may be objected Object that Paul himselfe seemed to want this for hee found no meanes to performe that which was good as he complaineth Rom. 7.18 I answer hereunto that He complaineth not that he had no promise of strength Answ or that hee had no faith in the same for he saith the contrary Phil. 4 13. but hee complaineth that for all the hope of helpe that he had yet the rebellion of his flesh did mightily strive and resist the spirit And this must every faithfull man looke for while he live NOw for the fountaine from whence a godly life doth proceed it is from the heart which therefore must bee purged and cleansed For this wee are to know that the heart of man before it be emptied is a dungeon of iniquity before it be inlightened a denne of darkenesse before it bee cleansed a puddle of filthinesse and that which Saint Iames speaketh of the tongue may much more be said of the heart that before it be tamed it is an unruly evill Now if such an heart bee the guide of our life how monstrous and loathsome must that life needs bee of necessity then the heart must be purged and changed This purging of the heart is a renewing in holinesse and righteousnesse by little and little of all true beleeuers they being first delivered and freed from the tyranny of sinne and feare of damnation for then doth sinne receive a deadly wound and the power thereof is abated and crucified which is shewed by the hatred of sinne and a delighting in goodnesse Although this change bee but weake at the first yet if it bee in truth in will and desire it is an infallible mark of Gods election and love towards him This grace is often dimmed and even choked in many because God doth strengthen and continue this gift of holinesse and sanctification as it is nourished esteemed set by and as men doe stirre it up in themselues by asking after it when they doe misse it and provoking themselves to pray for such good affections and cannot bee satisfied without them as David did Psal 43 5.103.1 Thus we ought to cherish and blow up the sparkles within us which will not ordinarily faile us especially for any long time except in time of temptation unlesse it bee through our default and folly As for the manner how this is done wee are to know it is the proper and wonderfull worke of God by the power of the holy Ghost Acts 15.9 Isa 11.2 He that hath with faith unfained an heart sanctified and purified from his naturall corruptions and wicked disposition as he is not to account it meane and little worth it being an euident worke of the Spirit so neither is hee to stand at a stay in this it being but the beginning of that worke which shall follow it But Object How doth God purge our hearts when as faith is said to doe it Acts. 15.9 1. Joh. 3.5 Answ Faith is truely said to doe it because that men not yet assured of the happines of heaven not knowing nor feeling any better delights doe seeke after those which their blinde and deceitfull hearts doe dreame of here on earth But as soone as they are assured of Gods favour through faith so soone are their hearts changed and their affections set another way so that faith may well bee said to purifie and cleanse the heart 1 Pet. 1.4 but not as the chiefe and highest cause for that is the holy Ghost but as the instrument Thus from faith and a pure heart doth arise a good conscience a sweet peace and holy security having received from God a mind to know him an heart to love him a will to please him and strength also in some measure acceptable to obey him From hence doth proceed that true repentance which is a purpose of the heart Acts 11.23 an inclination in the will Psal 119.44.57 and a continuall endeavouring in the life Acts 24.16 to cast off all evill and obey God both inwardly and outwardly according â—o the measure of knowledge in every one So that this sound purging of the â—eart is that strong foundation â—pon which only a good life comes â—o be builded For God will have â—ur whole heart not a piece of 〈◊〉 for that is neither beseeming his â—eatnesse neither fit for them to â—fer who receive so great good â—ings at his hands many indeed 〈◊〉 hardly brought to this and therefore all their faire shewes and colours doe vanish away and come to nothing for rash and hasty purposes are no sufficient foundations to beare up so great and weighty buildings as the whole course of their lives to bee wholly passed But if men at their first imbracing of the Gopsell did give their hearts wholly to the Lord then should God have more honour and themselves more abiding comfort NOw having shewed the ground and roote of a godly life viz. faith and a pure heart it remaines to speake of the parts of it which is a renouncing of all sinne and a care to walke in a new life And first of the former The party beleeving is brought to this power and grace that he is out of love with all ungodlinesse and not with some part or kinde onely but loatheth the whole course of iniquity which was his onely delight and pleasure before neither doth hee this in some good moode onely or when some shame or danger approach then to shew some mislâ—ke of it but in good advisement hee is resolved to cast off such behaviour as a loathsome and and ragged garment Hos 4.9 Eph. 4.24 Math 16.24 For want of this setled denying of our selves divers never attaine true godlinesse some never conceiving the Doctrine others forgetting and some scorning it but the most receiving it coldly and going about it preposterously Whereas the servants of God leave not sinne for a time nor by constraint for or company and feare c. but being at utter defiance with it doe abiure it for ever Nehem. 10.29 But in all these they trust not to their owne strength but daily considering what cause they have to doe so how infinitely they are bound to God to discharge it become firmely perswaded that God who hath made them willing will also make them able to do it Phil. 4.13 Rom. 9.31 and therfore although they see not that helpe present with their eyes yet they hope for that which they see not and therefore wait patiently for it till it can be granted them Thus both both faith and hope being nourished and strengthened in them from day to day they doe finde both will and desire strength though imperfect to accomplish to the peace of their hearts that which they set upon and attempted Indeed it is not obtained without striving but it is no iust cause of discouragement to us to take paine for so great a profit when we are sure of it before wee goe about it and if Object The faithfull doe not alwaies preuaile therein Answ As
BRIEFE DIRECTIONS UNTO A GODLY LIFE Wherein every Christian is furnished with most necessary helps for the furthering of him in a godly course here upon Earth that so he may attaine Eternall Happinesse in Heaven Written by Mr. Paul Bayne Minister of Gods Word to Mr. Nicholas Iordane his Brother LONDON Printed by A. G. for I. N. and are to be sold by Samuel Enderby at the Starre in Popes head Alley 1637. To the RIGHT Worshipfull Mr. NICHOLAS IORDANE Esquire and one of his Majesties Iustices of the Peace and Quorum in the County of Sussex SIR IT hath beene an ancient custom to reserve some lively representation of worthy friends deceased therby to continue the remembrance of their vertues persons and love This holy Treatise ensuing hath served you to that purpose and that very fitly for herein you have a true representation and remembrance of your most worthy and loving Brother especially of the most noble and worthy part of him I meane of his excellent understanding in the mysterie of godlinesse his most zealous and earnest will and desire of all mens practice of godlinesse And his sincere love unto you in particular unto whom hee primarily directed these Directions unto a godly life which as they do lively expresse that he had put on the new man created and renued in knowledge righteousnesse and true holinesse so is it most worthy of our reservation both for the remembrance and imitation of him Yea I may confidently affirme that this faithfull remembrancer is most worthy and fit alwaies to be carried about us and daily to be look'd on by us for it will helpe us well to put on that new man and to be conformable to our Head Iesus Christ and to walke before the Lord in holinesse and righteousnesse all the daies of our life For there is this difference between those former corporall Images of earthly bodies and this that men with too much love and use of them easily fell into superstitious wickednesse but this the more it is loved and used of men the more will all wickednesse be rooted out of their hearts and the more will they glorifie God by a holy life and conversation Now having received this holy Treatise at your worships hands to publish it unto the World I am bold to returne it unto you for safegard both that the World may know unto whom it is obliged for so excellent a monument as also for the great benefit that shall be reaped thereby So Sir accounting it a wise part in him that cannot speake well to say but little I commend you and this Treatise to Gods Grace which is able to build us up further even to doe wondrously above all that wee can aske or thinke Your Worships humbly at command N. N. Briefe Directions unto a godly Life wherein every Christian is furnished with most necessary Helpes for the furthering of him in a godly course here upon earth that so hee may attaine eternall happinesse in Heaven SUre it is that it was not thus with man-kinde in the beginning as now it is God created man happy yet mutable but Satan by deceit did cast him from that happy condition whereby besides the losse of that felicity he was plunged into extreme misery which consisteth in two things First in sinne Secondly the curse following upon it First our sinne is not onely that first transgression of Adam wherby we are all guilty but also that infection of soule and body arising from the former Hence it is that the understanding is fiâ—led with blindnesse the conscience wounded seared and defiled the memory forgetting good things or not remembring any thing aright The will captive of no strength to good but onely to evill the affections all together disordered The cogitations about heavenly matters are errour falsehood and lies The wishes and desires of the heart are earthly and fleshly The outward behaviour is nothing else but a giving up of the members of the body as instruments of sinne The curse maketh him subject in this life for his use of the creatures to dearths famine c. For his body to sicknesse and other paines In his sense for his friends to the like calamities in his soule to vile affections to blindnesse hardnesse of heart desperation madnesse c. In both body and soule to endlesse and easelesse torture in the world to come Yet some may object that All are not in this case or estate Object To which I answer All are subject by nature to the same wrath of God Answ they which feele it not their case is no better but rather worse than the other The onely sufficient remedy for the saving of man is to satisfie Gods justice which by sinne is violated His justice is satisfied by suffering the punishment due to sinne and by the present keeping of the Law Therefore it is not to be sought for in our selves nor in any other creature It being appointed by the Father was undertaken and wrought by Christ and is sealed in mens hearts by the holy Ghost but it may be demanded Object How did Christ his redemption become ours I answer Answ God the Father of his infinite love gave him freely to us with all his whole worke of Redemption This Divine Mysterie is brought to light by the Gospell The use whereof is to manifest that righteousnesse in CHRIST whereby the Law is fully satisfied and salvation attained The remedy and the tidings of it is received only by Faith which Faith is so to give credit to Gods Word as he rest thereon that hee will save him and is wrought by the ministery of the Word revealing this mercy and truth of God and by these the holy Ghost inlightening him to conceive drawing him to believe and so uniting him to Christ The knowledge of the former things is not sufficient for him that will come to happinesse but this knowledge worketh First he is drawne by the secret worke of the Spirit of God to be perswaded that the Doctrine taught doth concerne him hee hath wisdome given him to apply generall things particularly to himselfe Col. 1.9 as first the Preaching of the Law and the threatned curses of it whereby he seeth himselfe guilty before God of eternall punishment and wrath Secondly the Lord directeth him to enter into further consideration with himselfe of and about his present estate and consulteth what to doe in this his ex remity and that not lightly but serioâ—sly as a matter of life and death Ier. 8.6 Luke 7.15 If he be not able to counsell himselfe hee asketh counsell of others Thirdly from the former consultation he commeth to this resolution that hee will not returne to his old waies but in all humility and meeknesse and brokennesse of heart say with Paul Lord what wilt thou that I doe Fourthly by this meanes hee commeth to an unfained desire of forgivenesse which alwaies proceedeth from a sound hope that God will be intreated of him This hungring after mercy
doth witnesse the same for wee see many frequent the exercises of Religion who because they propound not with themselves to be cast into the mould of holy Doctrine and to be fashioned after it in their lives doe get rather harme than good whereas others at the same time using the same meanes doe receive much blessing from God thereby such woe it is that prophanenesse of life bringeth with it This is not spoken for the discouragement of any that they should give over the use of any good meanes but to stirre us up all for to seeke the true fruit of them for Gods deare children when they grow carelesse loose the fruit of good exercise when they waxe weary of reverent attending upon God as all good things the flesh doth soone turne to wearinesse and begin after the manner of men with whom they live to seeke their unlawfull liberty some way not being circumspect enough about the keeping of the best â—hings in price and estimation the Lord seeing this taketh from them the priviledges which they enioyed before hee dimmeth the light of their mindes that they see not so cleerely shutteth up their hearts that they delight not in the matters which were wont to be of greatest account and reckoning with them By all which it may appeare that much more they that worship him with uncleane hearts never washed and purged cannot receive into them the sweet and wholesome liquour of his grace by what outward exercises soever they present themselves before him and if this be the state of many who draw neere unto God outwardly how fearefull then is their condition who neither heare his word nor are acquainted with his waies at all NOw because this streight course is not easily yielded unto therefore some things are obiected against it which must bee answered This life cannot bee led Object or at least not with any ioy It may seeme so indeed Answ because that after they have begun this course many have kept at a stay or else being driven backe some complaine of much tediousnesse and strong discouragements fearefull doubtings and small comfort in it divers others account it a mopish life But for the Answer of all this wee are to know that this Christian life consisting not in some good actions but in the keeping of our hearts sincere and uprightly bent to walke with the Lord in all his Commandements throughout our whole course according to our knowledge is not only possible but required as the Prophet sheweth Ps 1.2 119.9.97 98. where he teacheth that he which is happy and godly indeed endevoreth to this that his mind may delight in and be possessed of good matters or rightly using lawfull or carefully resisting those which are sinfull Phil. 3.20 The example also of Enoch Abraham Iob Moses David with other godly men who were not without their infirmities no more than we doe shew the possibility of this life neither is it a state unpleasant to the spirituall man whom the holy Ghost directeth but easie sweete and comfortable though it be a yoake to the corrupt lusts not yet subdued for as every one excelleth another in the graces of the spirit thereafter is his measure greater in the privileges of a Christian than others and with more sound and continuall comfort doth hee passe his daies and free his life from reproachfull evills and the more that any godly man increaseth in goodnesse and goeth beyond that estate wherein he hath sometimes bin in knowledge high estimation of it the right use of the same the more shal his life be filled with matter of sound pure rejoycing Howsoever there were some in the time of those fore-fathers Obiect yet now wee see none live after that same manner Although the life of the most be Answ indeed vâ—ry loathsome yet their â—re so many godly lights amongst us the Lord multiply the number of them and the graces which heâ— hath given them a thousand fold and bee highly praysed for them with whom to live is next to heaven it selfe They do not only not faint or give over but grow from untowardnesse to Gods service to a holy cheerefulnesse and delight in the same which growth is seene also in the duties to men as well as to God These howsoever they be but few in respect of them who set themselves to uphold the corrupt estate that the world hath ever lien in yet some such God hath set amongst us to farre more great and singular purposes than many carnall eyes can see or discerne we must therefore be wise to discerne them ready to love their persons and to reverence those precious things that are in them and by frequenting their companies learne to imitate their vertues You that urge this strict kind of life doe goe to farre Obiect and brag of that which is not in you not remembring how many have fallen which were more like to have stood than you as David Peter c. It is good for all to professe no worse than others doe and so their fals shall not bee so much wondered at By the grace of God Answ bragging is farre from us neither doe we go too far the word being our warrant but we are not afraid to utter that which we know nay we dâ—re doe no otherwise though it bee against our selves as much as others if wee shall set light by it at any time neither are we any thing the nigher but much further from falling by speaking the truth boldly If at any time we fall wee looke to feele the bitter fruit of the same being assured also that we shall rise againe In the meane time God will have this holy life practised of others whatsoever become of us his truth remaineth for ever the true worshâ—ppers of God must depart from iniquity 2 Tim. 2.19 As for the fall of David Peter c. They arise from security and the want of this watchfull course which is urged and therefore should be motives unto us the more carefully to looke to our selves lest we also be overtaken Men cannot now live otherwise than they have done especially after this manner so that neither husband nor wife nor one neighbour with another can be merry together As for change of estate there is no cause why wee should feare or be unwilling to change for the better as for delights there are none more sweet than those which have ground in Religion but those that cannot stand with a godly life let them in the name of God be broken off for they may as well be spared as the paring of our nailes and therefore not sufficient to justle out a godly life from the practice of any true Christian and Believer THe Christians life being thus described now because it is upholden by meanes it is fit to know what these meanes are and how they may be used aright These meanes are such religious exercises whereby Christians may be made fit to practise a godly life They are partly