paper they for their owne exercise or in any other good intente these in hope of some honest aduantage and both of them in a Christian desire of profiting others let not that trouble thee The losse is their owne and it is lawfull for them to doe with their owne what they list we speake of priuat censures not of publick restraint vse mennes writings and giftes if thou thinke them for thy purpose otherwise take their good meaning and ours among the rest not the worst of all others in good part and so leaue them to their likers or to their losse Lastly we desire the friendly reader to put to his helping hand to this worke which we haue taken in hande to amend what soeuer is any way amisse to adde to this imperfect and light delineation of mans soule not onely the essentiall partes which are wanting but also the sinnewes of strong proofes and argumentes yea the cleare colours of examples and other illustrations and Lastly to further our endeauours if he think them any way profitable for the Church of Christ by harty good will and earnest prayer BVt especially I do intend and commend this treatise vnto you my beloued countrimen and kinsfolke the inhabitauntes of the towne of Barwicke euen to all that in the saide towne doe call on the name of the Lorde Iesus being there vnto moued by nature it selfe which would wringe euen out of a flinty hearte speciall affection and harty loue to the natiue soyle Yea what is more meete or more needfull in all reason and equity then that we shoulde retourne the first fruites of our laboure thither from whence we came and where we had our first being and beginning Accept I pray you at my handes this poore mite in steade of some riche pledge of vnfained loue Who knoweth but that by the blessinge of God this small graine of mustardseed the simplest of a thousand bookes euery where extant being carefully receaued by you into your mindes and heartes as into good ground may sende foorth plentifull fruite of spirituall knowledge and vnfained obedience vnto eternall life and may growe to that bignesse that the birdes of the ayer may builde their nestes in the braunches of it for so I hope that you acknowledging this simple and vnlearned peece of worke to be the fruite of your owne feilde will euen in that respect the more willingly eate of it and perhaps the more happily digest it to the encrease of that stature and strength whereunto you haue already attained in Christ. In whome I doe earnestly desire that you may growe from grace to grace labouring to glorifie him by a holy and vnblameable life as he hath shewed himselfe most mercifull and bountifull vnto you He hath powred foorth his blessings both temporall and spirituall vpon you with a full hand he hath giuen vnto you greater plentie of thinges needfull for the preseruation of the body then to any other place in the land beside he hath freed you from the dregges and reliques of poperie wherewith the whole country farre and neare euen a hundred miles from you is infected as with a common plague you haue godly learned preachers of the worde of God although not many yet moe then some scores of miles in the countrey will afforde and lastly you haue leasure and opportunitie of seruing God and vsing all the meanes of your saluation greater then any other hath as all men knowe What wanteth then but onely this that you be not wanting to your selues but carefull in vsing these singular blessings to your owne edification and eternall saluation That so your Church may be renowmed in all places as florishing in the multitude not of verball professours mocking God and deceauing themselues with an outwarde shew of religion but of sincere and sounde Christians seruing God in spirite and trueth and labouring to kepe a good conscience in the wholl course of their liues both towardes God and towardes their brethren Thus crauing pardon of you for my boldnesse in this behalfe I commend you to God and to the worde of his grace which is able to builde you further and to giue you an inheritaunce among those that are sanctified The lorde be with you all now and euermore Amen Written this first of Aprill 1596 your harty well-willer and countriman T. M. The argument of the treatise following THE last and chiefe end why God in the beginning made the world with all thinges therein contained was the setting foorth of his glory the which before the creation did shine in and to himselfe onely whereas now all the creatures doe praise his holie name For the effecting whereof it was needfull that the creature should be endued with a kinde of excellencie so great as that it might manifest the glory of the power wisedome and goodnesse of God and yet so meane that it should not in any respect be comparable to the excellency of the creator Hence it is that the state of all thinges in the worlde euen of the most excellent creatures is kept downe and debased from the state of God as in many other respectes so especially in this that the one is momentanie variable and diuerse the other being eternall constant and the same for euer So we read Exod. 3. 14. whenas God would euen paint out the excellency of his owne nature and distinguish himselfe from all other thinges whatsoeuer doe any way exist he saith that his name is I will be who I wil be or who I am that is I am not a changable creature but the Almighty Iehoua in whome there is no shadowe of chaunge But it is farre otherwise with the creature wherein there is no permanent state to be found And to let passe the baser sort of them which are made for corruption and to be consumed in the vse let vs consider the state of the most excellent creatures euen those which being endued with reason were made according to the image of God to wit Angels and men of whose estate the scripture witnesseth that it is not onely chaungeable but also straungely chaunged For it being in the first creation most happie glorious and holy became afterward most impure wretched and vile Neither doth it stay here but by the mercy of God man is restored to his first excellency So we read Iob. 4. 18. 19. behold in his seruantes he will not trust no not in his Angels wil he put any confidence how much lesse in men dwelling in howses of clay whose foundation is in the dust c Neither can it be otherwise for God hath his being from himselfe but the creature dependeth on God by whome it was made and therefore can neither exist nor continue in any estate longer then the good pleasure of God doth permit This mutability of the creature appeareth chiefly in man whose diuerse states being three in number we doe indeuour to lay open in this treatise The first is the state of the first creation of
beleeuer hath receiued not the spirit of bondage to feare to dread and fly from God as from a iust iudge as the carnall man doth but of adoption whereby he crieth Abba Father These and many other graces are needefull for the performance of this duety of prayer Whereof it followeth that whosoeuer hath receiued this spirite of prayer is vndoubtedly one renewed by the spirite of GOD and that where this grace is wanting there is no regeneration or sanctification And least that any man deceiue himselfe by thinking that he hath this grace of praying to GOD when he hath it not wee will heere set downe a fewe notes or markes wherein the praying of a faithfull man differeth from that kinde of praying which a carnall man may vse First therefore a faithfull man conceiueth his prayer himselfe in his owne minde hauing considered what thinges are most needfull to be prayed for at that time and in that company if he be with others and so he doth as it were poure out his prayer from the bottome of his heart Whereas the carnall man although he be in worldly matters a iolly wise man yea and can tell his tale before whome soeuer as readely as the best yet he hath neither the witte to conceiue nor the tongue to vtter two sentences of prayer before God or if he must needes haue prayers eyther by himselfe for a shew of religion or in some blinde deuotion or in his family least he shoulde seeme wanting in his duety then he is forced to get some prayer booke into his hand and so reading so many as he thinketh good therein resteth The which thing although it may be done at some times and is to be commended in respect of their atheisme who neuer pray eyther for themselues or any other yet it is not sufficient because the prayers of particular men ought to be framed according to their owne particular state and the present state of those in whose behalfe they pray The second difference is this if a carnall man pray without booke it is but in two or three wordes as Lorde haue mercy vpon vs God fende vs the light of heauen God send vs this or that thing the which are not to be called prayers but wishes whereas the prayer which commeth from a faithfull heart is vttered in a competent number of wordes as it is meete and needfull We doe not denie but that one may offende in vsing too mamy wordes the which fault Christ forewarneth vs of Math. 6. 7. 8. and it is at this day to be seene in those dotrels who thinke that they serue God in mumbling ouer so many doozen of Creeds Pater nosters and Aue Maries yea further we confesse that the force of prayer is not in the wordes of the mouth but in the faith of the heart the which alone will make the prayer to be heard although wordes be altogether wanting as we reade 1. Sam. 1. 13. of Hanna Samuels mother who prayed so effectually that her request was graunted and yet she vttered no wordes but onely moued her lippes and prayed in her heart And yet for all this faithfull prayers are and ought to be if there be no hinderance plentifull in wordes for although thou pray alone to God who vnderstandeth thy thoughtes as well as thy wordes yet God must be serued not onely inwardly in thy minde but also with the members of thy body especially with the tongue which is giuen to thee for this ende Yea the wordes of thy mouth doe stirre vp thy affections and make thee more feruent in prayer But if thou pray in the company of others it is needefull for their edification that thou vtter wordes not onely in a generall and confused manner but so as that the seuerall petitions conceiued in thy minde may be plainly declared and distinguished one from another For sinnes must be confessed graces wanting desired plagues and iudgementes remooued benefits remembred the brethren commended to God not in grosse vnlesse it cannot well otherwise be but in particular that so the hearers may be the more edified If it be heere obiected that this dexteritie and facultie of vttering prayers in the aforesaid manner is not to be looked for at the handes of ignorant and vnlearned men who cannot so much as helpe themselues by reading the holy scriptures and the writinges of godly men Wee answere That as Sathan hath in former ages defaced the true worshippe of God and aduaunced superstition by no meanes more then by bringing into the Church a generall barbarisme and decay of learning so ought Christians in this time of grace to furnish themselues with all things which may further their edification and although all cannot attaine to learning for diuers hinderances yet all may and ought to be able to reade by the which meanes being diligently vsed they may soone come to haue their senses exercised in spirituall matters and acquainted with the language and words belonging therevnto farre aboue their owne hope and expectation Yea euen those who being of ripe years cannot reade ought to be ashamed rather of this barbarous and brutish rudenesse then of learning that which will make greatly for their profite comfort and eternall saluation Againe he who is endued with inward graces needfull for prayer will finde words whereby to vtter his minde be he neuer so vnlearned for the spirite of God giueth vtterance openeth the lippes vntieth the strings of the tongue to all those whome he sanctifieth Neither neede this seeme strange for as one saith all mē are eloquent enough in that which they know and like Put case the vnlearned man who thus excuseth his Atheisme and want of religion for where there is no prayer there is no iot of true religion by his rudenesse were put in minde by some friend that such a nobleman had a rich farme in his handes the which he might easely obtaine if so be he could tell his tale well before the said noble man I warrant you he would not loose it for asking neither woulde he come bluntly to him and say Sir I pray you giue me this farme but he would and that without any teacher finde store both of reasons and of wordes fit for his purpose He would say may it please your Lordship to be my good Lord and maister I am a poore wretched man hauing sustained so many losses haning so many maimes wounds infirmities hauing a greate charge of children of whom so many are not able to put on their owne clothes and therefore I am bold to trouble your Lordship in such a matter the which if I may obtaine I shall pray for you as long as I liue and will by Gods grace be as faithful and dutifull a seruant as euer your Lordship had I haue no friendes to helpe forward my sute but doe wholly rely my selfe on your goodnesse and pittifull disposition These and many moe like and more effectuall perswasions and fit phrases prouerbes tearmes
yea tried to be sound in the profession of the faith and corrected for their former misdemeanour Nowe these afflictions are of their owne nature as bitter as galle vnto vs and therefore it is impossible that flesh and bloude being not strengthened with some speciall grace of God shoulde receaue this loathsome potion without repining murmuring distruste despaire and many such inconueniences For the auoiding whereof it hath pleased God to giue vnto his faithfull seruantes this gift of patience whereby they do quietly constantly yea chearefully and ioyfully suffer any affliction as comming from God who is not to them a cruell enimie but a louing and tender hearted father remembring mercie in the midst of anger euen as a father spareth his owne naturall sonne making his mone vnto him This doctrine is declared at large Heb. 12. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. the wordes are many but being very fit for this purpose it shall not be irkesome to sette them downe Forgette not the exhortation which speaketh to you Prou. 3. 12. as vnto children My sonne despise not the correction of the Lord neither faint when thou art rebuked of him For whome the Lorde loueth him he chasteneth and scourgeth euerie sonne whom he receaueth If you endure chastening God offereth himselfe to you or declareth himselfe to be your father for what sonne is there whom his father doth not correct But if ye be without this chastening then truly ye are not right sonnes but bastards Moreouer we haue had our carnall fathers our correctours and haue stoode in awe of them shall we not then much more obey our spirituall father and so liue for they chastised vs for a few daies according to their pleasure but God chasteneth vs for our profit that so we might be made partakers of his holynesse Nowe all chastisement bringeth with it for the present time sorrowe not ioy but afterwarde it giueth the fruite of peace and righteousnesse to those who are exercised with it And therefore let vs lift vp our faint handes and our weake knees c. Lastly as touching this dutie of filiall subiection it had not so greate vse in the state of innocencie in the which man was not subiect to crosses afflictions and miseries so as the faithfull are in the state of regeneration Yet man in his innocencie was not altogether destitute of this grace or without some vse of it For it was his duty to take in good parte whatsoeuer it pleased God to do vnto him if not in laying any euil vpon him whereof his happy estate was not capable yet in withholding or withdrawing from him some particular blessing whereof he had great desire and which woulde be very pleasant vnto him CHAP. VIII Sect. 1. Of seruile subiection BEsides the aforesaid kinds of subiection man oweth to God all such duties as the seruant is bound to performe to his lord or maister as namely to obey to serue or minister vnto him and lastly to profit him for man according to his first creation is Gods seruant the which is not to be accounted a base condition derogating from the dignitie of this his glorious estate seeing that the holy Angels which doe farre excell man in glory are not ashamed to weare Gods liuery and to be called his seruantes The first duety is obedience the which is to be performed of all inferiours to those who haue any authority ouer them whether kinges magistrates fathers or teachers but especially it is to be performed by seruantes to their masters Ephe. 6. 5. Seruantes be obedient to your maisters in simplicity of heart as vnto Christ. So was man affected to God in his innocent state as doth euidently appeare in that his innocencie is nothing else but perfect obedience to God to his word lawes and commaundements Whereof it followeth that he did performe vnto God the second duety to wit faithfull seruice in performing with all care and diligence whatsoeuer worke it pleased God to imploy him in Thus did Adam before his fall serue God in doing those thinges which were enioyned him and thus do the Angels in heauen continually waiting and attending in the presence of God ready to goe whither he sendeth and to come when he calleth as we reade Heb. 1. 14. They are ministring spirits sent out for the electes sake and more plainely Psal. 103. 20. Blesse the Lord ye his Angels which excelling in strength doe his commaundement and obey his voice blesse the Lord all ye his hoastes his seruants which doe his will But there may some doubt be made as touching the last duety how man should profit God we answere that Gods riches consist in his glory the which the more that it is encreased and enlarged the more is Gods aduantage procured This we may see in the parable of the talents Mat. 25. 14. the meaning whereof is this that God giueth his graces to men to this ende that they should vse and encrease them for his aduantage Yea God there compareth himselfe to a couetous vsurer that is so greedie of gaine that he reapeth where he did not sowe and gathereth where he did not scatter that is he laboureth by all meanes to gaine glory to himselfe But what shall we say to Elephaz Iob. 22. 1. 2. who seemeth to deny this saying shall man profit God is it any gaine to the almighty that thou art iust and walkest in a perfect way The meaning of those wordes is this that God is not so tyed to man but that he can set forth his glory without him or his righteousnesse yea he can glorifie himselfe in the vnrighteousnesse and destruction of man but mans goodnesse it doth profit himselfe and other men like to himselfe as we read Psal. 16. 1. My goodnesse doth not extend it selfe to thee O Lorde but to the saintes heere on earth And yet it pleaseth God in mercy that so he might stirre man vp to all holinesse to count only that glory gained which is gotten by the obedience and saluation of his seruantes Sect. 2. Of the want of the aforesaid subiection MAN by falling from the obedience of God became a fugitiue and as it is saide of Cain the first of this sinfull generation Gen. 4. 14. being cast forth from the presence of God for his sinne is now a vagabond on the earth And as is this his miserable and viâ—e condition so is his disposition For he hath cleane lost all the properties of a good seruant and all abilitie of performing any acceptable duety to God In steede of obedience he doth continually breake all Gods commaundementes in all his thoughtes wordes deeds and in the whole course of his life Neither doth he waite on God to doe seruice vnto him for he serueth Sathan sinne and his owne corrupt desires Iohn 8. 34. Verely I say to you saith Christ that euery one who committeth sinne is the seruant of sinne in that he doth not