in time he repent and turne from his euill wayes And wonderfull it is how this shall conuince the wicked man in the houre of death when their conscience shall stand vp before the supreame Iudge and testifie against him in this manner O Lord I haue giuen this man according as thou deputed me warning euery day for his sinnes and hath terrified him for them but hee would not receiue my correction Oh that impenitent men could consider how this despising of Conscience shall be a great augmentation of their iudgement But on the other part to the children of God Conscience of his speciall mercy is giuen for these two vses first it is as a Paedagoge appointed by God to guide his children in the right way Secondly when they goe wrong it is a diuine warner within them which suffers them neyther to eate nor sleepe long in rest till they returne to the Lord by repentance for as Peter was wakened by the crowing of the Cock and made to weepe bitterly for his sinnes so is the crowing and accusing voyce of Conscience to the godly Thus we see how it is a great benefit to Gods children to haue a liuing feeling and wakeing Conscience for eyther it keepes them that they do not euill or that they continue not in it as we may see in Dauid whose Conscience was more troubled for cutting the lap of Sauls garment then Saul was for cutting off the liues of fourescore seruants of the Lord. Wheras on the contrary the Lord in his anger suffers Sathan so to benumbe the conscience of the wicked as if they were burnt with an hot yron whereof it comes to passe that being past feeling they commit iniquitie with greedines Surely a good conscience is mans paradice vpon earth therefore Salomon called it a continuall feast it is the fruit of righteousnesse and euer bringeth out peace and ioy in these three stands the beginning of eternall life But as Sathan enuyed Adam dwelling in his Paradice so doth he enuy euery Christian that dwels in the Paradice of a good Conscience and therefore doth what he can to entise him to sinne that so he may driue him out of it for which cause we haue neede by daily repentance to take away the euill wee haue done and by godly circumspection to eschew his snares in time to come The Censure But now the small regard which is made of a good Conscience proues that all haue not the Christians disposition who now vsurpe the Christians name CHAPTER V. Of his Affections And first Of his Loue. The Lords Command LOue ye the Lord al his Saints Psal. 31. 23. for they who loue him shall he as the Sun when he riseth in his might Iudg. 5. 31. If any man loue not the Lord Iesus let him be had in execration yea excommunicated to the death 1. Cor. 16. 22. Loue not the world nor the things that are in the world if any man loue the world the loue of the Father is not in him 1. Iohn 2. 15. Hee that loueth siluer shall not be satisfied and he that loueth riches shall be without the fruit thereof Eccles. 5. 9. but keepe you your selues in the loue of God looking for the mercy of our Lord Iesus Christ vnto eternall life Iude. 21. A new commandement also I giue vnto you that you loue one another Iohn 13. 34 yea that you serue one another by Loue Gal. 3. and let the peace of God rule in your hearts to the which you are called in one body and be ye amiable Colos. 3. 15 He that loueth his brother abideth in the light and there is no occasion of euill in him 1. Iohn 2. 10. but hee that loueth not knoweth not God for God is Loue 1. Iohn 4. 7. and Loue commeth of God Euery one that loues is borne of God 1. Iohn 4. 7. therefore loue one another without faining with a pure heart and feruently 1. Pet. 1. 22. that your loue may be without dissimulation Rom. 12. 9. not in word nor in tongue onely but in very deed and in truth 1. Iohn 3. 18. Moreouer loue your enemies blesse them that curse you doe good to them that hate you pray for them that persecute you for if ye loue them that loue you what reward shall yee haue doe not the Publicanes the same Mat. 5. 44. Finally let all your things be done in Loue. 1. Cor. 16. 14. The Christians Prayer for Grace to obay this Command O Lord I know that though I speake with the tongue of Angels if I haue not loue I am but as a sounding brasse or tinckling Cymball and though I had the gift of prophecie and knew all secrets and knowledge yea if I had all faith so that I could remoue mountaines and had no loue I were nothing therefore guide thou mine heart in thy Loue Encrease me also and make me to abound in Loue towards all men Another O God of all patience and consolation grant vnto vs that wee may be all alike minded one toward another according to Christ that with one minde and with one mouth wee may praise thee endeuouring to keepe the vnitie of the spirit in the bond of peace and so our Loue may yet more and more abound in all knowledge and in all iudgement to the glory of thy name through Iesus Christ. The Christians Practise of this Command I Loue thee dearly O Lord my God Psal. 18. 1. the desire of my soule is to thy name to the remembrance of thee whom haue I in heauen but thee and I haue desired none on earth with thee Psal. 73. 25. Surely as the Hart brayeth for the riuers of water so panteth my soule after thee O God Psal. 42. 1. My soule desireth after thee as the thirstie land Psal. 143. 6. and waites on thee more then the morning watch waites for the morning Psal. 130. 6. Yea it fainteth O Lord for thy saluation Psal. 119. 81. And as for the Lord Iesus Christ albeit as yet I haue not seene him yet I loue him and reioyce in him with ioy vnspeakable and glorious 1. Pet. 1. 8. And as for thy Law except it had beene my delight I should now haue perished in my affliction Psal. 119. 92. for thy promises are sweeter then hony to my mouth Psal. 119. 103. and I loue thy Commandements aboue gold Psal. 119. 127. O how loue I thy Law it is my meditation continually Psal. 119. 97. yea for the loue I beare to thy Law I loue the habitation of thy house and the place where thine honor dwelleth Psal. 26. 8. and I desire nothing more then this one that I may dwell in the house of my God all the dayes of my life to behold the beautie of the Lord and to visit his holy temple Psal. 27. 4. for thy Tabernacles are amiable to mee blessed are they who dwell in thy
house one day in thy Courts is better then a thousand els where yea I had rather be a doore-keeper in the house of my God then to dwell in the tents of wickednesse Psal. 84. Concerning thy Saints also that dwell on earth euen the excellent ones all my delight is in them for my goodnesse extends not to thee Psal. 16. 3. but I honour and make much of them that feare thee Psal. 15. 4. And by this I know that I am translated from death to life because thou hast giuen me a heart to loue the brethren 1. Iohn 3. 14. THE OBSERVATIONS AS Loue is the first affection which Faith sanctifieth in the man regenerate and whereby also Faith workes in the sanctification of the rest so is it the strongest for vnto it all the rest of the affections giue place and therefore doe we first begin at it It should be sufficient to prouoke vs to loue that it is reckoned among the first fruits of the Spirit that our Sauiour cals it the badge and cognisance of his Disciples that the Apostle cals it the band of perfection and fulfilling of the Law for Loue hath both the hart and the tongue of euery vertue in it It is the ballance of the Sanctuary no worke had it neuer so great a shew of godlinesse can be acceptable to God vnlesse it flow from Loue sanctified by Faith In the right ordering of our Loue two things are to be considered First that it be set on the right obiects Secondly that it be moderate in the due measure The obiects of our Loue are three the first is God the second our selues the third is our Neighbour It is customablie thought among men an easie and common thing to loue God and therfore in word all men professe it but in truth it is not so His loue is as narrow as his election and it is impossible that any can loue him but they who first haue beene beloued of him Herein is loue not that we loued God first but that hee loued vs. Diligere donum Dei est quoniam ipse vt diligeretur dedit qui non dilect us dilexit So that wee neede not ascend into the secret counsell of God to enquire there whether wee are beloued of God or not let vs enter into our owne heart and see if in a good Conscience we dare say with Dauid I loue the Lord and then wee may be sure that first wee were beloued of him Amor Dei amorem animae parit nec dubitet se amari qui amat As Saint Iohn beloued of Christ was replenished with loue so are all they who are beloued of him Two things are requisite in the loue of God the first is that wee loue him aboue all things It was the conuiction of the Gentiles that they worshipped the creature neglecting the creator and it shall much more be the conuiction of the Christians if they loue the creature more then the Creator He that loues Father or mother wife or children better then me is not worthy of me saith the Lord Iesus Certe non amant illi Christum qui aliquid plus quam Christum amant And in deed what is there to be compared with him whatsoeuer beautie or goodnesse is in the creature is but splendor summi illius honi a beame of that great and infinit good which is in God that made it and then onely are his creatures rightly vsed when by them wee returne to the Lord who made them Si autem deseris illum qui te fecit amas illa quae fecit adulter es but if passing by him who made thee thou set thy loue on those things which he hath made thou goest a whooring from God and playest the adulterer with his creatures The second is that wee loue him for himselfe and this excludes that mercinary loue of worldlings who loue him for his gifts more then for himselfe this is ac si sponsa plus diligeret acceptum annulum quam sponsum diceret sufficit mihi annulus saciem illius videre non desiderio such is the vnkindely and vnchast loue of those who are so delighted with Gods gifts that they desire not to enioy himselfe This mercinarie loue Sathan obiected it to God doth Iob serue the Lord for nothing but hee was proued a false accuser for when all the moueable gifts of God were taken from Iob yet the loue of God abode deeply rooted in his hart and after tryall he was found to haue loued God not for his gifts but for himselfe And this should moue vs the more carefully to flye this mercinarie loue because Sathan placeth his great vantage in it where he may proue it against vs. Cauere debemus ne propter praemium diligamus Deum beware we loue not God for a reward onely and if we will Quod quaeso dabitur praemium cùm quicquid tibi datur us est minus sit quam ipse what reward can be giuen vs seeing what euer other thing he giues is lesse then himselfe Surely it is the purest loue which loueth God for himselfe The second obiect of our Loue is ourselues for in that I am commanded to loue my neighbour as my selfe it is first required of me that I should loue my selfe Prius vide si nosti diligere teipsum tunc committo tibi proximum quem diligas sicut teipsum first see if thou hast learned to loue thy selfe then will I commit thy neighbour to thee that thou maist loue him as thy selfe qui amas iniquitatem nolo quenquam diligas si te sic diligas vt perdas te sic profecto perditurus es quē diligis sicut te thou that louest iniquitie I will not thou loue any man if so thou loue thy selfe that thou destroy thy selfe thou wilt also after the same manner destroy him whom thou louest as thy selfe There is in man by nature a selfe-loue by which he is carryed to please himselfe in the following of his owne will but this in very deed is selfe-hatred for Amor nequitiae odium est animae the loue of sinne is the hatred of the soule As Saul Achitophel and Iudas were slaine with their owne hands and no man can say they loued themselues so doe all the wicked perish by their owne transgressions and that same which in Nature is called self-selfe-loue in truth is selfe-murther And most iustly is this come vpon man as a recompence of his error that because he will not loue God hee cannot loue himselfe A louer of God he is not who doth continue in his sinnes Quomodo amas Deum cùm adhut amas quod in te odit Deus how canst thou loue God who as yet louest that in thy selfe which God hateth and as little can hee be called a louer of himselfe who nourisheth a serpent in his bosome which cannot
thee hearken to the prayer of thy seruant who desireth to feare thee Giue me good Lord that holy feare of thy Name which thou hast commanded that I may not erre from thy wayes nor harden my heart from thy feare for I know that great is thy goodnesse which thou hast laid vp for them that feare thee Lord therefore knit mine heart vnto thee that I may feare thy Name and may receiue grace to serue thee so that I may please thee with reuerence and feare through Iesus Christ. The Christians Practise of this Command VVHo would not feare thee O King of the nations for to thee appertaines dominion Iere. 10. 7. Surely I tremble for feare of thee and am afraid of thy iudgements Psal. 119. 120. My whole conuersation hath beene in weakenesse feare and much trembling 1. Cor. 2. 3. I haue had fightings without and terrours within 2. Cor. 7. 5. Yea from my youth I haue suffered thy terrours doubting of my life Psal. 61. yet will I not feare what Flesh can doe vnto mee Psal. 56. 4. nor be afraid of ten thousand of the people that should beset me round about Psal. 3. 6. Neyther will I be afraid of euill tidings because mine heart is fixed and beleeues in the Lord Psal. 112. 7. hee is mine hope and strength in trouble ready to be found therefore I will not feare though the earth be moued and the mountaines cast into the sea Psal. 46. 1. Yea though I should walk through the valley of the shadow of death yet will I feare none euill for the Lord is with me his staffe and his rod they comfort me Psal. 23. THE OBSERVATIONS FEare among the rest of our Affections is also disordered by Nature so farre that now wee feare where there is no cause and do not feare where we haue cause to feare Naturally men are more afraid of Sathans shadow then of Sathan himselfe his apparition without terrifieth men but the power of his kingdome commanding their affections within is not feared It is now the matter of mans feare which should be the matter of his ioy Adam in his innocencie placed not his ioy in the creatures which were vnder him and gaue him obedience but in the Lord who was aboue him and with whom hee had his familiar conuersation but now after his apostacie it is become far otherwise the Lord is become a feare and terror vnto man who before his fall was his principall ioy And where it shall be our ioy in heauen to see that glory of Christ which hee had with his Father from the beginning wonderfull it is that those three Disciples who were pillars of the Church should haue beene confounded and afraid at the onely representation of that glory which was made to them on mount Tabor so vnmeet are wee now to haue fellowship with God by reason of our sinnes that as I said the matter of our ioy is become the matter of our feare Yea so farre are wee now fallen away from a similitude with our God that wee are afraid at the sight of one of those holy Angels that minister vnto him Nay if a man like our selues in regard of our bodies should come from him illuminate with his brightnesse we might not abide him no more then Israel could abide the shining face of Moses when he came down from the Lord but ranne away from him therefore doth Basile call our corrupted feare a certaine ebrietie which makes vs be strange with our friends and start at shadowes that is to say feare where no cause of feare is We are therefore to consider how in the regeneration this affection is renewed and rightly ordered and how in holy Scripture there is a feare commanded and commended which we must embrace another forbidden and condemned which wee must eschew Feare renewed in our regeneration is the daughter of Faith the sister of Loue the mother of Humilitie and Obedience Therefore Moses Deut. 10. 12. ioynes these three together that to feare the Lord to loue him and to serue him is all that God requires of Israell The obiects of godly feare in the man regenerate are either in God in our selues or in the creature without vs. The obiects of our feare in God are first his iudgements secondly his mercies For first we are taught to feare him as our iudge then to feare him as our Father For the holy Spirit in the work of our regeneration keeps this order first he rebukes vs for sin terrifies vs with the iudgements of God due to them and then comforts vs with the sense of his mercie in Christ. This feare of Gods iudgements primus est incipientium gradus it is the first steppe of them who are beginning to learne godlinesse If thou hast not yet learned to loue God deerely yet it is a good beginning if thou feare him If thou loue not the pleasures of Paradice yet be afraide of the torments of Gehenna Sicut enim aqua extinguit ignem c. For as water quencheth the fire so this feare queneth the heat of sinne And this feare of iudgement in the Christian begets at length a feare of God for his mercies therefore Basile called it a Paedagogue that instructs the man to godlinesse Timor transit in Charitatem said Gregorie Vincat itaque in te pius timor erit amor let therefore godly feare ouercome in thee and at length there shall be loue feare shall not abide in thee but as a Master shall lead thee vnto loue Therefore said I that the second obiect of our feare in God is his mercy according to that in the Psalmist Mercy is with thee that thou maist be feared And this reconciles that apparant discord between the Psalmist and the Apostle The feare of the Lord is cleane and endures for euer saith Dauid Perfect loue casts out feare saith Saint Iohn If feare be cast out how doth it endure but the answere is that feare whereby we feare the iudgements of God and is as I said in the godly an introduction to the loue of God shall be cast out when our loue is perfected but that feare whereby wee feare him for his mercies and reuerence him as our Father shall endure for euer In heauen wee shall haue no feare of Gehenna wee shall be so filled with his Loue yea euen on earth the more wee grow in the loue of God the lesse feare of his iudgements is in vs Maior est peregrinantium timor minor propinquantium nullus peruenientium The obiects of Feare in our selues are our sinnes which wee haue done and our infirmities by which wee are ready and prone to sinne againe This feare ariseth in the godly from the feare of God for his mercies for the sweeter and more desired his mercies are vnto vs the more fearefull vnto vs are
conscience a great benefit to Gods children 29 A conscience past feeling is vvrath to the vvicked 30 A good conscience is mans paradice on earth 31 Sathan enuieth mans dvvelling in it 1 The loue of God commanded 2 The loue of our neighbour 3 The loue of our enemies a 1. Cor. 13. 1. b 2. Thes. 3. 5. c 1. Thes. 3. 12. a Rom. 15. 5. b Ephes. 4. 3. c Phil. 1. 9. How the Christian loueth the Lord with an earnest vnsained Loue. Oh how cold is our life if it be compared with this Of the Christians Loue toward Iesus Christ. What a Loue hee hath to the word of God and publicke exercises therof in the assembly of the Saints Let bastard Christians be ashamed who loue not the house of God How the Christian for Gods sake loues all his Saints 1 Loue is the first affection sanctified in the regeneration 2 The great commendation of loue Iohn 13. 35. Rom. 13. 10. 3 Two things considered in ordinate Loue first the obiect secondly the measure 4 The 〈◊〉 of loue is thâ—…â—…old 5 None can loue the Lord but the elect 1 Iohn 4. 19. Aug. in Ioan. tract 10â—… 6 If we loue God it is an argument that he loued vs. 7 God is to be loued aboue all things Aug. de temp Serm. 223. 8 For the most excellent creatures are but as beames of his beautie Augustine 9 God is to be beloued for himselfe Augus in Ioan. tract 2. 10 Mercinary loue obiected to Iob by Sathan 11 We should the more carefully eschevv it 12 The second obiect of our Loue is our selues Aug. de temp Serm. 43. Ibid. Serm. 239. 13 Mans natural self-selfe-loue is selfe-hatred Aug. de temp 256. 14 He that loueth not God cannot loue himselfe Aug. de temp 256. 15 The third obiect of our loue is our neighbour 16 The right measure of our loue to God is to loue him with out measure not so towards man 17 Loue compared to a fire euer tending vp What hatred is commanded to a Christian. What hatred is forbidden a Psal. 119. 88. b Psal. 119. 124. It is the shâ—…me of many now that they loue that vvhich a Christian should hate 1 Man by nature is filled with a sinfull hatred 2 For naturally man hates the Lord. 3 And he hateth also good men for the good that is in them 4 It is a diuellish thing to hate a man for good 5 Man a second Sathan inferior to him in tvvo things onely Ad frat in Erem Serm. 28. 6 First that being of shorter continuance then Sathan he is not of so great experience 7 Secondly that he is clad vvith a bodie vvhich is a great impediment to his vvicked conceptions in their execution 8 What a vvorld of vvickednesse should be in man if his thoughts vvere executed as they are conceiued 9 Vices goe together linked in one Chaine 10 Hatred is bred of very euill Parents 11 Anger continued turnes into hatred Math. 5. 22. 12 Hatred brings out most abhominable Children Galath 5. 21. 13 The hatefull man slayes like the Basiliske 14 Hatred exceeds Auarice in euill 15 Of all vvicked men a hateful man is the vvorst Ambros. off lib. 2. cap. 30. 16 All the euill of hatred returns to him that hath it What excellent blessings accompany the feare of God Promises of enduring mercy made to them vvho feare God Promises of temporal vvealth and prosperitie The feare of God commanded A feare of man also commanded The feare of other Gods forbidden A feare of man also forbidden Comfort against the feare of sinne Comfort against the feare of spirituall desertion a Exod. 15. 11. b Nehem. 1. 11. c Malach. 2. 5. d Esay 63. 17. e Psal. 31. 9. f Psal. 110. g Heb. 12. 28. VVhat a reuerent feare of God is in the Christian. Hee that feareth God aright feareth no other thing 1 Naturally men feare Sathans shadovv more then Sathan himselfe 2 Yea they feare God in such sort that they flye from him 3 Novv man is afraid at the sight of God 4 Feared also at the sight of one of his Angels Basill Serm. 2. de teâ—…unio 5 Feare in the regeneration is rectified 6 The Nature of feare renewed 7 The three fold obiect of Feare 8 We feare God for his iudgements for his mercies 9 The first thing we feare in God is his iudgement Greg. Moral lib. 19. Bern. de mutatione aquae in vinuÌ„ 10 The next thing we feare in God is his mercie Basil in Psal. 32. Gregor Moral lib. 22. Aug. de temp Serm. 52. 11 His Saints onely feare him for his mercies 12 Feare of God for his mercie casts out at length all feare of his iudgements Psal. 19. 1. Iohn 4. 18. 13 Feare of Gods iudgement shall not be in heauen Aug. de temp 214. 14 The obiect of our feare in our selues are our sinnes and infirmities 15 Why a Christian feares these two continually 16 What a fearefull thing it is to be without feare August Ibid. 17 A three-fold holy feare succeeding by course one another in the soule of a Christian. Bern. in Cant. Serm. 54. 18 Obiects of our feare without vs are men of sundry rancks 1. The King 19 2 Our naturall Parents Cursed are the children that contemn their parents 20 3. Our spirituall Fathers Numb 12. 8. 21 4. We are to feare all men among whom wee liue and why 22 Of the right measure of our feare for want whereof many fall into feares forbidden 23 The wicked are either without feare which is false securitie or ful of vaine Feare Psal. 55. Esay 57. 11. 24 Sundry sorts of faithlesse feare in the wicked 1. A vaine Feare 25 2. A carnall Feare 26 How with these also the godly are exercised 27 3. A seruile Feare 28 In the wicked seruile feare encreaseth vntill it end in desperate feare 1 Sam. 18. Miserie of them who fear not God is that they can neuer be without fear to trouble them 29 How cursed a feare the seruile feare of the wicked is Bern. ad Oger Epist. 87. Basil. in psal 33. 30 Endles feare is the iust punishment of them who feare not God Deut. 28. 58. 31 For the true feare of God banisheth all other feare 32 A great commendation of godly feare Cyp. lib. 2. epi. 2. Gregor Moral lib. 6. Aug. de Temp. Serm. 112. Bern. in Cant. Ser. 37. Lactant de ira Dei cap. 8. 11. 33 It is the naile which keepes the heart sure vnto God Confidence in God commanded and commended for most excellent blessings it brings to them that haue it Confidence in man forbidden and condemned whether it be in our selues or in others a Prou. 2. 7. b Ierem. 45. c Psal. 73. 27. d Psal. 71. 3. e Psal. 89. 17. f Psal. 57. 1. g Psal. 60. 11. h Psal. 33. 2. The strength of a Christian is in God alone Let Idolatrous worldlings who make gold their God thinke shame of their sinne 1 In a Worldling
disposition as God willing wee shall see in the Treatises following The Censure But now the pride and prophanenesse of life flowing from the ignorance of God which is euident in many proues that all haue not the Christians disposition who now vsurpe the Christian name CHAPTER III. Of his New Will The Lords Command FRom henceforth as long as yee remaine in the flesh walke not after the lusts of men but after the will of God 1. Pet. 4. 2. for the lusts of the flesh fight against the Soule 1. Pet. 2. therefore proue yee what is the good and acceptable will of God Rom. 12. And honour me not by doing your owne will Esay 58. 13. going a whoring after your owne abhominations Num. 15. 39. for vnto them who do so I will lay their way vpon their owne head Ezech. 11. 21. The Christians Prayer for Grace to obay this Command O Lord I know that thou tryest the heart and hast pleasure in righteousnesse and that thou art he who dost worke in thy children both the will and the deed teach me therefore O Lord to doe thy will for thou art my God let me not be giuen ouer to the lust of mine aduersary nor to mine owne hearts desire that iniquitie should haue dominion ouer me but make me perfect to euery manner of good worke to doe thy will working in mee that which is pleasant in thy sight through Iesus Christ. The Christians Practise of this Command I Had my conuersation in times past among the Children of disobedience fulfilling the will of my flesh but now the Lord who is rich in mercy through his great loue wherewith he loued me hath sanctified me to do his will so that now I haue begun both to will and to do 2 Cor. 8 lamenting that I cannot doe the good which faine I would Rom. 7. for in all things I desire to doe thy will O my God Psal. 40. 8. THE OBSERVATIONS THere is no question betweene God and man but this one whose will should be done whether Gods will or ours for all our transgressions proceeds from this that against all reason we preferre our will before the most holy will of the Lord our God For naturally the will of man is neither rightly affected toward his owne minde nor yet toward the Lord his God The will should be directed and gouerned by the minde but as if the Cart should draw the Horse such misorder is there when the will enthralles the light of the minde to her peruerse and inordinate desires The will of man vnregenerate exerciseth a perpetuall inimitie against God for first it refuses subiection to God albeit many manner of wayes it be obliged to giue it And next as if that were too little it vsurpes a dominion and commandement ouer all the creatures of God An intollerable rebellion that the will of man refusing subiection to God who is his superior should require subiection to himselfe of all the Creatures of God He will haue the Sunne and Moone to serue him with their light Hee will haue the clouds of the Aire to serue him with their raine hee will haue the earth to serue him with her fruits and yet with his will he will not giue seruice to God who made both him and them Yea let be his vsurpation ouer vnreasonable creatures the man vnregenerate doth also what he can to draw the will of all other men in subiection vnto his the adulterer craues that same â—…ilthy will in another that is in himself the murtherer craues the same cruell will in another that is in himselfe and so become guilty both of their owne and other mens damnation so far as they can get them to serue their will It proceedeth yet further to an insurrection against the creator himselfe and albeit no malice of man can impaire his eternall Maiestie yet mans cursed and corrupted will doth what it can to make him not to be for either the vnregenerate man wisheth that God knew not his sinne or else if hee knew it had no power to punish it or else were iniust to ouersee it execranda plane crudelis malitia quae dâ—…i potentiam 〈◊〉 iustitiam perire desiderat Therefore also is it that the Lord is an enemie to mans selfe-will for in all his present plagues which hee layes vpon man his strokes especially is vpon his corrupted will compelling him to suffer that euill of punishment which is â—…ore against his will And in Hell the will shall be punished with stripes proportionall to her innumerable sinfull desires A iust recompence of mans rebellion who intends his will against God that God should also intend and prepare his plagues against him laying that wrath vpon man which hee is no way willing to beare Cesset itaque voluntas propria infernus non erit But albeit these two the holy will of God and corrupted will of man fight together yet the losse and hurt euer befalles to man neuer to the Lord for man doth no other thing but rash his heele against the pricke which as our Lord said to Saul is very hard durum calcitranti non stimulo Vae itaque oppositis voluntatibus solam suae auersionis refâ—…rentibus poenam Woe therefore to all wils contrary to Gods will who reape no other fruit but the punishment of their auersion from God For what more miserable estate then this Semper velle quod nunquam erit semper nolle quod nunquam non erit in aeternum non obtinebit quod vult in aeternum â—…ustinebit quod non vult euer to will that which neuer shall be and alwaies not to will that which alwayes shall be for the wicked shall neuer obtaine that which hee would haue and hee shall for euer sustaine that which hee would not this is the vnhappy condition of him that liues after his corrupted will But beside all this mans will is now at variance with it selfe if hee had kept true light in his minde hee should neuer haue had but one will and all his affections with one harmonie had beene carryed to that which his will had willed but now it is strange to see how within himselfe his will is rent asunder that what one way hee willeth another way he willeth not as is euident in the example of any proud couetous worldling who as hee is a proud man hath a will which as a couetous man hee will not So that in these three now by Nature is mans will exercised first in the dishonouring of God secondly in the disquieting of himselfe thirdly in the abusing of the creature which corruption of will man by transgression brought vpon himselfe libero arbitrio male vtens homo se perdidit illud Againe voluntas cum esset libera seruum se fecit peccati So that now it is as saith Augustine a wonderfull great
liue but vpon his life that is delighteth in sinne which doth breed his owne destruction The third obiect of our Loue is our neighbour where first we are to regard those of our familie least we be found worse then Infidels secondly those that are of the familie of Faith thirdly all men yea euen our enemies in so much as they are the workmanship of God for he loueth his neighbour truely who loue God in his neighbour that is who loueth his neighbour eyther because hee seeth that God is in him or else because he would haue God in him Now as for the measure of our Loue it is not one and alike toward all the obiects of our Loue the right measure of our Loue to God is to loue him without measure at least with all that wee haue with all our heart all our mind and all our strength but the loue of our selues and our neighbour is limited so far forth may wee loue our selues and them as may stand with the loue of God Beatus qui te amat amicum in te inimicū propter te nam solus is nihil charum amittit cui omnia chara sunt in eo qui non amittitur blessed is hee who loues God and his friend in God and his enemie for God onely that man cannot loose any thing which he loueth who loueth nothing but in God who cannot be lost Thus the affection of Loue being ordered by grace is in the soule like a sparkle of heauenly fire which no way can be borne downe but carries vp by course and degree the desires of our heart toward the Lord from whom it came till at length wee be consummate with his Loue. The Censure But now the great number of them who want this Loue proues that all are not Christians indeed who now vsurpe the Christian name CHAPTER VI. Of his Hatred The Lords Command YEe who loue the Lord hate that which is euill Psal. 97. 10. for they that call on the name of the Lord should depart from iniquitie 2. Tim. 2. 19. and should hate euen the garment that is spotted with the flesh Iude. 23. but thou shal◅ not hate thy brother in thine heart Leuit. 19. 17. for if any man say that he loues God and hates his brother hee is a lyar 1. Iohn 4. And hee that saith he is in the light and hateth his brother is in darknesse vnto this time 1. Ioh. 2. 9. He walketh in darknesse and knowes not whither he goes because that darknes hath blinded his eyes 1. Iohn 2. 11. Yea hee that hates his brother is a man-slayer and ye know that no man-slayer hath eternall lise abiding in him 1. Iohn 3. 15. The Christians Prayer for Grace to obay this Command QVicken me O Lord according to thy louing kindnesse so shall I keepe the testimonies of thy mouth Deale with thy seruant according to thy mercy and teach me thy statutes I am thy seruant grant me therefore vnderstanding that I may know thy testimonies The Christians Practise of this Command I Hate falshood and abhorre lyes Psal. 119 163. I hate vaine inuentions 119. 113. and all false waies 119. 128. I hate the assemblies of the euill Psal. 26. 5. and them that giue themselues to deceitfull vanitie Psal. 31. 6. My soule hateth Idols 2. Sam. 5. 8. and the worke of them that fall away it shall not cleaue to mee Psal. 101. 3. Doe I not hate them O Lord that hate thee and doe I not earnestly contend with those that rise vp against thee surely I hate them with vnfained hatred as if they were mine vtter enemies Psal. 139. 21. THE OBSERVATIONS AS by nature mans heart is emptied of all holy Loue so it is filled with a sinfull hatred a monstrous euill offensiue to God to our neighbour yea and to our selues Naturally Man hates the Lord according to that which our Sauiour saith hee that doth euill hateth the light the euill Conscience of the wicked abhorreth the Lord who is that first and great light from whom all others haue that light which they haue wishing that eyther there were not a God at all or else that he were like them He hates in like manner good men euen for that good which is in them and that with such a raging malice that no band of Nature can restraine it thus Caine hated his brother Abel and why onely because his works were good Rahel hated her Sister Leah and why onely because shee was fruitfull her selfe being barren and Ioseph also was hated of his owne brethren for no other cause but for that his earthly Father loued him and his heauenly Father had blessed him with the gift of Reuelation or Prophecie aboue them O cursed roote of bitternesse which doth cause man to hate his owne and that onely for the good that is in them O greatest euill so directly contrary to the greatest good God is so good that of euery euill hee worketh good to his owne and hatred is so euill that the good things of God become vnto it a matter of greater euill Thus is man who was made to the similitude of God become an incarnate diuell or as Augustine cals him Secundus Diabolus inferior onely to Sathan in two respects For whereas Sathan being now very neere sixe thousand yeares olde hath the subtiltie of his Nature wherein also he doth exceed man helped by long experience to doe wickedly Man being of shorter continuance cannot equall him Againe man is clogged with a body which is a great impediment to the perfection and accomplishment of that which his Spirit conceiueth it being farre otherwise with the actions of the bodie which require the circumstances of place and persons then with the conceptions of the minde which without any such thing are perfected Otherwayes if the wickednesse of mans heart brake out as it is conceiued if euery hatefull thought brake out into murther and euery vncleane lust into a carnall act O what a world of wickednesse should then be discouered in man then should it be manifest that Man for similitude of Natures were but an incarnate Diuell as I haue said As the graces of the Spirit keepe one fellowship so disordered affections which vnder their proper name in effect are but vices goe together like the linkes of one chaine For Hatred comes of euill parents Pride begets Anger Anger breeds Enuy and Enuy brings out Hatred If any man loue not the daughter suffoca matrem non erit filia let him suffocate and slay the mother the daughter shall not be Anger is festuca in occulo but if it benourished fit grandis trabes ira enim inveterata fit odium of a mote in the eye of our Conscience it becomes a beame for inveterate anger turneth into Hatred Against this euill wee are to embrace the wholesome counsell of the holy Ghost Let
and euery one edifying and confirming an other On the other extremitie are they which liue in fellowship and companie which God hath ordained but not in such manner as God hath commanded for yee shall finde few fellowships of men which are vnited and knit together by the right bands Some goe together onely of a custome and to these it is a griefe for one of them to want the companie of another Ista est amicitia consuetudinis non rationis habent illam Pecora This is a Fellowship made by custome and not by Reason a man shall see it among the bruite Beasts who because of a long time they haue haunted together haue no will to be parted or sundered one from an other Others keepe fellowship onely vpon a selfe self- loue so Laban loued the company of Iacob and had no will to want him not so much for loue of Iacob himselfe as loue of the gaine got by Iacob this cannot continue but in the ende is turned into inimitie for these men vse their companions as a man vseth his flower who keepes it no longer then it yeeldes a sweet and pleasant smell vnto him Others there are who are moued to keepe company by the similitude of manners and these are of two sorts some are conioyned and linkt together by the similitude of their euill manners so were Simion and Leui brethren in euill and Herod and Pilate made friends by their mutuall medling with an euill cause Thus wee see that as beasts and birds of one kinde goe together so men of one fashion and condition delight to goe together But the similitude of good manners is the surest bond of friendship and it is by this sure marke that true Christians doe make choise of their companions for hee loueth another for the grace of God that hee sees in him He maketh much of those that feare the Lord but in his eyes a vile person is contemned where he sees no grace hee lookes for no good were a man neuer so wise if hee be not godly it is great wisedome to eschew him Quis enim vtilem causae altâ—…nae iudicet quem videt inutilem vitae suae It is one of the continuall cares of a Christian to slie from euill company first for feare of the euill the wicked may doe to him for the nature of things is such that when good is ioyned with the euill the good is sooner corrupted by the euill then the euill is rectified by the good And this the Spirit of God doth teach vs both by significant Phrases and cleare examples Can a man take fire in his bosome and walke vpon coales and not be burnt Canst thou be a brother to Dragons and companion to Ostriches and not sauour of their wildnesse How often haue men of most excellent Graces and singular vertues beene snared by the Companie of the wicked In the Court of Egypt Ioseph was snared to sweare by the life of Pharaoh In the companie of the Philistims godly Dauid was drawne to be a dissembler and was forced to shew himselfe in armes against Israel though sore against his heart In the Hall of Caiaphas the Apostle Saint Peter was tempted to denie his Lord and Maister Yea as Nazianzen did warne Caesarius the least euill wee doe incurre by keeping company with the wicked we are blackt with their smoake if we be not burnt with their fire Neyther doth the Christian slye the companie of the wicked for feare of the euill they may doe to him onely but also for feare hee doe euill vnto them for wicked men when they see that godly men doe not abhorre their company are so much the more strengthened and confirmed to proceede on forward in their sinnes Finally the Christian in ioyning himselfe to any company doth euer keepe this twofold respect first to doe good if hee may secondly to get good If hee doe come into the companie of euill men hee hath a care both by admonition and conuersation to make them better if they doe blaspheme hee doth blesse if they goe to excesse hee doth conforme himselfe to sobrietie euer keeping a godly care by his example to doe them good at least that by their euill example he receiue not euill His second respect in haunting companie is to get good and therefore his delight is in the fellowship of the Saints of God He knoweth that grapes cannot be gathered of thornes nor sigges of Thistles hee hath an eye to the trees of righteousnesse which are planted in the house of the Lord that by mutuall faith hee may both giue and receiue comfort from them The Censure But now the want of this holy disposition in many professors now proclaimeth to the world that all are not Christians indeed who now vsurp the Christian name A SHORT DESCRIPTION OF THE CHRISTIANS DEPARTVRE OVT OF the Body The Christians disposition toward Death before death come FEW and euill haue beene the dayes of my pilgrimage Gen. 49. 7. I haue had as inheritance the moneths of vanitie and painfull nights haue been appointed vnto me Iob. 7. 3. And I know that hereafter there is laid vp for me a crowne of righteousnesse and not for me onely but for all them who loue the appearing of the Lord Iesus 2 Tim. 4. 8. Therefore all the dayes of my life will I waite till my changing shall come Iob. 14. 14. For I desire to be dissolued and to be with Christ. Philip. 1. I loue to remoue out of the body and to dwell with the Lord 2 Cor. 5. 8. For I know if this earthly house of this tabernacle were destroyed I haue a building giuen of God that is an house not made with hands but eternall in the heauens therefore I sigh desiring to be clothed with mine house which is from heauen 2 Cor. 5. And I heartilie looke for and doe hope that in nothing I shall be ashamed but that with all confidence Christ shall be magnified in my body whether it be by life or by death Philip. 1. 20. For whether I liue I liue to the Lord or whether I die I dye to the Lord whether therefore I liue or I dye I am the Lords Rom. 14. 8. To him therefore be praise and glory for euer Amen His willing Resolution in the houre of death I Haue foughten a good fight I haue kept the Faith 2 Tim. 4. I know whom I haue beleeued and I am perswaded that hee is able to keepe that which I haue credited vnto him against that day 2 Tim. 1. 12. The Lord will quicken my mortall body Rom. 8. and make it like to his owne glorious body Philip. 3. 20. Yea though after my skinne wormes destroy this body yet shall I see God in my flesh whom I my selfe shall see and mine eyes shall behold and none other for mee though my reynes be consumed within me Iob. 19. 26. therefore I willingly lay downe my life