haue such awe ouer our affections as to choose desire and delight in that which we know to be good and as occasion shall be offered yea and to bee vehemently grieued with that which hindreth vs therein the members and powers of our mindes shall be readie to put in vre and practise the same Therefore this inward readines of the minde and feruent desire of the heart we see must be blowne vp in vs and nourished as a sparkle or coale of fire that as it may bee obtained there may bee some abilitie and strength thereunto For the which cause the Lord requireth that wee loue him with all our heart soule and might This strength although where it is not knowne there is felt no want of it yet such as see it requisite in their actions doe soone feele it to be missing and a great piece of the beautie of those workes which are done without it to be wanting As when they are gone about coldly and in deadnes of spirit and so likewise they can best tell how well it beseemeth their actions who haue obtained it of God and testifie it throughout the course of their liues For when men vnderstand that God hath so appointed that they should be zealous in doing their duties as remembring that of him they shall receiue their reward and that his busines ought to be gone about feruently and with conscience though they haue no great example of such practise in the world it will harten them on with courage vnto the same by the helpe of his spirit which leadeth thereto And yet if the zeale of Gods house consumed them as the Prophet saith it did him this were no perfection but that which ought to be laboured for as euery one may attaine it and in the whole course of mens dealings and duties to God some measure of it in so much as where it is not found and inioyed of men they should count it their sinne And here this one thing is to be considered that our affections of choosing and imbracing good things be so ordered that they may be equally more slacke or strong as the goodnesse of the thing shall be greater or lesser as in praying to God rather then giuing their due to men Also that in an equall comparison the duties of holines to God be preferred before duties to men and with more bending our force and strength when we goe about to performe them rather then these And if it be demaunded here how we shall come by such grace as whereby we shall be able to imbrace choose and follow the good which we know I answere that we receiued such grace when we first beleeued in Christ whereby our hearts were purified and clensed from the strength of our old corruption which if we remember doth warrant vs not onely that our Lord Iesus Christ hath taken away the guilt and punishment of our sinne and imparted to vs and giuen freely his obedience but also grace and will to loue pietie and goodnesse and power as to kill sinne so to quicken vs to newnes of life So that if we feele it not vsually and ordinarily we haue lost and forgone it either through our forgetfulnes slouth or careles negligence or if it be through infirmitie weakened in vs wee ought to stirre vp our selues with cheerefull confidence to the recouering of it againe and not to be content to be spoiled of so great a treasure But if this earnest desire after goodnesse and vehement zeale of honoring God by that which we know be quenched whether it be ouerwhelmed with sorrow feare or such like passions or dulled and made blunt in vs through lightnes and in following the desire of our hearts amisse we are in no wise fit to honour God in any seruice Thus much of the first part of practise namely inward I will now goe forward with the second part which is a branch of the second rule and helpeth forward to the leading of a godly life that the beleeuers may by it be able to guide themselues aright and with much ease in respect of those who be not acquainted therewith And this it is that in well doing we stay not in our good desires and in the readines of the heart to doe good but procure accomplish and performe the same duties outwardly that we indeuor at least euen where we cannot performe as occasion shall be offered and that in one commaundement as well as in another so farre as it may be obtained So that in all parts of sanctifie and holines which shall be wrought in and by vs this ought to be as a perpetuall law that all the members of our bodies and our particular actions may all become most fit instruments and helps to shew forth and expresse the same And that is it which the Apostle to the Romans meaneth when he saith Let not sinne raigne in your mortall bodies that ye should obey it in the lustes thereof neither giue ye your members as weapons of vnrighteousnesse to sinne but giue your selues vnto God as they which are aliue from the dead and giue your selues as weapons of righteousnesse vnto God By this we see that not only the heart with her members that is the cogitations and desires in those which are iustified by faith must be consecrated to the honour and seruice of God but also the bodie with the parts thereof the eare in hearing the tongue in speaking the eye in seeing c. that so we should be his wholy and in one part of our life as well as another doe that which pleaseth him No man doubteth but that we should doe good works as well as haue our mindes and hearts inwardly purged but that we should be diligently giuen vnto euery good worke and make a trade of godlines to applie and follow it so that while we doe one good dutie we should not neglect another which in good husbandrie about things of this life is much regarded that few will grant or be readie to yeeld thereto yea and that our conuersation should be in heauen that is that our common course of life should be heauenly whilest we liue here vpon earth and that we should not only giue no occasion of offence in any thing but also in all things seeke to approue our selues as the faithfull seruants of God Thus much of the rules
if it be practised vpon the weake stated and men behind hand it is as the plucking off their skin from their bodie If it be asked what commoditie a man may reape lawfully this way I say if he buy the annuitie or rent of him who is wealthie so as there be plaine dealing he may safely inioy the benefit which the other offereth If he be but weake or in debt who selleth it let him be sure he giue to the vttermost value and in token that hee doth so let him not bee vnwilling to release him againe afterwards which shal alwaies proue that he seeketh no aduantage by him And this of annuities both to direct a Christian how to deale in them and to answere such as thinke without any ground that no dealing about them is lawfull what our libertie is Now that all may come by and inioy their right in these and in all other vsuall contracts exchaunges societies and dealings amongst men for want whereof are the most broyles and contentions in the world let this be for conclusion marked that truth in words equitie in deeds and simple meaning in purposes and thoughts is to be firmely and constantly retained and where that hath not been practised full restitution is to be made Now another dutie is to restore to the right owner the thing which wee finde if we can know him and not to count it our own Also to restore faithfully and without delay any thing which is committed to our keeping for trust and not to defraud the partie whether executors of the will of the dead or guardians that take vpon them the care of orphanes liuing that as the beloued Disciple Iohn being put in trust by his Lord and Master with Mary his mother to regard her was faithfull and tooke her home to him Ioh. 19.27 euen so may they bee true and iust in that which is committed vnto them The Lawyer also to take no causes into his hands which he seeth can haue no good end with equitie and those which he doth become defender of to shew all honest faithfulnes and diligence in following of them That they in whom it lieth make no delaies in the ending of the suites which come before them but with all expedition possible dispatch the same that their light may breake foorth cleerely as the noonetide Which grace is commended in Iob thorough all the world where it is heard of that he restrained not the poore of their desire nor caused the eyes of the widow to faile by long waiting for her request Last of all to suffer all men to inioy their owne and as neither by play lotteries laying of wagers neither by force violence or any kind of oppression so neither by deceit and craft we seeke or procure the hurt of our neighbour to increase our owne profit And thus I haue set down a summe of the chiefe duties which our God hath bound vs to performe towards our neighbour concerning his goods that we be found no way vnrighteous in our practise and dealings with him but suffer him to liue safely by vs as hee trusteth to doe wherein though I haue laid out nothing in any large manner which was not my purpose to doe further then need requireth yet he that considereth how many duties here are to be performed shall see it the more needfull to haue a briefe rehearsall of them being so many to the which as to a glasse he may repaire when hee will rather then to desire some few of them handled more largely with omission of the rest In these duties performing who so setteth himselfe to delight and maketh it his pleasure to walke after these rules and when he can finde by due obseruing himselfe that he hath taken any thing wrongfully to turne backe vnlawfull gaine as his libertie shal be great with the Lord and his confidence strong when hee seeth that for his cause and for the hope of the reward promised him he can be willing to denie himselfe and his owne will so his example shall be highly commended and do much good amongst men And yet this should not be to seeke with such as goe for Gods seruants as it is written It is ioy to the iust to doe iudgement And let it bee remembred that I here teach them who professe that they are willing to learne not the scorner To conclude let not onely the forementioned sinnes against this commandement be auoided and the contrarie duties practised but let vs euery way so vse our goods that wee may be thereby more fruitfull in euery good worke then we could be if we wanted them else how shall we be able to giue a good account to our Lord and Master and to say Behold Lord here are thy fiue or two talents I haue gained with them many more Luk. 19.18 The next dutie wherein we are to serue our neighbour through loue and to deale righteously with him is about his name Herein our loue must shew it selfe to be such that we be afraid to vexe or grieue him this way as well as in his person or goods The sinnes haue been mentioned more at large which are committed against this commaundement the duties shall bee put in a narrower roome One of the which is to reioyce in the good report of as many as we can heare and be perswaded of as the Apostle did for the good name of the elect Ladie who had so carefully walked after the Gospell her self y t by her feruent trauaile he had found her children also doing the same This reioycing for the good name of others banisheth this secret repining at the same and enuying them for it and the poysoned desire of vaine glorie out of our selues to the which belongeth this that we sorrow for their infirmities so farre it ought to be off from vs to report them or heare them of others with delight Another is to hope through patience for better things then as yet can be seene in men remembring what we our selues haue been sometime and therefore not rashly to iudge and condemne such so much as secretly and least of all to make them odious in company by vttering their crimes or allowing others to doe soe of whom we haue good hope Concerning the rest who sinne boldly I say Let Baal pleade for himselfe for such as defame themselues by their wicked behauiour are not iniuried by vs in giuing warning of them It is also further required of vs here that as we shall be able and may get good oportunitie thereunto we helpe to couer these faults of theirs through loue who may be recouered and brought to repentance and yet not by flattering them therein or dissembling the same for that is rancke hating of them when we by suffering them to goe on in their sinnes cause them thereby to come to some open shame and punishment but doe we rather as the Apostle Iames expoundeth this hiding
them their sinne is their owne and shall double their punishment in as much as they haue deceiued our hope which we had of them for if there were any sparke of goodnes in them our good hope of them would make them ashamed to deceiue our expectation Yet let vs not be fooles in iudging well of them whose mindes and purposes we know to be euill by their words conuersation and long knowledge of them or by such like testimonies of their profanenes and boldnes in sinne for that were vnsauorie and silly foolishnes and whiles we would goe about to be charitable to shew our selues vngodly in calling euill good and to forget the commaundement of our Sauiour who saith beware of men therefore much more beware how ye commend them Of such we should make no scruple nor doubt to know and thinke of them to be wicked as they be and to giue warning to others who are simple and innocent and therefore might easily be deceiued and mocked by them as Peter did to them who were conuerted when he said to them Saue your selues from this froward generation meaning those who had been their companions Thus it behooueth vs to examine our dealings with our neighbors credit and good name that as we haue learned to thinke and conceiue so we teach our tongues to speake the best of all men and ill of none whose doings haue not in an obstinate and stifnecked manner spoken worse of themselues so that they haue cast away their good name themselues although more pretious then gold and not we who giue that due to them in making this account of them which they themselues seeme to desire and doe most truely deserue So we shall in this part of righteousnes also as in the former make our reioycing sound But aboue all that hath been said of this argument let our chiefest care be that we staine not our owne good name and credit any way but maintaine and preserue it The last part of dutie to our neighbour is to acquaint our hearts with the thoughts and desires of his good and to bring our selues to this custome and practise that whatsoeuer in these fiue former precepts and fountaines of neighbourly dutie we are commaunded to performe to him the same by vertue of this we oft wish desire and delight in seeing our God will haue it so that thus the contrarie lustings after that which is his may as the most vnsauorie vomit be cast vp and auoyded of vs. But this dutie of desiring that our neighbour may prosper which should be felt to dwell in vs as a daily guest and which should rise vp and lie downe with vs and throughout our course accompanie vs behold it is at this day such a stranger to the most euen who goe for good Christians that it is almost buried amongst men saue that God of his goodnes hath some few who keepe it in remembrance that the rest may know that such practise he looketh for of all his seruants For though it be written in the booke of God neuer to be raced out by the Serpents subtiltie yet except some liuely paterne of it may be seene in mens liues the practise of it as of many other excellent truths beside doe grow into vnaccustomednes euen as the manifest and cleere path being not vsually troden is soone couered with weedes and grasse And this part of righteousnes must finde more care in vs for the performance of it because the well regarding of this dutie maketh vs the better able to serue our neighbour in all the former And ought we not to weane our hearts from dreaming after any thing that is his when wee can in no wise abide that the like measure should be offered vs and also because wee haue consecrated our hearts to the Lords vse to bee taken vp in the delighting in those things which please him And if wee loue him wee should consider that loue thinketh none euill of our neighbour nor intendeth any hurt against him yet when his profits and lawfull liberties and delights are wished to be ours I denie not but we can and doe perswade our selues that for all this we loue him but the Scripture which saith as ye would that men should doe vnto you euen so doe ye vnto them shall condemne vs for it Alas doe we not see that all the incouragements and helpes which wee haue in this life through the exceeding naughtines of our hearts are all little enough to carrie vs through all hindrances and shall we then adde sorrow to sorrow vpon such as wee our selues are or repine that they may more easily go on to eternall life by such helpes as God giueth them and therefore desire that which is pretious to them that so they may be holden backe if not vtterly oppressed through the want of them with heauines It was farre from him who said I would thou wert altogether as I am that is vnfainedly a Christian but yet without the bands which I haue Therefore let vs know and rest in this that the marke which we must aime at is this that in liuing with our neighbor we desire neither his hurt in person goods or name but count it the greatest ioy y t wee haue by our fellowship and acquaintance with him when we can reioyce in his welfare prosperitie both outward and inward and therefore heartily desire and wish it from time to time and in one thing as well as in another and giue those thoughts or lusts small rest in vs which stirre vs to the contrarie That so wee may declare that we haue the same spirit which was in the Apostle which taught him to say I wish that thou prosperedst euen as thy soule prospereth And here to shut vp this matter with a word or two of sobrietie which is a vertue more properly concerning our selues rather then the person of God or our neighbour consisting in the moderating of our affections in the vse of things lawfull this I say in few words that we must haue speciall care to vse al our lawfull liberties both in the workes of our calling and in buying selling moderatly and aright And the same I say of eating drinking mariage recreation prosperitie youth age beautie friends strength because I would briefly conclude with the Apostle in this wise This I say brethren because the time is short hereafter that they which haue wiues be as though they had none and they that weepe as though they wept not and they that reioyce as though they reioyced not and they that buy as though they possessed not and they that vse the world as not abusing it For the fashion of this world goeth away He therefore that looketh to these things so that hee liue in the vse of his lawfull liberties to make them serue him that he may better serue God and not he them that man may be said to
the same 19. That we exercise our faith by taking comfort and delight in the great benefit of our redemption by Christ and the fruition of Gods presence in his glorious and blessed kingdome 20. Lastly that we make not these holy practises of repentance common in time nor vse them for course And these I haue set downe to helpe thee to meditate And who sees not now by that which hath been said that a good heart may be able to meditate That as the exercise itselfe is both very needefull for all Christians and many wayes gainefull so none may haue iust cause to complaine that they cannot tell how to make vse of it But let vs remember that besides the benefit and gaine of it it is one of the priuate helps that God in his wise and mercifull prouidence ordained for his deere children to make their life sweete and comfortable here which otherwise would bee yrksome and painefull euen to them who are best able to passe it well And therefore to neglect it shall not onely bee grosse vnthankfulnes but a charging of the Lord with a worke meerely needeles Let vs also for the better heartning of ourselues hereunto consider the vncertaintie and shortnes of our life and the warnings which God hath giuen vs of our mortalitie not onely by the doctrine of his word and common experience but more especially within these few yeares by taking from vs so many worthie instruments of his glorie as I must needes say if it be well weighed will worke in vs a lesse desire to liue seeing they liue not with vs. And this among all the rest of the vexations and molestations of this life should whet and sharpen vs to meditation that we might the more shake off the burthen and weight of the inordinat desire of liuing here as boults from our heeles But as it is too true that the righteous perisheth and no man almost considereth it that they are taken away from the euils which shall meete with such as remaine behinde so who is meete to heare our Sauiours words weepe for your selues and for your children and therefore to muse and thinke deepely of it that he may doe it So that meditation should be one with vs whatsoeuer should be the other That it might not be verified in vs which was complained of by the Prophet Ieremie I stoode and hearkned when God reproued the peoples securitie to see if any would returne but there was none that said what haue I done As if he should say there was none that pondred in his heart how God was offended Paul willed Timothy to meditate and throughly exercise and season his minde with the doctrine which he deliuered to the people euen to be taken vp of it that both he himself might be throughly seasoned with the doctrine for euery part of his life that he might feede his hearers the more plentifully But alas how sleightly is the Apostles admonition regarded of a number euen in the ministerie who though some of them reade much and teach good things in their sermons when they doe preach yet haue they small vse of their knowledge neither deliuer any thing by their owne meditation more then they finde in their commentaries whereas if they did they should draw aboundant matter out of their priuate readings Besides that many receiue whatsoeuer they finde in their bookes seeing they meditate not vpon it and so as they can the lesse speake priuately of the same things which they deliuer publikely to the edifying and consolation of him who demaundeth a question of them seeing they speake onely out of the booke euen so they are the meanlier and more weakely furnished with the doctrine which they teach to make their liues fruitefull because they doe not weigh the vse benefit and necessitie of the doctrine in their hearts and this beside other great inconueniences causeth some to fill their sermons with authorities of men to proue the truth of God which is all one as to set vp a candle to giue light at noone tide and to prop and hold vp a great and weightie building with a weake and slender pillar So that this is iustly to bee complained of in the minister or people if they bee not acquainted with this meditation As for the obiection of the one or the other that they haue the world to looke after and to care for for this is the probablest defence that they haue for the omitting and neglecting of it they should know it to be their sinne that they will thus set God against himselfe as though he should commaund them to doe that which hindreth them from an other dutie commaunded Nay rather they should thinke that following of the world to be too much which is not moderated and ordred by the due considering how far and in what manner they should deale in the world that is not to be hindred from holines by it If they be rich they haue the lesse cause to be holden from it by worldly care If they be poore they haue the more neede of it to moderate their care that it exceede not nor carry them to vnbeliefe For it must be remembred that I speake of such as say they esteeme most preciously of the greatest riches which is godlines And what example so euer they haue of the contrarie in the multitude of worldlings among whom they liue yet they must know though others will not that they are not set here in their places and callings to doe as loose and retchles seruants when they goe to market who when they should buy prouision for their maisters familie neglect that which they should chiefly intend and fall to drinking play and other ill rule with their companions Neither should they be like bad husbands who reckon what they haue comming in but not what must goe out of their hands who are not like to vphold their occupying long But they must be like the wise builder who looketh whether he be able to make an end when he hath begun So should they euery while be looking and wisely considering whether they take the course to finish the building of their christian life euen to the full perfecting of it which is another manner building then any made with hands And he that will meditate on this seriously and such other good things as further this he shall not neede to feare the fall of his building but that it shal stand in al weathers till he inherit a building made without hands which is immortall And he that loueth to smell on the sweete sauours more fragrant then Aarons oyntment which in his Soliloquies with God and in his meditations he receiueth of him euen the sweete odors and graces of the spirit he shall smell of Gods presence in his talke companie and dealings which wil testifie that he came from God And especially on the Sabboth when the whole day is appointed of God to it
sinne and to keepe in obedience to all kind of duties both towards God and men whiles he liueth had neede to haue no lesse then this firmenes and constancie of a righteous heart and to be so throughly perswaded of the beautie and price of this one part of Christianitie namely innocent and righteous dealing that though infinit occasions shall arise to diminish the credit of it yet he may cloath himselfe with it as with a garment and weare it as an ornament that such an one he may shew himselfe to be in his actions that he may cause others to be in loue with it also Which vertue so shined in Ioseph that sundrie times when he might haue wrought euill without feare of reuenge to his brethren who had giuen him strong occasion he would not nay when he might haue been preferred by hearkning to his whorish mistresse he refused it with detestation though thereby he procured to himselfe no small danger saying how can I doe this great wickednes and so sinne against God Genes 39.9 He that seeth into this vertue and liketh it so that he will be wary that he commit no vnrighteous thing against God nor man as farre as his knowledge guideth him but setleth himselfe to doe that which is pleasing both in the sight of God and before men he hath this part of armour and is fenced with the brestplate of righteousnes Such shall say with Iob If mine aduersarie write a booke against me I will put it behind my backe reade it who will and glorie in mine accusations The beautie of this grace and vertue is such as may appeare in the examples of those who were found innocent when they were charged and accused as in Dauid towards Saul 1. Sam. 24.17 that if it could be seene with eye it would exceedingly prouoke men to be in loue with it And let all marke how fitly these two sinceritie and righteousnes or innocencie doe goe together To be prepared with the shooes of peace by the Gospell is this that we hauing receiued forgiuenes of our sinnes and assurance of saluation through faith by the Gospell and thereby found most sweete peace to our conscience we are now by this Gospell as they who are readie to take a long iourney shodde and prepared to be readie to deny our selues and to take vp our crosse and follow Christ throughout this our pilgrimage This part of armour did our mercifull father see meete for vs his weake children seeing we are so dismayed at the beholding or hearing of troubles to be at hand although before they come we were cheerefull He would therefore that we should not faint nor be discouraged no not euen by them but lift vp our heads and be of good comfort seeing they are but for a short time our peace is continuall besides that for the exceeding greatnes of it it passeth all vnderstanding and therefore it is able to keepe our hearts comforted euen in our tribulations through hope at least Which our Sauiour foretold that the faithfull should haue but he armed them most gratiously against them Neither is there indeede any other thing that is able to stay vs from deadlie vnquietnes and bitter anguish at such times For seeing we are going to God and that must be through most dangerous rankes of cruell enemies as through a wildernes of robbers this is our incouragement to goe on manfully in that we know by the doctrine of the Gospell that we take our iourney to God who is at peace with vs. He therefore who hath this peace by the Gospell is armed with this part of Christian armour called the shooes of preparation as the souldier with his brassie bootes against all such hard and sharpe afflictions and troubles which as pikes in the way would otherwise so wound him that he should not be able to stand in the battaile he is armed I say because he thus thinketh with himselfe if God be with me who can be against me the Lord is my saluation and light whom then should I feare the Lord is the strength of my life of whom then shall I be afraid To haue this shield of faith is to build our perswasion on Gods faithfull promises that Christ Iesus is ours and that God hath giuen him to vs to obtaine forgiuenes of our sinnes and saluation by him yea and all other good things also meete for this present life As the Apostle saith He that hath giuen vs his Christ how can he but with him giue vs all things also So that he which hath embraced these pretious promises and resteth vpon them as certaine and not doubtfull no more to be remoued and vnsetled as if it be well weighed there is no cause he should he hath this part of the armour and therefore shall not be ouercome by those fearefull temptations of Sathan to strong distrustfulnes which as firie darts be deadly to all which are not thus armed with a true and sound faith and such an one may be rightly said to put on the Lord Iesus which cannot be done but by faith This hope is a ioyfull longing and stedfast desire Luk. 2.30 as we may see in old father Simeon and looking for the performing and accomplishing of all those mercies temporall and eternall which God hath promised and we by faith are assured of For this the Lord would haue vs to know that he hath made no one promise to vs but he meaneth to fulfill it that we may see it and glorifie him for such louing kindnes of his towards vs and therefore would haue vs also in reuerence to hope perfectly that is confidently and constantly to the end as the Apostle speaketh for such gratious gifts as he hath bequeathed vnto vs. The which holy boldnes whiles we are propped vp withall our hearts are so well satisfied and contented that we passe our dayes cheerefully and walke in our callings ioyfully seruing God therein we like our portion marueilous well and we inioy our prosperitie with much thankfulnes And all this we doe because we haue hope from God of all good things which shall be meete for vs yea and all this we doe not after the flesh or because we haue whatsoeuer heart can wish or eye lust after for our God indenteth not with vs after any such manner but because we haue some measure of godlines with contentation and haue learned to be perswaded that to be best for vs which he bringeth to passe and so to hope still that all things shall fall out to vs for the best because he hath so promised And if it were not for this sweete hope our liues should be most wearisome except we should suffer them to be meerely diuelish And without this of the armour of hope all other hope is vaine and deceitfull and as the rush without mire and moysture which withereth and as the spiders webbe which is sodainly swept downe Lastly the
that they loue to lie in it still more foolish then children who cannot bee made to come nigh the water when they haue once been in perill of drowning and so they verifie the words of Christ Prou. 1.22 O ye fooles how long will ye loue foolishnes Which is the cause why not onely the most part of hearers are dead and cold practisers but euen many of the teachers though they do boldly vtter that which they haue read yet are faint followers of that which they teach or conceale much of that which they should deliuer because they finde the contrarie to be done of themselues which they see they should teach others and would shunne the reproch of the prouerbe Physition heale thine owne disease But they who turne their thoughts consideration wisedome and studie to this marking what is the blessed course of life and how it is attained vnto as they shall declare that they are wise so shall they bee sure to finde a singular helpe to godlines which they shal neuer repent of trauailing for It followeth in the next place that we see how God hath prouided no lesse helpe for vs in companie which because we haue much vse of and occasion to be often in it therefore least we might possibly returne out from it worse then we went into it as the most companies are such as doe make men more corrupt then they were before therefore the Lord hath taught his people how to carry themselues in all their meetings with others in such wise as not onely they may shunne the harme which is easily gotten therein but also haue much helpe and furtherance thereby to goe better forward in Christian duties But this point is handled at large in the next treatise Therefore I referre the reader thither CHAP. 10. Of prayer and the parts thereof thankesgiuing and request whereunto is added confession of sinnes HAuing now made mention of the two first kindes of the priuate helpes the third followeth containing the helps which may be vsed by ones selfe alone or with others also as prayer and reading Prayer is a calling vpon God according to his will and hath these two parts thanksgiuing and request whereunto is added the confession of sinnes Thanksgiuing is that part of prayer in which we being comforted by some benefit which in fauour God bestoweth vpon vs are drawne to loue and praise him and shew forth the fruites thereof In the which description we see three duties to be required of vs and three motiues or perswasions to drawe vs to performe them I will first mention these latter and then proceede to the duties The first motiue is knowledge and remembrance of some benefit receiued or promised vs. Which may be seene in the thanksgiuings of all Gods seruants as in Dauid after that he had receiued the sauorie and seasonable counsell by Abigaile and in Abrahams seruant when God had blessed him in his iourney to Aram. The same may be said of the leaper when he saw that he was clensed after he had made request for it to Christ And where there is no knowledge and due consideration of some particular mercie how can there be any true and hartie thanksgiuing howsoeuer in words there be a protestation for fashion sake as in them who say we must thanke God for all when yet they consider of nothing that moues them thereto The second motiue to thanksgiuing is ioy and gladnes of heart for the benefit which we thinke of or call to minde As appeareth by the psalme in them which returned out of the captiuitie saying When the Lord brought againe that is turned away the captiuitie of Sion his Church we became like them that dreame then was our mouth filled with laughter and our tongue with ioy And except we finde such sweetenes in Gods benefits either alreadie receiued or by faith embraced being promised the dutie of thankes can in no good sort be performed But that is verified which is commonly spoken that is a worke is vntowardly done which is not cheerefully gone about The third thing that should moue vs to this dutie of thankes is that which is most fit to worke the foresaid ioy and that is a perswasion that the benefit for which we giue thankes commeth to vs from Gods fatherly loue which is a farre greater matter to make vs glad then the benefit it selfe which is bestowed on vs. For if we should feare that it is sent as a snare to intangle vs or to heape hot coales vpon our head and to make our condemnation the more iust smal sweetenes should we finde therein but that which would be quenched with that feare and by an accusing conscience As for example what hartie ioy or sound thankes could that of the Pharisie be though in tongue he gaue the one and in countenance shewed the other when he had not this perswasion But God be thanked it is not so with his beloued ones but they knowing that their most louing father hath giuen them his Christ which is the greatest doth much more of fauour giue them all other things which are of lesse account which both reioyce their hearts when they remember any of these his blessings and stirreth them vp to a much more heartie performing of this dutie And as these three former things must be found in vs to moue vs to true thankfulnes for our comfort so to make it effectuall three duties are required First a continuance of our loue to God Secondly a desire to set foorth his glorie and in words to professe and confesse his goodnes Thirdly a further proceeding in obedience and walking worthie his kindnes For how can we choose but loue and set our hearts vpon him when wee may see the fruites of his fauour on euery side whither soeuer we turne our selues and the same euery morning renued Euen as the Prophet saith I loue the Lord because he hath heard my request and for his great and many mercies which there hee reckoneth vp So that they whose loue is set vpon the gift it selfe and the benefit being little affected towards the giuer and bestower of it how wide soeuer their mouthes are open in giuing thankes they are farre from the right offering of thankes to God Now if we loue the Lord we cannot but be carried with a feruent desire that God might bee knowne and beleeued on by others that they might come out of darknes neither can we satisfie our selues in seeking to aduance and magnifie him As wee may see in Dauid who being stirred vp by the consideration of Gods benefits had this affection in him thus declaring the same What shall I render to the Lord for all his benefits As if he should say Oh that I knew and could satisfie my selfe herein And where this affection and desire is can it otherwise be but that by all good opportunities there should be an expressing and
by the quarter of the yeare and to signifie whether any such daily course might possibly be fastened vpon Christians and with fruit which doubtlesse few are acquainted with And after triall made priuatly by themselues they inioying also the publike Ministery to the further inlightning of them about the same they confessed freely to the praise of God that they found and obtained more vse of their knowledge more constancy in their course and sweete delight in seruing of God then they euer looked for or once could haue asked of God before they did in such particular maner looke to their waies though they had set their hearts to seeke the Lord some while before For they sayd when they did consider that God ought as well one day haue his due at our hands as another which they had not thought vpon so throughly but now by the helpe of this they began to see more clearly and that it was nothing beseeming the greatnesse and goodnesse of God that he should be serued by fits and vncertainly some day a litle some day nothing at all they confessed that they framed their minds of conscience to looke to their wayes more constantly and carefully and that in one part of the day as another and more especially that they did vsually consider of and call to mind Gods loue and kindnesse in his many mercies much more often then in times past when they thought of them but seldome And hereby they saw such blessing of God vpon their labours and indeuors that they were able with chearfulnes and without tediousnesse to passe the day in their calling and in the performance of other necessarie duties either at home or abroad as occasion was offered which they could neuer do before for any long time together they were not vnsetled by matters about family nor so easily and readily passing their bounds and ouer-shooting themselues in dealing about their worldly affaires they were not so soone prouoked to vnquietnesse by losses or other of Gods chastisements nor to breake out into heart-burning fretting and vncharitablenesse against such as offered them hard measure in speech or otherwise they did now more narrowly view their desires affections which way they caried them and what deceitfulnesse was in them which yet for many of them they had not before suspected or at least litle laboured against them and how oft they had smarted by them when they had not this regard daily They saw they could willingly do one good thing or other in the day for the most part or at least keepe themselues from euill and were not maistered of idlenesse or busying themselues needlesly in other mens matters they were not vsually so vntoward when they went to prayer nor walked in many of their actions so loosely as they well remembred they had done before they now could find matter to ioy in and make their songs of euen the many kindnesses of God which haue no end whereas their ioy was wont to be in thinking of that which they had or desiring that which was other mens or dreaming of long life c. And aboue the rest this did exceedingly comfort them that whereas they had oft times before that bene much shaken with feare that they should not with any peace perseuer to the end now their experience in subduing their vnruly affections and setting themselues to frame their liues to Gods will as they were able and that for some continuance one day as another did giue them strong hope that they should much more easily do the same hereafter yea and were perswaded that if the Lord should exercise them with harder afflictions then they had as yet sustained that he would also vphold them euen therein and that as they should increase so should their comfort increase whereby they should be made able to beare them So that this daily tying of themselues to record and thinke vpon Gods kindnesses towards them in that he had made them happie both here had giuen them sure hope of happinesse for hereafter and the submitting themselues to be guided daily did greatly amend them as we see by their owne confession in their whole course And what maruell though it was thus with them For is there not thinke we a great difference betwixt a daily and a seldome or vncertaine view of our estate betwixt a particular obseruing our waies and a generall course in Christianitie For although men may haue without such like helpe and direction oftentimes their hearts well affected yet will it be nothing like with thē as when they do with a resolute and constant purpose aboue all other things looke to this one and not to be remoued from it seeing it is the best of all daily and through the day to hold fast the profession of their hope with ioy and to be careful to please God in one thing as in an other For then doth Christs commendation of Marie reach also to them that they count one thing needefull and they haue chosen the good part and it shall not be taken from them when they can testifie to their owne consciences that in their weightie businesses and dealings and in their matters of pleasure and profite they be thus indifferently caried about them that this one thing is still counted needfull that is by faith to rest in God and still to be ruled by his word But to end my report of these Christians for proofe of that which they say of the benefite of the daily direction faithfully obserued they alleadge that it was not wont to be thus with them no not since they had embraced the Gospell had hope of saluation thereby nay and that they were wont as soone as they had bene out of their beds by and by to haue their hearts set vpon some light and foolish matter or to haue falne into iarres and brawles or to be caried into the world and so earnestly set vpon the same one way or other as that all goodnesse was forgotten yea and this also euen since they had receiued some care to please God and that prayer a spirituall dutie of all other most vsually intended to be frequented of them yet by the least occasion was put by and omitted And when the morning which being the first part of the day should be consecrated to the seruice of God if in any conuenience it may be hath bene thus prophanely spent and taken vp the whole day after we may be sure hath bene sutable for the most part and answerable So that they haue not felt that sweetnesse in their liues which by teaching they had heard to be graunted of God to his people to enioy but contrarily they felt much wearisome passing of the day and clogging of their hearts with their corruptions which since they tooke this order hath bene farre otherwise with them yea euen in the new entrance into it which we all know to be then weakest much trifling out the time in companie by talking
the earth in comparison of him So that it may be seene of all such as desire to be satisfied that God hath not giuen to his faithfull seruants earthly prosperitie to naile their hearts to it but to proue them whether any thing be sweeter to them then he himselfe who hath giuen it that is whether the gift or the giuer be in greatest request with them and that all which he giueth them might be an occasion to knit them nearer vnto him who will yet giue much more to them which depend vpon him to this end I say all Gods benefites serue And I haue not denyed in all that I haue said but that it becommeth the best of Gods seruants to labour for earthly maintenance that they may be able to giue rather then to receiue and that without any iust offence they may do it and that they ought to acknowledge it for a great mercie of God that he reacheth out his hand to helpe them with necessaries euen here where they be straungers and to prouide for their bodily necessities and therefore to be thankefull yea and ioyfull in this respect that they are freed from much care and distrust and haue the way made more easie thereby to the heauenly life for want whereof many of their deare brethren are in much pensiuenesse and sorrow But yet may they not in any wise take such sweetnesse in those things that they forget or neglect better but alwaies remember that they serue to a further end that is to seeke better and are not themselues the end of their hope in which they should rest And so to conclude it remaineth that we in no wise reioyce nor put our delight in any transitorie thing but with most great diligence we vse all earthly benefites of God daily and throughout our life moderately And this is to enioy our prosperitie aright and to make that part of our life sweet and sauorie to vs indeed which is passed therin And this is that which I haue thought conuenient to be said of this sixt rule namely that it is a great part of godlinesse euery day to looke to this with due regard that we moderately and fruitfully vse our lawfull liberties and all the commodities earthly of this present life CHAP. 18. Of the declaration of the seuenth duty Of bearing afflictions rightly euery day they come THE next part of our life not yet mentioned is that which is vnder the crosse and in affliction Our dutie here is that when and so often as it shall please the Lord to trie vs therewith and to chaunge the course of prosperitie or any part of it yet that with the same well ordered heart which I haue said should accompanie our other actions and parts of our liues with the same I say we be prepared to receiue it from him and count it no straunge thing to be exercised with it and the rather for this reason as the Apostle admonished the godly of his time that we are predestinate thereunto euen to be like vnto Christ in afflictions also seeing through many of thē our way lyeth to the kingdome of heauen And all may see how needfull it is for vs to hearten on our selues by these and such like perswasions to be willing to beare our crosses meekly with chearefulnesse because we do so soone shrinke backe at the hearing of them as the Apostles did when they heard that their maister would go into Iury againe where the Iewes before had sought to stone him and seeing they be so vnwelcome to vs by nature although we be subiect to many and sundrie and that daily It must not be with vs as it is with the most that is that we loue not to heare of them when we haue bene awhile free from them and so hope still for earthly peace of the which we haue no promise but rest perswaded euery day that our heauenly Father knoweth what is best for vs and as he seeth affliction or freedome from it to be meetest so he will alwaies bring it to passe To this end we are admonished of the Prophet to accustome our selues to beare the yoke in our youth that we may be the better acquainted with it when it shall be put vpon vs that so we being tamed and subdued by it and our proud and rebellious hearts brought vnder of him we may beare it with the more ease and comfort encouraged hereby that if we be able to beare afflictions contentedly and with quiet and meeke spirits which is the hardest part of our life we may easily prouide to haue our whole life sweet and ioyfull Furthermore to this end that we may be readie to waite vpon the Lord patiently in our chastisements we must consider that euery day Sathan intendeth mischiefe against vs and he knoweth our weakenesse to be greatest in bearing the crosse and therefore will not leaue vs vnassayed as much as in him lyeth and not so onely but also will terrifie vs with this perswasion that they be greater then they are and feare vs with the oft and much thinking of them that our sorrow may be increased Against all which his cursed vndermining of vs we hauing so great encouragement from the Lord ought to be thus stayed that such of them as we can we may auoide and the rest we may go vnder contentedly waiting for a good issue euen as in faith we pray for it seeing our God will haue vs perswaded that of very loue and faithfulnesse he correcteth vs whensoeuer we be corrected of him But because we faile many times in obseruing these rules and therefore find not grace then to beare them aright whiles they are vpon vs nor afterwards get any wisedome experience or comfort thereby we must diligently and faithfully marke how we be affected vnder them that if we should be oppressed with confused and vnprofitable heauinesse distrust or any other daungerous passions we might learne before that they be no fit companions for vs and sooner get out of them after we espie them in vs and so betake our selues to better gouernment And that this labour be thought no more then necessarie we must know that by Troubles we do not onely meane great vnwonted losses long sicknesses persecutions and such like but those also which fall out verie oft and commonly as vnkindnesse and discourtesie in neighbours vnthriftinesse vnrulinesse and disobedience in children vnfaithfulnesse and negligence in seruants discommodities and harmes in family matters with such like all which to beare without vnquietnesse impatience and vnsetling our selues out of the Christian course must be thought no meane nor smal gift of God nor without daily and continuall watchfulnesse and wise regard to be attained vnto And I do the rather make mention of these troubles which for the most part arise in our families as well as other waies because many Christians do thinke through ignorance that we are not to be
directed in these common things nor to be called to our reckoning and account for offending by impatience anger back-biting and heart-burning against any man and for such like passions which declareth that as it is an hard thing for Christians to walk in the vprightnesse of their hearts by perfourming other duties in the midst of their houses so it is no lesse hard and rare in this bearing of discommodities and other troubles to shew themselues lights and examples to the rest of their familie But these vnquietnesses which are counted small are not to be admitted at any time in our liues seeing they vnsettle and draw vs out of our course Therefore that neither one nor other kind of affliction become vnsetlings of vs this counsell we must take from the Lord which I haue now set downe that euery day we arme our selues against the feare of such as may come and against impatience by such as alreadie are come vpon vs. Let vs thinke it no toyle to watch and looke to our selues thus if we may by this meanes be rid of that which is toile indeed yea greater toile and ease our selues on the contrarie an hundred fold For we shall not onely prouide well hereby against those which are present but as experience and proofe of Gods helpe bringeth hope which maketh not ashamed so by our experience we shall find the like in our troubles to come What strength got Iosua by this that he had oft times beleeued Gods promise and found that he neuer failed him trusting in his word which he had spoken concerning victorie ouer his enemies or deliuerance from them Insomuch that he after some proofe of Gods keeping promise with him in bringing him ouer the riuer Iordane in giuing Iericho and the citie Ay into his hands in the battell against the fiue kings of Canaan he triumpheth in his hope of conquest the Lord hauing promised to him victorie ouer them and therefore saith to his souldiers and men of warre before he ouercame them The Lord hath deliuered them into your hands and therefore be of good courage And what other thing made the Apostle Paule in great afflictions to stay himselfe vpon God and to cast his care vpon him but this experience and long proofe which he had of Gods tender care ouer him It was I say that which made him expresse the same in these words God hath deliuered out of great tribulations and doth deliuer daily and I am sure also that he will deliuer in all time to come This experience if we haue as who may not haue it in many afflictions if he haue rested vpon God therein it shall be a strong weapon to defend vs from fainting distrust or dispairing and to keepe vs from vnsetlednes and able to vphold vs in an infallible hope of a good issue euen before it come But to this end we must hold our selues fast to the prop of Gods promises and lye close to them as an anker and thus we being armed we shal see the Lords deliuerance for vs as clearely as we may discerne the arrow to flie in the ayre It is a great point of wisedome to learne of God thus to beare our trials and troubles that first we commit the ordering and disposing of them to him as Hester did by fasting and prayer of faith secondly that we vse all lawfull meanes whereby we may haue a good successe and end as she did in going to the king for helpe against Hamans diuellish deuises and then the third will follow that God will turne them to the best These three in one short verse the Prophet setteth downe together saying Commit thy way to God and be thou doing good and verily he will bring it to passe But if we will not be directed by the Lord in bearing our afflictions as the rebellious heart will be soone readie to cast off his yoke but will take counsell of flesh and bloud as Saul and many such haue done yea and Dauid at that one time though smally to his comfort then this shall follow either for want of preparing our selues meekely for them before they come or for not thankfully receiuing them when they are come they shall sore flaight and astonish vs and raise in our hearts such passions and distemperature as will vnsettle our whole course and bring vs out of frame In which estate as we shall be vtterly vnfit to any seruice of God so shall we be also vnmeet for any Christian societie with men we being so confounded in our selues for our vnwelcome troubles and so disguised in our speech countenance and behauiour by yeelding and giuing place to the frowardnesse and vnbridlednesse of our hearts By all which who doth not see that we do both adde new troubles vnto the former and make them which God sendeth vpon vs farre more grieuous then otherwise they should haue bene For all who haue experience can tell that the intemperance of our hearts and the impatience which is suffered to beare sway in vs do raise many distractions and vexations in our liues which we might else haue bene voide of and the Lords trials and fatherly chastisements are thereby made farre more irkesome vnto vs. And of this seuenth dutie thus much whereby we may see how necessarie it is for vs daily beside the well beginning of the day and care for right vsing our prosperitie moderately that we be also very watchfull that our afflictions breed no disorder in vs but be quietly borne that so all parts of our liues throughout the day and the whole course of our waies may be ordered commendably and aright that euen in the dayes of health and peace we looking for our chaunge and labouring to bring our hearts to more humilitie through continuall watching and oft and earnest prayer we may not onely not count it straunge when euen sharpe visitations shall take hold of vs but in respect of the end thereof which is to do vs much good we may with willingnesse receiue and go vnder them especially seeing as hath bene said our most louing father hath fully certified vs that he hath no other meaning in sending them And here marke that as poore and rich are both taught their dutie in common together so there is somewhat to be learned of them both seuerally the one to be more specially armed with contentation vnder his pouertie the other with humilitie and sobernesse for the right and well vsing of his wealth and plentie CHAP. 19. Of the declaration of the eighth dutie namely Of vsing religious exercises in our families VNTO all the former duties which we must labour to perfourme this is to be added to the end we may enioy as many liberties as we can that with the same wel gouerned heart which we haue bene taught to bring to the perfourming of them we look that both in the morning and at euen as it shall stand best with the well performing of
as appeareth by the parable of the talents deliuered to be occupied till it should be demanded how they were imployed and by that of the steward who was called to giue an account of his stewardship The account which shall then be demaunded shall be according to the doctrine which hath bene set downe in the foure remedies namely whether we haue not vsed them to the hurt and iniurying of others and how long and wherein And secondly whether we haue done good with thē as we in conscience haue seene our selues bound to do and as occasion hath bene offered Thirdly whether we haue not our selues yeelded to commit some noisome and fearefull sinnes for and by occasion of them which we should not otherwise haue bene bold to do And lastly whether we haue bene furthered by them to euerlasting life By this we see we may not deale and behaue our selues about these earthly commodities as we shall thinke good for we are but stewards and disposers of them as the owner our Lord and maister hath appointed Wherein as we haue failed we shall haue litle cause to reioyce considering that whatsoeuer we haue gotten and gained yet the worst is behind euen our account giuing which we shall not be able to yeeld no not one of a thousand And though I deny not but there is mercy with the Lord and plentifull redemption yet it is that he may be feared of vs for the time to come in occupying our goods and talents as he hath commaunded and it is also for them that tremble when in remembring and thinking how ill they haue vsed them they say penitently within themselues What haue we done But to the rest shall be tribulation and anguish when they not wisely casting their reckoning before shall be vrged to it by the Lord they being vtterly vnready for it In this regard therefore as in all the former we see good cause to withstand carefully this sinne of worldlinesse These are the remedies and reasons which perswade to giue a foile to this couetousnesse now heare the direction in few words how to vse them both For although we know them yet if they do but swimme in our braine and be talked of now and then they shall be so farre off from doing vs the good they may do that we shall the rather deceiue our selues with a false conceit of practising them when yet we remaine drowned in some grosse point of worldlinesse still Therfore it is necessarie that we nourish and retaine a mind willing to see and find out what is amisse in vs this way and then as the sins of this kind are most daungerous and many that therefore we force our selues from day to day to stoupe and submit our selues in an honest and good heart to vse these remedies and be perswaded by these reasons till we find ease by them through practise of them that is a ready mind to vse the world soberly and aright and desirous lest we should deceiue our selues through selfe-loue both to learne by the publicke ministerie and by our priuate reading as also by the helpe of any faithfull brother which can shew vs what blemish remaineth to annoy and hurt vs. Thus vsing both remedies and reasons from time to time for this must be no worke of a dayes or a yeares continuance with feruent prayer to God both to see and cast out such excrements we shall not need to doubt but that we shall be blessed in our worke And yet this I will adde because I know that the matter which I haue set downe for the redresse of couetousnesse will sauour but harshly in the tast of worldly minded Christians that I do not in all that I haue sayd speake or except against any libertie that God alloweth his people about the vse of the world for some will be ready so to gather For concerning skill and wisedome in mens trades dealings and occupyings I am so farre from counting them points or properties of couetousnesse that I hold them for comely ornaments if they be not choaked and ouer-growne with the weedes of their corruptions Yea I say more that ignorance and vnskilfulnesse if ye except the contrarie extremities subtilty and craftinesse is one of the greatest occasions of euill dealing among men Also I deny not but that forecasting and thrifty prouidence in a familie is both lawfull and meete and that no more be spent then for necessarie and comfortable vse to make prouision also of things needfull in the fittest time so as it be without fraudulent dealing in fore-hand bargaines also good husbandrie warinesse in their doings sure bindings of men in their contracts and couenants and sufficient securitie for mortalitie sake euen betwixt the best by writings or witnesse and a taking heed of suretiship as Salomon willeth that one be not vndone by another diligence also in mens callings with such other like religion and Gods word alloweth them all And all to this end that the more outward dangers a man can auoide the more free he may be to liue godly But seeing it falleth out commonly that the wisest are the worldliest and these fore-mentioned liberties are much abused of earthly minds and such do too easily passe their bounds and much nigardly nipping go vnder the cloake of frugalitie and honest sparing therefore these fore-mentioned liberties which being well vsed are also commendable vertues grow into ill report among the ignorant and vnstayed which otherwise are not reproachfull neither deserue any blame And this I haue spoken to meet with an obiection which might rise in the minds of some by occasion of that which went before And if this content them not they shew themselues iustly to be suspected of worse meaning then in their obiection they pretend As for them who say If they had riches they might ioynt their enemies and stand against them and do many other things which now they cannot for want of them it is not worth the answering For God doth not giue these his blessings to men to bestow them on their lusts but to profitable and necessarie vses And where men do not make that reckoning of them and learne not to be maisters ouer them rather then to be seruants and slaues to them what one among a thousand is the better but the worse for them And therefore to a reasonable man I would say What if we could in diet and apparell countenance and controling of others flourish and please our selues also in other iolity libertie and exercise what were we the better All men see that we may want these better then the pairing of our nailes and that we may please God better without them and that we shall not haue so many things to let and hinder vs if we be free from them We haue promise of sufficiencie if we desire to liue vnder his gouernemnt and without that cursed is all plentie But here an end of this matter
So sundry persons in the new Testament as Timothy Demetrius Priscilla and Aquila who were well reported of All which with others as they are set foorth for vs to follow so who doubteth but that they found in their liues more sweetnesse and delight then others who were also Gods children as well as they but not so free from manifest crimes and open sinnes as they Now when they are thus kept from grieuous and shamefull falles it followeth most necessarily that euen thereby they be kept also from sore and great punishments as Psal 91.11 forasmuch as these alwaies follow them By this that hath beene said it may without any difficultie be gathered what great liberties the true Christian hath giuen him of God But seeing such as haue not experience of that which I say do hardly thinke it to be true it shall be necessarie for such to know another thing and that is this That God hath made such a way to the performing of all this that I haue spoken of that he sheweth vs how this may be done with delight which we know putteth away tediousnesse both the practising of the Christian life which I spake of before and the renouncing of the contrary sinnes which I now speake of And this maketh both the braunches of this priuiledge to be of exceeding value and excellencie that whereas godlinesse is so vnsauorie yea wearisome to the most yea euen vnto many such as will talke much of it and preach it also in the meane while this should be inioied of any by the grace and goodnesse of God That they may turne from their old sinnes and contrarily serue him with delight And that the true Christian may reioice in the doing of the will of God our Sauiour Christ who in all obedience to the commandements was willing to be an example to vs professing to his disciples that it was his meat and drinke to doe his fathers will taught vs also who are his members and one with him that we should endeuour after the same and may obteine to make it our meat and drinke to doe that which is pleasing to God And although I am not ignorant that we cannot haue the fulnesse of reioiceing in doing good duties yet if there were not much graunted vnto vs in that behalfe for all our strength of sinne that remaineth in vs the Lord would not haue saide that he hath made his yoke that is obedience to his worde easie for vs and his burthen as the flesh counteth it to be gentle and light to vs. Which Saint Iohn interpreting sheweth how saying All gain-saying power of the deuill himselfe is resisted by faith that is while we beleeue that God will giue vs strength and victory against the same Againe if we might not be able to finde sweetnesse and pleasure in this walking with God why would the Lord himselfe say in Deuteronomy Reioice before the Lord in all that thou shalt set thy hand vnto that is goe about throughout the day and in another place why would he reprooue Israell for not seruing him in ioyfulnesse and gladnesse whereby God teacheth that this grace should be laboured after in our particular callings that the husbandman artificer magistrate and preacher should and may walke in their vocation with chearefulnesse who yet if they doe their duties as it behoueth them shall most hardly doe it of all the rest and the same I say of the poore man and the seruant and of all that walke in a lawfull calling seeing they serue in Gods worke Which would not a little repaire their liues and increase their comfort ouer it is now with the most of them who goe to their worke as slaues and as the horse and oxe onely for their bellies sake and not seruing God in doing their worke to men So that we knowing this that we may be mery and euen finde delight in the heauenly life and in flying the corrupt behauiour and bad example that is in the world and that with much more contentation and freedome from feare then the carnall gospeller in all that his eie coueteth or his soule longeth after what would we desire more Euen as the psalmist saith what greater pleasure would we wish or better thing desire All the pleasures of the earth are not to be compared with this wisdome to be perswaded that Gods seruice is perfect freedome and that it is sound pleasure to walke with him And to say the trueth our life must needs be mopish and tedious if it were not thus and all that we doe should goe vntowardly forward as the froward seruant which is sent against his will goeth awkely about his businesse But God making it delight and pleasure to vs we may set our hearts thereupon not by fits but minde it wholly for the most part and principally aboue all other matters which yet when we knew no better did wholly take vs vp and affect vs for where the treasure is there is the heart and looke what a man delighteth in that will oft and euery while come to remembrance and be thought vpon and by that meanes it is no more tedious and wearisome as sometime it was but the cheefest matter of al other that possesseth vs. Therefore the prophet of God when he would in a certaine place speake of the delight that he had in the statutes of God he addeth this as a fruit thereof That he had them continually in remembrance and did not forget them And thus it commeth to passe that many of Gods servants may be seene to be drawen vp vnto God and in their speech behauiour and whole course to bend this way more then other to minde heauenly things in such wise as other maruell thereat the cause is this They be resolutely perswaded that their labour is not lost that way yea rather that it is the pleasantest estate and they finde delight therein And therefore they need not be as others whose hearts are strongly carried after strange desires but through Gods guiding of them they may be set on things heauenly seeing they haue made them their delight and ioy Oh weigh what an exceeding priuiledge this is that both praier and practise of duty whereto we were sometime not vntoward onely but euen rebellious against it should willingly be taken in hand now and become pleasure in stead of deadly toile yea what a freedome and liberty is it that we should make it our trade to aime at the seruing of God in all things so farre as our knowledge serueth vs And as the godly way is become easie to them and daily regarded of them after that it once waxeth pleasant to them euen so their old delights I meane the lusts of their ignorance grow loathsome which they once thought impossible And yet concerning rebellion and contradiction they are not void of them for all their liberty and inlargement but are holden captiues thereof in
depriued of that which yet he was made to hope for Nay therefore the Scripture putteth it out of all doubt saying after That he triumphed ouer sathan in token that he had found nothing in him to ouerthrow him as he saith himselfe I haue fought a good fight I haue finished my course I haue kept the faith from henceforth is laid vp for me a crowne of righteousnesse Therefore we see how God keepeth his from shamefull euils while they beleeue that he will do so and maketh an holy and Christian life their comfort And yet all these and other such excellent priuiledges which appertaine vnto them are no more then God did see they should stand in need of as I said in the former priuiledge to helpe them beare the burden of tribulation reproch and other discouragements which heere meet with them which would shake them so as they would make them to faint vtterly if they were not vpholden with props and staies most mighty CHAP. 6. Of the fourth priuiledge How the godly may rise againe when they are fallen THe fourth priuiledge doth most fitly goe and agree with these three former although much differing from them and therefore I doe adioine it as the next in order thereto And it is this that if at any time his beloued ones doe by any occasion fall from their setled course into any offence whereby their consciences are wounded and accuse them or be by strong delusion perswaded that God is highly displeased with them yet this liberty they haue giuen them of God to returne to him with certaine perswasion that he wil neuer cast them off but will receiue them into fauour againe from which it seemed to them that they were debarred whereas they who were neuer conuerted vnto God can haue no such warrant neither desire it vnlesse it be in their feare And yet I speake not this as though I went about to debar such from imbracing Gods mercy offered them who I exhort earnestly to seeke it speedily But as for the other there is no iust cause why they should cast away their confidence and doubt or feare that the Lord hath forsaken them as the most of them through ignorance and vnbeleefe doe too readily conceiue and perswade themselues For if any of them sinne they haue an Aduocate with the father Iesus Christ the righteous who is a propitiation for their sinnes to the end they may be incouraged to rise vp out of their falles againe And if it were not thus that they might be receiued againe after some grieuous offence what incouragement were there to any Christian to striue against sinne and seeke to liue godly seeing one time or other the frowardest may be ledde into that sinne which he neuer thought he should haue beene deceiued by So that God would haue vs know not onely that we may rise vp from our falles and returne to him againe as to our father but also he commandeth vs so to do and looketh for it at our hands and is offended if we doe it not as may plainely appeare by his owne wordes in the prophet Ieremy Doe men fall and not rise againe or goe out of the way and not returne I waited and looked and there was no man that said What haue I done If God wait and looke for it that such as haue peruersly offended should returne and taketh it ill at their hands that they doe not is it to be doubted whether they may or no Yet more may be said to this purpose Me thinks that which our sauiour Christ speaketh to Peter is admirable who was not content to teach him this doctrine among other Of the returne of a straying sheepe but because he would strongly arme him against dispaire at the time when he should fall into that deepe gulfe of denying him he saith vnto him Simon Simon Sathan hath desired you to sift you as it were wheat but I haue praied for thee that thy faith faile not and when thou shalt be conuerted strengthen thy brethren Wherein most louingly and wisely although couertly hee forewarneth him that though Sathan should driue him farre from his standing and almost gleane him out from the rest of his fellows as an Apostate yet for all that he should not remaine separate from him through vnbeleefe afraide to come home to him againe but in any wise thinke that he must returne and for more sure token thereof he should afterward cōuert others seeing by his experience he should be best able to perswade them as hauing most deeply fallen himself and therefore might hardliest of others haue beene raised vp againe and pardoned And to a singular end did the Lord Iesus speake thus to him and in fit season lest Peter after his fall should haue beene affraid to arise for which cause also he did incourage him when sending to his disciples to meet him in Galily he expressely named Peter among the rest saying Go tell the disciples and Peter that I goe before them into Galily lest Peter should else haue thought that he had not bin worthy to be counted a disciple Mar. 16.7 And if it were not so that all weake ones falling by any occasion might be raised vp againe and the poore wandring soules brought home but must vtterly perish and be lost to what end should these and many other like Scriptures serue Brethren if any be fallen by infirmitie thou that art spirituall that is hast more strength of the spirit then they helpe to hold them vp in the spirit of meekenesse that so they may be fast setled in their former faith and hope againe And also the parable of the straying sheepe vpon the mountaines which with all diligence was sought vp againe till it were found and not let goe and lost for euer Besides who knoweth not that it is one vse of the ministery of the word as we reade in the prophet Ezekiel to strengthen confirme and stablish those who hauing had a taste of the life to come yet are haled and caried from their staied course by the deceitfulnesse of sinne and the world also to heale the sicke and to binde vp the broken c For the which cause the Apostle desired to come to the Thessalonians often to supplie that which might be wanting in any of them and if a man must oft and in great iniuries remit his brother will not God who teacheth others to be mercifull doe much more Therefore this ought to be out of all question and controuersie that the brother who hath forsaken the good way which leadeth to life and is intangled in the world or snared in the false and deceiueable pleasures of it or any other way is turned aside after sathan yet is not cast off from being cared for of the Lord but hath large liberty and great incouragement to returne contrary to that cursed opinion of the Nouatian heretikes Which if it be so who
and doctrine with all their might it is because they are not they whom they would be taken to be that is sound-hearted But then could it not be a priuiledge properly belonging to the children of God if hard-hearted or double-minded persons might be partakers of it But they labouring to shake off godly sorrow for their sinne and checke of conscience all that they can and as long as they are able by mirth and pastime or in continuance of time to forget it if for all their shifting fencing it off the Lord sometime strike them with terrour and holde them vnder by strong hand and cause them to quake yet they doe not seeke his face but either bow themselues onely for a day like a bul-rush as Ahab or els they are swallowed vp into vtter despaire as Iudas Neither can such haue any release at all So much the greater fauour let others I meane Gods seruants count it that they may in their repentance for their sinne hope stedfastly for pardon yea and ought to say euery one vnto their soules Turne vnto thy rest O my soule for the Lord hath heard thy grones and reiecteth not thy prayers Why art thou cast downe and disquieted within me wait on God he is my present helpe for he is more ready to grant than we to aske For if the sonne of God make them free then are they free indeed An exceeding priuiledge is this to them and therefore who seeth not that they resting thus perswaded may be of good comfort For indeed this priuiledge is giuen of God as a remedie and therefore may and ought of all that haue need of it to be receiued and by all meanes to be imbraced which if it be forthwith the wound and sore is healed which yet without such a medicine and helpe had beene desperate and vncurable a remedy farre vnlike to popish contrition confession auricular to a priest and their blasphemous satisfaction Oh therefore that this might enter deeply and were thorowly setled in the hearts of such as mourne and pine away for that they haue prouoked God to anger Oh that they knew that their teares are put into the bottle of gods remembrance and how ready he is to receiue them into fauour and to blot out all their offences who hath therefore said See that yee despise not one of these little ones and againe Reioice and be glad yee that mourne in Sion c. for I will dwell in the middest of you and to his prophets and ministers Comfort my people comfort them at the heart And further I say Oh that such had beene rightly grounded in faith at the first which hath beene as much or rather more the fault of the vnskilfull builder and teacher of them then their owne For this may most truely be affirmed that for want of well grounding them they haue vpon euery light and small occasion beene shaken and vnsetled in their faith as in the least accusation of their conscience in any affliction or in the feare of death But if they could see the bountifulnesse of gods loue towards them how vnwoorthy soeuer they seeme in their owne eies they should not goe so long heauy and disquieted suffering the enemie to oppresse them and as though there were no hope for them in their God But yet I say this on the other side Oh that some did not looke too hastily to be receiued into fauour and vse meanes too slightly for the same yea I say againe Oh that some did not too prophanely or blockishly and ceremoniously seeke to God and returne to him in holownesse of heart which maner of abasing themselues doeth hold them in a woorse case then the other And thus to drawe to an end of this matter I trust it doth appeare what a singular priuiledge this is that the Lord graunteth free accesse to those who after their conuersion haue sinned any way against their conscience to bewaile their sinne before him and to be perswaded of forgiuenesse of the same which being knowen of them they need not hold backe from him as manie of his deare children for a long time haue done but come home againe and that earely seeing God who hath smitten them will heale them and he who hath called himselfe a God of great compassion and mercy would haue his poore people to feele and inioy it The same I say likewise of dulnesse idlenesse vnprofitable barrennesse of the heart and such other corruptions which are wont to quench the worke of gods spirit in his children and to be the seed of many cursed euils the Lords will is that they should beleeue that he will giue them strength to weaken them as well as forgiue them and that they should thereby be incouraged to shake them off and breake out of them which if they were perswaded that they might doe would incourage them more heartily to resist and stop them CHAP. 7. Of the fifth priuiledge namely The gracious helpes by which he hath graunted them to grow in faith and godlinesse ALl this that hath beene said of these foure priuiledges last mentioned will be graunted in generall to be true I doubt not for all professors are literall and speculatiue Christians they say and doe not But when this doctrine should be brought to vse of them in particulars and when they are to be pressed with the practise of it then many will answer They hope that it doeth not appertaine to them neither are they able they say thus to hold stedfastly the certaintie of gods fauour by faith and to subdue and ouercome their sinnes to lead a godly life nor to rise vp againe when they haue fallen dangerously thereby shewing that they doe not looke to be ledde by the word in their actions but I go not about to perswade such that they haue any part in these priuiledges And they might speake with good reason obiecting thus of all other as well as of themselues if God had not appointed and taught them by what helpes and meanes they may doe this But therefore we are to know that God hath bestowed this priuiledge vpon his children ouer and beside the former that by such meanes and helpes as he hath acquainted them with and taught them to vse they may be able to inioy the foresaid liberties which without them and by their owne strength they can not so much as go about and to preuaile so farre by inioying them that they may finde their liues more sweet and comfortable then other can in what estate or condition soeuer if they haue not their part in them And that it may be seene that these helpes are priuiledges as I haue said behold it briefely in the particular helpes and especially such are to be vsed daily as for example What a benefit is it that by praier we may come vnto our God for whatsoeuer we haue need of that is good for vs and may obtaine it that we may come
forasmuch as God hath giuen this liberty as a singular priuiledge to his people to vse these helpes constantly and continually it is our part to see whether we doe so or not or whether we suffer our selues to be plucked away with the errour of the wicked and so fall from our stedfastnesse For if we finde not our liues and our whole course in all dealings and affaires through the day to be so passed as that we haue peace to God-ward throughout and with peace lie downe at euen it is our owne sinne God hath taught vs and also prouided how it might haue beene otherwise with vs if we had beene but as carefull to finde it as we were carefull about our liuing and maintenance or to seeke vp a straied beast which we had lost and to bring it into the pasture againe And to speake more plainely if we doe not so begin the day with thanksgiuing confession of sinne and praier when we may doe it conueniently and so arme our selues with the whole armour of a Christian so watch and pray after so vse Christian exercise in family and remember Gods bounty towards vs and lastly so looke backe to our passing of the day that we may see by all these that we haue beene guided by God and that we haue beene holden in our course without any iust cause to wound our conscience then it is the diuill who hath detained and kept our right from vs and depriued vs of so good a portion as our God hath bequeathed vs when he shewed himselfe willing to haue had it otherwise And whither through ignorance we know not how to be safely led through the day or that which is little better although we know yet for slougth or for that we loue darkenesse more then light we let passe many knowen duties or suffer sundry offences to passe from vs in the day it is all one as if we would suffer our selues to be depriued of our owne proper inheritance by some cousener who shall tell vs that it belongeth not vnto vs when yet we are able to shew cleare and sufficient euidence for it For when the Lord shall say Let no man take away your crowne then the diuell sheweth himselfe manifestly in detaining it from vs. And therefore we must remember that to vse these helpes rightly is no bondage nor seruitude as men of the world count them who straine themselues and striue mightily to be deliuered from the holy and spirituall vse of them and not to be tied thereto we must rather be perswaded that they are most precious liberties peculiar to gods deerest seruants and a singular benefit of God that in such a dead world and frozen age as we liue in we may be counted meet and made able to honour our God which to most men is tedious and to haue peace with him throughout the day and that we may be taught of him to vse the helpes thereto which others are well content not to be acquainted with And if we be throughly perswaded of this that it is a libertie a benefit and honour to vs to hold our mindes willing from day to day to the reuerent vse of them and be resolued that we haue no worke more needfull to be done of vs any day then this we shall not need to doubt of such fruit heereof as is not to be repented of euen such as will cause vs to confesse that the meanes and helps to grow in godlinesse and a minde to vse them daily against the discouragements and hinderances of the day are a singular prerogatiue to a Christian And otherwise how precious soeuer they be in themselues yet if we thinke not so of them but shall be well content by euerie light occasion to omit and neglect them or sleightly and houerly to passe them ouer I testifie that we shall get no good by them no more than the common sort do but as they haue lost their beautie with vs so we shall lose our fruit of them Consider what I say and the Lord giue thee vnderstanding For be this knowen to the profanest and proudest contemner of God which seldome and onely for fashion doth pray or heare a sermon that these helps whereby we grow constant in a Christian life are not of little account because they are so with him but that they are so glorious that he is not woorthy of them nor to reape the profit that commeth by them his light esteeming of them causeth me to set the more by them his vnsauourinesse that he findeth in them and wearinesse of them causeth me to commend them the more highly and the more to admire the Lords kindnesse to me who maketh them so sweet and gainfull to me which are to him very gall and wormewood For otherwise how could they properly be called priuiledges if they were a like precious to good and to bad or were in as good reckoning with the one as with the other For the euill sort are not perswaded thus of them therefore they finde nothing They either know not these helps which may truely be said of the most of them or if they doe yet they know not how to vse them in faith especially I may say not constantly one day as another or one of them aswel as another that it may go better with their soules thereby but thinke that though they vse them not at all it is no great matter and if they doe vse them though it be but in ceremonie and neuer so houerly then they thinke that euen for that very cause they highly please God Which maner of vsing them is neuer able to proue to them what fruit and benefit may be reaped by them But we who beleeue in him may know them and rightly practise them though full weakly at some time we do it and looke for fruit by them and inioy it and when we see what blessing he giueth vs therof as he doth and that very great to the end that we may haue the better experience how manie waies he keepeth promise with vs and how he inricheth vs then we waxe more constant therein and are the more hardly withdrawen by any occasions from holding out in the same This I say we may do although with griefe it may be spoken that many euen of vs are too farre off from inioying this libertie as we might do But let all such know that it is their owne sinne who cannot therefore praise God for this sweet helpe while they be not the better for it Therefore to shut vp this point let this be perswaded to all Gods faithfull seruants that he hath of singular fauour giuen the helps which settle them in a Christian life as a great prerogatiue and priuiledge and therefore when vnder colour of weaknesse we yeeld to the waiwardnesse of our hearts which are soone vntoward to these gracious helps and wearie of them we must repent of such vnthankfulnesse and of
it as they are directed and as many of them also haue done sometime that they may see themselues to goe forward I appoint to them no new or strange way but faithfulnesse and constancy in keeping of that which already hath beene shewed them and the same or like direction for the daily gouerning of themselues which hath already bene set downe to them assuring themselues that God will not be wanting from time to time in blessing the same vnto them Then as the corne rooted in good ground through the blessing of God by seasonable weather becommeth farre vnlike that in few moneths which it was at the new comming vp and appearing aboue the ground so shall they by the same meanes daily continued reuerently and in faith become farre vnlike themselues which they were at their first beginning and they shall finde as I haue said through the same shine and dew of Gods blessing that increase which before they neuer looked for But seeing there are many of Gods deere seruants who being by the malice of the diuill either altogether depriued of teaching or seldome taught or not so taught that they may grow heere I am inforced to bewaile their estate and mourne with them exorting all such that as they see any further light and liberty then in times past so they indeauour to goe forward though they cannot attaine to that which others may And withall I say vnto the other which may profit better as hauing greater helpes that they forslow not the time nor neglect to reape the benefit daily which thereby is offered them For as in the glory of the kingdome of heauen the highest degree of happines shall be inioied because men shall then be wholly subiect vnto God and obey him willingly in all things so the next is to be more subiect to his will and in more things and vpon better ground and to be better acquainted with the minde of God and his secrets then in times past which may make them more forward then when they first beleeued As for them which thinke there is no nearer fellowship to be inioied with God while they are heere on earth then they themselues haue attained vnto nor any greater measure of grace then they are partakers of let them inioy their opinion alone till they be ashamed of it let vs rather hope to the further glorifying of God to see that to be our ordinary diet which hath beene sometimes our banquetting cheere I meane to be able better and better to reioice in all things that we goe about through the day whereas sometime we could scarsely doe it at any time in the day and in nothing be discouraged whiles we haue the Lord both in precept and promise to goe before vs. Little perswasion should need heereunto if mens hearts were set vpon this Christian course as they are vpon deceitfull vanities It is not seene with bodily eie and therefore slender credit is giuen to it It is almost vnknowen what bewty and contentation the beleeuing soule findeth in it and therefore in small request no not with many of the better sort and therefore few grow vp to that which they might But ô earthly peace and prosperity an especiall occasion of this through the deceitfulnesse of the heart how hast thou wounded many with thy outward and flattering looke by meanes whereof they cannot loue that which should be their greatest glory And of this priuiledge thus much CHAP. 13. Of the ninth priuiledge That the beleeuers shall perseuere vnto the end NOw out of this proceedeth another as necessarily as it selfe ariseth out of the former and that is Perseuerance vnto the end and continuance in faith and repentance For as he which groweth to excell himselfe in all goodnesse must first of necessitie make a beginning be rooted wel setled therein so he which increaseth daily more and more shall at length make a good end proportionable at least vnto his course of life For the faithfull Christian hauing obtained of the Lord a delight in his seruice and by the same a proceeding from grace to grace he maketh an easie way for him to perseuerance graunting this vnto him as another priuiledge That he shall not reuolt and turne aside with the workers of iniquitie but shall holde out in this holy course vnto his end This appeareth to be true by the Scripture which saith Hee which hath begun this good worke in his will also finish and make an end of the same Agreeable heerunto is that saying of our Sauior This is the Fathers wil which hath sent me that of all which he hath giuen me I should lose nothing but should raise it vp againe at the last day And againe None shall take them out of my hands Therefore if God will finish the worke that he hath begun in his children if he will keepe them safe vntill all danger be past that is to the day of the resurrection and if none shall take them out of his hands it is manifest that all such as are grafted into Christ by faith and who haue beene effectually called into the number of Gods children through the preaching of the Gospell vnto the sure and certaine hope of eternall life setting their faces daily toward the same shall be safely conducted home and abide in the same estate vnto the end But as great a benefit as it is That they shall continue to the end yet if the Lord would hide it from them and keepe them from the knowledge of it it should be much lesser and therfore this is further to be added that they which know themselues to be the Lords may also know that they shall be preserued and kept safe against all aduersarie power of the deuill and his instruments and so perseuere vnto the end For although it seeme to be a mysterie and a secret that the determinate will and counsell of God concerning this matter should be knowen yet it is a secret vnto such only as lie in darkenesse in the shadow of death which through vnbeleefe are not able to see into it because it is a mystery but the secret of the Lord is not hidden from his owne seruants but shall in time be reuealed vnto them whom because he calleth his friends therefore he sheweth them his will and minde in the most precious secrets which it is expedient for them to know For by often hearing the doctrine of perseuerance plainly preached vnto them God draweth their hearts to beleeue it that as they heare the Lord will perfect the good worke which he hath begunne in his people and withall doe know themselues to be his people so they hold this in persuasion though they see not how by any thing in themselues that he will continue his fauour towards them vnto their end For they which know that they shall haue eternall life must needs also know that they shall be kept by God in this present world from all
mightily preuaile we beleeuing withall that he is faithfull who hath promised and calleth vs heereto who will also doe the same to quicken vs to the bearing of the burden though otherwise heauy and in it selfe intollerable Also in another sort these The afflictions of this present life are not worthy of the glory which shall be shewed vnto vs And againe Our light affliction which is but for a moment causeth vnto vs a farre more excellent and eternall weight of glory while we looke not on the things temporall which are seene but on things not seene which are eternall Also If we suffer with Christ we shall also be glorified with him All which duely considered with the like are able to make vs bow to the bearing of such difficulties as our mercifull father shall see meet to try vs with The examples of our Sauiour his Apostles and other holy martirs whom we count blessed which haue suffered for a good conscience haue no small force to perswade vs. Of our Sauiour it is said when the holy Ghost wisheth Christians to run with patience the race that is set before them Looke to Iesus the author and finisher of your faith who for the ioy that was set before him indured the crosse and despised the shame and is set at the right hand of the throne of God Consider therefore him that indured such speaking against of sinners lest yee should be wearied and faint in your mindes Of the Apostles Paule writeth this We are afflicted on euery side yet are we not in distresse we are persecuted but not forsaken cast downe but we perish not alwaies deliuered to death for Iesus sake that the life of Iesus may be made manifest in our mortall flesh And againe Chastened but not killed sorrowing yet alwaies reioicing as poore yet making many rich as hauing nothing yet possessing all things Of the Martyrs this is said They were tried with mockings and scourgings yea moreouer by bonds and imprisonment they were stoned they were hewen asunder they were slaine with the sword they wandred vp and downe in sheepe skinnes and in goat skinnes being destitute afflicted and tormented whom the world was not woorthy of they wandred in wildernesses and mountaines and dennes and caues of the earth Oh how should these glorious examples with those who suffred death ioifully in our remembrance for the gospell I say how should they draw our hearts and incourage vs to set light by our liues when the Lord will require them at our hands And to adde the fourth and last kind of perswasions to set vs forward in this worke of the Lord which is hindred in vs not a little by thinking what we forgoe and leaue behinde vs if we should be ready to suffer persecution for Christs sake as our pleasures profits preferments friends to this I answere Besides that our Sauiour saith Whosoeuer forsaketh house or brethren or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands for my sake and the gospels shall receiue an hundredfold now at this present and in the world to come life euerlasting I say beside this alas what a poore life is this that we lead heere where few haue any great store of pleasures and commodities if they be religoius yet if they haue they haue them with much sorrow feare and vnquietnesse though they haue lawfully come by them And yet besides the vncertainty of them and of life it selfe with reproch vnkindnesses malice ill will and disdaine of our betters the lewd tongues of our inferiors and the repining and emulation of our equals and the wearyings of vs by all sorts vnto the which we are subiect why should there be such shrinking and going backe at the hearing of persecution and death I confesse if it were not for the communion of Saints which we haue in this world with God and his church there is nothing of any weight to mooue a Christian to desire to liue heere especially when the Lord calleth him hence and yet the forgoing of Gods presence in this world is recompenced largely with the inioying of it in the life to come which is alwaies to be preferred before the best estate that may be heere inioied Oh it is not the least peece of our misery that we seeing what little good may be done of vs heere but contrarily how great cause of complaining we haue for that we are led by the law of our members so many waies to euill that we be not for all this able to say euery day Come lord Iesus come quickely we desire to be dissolued and to be with Christ But to end this discourse seeing God hath taught his children to prouide for the hardest and how they may perseuer in a good course vnto the end euen through great tribulations and persecutions and much more when they haue an easier passage without them let this be holden as the greatest of all the rest that they haue this as a singular prerogatiue granted them of God and that thereby they may say in reuerence and confidence Nothing shall separate vs from God neither life nor death neither things present nor things to come And let not this honor and liberty be lost which all the goods of the world cannot redeeme nor buy againe And therefore let vs nourish daily the hope of this perseuerance First by keeping in vs a willingnesse to die as sometimes we doe and so shall we be fit to liue Secondly that we vse oft to meditate of the vanity of all things and of the contempt of the world and set our mindes on things heauenly that so we may preserue and continue that liberty Thirdly that we hold fast our reioicing in Christ daily Fourthly that we mortifie all sinne and keepe it out of loue with vs which is a plucking out of the sting of sinne Fiftly that we inure our selues to beare smaller afflictions which is a part of denying our selues so we shall welcome and goe vnder greater when they come yea euen death it selfe And let vs know that he who indeauours not to hold fast these is like to finde any other estate harder and full of wearinesse And thus much be said of this priuiledge Of the perseuerance of the godly vnto their end and so of all the other which are inioied in this life All which although they be of so singular price as I haue declared yet if they had not other adioined vnto them which are immortall and perpetuall and should then be inioied when these temporary prerogatiues shall be at an end our liues should be but miserable as the Apostle speaketh when he saith If in this life onely we haue hope of Christ we are of all men the most miserable and yet both together vnmatchable CHAP. 14. Of the tenth and last priuiledge inioied perfectly in the life to come but begunne heere SO that when we haue had our part in all these then
commeth the greatest and that which maketh all these great and that is the pleasures at Gods right hand for euermore and the glory the vnspeakeable glory which was prepared and laid vp for vs before the beginning of the world And amongst all the other although this be by many degrees the chiefest yet I confesse that for the excellency thereof and for that I cannot see into the bewty of it as I doe somewhat into the other whereof I haue some experience I confesse I say that I cannot expresse to my contentation my minde about the same and do feare that in speaking of it I shall rather make it seeme lesse then if I said nothing yet somewhat seeing this place doth so require This estate therefore of the faithfull after this life the scripture setteth out by earthly comparisons and similitudes to our capacity for that we are not able to conceiue the same if in it owne nature it were described vnto vs and especially by the resemblances of those things which we doe most affect and delight in as honour treasure riches bewty friends pleasure ioy inheritance and possession of our owne Behold therefore heere prepared for thee ô happy Christian an habitation not made with hands but euerlasting in heauen an inheritance immortall vndefiled c. not purchased with gold and siluer but with a farre more excellent price for what is more desired then to liue with our friends But lift vp thine eies and see how God hath prepared for thee the company of the celestiall spirits namely his holy angels and elect people to eat and drinke with at his table for euermore I meane to haue fellowship with them and to dwell with Iesus Christ and his blessed Apostles Prophets Martyrs friends kinred and acquaintance which is the highest degree of the communion of Saints Pleasure and ioy how is it sought after yea what is welcome without them And that thou maist know that the Lord hath liberally prouided for thee this way know and vnderstand that the ioy which there is possessed is such as it causeth a continuall singing and thanksgiuing And what honour can be greater then to be the kings sonnes and daughters yea to raigne triumphantly after we haue ouercome death sinne hell the deuill the greatest enemies that euer were conquered The like I might say of the rest And all these priuiledges are so much the greater because as their habitation it selfe is permanent and euerlasting so are all the treasures which are inioied therein euerlasting also And therefore the precious things of the kingdome of heauen are said to be such as no eie hath seene no eare hath heard neither is the heart of man able to conceiue The happinesse of princes hath beene inioied and therefore is knowen what and how great it is which prooueth that it is in no sort to be compared to this Neither is it any maruell seeing one day in the courts of the Lord euen in this life is better then a thousand else-where euen in a princes palace therefore in the estate of glory after this life how much more And yet further this is not to be neglected that when the wicked shall be at their wits end and smitten with horror weeping wailing and gnashing of teeth euen then shall the faithfull inioy this infinite varietie of heauenly blessings which if it were possible for them to haue a dreadfull feare and perswasion of losing and forgoing would be an exceding and intolerable torment vnto them Besides we that liue now in this corrupt estate of the world for it was not so in the beginning and behold the varietie of Gods creatures replenishing the world the beasts of the field the fishes of the sea the fowles of the aire the Sunne Moone and starres furnishing the vpper parts aboue vs the trees corne and grasse beautifying these inferiour parts of the earth beneath vs if we might haue seene all these in their perfection with him which was made Lord of them euen man when he was yet without sinne in the world what a glorious habitation should it haue beene And yet but as a court-yard or entrie into a kings palace should it haue beene in respect of the heauenly mansion which is the celestiall Ierusalem for this is called but his footstoole but heauen is his throne And therfore if the Lord did so adorne this earth as that it is yet full of admiration to see but the prints of his glory his power and wisedome therein and yet it is but for a season euen a while to be a place of refreshing for vs who can thinke how magnificent the kingdome of heauen is which with all the infinite commodities he hath made to be a perpetuall habitation and dwelling place for all his beloued ones And so likewise it is an high degree of prosperitie to be inlightned to see by faith but in this world the sweet life of a Christian yet is this but a taste of heauen and a day there is better then a thousand elsewhere and the prerogatiues of a Christian are admirable When Paule was wrapt into the third heauen had heard things that were not to be vttered it is said that he was lift vp with the aboundance of reuelation and When Christ was but transformed that his garments did shine as the sunne Peter was astonished how much more then with this glory which in the former are but dimly represented As for the further describing of it by the particular kindes of pleasures and delights to the body and euery part of it and euery sense partaining to it and to the soule likewise which some haue taken vpon them to affirme and set out the Lord hauing said no such thing himselfe of the kinds of pleasures which are to be inioied there I leaue it as a bold coniecture of mans braine and fitter for the popish cleargy to teach to their superstious company who as their whole forme of their worshipping of God is outward grosse and carnall with Sonnets and sounds to please the eare and praier-like sights to delight the eie but that worship which is in spirit and truth is not in vse with them so they imagine as grosly of the delights which are in heauen that part of them are in the exceeding sweetnesse to the sense of smelling maruellous pleasure to the sense of tasting and so of handling they speake answerably I will not I say wade further then I may wade safely what the kindes and varietie of pleasures are particularly which the righteous are partakers of the Lord hath not reuealed vnto me and therefore I am not ashamed to say I know not It is enough that I am sure they are so great and many that they cannot be once thought of according to their woorthinesse no not of the wisest who can see furthest and enter most deepely into matters Onely this I will say and with this I will end That
the things which they leame therein what is the happiest estate of life that heere can be inioied euen that which hath the promises of this life and of that which is to come They grow wise in obseruing that God verifieth indeed all that he hath spoken in his word and not a iotte thereof doth faile and therefore they become more resolute euery day against all euill and sinne because they see that God will be reuenged vpon euery euill way and that it is certaine if they sinne as others doe he smiteth and they grow to see that he keepeth promise towards his who rest on him euen in their greatest streights Which how great a benefite it is may be gathered by this that it bringeth most neare communion with God by his spirit which worketh in them and which the world cannot receiue as our Sauiour saith He that loueth me shall be loued of my father and I will loue him and will shew my selfe vnto him He that keepeth my word as he shall be loued of my father so we will come to him and abide with him whereby he meaneth that he will make knowen his minde and will to them as familiarly as they which vse to conuerse one with another and eate and drinke together for the which cause also he calleth them his friends which doe the things which he commandeth them as to whom he will open euen his secret as men vse to doe to their friends and not to seruants For he loueth Zion his militant church which he hath chosen and will dwell there and delight in her more then all the habitations of Iacob that is then all other beside it And what fruite this neare communion with God doth bring which his faithfull seruants haue offered them it may easily be coniectured because as Salomon saith The heart of a friend resteth in his friend and a friend is neerer than a brother and if the perfection of loue be ioy there must needs be great ioy to Gods faithfull people when they are so deare to the Lord and he beloued of them so intirely Therefore as God giueth to his many comforts and that also he doth many waies and in many respects through the hope of eternall life through true praier and by a good conscience as hath beene said so in that they know his will and haue proofe of his familiarity with them as it pleaseth him to call it their ioy is yet more increased especially after a longer continued acquaintance with the Lord in his word And what is happinesse such I meane as in this present life may be inioied if this be not namely to partake all these with him thus to goe in and out before the Lord and to haue him thus the staffe of our comfort in al estates Which maketh ready to die and fit to liue and giueth greater gaine in both then in any other condition or course can be found and inioied yea this maketh the inioiers of it happy heere and certaine that afterwards they shall be happy for euer and though sathan doth much quaile this by occasion of troubles and our frailties yet it is certaine that it shall be recouered againe This in few words is that which I wish the true Christian reader to meditate on and consider which all Gods people haue so great need to inioy and partake by faith as it must needs grieue all that doe vnderstand and loue the excellency of it to see so many to be void thereof to whom yet the Lord hath graciously and freely bequeathed it And I pray God in most feruent maner to inlarge the hearts of all his good seruants that seeing many mourne in Sion and are holden downe with sundry and sore afflictions till they faint againe as though there were no comfort to be found for them to the easing of their heauy hearts that they may consider what the Lord hath prouided for the easing of them euen this to beleeue that all the forementioned priuiledges belong vnto them that though their sorrowes be many and great yet they may not driue them from hope in God but send them more earnestly to grone to him by praier that they may receiue and take these things to their comfort which he for that very cause hath committed to writing that those his children which are brought low and into distresse and almost to vtter despaire may lift vp their heads and reioice for so great hope of redemption and deliuerance at hand comming towards them And this will recompence aboundantly all the labour that hath beene taken and need no more be lost when it is once inioied And therefore if the beleeuers may know by Gods word that they haue a part in all the forementioned prerogatiues and therefore delight in his word which bringeth such tidings to them if they may thereby be made acquainted with that maner of conuersation which pleaseth God best and maketh most for their owne comfort and by his spirit may haue communion with him which the world cannot haue I cōclude I say that the beleeuers haue great prerogatiues bequeathed them and that the priuiledges which God hath granted out vnto his beloued are most precious and worthy all labour and trauell to be come by And that I say no more of this it is no hard matter to conceiue what sweet consolation a beleeuing heart inioyeth which hath experience of this for he beleeuing the promises of these things from day to day and hauing most sweet peace of conscience with confidence as a fruite of beleeuing them already how great must his comfort needs be which ariseth from both and especially for the hope which he hath of that which is yet to come Oh that all who feare God did beleeue this as they may boldly and ought confidently to doe that they might inrich themselues by hauing their part in it from time to time So that nothing is more to be lamented in the world then this that God hauing called men to be partakers of so excellent priuiledges and appointed for them such varietie of blessings whereof I haue mentioned but some part that they should be so ignorant as not to desire to know them so carelesse as to reiect them so obstinate as to tread them vnder foote and so to lead a life I may truely say full of misery for want of them But whiles I set downe this me thinkes I heare some obiecting thus How can we be perswaded that God hath prouided this liberty for his in this world when both Scripture calleth our life heere when we be in greatest prosperity a wandring vp and downe heauily as in a pilgrimage or wildernesse and a sowing in teares that is to say full of griefe and Christ telleth his that in the world they shall finde tribulation and that by many afflictions and persecutions we must enter into his kingdom And experience also teacheth that these things are euen so