their fault but never with bitternes in rating and reviling them by tearmes of disdaine and base contempt There should bee alwayes more strength of reason in your words to convince them of their sinne and to make them see their danger and to know how to be reformed then heat of anger in uttering your owne displeasure 1 If admonitions and words will reclaime them then proceed not to corrections and blowes but if they regard not your reproofes then according to the nature of the fault and condition of the person and the limits of your authoritie you must in mercie to their soule give them sufficient but not excessive punishment 10 When you have done thus and have waited a convenient time for their amendment but finde none then when they declare themselves to bee rebellious you must crave the helpe of higher authority That you may governe according to these directions Consider well and oft first that those whom you governe are such whom you must not oppresse neither may you rule over them with rigour because they now are or may be heires of the same grace together with you Secondly Remember oft that you have a Superiour in heaven that you are his servant and deputie governing under him that all your authority is from him and that all you doe in governing must be for him and how at last a time will come when you must give account to him of your Government As you are under Authoritie 1 You must honour and reverence all whom God hath set over you 2 You must obey them in all such their lawfull commands as are within the compasse of their Authoritie and commission and that with fidelitie and singlenesse of heart for the Lords sake 3 You must submit to their reproofes corrections and just restraints with patience without murmuring muttering and answering againe or resisting For if you doe not submit to the powers that be ordained of God or if you resist them you rebell against God and doe resist the ordinance of God which who so doth shall receive to himselfe damnation But if you not onely for wrath but chiefly for Conscience to God doe submit your selves to every ordinance of man doing therein the will of God from the heart then whether men requite you or not you shall be sure of the Lord to receive the reward of inheritance for thus obeying men you serve the Lord Christ SECTION 3. Touching Repasts and Recreations THe constitution of mans soule and body is such that they cannot long endure to bee imployed and stand bent with earnestnesse upon any thing wherefore refreshing is needful First the whole man is refreshed by eating and drinking In which you must be first holy secondly iust thirdly temperate 1. It was their sin which fed themselves without all feare of God Meats and drinkes are not good to a man if he be not pure and holy and if they be not received with prayer and thankesgiving 2. You must not eat bread of deceit or ill gotten food every man must eat his owne bread God would have no man to eat the bread of wickednesse nor yet drinke the wine of violence 3. Moreover you must not eat for gluttony and drunkennesse to please the pallate and to glut the appetite but for health and strength 2. A man when he is wearie may bee refreshed likewise by varietie and interchange of the duties of his particular and generall calling And the best Recreation to a spiritual mind when it is wearie of worldly imployments is to walke into Christs garden and there by reading and meditating singing of Psalmes and holy conference you may solace your selfe with the sweet comforts of the holy Spirit and may worke your heart to joy in God even to ioy in the holy Ghost and to a delight in the Commandements and Word of God This is the most profitable most ravishing and most lasting delight of all other Now by as much as the soule is of a better and of a more heavenly constitution by so much it more contenteth and satisfieth it selfe in these delights Yet sith Sports even bodily and naturall delights are part of our Christian libertie therefore taking heed that you abuse not your libertie you may when you have need recreate your selfe with them Now that you may sport as in Gods sight follow these directions 1. The matter of your sports must bee of a common nature and of things of indifferent use Things holy are too good and things vicious are too bad to be sported or played with 2. Sports must bee seasonable for time Not on the Sabbath day in which time God forbiddeth all men to seeke their owne pleasures Ordinarily sports must be used not before but after the body or mind hath beene throughly imployed in honest businesse Not over-long to the expence and losse of your precious time which you should study to redeâ—me not to passe away 3. Sports must alwayes bee kept within the lists of Charity both to your selfe and to your neighbour If your sports doe impeach or hazzard your owne or your neighbours name life estate or comfortable living your sport is unlawfull 4. Although Sports may bee used yet they must not be loved or used immoderately to fill your selfe with earthly delights looking at no further or higher end For as he that eateth and drinketh that hee may enlarge his appetite that he may yet eate and drinke so he that sporteth that he may sport is brutish and sensuall It is very Epicurisme God hath threatned that he that loveth sports shall be a poore man and he that loveth wine and oyle shall not be rich 5. Whatsoever your sport be you must so recreate the outward man that you be no way worse but rather better in the inward man For God hath set such a blessed order in all lawfull things that the meanest being lawfully used shall not hinder but further the best things 6. In all sports you must propound the right end the next and immediate end is to revive your weary body and to quicken your dull minde but your furthest and principall end is that with this your refreshed body and quickned spirit you may the better serve and glorifie God For whether you eate or drinke or whatsoever you doe else let all be done to the glory of God saith the Apostle Thus much shall serve for direction how you should walke with God upon any of the sixe dayes except there be speciall cause of setting a day apart for holy use as for fasting and prayer CHAP. V. Of Religious Fasting SECTION 1. I Forbeare to write of the many kinds of Fasts and of keeping Wednesday Friday and Lent Fasts Onely thus much It is evident both by the profession and practise of our Church and State in England that with us they are held to be
Civill observed for the good of the Common-weale For choise hath beene oft made of Wednesdayes and Fridayes both in and out of Lent for to be kept for Religious Fasts which needed not to haue been if the Fasts kept before upon those daies had beene judged to be Religious Yet they have their lawfull use so farre forth as they conduce to their civill end and are freed from Popish abuse and superstition And I doe advise you and all good Subjects according as it will stand with your health for to observe them The Fast which I mentioned in the end of the former Chapt. of which I am to treat in this is a Religious Fast Which is A sanctifying a day to the Lord by a willing abstinence from me atâ— and drinke and from delights worldly labours that the whole man may be more thorowly humbled before God and more feruent in prayer This Fast hath two parts the one outward the chastening the body the other inward the afflicting of the soule under which are contained all those Religious acts which concerne the setting of the hart straight to Godward and the seeking helpe of God for those things for which the Fast is intended Take Fasting strictly for bodily abstinence so it is an indifferent thing and is no part of Gods worship But take it as it is joyned with the inward part and is referred to a religious end being a profession of an extraordinary humiliation and a great furtherance to a mans spirituall reasonable service of God giving a stronger and speedier wing to prayer which must alwaies goe with it so it is more then an ordinary worship It hath the name from the outward part it being most sensible But hath its excellency and efficacy from the inward it being that for which the outward is observed It is called Publicke when a whole State or when any one publike Congregation doth fast Private when one alone one family or some few together do fast God commanded a set Fast to be observed yearely of the Iewes By which they forbearing onely the Sacrifices and publike Solemnities did learn to keepe the private according as they had cause Publike and private haue their warrant from the new Testament as well as from the Old Which sheweth that religious Fasts were not peculiar to the Iewes but are a Christian dutie belonging to all fitly qualified for them In the times of the government of Iudges and Kings before the Captivitie and of the Rulers of the Iewes after the Captiuitie we have manifold examples of private Fasts and examples commandement for publike Our Lord and Saviour said that his Disciples after his departure from them should fast giveth direction unto all touching priuate fasts The Apostle speaketh of the husbands and wiues abstaining from the marriage bed that they might giue themselvs to fasting and prayer And wee haue the practise of the Apostles againe and again for publike fasts All which prove fasting to be a Christian duty The case of a mans selfe of others yea of the Church and Common-wealth may be such that ordinary humiliation and prayer will not suffice For as there were some Divels that could not be cast out but by fasting and prayer so it may be that such hardnesse of heart may be grown upon a man or some sinfull lusts â—ay have gotten so much streÌ„gth â—at they will not be subdued â—ome evils private and publike â—hich cannot be prevented or â—â—moved some speciall graces â—â—d blessings which shall not be â—â—tained or continued but by â—â—e most importunate seeking of â—od by Fasting and Prayer Fasting is contrary to that fulâ—…sse of bread which maketh â—…th body and soule more prone â—…vice and indisposed to religiâ—…s duties through drowsinesse â—…head heavinesse of heart dulâ—…sse and deadnesse of spirit â—…ow these being removed and â—…e pamprednesse and pride of 〈…〉 flesh taken down by fasting 〈…〉 body will be brought into â—…jection to the soule and both â—…dy and soule to the will of â—…d more readily then otherâ—…e they would be A day of Fast is a great furâ—…rance to the soule for the better performing of holy duties such as Meditation Reading and Hearing the Word Prayer Examining Iudging and Reforming a mans selfe both because his spirits are better disposed when he is fasting to serious and sad devotion by reason of so large a time wherein the minde is taken wholly off froÌ„ the thoughts cares and pleasures of this life he may be more intent more wholly taken vp in seeking of God Fasting is an open profession of guiltinesse before God and an expression of sorrow and humiliation it being a reall acknowledgement of mans unworthinesse even of the common necessaries of this present life But it is not enough that the body be chastned if that the souls be not withall afflicted because 1 it is else but a meere bodily exercise which profiteth little nay it is but an by pocriticall fast abhorred condemned of God frustrating a chiefe end of the outward fast which is that the soule may be afflicted Afflicting the soule worketh Repentance another chiefe end and companion of Fasting For godly sorrow causeth repentance never to be repented of When the soule is afflicted and heavie laden with sinne then a man will readily and earnestly seeke after God even as the sick will to the Physitian for Physicke and as a condemned man to the King for a Pardon In their affliction saith God they will seeke me diligently If this be true of the outward then much more of inward affliction The afflicted soule is a fit obiect of Gods mercy to him doth God looke that is poore and of a contrite spirit that trembleth at his word yea the bowels of his fatherly compassion are troubled for him that is troubled and ashamed for his sin Moreover upon a day of humiliation if a man deale sincerely this affliction of his soule driveth him quite out of himselfe to seeke helpe of God in Christ and maketh him endevour to bring his soule into such good frame that hee may truely say that he doth noâ— regard iniquity in his heart and haâ— his unfained purpose is and endevour shall be to keep a good â—onscience toward God and man 〈…〉 Whence followeth boldnesse and assurance that God will be found of him and that in Gods owne time and in the best manner he shall have all his holy desires fulfilled All whom lawfull Authority enjoyneth are to keepe a publik Fast so farre as health will permit These onely may keepe a private Fast Such as are of understanding els how can they search out their wayes judge theÌ„selves or pray In publike Fasts if Authoritie thinke fit little children may be caused to fast that the Parents and others of understanding may as by objects of misery be stirred up to a
THE CHRISTIANS DAILY WALKE in holy SECVRITIE and PEACE Being an Answer to these Questions 1. How a man may doe each present dayes work with Christian Chearefulnesse 2. How to beare each present dayes crosse with Christian Patience Containing familiar Directions Shewing 1. How to walke with God in the whole course of a mans life 2. How to be upright in the said walking 3. How to live without taking care or thought any thing 4. How to get and keepe true peace with GOD wherein are manifold helpes to prevent and remove damnable Presumption also to quiet and to ease distressed Consciences First intended for private use now though importunity published for the common good By HENRY SCVDDER Preacher of the Word The fourth Edition corrected and amended by the Author Thine eares shall heare a voyce behind thee saying This is the way walke ye in it Isa 30. 31. LONDON Printed by I. B. for Henry Overton and are to be sold at his Shop at the entring in of Popes-head Alley out of Lumbard-street 1631. The Epistle to the READER THE searching out of Mans true happinesse hath exercised the wits and Pens of many Philosophers and Divines with a different successe 1. Some by a mistake of the end â—ave erred about the meanes All their enterprises have ended in Vaâ—itie and Vexation whilest they have caught at the shadow of fruit 〈…〉 a hedge of thornes and have neglected the trâ—e it selfe whence the â—uit might have bin gathered with â—re certaintie and lesse trouble I maruaile not at Varroes report of 288. severall opinions about this subiect when I consider Mans naturall corruption whose understanding is so darkned that as those Sodomites were weary in seeking the doore of Lâ—ts house so in vaine have the wisest Heathen sought the happinesse which though like blind men they groped after it they could never find And his spirituall appetite and taste is so distempered that hee car iuage of the chiefe good no better then a sick-man can doe of the 〈…〉 meates 2. Others having the eyes oâ— their understanding lightned and their senses exercised to discerne both good and evill have concluded that mans true happiness consists in the soules enioyment 〈…〉 God by an holy conformity and 〈…〉 communion with him For What else is true happinesse then the enioyment of 〈…〉 chiefe good And that God the chiefe good appeares in this that all the properties which raise up goodnesse to the highest top of perfections are in God onely For he is the most pure perfect uniuersall primary unchangeable communicative desirable and delightfull good the efficient patterne and utmost end of all good without whom there is neither naturall morall nor spirituall good in any creature Our conformitie to him the Apostle Peter expresseth when hee saith that the Saints are made partakers of the Divine nature That is they are renewed in the Spirit of their minde and have put on the new man which after God is created â—n righteousnesse and true holinesse So that they have 1. A new 〈…〉 in their understanding faculâ—e that they know God not oneâ— as Creatour but as Redeemer 〈…〉 of the world and whilest they beâ—â—ld as in a mirrour the glory 〈…〉 the Lord with open face they are changed into the same image from glory to glory as by the spirit of the Lord. This knowledge is begun in this life in the knowledge of Faith and shall be perfected in the life to come in the knowledge of sense this is in a glasse that shall be face to face Secondly they have a new life in their will and affections that is they have disposition and inclinations in their hearts sutable and conformable to the directions of the Word This the Apostle Paul intended when he said of the Romans that they had obeyed from the heart the forme of doctrine whereunto they were delivered He saith not which was delivered unto you but whereunto you were delivered that is the Word is as a mould whereinto being cast you are fashioned according to it Hence it is that the Saints are said to be Sealed with the holy Spirit because as the Seale leaves its print upon the Waxe so the Spirit makes holy impressions in the soule this is called the writing of the Law in our hearts in allusion whereunto the Apostle compares the hearts of beleevers to Tables the Ministers to Pennes the Spirit to Inke without which the Penne can write nothing and the affections or Conversation of these beleevers to an Epistle and this is said to be read and understood of all men when they walke as examples of the Rule 2 Cor. 3. 2. 3. Hence it is that godlinesse hath a selfe-sufficiency ioyned with it 1 Tim 6. 6. Because a man is now in Communion with GOD whose face when a man beholds in righteousnesse hee shall be satisfied with his image Ps 17. 15. Hence comes that peace of Conscience joy unspeakeable and glorious and that holy triumph and exultation of Spirit which you may obserue in the Apostle Paul Having briefly shewed what this conformitie and communion with God is I will adde one or two words more to make it manifest that onely those are truely happy which are in this estate I may spare quotations of Writers who concurre in this opinion None of sound iudgement have denyed it the best Schoole-men have determined and concluded it and there is good reason for it For 1. mans utmost end is that it may be perfectly well with him which hee can never attaine unto without communion with God who is the chiefe of Spirits and the best of goods Other things are desired as subordinate to this The body is for the Soule as the matter for its forme or the instrument for its agent Humane wisedome and morall vertues are desired not for themselues but for the fruite that is expected by them as glory pleasure and riches Fame or glory is desired not so much for it selfe as for the opinion of others whence it s called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Wordly and bodily pleasures are excessively desired as drinke in a Feaver or Dropsie better it is to be without the malady then to enioy that remedie Riches are desired not for themselves but for the sustenance of life Life is not so much desired for it selfe as for the enioyment of happinesse which when a man hath sought in the labyrinth of earthly vanities after much vexation and disquietment of spirit hee must conclude that it is onely in that truest and chiefest good which is the fountaine whence true delight first floweth and the obiect wherein at last it resteth Secondly That is mans happinesse in the possession and enioyment whereof his heart resteth best satisfied So farre a man is from true happinesse as hee is from full contentment in that which hee enioyes The Bee would not sit upon so manyflowers if shee could gather
understand aright in what state you stand Which if you will observe it it will be an excellent furtherance towards the obtaining of peace Now I will shew by what meanes you may havâ—… cause and mattâ—… your judgement to worke upon whence it may give you peace and comfort If you would have peace and comfort in your soules then first and chiefly you must get and cherish the Spirit of God in you that it may speake peace to you and may give you matter for your spirit to worke upon whereby you may conclude you are in Gods favour For though I grant that you can have no feeling witnesse to your selfe say whatsoever can besaid untill your spirit can witnesse that you are Gods children yet your spirits are not to bee trusted in their witnessing but onely so far forth as the Spirit of God doth witnesse to your spirits that it is so that you are indeed his children Whatsoever comfortable conceits a man may have in himselfe of his good estate in grace heâ— an have no true joy and 〈…〉 by the holy Ghost whose proper work it is to comfort and is therefore called the Comforter For by him only a man can know and by him a man may know the things which are given him of God But it will be said the Spirit bloweth where it lusteth how is it possible for any man by any meanes to get it In respect of mans owne abilitie it is as unpossible for him to get the spirit to come into and to move in his hart as it was for those impotent folke which lay waiting at the Poole of Bethesda for the Angels comming to move the waters to cause the said moving of the waters yet they wayting the waters were moved and ever and anon they that waited and gave not over waiting at the Poole were benefited Thus if men will wait in the use of the meanes wherein and whereby GOD doth give and continue his holy Spirit to men they may looke to have it The first meanes to get the spirit is to be an empty soule sensible of the losse of that holy Spirit which once you had in Adam you must mourne and hunger and thirst after the Spirit If you will doe thus you may expect the receiving of the Spirit For God saith that hee will powre water upon him that is thirstie c. I will powre my spirit upon thy seed saith he to the Church Secondly that your heart may be stirred up to long for the Spirit you must know that there is an holy Ghost and not onely so but must know him to bee God and you must beleeve him to bee the comforter And as it is in our Creede give him this honour and glory as to beleeve in him and conceive of him as the proper Author of sanctifi atten and comfort this is the way to have the Spirit and to be sure of it that you have it Our Saviour saith that the not knowing or beleeving hereof is the cause why the World receive not the Spirit Thirdly bee constant and diligent in waiting for the having and for the increase of the gifts of the Spirit in the holy exercises of Religion as reading hearing and meditating of the Word of God especially of the blessed Hystory and promises of the Gospell c. You must wait for it in the motions and stirring of GODS Word in you by Gods meanes then as Cornelius and his company received it at Peters Sermon and as the Galathians at the hearing of saith so may you For the Gospell is called the Ministery of the Spirit Fourthly Pray for the Spirit and though you cannot pray wel without the Spirit yet sith it is Gods will that you should pray for it set about Prayer for it as well as you can then God will enable you to pray for the spirit and you shall have it For Christ saith If yee that are evill know how to give good gifts to your children How much more shall your heavenly Father give the holy Spirit to them that aske him As these are means to get the spirit so they are meanes to continue nourish and increase the graces of the Spirit Fifthly If you would keepe and nourish this Spirit you must take part with it in its lusting against the flesh you must not resist but willingly receive the comforts and motions of the spirit and must doe your best to bring forth the fruits of the Spirit you must take heed that you neither grieve nor quench the spirit It is grieved when it is resisted crossed or opposed any way It is quenched as fire is two wayes first by throwing on water all sinfull actions as they be greater or smaller are as water they doe accordingly more or lesse quench and abate the Spirits operations Secondly fire may bee quenched and put out by with-drawing of wood and fewell All neglect or negligent using of the Word Sacrament Prayer Meditation and holy conference and communion of Saints doe much chill and quench the spirit Whereas the daily and diligent use of all these doth much increase strengthen stirre up and inflame it whence must needs follow much peace and comfort Now when you have gotten this holy Spirit and have any proofes of the holy Spirits being in you then you ought to rest satisfied in the Spirits witnesse to your spirit your spirit should doubt no more For even in this that God hath given you his spirit the very being of it in you is a reall proofe and the greatest confirmation that can be of your being instate of grace For when you have this Sâ—â—â—it I You are annointed what greater confirmation would you have of being made Kings and Priestâ— to God 2 You are also by this spirit sealed to the day of Redemption what greater confirmation can there be of Gods Covenant and of his Will and Testament towards you 3. It is likewise the Earnest of your inheritance which giveth present being and beginning to the Covenant and bindeth to the perfect fulfilling it in its time wherefore you are so surely Gods when he hath given you his Spirit that unlesse you can thinke he will lose his Spirit the earnest which he gave you you can have no cause to thinke that hee will lose you or not fulfill the promise of Salvation maâ—â— unto you whereof his Spirit is the earnest and part of the Covenant This Spirit doth witnesse to a man that he is the child of God two wayes First by immediate witnesse suggestion Secondly by necessary inferences by signs from the infallible fruits of the said spirit by which later witnes you may know the former to be a true testimony from Gods spirit the spirit of Adoption and not from a spirit of errour and presumption For this spirit of Adoption is a spirit of grace and supplication it is a spirit of godly sorrow and it is a
your selfe to sleep at night you must as Christ foreshadowed David did have thoughts on â—…d and set him alwayes before 〈…〉 When I awake I am still with 〈…〉 saith David in the night remembred God and his hope 〈…〉 meditation was on Gods word â—…iah in the person of all the â—…hful saith With my soule have â—…sired thee in the night yea with 〈…〉 spirit within me will I seeke â—…e early 〈…〉 In the Instant of awaking let our hart be lift up to God with â— thankfull acknowledgement â—f his mercy to you For it is he â—…at giveth his beloved sleepe â—ho keepeth you both in soule and body while you sleepe Who â—…enueth his mercies every morning for while you sleepe you â—…e as it were out of actuall posâ—â—ssion of your selfe all things â—…se Now it was God that kept â—ou and all that you had restoâ—ing them againe with many â—ew mercies when you wake 2. Arise early in the morning if you be not necessarily hindred following the example of our Savior Christ and of the good housewife in the Proverbs For this ordinarily wil make much for the health of your body and for the thrift both of your temporall and spirituall state for hereby you shall have the day before you and shall gaine the most and the fittest times for exercises of Religion and for the workes of your calling 3. In the time betwixt your awaking and arising if other pertinent profitable thoughts offer not theÌ„selves it will be useful to think upon some of these I must awake from the sleepe of Sinne to Righteousnesse as well as out of bodily sleepe unto labour in my calling The night is far spent the day is at hand I must therefore east off the works of darknesse and put on the armour of light I must walke honestly as in the day I am by the light of grace and kowledge to arise and walke in it 〈…〉 well as by the light of the Sun 〈…〉 walke by it Think also of your waking out of the sleepe of death â—…d out of the graue at the â—…und of the last Trumpet even 〈…〉 your blessed resurrection unto â—…ory at the last day It was one 〈…〉 Davids sweet thoughts speaâ—…ing to God When I awake I â—…ll be satisfied with thy likenesse When you arise and apparell â—our selfe lose not that prime â—ime when your wit is freshest with uncertaine impertiâ—ent boundlesse and fruitlesse â—houghts as it is the fashion of most men and women for to â—oe This is a fit time to thinke upon the cause why you have need of apparell namely the fall and sinne of your first Paâ—ents which from them is derived to you For before their fall their nakednesse was their comelinesse and seeing it they were not ashamed It will likewise be to good purpose to consider what base stuffe thâ— wise providence of God hath appointed to bee the matter oâ— apparell The riâ—ds of plants thâ— skinnes haire or wooll of bruiâ— beasts and the Spittle of thâ— Silkworm very excrements and cast apparell of vnreasonable creatures Which as it doth magnifie the wisdome power and goodnes of God in chusing and turning such meane things to such excellent use so it should humble and keepe downe the pride of man For what man who is in his wits will bee proud of the badge of his shame even of that arparell for which under God he is beholding to very plants and beasts Now also is a good time to cal to mind what rules â—reto be observed that you may apparell your selfe so as becommeth one that professeth godlines namely That your apparell for matter and fashion doc suite with your enerall and speciall calling and â—ith your â—sstate sex and age That your wearing your appaâ—ell be for health honostic and â—comelinesse 3 That you rather goe with 〈…〉 lowest than with the highest of your state and place 4. That the fashion be neither strange immodest singular or â—idiculous 5. That you be not over curions or overlong taking up too much time in putting it on 6 Neither the making nor wearing of your apparell must savour of pride lightnes curiositie lasciâ—iousnesse prodigalitiâ— or base covetousnesse But it must be such as becommeth holinesse wisedome thrift and honesty and such as is well reported of 7 Follow the example of those of your ranke and meanes which are most soâ—er most frugall and most discreet While you apparel your selfe it wil be seasonable and profitable also by this occasion to raise your thoughts and to fixe them upon that your apparell which doth cloath and adorne your inward man which is spirituall and of a divine matter which never is cut of fashion which never weareth out but is alwaies better for the wearing Thinke thus If I goe naked without bodily apparell it will be to the shame of my person and to the hazard of my health and life But how much more will the filthy nakednesse of my soule appeare to the eyes of men of Angels and of God himselfe whose pure eyes cannot abide filthinesse whereby my soule will be exposed to most deadly temptations and my selfe to Gods most severe Iudgements except I have put on and doe keepe on mee the white linnen of Christs Spouse the righteousnesses of the Saints that is Iustification by faith in â—…st and sanctification of every 〈…〉 by the Spirit of Christ â—…nd because every day you â—…be assaulted with the world â—…esh and the devill you shall â—…veli to consider whether you â—…e put on and doe improve 〈…〉 coat of male that complete arâ—… prescribed â—…hen it shall happen that you 〈…〉 use your looking-glasse and â—xperience find that it serveth â—iscover and to direct you â—…w to reforme whatsoever is â—…omely and out of order in â—…r body you may hereby reâ—…mber your selfe of the necessiâ—… and admirable use of the mirâ—…r and glasse of Gods Word and â—…spell of Christ both read and â—…ached for the good of your â—…le For this being understood 〈…〉 beleeved doth not onely â—…w what is amisle in the soule 〈…〉 how it may bee amended 〈…〉 insome measure will enable you to amend for it doth noâ— onely shew you your owne face but the very face and glory 〈…〉 God in Christ â—esus which bâ— reflexe upon you will through the Spirit worke on you a moâ—â— excellent effect than on Mos face in the Mount which yet wâ—… so glorious that the people couâ—… not endure to behold it For 〈…〉 this Gods glory which by faitâ— you behold in the Word yoâ— shall be changed into the same 〈…〉 mage from glory to glory even 〈…〉 by the Spirit of the Lord. Touching these things whicâ— I have prescribed to be though upon when you arise and pâ—… on your apparell in the morning and those other which I shâ—… prescribe when you put off yoâ—… apparel at
which is the most proper and most pleasing worke of a sanctified conscience He that knoweth that he himselfe must and none for him be at much paines to make himselfe whole and cleane when hee is wounded and defiled will take the more heed lest he wound and defile himselfe Fourthly this due preparation to prayer taken up in good part with examining judging and reforming your selfe doth prevent Gods iudging of you for when you iudge your selfe you shall not be iudged of the Lord saith the Apostle Being rightly prepared you must draw neare into Gods speciall presence falling low at his footstoole representing him to your thoughts in the apprehension of one who is in himselfe and of himselfe the onely heavenly all-knowing and All-mighty Maiesty and Deity now become your loving and mercifull Father through Christ his Sonne your Lord. Then you must powre out your soule before him in confessing your sinnes and in making your desires through the spirit knowne unto him in the name of Christ for your selfe and others in all lawfull petitions and supplications with thankesgiving And all this with understanding with the intention and full bent of the soule with servor and expectation of being heard in due time and measure and in the best manner The rule and boundary to you for all things required in prayer is the Lords Prayer If you would have reasons to perswade you to this dutie of prayer and would have further information touching the fore-pointed-at particular requisites in prayer I refer you to that which I have already * published upon the Lords Prayer And touching the chiefe impedients to prayer with their removals I referre you to the Epistle of my loving and reverend friend Master D r. Sibbs written before the said Treatise SECTION 2. Cautions and advertisements about Prayer UNto the Directions both for preparation to prayer and concerning prayer it selfe take these Cautions First if it may be Omit neither the one nor the other and let them be the first worke after you are up But if that cannot be because of some necessary let yet performe them so soone as you can and as well as you can though you can doe neither either so soone or so well as you would yet omit them not altogether Breake thorow all seeming necessities which will daily cast in themselves to hinder and thrust out these duties The Devill knowing that nothing doth undermine overthrow his kingdome more than these duly performed knowing also that this spiritual performance of them is tedious to corrupt nature hee will thrust upon you seeming necessities so many and so oft that if you bee not watchfull to gaine and to take time breaking thorow all such lets as are not truly necessary you shall oft-times by the circumvention of the flesh and of the Devill be brought to an omission of Preparation or Prayer or both Vpon which will follow like occasions together with a pronenesse to the like neglect and a greater indisposition to these duties afterward Secondly lay not too great a taske upon your selfe in this preparation to prayer I meane so much as will take up more time than the workes of your calling and other needfull affaires will permit but contrive and husband your time so that every lawfull busines may have his owne time God hath subordinated the works of your generall and particular calling in such sort that ordinarily the one shall not drive out the other If through taking too much time in preparation to prayer and in prayer either of them grow necessarily tedious burthensome Satan will circumvent you by this meanes causing you out of a true wearinesse of too much even before you are aware to omit them altogether Thirdly whereas when you prepare your selfe to pray and when you doe pray it is lawfull to thinke of your worldly businesse to the end that you might pray for direction and for good successe therein for you may aske your daily bread you must take heede when you thinke on these things that your thoughts be not worldly through distempers and distractions about the same For these will abate your spiritualnes and strength in praier and will shut the eares of God against your prayer I remember you desired mee to shew you the signes and remedies of distempers and distractions about worldly things in your preparations to prayer By distempers I meane inordinate trouble about the meanes and by distractions I meane a vexing trouble about successe You may know that your mind is disteÌ„pered with world linesse euen in thinking on â—wfull businesse when you preâ—re your selfe to praier by these â—â—rkes First when except in case of â—â—cessitie in their apparent danâ—r your worldly affaires are â—st in your thoughts to bee the â—atter of your meditation For â—oughts how to hallow Gods â—me and how his kingdome may â—â—e and how you may doe his â—ll should ordinarily be in your â—inde before those that conâ—rne your daily bread 2. When they interpose themslves interrupt and iustle out â—ose good thoughts whereon you â—ere thinking before before â—at you have thought of them â—fficiently 3. When your thoughts of â—orldly businesse are with greaâ—r intention of minde than the â—oughts of things spirituall and â—eavenly 4. When they last longer than â—ch as immediately concern the glory of God and the good of your soule or hold you too long upon them 5. You shall know it by the ends which you propound to your selfe in your thoughts of worldly businesse Are the ends you propound onely or chiefly that you may prevent povertie or that you may have wherewith to satisfie your naturall desires If you propound not other and more spirituall ends your thoughts of them at that time are worldly but if your thoghts of your worldly businesse be to the end that you may lay them to the rule of Gods Word that you may not offend him in your labour and care about them or that you might crave Gods direction and blessing upon your said care and labour you being spiritual in thoughts of worldly businesse then your thoughts of lawfull businesse are not distempered with worldlinesse To remedie these distempered thoughts First get a sound and cleare iudgement to discerne of what is good what is bad also what is best and what is least good preferring things spirituall heavenly and eternal incomparably before those which are corporall earthly and temporary Make those best things your Treasure then your heart will bee chiefly set and your thoughts will chiefly run on them and will be moderate in thinking of those things which are lesse needfull 2. Doe as a wise Counsellor at Law and as a Master of Requests who must heare many Clients and receive and speed many Petitions Consider whose turne it is and what is the most important sute and dispatch them first Let thoughts of worldly busines be shut out and made stand at doore
meditation holy exercises and workes of mercie excepting onely necessary repasts and a generall providence over their estate should be thought as it is by some to be meerely â—ewish and to be onely the private opinion of some few Zelots more nice then wise Know that in all things wherein weâ— are tyed by a commandement common to us and the Iewes to observe that as the Iewes did by vertue of that commandement is not to bee Iewish as to forbeare to kill and to commit adulâ—erie and such like The same reason is for keeping the fourth Commandement which as hath beene proved is one of the Motals Besides know that the observing the Lords day by vâ—rture of the fourth Commandement and the change of the 〈…〉 day unto the Lords day to â—e by divine institution and that it should bee kept strictly holy as I have shewed you is the professed doctrine of this our Church of England And I would that all would know and see that the taking away of the morality of the fourth Commandement unloosing the conscience from the immediate bonds of Gods Commandement and tying the conscience to observe a day for Gods solemne worship only by humane constitution doth overthrow true Religion and the power of Godlinesse and opens a wide gap to Atheisme proâ—anenesse and all licentiousnesse As daily experience doth shew in those Countries where the moralitie of the Sabbath is not maintained and in such places where the Lords Day is not holily and duely observed CHAP. VII Shewing how to end the day with God VVHen you have walked with God from morning untill night whether on a common day a day of Fast or on the Lords Day according to the former directions it remaineth that you conclude the day well when you would give your selfe to rest at night Wherefore First looke backe and take a strict view of your whole carriage that day past Reforme what you finde amisse and rejoyce or be grieved as you finde you have done wel or ill as you have gotten or lost in grace that day Secondly sith you cannot sleep in safetie if God who is your keeper doe not wake and watch for you and though you have God to watch when you sleepe you cannot be safe if hee that watcheth be your enemy Wherfore you shall do wel if at night you not onely conclude the day with your Family by reading some Scripture and by prayer but you must alone renew and confirme your peace with GOD with prayer with like preparation therto as you received directions for the morning commending and committing your selfe to Gods tuition by prayer with thanksgiving before you goe to bed Then shall you lye downe in safety All this being done yet while you are putting off your apparell when you are lying downe and when you are in bed before you sleepe it is good that you commune with your owne heart If other good and apt meditations offer not themselves some of these will be seasonable 1. When you see your selfe stript of your apparell consider what you were at your birth and what you shall be at your death when you put off this earthly Tabernacle if not in the meane time how that you brought nothing into this world nor shall carry any thing out naked you came out of your mothers wombe and naked shall you returne This will be an excellent means to give you sweet content in any thing you have though never so little and in the losse of what you have had though never so much 2. When you lye downe you may thinke of lying downe into your winding-sheete and into your grave For besides that sleepe and the bed doe aptly resemble death and the grave who knoweth when he sleepeth that ever he shall awake againe to this life 2. You may thinke thus also If the Sunne must not goe downe upon my wrath lest it become hatred and so be worse ere morning then it is not safe for me to lye downe in the allowance of any sinne lest I sleepe not onely the sleepe of naturall death but of that which is eternall for who knoweth what anight wil bring forth Now it is an high point of holy wisedome upon all opportunities to thinke of and to prepare for your latter end 4 Consider likewise that if you walke with God in uprightnesse your death unto you is but to fall into a sweet sleepe an entring into rest a resting on your bed for a night untill the glorious morning of your happy Resurrection 5. Lastly if possibly you can fall asleepe out of some heavenly meditation Then will your sleepe be more sweete and more secure your dreams fewer or more comfortable your head will be fuller of good thoughts and your heart will be in better plight when you awake whether in the night or in the morning Thirdly being thus prepared to sleepe you should sleepe onely so much as the present state of your body requireth you must not be like the sluggard to love sleepe neither must you sleepe too much for if you doe that which being taken in its due measure is a restorer of vigor and strength to your body and a quickner of the spirits wil make the spirits dâ—l the braine soâ—tish and the whole body lazie and unhealthy And that which God hath ordained for a furtherance through your sinne shal become an enemy to your corporall and spirituall thrift Thus much of walking with God in all things at all times CHAP. VIII How to walke with God alone SECTION 1. THere is no time wherein you shall not be either alone or in Company in either of which you must walke in all well-pleasing as in the sight of God Touching being alone First Affect not solitarinesse be not alone except you have just cause namely when you set your selfe apart for holy duties and when your needfull occasions do withdraw you for out of these cases two are better then one saith Salomon and woe be to him that is alone 2. When you are alone you must be very watchfull stand upon your guard well armed lest you shall fall into manifold temptations of the Divell For solitarinesse is Satans opportunity which he wil not lose as the manifold examples in Scripture and our daily experience doth witnesse Wherefore you must have a ready eye to observe and an heart ready bent to resist all his assaults And it will now the more concerne you to keep close to God and not lose his company that through the weapons of your Christian warfare you may by the power of Gods might quit your selfe and stand fast 3. Take speciall heede lest when you be alone you your selfe conceive devise or plot any evill to which your nature is then most apt And beware in particular lest you commit alone by your selfe contemplative wickednesse which is when by feeding your fancy and pleasing
Spirit and with the understanding praise him with the will praise and thanke him with the affections with all love desire joy and gladnesse praise him with the whole hart Wee must likewise praise him with the outward man both with tongue hands our words and our deeds must shew forth his praise When our thankes are cordiall orall and reall then they make a good harmony and sweet melodie most pleasant in Gods eares Sixthly When must we give thankes Alwayes Morning Evening Noone at all times as long as wee live and have any being wee must praise him Seventhly How much Wee must praise and thanke him abundantly Wee must endevour to proportion our praise to his worthinesse and goodnesse As we must love him so wee must thanke him with all our soule and with all our strength There is no sinne more common than unthankefulnesse for scarce one of ten give thankes and that one which doth give thankes besides many other his errors in thankesgiving doth not thank God for one mercy among twenty Many in distresse will pray or cry and bowle at least as they in Hosea for Corne and Oyle but who returneth proportionable praises to his prayers Whereas a man should be oftner in thanks than in prayers because GOD preventeth our prayers with his good gifts a thousand wayes Take heed therefore that you be not unthankfull It is a most base hateful and damnable wickednesse For he that is unthankfull to God is 1 A most dishonest and disloyall man he is injurious to God in detaining from him his due in not paying his Tribute 2 He is foolish and improvident for himselfe for by not paying his reut of thankes and for not doing his homage he forfeits all that hee hath into the Lords hands which forfeiture many times he taketh But if hee doe not presently take the forfeit it will prove worse to the unthankefull in the end For prosperity severed from thanksgiving alwayes increaseth sin and prepares a man for greater destruction The more such a one thrives the more doth pride hard-heartednesse and many other noisome lusts grow in him This unthankefulnesse is the high way to be given over to a reprobate sense Such prosperity alwayes wayes proves a snare and endeth in utter ruine For the prosperitie of fooles shall destroy them And when the wicked prosper it is but like sheepe put into fat pastures that they may be prepared to be pluckt out for slaughter in the day of slaughter An unthankfull man is of al men most unfit for to goe to heaven Heaven can be no heaven to him for there is praising of God continually Now to whom thankesgiving and singing of the praises of God is tedious to him heaven cannot be ioyous It doth concerne you therefore that you be much and oft in thankes and praises unto GOD. For this cause doe these things 1 worke your heart to a resolution and longing so to doe 2 Beware of and remoove impediments to thankefulnesse 3 Improve all good furtherances thereunto For the first Consider that besides that thankes is the best service being the end of all other worship and is Gods due and is the end why God giveth matter for which and meanesby which we should be thankefull and besides that nothing is more beneficiall than thankefulnesse nor more mischievous than unthankfulnes as hath beene already noted to adde more force with them consider these motives Harty and constant thankfulnes is a testimony of uprightnesse it doth excellently become the upright to be thankefull It is all the homage and all the service which God requireth at your hands for all the good that he bestoweth on you It is pleasant and delightfull It is possible and easie through the grace of Gods Spirit It is a small matter to what God might exact even as an homage-penny or pepper-corne Thankefulnesse doth fat elevate and enlarge the soule making it fruitfull in good workes no duty like it For the thankefull man with David is oft consulting with himselfe what he shall render to the Lord for all his benefits to him Lastly this spirituall praise and thankes to GOD by Christ is the beginning of heaven upon earth being part of the communion and fellowship which wee have with God while wee live here It is that everlasting service which indureth for ever Secondly when you have wrought the heart unto a good will to be thankfull then shâ—nne the impediments thereunto Amongst many take heed especially of these 1 Ignorance 2 Pride 3 Forgetfulnesse 4 Doubting of Gods love 5 Over-eager affection to the benefits received especially to such as are temporall First If you be ignorant of the excellencie and worth of good things bestowed or iâ— you misprize things preferring naturall temporall or common gifts before spirituall eternall and speciall graces peculiar to GODS children you can either give no thankes at all for who can give thankes for that hee esteemeth worth little or nothing or if you doe give any thankes it will be proposterous giving thankes for temporall blessings sooner and more then for spirituall and eternall Moreover though you doe know each good gift according to its due value yet if through ignorance you mistake the Giver you will bestow your thankes upon men and inferiour creatures upon second causes but not on God who is the Giver of every good and perfect gift Secondly If you be proud and highly conceited of your worth and good deservings you will expect greater matters than God will thinke fit to give as Naâ—man did before he was cleansed and when you misse of your expectation you will be so farre from thanks that you will mutter and complaine Thirdly Though you know the worth of the gift and doe know the Giver also doe thinke your selfe unworthy of the gift yet if you have not these good gifts of God in actuall remembrace if you have forgotten them and they be out of minde how can you be actually thankefull Therefore when David calleth upon himselfe to be thankefull he saith Forget not all his benefits Fourthly Suppose that you know wel the worth of the gift and doe judge your selfe lesse then it and remember well that you received it of God yet if through doubting of Gods love and through mis-beliefe you thinke that God doth not give it to you in love and mercy but in wrath as he gave Israel a King your heart will sinke and be so clogd with this feare that you cannot raise it vp to thankes for any gift which you conceive to be so given Fiftly Suppose that you quit your selfe of all the former impediments yet if you be over-eagerly affected with the gift you will in a kinde of over-ioyednesse be so taken up with it that as little childreÌ„ when their parents give them sweet-meates or such things as they most delight in fall to eating of the sweet-meat and runne away
worldly griefe must be avoided in all sorts of crosses For by it you repine against GOD fret against men and doe make your selfe unfit for naturall civill and spiritual duties and if it be continued it worketh death The best remedy against worldly sorrow for any crosse is to turn it into godly sorrow for sin which is the cause of the crosse This will cause repentance to salvation never to be repented of and will drive you to Christ in whom if you beleeve you shall have joy and comfort even such ioy unspeakeable which will dispell and drie up both this and all other griefes whatsoever For godly sorrow doth alwaies in due time end in spirituall joy SECTION 2. Of bearing all crosses patiently IN the third place I told you that you must beare all your afflictions and crosses patiently By Patience I doe not meane a Stoicall sensclesnesse or blockish stupiditie like that of Isachar Nor yet a counterseit patience like Esau's and Absaloms Nor a meere civill and morall patience which wise Heathen to free themselves from vexation and for-vaine-glorie and other ends attained unto Nor yet a prophane patience of men insensible of GODS hishonour Nor a patience-perforce when the sufferer is meerely passive But a Christ an holy patience wherein you must be sensible of Gods hand and when you cannot but feele an unwillingnesse in nature to beare it yet for conscience to Gods Commandement you doe submit to his will and that voluntarily with an active patience causing your selfe to be willing to beare it so long as God shall please like the patience of Christ Not my will but thine be done The excellencie of Christs suffering was not in that he suffered but in that he was obedient in his suffering He was obedient to the death So likewise no mans suffering is acceptable if he be not active and obedient in suffering This Patience is a grace of the Spirit of God wrought in the heart and will of man through beleeving and applying the Commandement and promises of God to himselfe whereby for conscience sake towards God he doth submit his will to Gods will willing quietly to beare without bitternesse and vexation all the labours changes and evill occurrents which shall be fall him in the whole course of his life whether from God immediately or from man as also to wait quietly for all such good things which God hath promised but yet are delayed and unfulfilled To induce you to get and to shew forth this holy Patience know that you have need of it and that in these respects 1. You are but halfe a Christian you are imperfect in your parts you want a principall part if you want patience thus S. Iames argueth implying that hee that will be entire and want nothing to make him a Christian man he must have patience This passive obedience is greater than active it is more rare and more difficult to obey in suffering than to obey in doing 2. You have not a sure possession of your soule without patience In your patience possesse yee your soules saith our Saviour A man without patience is not his own man hee hath not power nor rule over his owne spirit nor yet of his own body The tongue hand and feet of an impatient man will not bee held in by reason But he that is patient enjoyeth himselfe and hath rule over his spirit no crosse can put him out of possession of himselfe Thirdly There are so many oppositions and lets in your race and growth of Christianity that without patience to suffer and to wait you cannot possibly bring forth good fruit to God nor hold out your profession of Christianitie to the end but shall give off before you have enjoyed the promise Therefore you are bid to runne with patience the race which is set before you And the good ground is said to bring forth fruie with patience And the faithfull are said through Faith and Patience to inherite the Promises Fourthly Patience worketh experience without which no man can be an expert Christian this experieÌ„ce being of the greatest use to confirme a Christian soule in greatest difficulties This be said of the necessitie together with the benefit of patience that you may love it and may desire to have and shew it By what meanes you may attaine it followeth First you must be after a sort impatient and must spend your passion on your lusts which war in your members fall out with them mortifie them for nothing maketh a man impatient so much as his lusts doe both because they wil never be satisfied it is death to a man to be crossed in them and because the fulfilling of lusts doth cause a guilty conscience whence followeth impatience troublesome vexation upon every occasion like unto the raging Sea which with every wind dothâ—ome and rage and cast up nothing but filth and dirt And as Saint Iames saith Whence are warres and brawlings So I say of all other fruits of impatiencie But from your lusts that warre in your members Take away the causes of impatiency then you have made a good way for patience Secondly Lay a good soundation of patience you must be humble and low in your owne eyes through an appreâ—eÌ„sion that you are lesse then the least of GODS mercies and that your greatest punishments are lesse than your iniquities have deserved As any man hath abounded in humility so hath â—ee abounded in patience witnesse the examples of Abraham Moses Iob David and others Thirdly Store your heart with faith hope and love all these and either of these do calm â—he heart and keepe it â—eadie For besides that they quiet the heart in the maine giving assurance of Gods love in Christ For being iusâ—â—fied by faith we have peace with God reiâ—yce in hope whence joy and patience in tribulation And who can be impatient with him whom hee loveth with all his heart and strength These graces also doe furnish a man with an ability of spiritual reasoning and disputing with a disquieted soule whereby it may be quieted in any particular disquietment Wherefore the fourth meane of patience is to doe as Davâ— did whensoever you finde your heart begin to boyle and to be impatient you must before passion hath got the bit in the teeth and carried you out of your selfe into height of impatience aske your soule what is the matter and why it is so disquieted within you This do seriously and your heart will quickly represent to your thoughts such and such crosse or crosses stretched out upon the tenters of manifold aggravations All which you must answer by the spirituall reasoning of your faith grounded on the word of God whereby you may quiet your heart and put it to siâ—ence Whatsoever the affliction be that may trouble you you may â—e furnished with reasons why you
forme of your life and conversation according to which you must walke with God The inward truth and life of all this which is doing all in uprightnesse remaineth to bee spoken unto which followeth CHAP. XII Of uprightnesse SECTION 1. ALL which I shall write concerning uprightnesse will meet in this point In your whole walking with GOD you must be upright Both these to walke with God and to be upright are joyned in this precept Walke with mee and bee perfect or upright Hee speaketh not of an absolute perfection of degrees in the fulnesse of al graces which is only aimed at in this life towards which a man by watchfulnesse and diligence may come nearer and nearer but is never attained untill we come to Heaven amongst the spirits of iâ—st men made perfect He speaketh here of the perfection of parts and of truth of grace in every part expressing it selfe in unfainednesse of will and endevour which is uprightnesse That you should bee sincere and upright Reade Ioshâ—a 24. 14. 1 Chro. 28. 9. And the Apostle telleth you that sith Christ Iesus your Passeover is slaine you must keepe the seven dayes feast of unleavened bread which shadoweth forth the whole time of our life here with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth The examples of Noah Iob Nathaniel with many others in the Scripture are therefore written that of them you may learne to be upright There is speciall reason why you should be upright First Your God with whom you walke is perfect and upright hee is truth Hee loueth truth in the inward parts all his workes are done in truth and there was no guile ever found to be either in the mouth hand or heart of your Head Christ Iesus Now you should please GOD and be like your Father and like your head CHRIST IESVS following his steps Secondly it is to no purpose to doe that which is right in Gods sight in respect of the matter of your actions if in the truth and disposition of your soule you bee not upright therein For the best action voyd of uprightnesse is but like a well-proportioned body without life and essential forme And that is counted as not done at all to God which is not done in uprightnesse This exception is taken against Amaziahs good actions It is said Hee did that which was right in the sight of the Lord but hee did it not in uprightnesse he did it not with a perfect heart Thirdly the best actions without uprightnesse doe not onely lose their goodnesse but in Gods account are held to be abominable evils Such were the Prayers and Sacrifices of the hypocriticall Iewes For GOD holdeth such actions and such services to be meere flatterie lying and mocking him to his face Now because there is none so ready to presume and say he is upright as is the hypocrite So Ephraim In all my labours they shall finde no iniquitte in mee that were sinne And because there are none so ready to doubt whether they be upright as are the tender-hearted and sincere So it was with David when he prayed to have a right spirit renewed in him It will be needfull and useful that I shew you what uprightnesse is and by what infallible marks you may know whether you be upright or no. Christian uprightnesse for of that I meane is a saving grace of the holy Ghost wrought in the heart of a man rightly informed in the knowledge of God in Christ whereby his heart standeth so intirely and sincerely right to God-ward that in the true disposition bent and firme determination of his will hee would in every facultie and power of soule and body approue himselfe to be such a one as God would have him to be and would doe whatsoever God would have him to doe and all as God would have him and that for and unto God The Author of this uprightnesse is Gods sanctifying Spirit The common nature of it wherein it agreeth with other graces is it is a saving grace It is peculiar to them that shall be saved for onely they are indued with it but it is common to all and to each of that sort who are effectually called The proper seat of this grace is the will The ground or spring in man from whence through the speciall grace of the holy Ghost it riseth is sound knowledge of God and of his will touching those things which the will should choose and refuse and from faith in Christ Iesus the conduit-pipe through which everybeleever doth of his fulnesse of uprightnesse receive this grace to be upright Herby Christian uprightnes differeth from that uprightnesse which may bee in a meere naturall superstitious and mis-beleeving man yea in an heathen Idolater for even such may be unfained in their actions in their kinde both in actions civill and superstitious doing that which they doe in their ignorance and blindnesse without dissimulation either with GOD or man This S. Paul did before his conversion hee did as hee thought he ought to doe The forme and proper nature of uprightnesse is the good inclination disposition and firme intention of the will to a full conformitie with Gods will and that not in some faculties and powers of man or in some of his actions but universally for subject and object he would be entire and sincere in all his parts and in all things hee would be and doe as GOD would have him to be and doe making Gods will revealed in his Word and Workes to be his will and Gods knowne ends to be his ends This holy uprightnesse expresseth it selfe in three actions two inward the other both inward and outward First it sheweth it selfe in a well-grounded and unfained purpose and resolution to cleave to the Lord and to make Gods will to be his will This is an act of the will guided and concluded from sound judgement The second act is an unfained desire and longing of the heart to attaine that his good purpose and resolution willing or desiring in all things to live honestly and to live worthy the LORD in all well-pleasing longing with David after Gods precepts This is an act of the affection of desire a motion of the wil drawing and thrusting a man forward giving him no rest untill he have obtained at least in some good measure his said purpose Thirdly uprightnesse sheweth it selfe in a true endevour and exercise according to the strength and measure of grace received to be and to doe according to the former resolutions desires Such was the Apostles indeuour to have alwayes a conscience void of offence towards God and towards men This indevour is an act of the whole man All and every active power of soule and body as there shall be use of them are imployed in unfained indevour Now touching indevour know there be many thinke they indevour sufficiently when they
and hope in him whence as by Conduit-pipes you shall more and more partake of his fulnesse even grace answerable â—…ace in kinde though not â—…sure for though yoâ—…apable of the fulnes â—…ghtnesse of Christ in whose mouth was found no guile Yet you shall have a measure of uprightnesse proportionable to your faith For as the branch partaketh more of the vine so it draweth more sappe and beareth more good fruit Eightly You must with an holy jealousie of the deceitfulnesse of your hearts examine your selfe often not onely of what you have done and now doâ— but of the manner how what moveth you and why as you may see before in the marks of uprightnesse Lay your selfe oft to the rule of uprightnesse scil the will of God and finding your selfe faulty study and assay to amend and be upright and that to the utmost of your power Ninthly Exercise that measure of uprightnesse which you have and be more thankefull for the little you have than discouraged as many are because they have no more If you finde your selfe upright be abundantly thankefull and resolve to keepe and increase it by all meanes Keep your heart thus with all diligence then as all other graces so this of uprightnesse will increase in the using Tenthly and lastly use the meanes of all meanes the Catholicoâ— for all graces which is Prayer Thinke not to gaine uprightnesse by the power of your own might but in the sense of your insufficiencie repaire oft to God by praier even to him who made your heart in whose hands your heart is who best knoweth the crooked windings and turnings of your heart who onely can amend set straight your heart Who because he delighteth in an upright hart and hath commanded you to seeke it in the humble use of his meanes will assuredly give it Thus David Renew O Lord a right spirit within me And Let my heart be sound in thy Statutes CHAP. XIII Of lawfull care and of freedome from taking thought SECTION 1. NOw when you have had a holy care to walke with GOD in uprightnesse according to the foregoing directions It remaineth that you free your selfe of all other care and that you rest holily secure in God enioying your most blessed peace with him according to that golden saying of the Apostle Be carefull in nothing c. Philip. 4. 6 7. For understanding hereof know that the Greeke Noune and Verbe which signifie care or to take care are taken indifferently in Scripture either for lawfull or unlawfull care Now because unlawfull care is more care than GOD requireth Our last Translators of the Bible whensoever there was neede to expresse a difference betweene it and lawfull care doe render it Carefulnesse to bee carefull or to take thought As in this place and Matth 6. 25. Matth. 10. 19. Luk. 10. 41. 1 Cor. 7. 32. and elsewhere But when these words must be understood of a Lawfull care they are translated Care not carefulnesse or to be carefull As 1 Cor. 12. 25. 2 Cor. 11. 28. Phil. 2. 20. 1 Pet. 5. 7. and elsewhere The Care which is Commanded and Carefulnesse which is forbidden differ thus Care is an act of wisedome taking up the understanding facultie chiefly whereby after that a man hath rightly iudged what hee ought to doe what not what good hee is to pursue and what evill is by him to be shunned or removed he accordingly with more or lesse intention and eagernesse of minde as the things to be obtained or avoyded are greater or lesse is provident to finde out and diligent to use lawfull and fit meanes for the good and against the evill and that with all warinesse and circumspection that hee may omit nothing that may further him nor commit any thing that may hinder him in his lawfull designes Which when hee hath done he resteth quiet and careth no further castall care of successe vpon God to whom it belongeth expecting a good issue vpon the vse of good meanes yet resolving howsoever to submit his will to Gods will whatsoever the successe shall be Carefulnesse is an act of feare and distrust taking up not onely the head but chiefly the heart to the very dividing and disturbance thereof causing a man inordinately and over-eagerly to pursue his desires perplexing himselfe likewise with doubtfull and fearefull thoughts about successe Lawfull care may be called a provident care and care of the head Carefulnesse may bee called â— distrustfull care a carking â—are or a taking thought of the â—eart This prevident care is not only â—awfull but necessary For without it a man cannot possibly be â—ecure nor can have hope of â—ood successe This provident care is commended to you in the examples of the most industrious and most â—rovident brute creatures and â—â— the examples of the most pruâ—ent men As of Iacobs care of his safetie how to escape the rage of his brother Esau Of David and Salomon in preparing and building the Temple Of Saint Pauls care of the Churches of the Corinthians care and study to reforme themselves of the good Noble womans care to entertaine the good Prophet of the Good wives and good houswives care of well ordering and maintaining her Family The like you have in the examples of the care of godly unmarried men and women whose care was how to please God and that they might be holy both in Body and Soule and of Mary who cared for that one thing needfull Moreover you are Commanded this provident care namely To study to bee quiet to be no busie body not idle but to labour iâ— a lawfull calling the thing that iâ— good Also to Walke honestly towardes them that are without To indevor so to walke towardâ— Gods people that you keepe the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace To provide for your owne To give diligence to make your calling and election sure To study to maintaine good workes But amongst all you are commanded chiefly to seeke the kingdome of God and his righteousnesse as the best meanes to rid you out of all unlawfull care The properties of prouident care are these First the subiect or seat wherein provident lawfull care resideth is the head for that is the seat of understanding wisdome discretion fore-cast But carefulnesse is chiefly seated in the heart Secondly provident godly care is alwayes about good and lawfull things it hath a good object and good matter to worke upon and to be conversant about propounding alwayes some good thing to bee the end which it would compasse It is not a care about evill as how to make provision for the flesh to fulfill the lusts thereof like the Carefulnesse of Amnon to defile his Sister Tamar nor like Ahabs and Iesabels carefulnesse for Naboths Vineyard and life Nor yet like Absoloms carefulnesse how to usurpe his Fathers Kingdome nor like Hamans how
Conscience by laying the heart and Conscience open to the light and touchstone of the Word Thus I have shewed you what is a first and maine impediment to be remoued viz. presumption and false hope if you would have true peace for false hopes breed onely false peace CHAP. XVI Touching false feares SECTION 1. THe second head to which I reduced impedimēts to true peace is false feare for if you doubt feare or despaire of your estate without cause it wil much disturbe and hinder your peace There is an holy feare and despaire wrought in man when GOD first convineeth his heart and conscience of sinne whereupon through sense of GODS wrath and heavy displeasure together with a sense of his owne disabilitie in himselfe to satisfie and appease Gods wrath he is in great perplexity being out of all hope to obtaine GODS favoua or to escape the vengeance of Hell by any thing which he of himselfe can doe or procure This is wrought more or lesse in every man of yeares before conversion as in those which were pricked at heart at Peters Sermon and in Saint Paul himselfe and in the Iaylor This is a good necessary feare serving to prepare a man to his conversion For in Gods order of working he first sendeth the Spirit of bondage to feare before he sendeth the Spirit of Adoption to enable a man to cry Abba Father This feare and trouble of Conscience rising from it is good and as the Needle to the thred maketh way unto true peace Moreover after that a man is converted though he have no cause to feare damnation yet he hath much matter of feare by as much as hee is yet subject unto many evils both of sinne and paine as lest hee offend GOD and cause his angry countenance and his judgements also lest he should fall backe from some degrees of grace received and lest he fall into some dangerous sin and so lose his evidence of heaven and comforts of the Spirit Wherefore we are commanded to worke out our Salvation with feare and trembling and to passe the whole time of our soiourning here in feare This feare while it keepeth due measure causeth a man to bee circumspect and watchfull lest he fall it spurreth him on forward to repent and quickens him to aske pardon and grace to recover when he is fallen yea an excellent means to prevent trouble and to procure peace of Conscience But the feare of which I am to speake and which because it disturbeth true peace is to be removed is a groundlesse and causelesse feare that a man is not in state of grace albeit hee hath given his name to Christ and hath not onely given good hope to others but if he would see it hath cause to conceive good hope that hee is indeed in the state of Grace This feare may rise either from Naturall distempers Satan joyning with them Or from Spirituall temptations rising from causelesse doubts By natural distempers I meane a disposition to frenfie or height of Melancholy in which states of body the spirits are corrupted through superabundance of choler and melancholy whereby first the braine where all notions and conceits of things to be understood are framed is distempered and the power of Imagination corrupted whence arise strange fancies doubts and fearfull thonghts Then secondly by reason of the intercourse of the spirits between the head and the heart the heart is distempered and filled with griefe despaire and horror through manifold feares of danger yea of damnation especially when Satan doth convey himselfe into those humours which as hee easily can so he readily will doe if GOD permit Where there is trouble of this sort it usually bringeth forth strange and violent effects both in body and minde and that in him that is regonerate as well as in him that is unregenerate Yea so farre that which is fearefull to thinke even those who when they were fully themselves did truly feare God have in the fits of their distemper through impotency of their use of reason through the Devils forcible instigation had thoughts and attempts of laying violent hands upon themselves and others whom they have dearely loved And when they have not well known what they have done or said have beene heard to breake out into oathes cursing and blasphemous speeches against GOD and his Word who were never heard to doe the like before These troubles may be knowne from true trouble of Conscience by the strangenesse unreasonablenesse absurditie and senselesnesse of their conceits in other things as to think they have no heart and to say they cannot doe that which indeed they doe and a thousand other odde conceits which standers by see to be most false Whereby any man may see that the root of this disturbance is in the Phantasie and not in the heart Albeit both the regenerate and unregenerate according as they are in a like degree distempered are in most things alike yet in this they differ Some beames of holinesse will glance forth now and then in the regenerate which doth not in the unregenerate especially in the intermissions of their fits Their desires will be found to be different and if they both recover the one returneth to his wonted course of holines with increase the other except God worke with the affliction to conversion continueth in his accustomed wickednesse It pleaseth God that for the most part his owne children who are thus distempered have the strength of their Melancholy worne out and subdued before they dye at which time they have somesense of Gods favor to their comfort But if their disease continue it is possible that they may die raving and in seeming if you judge by their speeches despairing which is not to be imputed unto them but to their disease or unto Satan working by the disease if they gave good testimony of holinesse in former times When these troubles are meerly from bodily distempers though they be not troubles of conscience yet they make a man uncapable of the sense of peace of conscience Therfore whosoever would enjoy the benefit of the peace of his conscience must doe what in him lyeth to preuent or remove these distempers And because they grow for the most part from naturall causes therefore naturall as well as spirituall remedies must be used 1. Take heed of all such things as feed those humors of Choler and Melancholy which must be learned of experienced men and of skilfull Physicians and when need is take Physicke 2. Avoyd all unnecessary solitarinesse and as much as may be keep company with such as truly feare God especially with those who are wise full of chearefulnesse and of joy in the Lord. 3. Forbeare all such things as stirre up these humours as over-carefull study and musing too much upon any thing likewise all sudden and violent passions of anger immoderate griefe c. 4. Shun Idlenesse and according to
leave his Children as in another case he left Hezekiah to try them and to know what is in their hearts Fourthly God withdraweth himselfe for a time that they may learne to esteeme more highly of his favor and to desire it more when by the want of it they find by experience what an Hell it is to be without it And that they may bee more thankefull for it and be more carefull by studying to please God for to keepe it when they have it This holy use David and the Church made of Gods forsaking them as they thought for a time It made them seeke more diligently after God promising that if hee would turne to them they would not goe backe from him resolving by his grace to sticke more close unto him But know this to your comfort when God doth most withdraw himselfe and forsake you it is but in part and in seeming and but for a time He may for the causes before rendred turne away his face and forbeare to shew his loving countenance but he will not take his loving kindnesse utterly from you nor suffer his faithfulnesse to faile What God said to his afflicted Church that hee saith to every afflicted member thereof For a small moment have I forsaken thee but with great mercies will I gather thee In a little wrath have I hid my face from thee for a moment but with everlasting kindnesse will I have mercy on thee saith the LORD thy Redeemer Hence it is that in your greatest extremities your faith and hope shall secretly though you feele not their working preserve you from utter despaire As it was with David and with our Blessed Saviour who albeit these words of theirs to God Why hast thou forsaken mee argued feare and want of sense of Gods love yet these words My God my God doe argue a secret affiance and hope And whereas you say that no mans griefe or troubles are like yours partly by reason of outward afflictions and partly by inward temptations and distresses give mee leave to deale plainely with you It is a foolish and a most false speech Talke with a thousand thus troubled they will all say thus No mans case was ever as mine is Nor so bad will any that have but common sense thinke this to be true Most of these must needs be deceived You feele your owne distresse but you cannot fully know what another feeleth If you would rightly looke into the distresses of others who were better than your selves according as they are recorded in the Scripture you would not thus thinke As for outward afflictions upon whom did God ever lay his hand more heavie then on his servant Iob Had not S Paul also his trouble without of all sorts and terrours within c. And if you consider sorrowes feares and distresses of all sorts were yours such as Davids were or more than his I pray what meane these and many moe the like speeches My bones are vexed my soule is vexed but thou O Lord how long I am weary with my groaning mine eye is consumed with griefe it waxeth old Why standest thou a farre off Why hidest thou thy selfe in time of trouble How long wilt thou forget mee Lord for ever How long wilt thou hide thy face from me I am poured out like water and all my bones are out of ioynt My heart is like waxe it is melted in the midst of my bowels My strength is dryed up like a potsheard my tongue cleaveth to my iawes and thou hast brought me to the dust of death My bones waxe old through roaring all the day For day and night thy hand was heavie upon me There is no soundnesse in my flesh because of thine anger neither is their any rest in my bones because of my sinne Mine iniquities that is the punishment of mine iniquities are gone over my head they are too heavie for me Thus and much more doth he complaine I am weary of my crying my throat is dry Mine eyes faile while I wait for my God So Asaph My sore ran and ceased not my soule refused to be comforted What thinke you now Were not Iob Paul and David in Gods love and favour notwithstanding all this It may be you will reply howsoever the matter of their trouble might be greater than yours yet they could remember God they could pray to him they had faith and confidence in God in their distresses al which you want therefore herein your case is worse than theirs Consider your selves well I speake onely to you that are wounded at the very heart for sinne and it is to be hoped that in some measure you shall find the like grace faith and confidence in you which was in thē If you see it not bee grieved for the want thereof Indevour to doe as you say they did in their distresses onely be not discouraged and all shall bee well But take notice I pray you that sometimes David neither did nor could pray as he conceived of his owne prayer any otherwise than in roaring and complaining at which time he saith hee kept silence But when hee could confesse his sins and pray then hee had some apprehension that God had forgiven him his sinne And for all Asaphs remembring of God yet even then he was troubled and his spirit was over-whelmed and hee saith his soule refused comfort and David saith unto God when wilt thou comfort mee I grant it was his fault yet it was such a fault as was incident to one beloved of God Moreover I deny not but that Iob and David had faith and hope in God but these graces in them were of times over-clouded with unbelife and distrust as doth appeare in their many passionate distempers at which times yet their faith appeared to others in their good speeches and actions intermingled rather then to themselves And the Prophet confesseth that those his faithlesse complaints were in his haste and from his infirmities How say you now Is it not thus with you Are you not like others of Gods children Off and on up and downe you would pray and cannot you would beleeve but as you thinke cannot you would have comfort but cannot feele it Onely you feele a secret support now and then and now and then you doe see and feele a glimpse of GODS light and comfort for which you must be thankefull which you must cherish by all meanes with which you must rest contented waiting untill God give you more You should know and consider that this is an old cunning device of Satan to make you beleeve that your case is worse or at least much different from the case of any others because hee knoweth that while he holdeth you thus conceited no common remedy which did cure and comfort others can cure and comfort you For you will still aske Was ever any as I am And if Gods
was felt witnesse your owne experience for before the hammer and fire of the Word was applyed to your hearts you had no sense of it and never complained thereof You must not call a heavie heart a hard heart you must not call a heart wherein is a sense of an indisposition to good a hard heart except onely in â—omparison of that softnesse which is in it sometimes and which it shall attaine unto when it shall bee perfectly sanctified in which respect it may bee called hard Whosoever hath his will so wrought upon by the Word that it is bent to obey GODS will if he knew how and if he had power this man whatsoever hardâ—esse hee feeleth his heart is soft not hard The Apostle had a heart held in and clogged with the flesh and the law of his members that it made him to thinke himselfe wretched because hee could not bee fully deliverd from it yet wee know his heart was not an hard heart Amongst those that are sanctified there remaineth more hardnesse in the heart of some than in others and what with the committing of grosse sinnes and a cursorie and slight doing of good duties and through neglect of meanes to soften it the same mens hearts are harder at one time than at another of which they have cause to complaine and for which they have cause to bee humbled and to use all meanes to soften it But it is false and dangerous hence to conclude that such are not in state of grace because of such hardnesse in the heart For as GODS perfectest Children on earth know but in part and beleeve but in part So their hearts are softened but in part SECTION 7. Removall of feares rising from doubts about falling from Grace THere yet remaine many who though they be driven up into so narrow a corner that they cannot reply to the answers given to take away their false feares and doubts but they are inforced to yeeld that they find that they now are or at least have beene in state of grace they now see they have beleeved and have beene and it may bee now are sanctified yet this they feare that they either are already fallen or shall not persevere but shall fall away before they dye Touching falling away from grace first know that of those that give their names to Christ in outward profession there are two sorts The first sort are such who have received onely the common gifts of the Spirit as first illumination of the mind to know the mystery of Salvation by Christ and truâ—y to assent unto it Secondly Together with this knowledge is wrought in them by the same spirit a â—â—â—hter impression upon the affections which the Scripture calleth a taste of the heavenly gift and of the good Word of GOD and of the powers of the world to come By these gifts of the Spirit the souâ—es of these men are raised to an abilitie to doe more than nature and meere education can helpe them unto carrying them further then nature or art can doe by working in them a kinde of spirituall change in their affections and a kinde of reformation of their lives But yet all this while they are not ingrafted into Christ neither are deepely rooted as the Corne in good grouÌ„d nor yet are throughly changed and renewed in the inward man they have at best only a formâ— of godlinesse but have not the power thereof Now these men may and oft doe fall away not onely into some particular grosse sinnes of which they were sometimes after a sort washed but into a course of sinning falling from the very forme of godlinesse and may so utterly loose thoâ—e gifts received that they may turne Papists Anabaptists or may fall into any oâ—her Heresie and in the end become very Apostates yet this is not properly a falling from grace It is onely a falling away from the common graces or gifts of the Sâ—irit and from those graces which they did seeme to have and which the Church out of her charitie did judge them to have but they fall not from true saving grace for they neuer had any For if ever they had beene indeed incorporated into Christ Iesus and had beene sound members of his body and in this sense had ever beene of us as the Apostle Iohn speaketh then they should never have departed from us but should no doubt have continued with us The second sort of such as have given their names to Christ are such as are indued with true iustifying faith and saving knowledge and are renewed in the spirit of their minde whereby through the gracious and powerful working of the sanctifying Spirit the Word maketh a deeper impression upon the will and the affections causing them not onely to taste but which is much more to feed and to drinke deepe of the heavenly gift and of the good word of GOD and of the powers of the world to come so as to digest them unto the very changing and transforming them by the renewing of their mindes and unto the sanctifying of them throughout in their whole man both in spirit soule and bodie so that CHRIST is indeed formed in them and they are become new creatures being made partakers of the divine nature Now concerning these It is not possible that any of them should fall away either wholly or for ever Yet it must bee granted that they may decline and fall backe so farre as to grieve the good spirit of GOD and to offend and provoke God very much against them and to make themselves guiltie of eternall death They may fall so farre as to interrupt the exercise of their faith wound their Conscience and may loose for a time the sense of Gods favour and may cause him like a wise and good father in his iust anger to chide correct threaten them making them beleeve hee will turne them out of doores never to receive them into his heavenly Kingdome untill by renewing their faith and repentance they returne into the right way and doe recover GODS lo-ving countenance towards them againe That you may understand and beleeve this the better consider what grace God giveth unto his elect and how and from what they may fill also you must observe well the difference that is betweene the sinning of the regenerate and unregenerate together with their different condition wherin they stand while they are in their sinnes In the first act of Conversion I speake of men of yeeres and discretion GOD by his Word through his holy Spirit doth infuse an habit of holinesse namely an habit of Faith and all other saving graces this every childe of GOD receiveth when he receiveth that holy annointing of the spirit that which the Scripture calieth the Seede remaining in him Secondly God by his gracious meanes and ordinances of the Gospell doth increase this habit and these graces Now because every man
that is truely regenerate doth carry about with him the body of sin and corruption and lyeth open daily unto the temptations of the world and the divell a truely regenerate man may be drawne not onely into sinnes of ignorance and common frailty but into grosse sinnes whereby the light and warmth of Gods spirit may be so much chilled and darkned that he may breake out into presumptuous sinnes Yea upon his negligent use or omission of the means of spirituall life and strength God may justly give him over to a fearefull declination in grace and backesliding Yet the truely regenerate fal onely from some degrees of holinesse and from certaine Acts of holinesse but not from the first infused habit of holinesse that blessed seede ever remaineth in him His falling is either onely into particular sinnes and into much failing in particular good duties or if it be towards a more generall defection yet it is never universall from the generall purpose of well-doing into a generall course of evill For the regenerate man doth never so sinne as the unregenerate man doth although for matter their sinnes may be all alike yea sometime those of the regenerate greater There is great difference in their sinnes and manner of sinning 1. Regenerate men may sinne of ignorance but they are not willingly and wilfully ignorant as are the unregenerate in some things or other 2. Regenerate men may commit not onely the common sinnes of infirmitie into which by reason of the remains of the lusts of the flesh they fall often such as rash anger discontent doubts feares dulnesse and deadnesse of heart in spirituall exercises and inward evill thoughts and motions of all sorts but they may also commit grosse sinnes such as are an open and direct breach of GODS Commandements yet those are done against their generall purpose as David did for hee had said hee would looke to his wayes and hee had determined to keepe Gods righteous iudgements Yea many times they are doneagainst their particular purposes as Peters denyall of his Master They are not usually plotted or thought on before but fallen into by occasion or are haled and enforced therunto by the violent corruption of the affections or sensuall appetites Moreover they doe not make a trade and custome of sinne These kindes of sinnes doe not passe them any long time unobserved but are seene bewailed confessed to GOD and prayed against and are bâ—rthenous and irkesome to them making them to thinke worse of themselves and to become base in their own eyes because of them But it is directly otherwise usually with the unregenerate in all these particulars 3. The regenerate may not onely commit sinnes grosse for matter but presumptuous for manner namely they may commit them not onely against knowledge but with a premeditated deâ—â—eration and determination of will as David did in the murther of Urâ—aâ— But itis seldome that a childe of GOD doth commit presumptuous sinnes His generall determination and Prayer is against them It is with much strife reluctation of will and with little delight and content in comparison He never sinnes presumptuously but when he is drawne thereunto or forced thereupon by some over-strong corruption and violent temptation for the time as David was being over-eagerly bent to hide his sinne and to save his credit For if he could by any means have gotten Vriah home to his wife hee would never have caused him to be slâ—ine And although presumptuous sinnes cast him into a deadnesse benummednesse of heart and spirit in which he may â—â—e for a time speechlesse and prâ—yerlesse as it was with David yet he feeleth that all is not well with him untill he have againe made his peace with God And when he hath the ministery of GODS powerfull word to make him plainly see his sinne then he will humble himselfe reforme it The unregenerate nothing so 4. Lastly a regenerate man may fall one degree further namely He may so loose his first love that he may though I cannot say fall into utter Apostacy yet decline from good very far even to a coldnesse and remissenesse in good duties even in the exercises of Religion if not to an utter omission for a time The life and vigor of his graces may suffer sensible Eclipses and decay Asa a good King yet went apace this way as appeareth by his imprisoning the good Prophet and in oppressing the people in his latter dayes and in trusting to the Physicians and not seeking to God to be cured of his disease And Salomon the truly beloved of GOD in his youth went further back giving himselfe to all manner of vanities and in his old age did so dote upon his many wives that he fell to Idolatry or at least became accessory by building them Idoll Temples and accompanying them to Idolatrous services in so much that it is said they turned away his heart after other gods and his heart was not perfect with the Lord his God as was the heart of Divid his Father Yet there is a wide difference betweene these backe-slidings and the Apostaâ—ies of men unregenerate For these doe not approve nor applaud themselves in those evil courses into which they are back slidden when out of the heat of temptation they doe thinke of them neither have the regenerate full content in them but finde vanity and vexation in them as Salomon did even in the dayes of his vanitie They doe not in this their declined estate hate the good generally which once they loved but looke backe upon it with approbation and their heart secretly inclineth unto a liking of it and of them that are as they once were so that in the midst of their bad estate they have a mind to returne but that they are yet so hampered and entangled with the snares of sinne that they cannot get out Lastly they in Gods good time by his grace doe breake forth out of this Eclipse of grace by the light whereof they â—â—e their nakednesse and folly and are ashamed of their back-slâ—ding and revolting and they againe aoe their first workes And with much adoe recover their wonted joyes comforts thogh it may be never with that life lustre and beautie as in former times and that as a just correction of their sinne that they may be kept humble and be made to looke better to their standing all the dayes of their life by it It is not so with hypocriticall professours who never were truly regenerate but quite contrary as you may observe in the Apostacies of Saul and of King Ioash and Simon Magus others Thâ—se differences rise hence because that the common graces of the unregenerate are but as flashes of lightning or as the fading light of Meteors which blaze but for a while and are like the water of Lana-flâ—nds which because they have no spring to feede