this may grow and he that hath least may not bee discouraged This knowledge must not bee weighed and esteemed of us as a thing common and of no value but loved and liked otherwise no fruit will follow For the second practice is that seeking to walke worthy the Lord and please him in all things Colos 1.10 which must bee both inward and outward Inward when as in resolution of our mindes and desire and purpose of our hearts we are prepared and ready to bee set on worke and bee imployed in any good service to God or our brethren Psal 119.10 Acts 11.12 this must bee often blowne up in us for if this bee lost through forgetfulnesse sloth and carelesse negligence or over-whelmed with sorrow feare or such like passions or dulled and made blunt in us through lightnesse and vanity then are we unfit to honour God in any service Outward when in our lives wee expresse and declare the same by endeavouring at least to please God in one commandement as well as in another Act. 9.3 Thus much of the rules The vertues which further us herein follow First uprightnesse when in a single and true heart we love desire and doe any thing especially because God commandeth and for that end Deut. 18.13 Ephes 6.14 Ioh. 1.47 Many actions otherwise fervent enough for want of this sincerity are but froth as were the hot enterprises of Iehu against Idolaters and cause them who have long pleased themselves therein to cry out of their doings though admirable to the eyes of others to say they were but hypocrisie for many are the starting holes in the den of our hearts and many waies wee can deceive our selves and others also by false pretences in good actions we must therefore labour that howsoever our best actions are mixed with corruptions yet wee may have the same reioycing with the Apostle that in singlenesse of heart wee serve the Lord. The second is diligence whereby a man is ready to take all occasions and opportunities to the doing of some good and to shunne idlenesse and unprofitablenesse 1 Pet. 1.5 The third is constancy in nourishing all good desires and holy endeauours untill his latter yeares bee better than the former and so finish his course with ioy By these two great matters are brought to passe and for want of these two and through the contrary sloth and inconstant unsetlednesse euen the most of the godly doe not finde the sweet fruit in their life which is to bee found Fourthly in humility and meeknesse all our duties must bee practised if wee will follow Christ Matth. 11.29 These two are not particular vertues which sometimes onely may haue use but such fruits of the spirit as necessarily are required in all actions so that at no time humblenesse of minde and meekenesse of spirit may bee wanting And therefore they are oft-times in the Scripture set down together as Eph. 4.2 Co. 3.2 and so urged as doth shew that although there bee many goodly gifts in a man yet if he hath not these they shall loose their credit and beauty amongst those which behold them and withhold their commoditie from him who wanteth them By all this that hath beene said it is evident that the life of the believer is a continuall proceeding in the departing from evill and endevouring after duties and a setled course in repentance and a constant walking with God not an idle and uncertaine stumbling upon some good actions whiles a great part of his life is neglected and not looked after But some may say here wee have a desire to doe these things but wee want power and ability whereunto I answer that The best desire is in vaine except wee have with it an assurance of God his favour and helpe through faith for it is faith that overcommeth all lets 1 Jo. 5.4 this letteth us see that he which hath saved us from the greatest danger of hell will much more save us from the lesser of being overcome of our corrupt lusts And if any shall say that Saint Paul himselfe did not finde power to overcome the body of sinne It is evident The holy Apostle did not overcome all rebellion of the old man to the end he might alwaies have a marke of his unworthinesse and sinne remayning in him and thereby remember that it was of onely mercy that he was pardoned and the grace of God that kept him from falling away from him and that for both these causes he might bee abased and kept humble under so great grace as hee had received and last of all that hee might from time to time finde sweetnesse still in the forgivenesse of his sinnes But although hee was not perfect here as an Angell yet was not he carryed of his lusts into grosse iniquities for God his grace was sufficient for him and so shall it be for us if wee doe as oft and as earnestly desire it for every christian in his measure may looke for the like grace that Paul had even strength to performe in some good sort the duties which seeme so difficult and impossible unto him Which is not so to bee understood as if every godly christian doth feele or obtaine this for that might discourage many but to shew what God his children may confidently looke for and how their estate may bee bettered and their spirituall liberty increased For many good people doe not know what their heavenly father hath provided for them but onely receive so much light as whereby they see the way to his kingdome according to the knowledge that they have of his will thereafter they declare and shew it forth in their lives but nothing as they might or as some others doe THus of the rules and vertues which helpe us to the practice of a godly life Now to shew wherein it doth consist The duties are these First that pertaine to God Commandement 1. For we must desire to know him as his word doth reveale him unto us in his nature properties and workes wee must acknowledge it is allowed and in heart yeeld and consent unto the truth of those things which wee know of him that then we may safely and boldly beleeve in him and cleave unto him Thus knowing our selves to be safe under his wings we must grow to put our confidence in him and from hence will arise another even by hope to looke for that helpe which in confidence we assure our selues of from the Lâ—rd and through this confidence and hope wee must become patient in in aflictions and ioyfull in every condition of life Further because wee know all good things to flow unto us from God therefore unto him wee lift up our hearts for the obtaining of those things which we want unto him we render thanks for all blessings received and are affected with all our hearts and strength to love him more than all the world besides and desire to enioy the more full fruition of his presence in the meane time walking before him in
all reverence and uprightnesse with a holy and child-like feare as doth become us Commandement 2. Now besides these duties of holinesse which wee owe directly to the person of God meerely or spirituall and inward there are other whereby wee worship him outwardly Where is to be knowne that hee will allow of no other meanes of worshipping him outwardly than he hath appointed and prescribed himselfe in his word As the preaching of the Gospell and administring of Sacraments by Ministers lawfully called publicke prayer fasts and thanksgivings together with the censures of the Church These in publike In private there are answerable to these as talking conferring of the word of God in mutual instructing admonishing exhorting or any way else which is fit for edifying in all which duties as in many other that are good and godly great care must be had that they bee not performed lightly rashly falsly hypocritically and unprofitably for that were abominable to God as a dead sacrifice but contrarily wee must use them with all high reverence being prepared rightly before well affected in the using of them and aiming at the most profitable end which he hath appointed that so we may be approved and allowed of him Commandement 3. There is also a further duty that not onely in time of his worship but also in our common and usuall speech and actions wee declare what a worthy and reverent estimation we have of the Lord. As by speaking all good of his name word and workes and in our lawfull callings by ordering and behaving of our selves wisely and graciously that all which live with us may see that our religion is ioyned with the power of godlinesse and that this bee done of us in all estates and conditions of our life both in prosperity and adversity labouring also to perswade others to the same Now as in all things God must be glorified so more especially in an oath which must be used as with high reverence so in truth in righteousnesse and in the beholding of Gods workes viz. heaven and earth with their furniture taking sweet feeling of God his Maiesty and beauty which shineth in them reioycing with reverence that he hath given us this cleere glasse to behold his face in or rather his footstoole which should move us therefore in all our Actions to beware of hypocrisie Commandement 4. Vnto all these is one more to be added viz. that upon the seaventh day all our workes bee laid aside as much as is possible and the whole day to bee bestowed in his worship and service and in things directly tending to the same Here for the avoyding of that tediousnesse in well-doing whereunto our nature is prone the Lord hath left us variety of holy exercises viz. all publike and private duties more freely to bee performed than at other times which wise and mercifull regard of his over us if it cannot move us to give our selves to practise this part of holinesse whatsoever our excuses bee wee plainely shew that our mindes are carnall and that we do but favour our selves in worldlinesse or prophanenes idlenesse and ease when wee reason against it as being too precise AFter the duties of holinesse towards God follow those of righeousnesse to men for these two are joyntly commanded of the Lord and ought not of any to be dis-joyned in practice as they are of many some delighting in the first but neglecting the other some following after the second and destitute of the former Now the ground roote from which all these duties must spring is love towards all men even our greatest enemies Vnto which must be joyned brotherly kindnesse to Christians which is a holy and especiall love of one faithfull brother towards another 1 Pet. 2.7 Commandâ—ment 5. The first of these are such as be due betwixt inferiors superiors mutually viz. in generall that inferiours in their whole course honour their superiours by voluntary subjection to them as by Gods ordinance and appointment and reverence them both inwardly and outwardly and likewise that superiours for their parts carry themselves towards them as brethren in all curtesie saving their authority and further also that they goe before them in all innocency and example of good life In particular some as Superiors by civill authority as Princes others as Magistrates and Ministers to whom inferiours both subiects and servants must submit themselves in bearing their rebukes and receiving their corrections willingly and without resistance and in yeelding obedience to all their lawfull commands And they if they bee in higher place are to provide that the people under them may live a godly honest and quiet life If they bee Ministers they are charged to be good and bountifull iust and equal unto their servants Some are Superiours by nature as parents to whom children doe owe very much as forwardnes in imbracing their wholesome instructions reverence and obedience unto the end the disposing of their estate by marriage or otherwise that it be not without their consent and readiâ—esse to helpe their necessities c. They are also bound to teach them from their youth to keepe them from idlenesse to traine them up in some honest and lawfull trade to governe them wisely and kindely to provide for their necessity of marriage and to minister things needfull for this present life as they shall bee able and as they may doe it religiously and lawfully Some by gifts as chiefly the Minister to whom double honour reverence and obedience is due for his worke-sake for hee is not onely a teacher but a father Secondly the strong Christian whom God hath endued with a liberall portion of knowledge wisdome experience and other heavenly graces more than other of their brethren these the weaker must not iudge rashly they must beare with their infirmities so those that excell in any other gifts are to bee had in honour and account for the same Some by age of the gray head and ancient in yeares who of the younger sort are to bee had in reverence and esteemed neither are we to neglect our equalls but their dignitie and worthinesse is to bee regarded above their owne Rom. 12.10 These duties we owe unto the person of our neighbour to which must bee added a care to maintaine our owne reverence and credit among men by a course beseeming our holy profession now follow some duties towards his life Commandement 6. First for bodily life it is required that our neighbour sustaine no hurt by us or any of ours as farre as we can hinder it neither hee nor his so as his life might bee made unpleasant yea though hee should provoke us yet we must suffer far rather then bee angry in our owne cause seeme it never so weighty to us for that is no better than folly and madnesse nay further we must be wise and carefull both in words and in deeds to cut of all occasions and to avoyd all discord yea though it be with departing from some of our
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
ordinary and partly extraordinary and both of these either publike or private The publike are such as be used in our open assemblies ordinarily these are three First the Ministery of the Word Secondly the administration of the Sacraments Thirdly the exercise of prayer with thankesgiving and singing of Psalmes Of private some are to be used alone by our selves as watchfulnesse meditation and the Armour of a Christian with experience Some are to be used with others as society of conference and Family-exercises some are common to both as prayer and reading THe first and principall is the Word of God read Preached and heard as the Lord prescribeth That this is a singular helpe wee may see if wee consider the truth authority sufficiency and plainenesse through the Ministery and translations which is in the Scripture To speake therefore nothing of the benefit which it bringeth unto the unregenerate unto whom it is of might to convert them The uses are many and daily which the regenerate people of God have by it First by it they are cleared from errour and darkenesse about Religion and manners and are made more sound in the knowledge of the truth and see more particularly into the way and whole course of Christianity 2. They grow settled and established in their knowledge from day to day 3. They are by this quickened in their drowsinesse cheered in their heavinesse called backe from their wandrings raised up when they are fallen and counselled in their doubtfull cases of advice 4. They are by it settled in a godly course and taught to keep well when they are well rather than to be fickle inconstant in good carriage of themselves as many are For by it as by a Sunne that giveth light in all places they espy their weakenesse and how they are holden backe when they are fallen and which is the right way of proceeding By it as by a rule they are taught to frame all their actions 5. They are brought to bestow some time in pofitable reading 6. They are framed so as they become lights and examples to others so that wee may boldly conclude that the ordinary preaching of the Word is a singular meanes provided for the perfecting of Gods Elect and for their growing in a Christian life And whosoever liveth where there is a good order of teaching with diligence skil love and plainenesse if he find not this fruit by it it is because he is not attentiâ— and reverent in hearing hee is not prepared before to heare or else doth not apply unto himselfe nor willingly digest that which hee hath heard but is surfeited of some dangerous qualities in his life or corruptions in his heart among which this is a speciall one among the people that as they thinke of the person that teacheth so they doe of his Doctrine and not otherwise AS for the Sacraments they are helps necessarily adjoyned unto the former for they doe visibly confirme and ratifie that which the Word doth teach and the covenant betwixt God and the believer made is most surely sealed up and effectually on both parties by them First the Lord for his part hath granted to every faithfull person that he will never call his sinnes to a reckoning but will be his God and love him to the end through Christ for the ratifying whereof hee hath put to his seale so that the Sacraments must needs remaine effectuall to the faithfull both for the strengthening of his faith in the promise and also for removing of all contrary doubts which through weaknesse might arise So on the other part every believer for his owne part hath covenanted to trust in God alwaies to indevour to walke before him conscionably in righteousnesse of heart and innocencie of hands Now of the truth of his heart the Sacrament is a signe which he having received hath openly professed thereby that he hath given and consecrated himselfe unto the Lord and is now no more his owne to live as his carnall will would desire so that either the present receiving or the fresh remembrance of this doth spurre him forwards to keepe his covenant and incourage him against temptations wearisomnesse and all hinderances especially believing that strength in measure shall be given him of God to performe that which he hath promised and sealed By all which we may see that howsoever the Sacraments be unto the unbelievers even as a mysterie or hidden thing yet the believer having been soundly instructed therein beholdeth much both for the strengthening of his faith and his incouragement in a godly life First this may be seene particularly in the two Sacraments for the faithfull Christian which hath beene baptised as he by his ingraffing into Christ is one with him and therefore while Christ liveth must live also so he having thereby prepared union and fellowship with him doth draw strength and grace from him even as the branch from the Vine viz. The power of his death for the mortifying of sin and the vertue of his resurrection in raising him up to newnesse of life So that Baptisme throughout his life must needs be a forcible meanes to helpe him forward in a Christian course as oft as hee doth duly consider it 2. Likewise that the Lords Supper is an excellent helpe we may see in three specialties viz. 1. In the preparation to it 2. In the present use of it 3. In the time which followeth after 1. The first consisteth in the triall that every man ought to take of himselfe concerning his knowledge both generall and particular his faith in Gods promises his diligent indevour for the removing and subduing of all sinne and for readinesse in any duty his love towards all men and lastly concerning his hungring after this Sacrament and the benefit which God offereth by it These properties if hee finde to be in himselfe hee is a fit and welcome guest to the Lords Table but if through sloth forgetfulnesse darknesse corruption and weakenesse these graces be weakned dimmed and decayed he may not rashly put forth himselfe in that case but speedily seeke to recover himselfe againe by searching the ground and serious renewing of his faith and repentance Which things being so it cannot be but that this kind of preparation must be a singular helpe to those that injoy it So likewise at the Supper it selfe where hee may and ought to meditate on the dainties of the banquet and the love of him that ordained it on the Communion he hath with Christ and his graces and on the outward signes what they assure him of and on the Word preached which sheweth him all this When as by the applying of these things he commeth to be comforted and made glad or rather to be revived and quickned in his soule with the spirituall dainties which by true faith hee feedeth upon how can hee but praise and blesse the author of this banquet how can he but be much heartned set forward in a Christian course It is also of