fruits we haue found of our Baptisme and whether wee haue felt the vertue of Christ Iesus his death effectuall for the mortification of our sinfull corruptions and of his Resurrection for our spirituall quickening vnto newnesse of life Lastly in respect of the party baptized wee ought to stay that we may performe vnto him such Christian duties as God requireth First to commend him vnto God by our prayers that hee may be truly regenerate ingraffed into the body of Christ as a liuely member and so made partaker of his death merits and all his benefits Secondly that we may as free-men of this Christian Corporation by our presence giue our assent to his outward admission into the Congregation And finally that we may with the rest of the people ioyne in praising and giuing thankes vnto God in his behalfe for admitting him as a new member into the communion of Saints and entertaining him for a seruant of his owne family All which duties we neglect if wee depart before the celebration of the Sacrament and as much as in vs lyeth make them vtterly voyd by our ill example for if all should doe as wee doe as euery one may thinke such liberty belongeth vnto him which he seeth taken by another there should not any at all be left to performe them The last action which is to be performed at our departing out of the Congregation or before if the custome be so is that if there be any collections for the poore we contribute towards them according to our ability and their necessity and that with a willing and cheerfull mind knowing that 2. Cor. 9. 6 7. Heb. 13. 16. Prou. 19. 17. with these sacrifices God is well pleased that what is thus giuen is lent vnto the Lord who will bountifully repay it in this world and the world to come and giuen to Christ himselfe in his poore members who of his free and meere grace will reward these workes of mercy with an heauenly and euerlasting Math. 25. 34. inheritance in his Kingdome And these are the publike duties of Gods worship and seruice which wee ought to performe in the Congregation on his Day And that not onely in the morning with which some content themselues but we must renew them or the most of them in the afternoone as Prayer hearing the Word and singing of Psalmes c. seeing God euen in the time of the Law would haue an euening as well as morning sacrifice offered vnto him and therefore will not haue his seruice more negligently performed in this greater light of the Gospell wherein he affoordeth vs more plentifull meanes of our saluation For the performance of which duties I shall not need to giue any other directions then those which I haue before set downe for the morning exercise CAP. XLII Of such duties as are to be performed on the Lords Day after our comming from the Church §. Sect. 1 That we must meditate vpon that which we haue heard ANd these are the publike duties of Gods seruice which wee are to performe on his Holy-day The priuate duties are diuers The first is that at our comming home we meditate vpon those things which we haue heard and not onely carefully recall them to our remembrance that they may be imprinted in our memories but also apply them vnto our owne vse for the sanctifying of our hearts and affections and the reforming of our liues and conuersations purposing with a full resolution that wee will put in practice whatsoeuer we haue learned both in the forsaking of those vices and sinnes which we haue heard condemned and the imbracing and performing of those vertues and Christian duties which haue beene commended vnto vs. For if we doe not thus make it our owne and as it were couer this holy seede of Gods Word in the furrowes of our hearts the deuill will steale it away as the birds doe the seede that falleth by the high way and make it altogether vnfruitfull so that after much hearing we shall still remaine children in knowledge and in the spirituall growth of grace and godlinesse and like riuen and leaking vessels retaine little or nothing of this precious liquor because it runneth out as fast as it commeth in Secondly with this Meditation we are to loyne feruent and effectuall prayer desiring Gods blessing vpon that which we haue heard whereby it may be made effectuall for his glory and our owne saluation and the gracious assistance of his holy Spirit to bring home not onely to our memories but also to our hearts consciences those things which we haue heard and learned that we may as occasion serueth fruitfully practise them in the whole course of our liues concluding these our prayers with praise and thanksgiuing vnto God for this gracious liberty in inioying his Sabbaths and in them the exercises of Religion meanes of our saluation §. Sect. 2 Of family exercises after we are come from the Church At our meales we are to spend the time in such holy and religious conferences as may be no lesse profitable for the cheering and refreshing of our soules then our corporall food for the nourishment of our bodies and in the performance of such other Christian duties tending to piety and Gods seruice as before wee prescribed for other dayes which vpon the Lords Day aboue all the rest ought to be done with greatest zeale and deuotion which being finished it is good to sing a Psalme to Gods praise and to reade one or more Chapters of the holy Scriptures After which Christian exercises wee may if time will permit conferre together of those things which we haue heard and learned at the forenoones Sermon and by causing euery one as it were to offer his shot to make vp the whole reckoning one remembring what another hath forgotten and he againe supplying that wherein the other is defectiue whereby it will come to passe that whatsoeuer any one hath gathered of these spiritual treasures shall not onely be more firmely locked vp and deepely imprinted in his owne memory but shall also serue as a common stocke for the inriching of the whole company And this being done we are then againe by Prayer and Meditation to prepare our selues for the well performing of Gods publike seruice in the euening exercise as we did in the forenoone which being finished in that holy and religious manner before prescribed and afterwards by some meditation recalled to our remembrance for our own priuate vse it will be profitable for gouernours of families to call together their children and seruants and either by strength of their memories or helpe of their Notes taken of the Sermon to repeate as neere as they can what hath beene deliuered that so the things not marked may be better obserued and that which was forgotten may be recalled and by this repetition may more surely bee ingrauen in the memory Sometimes also it will be fit and necessary to preuent negligence in the yonger sort that the
rest compose our selues to sleepe in such a Christian and holy manner by prayer and meditation that euen as much as may be our imaginations and dreames may retaine some rellish and sauour of our former religious exercises Where by the way wee may note that as the Christian Sabbath is to begin at the dawning of the day because it was instituted in remembrance of Christs Resurrection who was that Sunne of righteousnes who brought light and life vnto vs by performing and finishing that great worke of our Redemption and not ouer-night like the Iewes Sabbath which was ordained to put them in mind of the worke of Creation and the rather because it was fit that there should vpon these diuers reasons be a difference betweene their Sabbath and ours so also it is to continue to the dawning of the next day as wee haue formerly shewed by Pauls example §. Sect. 2 That we must rest from our owne workes on the Lords Day And thus we see the time of the Lords Day how long it is to continue now we are to speake of the duties which ought to be performed in it And these are all comprized in these two things first in obseruing a Rest and secondly in keeping it holy or in sanctifying this Rest vnto Gods seruice The Rest consisteth in the forbearing or not doing of our owne workes but onely in cases of necessity and when the sanctification of the Lords Day requireth them as duties tending to the aduancing of Gods seruice or such workes of mercy and Christian charity as belong to this Day as the study and paines of the Minister the trauell of the people to places of diuine worship visiting and helping of the sicke and distressed confounding of contentions and making peace betweene neighbours feeding and tending of cattell and such like Where by our owne workes I vnderstand all our thoughts words and actions which simply or chiefly tend to our owne profit or pleasure As first the workes of our callings Exod. 31. 15. of all kinds whatsoeuer as all workes of husbandry euen in the time of haruest buying and selling carrying of burthens trauelling and such like Secondly all kinds of recreations which are not necessary for the preseruing of health and life and tend not to the better fitting and inabling of vs for religious duties but to sensuall and carnall delight Of which sort are walking abroad that we may take the ayre or that wee may conferre one with another or meditate on the creatures some bodily exercise in course of physicke to refresh the body and in some cases musicke not onely vocall by singing of Psalmes which is a duty of the Sabbath but also on instruments when as it is vsed not for carnall and sensuall delight but to refresh our spirits and quicken our dull and drowzie hearts and minds that they may with more cheerefulnesse returne vnto the performance of religious and holy duties in which cases there may at some times be the same vse of these recreations so they be in moderation in an holy manner and to these ends which is of physicke meates and drinkes But from all other recreations which tend onely to carnall and sensuall delight we must wholly abstaine first because the Lord expressely forbiddeth vs to doe our owne pleasure on his holy Day and contrariwise commandeth vs to call his Sabbath our delight Esa 58. 13. the holy of the Lord honourable and that we should honour him nor doing our owne wayes nor finding our owne pleasures nor speaking our owne words Secondly because they are our owne workes from all kindes whereof Gods Commandement restraineth vs that wee may bee wholly deuoted to the seruice of God and the meanes which inable vs thereunto yea they may in some sort be called more our owne workes then the workes of our callings because these are more expressely commanded and are ordinarily more necessary and more directly tend to Gods seruice then the other for it is possible to liue and serue God without these recreations but not vnlesse we walke in the duties of our callings And therefore if these bee forbidden on the Lords Day then much more the other which are of lesse vse and necessity Finally because these worldly recreations doe more dangerously and cunningly winde into our hearts steale them away from holy duties and distract vs in Gods seruice then the duties of our callings the workes and labours whereof we doe not loue for themselues but onely as they are meanes of deriuing pleasure or profit vnto vs whereas we loue these sensuall pleasures for themselues and oftentimes so dote vpon them that we neglect our worldly profit yea the seruice of God it selfe and the eternall saluation of our soules that we may inioy them §. Sect. 3 That on the Lords Day we must abstaine from carnall recreations Now if any obiect that to depriue vs of these recreations is to take away all the ioy and comfort of our liues to this I answere that it is an obiection which altogether misbeseemeth a Christian For howsoeuer Infidels and carnall worldlings may reioyce chiefly in them as hauing no greater cause of ioy and comfort yet it ought not to bee so with the faithfull who should chiefly reioyce in the Lord and in the pledges and testimonies of his loue and fauour in their Communion with him who is their Phil. 4. 4. summum bonum and chiefe happinesse and the visible signes of his gracious presence vnto which spirituall ioy Dauid exhorteth Delight thy Psal 37. 4. selfe in the Lord and he shall giue the desires of thine heart Of which he in many places propoundeth himselfe as an example for our imitation Secondly if we be spiritually and not carnally and worldly-minded we may make the Lords Day it selfe our delight as he requireth which if we Esa 58. 13 14. doe then we shall indeed finde sweete delight in the Lord. For what greater delight can there bee to a Christian then to praise God by singing of Psalmes who hath beene so good and gracious vnto vs then to heare the Word whereby God assureth vs of his fauour and of the pardon of our sinnes and receiue the Sacrament whereby it is sealed and assured vnto vs then to feast our soules at this spirituall banket and afterwards meditate on and peruse our spirituall euidences whereby the assurance of heauenly happinesse is conuayed vnto vs then to be assured that wee are redeemed out of the hands of all our spirituall enemies and restored to the glorious liberty of the Sonnes of God then to solace our selues in the sweete society of Christ our Bridegroome in his Banketing-house and to be stayed and comforted with his flagons of wine apples and kinde imbracements Cant. 2. 4 5 6. which spirituall ioyes if we rellish not what doth it but argue a carnall taste and appetite which we ought to bewaile and mortifie and not feede and cherish it with vaine sports and worldly recreations
and therefore cannot apply vnto vs Christ our Righteousnesse Though they doe not iustifie vs before God yet they iustifie vs before men that is declare that we are iustified Though they be not causes yet they are necessary and inseparable effects of our iustification Though they are not required vnto the act of iustification but faith onely vniting vs vnto Christ our Righteousnesse yet vnto the party iustified for as hee that doth righteousnesse is righteous so hee that is righteous 1. Ioh. 3. 7. doth righteousnesse the cause and effect alwayes concurring and going together Finally though they bee not meritorious causes of saluation which is Gods free gift an inheritance and not a purchase made by our selues yet they are the meanes which assure vs of it and though they be not the cause of our raigning yet they are the way to the Kingdome Finally they are the vndoubted signes and as the Apostle calleth them the proofe of our loue whereby we may try whether it be vnfained or hypocriticall Ioh. 14. 15. for if we loue God we will keepe his Commandements and also of the truth and sincerity of our Religion which is not so well knowne from that Iam. 1. 27. which is false by an outward profession as by the holy practice of it in the workes of piety iustice mercy and Christian charity §. Sect. 6 Of the rewards of good works Lastly let vs consider that the Lord will richly of his free grace reward these workes with glory and happinesse in his Kingdome For though the strength of our title stand vpon Gods free gift yet wee are entred into the possession of it by the workes of mercy as being infallible signes that wee are the true and lawfull heires vnto whom this heauenly patrimony doth belong by right of Couenant according to that of our Sauiour Come ye Mat. 25. 34 35. blessed of my Father inherit the Kingdome prepared for you from the foundation of the world for I was hungry and ye gaue me meate I was thirsty and ye gaue me drinke c. So the Apostle saith that at the day of Iudgement Christ will render to euery man according to his deeds To them who by patient continuance Rom. 2. 7 8. in well-doing seeke for glory honour and immortality eternall life but to them that are contentious and doe not obey the truth but obey vnrighteousnesse indignation and wrath c. Whereby it appeareth that if euer we meane to attaine vnto euerlasting happinesse we must not content our selues with an opinion of our inward piety and sincerity nor with an outward profession of Religion but we must bring foorth the fruits of them both in the workes of holinesse and righteousnesse For not euery one that saith Lord Mat. 7. 21 22. Luk. 11. 28. Ioh. 13. 17. Apoc. 1. 3. Lord shall enter into Gods Kingdome but they that doe his will And they only are pronounced happy who heare the Word of God and keep it As for those who please themselues with the profession of piety neglect the practice in the fruits of obedience and duties of a godly life they are presently in danger to be cut off like hypocrits dead branches with Gods iudgemēts according to that of Iohn the Baptist Now is the axe laid to the root of the trees Mat. 3. 10. Ioh. 15. 2. Therefore euery tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewne downe cast into the fire And in the World to come shall be excluded from Gods presence and haue their portion in euerlasting fire prepared for the deuill and his Mat. 7. 23. 25. 41. angels not only as workers of iniquity but also as neglecters of the workes of mercy and Christian charity to the poore members of Iesus Christ CAP. IIII. That we must performe vniuersall obedience to the whole will of God §. Sect. 1 That only vniuersall obedience to Gods will Word is accepted of him AND thus haue we shewed that our obedience ought to bee vniuersall in respect of the subiect or the person that performeth it In the next place we are to shew that there is also an vniuersality required in respect of the obiect whereby we vnderstand the whole will of God reuealed in the Scriptures Neither is it sufficient that we performe some or many duties and neglect the rest but wee must in all things bee conformable to all Gods Commandements which is not so to be vnderstood as though we could actually doe all that God requireth for in many things wee sinne all but of Iam. 3. 2. an habituall obedience and disposition of our hearts whereby wee desire resolue and indeuour in all things to doe Gods will in as great perfection as we can bewailing our wants and imperfections when we faile and come short of our desires Of which we haue an example in Dauid who Psal 119. 6. had respect vnto all Gods Commandements and in the remnant of the Captiuity who bound themselues by couenant and oath to walke in Gods Law Nehem. 10. 29. and to obserue and doe all the Commandements of the Lord their God and in Zachary and Elizabeth who were righteous before God walking in all the Luk. 1. 6. Commandements and Ordinances of the Lord blamelesse The contrary whereof we see in the example of Iehu who obeyed God in destroying the house 2. King 10. of Ahab and Baal with his Priests for the establishing of his owne Kingdome but not in taking away the golden Calues In Herod who Mark 6. 20. heard Iohn the Baptist willingly and obeyed his doctrine in many things but would not leaue his Incest In Iudas and Demas who performed many good duties but would not forsake their couetousnesse and loue of the world And finally in Ananias and Saphyra who were content to share Act. 5. with God but kept part of the possession which they had wholly consecrated vnto him for their owne vse But our obedience must be vniuersall keeping no sinne as sweet vnder our tongue but we must in the disposition Job 20. 12. desire and purpose of our hearts renounce all sinnes whatsoeuer without exception be they neuer so pleasing or profitable yea wee must with greatest hatred pursue those vnto which our corrupt natures are most inclined making warre as against all these wicked enemies of God so most earnestly against this Canaanitish brood which dwell in our Land And contrariwise we must loue and imbrace all vertues and practise all Christian duties which God hath commanded though they be neuer so hard and difficult to our corrupt disposition yea the more auerse our sinfull natures are vnto them so much the more earnestly we must labour to imbrace and practise them For if we make any composition with Satan and our owne flesh to giue willing entertainement vnto any sinne or to neglect any vertue or Christian duty our obedience is but hypocriticall and fained and the sinne reserued like a
so much in respect of the cleere euidence heereof in it selfe or the forciblenesse of the arguments which are brought to conuince and perswade naturall reason as in regard of Gods authority who is most infallible in his truth infinite in his goodnesse and almighty to performe whatsoeuer he hath promised Which assent being effectuall in vs doth worke in our vnderstandings a perswasion that our sinnes though in themselues haynous yet compared with Gods infinite mercies and the all-sufficient merits of Iesus Christ are pardonable in our iudgements a precious and high esteeme of these mercies and merits aboue all worldly things In our hearts an hungring and thirsting desire to be made partakers of them for the remission of our sinnes in our wils a firme resolution to renounce all other meanes and to rest wholly vpon Gods mercies and Christs merits for our iustification and saluation And in our actions a carefull indeuour to vse all good meanes whereby we may bee more and more assured of Gods loue in Christ and among the rest in all things to please God in all our thoughts words and workes that so we may glorifie him from whom wee expect so great grace and mercy and make our calling and election sure The third thing required is an apprehension and application of the promises of the Gospell the infinite mercies of God and all-sufficient merits of Christ vnto our selues in particular which is the forme and very life of faith and maketh the things thus applyed vsefull and effectuall for our iustification and without which wee shall haue no more benefit by them then a man hath by a soueraigne salue and cordiall medicine not applyed and taken or by warme clothes which are not put on The last thing required is affiance and confidence when as knowing assenting vnto and applying Gods mercies and Christs merits vnto our selues we rest and rely wholly vpon them for our iustification and saluation §. Sect. 6 That after illuminatiō there are three degrees of faith and the maner how they are wrought in vs. So that after illumination there are three degrees of faith the first is an effectuall assent to the promises of the Gospell which worketh in our hearts an hungring desire after Christ and his benefits and in our wills a resolution to cast our selues vpon him alone for our saluation By which the Christian truly liueth but yet like a new borne babe who weakely performeth the actions of life but knoweth not that he either liueth or mooueth And so weake it is in apprehension and application that he can hardly discerne it and often calleth in question whether he hath any hold at all or no. It is strong in desiring but feeble in performing resolued by all meanes to sticke vnto Christ but yet scarce sensible of any vnion It admireth the glorious beames and brightnesse of Gods loue shining in the Word but feeleth little warmth of ioy and comfort by it in his owne heart and conscience It worketh in the weake Christian an hungring after the sincere milke of the Word that he may grow vp thereby but with little or no sense that he is nourished or any whit increased in the spirituall growth He seeketh earnestly for grace and peace but they seeme to fly from him and is still wishing for more and more but hath little comfort in feeling and fruition His desires so farre exceed the proportion which he hath receiued that it is swallowed vp of them so that nothing in appearance remaineth And like couetous men he thinketh not on what he hath but vpon what he hath not and spends a great part of that time in complaints of his wants which should be imployed in praysing God for that plenty which hee hath receiued But this faith is still in growth though they that haue it doe not see it growing for the Lord is no more ready to inlarge our hearts with hungring desires after grace then to satisfie them this being his maine end why like the Merchant hee stretcheth out these empty bags that he may replenish them with a greater portion of these hid treasures And therefore when the weake beleeuer carefully and conscionably laboureth in the vse of all good meanes for the strengthening and increasing of his faith as hearing the Word Sacraments Meditation Prayer and such like the Lord with his Spirit so blesseth them vnto him that from this first degree of faith he commeth to the second namely to a comfortable apprehension of Gods promises as belonging to himselfe to some sense and feeling of the loue of God shed abroad in his heart by the holy Ghost and to some assurance that hee in particular hath part and interest in Gods mercies and Christs merits whereby he is iustified and shall be saued And this is the second degree of faith which being but weake in the apprehension of Christ and his righteousnesse and in the sense and feeling of Gods loue is assaulted with much doubting and oftentimes shaken with grieuous tentations whereby the Christians hold seemeth for the time wholly lost and his faith in the operations of it almost quite extinguished and therefore hauing attained vnto this degree he resteth not in it as sufficient but laboureth in the vse of all good meanes whereby his faith may bee more and more strengthened and increased vntill it come to the third and last degree of perfection which is that plerophorie and fulnesse of perswasion of the remission of our sinnes of our vnion with Christ and Gods vnchangeable Rom. 8. 38 39. loue towards vs in him from which nothing in the world shall be able to diuide vs as we see in the Apostle Pauls example Vpon which followeth Christian security in the assurance of Gods protection and peace of conscience that passeth all vnderstanding which though it be assaulted yet Rom. 5. 3. is seldome impeached and impugned with any violence of tentations trouble of mind or terrours of conscience And from hence springeth inward ioy vnspeakeable and glorious out of our assurance and sweete feeling 1. Pet. 1. 8. of Gods loue and the certaine perswasion of our owne saluation whereby wee are made cheerefull and constant not onely in doing all which God commandeth but also in suffering whatsoeuer hee inflicteth §. Sect. 7 That the duties of a godly life hold a proportion with our faith whether it bee weake or strong And these are the degrees of a liuely faith without which or some one of them we cannot doe any thing pleasing vnto God or set one step forward in the way of godlinesse for faith is a cause and an inseparable companion of a godly life of which if we be destitute in the least degrees well may we be ignorantly deuout and zealously superstitious but wee shall neuer performe any one dutie in such sort as God will accept of it And according to the degree and measure of our faith such also will bee our fruits of godlinesse they holding a proportion the one with
be throughly perswaded that hee shall ouercome them whereas on the other side for want of this faith or rather this speciall art of application many deare seruants of God are hindred and discouraged from going on in the duties of holinesse and righteousnesse or else proceede with much vncomfortablenesse and disquietnesse because comparing their weakenesse with the difficulty of the worke they thinke that they shall neuer atchieue it in any measure acceptable to God though in the meane time they want not faith to rest vpon the promises of the Gospell the mercies of God and merits of Christ for their iustification and the bringing of them to euerlasting happinesse CAP. X. Of the third ground of a godly life which is a pure heart §. Sect. 1 Of a pure heart what it is and whence it ariseth BEsides those mayne grounds of a godly life before spoken of sauing knowledge and a liuely faith there are two other which Prou. 20. 9. arise and spring from them a pure heart and a good conscience By a pure heart I doe not vnderstand such an one as is free from all sinne and corruption for who can say I haue made my heart cleane I am pure from my sinne But such an heart as being regenerate by Gods Spirit is in part purified and sanctified hating sinne and louing vertue and holinesse in the inner man feeling the waight of corruption and desiring to be clensed from it and the want of grace and resoluing to vse all good meanes whereby it may be supplyed And this is a fruit of sauing knowledge which discouereth vnto vs how vgly sinne is in it selfe and pernicious vnto vs and the beauty and excellencie of grace and godlinesse in it owne nature with the profit which redoundeth vnto vs by it and also of a iustifying faith which applying the vertue of Christs death and resurrection doth mortifie our carnall corruptions and quicken vs in the life of grace making vs to hate that sinne which we formerly loued and to loue and imbrace that grace and vertue which in time past wee loathed and answerably to resolue that wee will vse all good meanes to be freed from the one and furnished with the other All which proceedeth out of our assurance of Gods loue which being shed abroad in our hearts by the holy Ghost doth worke in them vnfained loue towards Rom. 5. 5. God againe whereby we desire resolue and indeuour to leaue and forsake what he hateth and forbiddeth and to imbrace and practise whatsoeuer he loueth and commandeth §. Sect. 2 That all true fruits of godlinesse spring from a pure heart And this is that pure heart which is necessary to a godly life as being a chiefe piller that supporteth it and a liuely fountaine from which all good and vertuous actions doe spring and flow For if the heart be pure it will purifie all our words and actions but if it be defiled we can expect no pure streames from a polluted fountaine according to that of our Sauiour Those things which proceed out of the mouth come foorth of the heart Mat. 15. 19. and they defile the man for out of the heart proceed euill thoughts murthers adulteries c. And therefore as it is in vaine to purge the streames when the fountaine is defiled because it will soone againe pollute them whereas if the spring be cleere it will soone clense the streames though much defiled that issue from it so is it with the fountaine of the heart and the words and actions which from it as streames doe spring and flow The heart is the roote and tree and the words and workes are the fruits it beareth which discouer what it is for a good tree bringeth foorth good fruits Mat. 7. 17 18. and a corrupt tree bringeth foorth euill fruits neither can a good tree bring foorth euill fruit nor a corrupt tree bring foorth good fruit as our Sauiour hath taught vs. It is the treasurie of all our thoughts speeches and actions And a good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth foorth Luk. 6. 45. that which is good and an euill man out of the euill treasure of his heart bringeth foorth that which is euill for of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh It is the King and Monarch in the little world of man which giueth lawes to all the other members raigning and ruling ouer them as it seemeth good vnto it It is the primum mobile and first moouer which giueth motion to all other parts as inferiour spheares and as it were the first wheele of the clocke whose motion all the rest follow standing still when it standeth and going as it goeth So that if the heart bee an inditer Psa 45. 1. 57. 7. 108. 1. of a good matter the tongue will be the pen of a ready writer if the heart bee prepared so also will be the tongue to sing and giue praise if it nourish euill thoughts like vnto discords there can be no good musike but if it be well tuned we shall in singing Hymnes Psalmes and spirituall Songs sing Col. 3. 16. with grace and make sweete melody in Gods eares And therefore Dauid desiring to make good speed in the way of godlinesse desireth first to haue his heart in larged with the loue of it I will runne saith he the way of thy Psal 119. 32. Commandements when thou shalt inlarge my heart §. Sect. 3 That God chiefly desireth the heart aboue all other parts And hereof it is that the Lord chiefly requireth the heart according to that of Salomon My sonne giue me thy heart The which also Dauid chiefly Pro. 23 26. 1. Chron. 28. 9. required of him in the seruice of God And thou Salomon my sonne know thou the God of thy father and serue him with a perfect heart and willing mind for the Lord searcheth all hearts and vnderstandeth all the imaginations of the thoughts It is aboue all other parts the sacrifice which is most acceptable vnto God according to that of the Psalmist The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit a broken and a contrite heart O God thou wilt not despise An Psal 51. 17. vpright heart is his chiefe delight and though he requireth sincerity both in our words and workes yet aboue all he desireth truth in the inward parts Vers 7. And if the heart be sincere and desireth to offer vnto God perfect seruice the Lord passeth by and pardoneth our imperfections and accepteth as perfect our weake and worthlesse indeuours according to that of the Apostle If there be first a willing minde it is accepted according to that a man 2. Cor. 8 12. hath and not according to that he hath not An example whereof we haue in Iehosaphat and Asa who though their inward corruptions did breake out into diuers open sinnes yet because they prepared their hearts to seeke the 2. Chr. 19. 3. Lord he esteemed them
hearts good out of which we bring it More especially the purity of our hearts appeareth in the purity of our words when as we delight in the language of Canaan and cheerefully intertaine one another Col. 4. 6. with holy conferences and when as our speech is powdred with the salt Eph. 4. 29. of wisedome and ministreth grace vnto the hearers edifying one another in our most holy faith So also pure hands are a signe of a pure heart being inseparable companions that alwayes goe together and both infallible notes of a Citizen of heauen and the workes of holinesse and Psal 24. 4. 73. 13. righteousnesse are signes of an holy and righteous heart euen as cleere streames are a signe that the fountaine is pure from which they spring Whereas if the hands be full of blood crueltie and oppression bribery and extortion fraud and deceit it is more then manifest that our hearts remaine still polluted with fleshly lusts whatsoeuer profession we make of purity and sincerity §. Sect. 3 The meanes of a pure heart is highly to esteeme it Now when by these signes as it were by the pulse we come to know the state of our hearts whether they be choaked vp with the grosse humors of sinfull lusts or inliued and quickened with purity and holinesse as it were the vitall spirits of grace which inable vs to the actions of a godly life in the next place we must carefully vse all good meanes whereby we may attaine vnto this purity of heart if we haue it not or preserue it in vs if we already haue it And first we are to haue it in high esteeme as being a most precious iewell not to be valued with any worldly wealth For it is the fountaine of loue from which all true obedience floweth according to that of the Apostle The end of the Commandement is loue out of a pure heart a good conscience and faith vnfained So that if the heart be not purified 1. Tim. 1. 5. by faith this holy ghest of diuine loue will not lodge in it without which we cannot performe any dutie commanded towards God or our neighbour or if we doe yet not growing from the roote of loue it faileth of its end and consequently is done in vaine It is the chiefe place of residence where Gods holy Spirit dwelleth exercizing his vertue and shewing his diuine power and Maiesty for if our bodies be the temples 1. Cor. 3. 16. 6. 19. of the holy Ghost then sure our hearts being purified are the Holy of Holiest which being his owne peculiar no man may enter or prie into it and if we be the habitation of his holy and glorious Maiesty then is the sanctified heart his priuie chamber in which he suppeth with vs and his bedcamber Apoc. 3 18. in which he lodgeth It is that pure Cristall Fountaine which purifieth all our actions making them accepted as white in Gods sight which in themselues are spotted and causeth all other gifts of God to bee pure vnto vs for to the pure all things are pure but vnto them that are defiled and vnbeleeuing is nothing pure but euen their minde and conscience is defiled Tit. 1. 15. Finally it is this purity of heart whereby we attaine vnto assurance of blessednesse according to that of our Sauiour Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God And the Psalmist propounding this great question Matth. 5. 8. Who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord and who shall stand in his holy place Psal 24. 3 4. thus resolueth it He that hath cleane hands and a pure heart c. And if thus considering the excellency of this Iewell we doe esteeme it according to its true value it will be a notable meanes to attaine vnto it For according to that estimate which we set vpon Gods rich gifts such is his bounty in bestowing them if wee thinke them much worth we shall haue much if of little value we shall haue them but in little measure but if we contemne and neglect them as things of no price and as those Ruffians who obiect purity as an imputation and esteeme this cleanenesse of heart and hands the foulest blemish and aspersion the Lord will giue vnto vs none at all but will pronounce against vs that fearefull saying He that is filthy Apoc. 22. 11. let him be filthy still For he will not cast his Pearles before swine that will tread them vnder their filthy feete he will not giue much of his graces to them who haue but small esteeme of them but to those who prize them highly he will giue them liberally because the thankefulnesse of their hearts will hold proportion with that price which their iudgement shall set vpon them In which respect Dauid was neuer neerer slipping into the puddle of impurity then when he preferd worldly prosperity before Psal 73. 13. sanctity and cleanenesse of soule Neuer was he neerer to a polluted heart then when he concluded that he had cleansed it in vaine Besides the more wee esteeme this purity the more dearely will wee loue it and the more earnestly will we labour in the vse of all good meanes whereby we may be plentifully inriched with it begging it of God who is the sole giuer of it by feruent prayer and desiring that he will worke it in our hearts by his holy Spirit And so the Lord liberall in himselfe to bestow his gifts vpon them who esteeme them wil giue this purity vnto vs with a much more bountifull hand hauing freely bound himselfe heereunto by his gracious promise that if we aske we shall haue and if we seeke we shall find Matth. 7. 7. the Lord being as ready to blesse the meanes that they may bee effectuall to their ends as we can be to vse them §. Sect. 3 Of the manifold euils accompany a polluted heart On the other side let vs consider of the manifold euils which doe accompany an heart that is polluted and defiled with sinne for it maketh 1. King 21. all appearances of graces though neuer so excellent to be nothing lesse in truth and but sole semblances and shewes wherein is nothing but meere hypocrisie Our humiliation like Ahabs which was not in the heart but onely in the outward habit and like the Israelites who hanged downe their heads like a bulrush and afflicted their soules onely in the Esa 58. 5. day of their fast their hearts remaining full of pride and crueltie Our zeale like Iehu's who destroyed Idolatry to build vp his owne kingdome 1. King 10. 28. Our obedience like Herods which was but to the halues and only so farre as would stand with his carnall lusts Our profession and following Christ like that of Iudas which was no further then he saw it would stand Ioh. 12. 5 6. with his ambition and couetousnesse Our bounty in the workes of mercie like that of Ananias which was to be
preserued from receiuing hurt by our carnall lusts and the deuils tentations or if we haue yet we shall with great ease recouer our losses when they are no sooner sustained then espied For these staines of sinne will easily be washed out if wee take them in hand when they haue first tainted our hearts Our enemies will without any great danger be beaten out when they are first entred and haue had no time to fortifie and intrench themselues Our wounds whilest they are greene will be soone cured and if assoone as we haue drunke the poyson of sinne and carnall lusts we presently cast them vp againe before they haue had time to worke or vse our antidote of faith and repentance it will not be able to doe vs any great harme §. Sect. 6 The second meanes is to preserue them from all sinne Secondly if we would preserue our hearts in puritie we must labour to keepe them from all sinne not onely those raigning and raging lusts which waste the conscience and extinguish the vitall spirits like strong poysons but euen from those lesser corruptions which most men regard not thinking no sinne so small that wee may liue in it nor giuing allowance to the least carnall and worldly lusts For these also will defile the heart themselues and make way for the pollution of fouler sinnes whilest they lessen our care to keepe them out euen as when the house is already somewhat fouled men care not greatly though it be fouled more whereas when they see it cleane they more carefully keepe it so from all annoyance But most especially wee must labour to preserue our hearts pure from those sinnes with which they haue formerly beene most tainted and vnto which they are still most naturally inclined And as men take most care to preuent hereditary diseases and that they doe not by relapse fall into that sicknesse out of which they haue newly recouered because they are more prone vnto them then any other so also must vve doe in keeping our hearts pure from those speciall corruptions vvhich haue made them sicke to the death and haue fearefully hazarded their euerlasting saluation In time of vvarre vve most strongly man that part of the vvall vvhich being vveakest hath most often beene attempted by the enemie and if a breach be made vve keepe it vvith a narrovv vvatch and strong gard till it bee againe repaired So the experience of our enemies policie and povver in putting vs often to the vvorst doth make vs more vigilant and diligent in our warlike preparations that we may be able to make resistance But if our friends whom we haue formerly loued and are acquainted with all our secrets knowing our outgoings and commings in doe become our enemies with what care and circumspection doe we preuent their mischiefes because we know that by their ancient familiarity with vs they are acquainted with all aduantages And thus must wee doe in warring with our corruptions if euer we meane to get victory and to preserue our hearts from being surprized by them §. Sect. 7 The third meanes is to auoid the occasions of sinne Thirdly we must not only labour to keepe our hearts pure from the sins themselues with which formerly they haue beene defiled but also auoid all Iude 23. the occasions and meanes whereby we may be drawne vnto them hating euen the garment which is spotted with flesh For as in vaine he fleeth the plague in himselfe who haunteth the company of those that are infected as hee fondly shunneth to bee burned who maketh it his sport to play with fire and gunpowder and he foolishly protesteth against whoredome who delighteth in the kisses and wanton imbracement of some common Strumpet So it is in vaine to thinke that wee can preserue our hearts from the infection of sinne and from the fire and filth of burning and polluting lusts vnlesse we shun the meanes and occasions as well as the corruptions and sinnes themselues §. Sect. 8 The fourth meanes is often to examine our hearts in Gods sight Finally if we would preserue our hearts in their purity wee must often examine them in Gods sight and for the approuing of their purity and integrity often offer them to his triall For as the husbands eye and presence allowing or disallowing all the wiues particular actions and behauiour to strangers is the best and surest meanes to preserue her chastity so if the heart betrothed vnto God haue all the affections and desires of it scanned and examined before him it will not easily be polluted with strange and vncleane lusts And thus Dauid kept his heart in purity and integrity by prouoking and offring it often to Gods triall Iudge Psal 26. 12. Psal 139 23 24 me saith he O Lord for I haue walked in mine integrity c. Examine me O Lord and proue me try my reines and mine heart And againe Search me O God and know mine heart try me and know my thoughts and see if there be any wicked way in mee and leade me in the way euerlasting Whose example if we follow it will be a notable meanes to preserue our hearts in purity For as we are extraordinary carefull to haue our houses cleansed from all filth when we prepare them to giue entertainment to an honourable and respected friend who hating all sluttishnesse will curiously looke into euery corner so will our care exceede in cleansing our hearts when as we inuite our God to visit and lodge in them yea wee shall haue hereby the benefit not onely of our owne care and diligence for the cleansing of our hearts but of the Lords assistance to make them more cleane when we haue cleansed them as well as we can For he is not a curious carper at our infirmities but a cheerfull helper to reforme and amend them and therefore he that inuiteth the Lord to trie and search his heart doth in another place desire his assistance for the purging of the filth and guilt of sinne which lurked in such secret corners that it was not subiect to his owne view Who saith he can vnderstand his errours cleanse thou me from Psal 19. 12. my secret faults §. Sect. 9 The fifth meanes is continually to be taken vp in holy exercises Lastly if wee would preserue the purity of our hearts our care must be to haue them continually taken vp in holy exercises either about the generall Iohn 17. 17. Psal 119. 9. Rom. 10. 17. duties of Christianity or the speciall duties of our callings of the former sort are the diligent and attentiue hearing and reading of the Word which is a speciall meanes of our sanctification as our Sauiour noteth and of the strengthening of our faith by which our hearts are purified and also prayer at ordinary times eyther publike or priuate receiuing the Sacrament holy conferences one with another singing Psalmes and doing the workes of righteousnesse vnto all vpon all occasions and the workes of mercy vnto those who doe in
any respect stand in neede of our helpe of the other sort are inward eiaculations and lifting vp our hearts in our secret prayers at all times and vpon all occasions and holy meditations of Gods mercies or our owne miseries or on the meanes whereby we may be inriched with all grace and enabled vnto the performance of holy duties For this priuiledge the heart hath aboue all other parts that whereas they cannot exercise their duties but when fit opportunity is offered as the eare cannot heare the Word but when it is preached nor the hand performe workes of mercy but when it hath meanes to doe them and fit subiects to worke vpon the heart needeth neuer to be idle and out of holy exercise but euen when our bodies are taken vp with the workes of our callings or honest recreations wee may 1. Thes 5. 16 17. 18. on all occasions pray giue thankes and exercise our hearts in holy meditations Psal 1. 2. eyther reioycing in the Lord and his mercies or sighing and sorrowing in the sight and sense of our owne miseries And if our hearts be thus exercised being wholy taken vp with Gods seruice they will haue no leysure for the imployments of the diuell the world and the flesh whereas if they be swept cleane of all spirituall grace and holy duties the diuell will easily enter with whole swarmes of noysome lusts and Math. 12. 46. so pollute them at his pleasure with all manner of poysonous abominations CAP. XII Of Conscience in generall the nature properties and effects of it §. Sect. 1 That the nature of Conscience may partly bee knowne by the name THe last ground of a godly life is a good conscience without which it is impossible to please God or to performe any duty acceptable in his sight In speaking whereof wee will first generally shew the nature of conscience then more particularly intreat of a good conscience The nature of conscience may bee partly knowne by the name which signifieth to know together or with another for as the minde vnderstanding the nature of things is sayd to know them so when another ioyneth with it in this knowledge they are sayd to know together Now there is no creature that can ioyne with man in the knowledge that is secret in his minde according to that of the Apostle No man knoweth the things of a man but the 1. Cor. 2. 11. Spirit of a man that is in him Whereof it is that humane lawes take no notice of the thoughts of the heart either to reward or punish them but it is only the Lord that searcheth the heart and reynes who knoweth and taketh notice together with our mindes of all the secrets which are knowne vnto it Whereby the nature of conscience in part appeareth namely that it is such a faculty in the soule as taketh notice of all our actions and beareth witnesse of them before Gods Iudgement seate eyther with vs when they approue them as good or against vs when as they condemne them as euill So that the conscience is a certayne diuine power which is placed by God in the soule of man as a third party indifferent betweene him and vs somtime speaking for vs and sometime against vs as the equity of the cause requireth It is Gods Monitour which he hath set ouer vs to take notice of all wee doe that hee may either reward our well-doing or punish that which is done amisse And because simple knowledge might see and conceale what it seeth and knoweth God to this science hath added conscience which being placed in vs on the behalfe of the great King of heauen and earth will not let any thing lie hid and smothered but giueth vnpartiall witnes of whatsoeuer is done before his Tribunall eyther excusing vs when wee doe well or accusing vs when we haue sinned against him Not that the Lord needed any such witnesse or Monitour to informe him of our actions for he seeth and knoweth all things past present and to come with one perfect and simple act but because he would in the administration of his iustice proceede in a legal manner that wee hereby might be conuicted of the vprightnesse of his iudgements hauing in our selues a witnesse that iustifieth and approueth them §. Sect. 2 What conscience is being generally considered But that we may yet more clearely discerne the nature of conscience what it is we will thus define it Conscience is a faculty or power placed by God in the soule of man which reflecteth the vnderstanding vpon it selfe causing it to apply its generall and contemplatiue knowledge of truth and falshood good and euill to practicall vse for the ayming and determining of all our particular actions according to the generall rules of reason either with vs or against vs. It is a faculty and not a naturall habit which may bee got and lost for howsoeuer the operations of it may be hindred and deadded for a time by carnall security hardnesse of heart and the violence of our lusts and passion euen as reason it selfe cannot exercise its functions in the time of sleepe or drunkennesse that it neuer vtterly fayleth but when it is awakened by affliction it sheweth it selfe in the actions of accusing condemning and terrifying as in former times Neither is it a bare art of vnderstanding as some would haue it but a distinct faculty working power which in it own vertue produceth diuers So the Apostle Paul speaketh Rom. 2. 15. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is their reasonings the meane while accusing or else excusing one another actions For when the vnderstanding in the Thesy and Theory by way of generall contemplation approueth of any action as good or condemneth it as euill the conscience applyeth it in the Hypothesy vnto a mans owne particular actions and by vertue of those generall notions in the vnderstanding determineth of them either with or against vs that they are good or euill And this it doth as the schooles speake in a practicall Syllogisme in which the reason or contemplatiue vnderstanding so called because it is exercised in contemplation and in seeking out the principles of all knowledge is in respect of this office named also by Diuines 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because it is the keeper and conseruer of those notions implanted in vs concerning good things to be imbraced and euill things to be shunned of vs this contemplatiue vnderstanding I say doth in this Syllogisme offer vnto vs the Maior or Proposition The conscience which they call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because as I haue shewed it knoweth not to it selfe alone but with God maketh the Minor or assumption and the facultie of iudgement determining of the fact inferreth the conclusion As for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 example The vnderstanding suggesteth this Proposition Hee that serueth God who is the supreme cause and chiefe Good performeth a good dutie The conscience assumeth But thou hast serued God the supreme
that hath a good conscience reioyceth in it when it is alone without the company of any worldly comfort in the greatest solitude it presenteth vnto vs a Theater Nullum Theatrum virtuti conscientiâ maius Cic. Tusc l. 2. of delights And not only in the absence of all worldly good but also in the presence of the greatest worldly euils For he that hath peace with God and peace of conscience reioyceth in tribulatiō as the Apostle speaketh So when the Apostles were beaten for Christs cause their backes were no more loaded Rom. 5 3. Act. 5. 41. with stripes then their hearts lift vp with ioy because they were thought worthy to suffer for him So when Paul and Sylas were imprisoned Act. 16. and their feete in the stockes their ioy was at liberty and the roome that contained them was not able to confine it It accompanieth the Conscia mens recti famae men dacia ridet Ouid. 4. Fast faithfull in all their afflictions and maketh their burthen light which is intolerable to those that want it In their greatest pouertie it is in stead of riches In all their sicknesse it is a comfortable cordiall In the noysome stench of worldly slanders and reproaches it is a sweete oyntment and precious perfume which cheereth and reuiueth their spirits So when Paul was apprehended and arraigned as an hainous malefactor this comfort refreshed him that he had liued with all good conscience before God So when he was pressed out of measure euen vnto death with troubles and Act. 23. 1. persecutions he reioyced in this the testimony of his conscience Yea euen at the day of death when all worldly comforts like false friends forsake 2. Cor. 1. 12. vs or staying with vs doe become like Iobs kinsmen miserable comforters seruing for no vse but to aggrauate our griefes the ioy of conscience triumpheth ouer death it selfe because it is vnto vs but a straight doore thorow which we shall enter into a faire Palace of euerlasting blessednesse Yea it shall cheere our hearts at the day of Iudgement and when they who haue spent their dayes in carnall delights shall droope and desire the hills to fall vpon and couer them the ioy of conscience Apoc. 6. 16. will cause vs to lift vp our heads because the day of our full redemption Luk. 21. 28. Benè sibi conscius falsis non debet moueri conuitijs nec aestimare plus ponderis in alieno esse conuitio quà m in suo testimonio Amb. de offic Nemo plus videtur aestimare virtutem c. quà m qui boni veri famam perdidit ne conscientiam perderet Sen. Epist 72. draweth neere If then wee can finde in our selues this true spirituall ioy that will beare vs vp in all estates and keepe vs aboue water in the greatest stormes of worldly afflictions it is a manifest signe of a good conscience whereas contrariwise if we haue no ioy sauing that which is fed with the fewell of worldly prosperity and is presently extinguished when the water of tribulation is cast vpon it if it leaue vs when we most neede it and will stay on no termes any longer with vs then whilest it may haue the company of health wealth pleasures and preferments friends and fame If we reioyce more in earthly then in spirituall and heauenly things in the name and credit of vertue and grace more then in the things themselues and in the fame more then in the conscience of well-doing and lesse grieue when we haue made shipwracke of conscience then when we are at a losse in the pursuite of glory and esteeme amongst men it is a signe that the conscience is carnall and corrupt sauouring more of the world and earthly vanities then of spirituall grace and the things of God §. Sect. 8 That a good conscience may be known by the integrity and constancie of it Finally a good conscience may be knowne by the integritie and constancy of it For it laboureth to approoue it selfe before God and men in all things and at all times It respects the whole Law of God and sheweth it selfe in euery commandement as well as in any due order and proportion being obserued in the waight and excellencie of euery duty It ioyneth piety and holinesse with honesty and righteousnesse and faith with good workes and so giueth place and precedency to the chiefe duties as that it doth not thrust out of dores the least and meanest with carelesse neglect As we see in the example of Dauid who had respect to all Psal 119. 6. Gods Commandements and of Paul who kept a good conscience in all things So Heb. 13. 18. also a good conscience is knowne by our constancie in holy and righteous duties and may iustly take to it selfe that Motto or word of our late renowned Queene of happy memory Semper eadem It is the same in all places and in all companies at home as well as in the Church alone as in company among the godly and sincere as the godlesse and prophane It changeth vpon no occasion but keepeth a iust and equall tenour in the performance of the duties of holinesse and righteousnesse whether honour 2. Cor. 6. 8. or dishonour good report or euill report gaine or losse prosperity or aduersity attend vpon them Which integrity and constancie if we find in vs it will giue vnto vs this comfortable euidence that wee haue a good conscience But if contrariwise wee share stakes betweene God and the world and in some things like Herod heare and obey his Word willingly and willingly in other things stop our eares and neglecting his reuealed will giue our selues ouer to be ruled by our owne carnall lusts If like ciuill worldlings we onely make conscience of the duties of Iustice and honesty and neglect the duties of Religion and piety or if with hypocrites we are forward in the outward duties of piety and make no conscience of honesty and iust dealing with all men nor of the workes of mercie towards those that are in want and misery and are so wholly for faith that we are nothing for good workes If wee are religious and honest by fits when it will best serue our worldly ends and be Saints in the Church and deuils at home or fit our conuersation to all companies seeming zealous and deuout among them that feare God and cold and carelesse of all Christian duties among the godlesse and wicked wee may hence conclude that our consciences are corrupt and carnall CAP. XVII Of the meanes whereby we may get a good Conscience and preserue it being gotten §. Sect. 1 The first meanes of getting a good conscience is highly to esteeme it NOw when by these signes we haue examined our selues wee shall finde either that we haue a good conscience or that we want it If we haue it not then are we carefully to vse all good meanes whereby we may attaine vnto it but if vpon triall we
bring him to the King of terrours §. Sect. 3 Of hope in God what it is and wherein it consisteth From this affiance in God ariseth hope for when knowing and beleeuing God and his sauing attributes wee trust in him for the accomplishment of all his gracious promises then doe we by hope expect the accomplishment of them euen when they are deferred with patience and comfort knowing that God is immutable in his loue and most true of his Word with which hope we are sustained in all afflictions that wee doe not faint vnder their burthen seeing we hope for deliuerance in Gods due time are armed against all assaults of our spirituall enemies with this helmet of saluation in expectation of assured victory and stayed with this anchor in our Christian course notwithstanding all the tempestuous stormes and boysterous blasts of trialls and tentations The which anchor is not fastened on the fleeting and fayling sands of our owne worth workes and merits but vpon the firme ground of Gods immutable loue mercy goodnesse power and truth which will neuer faile those that rest vpon them according to that of the Psalmist They that know thy Name Psal 9. 10. will put their trust in thee for thou Lord hast not forsaken them that seeke thee And thus Abraham hoped against hope being fully perswaded that what Rom. 4. 18 21. God had promised he was able also to performe And the Apostle exhorteth vs to hold fast the profession of our faith without wauering because hee is Heb. 10. 23. faithfull that hath promised The obiect of this hope are future good things which God hath promised as fruition of good and freedome and deliuerance from euill which are not yet seene for then there were no place Rom. 8. 24 25. for hope but certainely expected in Gods good time But the mayne and Ps 62. 1 2. 121. 1. principall obiect of our hope is heauenly happinesse which wee shall inioy in soule and body at Christs comming to Iudgement whereof it is Tit. 2. 13. called the hope of saluation and the hope of eternall life The chiefe properties 1. Thes 5. 8. Tit. 1. 2. of this hope are First that it be patient Secondly that it be certaine and assured of the first the Apostle speaketh If we hope for that wee see not then doe we with patience waite for it and in this regard calleth it Rom. 8. 25. the patience of hope in our Lord Iesus Christ Of which patience he telleth vs 1. Thes 1. 3. that we haue neede because God oftentimes delayeth to accomplish his promises as though he had forgotten both vs and them Secondly it Heb. 10. 36. must be certaine and assured whereof it is compared to an anchor which if it fayleth in a tempest it putteth the ship in great danger of foundring and perishing And therefore the Apostle desireth that the Hebrewes might haue full assurance of hope vnto the end which if wee haue it will Heb. 6. 11. make vs neuer to be ashamed seeing God vpon whom we waite will neuer faile to accomplish his promises And this is that hope vnto which the Rom. 5. 5. Scriptures exhort vs. So the Psalmist Waite on the Lord be of good courage Ps 27. 14 37 7 and hee shall strengthen thine heart waite I say on the Lord. And againe Rest in the Lord and waite patiently for him §. Sect. 4 Of the meanes of hope Which that we may labour after let vs consider that it is most profitable and necessary vnto all that will leade a godly and Christian life For it is not onely a part thereof as being one of the three principall vertues which the Apostle commendeth vnto vs but a notable meanes whereby 1. Cor. 13. we are mooued and inabled to labour after all other vertues and to put in practice all other duties because we are assured of the fruit of our labour and hopefully expect the obtaining of it without which hope we would be vtterly discouraged sit still and doe nothing Againe this hope maketh vs not to bee ashamed in middest of all reproches and disgraces which we suffer for Christs sake and causeth vs with him to runne with patience Rom. 5. 5. Heb. 12. 1 2. the race which is set before vs in expectation of that ioy which is set before vs. It maketh vs not onely patient but ioyfull in afflictions yea euen to glory Rom. 5. 2 3. in our reioycing in hope of the glory of God in all our tribulations It confirmeth our faith from which it springeth and maketh vs cheerefull in all Christian duties It quickeneth and reioyceth our drooping hearts and not onely maketh the way of godlinesse delightfull vnto vs but vs also pleasing and accepted of God It is an helmet of saluation to defend vs Psal 147. 11. against our spirituall enemies yea it selfe saueth vs as the Apostle speaketh 1. Thes 5. 8. Rom. 8. 24. because it moueth God to saue vs for as the Psalmist saith He is the Sauiour of them that hope in him Finally it maketh vs blessed in the assured Psal 17. 7. expectation of our blessednesse For happy is hee that hath the God of Iacob Psal 146. 5. Ier. 17. 7. for his helpe and whose hope is in the Lord his God Whereas contrariwise without this hope we are as the Apostle telleth vs of all men most miserable 1. Cor. 15. 19. hauing neither the comforts of this life which worldlings inioy nor expectation of better in the life to come Let vs therefore labour after this hope and vse carefully all good meanes whereby we may attaine vnto it And seeing it is the gift of God and grace of his holy Spirit let vs in the 2. Thes 2. 16. first place beg it at his hands by frequent and feruent prayer assuring our selues that he who is the God of our hope will not deny to giue it vnto Rom. 15. 13. vs. Secondly let vs meditate often vpon Gods sauing attributes of power mercy goodnesse truth c. and so our imperfections and vnworthinesse will not make vs despaire nor weaken our hopes in expectation of his promises Thirdly let vs often heare reade and meditate in the holy Scriptures which were purposely written that wee through patience and Rom. 15. 4. comfort of them might haue hope Fourthly let vs in all the seruice which we offer vnto God auoid hypocrisie and serue and worship him in sincerity and vprightnesse of heart For the hypocrites hope shall perish and Iob 8. 13 14. be cut off like a Spiders web as Bildad speaketh Lastly if wee would haue hope in God let vs leade a godly life and serue him all our dayes in holinesse and righteousnesse for the flesh of Gods holy ones shall rest in hope Act. 2. 26. whereas when a wicked man dieth his expectation shall perish and the hope of Pro. 11. 7. the vniust men
meanes is the consideration of Gods Iudgements Psal 130. 4. executed on the wicked which are so many instructions vnto vs to feare God and auoide his displeasure that we be not partakers with them in their punishments So the Psalmist saith that the righteous seeing the destruction of the wicked should feare God and deride their folly and the Apostle Psal 52. 6. telleth vs that the former examples of Gods Iudgements were written for 1. Cor. 10. 11. our learning that they might admonish vs to take warning by their harmes lest we fall into the same euils The third meanes is the diligent reading and hearing of the Scriptures which are called The feare of God Psal 19. 9. because they worke his feare in vs. And thus the Lord inioyneth the King to haue the Law with him and to reade therein all the dayes of his life that hee Deut. 17. 19. may learne to feare the Lord his God For in them are contained many Commandements inioyning many exhortations moouing and many reasons perswading to this feare Feare the Lord with reuerence and reioyce Psal 2. 11. with trembling Let all the earth feare the Lord let all the inhabitants of the earth stand in awe of him for he spake and it was done he commanded and it stood fast O feare the Lord all ye his Saints for there is no want to them that Psal 33. 8 9. 34. 9. Isa 8. 13. Heb. 12. 28. feare him The fourth meanes is to deny our selues and our owne wisedome and when God commandeth any thing not to aske counsell of carnall reason vnto which the more we incline the more the feare of God abateth in vs as we see in the example of Eue who following sense and reason obeyed the deuils aduice and cast off the feare of God And this the Wiseman implyeth Bee not wise in thine owne eyes but feare God and Pro. 3. 7. depart from euill The fifth meanes is to meditate often on our owne infirmities and weakenesse and of the malice and might of our spirituall 1. Pet. 5. 8. Eph. 6. 11 12. Phil. 2. 12. 1. Cor. 12. 10. enemies which will make vs worke out our saluation with feare and trembling and whilest we stand to take heede of falling The sixth is to remember our end daily and continually as first the day of our death which will worke our hearts to Gods feare as the Psalmist implyeth and Psal 90. 12. secondly the day of Iudgement and end of the world which is called The 2. Cor. 5. 11. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2. Pet. 3. 11 14. terrour of the Lord because it is a notable meanes to worke his feare in our hearts The last and chiefe meanes whereby all the rest are made effectuall is feruent prayer For it is no naturall faculty or habit but the gift of God which he promiseth to put in the hearts of the faithfull that they Ier. 32. 39 40. may not depart from him and is to bee obtained by faithfull and effectuall prayer As we see in the example of the Psalmist who prayeth the Lord to knit their hearts vnto him that they might feare his Name Psal 86. 11. §. Sect. 4 Of humility what it is and the causes of it The last vertue required is humility whereby knowing and acknowledging Gods power iustice maiesty goodnesse mercy and infinite perfection and our owne vilenesse and vnworthinesse imperfections and sinfull corruptions we doe renounce all glory and praise as not belonging vnto vs and ascribe it wholly vnto God vnto whom alone it rightly appertaineth So that it is the nature of humility to vilifie and abase our selues in our owne sight euen to the ground as the word importeth to cast off all opinion of our workes and worthinesse and in the sight and sense of our sinnes and corruptions to acknowledge our selues worthy of Gods most heauie punishments in this life and the life to come and contrariwise to ascribe all glory and praise vnto God alone euen of all the good we haue in vs or is done by vs from whom alone we haue it according to that of the Psalmist Not vnto vs O Lord not vnto vs but vnto thy Psal 115. 1. name giue the glory And of Daniel O Lord righteousnesse belongeth vnto Dan. 9. 7 11. thee but vnto vs confusion of faces because wee haue sinned against thee The causes of this humility are first the knowledge and acknowledgement of Gods infinitenesse in all excellency goodnesse and perfection in which he is so incomprehensibly glorious that when we come in his presence it maketh vs to vilifie and abase our selues what opinion soeuer before wee had of our owne worth and excellencie euen as the light of a Glow-worme is quite dazeled when the glorious beames of the Sunne doe shine vpon it Thus in the sight and sense of Gods glory and maiesty Ezechiel was cast to the ground Manoah concluded that hee should Ezech. 2. 1. Iudg. 13. 22. Esa 6. 5. die Esayas cryeth out Woe is me for I am vndone because I am a man of vncleane lips c. for mine eyes haue seene the King the Lord of hosts And Iob hauing seene the Lord abhorred himselfe and repented in dust and ashes Iob 42. 6. Especially if wee consider that this God mighty and glorious in himselfe is so infinitely gracious vnto vs in conferring vpon vs so innumerable benefits and aboue all that inestimable gift of his onely Sonne to worke that great worke of our Redemption The consideration whereof will make vs to humble our selues with Iacob and to confesse that we are lesse then the least of Gods mercies and to say with Dauid Who am I and my 2. Sam. 7. 18 22. house that thou hast brought me hitherto wherefore thou art great O Lord God for there is none like thee c. Secondly the knowledge and acknowledgement of our owne vilenesse and vnworthinesse both in regard of our bodies which are but dust and ashes as Abraham acknowledgeth and in respect Gen. 18. 27. of our soules which howsoeuer they were created according to Gods Image in wisedome holinesse and righteousnesse yet through the fall of our first parents and the corruption deriued from them vnto vs they are wholly defiled in all the powers and faculties of them with originall corruption and loaded with the guilt of innumerable numbers of actuall transgressions whereby we are made subiect to the wrath of God the curse of the Law the plagues and punishments of this life and eternall death and condemnation in the life to come In which regard wee haue just cause to humble our selues with the prodigall sonne and to say with him Father I haue sinned against heauen and earth and am no more Luk. 15. worthy to be called thy sonne And if there be any good thing in vs or done by vs to acknowledge with the Apostle that wee haue it of Gods free 1. Cor.
which might hinder vs as infidelity impenitencie carnall security worldly distractions and earthly-mindednesse prophanenesse and small esteeme of the Word excessiue eating or drinking conceite of our owne knowledge as though little or nothing could be added vnto it preiudice and forestalled opinions of our teachers hypocrisie curiosity itching Iam. 1. 21. Luke 18. 34. Acts 17. 20. 2. Tim. 4. 3. 1. Cor. 1. 11 12. eares factious affections whereby men haue the truth of God in respect of persons hearing or not hearing according to that opinion which they haue conceiued of him that speaketh And partly this preparation consisteth in vsing all good helpes and meanes which may enable vs to the carefull and conscionable hearing of the Word As to consider the waightinesse of the action which wee are about to performe namely an high and holy seruice vnto God which will further and seale vp vnto vs our saluation or condemnation and be either the sauour of life vnto life or of death vnto death soften vs like waxe or harden vs like clay and make vs one step neerer eyther to heauen or hell For Gods Word shall neuer returne voide but accomplish what he pleaseth and shall prosper in the thing whereto he sends it Secondly to meditate on the ends for Esa 55. 11. which we heare which are to glorifie God in the meanes of our saluation to be built vp in all sauing grace knowledge faith obedience loue of God zeale patience and the rest Thirdly we must examine our selues to finde out our sinnes that we may gather strength for the mortifying of them and our spirituall wants that we may haue them supplied in this spirituall market of our soules Fourthly we must renew our repentance Heb. 4. 2. that wee come not in our sinnes and our faith without which our hearing will not profit vs. Finally we must vse faithfull and feruent prayer that God will so assist with his holy Spirit the Minister in speaking and vs in hearing and sanctifie to our vse his holy ordinances that they may be effectuall to build vs vp in our most holy faith and more and more inrich vs with all sanctifying and sauing graces And being thus prepared our next duty is that setting aside all worldly impediments we resort vnto the holy assemblies to be made partakers of Gods holy Word that wee may profit thereby §. Sect. 5 Of the duties required in hearing and after we haue heard The second sort of duties respect the action of hearing it selfe vnto which is required that wee set our selues in the presence of God and 〈…〉 s. 10. 33. ◠Thes 2. 13. 〈…〉 4. 20. ◠19. 48. heare the Word preached not as the word of mortall man but as the Word of the euerliuing God with all feare and reuerence with all diligence and attention with alacrity and cheerefulnesse humility and a good conscience auoiding as much as lieth in vs all distractions wandring thoughts priuate reading dulnesse drowzinesse and carnall wearinesse Finally with hungring and thirsting after the foode of our soules and earnest desire to profit by it To which end we must apply and fit our selues to euery thing which is spoken to profit by it whether it be doctrine Luke 8. 15. 2 19. Pro. 4. 21. confutation reproofe or consolation receiue the Word into good and honest hearts and there reserue it as a precious treasure for our vse in the whole course of our liues and conuersation The third and last sort are those duties which are to be performed after we haue heard which are First to meditate on that which hath beene deliuered vnto vs that we may imprint it in our memories and worke it into our hearts Secondly conference with others that wee may be mutuall helpers for the vnderstanding remembring imbracing and practising of that which we haue heard Thirdly that we sanctifie the Word vnto our vse by effectuall prayer desiring that God will giue a blessing vnto it and make it effectuall by his Spirit for the inlightning of our minds the sanctifying of our hearts and affections and the reforming and amending of our sinfull liues Lastly we must on euery fit occasion call to mind what wee haue Rom. 2. 13. Iam. 1. 22. Luk. 8. 15. heard that we may bring it vnto vse and conscionably practise what wee haue learned §. Sect. 6 Of the administration of the Sacraments The third sort of duties required in this Commandement respect the administration of the Sacraments which are only two Baptisme and the Lords Supper Vnto both which it is generally required that they bee administred First by a lawfull Minister and no other Secondly only to those which are in the Couenant either the faithfull or their seede Thirdly that they be administred according to Christs institution without the mixture of humane inuentions More especially vnto the receiuing of the Lords Supper there is required that we receiue it worthily to which purpose diuers duties are required before in and after the Communion Before that wee duely prepare our selues for this holy action which consisteth first in an examination of our selues how we are qualified with such sauing graces as are necessary to the worthy receiuing of the Lords Supper the which are an hungring and thirsting after Christ and his benefits as after that spirituall foode which alone is sufficient to nourish vs to life euerlasting Secondly knowledge of the mayne principles of Christian Religion respecting either God or our selues without which we cannot discerne the Lords body no more then a blind man can by his bodily sight discerne the outward signes of bread and wine Thirdly faith in Iesus Christ approoued to be true and liuely by the fruits of it in the inward sanctification of our hearts and in our outward workes of piety mercy and righteousnesse Fourthly vnfained repentance consisting in an hearty sorrow for our sinnes past springing out of faith and the apprehension of the loue of God towards vs and a settled purpose and resolution not onely to leaue them for the time to come but also to serue the Lord in the contrary duties of holinesse righteousnesse and sobriety Fourthly loue and charity towards our neighbours approoued by our willingnesse and readinesse to giue vnto those that want and to forgiue those that offend Secondly after this examination there is required vnfained humiliation in the sight and sense of our wants and weakenesses especially in these sauing graces before spoken of Secondly an hungring after the meanes whereby they may be supplied especially the Sacrament which was purposely ordained to supply our wants and strengthen our weakenesse in these graces Thirdly humble confession of our sinnes in generall and especially of those which haue come to our mind in our examination wherein we renewed our faith and repentance Fourthly a stedfast resolution in our hearts and faithfull promise to God that if he will in Christ accept of vs though not prepared according to the preparation of the Sanctuary but
in them Pro. 6. 6. Matth. 6. 26. Psal 32. 9. that which the Scriptures propound as good for our imitation and auoyding the contrary And finally that wee receiue them with thankesgiuing 2. Pet. 2. 22. 1. Tim. 4. 5. and sanctifie them to our vse by the Word and Prayer So also here is required that wee make an holy vse of the creatures in respect of Gods gouernement and prouidence as first for the determining of doubts and controuersies which can no otherwise be cleared and decided by casting of lots in the vse whereof we are to vse prayer vnto God and sometimes Pro. 16. 33. Act. 1. 23 24. when the occasion is waighty fasting desiring of him that by his good prouidēce he wil direct them to the right end for which we vse them And Pro. 18. 18. as before they are cast we are to referre our selues wholy to Gods determination so after wee are to rest contented and well pleased with his sentence Secondly we are to make an holy vse of Gods prouidence first in conferring rewards and blessings either vpon our selues or others In respect of our selues wee make a right vse of Gods blessings and benefits When as in our hearts we bee vnfainedly thankefull vnto God for them Psal 144. 6. 26. 12. 66. 16 when in our words we praise and magnifie his bounty and goodnesse towards vs and tell what great things he hath done for vs and when in our workes and actions we referre them wholy to Gods glory and both Psal 130. 4. Rom. 2. 4. our owne and others good taking occasion of his mercy and goodnesse to feare him and to turne vnto him from our sinnes by vnfained repentance In respect of Gods blessings bestowed vpon others we carry our selues holily when as we reioyce with them in Gods bounty and goodnes 1. Cor. 12. 26. and ioyne with them in praises and thanksgiuing The like holy vse we are Psal 35. 17. Gal. 1. 23. to make of Gods prouidence in respect of punishments and afflictions whether they bee inflicted vpon our selues or vpon others As when Iob 1. 20 21. God layeth his hand vpon vs by his iudgements and chastizements wee are to be humbled in the sight and sence of our sinnes and beare them with patience and thankfulnes acknowledging Gods mercy in that we are Lam. 3. 22. not vtterly consumed and profit by them both for the mortifying of our sinnes and for our spirituall quickning vnto new obedience So when Heb. 5. 8. we see Gods Iudgements vpon others we are to take warning by their example and communicate with the faithfull in their sorrowes bearing Iosh 22. 20. 1 Cor. 10. 6. Rom. 12. 1. Psal 58 11. a part of their griefe and magnifying Gods Iustice which hath found out the wicked to inflict vpon them deserued punishments §. Sect. 2 Of the sanctifying of Gods name in lawfull oathes More especially there is required in this Commandement that wee glorifie and sanctifie Gods name by our oathes and vowes First by our oathes Deut. 6. 13. Esa 45. 23. vnto which is required first that we honour Gods name in swearing by it vpon a iust and necessary occasion acknowledging thereby Gods infinite wisdome from which nothing canly hid his Truth which abhorreth all lies and falshoods his Iustice which when he is called to be a witnesse and Iudge will neither suffer truth and innocency to goe vnrewarded nor vntruth and guiltinesse vnpunished without respect of persons Secondly that we sweare only by the name of God either directly Esa 65. 16. Ier. 12 6. or indirectly and by no creature in heauen or earth Thirdly that wee sweare after a lawfull manner vnto which is required that we sweare in truth that is to that which is true and truly according to the perswasion Ier. 4. 2. Rom. 9. 1. of our mindes In righteousnesse binding our selues thereby only vnto things lawfull and in iudgement whereby we discerne the necessitie of it in regard that we can no otherwise cleare the truth nor be beleeued in a matter of importance which much respecteth Gods glory or our owne or neighbours good And so come to the performance of this high and holy action with all reuerence as in Gods presence duly weighing and considering the conditions and circumstances of our oath according to the Scriptures Lastly that we sweare vnto a right end namely to the glory Iosh 7. 19. of God by reuealing and ratifying a necessary and vnknowne truth which could no otherwise bee made manifest and to the good of our neighbours Heb. 6. 16. and our selues that they may be satisfied all controuersies and strifes ended all doubts and suspitions remoued and our owne truth and Exod. 22. 11. innocency declared and cleared §. Sect. 3 Of the sanctifying Gods name by making and performing our vowes The second speciall thing here required is lawfull vowes whereby we cheerefully promise vnto God some thing which may be acceptable vnto him either because we haue already found him gracious and good vnto vs which moueth vs to doe this duty out of loue and thankefulnesse or because we expect his mercy and goodnesse for some benefit to be receiued or punishment to be auoided or remoued out of our faith and hope grounded vpon Gods promises Vnto which vowes that they may bee lawfull and acceptable vnto God there are two things required namely that we make them lawfully and truly to performe them Vnto the making of a lawfull vowe is required First that it be performed as a religious Psal 76. 11. act to God and none other Secondly that it bee done after a religious and holy manner 1. In truth with a sincere and cheerefull heart 2. In 2. Chro. 15. 15. righteousnesse vnto which is required in respect of the person that hee haue power in himselfe to vow that thing or haue the consent of his gouernours Secondly that the thing vowed be lawfull and acceptable vnto God as being good and commanded or of an indifferent nature but in respect of vs good and profitable and therefore to be vsed or hurtfull and inconuenient and therefore to be auoided Thirdly that we vowe in iudgement whereby we discerne that our vowe is in the former respects lawfull and very profitable either for the aduancing of Gods glory or our owne good The last thing required is that we make it to a right end as Psal 66. 13. namely to the glory of God the good of our neighbours and our owne benefit for the exercising of our temperance and sobriety or the renewing 61. 8. and furthering of our repentance or for the strengthening of our Num. 30. 14. 1. Sam. 1. 11. faith and our good purposes and resolutions about the performance of good duties In respect of performance of our vowes there is required Eccles 5. 3. Num. 30 3. that it be done at the time appointed and without delay and
also without any diminution or abatement in quantity or quality of that which we haue vowed Especially our care must bee of performing our common vowe in baptisme in renouncing all our spirituall enemies and in consecrating our selues wholy vnto Gods seruice in performing vnto him the duties of holinesse righteousnesse and sobriety all the daies of our liues §. Sect. 4 Of the sanctifying Gods Sabbath and what things are required vnto it In the fourth Commandement the Lord appointeth a speciall time wherein all the former duties both publike and priuate are principally to be performed which whosoeuer doe neglect they manifestly shew that they are destitute of the power of all true Religion The maine duty required is that wee remember to sanctifie the Sabbath In which two things are to be considered 1. that we must sanctifie the Sabbath 2. that we must remember to doe it that is be mindfull and carefull to sanctify it To the sanctification of the Sabbath two things are required First the rest Secondly the sanctifying of it The rest consisteth partly in an outward rest from bodily labours and worldly affaires and in our inward resting from the seruile workes of sinne The workes from which wee must rest are bodily labours and all worldly imploiments so farre forth as they are distractions and hinderances to the spirituall Sanctification of the Sabbath As buying and selling all manner of workes of our ordinary callings trauailing feasting of friends with meates not easily cooked and such like For all kinds of bodily labours on the Lords day are vnlawfull Math. 12. 5. except they be referred to the sanctification of the Sabbath as the meanes of it of which sort are the labours of the Minister in the duties appertaining to his ministery and of the people trauailing to the places of Gods worship Or secondly the workes of mercy which are duties of the Sabbath Hos 6. 6. as giuing of almes visiting the sicke and prisoners healing diseases and sores by applying fit medicines and salues Or lastly workes of necessity which are of importance and cannot without great inconuenience be done afterwards nor could haue beene done before For as for that necessity which ariseth from our negligence and carelesse ouersight it is sinfull and in the first word of this Commandement forbidden and condemned And among these workes of necessity we are to reckon labour in prouiding conuenient foode for our bodies tending of cattell when it is done rather in mercy which respecteth their necessity then for our owne gaine Labours of Mariners begun before the Sabbath in their Nauigation at Sea Fight in a lawfull warre against our enemies labours of seruants and subiects imposed vpon them by their gouernours as necessary and not apparantly discerned by them to be otherwise The inward and spirituall rest is our resting from sinne as at all times so especially Esa 56. 2 58. 13. on the Sabbath For these workes of darkenesse are aboue all other most seruile and slauish seeing thereby we make our selues the vassals of Satan §. Sect. 5 Of the spirituall sanctification the outward rest And this is the rest required on the Sabbath the sanctification of this rest is either by vsing the meanes or doing the workes of sanctification And this is done both publikely and priuately publikely by vsing the publike meanes of sanctification in the seruice of God And this is done First of the Ministers by publike praying in the congregation preaching and reading the Word and administration of the Sacraments Secondly the people by frequenting the assemblies in the beginning and continuing to the end of diuine seruice and being there by carrying and behauing themselues religiously diligently vprightly in calling vpon Gods name hearing the Word and in the right vse of the Sacraments The Leuit. 19. 30. 23. 2. 1. Cor. 16. 2. publike workes of sanctification are almesdeeds and collections for the poore Priuately the Sabbath is sanctified by our preparation to Gods publike seruice which chiefly consisteth in meditation and prayer and after the publike seruice by meditating on the Word heard and applying it to our owne vse and by holy conferences with others Vnto which duties respecting the publike worship we are to adde and vse these other meanes of sanctifying the remainder of the Lords day Reading of the Scriptures or other religious holy writings meditation on Gods Word Psal 92. 1. and workes especially of creation preseruation and redemption Inuocation by prayer thankesgiuing and singing of Psalmes and finally godly conferences vpon some fit subiect which best forteth to the present occasion and tendeth to the vse of edification vnto which meanes we must adde the priuate workes of sanctification which are the workes of mercy and appertaine chiefly either to the body as the giuing of alms visiting the sicke and prisoners curing diseases c. or else to the soule as teaching the ignorant reclaiming those who are seduced by errour admonishing those who faile of their duty by frailty and infirmity rebuking the scandalous and wilfull offender exhorting the backward and sluggish comforting the distressed counsailing them for the good of their soules that neede counsaile and reconciling those whom we know to be at variance But we must not only sanctify the Sabbath but also as a speciall helpe and meanes hereof we must remember to doe it that is vse all prouidence and care deuotion and diligence about these duties of sanctification Before the Sabbath we must so forecast our businesse and dispose of all our worldly affaires that wee be not distracted in performing of holy duties by hauing our mindes tongues or actions exercized and taken vp by them And on the Sabbath we must remember to sanctifie it by hauing our whole man taken vp in the seruice of God both publikely and priuately and by performing the duties required with all diligence and attention sincerity and vprightnesse Esa 58. 13. cheerefulnesse and delight CAP. IX Of the summe of the second Table §. Sect. 1 Of the duties of righteousnesse towards our neighbours WE haue spoken of the duties of piety contained in the first Table And now wee are to intreat of the duties of righteousnesse and sobriety required in the second vnder righteousnesse comprehending all duties which we owe to our neighbours and vnder sobriety all those which belong to our owne persons By righteousnesse we vnderstand a vertue or habit which ordereth the whole man to the good of our neighbours as the minde and vnderstanding to thinke the memory to remember the wil to desire the affections and passions to couet and affect the whole body to act and performe all things which we know good and profitable both for their soules bodies name and state for their temporal welfare and prosperity in this world and their euerlasting happinesse in the world to come The generall rule of which righteousnes is that we doe all that and that only vnto others Math. 5. 12. which we would
abroad Rom. 5. 5. in our hearts by the holy Ghost as the Apostle testifieth §. Sect. 4 Of the meanes and manner of working charity in vs. The meanes and manner of working this grace in vs is first by perswading vs that God in Christ loueth vs and will giue vnto vs the remission of our sinnes his grace heere and glory heereafter with the liuely heate of which loue our hearts are inflamed with feruent loue towards God againe from which springeth an holy affection towards our selues who are thus beloued of God members of Christ and Temples of the holy Ghost whereby we seeke the fruition of our chiefe goodnesse and consequently of our owne saluation and eternall happinesse which whilest we were destitute of the loue of God and were poysoned with hatred of God and carnall selfe-loue we neglected and contemned And from hence also ariseth the like affection towards our neighbours whom vvee loue for Gods sake not onely as Gods creatures and bearing his image but also in obedience vnto his Commandement So that it is impossible to loue either our selues or our neighbours as wee ought and for our owne and their good vnlesse wee loue God in Christ Iesus first and chiefly from whose sincere loue the other springeth and floweth But when we sincerely loue God and so yeeld our obedience vnto the first Table our loue towards our selues and our neighbours which is the summe of the second Table will necessarily and inseparably follovv For as our loue tovvards God is exercized immediately in religious vertues and holy duties of piety vvhich vve performe in his seruice so mediately by performing in obedience to his Commandements the duties of a true and Christian loue towards our selues and our neighbours For when our little goodnesse bounded in narrow limits will not reach vnto God for the manifestation of our loue towards him wee extend it as farre as wee are able and doe what good we can our of a holy and sanctified affection to our selues and our neighbours to shew our loue towards God in yeelding obedience vnto his Commandements As we see in the example of Dauid who being rauished with the apprehension of Gods loue and desiring to shew his loue towards him againe could no otherwise doe it then by taking Psal 116. 13. the cup of saluation and praising the name of the Lord and by causing his goodnesse to extend to Gods poore Saints that are in the earth and to the excellent Psal 16. 2 3. which in respect of its smalnesse and Gods all-sufficiency could in no sort reach vnto him Where by the way we may note that if wee loue Act. 17. 25. our selues and our neighbours out of our loue towards God and in obedience vnto his Commandements performing these duties of the second Table in and for him then doe wee when wee doe most good to our neighbours and our selues shew most loue towards God and performe vnto him such acceptable seruice as he requireth of vs and will richly reward in this life and the life to come For he hath sworne that all those Luk. 1. 74 75. whom he hath redeemed shall serue him as well in righteousnesse as in holinesse all the dayes of their liues And his grace appearing hath taught vs to deny not onely all vngodlinesse but also all worldly lusts and to liue as Tit. 2. 12. well soberly and righteously as godly and religiously in this present world §. Sect. 5 What charity is and the properties of it But let vs come to speake of this dutie of charity as in our Sauiour Christs words it is propounded vnto vs out of the Law of God Thou shalt Mat. 19. 19. 22. 39. Leuit. 19. 18. loue thy neighbour as thy selfe Wherein we are to consider two things the dutie commanded and the manner of doing it In the duty wee are to consider the act of louing and the obiect of our loue which is our neighbours and our selues the first plainly expressed the other necessarily implyed in the manner when as we are commanded to loue them as we loue our selues The duty of loue containeth in it First an affection or motion of the heart wherewith we are affected and inclined towards that we loue Secondly an earnest and longing desire that we may inioy it by being as it were vnited vnto it Thirdly ioy and delight in the fruition of it and a contentation whereby we rest according to the measure of our loue and fruition satisfied with it The properties of it are principally two the first that it be sincere and vnfained So the Apostle requireth that our loue be without dissimulation and vnfained and the Apostle Iohn disswadeth Rom. 12. 9. vs from lip-loue which is onely in profession but fruitlesse and 2 Cor. 6. 6. 1. Ioh. 3. 18. vneffectuall in action Little children saith he let vs not loue in word neither in tongue but in deed and in truth The other that it be feruent and effectuall according to that of the Apostle Aboue all things haue feruent charity among your selues And this is that sincere and feruent loue which is so much and often commended and commanded in the Scriptures So our Sauiour Christ This is my commandement that ye loue one another as I haue Ioh. 15. 12. loued you And againe A new commandement I giue vnto you that yee loue Ioh 13. 34. 1. Ioh. 3. 23. one another as I haue loued you that yee also loue one another The Apostle likewise Walke in loue as Christ also hath loued vs and hath giuen himselfe Eph. 5. 2. for vs c. §. Sect. 6 Of the obiect of charity which is our neighbours The obiect of this loue plainely expressed is our neighbours whereby we are not with the Pharises to vnderstand our friends onely nor according Mat. 5. 43. to the vulgar vse of the word those that dwell neere vnto vs alone but all men without exception who are of the same nature with vs consisting of a reasonable soule and body whether they bee strangers or acquaintance friends or enemies vnto vs. For all men are of the same flesh Act. 17. 26. and created according to the same Image of God and also our brethren as they haue all alike descended from the same first parents And this is implyed in the Law where that Commandement which is giuen for the helping of our enemies Oxe or Asse being repeated in another place is Ex. 23. 4 5. com Deut. 22. 1 2 3. Esa 58. rendred thy brothers Oxe or Asse And the Prophet Esay maketh it a worke of mercy to couer the naked without any exception of stranger or enemy because hee is of our owne flesh But our Sauiour plainely presseth this duty both by precept But I say vnto you loue your enemies Mat. 5. 44. blesse them that curse you doe good to them that hate you and pray for them that despitefully vse you and persecute you propounding the
innumerable multitudes be knit together if charity be wanting and in stead thereof heart-burnings and contentions be admitted And as without charity there can bee no communion betweene man and man so neither betweene man and God which principally consisteth in fruition and fruition in loue seeing we cannot loue God vnlesse we also loue one another as the Apostle telleth vs. We cannot without it haue any assurance that 1. Ioh. 4. 20. we belong to God or that we are his children by adoption and grace yea rather we may conclude that we are the children of the deuill seeing the Apostle Iohn maketh the hauing or not hauing of charity a prime marke 1. Ioh. 3. 10. of difference whereby they may bee discerned the one from the other Againe all our other graces and gifts though they make neuer so glorious a shew yet if charity be wanting are all of no value If we could speake 1. Cor. 13. 1 2 3. with the tongues of men and Angels and haue not charity we should become as sounding brasse or a tinkling Cymball If we had the gift of Prophecie and vnderstood all mysteries and all knowledge yea if we had all faith namely of working miracles and could remooue mountaines and had not charity we were nothing And though we could bestow all our goods to feed the poore and could giue our bodies to be burned and had not charity it would profit vs nothing Furthermore where there is not charity there faith also is wanting or in stead of it a dead faith which hath no operation for faith worketh by Gal. 5. 6. loue and if we haue a liuing faith the Apostle Iames telleth vs that we Iam. 2. 18. may shew it by our workes among which the workes of mercy and charity haue a chiefe place Whereas if these be wanting our faith is as he compareth it like a body without breath and no better then a stinking carcase Verse the last in Gods estimate Finally charity is most necessary if euer we meane to attaine to eternall saluation or to escape hellish destruction seeing the sentence of life or death shall at the day of Iudgement be pronounced Mat. 25. 34 41. according to the workes of charity either performed or neglected by vs as being the chiefe outward euidences whereby our inward grace of faith apprehending Christ vnto saluation may to the iustifying of Gods righteous Iudgements be vnto all demonstrated and declared CAP. XI Containing in it the duties which are required in the fifth Commandement §. Sect. 1 Of the general duties required in the fifth Commandement WEE haue more largely intreated of charity righteousnesse and sobriety as those generall vertues and duties which comprize in them the whole summe of the second Table because wee would more briefly touch the particular duties which vnder them are contained referring the Reader vnto such Catechismes and Common places of diuinity as handle them more fully and perfectly especially to those exact Tables vpon the Commandements lately published by the right reuerend and my most honoured and deare brother from whose full and liuing fountaine I haue in a great part deriued these streames Not that I take any pleasure in doing that againe which was much better done before but because this Treatise of a godly life should haue beene maimed if I had not in some manner handled the maine parts and principall duties required vnto it and I could adde no more vnto that exact abstract in so short a discourse then light vnto the Sunne by setting vp a dimme shining candle nor alter the method and manner of it vnlesse I could haue beene content for varieties sake to haue made it worse and to goe out of the right way because I would not trauaile in the beaten path The duties and vertues then required and the vices and sinnes forbidden in the second Table are either peculiar to superiours and inferiours in the fifth Commandement or common to all in the fiue other The duties and vertues required in the fifth Commandement are either common to all superiours and inferiours or peculiar to the diuers sorts of them The generall duties belonging to all superiours are first to approoue themselues worthy of honour both in respect of their own vertues and good parts also in their carriage towards their inferiours and as they desire the honour of parents so to performe the duties which belong vnto them Secondly to behaue themselues moderately Deut 17. 20. Iob 29 8. 1 Pet. 3. 7. modestly and grauely towards their inferiours and not with proud insolency and vaine lightnesse Thirdly to goe before them according to knowledge and to shine vnto them in a good example and the light of a godly life The duties common to all inferiours are both inwardly to esteeme reuerently of them according to their place acknowledging Gods Image in them honoring those gifts of excellency which he hath Iob 29. 8. Gen. 18. 2 8. 1. King 2. 19. Iob 29. 9 10. 1. Pet. 3. 6. 1. Sam. 1. 15. Gen. 18. 4 5. Mat. 8. 9. bestowed vpon them and also outwardly to shew reuerence and respect of them both in all signes of honour as rising vp to them putting off the hat bowing the knee going to meete them giuing them precedence both in place and speech and vsing vnto them words of reuerence and due respect and also by our approouing of the inward reuerence of our hearts and the outward reuerence shewed in these signes and complements in truth and substance by all our actions when we haue any occasion of performing this reall reuerence §. Sect. 2 Of the duties of superiours in excellency and of inferiours towards them The speciall duties respect the diuers sorts of superiours and inferiours For men are superiour vnto others either in excellency onely or in authority also and gouernment In excellency as first those who are indued with better gifts whether inward or outward Inward as the gifts of the minde to wit vertue wisedome learning arts and sciences whose duty is that acknowledging them as talents lent vnto them by God of which Mat. 25. 14. 1. Cor. 4. 7. 1. Cor. 15. 10. they must giue an account they be not puffed vp in pride because they excell others but rather bee the more humble in respect of that straight reckoning which shall be required of them and also that with all care and good conscience they imploy these gifts principally to the glory of God 1. Cor. 12. 7. that gaue them and in the next place to the good of their neighbours and furthering of their owne saluation The duties of inferiours are first to acknowledge their gifts to the glory of God and praysing his bountie and goodnesse towards them Secondly to reuerence and respect the party indued with them and to seeke to be profited by them as our need requireth and opportunity is offered Superiours in outward gifts and place are first the aged whose duties are to bee in
all their carriage Tit. 2. 2 4. Pro. 16. 31. and behauiour graue and sober to counsell and instruct the yonger out of their greater wisedome and experience and to bee examples and precedents vnto them of all good duties And the duties of the 1. Tim. 5. 1. Leuit. 19. 32. Iob 32. 4 6 7. Iob 12 12. 32. 7. yonger sort towards them are to reuerence them inwardly and outwardly as fathers to imitate their good example and acknowledging their wisedome and better experience to make vse of their counsell and instructions for their information and direction Secondly superiours in birth and place as nobility and gentry whose dutie is that as they are Peeres of the Realme and pillars of the Common-wealth so they aboue others seeke the good and flourishing estate of it and bee as pillars of Marble firme and strong to vphold it with their strength like those pillars Iachin and Boaz which Salomon built and not through luxurie prodigality and all excesse wasting their estates and retayning onely their titles and honours become like rotten posts gilded and painted which let the building fall when it leanes vpon them Secondly that they approoue themselues truely noble and generous by being like the nobles of Berea more forward in receiuing the Word and Act. 17. 11. imbracing true Religion then ordinary men Thirdly that being placed like starres in this earthly firmament they doe good to their inferiours both by shining vnto them in the light of a good and holy example and by those vitall influences of comfort in the workes of protection mercy and Christian charity vnto which their greater meanes high places and dignities doe inable them and not like wandering Planets which keepe no where any settled residence and are so clouded with obscurity that the poore know not where to finde them when they most need them The duty of inferiours towards them is that they giue vnto them that honour and respect which is due vnto their places and not enuy vnto them their high dignities knowing that promotion commeth neither from the East nor West but from God onely wise who pulleth downe one and setteth vp another as it seemeth best to his godly wisedome Thirdly superiours in wealth and riches whose duty is to vse them as great and notable instruments of doing good both publikely in the Church and Common-wealth and priuately to particular persons as God offereth vnto them occasion and opportunity and not wastefully consume them on their owne lusts nor niggardly hoord them vp doing no good with them either to themselues or others The duty of inferiours and the poorer sort towards them is that as God hath aduanced them aboue themselues in these temporall blessings so in humility acknowledging their preferment they giue vnto them that respect which their place and state requireth and communicate vnto them the benefit of their labours as the other vnto them the benefit of wages and rewards Secondly that they reuerence them in respect of that ability with which God 1. Sam. 25. 8. hath inabled them to doe good publikely to Church and Common-wealth and priuately vnto themselues and others Lastly among superiours in excellency we are to number benefactours whose duty is to giue 2. Cor. 9. 7. Luk. 6. 33 34. their benefits cheerefully without grudging and quarrelsome wrangling which displeaseth more then the gift contenteth Secondly to giue freely and not with sordid respect of greater aduantage Thirdly speedily whilest Pro. 3. 28. there is power in their hands and not after many delayes Fourthly discreetly making choyce either in respect of the parties worth or at least Mat. 25. 40. present necessity and not rashly and carelesly which is rather through neglect of the gift then for loue of the party vpon whom it is bestowed Lastly hauing bestowed benefits they must not boast of them to others nor Iam. 1. 5. insult ouer the party to whom they haue done good which were but to make their benefit as a golden chaine to bind them to slauery nor finally to vpbraid them with what they haue done vpon euery slight occasion which is no more pleasant to the party who hath fed of their fauours then the distastefull vpbraydings which follow a surfet The duties of inferiours towards their benefactours are first inward and hearty thankfulnesse whereby they acknowledge them as Gods instruments in doing them good and accordingly loue and respect them according to their desert Secondly they are not to vilifie the benefit but highly to esteeme it either for its worth or their necessity and vse of it or the minde and good will of the giuer And outwardly also they are to testifie their thankefulnesse both by word in thankesgiuing praysing their benefactour Rom. 16. 4. as opportunitie is offered and magnifying the greatnesse of the benefit receiued and also in deed both by being alwayes ready to make requitall when God shall giue abilitie and by supplying what is wanting in their power by their feruent prayers for them vnto God 2. Tim. 1. 16. who is all-sufficient to recompence and reward their bountie towards them §. Sect. 3 The duties of superiours in authority in generall and of inferious towards them Superiours in authority are such as haue not onely a place of excellency aboue vs but also of power and iurisdiction as our gouernours Whose duty in generall is to vse all good discipline both in respect of rule and gouernement and also due correction and punishment They ought to gouerne them in the Lord as his deputies and in his stead and therefore to doe the acts of iustice as if God himselfe were present or did but vse their bodies tongues and parts to performe his owne will In which respect their chiefe care must be as to doe Iustice themselues and administer righteous iudgement so to containe their inferiours in the duties of 1. Tim. 2. 2. piety and iustice therein seeking not themselues or their owne gaine by corruption bribery extorsion or any kinde of wrong and oppression but Rom. 13. 4 6. 2. Chro. 19. 6. the glory of God chiefly and next vnto it the good of their societies and of euery particular person vnder their gouernment In respect of correction and punishment their duty is to administer Iustice according to the qualitie of their inferiours offence wherein they are to vse discretion rightly iudging both of the cause and the disposition of the offendour and correcting lighter faults and infirmities with rebukes and threatnings and greater faults committed wilfully with reall punishments proceeding herein with wisedome iudgement loue and patience seeking either the amendment of the parties if they bee corrigible or of the societies in which they liue by taking away sinne and euill auerting Gods more fearefull and generall iudgements and causing others to feare and Gen. 18. 21. Iosh 7. 25. so to auoide the like sinnes and not out of passion choller and hatred of their persons And secondly they must
offered vnto vs. Neither must we thinke it sufficient vnto a godly life to reserue his Sabbaths for Gods seruice and spend the rest of the weeke in the seruice of the world and our owne lusts nor that we serue him in some things and these in others nor on some other dayes besides the Sabbath or some part onely of euery day reseruing the rest to liue as we list But wee must constantly and continually in euery thing and at euery time performe seruice vnto God in all our actions and throughout our whole course and conuersation not onely in abstaining from all sinne which he hath forbidden but also in performing of some Christian duty of holinesse righteousnesse and sobriety which he hath commanded or in vsing the meanes whereby wee may be inabled vnto them Neither is God alone serued when we performe some religious act as praying hearing the Word singing Psalmes or some eminent workes of charity and sobriety but also in the meanest duties of the basest calling yea euen in our eating and drinking lawfull sports and recreations when as wee doe them in faith which not onely assureth vs that these actions are commanded 1. Cor. 10. 31. of God and warranted by his Word but that we and our workes are accepted of him and so inableth vs to doe them with cheerefulnesse and delight as being not chiefly the seruice of men but of God And also when in doing these our ordinary businesses which belong to our callings wee doe repose our trust and affiance in God that hee will blesse vs in them and giue them such successe as shall be most for his glory and our good and inioy the fruit and benefit of them as blessings sent from God with praise and thankesgiuing And when as in them we haue an eye and due respect to God seeking in them chiefly his glory and doing them in loue and obedience to his Commandements and not for necessity only praise or profit feare of punishment or hope of reward which though we may respect secondarily and in some degree in the ordinary actions of our liues yet not first and principally if we would be accounted to doe God seruice in them And in the next place to our owne and our neighbours mutuall good especially the inriching of vs with spirituall graces and the euerlasting saluation of their and our owne soules §. Sect. 2 That no time is exempted from Gods seruice prooued first by testimonies of Scripture In which generall sense if we take the seruice of God and thus largely with these references vnderstand the Christian duties of a godly life then is there no day houre or minute wherein we are not to bee exercised in some of them And this appeareth both by testimonies of Scriptures and firme reasons The Scriptures require that our whole liues be spent in the seruice of God and that we daily performe vnto him the duties of holinesse righteousnesse and sobriety So the Apostle would haue vs to walke daily according as God hath directed vs and make his Word the rule of our conuersation from which we must neuer swarue neither on the right Gal. 6. 16. Psal 119. 9. Ios 1. 7. hand nor on the left and to keepe a continuall watch ouer our selues lest there be at any time in any of vs an euill heart of vnbeliefe in departing from the Deut. 5. 32. Heb. 3. 12 13. liuing God and to exhort one another daily whilst it is called to day lest any of vs should be hardened through the deceitfulnesse of sinne The Apostle Peter perswadeth vs to passe the whole time of our soiourning heere in the 1. Pet. 1. 17. Pro. 28. 14. feare of God and not some part of it onely which we can best spare and that we liue no longer the rest of our time in the flesh according to the lusts of 1. Pet. 4. 2. men but the will of God seeing the time past of our liues may be enough yea farre too much to haue walked and wrought after the will of the Gentiles The Tit. 2. 11 12. grace of God appearing hath taught vs to deny all vngodlinesse and worldly lusts and to liue soberly righteously and godly whilest wee continue in this present world And therefore hath the Lord redeemed vs that being deliuered out Luk. 1. 74 75. of the hands of our enemies we might serue him without feare in holinesse and righteousnesse before him all the dayes of our life Of which we haue also examples in the Scriptures in the Saints and seruants of God who after their conuersion passed their whole time in his feare and spent their strength in doing vnto him continuall seruice So Enoch is said to haue walked Gen. 5. 22. with God that is in the whole course of his pilgrimage to haue kept him in his sight and to haue carried himselfe in all his actions as in his presence that he might be accepted of him And Dauid as he maketh it a marke of a blessed man to meditate and exercise himselfe in the Law of Psal 1. 1 2. God day and night so doth he in many places shew that it was his owne practice My mouth saith he shall shew foorth thy righteousnesse and thy Psal 71. 15. Psal 55. 17. Psa 119. 97 11◠145. 2. Act. 26. 7. 2. 46. saluation all the day for I know not the numbers thereof Euening and morning and at noone will I pray and cry aloud O how loue I thy Law it is my meditation all the day I haue inclined my heart to performe thy Statutes alway euen vnto the end Euery day will I blesse thee and will praise thy name for euer and euer So the Apostle saith of the whole Church of the Iewes that they did instantly serue God day night and particularly of himselfe that it was Act. 24. 16. his continuall exercise to haue alwayes a good conscience voide of offence towards God and towards men But the best president of all for our imitation is our Sauiour Christ who spent his whole time in doing the workes of him that sent him in the day time preaching and doing miracles and workes of mercie that he might bring saluation vnto the lost sheepe of the house of Israel and in the night sequestring himselfe for prayer meditation in the mount of Oliues Secondly God hath giuen his Law not that we should sometimes obserue his Commandements and sometimes breake them but that we might obserue them daily and continually in all things and at all times and that it might serue as a rule and squire according vnto Psal 119. 9. which we are to frame our whole liues and euery particular action For there he prescribeth duties to be performed at all times on his Sabbath and on the sixe dayes besides the generall duties which belong to all and those that respect vs in our particular callings the duties of piety whereby we offer vnto him immediate seruice and
life §. Sect. 3 The second sort of meanes consist in the performance of diuers actions And vnto these meditations we are for the renewing of our faith to adde diuers actions as first we must daily renew our promises vnto God made in baptisme and bewayling our manifold frailties and imperfections whereby we haue often failed heerein we are to resolue and promise that if God will accept of vs and passe by our former infirmities we will with more intire affection renounce sinne Satan and all our spirituall enemies and consecrate our selues wholly to his worship seruice and with greater zeale and deuotion labour in the vse of all good meanes whereby we may attaine to more perfection Secondly wee must labour to finde and feele our hearts more and more inflamed with vnfained loue towards God in respect of his infinite goodnesse and absolute perfection in himselfe and graciousnesse towards vs shining in his vnspeakeable and innumerable blessings and benefits bestowed vpon vs which loue towards God will strengthen our faith in assurance of his loue towards vs seeing it is but a drop that distilleth from this fountaine and but a sparke that ariseth from this infinite flame Thirdly we must exercise our selues in the daily practice of religious duties as prayer meditation holy conferences and such like which will increase our communion and acquaintance with God and more and more assure vs of his fauour And finally we must resolue to take all good occasions of doing daily the workes of mercy and Christian charity towards our neighbours for Gods sake whereby our faith will get daily new assurance that seeing we are willing and desirous to glorifie God in all things by causing the light of our godly liues to shine before men hee will bee no lesse willing to glorifie vs before his Matth. 5. 16. 1. Sam. 2. 30. Saints and holy Angels in his heauenly Kingdome For these duties of piety and righteousnesse are the fruits which spring from the roote of faith the flames and heate which proceed from this fire the very breath whereby it liueth and the actions and motions wherein it is exercised and therefore if it bringeth not foorth these fruits it is but a barren tree and dead stocke a vselesse fire which being couered giueth no light or heate a dead carcase without breath an idle habite without vertue or vigour and for want of exercise languisheth and decayeth daily in strength whereas contrariwise if the strength thereof were vsed and seasonably imployed in holy and righteous actions it would like the strength of the body bee confirmed and redoubled by this daily exercise §. Sect. 4 The manifold benefits which would arise from the daily renewing of our faith But that we may be the better perswaded vnto this daily exercise of renewing our faith let vs consider more particularly the manifold and inestimable benefits which would thereby accrew vnto vs. For first we shall liue in couenant with God haue assured title and interest vnto all his promises without any intercession or intermission of our comfort and hope seeing God requireth of vs no other condition Secondly wee shall no longer liue the life of the flesh and corrupted nature but the life of faith Hab 2. 4. Mat. 4. 4. which is principally sustained by God and holdeth dependancie not on earthly things but chiefly on his Word and promise which can neuer faile and the life of Christ subiecting our selues in all things to the regiment and gouernment of his holy Spirit so as we may say with the Apostle I liue yet not I but Christ liueth in me and the life which I now liue in the Gal. 2. 20. flesh I liue by the faith of the Sonne of God who loued mee and gaue himselfe for me which life of grace certainely assureth vs of the life of glory Thirdly heereof it will follow that all our thoughts words and workes shall be voluntarily subiected to the good will and pleasure of God and being daily in couenant with God we shall by vertue of his Spirit assisting vs keepe all our faculties and functions senses and actions in couenant with Iob 31. 1. vs that they shall in all things obey him and doe nothing which is displeasing vnto him Fourthly by renewing our faith daily we shall with it renew all the sanctifying and sauing graces which issue from it and depend vpon it and by watring the roote giue vertue and vigour vnto all the branches and fruits which spring from it whereas contrariwise wee shall spend all our labour in vaine if neglecting faith we vse all diligence and indeuour to increase in loue patience hope or any other grace or to bring foorth plentifull fruits of them in a Christian conuersation and the workes of mercy and charity like those who take much paines in watring the boughes and branches of a tree and neuer take care to water the roote More especially if wee daily renew our faith wee shall heereby confirme our affiance and confidence in God in all things and at all times for when we firmely by faith apply vnto our vse the power wisedome goodnesse promises and prouidence of God and with strong imbracements vnite them vnto vs we may easily with all safety and security rest and rely vpon them We shall heereby also strengthen our hope which is nothing but an expectation of the things beleeued and according as our faith is strong or weake in apprehension of the promises so also is our hope which waiteth for their fruition Wee shall increase by it our loue towards God for the more and oftner we apprehend the diuine fire of his loue towards vs the more our cold hearts are thereby inflamed with the heate of it so that we returne vnto him loue for loue And our zeale of Gods glory there being no stronger argument to make vs in all things earnest to glorifie him then to be fully assured that he will glorifie vs. It will worke in vs and daily renew our patience when as we daily renew our assurance that all our afflictions are the chastizements of a louing Father and not the punishments of a seuere Iudge that they are stinted and measured out vnto vs both in respect of their quantity and continuance by a most wise prouidence which will not let them exceed either our strength or necessity that they are inflicted out of meere loue and are signes not of our reiection but adoption and saluation that they shall Rom. 8. 18. 2. Cor. 4. 17. haue a good issue and worke together for the best for the inriching of vs with spirituall grace and the furthering of our eternall glory It will increase our peace of conscience when as our assurance is daily renewed of our peace with God the remission of all our sinnes and victory ouer all the enemies of our saluation of our safety vnder his protection and that nothing shall be able to separate his loue from vs. It will daily replenish our
salt of wisedome and either tending to spirituall edification by instruction admonition exhortation reprehension Ephe. 4. 29. counsaile or comfort or to his temporall good in his worldly affaires And our owne comfort and saluation is furthered when vnto these former wee adde such speeches as more properly tend to our owne good as to the increasing of our wisedome and knowledge the strengthening of our faith the increasing of any other sauing grace as when we mutually informe one another and stirre vp the graces of God in vs by holy conferences or else such as are profitable in respect of our temporall estate as about the ordinary businesses of our callings and earthly affaires in which wee are daily conuersant Now that wee may thus rule our tongues and order our speeches in this holy manner abstaining from all light and vaine words friuolous and vnprofitable discourses and rotten and vnsauoury communication let vs consider that God hath giuen vs this excellent gift of speech that wee might thereby glorifie him and benefit one another especially in the best things therefore they who neglect these and direct their speech to contrary ends doe most fearefully abuse this excellent gift and thereby iustly deserue to be depriued of it Secondly let vs consider that God is alwaies present with vs and is an eare-witnesse of all our speeches and therefore let vs blush for shame to speake any thing in his hearing which we would not vtter in the presence of a graue wise and religious superiour Thirdly let vs continually remember that fearefull saying of our Sauiour that wee shall giue an account of euery idle word at the day of Iudgement and that by our words we shall either Mat. 12. 36 37. be iustified or condemned And therefore let vs not vainely and causelesly increase our accounts not onely by idle and vnprofitable but rotten and vnsauourie speeches nor vse this winde of words as bellowes to kindle against our selues the flame of Gods wrath here and the fire of hell in the life to come And to this purpose let vs with the Prophet Dauid take heede Psal 39. 1. to our waies that we offend not with our tongue and considering that it is an vnruly euill and as the Apostle Iames compareth it like an headstrong Iam. 3. 3 4. Horse that will stand on no ground let vs breake it with the terrours of Gods Iudgements and curbe it in with the bridle of his feare that it may not rush into any vnprofitable wicked speeches And because we cannot by all our force and skill care and watchfulnesse tame this wild and vnruly beast but that it will breake out and vtter such things as are either vaine and vselesse or hurtfull and sinfull let vs often desire the Lord who gaue vs our tongues that he will by his grace and holy spirit rule and order them and that he will set a watch before our mouthes and keepe the doore Psal 141. 3. of our lips that we may speake onely those things which may tend to Gods glory and the mutuall good of one another §. Sect. 3 Of the right ordering of our workes and actions Finally our daily care and indeuour must be rightly to order and dispose of all our workes and actions that they may be conformable to the Law of God both in doing the duties which he hath commanded and in leauing vndone the vices and sins which he hath forbidden and condemned and that whether they respect God or our neighbours and our selues For our time and strength must be spent either in the religious duties of Gods seruice or in the workes of iustice charity and mercy towards our neighbours or of temperance sobriety and Holinesse towards our selues either in the generall duties of Christianity or the speciall duties of our callings or in vsing the meanes and helpes whereby wee may bee the better fitted and enabled vnto all and euery of them That so wee may Matth. 5. 16. 1. Cor. 10. 31. 2. Pet. 1. 10. Ephe. 4. 1. glorifie our heauenly Father by hauing the light of our godly liues shining before men edifie our brethren by our good example make our owne calling and election sure walke worthy of our high calling adorne our profession gaine others to the profession and practice of the true Religion and by our fruitfulnesse of obedience obtaine a plentifull haruest of ioy and happinesse when Christ shall come to Iudgement and render vnto euery one according to their workes Neither must we onely take care that our mindes and hearts bee taken vp and furnished with good thoughts and holy affections and our tongues exercised in Christian communication and speeches sauouring of grace and godlinesse but also that wee bring them to good effect by practizing what wee thinke and speake in all our workes and actions Nor that wee mortifie sinne in our soules and affections but also in our earthly members Col. 3. 5. and outward man and if through frailty wee haue entertained into our minds and hearts sinfull thoughts and desires or broken out into rash and inconsiderate speeches yet at least let vs stay heere and not produce it into act which is to giue this cursed birth full growth and strength and to consummate and bring it to full maturity and perfection Jam. 1. 14 15. §. Sect. 4 Of the sixth maine duty which is to submit our selues to Gods good pleasure in all things The sixth maine dutie which we are daily to performe is to submit our selues in all things to Gods good will and pleasure and to resigne our Rom. 5. 3. soules bodies and states to be gouerned and guided by his prouidence without murmuring or repining being contented with whatsoeuer hee sendeth and to indure what he inflicteth not onely with meekenesse and patience but also with cheerefulnesse and spirituall ioy of which wee haue the Apostle Paul an example for our imitation who had learned in all estates to be content so that he could be abased and abound full and hungry yea was able to doe all things through the helpe of Christ that strengthened him Phil. 4. 11. 12. To the attaining of which contentation we are to consider that the Lord is infinitely wise and knoweth what is better for vs then we our selues infinite Matth. 6. 32. in power and able to do that which in his wisedome he knoweth to be best and infinite in goodnesse mercy and compassion towards vs and therefore that he will doe that vnto vs and for vs which in his wisdome hee knoweth most profitable especially for the eternall saluation of our soules That by his prouidence he ruleth all things in heauen and earth and most wisely and powerfully directeth them to the good of all that depend vpon him that in an especiall manner he doth thereby watch ouer them that feare and trust in him and will not suffer them to want any Psal 34. 9. thing that is good Finally we are to remember
5 6 7. 1. Ioh. 5. 14 15. driuen with the winde and tossed to and fro neither let that man thinke that he shall receiue any thing of the Lord. Now the best meanes to strengthen this our faith when we come to pray is vtterly to deny our selues and our owne righteousnesse and casting away all opinion of our owne workes and worthinesse to ground our faith wholly vpon Gods power and all-sufficiency his truth in his promises his infinite mercies loue and goodnesse towards vs the perfit merits mediation of Iesus Christ Neither must we looke to the measure of our repentance and other graces necessarily required in those that pray with hope to be heard but to their sincerity and truth nor vpon faith it selfe in respect of the excellency and degree of it as thinking thereby that we shall be accepted of God but as it is the condition vpon which all the promises are made and the alone instrument whereby Christ and all his benefits are applied vnto vs. But of the meanes of faith we haue spoken before and therfore referre the Reader to that which hath bin said §. Sect. 5 That we must pray in humility and with reuerence and feruencie In respect of our hearts there are diuers things required First humility whereby wee abase our selues in the sight and sense of our owne vilenesse and vnworthinesse vnfainedly acknowledging that we are not worthy to tread vpon the earth or to looke vp vnto heauen much lesse to appeare in Gods glorious presence or to make any suites and supplications vnto him And therefore reiecting all Pharisaicall conceit of our owne workes and worthinesse we are to confesse with Abraham that wee are but dust and ashes with Iacob that we are lesse then the least of Gods mercies Gen. 18. 27. 32 10. Psal 22 6. Esa 6. 22. Luk 15. 21. Luk. 18. 13. 1. Tim. 1. 15. with Dauid that wee are wormes and no men with Esay that we are men of polluted lips with the prodigall Sonne that we are not worthy to be called Gods children with the Publican that wee are miserable sinners yea with the Apostle Paul that of all sinners we are the chiefe And this humility will be a notable meanes to confirme our faith in this assurance that we shall be receiued into grace and fauour with God and that he will heare and grant all our Petitions For he will looke vnto him that is poore and of a contrite spirit Esa 66. 2. Psal 34. 18. Esa 57. 15. Psal 51. 17. Psal 9. 12. 10. 17. he is neere vnto him and will dwell with him with this sacrifice of a broken and contrite heart wherein he chiefly delighteth he is made propitious and will be ready to heare his suites for he forgetteth not the cry of the humble but he heareth their prayer and will prepare their heart and will cause his eare to heare as the Psalmist speaketh The second thing required in our hearts is reuerence vnto which Dauid exhorteth Serue the Lord with reuerence Psal 2. 11 and reioyce with trembling and performed in his owne practice In Psal 5 7. thy feare saith he will I worship towards thy holy Temple The which reuerence may be wrought in vs by the consideration of Gods glorious presence before whom we stand who being present with vs seeth all our actions and how wee behaue our selues in his seruice and is infinite both in Iustice and power to punish vs if we take his name in vaine and abuse his holy Ordinances in performing vnto him a formall cold and carelesse seruice and also in mercy goodnesse and bounty if wee worship him aright And secondly if we consider withall our owne basenesse and vilenesse vnto whom notwithstanding God of his infinite grace and mercy vouchsafeth this high honour and inestimable prerogatiue to come into his glorious presence and to make our suites knowne vnto him The third thing required is feruency of affection and zealous deuotion whereby we do with all earnestnes desire to haue all our sins pardoned our wants supplied with all hearty cheerefulnesse without dulnesse and drowsines coldnesse and wearinesse continue in this exercise Vnto which wee attaine by comming vnto a true sight and sense of our sinnes and wants which inferre an vrgent necessity to haue them pardoned and these supplied and by considering the excellency necessity and profit of this action and the fruits that come of it which are farre to bee preferred before all things in the world CAP. XV. Of the circumstances of Prayer and of their quantity and quality §. Sect. 1 Of our gesture and voyce in prayer ANd these are the essentiall duties belonging vnto prayer besides which there are others which are circumstantiall and 1. Cor. 14. 40. accidentall of which there cannot for the most part be giuen any general and certaine rules but that they be done in order after a decent comely maner and so as shall be most fit and conuenient for the stirring vp of our deuotion and the furthering of those internall duties before spoken of which are essentiall and alwayes necessary The first is the gesture of the body which ought to be such as may further our inward humility reuerence and feruency of deuotion wherin we are to imitate the example of Gods Saints in former times the custome of the Church and Country where we liue vsing those gestures which are vsed in them to expresse externall worship humility and reuerence As among vs standing kneeling vncouering of the head lifting vp of the eyes and hands and in extraordinary and greater humiliation prostrating our selues vpon the ground casting down our eyes as being ashamed to looke towards heauen and knocking of the brest as bewayling the sinfull corruption therein contained In all which our chiefest indeuour must be that the inward affection and disposition of the heart do answere vnto the outward gestures of the body without which they are but hypocriticall shewes The second is the voyce which is to be vsed in prayer so often as conueniently Psal 51. 14 15. 71. 23 24. 119. 171. Hos 14. 2. we may seeing it is one speciall end for which God hath giuen it vnto vs that we might by it glorifie him both in our prayers and our praises and thanksgiuings Not that he himselfe needeth it for he searcheth the secrets of the heart and reines but for the example and edification of others as in publike prayer and for the intention of our owne affections the attention of our mindes and stirring vp of our deuotions in our priuate prayers which notwithstanding must be done with this caution that seeing priuate prayer must be made in secret we must not speake alowd in our Closet or Chamber so as others may heare and vnderstand vs or at least we must not Matth. 6. 6. doe it to this end seeing it is but grosse hypocrisie which we must not only auoide but euen the very
steale no more but rather let him labour Eph. 4. 28. working with his hands the thing that is good Vnto which precepts of holy Scriptures prescribing labour in the duties of our callings we may adde the examples of all the Saints of God in all ages as fit patternes for our imitation who haue alwayes liued in lawfull callings and haue faithfully laboured in the duties of them as of Abel and Noah before the flood the one a Shepherd the other an Husbandman and after the flood of the Patriarkes Abraham Isaac and Iacob and all their posterity that descended of them of Moses Dauid the Kings and Prophets of the Disciples of our Sauiour Christ and especially of the Apostle Paul who as he professeth laboured more aboundantly then they all not onely 1. Cor. 15. 10. 1. Thes 2. 9. 2. Thes 3. 7 8 9. imploying himselfe in his painefull Ministery and Apostleship but labouring also with his hands that he might not be offensiue but be a good example for others to imitate Yea our Sauiour Christ himselfe who though hee were free borne and the onely begotten and dearely beloued Sonne of his Father submitted himselfe as a seruant to the common Law of mankinde tying himselfe by a voluntary necessity to labour in his calling and to doe the workes of him that sent him The which hee did with Iohn 9. 4. such cheerefulnesse and delight that he professeth it to bee his meate and Iohn 4. 34. drinke to doe the will of him that sent him and to finish his worke And therefore if the Sonne and heire could not be free from labour how should any of his seruants be exempted If the Lord of the Vineyard could not bee Matth. 20. 6. priuiledged from taking paines with what face can any of the hired labourers excuse their idlenesse §. Sect. 2 That it is Gods ordinance that wee should labour in our callings Againe let vs consider that the Lord himselfe is the Author of our callings and that it is his ordinance that we should labour in them It is he that created and redeemed and continually preserueth vs who hath called and set vs in our places and hath appointed vnto euery one their worke and taske and hath not onely promised his helpe and assistance in all our labours but also hath incouraged vs to take paines by assuring vs that he will richly reward them when wee haue finished our worke And therefore if after all this we will detract our labour and spend our time in sloth and idlenesse what is it but to leaue our standings and to withdraw our selues from vnder his gouernment to neglect Gods worke and to doe seruice vnto Satan and the sinfull lusts of our owne flesh what is it but to depriue our soules of that comfort which we might haue in his company and assistance and by pretending difficulty in the atchieuing our labours to argue and accuse him of insufficiency who hath vndertaken to assist vs and by his helpe to giue good successe vnto all our iust indeuours what is it but for the inioying of short and carnall ease to our flesh to forfeit all hope of obtaining those rich heauenly and euerlasting rewards which he hath promised vnto vs as the free and gracious wages of our momentany labours §. Sect. 3 That God blesseth the diligent with many benefits Finally let vs consider the manifold benefits wherewith God hath promised to blesse our labours if we be painefull and diligent in the duties of our callings And contrariwise how much he abhorreth and condemneth sloth and idlenesse punishing them that liue in it with innumerable euils which he hath iustly caused to attend vpon it Concerning the former it may be a strong inducement to make vs diligent in our callings if we consider the benefits which accrew vpon it For whereas euery one is ready to aske Who will shew vs any good and is easily drawne to any course by the Psal 4. 6. golden chaine of gaine and aduantage the Wiseman telleth vs first generally that in all labour there is profit whereas idle talking with the lips tendeth Pro. 14. 23. onely to penurie And in many other places he setteth foorth more particularly the manifold benefits that doe accompany it For it exalteth to honour and authority according to that The hand of the diligent shall beare Pro. 12. 24. rule but the slothfull shall be vnder tribute And againe Seest thou a man diligent Pro. 22. 29. in his businesse he shall stand before Kings he shall not stand before meane men It buildeth the house and maketh and erecteth mansion places for themselues and their posterity So saith Salomon Prepare thy worke without Pro. 24. 27. and make it fit for thy selfe in the field and afterwards build thy house Contrary to the practice of many in these times who preferre building and neglect husbandry and take care to set vp faire houses before they haue any land to lay vnto them building themselues quite out of dores and like fooles making houses for wise men to dwell in It is crowned by the Lord with riches and plenty For he that tilleth the land shall be satisfied with Pro. 12. 11. 28. 19. Pro. 10. 4. 20. 13. bread and the hand of the diligent maketh rich And whereas that which commeth lightly is as idlely spent that which is gotten by honest labour is preserued and multiplied according to the saying of the Wiseman Wealth gotten by vanity shall be diminished but he that gathereth by labour Pro. 13. 11. shall increase It preserueth the body in health which languisheth with idlenesse maketh the meate pleasant by quickning the appetite and the sleepe sweete whereas the idle turne vpon the bed as a dore vpon the Eccl. 5. 12. Pro. 26. 14. hindges and not being able to rest because they haue not laboured toyle themselues with too much ease and are tired with tumbling euen vpon their beds of downe being iustly punished by God with restlesse tossing and sweating in the night because they would take no paines to serue him in the day It affordeth comfortable and liberall meanes not only for the maintenance of our selues and those that belong vnto vs but also whereby we may be beneficiall vnto others that neede our helpe and exercise our charity in the workes of mercy and in relieuing the poore members of Iesus Christ which hee will richly reward and crowne with glory and Mat. 25. 34 35. 1. Tim. 6. 18 19. Pro. 21. 25 26. happinesse at the day of Iudgement For whereas the sluggard whose hands refuse to labour getteth nothing for himselfe to satisfie his desire though hee coueteth greedily all the day long the righteous that is diligent in the workes of his calling hath not onely sufficient for his owne vse but giueth liberally to others and spareth not And this end the Apostle propoundeth to our paines in our honest callings willing men to labour Eph. 4.
posterity that in the sweate of their face they should eate their bread By which borrowed speech from the practice of those who labour with their hands is meant that all of all estates and conditions should serue God with paines and diligence according to the nature of that calling which they haue taken vpon them as Magistrates in their gouernment Ministers in their studies preaching and other Ministeriall functions the Artificer and Craftsman in his Science and Trade the Husbandman in the workes of Husbandry And it is indefinitely said in Iob that man is borne vnto labour as the sparkes Iob 5. 7. flie vpward so that he who would haue pasport to leade an idle life must forgoe the priuiledge of being a man Yea not onely men but women also are tyed to this taske of daily labour in their callings neither may they eate the bread of idlenesse as the Wiseman speaketh but must take 1. Tim. 5. 14. Pro. 31. 27. paines according to their place and state either in working with their hands if they be poore or by gouerning their families and with the good huswife in the Prouerbes looking well to the wayes of their houshold or some other honest imployment which may keepe them from idlenesse fit them for a charge and make them more helpefull vnto others and in some kinde or other profitable members of the Common wealth For if they consume their time in sloth and idlenesse and according to the common custome of many in the world spend all the rest of the morning which they can spare from sleepe in curious adorning of their bodies in frizling and curling the haire painting the face with such like vanities and the afternoone in vaine talking and courting idle visitations carding playing and sporting themselues in such carnall delights they for ought I know to the contrary shall as well as men bring vpon themselues all the former euils of sinne and punishment §. Sect. 2 That Gentlemen haue no priuiledge of idlenesse and how they should spend their time As for Gentlemen and those that haue attained vnto lands and riches whereby they are able to maintaine themselues and their charge though they are not in respect that God hath thus aduanced them aboue others to performe seruile workes which were too much basenesse nor to ouer-toyle themselues in bodily labour which were needlesse and vnprofitable for the Common wealth by taking from the poore their worke and with it their wages and meanes of maintenance yet they are not exempted from such labours and imployments as beseeme their place and state Yea in all reason because God hath beene so gracious vnto them aboue others that hee hath aduanced them to more honourable callings wherein they may exercise themselues in imployments of a more excellent nature and greater worth with greater ease and hath richly rewarded them before-hand with such extraordinary pay and bountifull wages aboue the rest of their fellowes whose labours are more base and toylesome lesse honourable and important therefore of all others they should be least idle in this faire easie and honourable seruice and exceede all others in diligence as farre as they exceede them in these many and rich priuiledges And heereof it is that Sodome was so much condemned and fearefully punished because abounding in all wealth and plenty they exceeded also in sloth abusing the blessing of riches and prosperity to pride fulnesse of bread and Ezech. 16. 49. aboundance of idlenesse Besides then those religious duties of praying hearing the Word reading meditating and such like in which it becommeth Gentlemen and rich men to bee most diligent as hauing more leasure and better opportunity to performe these exercises then the poorer sort there are also many ciuill duties in which their time and paines may be profitably imployed As first and chiefly the duties of Magistracy if they be furnished with fit gifts for it by God and called thereunto by superiour authority wherein they are chiefly to aime at Gods glory and the good of the Church and Common wealth by preseruing Iustice truth and peace the beating downe of all vice and sinne and the aduancing of vertue and godlinesse in them And not the pleasing of their owne humours the pleasuring of their friends and the filling of their purses with gifts and bribes But if they be not fit for these imployments or not called thereunto then may they profitably be exercised in gouerning their owne families appointing their seruants to their worke ouerseeing their labours and taking account of what they haue done in husbanding and managing their estates that they may as much as in them lyeth preserue it intire and leaue it to their posterity And what time they can spare from these imployments they may profitably spend either if they be of a martiall disposition in feates of Armes riding of great Horses and such like exercises whereby they may bee fitted for the seruice and defence of their Countrey Or if they be naturally inclined to contemplation and a quiet and peaceable life they may apply themselues to the study of Law Physicke or Diuinity that they may not onely bee able to direct themselues in all things that concerne their estates bodies and soules but also may be helpeful vnto their neighbours about them by directing them in their courses and resoluing them in all their doubts when as they resort vnto them to aske their counsell Vnto which studies if our Gentility were inclined I see no reason why they might not bee like that worthy and renowned P. Mornay du Plessis of France famous in all Countreys for his valour and learning the greatest Schollers in the Common wealth next vnto them that reside in the Vniuersities seeing they haue most leasure and opportunity to follow their studies and best purses to furnish their Libraries Or if they haue not beene brought vp to learning they may imploy their time profitably in according differences and ending controuersies betweene their neighbours in vsing all good meanes both by word and example to discountenance sinne and aduance vertue in doing the workes of mercy as ouerseeing the poore and taking order for their prouision relieuing the hungry clothing the naked visiting the sicke to which duties God hath inabled them aboue others by making them stewards in his family and committing a greater portion to their ordring and disposing And if Gentlemen would thus spend their time they should be truely noble in the eyes of God and men and reape more true lasting honour in their Country by this their Christian conuersation then the antiquity of their house their ancient and ennobled pedigree their coates of Armes Ensignes of Gentilitie their gilded Coaches and gay apparell can yeeld vnto them Yea which is aboue all they should by these courses haue the inward peace of a good conscience and inioying Mat. 25. 20 21. their earthly priuiledges as pledges of Gods loue and earnest-pennies of their saluation their hearts would not bee
gracious God who hath by these recreations refreshed and fitted vs for his seruice and hath giuen vnto vs this ioy in earth as a signe of his fauour and a pledge and earnest of those euerlasting ioyes of his heauenly Kingdome CAP. XXIII The last caution is that our Recreation be a liberall exercise and not sordid for gaine §. Sect. 1 That greedy gaming for gaine is vnlawfull THe last caution to be obserued is that we vse our recreations as a liberall exercise and not as a sordid trade to get money To which end let vs know that if we vse gaming with a greedie and couetous desire to inrich our selues by impouerishing others it is but an inordinate course which God neuer appointed and blessed to get wealth and consequently no better then theft yea heerein worse then the most thefts in that other theeues rob strangers but these commonly their friends and familiar acquaintance and in that it is committed by mutuall agreement whereby the loser becommeth an accessary to the theft of the winner and so is as well as hee a robber not onely of himselfe but also of his wife and children As also because the couetous delight which they take in this kinde of gaming not onely robbeth them of their riches in which respect the saying of the Wise man may be applied and appropriated heereunto that he who loueth pleasure shall be a poore man but also spoileth them of their hearts so that Pro. 21. 17. after much losse and great experience of this gamesome misery they haue neither power nor will to leaue their folly and to be better husbands for the time to come Let vs know that by such kinde of greedy gaming we set our hearts and mindes vpon a strange kinde of racke which pleaseth in tormenting and tormenteth in pleasing euen the racke of tumultuous passions which draw and distract vs diuers wayes one while hoping another while fearing now reioycing and soone after grieuing and fretting at our losse Finally that such will haue a fearefull reckoning to make at the day of Iudgement not onely of their precious time lauishly mis-spent in these vaine and wicked exercises but also of their wealth lewdly wasted and consumed when in their accounts there shall be found so much wasted in gaming and so little giuen to the poore and to religious and charitable vses or imployed in those workes of mercy which Christ hath graciously promised should be so richly rewarded at the last day §. Sect. 2 Whether it be simply vnlawfull to game for money But heere it may be demanded whether it bee altogether vnlawfull to play for money or if it be whether wagering for money and the winning or losing of it in gaming be simply to be condemned To the first I answere that to play for money that is to make the winning of money the maine and chiefe end of our recreation which ought to be the fitting of vs the better for Gods seruice and the duties of our callings is vtterly vnlawfull seeing it is a corrupt and couetous desire to get money by an inordinate way which God neuer appointed To the other I answere that howsoeuer it were to be desired that our mindes were so well composed and so weaned from all worldly things that they might purely ayme at their chiefe and mayne ends without their helpe or any respect vnto them yet take vs as we are needing earthly helpes to further vs euen to the attaining of spirituall and heauenly ends I cannot see sauing the better iudgement of the wise and religious that all kinds of interposing money in gaming by way of winning and losing is simply sinfull and vnlawfull if these cautions be obserued First that it bee but a trifle and small matter for which we game which is to be measured according to the state and meanes of those that play seeing an halfe-penny is more to a poore man then a shilling to a rich For I call that a trifle the losing whereof hurteth not him that loseth it in respect of the smalnesse of it and the greatnesse of his meanes Euen as a few drops are not missed in a whole bucket nor many buckets-full abate the height of the riuer nor many riuers running by their fountaines from the sea make it any whit at all the lesse full and so it is in this case because as betweene the riuers and the sea there is a reuolution of these small winnings and losings one winning at one time that which he lost at another which will make a small difference betweene them at the yeeres end But heere care must be taken that this caution extend to both parties neither is it enough that the money for which I play be a trifle vnto me vnlesse it be so also to the party that gameth with me For if I be rich and may well beare it though I often lose and he that playeth with me be poore and vnable to sustaine the losse there is inequality and want of charity seeing in drawing him or consenting to accompany him in such great game or small game yet greater then his poore ability can afford to lose I shall doe him hurt and those perhaps that belong vnto him The second caution is that the chiefe motiue inducing men to play be not greedinesse of gaine and couetousnesse which may possibly creepe into little trifles seeing it will play at small game rather then sit out and being an hungry disease will snatch at a crust when as no better prouision is set before it But this small play must chiefly tend to our recreation and refreshing of our bodies and minds for which it is more fit then greater because it leaueth no place vnlesse there bee more fault in the party then in the play vnto tumultuous and disordered passions And if these cautions be obserued playing for money as I thinke is not sinfull and vnlawfull because it neither offendeth against charity nor against Iustice Not against charity seeing it tendeth not either to the hurt of our neighbour or of our selues but to the good of both seruing to make our recreation more pleasant and delightfull seeing it causeth vs to be more earnest at our sport and setteth an edge on our appetite whereas otherwise we should be slacke and carelesse not regarding whether we winne or lose in which sloth and remisnesse there can be no delight and maketh men carefull to obserue the rules and orders of the game which otherwise would be neglected the one not caring to vse nor the other to require true and faire play seeing bare conquest vnlesse it be crowned is little regarded Neither is iustice violated if true owners take vpon them to dispose of some small part of their goods which they can well spare from their necessary vses for their honest recreation and delight and by mutuall agreement consent to hazzard a small wager which is to be the reward of him that getteth the victory to bee either wonne or lost betweene them
causing vs to inioy them with peace and safety Whereas there are many afflicted and poore seruants of God who would be glad to feede vpon our reuersions and leauings and are in danger before they rise from their table to haue their throats cut and their meates mingled with their blood Yea consider that thou inioyest from God not onely this plenty with peace and safety of body and state but also with it the light of the Gospell and the food of thy soule whereby thou mayest be strengthened in all grace and nourished vnto life euerlasting which many poore soules haue not at all or secretly and by stealth with extreme hazzard of their states and liues Vnto which meditation of Gods mercy and bounty let vs ioyne the consideration of our owne vilenesse and vnworthinesse in which if God should looke vpon vs he might iustly depriue vs of all his benefits and not suffer vs to haue a bit of bread to satisfie our hunger nor a drop of drinke to quench our thirst Let vs remember that at our meales we are to nourish two ghests the soule as well as the body and let our chiefe care be to giue best welcome to our best ghest the which will bring vnto vs chiefest comfort For what food our body receiueth it keepeth not but within a few houres is againe vexed with hunger but the foode of the soule shall still remaine and wee shall haue the fruit and benefit of it in this life and the life to come Let vs consider that as we feed in great part vpon mortall and corruptible creatures so our bodies like our meates are mortall and corruptible and therefore following our Sauiours counsell let our chiefe care be for our immortall soules and to labour not for the meate that perisheth but for that which endureth Ioh. 6. 27. to euerlasting life Finally let vs remember that this our food is part of that allowance which our heauenly Father giueth vnto vs as his houshold seruants that being strengthened heereby we may more cheerefully doe him seruice in performing those duties which he requireth of vs and therefore as God maketh his creatures to serue vs so let vs dedicate and deuote our selues wholly to the seruice of our great Lord and Creatour vsing so his blessings as that they may bee helpes and furtherances and no impediments and lets vnto the well-performing of all Christian duties §. Sect. 5 Of the duties which ought to bee performed at our meales first that wee vse Gods creatures with temperance and sobriety And these are the duties which we are as much as conueniently wee can to performe before or at the beginning of our meales The duties which we are to practise whilst we are eating and drinking are diuers First our care must be that wee vse the creatures of God with temperance and sobriety so as they may serue for the satisfying of our hunger and the sustentation and strengthening of our fraile nature which if it be not misguided by our corruption is in it selfe content with a little and not tend to their weakning and disabling vnto all good imployments for the feeding and refreshing of our bodies that they may bee fit seruants for our soules in all Christian duties and not the filling and glutting of them whereby they become till they be emptied vnprofitable burthens to the soule and good for nothing but sloth and sleepe Now this temperance must shew it selfe in two kinds first in our prouision and secondly in the applying of it to our owne vse Our prouision of meates and drinkes ought not to be ouer-costly and curious excessiue and superfluous which becommeth not Christians which professe sobriety but rather heathens epicures and belly-gods who place a great part of their happinesse in pampring their flesh with all kinds of voluptuousnesse But ordinarily our prouisions ought to be competent not excessiue and curious and rather sauour of frugality then of lauish waste and prodigall superfluity Yet that our Christian moderation and frugality may not be pretended and abused of any as a maske to hide vnder it their base and sordid auarice and niggardlinesse we are in this temperance of our prouisions to obserue these cautions First that therein we haue respect to our place and calling our meanes and ability making our prouision for our tables so as it may be fitting and suteable in these respects on the one side not exceeding our meanes seeing frugality is the nurse and fountaine of true bounty and on the other that it doe not come much short of them our charge and other necessary expences being considered And thus Dauid a King numbreth it among Gods speciall fauours that he had not only giuen him sufficient maintenance and conuenient food but had thorowly furnished his table as beseemed a King and had not onely filled his cup but caused it also to Psal 23. 5. ouerflow Secondly that we haue respect to the times for howsoeuer ordinarily our moderation must be bounded with parcimony yet at times extraordinary as at our solemne feasts and when we giue entertainment either to strangers or our superiour friends much respected of vs it must inlarge it selfe euen vnto liberality and large bounty And thus Abraham feasted his friends at the weaning of Isaac and Leui is said to haue made Luk. 5. 29. a great feast to giue our Sauiour Christ entertainment and our Sauiour himselfe at the marriage-feast turned the water into wine by miracle that there might be sufficient plenty Thirdly wee must take heed that our Ioh. 2. 7. moderation in our prouisions tend to the maintenance and not the decay of good hospitality which is so much commended vnto vs in the Scriptures Heb. 13. 2. Neither doth one vertue or Christian duty if it be right true exclude another but cōtrariwise are inseparably linked giuing to each other mutuall support and ayde and they which seeme to be in this number and doe not thus are but shaddowes false and counterfeit Fourthly we must be carefull that it be no hindrance to the poore and to the workes of mercy and Christian charity but contrariwise what we saue by this moderation in prouision from that which our state and ability might wel affoord to spend we must not hoord it vp for our priuate vse but liberally bestow it in almes-deeds and other religious and Christian vses knowing that our riches are not absolutely our owne but lent vnto vs of God to be imployed for the glory of our Master and good of our fellow-seruants §. Sect. 6 That we must be temperate and moderate in respect of the quantity of our meates and drinkes But especially our temperance and Christian moderation must shew it selfe in our eating and drinking and that both in respect of the quantity and also the quality of our food First for the quantity our care must be that we at least ordinarily eate and drinke no more then is fit for the sufficing of nature and the preseruing
charity to beare with one another and humility to thinke that we may erre as well as our brethren or patience to waite vpon Gods leasure till he be pleased to reueale the truth vnto them as well as vnto vs and vnanimity to walke Phil. 3. 15 16. by the same rule and minae the same thing whereto we haue already attained we commonly take delight to spend our speech in questions and controuersies and in shewing wherein we dissent rather then wherein we agree which oftentimes draw men to heate and contention yea to wrangling and hard speeches which alienate their hearts and make them part more cold in loue and remisse in friendship then when they met together Whereas if selfe-loue did not wed them to their own opinions and pride made them not impatient that any should dissent from them but that in charity and Christian humility they desired to edifie one another not so much desiring to make them their schollers in imbracing their priuate opinions as the Disciples of Christ by knowing better the mayne points of Christian Religion or more conscionable in imbracing holinesse and righteousnesse in their liues and conuersations there would bee much more fruit and benefit of such conferences and much more incouragement vnto our often meetings Finally the great cheere and excessiue cost and trouble to prouide it which is commonly vsed at these meetings is one speciall cause why we meete so seldome Which though all mislike and speake against because they cannot meete often that meete so chargeably their state and meanes being not able to beare it yet it fareth heerein as in the case of braue apparell all complaine of it because of the cost but none will reforme it because of their pride whereby in their mutuall entertainement one seeketh to out-vie another till at length it come to that height of excesse and groweth so ouer-chargeable to their purse that they leaue off such meetings altogether Let no man therefore complaine of the hardnesse of the times which will scarce affoord meanes of necessary maintenance and much lesse of entertaining our friends to eate and drinke together For howsoeuer it may bee true that these times will not beare vs out if wee bee resolued to bee still excessiue in our cheere and cost yet if wee would chiefly ayme in our meetings at the maintaining of loue comfort and ioy in one anothers company stirring vp Gods graces in vs and our building vp vnto all good duties I see no cause why wee should not to inioy these Christian comforts and spirituall benefits be contented with lesser cheare in our neighbours house then when wee eate our meate solitarily at home and consequently no reason why the hardnesse of the times should bee pretended vnlesse our hearts bee more hard then they and will by no meanes be reclaimed from this fault of excesse Now as we are for these ends to inuite one another so are wee especially according to our ability to make the poore our ordinary ghests because therein wee shall doe a worke of mercy acceptable vnto God who hath giuen vnto vs our greater prouision that wee may impart it vnto those who haue lesse and out of our plenty minister vnto them that want necessaries And thus our Sauiour requireth that when wee make a dinner or supper wee should Luk. 14. 12 13. not inuite our friends brethren kinsmen and rich neighbours namely not to these ends eyther to receiue recompence by the like inuitation or to approue our charitie seeing men out of naturall selfe-loue or carnall affection may doe the like but the poore maymed lame and blind because they being vnable to make any recompence it will bee a good signe that wee doe it out of simple charity and pure respect vnto Gods Commandement and not out of selfe-loue and such respects as are naturall and worldly And this was Iobs practice who as hee did not eate Iob 31. 16 17. his morsels alone so the ghests whereof hee made choyce were the poore widdow and fatherlesse as he professeth Which example if wee imitate we shall in them feede Iesus Christ himselfe and be richly rewarded Mat. 25. 35 36. at his appearing Or if wee cannot inuite all to our table whom wee desire to relieue our care must be to send according to our ability such reliefe as wee can spare from our selues and families vnto those whom we know doe stand in neede for though God alloweth vs to eate Nehem. 8. 18. the fat and drinke the sweete yet withall hee requireth that wee send portions vnto the poore for whom nothing is prepared according to the example of the Iewes at their feasts of Purim who sent portions one to another and gifts Hest. 9. 22. to the poore To which end wee ought to vse all good prouidence and frugality not suffering any thing to bee lost though we haue neuer so much for if our Sauiour after that hee had fed the poore by miracle though he was able as easily to haue done it againe yet would not let any thing bee lost of his prouision through negligence but would haue all the remainder reserued for another time then how much more should Iohn 6. 12. wee be prouident whose bounty is limited by our meanes that we may releeue those poore who are still hungry and neede our help for their comfort and reliefe §. Sect. 6 That after our meales we must shew our thankefulnesse by praysing God And these are the duties which ought to bee performed at our meales The dutie to bee performed afterwards is true thankefulnesse in the heart and outwardly expressed both by our words and actions Vnto inward thankefulnesse of the heart is required that wee know and acknowledge that wee haue receiued our foode at Gods hand and that by his bounty and gracious prouidence we are fed and nourished and not by our owne policy and power industry and labour The which Moses presseth Exod. 16. 15. Joh. 6. 31. vpon the Israelites to make them thankefull for if wee know that God of his rich mercy hath bestowed these blessings vpon vs and hath fed and nourished vs with his good creatures it is a notable meanes to make vs also acknowledge it with all due thankfulnesse Euen as contrariwise when we take no notice of this bounty and prouidence of God in feeding vs wee are ready to sacrifice vnto our owne nets and to ascribe the prayse of our prouision to our owne wisdome and indeuours Hab. 1. 16. and so to make Idols of them And of this we haue an example in the Israelites who receiued Gods blessings for their vse but not as frō his hand Hos 2. 8. and therefore were not thankeful vnto him but gaue the praise to their louers The which vngratitude God will punish by depriuing vs of his blessings that by our wants we may be driuen to goe vnto him by prayer for a supply who in the time of plenty would not goe
mistresse whom hee vsed Gen. 39. 11. as his wicked instrument to assault his chastity And thus hee assaulted righteous Lot vnto incestuous lust not in Abrahams company nor yet in Gen. 19. 30 31. Sodom it selfe though in respect of their professed filthinesse it was a fit Theater for such a fearefull Tragedy but when hee liued solitarily in the mountaine and had none but his daughters to beare him company who were to prouoke him vnto this vncleannesse And thus when hee would tempt Dauid vnto lust he chooseth his time when hee walked alone vpon the roofe of his house and then allured him by presenting vnto his sight a fit obiect of vncleannesse The which he found by often experience to be so great an aduantage that when he was to combate with our Sauiour Christ he made choyce to set vp his lists in the wildernesse that hauing in this Matth. 4. solitary place none of the former helpes hee might haue full liberty to bend against him all his engines of battery and vse without any interruption the vttermost of his power and skill to giue him a foyle Finally as solitary places are fittest for Satans filthy imbracements and to pollute Iam. 1. 12 13. the soule with sinne so also for the vnlawfull conceptions of our wicked lusts which afterwards are brought to the birth and grow to their full maturity in outward actions when wee come into company as the Apostle Iames implyeth in the like Allegory Thus also the Prophet Micah denounced a woe against them who deuised iniquity and in their meditations Micah 2. 1. plotted the worke of wickednesse vpon their beds and when the morning is light practised it because it was in the power of their hands And when they had by themselues coueted their neighbours fields they did afterwards seaze vpon them with open violence c. In which regard wee are in our solitarinesse to watch most carefully ouer the purity of our soules because they are then most indangered to these spirituall rapes and in vaine shall wee labour to hinder the birth and growth of sinne when wee come into company if when vvee are alone we be not as carefull to shunne Satans imbracements and so to preuent its first conception CAP. XXVII What duties wee ought to performe when wee are in company §. Sect. 1 That ciuill conuersation excelleth solitarinesse BVt howsoeuer there is a fit time for solitarinesse vvhere in the former duties belonging to it are to be practised of vs yet we are not chiefly to affect it much lesse to put such perfection in it as to deuote our liues wholly vnto it contemning and shunning all ciuill conuersation and all entercourse and dealings with one another but leauing vnto it due place and deserued commendation if it bee seasonable we are if they come in comparison generally both in respect of persons and times to preferre ciuill conuersation before solitarinesse and a life taken vp in vertuous action before that which is spent in bare theorie and contemplations For God is more glorified the Kingdome of Christ aduanced and inlarged the good both of Church and Common wealth with all the members of them both more furthered and increased and our owne present comfort and future ioyes in our heauenly happinesse much more multiplied and augmented when by our Christian conuersation and vertuous actions our holy profession and good example our admonitions exhortations counsayle consolation our workes of iustice charity and mercy and all other good offices mutually performed we edifie and build vp those which are about vs in their most holy faith and draw many others to accompany vs vnto the Kingdome of heauen then in the strictest course of a solitary life to goe by our selues alone vnto this place of happinesse And this the Lord hath ratified by his Word when as he said that it was not good for man to Gen. 2. 18. bee alone and two are better then one because they haue a good reward for their labour namely in that mutuall society and in those good offices of piety and Christian charity which they performe to one another for if they Eccl. 4. 9 10. fall one will lift vp his fellow but woe to him that is alone when he falleth for hee hath not another to helpe him vp And the Apostle layeth it as a charge vpon all men that they should consider and watch ouer one Heb. 10. 24 25. another to prouoke vnto loue and to good workes not forsaking the assembling of our selues together as the manner of some is but exhorting one another c. The which also is commended vnto vs by his workes both of creation and renouation For he hath made vs in our natures not like vnto wilde beasts who take their pleasure to lurke alone in their dennes but politicall and sociable creatures who take all their chiefe ioy and and comfort in conuersing with one another and so in his wise prouidence hee hath disposed of vs that we should not bee absolute and able to liue of our selues but neede the mutuall helpe one of another so that the King needeth the subiect as much as the subiect the King the rich the helpe of the poore as well as the poore the hire of the rich the city the countrey as well as the countrey the city and so hath hee combined and linked all men together into societies as it were particular members of the same bodies and hath so furnished them with diuersity of gifts and seuerall abilities vnto sundry offices that no sort of men can bee wanting without a maime nor any part vtterly pulled from the whole but that hee must necessarily become a dead and vnprofitable member and worke his owne ruine by this divulsion and separation So in our renouation wee are as it were anew created into one body whereof Christ Iesus is the Head and as diuers members haue our seuerall functions and offices allotted vnto vs which are not onely for our peculiar vse but for the good of the whole body and of euery other of our fellow members as the Apostle excellently sheweth in his first Epistle to the Corinthians So as none are so perfect in themselues that they neede not their fellowes that there might not bee any schisme in the body 1. Cor. 12. 1. but that the members should haue the same care one for another and that they Vers 15. 25 26. might both suffer together and reioyce together Of which sweete society singular benefits redound to the whole body and to all the particular members of it for they are linked together by the same Spirit and in the bond of loue performing all mutuall offices of Christian charity which may aduance their good They communicate in the same blessings and reioycing in one anothers good haue according to their number their ioyes redoubled in their troubles and afflictions they also communicate in one anothers griefe euery one comforting his fellovv and making the burthen
are to take all good occasions to shew their insufficiencie that being beaten off from this pernicious opinion they may denie themselues vtterly and all their owne righteousnesse in the worke of their iustification and saluation and may flie vnto Christ by faith who is onely able and all-sufficient to effect them With which we must ioyne all other good meanes which opportunity shall offer vnto vs for the gayning of them to Christ and making of them truely religious And to this end wee must heedfully watch for all good occasions which either their words or actions shall offer vnto vs of speaking something which may bee for the vse of edifying liking and approuing any thing which is well said or done by them as our Sauiour dealt with the young man that answered him discreetly shewing that they are not farre from the Kingdome of God and as Paul with King Agrippa who watched and Act. 26. 28 29. tooke hold vpon euery word which he spake to draw him to Christianity Yea when none are offered by them of speaking any good wee must seeke out occasions our selues making choyse of such as we thinke will be most plausible and likely to finde entertainement as some workes mercies or Iudgements of God which are fresh in memorie And if the companie be such as that wee cannot directly propound vnto them such sauourie discourse let vs vse our best art and policie to screw and winde it in by degrees and by little and little endeuoring to driue in our wedges into these knottie pieces with many blowes and diuers breathings and intermissions when as we are not able to doe it once Or if we cannot preuaile thus farre nor draw them to ioyne with vs in any Christian conference yet at least let vs ioyne with them in their speeches and discourses which are most ciuill and morally honest that if wee can doe them no further good yet at least wee may hereby preuent rotten filthy and vnsauoury speech and so preserue our own eares from being polluted and our hearts from being grieued with such ribauldry and corrupt communication as is often vented in such societies §. Sect. 3 How we must deale with those who are openly prophane But if our company into which we are come either by accident or some vrgent occasion bee notoriously prophane and wicked who would but Matth. 7. 6. make a scoffe at any speech which sauoureth of Religion our Sauiour hath giuen vs this rule for our direction that we must not cast holy things before dogges nor pearles before swine lest they trample them vnder their feete and turning againe all to rent vs. Vnto which the Wise man hath adioyned another that wee must get our selues out of such company as soone as we can Goe saith hee from the presence of a foolish man when thou perceiuest Pro. 14. 7. not in him the lips of knowledge In the meane time though wee haue some society with them in respect of our persons yet let vs be carefull that wee haue no fellowship with their vnfruitfull works of darkenesse by too much familiarity applauding their speeches and blaunching ouer their vices and faults but if wee cannot without danger take liberty of reprouing them by direct words yet let vs doe it by shewing dislike either by our silence or by our countenance At least let vs giue them a reall reproofe by our contrary example being as the Apostle speaketh blamelesse and Phil. 2. 15. harmelesse the sonnes of God without rebuke in the middest of a crooked and peruerse nation and shining among them as lights in the world But if they be so peaceable that we may conceiue any hope of their patience and that they will hearken vnto any good speech louing admonition or gentle reproofe we must not neglect it handling these festred sores with a soft hand that so they may more quietly indure to haue afterwards salues applied which shal be fit for their curing Neither will it stand with Christian charity to neglect any meanes when there is the least hope of doing thē good nor with Christian wisdome to do it after a rough and boystrous manner proudly and imperiously with sharpe rebukes and bitter reproofes which like strong medicines in a weake stomacke and clogged with corrupt humours will not stay with them but will presently be cast vp againe before they haue had any time to work and so do them no good for their spirituall cure But we must vse first prepartiues and gentle purges as they are able to beare as louing insinuations and mild admonitions which must alwaies sauour more of the strength of argument and reason then of choller or any other turbulent passion And though when wee haue done all the good wee can wee doe not presently see any fruit of our labours yet must wee not bee discouraged but patiently leaue the successe vnto God and craue his blessing vpon our indeuours knowing that the best seede commeth not vp as soone as it is sowne and the physicke which cureth the disease doth not as soone as it is taken giue any euidence of the patients recouery yea oftentimes maketh him much more sicke whilst it is in working both to the iudgement of others and in his owne feeling and apprehension Yea though they cast vp this spirituall Physicke presently after it is taken yet may it doe them some good seeing some hurtfull humours may be raised with it as some cold flegme of sluggish sloth and carelesse security and some hot choller which so imbittered their stomackes that they had no appetite to any wholesome nourishment and something also may remaine behind which will worke vpon them when we least thinke of it §. Sect. 4 Of the manifold and dangerous abuses of Conferences in these daies and the causes of them And these are the duties which are to bee obserued in our society and conuersation one with another in respect of our speeches and conferences The which in these dayes are all for the most part lamentably neglected to the great dishonour of God and our owne exceeding hindrance in our Christian progresse And contrariwise as wee finde by daily and wofull experience all our time at our meetings is wholly spent about earthly trifles and things of no value Of which neglect of the one and too much vse of the other there are diuers causes As first the malice and subtilty of the deuill who knowing how much religious conferences doe weaken his kingdome and build vs vp in all spirituall graces and how much they strengthen vs vnto all Christian duties doth vse all his Art and skill to hinder and interrupt them by putting into mens minds matters of no vse and profit earthly vanities and things vtterly impertinent to our persons states and callings Or if we will needs talke of Religion he is ready to propound vnto vs by some of his instruments captious questions or wrangling controuersies about trifles of no value which tend not to the vse of edifying
haue so increased and improoued them for the glory of our Master and good of our fellow seruants as that we may with cheerefulnesse present our selues before God when he calleth vs to a reckoning Finally in our greatest plenty of earthly things let vs call to minde our spirituall wants and how defectiue wee are in sanctifying and sauing graces especially in our thankfulnesse vnto God for these temporall benefits and so our plentie in the one will not so much exalt vs as our defects in the other which are much more excellent and necessary will humble and abase vs. Fifthly when wee inioy prosperity let vs beware of security and hardnesse of heart which is an ordinary effect that doth accompany it For men are apt to flatter themselues in the assurance of Gods loue when he causeth them to prosper in their courses and giueth vnto them these outward signes of his fauour and so to liue in their sinnes with impenitencie and hardnesse of heart promising vnto themselues impunity and that all shall goe well with them for the time to come Thus Dauid saith because the wicked mans wayes prospered Therefore Gods iudgements were high aboue out of his sight presuming that he Psal 10 6. Eccl. 8. 11. should neuer bee mooued nor come into any danger Yea he himselfe as he confesseth was thus ouertaken with security presuming in his prosperity that he should neuer be mooued Which that wee may auoyd let vs consider that Psal 30. 6. temporall blessings are no infallible signes of Gods loue seeing as the Wise man speaketh they happen to all alike and are more often and liberally Eccl. 9. 1. bestowed vpon Gods enemies who haue their portion in this life then vpon his owne children for whom he reserueth the euerlasting and heauenly inheritance that there is a vicissitude and change of all these estates and nothing remaineth certaine vnder the Sunne that the longer God deferreth the more seuerely he will punish when hee commeth and the greater our blessings are the greater shall be our plagues if we abuse them to security and impenitencie Sixthly let vs take heede when we are in prosperity that we doe not abuse it to licentiousnesse and carnall liberty vnto which men in this state are most prone as the Histories of all times and daily experience teacheth For who seeth not that they who abound in wealth and worldly honours doe for the most part giue themselues ouer to all voluptuous and sensuall delights as though God had sent them into the world and had put into their hands such large wages of earthly blessings that they should spend them and their precious time in Hunting and Hawking carding and dycing courting dancing and reuelling drinking feasting and such like carnall pleasures yea who doth not perceiue that they often abuse them to iniury and oppression reuenge and all kinds of vniustice when they haue to deale with their inferiours abusing their power and authority vnto tyranny which they thinke neuer sufficiently manifested and magnified till they haue borne downe and troden vnder foote all that standeth in their way right and reason law conscience and common honestie which abuses that we may shunne let vs remember often the maine ends why God hath giuen vs these worldly benefits aboue others namely that we might be better inabled and become more forward to glorifie him to doe more good vnto our brethren and abound in the workes of mercy and Christian charity and that wee might haue better meanes to serue him with cheerefulnesse and thereby to further our owne saluation Of which ends if we faile God will either take these gifts from vs because wee mis-spend them in vaine or else let vs still keepe them for a further and greater iudgement Let vs thinke in our greatnesse that there is a greater then wee who will one day call vs to a reckoning and fearefully reuenge vpon vs the iniuries of the oppressed and the shamefull abuse of our power and authority to vniustice and cruelty Seuenthly let vs beware that our prosperity be not an occasion vnto vs of the contempt and neglect of spirituall and heauenly things which ordinarily happeneth vnto those vvho in their iudgements too much esteeme and in their hearts immoderately affect these temporall blessings as vve see in the example of those vvho vvere inuited to the Kings Supper Demas Luk. 14 18. Iudas and many others To vvhich purpose let vs often meditate on the excellency profit and necessity of Gods sauing graces and the ineffable felicity of our heauenly inheritance and how much these exceed the other Let vs also often consider of the dignity of our soules and hovv 3. Epist of Iohn vers 2. much they exceede in excellency our corruptible bodies that vvee may take more care to haue them thriue in spirituall grace and to reioyce in their assurance of future glory then to glut our bodies vvith sensuall delights or to vvaxe rich and grovv great in our earthly possessions Let vs remember that the time vvill come that our spirituall grace vvhich worldlings so much contemne will stand vs in more stead and bring vnto our soules more sound comfort then all the wealth of the world or Monarchy of the whole earth and therefore that it is most extreme and sottish folly so farre to affect those flitting and fading vanities as to neglect in the meane time these spirituall excellencies §. Sect. 5 That in our prosperity we must beware of being slothfull in Gods seruice and that worldly things doe not become thorns and snares vnto vs. Eighthly let it be our care in the time of our prosperity that wee doe not grow more sluggish and slothfull in Gods seruice in Prayer hearing the Word Reading Meditation for the more we are taken vp with our earthly imployments the lesse we minde these holy duties and religious exercises as we see in the experience of many who haue beene forward in them in their sickenesse pouerty and meane estates and wholly neglect them or coldly carelesly and formally performe them when they inioy health wealth and worldly preferments Yea Gods good Children oftentimes are heerewith ouertaken hauing a great dampe cast ouer their zeale and deuotion by these worldly mists as we see in good Martha her Luk. 10. 41 42. selfe who by her worldly businesse was made more cold and carelesse in attending vnto Christ Which that wee may auoyd let vs consider that when we abound with all worldly blessings we stand more in need of spirituall helpes to keepe vs vpright in our wayes and from falling into those sinnes to which this prosperous state exposeth vs. And that these earthly benefits being Gods present wages whereby he incourageth vs to doe him more diligent and faithfull seruice it is a shamefull abuse of his bounty to bee made thereby more slothfull and negligent Ninthly let vs take heed in our prosperity that these worldly things through our ouermuch affecting them doe not become thornes to
publike seruice out of our great plenty either for the better effecting of it or for the easing of those who by reason of their weake estates are not so able as wee to beare the burthen The latter by exercising our bounty and Christian charity in almes-deeds and in doing the works of mercy feeding the hungry clothing the naked visiting and relieuing the poore that are sicke and imprisoned To which end let vs consider that God hath giuen vnto vs our plenty and greater store not as vnto absolute Lords to spend it how we list but as vnto Stewards for the good also of our fellow seruants who shall be called vnto account if we haue beene faithfull in thus imploying them and haue giuen to euery one in the houshold their due portion that where God hath giuen much there hee will also require much and that they who by his bounty haue much goods and exceede in riches doe also much good and as the Apostle speaketh Be rich in good workes ready to 1. Tim. 6. 17 18 19. distribute and willing to communicate laying vp in store for themselues a good foundation against the time to come that they may lay hold on eternall life Finally let vs consider that they are not so much to bee valued in their owne excellency or the present profit which they bring vnto vs seeing these commodities haue so many discommodities that it is hard to say whether exceede but as they are the great instruments of well-doing and as it were spacious fields in which our bounty and charity are not confined in narrow limits but may take large liberty to walke abroad and to exercise themselues vnto full contentment Whereby as wee are inabled to doe good vnto many so most of all to our selues seeing for the present wee purchase of them their best iewels at low rates euen their loue hearts and feruent prayers for some poore pittance of earthly trifles and for the time to come the Lord will infinitely reward of his meere grace and large bounty these gifts of ours which hee hath first giuen vs as though wee were not Stewards but Owners and in our owne right had bestowed them not so much vpon the poore as vpon Iesus Christ himselfe as he will before the Saints and Angels professe at the day of Iudgement Mat. 25. 34. The which excellent dutie is so necessary vnto the exercise of a godly life and is so much neglected in this cold and vncharitable age not onely amongst gripple and greedy worldlings who are ready rather to strip the poore then to clothe them and to pull the meate out of their mouthes by depriuing them through oppression of their meanes then to feed and nourish them but euen among professors of Religion who seeming to make conscience of religious duties are notwithstanding exceeding cold in their deuotion and charity that I would much more fully and effectually haue insisted vpon and pressed it had I not already published a full Treatise of this argument §. Sect. 3 Three other Cautions to be obserued for the right vse of prosperity Fifthly vnto the right vse of prosperity and temporall benefits there is required that wee vse them as pilgrims and strangers and not as Citizens of the world for so Gods Saints haue alwaies acknowledged themselues Gen. 47. 9. Psal 39. 12 Heb. 11. 9 13. 13. 14. 1. Pet. 2. 11. Heb. 12. 1. Phil. 3. 20. Col. 3. 1 2. and that they had heere no continuing city but sought one to come The consideration whereof must weane our hearts and affections from the immoderate loue of the world earthly vanities and cause vs to fix them on heauen and heauenly things which is our country and place of residence to fight against our carnall lusts which fight against our soules and to contemne and cast away whatsoeuer becommeth an hindrance in our iourney towards our heauenly home And seeing wee are Citizens of heauen wee must haue our conuersation there seeking those things which are aboue and not those which are beneath and thinke that nothing more doth misbeseeme vs then that being the children of God heires apparent to his heauenly Kingdome wee should like base slaues spend our time and strength in the diuels drudgerie and in toyling in the workes of darknesse and seruitude of sin for the contemptible wages of earthly vanities Sixthly we must vse them not as durable and permanent riches and inheritances but as things momentany and mutable which are ready daily and hourely to leaue vs and wee them And therefore our best course will bee to vse so these flitting vanities as that they may further our assurance of our heauenly patrimonie which is permanent and euerlasting and as our Sauiour counsaileth vs to make vs friends of the Mammon of iniquitie by vsing them as helpes and instruments to further vs in the workes of Luke 16. 9. mercy that when they are taken from vs and wee from them wee may bee receiued into heauenly habitations Finally if wee would rightly vse our prosperity and temporall blessings wee must not suffer our mindes and hearts to rest vpon them but vse them onely as steps whereby wee may mount vp aloft in heauenly meditations and desires As when wee see any beautie or excellencie in the creatures to thinke how infinitely they exceede in the Creator from whom they haue them when wee are ready with the Queene of Sheba to thinke our selues happie in hearing the wisedome of an earthly Salomon to raise our mindes higher and to thinke on their happinesse who attaine vnto the vision and fruition of God and heare with rauishing admiration his all-knowing and infinite wisedome When we are delighted with the society of Gods Saints in earth who like our selues are full of imperfections to take occasion hereby of meditating of that felicity wee shall haue in our heauenly fellowship when both they and wee shall bee perfected in loue and louelynesse When wee take pleasure in our earthly prosperity honours and riches mixed with many miseries and are but Gods common gifts which he giueth in as great plenty to his slaues as to his sonnes to his enemies as well as vnto his friends nor to rest in these worldly delights and to say with Peter in another case It is good being here but raise our mindes and hearts by these occasions to an higher pitch thinking how incomparably greater our ioy shall be when we shall attaine vnto the full fruition of our heauenly happinesse which shall not be embittered with any miserie and to the inheritance which God hath prepared in peculiar for his Sonnes and Saints in whom hee is chiefly delighted And so shall we not dote in our worldly and carnall loue nor haue our minds and hearts caught and intangled in this birdlime of worldly vanities but vse them onely for present necessity and refreshing that so wee may againe like Eagles leaue the earth and mount aloft in heauenly meditations and desires §.
the office of an accuser then of a Iudge and lastly of a mediatour to craue pardon and sometime find out thy selfe For hee willingly erreth who knoweth not his errour and too much loueth himselfe who will haue others erre that his errour may lye hid By which exercise wee should receiue singular profit For hereby wee should preserue our soules and hearts in a thriuing estate when wee doe like wise Merchants and shopkeepers examine them and search ouer our consciences as it were our bookes of accounts to see whether wee haue gayned or lost in our spirituall trading by examining what wee haue receiued and what we haue layd out which if we would doe we should not easily be cast behind hand when as we preuent our errours and vse meanes to repaire our losses in their first beginnings nor as many are be bankrupted in our estates at vnawares for want of care to examine them Wee should sleepe much more sweetely and securely when as we haue so composed and set straight our reckonings as that wee neede not to feare though the great Iudge should before morning call vs to an account In which regard the same Author commendeth this exercize The minde saith he is daily to be called to an account Sextius vsed at the end of the day and when he retired himselfe to rest to examine his minde What euill of thine hast thou cured What vice hast thou withstood in what art thou better that anger will cease or be more moderate which knoweth that it shall not escape the censure of an vnpartiall Iudge What therefore is more excellent Quid pulchrius hac consucâ—udine excutiendi totam diem c Sâ—neâ— de ira lib. 3. cap. 36. then this custome of examining euery day How sweete is that sleepe which followeth the reuiew of our selues How quiet sound and free when the minde is commended or admonished and as a watchman and secret censurer of it selfe doth iudge of it owne manners We should also preserue our hearts in their purity and soundnesse if not from all infirmities and corruptions yet at least from deepe putrifaction and the festering sores of sinne when as we cure the wounds being yet greene and cast out sinne by repeetance as soone as it is first entred not suffering it to lodge and sleep with vs no not one night We should hereby keepe our spirituall state well settled so as it would not easily be shaken or at least ouerthrowne with the assaults of the enemies of our saluation when as we constantly looke to our Christian Armour and watching ouer our hearts as our chiefe forts repaire the breaches as soone as they are made Finally wee shall preuent carnall security and hardnesse of heart when wee examine our selues daily and bee better fitted and prepared for the day of death and Iudgement when as wee keepe our accounts euen and haue our bookes of reckonings betweene God and our consciences made vp and in continuall readinesse For he may soone cleare his accounts with his Master at the yeeres end who like a faithfull and diligent Factor doth make all reckonings straight at the end of euery day §. Sect. 5 Meditations at our first lying downe Besides this examination there are also other Meditations very profitable as to call to our remembrance Gods manifold blessings and benefits bestowed vpon vs the day past respecting our soules bodies and states in that he hath preseru'd vs from innumerable euils with which many others haue beene ouertaken for continuing vnto vs still the acceptable time and day of saluation and suffering vs with so much patience to continue in this life that we may make our calling and election sure notwithstanding our manifold and grieuous sinnes for giuing vnto vs some poore desires and indeuours to doe him seruice and to accept of it in Christ though in it selfe full of wants and imperfections Especially if we haue in any measure performed the former duties of the daily exercise we must not forget to render vnto God the praise and glory due vnto him for it by the gracious assistance of whose holy Spirit we who of our selues are not able so much as to thinke a good thought haue beene inabled vnto them So likewise it is requisite that at our lying downe we call our sinnes to our remembrance the duties which wee haue omitted or corruptly performed and the vices which we haue committed and though through Gods mercy wee haue beene preserued from grosser sinnes yet wee must not thinke our selues so excused but call to minde our frailties and infirmities for which God in his righteous iudgement might condemne vs. Our sloth and backwardnesse to good duties our coldnesse wearinesse and many distractions in Gods seruice our excesse in mirth or sorrow the neglect of our Christian watch ouer our thoughts senses words and workes our idlenesse or vnprofitablenesse pride selfe-loue vniust anger sinister conceits and vniust censures of our neighbours and such like In the sight and sense whereof we must truely humble our soules before God by vnfained repentance and earnestly begge in Christs Name mercy and forgiuenesse Finally it is profitable then to remember our mortality and mutability death and Iudgement that we who now goe well to bed may shortly bee cast vpon the bed of sickenesse and we that now liue may within a while be imprisoned vnder the arrest of death yea let vs not looke vpon it as a thing farre off but approching at the threshold and ready to knocke at Luk. 12. 19 20. the doore and thinke that this very night as well as another may bee the time when God by sicknesse and death will summon vs to appeare before his Tribunall And if in respect of thy health and strength this seemeth vnlikely Cuiuis potest accidere quod cuiquam potest Sen. consider that it hath beene the case of many before thee and that which befalleth any may happen to all In which regard let vs not dare to sleepe till through Christ we are at peace with God haue made our accounts euen by pleading Christs satisfaction and full payment and haue our pardon in our hands to shew sealed to all the faithfull with his blood and to vs in particular by his holy Spirit and a liuely faith applying the fruit and benefit of his death vnto vs. And then resigning our soules and bodies into the hands of him who is a faithfull Sauiour and able to keepe safe whatsoeuer is intrusted vnto him we may with Dauid lying downe in 2. Tim. 1. 12. Psal 4. 8. peace take our rest because it is he onely that maketh vs dwell in safety §. Sect. 6 Duties to bee done in the night And first Prayer and Thanksgiuing In the night also there are other duties to bee performed for euen then we must seeke the Lord according to the example of the Church which Esa 26. 9. Cant. 3. 1. Psal 119. 55. professeth that with her soule shee desired the Lord in the night
lesse seruiceable and profitable for any good vse for when our strength is repaired by moderate rest excessiue sleepe weakneth vs againe making our bodies heauie and lumpish and lesse able and actiue for any good imployment and as wee consumed the fore-part of the morning in drowzy sleeping so the latter part in lazy stretching and slothfull yawning making vs sluggish with too much sleeping as the drunkard becommeth more dry with too much drinking And when the spirits are refreshed and quickned with moderate sleepe by that which is excessiue they become dull againe and being drowned and stupified with slothfull vapours they are made vnfit instruments to the soule for any good actions and imployments Whereby we are notably hindred both in the duties of Gods seruice and in the duties of our callings not onely because it consumeth much of our time which should bee spent in them but also greatly disableth vs in that which remaineth when we set our selues to pray heare the Word reade meditate or any ciuill duties which belong vnto vs. Finally this excessiue sleeping is exceeding hurtfull both for our soules bodies and states for it hurteth the braine dulleth the wit and much impaireth the memory making all these faculties vnfit for their functions and operations It breedeth obstructions and superfluous humours and so filleth the body with innumerable diseases It impouerisheth the estate and bringeth them who immoderately vse it if they bee of meane condition to beggerie and penurie and much disableth those who are wealthy to the workes of mercy and Christian charity And on this mischiefe accompanying sloth and sluggishnesse the Wise Salomon much insisteth For hee telleth the sluggard that by his sleeping and slumbering and his folding of his hands together pouerty should come vpon him as one that trauaileth who still approcheth though hee commeth but slowly and his want like Pro. 6. 11. an armed man which cannot possibly be resisted by one that lyeth naked in his bed So else-where hee saith that the soule of the sluggard desireth Pro. 13. 4. and hath nothing but the soule of the diligent shall bee made fat that because he will not plow by reason of the cold therefore he shall beg in haruest Pro. 20. 4. and haue nothing and so in the chiefe time of others plenty hee through his sloth shall pine in penurie Finally that as hee shall haue an emptie famished belly so also a cold and tottred backe for drowzinesse shall cloath a man with ragges whereas they which haue a vigilant eye and Pro. 23. 21. diligent hand cloath both themselues and those that belong vnto them Pro. 31. 15 21. with purple and scarlet as hee sheweth in the example of the vertuous huswife Neither is this sluggish sleepinesse lesse pernicious to our spirituall estate seeing it bringeth the soule also to beggery and to penurious want of all sauing graces by taking vp the time wherein we should trade and traffike for them in spirituall exercises of which it causeth an vtter neglect or a short and slubbering performance because it scarce leaueth sufficient time for the necessary dispatch of such important businesse as doth belong to our place and calling For no sooner is the sluggard out of his bed but euen halfe vnready hee choppeth vpon his worldly imployments and vtterly neglecting prayer meditation and all spirituall exercises hee thinketh himselfe sufficiently excused because hee is scanted of time and called away by some that attend his rising or by the importunitie of his owne affaires though hee haue voluntarily by his sloth brought himselfe into these straights and might easily haue escaped them and had time inough both for religious exercises and his worldly businesse yea euen for the benefiting of his neighbours that neede his helpe if he would not haue consumed so much in superfluous sleepe §. Sect. 3 That the expence of our time in sloth is displeasing vnto God and how this is to be auoided But let vs know that this wastfull expence of our precious time in sloth and sluggishnesse is very displeasing to God who hath lent it vnto vs that wee should spend it in his seruice and that this account will not well passe at the day of Iudgement when God shall finde it written in the booke of our consciences so much time consumed in superfluous sleepe and so little imploied in the necessary duties of Gods seruice prayer reading hearing meditation in the religious duties which wee owe to our charge and family or in the workes of charity and mercy helpe and comfort which wee are bound to performe vnto one another as being children of the same Father fellow members of the same body At which day fearefull will the estate be of those nice wantons and idle sluggards who diuide the morning betweene sloth and pride hauing scarce time after they are risen out of their beds to paint and dresse themselues before they come to dinner vtterly neglecting all duties of Gods seruice and the honest labours of a lawfull calling But it was not my purpose to haue touched their abuses who haue learned to out-face all that admonish them to put off all that can be said with some merrie iest or scornefull smile like the foole laughing with great iollitie when they are going to the stockes and are ready to be called to the barre and carried out to execution but onely to admonish those who desire to leade a Christian life that they auoid such wastfull expences of precious time consuming those good houres in superfluous sleepe which being well imployed would make them rich in grace and thrice happy in this life and the World to come Which whosoeuer would doe they must carefully obserue these two rules first they must be temperate in their meates and drinkes as being a notable meanes to preserue vs from excessiue sleepe and sloth and to make vs watchfull vnto all Christian duties which is the reason why in the Scriptures they are conioyned Bee sober and watch 1. Pet. 5. 8. because as sobriety is a cause of vigilancie so excesse in meates and drinkes is the common cause of excesse in sleepe And this helpe Clemens propoundeth Let not saith he our meates oppresse but rather lighten Ne ergo cibi nos grauent sed alâ—euent c. Clem. paed l. 1. c. 9. vs that as much as may be our sleepe may not hurt vs as those that swim are oppressed when heauy burthens are fastened vpon them The second rule is that we doe not suffer an ill custome of lying long in bed to bring an habit of sloth vpon vs which is almost as hard to breake as to alter nature Or if wee haue already yeelded vnto it our best course is to dis-vse our selues from it by little and little and so attaine by degrees to a contrary habit For as the stomacke which is inured to hote waters is still crauing them and becommeth such a slugge that it will disgest nothing without these
vertue vice or other thing handled the causes effects and common affections the subiect place the time and other adiuncts the dissentanies and contraries the distribution of the whole into the parts or of the generall into the specials and how euery branch is followed prooued illustrated and applyed Or if the Sermon want method or wee skill to conceiue it or memory to retaine it for it sometime happeneth that method which is the chiefe help of memory through too much curiosity and multiplicity of diuisions is a meanes to confound it yet let vs at least obserue those things that are deliuered which we knew not before for the increasing of our knowledge and bettering of our iudgement what vices are reproued or vertues commended with the reasons and illustrations of them both what hath most conuinced our consciences what hath been well pressed and wrought effectually vpon our hearts and affections for the withdrawing of them from any sinne their inflaming with the loue of any thing that is good and the stirring of them vp to the imbracing and practising of any Christian and holy duty §. Sect. 3 That we must stay in the Church from the beginning to the end of the Sermon The last duty in hearing is that we continue from the beginning of the Sermon to the end and as we are to come with the first so wee must not as the manner of many is depart till all the exercises of Religion being fully concluded the whole Assembly bee dismissed For as it is great vnmannerlinesse at a solemne feast to rise before the table is taken away vnlesse it be in case of sicknesse weaknesse or some important businesse so they which depart from this spirituall Feast before it be ended are either very vnmannerly and voyd of due reuerence and respect of Gods presence and his holy ghests and if they be not troubled with bodily infirmities doe shew the sicknesse of their soules when their spirituall appetite is so queazie that they loath their nourishment or that they thinke the imployment which they goe about of greater waight or at least much more necessary then the feeding of their soules with this spirituall Manna and vsing the meanes of their saluation Neither must we haste away after the Sermon is ended as though wee would rush out of prison as soone as the doore is opened but we must stay still that we may ioyne with the Minister and the Congregation in prayer and thankesgiuing if any bee as there ought to be after the concluding of the Sermon seeing as in receiuing our corporall food so also in the spirituall we haue as iust cause and occasion of praising God for benefits receiued as of praying for his blessing vpon them before we receiued them But if it bee omitted wee must supply this defect in respect of our owne particular by lifting vp our hearts vnto God praising him for causing the light of his Gospell to shine still vnto vs and for all the wholesome instructions admonitions reproofes and consolations which he hath graciously at that time imparted vnto vs. And if there be a Psalme sung we must ioyne with the Congregation praising the Lord with minde and voyce and making melody vnto him with our hearts which being ended we must expect the blessing of God pronounced by the mouth of his Minister with all reuerence and deuotion esteeming it of great efficacie as if God himselfe did blesse vs by them For so we reade that God appoynting Aaron to pronounce Num. 6. 23 24 c. such a blessing vpon the people saith that he should hereby put his name vpon them and he himselfe also would blesse them And therefore being of such importance we must not through ouer-much haste leaue it behinde vs as a needlesse complement §. Sect. 4 Of our duty in receiuing the Lords Supper And if the Sacrament of the Lords Supper bee administred hauing duly prepared our selues we are to communicate with the rest of the Congregation Luk 22. 19. and not vnmannerly depart from this holy Feast being inuited when we see it set vpon the Lords Table For it is a part of Gods publike seruice which is not left as arbitrary at our choyce to doe or leaue vndone but expressely inioyned by our Sauiour Doe this in remembrance 1. Cor. 11. 24 25 26. of me It is a notable meanes of confirming and increasing our faith being the Lords Seale wherewith he hath ratified his Couenant of grace and saluation with vs the which being often shaken with tentations and wounded and weakened with our sinnes needeth often to be strengthened and renewed It is the badge and liuery whereby we are knowne to bee Gods seruants and therefore comming to doe him seruice we ought not to cast it off when the rest of the family put it on It is a testification of our thankfulnesse to God and his Christ for all their benefits especially that great worke of our Redemption and a profession of our faith that we rest vpon the mercies of God and the death and merits of Christ for our iustification and saluation which wee are not to neglect when others performe it but to take all good occasions of testifying our faith loue and thankfulnesse vnto them It is a notable meanes to put vs in mind of Christs death and to apply all the fruits and benefits thereof vnto our selues when as wee see him crucified his body broken and his blood powred out before our eyes It is the Sacrament of our vnion with Christ and communion one with another wherein wee are knit together in the bond of loue and make profession that wee are fellow-members of the same body whereof Christ Iesus is the Head whereof if wee refuse to communicate hauing no good and necessary ground for it wee shall make a rent in the body and deny the communion and profession of our loue one with another §. Sect. 5 Of our duties to be performed when Baptisme is administred So likewise if the Sacrament of Baptisme be administred wee are not to depart before this holy action bee finished but to continue in the Congregation not as idle spectators but as being tyed heereby to performe diuers Christian duties both vnto God our selues and the party baptized In respect of God we are to stay the administration of this Sacrament that wee may shew our reuerence to his holy ordinances and glorifie his blessed Name for granting vnto his Church and vs the vse of them Secondly in respect of our selues that wee may renew our Couenant with God by calling it afresh to our remembrance together with his sweet mercies and gracious promises in Iesus Christ and also our owne vow and couenant which we haue made with him in our Baptisme that we may renew our resolutions and indeuours to performe it daily in more perfection and in the meane time take occasion vpon our slips and failings to bewaile our wants and imperfections That we may also call to mind what
hearts betweene him and his enemies the diuell Idols and the earthly Mammon 1 King 18. 21. like the Israelites which halted betweene God and Baal the true Iehouah 2. King 17. 33. and Idols of the Heathens and the Samaritans who feared the Lord and serued their owne gods And of such the Prophet Hosea complaineth Their heart saith he is diuided namely betweene the true Iehouah and Hos 10. 2. their Idols And the Apostle Iames calleth them double-minded who Iam. 1. 8. are vnstable in all their wayes one while offering vnto God some formall seruice and another while seruing the world and their owne lusts And as they haue double hearts so also double tongues speaking vanity Psal 12. 2. to their neighbours with flattering lips and with an heart and an heart or a double heart The second is sincerity and vprightnesse of heart without any mixture of guile and falshood when as wee worship God in simplicity truth and singlenesse of heart and in performing the duties of his seruice doe lay aside all carnall worldly and by-respects and doe them onely in conscience of his Commandement and out of a desire to glorifie him by our obedience to his holy will seeking him therein with our whole hearts and not our selues and our owne worldly ends like seruile mercenaries who serue their masters not out of any loue they beare him but onely for their owne gaine and aduantage Vnto which is opposed dissimulation and hypocrisie which maketh men to content themselues with outward shewes which haue no substance with outward profession without all sound practice with a dead carcase of Religion without the soule of sincerity or any vertue and vigour appearing in their actions and with a formall false and counterfeit seruice in the outward man without any substance or truth in the inward parts §. Sect. 3 Reasons mouing vs to imbrace integrity and sincerity 1. Because the Lord chiefly loveth and delighteth in it Now because these two are neuer seuered neither in the subiect nor in our practice I will not disioyne them in my discourse but will shew first the reasons which may moue vs to performe all our seruice vnto God and the duties of a godly life with integrity and sincerity and then the meanes whereby we may attaine vnto it For the former wee are to imbrace this integrity and sincerity truth and vprightnesse of heart in all duties of a godly life because the Lord chiefly loueth and delighteth in them preferring them much before all outward duties seeme they neuer so glorious For he loueth truth in the inward parts and esteemeth it farre Psa 51. 6 16 17 aboue all legall sacrifices and therefore after all they are abrogated and abolished retaineth it still in all duties of his seruice And as Dauid also 1. Chron. 29. 17. speaketh in another place He tryeth the heart and hath pleasure in vprightnesse Neither doth he see as man seeth for man looketh to the outward appearance 1. Sam. 16. 7. but the Lord looketh vpon the heart Whereof it is that hee chiefly requireth this integrity and sincerity in all his seruice Thou shalt keepe his Statutes and Iudgements with all thine heart and with all thy soule So Ioshuah Deut. 26. 16. Feare the Lord and serue him in sincerity and truth And Samuel Feare the Josh 24. 14. 1. Sam. 12. 24. Lord and serue him in truth and with all your heart And this God requireth of Abraham Walke before me and be vpright And Dauid of his sonne Gen. 17. 1. 1. Chron. 28. 9. Salomon Know thou the God of thy father and serue him with a perfect heart and with a willing minde And finally our Sauiour faith that hee requireth it of all who offer to doe him any seruice that as he is a Spirit so also they Iohn 4. 24. should worship in spirit and in truth And as we must generally obserue it in all Gods worship so in all the parts and duties of it For we must call vpon Psal 145. 18. God in sincerity and truth if wee desire that hee should heare vs wee must with Dauid Praise God with vprightnesse of heart and in singing Psal 119. 9. Psalmes and hymnes and spirituall songs we must not chiefly respect the vocall tune but make melody vnto the Lord with our hearts as the Apostle speaketh Col. 3. 16. 1. Cor. 5. 8. We must keepe vnto God the spirituall Passeouer not with the old leauen of malice and wickednes but with the vnleauened bread of sincerity and truth We must doe the workes of mercy and giue our almes with our hearts as well as with our hands for the Lord loueth a cheerfull giuer And 2. Cor. 9. 7. Col. 3. 23. in a word whatsoeuer duty we performe vnto others we must doe it heartily as vnto the Lord and not vnto men On the other side he condemneth dissimulation and hypocrisie as vices which are most lothsome and odious vnto him yea so much doth the Lord abhorre it that in the Law hee Exod. 12. 15. 1. Cor. 5. 8. Leuit. 22. 19. Deut. 22. 9 10. forbiddeth the very signes and shewes of it He would haue no leauen in his Passeouer nor their garments made of linsey-woolsey nor their fields plowed with an Oxe and an Asse nor sowne with seeds of diuers kinds not that God cared for these things but to shew vnder these types and shadowes how much he detesteth all hypocrisie and double-dealing §. Sect. 4 That our imperfect obedience is accepted of God if if it be done in sincerity and integrity Secondly this may mooue vs to imbrace integrity and sincerity because the Lord so highly esteemeth it that he accepteth of our obedience as perfect which springeth from it though it bee stained with much corruption and ioyned with many imperfections Whereof it is that in the Scriptures integrity and perfection are promiscuously put the one for the other and those are said to haue been perfect before God who in simplicity and vprightnesse of heart laboured after perfection and serued God in sincerity and truth as Noah Abraham Iob Dauid Asa Zachary and Elizabeth though they had many corruptions and imperfections which in the Scriptures are recorded of them And contrariwise the best graces or rather the most glorious shewes of them and the most resplendent and formall actions which are not ioyned with it are no better at the best then glorious sinnes in Gods sight whereof it is that the Lord specially Iam. 3. 17. 1. Tim. 1. 5. Joel 2. 12 13. requireth in all our graces and vertuous actions that they bee in sincerity and truth without dissimulation and hypocrisie So that wisedome which is from aboue is without hypocrisie and dissimulation though carnall men thinke them most wise who most excell in it Our faith must bee vnfained and so must our repentance also and with our whole heart and not like Ahabs in outward shew onely dissembled and
euill And of the Apostle Paul Wee must all appeare before the Iudgement seat of Christ that euery man may receiue the things done in his body according to that he hath done whether it bee good or bad And then naked sincerity will shine most gloriously when the gilded vaile of hypocrisie being pulled off the filthy corruption which was hid vnder it will appeare vgly and abominable in the sight of the holy Saints and blessed Angels Then shall the vpright in heart hold vp their heads in the confidence of a good conscience when the hypocrites and dissemblers shall be confounded with shaine their deceit and secret wickednesse being discouered in the sight of all men Then shall they who haue serued God in sincerity and truth receiue their heauenly Inheritance with triumphant ioy when guilefull and double-hearted men shall bee banished out of Gods presence and cast into outer darknesse Math. 24. 51. where shall bee weeping and gnashing of teeth CAP. III. That we must ioyne with inward integrity the seruice of the body and the outward man §. Sect. 1 That God requireth outward seruice to be ioyned with the inward BVt howsoeuer the Lord doth chiefly require and delight in the inward seruice of the soule and the integrity and sincerity of the heart yet doth he not rest in it alone but requireth also the seruice of the body and outward man and that we should at all times and vpon all occasions expresse and approoue our inward piety in our externall practice and the vprightnesse of our hearts which is onely knowne to him by our holinesse and righteousnesse shining in the whole course of our liues and conuersation which is subiect to mans view that thereby we may be iustified that is declared righteous before them as by the other we are knowne vnto our selues to be iustified by faith before God of which that inward holinesse and obedience is a principall fruit And because euery one would be ready to boast of the sincerity of the heart which cannot be discerned God would haue vs to approoue and make it knowne by bringing foorth the fruits of it in our outward and bodily seruice So the Apostle exhorteth vs not to let sin raigne in our bodies that we should obey it in the lusts thereof neither yeeld our Rom. 6. 12 13. members as instruments of vnrighteousnesse vnto sinne but yeeld our selues vnto God as those that are aliue from the dead and our members as instruments of righteousnesse vnto God And as we haue yeelded our members seruants to vncleannesse and to iniquity so we should now yeeld our members seruants to righteousnesse Vers 19. vnto holinesse That we should present not onely our soules but our bodies likewise a liuing sacrifice holy acceptable vnto God which is our reasonable Rom. 12. 1. 1. Thes 4. 3. seruice that we should possesse our vessels in purity and honour and preserue our bodies from all defilement as it becommeth the Temples of the 1. Cor. 3. 16. holy Ghost For God who hath created redeemed and doth continually preserue both soule and body will bee serued and glorified by them both and as he is in these respects Lord and owner of the whole man so hee will haue the whole to serue him according to that of the Apostle Ye are bought with a price therefore glorifie God in your body and in your spirits 1. Cor. 6. 20. which are Gods The inward seruice of the heart therefore is not sufficient vnlesse it be expressed in the outward seruice of the body but wee must be sanctified thorowout and our whole Spirit and soule and body must be preserued blamelesse vnto the comming of our Lord Iesus Christ 1. Thes 5. 23. And we must clense our selues from all filthinesse as well of the flesh as of the Spirit and perfect our holinesse in the feare of God We must with the Apostle 2 Cor. 7. 1. Act. 24. 16. Heb. 13. 18. Rom. 12. 17. Inter Christianum gentilem non fides tantùm debet sed etiam vita distinguere diuersam religionem per diuersa opera monstrare Hier. ad Celant exercise our selues to haue our consciences voyde of offence both towards God and towards men and labour not onely to haue in all things a good conscience before him but also to liue honestly in the view of the world and prouide things honest in the sight of all men as well as those which are holy and religious in the sight of God For as one saith Not onely faith ought to distinguish betweene a Christian and an heathen but the life also and our diuers religions ought to bee demonstrated and shewed by our diuers workes Yea in truth these will alwayes necessarily and inseparably goe together neither is it possibly for a man to haue a sincere and vpright heart but it will shew it selfe in the outward conuersation words and actions seeing it is the fountaine and roote from which they flow and spring and such as it is either good or euill cleane or polluted such will they be also For if the heart be the Inditer of a good matter the tongue will Psal 45. 1. 108. 1. be the pen of a ready Writer If the heart be prepared so will the tongue also and both ioyning together will sing and giue praise whereof it is that the Apostle Iames concludeth that if any man seeme religious and bridleth not Iam. 1. 26 27. his tongue this mans religion is vaine And also that pure Religion and vndefiled before God will shew it selfe in the workes of mercy and Christian charity before men for as in the bodily so in the spirituall estate the health and welfare of the heart is best discerned by the pulse in the hand neither can there be an vpright heart where the actions are vniust And therefore the Psalmist describing a true Citizen of Heauen doth ioyne heart hand and tongue all together He that hath cleane hands and a pure heart speaketh Psal 24. 4. 15. 2. the truth from it and hath not lift vp his soule vnto vanity nor sworne deceitfully §. Sect. 2 Reasons mouing vs to performe outward seruice Now the reasons which may mooue vs to ioyne outward practice with inward integrity respect God our neighbours or our selues In respect Mat. 5. 16. of God first because he commandeth that we haue not only in our selues the oyle of Grace but that we also cause the light of it to shine outwardly before men He would haue vs inwardly to repent with vnfained contrition in our hearts but withall that we bring forth fruits meete for repentance in Mat. 3. 8. our liues He desireth aboue all that we should loue him with all our hearts Ioh. 14. 15. 15. 12. and soules but he would haue vs also to approoue the sincerity of our affection by keeping his Commandements especially by louing one another as Christ hath loued vs. Secondly we must bring
performance of any Christian duty what is the cause that moueth vs vnto it and if we finde that it is loue of the world or loue of our selues either to obtaine a reward or to auoyd punishment temporall or eternall let vs put it backe as comming out of due place and labour that the loue of God which is much more worthy may haue the precedency as the first and chiefe motiue that perswadeth vs to well-doing §. Sect. 2 That we must propound Gods will and our obedience thereunto in all duties Secondly we must propound vnto our selues in all the duties of a godly life the will of God and his glory in yeelding obedience vnto it as the maine scope and end of all our actions desiring chiefly and in the first place as our Sauiour hath taught vs to pray that wee may hallow and glorifie Gods Name by doing his will And if wee will performe vnto God acceptable seruice wee must therein deny our selues and our owne wills and yeeld our selues in absolute obedience to the will of God praying because he will haue vs pray hearing and reading his Word because it is his will that we should do so giuing almes and doing works of mercy that we may please him by doing his will yea seeking the saluation of our owne soules not chiefly because we desire it for our owne good but because his will is to glorifie himselfe in our saluation and happinesse Ioh. 6. 39 40. For Gods will is the cause of causes and as all things came from it so must all things tend vnto it as their maine scope and end It is that which gaue first being to our wills and preserueth them in it and therefore they must not be absolute in themselues but in all things yeeld to the will of their Creator willing whatsoeuer they will because God first willeth it It is the rule of righteousnesse and all perfection and all things are iust and vniust perfect or imperfect straight or crooked as they agree or differ from it and therefore there is no goodnesse in our wills no not in the chusing and imbracing of the best actions and duties that can be named but onely so farre forth as we conforme them to the will of God and doe all we doe in obedience vnto it And if first and chiefly we performe vnto God any seruice because our will and desire leadeth vs vnto it and not principally in this respect because God willeth it and would haue vs also to will and doe it it doth hereby lose all grace and beauty and so also all reward at Gods hand seeing we serue not him but our selues when wee aime not chiefly at the doing of his will that wee may please and glorifie him but of our owne Neither are our actions chiefly to bee esteemed good or euill according to the matter but according to the maine scope and end of them which giueth them their denomination nor is any act seeme it neuer so glorious to be esteemed Gods seruice which is not done in obedience vnto him nor any obedience which hath not conformity with his will In which regard it may be truly said that the basest workes of the most seruile calling done by a faithfull Christian in simple obedience to the will of God to glorifie him are more pleasing vnto him and esteemed for better seruice then the praier and fasting hearing the Word and giuing almes of Pharisaical hypocrites which are done either for the praise of men or as workes satisfactory to Gods iustice and to merit by them their owne saluation Finally if wee performe all good duties not as our owne will but as the will of God and labour in all things that his will may chiefly sway and rule in ours wee shall heereby adde much excellency vnto all our good actions For seeing the action receiueth worth and dignity from the agent in which regard the same thing done by a mighty Prince is esteemed highly which in an ordinary and meane person is little regarded therefore must needs all good duties bee much more excellent when the will of God is the chiefe motiue that setteth vs on worke and not our owne will seeing they proceed from a much more excellent cause §. Sect. 3 That all true seruice is done in obedience to Gods will Wee must therefore in all Christian duties propound this vnto our selues as our principall and maine scope that the will of God and Ioh. 5. 30. and 6. 38. not our owne may bee done in them according to the example of our Sauiour Christ who did not his owne will but the will of him that sent him We must labour after Regeneration not as the act of our owne will but of Gods For we are borne againe not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor Ioh. 1. 13. of the will of man but of God We must labour to be sanctified because this is the will of God euen our sanctification that we may liue no longer the rest of 1. Thes 4. 3. 1. Pet. 4. 2. our time in the flesh to the lusts of men but to the will of God Wee must pray and in all things giue thanks because this is the will of God in Iesus Christ Yea 1. Thes 5. 18. whatsoeuer we doe we must doe it not as our owne will but as the will of God The which is not onely to be obserued in the high and excellent duties of Gods immediate seruice but euen in the basest and most seruile actions euen in the duties of the poorest and meanest seruants who must in performing seruice to their Masters propound vnto themselues as their mayne scope not their owne profit nor the doing of their owne or their Masters will but the will of God which requireth it at their hands For so the Apostle exhorteth seruants to be obedient vnto their Masters and to Eph. 6. 6. serue them with feare and singlenesse of heart as vnto Christ not with eye-seruice as men-pleasers but as the seruants of Christ doing the will of God from the heart And as in our doings so likewise in our sufferings we must with the Apostle and our Sauiour Christ himselfe chiefly aime at this that the Act. 21. 14. Mat. 26. 39 42. will of the Lord may be done in them For those only that suffer according to Gods will receiue the promise and such alone can with confidence commit Heb. 10. 36. the keeping of their soules to him in well-doing as vnto a faithfull Creatour 1. Pet. 4. 19. as the Apostle Peter speaketh Now that we may be mooued thus to seeke that Gods will may be done in all our actions let vs consider that there is no true obedience which hath not this as the maine scope of it that if we thus doe we shall be accepted of God and with Dauid bee approoued as men according to Gods owne heart That we shall heereby be aduanced to Act. 13. 22. Ioh. 7. 17.
Christian duties §. Sect. 2 Diuers reasons which may moue vs to diligence First because God requireth it And thus we see what diligence and labour wee are to vse in leading a godly life Let vs now consider of the reasons and motiues which may Deut. 6. 17. Psal 119. 4. Ezra 7. 23. perswade vs hereunto And first this diligence must bee vsed in the duties of Gods seruice because God requireth it at our hands You shall diligently keepe the Commandements of the Lord your God and his testimonies and Statutes which he hath commanded thee Of which Commandement Dauid taketh notice Thou hast saith he commanded vs to keepe thy precepts diligently And Ezra like a good Gouernour backeth it with all his authority Whatsoeuer is commanded by the God of heauen let it be diligently done c. Vnto this diligence the Apostle exhorteth in whatsoeuer office or duty we vndertake Rom. 12. 6 7 8. and contrariwise disswadeth from being slothfull in any busines vers 11. especially in the seruice of God vnto which hee requireth feruency of spirit More especially this diligence is required in all good meanes whereby we may be inriched with all vertue and sauing grace So the Apostle Peter Giuing all diligence adde to your faith vertue and to vertue knowledge 2. Pet. 1. 5. vers 10. c. and in getting thereby assurance of our saluation Giue diligence to make your calling and Election sure And aboue all in the religious duties of Gods seruice according to that of our Sauiour Take you heed watch Mark 13. 33. and pray And of his holy Apostle Pray continually in euery thing giue 1. Thes 5. 17. 18. 1. Cor. 15. 10. thankes and againe Continue in prayer and watch in the same with thankesgiuing Of which laborious diligence and vnwearied industry we haue them for examples of their owne precepts For not onely in the painfull labours of his Apostolike ministery this holy Apostle exceeded all the rest but also in attaining vnto spirituall graces and in the exercise of a godly life For forgetting those which were behind hee reached forth vnto Phil. 3. 13. 14. those things which were before and pressed towards the marke for the price of the high calling of God in Iesus Christ But aboue all examples of this diligence is that of our Sauiour Christ whose time was wholly imployed in the duties of Gods seruice spending the day in preaching and working miracles and the night in praying yea with such vnwearied diligence he performed these functions of his office that the wearinesse of his trauell could make him weary of these workes Yea hee preferred the doing of these duties before the satisfying of his hunger and esteemed it as his meate and drinke to doe the workes of him that sent him Now as God requireth Ioh. 4. 34. this diligence and paines in all duties of his seruice so doth hee much approue it wheresoeuer he finds it As in the Angell of the Church of Ephesus I know thy workes and thy labour and thy patience And in the Apoc. 2. 2. seruant who had well imployed his Masters Talents Well done good and Math. 25. 21 26 faithfull seruant c. So doth he much abhorre sloth and negligence in his seruice as appeareth in his sharpe reproofe of the vnprofitable seruant who had hid his Lords Talent in a napkin Thou wicked and slothfull seruant c. branding him with the name of wickednesse because of his slothfulnesse and not because he had riotously mispent his Talent or spoyled his fellowes of those Talents which were committed vnto them but because through his idlenesse and negligence he had been vnprofitable to his Master § Sect. 3 Of the rewards promised to the diligent Secondly the manifold and great benefits wherewith the Lord rich in mercy towards all who diligently serue him will liberally reward their labours may serue as an effectuall reason to incite vs to this duty For wee cannot serue a more bountifull Master nor imploy our labours to better aduantage then in performing vnto him our duty with all diligence seeing he will suffer none of our paines to be spent in vaine but will proportion our wages according to the greatnesse of our worke In this life hee bestoweth vpon those who are diligent in the duties of his seruice not onely a large measure of his temporall benefits and his blessing vpon them whereby they become truly profitable for their vse according to those many and gracious promises which in his Law he hath made vnto Deut. 28. 1 2. c. them but also inricheth their soules with the treasures of his spirituall graces For we can be no more ready to vse the meanes then the Lord is to giue his blessing vpon them whereby they become effectuall vnto those ends for which we vse them Neither is hee euer in this kind wanting to any who are not through their negligence wanting vnto themselues In which regard that may be truly said of our spirituall estate which is spoken of our temporall He becommeth poore that dealeth with a slacke hand Prou. 10. 4. but the hand of the diligent maketh rich Hereby also we attaine vnto the assurance of our Election and effectuall calling which is no otherwise to be had then by this diligence in labouring after it as the Apostle implyeth in those words Brethren giue diligence to make your calling and election 2. Pet. 1. 10. sure and that we shall perseuere in the state of grace vnto saluation for if we giue all diligence in adding one grace and vertue vnto another the same Apostle assureth vs that we shall neuer fall And the Apostle in the Epistle to the Hebrewes remembring the workes of piety and mercy which had been performed by some of the faithfull desireth others to shew Heb. 6. 11 11. the same diligence to their full assurance of hope vnto the end and that they would not be slothfull but followers of them who through faith and patience inherited the promises §. Sect. 4 That this diligence in all Christian duties is in many respects most necessary Thirdly the necessity of this diligence in holy duties may mooue vs to imbrace and vse it For if in ciuill and worldly things no great matter is atchieued without paines and diligence how much lesse in spirituall and heauenly which are so high aboue our reach so excellent aboue all other things and so contrary to our corrupt nature and disposition And if no man can reasonably hope to attaine vnto riches of his owne purchase who gathereth with one hand and scattereth with the other or playeth the good husband at some times and at another neglecteth his businesse and wastfully mispendeth his time and substance nor vnto any great learning if he be slothfull and negligent in his studies or to get the glory of famous victories and glorious triumphs if hee lye idly in the Garison and neuer exercise himselfe in feats of armes
vs and them but let vs propound the getting of Christ as the maine scope of them all that so being vnited vnto him we and our duties may in him be accepted before God and receiue a rich reward by vertue of his merits and perfect obedience §. Sect. 4 The third rule respecting the Spirit of God dwelling in vs. The third rule respecteth the holy Spirit of God dwelling in vs namely that seeing we cannot of our selues pray or heare or reade or meditate Rom. 8. 15 26. or else performe any other Christian and holy duties but as this Spirit helpeth our infirmities and giueth vs power to bring them to some good effect therefore stopping our eares to carnall disputes and shaking off the yoke of naturall corrupted reason we must in the performing of all the duties of a godly life giue our selues ouer to be gouerned and guided by it both in respect of the matter manner and time of doing them And when wee heare the voyce of the Spirit secretly whispering in our hearts like the voyce of one standing behind vs saying This is the way walke thou Esa 30. 21. in it when thou turnest to the right hand or to the left we are to be directed by it And when it putteth into our mindes any good motions or inciteth vs vnto any holy duties as praying hearing reading meditating renewing of our repentance or doing the workes of mercy and such like wee must not quench the Spirit by checking these motions nor by delaying and 1. Thes 5. 19. putting them off to another time but vndertake them presently and labour to bring them to good effect whilest it offereth vnto vs its helpe and assistance without which of our selues wee are able to doe nothing that is good Let vs not grieue the good Spirit of God dwelling in vs whereby wee are Ephes 4. 30. sealed to saluation by refusing his gouernment as the Israelites dealt with Samuel notwithstanding it is so profitable vnto vs pulling as it were his 1. Sam. 12. Scepter out of his hand and saying vnto him as those Rebels to Christ This man shall not raigne ouer vs but like obedient subiects let vs submit Luk. 19. 14. our selues in all things to be ruled by it and when wee discerne that the motions which are put into our minds are his as wee may easily know them from all others both by their holinesse resembling their Author and their agreement with the voyce of the Spirit in the holy Scriptures let vs 2. Tim. 1. 6. not onely yeeld vnto them but also giue them the best entertainment nourishing and cherishing them when they seeme weake and inciting and re-inliuing them when as they begin to languish and dye in vs by meditation prayer reading and other such like religious exercises Let vs open the doore of our hearts when he knocketh and giue kind entertainment Apoc. 3. 20. to this holy Ghest who bringeth his cheere with him and will feast vs with a delicate banquet of spirituall graces But especially when he visiteth vs after an especiall extraordinary manner and giueth more euident signes of his presence then at other times by working more powerfully good motions in vs kindling our zeale and inlarging our hearts with the loue of God and the duties of his seruice then are we not by sloth to let slip so good an opportunity of inriching our soules with sauing graces but we must as we vse to say strike whilest the iron is hot and reape our haruest whilest this Sun-shine continueth we must set vp all our sailes whilest this faire gale of wind lasteth and so wee shall in a shorter time make a farre greater progresse in our course of godlinesse then in many moneths when being left by the Spirit in respect of this extraordinary efficacie and operation we shall be becalmed and haue neither will nor power to goe forward When hee offereth himselfe in an vnusuall manner vnto vs in our trauelling of the spirituall iourney as the Angell to Iacob wee must take fast hold of him not suffering him to depart before he hath giuen vs an extraordinary blessing And when hee mooueth our hearts as the Angell the Poole of Bethesda and by his speciall presence infuseth into them more then wonted vertue let vs not suffer so good an opportunity to passe without making of it some spirituall aduantage for the curing of our sores and sicknesses of sinnes and the confirming and increasing of our health and strength in our inner man §. Sect. 5 That we often renew the Couenant of grace between God and vs. The rules which respect the subordinate causes and helpes whereby we are inabled to performe the duties of a godly life are diuers The first that we often renew the couenant of grace betweene God and vs by renewing the condition of it on our part faith and repentance In which exercise as we are to renew our sorrow for all our sinnes and those aboue the rest which we haue most often committed and thereby most offended and dishonoured God so especially for those sinnes and corruptions which haue most disabled vs vnto the duties of a godly life and haue plunged vs into the contrary wickednesse whereby we haue serued sinne and Satan As our negligence and want of zeale and holy care to glorifie God by the light of our Christian conuersation and bringing forth the fruits of new obedience and adorning our profession by our holy conuersation whereby contrariwise we haue caused Gods holy Name to be blasphemed and our Christian profession to be slandered and euill spoken of as though it were the cause of all our inormities Our security and hardnesse of heart whereby we haue made no good vse either of Gods Word or workes his mercies or iudgements to be drawne by them to repentance and made more diligent in the duties of his seruice but putting the euill day farre Math. 24. 48. from vs haue taken occasion thereby with the euill seruant to be slothfull and negligent in all good duties and to take liberty in running licentious courses loathing the meanes whereby we should haue bin wakened and rowzed vp out of this spirituall lethargie Our cowardize and slothfulnes in making warre against our flesh and fleshly lusts whereby they haue often gotten to such an head strength and height of rebellion that they haue preuailed and haue shamefully foyled the spirituall part and led vs captiue vnto sinne Our negligence in preuenting the occasions and withstanding the first motions and beginnings of sinne and our want of care in banishing out of our minds and hearts the desires and concupiscence of the flesh when they were first suggested vnto vs whereof it hath come to passe that suffering them to rest in vs wee haue been allured and tick led with carnall delight in thinking of them which hath drawne vs from our former sincerity and moued vs to like and approue them to consent vnto and produce them
horse full of courage which being well backed may doe good seruice but if he be ill managed carryeth his rider into headlong danger But zeale ioyned with prudence is most necessary for our well proceeding in all vertuous actions seeing like the spirits in the body it giueth to our soules liuely heat wherby they are moued in the course of godlinesse and are made actiue in all Christian duties laboriously vsing all good meanes whereby they may bee furthered and couragiously opposing and remouing all lets and impediments which crosse vs in our way And therefore if we would deserue the name of true Christians wee must take heed that wee incline not to that damnable errour of carnall worldlings who make zeale and prudence flat opposites thinking those that are most feruent most foolish and with Iehu his companions censuring them as mad fellowes that with 2. King 9. any zeale performe their duty seeing holy Dauid who in wisedome exceeded Psal 119. 100. and 69. 9. his teachers and ancients was so zealous in Gods seruice that scoffing Michol condemned him of folly yea our Sauiour Christ himselfe 2. Sam. 6. 20. Col. 2. 3. who is the Wisdome of his Father and in whom all the treasures of wisedome are hid as the Apostle speaketh as hee excelled all men in prudence so also in holy zeale seeing he was not onely thorowly heated but Joh. 2. 17. euen consumed in this diuine flame as hee professeth Neither can true prudence be more seuered from holy zeale then zeale from prudence being Calor innatus humor primogenius siue radicalis herein like the naturall heat and radicall moysture of the body which preserue mutually one another and both faint and faile when either languisheth and decayeth For prudence without the warmth of zeale like frozen waters loseth its motion in Christian duties and like the parts of the body from which the animall spirits are stopped becommeth senselesse and benummed falling as it were into a dead Palsie Yea if zeale doe not put into it Christian courage it groweth so wary and full of caution that it attempteth nothing because in all things it foreseeth danger and so at last degenerateth into worldly wilinesse and irreligious policie Finally we must decke our selues and all Christian duties with true humility ascribing all the glory of them vnto God alone from whom onely we had power and will to doe them and reseruing nothing vnto our selues but the shame of their imperfections and corruptions let vs acknowledge that we are sufficiently rewarded if our frailties and infirmities be graciously pardoned But of this also I haue spoken in the beginning of this Treatise §. Sect. 9 That we must chiefly esteem chuse affect the duties of godlinesse according to their worth and excellency The fifth rule is that in our iudgements we esteeme in our wills chuse with our affections desire and imbrace and in our actions practise and exercise Christian vertues and duties according to their worth and excellency profit and necessity keeping as much as in vs lyeth a due proportion betweene them in our iudgements esteeming and preferring in our wills chusing in our affections louing and desiring and in our actions seeking after and practising euery good grace and duty in their due time and place preferring in our estimate choyce desires and practice the chiefe and principall vertues and duties before the meane and the meane before others that are inferiour vnto them Not that we may neglect the least grace of God or Christian duty or so regard the greatest and most excellent as that we dis-esteeme the least and meanest for as our Sauiour saith Whosoeuer breaketh one of these least Commandements and shall teach men Mat. 5. 19. so he shall be called the least that is none at all in the Kingdome of heauen but that we must when they may all stand together giue the priority and precedencie in iudgement desire and practice to the chiefest both in time and earnestnesse of indeuour spending our first and best time the feruour of our zeale and chiefe vigour and strength both of body and minde about them or if wee are brought into such straights of necessity that all cannot bee done but some must necessarily bee omitted that then the lesser giue place to the greater till wee can get fit opportunity of performing both Thus wee must preferre Theologicall vertues as faith affiance hope charity humility and the feare of God before those which are humane and ciuilly Morall as temperance chastity ciuill iustice almes-deeds and such like and generally our duties towards God before our duties towards our neighbours and our selues the Commandements of the first Table before those of the second a due proportion being obserued Morall duties being compared with Morall degree with degree as the greatest with the greatest middle with middle and least with least more desiring and zealously indeuouring to get the chiefe graces and performe the religious duties of Gods seruice then those which meerely concerne our selues or our neighbours Thus wee are more feruently to effect and diligently to practise Morall and substantiall duties then those which are ceremoniall and circumstanciall yea to reiect these latter when both will not stand together according to that I will mercy and not sacrifice and the practice of our Sauiour Hos 6. 6. who neglected the outward rest of the Sabbath that hee might doe the workes of the Sabbath in curing and healing the lame and diseased The contrary whereof God condemneth in the Iewes and reiecteth Esa 1. 11 12 17. 66. 1 2 3. their ceremoniall seruice as odious and abominable because they tooke occasion thereby to neglect the Morall And thus they offend who spend their chiefe zeale about ceremonies and circumstances of Gods seruice and imploy their best strength and indeuour either in defending or opposing them being in the meane time more cold and slacke in the mayne parts of Gods seruice and the principall duties of a godly life Thus we must preferre the seruice of God it selfe before the meanes of it and the duties of piety and charity before the helpes which further vs in them as the doing of the Word before hearing the practice of godlinesse before the teaching or learning of it when both cannot well stand together prayer and the workes of piety and righteousnesse before fasting and outward abstinence In which regard the Lord reiecteth Esa 58. 3 4 5 6. the fasts of the Iewes because they preferred them before the workes of Iustice and charity neglecting these vnder colour of doing the other And thus likewise they faile who place their Religion chiefly in hearing the Word in the meane time neglecting the practice of what they heare and learne in the duties of their callings and in the workes of Iustice and mercy towards their neighbours heerein like vnto rich misers which spend all their time and strength in gathering riches and when they haue got them into their
possession neuer care to make further vse of them But we are to know that the end is to be preferred as more excellent before the meanes that conduce vnto it As the life is better then food and rayment health then the medicine treasure then the paines that getteth it or the chest locke and key that keepeth and preserueth it In which respect the practice of religious duties in our liues and conuersations which is the end of our teaching and learning is to be preferred before either of them and accordingly our chiefe zeale and most earnest indeuour is to be imployed and spent in doing the Word rather then in hearing of it though both are most necessary in their due time and place to all that intend to lead a Christian life Finally we must preferre both in our choice and practice internall duties of the mind and heart before the externall and bodily seruice for that is the life soule of Religion this the body and without the other but a dead carkasse which God accepteth not nor will bring vnto vs any 1. Tim. 4. 8. profit as the Apostle teacheth vs. And lastly the great and waighty matters of the Law as iudgement mercy and faith before those of small importance Mat. 23. 23. as tything Mint Annise and Cummin seeing our righteousnesse shal be Pharisaicall and Hypocriticall if we spend our chiefe zeale and strength about trifles and things of small importance and be in the meane time cold and slacke in the maine parts of Gods seruice §. Sect. 10 That we must vse all helpes and meanes which may inable vs vnto godlinesse The sixth rule is that as wee desire spirituall graces and to expresse them outwardly in the duties of a godly life so also that we vse all good meanes and helpes wherby we may obtaine the one and practise the other For the meanes and the end doe inseparably goe together in all ordinary courses of proceeding they who neglect the one in vaine professe either their loue and desire or their hope that by their idle wishes the other may be obtained Neither is it more possible that wee should obtaine any sauing graces or performe the duties of a godly life if wee neglect the meanes which inable vs vnto them then it is for a man to liue without meate and drinke or come to his iourneys end and neuer trauell in the way that leadeth vnto it Contrariwise with no lesse care and diligence wee are to auoyd or ouercome all lets and impediments which stop and hinder vs in our Christian course of which I shall haue occasion to speake at large in the following discourse Heere let it suffice to name one or two as examples of all the rest First euill company which will taint and infect vs with the poyson of their breath and by their euill examples and corrupt communication will first bring vs to a neglecting and then to a lothing and vtter forsaking of all vertue and Christian duties Among these wee must shun with greatest care those dangerous tame beasts clawing flatterers which are as one calleth them the pestilence of the soule and the poysoners of good mens minds and manners Hier. ad Celant For so powerfull are their cunning insinuations being assisted with our pride and selfe-loue that wee are ready to giue more credit to their false praises then to the vnpartiall testimony of our owne consciences and to thinke our selues because they say so such proficients in all vertue Quandiu versamur in rebus seculi anima nostra possâ—ssionum redâ—â—uum procuratione deuincta est de Dâ—o lâ—herè cogitare non possumus Hier. ad Liciaium and godlinesse that wee neede not further to vse any meanes whereby wee might bee bettered and improoued in our spirituall state when as wee are so farre from the marke of perfection that wee haue scarcely as yet aimed at it But aboue all other impediments let vs carefully shunne the immoderate loue of the world and earthly things which will so wholly take vs vp that we shall haue neither leasure power nor will to thinke on spirituall and heauenly things or to spend any time in the duties of a godly life or vsing any good meanes to further our assurance of heauenly happinesse And therefore we are not to set our hearts vpon them but to vse them onely as comforts of our pilgrimage and as steps to lift vs vp in diuine contemplation and to inflame our hearts with greater loue of heauenly excellencies concluding with our selues that if the Lord in greatest plentie imparteth the best things the world can boast of to his enemies then how vnspeakeable are the riches pleasures and glory of his owne Kingdome which hee hath reserued as his peculiar blessings for his owne children and faithfull seruants CAP. II. Of the rules of a godly life which respect the circumstances of it §. Sect. 1 That we must make precious account of our time which God hath allotted vs for his seruice ANd these are the rules which concerne the causes both principall and fundamentall of a godly life and those also which are inferiour and subordinate Those which respect the circumstances of it are these First that wee make precious account of our time which God hath allotted vnto vs for his seruice suffering as much as in vs lyeth no part thereof to be spent vainely and vnfruitfully about those things which profit not either for the inriching of our soules with spirituall grace or the furthering and assuring of our saluation But either we must continually be taken vp with spirituall exercises as Prayer Meditation hearing the Word Reading holy conferences and such like or in the workes of our honest callings and of iustice and mercy for the good of our brethren or in honest and moderate recreations that wee may bee refreshed and better inabled to performe these duties with more fruit To which purpose let vs often consider that these are the mayne ends for which wee came into the world and are suffered by God to liue and continue in it and therefore that time which is not imployed to aduance these ends is spent in vaine That time is the most precious Iewell in the world which cannot bee bought at any price nor the least minute of it redeemed when once it is past with the treasures of the richest Monarchy That wee haue onely assurance of the time present for our vse and cannot promise vnto our selues one moneth or moment of that which is to come That our whole time were farre too little though it were all spent in the duties of Gods seruice from whom wee haue receiued so great and manifold blessings as pledges and pawnes of farre greater which wee assuredly expect in the life to come That our imployments in our course of Christianity are so many and important so full of difficulties and yet so necessary as attaining to the knowledge of God and his will and the practice of
zeale into our hearts whereby we are disposed vnto them let vs make no delayes but exhort one another daily whilest it is called to day Heb. 3. 13. lest any bee hardned through the deceitfulnesse of sinne Finally if God hath put power into our hands and some pitty and charity into our hearts whereby we are inabled and mooued to doe the workes of mercy we are to lay hold vpon these opportunities and not hazzard the losing of them by our slothfull delayes according to the counsell of wise Salomon Withhold Pro. 3. 27 28. not good from them to whom it is due when it is in the power of thine hand to doe it Say not vnto thy neighbour Goe and come againe and to morrow I will giue when thou hast it by thee For if we neglect our opportunity when God offereth it he may iustly deny it vs when wee would haue it or if it still continue he may withdraw his grace more and more which we haue neglectfully abused and so giue vs vp to our owne hardnesse of heart to goe forward and increase in our former neglect Finally seeing our hearts are deceitfull fickle and flitting and we haue them not so at command that we can keepe them close vnto good duties or preserue in them at our pleasure the fire of deuotion it would be our wisedome to take them in their good mood and to lay hold of the opportunity for the performing of holy duties as Prayer Meditation renewing of our Repentance and such like when we finde and feele them best affected towards them and when wee discerne that they are well warmed with the fire of Gods Spirit we are to stirre it vp and as it were to blow it more and more giuing vnto it vent in our holy actions that it may not be choked and smothered For if we doe not take them at this aduantage they will slip away and the heate of our zeale and deuotion growing coole in vs we shall become vnfit for any religious duties and as vnable to worke our hearts to any frame of godlinesse as to fashion the yron to a new figure and forme when the fire is extinguished and the heate gone out of it §. Sect. 4 That we must obserue an order in doing these duties auoid confusion The last rule respecting the circumstances of a godly life is which I haue already in part touched that for the auoyding of confusion and vnsettlednesse in our course of Christianity we doe not confound and intermingle duties one with another but that we vpon good aduice and mature deliberation propound vnto our selues some good order in the doing of them allotting vnto euery houre and part of the day some speciall duties to be ordinarily performed in them As such and so much time for Prayer Meditation Reading and other religious exercises such and so much for the duties of our callings recreations and ciuill imployments for sleeping waking rising going to bed eating and drinking conferring and the like The which howsoeuer we may not superstitiously tye our selues vnto for conscience sake because God hath left the fitting of all times and occasions to our Christian liberty and to spirituall wisedome as shall be most agreeable and profitable for vs in our seuerall places and callings yet for order sake and to auoyd confusion vnconstancy and vtter neglect of good duties after that vpon sound aduice wee haue set downe a good order and method for our proceeding in Christian duties and what time is ordinarily to be spent in them we are not easily and vpon euery slight cause to alter our course but to keepe our selues as neere as we can vnto it vnlesse either necessity charity or some vnlooked for opportunity of better and more profitable imployment offering it selfe vnto vs doe mooue vs in Christian wisedome and discretion at some times to varie from our common course of proceeding And this wee shall finde profitable not onely to auoyd disorder and confusion but also to settle our hearts in a constant practice of all good duties which otherwise naturally affecting variety nouelties and often changes in religious exercises by reason of that saciety and carnall lothing which they bring to our corrupt nature would euery hand while bee flitting and starting sometimes performing them in a confused manner and sometimes neglecting them altogether CAP. III. Of the rules of a godly life respecting the matter forme and substance of it §. Sect. 1 That we can no otherwise aspire to perfection in Christian duties then by proceeding by degrees THe rules of a godly life which respect the matter forme and substance of it come now to be intreated of The first wherof is this that we aspire vnto perfection by degrees and not dreame or imagine that we can the first day and in the beginning of our conuersion attaine vnto it For howsoeuer the Lord is not tyed to times and meanes but can as soone and as well perfect the worke of our Regeneration as he did the worke of our Creation wherein he did but say the word and it was done and howsoeuer sometimes to shew the absolutenesse and greatnesse of his wisedome power and goodnesse he maketh quicke dispatch of his great worke of grace and causeth some to attaine vnto a great measure of perfection by the extraordinary assistance of his holy Spirit especially such as are conuerted in their latter times and hauing long loytered are cast behind hand and haue much way to trauel and worke to finish in the very euening of their liues and some others also whom hee sanctifieth from their Esa 49. 1 5. birth and tender youth to be his greatest lights shining in his Church yet this is not vsuall in Gods ordinary course of proceeding nor much more to bee expected of vs then that wee should haue the stature and strength of men as soone as we are borne vnto which wee ordinarily attaine by degrees because we were at once made perfect and compleat in the extraordinary worke of our Creation Besides we haue all true sauing graces according to the measure and proportion of faith vnto which we cannot at once ordinarily attaine in any great perfection both because it selfe also must hold some proportion with our knowledge which is not Heb. 11. 6. suddenly attained as soone as we are conuerted vnlesse we had it before and also because faith as we haue shewed increaseth by degrees and wee cannot attaine vnto any great measure and fulnesse of perswasion but by much exercise in holy duties and great experience of Gods loue and goodnesse towards vs. We must not then in the childhood of our Christianity thinke that we can attaine vnto the perfection of old men in Christ and so accordingly in our words and profession after a glorious manner take vpon vs but we must be content with the Apostle whilest 1. Cor. 13. 10 11. we are children to doe and speake as children and when wee become men to put away childish
that wee fit our burthen to our strength so as we may be able to performe them in sincerity and truth yea with cheerfulnesse and delight and not oppresse our selues with an vnsupportable waight by taking vpon vs more then we are able to beare In which respect many offend especially young professours who being children in Christ and indued but with a small measure of the gifts and graces of Gods Spirit doe seeke to match and exceed those who are come to a ripe age and to a great measure of perfection in all outward duties of Religion and a godly life As for example because these being indued with a great measure of knowledge and grace besides excellent gifts of nature and both much helped and perfected with long practice and experience are able according to all occasions to conceiue prayers and to continue in them with perseuerance powring foorth their soules with great freedome and liberty of speech and spirit words comming at will and not being any stop in inuenting of them vnto their deuotion and feruency of affection but like streames from the fountaine flow freely and kindly from them therefore they also wanting knowledge and the spirit of supplication in any good measure doe notwithstanding tye themselues to the same taske and not onely contemning all formes impose a necessity vpon thēselues of conceiuing all their prayers vpon the sudden but also of continuing and holding out as long a time in this exercise as those that haue been longest practised in it Vpon which it must necessarily follow that their deuotion and affection must bee much cooled and distracted when as the powers of their soule are taken vp wholly with inuention of words and matter and that through ignorance and want of gifts many things will be impertinent the same things often repeated because new matter commeth not to mind many imperfect and scarce sensible speeches without any order or coherence vttered to make vp the breach where knowledge inuention and memory haue failed them Others seeing some great proficients in godlinesse and long exercised in mortification strict in their courses denying the world with all vnlavvfull pleasures subduing their flesh vvith moderate fasting and abstinence and such like spirituall exercises they also though but newly entred into the profession of Religion will not onely labour to imitate but exceed and goe beyond them though not in invvard truth and spirituall duty yet at least in bodily exercise and outvvard shevv If they abstaine from vnlavvfull pleasures these vvill restraine themselues of those vvhich are lavvfull If they be moderate in their honest recreations these vvill not vse any at all If they subdue the flesh vvith fasting that they may be more fit for prayer and other parts of Gods seruice these vvill pine their bodies and so impaire their health and strength that they are made vnfit to performe any Christian duties vvith any cheerfulnesse If they auoyd immoderate mirth carnall ioy and scurrilous iests these vvill scarce admit a smile and place much of their Religion in continuall mourning in a sorrowfull and deiected countenance and in an austere carriage of themselues in all companies not knowing that as there is a time for mourning so also for reioycing that Christian ioy beseemeth none but Christians seeing they Psal 33. 1. Phil. 4. 4. onely haue interest and right in the causes of it and that wee may yea ought to reioyce in the Lord with a double ioy Finally they content not themselues to match in these outward shewes and bodily exercises those who farre excell them in inward graces nor to ouertake those who haue set out long before them in the race of Christianity vnlesse they quite outstrip them and leaue them farre behind The which must needs proceed either from spirituall pride which maketh them ouerweene their gifts and to thinke their strength fit for the hardest taske or from hypocrisie which maketh them to supply in outward shewes what is wanting in inward substance or at best from blind zeale which transporteth them beyond themselues and their abilities in a flash of passion But if we meane to hold on a constant course in Christianity we must auoyd this practice and being truly humbled in the sight and sense of our owne frailty and weaknesse let vs so begin as wee may continue and hold out to the end with daily increase in all grace and goodnesse Let vs so bee carefull to tame the flesh with due and seasonable seuerity as that we do not impaire our health disable our bodies to the seruice of God nor depriue our soules of all comfort whereby they are made cheerfull in all Christian duties Let our zeale carry vs as farre and fast as it wil but let it not ouer-carry vs beyond all bounds of spirituall wisedome and discretion Let vs not rashly vndertake a taske before we haue examined our strength whether it bee sufficient for it and ere we cast the burthen vpon our shoulders let vs poyze and waigh it that we may know whether wee shall be able to continue vnder it without fainting till we come to the end of our iourney Finally let vs so labour to bring our outward man to conformity in bodily exercises and externall duties with those which are greatest proficients in Christianity as that wee doe not forget to spend our greatest paines and strength in mortifying our sinfull lusts as pride couetousnes rash anger malice enuie vncharitablenesse and the rest and not onely to adorne our soules inwardly with all sanctifying graces loue humility patience zeale and such like but also to approue the truth and sincerity of them by our workes of piety righteousnesse and mercy towards the afflicted members of Iesus Christ For to neglect these and to bee strict in outward shewes and bodily exercises is as it were to bestow much cost vpon the outside of the house and to let the inside lye full of rubbish to decke the body and neglect the soule and life of Religion which consisteth chiefly in inward graces and the practice of them in the maine duties of holinesse and righteousnesse to esteeme the shell more then the kernell Math. 23. Quid prodest quod affligis corpus tuum quando nihil proficit cor tuum Ieiunare rigitare mores non corrigere Euseb Emissen ad Monach. Hom. 4 and to make our selues as our Sauiour compareth such like vnto painted sepulchers which are outwardly trimmed and gorgeously gilded and painted but within full of rottennesse and putrifaction What doth it profit saith one that thou afflictst thy body when as thine hart is neuer the better To fast and watch and not to mend thy manners is as if a man should bestow great paines without the Vineyard in weeding and manuring but leaue the Vineyard it selfe neglected and vnhusbanded and fit for nothing but to bring forth thornes and thistles §. Sect. 4 That we must exercise our selues in the duties of a godly life according to the measure of
of the Sonne of man and drinke his blood ye haue no life in you Yea this Supper of the Lord is not such a spare meale and bare Commons as onely holdeth life and soule together and doth not reuiue the spirits increase the strength and fit vs for action and imployment but it is a plentifull feast for our soules which maketh vs grow in grace and spirituall strength and stature vnto a perfect age in Christ making them strong and vigorous vnto all Christian duties of Gods seruice Whereof it is that as Baptisme is called the Sacrament of our imitation and new birth so this of our augmentation and growth in grace affording vnto vs plentifull nourishment for this end For as God is so bountifull in affording man meanes for the preseruing his bodily life that he alloweth him such things not onely which are absolutely necessary but also for delight and not bread alone to strengthen mans heart but also wine to make it glad and oyle to expresse this ioy in the face and countenance So hee hath dealt Psa 104. 14. 115. much more bountifully for our soules prouiding for their nourishment a plentifull feast the strengthening Bread of Christs Body and the cheering and gladding Wine of his precious Blood the delicious viands and dishes of his spirituall benefits and sauing graces and sweet comforts of his holy Spirit and not onely setteth these things before vs to looke vpon but giueth vnto vs gracious entertainement inuiting vs to feed vpon them not onely vnto necessity but also to delight So that our welcome is no lesse worth then our cheere and as the Spouse speaketh his loue better Cant. 1. 2. then wine Yea vnto his feast he addeth a banket of spirituall comforts imbracing vs with the armes of his loue cheering vs with the consolations of his Spirit and rauishing our soules with the sweet feelings of his fauour and such inward ioy that being with the Spouse thus brought into Cant. 2. 4 5 6. his Banketting-house and hauing for a Canopie ouer our heads his Banners of loue we are ready as it were in an extasie to cry out Stay me with flagons comfort mee with Apples for I am sicke of loue Now how can our poore soules being thus royally feasted and cherished at the Supper of the great King but bee inwardly replenished with all thankfulnesse towards God for his so rich mercies What can they doe lesse then enter into a serious consideration with themselues what they may returne vnto God that they may expresse their loue and gracefulnesse for so many and inestimable fauours without any desert vouchsafed vnto them saying with the Prophet Dauid What shall I render vnto the Lord for all his benefits towards Ps 116. 12 13. mee And finding themselues to be vtterly vnable to make any other requitall then by remaining thankfull debters what can they doe lesse then conclude with him that they will take the cup of saluation and call vpon the Name of the Lord praising and magnifying his mercies in the sight of all the people And finding our selues preserued in spirituall life growne 1. Pet. 1. 18. in Gods graces and strengthened and fitted for all good imployment by the royall bounty of our heauenly King feasting vs with such cordiall restoratiues and delicious food aboue the price of siluer or gold or any other corruptible thing how vngratefull should we be if we did not imploy this strength which he hath giuen vs in the duties of his seruice that we may glorifie his holy Name and bee accepted of him by doing that which is pleasing in his sight §. Sect. 8 Fourthly because it is an action which we doe in remembrance of Christ Fourthly the right vse of the Lords Supper much conduceth vnto a godly life as it is an action which we doe in remembrance of Christ and are thereby put in minde how much he hath done and suffered for vs. For who can lightly esteeme of any sinne which cost Christ no lesse then the price of his precious blood Who will not bewaile his sinnes past with bitter griefe abhorre his present corruptions with mortall hatred and vtterly renounce and forsake them for the time to come who duly considereth that they were the nayles which fastened our Sauiour Christ to the Crosse and that vnsupportable waight which made his soule heauy to the death pressed out of his innocent body that bloody sweate and extorted from him that lamentable complaint My God my God why hast thou forsaken me Who will bee hired with the base wages of worldly vanities to defile his soule againe with the filth of sinne which could no otherwise be clensed and purged then by the precious blood of Iesus Christ of infinite more value then ten thousand worlds And so on the other side who can bee slacke in the seruice of so gracious a Sauiour or bee sparing in his paines to glorifie him who for his redemption hath not spared his dearest blood Who would not worship him in all the duties of holinesse who hath purchased his happinesse at such a rate as men and Angels were not able to discourse who is so vnthankfully slothfull that will not spend his sweate in his seruice and his teares because he cannot spend so much as he should and euen his blood to make vp what is wanting in them both for him and his sake that hath clensed our bodies and soules from the ingrained spots and vncurable leprosie of sinne with his bloody sweate yea full streames of his precious blood Who will now grudge to doe works of mercy or to feed the poore members of Iesus Christ with his spare food to clothe them with his cast apparell which remembreth that this bread of life came downe from heauen to be our food and hath not spared to feast vs at his owne royall Table with his owne body and blood for our spirituall nourishment vnto eternall life that he who is the liuely and expresse Image of his Father and equall vnto him in glory and Maiesty dis-roabed himselfe of this glorious garment and tooke vpon him the shape of a seruant yea was content to be stripped of those poore clothes he had suiting with his meane condition and whilest he bore our sinnes to beare our shame hanging naked vpon the Crosse that he might clothe vs that were spiritually naked with the rich and glorious robe of his righteousnesse and obedience §. Sect. 9 Because thereby we are occasioned to renew our Couenant with God Finally the Lords Supper rightly vsed is a notable meanes to confirme and strengthen vs vnto all duties of a godly life because it giueth vs occasion in our preparation that we may come as worthy ghests to the Lords Table to renew our Couenant with God by renewing our faith in Christ our repentance for our sinnes our loue towards God and our neighbours and all other sauing graces in vs. We renew our faith by meditating vpon Gods infinite mercies
through pride breake out into anger and contention When we go to compound differences between neighbours we must take heed that we be not partial to either side for worldly respects nor through stiffenesse and obstinacie cause more discord in stead of making peace When we are going to a feast let vs set a watch ouer our appetite that it doe not draw vs to gluttony and excesse but that we so vse Gods greater blessings as that wee be fitted by them to doe him better seruice When we are about to doe the workes of mercy we must take heed of pride and affectation of humane praises or that wee haue in them any opinion of meriting thereby any thing at Gods hands When we are to pray or heare the Word or to performe any other religious duty of Gods seruice knowing that in them also Satan layeth his snares and spareth for no paines to make these exercises vnprofitable and euen turne them into sinne let vs obserue our watch when we goe about them that we may be well prepared and performe them with all reuerence and attention faith and feruencie of spirit carefully looking to our minds and hearts that they bee not hindred in these duties with worldly distractions and wandring thoughts dulnesse drowzinesse and carnall wearinesse In a word there is nothing wherein this watch is not to bee kept seeing in all things through Satans wiles and the deceitfulnesse of our owne hearts wee are indangered vnto sinne either sayling in the matter of our actions or in our manner of doing them §. Sect. 6 That we must watch ouer all the powers and parts of our soules and bodies Neither must this watch be kept ouer some of our parts onely neglecting the rest as ouer the body alone but not the soule or the soule and not the body but ouer the whole man that in all our powers and parts inward faculties and outward actions we may please God by doing his will But yet the more accurate and diligent watch must bee ouer the soule as being the more subtile and excellent part according to that expresse charge of Almighty God Take heed to thy selfe and keepe thy soule diligently implying that though this watch must be kept ouer the whole man yet Deut. 4. 9. the soule which is the better part must bee looked vnto with greatest care and circumspection Thus wee must watch ouer all the speciall faculties of our soules as ouer our reason and iudgement that they be not darkned with ignorance for if the light be darkenesse how great is that darkenesse nor corrupted and mis-led into errours and heresies Ouer our memories Mat. 6. 23. that they neither retaine those vanities and sinfull impression which should be rased and blotted out nor forget those things which God hath entrusted to their keeping Ouer our consciences that they bee pure and cleane purged from dead workes and that they be not slacke in doing their duty in excusing and accusing nor wee negligent in giuing heed to their euidence Ouer our wills that they goe not before but waite vpon holy reason chusing and imbracing that which it commendeth and refusing and reiecting that which it condemneth and dis-alloweth But especially wee must keepe this carefull watch ouer our mindes and imaginations which naturally are euill and that continually being most disordered and licentious and not to be kept within any compasse if we leaue them vnto their owne liberty And therefore if we would keepe our soules in good plight and free from danger we must not foolishly imagine that thought is free or that wee may suffer our phantasies and imaginations to take their full scope and pleasure in rouing and ranging which way they list for if they thus get the bridle as it were betweene their teeth they will run with vs in a headlong course into vanity and sinne whereby displeasing God we shall mooue him to giue vs ouer to our owne imaginations and to the tentations of Satan suggesting into them horrible blasphemies For when hee findeth them Dina-like wandring abroad and from vnder the gard of Gods protection he defloureth and defileth them with hellish pollution and turneth the pleasure of their liberty into horrour and griefe Moreouer by giuing liberty to our thoughts and imaginations to range whither they list and not accustoming to keepe them in any compasse and within the bounds of Gods feare we shall not be able when we most desire it to bring them into any order but they will be ready to disturbe and distract vs in our best duties For like runagate seruants they will bee to seeke when we most need them and be ranging about worldly vanities when wee would haue them wholly exercised in religious duties Or if with much paines we doe bring them home and binde them to their taske being inured to liberty and delighting themselues in rouing abroad they will to recouer their lost pleasure breake all their bonds run away from vs and be taken vp with worldly cogitations so as we shall not be able to heare the Word or pray or meditate or performe any other religious duties without being distracted and interrupted in them with these earthly thoughts and wandring imaginations From which if wee would be free our best course is to watch ouer our cogitations and phantasies at other times and to keepe them vnder command that they may bee exercised about things profitable For if wee vsually giue them liberty to range whither they list custome will cause an habit and this liberty will grow to licentiousnesse so as we shall reduce them into no order nor make them fit for any good imployment Neither is it enough that we restraine our thoughts from rouing after worldly vanities but we must also haue them taken vp and exercised in spirituall heauenly or at least ciuill and morall Meditations about the affaires of our honest callings for if they bee not busied about these Satan will thrust in the other and finding them empty of any good thing hee will easily replenish them with those that are euill §. Sect. 7 That we must chiefly watch ouer our hearts But aboue all other our internall parts we must keepe our watch with greatest care ouer our hearts according to the Wisemans counsell Aboue Pro. 4. 23. Heb. 3. 12. all keeping or with all diligence keepe thy heart for out of it are the issues of life and the admonition of the Apostle Take heed brethren lest there be in any of you an euill heart of vnbeliefe in departing from the liuing God For the heart is the treasury either of all good or euill and out of it the tongue speaketh and the hand worketh It is the fountaine of all our words and actions and if it be corrupt it will defile them too but if it bee clensed and purified by faith it will also purifie the streames which flow from it Act. 15. 9. It is a vessell apt to receiue all liquors good or euill and therefore
the fall as the participation of Adams sinne guilt and punishment The propagation of their sinne and misery to all their posterity Their originall sinne and corruption of nature both in respect of their soules and bodies The ignorance and vanity of our mindes the errour of our iudgements the wickednesse and worldlinesse of all our imaginations the impurity stupidity and horrour of our consciences the losse of our freedome of will in chusing that which is good their auersenesse and rebellion against the will of God and pronenesse to all euill the blockishnesse of our memories to receiue into their keeping any good motions and their slippery feeblenesse to retaine them the infidelity security and hardnesse of our hearts the corruption and disorder of our affections and passions the pollution of our bodies their feeblenesse and lumpish heauinesse vnto any good action From which root of originall corruption haue sprung all kinds of actuall transgressions we being made thereby vtterly vnable so much as to thinke a good thought or to will that which is good Whereof it commeth to passe that our best actions in this state of corruption and vnbeliefe are no better then sinne how glorious soeuer they seeme to the world And heere wee may meditate of the seuerall kinds of actuall sinnes those that are internall as wicked thoughts errours in iudgement forgetfulnesse in our memories vncleane and carnall lusts and those which are externall secret or manifest raigning or not raigning of omission or commission in our words or deeds which we haue committed as principals or accessaries Sinnes of ignorance or of knowledge of infirmity and frailty or of contumacy and rebellion which wee haue wilfully and presumptuously committed against God The like matter of meditation the punishment of our sinnes doth minister vnto vs As namely that by our sinnes wee haue made our selues subiect to the fearfull wrath of God the curse of the Law all the plagues and punishments of this life As all external miseries which are innumerable respecting our estate as pouerty penury losses and crosses or our bodies as heat cold hunger thirst sicknesses and diseases shortnesse and vncertainty of life and death it selfe So also the internall miseries of the soule as terrours of conscience and griefes of minde or contrariwise to be giuen vp of God to our security and hardnesse of hart infidelity finall impenitency and to a reprobate mind And finally the eternall and euerlasting punishments of body and soule in their separation from God and the vnspeakable torments of hell fire And finally we may meditate of the remedilesnesse of this our miserable condition in respect of any created helpe of men Angels or any creature as the top and consummation of all our misery seeing the infinite Iustice of God being offended by our sinnes would not admit of any finite satisfaction The which kind of meditations vpon sinne and punishment serue not only to humble vs before God by bringing vs vnto a true sense of our sinne and misery to make vs to deny our selues in the worke of our Redemption and to fly vnto Christ but also cause vs to admire and praise Gods mercy and goodnesse patience and long-suffering who hath so long borne with vs in the state of infidelity and hath not inflicted vpon vs all these fearfull punishments which our sinnes haue deserued yea to inflame our hearts with most feruent loue towards God and his Christ and holy Spirit who seeing vs in this wretched plight loaded and defiled with the filth of sinne and guilty and liable to all punishments and miseries did pitty vs in this miserable estate and when there was no other meanes of saluation and deliuerance from all these euils wrought our freedome and redemption by the death and obedience of the Lord of life §. Sect. 6 Of the great worke of Redemption by our Sauiour Christ The which great worke of our Redemption by Christ doth aboue all other parts of Diuinity minister vnto vs most plentifull and fit matter for our meditations as seruing notably to worke in our hearts a true hatred of sinne to inflame them with Gods loue to worke them to his feare to kindle in them the zeale of his glory to confirme our faith strengthen our affiance and hope renew our repentance and to stirre vs vp to performe with all cheerfulnesse the duties of a godly life that by walking before him in holinesse and righteousnesse we may glorifie him who hath redeemed and made vs his owne at so high a price Now the poynts which heere affoord vnto vs matter of meditation are manifold As first that it was necessary wee should haue a Sauiour and Mediatour betweene God and vs seeing in his Decree of Election he hath ordained the meanes as well as the end and that none but Christ could saue vs who is the foundation of our Election In Christ wee may meditate both vpon his person and offices And in his person consider both his natures and states both of humiliation and exaltation Heere wee haue plentifull and profitable matter of meditation concerning the Incarnation of Christ his Conception by the holy Ghost in the wombe of the blessed Virgin the framing and sanctifying of his humane nature the assuming and vniting of it to the Diuine nature by a substantiall vnion without confusion separation or alteration of either nature in their properties His Birth and Circumcision and that this Christ borne of the Virgin Mary is the true Messias So likewise we may meditate on his Office of Mediatorship as that he is the alone Mediator betweene God and man How he was called to his office and the testimonies of it of his Baptisme fasting in the Wildernesse and Diuine vnction with the Spirit aboue measure Of the eternity of his Office and parts of it being anoynted of God to bee our Prophet Priest and King Of his Propheticall Office whereby hee hath both outwardly reuealed vnto vs the knowledge of God and his will and inwardly inlighteneth our minds to conceiue it by his grace and holy Spirit and of the confirmation of this doctrine by miracles Of his Priestly Office and of his All-sufficient satisfaction for our sinnes Of his perfect obedience both actiue whereby he hath fulfilled the Law for vs and passiue whereby he hath suffered all those punishments which were due vnto vs for our sinnes And this yeeldeth vnto vs most excellent and profitable matter of meditation in all the parts thereof as his tentations in the Wildernesse by the diuell the manifold miseries which hee indured as pouerty hunger wearinesse contempt disgraces scoffes and bitter taunts reproches slanders reuilings and such like which he suffered in the whole course of his life and those his passions and sufferings a little before his death as his internall and bitter agony in the Garden where his wrastling with Gods wrath and the burthen of his Fathers heauie displeasure for our sinnes which he had taken vpon him forced out of his most blessed
consciences from dead works and their naturall impurity the sanctity of our memories whereby they become faithfull Registers of good things the freedome of our willes in chusing good and refusing of euill the suppling softening and sanctifying of our hearts the rectifying right ordering purging and and renewing of our affections as loue hatred confidence hope feare despaire ioy sorrow anger zeale and the rest The sanctity of our bodies and outward actions appearing in our new obedience and good workes The integrity sincerity alacrity and constancy of them the parts of this obedience which are the denying of our selues and the profession of Christ How we are to deny our selues namely by resigning vp our selues wholly vnto God to be not onely his seruants but also his souldiers in the Christian warfare where we may take occasion to meditate of that due preparation which is required to this warfare and of the Christian armour and of the conflict it selfe consisting in the manifold tentations of our spirituall enemies and our resistance and of our standing and falling in it How we are also to deny our selues in taking vp our crosse and following of Christ bearing with patience whatsoeuer afflictions hee imposeth and of the meanes whereby we may attaine vnto it In respect of our profession of Christ we are to meditate how we are to carry our selues towards Christ himselfe and how towards his members How wee are to professe Christ at all times by inuocation and calling vpon God in his name and mediation And here we haue much profitable matter of meditation concerning prayer both in respect of the doctrine and vse of it of which I haue before spoken and the particular practice of it in the Lords Prayer of which we may profitably meditate proceeding from one petition to another The profession of Christ in time of danger which is either the profession of the mouth by Christian apologie or of the fact by suffering persecution and martyrdome of which we may meditate and the meanes whereby we may be prepared and strengthened vnto them The profession of Christ respecting his members is our edifying them by instruction admonition exhortation consolation and good example or our helping and relieuing them by the workes of mercy and almes-deedes whereon we may profitably meditate and of the motiues and meanes whereby we may be stirred vp and inabled to performe them And finally our perseuerance in grace and in all these Christian duties euen to the very end of our liues which is the consummation of all the rest is necessary to be thought vpon our certainty of it and by what meanes wee may come to this assurance And thus wee must meditate on the degrees of Gods executing the Decree of our election in this life In respect of the life to come hee executeth it by our glorification of which we may meditate as it is begun or perfected It is begun at the death of the Elect whereby their soules being separated from their bodies are receiued into the ioyes of heauen The which our death is an excellent subiect of meditation as of the nature of it to the elect the certainty of it and vncertainty of the time of our preparation to it and meanes whereby we may be armed against the feare of it §. Sect. 8 Of the meanes of executing the Decree of reprobation Contrariwise there is much matter of meditation afforded from the proper meanes of Gods executing the Decree of reprobation in the wicked as both from the foundation of it the fall of Adam and the hatred and wrath of God following vpon it and also from the degrees of executing this Decree in the wicked and vnfaithfull which are proper to those which are either called or not called or common to them both The former are either hypocrites or openly prophane The degrees proper to these are an vneffectuall calling and their relapse from it into their former wickednesse Here we may meditate of the degrees of this calling which are inward illumination of the minde in the knowledge of the truth worldly and carnall penitence and sorrow arising from terrour and feare or sense and feeling of punishment temporary faith taste of heauenly gifts and externall reformation of life Where wee may consider how farre a reprobate may goe in Christianity and what reall and substantiall differences we can obserue betweene those shewes of graces which are in them and the truth of them in our selues that wee may be the better assured of our sincerity and vprightnesse before God The degrees of relapse in those which are thus vneffectually called are first that they are deceiued with sin and the fraud of their owne deceitfull hearts from whence their hearts become hardened and from thence stubbornly peruerse and so through incredulity not assenting to the truth of Gods Word they breake out to open prophanenesse which is in the end accompanied with despaire and finall Apostacie Vpon all which wee may meditate that wee may make our owne calling and election sure by withstanding the first degrees of Apostacie watching ouer our selues as the Apostle warneth vs that we be not hardned and drawne away by the deceitfulnesse of sinne that there be not found in vs an euill heart of vnbeliefe Heb. 3. 12 13. in departing from the liuing God The degrees of executing this Decree in those which are not called who for the most part are ignorantly superstitious Idolaters Pagans and Atheists are the holding and detayning of the truth in iniustice naturall ignorance and vanity of mind hardnesse Rom. 1. 20 21 c. of heart a reprobate minde and committing of sinne with greedinesse And the degrees common to both are their pollution with all sinne and wickednesse in their liues and their entrance into condemnation at their death when as their soules being separated from their bodies are cast in the torments of hell and pursued with the wrath of God On all which we may meditate that we may take occasion to magnifie Gods Iustice towards them in their deserued punishments and his free grace and vndeserued loue towards vs who being in the same masse and lumpe of corruption are separated from them and made vessels of honour that Gods grace and mercy might be magnified in our saluation §. Sect. 9 Of the eternall execution of Gods Decree at the end of the world c. Of the eternall execution of Gods Decree wee may likewise meditate which shall be at the end of the world and is either generall respecting 2. Pet. 3. 11 12 13 14. the whole world as the destruction of it with flaming fire which consideration the Apostle Peter maketh a strong motiue vnto godlinesse that we may be found of God in peace without spot and blamelesse and the renouation and perpetuall conseruation of it or else the speciall execution of it in the inhabitants of the world which shall be at the generall Iudgement and the eternall retribution which followeth it And heere we may profitably
first entrance into Christianity and from making any further proceedings in the waies of godlinesse Yea rather if we can in the iudgement of charity thinke that the little good in them is in sincerity and truth we must as the Apostle exhorteth take such vnto vs and vse all good meanes in loue and meekenesse whereby we may Rom. 14. 1. draw them on by degrees to more perfection For babes in Christ being vnable to helpe themselues had most need of tender cherishing and those that are sicke hauing some life of grace in them had most neede of good Nurses and skilfull Physicions as our Sauiour hath Matth. 9. 12 13. taught vs by his owne example And the Apostle exhorteth vs not to neglect the weake but to lift vp the hands that hang downe and strengthen the feeble knees and to hold such an euen course that those which Heb. 12. 12. are lame in the profession and practice of Religion be not through our harshnes quite turned out of the way but rather that they may be healed so Acts 3. may like the Cripple in the Temple together with vs glorifie God and loue vs aboue others who haue beene the meanes of their spirituall cure But such onely are here vnderstood who haue let the reines loose to all impiety and are of professed prophanenesse not caring to make shew of it vpon euery occasion and either scorne and scoffe at the exercises of godlinesse or neglect and contemne them in the whole course of their liues Neither may we reiect such as shew some willingnesse to conforme themselues to our good courses and to ioyne with vs in the exercises of Religion though for the present we see in them little power of godlinesse but onely such Ismaels and Esau's as hold them in contempt are worthy to be expulsed out of all societies Neither are we so to vnderstand it as though it were vtterly vnlawfull to come at all into the company of such wicked men for then as the Apostle saith we must goe out of the world and 1. Cor. 5. 10. euery place almost abounding with such we cannot chuse but oftentimes at vnawares come amongst them but that we doe not purposely make choyce of such company and if vnwittingly we happen to come into it that we quit our selues of it as soone as wee can Nor are wee debarred from hauing any entercourse and commerce with such in worldly affaires as trading and merchandize buying and selling and all other such contracts as are ordained for the benefit of humane society whereby we may doe or receiue good in our outward estate nor from performing any ciuill or Christian dutie to our friends allies kindred and neighbours or any worke of mercy towards those that are in misery and neede our helpe so that we entertaine their company no longer then is necessary for these vses and then be carefull that we goe not without our preseruatiues about vs that we may not in seeking to do them good hurt our selues with the contagion of their wickednesse nor receiue more detriment in our spirituall estate then they or we profit in respect of outward things Though in truth it is most safe conuersing with wicked men when we minister vnto them in their extremities seeing when they are benummed with the cold of their afflictions they cannot spit out their venome and poison but like frozen serpents may be taken into our hands without receiuing any great hurt Besides that their necessity importuning our helpe will be a curbe to restraine their malice at least till their turne bee serued that they may make vs more cheerefull in relieuing their miseries But this onely wee vnderstand to be vnlawfull to stretch our action further then our excuse will reach that is vnder any or all these pretences to conuerse with wicked men more then we neede And much more to make them our bosome friends and to entertaine familiar acquaintance and society with them being either bewitched with their naturall and morall parts or allured with some baytes of worldly benefit or carnall delight For though wee may not out of hatred towards the persons of euill men be enuious against them yet in detestation Pro. 24. 1. of their sinnes wee must not desire to bee with them as Salomon teacheth vs. §. Sect. 2 That the Scriptures often warne vs to shun wicked company And for this we haue many caueats and expresse inhibitions in the Booke of God both in the Old and New Testament for in them both Pro. 4. 14 15. these beasts are vncleane So Salomon chargeth vs not to enter into the path of the wicked nor to goe in the way of euill men Auoid it saith he passe not by it turne from it and passe away For though he be about other matters so short and sententious yet wisely fore-seeing the greatnesse of this danger he thought he could scarce vse words inow in warning vs to shunne it And the same reason maketh him to beate so often vpon it in other places Forsake the foolish and liue and goe in the way of vnderstanding Pro. 9. 6. My sonne walke not thou in the way with the wicked refraine thy foote Pro. 1. 15 16. from their path for their feete runne to euill c. And amongst other sinners he specially inhibiteth vs to keepe company with drunkards and gluttons which in the world are esteemed the only good fellowes and boone companions because they aboue other sinners are most dangerous seeing they both allure vs with their ill example and draw vs by their inuitations that way to which our carnall appetite is naturally too prone Be not saith he amongst wine-bibbers amongst riotous eaters of Pro. 23. 20. flesh Thus the Apostle also in the New Testament inhibiteth vs to keep cōpany with wicked men Haue no fellowship saith he with the works of darknesse Eph. 5. 11. but rather reprooue them And againe We command ye brethren in the 2. Thes 3. 6. Name of the Lord Iesus Christ that ye withdraw your selues from euery brother that walketh disorderly and not after the tradition which yee haue receiued of vs. And If any man that is called a brother be a fornicatour or couetous or 1. Cor. 5. 11. an Idolater or a rayler or a dunkard or an extortioner with such an one I haue written you should not keepe company no not to eate But aboue all other societies with the wicked we must take speciall care that wee doe not match with them in that neere bond of marriage according to that of the Apostle Bee not vnequally yoked together with vnbeleeuers for what fellowship 2. Cor. 6. 14. hath righteousnesse with vnrighteousnesse and what communion hath light with darkenes what concord hath Christ with Belial or what part hath he that beleeueth with an Infidell For if holy Dauid match with scoffing Michol 1. Sam. 18. 21. 2. Sam. 6. 16 20. shee will be a snare
58. 3. to the 8. and ashes vnder them but did not ioyne with it the Spirituall fast in abstaining from carnall pleasures and couetous exactions losing the bonds of wickednesse and vndoing the heauy burthens ceasing from oppression and doing the workes of mercy To which purpose one demandeth What doth Quid prodest quòd of fligis corpus tuum quando nihil proficit cor tuū Euseb emiss ad Monach. Homil 4. it profit thee that thou afflictest thy body when as thine heart is neuer the better To fast and watch and not to amend thy manners is all one as if a man should take paines to weede and husband the ground about the vineyard but let the vineyard it selfe grow like a desart full of thornes and thistles §. Sect. 4 Of humiliation and penitencie in the time of our fast Now this spirituall and inward exercise is nothing else but a serious humiliation of our soules before God ioyned with feruent prayer and vnfained repentance that wee may finde grace with God and haue our speciall suites heard and granted The first thing is humiliation or penitency vnto which is required First a thorow sense and feeling of our sinnes whereby we haue prouoked Gods anger against vs. Secondly vnfained sorrow and bitter griefe chiefely in this respect because by our sinnes wee haue displeased and dishonoured our glorious God and gracious Father vnto which wee must attaine by considering and aggrauating our sinnes in respect of the quantity and quality their number and haynousnesse by meditating on Gods Iudgements and Mercies the curse and threatnings of the Law and the gracious promises of the Gospell on Gods gloriousnesse in himselfe and graciousnesse towards vs that by our sinnes wee haue pearced ad crucified our Sauiour Christ and caused the Lord of life to be put to a shamefull death vexed and grieued Gods good Spirit dwelling in vs slandered our profession giuen offence to our neighbours and drawne vpon our selues Gods heauie punishments in this life and the life to come and especially the present Iudgement which we feare as imminent or feele as being already inflicted vpon vs. Thirdly A vile and base conceite of our selues in respect of our sinnes whereby wee adiudge our selues as vtterly vnworthy of Gods least mercies and contrariwise that wee haue deserued the greatest of his plagues and not onely that which we presently feare or feele but all other punishments temporall and eternall Lastly in this humiliation we are to expresse our sorrow and griefe of heart by our lamentations and wofull complaints bewailing our wretched condition both in respect of sinne and punishment and bemoning our miserie before the Lord as a fit subiect whereon hee may exercise his aboundant and rich mercies in pardoning our sinnes and remouing our punishments §. Sect. 5 That prayer must be ioyned with our fasting Ieiunium orationem roborat oratio ieiunium sanctificat Bernard in Quadrages Serm. 4. The second thing required in the spirituall exercise is effectuall prayer for this is that which giueth vertue and vigour to our fasting euen as fasting helpeth and strengtheneth prayer And here first wee must beginne with humble confession of our sinnes principally insisting vpon those whereby we haue most displeased and dishonoured God and drawne vpon our selues his present Iudgements The which wee may profitably aggrauate by all their particular circumstances as before I haue shewed but chiefely because wee haue committed them Psal 5◠4. Nehe. 5. Ezr. 9. 6. Dan. 9. 51. against such a gracious God who hath multiplied vpon vs so many fauours and testimonies of his loue respecting our soules bodies and estates this life and the life to come Vnto which confession we must adioyne the adiudging and condemning of our selues to deserued punishments both temporall and euerlasting this which we feare or feele and all others with it if God should deale with vs according to our deserts By which confession and condemning of our selues wee shall glorify God both by iustifying his righteous Iudgements magnifying his Mercies either because he deliuereth vs out of our afflictions or Lam. 3. 22. doth not inflict them in a measure proportionable to our sins Secondly hereby wee shall increase our humiliation and sorrow for our sinnes when as we thus rip them vp and recount them and as it were set them in order before vs. And finally wee shall hereby much strengthen our faith in the assurance of the pardon of them seeing if we confesse Pro. 28. 13. 1. Iohn 1. 7. our sinnes the Lord will vouchsafe mercy if wee acknowledge them he is faithfull and righteous to forgiue them And consequently wee may bee assured that our present iudgements shall be auerted or remoued when as sinne which is the cause of them is done away or if they be continued that their nature shall be changed seeing they shall cease to Heb. 12. 6. Apoc. 3. 19. Rom. 8. 28. 2. Cor. 4. 17. be punishments which are inflicted to satisfie Gods Iustice and shall bee vnto vs the chastizements of a gracious Father signes of our adoption testimonies of his loue and much further our spirituall inriching with all sauing graces and the eternall saluation of our soules In which assurance of faith grounded vpon Gods infinite mercies and free promises wee are to proceed in making our suits knowne vnto God either for our freedome and deliuerance from euill by deprecation or the obtaining of some good by petition For after that we haue made our peace with God and obtained by vnfained humiliation and confession the assurance of the remission of our sinnes we must in the next place become suiters at the Throne of grace in the mediation of Iesus Christ that the Lord will be pleased for his owne mercies and his merits to remoue the Iudgements which our sinnes haue drawne vpon vs. And thus the Lord hauing proclaimed a Fast to his people doth prescribe vnto them a forme of deprecation after that they were humbled and had bewayled their sinnes Let the Ministers Ioel. 2. 17. saith he weepe and say Spare thy people O Lord and giue not thine heritage to reproach that the heathen should rule ouer them The which was also practized by Daniel and Nehemiah in their fasts where after the Dan. 9. 5 16 17. Neh. 9. 32. confession of their owne and the peoples sinnes they craue pardon and deliuerance out of their afflictions In which suites for freedome out of our miseries we are to strengthen our faith in this assurance that wee shall bee heard by Gods speciall promises which he hath made Matth. 7. 7. Ioh. 16. 23. Psal 50. 15. Ioel. 2. 12 13. that hee will heare our prayers and aboue all other times when wee call vpon him in the day of trouble Or if the sentence being pronounced cannot be reuoked let vs humbly sue vnto God that hee will at least accomplish his promises in sanctifying our afflictions vnto vs that they may not be punishments for
doe that which is good exercising our selues in all Christian duties both towards God and our neighbours both in the day of our fast and afterwards In respect of that present time we must with extraordinary care and diligence exercise our selues in all good workes and principally in the duties of piety and of Gods seruice as prayer hearing and reading of Gods Word holy conferences and meditation the subiect matter whereof may fitly bee repentance of which I haue before spoken all which according to the occasion are to be performed with more then ordinary zeale and deuotion And these duties of piety towards God we must approoue to be sincere and without hypocrisie by our workes of iustice and righteousnesse mercy and compassion towards our neighbours For in the day of our fast the Lord specially requireth that we should execute iudgement and shew mercy and Zach. 7. 9. Esa 58. 6. compassion euery man to his brother that we should loose the bands of wickednes vndoe the heauie burthen let the oppressed goe free and breake euery yoke For therefore as one saith we restraine our minds from desiring meate that Idcirco à varijs ciborum desiderijs mentem retrahunt vt totam eius vim occupent in cupiditaâ—e virtutum c. Hieron ad Celantiam we may exercise their whole force in coueting after vertues And so our flesh will lesse feele the paine of abstinence when it hungreth after righteousnesse But especially we must in this day exercise our charity in the workes of mercy and in relieuing the poore To which vses wee must at least spend so much as we spare from our selues and our families by our fast or else we giue iust cause of suspition that wee fast more out of miserablenesse then deuotion being content to fast that all our seruants may beare vs company and so by emptying their and our owne bellies to adde something towards the filling of our bags And this the Lord specially requireth in the day of our fast namely that we should deale our bread to Esa 58. 7 10. the hungry and bring the poore that are cast out into our house that when wee see the naked we should clothe him and that we hide not our selues from our owne flesh that we should draw out our soules to the hungry and satisfie the afflicted soule Which duties if we neglect we may be iustly charged that wee fast rather with the Iewes to our selues then vnto the Lord hauing more regard Math. 6. to our profit then to piety or charity As therfore our Sauior hath ioyned these three together in his doctrine so must wee after the example of good Cornelius conioyne them in our practice for our fasting will bee Act. 10. Misericordia pietas ieiunij sunt alae c. Chrysost in serm de ieiun eleemos maimed and of no worth if it be seuered from either of them Mercy saith one and piety are the wings of fasting by which it mounteth aloft into heauen and without which it lyeth and walloweth vpon the earth Fasting without mercy is but a picture of hunger and image of holinesse Without piety fasting is but an occasion of couetousnesse for what is spared from the body is put into the bag Hee that fasteth not to the poores aduantage lyeth vnto God and he who when he fasteth doth not bestow his dinner vpon the poore but layeth it vp in store doth plainly shew that he fasteth for couetousnesse and not for Christs sake c. And these are the workes wherein we must exercise our selues in the day of our fast which must not end when it endeth but be continued in some good measure for euer after For as we must then resolue that we will in the whole course of our liues afterwards be more carefull and conscionable in all our wayes and more earnest and diligent in performing all good duties vnto God our neighbours and our selues so if wee would approoue our purpose to be sincere we must indeuour accordingly to put it in practice and vse all good meanes which may inable vs heereunto Where for a conclusion of this discourse of fasting we may obserue that if it be vsed aright and as God requireth it must needs be a singular good helpe to the leading of a godly life seeing nothing more humbleth vs in the sight and sense of our sinnes and spirituall wants nor doth make vs more hunger after grace with a vehement appetite nor doth make vs more feruent and earnest in our prayers for the obtaining spirituall strength to serue God and to withstand the tentations of all our spirituall enemies nor finally that more exerciseth and increaseth our repentance our sorrow for our sinnes past and purpose of amendment for the time to come by seruing God with more zeale and diligence in all Christian duties of piety and holinesse in his owne worship in the workes of righteousnesse and mercy towards our brethren of temperance and sobriety in respect of our owne persons CAP. XXXVI Of the arguments and reasons which may moue vs to leade a godly life and first such as respect Gods nature workes and loue towards vs. §. Sect. 1 The first sort of reasons taken from Gods nature and attributes HItherto we haue intreated of the reall and practicall meanes whereby we may be inabled to leade a godly life And now it followeth that we propound some reasons and arguments which may effectually perswade vs both to vse these meanes and also to performe all the duties of holinesse and righteousnesse vnto which by these meanes we are inabled seeing it would little auaile vs to haue all the helpes of godlinesse vnlesse we haue also hearts to vse them And because the reasons which might bee produced to this purpose are innumerable seeing there is scarce any part of Gods Word or workes either of Creation or Gouernment which doth not yeeld some motiue vnto godlinesse therefore passing by the most which might be alleaged it shall suffice as briefly as I can to touch some of the chiefe and principall all which I will reduce vnto three heads either as they respect God our neighbours or our selues The arguments of the first sort either respect God himselfe his nature and attributes both generally considered and as he exerciseth them towards vs or that duty which we are bound to performe vnto him Concerning the former there cannot be any more forcible reasons alleaged for the perswading of vs to serue God in duties of a godly life then a thorow consideration of Gods nature and attributes For first he is the onely true God Iehouah the most absolute Being who hauing his Essence in and from himselfe giueth being to all things and therefore to be serued by all creatures and especially by vs seeing in him we liue moue and haue our being He is God infinite Act. 17. 28. in all perfection and therefore ought in all things according to his nature to be serued with absolute and
made no spare of his Blood for our sakes and shall we thinke our selues prodigall in our duty if wee take a little paines and spend some sweate in his seruice Yea rather let vs thinke no time well spent which is not thus imployed and all our labour lost which by holy duty expresseth not some loue towards him to whom we owe so much and are able to pay so little Excellent is the meditation of a deuout Father to this purpose If saith he I owe my selfe wholly vnto him for Quòd si totùm me debeo pro me facto quid addam iam pro refecto refecto hoc modo c Bern. lib de diligen Deo c. 1. my Creation what shall I now adde for my restauration and Redemption especially being restored after this manner Neither was I so easily restored as created For to create me and all things else God did but say the word and it was done but he that by once speaking made mee said many things wrought wonders suffered things not onely grieuous but disgracefull and vnworthy of him that he might redeeme mee What therefore shall I returne vnto the Lord for all the good things which hee hath done vnto me In his first worke he gaue me vnto my selfe in the second he gaue himselfe to me and by giuing himselfe restored me vnto my selfe Being then both giuen and restored I owe my selfe vnto him for my self so am twice due But what then shal I giue vnto God for giuing himselfe for thogh I could giue my selfe a thousand times for recompence what am I in comparison of him Besides which argument of thankfulnes which might mooue vs to performe all duties of Gods seruice there is another of necessity which like a strong chaine tieth vs vnto them Seeing our Sauiour Christ hath propounded this as the maine end of our Redemption yea hath also ratified it by his solemne Oth that all those who are by him Luk. 1. 74 75. Rom. 14. 9. Mat. 7. 22. Mal. 1. 6. redeemed out of the hands of their spiritual enemies shall serue him in holines and righteousnesse before him all the dayes of their liues He therefore died that he might be Lord of all not in bare title profession only for that wil nothing profit vs at the day of Iudgment as himselfe telleth vs but in deed truth by performing vnto him faithfull and diligent seruice Hee hath bought vs 1. Cor. 6. 20. Col. 1. 22. 1. Pet. 2. 24. Esa 44. 22. 1. Pet. 1. 17 18. that we should no more be our owne and much lesse the deuils or the worlds but his glorifie him both in our soules bodies seeing they are his as the Apostle telleth vs. And therefore vnlesse we thinke that Christ may faile of his end which he hath propounded so die in vaine yea if he may not faile of his truth falsifie his Oath let vs not imagine that we are his redeemed or haue any part in that great worke of saluation wrought by him vnlesse we labour and indeuour to serue him in the duties of holinesse and righteousnesse and that not by fits and flashes onely but from the time of our conuersion all the remainder of our liues §. Sect. 3 That by the Couenant of Grace we are strongly bound vnto all Christian duties of a godly life The fift benefit is the Couenant of Grace which God hath made with vs in Iesus Christ for being redeemed by his full satisfaction death obedience the Lord hath made a new Couenant with vs not like that vnder the Law the condition whereof was perfect obedience the which being impossible vnto vs by reason of our imperfections and corruptions the promise was made voyd and vnprofitable seeing this new Couenant is not grounded vpon our workes and worthinesse but vpon the free mercies of God and the all-sufficient merits of Iesus Christ In which the Lord promiseth for his part that he will be our gracious God and louing Father that he will pardon and forgiue vs all our sinnes and giue vnto vs all good things spirituall and temporall in this life and glory and happinesse in the life to come And we for our part promise vnto God againe that he shall be our God and we his people and that wee will receiue and imbrace all his blessings promised by a true and liuely faith and especially Iesus Christ and all his benefits and wholly rest vpon him for our iustification and saluation that he may be all in all and haue the whole glory of his owne gracious and free gifts And because a dead and fruitlesse faith cannot doe this therefore by a necessary consequence wee promise that we will approoue our faith to be liuely and effectuall for these vses by bringing foorth the fruits thereof in vnfained and hearty repentance and amendment of life Now whereas we couenant that he shall be our God and we will be his people we doe not promise that wee will make a bare profession of these things in word onely but that in deed and truth wee will haue him to be our God in our hearts by desiring and indeuouring to cleaue vnto him alone louing fearing hoping and trusting in him and no other and that in our liues and actions we will labour to glorifie him by liuing as it becommeth his people and bringing forth the fruits of holinesse and righteousnesse in the whole course of our conuersation The which Couenant strongly bindeth vs to these duties seeing as it is on Gods part most vnchangeable being effectually ratified and confirmed by the blood of Christ by Gods owne hand-writing in his Word and Gospell whereunto he hath annexed his seales and Sacraments yea by his solemne Oth wherein it is impossible that God should lye for hauing Heb. 6. 18. no greater to sweare by he hath sworne by himselfe that hee will not faile of any of his promises made in Christ so is it confirmed on our part by our solemne Vow in Baptisme where as it were by a sacramentall oath we haue bound our selues to renounce the seruice of sinne and Satan the world and the flesh and that we will serue God and no other in the duties of holinesse and righteousnesse all the dayes of our liues To which end we make a solemne profession of our faith and take vpon vs Gods Liuery and Cognizance promising that we will fight vnder his Colours and Standard against all the enemies of our saluation And therefore seeing we haue made this vow and promise vnto God and haue vpon many occasions renewed our couenant that we wil in all things serue please him we must in the whole course of our liues carefully indeuour to performe what we haue promised vnlesse wee would bee esteemed couenant-breakers falsifiers of our word and promise not to men but to God himselfe yea perfidious traytors to him and our owne soules The which will be much more intolerable and vnexcusable seeing in this
To what purpose saith he Ier. 6. 20. 7. 22 23. commeth there to me incense from Sheba and the sweet cane from a farre Countrey your offerings are not acceptable nor your sacrifices sweet vnto me Thus the Lord reiecteth their solemne feasts because they were not ioyned with Esa 8. 4 5. the workes of Iustice and mercy So Salomon telleth vs that the sacrifice of Pro. 15. 8. the wicked is an abomination to the Lord but the prayer of the vpright is his delight And Dauid saith that if he did regard wickednesse in his heart the Lord Psal 66. 18. would not heare him Whereas in other places hee telleth vs that the righteous cry and the Lord heareth them and deliuereth them out of all their Psal 34. 17 18. troubles §. Sect. 4 The fourth reason taken from the consideration of our lost time before our conuersion The fourth argument may be taken from the consideration of our lost time which we haue mis-spent before our conuersion whilest we liued in ignorance and in the state of Infidelity when as we wholly neglected all duties of Gods seruice and the meanes which might haue inriched vs with all sauing graces and furthered the assurance of our saluation and haue spent all our strength in pursuing of worldly vanities and in the vnfruitfull workes of darkenesse to the great dishonour of our good God the wounding of our consciences and the burthening and defiling of our soules with the guilt and corruption of sinne The which should bee a powerfull reason after that we are effectually called to make vs more zealous of Gods seruice that we may in the remainder of our liues as much glorifie him by our holy conuersation as wee haue before dishonoured him by our sinfull liues and that we may by our extraordinary indeuour and diligence attaine vnto the treasures of his spirituall graces whereby we may be inabled to trauaile in the wayes of godlinesse with so much the greater speed by how much we haue beene more late in setting foorth in our spirituall Iourney and more sluggish and slothfull in trauailing in this way which leadeth vs to our heauenly Countrey And as those who haue mis-spent their youth in riotous liuing neglected all meanes of thriuing and wasted their states by prodigall courses when they come to riper age and see their folly being beaten by their owne experience doe not onely desist from their former vaine and prodigal courses but are sorry and ashamed of them and set themselues with so much the more care and diligence to recouer and repaire their decayed estates and with the greater earnestnesse vse all good meanes of thriuing And as those who being to trauaile about important businesse neerely concerning them in their life and state if they haue ouer slept themselues in the morning or trifled out their time about things of no worth when they see their errour and folly doe make more haste in their way all the day following that they may not be benighted and so comming short of their iourney be frustrated of their hopes so must we doe in this case labouring with so much more earnestnesse after the spirituall riches of Gods grace and the assurance of our heauenly hopes by how much the longer wee haue neglected this spirituall thrift and trauelling so much more speedily in the wayes of godlinesse by how much the longer we haue deferred our iourney and haue loytered by the way fearing as the Apostle speaketh lest a promise Heb. 4. 1. being left vs of entring into Gods Rest we should come short of it for want of care and diligence And this argument the Apostle vseth that seeing wee haue formerly liued in darknesse and haue spent our time in sleepe and sluggishnesse we should now when we are awaked walke circumspectly not Ephes 5. 8 14 15 16. as fooles but as wise redeeming the time because the dayes are euill And seeing we haue been scandalous in our sinfull courses hindring others from the profession and practice of godlinesse by our ill example therefore as hee exhorteth we must now walke in wisedome towards them that are without Col. 4. 5. redeeming the time by a more earnest indeuour in seeking their conuersion by our holy communication and gracefull speeches and by shining before them in the light of Godlinesse that we may mooue them to glorifie our heauenly Father So perswading the Romans to sanctification and holinesse of life he putteth them in mind of their former condition and the little fruit which they receiued by it that it might bee as a spurre in their sides to hasten their speed in the Christian race For as ye haue Rom. 6. 19 21 22. saith he yeelded your members seruants to vncleannesse and to iniquity vnto iniquity hauing no other fruit of sinning but sinne euen so now yeeld your members seruants to righteousnesse vnto holinesse c. What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed for the end of those things is death But now being made free from sinne and become seruants to God ye haue your fruit vnto holinesse and the end euerlasting life And thus the Apostle Peter 1. Pet. 4. 2 3. exhorteth vs that we should no longer liue the rest of our time in the flesh to the lusts of men but to the will of God because the time past of our life may suffice to haue wrought the will of the Gentiles when we walked in lasciuiousnesse and in all wicked and sinfull lusts CAP. XLI Other reasons taken from our owne profit and the manifold benefits of a godly life §. Sect. 1 That godlines is the chiefest gaine BVt among all other arguments which respect our selues none are more effectuall to preuaile with vs then those Psal 4. 6. 1. Tim. 6. 6. which are drawne from our owne profit seeing as the Psalmist speaketh euery man is ready to inquire who will shew them any good And therefore if I shall plainly shew that godlinesse is the greatest gaine and nothing in the world so profitable and beneficiall to all vses and purposes as the practice of holy and righteous duties belonging to a Christian life I hope it will be effectuall to perswade all who wel waigh and consider the inestimable gaine and profit which they shall assuredly reape vnto themselues that constantly goe on in the wayes of godlinesse to spend their time and chiefe strength and indeuours in that whereby they may receiue so great aduantage and to neglect the pleasures of sinne and the eager pursuit of worldly vanities which profit not as bringing in comparison no true good sound comfort or solid contentment for the present and when they bee taken from vs or we from them one of which must needs happen and we know not how soone leaue nothing behind them but woe and misery Doe not therefore I beseech thee Christian Reader as thou tendrest the euerlasting saluation of thy precious soule O doe not
the least moment withdraw his hand and cast vs from vnder the protection of his wise and powerfull prouidence we should vtterly perish and come to nothing §. Sect. 4 That he guideth and gouerneth the godly with his grace and holy Spirit 1. In their prosperity The third priuiledge which the Lord vouchsafeth vnto the godly is that he so guideth and gouerneth them by his grace and holy Spirit that they make a right vse of all estates both of prosperity and aduersity and turne all things which happen vnto them by the Diuine prouidence to their spirituall good the inriching of their soules with all sauing graces and the furthering and assuring of their eternall saluation For whereas wicked men inioying worldly prosperity doe stand in slippery places their table becomming a snare vnto them and their honours riches and pleasures the baits of sinne which make them to fall into the diuels nets of perdition for their honours nourish and increase their ambition their riches serue as sweet drinkes to make them thirst the more and increase their swelling dropsie of couetous desires their pleasures make them more sensuall and voluptuous and all together worke in them pride and forgetfulnesse of God carnall selfe-loue and loue of the world affiance in earthly vanities and contempt of spirituall and heauenly things The Lord preserueth those that feare and serue him from falling into these tentations by moderating their desires and mortifying their carnall concupiscence so as they doe not excessiuely affect these worldly vanities nor dote vpon them when they haue them but vse them onely as helpes and comforts of their pilgrimage and not set their hearts vpon them as their Paradise and the rewards of their Countrey because they know them to be vaine and vncertaine both in their getting and keeping momentany and mutable being euery day ready to leaue vs or we them Their honours doe not puffe them vp in pride but make them the more humble seeing they possesse them not as their owne proprieties but as Gods Talent whereof one day they must giue a reckoning as wee see in the example of Dauid who though he were aduanced from a lowe estate to a Kingdome yet professeth that his heart was not haughty nor his eyes Psal 131. 1 2. lofty but that he behaued himselfe in all meeknesse and mildnesse as a child weaned of his mother Their riches doe not withdraw their hearts from God though they abound in them neither doe they trust in them because they know them to be vncertaine but in the euerliuing God who giueth them 1. Tim. 6. 17. richly all things to inioy as we see in the example of Iob who though hee Job 31. 24. were the wealthiest man in all the East yet he did not make gold his hope Iob. 31. 24. nor said vnto the fine gold Thou art my confidence nor reioyced because his wealth was great nor because his hand had gotten much But onely they vse them as the great instruments of well doing and as meanes to inable them to exercise themselues in the workes of mercy according to Iobs example who being rich and able to doe good did not withhold from the Iob 31. 16 17 19. poore their desire nor caused the eyes of the widow to faile nor did eate his morsels alone but did let the fatherlesse eate thereof nor would see any perish for want of clothing nor the poore to lye without a couering Their pleasures though as great as they inioy who haue eminent places in Kings Courts doe not like intoxicating cups bewitch them and make them so drunke that they forget the ioyes of heauen vnto which they aspire but euen when they haue drunke the deepest draught of them they can with Salomon say of them that all is vanity and vexation of spirit and that there is no profit Eccles 2. 11. vnder the Sunne And when they are put to their choyce so as they must of necessity leaue the one to imbrace the other they will with Moses haue such respect to the recompence of their heauenly reward that they will chuse rather Heb. 11. 25 26. to suffer affliction with the people of God then to inioy the pleasures of sinne for a season Finally though with the Patriarches they abound with Gods blessings yet they will not fixe their hearts vpon them because here they Heb. 13. 14. and 11. 10. haue no continuing City but they seeke one to come which hath foundations whose builder and maker is God and therefore like the Workman is permanent and euerlasting Now what a priuiledge is this to be vpheld in such slippery places in which all that are left to themselues doe fearfully fall to haue antidotes against these dangerous drinkes wherewith all that want them are poysoned to bee made more humble mindfull of God and thankfull vnto him by these worldly things which make the most proud forgetfull and vngratefull Finally to haue such a right vse of all these earthly and temporary blessings that they become vnto vs pledges of Gods loue and earnest pennies of eternall happinesse and so to inioy both earth and heauen all the comforts of this life as helpes and furtherances to assure vs of the glory and ioyes of the life to come Of which seeing none but the godly are partakers what a strong motiue should it be to perswade vs vnto the seruice of God in an holy life §. Sect. 5 Secondly he guideth the godly in the time of their afflictions In respect also of the afflictions of this present life godlines hath no lesse priuiledges For first they which carefully serue please God are wholly 1. Pet. 2. 24. Col. 2. 14. Gal. 3. 13. deliuered from thē as they are punishments of sin to satisfie Gods Iustice because Christ hath in their stead satisfied for them paid their debt to the vttermost farthing and by taking away their sinnes through his death and sufferings hath also cancelled the hand-writing which was against them freed them from the curse of the Law and all the punishments which were due vnto them Secondly by leading of a godly life we are freed from afflictions in the greatest part as they are the corrections of Gods children For howsoeuer sometimes the chiefe end at which God aimeth in afflicting the godly is the triall of those graces which hee hath giuen them that being approoued he may be glorified that gaue them and Jam. 1. 12. his gifts crowned in those that haue receiued them yet for the most part sinne being the occasion euen of these trials and the cause of other crosses according to that in the Lamentations Wherefore doth a liuing Lam. 3. 39. man complaine a man suffereth for his sinnes Hereof it followeth that wee may escape these afflictions if we carefully flee sinne and serue the Lord in the duties of a godly life For though the Lord iudgeth his children 1. Cor. 11. 32. in this life that they may
not possible to be condemned if wee conscionably vse the meanes of attayning to saluation or to be saued if wee neglect these meanes and walke in the wayes of wickednesse which leade to destruction For whom he Rom. 8. 30. hath predestinated to saluation those also he calleth iustifieth and sanctifieth Those whom he hath chosen he hath also ordained that Eph. 1. 4. they should be holy and without blame before him in loue and hath elected 1. Pet. 1. 2. them through sanctification of the Spirit vnto obedience and sprinkling with the blood of Christ Those whom he hath ordained vnto glory he hath predestinated them to be conformed to the Image of his Sonne and hath created Rom. 8. 29. Eph. 2. 8. them in him to good workes And therefore if wee be effectually called iustified and sanctified we may thereby be assured that we are elected to saluation but if none of these can be found in vs wee still continue in the state of reprobation seeing the meanes and end doe inseparably goe together Finally when as the Scriptures teach vs that Faith alone iustifieth as being the onely instrument that applieth vnto vs Christ our righteousnesse loose Libertines doe hence conclude that that Faith which is alone iustifieth and therefore so they beleeue in Christ they haue liberty to liue as they list and need not to take any paines to serue please God in the duties of a godly life Wheras the Apostle plainly telleth vs that we shal be iudged according to our works 2. Cor. 5. 10. whether they haue bin good or euill And our Sauiour hath taught vs that he will pronounce the last sentence according to the workes of mercy either Matth. 25. 34 35 36. performed or neglected by vs as being the signes and vndoubted euidences of our Faith whereby it is approued as sound and sincere or condemned as counterfet hypocriticall And the Apostle Iames expresly affirmeth that Faith without works is dead like a carkase without Iam. 2. 17 26. breath or life And therefore though good workes are not required as causes to the act of iustification yet they are necessary as effects to the Matth. 25. 34. Rom. 6. 23. party iustified though they doe not merit euerlasting happines seeing it is a gracious inheritance Gods free gift yet they are the way that leadeth vnto it in which we must necessarily walke if we wil be saued for without holinesse we shall neuer see the Lord as the Apostle telleth vs. Heb. 12. 14. §. Sect. 6 That infidelity is a great impediment to a godly life Againe the corruption of our intellectuall faculties doth exceedingly hinder vs from seruing God in the duties of a godly life not onely as it blindeth them with ignorance and misleadeth them with errour but also as it poysoneth them with cursed infidelity which is the roote of all other sinnes and the chiefe impediment of all Christian duties the ground of all which is a liuely faith For as the Apostle speaketh No man can come vnto God vntill he first know that God Heb. 11. 6. is nor performe any faithfull seruice vnto him vntill he be perswaded that he is a rich rewarder of them who diligently seeke and serue him Againe Without faith it is impossible to please God because whatsoeuer is not Rom. 14. 23. done of Faith is sinne Without Faith wee cannot be ingrafted into Christ seeing it is the bond of this vnion nor bring forth in him any fruits of new obedience for without Christ we can doe nothing Vnlesse Ioh. 15. 2 5. by Faith we be assured of Gods loue towards vs we cannot loue him for as the Apostle Iohn saith We loue him because he loueth vs first and 1. Ioh. 4. 19. without loue there is no obedience seeing it is the summe of the whole Law And therefore if we would leade a godly life wee must with all care and indeuour remooue this impediment then the which none is more pernicious for how should wee flee from that sinne which we naturally loue or practise those duties vnto which our natures are auerse if wee neither beleeue Gods threatnings restrayning vs from sinne nor his promises alluring vs to obedience And to this end wee must carefully vse all those meanes of which I haue before spoken both of begetting Faith in vs if it be wanting and of confirming and increasing of it if it be begun CAP. X. Of those manifold impediments of a godly life which arise from our sinnefull and corrupt hearts and affections §. Sect. 1 The first impediment is an heart hardned through the deceitfulnesse of sinne ANd thus haue I shewed how we may remooue those impediments of a godly life which arise from the corruption of the intellectuall faculties Those which respect the heart and affections are many and dangerous The first is when our hearts are hardened through the deceitfulnesse of sinne and so habituated and accustomed to euill courses that it is death to vs if we indeuour to forsake them and to serue God in the duties of a godly life Of this wee haue many warnings in the Scriptures as being a most dangerous rocke vpon which many haue suffred shipwracke To day if you will heare his voyce harden not your hearts Psal 95. 7 8. And Take heed brethren lest there be in any of you an euill heart of vnbeliefe in departing from the liuing God But exhort one another dayly while it is Heb. 3. 12 13. called to day lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulnesse of sinne Which impediment if we would remooue let vs withstand sinne in the first motions of it and if at any time we be ouertaken let vs carefully take heed that wee doe not lie in sinne but rise againe speedily by vnfained repentance Let vs beware that wee doe not often fall into the same sinnes after wee haue repented of them seeing by many acts wee come at last to an habit and custome Or if this custome hath already preuailed and is now come to haue in it the strength of a Law and to be as it were a second nature let vs not suffer it any longer to continue inuiolable but bend all our power and strength to disanull and breake it Neither let our corrupt nature pleade prescription for sinne or the neglect of holy duties as though because we haue long done that which God forbiddeth or not done that which he hath commanded therefore we must be borne with if we doe so still seeing this is no excuse at all but rather the greatest aggrauation of our sinnefulnesse and negligence For though they might be somewhat excused if they were done but once or twice they are altogether intolerable when they grow common and customable And therefore our long liuing in sinne and in the neglect of Christian duties should be so far from excusing our continuing in these courses that it ought to be a strong motiue to
consider first that this is a shamefull and horrible abuse of Gods mercy and goodnesse which hee will neuer let goe vnpunished to take occasion thereby the more to offend and diplease him by wilfull continuing in sinne and neglecting the duties of his seruice To prouoke God to wrath because he is patient and long-suffering and to sinne against him because hee is good and gracious and ready to forgiue And finally to neglect all duties of his seruice because he is such a bountifull Master that he giueth of his free grace and mercy rich wages and rewards without all merit and desert For these should rather be arguments to inflame our loue towards him and to make vs so much the more zealous of his glory and fearefull to offend so gracious a God according to that of the Psalmist There is mercy or forgiuenesse with thee that thou mayest bee feared Or if through Psal 130. 4. frailty and infirmity we haue contrary to our purpose and resolution been ouertaken of any sinne this patience and loue of God should be a strong motiue to make vs to rise out of it by vnfained repentance according to that of the Apostle Despisest thou the riches of his goodnesse and forbearance and long-suffering not knowing that the goodnesse of God leadeth thee to repentance Secondly let vs consider that as the Lord is infinite in mercy and compassion so hee is no lesse infinite in iustice and truth that as he is mercifull Exod. 34. 6 7. and gracious long-suffering and abundant in goodnesse and truth keeping mercy for thousands forgiuing iniquity to ansgression and sinne so also hee is iust in all his wayes and holy in all his workes and will by no meanes cleare the Psal 145. 17. guilty visiting the iniquity of the fathers vpon the children vnto the third and fourth generation that as he is a mercifull Sauiour so also a iust God and Esa 45. 21. Psal 11. 7. a righteous Lord who loueth righteousnesse and will not let sinne goe vnpunished but will iudge euery man according to his works and that he is a terrible 2. Cor. 5. 10. Iudge especially to those who abuse his mercy and long-suffering And therefore let vs not disioyne these things which cannot be seuered nor imagine such a mercy in God as will not stand with his Iustice which were to mayme the Diuine nature and to pull as it were one of his hands from him which outragious violence offered vnto his holy Maiesty hee will neuer suffer to goe vnpunished Let vs with Dauid so acknowledge that hee is good as that wee doe not deny that Psal 25. 8. Psal â—01 1. hee is also vpright and in our songs so sing of his mercy as that wee doe not disioyne his Iudgement from it Let vs remember that in God and in all his workes mercy and truth doe meete together righteousnesse Psal 8â— 10. and peace doe kisse each other Let vs not say His mercy is great he will Ecclus 5. 6 7. be pacified for the multitude of my sinnes for mercy and wrath come from him and his indignation resteth vpon sinners Neither let vs presuming on Gods mercy and patience make any tarrying to turne vnto the Lord nor put it off from day to day for suddenly shall the wrath of the Lord come foorth and in thy security thou shalt be destroyed and perish in the day of vengeance Thus the Apostle telleth vs that if we despise the riches of Gods goodnesse and forbearance Rom. 2. 4 5 6 which should leade vs to repentance we shall after our hardnesse and impenitent heart treasure vp vnto our selues wrath against the day of wrath and reuelation of the righteous iudgement of God who will render vnto euery man according to his deeds And the Lord threatneth that if any man hearing the words of his curse against sinners doe blesse himselfe in his heart saying I shall haue peace though I walke in the imagination of my heart to adde drunkennesse to thirst that he will not spare him but that his anger and iealousie shall smoake against that man and all the curses that are written in the booke of the Law shall Deut. 29. 19 20. lie vpon him and the Lord shall blot out his name from vnder heauen Let vs remember what the Apostle teacheth vs namely that no outragious sinners continuing in their wickednesse without repentance shall inherit the Kingdome of Christ and of God and therefore exhorteth that wee suffer no Eph. 5. 5 6. man to deceiue vs with vaine words seeing because of these things commeth the wrath of God vpon the children of disobedience Finally let vs consider that though Gods mercies be in themselues infinite and aboue all his workes and all his gracious promises which are in Christ yea and Amen yet they are limited by his infallible truth and appropriated vnto repentant sinners and therefore cannot extend to the presumptuous who take occasion from his mercies to continue impenitently in their sinnes but he will glorifie his iustice in punishing them as hee glorifieth his mercy in pardoning the sinnes of all those who turne vnto him by vnfained repentance And therefore let vs acknowledge with the Psalmist that the Lord is good Psal 73. â— and gracious yet not to all but onely to Israel euen to such as are of a cleane heart and that as the eyes of the Lord are vpon the righteous and his eares open to heare their cry so the face of the Lord is against them that do euill to cut off the Psal 34. 15 16. remembrance of them from of the earth Let vs not presume vpon Gods mercy whilst we continue impenitently in our sins but let vs stand in awe of Gods Iustice and Iudgements and sin not and offer first the sacrifice of righteousnesse Psal 4. 4 5. and then put our trust in the Lord. Those likewise who presuming vpon the all-sufficiencie of Christs death merits and satisfaction doe take occasion thereby to continue in their sinnes without repentance and to neglect the duties of a godly life may easily remooue this dangerous impediment out of their way if they will but seriously consider that this is a most fearefull abuse of his inestimable loue who hath done so much for vs when as we vse his helpe to vphold vs in our sinnes and his death and merits as a pillow whereon we may sleepe more securely in our wickednesse Whereas he came not to ratifie and confirme but to dissolue and abolish 1. Ioh. 3. 8. the workes of the deuill And gaue himselfe for vs not onely to free vs from all sinne in respect of the guilt and punishment but also to purge Tit. 2. 14. vs from all iniquity and that being his peculiar people we should bee zealous of good workes He hath redeemed vs out of the hands of all our spirituall enemies Luk. 1. 74 75. that wee may serue him in holinesse and righteousnesse
are so bitter and vnpleasant to the flesh that they make vs immoderately sorrowfull and to breake out into some impatiency as though they were signes of Gods wrath and displeasure and not of his fatherly loue correcting vs for our amendment Seuenthly and lastly this sorrow ariseth in the hearts of weake Christians when as they compare themselues with others that haue made a better and greater progresse in the graces of Gods Spirit and in the duties of a godly life being hereby moued to think that the graces which they see in others are wholly wanting in themselues because their lesser light is obscured by a greater and seemeth nothing because it is not of equall brightnesse Or if they haue any at all yet that it is false and hypocriticall because it is but of slender growth and much inferiour to those which we obserue in many others whom notwithstanding we haue as much exceeded in meanes as they vs in the fruits of them By which sorrowes and heauinesse arising from these and such like causes the poore Christian doth more more weaken the operation of Gods graces in him in the duties of a godly life because he doth too much already apprehend their weaknesse and more disableth himselfe because he seeth his inability For hauing with immoderate griefe weakened his body and spent his spirits oppressed his heart and terrified his conscience he is made lumpish and dull vncheerfull and vncomfortable in all the duties of Gods seruice For the remouing of which impediment we must carefully take heed that we doe not disioyne faith from our repentance but as wee haue one eye vpon our sinnes that wee may sorrow for them so the other eye vpon our Sauiour Christ who hath fully satisfied for them Secondly we must not dreame vpon any perfection of sanctification in this life though we labour after it and then we shal not be too much deiected and mourne immoderately for our imperfection whereas if we fancy vnto our selues a farre greater measure of grace and holinesse then it is possible for vs to attaine it will be a cause of excessiue sorrow when we finde how farre we come short of our hopes Thirdly we must looke vpon Gods graces and the fruits of them in holy obedience as testimonies of Gods loue and euidences of our sanctification and not as being any meritorious causes of his fauour and our saluation For then we need not to stand so much vpon the quantity and degree of them as vpon their sincerity and truth which when we finde we may reioyce in the assurance of Gods free grace and loue through Iesus Christ Whereas if we looke vpon them in their worth and worthinesse the sight of their imperfections will bereaue our hearts of all sound comfort Fourthly we must consider that the first and least degrees of true grace are accepted of God and will make vs also acceptable vnto him For hee will not breake the bruised reed nor quench the smoking flax He respecteth Math. 12. 20. and tendreth his young lings and weaklings as well as those who haue attained to greater strength and he hath pronounced them blessed who Math. 5. 6. hunger and thirst after righteousnesse as well as those which are perfectly righteous Finally as we must take notice of that wee haue not that wee may labour after it so also we must not neglect what wee haue that wee may be truly thankfull vnto God from whose free grace we haue receiued it among which we may number spirituall life whereby onely we can be sensible of our wounds and weaknesse the sight and sense of our sinnes by which we are moued to deny our selues and to fly vnto Christ hungring desires of grace and holinesse seeing wee haue Gods promise that they shall be satisfied And so we shall ioyne faith with our repentance ioy with our mourning loue and thankfulnesse with our meeknesse and humility §. Sect. 5 Of desperation and that it is a great impediment to godlinesse Finally these scrupulous feares and carnall sorrow if they bee not remoued or moderated will bring vs by degrees into that fearfull gulph of deepe despaire whereby we shall cast off all hope of Gods mercy and reiect the all-sufficient merits and satisfaction of Iesus Christ through our incredulity as though the multitude and hainousnesse of our sinnes did farre exceed them And this is the very cut-throat of all piety and the diuels strongest and most horrid chaine to inslaue men in his seruice and to hinder them from entertaining so much as a thought or desire of seruing God in the duties of a godly life For it wholly discourageth a man from proceeding in such a way as offreth no hope of bringing him to his iourneys end It maketh a seruant wholly to neglect his duty when as hee is quite cut off from all expectation of reward It causeth men to giue themselues to all sensuality voluptuousnesse and prophanesse when they haue no other hopes but what this present life offereth vnto them and the rather that they may hereby put off for a little while their terrours of conscience and griefes of minde as it were by drinking of cold water in the fit of a feauer And wanting faith by which wee are vnited vnto Christ in whom a lone we can bring forth fruits of holinesse and righteousnesse how can we otherwise chuse but be vtterly barren in all true obedience and like wild Oliue trees bring forth onely fruits of impiety and wickednesse Which impediment if we would remoue we must remember that the Lord is infinite in grace and mercy as he describeth himselfe Exod. 34. 7. in his Word so that though our sinnes be many and grieuous yet they are infinitely exceeded by them for his mercies are aboue all his workes Micah 7. 18. That he taketh delight in shewing mercy toward repentant sinners seeing hereby he exerciseth his nature and magnifieth his holy name in the manifestation of his grace and goodnesse That he loued vs when we were his enemies yea so loued vs that he sent his onely begotten and dearely Ioh. 3. 16. beloued Sonne to dye for vs and therefore will not now reiect vs when as through Christ we sue and seeke to be reconciled vnto him That he hath made his free couenant of grace with vs wherein hee hath promised the remission of all our sinnes vpon the alone condition of faith bringing forth the fruits thereof in vnfained repentance and that his promises are indefinite without exception of any sinners and therefore shall assuredly belong vnto vs if we doe not reiect them through vnbeliefe That the merits and satisfaction of Christ are of infinite value and an all-sufficient satisfaction for the sinnes of the whole world if they were applyed by faith and that he hath giuen vnto vs his couenant in writing and ratified it by his Sacraments which he hath annexed as seales to the great Charter of our peace that there might no place be
that they dare rush into all desperate perils and fight at the push of pike yea euen at the Canons mouth for a little pay or booty or for the applause of their Captaine and fellow souldiers or vaine fame and momentany glory in the world what difficulty should be so great that should be able to discourage vs from resoluing to leade a godly life which shall be rewarded with the infinite and euerlasting riches and inestimable glory and happinesse of Gods Kingdome §. Sect. 8 That by daily and constant practice we may easily ouercome all difficulties The last meanes whereby we may be inabled to ouercome all difficulties is the daily and constant practice of all Christian duties seeing howsoeuer they may seeme at the first harsh and vnpleasant to our corrupt nature yet continuall vse will make them easie and familiar and bring vs at length to such a custome and settled habit that wee shall performe them with much comfort and delight For as the mind is more and more darkened by the often acts of sinne and so loseth the light of truth that no sauing knowledge remaineth in it but malignity onely and pollution so by the many and often acts of piety and righteousnesse the mind is more inlightened and aspireth vnto a greater measure of true wisedome this righteousnesse and holinesse offering themselues as cleere glasses vnto the eyes of the vnderstanding as Chrysostome hath well obserued Besides Sicut enim qui peccat dum peccat magis atque magis tenebrescit mens eius c. Chrysost in Mat. 7. Hom. 18 Psal 19. 10. the more often that we performe these Christian and religious duties and the longer and more constantly that we continue in them the more we shall rellish and taste their sweetnesse so that though at first they seemed to our carnall appetite as bitter and vnpleasant as the infusion of gall or wormewood yet continuall vse and daily practice will make them sweeter to our mouthes then the honey and honey combe as wee see in Dauids example by reason that we shall finde in our owne good experience the manifold comforts which accompany the diligent performance of these Christian duties as peace with God and the beames of his loue and fauour shed abroad in our hearts and shining vpon vs the peace of a good conscience and inward ioy of the holy Ghost sweete communion with God accesse and increase of all spirituall graces contentation in all estates and assurance of our saluation and that in the meane time all things whatsoeuer and euen afflictions themselues shall turne to our good These and many such like benefits accompanying our constant walking in the wayes of godlinesse will make them not onely easie but sweet and delightfull And whereas at first wee came to the performing of Christian duties as a Beare to the stake and found nothing in them but vexation and irksome wearinesse by vse and custome comming to know and rellish their profit and excellency wee finde such spirituall sweetnesse that it is our meate and drinke to be exercised in them So that now we esteeme Gods Sabbaths our delight heare reade pray meditate conferre and doe the workes of mercy with much ioy and cheerfulnesse Now the meanes to attaine vnto this daily and constant practice which taketh away all difficulty and distast is to inure our selues thereunto by degrees and with a firme resolution to break off all excuses and set apart some short time as a day week or month for the strict leading of a godly life in the performance of all Christian duties as they haue bin before set downe Which when we haue done let vs looke backe and examine our selues if we can in our consciences find any cause of repenting this course in leauing worldly and wicked delights and the pleasures of sinne and betaking and consecrating our selues to serue God in the duties of holinesse and righteousnesse yea if we doe not finde in this short time more sound comfort and true ioy then in many yeeres before when wee neglected them §. Sect. 9 That worldlings take more paines about earthly vanities and in the seruice of sinne and Satan then is required to a godly life Now if any notwithstanding of all these helpes and comforts still complaine of the difficulties which he findeth in the course of Christianity Pro. 26. 13. and vse it as an excuse for his neglect of all the duties of a godly life let such a man know that the fault is not in the hardnesse and crookednes of the way but in his own negligence who will not vse the meanes which God offereth vnto him for the ouercomming of these difficulties and neither take any paines to be truly informed nor to trauell in it after hee knoweth it For because they are lazie and haue no list to worke therefore they sit in the house and complaine that there is a Lion in the way a Lion in the streets Because they would sit still by the flesh-pots of Egypt and glut themselues with carnall pleasures therefore they cauill against their entring into and proceeding in that way which leadeth to the holy Land as though the difficulties were so many and great which affront vs in it that it is vnpassible and impossible to be trauelled by them Their affections are so strong that they cannot master and mortifie them their bodies tender and delicate and not inured to take that paines which is required to the well performing of Christian duties and their natures are so easie and flexible that they cannot withstand the allurements and importunity of their old companions drawing and perswading them to accompany them in their sinfull courses All which excuses what doe they argue but their sloth and negligence yea rather their want of loue and contempt of spirituall grace and heauenly glory Seeing the same men who pretend these difficulties are ready to vndertake farre greater paines for the obtaining of those worldly vanities whereupon they haue fixed their hearts and euen delight themselues in these toylesome labours then is required for the attaining of heauenly happinesse and goe willingly thorow many more and greater difficulties in those wayes that leade to hell and destruction then they should euer finde in the way that would bring them to life and saluation For first consider the paines which worldly men are content to indure for the compassing of honours riches and pleasures how they carke and care toyle and moyle watch and labour trauell by sea and land and runne into many desperate dangers for the getting of these worthlesse vanities which are alike vncertaine in the possession as in the pursuit and acquisition How they tire their thoughts in the restlesse night about plots and policies for the preuenting or circumuenting one another How their hearts are continually vpon the racke of their owne passions being diuersly distracted betweene hopes and feares false ioyes and true griefes loue and dislike longing desires and lothing auersation Consider also what
his holy Spirit are not onely nourished and strengthened with their ordinary food as hearing the Word prayer holy conferences and good company but through Gods Spirit assisting them are able to turne euen Iron ages into good nourishment and the poyson of euill examples into cordials and preseruatiues to strengthen them the more against common corruptions and raigning sinnes And therefore to excuse our neglect of Christian duties belonging to a godly life because we liue in euill places and times what is it but to proclaime that we are like vnto them and are not yet regenerate by Gods Spirit nor changed in our natures but still remaine in the state of corruption and consequently lyable to death and condemnation CAP. XX. Diuers other obiections made by the flesh against a godly life propounded and answered §. Sect. 1 That it is not enough to liue harmlesly vnlesse we performe religious duties ANother obiection which the flesh maketh against the strict performances of Christian duties is that it is vnnecessary seeing if we be harmlesse and not guilty of hainous sinnes as idolatry blasphemy murther adultery drunkennesse theft and such like but liue honestly amongst our neighbours doing no man any hurt and in good fame and name in the world the Lord will accept of vs and beare with our infirmities though wee be not so precise as many others in performing the duties of a godly life as they haue been before described To which I answere that the Lord will neuer accept of vs as his seruants and children if wee doe not at least desire resolue and indeuour to yeeld vnto him intire obedience to his whole Law as well by doing the duties which he hath commanded as in leauing vndone the vices which he hath forbidden and that this obedience chiefly consisteth rather in performance of that which is good then in abstinence from that which is euil that if to be harmelesse and innocent were all that is required to Christianity then were wee best Christians when we sit idly still rather then when wee are in action yea though we should sleepe out our whole liues because then wee are furthest off from doing any hurt But let vs consider that God requireth seruice at our hands and he is counted but a sorry seruant who receiuing meate drinke and wages doth content himselfe if he doe his Master no harme though he neuer indeuour to doe him any good That the axe is set to Math. 3. 10. the root of the tree to cut it downe that it may be cast into the fire if it bringeth not forth good fruit though it should beare none that is euill and the barren tree must be hewne downe and cast out of the Lords Vineyard Luk. 13. 7. because it doth but cumber the ground That we must be not onely trees of innocency but trees of righteousnesse if we be of Gods planting which Esa 61. 3. Luk. 8. 44. are distinguished from euill trees destinated to the fire not by bearing nothing but by bringing forth good fruit Let vs remember that the Fig-tree was cursed by our Sauiour not because it had vpon it figs like those in one of Ieremies baskets which were so very naughty that they could Ier. 24. 2. Math. 21. 19. not be eaten they were so bad but because it had none at all when Christ purposely came to finde some vpon it That the vnprofitable seruant is by Math. 25. 30. his Lord reputed an euill seruant and adiudged to punishment for not increasing his Masters Talent though he had not mis-spent it in riotous liuing And that the sentence of condemnation shall passe against those Mat. 25. 41 42. who neglect to doe the workes of mercy to Christs poore members though they neuer oppressed or wronged them Finally let vs know that they deceiue themselues who dreame of a meane betweene not doing good and doing euill for if we be not on Gods side wee are against him if Luk. 11. 23. we gather not with Christ we scatter abroad neither can wee sooner cease to Esa 1. 16. doe euill but presently we begin to doe that which is good §. Sect. 2 That it is not sufficient to serue God in some things and at some times Againe it is ready to obiect that if it be not sufficient to abstaine from euill and from grosse and hainous sinnes but that wee must also performe the contrary duties yet at least it is not necessary that we should be tyed so strictly vnto all duties of holinesse and righteousnesse which God requireth or if to all yet not at all times but that it is enough if wee performe some good duties either towards God or our neighbours though wee neglect others and that wee bee at some times zealous and deuout though at other times we take our liberty and ease our selues of this hard taske by taking our pleasures seeing as long as wee liue in this world wee cannot be Saints but must liue like other men as being alike fraile and full of infirmities To which I answere that euen in this life we must be of the communion of Saints if euer we meane to communicate with them in glory and happinesse and howsoeuer corruption of nature and humane frailties hang vpon vs yet we must not willingly nourish them and cheerfully obey the flesh in the lusts thereof for if we liue after the flesh we shall Rom. 8. 13. dye but we must labour through the Spirit to mortifie the deeds of this body of sinne that we may liue as the Apostle teacheth vs. And although we cannot by reason of the law of the members and the sinne that hangeth vpon vs yeeld vnto the Law that perfect and strict obedience which it requireth for in many things we sinne all yet if euer we would haue any Iam. 3. 2. sound comfort in the gracious promises of the Gospell wee must yeeld vnto God the obedience of sonnes which consisteth in an earnest desire full resolution and diligent indeuour to please our heauenly Father by framing our liues according vnto his will in all things and at all times We must put off as much as in vs lieth the whole old man with all his corrupt Eph. 4. 22 23 24 and deceitfull lusts and being renewed in the spirit of our mindes we must put on the New man which after God is created both in righteousnesse and true holinesse Wee must haue with Dauid respect vnto all Gods Commandements Psal 119. 6 20. and leade our liues both in godlinesse and in honestie For though wee be 1. Tim. 2. 2. neuer so deuoute and zealous in religious duties yet if we doe not ioyne with them the duties of charity and righteousnesse God will reiect vs as being no better then hypocrites according to that of the Prophet I hate Amos 5. 21 22 24. I despise your feast dayes and I will not smell in your solemne assemblies Though yee offer me burnt offerings and
misery and hast pulled vs out of this wretched thraldome working in vs some desires resolutions and indeuours to serue and please thee wee confesse that the reliques of sinne doe still remaine in vs in great strength and howsoeuer the old man and body of sinne haue by thy holy Spirit receiued their deadly wound yet haue they in them such life and strength and are so animated and reuiued with the suggestions of our old aduersary the deuill breathing as it were a new life into them that they doe still much vexe and trouble vs making continuall warre against our soules and oftentimes leading them captiue vnto sinne Much blindnesse and vanitie doe still remaine in our mindes so that we haue but a dimme sight of thee and thy will and wayes Our memories are weake and slippery and like riuen vessels let the precious liquor of the Word of life and grace runne out as soone as it is put into them Our consciences are defiled and impure loaded with the guilt of sinne and yet oftentimes senslesse of their burthen Our iudgements are full of errour and ignorance and very weake in spirituall discerning Our wills peruerse and obstinate in euill and very auerse and awke to good things and doe not incline to the doing of thy will with cheerefulnesse and delight Our hearts remaine still hard and full of carnall security vntractable and inflexible and doe not relent and melt either with thy mercies or iudgements Wee are still assaulted with much doubting and infidelity and our faith is often shaken with dangerous tentations Our repentance is weake and full of wants our sorrow for sinne slight and soone ouer and our resolutions and indeuours to amend subiect to much inconstancie and broken off with euery small impediment There is much poyson of corruption still remayning in our affections which draweth vs from thee when we sell our selues to seeke and serue thee vnto the world and earthly things Wee are still full of carnall selfe-loue and loue of the world which quencheth and cooleth in vs the loue of thee and of spirituall and heauenly things our affiance in thee is weake and after much experience of thy power and sufficiencie goodnesse and truth we can hardly trust thee vnlesse wee haue inferiour meanes and helpes as pawnes in our hands and wee are too too prone to relie vpon the creatures and our owne policies and strength our hopes are faint and wauering one while inclining towards presumption and soone after forsaking vs indanger vs to despaire Wee oftentimes feare men and neglect thee and hazzard thy loue to auoyd their displeasure Our zeale is lukewarme in seeking thy glory and our deuotion cold in holy duties There still remaineth in vs much pride hypocrisie impatiencie vniust anger couetousnesse voluptuousnesse and all other sinnefull lusts which continually fight and striue against the good motions of thy holy Spirit and oftentimes ouercome and quench them And notwithstanding that the flesh and the corrupt lusts thereof doe still remaine so strong in vs yet we acknowledge to our shame that we are carelesse and negligent in fighting against them and in vsing those good meanes whereby we might be enabled to subdue them and to purge our hearts from these carnall corruptions whereof it is that residing in vs in great vigour and strength they disable vs in doing the good wee would and make vs to doe the euill we would not oftentimes wholy hinder vs from the duties of thy seruice and oftentimes so disturbe and distract vs in them that we performe them with much weakenes wearinesse with great dulnesse and deadnesse of heart and spirit and whilest wee are delighted in thy Law in the inner man this Law of our members rebelling against the law of our mindes leadeth vs captiue to the law of sinne O wretched men that we are who shall deliuer vs from the body of this death Gracious God we beseech thee giue vs more and more a liuely sense and feeling of these our wants and imperfections frailties and corruption that we may wholy deny and disclaime our selues and our owne righteousnesse in the worke of our iustification and saluation to the end that we may intirely rest vpon thine infinite mercies and the all-sufficient merits and perfect obedience of Iesus Christ For whose sake we most humbly beseech thee to pardon graciously all our wants and weakenesses couering our imperfections with his most perfect righteousnes washing away all our sinfull corruptions in his most precious blood Yea Lord forgiue and forget for his sake not only our errours and infirmities but also those manifold and grieuous sinnes which we haue committed against thee in the whole course of our liues whether in the dayes of our ignorance or since wee attained the knowledge of thy truth wash them all away in the blood of Christ and heale our soules with that soueraigne salue of sinne which is as sufficient to cure deepe and deadly wounds as small sores and slight scratches Yea Lord not onely remit and forgiue vs all our sinnes but let vs also haue comfort and peace in our consciences in the assurance of our pardon through the infallible testimony of thy holy Spirit and thereby sanctifie vs thorowout that wee may deuote and consecrate both our soules and bodies wholy to thy worship and seruice Mortifie our corrupt flesh with the lusts thereof and let them haue no longer dominion in vs. Yea holy Father not onely lop the branches of our corruptions but pull them vp by the very roote and not onely wound and weaken the Old man and body of sinne but kill and crucifie destroy and abolish it in thy good time that no reliques of it may remaine in vs to disturbe our peace and distract vs in thy seruice Quicken vs with the Spirituall life of grace that being made strong and vigorous wee may couragiously ouercome all lets and difficulties which oppose vs in our Christian course and may performe vnto thee all duties of piety righteousnesse and sobriety all the dayes of our liues with all cheerefulnesse and delight Let thy Spirit dwelling in vs replenish our hearts and soules with all sanctifying and sauing graces Inlighten our mindes with a sound sauing and experimentall knowledge of thee and thy Truth and let vs draw whatsoeuer wee know into vse and practice Take away from vs our naturall doubting and infidelity and worke in vs a true liuely and iustifying faith that wee may apply vnto vs all thy gracious promises made in Christ and rest onely vpon his merits and thy mercies for our iustification and saluation Giue vs hearty and vnfained repentance for our sinnes that wee may not onely bewaile them with godly griefe but also leaue and forsake them and serue thee in holinesse and newnesse of life Confirme our affiance in thee and let vs firmely resolue that though thou shouldest kill vs yet we will still trust in thee Let vs confidently expect the performance of all thy gracious promises
neglect of the duties of thy seruice and our weake imperfect performances when we haue vndertaken them our profanation of thy Sabbaths and abuse of thine holy Ordinances our little profiting by those plentifull meanes of our saluation which for a long time thou hast graciously affoorded vs either for the increasing of sauing knowledge the strengthening of our faith or bringing forth fruits of new obedience our want of faith and feruency of spirit in calling vpon thy Name our want of reuerence and attention in hearing thy Word our many distractions and wandring thoughts our want of care to treasure it vp in our hearts and of conscience to make an holy vse of it in our liues and conuersations By all which and innumerable other sinnes we acknowledge good Lord that we haue iustly deserued to be depriued of all meanes of our saluation and that thou shouldest take away from vs the food of our soules and cause them to perish through Spirituall famine or that thou shouldest turne our meate into poyson and make it to become the sauour of death to our deeper condemnation which in it owne nature is the sauour of life vnto life and thine owne strong power vnto saluation But wee beseech thee good Lord for thy Sonnes sake to be gracious vnto vs in the free pardon of these and all other our sinnes and seeing hee hath fully satisfied thy Iustice by that all-sufficient sacrifice which he hath once offered vpon his Crosse be reconciled vnto vs in him and clense vs thorowly from the guilt and punishment of all our sinnes that they may not be as a wall of separation to stop from vs thy blessings nor as strong chaines to pull downe vpon vs thy iudgements and punishments either in this world or in the world to come And being thus freed from all our sinnes let vs deuote our selues wholly to thy seruice which that we may performe with greater cheerfulnesse and diligence let vs haue the comfortable assurance of this thy mercy in the remission of our sinnes sealed in our hearts by thy good Spirit witnessing vnto vs that we are thy children by adoption and grace And thereby not only seale vs vp vnto the Day of our Redemption but also sanctifie vs throughout in our bodies and soules by the mortification of the flesh and our spirituall quickening in the inner man that wee may in the whole course of our liues serue and please thee But in a more especiall manner we beseech thee good Lord to sanctifie vs that we may sanctifie this thy Sabbath and assist vs by thy grace and holy Spirit that wee may so performe the religious duties of thy seruice as that wee may bee made more holy and inabled vnto the leading of such a Christian life as may bee acceptable in thy sight Take away from vs the corruption of our natures wherby we are made backward and vntoward to the duties of thy seruice and make vs willing to sequester our selues from all worldly affaires that we may wholly be imployed in them Let vs reioyce in thy Sabbaths as being the time of our spirituall refection and the market of our soules and let vs not rest in a formall keeping of them but performe the duties required in them with all care and good conscience not onely in the outward man but with our hearts and soules in spirit and truth Free vs from carnall wearines as thinking the time long till they be past but knowing that time to be best spent which is imployed in thy seruice let vs take most comfort and contentment in it Inable vs good Lord by priuate preparation to fit our selues for thy publike seruice meditating on our wants that we may vse all good meanes whereby they may be supplyed and on our speciall sins corruptions that we may get spiritual strength against them and imploring the assistance of thy good Spirit that we may be inabled thereby to performe in an holy manner all duties which thou requirest Let vs keep an holy Rest vnto thee and abstaine not only from the ordinary workes of our callings and worldly affaires but also from all carnall pleasures and sensual delights Suffer not our thoughts to be taken vp with worldly or wicked cogitations but let our minds bee exercised in spirituall and heauenly meditations Set a watch before our mouthes that we may not on thine holy Day speak our owne words nor vtter any idle vaine worldly or wicked speeches but let our tongues speak to thy praise and be exercised in holy religious conferences tending to the mutuall edification one of another Let vs not content our selues with a meere cessation from our labours but refer this Rest to holinesse as the maine end thereof without which the outward rest is but vaine and with the externall let vs ioyne the internall rest from sin exercising our selues in repentance from dead workes Make vs carefull in vsing all good means which thou hast ordained for the sanctifying of thy Day both publikely and priuately and let vs with one hart and voyce ioyne with the rest of the Congregation in all the parts of thy seruice Inable all thy Ministers in all places and him especially to whose charge thou hast committed vs that they may break vnto vs the Bread of life and rightly diuide thy Word for our spirituall nourishment Furnish them with all gifts and graces necessary for their high calling and let them deliuer thy truth as in thy presence faithfully and powerfully truly and sincerely and so assist them with the inward working of thine holy Spirit that thy Word may be effectual for the conuersion edification and saluation of their hearers Inable vs by the same Spirit to call vpon thee with faith feruency and with all loue and thankfulnes to praise thee for all thy blessings vouchsafed vnto vs. Let vs with all due reuerence attention heare thy Word lay it vp in our harts and memories and bring forth the fruits of it in our liues and conuersations Giue vs grace also O Lord to sanctifie thy Sabbaths priuately by performing by our selues and in our owne families those priuate duties which are specially required on this thy Day Let vs meditate on thy Word after we haue heard it and apply it vnto our selues for our owne vse Let vs meditate on thy maruellous works of Creation Preseruation and Redemption but especially on the death and Resurrection of our Lord and Sauiour that they may be effectuall to mortifie our sins and to quicken vs vnto newnes of life Let vs spend our time in religious exercises and in the works of charity mercy as being those sacrifices wherein thou most delightest but especially in those spirituall duties which tend to the saluation of our owne and others soules taking care not onely to sanctifie thine holy Day our selues but as much as in vs lyeth that it may be sanctified by all those who any wayes belong to our charge Accept of our praise and thanksgiuing
for all thy blessings and benefits both spirituall and temporall which thou hast multiplyed vpon vs and continue them vnto vs this day and euer preseruing vs from all perils and furnishing vs with all necessaries that we may be the fitter with all cheerfulnesse to doe thee seruice And vouchsafe all these blessings which wee haue craued for our selues with all other things which in thy wisdome thou seest needful vnto euery true member of thy Church c. euen for Iesus Christ his sake to whom with thee thine holy Spirit we ascribe all praise and glory power and dominion both now and for euermore Amen A Prayer for the Euening of the Lords Day O Eternall God who art glorious in Maiesty and power and of infinite goodnesse and mercy vnto all those who are reconciled vnto thee in thy Sonne wee thine vnworthy seruants hauing nothing else to returne vnto thee for the innumerable testimonies of thy loue which with a bountifull hand thou hast multiplyed vpon vs doe here offer vnto thee the sacrifice of praise and thanksgiuing for all thy blessings and benefits which either respect our soules or bodies this life or the life to come More especially wee laud and magnifie thy great and glorious Name for that thou hast loued vs from all eternity and of thy meere grace without any respect of our worthinesse hast made vs vessels of grace by thy free election created vs according to thine owne Image redeemed vs out of the hands of all our spirituall enemies by giuing thy dearely beloued Sonne to dye for vs when as we were strangers and enemies for calling vs by thy Word and Spirit to the sauing knowledge and effectuall participation of him and all his benefits for our iustification by his obedience our sanctification by thy Spirit and for that assurance which thou hast giuen vs of a better life in the world to come For all temporall benefits as health wealth peace plenty preseruation from dangers and protection from all our enemies both worldly and spirituall And especially wee praise and glorifie thee for vouchsafing vnto vs in such a gracious manner the meanes of our saluation for our blessed opportunities and liberties with peace and safety in sanctifying thy Sabbaths publikely and priuately by hearing thy Word and calling vpon thy Name and performing other duties of thy seruice that thereby we may glorifie thee and make our owne calling and election sure and for giuing vnto vs hearts wherein by thy Spirit thou hast wrought some poore desires and indeuours to make vse of these thy benefits for the inriching of our soules with all spirituall graces as at other times heretofore so namely this day past O that our soules could be rauished with the sweet apprehension of such inestimable blessings O that we could exceed all others in loue and thankfulnesse as farre as wee exceed them in these high and holy priuiledges and were able to expresse them in our carefull and conscionable indeuours to glorifie and please thee in all things who hast been so gracious and good vnto vs But alas how vnworthy haue we made our selues of the least of these thy benefits by our manifold and grieuous sinnes both our originall corruption which hauing ouer-spred all the powers and parts of our soules and bodies hath vtterly disabled them vnto all duties of thy seruice and our manifold actuall transgressions which in number and waight exceed all things but thy mercies which are aboue all thy workes and the merits and satisfaction of thy Sonne which are of infinite worth and value More especially we humbly acknowledge our fearfull abuse of those great priuiledges and meanes of our saluation which for a long time thou hast graciously granted vnto vs. For not onely haue we in the dayes of our ignorance vtterly neglected all duties of thy seruice spending our whole strength in the miserable slauery of sinne and Satan and prophaned and mis-spent thy Sabbaths in pleasing our carnall lusts and performing the workes of darknesse in greater measure and worse manner then any other dayes besides but euen since wee haue been called to the knowledge of thy truth and haue consecrated our selues to thy seruice wee haue either vpon slight occasions neglected those holy duties of thy publike and priuate worship or performed them with many wants and weaknesses discouering vnto thee who searchest the heart many imperfections and great corruptions For we haue not remembred thy Sabbaths nor with feruent desires longed after thine holy Day We haue not delighted in them nor consecrated them vnto thee as an holy Rest but though the spirit hath been willing yet the flesh hath been weake and soone tyred with spirituall exercises We haue been much defectiue in our zeale and deuotion and haue been too too cold and formall in religious duties and haue not performed them with that care and conscience nor haue serued thee with our hearts and soules in spirit and truth in that degree which thou requirest but externally and with the outward man hauing in the meane while our minds and hearts carried away with many distractions and worldly imaginations Our cogitations haue not bin takē wholly vp with spirituall and heauenly things but we haue suffered them to roue wander after earthly trifles Our tongues haue not in that measure as they ought been exercised in setting forth thy praise nor in such holy and religious conferences as tend to the edification one of another but we haue spoken our own words on thine holy Day and many of our speeches haue been idle and vaine worldly and vnsauoury We haue not as we ought priuately prepared and fitted our selues for thy publike seruice by prayer and meditation by renewing our faith and repentance but haue come into thy glorious presence without due feare and reuerence hauing our hearts clogged and choked with many corruptions which haue disabled them to the duties of thy seruice and haue made them like vnfallowed and vnweeded grounds vnfit to receiue the seed of thy Word We haue not called vpon thy Name with faith and feruency of spirit nor giuen thankes vnto thee for all thy benefits with such cheerfulnes as became vs. We haue not with due reuerence and attention heard thy holy Word nor laid it vp in our memories nor applyed it to our hearts and consciences nor made an holy vse of it by putting it in practice in our liues and conuersations We haue not meditated as we ought on thy Word which we haue heard nor on thy maruellous works of Creation Preseruation Redemption nor diligently read and studied in thy holy Book nor exercised our selues in the works of mercy and Christian charity towards our brethren in that manner and measure which thou requirest especially in those spirituall duties which tend to the mutuall edification of one another In which and many other kinds as we haue often offended heretofore so we cannot excuse our selues of many imperfections and corruptions which wee haue shewed
bodies afresh euen in the Fountaine of Christs precious Blood and in the teares of vnfained sorrow mourning with bitter griefe because wee haue pierced him with our sinnes and caused the Lord of life to bee put vnto a shamefull death Inflame our hearts with most feruent loue towards thee and our neighbours yea euen our enemies for thy sake and lincke our hearts together in an holy Communion as it becommeth the true members of Iesus Christ Let vs also approoue our loue to bee sound and sincere by the fruits of it and especially by forgiuing and forgetting all our wrongs and iniuries as heartily as wee desire to bee forgiuen of thee and by performing all workes of mercy and Christian charity towards all those who neede our helpe not onely by comforting and refreshing their bodies but also by performing all Christian duties for the eternall saluation of their soules And being thus prepared let vs when we come to thy Table performe that dutie of thy seruice in some good and acceptable manner with all reuerence faith and inward feruencie and deuotion Let vs with the outward signes receiue the things signified Iesus Christ and all his benefits that being more and more vnited vnto him we may receiue from him the Spirituall life of Grace and those holy vertues of his diuine nature that we may grow vp in him vnto a perfect man Let vs bring with vs the hand and mouth of faith and let it be more and more strengthened in the assurance of all thy gracious promises by these seales of thy couenant communicated vnto vs. Make vs partakers of Christs merits by imputation of his nature and essence by coniunction and of his power and efficacy by thy holy Spirit and let vs shew his death till he come gratefully remembring this great worke of our Redemption by his bloud that we may be thankfull and prayse thee the blessed Trinity in vnity all the dayes of our liues Finally as we doe by these meanes professe our selues thy seruants in taking vpon vs thy liuery and cognizance so giue vs grace that we may constantly striue and indeuour to walke worthy this high calling and to glorifie thee in the duties of holinesse and righteousnesse whilest we haue any breath or beeing Heare vs and helpe vs O God of our saluation and answer vs graciusly in these our suits and petitions for Iesus Christ his sake to whom with thee and thine holy Spirit be rendred of vs and thy whole Church all glory and prayse power and dominion both now and euermore Amen A thankesgiuing after the receiuing of the Sacrament of the Lords Supper O Lord our God most glorious and most gracious infinite in bountie and goodnesse vnto all thy children and seruants in Iesus Christ we doe here offer vnto thee the sacrifice of prayse and thankesgiuing and doe laud and magnifie thy great and glorious Name for all thy mercies and fauours vouchsafed vnto vs especially because thou hast loued vs with an euerlasting loue yea so loued vs that thou hast of thy meere grace and free good will euen when we were strangers and enemies giuen vnto vs thy Best-beloued and onely Sonne to worke the great worke of our Redemption and by his death and precious blood-shed to deliuer vs out of the hands of all our spirituall enemies and to free vs from euerlasting death and condemnation that we might be heires through him of eternall glory and happinesse in thy Kingdome We prayse thee also for the free couenant of grace and saluation which thou hast made with vs in him whereby thou hast assured vs of the remission of our sinnes our reconciliation with thee and of endlesse happinesse in the life to come and for confirming this couenant vnto vs by annexing thereunto the seales thy Sacraments that thereby our weake faith might be strengthened and increased and wee more and more freed from doubting and incredulity We thanke thee holy Father for renewing this thy couenant with vs this day and for confirming our vnion with Iesus Christ our head and one with another by giuing vnto vs his precious body and blood as the Spirituall food of our soules whereby they are nourished vnto euerlasting life O Lord our God it is thy great mercie that thou nourishest our mortall bodies with food that perisheth but how wonderfull is this thy bounty and goodnesse in that thou feedest our soules with this bread of Life that came downe from heauen and with this food that endureth to life eternall If thou shouldest permit vs but to gather vp the crummes that fall from thy Table we must needes acknowledge that it were a fauour farre aboue our deserts O then how should wee admire and magnifie thy mercie and bountie in vouchsafing such vile and vnworthy wretches this high and holy priuiledge to be feasted at thine owne Table not with ordinary cheare but with such spirituall and diuine delicacies euen the precious body and blood of thine onely deare Sonne whereby he becommeth one with vs and we with him euen as thou holy Father and he are one in that holy and happie vnion O that our narrow hearts were inlarged that we might in some measure apprehend this thine infinite and incomprehensible goodnesse O that being cold in themselues they were warmed and inflamed with the fire and flame of this diuine loue that with the liuely sense and feeling of it wee might be mooued to returne loue for loue and expresse it by our feruent zeale and indeuour in all things to please and glorifie thee throughout the whole course of our liues and conuersations Which because it is not in our owne power O thou the rich fountaine of all grace and goodnesse inspire and inflame our cold and frozen hearts with the beames of thy loue shed abroad in them by thine holy Spirit that we may loue thee with vnfained loue and contemning all things in comparison of thee may long and labour after nothing so much as to enioy thee in this life by grace and the presence of thy blessed Spirit and by full and perfect vision and fruition in the life to come To this end gracious God blesse vnto vs thine holy Ordinances and meanes of our saluation and by the inward assistance of thy good Spirit make them powerfull and effectuall to the attayning of those ends for which thou hast giuen and wee receiued them Let vs finde hereby our vnion with Christ strengthened and confirmed by feeling the Spirituall life and sap of grace deriued vnto vs and increased in vs from this roote of righteousnesse not onely for our further assurance of our iustification but also for the perfecting of our sanctification and the strengthening of vs vnto all Christian duties of a godly life Let vs by this Spirituall food of our soules finde our selues nourished and inriched with all sauing graces especially let vs feele our weake faith confirmed and increased that wee may without wauering be perswaded of all thy gracious promises made
vpon Gods power and all-sufficiency goodnesse promises and prouidence they begin to depend vpon their owne strength and to put confidence in their owne graces and gifts as though they were sufficient to preserue them in all good and defend them from all euill And hereupon they grow secure presuming that they haue a staffe of strength in their owne hands which is able to support them from falling into sinne to beate backe the violence of any tentation to protect them against all enemies and so to assist them in all their good indeauours that they shall be able to hold out without faynting in the wayes of Righteousnesse which moueth the Lord oftentimes to withdraw his grace and assistance from them to leade them into tentation and giue them ouer to their owne strength the which fayling them when they most relye vpon it so as they fearefully fall into grieuous sinnes they learne by lamentable experience to giue all glorie vnto God by whose strength alone they stand and in all humilitie to acknowledge their owne frailtie to cast away all-selfe-confidence and presumption of their owne strength and to build their securitie on a surer foundation euen Gods power promises and prouidence which will neuer fayle Austine speaketh well to this purpose God saith he sometime taketh Deserit aliquando Deus vnde superbis vt scias non tuum sed eius esse discas superbus non esse De Natur. Grat. cap. 28 c. 7. c. 743. from thee that whereof thou art proud that so knowing that it is not thine but his thou mayest learne not to bee lifted vp with pride An example whereof we haue in the Apostle Peter who through spirituall pride ouer-weening his owne abilities and resting securely vpon the strength of his owne courage and resolution and on the great measure of his loue towards his Master vowed that he would neuer forsake him but would adhere vnto him in all dangers Yea so confident and presumptuous was he that when our Sauiour who better Matth. 26. 33. knew him then he himselfe fore-told his fearefull fall he contradicted Truth it selfe and would not from his Mouth take notice of his frailtie and infirmitie vntill he had found and felt it by his owne experience CHAP. V. Of the differences betweene the carnall securitie of the Vnregenerate and the Regenerate §. 1 That the carnall securitie of the vnregenerate and regenerate are in many things alike WE haue shewed diuers kinds of carnall securitie as they are distinguished by their diuers Subiects and Degrees Now because those who are possessed with these diuers kinds are apt to mistake the one for the other the Regenerate being ready especially in the time of tentation to make their state worse and the Vnregenerate better then it is It is necessary in the next place that we set downe the differences whereby the one may be knowne from the other for the comfort of the godly and humiliation of such as are lifted vp in their owne conceits The which I confesse is a thing hard to doe if we consider the securitie of the Faithfull as it is in them in the highest degree and that which is in the Vnregenerate somewhat abated and weakned with the accusations of conscience and the common motions of Gods restrayning Spirit stirred vp in them at sometimes by the ministerie of the Word and afflictions especially if in this case we iudge according to present sense and feeling For they are for the time both alike destitute of the operations of the spirituall Life of grace and so both alike dead in outward appearance Both alike without the vertue and vigour of the sauing Knowledge Remembrance and consideration of those sauing Attributes which worke in our hearts the true feare of God both taken vp alike with selfe-confidence and drunken with worldly prosperitie Both vsually sinning and abusing Gods Patience and Mercy vnto presumption and deferring of repentance and both alike neglecting yea loathing the meanes of saluation Both neglecting to apply by Faith or misse-applying the Word which they heare preached vnto them and delighting rather in a flattering Ministerie which will soothe them then in a faithfull Ministerie which will reproue and checke them in their euill courses Both abusing as well the Mercies as the Iudgements of God and neither profiting by his benefits nor corrections Both alike negligent in the seruice of God and in obseruing his Commandements or in formalitie and outward shew only Finally both alike senselesse and without all feeling of their miserable estate and so without any desire or indeauour to come out of it because they thinke themselues well and that they haue need of nothing as wee see in the example of the Angell of the Church of Laodicea and of Sardis who had a name that she liued but was dead that is in Apoc. 3. 1 2. 17 18. a deadly swound as appeareth in the Epistle sent by Christ vnto him §. 2 Of the differēces between the carnall securitie of the vnregenerate and that which is in the regenerate in the highest degree But yet howsoeuer in many things they agree notwithstanding in some things they differ For the securitie of a Christian though in the highest degree springeth from the flesh as it is in part mortified and so together with it hath receiued a deadly wound by the Spirit of God of which it shall neuer recouer although like a Man mortally wounded it may for a while performe some actions in as great strength as when it was in perfect health and vigour and like a Candle giue as great a blaze when it is ready to goe out as euer it did before but the securitie of a Worldling is a fruit of the Flesh in its full vigour and as it were the child of his strength and therefore like the Father vigorous and long liued and daily increasing and growing in force and might as it increaseth in age The securitie of a Christian is the fruit of his worst part euen of the old Man and part vnregenerate and so like an old mans child decrepit with age hauing almost quite spent his naturall heate and moysture it is weaker in his constitution and shorter of life though for a while it may seeme in all things to match a child gotten in maturitie of age and full strength but the securitie of a Worldling is the fruit of the whole Man and in his full vigour without any abatement That like Esau is but a Twin in the wound resisted by one that is stronger then he and will preuayle and howsoeuer it hath the prioritie of Birth and Age and for a time may seeme stronger and to carry all before it with force and violence yet it is matched and resisted by the true feare of God which like Iacob in wrastling with it will preuayle and in the end supplant it and get the vpper hand In the Christian euen in the height of his securitie there is the roote of Gods feare
giueth life and vigour to that which bred it Euen as wee see in some Herbs and Flowers the Roote giueth life to the Leaues and Branches which spring from it and they being growne the Roote againe liueth in them and dyeth when they are plucked from it As for example contempt of Gods Word causeth Securitie and Securitie being entred into the heart causeth the Word to be the more contemned §. 2 The first signe of carnall securitie is ignorance of God and his Attributes The first signe then of carnall securitie is when men are grosly ignorant either through blindnesse of nature or affectation So that we may vndoubtedly conclude that if Ignorance be seated in the head Securitie holdeth his residence in the heart For were they not secure they could not content themselues to liue in this damnable estate quite destitute of all sauing Grace or sound assurance and hope of eternall saluation but would vse all meanes to come out of it and to attayne vnto the sauing knowledge of God and his will Againe of contraries there is the same reason But the true feare of God is caused by sauing Knowledge and this Knowledge is an infallible signe of Gods feare Yea these are mutuall causes one of another for Knowledge is the cause why we feare God and the feare of God is as the Pro. 1. 7. wise Man saith the beginning of Knowledge Whereof it is that Psal 111. 10. the Law of God is called the feare of God because this feare is wrought Psal 19. 9. in vs by the knowledge of it So Moses is commanded to gather the Deut. 31. 12. 4. 10. people together that they may heare and learne the feare of the Lord their God As therefore the light of sauing Knowledge discouereth the habitation of Gods true feare so the fogs of Ignorance which blind the mind plainly shew to them who haue spirituall discerning that carnall securitie lodgeth in that heart Neither is there any meanes to be freed from that securitie which is naturally borne and bred with vs till we know and acknowledge our manifold sinnes whereby we haue grieuously transgressed Gods Law and made our selues subiect to the curse thereof as also the Iustice Power and Truth of God whereby he is both able willing and resolued to punish them who continue in their sinnes without repentance §. 3 The second signe is when wee are forgetfull of God and his Attributes The second signe of carnall securitie is forgetfulnesse of God and his Attributes when as we seldome or neuer remember or thinke of his Omnipresence and all-seeing Wisdome beholding vs at all times and in all our actions his Iustice and hatred of sinne and those that liue in it his Mercy Goodnesse and loue of Holinesse and Righteousnesse extended to those that feare and serue him or finally of the last Iudgement when as we must giue a strict account of all which we haue done in the flesh before a iust and vnpartiall Iudge which will not let Vertue goe vnrewarded nor Sinne vnpunished For as we would thinke that Malefactor most secure and retchlesse who being liable to the Law guiltie of haynous crimes and bound ouer to giue an account of all his offences the next Assizes before an vpright Iudge should spend his time in drinking and reuelling pleasure and delight and neuer thinke of the day of his Arraignment nor how he may so answere for himselfe that he may escape the sentence of death or procure his Pardon so much more is he to be thought not onely asleepe but euen starke dead in his securitie who neuer calleth to mind either his owne sinnes or Gods Iustice and righteous Iudgements or those eternall Punishments vnto which he is liable and shall neuer escape if in this life he hath not procured his Pardon by Faith in Christ and bringing forth the fruits of it in vnfayned repentance §. 4 The third signe Pride and self-Confidence The third signe is Pride and selfe-Confidence For as the true feare of God and Humilitie are alwayes ioyned together and are mutuall causes one of another so that the more humble we are the more we feare God and the more that we feare him the more we humble our selues in his sight because they both proceed from the same Roote and are streames of the same Fountayne namely the sauing Knowledge of Gods Wisedome Power Iustice Goodnesse Truth and our owne vilenesse and vnworthinesse So Securitie and Pride accompanie one another neither could we euer be secure if Pride did not possesse our hearts making vs to ouer-weene our gifts and to thinke our estate better then it is Neither could we euer be lifted vp with pride if Securitie did not shut our eyes and stupifie our senses so as we cannot see or discerne how little cause we haue of being exalted and how great and manifold of deiection and humiliation So confidence in our selues as in our owne wisedome strength merits and worthinesse is a notable signe of carnall securitie euen as diffidence in our selues and affiance in God is a sure signe of his feare and therefore they are ioyned by the Psalmist Ye that feare the Lord trust in the Psal 115. 11. Lord. For who would not thinke him most deeply secure who being assaulted by a mightie Enemie armed at all points should trust in a Reede and paper Buckler presuming that they are sufficient not onely for defence but also obtayning victorie especially if at the same time he should refuse Armor of proofe and approued weapons being offered vnto him But such and farre greater is their securitie who being to fight against not onely worldly Enemies but spirituall euen the wrath of God the curse of the Law and the tentations of the Deuill trust in the bruised Reede of their wisedome and strength and in the paper Buckler of their owne works and worthinesse refusing in the meane time the sure defence of Gods wisedome power and gracious assistance and the all-sufficient Shield of his free Grace and Mercy and Merits and Obedience of Iesus Christ §. 5 The fourth signe abuse of prosperitie The fourth signe is when being in worldly prosperitie we abuse it to pride and carnall presumption saying with the Wicked Wee shall Psal 10. 6. neuer be moued nor euer see aduersitie For what greater securitie then to presume of standing in such slippery places in which we haue seene so many fall before vs to thinke that we can keepe the Sea in one setled course whose nature is to ebbe and flow to keepe the Moone constant and alwayes at the full whose nature is to change encrease and wane or to thinke that we shall haue for a long time firme fruition of these earthly vanities when as both they and we are so mutable and momentanie as that euery day we are in danger to be taken from them or they from vs what greater securitie then to be proud of a flitting shadow and to presume of our safetie which
Now what can argue greater securitie then through our want of consideration to mistake our repentance as a thing being in our owne power and therefore at our command whensoeuer wee call for it whereas it is the free gift of God and therefore to be receiued with all care and diligence whilest the acceptable Time and Day of saluation lasteth wherein the Lord graciously offereth this gift vnto vs What can more conuince vs that our hearts are in this dead sleepe then caresly to put off a thing of such importance as our repentance is which concerneth vs no lesse then our eternall Saluation or Damnation vnto after-times which are most vncertayne we hauing no assurance no not so much as of one minute What sheweth more euidently our carelesse retchlesnesse then Luk. 17. with the old World and the filthy Sodomites to liue impenitently in our sinnes Eating and Drinking Buying and Selling Building and Planting till wee bee swept away with the Deluge of Gods Iudgements and be consumed with his inflamed Wrath. Or with Belshazzar Dan. 5. to feast and carowze till the Finger vpon the Wall writ downe the sentence of our condemnation Finally if securitie did not besot vs how could we be so be-fooled as to conceiue that we may more fitly and conueniently repent long hereafter then at the present when we haue by abusing Gods patience incensed his wrath and moued him to withdraw his gifts and graces When wee haue hardned our hearts with customable finning so as neither Gods Word nor Works Mercies nor Iudgements can pierce into them When as we are distracted with infirmities of body and cares of mind sense of present euills and feare of worse How could we be perswaded to imagine that wee shall more easily make vp our reckonings betweene God and vs when they are growne so great as they are sufficient to fill Zacharies large roll then when they are in Day-bookes and short Zach. 5. 2. Scrowles that we can better come out of Satans bondage when he hath long held vs in his captiuitie and worne vs out and lamed vs with his gyues and fetters of sinne then when wee are first come into his thraldome Or that we can pull vp sinne when by time and continuance it is like an growne Tree rooted in vs then when it was newly planted and as it were in the tender twigs if our hearts were not hardned and the eyes of our vnderstanding quite blinded with this carnall securitie §. 8 The fourth signe is hypocrisie The fourth signe is Hypocrisie when as we make outward shew of holinesse and nourish corruption in our hearts tipping our tongues with a golden and glorious profession and angling for prayse and commendations by presenting vnto the sight of men some seeming good actions that wee may more cunningly hide and disguise our secret sinnes For as sinceritie and Gods feare accompanie one another according to that of the wise Man He that walketh in his vprightnesse Pro. 14. 2. feareth the Lord as wee see in the example of Iob who is said to haue Iob 1. 1. beene a man perfect and vpright and the cause thereof is rendred because he was one that feared the Lord So Securitie and Hypocrisie are neuer seuered but as the Cause and Effect goe still together For if we were not blinded with securitie we could neuer be so foolish as to imagine that we may please God with outward shewes that being a Spirit he will be content with outward and bodily seruice that he can be satisfied with the seruice of the outward Man and that in the Church onely and when we are in good and religious Companie and let the Deuill and the World haue the heart at all times and the whole Man in places secret and vnseene How could we hope to be out of danger when wee are in the darke and doing the works of darknesse seeing Night and Day are to God alike and his piercing eye searcheth and seeth euen the hidden secrets of the heart and reynes if our carnall securitie did not make vs beleeue that as wee regard not God but haue remoued him farre from our thoughts so hee as little respecteth and thinketh of vs. Like the foolish Lapwing who hauing hidden his head becommeth secure thinking that hee is no more seene then hee himselfe seeth others §. 9 The fift signe is to feare Man more then God The fift signe is when we feare Men more then God being more carefull to please and more loath to displease them then his Maiestie Matth. 10. 28. Exod. 1. 17 18. Heb. 11. 23. Dan. 3. and 6. For as the true feare of God maketh vs to neglect men in comparison of him according to the commandement of our Sauiour Feare not them that kill the body c. and the example of the good Midwiues and the Parents of Moses who feared God more then Pharaoh of Daniel and the three Children who regarded not the Kings Edict either commanding Idolatrie or forbidding Gods true worship and the Apostles who professed that they feared God more then Act. 5. Men So it is the nature of carnall securitie to make vs feare and respect men because their rewards and punishments like vnto it selfe are carnall worldly present and subiect to the senses and to neglect God though his be vnspeakable and euerlasting because being future and for the time to come and as yet not to be seene or felt we neuer consider nor thinke of them Herein much like vnto foolish children who feare more the Schole-master threatning to whip them because of the present smart then the deserued threats of their iust Father though they concerne them no lesse then their reiection out of his fauour for the present and dis-inheriting from their patrimonie in time to come §. 10 The sixt signe immoderate feare in time of danger The sixt signe of carnall securitie is immoderate feare in time of danger For it is an ordinarie thing with Vices when they are a little checked and crossed to turne into their contrarie extremes As of presumption into despaire prophane mirth into deepe melancholy insolent pride into most abiect basenesse as wee see in the example of Benhadad who being exalted in the opinion of his vnresistable forces 1. King 20. 3. 10. 32. gloriously boasteth that the King of Israells siluer and gold wiues and children were alreadie his before the battaile because the dust of Samaria could not suffice for handfulls for all the people that followed him but being put to the worse in the battaile hee becommeth cowardly base sending his seruants with halters about their necks to acknowledge his seruice and to beg for life And thus it fareth with carnall securitie which in the time of prosperitie and safetie is bold and confident but when danger approcheth entertayneth all feares and is presently daunted and dismayed with the shaking of a leafe As wee see in the example of the Apostle Peter who was most confident and
lose our best oportunities by ouer-sleeping our selues in carnall securitie if wee bee not rowzed vp and awakned with the admonitions exhortations and necessarie reproofes of our faithfull friends Those that are falling into a Lethargie being vnable to refrayne sleeping doe thinke themselues beholding after their recouerie to such about them as by their pricking and nipping them haue kept them waking though it may bee for the present it was a thanklesse office being so distastefull to their humour and appetite but we are prone to fall into this spirituall Lethargie of carnall securitie which is more dangerous and pernicious then ten thousand bodily deathes and therefore by so much more are wee to esteeme the kind office of such a faithfull friend who by the nips and pricks of admonitions and reproofes doth keepe vs from falling or continuing in this sleepe of death When our bodily sores begin to fester at the bottome and to breed dead flesh and when our bodies abound with hurtfull humours we not onely voluntarily send for the Chyrurgeon and Physician but thanke and reward them though to our smart and payne they vse to cure vs corrasiues and strong potions And shall we not be as carefull for the recouerie of our soules and as thankfull to those who vse these good meanes to effect the cure although they bee distastefull yea painfull and lothsome to our carnall sense and appetite But it is not enough that we highly esteeme those Christian duties for our spirituall good if our friends bee not also willing to performe them Now to an ingenuous nature it is in this cure as painfull and vnpleasant to bee the Physician as the Patient to admonish and reprooue our friends as to heare them admonishing and reproouing vs because it sauoureth of needlesse curiositie and censorious businesse And therefore it is necessarie for vs to vse all good meanes to moue one another to the performance of this dutie And this wee shall doe if wee performe it mutually as there is need on either side and watch ouer one another by turnes either partie being readie to awaken the other when hee seeth him falling into this deadly sleepe For this libertie of loue being vsed on both sides will make both more willing both to speake and heare prouided that it bee not by way of regeration and by retorting the admonition at the same time which sauoureth of some spleene and argueth a willingnesse to requite and a kind of impatiencie to be in debt or by our faultinesse to be obnoxious vnto our friend vnlesse he be as deeply engaged vnto vs. And secondly if our friend bee mistaken in vs and we are able to excuse and defend our innocency by a iust apologie yet this must bee done so as it may not giue any distaste or discouragement vnto him in performing the like dutie another time not by harsh contestations but with great mildnesse and loue thanking him much for his care in the generall although it causeth an errour in this particular And to this end let vs remember that it was an error of loue which as it is not suspicious and hideth a multitude of sinnes that they may not bee discouered to our hurt and shame so it is sometimes iealous when it commeth to play the part of the Chyrurgeon and whilest it searcheth our sores to the bottome it may at vnawares goe somewhat too deepe and touch the quicke fearing to leaue any of the dead flesh or core behind §. 6 The sixt remedie is to visite those who are in affliction The sixt meanes is often to visite those who are afflicted either outwardly in bodie and estate or inwardly in mind as those who are ruined in their estates or haue lost their neerest and needfull friends vpon whom they chiefly depended or lie groning vpon the bed of sicknesse or being afflicted and troubled in conscience in the sight and sense of their sinnes doe pitifully complaine of their wretched and disconsolate condition The which we are principally to doe in the time of our health wealth and prosperitie when as we are most apt to forget God and our selues and so to be ouertaken of carnall securitie For we may vse such distressed soules as glasses to represent vnto vs our owne condition and as liuely pictures in which we may see resembled our owne frailtie and mortalitie They may serue vnto vs as visible Lectures teaching and calling to our remembrance both our owne sinnes whereby we haue deserued the like or greater punishments the iustice of God in his righteous iudgements and our owne danger in respect of both to be attached with the like or more grieuous afflictions if we doe not make vse of these examples in others and by waxing wiser by their harmes doe not preuent them from falling on vs by turning from our sinnes by vnfained repentance And as it is profitable for young Gallants that are giuen to wastfulnesse to looke vpon such Vnthrifts as themselues not in their ruffe and riot when they are adored by Parasites and seeme to carry the world with them in a string for that will but make them the more secure in their wastfull courses but when hauing spent all they haue lost all their credit and esteeme with their wealth are forsaken of all their friends censured for their prodigalitie euen by those who for the time that the streames thereof did flow did quench their thirst and supplied their wants by sucking from them finally cast into prison without hope of deliuerie and not able to supplie themselues with the ordinarie necessaries of food and apparell seeing in them they may easily learne what will be the end of their iourny if they hold on in the way of their excesse and prodigalitie So is it behoofefull for those who flourishing in worldly prosperitie are readie to fall into the slumber of carnall securitie to acquaint themselues with such pitifull obiects not onely that they may hereby be put in mind of the bountie of God towards them who haue receiued though not deserued better then these in affliction and so may be mooued to be more thankfull vnto him and more cheerfull in his seruice being encouraged with the present pay of more liberall wages but also considering that they are alike fraile and all worldly things momentanie and mutable they may not sleepe in securitie but prepare themselues against the day of triall and tentation In which regard the Wise-man sayth that it is Eccles 7. 2. better to goe into the house of mourning then the house of feasting because that is the end of all men and the liuing will lay it to his heart namely not onely to be mooued hereby to a worke of mercie in mourning with those that mourne and partaking with them in some of their griefe that it may be easier when as wee beare a part of their burthen euen as wee communicate vnto them some comfort and refreshing but also that vsing them wisely as examples whereby we may be