vntill it hath prepared the heart by breaking and humbling it and taking away the flintinesse of it Thou therefore whose heart is stony whose conscience is crusty bewaile thy securitie lament thine impenitencie and take thou no quiet vntill more remorse bee wrought in thee and euery check that thy conscience giueth thee for any good which thou hast neglected for any euill which thou hast committed quench it not choake it not repell it not For if thou resistest when conscience doth its office thou indisposest thy selfe to any remorse and thou occasionest the powers of thy soule to be so hide-bound that no spirituall moisture of sorrow for the lacke of grace can bedeaw thee and how then can the winde of grace blowe vpon thee Wherefore vntill the word of Grace hath thus farre wrought vpon thee to bring thee to a soft and broken heart think thou it hath don thee little or no good for whom the Lord doth freely worke vpon to sanctification hee doth also bring to mortification the second step wherunto is a soft and tender spirit Lastly The fourth helpe to sanctification prayer vnto the Lord for grace is a notable meanes to obtaine it For as the Lord f Psal 105. bringeth the wind out of his treasures so he sendeth downe his Spirit and euery good gift of the same from heauenly places not by any locall mutation as though the third person in the Trinitie did come from his throne of maiestie but by a supernatural operation and working in the hearts of the Elect the will of the Father in this worke goeth first the wil of the Sonne followeth that and the will of the Spirit proceedeth from both Non tempore sed or dine and therefore seeing grace doth thus come downe from heauen as the winde from the cloudes wee must by Petitions send vp to heauen for it Vnto this our Sauiour Christ doth encourage vs when-as hee sayth g Luk 11.13 Your heauenly father wil giue his Spirit to them that aske him But will some obiect and say Obiect How can wee pray for the Spirit while we want it when as wee cannot pray aright for any thing vntill Answer 1 wee haue the Spirit Whereunto I answer First it must bee considered vnto whom I speake to wit to such whom the Word hath preuailed withall to bring them to a knowledge of the want of grace and to remorse of conscience because of this want now they that are brought thus farre they are disposed to pray for it and therefore to such as these are very well may I speake as the Apostle doth concerning Wisedom h Iac. 1.5 If any man lacke that is feeles the lacke of wisedome and so consequently of grace let him aske it of God Yea and desire God to giue him grace to call for it aright and entreate others to begge the same thing for him Againe howsoeuer we cannot Answer 2 pray for the Spirit vntill we haue the Spirit yet we must pray for it that we may ascertaine our selues that we are in the way to attaine it for one of the first steppes to grace is an earnest desire to bee made a partner of grace yea such a desire as will not be satisfied vntill it hath it And neuer let that man looke to bee breathed vpon spiritually that hath not an heart to send vp sighs and sutes earnestly to the God of heauen for his holy Spirit As Mariners therefore when they would haue a prosperous gale to driue them to the hauen are wont to say Blowe winde blowe winde so pray thou Blowe Lord breathe Spirit oh breathe some heauenly blastes some spirituall motions some holy inspirations into my gracelesse barren and empty heart And let that be thy prayer which was the prayer of a Christian father and constant Martyr Cypr. de S. sancto folio 32. Adesto sancte spiritus sanctifica templum corporis nostri consecram habitaculum tuum dignam te habitatore domum compone adorna thalamum tuum quietis tuae reclinatorium circundae varietatibus virtutum sterne pauimenta pigmentis nite at mansio tua carbunculis flammeis gemmarū splendorib c. Come thou holy Spirit sanctifie the temple of my body and soule consecrate it as an habitation for thy selfe make it an house fit for so worthy a guest to lodge in beautifie it as thy chamber beset it as the Cabin of thy rest round about with the variety of all vertues let it glister as thy mansion with spirituall carbuncles and with the splendor of heauenly Pearles cause the odours of thy gracious oyntments to perfume it within and so regenerate and renue my heart that it may be established in grace for euer If in some such wise as this thou wilt but feruently faithfully and feelingly make knowne thy requests vnto the Lord thou shalt finde that that Spirit which descended vpon Christ in the similitude of a i Mat. 3.16 Doue and vpon the Apostles in the likenesse of clouen and fiery tongues k Act. 2.3 at the feast of Pentecost will come downe vpon thee in the likenesse of a mighty wind to purge and purifie thee to renue and sanctifie thee and to infuse into thee innocencie wisedome zeale faith fear loue and all graces in measure needful for thy saluation And thus Christian Reader haue I pointed out vnto thee the helpes which may further thee towards the attainment of sauing grace The Word must be attended to that it may teach thee humilitie humilitie must be attained vnto that out of an acknowledgement of thine own vnworthinesse and vnholinesse thy heart may be softned and a soft heart must be endeuoured for that out of a broken contrite spirit thou maiest earnestly call vpon God for the gales and graces of his holy Spirit who vpon thy praying vnto him aright hath made a gracious promise freely and liberally to vouchsafe them vnto thee without reproaching thee And that thou maiest be perswaded the more willingly to follow this direction Motiues to stir vp to the carefull vse of these meanes Motiue 1. and be the more eagre thus in the pursuite of holinesse doo but in the first place consider the consolation that these graces will afford a man in the time of affliction and triall For endeuourest to be sanctified Thinke we now vpon these two things seriously meditate wee vpon them carefully and let them be as two goades in our sides to make vs industrious in vsing meanes to be gracious Would wee haue a comforter in the times of heauinesse would we be partakers of euerlasting happinesse then let vs as we haue beene exhorted follow the rules that haue beene prescribed vs to attaine to holinesse that the blastes of heauen may inspire grace into vs. Which grace the Lord grant vs for his mercies sake Sect. 5. Vse 4. Admonition And so from my third Vse which was for exhortation I proceede to a fourth which is the last
haue compell'd the Lord to deal thus with them will hee nill hee then though they should bee vngratefull they were the more to bee borne withall but seeing the Lords free will was the chiefest motiue and his meer loue the mainest reason to induce him thus to breathe vpon them now to cut him short of his praises not to render or at least endeauour to render due thanks vnto his Majesty it is a very hainous and intolerable offense not to be suffred not to be endured Wherefore thou that hast thy minde enlightened with the grace of illumination thy heart softened with godly contrition thy will brought into an Euangelicall subjection through the grace of mortification thy affections into a spirituall temper and frame through the work of sanctification thou that bringest forth the fruits of obedience plentifully cheerfully grieuing for and praying against the many slips thou takest and the spirituall sloth which is somtimes in thee thou that canst stop thy ear against the voice of temptation that canst speake to God by praier and supplication that canst speake to men in religious discourse refraining thy tongue from euill for conscience sake which is one fruit of pure religion thou I say that hast these euidences of the breathing of grace which I spake of before h chap. 3 Sect. 3. striue thou to haue thy heart lips and life enlarged opened and replenished with the praises of his holy Name And the more thou consider'st how freely these heauenly benefits come from himselfe without any merit yea notwithstanding so many demerits of thine own the more forward be thou to be telling of his louing kindnes from day to day the more zealous for his glory in his cause and the more rauished with the serious meditation of his singular bounty And oh consider he might haue left thee like a liue-lesse breathlesse creature as he hath many thousands but that his will and his loue did prouoke him to commiserate thy wofull condition If twenty or thirtie malefactours should be in one and the self same dungeon where they could neither haue the light of the Sunne to accheer them nor the benefit of the sweet air to refresh them and one or two of them amongst all the rest by the meanes of a friend a stranger to them should bee redeemed from that bondage set at liberty and brought forth to partake both of the light of the glistering Sun and the breath of the refreshing winde Oh how thankfull would these poor wretches bee to him that had procured them this liberty what orations narrations would they make of his kindnes and no seruice would they sticke at to doo him when-as hee should require it at their hands And the more readily also would they do this because they know it was his meer pleasure to redeeme them rather then any of the other whom he might haue made choice of as well as they and left them in the dungeon still Now thou that hast receiued grace wert once a prisoner to the diuell as well as the rest of Adams posterity and wert chained with spirituall fetters in the dungeon of sinne where thou hadst neither the Sunne of Righteousnesse to shine vpon thee nor the winde of grace to breathe into thee The Father of his owne free will sent his Sonne the Sonne came willingly himselfe with the holy Ghost to dissolue the workes of the diuell in thee to loosen the boltes of sinne for thee to bring thee out of that same hideous and stinking dungeon into the fresh aire with the sun-shine of grace to giue light to thee with the gales of grace to blow on thee when he might haue taken others and left thee a prisoner still Now was his loue so great to thee was his will such towards thee rather then towards others when as thou wert in the same condemnation with others Oh let this strike into thy heart and make so deep an impression in thy soule that it may neuer be forgotten that it may euer be remembred let it driue thee into such an extasie that vppon thy awaking thou mayest with holy Dauid and patient Iob who had experience of the like mercie breake out and say i Psal 8.4 What is man that thou art mindfull of him and the Sonne of man that thou dost thus visit him k Iob 7.17 What is man that thou shouldest magnifie him and that thou shouldest set thy heart vppon him Lord what am I that thou shouldest thus set thine heart vpon me to visite mee with the blasts of thine heauenly graces and make my heart which was formerly a slie for vncleane diuells a lodging and temple for the holy Ghost to dwell in Lord this is loue without paralell this is mercie without comparison what seemed it good in thine eyes heauenly Father to turne me and blow mee towards the Kingdome of Heauen when being blowne forward with the blasts of that wicked spirit I was going running posting flying to the kingdome of darkenesse Needs must I lose my selfe in the admiration of this loue and with the Psalmist say l Psal 18.49 Because thou hast thus deliuered me from the hand of the violent therefore will I giue thanks vnto thee O Lord and sing praises vnto thy holy name Thus I say let the praises of God bee in thy mouth when the worke of his Spirit is in thy heart And this is the duety which thou that art a new creature in Christ art dayly to practise on thine owne behalfe 2 Carenes to beg grace for those that went it Againe as thou must thus be thankfull for what thou thy selfe hast thus freely receiued so thou must be a suter vnto Gods maiesty for the like mercie on the behalfe of those that want it for thou knowest that they are no more able to work this grace in themselues then thou thy selfe wert when thou wert in the same state with them and thou vnderstandest by this doctrine that it commeth from God alone and the Philosophers axiome is true m Aristot de causis res recipiunt bonitatem in fluxam a prima causa Things receiue their goodnes from the first cause of that goodnesse And the soule that is empty of grace must receiue her preordained fulnesse of grace from the Lord the first cause and fountaine of grace and from that fountaine must thy prayers bee as a pitcher to fetch grace for thy brother so farre foorth as precedent election maketh a possibility of speeding A caution Mis-take mee not I speake not this as though I were of opinion that the merit of thy prayers could deserue grace at Gods hands for thy elect brother but I only shew thee what the consideration of the freedome of Gods pleasure in breathing grace into his Church ought to stirre thee vp vnto and what loue and pitty to thy vnregenerate brothers poore soule ought to moue thee vnto viz. to beseech God who n Act. 2.17 poureth his Spirit
is not heard by all alike that doe heare it why wilt thou measure another mans hearing by thine owne eare another mans graces by thine owne feeling Is there not diuersitie of gifts and are there not different degrees in feeling If thou bee a Christian thou darest not deny it If then that grace or those graces which thou hast be wrought in thy brother whether the measure of his feeling bee the same with thine yea or no take heed that thou doest not entertayne such hard vncharitable conceits of him If the fruits of the Spirit speake for him doe not thou speake against him though the sense which doth accompany the worke of mortification and goeth So is euery one that is borne of the Spirit The words apart interpreted 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The meaning of the words must first bee enquired into But canst not tell In the Originall this phrase is thus set down Thou knowest not Now to bring-in the diuers acceptions and sundry significations that this word Know hath in the Scriptures were but needelesly to spend Time and fill Paper in this Text. This negatiue Thou knowest not or Canst not tell is asmuch as the affirmatiue Thou art ignorant Whence it commeth there is some little difficulty in this little word IT whether it be to be referred to Winde Quest Answ or Sound And it may easily be answered that it hath relation vnto Winde rather then Sound and the reason is this because Nicodemus could not but know euen by meere hearing whence the sound of the Winde came viz. from the Winde though by meere hearing hee could not tell what corner the Winde it selfe comes from So that this phrase Whence IT commeth may be turned thus Whence that Winde cometh yea Obiect but will some obiect and say The cause of the Winde may bee knowne and a man may easily vnderstand whence it commeth both in respect of the supernaturall cause of it and naturall Is not the supernaturall cause of it God himselfe The sayings of Moses declare as much h Exd. 11.13 The LORD brought an East winde vpon the Land all that day and all that night and in the nineteenth verse of the same chapter IEHOVAH turned a mighty strong west winde which tooke away the locusts and cast them into the red Sea And in another place he saith i Num. 11 13. There went forth a winde from the LORD and brought Quailes from the Sea And by the Prophet Amos k Amos 4.17 GOD is called the Creator of the windes Secondly as for the naturall cause of the winde it is knowne to be a cold cloud meeting in the middle region of the aire with such vapours as arise from the earth according to that of the Psalmist l Psal 135 7. He causeth the vapours to ascend from the ends of the earth hee bringeth the winde out of his treasuries that is out of the Caues and hidden places of the earth where the Lord holdeth the windes as in a storehouse to bring them forth thence according to his pleasure So that thus I say it may be knowne whence the winde commeth True Why then doeth Christ heere charge Nicodemus with such ignorance that hee did not know whence the winde came Was he a Doctor in Israel and had hee neither Philosophie to know the naturall cause of the winde nor Diuinitie to know the supernaturall To this I answer Answer to this obiection that the words are not to be vnderstood of Nicodemus his ignorance in the cause of the winde and whence it ariseth as from the supernaturall and naturall originall of it but of his ignorance about the particular place angle and corner whence this winde or that winde commeth implying that hee could not know whether it came from East or West or North or South onely by hearing the sound of it and so are the words to bee vnderstood Nor whither it goeth that is Nor into what corner it will turne how strongly or how long it will blowe what a measure of sound it wil rise to ere it ceaseth So is euery one that is borne of the Spirit This at the first sight seems to be a strange speech being so to be applyed as it is I meane to the immediate fore-going sentence Canst not tell whence it commeth and whither it goeth For what Doubt can wee not know whence the Spirit of regeneration commeth or what it worketh Doth not the Scripture tell vs that the holy Ghost proceedeth from the Father the Sonne and that m Iac. 1.17 euery good and perfect gift cometh downe from the Father of Lights and that the fruits of the Spirit and the effects which it produceth are n Galat. 5 22.23 loue ioy peace long-suffering gentlenes goodnes faith meekenes c. Yes why then is it said heere that it is with the operation of the Spirit in the regenerate as it is with the winde in the ayre not to be knowne whence it cometh and whither it goeth I answer Solution This phrase is heere vsed not to signifie vnto vs that the wayes of spirituall men are vnknowne to those that where it will cease or how it will cease how strong it will be how long it will blowe before it will fall So is it with the blowings of grace in the regenerate sometimes thogh they feele the Spirit working in them they cannot distinctly and directly tell whether the Spirit be the Author of it yea or no and when they doe know whence it cometh and can tell that the Spirit is the originall of it they can not tell what measure of it they shall receiue From the words thus cōmented vppon two poynts of Doctrine do arise .i. that the Spirit is somtimes felt working and yet is not discerned to bee the Spirit secondly That the measure of a Christians graces is incomprehensible CHAP. XIII The first proposition handled out of the last part of the Text. Sect. 1. Doctr. 9. THe former of these wanteth not proofe For that the Spirit is somtimes felt working by the regenerate in themselues and yet is no more knowne by them whence that worke commeth then the winde by the bare sound of it can be knowne from what particular corner whether East or West c. it cometh is as cleare a case in Diuinitie as can be It was the Spirit no doubt that mooued Nicodemus to come to Christ and it is very likely that hee heard a certayne secret sound within him telling him that Christ was an extraordinary teacher sent from God and that bade him come to Christ for instruction yet Nicodemus did not know that this motion came from the Spirit of God For if he had he would neuer haue wondered so much as hee did at the speech of Christ when hee discoursed with him of the working of the Spirit in the hearts of the regenerate Paul also whose Story Saint Luke mentioneth o Acts 9. Compare the 3 4
bee any whit accheered by it if thy iudgement being erronious may be any whit informed by it if thy mind being doubtfull may be any whit resolued by it if thy desire to walke with God may be any whit sharpened by it and thou directed to leaue the way of the flesh and walke after the Spirit which are the ends as the great Searcher of all hearts knoweth I chiefly aime at in making it publique giue the glory vnto God who gaue the first motion last resolution to set it forth and for my recompence let me haue thy praiers to God that I may fulfill the course of my ministry with ioy If the inserting heere and there in the margine other Authors beside the Scriptures doth distaste thee that art a weake Christian Reader know that I haue done it to free my selfe from a calumnie wherewithall some haue charged me that I should bee against the vse of Fathers and withall for thy further satisfaction consider that I haue done more at the Presse then in the Pulpit as mine ordinarie hearers can testifie whose eares it is not my wont to amaze being plaine country hearers with Augustine Gregorie Barnard Chrisostome c. On the other side if that because I am no more plentifull in quotation doth displease thee that art a curious Reader I would entreate thee to be satisfied with this that I had rather incurre the censure of a nice iudgement vndeseruedly then haue mine heart smite mee and my conscience tell me that I seeke the praise of man more then of God And what cumfort could I haue when men should esteeme me a well read Scholler in the Fathers which cannot be in respect of my yeeres and yet indeed I should be beholding to an Index prepared to my hand by the industry of another for such allegations Well whatsoeuer affection thou readest it withall profit it is that I wish to thy soule I haue diuided the whole into Chapters the Chapters into Sections that thou mayest reade all as well as some and not weary thy selfe with too much at once if tediousnesse shall seeme to oppresse thee and indeed vnlesse thou readest all thou maiest mistake me in some things Thine the Treatise is thine also my selfe am in our common Sauiour to whose grace I commend thee As a desirer of thy best good T. B. The Contents CHAP. I. THe Entrance into the matter by shewing the occasion and Summe of the Text. CHAP. II. The first generall Conclusion from the nature and substance of the words CHAP. III. The second generall Conclusion from the summe of the Text. CHAP. IIII. The Logicall Analysis of the Text and the opening of the first part of it CHAP. V. The first Doctrine from the first part of the Text concerning the free libertie of the Spirit his working CHAP. VI. The second Doctrine from the first part of the Text touching the Inuincible force of the breath of the Spirit CHAP. VII The words of the second part of the Text interpreted and the heads of the doctrines briefly propounded CHAP. VIII The first Doctrine from the second part of the Text handled CHAP. IX The second Doctrine handled from the second part of the Text. CHAP. X. The third poynt handled from the second branch of the Text. CHAP. XI The fourth and last Doctrine obseruable in the second part of the Text. CHAP. XII The third part of the Text expounded and the poynts of Diuinitie thence arising propounded CHAP. XIII The first proposition handled out of the last part of the Text. CHAP. XIIII The second and last poynt from the last part of the Text. The Gales of Grace OR The Wind of the Spirit Iohn 3.8 The Winde bloweth where it listeth and thou hearest the sound thereof but canst not tel whence it cometh and whither it goeth So is euerie one that is borne of the Spirit CHAP. I. ¶ The entrance into the matter by shewing the occasion and summe of the Text. Sect. 1. The occasion and coherence THis third chapter of Saint Iohn from the first verse to the 22. is a dialogue or conference betwixt the Sauiour of Israel and a Maister in Israel I meane Christ Iesus and Nicodemus concerning the causes of eternall saluation wherin our Sauior amongst many other necessarie doctrines touching the merits of his a Verses 13.14 obedience b v. 15.16 faith in his bloud the c v. 16.17 loue of the Father in sending his Son out of his owne bosome to ransome and redeeme the world of Beleeuers which hee handleth heere and there within the compasse of those verses falleth in the first place vpon the point of Regeneration beeing occasioned thereunto by the speech which Nicodemus put foorth to him in the second verse Rabbi we know thou art a teacher come from God that is Not onely the vulgar sort of people but also wee Pharises are perswaded and doe confesse that thou art a Teacher and Doctor not assuming the office of instructing by an vnlawfull vsurpation but sent by an extraordinary and immediate calling from God himselfe whose presence and power doth manifest it selfe in thy Doctrine by the miracles which he enableth thee to doe for the ratifying confirming of that which thou teachest By which speech Christ perceiuing a secret desire in this Doctor to be taught in the way of God beginneth somewhat obscurely to tell him of a certaine second or new-birth making entrance thereinto with a vehement asseueration or protestation in the third verse Verily verily I say vnto thee Except a man be borne againe he cannot see the kingdome of God as if hee should haue said Sayest thou so Nicodemus that I am an extraordinary teacher sent from God not called after an ordinary manner thou speakest true and such an one shalt thou now finde me for I can instruct thee in such a mysticall peece of Diuinitie as by all the humane learning thou hast thou shalt neuer be able to gage the depth nor fadome the bottome of it And wottest thou what it is A man must be borne againe Nicodemus And that thou mayest not thinke that I speake more then I can iustifie I protest vnto thee Verily verily a man must of necessitie be borne againe what sayest thou to this Didst thou euer heare the like Diuinitie Truely no sayth he in the fourth verse and though I heare it now I can scarce beleeue it it is the strangest Doctrine that euer I heard to mee thou seemest to preach impossibilities and to make that absolutely needfull which I can no way conceiue to be possible How can a man be borne when he is olde Can hee enter the second time into his mothers wombe and be borne Nicodemus hauing thus bewrayed his grosse ignorance and that he was driuen into a maze by that which Christ spake Christ replieth vppon him againe as willing to reach him and openeth his minde and his mouth a little more plainely about the matter in the fift verse Except a
their first entring into worldly dealings striue by all manner of waies to increase in wealth and riches but because they will set no bounds to their estate no period which they resolue not to passe neyther will they learne to know any measure beyond which they purpose not to goe And shall not men of the Spirit from the first time of their conuersion seeke to thriue in those spirituall riches no limits whereunto the Lord hath set vntill their earthly tabernacle bee dissolued and death maketh a separation betwixt the soule and the body How doe they looke for the Garland except they runne forward What hope can they haue of the Crowne of life except they bee faithfull vnto the death If I had but a perswading faculty I would vehemently vrge this spiritual growth in the practice of piety in the life of Christianitie in these declining times in this decaying barren age of the world But Peter shall speake in stead of me z 2. Pet 3.18 Grow in grace And so shall Saint Paul a Ephes 4 15. In all things grow vp into him which is the head that is Christ c. Whose counsell I would entreate thee to follow to hold fast and to encrease what thou hast already receiued Quest But will some say It is easier to say Grow then to shew how to grow bare exhortation berall Arts that there was neuer a day passed ouer his head wherein he did not either reade something or write something or declaime and out of doubt hee was no loser by it So if men and women would be more diligent students in the Oracles of God the book of the Scriptures they should be great gainers in the trade of godlinesse and their dayly incomes of heauens blasts would be larger then now they are Vnto God therefore my brethren I commend you e Acts 20.32 and to the word of his grace which is able to build you vp and to giue you an inheritance amongst all them that are sanctified f Phil. 1.9 praying that you may more and more abound in knowledge and in all iudgement Helpe 2 Secondly prayer vnto God that hee would leade vs forward by his holy spirit wil be a means to raise higher the gales and gusts of this spirituall winde In this practice we haue the Apostles to goe before vs who prayed and said g Lu. 17.5 Lord encrease our faith And if their faith then all the other graces which are ioyned with faith and attend vpon her Thus prayed Paul on the behalfe of the Philippians that h Phil. 1.9 their loue might abound Thus prayed hee also for the Ephesians when he sayd i Ephes 3.14.16 For this cause doe I bow my knees vnto the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ that hee would graunt you according to the riches of his glory to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man And thus must thou pray also that art a partner in the possessions of grace and then thou shalt find that that God which hath begunne the good worke will perfect it for the more frequent and feruent thy sutes are for the augmentations of Grace the better thou art sure to thriue in thy spirituall and holy courses Thirdly to loue the communion Helpe 3 and frequent the company of the Saints is a way to bee gayners and a meane to encrease the stocke of true holinesse The more vapours are together the longer and stronger are the windes like to bee and the moe holy hearts are vnited together by the bond of holy societie the more occasion their times about things that tend not to edification neglecting faith repentance such necessary neuer to be knowne-enough principles they com at length to call their mother whoore like impudent children though they first receiued the graces they make profession to haue in her yet they will not sticke to slaunder her as a limme of the Romish Synagogue And therfore I say I perswade not to such meetings but I perswade to that which the Apostle doth Hebr. 10.24 25 Brethren forsake not the assembling your selues together as some doe that ye may consider one another to prouoke vnto loue and good workes and to exhort one another in asmuch as yee see the day approching Children season themselues in profanenesse by their playing together Profane men strengthen themselues in wickednesse by conuersing together in Ale-houses Tauerns Brothell-houses Theatres c. Papists in heresies by mutuall society and shall Christians depriue themselues of this means to thriue and grow vp in grace by neglecting the society and communion of one another God forbid If they doe that which the Prophet speaketh of the materiall temple may bee verified of them k Hag. 2.3 Who is left amongst you that sawe this house in her first glory And how do you see it now Is it not now in comparison of it that is of what it was before as nothing Fourthly it must bee our care not Helpe 4 onely to walke wisely and circumspectly redeeming the time as the Apostle aduiseth l Ephes 5.15.16 but also to bee daily weeding our corruptions out of the ground of our hearts with the weeding-hooks of Examination and renued Repentance searching diligently what thistles grow at the bottome what euills are most prone to please our selues in that wee may daily grow into hatred with them and cleanse our selues from all filthines of the flesh and spirit perfecting holinesse in the feare of God as the Apostle his counsell is m 2. Cor. 7.1 For if day by day passe ouer our heads and we seldome or neuer search out our hidden sinnes and summon our selues for them before Gods Tribunall wee may bee so ouer-growne with security lacke of care that our growth in sanctitie will be hindered our gifts of grace to our sense at least much impaired euen as land when it is sowne corne when it is sprung vp for want of looking to and weeding may bee ouer-growne with noysome weedes and vnprofitable plants to the great hinderance and grieuance of the poore husbandman Helpe 5 Lastly it will much auaile vs in this spirituall growth to keepe our graces in exercise and to put them to vse One good way for a Merchant or Trades-man to thriue in the world Simile is if his markets be good the winds serue to be continually in trading and still to haue the maine stocke going Whereas he which alwayes spends of the stocke and tradeth not withall may goe downe the winde and soone prooue a bankrupt So for a man to haue good gifts good graces and not occupy with them nor keepe them in exercise shall be so farre from encreasing his spirituall store that hee shall rather diminish and wrong it Vse limbes and haue limbes saith the olde Adage Vse knowledge and haue knowledge vse faith and haue faith vse loue and haue loue vse humilitie and haue humilitie c. 1. Hast thou the grace