of which he was hewen and is not onely humbled thereby but forced with an holy admiration to wonder at the marvellous and extraordinary change which God hath wrought in him and also instructed to trust onely to Christs obedience in whom onely our good works are accepted and for whom alone they are rewarded To shut up all he endeavours so to live as if there were no Gospel and so to dye as if there were no Law CHAP. XXIV 1. ONely it remains that you look your selves in this Glasse and â—ry your selves by this touchstone for though others may give a shrewd ghesse yet the Mother knowes best whether the Child be like the Father or no and the signs of Salvation are to be sought in our selves as the cause in Iesus Christ our Justification is to be proved by the fruits of our Sanctification and though faith alone justifieth yet justifying faith is never alone but ever accompanied with spiritual graces the beauties of the soul and good works the beauty of graces yea they are as inseparable as the root and the sap the Sun and its light and as Fire may be discerned by heat and life by motion so a mans faith may be discerned by the fruits of it Nor can any one be deceived except he desires to deceive himself for every particular man is either the Child of God or the Child of the Devil as Chrysostome hath it for there is not a mean betwixt them and there be more differences between the Children of God and the Children of the Devil then there are between Men and Beasts whereof I have named not a few for whatsoever you may find the one herein set forth to speak think or do the other does the contrary and to have the true Character of an unbeliever you need but read this Chracter of a true Believer backward understand all by the rule of contraries and be satisfied I speak this to Naturians onely for the regenerate man knowes the one to be so by what he is and the other by what he hath been neither is there one of all these signes or characters but each experienced Christian finds it in some degree written in his heart as his conscience can bear me witnesse And would you know whether you belong to Christ This will inform you you will by help from above endeavour to bring into captivity every thought and thing to the obedience of Christ 2 Cor. 10. 5. 1 Joh. 2. 4 but so have not you in the least so long as you love not or any way oppose the people of God for the very first part of conversion is to love them that love God 1 Ioh. 3. 10. yea in reason if the Image of God by faith were repaired in thee thou couldest not but be delighted with those that are like thy self And what saith S. Iohn He that pretends interest in God or Christ and keepeth not his Commandements is a lyar and the truth is not in him 1 Ioh. 2. 4. and in the third Chapter and eighth Verse he affirms plainly That all wilful Sinners are the Devils servants And indeed let men flatter themselves or pretend what they will it cannot be denyed but the fruit tells best the name of the Tree the conversation above all shewes who carries the bridle of the will whether God or Satan and did not men purposely shut their eyes and stop their ears and harden their own hearts least they should see and hear and so be converted as our Saviour himself speaks Metth. 13. 15. they could not but know that the whole Bible beats upon this It is Saint Pauls everlasting rule Rom. 6. 16. Ye are his servants to whom ye obey And Saint Peters infallible Doctrine 2 Pet. 2. 19. Of whom a man is overcome unto him he is in bondage And Saint Iohns In this are the Children of God known and the Children of the Devil whosoever doth not righteousnesse is not of God but of the Devil 1 Ioh. 3. 8 10. And after this manner does our Saviour reason with the Iewes Ioh. 8. 33 to 48. See then whose Commands ye do Gods or Satans if Satans then saith Saint Iohn Let no man deceive you through vain words for he onely that doth righteousnesse is righteous and he that doth unrighteousnesse is of the devil 1 Ioh. 3. 7 8. wherefore if thou art a common Drunkard or a continual Swearer or an usual companion of Harlots or an accustomary Deceiver or a frequent â—landerer of thy Neighbour or an open and common Sabbath-breaker or canst thou boast of thy sin and mischief or defend it If thou makest no conscience of Praying in thy Family if thou callest evil good and good evil if thou hatest thy Brother for doing that which is good as Cain did Abel if Ismael-like thou mockest or Cham-like thou scoffest at the religious or usest bitter jests against them though it be under the notion of Round-heads Puritanes Sectaries Black-coats or the like if thou raisest slanders of them or furtherest them being raised if thou dost rejoyce at the secret infirmities of the godly or open scandals of Hypocrites if thou dost carp and fret against the Word refusing to heart it or withstandest the preaching of it if being a Minister thou disgracest or râ—vilest the godly in thy preaching so making sad the hearts of the righteous or justifiâ—st the wicked so strengthening them in their evil courses by preaching unto them peace if thou hast a base esteem of Gods people and their wayes and thinkest the worse of a man for scrupling small matters if thou makest Religion a cloak for villany if thou dost borrow or run in debt without care to pay again if thou delightest in cruelty if thou takest no care to provide for thine own Family if thou hadst rather the wicked should bear rule then the godly if thou art an enemy to reformation if thou hadst rather disobey God then displease great ones if thou desirest peace without any respect to truth if thou dost allow thy self in the practice of any known grosse sin if thou takest liberty to sin because God is merciful and forbears to execute judgment speedily if thou dost not believe all things to be ordered by Gods providence and in particular acknowledge him in all thou either receivest or sufferest if thou murmurest when thou wantest any thing without ever thinking of the many things thou hast beyond thy desert if thou canst hear God blasphemed and dishonoured without being moved thereat if the scandalous lives of Professors or the multitude of Heresies that are daily broached make thee think and speak evil of the way of truth if thou didst never see thy self out of measure sinful as being many wayes guilty of the breach of every of the Commandements in particular and so in a lost condition utterly despairing of all help in thy self acknowledging that thou hast deserved all the plagues of this life and of that which is to come if thou art not as
THE Whole Duty OF A CHRISTIAN OR The Character of a true Beleever that walks in some measure answerable to the Gospel his Christian profession and the millions of Mercies he hath received In reading whereof reflect upon your selves and see what comparison there is between that you are and what you should be and then with blessing from above it will much further you in your way to Heaven for therefore are we Christians in name only because we think our selves Christians indeed and already good enough 2 COR. 13. 5. The second Impression much inlarged By R. Y. of Roxwell in Essex CHAP. I. GOod works and good instructions are the generative acts of the soul out of which spring new posterity to the Church and Gospel And it is both a happy and pleasing harmony when saying and doing go both together But examples are more prevalent for the most part then precepts and acts are better expressions then words Precepts shew us what we should do but examples shew us how we may do it and that what is injoyned may be done of us because they have been done of others like our selves Example is a living and efficacious Sermon easily perswading what we intend while it proves what we perswade to be feasible Besides Examples give a quicker and deeper impression upon mens spirits then arguments And he perswades unto virtue most who liveth best Yea cerâ—ainly a speechlesse life hath more force in it then a lifelesse speech For a Christian conversation is of the Scriptures the best truest and plainest Comment or Exposition 2. Or should it be questionable in some cases yet deeds are ever of more power then words and practice more prevalent then precepts with the multitude who as they are more taken with so they are better able to judge by the sight of the eye then by the hearing of the ear When the Orthodox and Arian Bishops contended about the faith Iovinian could say Of your learning I cannot so well judge or of your subtill disputations but I can observe which of you have the better behaviours Good works are unanswerable Syllogismes invincible demonstrations And it is naturall for men to follow the Law of fact before the Law of faith a visible pattern rather then a meer audible doctrine Men are readier to live by sense and â—ight then by faith only Yea the want of sight causes not seldom the want of faith as we finde it fared with Thomas Joh. 20. 25. 3. Men are apt to carp against what the Minister speaks though he bring the Word for his warrant but the Beauty of Holinesse hath often stolen away the hearts of the gainsayers and won their affections even against their wills Religion hath a truth and a power in it people will never beleeve the truth of a doctrine in our mouthes where they see not the power thereof in our lives Nor can it be denied but that words are of more efficacy and authority when deeds follow But take some instances whereof we have ample experience And first observe how it fares between Pastors and their people for from the Pastors example they all take fire as one torch lights many Pastors are the glasse the scool the book Where peoples eyes do learn do read do look Every private Christian ought to be a common line in Christianity but the Minister is or should be as a set copy of sanctification to the rest The learned Preachers words though plain To plain men truth may preach But Pastors pious practice doth A holy life them teach 4. And so on the contrary All men like sheep are prone to go astray but if the bellweather or leading sheep takes a vagary all the flock will follow him We are apt to be led by precepts but are easily overled by evil presidents even following our guides untill we have lost our selves which occasions the holy Ghost to use that Proverb Like Priest like people Hose 4. 9. Isa. 24. 2. That doctrine is divine indeed That by good works proves words More harm do ill examples breed Then good words good affords 5. And the like of Governours the facts of eminent persons become examples those exâ—mples Laws Vnto the exâ—mple of the King The world does frame in every thing Augustus a learned Prince filled Rome with scholars Tyberius filled it with dissâ—mblers Constantine with Christians Iulian with atheists Let Ieroboam only set up Calves in Dan and Bethel the poople are presently down on their knees yea every one like beasts in heards will go a lowing after them Yea if Saul do even kill himself his Armour-bearer will do the like The Leaders example is a Law to the followers Whence it hath ever been the dangerous policy of Satan to assault principall men both in Church and Commonwealth knowing the multitude as we say of Bees will follow their master 6. And the same might be shewn of Parents and Masters We are led by whom we are fed without any respect to him that feeds both them and us A sick head makes a distempered body a blinde eye endangers all the other members c. whereas piety in a Parent or Master like Aarons oyntment runs down to the skirts of his family Psal. 133. 2. Whence that usuall phrase of the holy Ghost The man beleeved with all his houshold Joh. 4. 53. Acts 16 33 34. 7. But that those whom precepts do not so effectually move are not seldom induced by examples will best appear by the induction of particular instances We reade that more infidels were won to the Christian faith by the vertuous and holy lives of the primitive Christians then by the doctrine which they taugâ—t they made the world to reade in their lives that they did beleeve in their hearts and caused the Heathen to say This is a good God whose servants are so good Yea as â—ozomen observes the devouâ— life of one poor captive Christian maid made a King and all his family imbrace the Christian faith Cicilia likewise a poor virgin by her vertuous life and gracious behaviour in her martyrdom was the means of converting four hundred to Christ And we reade that St Albon receiving a poor persecuted Christian into his house by only observing his holy devotion and unblameable life was so much affected therewith that he became both an earnest professor of the faith and in the end a glorious Martyr for the faith All which considered namely 〈…〉 never shine so much as when they are lively engraven or 〈◊〉 in some eminent person I have thought good to reduce 〈◊〉 or almost all the Evangelicall Precepts into a particular and familiar example that so it may serve not only for a set copy of sanctification but as a fit person or pattern for each mans imitation and incitation You may suppose him another Nathaniel in whose heart there is no guile Joh. 1. 47. Or another Samuel who was able to acquit his sincerity before God and man 1 Sam. 12. 3. Or another Iob an
well troubled for original guilt for sins of omission for the evil which cleaves to thy best works and for thy very thoughts as for thy actual and manifest evil deeds if thou hast made vowes and promised amendment when the rod was on thy bacâ— but never cared to perform the same when thou wert released if thou art not industrious after the means of grace if thou lovest not to hear Christ voyce if thou findest not the Word more quick and powerfull and sweet and efficacious then any other writings if it and the Spirit going along with it hath not brought thee out of darknesse into marvellous light in comparison of thy former darknesse if thou art ignorant of the principles of Religion in the midst of so much light and means and canst not yeeld a reason of the hope that is in thee if thou dost not find a manifest change in thy judgment affections and actions from what they were by nature if the old man hath not changed with the new man worldly wisdome with heavenly wisdom carnal love for spiritual love servile fear for Christian and filial fear idle thoughts for holy thoughts vain words for holy and wholsome words fleshly works for works of righteousnesse c. as if thou wert cast into a new mould even hating what thou formerly lovedst and loving what thou formerly hatedst if thou art not ashamed of thy former conversation if thou hast not been often and grievously assaulted with fears and doubtings and often in combate between the flesh and the Spirit the Spirit getting the better if thou dost not more fear the want of grace then confide in what thou hast if thou are not jealous lest thy heart should deceive thee yea if thou art not hated of the world and evil spoken of for well doing thou art the Devils servant and not as yet one of that small number whom Christ hath chosen out of the world to believe in his name for these or any one of these signs sufficiently brand thee for a wicked man CHAP. XXV 1. BUt least any weak Christian should think himself unsound and so none of Christs because he falls short of this description of a true Believer and finds wanting in himself perhaps many of the former signs or evidences herein set forth or should be discouraged by reason of his many and great failings together with the weaknesse of his faith and love as for the most part the true Christian is as â—earful to entertain a good opinion of himself as the false is unwilling to be driven from it let such an one take special notice in the first place that there are three sorts of true and sound Christians as the Apostle Saint Iohn makes the distinction 1 Ioh. 2. 12 13. the first sort are babes in Christ viz. such as are new born or but weakly qualified with the graces of Gods Spirit A second are strong men as having the gifts of the Spirit lively and in power The third are Fathers such as have had long experience in the powerful practice of Christianity and been long exercised in all kinds of well doing This done 2. Secondly let him know That as God requires no other obedience in the best then Evangelical so he looks not for the same measure and degree of grace from Bubes and strong men or from strong men and Fathers for God accepteth of every man according to the grace he hath received be it more or lesse 2 Cor. 8. 12. as is manifest by that Parable of the Talents Matth. 25. 20. â—o 24. yea what Father or Master will not from his young and newly weaned Child or sick and weak servant accept of the will for the deed and shall not God much morâ— who is both the Father of mercies and the Authour of mercy and compassion in others Yes undoubtedly as let it be granted that thy knowledge is still small thy faith weak thy charity cold thy heart dull and hard thy good works few and imperfect and all thy zealous resolutions easily hindered and quite overthrown with every small temptation yet God that worketh in us both the will and the work will accept the will for the work and that which is wanting in us Christ will supply with his own righteousnesse he respecteth not what we can do so much as what we would do and that which we would perform and cannot he esteemeth it as though it were performed thus he taketh an heart desirous to repent and believe for a penitent and believing heart whereas take away the will and all acts in Gods sight are equal Well might I doubt of my salvation sayes Bradford feeling the weaknesse of my faith love hope c. if these were the causeâ— of my salvation but there is no other cause of it or of Gods mercy but his mercy Again 3. Thirdly you are to observe that as Nature so Grace rises by many degrees to perfection we grow in grace and saving knowledge as a child does in statuâ—e and understanding untill we attain to glory which is grace perfected yea grace in its growth is but like the change of a mans hair from black to grey or the growth of a Tree which is not accomplisht in a moneth or a year but in many yeares we not perceiving how 4. Fourthly consider also that the best have their failâ—ngs as had Abraham Iacoh David Peter c. you have heard of the patience of Ioh saith Saint Iames and have we not heard also of his fits of impatiency Yes but it pleased God mercifully to over-look that and so of Asah who had divers and those no small faults yet with one breath doth God report both these the high places were not removed and neverthelesse Asahs heart was perfect so our failings be not wilful though they be many and great yet they cannot hinder our interest in the promises of God an honest and sincere heart bears out many errours in the eye of mercy God will not see weaknesses where he sees truth yea if we hate our corruptions and strive against them they shall not be counted ours It is not I saith Paul but the sin that dwelleth in me Rom. 7. 20. And indeed were it not so what would become of us for the work of grace though it doth not suffer Christians to live as they list yet it doth not inable them to live as they would it is not so broad as to allow of corruption nor so narrow but it will permit of corruption 5. But fifthly least the former considerations should not serve answer me ingeniously to these questions Dost thou not find that the Word and Spirit hath wrought an apparant change in thy judgment affections and actions to what they were formerly Is not Christ thy greatest joy sin thy greatest sorrow and grace the prime object of thy desires Art thou not careful in the use of the means to attain faith in the promise of Gods mercy made in Christ Dost thou not love God and
warned of a Rock wilfully to cast our selves upon it Neither let Satan perswade you to deferre your repentance no not an hour lest your resolution proves as a false conception which never comes to bearing for as ill Debtors put off their Creditors first one week then another till at last they are able to pay nothing so deal delayers with God Besides death may be sudden even the least of a thousand things can kill thee and give thee no leasure to be sick 2. Secondly or if death be not sudden repentance is no such easie work as to be put off to sicknesse and though true repentance be never too late yet late repentance is seldome true and indeed there is small hope of repentance at the hour of death where there was no regard of honesty in the time of life and Millions are now in Hell who thought they would repent hereafter not being wise enough to consider that it is with sin in the heart as with a tree planted in the ground which the longer it groweth the harder it is to be pluckt up or a nail in a post which is made faster by every stroke of the Hammer As what saith the Holy Ghost Can the Black Moor change his skin or the Leopard his spots then may ye also do good that are accustomed to do evill Jer. 13. 23. 3. Thirdly or suppose after many years spent in the service of sin and Satan thou art willing to relinquish thy lusts and offer to God thy service and best devotions at the last gaspe will he accept of them No he hath expresly told us the contrary Prov. 1. 24 to 32. yea is it likely that God will accept of thy dry bones when Satan hath suckt out all the marrow That he will give his heavenly and spirituall graces at the hour of death to those who have contemned them all their life Yea is it not most just and equall if God will not be found of those that were content to lose him If he shut his ear against their prayers calling to him for pardon that stopt their ears against hiâ— Voice calling upon them for repentance The Lord hath made a promise to late repentance not of late repentance if thou convertest to morrow thou art sure of grace but thou art not sure of to morrows conversion if in any reasonable time we pray he wil hear us if we repent he wil pardon us if we amend our lives he will save us but for want of this timely consideration Dives prayed but was not heard Esau wept but was not pitied the foolish Virgins knockt but wore denied and so thousands have cried unto God at the hour of death and found no repenâ—ance but they died as they lived and went from despair unto destruction Wherefore as you tender the good of your own soul set upon the work presently provide with Ioseph for the deaâ—th to come and with Naob in the dayes of thine health build the Ark of a good Conscionce against the floods of sicknesse imitate the Ant who provides her meat in Summer for the Winter following yea do it while the yerning bowels the bleeding wounds and compassionate arms of Iesus Christ lie open to receive you whiles ye have health and life and means and time to repent and make your peace with God As you tender I say the everlasting happinesse and welfare of your almost lost and drowned soul as you expect or hope for grace or mercy for joy and comfort for Heaven and salvation for endlesse blisse and glory at the last as you would escape the direfull Wrath of God the bitter Sentence and Doome of Christ the never dying sting and worm of Conscience the tormenting and soul-scorching flames of Hell and everlasting separation from Gods bliâ—full presence abjure and utterly renounce all wilfull and affected evill To which end 4. In the next place be diligent to hear Gods Word powerfully preached which is the sword of the Spirit that killeth our corruptions and that unresistable Cannon-shot which beateth and battereth down all the strong holds of uÌ„n and Satan 5. Thirdly ponder and meditate seriously on Gods inestimable love towards us who hath not spared to give his onely beloved Son out of his bosome to die for us and to purchase thereby every good thing we do injoy either for soul or body even to the least bit of bread we eat and this will make thee if thou hast any ingenuity to direct all thy thoughts speeches and actions to his glory as he hath directed thy eternall salvation thereunto and often force thee to break out into this or the like expression What shall I render unto thee O Lord for all thy benefits but love thee my Creator and become a new creature 6. Fourthly consider that the Lord beholdeth thee in all places and in every thing thou dost even as the eyes of a well-drawn Picture are fastened on thee which way soever thou turnest yea consider him as a just judge who will not let sin go unpunished and this will make thee keep a narrower watch over thy very thoughts then any other can do over thine actions 7. Fifthly if thou wilc be safe from evill works avoid the occasions at least if thou wilc keep thy self from iniquity have no fellowship with the workers of iniquity for it is not more hard to finde vertue in evil company then to misse vice They were mingled among the Heathen faith the Psalmist and what followes they learned their workes Psal. 106. 35. yea how soon was peter changed with but comning into the High Priests Hall and the like with David and Solomon which made David to say so soon as he had considered it Depart from me all ye workers of iniquity for I will keep the Commandements of my God Psal. 119. 115. knowing that he could not do the one without the other And indeed the choice of a mans company is one of the most weighty actions of our lives for our future well or ill-being depends on that election and many a man had been good that is not if he had but kept good company 8. Sixthly and lastly but chieftly principally omit not to pray for the assistance of Gods Spirit otherwise thy strength is small yea except God give thee repentance and remove all impediments that may kinder thou canst no more turn the self then thou couldest at first make thy self We are not sufficient of our selves to think much lesse to speak least of all to do that which is good 2 Cor. 3. 5. John 15. 4 5. we are swift to all evill but to any good immoveable wherefore beg of God that he will give you a new heart and when the heart is changed all the members will follow after it as the rest of the Creatures after the Sun when it ariseth importune him for grace that thou maiest firmly resolve speedily begin and continually persevere in doing and suffering his holy Will desire him to informe and reforme thee so that thou maiest neither mis-believe nor mislive to regenerate thy heart change and purifie thy nature subdue thy reason rectifie thy judgement â—eâ—orm and strengthen thy will â—enue thy affections and beat down in thee whatsoever stands in opposition to the Scepter of Iesus Christ noâ— forgetting that prayer is the key of Heaven as Ambrose calls it And now for conclusion if thou receivest any power against thy corruptions forget not to be thankfull and when God hath the fruit of his mercies he will not spare to sowe much where he reaps much Consider what I say and the Lord give you understanding to strive after those graces wherewith a 〈◊〉 Believer is qualified and whereof I have given you a Copy in the fore-going Character FINIS WE have perused this Treatise and approving it to be very pithy pious and profitable We allow it to be printed and published Iohn Downame Thomas Gataker THe Reader may think it strange that the Proofs are not alledged in some part of this Character but they were found to â—e so many in number that the very pointing to them would have taken up neer as much room as the matter it self â—nd so have doubled the charge which in these times could not be afforded Besides few use to turn to every Scripture and every sanctified heart is a Comment upon all that is herein delivered London Printed by R. W. Leyâ—â—urn 1653.