life and without the Gospell the truth and glad ridings whereof is onely able to set at libertie the consciences of such as are strangled by the threats and terrible curse of the law for if that truth make free as our Sauiour saith then are men free in deede And whereas it may be obiected to me that I doe the author of the booke open wrong in saying that he ioyneth not the Gospell with the law for he that readeth it may finde that he speaketh of Iesus Christ that he was giuen by his father to the world that many might be saued and of the promise and how say I then that he teacheth the law without the Gospell I answere that he doth indeede mention both the promises of the Gospel and also Christ and this he doth in that chapter which is intituled diffidence in Gods mercie but yet is that true that I say For the Gospell is the power of saluation to him that beleeueth and it is not the Gospell if it be not beleeued for that is a part of the description of it Now beleeuing or faith hath assurance going with it as I shewed out of the epistle to the Hebrues Which the author of that booke with the rest of his religion doth flatly deny and therefore it is cleere that he doth not teach the Gospell neither in that booke doth plainely and soundly guide the wandring soule which seeth it selfe lost to finde remission of his sinne and euerlasting life and consequently that he doth not direct his reader to liue godly as I said but holdeth him in darknes and in the state of damnation and deceiueth him And what reckoning he maketh of faith which the word of God preferreth before all other things and saith that it ouercommeth all difficulties in the world we may see by his owne words in his preface fol. 6. I exhort the discreet reader saith he of whatsoeuer religion and faith he be to enter into the carefull studie and exercise of good deedes assuring him that this is the right way to obtaine at Gods hands the light of true beliefe And a little after he saith It is more easie to beleeue as we ought then to liue as we should Here we see he preferres good deedes before faith as if the fruite should be said to be more precious then the tree that beares it And yet as not marking what he said he vttereth these words a little before which cannot stand with the other Our father 's receiued one vniforme faith from their mother the holy Catholike Church and did attend only to builde vpon that foundation good workes and vertuous life as holy Scripture commaundeth vs to doe Here he affirmeth that good life commeth from faith Thus while he speaketh such contraries sometime that good workes must be built on the foundation of faith and with an other breath that good life is the right way to bring faith and yet all may see he speaketh of one and the selfe same faith in both places must he not needes by so teaching deceiue the simple reader while he not being able to vnderstand what is taught cannot possibly practise that which he ought And it was not to be doubted to speake euen in charitie as in conscience we ought that the said author promising in that his booke of Resolution that he would adde two other parts to it as thereby confessing that it alone was an insufficient worke of it selfe to be set forth and therefore dangerous to intangle and snare the ignorant and yet cannot in eighteene yeares finde a time to fulfill his promise it was not to be doubted I say but that he was well content to deceiue and trouble many that should reade it As if one should but preach the wrath of God for sinne to a hundreth persons whereas his booke hath been in the hands of thousands and should come no more in eighteene yeares to helpe them out of feare and doubt and how to liue afterwards it would be condemned and that iustly and cryed out of by all aduised people And yet we may conclude without any doubt knowing his religion what it is if euer he had any such meaning to set out two other parts that they should haue been as sound as this one is that is to say vnwholesome full of damnable errors and vncomfortable For can men gather grapes of thornes or figges of thistles No more can any sound fruite be reaped or comfort gotten by false and vnsauorie doctrine But for Parsons deuotion whereof his booke beares so great a shew or how little of the labour was his or how little honestie is in the man yea rather how great iniquitie let them of his owne religion testifie I meane the secular priests in their bookes against the Iesuites But to say no more of Parsons The other hath little in him worthie any account or reckoning and to this purpose very nothing To goe forward therefore seeing this was one cause why I tooke this worke in hand because the Iesuites cast in our teeth the want of such bookes as may direct a Christian aright through his whole course towards the kingdome of heauen and yet that which they teach tending thereto is but as poyson in a golden cuppe although as I haue said there are many of my brethren who had been fitter for this seruice then my selfe if they had not been imployed some other way yet I nothing doubt by the helpe of God to frame out of the word of God by that little helpe of my knowledge and experience such a direction for Christians all ostentation and comparison of learning set aside as shall giue them small aduantage of boasting and shall be both more pleasing to God and more for the comforting the heart of him who listeth to be directed by it then poperie can affoord and withall a direction that hath not only been shaped out after the rules of the Scripture but also such as hath been and is practized and followed so farre forth as of sinfull flesh may be looked for both of minister and people and approoued of those who haue excelled gone before many in both And although I denie not but that many things might haue been farre better set downe and expressed then I am able to doe yet that none thinke me to haue taken in hand a matter aboue my reach and wherein I haue no skill thus much I say that for these twentie yeares and more I haue aymed at this in my reading preaching and liuing and in the obseruing of my selfe and the example of others what communion and neere acquaintance there may be betwixt God and a Christian what hold may be laid on the promises of God what strength may be gotten against sinne what freedome and libertie we may haue by faith what setlednes and constancie in a godlie life what comfort and reioycing the children of God by his free graunt may haue euen in this life and that both sound and constant
to looke more deepely into it And I could with all my heart desire that they so many as neglect this worthie worke and necessarie dutie might be constrained to attend vpon it with all diligence which being done with a very Christian care had of giuing good example and shewing themselues in all good conuersation lights vnto their flocks and free from reprochfull faults great good must needs insue And there should not onely be a recouering of the due credit and reuerence to the Ministerie which the popish Prelacie and barbarous rudenes blindnes and shameles life of many vnder the Gospell hath lost but also it should bring many home to God who otherwise must vtterly perish And if with this there were a willing and ready mind in them to satisfie them priuatelie by conference who should resort to them vpon speciall neede and occasion to comfort them in their heauines and to stirre them vp to religious and godly communication in their meetings priuately and at their table by their own examples rather then to be companions with them in profane worldly and needeles talke that so they might as well speake good things in priuate as teach the truth in publike as Christ did I make no doubt but that God would plentifullie blesse their haruest CHAP. 6. Of the lets that hinder faith on the behalfe of the People BVt if the Minister be framed both in life and doctrine as were to be wished thus to giue warning to the people of Sathans malicious intents and other impediments and so seeke to winne them to the faith yet are there such swarmes of euils in the people and so many kinds of them that except they for their parts be willing to be counselled and to receiue their message and doctrine they shall finde that through one let or other few of them shall be partakers of this pretious faith which I speake of To speake more plainelie my meaning is Sathan layeth infinite stumbling blockes in their way for when God by the Preaching of the Gospell sheweth the world how their sinnes are pardoned and their deadly woe remoued in Christ they will not marke it nor take any paines about it but esteeme of it as of a light matter as though God did seeke his owne good by making such an offer to them rather then theirs and that he must be more beholden to them for hearing the way to saluation preached then they to him for teaching them and so count it not thanke worthie Other haue weightier matters as they thinke to looke after namely their pleasures and their profits with the beautie and loue whereof the diuell dazeleth their eyes that they see nothing there that is in their preaching which can prouoke them to be in loue with it although that which can saue them be onely there to be had So by one deceite or other he preuaileth so farre with them that they beleeue not no not euen they who hearing receiue the doctrine with liking it and for that very cause thinke that they beleeue And what is cleerer at this day then this that of many thousands which receiue the glad tidings of eternall life by our preaching willingly or at the least without resisting our doctrine yet few yea very few attaine to the power of faith neither declare any worke thereof to bee in them For either they feele no neede within themselues whereby they should be driuen to seeke helpe out of themselues in Christ or if they doe they by and by before they sustaine any smart lay their burthen vpon him so that he is neuer sought nor cared for of them but when their need pincheth them and then they beleeue in him they say but be indeede no more staied and confident by their faith nor in their liues reformed then they were before and so serue him with their tongues and lips and follow their owne lusts in their hearts or staggering still betwixt hope and doubt at a blush reioycing and not able to render a reason why and at another time cast downe as farre againe in token of no stay nor peace Now of all these how truly are the Apostles words verified the Gospell being hidden from them that is the promises of it not being beleeued of them what other cause is there then this the diuell by one meanes or other hath so blinded them all that they beleeue not and as for this latter sort they seeing their miserie what it is and how vnauoidable by any way that they can finde out how could they if they were not inchanted and depriued of their right minde by the diuell be content to goe without the remedying thereof it being so freely and graciously offered them The which thing also is prooued further to be true by the practise of true Christians who hauing sure hold and taste by faith of Christs merits will admit no delusions that deceiue the other whereby they might be depriued of the assurance thereof But although they haue temptations strong and fierce as well as the other yet they so looke to the greatnes of Gods loue and the truth and certaintie of his promises and the benefit which they reape thereby that although with strong fighting and lowd cryes through depth of sorrow they are in combat with Sathan yet they will not giue ouer nor yeeld their right into his hand But as one in the perill of drowning taketh hold of a naked sword though it cut him deepe rather then yeeld his life to the water so they chuse to keepe their faith with some great difficulties rather then to giue ouer their soule which is vpholden onely thereby into the diuels hand and themselues into perdition Whereupon we heare such speeches testifying sore conflicts betweene Sathan and them Although thou kill me O Lord yet will I trust in thee and Though I walke in the middest of the vale of death yet will I not forsake thee By which appeareth that the same god of this world is not wont to cast mists onely before the eyes of the best but euen attempteth sore to take away all the light of their faith from them as hee doth keepe it from the other altogether But God hath taught their hands to warre and their fingers to fight as it is in the Psalme the which skill because the other want they are foyled And thus by this which hath been said let all learne to know that none are kept voide and destitute of the fruite of the Gospell and the beleeuing of the same vnto saluation but such as willingly put their neckes in Sathans yoke and are contented to bee depriued of the crowne of righteousnes and life through their owne follie whiles others more wise then they will by no meanes let it goe But to the end that euery sort may see themselues as in a glasse and what their seuerall lets are I haue thought good to set them down briefly and particularly or
they haue with Gods good liking and worse estate then this they neede not to be in if they would be aduised by him and not by the euill custome of their hearts whereby they are easily brought to thinke that faith and other graces will dwell in them though they be sleightly cared for and regarded which conceit is most false and erronious And that the Lord giueth his beloued ones such bold and free accesse to him to know his minde toward them and to haue this holie acquaintance with him which can hardly be perswaded to the weake in faith at their first comming to him hereby it may appeare that he saith he will not count them as seruants but as friends with whom he will communicate his very secrets as farre as shall be expedient for â—â—em to know them and as Paul saith God of his rich mercie hath loued vs thrâ—â—gh much loue God saith they are as the apple of his eye and therefore deare vnto him he telleth them that hee hath taken from them the spirit of bondage that they should no longer be afraid of him but serue him without feare and to reioyce in him alwaies which cannot be except they knew his minde and affection to them yea and that more cleerely then the sonne can know his fathers or the wife her husbands minde And therefore if they who haue begun to lay hold on eternall life through beleeuing should by some occasion lose the feeling comfort of their faith as by Sathans fearing them with their coldnes falles weaknesses or such like yet are not they to giue place vnto doubting especially being such as haue felt assuredly the loue of God by Christ shed into their hearts but to count it their frailtie and timorousnes and that without cause euen for that they were not better acquainted with the will of God who loueth to the end all such as he hath once loued And yet this is not without the most wise prouidence of God who disposeth all these weaknesses of theirs to their good that they may be humbled the more in themselues and rise to their faith againe and to the glorie of God who bringeth backe againe those who were almost in their owne feeling at the brinke of hell The same I say of other lets which they may bee ouertaken by as of their losing of the sense of their faith through neglecting the meanes whereby it ought to haue been preserued or by sleightnes in the vse of them or by letting loose the heart after some vanitie or worldlines which it lusted after or being disquieted and vnsetled otherwise this is not their refuge to say we must be content to goe without it and it is impossible to hold it when wee haue bestowed all our trauaile we haue done it but in vaine But as they espie their weaknes so let them remember how they haue fallen acknowledge it to the shame of the euill heart and so recouer that one thing which is amisse and hold their confidence as before and let not the whole frame and well ordered course of their life be broken off for that one thing as he that hath ach in his teeth or a wound in his legge doth not neglect the health of his whole bodie for that but seeketh the redresse of that one that the whole may be in good case as it was before And seeing it helpeth much to the nourishing of our faith among all other times to season our hearts in the morning if it may be with the recording and thinking vpon Gods promises of his loue and saluation therefore if the morning meditating on the promises with earnest prayer thereto adioyned should by any necessarie occasions or weightie affaires or other lets of necessitie be intermitted being the thing which ought most carefully to be looked to yet let them prouide that this dutie be not altogether omitted as though it were some light matter which needed no such attendance to be giuen vnto it but let it assoone as it may with conueniencie be performed if they desire to passe the day in safetie and peace as knowing otherwise that Sathan in this their weaknes will giue them little rest And so shall they haue it as a strong weapon through the day to shield them from the violence and furie of the enemie But this is not the place to shew how the day is to be passed that shall follow after but onely by the way as in most fit or â—ace to aduise how the weake Christian is to keepe his faith The sixt meane to hold and confirme faith is the examples of others whom of weake wee haue seene to become strong in faith as Moses with whom as God hath been and with other his good seruants to strengthen them so will he be with vs till he perfecteth in vs in like sort the work which he hath begun And this be spoken of the meanes by which weake faith is helped and confirmed CHAP. 12. The sweete fruite and benefit of the preseruing and confirming of our faith NOw if any thinke the looking to these meanes and this daily diligence for the preseruing of faith to be ouermuch let them vnderstand that the benefit is most great which it bringeth And if this answereth them not let them heare the Apostle who saith that our faith consisteth not in the wisedome of men but in the power of God as if he should say that it is not a matter so soone wrought as it is said to be in vs but a gift wrought by God and therefore by seeking it as he hath appointed and to be nourished and continued as hee hath prescribed which is by ofte recourse to God and much searching out of our hearts for and about the same And therefore as I haue said if men make it not the chiefest of all other things as it is in it selfe and hold it fast as the first and principall it is not their hearing and reading about it nor their talking of it that shall be able to profit them I will rehearse a speech of a godly Christian preacher and one that deserued to be heard whom I haue oft been present with when he vttered the same Whiles I thought verely said he that I had faith but yet held it not by the surest grounds I thought of it sometimes and was glad to thinke that I had it holding my perswasion thereof by such euidences as I had before inioyed rather then I could tell what sure warrant I had then of it but I tooke no great paine to coÌ„firme it by daily meditating on the promises neither bestowed any more diligence in and about that then vppon other duties But when I saw more cleerely how gainfull and beautifull a grace it is and how I must liue by it hauing no lesse neede of it then of the ayre to breathe in I sought more certaine ground of it and that with greater care then I had before and since I
desire and purpose of heart we doe it Psal 119.10 Act. 11.23 Outward when in our liues wee expresse and declare the same in our walking Act. 9.31 But to begin with the first We must haue our hearts prepared and readie to bee set on worke and imployed in any good seruice to God or our brethren as I shewed at large before in the renouncing of euill and therefore the lesse shall be spoken of it And this well ordering of the heart is a most precious grace of God as without the which no good can be well done But when wee haue such awe ouer our affections as to choose desire and delight in that which we know to be good and as occasion shall be offered yea and to bee vehemently grieued with that which hindreth vs therein the members and powers of our mindes shall be readie to put in vre and practise the same Therefore this inward readines of the minde and feruent desire of the heart we see must be blowne vp in vs and nourished as a sparkle or coale of fire that as it may bee obtained there may bee some abilitie and strength thereunto For the which cause the Lord requireth that wee loue him with all our heart soule and might This strength although where it is not knowne there is felt no want of it yet such as see it requisite in their actions doe soone feele it to be missing and a great piece of the beautie of those workes which are done without it to be wanting As when they are gone about coldly and in deadnes of spirit and so likewise they can best tell how well it beseemeth their actions who haue obtained it of God and testifie it throughout the course of their liues For when men vnderstand that God hath so appointed that they should be zealous in doing their duties as remembring that of him they shall receiue their reward and that his busines ought to be gone about feruently and with conscience though they haue no great example of such practise in the world it will harten them on with courage vnto the same by the helpe of his spirit which leadeth thereto And yet if the zeale of Gods house consumed them as the Prophet saith it did him this were no perfection but that which ought to be laboured for as euery one may attaine it and in the whole course of mens dealings and duties to God some measure of it in so much as where it is not found and inioyed of men they should count it their sinne And here this one thing is to be considered that our affections of choosing and imbracing good things be so ordered that they may be equally more slacke or strong as the goodnesse of the thing shall be greater or lesser as in praying to God rather then giuing their due to men Also that in an equall comparison the duties of holines to God be preferred before duties to men and with more bending our force and strength when we goe about to performe them rather then these And if it be demaunded here how we shall come by such grace as whereby we shall be able to imbrace choose and follow the good which we know I answere that we receiued such grace when we first beleeued in Christ whereby our hearts were purified and clensed from the strength of our old corruption which if we remember doth warrant vs not onely that our Lord Iesus Christ hath taken away the guilt and punishment of our sinne and imparted to vs and giuen freely his obedience but also grace and will to loue pietie and goodnesse and power as to kill sinne so to quicken vs to newnes of life So that if we feele it not vsually and ordinarily we haue lost and forgone it either through our forgetfulnes slouth or careles negligence or if it be through infirmitie weakened in vs wee ought to stirre vp our selues with cheerefull confidence to the recouering of it againe and not to be content to be spoiled of so great a treasure But if this earnest desire after goodnesse and vehement zeale of honoring God by that which we know be quenched whether it be ouerwhelmed with sorrow feare or such like passions or dulled and made blunt in vs through lightnes and in following the desire of our hearts amisse we are in no wise fit to honour God in any seruice Thus much of the first part of practise namely inward I will now goe forward with the second part which is a branch of the second rule and helpeth forward to the leading of a godly life that the beleeuers may by it be able to guide themselues aright and with much ease in respect of those who be not acquainted therewith And this it is that in well doing we stay not in our good desires and in the readines of the heart to doe good but procure accomplish and performe the same duties outwardly that we indeuor at least euen where we cannot performe as occasion shall be offered and that in one commaundement as well as in another so farre as it may be obtained So that in all parts of sanctifie and holines which shall be wrought in and by vs this ought to be as a perpetuall law that all the members of our bodies and our particular actions may all become most fit instruments and helps to shew forth and expresse the same And that is it which the Apostle to the Romans meaneth when he saith Let not sinne raigne in your mortall bodies that ye should obey it in the lustes thereof neither giue ye your members as weapons of vnrighteousnesse to sinne but giue your selues vnto God as they which are aliue from the dead and giue your selues as weapons of righteousnesse vnto God By this we see that not only the heart with her members that is the cogitations and desires in those which are iustified by faith must be consecrated to the honour and seruice of God but also the bodie with the parts thereof the eare in hearing the tongue in speaking the eye in seeing c. that so we should be his wholy and in one part of our life as well as another doe that which pleaseth him No man doubteth but that we should doe good works as well as haue our mindes and hearts inwardly purged but that we should be diligently giuen vnto euery good worke and make a trade of godlines to applie and follow it so that while we doe one good dutie we should not neglect another which in good husbandrie about things of this life is much regarded that few will grant or be readie to yeeld thereto yea and that our conuersation should be in heauen that is that our common course of life should be heauenly whilest we liue here vpon earth and that we should not only giue no occasion of offence in any thing but also in all things seeke to approue our selues as the faithfull seruants of God Thus much of the rules
matter about which we may and time to bestow therein and freedome from lets therefrom is an estate much to bee made of and yet for the most part they who haue almost all outward incouragements cannot tell what to doe with them Whereas the very name of death is fearefull when men heare that they must be readie to suffer for the Gospell and therefore many are dismaied we must know that we are the more vnwilling to heare of it because wee accustome our selues to loue this world and our life here too well which must be lesse set by And God by diseases and the miserable estate of things in this world and by many other meanes can make our liues loathsome and death welcome which if wee would thinke much of the hearing of it would be more welcome But begin in time least it bee too late when wee can stay here no longer It is needful besides our set times of prayer in the day to haue oft recourse to God by watchfulnes and prayer in all our dealings least we goe too farre in surfeiting our hearts with them and as we can to looke to God secretly though not so solemnly as at other times praying him to keepe vs. Neh. 2.4 Whatsoeuer taste of good things we haue gotten and how sweete soeuer they seeme yet it is certaine that God hath yet much more then wee can thinke of if they be the matters which wee haue in greatest price but being set light by and the meanes neglected which preserue them they die That estate is to be made much of wherein we are not onely delighted in seruing God by the duties we doe presently but also as ioyfull to thinke of them which are to come and the more the better they be It is a singular mercie that wee take comfort and delight in the things which we hope for and in the seruice of God which to the world are most irkesome and tedious The more sure of Gods fauour thou art by faith the more humble also thou art and not contrarily Matth. 15.27 They are worthie of great punishment who set light by the plentie of that grace the crummes whereof Gods hungrie seruants doe set great store by What is more liuely to our vnderstanding then the heauenly and spirituall course of a Christian in comfort and godlines throughout the Scriptures as Rom. 5.4.5 and what is more vnlike it then the liues of men One especiall point of profiting is to know our owne vilenes and miserie better daily that so we may come to know the inestimable bountie of God and what wee are beholding to him for receiuing increase from him in pardon and other graces As excesse of eating and drinking doe bring slouth and sleepe so surfeiting our soules in pleasures cares c. rocketh vs asleepe and maketh vs vnwilling and vnfit to see what is amisse In steed whereof sobrietie that is a ruling of our passions and watchfulnes are to be our daily companions 1. Peter 5.7 Psal 5.8 We must not flatter deceiue our selues with the calling to mind of the forwardnes and care that hath bin in vs in times past hereby to gather slouth vnto the flesh which is readie to take the smallest occasions that may be to fauour it selfe and to make vs grow cold and slacke in duties but we are to looke to continue and increase any good and forwardnes which hath bin for hereafter as to delight more in walking with God in a Christian course and to hold fast our faith and comfort euen in trouble and not to thinke our state the worse for it But with our Sauiour to despise the shame of the crosse although it be euen to the thrusting of vs out of the world and therfore much more in prosperitie to be fruitfull in all good workes Ioh. 15.8 Seeing it pleaseth the Lord to let vs know that we haue this pretious and blessed libertie al the day long to be with him to inioy his presence by faith to solace our selues in bold affiance in him and that for all good things and to be free from the feare terrour and anguish which hunteth the vngodly It were pitie that we should for some deceiueable follie depriue our selues of such sound happines and peace as he alloweth vs euen here to be partakers of When men receiue not the word with meeknes that it may be ingraffed in them Iam. 1.21 and doe not so heare that they may beleeue Act. 14.1 but take a taste and a liking at the most I denie not but for some cause one may hold out longer then another but if they goe not forward ye shall see them fall vnto nothing for a momentany and weake desire is not enough to hold vp a godly life but a delight in it which faith worketh When we are afflicted and the wicked spared our state seemeth to them most vile When we are both in prosperitie they seeme more happie thē we When they and we be both afflicted they count our state happier then their owne But especially when they are afflicted and we spared Exod. 14.25 We may not assigne the Lord in what place state condition or in what companie we would liue but as strangers wait on him euen as the hand-maide on her mistres for whatsoeuer he will allow vs. And when great afflictions come yet not to be discomforted nor vnquiet but cheerefull still through hope as may be obtained of vs as we were in prosperitie least we should declare that we serue God for our belly and ease and seeing our God is neuer changed in any sort we not to change We are readie most commonly to be called away by death before we be fit or haue learned how to liue Looke what care conscience zeale thou haddest when thou first imbracedst the Gospell what reuerent admiration at the excellencie of it and what loue towards it the same at least retaine and be sure thou keepest still afterwards And howsoeuer thy heart was weaned from the inordinate loue of the world and vaine delights which might quench those which are spirituall see that the longer thou liuest in this vale of miserie thou doest not drinke vp the draffe of it and fashion thy selfe after the iniquitie of it nor the more knowledge thou hast that thou beest not the more secure For thus it is with many at this day who therefore doe smart for it If a man be a diligent obseruer of his course of life he shall seldome finde himselfe free from all kindes of offences but one shall trouble him much if another be weakned yea and without much faithfulnes and strength of grace shall preuaile against him But if there be care that they weigh not downe the affections in being too much taken vp of them it is well for the Christian mans life is a continuall battaile and when it ceaseth we are readie on the left
that they loue to lie in it still more foolish then children who cannot bee made to come nigh the water when they haue once been in perill of drowning and so they verifie the words of Christ Prou. 1.22 O ye fooles how long will ye loue foolishnes Which is the cause why not onely the most part of hearers are dead and cold practisers but euen many of the teachers though they do boldly vtter that which they haue read yet are faint followers of that which they teach or conceale much of that which they should deliuer because they finde the contrarie to be done of themselues which they see they should teach others and would shunne the reproch of the prouerbe Physition heale thine owne disease But they who turne their thoughts consideration wisedome and studie to this marking what is the blessed course of life and how it is attained vnto as they shall declare that they are wise so shall they bee sure to finde a singular helpe to godlines which they shal neuer repent of trauailing for It followeth in the next place that we see how God hath prouided no lesse helpe for vs in companie which because we haue much vse of and occasion to be often in it therefore least we might possibly returne out from it worse then we went into it as the most companies are such as doe make men more corrupt then they were before therefore the Lord hath taught his people how to carry themselues in all their meetings with others in such wise as not onely they may shunne the harme which is easily gotten therein but also haue much helpe and furtherance thereby to goe better forward in Christian duties But this point is handled at large in the next treatise Therefore I referre the reader thither CHAP. 10. Of prayer and the parts thereof thankesgiuing and request whereunto is added confession of sinnes HAuing now made mention of the two first kindes of the priuate helpes the third followeth containing the helps which may be vsed by ones selfe alone or with others also as prayer and reading Prayer is a calling vpon God according to his will and hath these two parts thanksgiuing and request whereunto is added the confession of sinnes Thanksgiuing is that part of prayer in which we being comforted by some benefit which in fauour God bestoweth vpon vs are drawne to loue and praise him and shew forth the fruites thereof In the which description we see three duties to be required of vs and three motiues or perswasions to drawe vs to performe them I will first mention these latter and then proceede to the duties The first motiue is knowledge and remembrance of some benefit receiued or promised vs. Which may be seene in the thanksgiuings of all Gods seruants as in Dauid after that he had receiued the sauorie and seasonable counsell by Abigaile and in Abrahams seruant when God had blessed him in his iourney to Aram. The same may be said of the leaper when he saw that he was clensed after he had made request for it to Christ And where there is no knowledge and due consideration of some particular mercie how can there be any true and hartie thanksgiuing howsoeuer in words there be a protestation for fashion sake as in them who say we must thanke God for all when yet they consider of nothing that moues them thereto The second motiue to thanksgiuing is ioy and gladnes of heart for the benefit which we thinke of or call to minde As appeareth by the psalme in them which returned out of the captiuitie saying When the Lord brought againe that is turned away the captiuitie of Sion his Church we became like them that dreame then was our mouth filled with laughter and our tongue with ioy And except we finde such sweetenes in Gods benefits either alreadie receiued or by faith embraced being promised the dutie of thankes can in no good sort be performed But that is verified which is commonly spoken that is a worke is vntowardly done which is not cheerefully gone about The third thing that should moue vs to this dutie of thankes is that which is most fit to worke the foresaid ioy and that is a perswasion that the benefit for which we giue thankes commeth to vs from Gods fatherly loue which is a farre greater matter to make vs glad then the benefit it selfe which is bestowed on vs. For if we should feare that it is sent as a snare to intangle vs or to heape hot coales vpon our head and to make our condemnation the more iust smal sweetenes should we finde therein but that which would be quenched with that feare and by an accusing conscience As for example what hartie ioy or sound thankes could that of the Pharisie be though in tongue he gaue the one and in countenance shewed the other when he had not this perswasion But God be thanked it is not so with his beloued ones but they knowing that their most louing father hath giuen them his Christ which is the greatest doth much more of fauour giue them all other things which are of lesse account which both reioyce their hearts when they remember any of these his blessings and stirreth them vp to a much more heartie performing of this dutie And as these three former things must be found in vs to moue vs to true thankfulnes for our comfort so to make it effectuall three duties are required First a continuance of our loue to God Secondly a desire to set foorth his glorie and in words to professe and confesse his goodnes Thirdly a further proceeding in obedience and walking worthie his kindnes For how can we choose but loue and set our hearts vpon him when wee may see the fruites of his fauour on euery side whither soeuer we turne our selues and the same euery morning renued Euen as the Prophet saith I loue the Lord because he hath heard my request and for his great and many mercies which there hee reckoneth vp So that they whose loue is set vpon the gift it selfe and the benefit being little affected towards the giuer and bestower of it how wide soeuer their mouthes are open in giuing thankes they are farre from the right offering of thankes to God Now if we loue the Lord we cannot but be carried with a feruent desire that God might bee knowne and beleeued on by others that they might come out of darknes neither can we satisfie our selues in seeking to aduance and magnifie him As wee may see in Dauid who being stirred vp by the consideration of Gods benefits had this affection in him thus declaring the same What shall I render to the Lord for all his benefits As if he should say Oh that I knew and could satisfie my selfe herein And where this affection and desire is can it otherwise be but that by all good opportunities there should be an expressing and
treatise onely thus much to referre this beleeuing of pardon to euery day And this is here to be looked for of the reader that euery one of the points and partes of this daily direction the which I haue taught in other parts of this booke how they should be attained and come by must be kept of a Christian euery day The third point is that when we shall be strongly haled after sinne for we must know that euery day giues occasion thereof that we so account of the libertie of our hearts and minds to keepe them well disposed and armed against all sinne and most of all our speciall infirmities that we let them not loose at any time in the day to be hardened with the deceitfulnesse of any sinne but kept with all diligence posssible from the loue and liking thereof that so our outward actions may be well ordered Therefore is that charge giuen in the Epistle to the Hebrewes that our hearts be not made nought and rebellious at any time and therefore by consequent on any day whiles we suffer them to be hardened with the deceitfulnesse of sinne And agreable to this the Lord in Deuteronomie aunswering Moses when he brought him word that the people would willingly be ruled by him although before they refused so to be said This people hath said well all that they haue said but oh that there were an heart in them that they would feare me and keepe all my commandements alwaies then it should go well with them So that we must see such necessitie of holding maisterie ouer our hearts and keeping them in feare of offending that we may make a daily practise of it and so keepe them for continuance neither can we otherwise shew our selues to regard that waightie charge of the Lord giuen vnto vs Thou shalt worship the Lord with all thy heart and soule For they who are euery while off and on vnsetled in their harts can neuer be long well ordered in their liues therefore the Lord requireth this constancie that we must euery while be looking to them euen alwaies that so we may be out of daunger Behold how needfull a thing this is to keepe and hold this maisterie ouer our hearts daily when nothing goeth well forward where they with the affections of them be not well ruled But this shall be shewed in the next section following Neither let men obiect their necessarie businesse though they will not pleade for carnall libertie they say and multitudes thereof which will distract their hearts I aunswer of multiplicitie of earthly dealings which will hinder holy peace let wise Christians beware and so doing if as farre as they are able they set themselues to haue care of all parts of Christian obedience their hearts shall in good manner prouide thereby for the well ordering of their earthly businesse also which is one part of it and none of the meanest Now from this heart well gouerned the next two points as two armes of a tree from the bodie or stocke do issue and come The first that we shold euer keepe from euill which shall not be hard if alwaies and euery day we be held in feare of offending as we are directed before The second that we alwaies indeuour to please God and therefore in all things and as was said in Deuteronomie to keepe all his commaundements which all may see cannot be if we haue not our hearts so prepared to seeke the Lord that we may be readie in one dutie as well as in another to shew our selues obedient All which three namely 1. to haue a heart to feare God 2. to flie euill 3. and please him in all things in that one Scripture before mentioned are required daily to be found in vs so there is no man but may easily see reason why it should be thus first seeing the one cannot be without the other secondly the keeping of such agreablenesse betwixt our hearts and liues is our beautie and honour And on the contrarie it is most harsh and offensiue when they which beare a faire shew and are content somtimes to be gouerned shal yet at other times be nothing so I will say somewhat the more of these two seeing it is one of the chiefest causes why I entred into this present treatise as may appeare by that which I haue alreadie said namely that the Christian should be euery day free from all reprochfull euill insomuch as if by any occasion he be turned out of the way yet he should speedily returne and also that he should be daily giuen vnto euery good worke watching his oportunitie thereto that so he may haue a good conscience in all things and may bring foorth much fruite that God may be glorified Yet I meane not that he should spend the whole day in reading prayer hearing of Sermons or other religious exercises excepting the Sabbath but in one lawfull thing or other about his calling or any other in stead thereof which may be as well defended and as pleasing to God as the duties of his calling More particularly to appoint or prescribe is hard and this is plaine enough for euery true beleeuer to vnderstand and apply vnto himselfe for I exclude not the commonest and meanest seruices and workes so as they be such as God alloweth and without vitious affections gone about of him as in the man plough and cart sowing and reaping and all worke thereto belonging if he be called thereto or other worke in the man of occupation as he hath bene trained vp and fitted for as also all prouision of things necessarie to the maintenance of his familie by lawfull skill and honest meanes and paying and receiuing of that which is due In the woman to haue care that all be frugally and thriftily done within the house and without which is vnder her hand that she be diligent to see her children christianly brought vp according to their age her houshold to haue all that is meete in due season and more particularly among the rest spinning sowing knitting being done as to the Lord and being those works which he appointeth them and such like are commendable that they may be neither idle nor vnprofitable And these I name in some particular manner lest any should thinke that I go about any new-found out holinesse to tye Christians vnto as some will be ready inough to imagine and thinke when they shall see and vnderstand that they must euery day be well occupied which few will be tied to and doing of one good duty or other And yet this I adde that as these and such like must be done and in one or other of them the sixe dayes must be bestowed yet I say this must be added that all these lawfull workes must be done of them in faith that is they must know that God commandeth such workes to be done of them and therefore they do them readily and willingly not
pinched and vexed with feare of losing and forgoing them that it is not in vaine commaunded That we beware we be not surfeited with cares of this world and that we make them not thornes and choakes to hurt and annoy vs. By these or any of them or the like as euery Christian is most prone to offend so if he shall not wisely and circumspectly preuent the same by this Christian watchfulnesse through the day besides other helpes before set downe auoiding all occasions and weaning his heart from all noisome loue thereof learning also contentation and nourishing a mercifull hart to the necessities of the poore with such like remedies as shall be set downe he shall be constrained to complaine of grieuous distractions of his mind disquietnesse and vnsetling himselfe hereby besides the hurt which others shal take by him And thus it may appeare by this which hath bene sayd of this matter how needfull it is besides a generall watchfulnesse in and throughout the day to be more especially affraid of some speciall weaknesses which we cary about vs and to be armed against some speciall discouragements and hinderances by worldly goods I haue shewed some of the abusings of worldly goods both in mens dealings and out of them the daungers that accompany them who knoweth not without large laying out of them seeing they follow them as the shadow doth the body For though I speake not of them who are drowned in the world whose God is their belly and their wealth it is too apparent how honest and good Christians haue for the most of them no heart to heare how they should vse their worldly wealth how many daungers they are subiect vnto thereby and how their loue is glued to the same but they thinke themselues able to guide themselues in vsing and disposing of their riches and commodities therefore do they fall into no meane or common dangers That whereas they might haue libertie aboue others to leade a sweete and godly life and to draw many to the same yet they get litle knowledge faith experience comfort and other grace themselues neither are many of them prouokers of their neighbours to a religious course to loue and to good workes by word and example And beside this that if they sinne as other men they are sure to meete with the punishments of other men in iust reproaches and an ill name deseruedly in an euill conscience and many vexations beside many bad dealings which they find at the hands of wicked persons which they might haue bene voide of beside these I say what a iudgement is it that they being borne to honour haue depriued themselues of it CHAP. 11. Of the remedies against this worldly lust namely Couetousnesse and excessiue loue of riches BVt to set downe somewhat more clearly and distinctly for helpe and redresse of this sinne of couetousnesse and worldly lust because I haue somewhat largely spoken of the same I could wish that the remedies and reasons to redresse these many and dangerous sinnes and to preuent the same where they haue not as yet broke out in many of Gods people that the remedies I say and reasons against them were well marked and also the direction how to vse them both as followeth duly regarded And to begin with the remedies which I will here set downe they are foure euen as the reasons also are First he that desireth to be free from great blame and offence by the vse of worldly goods and consequently to hold fast his peace with God thereby as I know not what morall action is more to be desired let him looke to this as he would to the auoiding of the collicke or stone That no man be hurt or sustaine losse and danger by him but let him throughly be perswaded of it indeed that he ought to do thus as we are straightly charged by the Apostle See that no man oppresse or defraud his brother in any matter So that as we will be sure that none shall wrong vs so farre as we be able to resist it and therefore we need not be bidden to regard our selues so because few of vs will be carefull to see others with whom we deale to inioy their right but will be ready rather to plucke from them therefore is this charge giuen vs towards others not a litle foiling to this sinne of worldlines if it be regarded For then we shall be free from all the sinnes against our neighbour condemned in the eighth commandement as far as we can discerne them both in bargaining which are not a few and also in other dealings with men which are almost innumbrable neither shall we desire it in our harts to iniure them seeing the law that bindeth vs is spiritual And what a treasure were it so to mind this charge in all our dealings with men through the day that we might haue the blessed and sweet fruite of it at night when we are to lie down Oh what liberty may such haue as look faithfully to this In like maner do not sorowes inough abide thē who restraine not their harts from such iniurying of men with full resolution Again he who will be subiect to this charge of the Apostle and couenant holily to vse this first remedie throughout his life namely that none shall sustaine wrong or hurt by him shall be free from many branches of couetousnesse yea he that is armed to do no euill this way or if he haue doth correct and redresse it shall shew himselfe to be a man that hath strugled commendably with the world and earthly goods and also to haue gotten great victory thereby And therefore are there few such because few do tie themselues to such couenants Which kind of men if they could be free from blame in many other things yet should they sufficiently be branded for worldly and couetous if they be found vnarmed against this The second remedie is not onely that we hurt them not but also that we do them good Which is to be vnderstood of all with whom we haue to do Euen as that Scripture teacheth confirming this rule namely That we should owe nothing to any but this That we loue them And this reacheth and is of vs to be performed to foure sorts of men 1 to Princes 2 to teachers 3 our owne families and 4 to others our poore neighbours and brethren to all which we owe a seuerall duty not to be neglected For breuity sake to our Christian Prince we owe tribute and other duty by our goods as we see it to be required of vs both in peace and warre About which I say no more but this that as all drawing backe and vnwillingnesse to performe duties necessarily imposed is euill so this is not a small blemish when such as go for good Christians do commonly contend and raise strife about their payments and do not rather proportionably discharge the same with willingnesse The next is
seuen as they say in the world and to make them shift for themselues as orphans and to trust to their owne wisdome and strength to preserue them from sathan and sinne but that he as a father caring for them hath sufficient power in his hand to strengthen them and requireth this of them that they should beleeue it which they cannot doe but thereby they are mightily staied and vpholden and by the same faith shall more and more be vpholden daily vntill they see themselues set at great liberty and that it was the diuill who before held them in feare and bondage The common obiection will heere be put foorth vnto me that they would if they durst be so bolde beleeue with all their hearts that God will subdue and slea their sinne and lead them forward to liue godly if they could first ouercome some particular sinnes which doe most trouble them but as long as they preuaile in them they dare not thinke they say that God will giue them that grace which he doth vnto others But to answere them I haue said before that they haue no power in them of their owne whereby they may weaken any sinne in them but this they must obtaine by faith as well as grace to liue and that commands them to doe so that they may know it pleaseth them that they should doe so And till that they are holden from their owne right through the deuils craft who hideth from them as their euidence this confidence in God euen as if a subtile man should keepe backe from his neighbour any part of his lande or liuing I conclude therefore that Gods children who pardoneth their infirmities through Christ and will not looke streightly vpon them haue this prerogatiue that they may lead their liues acceptable to him and if they be carefull to know what liberty he hath giuen them whereby they may obtaine ablenesse thereto they may walke woorthy the Gospell indeauouring to please him in all things and so to be vnrebukeable in the middest of a wicked and froward generation although as I haue said through the deuils tirannie and the vnbeliefe of their owne hearts many euen of them are farre from inioying this priuiledge The which as it is accompanied with happinesse it selfe so that it may be seene to be a priuiledge indeed peculiar to them know we that as for other it shall not neither can be so with them they haue no part in this treasure no not euen they which at sometimes will seeme more holy then the rest The wicked I say haue no fitnesse nor aptnesse to receiue this grace To liue godly no more then a dead man is fit to rise againe and walke or the blacke Moore by washing to change his blacke skin And therfore although they like well enough of the name of it yet that they are such as deny the power of it heereby it may appeere that as the worst sort of them like dogges and swine tread it vnder feete and scoffe at it the common sort count it and tearme it precisenesse and loue to be conuersant with those that are of their owne mindes so the best sort of them are such as finde in themselues and know that they haue no pleasure in it No better is the patched life of the best sort of papists who liue not by faith but please themselues in this that their works are good if they doe the outward works which God and their church commend All of them remaine and continue in the damnable estate they were in at the beginning Neither doe I maruell at this which the Scripture affirmeth so plainly that the vngodly are not obedient to the will of God neither possibly can be For I my selfe saith Paule when I was in darkenesse and liued after the lustes of mine ignorance was greedily set to commit sin Therefore if it be impossible for a man vnrenued to forsake some particular sinne but by infinite degrees much more impossible to clense his heart from whence onely good life can come it is most certaine and cleare that all wicked men while they abide so are far off from this priuiledge To be able to lead a godly life and therefore that is peculiar onely to Gods children to doe so CHAP. 5. Of a second branch of the third priuiledge ANother branch of this priuiledge or honour that Christians haue aboue other men which though it necessarily accompanie the former yet because it best appeareth when it is particularly laide open and helpeth much to strengthen the weake and to comfort the best is this that they may be kept and preserued from great and reprochfull euils that seldome or not at all if it be expedient they shall be ouercome of them which the Apostle would neuer so often and earnestly haue exhorted the godly vnto saying See that yee walke vnblameable and without rebuke and in another place Walke not offensiuely towards them that are without except he had seene how they might haue attained thereunto Therefore the prophet saith I haue hid thy word in my heart that I might not sinne against thee and againe Let me not wander from thy commandements and againe I swarued not from thy precepts they are the ioy of my heart And the same spirit guiding Gods people they are like minded to him and would not wander nor swarue from his will And the cause of this must be considered which is this they count preciously of gods worde and therefore lay it vp in their heart and are perswaded that it is the greatest gaine to folow the doctrine of it and therefore they count it not tedious to absteine from the sinnes which other cannot be drawne from but willingly forsake them which other men with tooth and naile hold fast and continue in Enoch Abraham Moses Iosua after Moses death Samuell Daniell Iob with others many in the former ages of the world how doe stories report of them After they had any neere acquaintance with God they committed not any such heinous trespasses as were common staines and blots in the liues of others I speake not now of their vertues but they departed and withdrew thēselues from euil euen as God had chosen them out of the world to verifie that which is written All these liued and died in faith The Apostles after they had receiued more fulnesse and greater measure of the spirit were farre from the scandals and offences which before were vsuall and daily rebuked in them and committed of them Yet to shew what need the best haue to be kept by God continually sometime the deuill preuailed as to make breaches amongst them though we seldome finde any of them to haue beene thus deceiued So some of the churches haue beene commended to vs to haue beene so farre off from shamefull falles as the Thessalonians the churches of Smirna and Pergamus that they were good examples and lights to others
cleerely shewed his word to Iacob his statutes and his iudgements to Israel and hath committed to vs his holy oracles Wherein I meane not only that we haue the Gospell so publikly and plentifully preached which though great is common to vs with many but withall that in some admirable manner God hath reuealed his secrets vnto vs such as wee know no Church vpon the earth in which the true sense of the Scriptures and sound doctrine thereof are more sincerely embraced and professed Yea with what store of rare and excellent lights the Lord hath furnished this our Church he is blind that seeth not and malitious that wil not acknowledge it wherein though generally it falleth out by humane frailtie and Sathans subtiltie that there is more light of iudgement then integritie of conscience yet herein God hath not left himselfe without witnes of many worthie Christians both Preachers and professors of the truth who liuely expresse the forme of holie doctrine into which they are cast such as vpon my vttermost perill I dare professe the deuoutest Papist neither hath nor possiblie in that profession can attaine vnto lacking true faith the right mother and nurse of a godly life And herein to giue one instance in steed of many take and examine streightly this one work and if it breathe not out more sound godlines in one leafe then all their artificiall composed treatises of Resolution which in their estimation are chiefe in this argument of a godly life let me beare my deserued blame I leaue the life of the writer of that Popish booke to such as seeme vpon better knowledge to haue set out the same And for the Author of this Treatise I may not in modestie say what I know but could and doe desire that his life were so knowne to all to whom his writing shall come as it is to such who haue heard the doctrine and seene the practise hereof in himself these well neere thirtie yeeres But to spare the person for his life time and to foretell what you shall finde in his labours In my simple opinion it might in one principal respect be called the Anatomie of the soule wherein not onely the great and principall parts are laid open but euery veine and little nerue are so discouered that wee may as it were with the eye behold as the right constitution of the whole and euery part of a true Christian so the manifold defects and imperfections thereof Whereto be added most approoued remedies for the curing of all spirituall diseases with like preseruatiues to maintaine our health in such sort as may be enioyed in this contagious ayre and so in a second respect may be called the physicke of the soule In both which how welcome it shall be to all that loue their soules health I neede not doubt onely I would desire the Christian patient not to be offended with the largenes of the work as too deare for the poore and too much to be read ouer in long time but consider with me that if the arte of bodily physicke be so long as the father of that arte testifieth then is it no marueile that this spirituall physicke doth as much exceed the other in length as it doth in dignitie And yet for the reliefe of such as desire to profit by his labour great care hath been taken so to set out apart euery seuerall matter that by the helpe of the Table they may be directed to the particulars which I perswade my selfe will be so farre from glutting any though neuer so weake stomacke that it will rather procure him a better appetite For simply to say as I feele I haue not read in any mans writing a more sauourie stile and better relished All which I leaue to euery one to speake as they finde and so with my strongest desires doe commend the fruite of these labours to the blessing of God Ezechiel Culuerwel To the Christian Reader CHristian Reader I am constrained in commending this spirituall blessing vnto thee to begin with the excuse of a good deed For although it be a good deede to commend this commendable worke yet must I plead the pardon of my defectiuenes in doing it by alleaging my calling thereto and impleade the fulsomnes of the maligners of such holy enterprises who for the most part distast all things but vanitie The eare saith Elihu trieth words as the mouth tasteth meate to wit if the eare be truly spirituall otherwise there is an vncircumcised eare where there is an vncircumcised heart and he that hath an vnmortified eare which is an affection to carnall eloquence cannot escape a reprobate sense in iudging of the wisedome of God An itching eare requireth a clawing stile and the most readers seeke after that which this treatise purposely eschueth But wisedome will be iustified of her children and the godly hearted will lay that vnlooked for imputation vpon affectation of braue words which the holy Ghost laieth vpon womens brauerie mentioned in the 3. of Esay which soone after in the 4. chap. vers 4. by passage of speech he calleth the filthines of the daughters of Sion Something I graunt may be yeelded by way of indulgence to the weake but he that seriously seeketh the Lord will not be offended nor cloyed with that simplicitie which offendeth not God by turning away the mind by trifles from a bent purpose of sound edification The matter of this booke is right worthy to occupie the minds of men and will be receiued of the gracious perusers of it The rest of the professors which like wanton and full fed children begin to play with their meate brooke nothing but conceited writing and speaking are to be bewailed and as for the dogs they are to be detested and denied holy things The blessing and comfort of grace brought S. Paul to account all things as dung in comparison and their illumination how great soeuer is vnsanctified which are not so minded and if any man loue godlines indeed and be good mettall he will blesse the fire which is ordained to melt him and the mould which is made to cast him in but they which make the founder to melt in vaine shall be called reprobate siluer It is part of the blessing of a worke to bee wrought by a blessed instrument and although it be sacrilege to interuert the praise of God yet it is of religion to take notice of Gods chosen vessels and all men are more affected by such This is the aduantage of this booke I meane the long approued godlines of the Author as he is a Christian and his zealous painfulnes as he is a Minister And if it please God that his pen may be as his tongue hath been a tree of life the very leaues thereof will cure him of the sting of Serpents tongues That which S. Luke testifieth of Barnabas may after Gods admeasurement be spoken of him and hoped of his labours that he was a good man
agreeth not with their humor and to cauill and quarrell with that which naturall reason doth not allow yet wishing better things vnto such I am not discouraged but for their sake who would desire the same in practise which here they shall finde by reading I will goe forward in this enterprise I know it can doe the best no harme I am sure trusting and looking for the blessing of God that it shall do many good such I meane as would doe well if they knew how and would grow wiser sounder and more constant in faith and a godly life if they had helpe and direction thereto plainely set before them And I am not ashamed to say that for mine owne furtherance as well as other mens and the better carriage of my selfe through this my pilgrimage I haue been willing to gather some such things together as in this small volume I haue contriued Neither had it come into the hands of others vnlesse such as are of account aboue my selfe for their gifts as well as my neighbours among whom I haue preached the doctrine had perswaded me to set it forth Besides all that hath been said I haue chiefly in this enterprise as God doth know sought this that this vnperfect weake labour of mine may stir vp and moue some of my godly brethren who for the habilitie and grace which God hath giuen them if their leasure had been as much as mine might tenne-fold more profitably and substantially haue vndertaken it to enlarge and perfect the same the argument being so needfull and profitable to the further benefit of Gods Church and people Another reason of setting out this treatise was this that they who desire it may see by the diligent marking of the same the beauties of the Christian life more clearely then by many Christians liues it can bee seene and that it may bee brought into greater account with many who thinke it through errour ouerburdensome And partly also I was moued hereunto by this reason that the Papists cast in our teeth that we haue nothing set out for the certaine and daily direction of a Christian when yet they haue published they say many treatises of that argument For answere to the first poynt of this obiection they cannot deny but that they care not what they say to bring the people out of loue with our religion they cannot I say deny that both in catechismes sermons and other treatises there is set forth by vs that which may cleerely direct Christians and stir vp godly deuotion in them though all be not gathered together into one volume for the second part concerning their treatises I graunt there are two which I haue seene set forth by them in our English tongue the one called a Christian Directorie the other the Exercise of a Christian life wherein the author doth though both superstitiously and nothing properly goe about to teach and giue direction for euery day in the weeke the one bearing the name of Robert Parsons the King of Spaines confessor the other by an Italian a Iesuite Doctor in Diuinitie and translated into English by some fauourite of Poperie the first is nothing lesse then a direction for a Christian though it be called a Directorie tending rather to perswade men to resolue with themselues to leaue some grosse euils then to shew them soundly how to attaine pardon or teaching how to liue christianly the other is a ridiculous tying men to a daily taske of reading some part of the storie of Christs passion and saying certaine prayers throughout the weeke euery day a taske but indeede nothing lesse then directing after the will of God him who desires to leade a Christian life Both of them I dare boldly affirme being deceiued themselues doe deceiue others especially the simple who is not able to discerne and trie the lying spirit in them The one that is to say Parsons hath vnder a pretence of a holines and deuotion set downe sundrie impediments to resolution But yet they are put in among other things to take away the harshnes and tartnes of manifold errours of merit and other superstition mixed with them and vpholden in that religion and as it were with sugar to season them which else no taste could abide and in the depth of a subtill heart put in to make the world beleeue that the Popish religion is the onely holy religion and the professors thereof the godliest liuers when yet Antichrist is their captaine and head or as they will not deny the Pope of Rome who yet doth and for these many yeares hath vpholden and maintained open and almost infinit heresies and abominations And as their religion and worship is composed and framed of heresies and lies and a confused heape of superstitions and outward dead workes euen Iewish and Heathenish ceremonies so the persons themselues who professe they know most and that they are able to giue rules vnto others vpholding and building vpon so rotten foundations are furthest off from well guiding others so that no man may euer looke by any Popish direction to liue christianly Although I will not dissemble what I thinke namely that some doe meane more simply and truely then the rest and thinke that they serue God aright hauing deuout minds but being ignorant of the truth must needes be deceiued But of Maister Parsons booke of Resolution seeing he and some other haue set it out in a glosing stile to insinuate with the ignorant and vnlearned reader that he seekes no other thing but to draw him to pietie and godlines I cannot forbeare but I must say a little which otherwise I would not haue done And the rather for that I know he hath snared many simple peoples consciences thereby who being themselues willing to be led in a right way beleeue that he meanes as he speaketh and therefore are left I say deceiued and in a bottomles gulfe out of the which if God helpe them not some other way it is not possible for them to get And this I say first for the deliuering of such out of the snare and maze in which they haue lost themselues by reading of that booke that although there be a pretended shew of godlines in it and much superstition yet the best of it is farre from true pietie and godlines seeing that and euery part of it proceedeth from faith ioyned with assurance of Gods fauour which is that alone that purifieth the heart and maketh it able to bring fourth fruits of amendment of life without which mens best actions are wrought by the strength of corrupt nature and are fruites of the flesh and workes of darkenes and so abominable And yet this faith doe Papists make no reckoning of neither therefore can the booke of Resolution teach or hold it Further I say that the law onely is vrged in that booke without teaching the poore soule that may be terrified thereby how to lay hold on the promise of eternall
times were the Lord caused to be taught vnder the law in types and shadowes prefiguring Christ to come and to be exhibited euen as he saith in Ioh. 5.46 Moses wrote of me though indeede now vnder the Gospell farre more cleerely and plainly that it may now be verified if euer that Christ by preaching him hath been crucified in our eyes So that by this is this mysterie of saluation purchased by his death manifested vnto vs. Now the fourth point remaines how this tidings of Christs deliuering man from the feare of the wrath to come is receiued in the world and that is by faith For there is no way to receiue Christ and all his merits the full medicine of mans miserie but by faith This true faith therefore is to be knowne what it is and how it is wrought that so by it hee may receiue Christ and be saued Now this true faith which for the worthie effect of it we call iustifying faith is nothing else but a sound beleefe in that promise of life that poore sinners comming vnto Christ he will ease them that is free them from all woe and restore them to all happines here and for euer and to be short so to giue credit to Gods word as hee rest thereon that hee will saue him Which true faith is wrought in him by the ministerie of the word reuealing this mercie and truth of God and by these the holie Ghost inlightening him to conceiue and drawing him to beleeue and so vniting him to Christ which whosoeuer hath thus receiued is hereby made the child of God so as he himselfe shall see it and an inheritour by sure hope of eternall life This therefore is to be knowne of him who shall be saued and his iudgement is to be setled in this truth before he enioy it as his owne or can haue his part in it He must be able to see cleerely and soundly that God hath made this Christ Iesus his sonne Lord ouer all creatures conqueror of the diuels deliuerer of the captiues comforter of the heauie hearts so that by him there is as full pardon of sinne purchased as euer was by Adam procured guiltines and condemnation And thus much of these two first points that he whom God will effectually call to the assurance of saluation must haue knowledge in generall of mans miserie and Gods mercie by Christs redemption CHAP. 4. How this knowledge worketh and namely the first worke that God maketh them beleeue their miserie and to be troubled in minde for it THere is yet wanting the true imbracing and applying of Christ with all the merits of his death and passion to this man that hath the foresaid knowledge or else he can in no wise be happie Let vs see therefore how this knowledge worketh in him on whom God will shew mercie how God by the light and helpe of it draweth him forward vntill he beleeue for his owne part and in his owne person which the other who haue onely the generall knowledge before mentioned neuer attained to And this is the last of the three points which I purposed to handle about this matter namely in shewing who is the child of God Which being done the question in hand shall appeare and be manifest This onely by the way it shall be fit to admonish the reader of as I said before that he is in no way to the kingdome of heauen who is yet voide of this knowledge altogether of his miserie I meane and of the remedie which kind of people although they are least troubled in their consciences of all other men but are merrie as though no daunger were comming toward them and therefore keepe a course in their liues which is after the fashion of the world are to be pitied and prayed for and to be perswaded to heare the word preached rather then to be allowed in their madnes and follie Who verifie most rightly the saying of the Wiseman That there is a way that seemeth pleasant to them but the issues thereof are the way of death God suffering them as he did the Gentiles to walke in their owne waies But to leaue them as sufficiently conuinced of a wofull estate euen by the testimonie of men who haue any iudgement and to goe forward with that which is in hand that is to shew how this doctrine worketh in him who by it shall come to true faith and assured hope of saluation we are to know that he remaineth not an idle and vnprofitable hearer as sometime and as many other still doe but is secretly drawne he cannot tell how by the vnspeakable worke of the spirit of God to be perswaded that the doctrine taught doth conerne him the Lord giuing him with his knowledge wisedome which is a gift of the spirit whereby he applleth generall things particularly to himselfe and that he thereby speaketh vnto him as well as he doth to any other in the denouncing the threats of the law and euerlasting damnation and his eyes being now opened to beleeue this he thinketh himselfe the miserablest of all other who before nothing at all regarded the welfare of his soule but thought himselfe in as good case to Godward as any other Hee now perceiueth I say himselfe not onely a loathsome creature in Gods sight through the Ieprosie of sinne but withall a most cursed and damned creature subiect to all Gods plagues in this world and to condemnation in the world to come For although the world lie in darknes and beleeueth not the law of God least it should be conuicted by it and therefore cannot beleeue the promises of the Gospell yet God otherwise prouideth for his that they by seeing and feeling the desert of their sinnes may haue an appetite thereby to seeke mercie and forgiuenes which without it is vnsauourie to them as our Sauiour Christ saith The whole haue no neede of the Phisition but the sicke Matth. 9.12 Neither let this deepe impression of the doctrine of the law preached being no lesse sensible to the partie that feeles it then the print of the seale is to our eye in the soft waxe let it not I say be counted a meane and common mercie In deede it is meanly accounted of the doctrine of it being so common and oft taught For as it is said of faith Luk. 18.8 that when the Sonne of man commeth he shall finde it rare in the world so in some sort wee may say of this that it is rare that men who know that all are vnder the wrath of God till the Sonne of God make them free doe beleeue indeede that it is so with them and euen their owne case Oh men shunne this as death and yet without beleeuing it there is no life for did they beleeue it personally for their owne parts they could not but lay it to heart so as the whole powers thereof should be taken vp with the cogitation of it as it is
with vs at the sudden hearing of heauie newes yea all the powers of the minde and heart would be affected with it euen as a man is by the sting of an Adder or when he is pricked with the point of a sword so I say it is with him that doth vnfainedly beleeue his owne miserie without exception casting away all deluding conceits which might hinder it such a sudden alteration it shall worke in him how farre off so euer hee was before that from it And that is liuely set foorth in the example of the three thousand that were conuerted at Peters sermon who for their estate before had been of them that crucified Christ and euen at that present time were mockers and railers at the Apostles saying they were drunken with new wine yet when on the sudden the Lord arrested them by his word and challenge and with his spirituall sword by Peters skilfull handling the same had wounded and striken them so as they could not scape nor resist the power and stroke of it they were pricked in their harts as if an arrow had pierced their liuer crying out immediatly that the paine which they felt within them was intolerable which they expressed in their words when they made their mone euen vnto them whom they had so lately railed vpon now speaking with new tongues which is admirable Men and brethren what shall wee doe Euen thus in some sort doth the Lord worke when hee maketh them to giue credit to this his thundring voyce by his law arraigning men for their sinnes which is no lesse fearefull to them then the roaring of a lion when yet other men whose sinnes are as great and haue as good cause to be feared and to faint vnder the burthen of them are not a whit mooued thereat not moued I say through the commonnes of it any more then the fowles are afraid of the scar-crow after they haue been long accustomed to it who in time dare sit vpon the head of it and plucke strawes out of the very nose thereof And this I doe the more stand vpon to make this point cleere because I haue obserued by long experience how grossely the people of our age doe suffer themselues to be bewitched about this matter For to bewaile them who are soone healed if they be pricked at all and them who fall deadly to raging at the Minister if their hearts be vexed by hearing their daunger I say to bewaile the estate of them there is yet a third sort in number an hundred for one of the other who were neuer troubled in conscience for their sinne or the woe that it hath purchased them neither doe once dreame that such a thing is needfull for them but eate drinke and sleepe some play and some worke and as they did in the daies of Noah imbrace this present euill world prophane merrie yea and light-hearted when as S. Iames saith they should houle and mourne and as though they feared no more then they would make men beleeue they doe are neuer scared till the very time and houre of death or deadly daunger But what do they then when they haue called in lustily as men at a banquet I meane when they haue taken their pleasure and liued therein I say when they see their reckoning and day of accounts is neere then what doe they where is their mirth become Oh they die as Nabal that is as fooles and are as he was when he heard he shuld die as a stone and a blocke or despaire as Iudas did and some of them die as he died that is sooner then they needed as well as they loued their life And the best sort of them are but as they that are spoken of by the Prophet that is they haue no bands in their death they die quietly perhaps with a Lord haue mercie on vs but they not regarding blessing in their life it is now farre from them at their death and therefore dying without repentance let other be feared by them And yet while the world is full of such people as I haue said behold as if they yet wanted something to make them miserable how this vnsauourie and dangerous speech is spread farre and neere among such by many ministers as well as common persons who crie out that it is pitie that some are suffered to preach the lawe and that such vrging of mens consciences for their sinnes is enough to driue the people to desperation and such like When yet S. Paul commaunds that the word be preached with all authoritie which men may not be able to resist and with conuincing of the conscience And S. Luke in the Acts commends the fruite of that doctrine so highlie euen that they were pricked in their harts for their sinnes without which they had neither repented nor obtained pardon of their sinnes Indeede if any preach the law alone without the glad tidings of the Gospell or vrge repentance without the incouragement of Gods mercie through Christ and forgiuenes of sinnes he were worthie to be sharply reproued and to bee restrained till he should amend so dangerous an error and so grieuous a fault But if any finde fault with the ioyning of both together when experience and Scripture doe shew that no other kinde of preaching can profit and doe good in the Church they are earnestly to be desired if they doe it of ignorance to be taught if of a worse minde to desist from it But this shall suffice for answere to this speech rashly and vnwisely cast foorth to cause many to stumble at I returne to that from which I went aside a little to perswade those which are teachable that God doth vse to make his law to cast downe such as he purposeth to lift vp againe as I haue said The Scripture yeeldeth many complaints and cryings out of Gods seruants who acknowledged as much Some when they had once escaped the daunger of their former woe as that of Paul to Timothie doth testifie I was a blasphemer a persecutor and an oppressor Some in the time of their distresse as by that in Ieremy I heard Ephraim complaining thus Conuert me O Lord or els I cannot be conuerted and they in Sam. 1.12.20 with many other And God be thanked although they are but a few of so many thousands as haue liued in former ages yet he hath not left this vnwitnessed by many in this our age of whom some are fallen asleepe and others remaine amongst vs vnto this day who with bitter complaints salt teares and dolefull groanes no lesse sensibly then Iacob sorrowed when he thought that a wild beast had deuoured his sonne Ioseph Gen. 37.34 haue confessed the depth of their woe sighing and seeking if by any meanes they might finde ease and deliuerance although the most are hardned and can bee brought to no such abasement And if that which I haue said before to this purpose perswade not men to thinke so
so he powreth out earnest praiers to him for the pardon of thē through the mediation of Christ All which howsoeuer they seeme to him to be no great matters who is not as yet a competent and sufficient iudge in this case yet the Scripture commendeth them to be great euen the fruite of some little and weake faith and him who obtaineth them to be in especiall fauour with God as in the forenamed parable is most liuely to be seene where the father resembling God is said to haue met his lost sonne before he came at him and to haue imbraced and kissed him after that hee was resolued in himselfe to goe and seeke to him for fauour and pardon and to acknowledge his faults vnto him c. Now was there any thing thinke we in the naturall father which is not much more in the father of mercie who exceedeth all the fathers of the earth in kindnes and compassion Thus the Lord by his holy spirit worketh in the hearts of his children and with all these forementioned graces which he giueth them he draweth them to prise and value this benefit of redemption so highly as the wise Merchant doth the field wherein the pearle is hidden selling all to buy it so doe they I say set light by all things in comparison of this and are caried with this mind that they will forsake whatsoeuer may hinder for the obtaining of it The sixt worke they forsake all for it and highly prize it BVt what then some perhaps will say do you affirme that these things can do a man any good without faith for of this nothing hath yet bin said and doe you affirme a man to be iustified for such an one is he who is in fauour with God hauing no faith or that any thing is accepted of God which he doth as his desire to bee forgiuen his hungring after it his humiliation accesse to God in prayer and confession of sinnes all these being without faith or if not so do ye then say that we our selues must thus prepare our selues to receiue faith but that is to attribute free will vnto man being yet in the estate of miserie and bondage and vnrenewed as being yet without faith To the first I say that although none of these be faith yet I say that they are not without it as I will more fully shew afterward neither that God is pleased with any man neither he himselfe is iustified but only by it but wee cannot discerne or set downe the very moment when faith is wrought but when the other forenamed graces of God are effectuallie wrought in the heart then is this of faith wrought also by the same spirit neither can hee that hath receiued this faith into his heart so certainly and easily iudge of it as of those other gifts which accompanie it To the latter obiection I answere that I am farre from ascribing to man vnrenewed any inherent goodnes whereby he may prepare himselfe to receiue faith he is I say destitute of all goodnes in his will and of power to doe good such graces are giuen him of God as was said before For God findeth all men in their filthines and gore bloud as the Prophet Ezechiel speaketh and she whom he vouchsafeth to make his beloued spouse I meane his Church he raiseth out of the dust washeth and clenseth her from her filthines wherein hee found her and then taketh her to him to delight in as his deare and onely spouse It is the Lord therefore which is the author and finisher of his faith who shall be saued and he as he hath abased him and filled his heart with sorrowes for the same purpose so it is he that soketh it by little and little and seasoneth it in time with faith hope and comfort This is his only worke And although it be hard to determine whē faith is wrought as I haue said and how long dreadfull feare continueth yet by meanes of the knowledge of his miserie and redemption God worketh them both in his heart and that when and in what manner it seemeth best to his wisedome so that it may be seene that it is so And thus I hauing answered these two obiectiōs I wil now proceed morefully to shew how he guideth bringeth home this lost sheep as I had in som sort proceeded to do before I was occasioned to digresse a while by reason of the two former questions now answered To proceede therefore with this person whom the Lord wil saue when he hath wrought thus farre in him earnestly to desire the remedie against his miserie he leaueth him not there as many through ignorance wāt of wise building vp are held longer at this stay and although not lying in vtter vnbeleefe yet not bold to applie Gods promise to their soules euen as there are many who haue had compunction of heart that neuer goe further but waueringly are off and on and whē the desire is not accomplished the heart fainteth and they for all their desire seeing it vanisheth away is not constant fall away altogether But God goeth further with this person as I haue said For he hauing now with the skilfull merchant weighed the price of this pearle namely to haue Christ to become his hath it in such estimation that he counteth meanely of all things in comparison of this and in good aduisednes selleth all that he hath to buy it But what hath he you will aske of his owne to purchase or come into the possession of it As for his goods and riches whatsoeuer he inioyeth they are not his owne but an others and borrowed yet many thousand poore soules which shal be saued haue little or no wealth at all but this precious pearle is not bought with money What hath he then ye say to procure it verily he hath nothing but an interest and hold in sinfull pleasures and worldly lusts But alas some man will say what doe ye naming of them as things any thing worth But I say againe I must mention that which he hath of his owne and that is his sinne which though euery reasonable man will say that it is not worth the mentioning yet it was sometime more precious to him then siluer and in account aboue the purest gold and therefore to renounce it is no easie nor small matter And yet so well it falleth out for him there is no other thing required of him to the attaining of the forementioned pearle then the casting away and the forsaking of that his sinne For so the Lord plainely testifieth he that denyeth himselfe he shall be my disciple and whosoeuer forsaketh any thing that is which God condemneth he shall haue an hundreth fold more then he forgoeth so bountifull a rewarder is the Lord of all that seeke him and afterward eternall life Therefore when this silly sinner vnderstandeth and giueth credit vnto it as deare and pleasant as his sinnes were vnto
perswaded that they haue faith and consequently that their sinnes are forgiuen them and yet by infallible signes and tokens we know that it is so I speake of the least measure of it for of the stronger faith the question is easier And the weakest measure of faith I call that when an humbled soule longeth and almost fainteth for Gods mercie in Christ and although he be not assured of it yet he seeth that it cannot be denied and therefore waiteth for it and is staied from despaire I say he seeth that it cannot be denied but that God doth graunt pardon to him against his sin because he seeth himselfe to haue obtained many graces and workes of the holy Ghost which cannot be in a reprobate as was said before and thereby he is holden from despaire and dreadfull feare And yet through weaknes and want of experience cannot call God father though he cannot suffer the contrarie thought to haue any place in himselfe and therefore the thing that he most laboureth to be satisfied in and resolued of is that he may haue some cleerer light and lay better hold of it that Christ hath redeemed him indeed yet is he as the child first taught to goe alone who at the first is weake in the ioynts but in time can runne about so shall it be with the soule which thus longeth and lamenteth after God This I haue spoken for their sakes who more hardly doe lay hold on Gods mercie and doe with more difficultie applie the promise to themselues the which to doe with all possible care and not to be turned aside from examining our selues soundly and throughly by any let is a grace of the greatest importance And he is wise indeede who will not stay before he haue it which wisedome God will teach them whom he loueth for though many very ignorant and carelesse hearers doe hardly yea neuer come to any resolution of faith yet ordinarily where people are soundly cleerely and wisely taught it is otherwise for to speake of them who shall be saued the word so preached by little and little soketh and distilleth into the hearts of many of them And though they know not when this gracious worke of God was wrought for the most part as neither can we discerne and see the plants and hearbes when they shoote out though in time wee see it is so yet some there are whom God in speciall manner doth priuiledge at one time and in one day to receiue that grace and gift of assurance which others are long labouring and trauailing for before they attaine it As our Sauiour Christ pronounceth of Zacheus This day is this man become the sonne of Abraham and saluation is come into his house So Lydia and they in the Act. 2.37 And this is the faith whether it be weake or strong which vniteth to Christ and maketh them that haue it which is a mysterie and riddle to the world to haue and enioy their hearts desire yea and indeed more then they could desire or thinke namely to be truly the children of God and thereby happy Euen the same faith for which Christ pronounced Peter blessed who when hee saw him but in base estate the sonne of man yet for the words which Christ had spoken and his miracles had beleeued him to be also the sonne of God the annointed of the Lord and his Sauiour he pronounced this of him Blessed art thou Simon for flesh and bloud hath not reuealed it vnto thee but my father which is in heauen This faith though Peter had and he hath it of whom I speake euen whosoeuer it be whom the Lord maketh blessed for both weake and strong are partakers of one and the same precious faith 2. Pet. 1.1 yet the common professors and hearers of the Gospell haue it not because they doe not looke that the Lord should reueale it to them without which they cannot haue it but take counsell of their owne wisedome and reason which doe hinder and hold them backe from it For reason thinketh it an absurd thing and to bee laughed at that a man simple in the world a sinner especially sore burthened with his miserie and confessing the same should yet be more happie before God and in his owne knowledge then all the worlds good can make him Mans wisedome I say can neuer be perswaded of this but faith holdeth it for truth and enioyeth such an estate with good securitie And how God reuealeth any such thing vnto men which yet is plainly said he did vnto Peter they cannot tell nor see except this be it when they thinke and haue a good hope that it is so as though such a thing might be wrought in them and they not know how the change which it worketh being so apparant or that God might reueale this secret mysterie of faith to them they not aware of it yea and that which is more especiall signes accompanying it But such men should vnderstand that as it is the gift of God to beleeue and he draweth men hereto by his secret working grace so yet hee doth it by meanes outward euen whiles men obey his ordinance in attending vpon the preaching of his word and waite for this worke seeking it and praying for it daily his ministers so speaking and the people so reuerently hearing that they may beleeue and if not in the time of hearing yet after by their owne examining of their estate and comparing it with the doctrine taught as I haue shewed before in the person whom the Lord will saue And this thing verely men doe not that is heare trie their estate by the rule taught them weigh after examination and remoue le ts vntil they may see that they haue found that which they sought and that there is no iust cause to hinder it Few will bestow any labour or beate their braines about any such matter nor any trauaile of the minde for that is vnsauourie and vnwelcome vnto them Therefore it is that after so long preaching of faith there is as our Sauiour foretold little faith in the world few haue acquaintance with it though they cannot like in any wise to be so thought of as by this which I haue said may appeare and shall better appeare I trust by that which shall follow But before I goe any further I will for the readers better remembrance conclude that which I haue taken in hand in this third branch of the first part of this booke to proue that is to say although there be many departings from the right way leading to eternall life and many breakings off from it and though it be easily conceiued but of few yet he whom the Lord will chuse and repute for his shall both see into it discerne it from al by-paths and walke in it and so be partaker of happines by beleeuing Whereby also appeareth who is the Lords and who it is that in reuerent boldnes may
may serue and the people be so blockish they say that nothing will enter into them yet the well aduised will not refuse to heare and weigh the rule of S. Paul to Timothie that attendance should be giuen to teaching and that they should be readie to doe that dutie in season and out of season and to put the people in minde of the same daily though they know this thing as well as to attend to reading priuately to make them fitter for that dutie Christ hath laid no weightier busines vpon them calling it the pawne of their loue to him to whom he hath giuen this charge to this end that this may be well and throughly done and the rather seeing the people depend vpon them They will also consider that the people haue many infirmities much dulnes slipperie memories and sundrie other pulbackes all which doe shew the necessitie of often teaching The which being so I professe with griefe it astonisheth me oft when I thinke of the too great slacknes and vnwillingnes of many who haue gifts that they hearing and knowing that he who hath an office must attend vpon it and againe that woe is pronounced to them who doe it not and that as they loue Christ they should feede his lambes and his sheepe and also that the flocke dependeth vpon them Yet that they can be content to take the commoditie and to refuse the labour and as some doe count it too base a thing to discharge that dutie But howsoeuer they can easily shift it off before men they shall not be able to answere it with peace to God But yet where this is remedied there may be lets enough on the Ministers behalfe to hinder the hearers yea though they should be willing to be taught from comming by faith As if he should teach often and yet doe not carefully acquaint himselfe with the peoples weakenes and want in conceiuing the doctrine which is to bee deliuered vnto them but should speake aboue their reach little to their vnderstanding and conceiuing and consequently little to their edifying There is nothing more like to hurt the people then such a kinde of teaching when they shall haue a learned man to preach vnto them whereby they are readie to thinke their case farre more happie then others and yet they shall not be able thereby to receiue light edification in faith and godlines and sound comfort that is not easie and plaine to them which he himselfe vnderstandeth Although it were to be wished that some things were not put foorth by them to the people which they themselues haue not tried by the Scripture and cleerely seene into of the speakers before they vttered them I vtter not this to grieue any of my brethren who desire to doe good in the Church of God hauing receiued gifts of God thereunto but to put all in minde to labour to be vnderstoode as well as to speake the truth And that some may more especiallie know that the neglecting of plaine speaking is a chiefe cause of little fruite of their labours it neede not be taken heauilie for I know men of singular learning and gifts who haue already much altered the manner of their teaching framing themselues to the diligent hearers capacitie and more and more desire to doe the same daily rather then to be commended for learned men of them which neither conceiue nor vnderstand them Yet my meaning is not to nourish or perswade to rude absurd and barbarous teaching which were more fit to make them which should teach ridiculous and the Scriptures themselues without authority or credit as also to mocke the people but that by their plainenes in the euidence of the spirit reuerence might be procured to their Ministerie among the hearers and that their doctrine might be approued in their consciences which is approued of the Lord as being drawne from his word and easilie conueied to their vnderstandings that so they may proue that they preach with power and authoritie and not as the Scribes There is but one thing more which in my iudgement doth hinder profiting on the teachers behalfe and that is when by Catechising the chiefe grounds of faith be not briefely and cleerely taught in right and good order the one depending vpon or following the other as they ought by fit coherence and agreeing together that the people may see the way cleerely to saluation and thereby they may the better make profit of their whole Preaching and Ministerie also As that repentance be not required of the people before faith that faith be not warranted to be in the people when they see no neede thereof by their sinne and miserie because it is cleere that they can finde no sweetnes in Christ who feele not their sinnes bitter and sower Also that a man be taught that he no sooner beleeueth then he is made a new creature and so is changed in heart and in life and that the new borne desire to growe by the sincere milke of the Word It were a great furtherance to their Ministerie if where the grounds of Religion be plainely and soundly taught the Minister did by conference and questioning in his Catechising and by examination at Communions trie how the doctrine is receiued seeing for want of this a better opinion being conceiued of many by the teacher then he knoweth cause why they are vnsound in many necessarie things who yet for their often hearing are thought to be ignorant of no necessarie poynt of knowledge which the Minister hath often taught It were much to be wished that the Minister who is willing to take this paine for it is tedious and vnwelcome to many might haue authoritie to proue such as heare him how they profit as well to build vp those which are weake the better when he seeth wherein their want is greatest as also to purge out the leauen of Poperie and other errors ouf of them which are infected therewith Whereby also this benefit might come that if any sculking Iesuits or Priests or other Papists or heretikes should creepe into any of their Parishes and Townes they might by the diligent care of the Minister well furnished with knowledge and authoritie be remoued or reclaimed And otherwise the people being neuer proued how they haue receiued the truth neither by authoritie inioyned to be subiect to triall of their soundnes as well as to resort to the assemblie doe through custome lye hardened in their ignorance and superstition and still remaine wilfull in their old dregges A Minister able and painefull through loue in few necessarie points iointly laid together labouring with the people to make a sufficient Catechisme might be well assured that he should call so many to the fellowship of the pretious faith as God had appointed there vnto eternall life and without this it is found too true that much preaching doth the lesse good as shall appeare better vnto such as list
wise as they will be sure that none of them shall doe them good For rather then they would haue nothing to except against them if they cannot finde those accusations that are iust they are content with any shew why they should refuse to bee counselled and perswaded by them And therefore if they be old they say they dote and know not what they say if they be yong they haue no iudgement nor experience if they be wealthie then they are couetous if poore then base and contemptible if they be maried they can not follow their callings but the world if vnmaried then they liue suspiciously And thus to say no more it is fearefull to see how little the people in one respect or other are seasoned with the sweete fruite of the Ministerie and therefore if ye feare God regard your owne welfare and peace and will not come to iudgement imbrace the Ministery reuerently as Gods message and the greatest and most lets of faith are remoued Thus I hauing set downe these lets which doe chiefly hold from faith both on the Ministers part and the peoples and hauing said somewhat to both in way of exhortation seeing out of these two kinds of men God chuseth out his elect I conclude that there are many lets from faith but yet withall it may be seene that there is apparant remedie to be found against them as I haue said and how subtilly soeuer the diuell bewitcheth and holdeth men backe by them yet the Scripture offereth greater grace by the which they may breake through all hindrances and discouragements which may keepe them from it if the Minister and people would make conscience of their duties CHAP. 7. What desire breedes faith BVt seeing it were both long to stand in prescribing remedie against all these lets and the way for all hath been set downe to come by faith alreadie I will therefore briefly stirre vp and aduise such as are in good way and haue made some good entrance that they may see what to take heede of and what to imbrace and to seeke faith by the meanes and in the manner which before I haue set downe and a little to strengthen them after they haue attained to any true measure of it Wherein it is to be marked because I before highly commended a good desire that a naked and bare desire of saluation now and then stirred vp in men is not to beleeue as many thinke although without any ground But seeing such as haue a desire sometime are they for the most part whom God doth make beleeuers for while men are voide of that there is little hope to be conceiued of them I will therefore shew for the helpe of them who doe anything looke after true happines what desire it ought to be and whereto it groweth if it be true and sincere that it may not deceiue them For we may finde many who haue sometime desired it earnestly and yet neuer obtained it as Balaam that a man could hardly haue shewed any difference betwixt their desiring of it and the desire of such as haue attained to it indeede for that instant But in time it hath appeared that it was but sudden or of short continuance and failed before it obtained that which it sought as by them who in the Gospell are said to haue ioyed in that which they desired to heare but it vanished whereas the desire of the other cannot be satisfied without it but mourneth and longeth for it and pineth for sorrow when any thing commeth in the way to weaken the hope which was conceiued of it till that bee remoued which hindred them from that benefit Therfore such must know that their desire which is sometime fleeting and somtime faint must become both feruent and constant as in the parable of the pearle may be seene That as soone as it was found the value of it being knowne of the skilfull Merchant he neuer rested till he had gotten it for his owne for wee must know that he who thus desireth it is forcibly drawne hereunto by God who hath shewed him his great neede of it and what he shall gaine by it and thereby hath prepared and made him fit to receiue it for otherwise if God draw not men to the valuing of it it is of no account with them Now further this desire if it be the worke of Gods spirit is strengthened hereby namely while hee prizeth and valueth it according to the worthines of it as farre as he is able that is to say thus that in his account it farre surmounteth and excelleth all the world with whatsoeuer is of account in it he esteemeth of it as a most pretious treasure to beleeue because hee knoweth that he which beleeueth is deare vnto God and shall be saued And so must faith and assurance of eternall life be valued indeed of him who shall finde the blessing of it for which cause S. Peter calleth it pretious faith Now who can esteeme thus of it as that it is better then all profit pleasure and preferment but he must needes thinke all his praying for it hearing the word which worketh it his questioning about it and his trauaile and labour in meditating of the promises whereby the spirit of God writeth it in the heart but he I say must needes thinke all his paines well bestowed in seeking it yea and infinitly recompenced though he hath long waited the Lords leisure for the enioying of it Al which meanes another man thinketh very needlesse and that it is meere follie to make all this adoe to come by it and yet he will say it is better then the world also but he can content himselfe when he hath heard the promise without any setting of his desire in it to wash away all with a word of course that he hopeth to be saued by Iesus Christ as well as other Which slight esteeming of it is too cleere a token how farre hee is from it Now who seeth not the difference betwixt these two to be this that the one is led by the spirit of God whereby the father of heauen doth reueale this secret mysterie of faith to him and doth wonderfully draw his heart vnto it the other is led by fleshly reason as his guide which is the greatest enemie to this worke For our reason thinketh it vnnecessarie to set more by that which we cannot see with carnal eyes then by that which we haue in present possession and see it handle it enioy and vse it therefore no man doing thus is led by the spirit of God which assureth him who is led by it that God hauing promised glorie greater then the world though hee seeth it not he shall finde no lesse then is promised therefore he setteth more by it then by all things here before his eyes And this is the way to beleeue in God indeede though wee see him not that by this our confidence in him wee may haue ioy and
and to thinke that as the gift of faith is most excellent so there cannot be too great helpe yeelded to the weake in directing them to come by it Concerning the first therefore although I haue by sundrie tokens shewed who are the children of God and how euery faithfull Christian may iudge of himselfe hereby yet for want of experience and by vehemencie of temptation they cannot so boldly and confidently rest and stay themselues by generall doctrine nor applie it to themselues those I meane which are weake Christians yet such as haue attained communion with their brethren in faith and godlines therefore though the aforementioned properties of true beleeuers may be cleerely seene and discerned to bee in them and they themselues also will confesse that they haue been staied saue in temptation and that some of them oftentimes haue found singular comfort in Christ and desire much to be with him yet soone they are driuen from their hold and caused to suspect their comfort to be a vaine fancie and so fall into much feare and doubting that they are none of the Lords They must know therefore that seeing there is no shadow of changeablenes with God that it is their owne weaknes so to think as the Prophet confesseth of himselfe in the like case after he had long wrestled and stroue with that temptation for he that hath been assuredly perswaded of Gods loue toward him at any time in his whole life ought not to cast away his confidence after nor suffer himselfe to be depriued of it being his chief treasure But though this may be a stay to a weake conscience who is sometimes afflicted in this sort yet I say further that seeing hee cannot be satisfied till his doubtfulnes which by all his might he seeketh to subdue be remoued and his soule set at libertie againe by some new light in Gods promises therefore he is to be perswaded that he labouring after and groaning to rest his wearied and heauie heart on these he cannot miscarry nor be forsaken of the Lord in the lowest depth of his distresse For some one or other testimonie and propertie of the new birth shall euer be found in him although hee alwaies feeleth it not neither perceiueth it himselfe whereby it shall be manifest that he liueth to God the life of God euen as hearing breathing mouing feeling and such like are infallible tokens of life in the bodie which by many likelihoods appeareth to be dead And if to his owne iudgement it seemeth that all hope is cut off through the rage of the diuell and strength of the temptation yet it is as if a man were suddenly striken downe to the ground with some violent blow and amazed who yet afterward recouereth himselfe againe so that euen he which feeleth not that he hath faith and life is not yet without it seeing hee is not without that worke of the spirit which alwaies accompanieth it although indeede he hath neede of especiall and strong comfort And this is mine answere But if this bee not enough but thou wilt marueile why God doth thus deale with thee and suffer thee to fall to such depth of doubting sorrow and feare although he loueth thee yea and that after thou hast felt such comfort to thy conscience I must make mine answere more full and large for the further satisfying of thee herein I say therfore although this be by the wise prouidence of God that many of his truly begotten children who therefore haue had sound comfort in Christ doe fall sometimes and that very dangerously and do greatly wauer and doubt oftentimes and so become vncomfortable which the Lord disposeth least by their sudden chaunge from so damnable and vncomfortable an estate to so happie and ioyfull they should bee lifted vp and conceited and so become secure and presumptuous the forerunners and causes of a fearefull fall yet this is certaine it ought not thus to be on our parts for it is as I haue said before a weaknes which must be withstood and ouercome For the attaining whereto the occasion of this doubting in him who hath once beleeued must be searched out and so remoued which ordinarily is our own infirmitie neglect of dutie and sleightnes in the manner of performing the same or some particular sin also pronenes to sinne a nourishing of the same and strength of it or long lying therein whereupon the tender conscience feareth that his former comfort was but deceitfull and vaine and so doubteth of his owne estate For the right remouing hereof this is duly to bee considered that as the roote of our comfort in Christ is not the strength of our Christian life so the weaknes herein ought not to breed doubting of our saluation by Christ But for as much as all our comfort standeth in this that God who iustifieth the vngodly hath freely giuen his sonne and in him is reconciled to vs who so heartily desire his fauour hauing been his enemies and hath by his Gospell called vs and by his spirit wrought in our hearts a sure perswasion hereof wherby we which were dead in sin are made aliue to God so are new borne and therefore begin to be chaunged first in affection and then in conuersation by little and little Therefore if we haue this assurance of our new birth though there be in vs much weakenes of the spirituall life yet we ought not to doubt whether we be Gods children seeing he that is new borne can neuer die But rather wee are to remember first wee are but children and therefore weake Secondly we are very subiect to many spirituall diseases some such as take away sense of life and therefore wee must seeke to be cured and not despaire of life because it is certaine that no such can perish So that if we see that we haue turned our harts from our christian course offended God or which is more if we haue suffered our selues to be seduced any manner of way we must not despaire or doubt of the safetie of the whole person when any one part or member is distempered and ill at ease but cure it and labour to restore that to health againe as if it be thine heart thine eye thy hand or any other part which hath offended resort thou to the Phisition Christ Iesus make thy complaint that thou art heauie and wouldest faine returne againe from whence thou art fallen and be confident for his owne promise sake who calleth with stretched out armes saying Returne thou which wandrest and thou who wouldest finde ease and comfort come vnto me and I will refresh thee beleeue in me and I will satisfie thee in that which thou hungrest for Now if they who haue fallen and offended God may turne home againe to their first husband with good welcome shall not they much more be beloued of him and therefore comforted by him who haue not prouoked him but are onely held downe through feare
ye would not forgoe your portion for a kingdome And thinke this of me who am not ashamed to be said to haue giuen you this counsell I know what I say in thus prouoking and labouring to perswade you if ye refuse neuer looke to come to the like offer And to you and as many as desire saluation how farre off soeuer as yet ye be know that ye are in the estate of diuels if ye continue as ye be and ye are the liker to continue so the longer ye liue if while ye be called ye refuse You are as outlawes Gods care reacheth not to you neither are you vnder his protection being his enemies but he or some of his sergeants will arrest you when you thinke not of it and hell will receiue you and the happines which other shall haue will flie from you which God forbid CHAP. 10. Of the eyght companions of Faith NOw I haue spoken of those who are weakest in faith and haue the smallest measure of it and haue laboured to stay them in their temptation I haue also shewed the causes of their conuersion the loue of God the father in giuing his sonne the loue of the sonne in reconciling them to God and deliuering them from all their miserie the word of promise preached to bring them tidings of this Gods spirit assuring them by working faith in them and perswasion thereof and to this end I haue set down these because in the ordinarie comming to eternall life there is no other way yet seeing these are not so easilie felt of vs as they are sure and infallible groundes in themselues to vs of saluation therefore I will adde some other effects or rather properties of true faith which doe accompanie the assurance of the loue of God and of Christ Iesus in vs and are the workes or fruites of the holy Ghost by the Gospell which although they be not of like authoritie with the former yet are they easilier felt to be in vs. So that both sorts of euidences laid together and meeting and concurring in one and the same person shall giue him most cleerely to vnderstand that as God hath graciouslie bestowed it so we may effectuallie receiue and hold it as our owne and that with more certaintie euery day as our saluation shall euery day be neerer then when we first beleeued And thus I come vnto the third generall part of this treatise wherein seeing I hope the weakest beleeuers are or may be somewhat staied by that which I haue said already I now purpose in this last part to shew how all such of Gods people as are staied from strong feare trouble of mind may by other cleere euidences haue further proofe and triall of their faith and be able to preserue and confirme it and how much such an estate is to be desired for the benefit it bringeth And first to teach the beleeuer to trie that he hath this excellent gift of faith these eyght graces being companions of it and more easilie perceiued and discerned then faith it selfe will cleerely testifie that where these be there shall that be found also This true beleeuer therefore whosoeuer he be first as soone as he shall perceiue that God farre otherwise then he looked for hath giuen him his sonne to bring life vnto him and to be his wisdome righteousnesse sanctification and redemption he must needes feele in his heart great ioy and comfort as we see in the example of the Eunuch when Philip had conuerted him he went away reioycing Acts 8.39 and in Samaria where when he had preached Christ there and had brought them to repentance there was great ioy in the Citie Acts 8.8 And what maruaile for how can a man be perswaded by good and infallible grounds that greater happines is giuen him of God then all the world is worth but he must needes reioyce with ioy vnspeakeable as they which dreame For is there any naturall man so senseles that if he should vnderstand that some portion of goods as an hundreth pounds value by the yeere were befallen him yet he should not feele his heart made ioyfull thereat and can this honour befall any that he is highly in fauour with the Lord of heauen and earth and thereby of a child of wrath made heire of heauen for euer but it must needes glad his heart exceedingly and raise sensible ioy in him which cannot be expressed as in him who found the pearle But doe common professors thus or worldlings when they manifestly bewray that they are glutted with the tidings of it So that as the Eunuch before mentioned immediatly after he had been instructed in this mysterie of faith went on his way reioycing and as Paul soone after his conuersion was marueilously comforted although before as farre from it and as deepely cast downe as any so let it not be doubted of but when God hath once inlightened the heart of any which before sate in darkenes to see himselfe vndoubtedly saued but that it raiseth vp in him ioy vnspeakeable and glorious in his measure Indeede it shall not perhaps so much be seene or appeare to another as by good euidence it is felt of himselfe Neither shall a stranger that is a man otherwise affected be partaker of this ioy but that it accompanieth them who are by faith made assured of their election our Sauiour Christ teacheth saying Reioyce not that the spirits are subdued vnto you but rather reioyce because your names are written in heauen And whereas it may be obiected that it is sore shaken and slaked by afflictions let that trouble none for no affliction for the time present is ioyous but grieuous and yet we reioyce euen in them through hope that maketh not ashamed Rom. 5.4 Besides we haue it here but in part as we haue all other graces and yet affliction after we haue been exercised with it aright shall make our ioy the greater in the end when Gods former graces shall be restored to vs which we were wont in him to finde therefore Saint Peter saith Though ye haue not seene yet ye loue him in whom though ye see him not yet ye beleeue in him and reioyce with ioy vnspeakeable Now seeing it must needes be thus it may well proue to vs that the common opinion of faith which most haue where the Gospell is preached namely that they beleeue in Iesus Christ deceiueth them and is nothing lesse then true For were they perswaded of their happines how could they chuse but feele withall their soules more ioyfull and glad within them then all the commodities of this life could make them For we no sooner know our selues iustified before God by faith but we are at peace with him and such peace as passeth all vnderstanding Which after we know how sweete and pretious it is we will by no meanes forgoe againe although for want of stronger faith and sounder knowledge it is more flitting in some
established in their faith as the graine of Mustard seede which after rooting becommeth a stalke and hath branches and boughes and as that groweth so shall sound peace and safetie and strength against their corruptions yea and these meanes whereby it is preserued how wearisome soeuer they haue been sometime shall become easie and pleasant and from time to time more and more so that they may be assured that they haue cause in all things to be thankfull And that should be thought a rare and speciall benefit if wee consider how many thousands haue not an houre of this comfort through the yeere no not through their whole life And thus much to shew who is the Lords and how the weake beleeuer is to be vpholden and how he differeth from him who is not and what graces accompanie them who beleeue and how hee who hath faith should grow till hee be setled and what ease and gaine is found thereby And by that which hath been said in this treatise it may bee gathered that although this faith bee in substance one and the same yet that there are three degrees of it The first is the weakest and least measure when there is yet no assurance in the beleeuer and yet inseparable fruits and infallible tokens of it as I haue set down The second degree is when some assurance is wrought in the beleeuer at some time but very weake and is often to seeke and wanting and recouered againe by entring into due consideration of his estate and of the truth of God who hath promised it The third is the highest degree of it though more strong and better setled in some then in other and this hath assurance accompanying it for the most part vsually vnlesse the beleeuer doe quench the spirit in himselfe or the Lord to shew him that he standeth by grace do leaue him to himselfe for his owne glorie and the better establishing of him afterwards This I haue said for their cause who being tender and weake in faith would desire some helpe herein the larger handling of the helpes is to bee sought in the third part of this treatise where the helps to preserue the whole heart and consequently faith and all godlines in the beleeuer is set downe Now I thinke it conuenient to leade forward this beleeuer to set this faith of his a worke by a godly life and teach him what manner of course and estate that is which is the second treatise of this booke The end of the first part of this Treatise THE SECOND TREATISE SHEWING AT LARGE WHAT THE LIFE OF THE TRVE BELEEVER IS AND THE CONuersation of such as haue assured hope of saluation CHAP. 1. The summe and order of this second Treatise HItherto I haue shewed who are they whom the Scripture calleth beleeuers and the sonnes and daughters of the Lord Almightie Now it is necessarie and followeth in order to shew what the life of the true beleeuer is and how he who hath faith must behaue himselfe throughout his whole conuersation for as yet nothing hath been said of that But that treatise namely what the life of the true beleeuer is was reserued to this place for auoiding confusion and without it a man could neither well see the excellencie and beautie of faith which without workes is dead neither could the beleeuer know how to occupie himselfe throughout his life but must of necessitie be idle and vnprofitable who yet must ioyne with his faith vertue knowledge temperance patience godlines brotherly kindnes and loue c. This I say is the argument and matter to be handled in this treatise And seeing there is much difficultie about this point as about the other in the former treatise and seeing it is of greatest weight and moment of all other except that it must with like care be looked into and laid forth For some thinke that repentance and godlines is nothing else but griefe for some offence committed and so Iudas might haue been godly Some thinke that to amend some thing which was amisse is godlines especially if they also doe some good therewith and so Herod that caused Iohn to be beheaded might haue been godly For he reuerenced Iohn and when he heard him he did many things Some thinke that if they haue been well moued at the hearing of the word of God and doe bowe themselues before God for the time in outward signes of repentance only that then they be godly in deede but so might Ahab haue been godly Some if they can shut vp all their vaine talke bad dealings foolish iestings with such other merriments at their meetings in this manner Lord haue mercie vpon vs we are all sinners that then they haue repented and so the common sort of wicked ones may be said to repent and to be godly And lastly popish contrition auricular confession and satisfaction is thought in poperie to be good repentance which as they vnderstand them are as farre from it as any of the former These are some few of a great many opinions about this matter all which are most dangerous and erronious It is therefore very necessarie that we may vnderstand the will of God aright concerning this and what to leane vnto that we be not deceiued My purpose is therefore in this treatise to set downe at large what a godly life is and wherein it consisteth that he who desireth it may see whether his course and behauiour be such or no and the triall of this must be made of him who hath tried himselfe by the former that the one may be seene to goe with the other and both together as twinnes so that he who hath not both may be truely said to haue neither And in laying forth this matter I will follow this method and order to referre all that shall be spoken about it to foure generall heads or parts The first that a godly life must of necessitie goe with the faith before spoken of and that it is the foundation and ground thereof whereby we receiue and giue credit not only to the promise of our saluation but also to all other promises of temporarie benefits appertaining to this life and also to the whole word of God with a mind to relie vpon it and to be guided by it This is the first head of this treatise The second that there must be a pure heart in him who must lead a godly life a pure heart I say renued and changed from that it was before as Ezekiel speaketh I will take away your stonie or hard heart from you and put a new heart in you This must of necessitie be in him who shall liue godly and so consequently that the whole man be changed Thirdly I will set downe the first part of a godly life and shew that it is a renouncing and forsaking of all sinne both inward and outward And fourthly I will adde the other part of godlines declaring that it
consisteth in a full purpose of the heart and a true indeuour of life to obey God in all things euen vnto the end By which also may be gathered a short description of this life of the beleeuer that it is such a conuersation as being grounded on faith in a sanctified person renounceth all euill and practiseth good duties though weakely yet constantlie afterward And to these foure shall be annexed reasons to perswade to a more cheerefull practising of this godly life seeing the best need spurres and the answering of obiections which might with-hold and hinder from it All which considered it shall not be hard for him that will learne to vnderstand plainely and cleerely what the life of the beleeuer is and withall whether he which professeth himselfe to haue true faith be also in his life and conuersation reformed and how he may be so So that although there be many measures of grace and some are in many degrees before other in this estate and condition of liuing godly yet euery one in whom these things shall be found may proue himselfe godly howsoeuer he wanteth somewhat which many others haue And of the summe and order of this treatise in generall thus much be said CHAP. 2. That a godly life cannot be without vnfained faith nor this faith without it which is the first poynt in the first generall head to be handled THus hauing shewed what the summe of this treatise is and the order and parts of it I will now proceede and first seeing I haue taken in hand to describe the life of the beleeuer and what the godly life is which he must leade I will indeuour my selfe to helpe and direct him herein as God hath inabled me that as in the former treatise he may proue and see himselfe to haue faith to be saued so he may learne by this to ioyne with his faith godlines But before I lay forth this godly life at large in this chapter I will begin with the first point of the first generall part of this treatise that is that seeing godlines cannot be without iustifying faith but springeth and ariseth from it as the branch from the tree for so Saint Iames saith Shew me thy faith by thy workes therefore where no true iustifying faith is there can be no godly life And so he who is no true beleeuer cannot haue any sparkle of godlines in him but is vtterlie destitute and voide thereof euen altogether vngodly as the Apostle writeth We all had our conuersation sometime as other disobedient men in the lustes of our flesh doing those things which liked vs where we see that this was the life of all euen the best to be strangers to the life of godlines and the children of wrath before they beleeued Ephes 2.8 But least any through ignorance might say though we did that which liked the lusts of our hearts yet we did not onely so nor all that we did was not such but some good we did amongst the euill which we committed and if it be so they thinke that the one may answere for the other I further say to them out of the place to Titus 1.15 Vnto the pure are all things pure but vnto them that are defiled and vnbeleeuing is nothing pure but euen their minds and consciences are defiled to the Hebrues that without faith it is impossible to please God whatsoeuer things we doe but all is abhominable odious and vile before him For as is the fountaine so are the riuers which runne from it and as is the heart and the cogitations of it so are the actions which proceede from it but the cogitations of the heart are alwaies and onely euill So that to returne in the vnbeleeuer there is no good thing that pleaseth God his best actions are turned into sinne his praiers almes reading hearing confessions thankes-giuings and whatsoeuer else they are all abominable in him and God will neuer be pleased with his workes and seruices vntill the person namely euen he himselfe be accepted of him and that is not till he beleeue as it is in the epistle to the Hebrues 10.38 The iust shall liue by faith but if any withdraw himselfe that is thorough vnbeliefe my soule shall haue no pleasure in him saith the Lord. And this is the worke which God requireth of him aboue and beyond all workes that he beleeue in his sonne that he hath alreadie wrought his happines and therefore that he shall be saued by him onely Now if a man before he haue some sure tokens of Gods loue and consequently some measure of true faith cannot so much as enter into a godly life nor haue any thing which he doth approued of God as we haue seene and the Scriptures doe more fully proue how dangerously then doe many thousands deceiue themselues of which number some are verely perswaded that they loue feare and serue God not knowing what faith is other thinke they haue repented truly because they haue mourned and been sorrie for their sinne by fits at some time yet haue no faith nor any constant desire of it and others because they doe many things in their owne nature good imagine themselues to liue godly when yet a man may doe many good actions and for all that they shall not be good to him as long as faith the principall is wanting in him as hath been said And if any count this doctrine hard and say that if this should be true it were the next way to driue many to discomfort yea and to desperation let such know that if any despaire because their wicked liues are condemned of God the doctrine is not to bee blamed but the persons themselues who should rather repent for the doctrine is the doctrine of the Scriptures and al sound Diuines both old and new haue taught it And if it be hard it is hard to the ignorant vnstable and obstinate who indeede can take little comfort by it but peruert all things to their owne destruction and although they despaire not yet their case will be no better in the end then desperate if they so abide But the truth of God may not be buried for mens frowardnes who can not away with it But let this suffice to shew that no man can leade a godly and Christian life before he hath some measure of true faith as it hath been set downe and described in the former treatise And as I haue shewed that no man liueth godly which beleeueth not so it is on the contrarie to be marked that no man who beleeueth and nourisheth and preserueth his faith can liue wickedly nor fashion himself after men of the world or returne to the offensiue and vnsauourie course which he walked after before but as he is new borne so hee is a new creature and as hee doth except at the first beginning of his conuersion or in vehemencie of temptation knowing himselfe to be of the number that shall be
feare of God If a chiefe and maine post in a building be wanting will not the whole house bee soone shaken so if a Christian who must reforme his life goe about it not beleeuing that God will make him able he may be sure he shal want a maine helpe hereto euen that which will goe nigh to pull downe all that is set vp For if he haue not faith to beleeue that God will strengthen him what strength hath hee but his owne which is as fit for such a worke to bring it to passe as a child is to build a great Castle by his skill But if he be well setled in this confidence his heart also being purified and chaunged which as we shall heare afterwards is necessarily required he shall goe about it with cheerefulnes and readines he shall be incouraged to pray as his necessities shall giue cause hee shall be kept from fainting and dismaiednes when his strength is not very great and rise vp againe when he is fallen all which shall be great meanes in such a case to vphold him and set him forward to depend vpon God without any great vnsetling of him and yet shall he not for all this be without sense and feeling of his infirmities which another as willing to obey God as he shall neuer be able to doe but euery while cast downe and dismaied vntill hee get the same furniture And this must here be marked that there shall be the better proceeding herein of euery weake Christian as his knowledge shall be greater in the word of God which before grace came as fire to the stubble to kindle and set it a worke to burne although it were idle and vnprofitable in him and lay voide and vnoccupied as timber lieth by till the building goe forward yet it shall then helpe much to the leauing of euill and the doing of good especially after experience in time shall be ioyned to both And when all these meete together in an vpright hearted Christian how weake soeuer if he acquaint himselfe familiarly with the promises of eternall life and treasure vp in a good conscience the certaintie of the forgiuenes of sins from day to day then this is he who hath laid a strong foundation of a godlie life vpon which it shall be no hard matter to set the building of his life sutable and proportionable afterwards so that although the raine fall and the flouds come and the winde blow and beate vpon that house yet it shall not fall for it is builded on a rocke But he who laieth not this foundation but buildeth on the sand shall soone his building turned ouer And thus the case standeth with many in these daies who therefore are cast downe oft times from their good beginnings because they had not skill to make them more substantiall and sure And I feare not to affirme the Lord witnessing to that which I say that the offensiue liues of many with many startings aside from the good way which they haue entred into and the crooked and halting steppes that they make grossely in the sight of men who yet durst not somtime before quench the spirit in themselues not hurt their tender consciences secretly in the sight of God these I say are chiefly from hence that they laid not the foundation aright nor made not their first entrance into a Christian life sound and sure Among other things they haue failed for the most part in this of which I doe most specially speake in this place that they haue not been builded vp in this faith and perswasion that God will further their weake beginnings and fortifie their hearts against the stumbling blockes and discouragements which shall stand vp in their way I haue now onely shewed that this faith should bee in a Christian when hee first setteth on a godly life but how it should accompanie him after throughout his life that so he may liue by it being the same to the whole life that the eye is to the bodie I shall in place fit for it if God will declare and shew so farre as shall be expedient CHAP. 4. Of the heart and how it should be clensed and changed and so the whole man which is true sanctification tending to repentance and a godly life ANd now that I haue shewed that true godlines commeth from faith which iustifieth and that the one cannot bee without the other and that with the same faith wee must beleeue all other his promises also made to his children and all doctrine that doth instruct vs to obedience I will goe forward Now therefore to the end the beautie of the godly life may bee seene in some sort and that the beleeuer may bee able to practise it and know that hee doth so I will as I propounded speake of the heart which is the second generall head in this treatise and the next to bee handled according to the diuision made in the first chapter And thus I will speake of it first shewing that it must be renued and chaunged and then in place fit that it must be kept so afterwards for both are necessarie to the beleeuer And when he is resolued to be guided by Gods word in all things as he hath been taught before and so to liue by faith and then hath an heart fit to yeeld it selfe to do so who doth not see that the worke is in good forwardnes to liue godlie and as wee say by such a good entrance and beginning halfe at an end Here therefore vnderstand and know that the heart which is the fountaine from whence the practise of godlines must growe and come ought to be purged and clensed and consequently the bodie it selfe ought to be first made a fit instrument for the same to the accomplishing of that which is good and to the well ordering of the life in which two consisteth the sanctification of the whole man We must thus be changed before we can will well or liue well euen as a filthie and vnsauorie vessell must be well and thoroughly seasoned before it can be put to vse and occupied and we must hate sinne with a deadly hatred and haue the power of it abated in vs and loue goodnesse and righteousnesse and be renued in them before we can bring forth fruites of repentance and amendment of life But to the end we may see it more necessarie that this change and sanctification of the heart should be wrought and also what an excellent grace and gift of God it is it shall be meete to lay forth the nature and disposition of the heart what it is since the fall of our first parents in it selfe and of it selfe before there be any worke of grace in it and before the most exquisite cunning and workemanship of the holy Ghost in reforming and renuing thereof be shewed vpon it And when we haue seene into it know we that as is the heart so is the life both before the clensing and change of
it selfe by an hatred of sinne and a delighting in goodnes Which no power nor will of man can effect for it is an enemie thereto And although this new change be not such as that it is able to beare down all the old corruption that raigned in him sometime and to intertaine holy things only yet it is a mightie alteration that goodnes hath any place in him in truth which was before so farre from him and sinne and euill hunted out in will and desire which alone bare sway before For there is without question the first fruite of the spirit which will afterwards bring forth an increase of the same for continuance which worke of grace and sanctification if he in whom it is wrought should not liue to shew forth any further fruite of it is an infallible marke of Gods election and loue towards him and can no more be in a reprobate then light can be in the bellie and bowels of the earth But if any will demaunde what becommeth of this grace in time because it is too cleere that it is not only dimmed but euen choaked also in many in whom it began to shine and giue light such must vnderstand that God doth strengthen and continue this grace of holines and sanctification as it is nourished esteemed and set by and as men do stir it vp in themselues by asking after it when they misse it and prouoke themselues to pray for such good affections and cannot be satisfied without them As Dauid did often sometime one way and sometime another Why art thou heauie O my soule and why art thou so disquieted within me Also praise thou the Lord O my soule and all that is within thee praise his holy name And thus and by the like means we shall cherish our sparkles which as the fire is blowne vp with bellowes shall not ordinarilie faile vs not be extinguished in vs especiallie for any long time except in time of temptation or when melancholy oppresseth vs vnlesse through our default and folly Thus vnderstand what it is to haue the heart purged and changed that thereby it may be fit to set vpon a godlie life The next thing is how this is done and how it commeth to passe that men after they haue receiued the grace of iustifying faith doe finde and perceiue in themselues such an alteration from that which was before euen as if a benumming colde should be on the suddaine turned into a glowing and burning heate I say this is the proper and wonderfull worke of God who mortifying our worldly lusts and euill desires in vs by his holy spirit doth reforme vs and create this holines and sanctification in vs. He it is S. Luke saith that purifieth our hearts He kindleth good affections and subdueth the contrarie in vs. There is no other besides him in heauen who can worke it much lesse on earth that can set his hand to it Which if that man of sinne had duly considered he would not haue arrogated to himselfe a greater worke then it which also is inseparable from it namely the authoritie of forgiuing sinnes The Lord I say by his holie spirit it is who stirreth vp in our hearts godlie motions and good desires namely of knowledge good gouernment feare of him communion with him and his people the desire of spirituall reioycing and strength against infernall foes and such like which good affections when they be kindled in vs hee suffereth not to vanish away but teacheth vs to feed and nourish them by reading meditation prayer And the spirit of the Lord which raiseth vp and worketh in vs these holy affections is therfore described by these most excellent titles for it is called the spirit of wisedome strength feare of the Lord c. And this he doth to his deare children when they are first brought to this happie chaunge euen in their first entring into the estate of grace to the end they may loathe as stinking garments the old custome in which they had long lien I meane the vnsauourie draffe of their owne cogitations desires and lusts of their hearts the least daunger whereof was this that they deceiued them These when they see what varietie there is of better matter to season and occupie their mindes and hearts withall they doe shunne and flie from as one that had escaped the loathsome prison doth crie out when hee must be brought backe to it againe And although I denie not but that they must hold and retaine the sauour and smell of their old filthines and profanenes which in times past as bands and chaines did keepe them in captiuitie yet is not their condition for all that to be counted meane and little worth because they haue not full deliuerance from it but happie and highly to bee iudged of in that they haue obtained deliuerance in part and doe see how they may be partakers of a farre better I speake now but of the beginning of a Christians change when hee can discerne no more in himselfe then this namely that hee hath with faith vnfained an heart sanctified and purified from his naturall corruption and wicked disposition And without regard of the fruite hereof euen the whole worke of Christianitie which shall follow this happie beginning then the which he desireth and longeth after nothing more the weake Christian that hath his part in this thinkes himselfe euen for this exceedingly indebted to God True it is that no man is to stay and abide in this estate but is to proceede further euen to repentance which commeth from it as hereafter shal be seene But yet seeing the clensing purging of the hart at the first conuersion of a sinner is a distinct worke of the spirit and in man but the beginning of all the worke of Christianitie which shall follow it I would not passe it ouer in silence and the rather I say so because it is but darkly and confusedly seene into and discerned And although it bee but as the graine of Mustard seede in comparison of the tree it selfe to the full growth and perfect age in Christ yet is it in possibilitie nay in certaine and sure hope euen the same and alreadie of the nature of it and therfore hath part of the reward also And now it tarieth but for further building vp in knowledge and grace that so it may appeare to other as it is in it selfe the estate of a regenerate person and new borne vnto God But for al this which I haue said of this matter namely both what this chāge of the heart is and how it is wrought by Gods spirit yet one thing is wanting which the diligent reader will desire to know That is why the Scripture saith that although it be God which purifieth the heart yet that it is ascribed to faith their hearts were purified by faith saith S. Luke And S. Iohn which is little difference attributes it to hope
euer in learning how to depart from euill and to forsake their sinnes but the diuell holdeth them at a stay that they neuer obtaine it because they goe about it preposterously not yet beleeuing assuredly that they shall be saued A few find the way the Lord directing them to beleeue which others who will not be taught of God how they should beleeue but by their owne reason doe neuer reach vnto But I haue not yet spoken of the worst sort of all who heare this doctrine For they hate them who teach it most deadly they raile on them and disgrace both them and it and if they can bring them into danger for teaching of it although their pretence shall be another thing Yea doubtlesse I say more if by her Maiesties gracious authoritie and protection wee did it not which more preuaileth with them then the authoritie of God from whom and in whose name wee teach it their poysoned and malicious stomackes would suffer none to walke peaceablie who plainly and soundly publish it These therefore are farre from ouercomming themselues and yet whiles many sorts in the world are thus farre off as I haue shewed from victorie getting ouer their wicked hearts and consequently their liues in the meane while the seruants of God who know what the Lord hath done for their soules renounce all inordinate desires and wicked actions that they haue afterward no more fellowship with the vnfruitfull workes of darknes howsoeuer they were sometime chiefe doers in committing of them So that as the true repentant people of Iuda who had before offended God by Idolatrie when they were brought captiues into Babylon loathed the sight of false gods and as the good people who repented by Ezra his preaching did put away their strange wiues how deare soeuer they had been vnto them and as Ephraim was heard complaining thus I am ashamed and blush that now I beare the reproches of my youth so loathsome and wearisome it was vnto her So are they who haue felt the saluation of God at vtter defiance with the corruption of the world And yet if this were done but for a time or for companie or by constraint and for feare or any such like corrupt end it were not worth the speaking of for it is to be seene that after these sorts iniquitie is left of many which kind of renouncing euill is little to their reioycing and shal be to their reproch when it shall appeare in how euill manner they haue gone about it I will not digresse but this I must say wee haue had too much experience in our parts and I doubt not so haue others of sundrie persons who once accounted their teachers burning lights and for a season they receiued and reioyced in them casting off their old course in the sight of men readily but some for companie of those who perswaded them some for feare of the woe which hung ouer them and others for good report as long as they could hold out but these because they renounced them not neither vpon good consideration abiured them they returned to them againe as the dogge to his vomite Whereas such who truly beleeuing do of conscience renounce sinne doe as they in Nehemiah came to the oath and the couenant that they would neuer take againe their strange wiues which they were commaunded to put away nor looke back to Sodome any more nor being washed wallow againe in the mire Which I say not as though their word protestation or oath could alone by any strength thereof performe such a weightie vow but because therewith they duly considered what cause they had to doe so how infinitly they were bound to God to discharge it and how firmely they were perswaded that God would make them who had made them willing alreadie able also to doe it And therefore although they saw not that helpe present with eye yet they hoped for that which they saw not and therefore waited patiently for it till it should be granted them And thus both faith and hope being nourished and strengthened in them from day to day they who are the Lords do finde both will to desire and strength though not perfect to accomplish to the peace of their hearts that which they haue set vpon and attempted I meane a departing and that with willingnes from their former intemperance Indeede it must be graunted that this is not obtained without much striuing against the same and that it will cost many prayers to weaken such corruption and to hold such rebellion vnder of meditating vppon Gods promises also much sighing and sorrow to see what vnlikelihoods there are of subduing such vnruly passions through our owne manifold weaknesses But what then Is it much if so great a worke require our watching thereto and diligence when God is pleased that it be bestowed that way and without it no common worke will goe forward Or is that any iust cause of discouragement to vs to take paine for so great profit when we are sure of it before we goe about it But it may bee demaunded doe God seruants alwaies preuaile in striuing against euill and obtaine that which they seeke thereby for otherwise say some what discomfort and dismaiednes will come thereby I say that as God oftē helpeth them that they ouercome so they are oft ouercome themselues of their affections against which they striue but yet they haue learned not to be troubled at this as at any strange thing as if their hope were either wholy or chiefly vpholden hereby and as though they held their happines by feeling onely when they are taught that by grace they stand Neither yet on the other side doe they make light of it when they are foiled and preuailed against but as they reioyced in measure and gaue God the glorie when they felt strength of grace against their temptations so after they come to themselues againe they are troubled and sorrowfull chiefly for displeasing God they take view of their owne frailtie ignorance negligence better and confesse the same to God and take shame to themselues and cast not away their confidence but bee incouraged and heartened both to hope for pardon and also to bee more circumspect in looking to their waies afterwards Now tell me if Gods children be thus brought low and abased somtimes to pull downe and asswage the strength of pride in them what fearefull matter is hereby fallen out what rasing out of their faith is there hereby procured or what great cause of complaining is this when it is manifest to all who can iudge that the thing which through ignorance and weake faith they feared would separate them from God doth fasten them more neerely vnto him and through his working that which they thinke to bee cause of great sorrowing is turned indeede into sound reioycing and that for this cause especially that they doe better know themselues hereby and
the vertues which further vs herein followe which are vprightnes diligence and constancy or perseuerance The first then of these vertues which should make our practise both inward and outward more pure and perfect is vprightnes and that is when in a single and true heart we loue choose and desire and doe any good thing specially because God commaundeth and for that end This vertue was commended by our Sauiour in Nathaniel when he said Behold a true Israelite in whom there is no guile Many actions otherwise feruent enough for want of this sinceritie are but froth as were the hot enterprises of Iehu against idolaters and cause them who haue long pleased themselues therein at length to crie out of their doings though admirable in the eyes of others and to say they were but hypocrisie There are many starting holes in the denne of our hearts and many waies we can deceiue ourselues that the good which we doe is not as it seemeth but as it is not all gold that doth glister so the touchstone of Gods word doth finde much drosse therein yea the Lords weights of the Sanctuarie doe proue them light and windie which in our iudgements and perswasions were weightie and substantiall We are brought oft times to be earnest in good causes and to further them as for friendship of others and for companie sake so for malice for our commoditie vaine glorie and for feare of some sore punishment or danger if we should doe otherwise when our pretence in all these is that it is good and commaunded yea and we meane well many times and are feruent in a good thing without these euill respects and that partly for the commaundement of God but not only nor resolutely for that but more for other considerations then that Therefore we are found to be others then we would Although I would not be taken as though I should meane that there were no vprightnes if any feare or other fleshly respects should be mixed therewith so as we be not ruled by them for otherwise our best actions are mixed with corruption And thus I conclude this point as the former and say with the Apostle This shall be our reioycing if we haue any worthy the speaking of that in simplicitie and godly purenes we haue our conuersation in the world among men This vertue therefore I meane faithfulnes and vprightnes going with our practise in performing the duties which we knowe shall both set our selues about them with more roundnes and as farre as they can be discerned shall cause them to shew more beautie to others and raise more admiration in them Now if this should be thought needeles of some which shall reade it that I speaking of the true Christian doe vrge and require vprightnes and singlenes of heart in practizing godlines seeing I haue said as much before in the chapter of renouncing sinne I answere that it is alike requisit in both and that as well we shew integritie in the practise of good duties as in the forsaking of euill And thus with the rules I haue set downe one of the vertues namely vprightnes which is necessarily to be learned and kept of all such as hauing obtained the gift of true faith doe set themselues to lead a godly life I say such as haue true faith because no other haue any possibilitie to enter and set vpon it And if thou thinkest to set vpon the godly life without it thou shalt offer to God a broken peece of worke no better then the offering of Caine although it shall seeme to thy selfe to be as holy as the sacrifice of Abel But if thou hast tasted aright of this gift of faith and then going about to leade a godly life thou being soundly instructed in these rules before set downe and perswaded that they with the vertues here added must guide and helpe thee to the right performing of all dutie then euen as skill and vnderstanding of the rules in any science or trade with willingnes and indeuour maketh the workeman fit to vse and practise it thou shalt finde great ease not onely in withstanding the deceitfull baites of sinne but also constantly breake through many and diuers lets which thou shalt meete with that they shall not withhold thee from going forward in thy Christian course For it is mens naked and vnarmed venturing and going abroade in the world which is as a shop of vanitie and inticements it is this I say that maketh them come home with so many deadly wounds fearefull falles and greeuous offences I speake of the better sort of people as well as of the common professors though the worst seldome feele them and they shall neuer finde it otherwise till they doe better addresse themselues and be furnished as hath been said to this great worke of Christianitie But because I haue appointed a more conuenient place hereafter where I shall more fully speake of the armour which God hath prepared for the safekeeping of his I referre the reader thither for more full satisfying of him about this matter Onely one or two obiections which may arise from the doctrine which I haue set downe shall more fitly be answered here CHAP. 14. Of the aunswering of some obiections about the former doctrine and of the other two vertues which helpe to a godly life AS first this whereas these rules haue been said to be able to carrie the Christian beleeuer in a well ordered course of liuing some obiect thus It falleth out often times that we haue a very good desire to doe that which we know pleaseth God but wee finde no strength to performe And further they say we doe not so much maruaile that we attaine not that which we seeke when the Apostle himselfe maketh the same complaint where he saith to will is present with me but I finde no way to accomplish that which I desire I will not answere this as the deuoutest Iesuites doe namely that God giueth his grace and we may receiue it if we list although we haue no assurance of his fauour by faith which is a meere mocking of poore people whiles they are warned to seeke that with vnsauorie and vncomfortable wearying of themselues which they can neuer possibly finde But this I say if this be oft and earnestly desired of thee as it was of Paul Gods grace shall be sufficient for thee And further if thou hast neuer so feruent a desire to ouercome euill and to doe that which thou knowest to be good and yet hast not thy heart possessed of the fauour of God and taken vp therewith but standest waueringly affected about that matter thy desire is not that desire which I haue spoken of neither therefore able to helpe thee in that which thou wouldest it being no fruite of faith For this it is that ouercommeth all lets in the world and no other thing euen this faith I meane whiles by it we are perswaded that
because wee follow Christ Iesus himselfe wee must know that all our duties must be practised in humilitie and meeknes for so he saith in submitting your selues to my doctrine and in leading the godly life learne of me to be humble and meeke As if hee should say if ye bee hautie and high minded so as ye despise the simplicitie of my doctrine and thinke it too base a thing for you to be subiect to or froward and vntractable that in some points ye wil hold back though in some other ye be obedient ye can neuer liue godlie as God requireth of you These therefore must haue no place in Christians either Ministers or priuate persons but the contrarie vertues as I haue said which are oft times in the Scriptures set downe together as well as in this place that wee may know how needfull it is that they should alwaies goe together and that although there bee many goodly gifts in a man yet if he hath not these they shall lose their credit and beautie amongst those which behold them and withhold their commoditie from him who wanteth them And these two are not particular vertues which sometime only may haue vse but such fruites of the spirit as necessarily are required in all actions so that at no time humblenes of minde and meeknes of spirit may be wanting All these vertues I confesse are common as well to the forsaking of euill as to the doing of good and so vnderstand it though it be put out of place But I set them down here seeing the former part of this treatise was so large And that which I haue said of this matter I wish to be well obserued that the life of the beleeuer is a continuall proceeding in the departing from euill and endeuouring after duties in such manner as hath been said and a setled course in repentance and a constant walking with God and not an idle or vncertaine stumbling vpon some good actions whiles a great part of his life is neglected and not looked after he must not be sometime at commaund and readie to offer his seruice to God in some good moode and after take his owne libertie to doe what he listeth The Lords seruice is not like the disordered seruice of many vnreformed gentlemen where besides the attending at table and on horsebacke the attenders may runne where they will but it is like to a well gouerned familie where all are appointed their office and place in one thing after another to be well occupied and kept from idlenes and yet not discharged thereby to doe what they will after So our Sauiour teacheth it should be with his seruants as with a seruant in a familie who when he hath wrought in the field is not by and by discharged of other duties but then doth busines at home so they when they haue been fruitfull and haue purposed to doe all that is required of them haue done but their dutie So that the end of one worke is the beginning of another and yet al without toile and tediousnes For so hath God prouided that his seruants may be merie at their worke yea whatsoeuer they shall put their hand vnto and the more duties they do redeeming the time from idlenes and vnprofitablenes the merrier There is much work in the Lords familie as there are many places to serue in And the slouthful idle ones howsoeuer they can haue place sometime in earthly gouernment yet are they expelled from thence And this is that which Saint Peter warneth vs that we be neither idle nor barren which we shall auoide if wee be filled and furnished with the traine of heauenly vertues as knowledge faith loue patience godlines And herein is our heauenly father glorified if we bring foorth much fruite To this end we must know that Christianitie is fitly compared to a trade wherein men goe from one worke to another and a Christian hath many sins to weede out and to labour against and therefore not carelesly to marre all his worke in an houre that he hath well followed sundrie daies as he that loseth all that he hath by a cast at dice. He hath also many duties to looke vnto towards God his neighbour and himselfe wherein it shall bee found requisite for him to be carefull after the doing of one to goe to another and not to admit any thing against the peace of his conscience no not in his recreations nor in his weightiest worldly dealings feastings companie c. but to see the vnitie of the spirit kept in the bond of peace And as the Phisitions doe wel direct that for the preseruing of bodily health it is good to rise from our meate with an appetite and not to ouercharge the stomack so it is none of the meanest rules for maintaining our soules health to keepe alwaies an appetite to some new dutie when we haue performed the old and not to be so wearied in the doing of one that wee bee vtterly vnfit to goe about another This one thing being thus from time to time carefullie regarded shall make all the rest well and rightly vsed and the whole life thereby kept in frame and good order For thus to bee setled in our Christian course that with full resolution we be willingly weaned from our euill lusts and corruptions or readilie disposed to one good dutie or other and not wearie but it be forthwith disliked as we neede not seruing so bountifull a master as we doe who haue God the commaunder of our worke and a promiser of blessing vnto it Thus I say to be setled who can say but that it is a singular testimony of their spirituall welfare to all that practise it and a furtherance of a godly and well ordered life CHAP. 15. Of some particular duties pertaining to God directly in the first second third and fourth commaundements NOw the rules and vertues hauing been set downe which helpe to the practise of a godly life I will shew in what points this life consisteth and set downe a summe of it but more briefly I will doe it because it may in some sort be gathered by the description of the vngodly life and also for that no man can set downe all the particulars of it but they must be learned and knowne of the true Christian out of good catechismes and by daily and attentiue hearing of his ordinarie teacher who is able to instruct him herein and by a diligent search into his owne life by the commaundements But yet to helpe the weake that they may see how to drawe out of this whole treasurie and rich hoard of the commaundements for the better ordering of their wayes through their whole course that which shall be necessarie seeing they shall not alwaies haue other helpes at hand I will set downe some of the chiefest throughout them all And first those duties which directly pertaine to God following the order which I did in setting downe the
mind ignorance and other incomberances which Gods deare children shall be afflicted with for they cannot doe as other may and therefore as euery one shall be more oppressed then other so he must needs be the more respected For in such cases the bare lifting vp of the heart to God sincerely is as much and mercy I know is better then sacrifice but withall this must be graunted that the more godly euer one is the more he will bewaile his wants and so this among the rest which doth no lesse in a well ordered heart then a kind purgation discharge the soule of all such drosse as remaineth to waite him a mischiefe Thus I haue more largely as I haue thought it expedient gone ouer these parts of the life of a Christian which for the most part are euery day to be done the better to direct him therein and so likewise I haue sayd that which I intended of this whole Treatise It remaineth now to see how the practise of it is by Sathan and our selues broken off and hindred which is in the next Treatise to be set downe and handled But first I thinke good to adde these two things The one that as I haue set downe rules for daily direction so for the helping of the weaker sort some example also be shewed vnto them thereof The other what vse is to be made of the whole Treatise After what maner a Christian should view his passing of the day at night AS concerning the first this I haue thought expedient to say When thou goest alone by thy selfe for this purpose first call to mind the seuerall actions as thou canst from thy first awakening how thou diddest awake and as soone as thou wert ready take order about necessaries which must be done and then wentest to prayer after to thy calling then haddest occasion to be in some company and how thou diddest looke to thy selfe therein if at another time in the day thou wast alone or at exercise of prayer in family or at meate in another part of the day haddest some crosse befall thee and some ill newes brought vnto thee or if thou hast dealt and communed about worldly affaires buying or selling how thou diddest it and what care thou haddest therein These or any other like vnto these whatsoeuer actions or the maner of them or whatsoeuer the cogitations and desires of thine heart haue bene whether they were good or bad call to mind as many of them as thou canst Thus looke backe as thou art able to remember how thou hast spent the day from one thing to another and from one place where thou hast bene to another which though at the first it shall seeme strange and hard to do yet in time will be more easie When thou hast thus done thou shalt see how thou hast had vse of any of the nine duties set downe which are the common and ordinary actions of the day and how the eight inward graces which ought to be companions to vs euery day haue accompanied thee and then so farre as thou mayest truly do it giue thankes for all grace whereby thou hast bene guided and humble thy selfe in confessing thy defaults and praying as thou shall see cause I haue set downe a paterne and example to direct thee therein which as thine estate doth agree with it follow A forme or example of viewing or passing of the day when we are ready to lie downe at euen I Thanke thee ô Lord for my awaking with thee and that with a willing and ready mind I entred into the day after with calling vpon thee if thou diddest so and for that I had liberty and oportunity thereto and that afterward I went chearfully to the duties of my calling or supplied the omitting thereof some other way with a good conscience and that I was wary in company and in solitarinesse and in my prosperity and vnder my chastisements that I might not offend but that I did some good as I could and that I had part in family exercises and had care in my earthly dealings that I might not be made worldly by them that I haue taken any benefit by meditation and reading if thou hast done so and now at the end of the day that I looke backe how I haue passed the day Thus as these or any of them haue bene done of thee call them to mind as thou canst and how they were done and as they and such like are the chiefe actions to be done in the day so proceed in giuing thankes for doing them or so farre as thou hast with thy mind seasoned with the graces which should direct all the actions of thy life through the day euen these eight thus I also thanke thee ô Lord that in these actions and parts of my life I haue not done them in opinion of any goodnesse in me but by thy grace and haue thereby humbled my selfe for my sinnes and imbraced pardon by faith and by the same faith haue bene holden from many sinnes and kept in doing many duties as loue mercy vprightnesse and the workes of my calling and haue had some consideration of my mortalitie and looked for thy comming on the Sabath that I haue attended to sanctifie it in publicke and priuate exercises and that I haue held the peace which passeth vnderstanding and had thy kindnesse in remembrance thankfully with some vse of watching and praying and now viewed the passing of this day in this poore maner let experience bring hope of better doing this from day to day And if thine heart go with the mentioning of these thou shalt find sauour in them But seeing I haue faulted and failed many wayes both in good doing and the right maner of it and in following the deuices and desires of my heart too much here if any particular action or corruption be remembred of thee bewaile it accuse and iudge thy selfe and renounce it that thou mayest find mercy in that thy need I confesse and renounce the same praying for Christs sake to be pardoned that I may lie downe in peace The second thing which I sayd I would adde was the vse of this doctrine For the vse of the doctrine of this Treatise Of daily guiding thy soule and life it may be gathered out of that which hath bene sayd of it and out of this last paterne or example so farre as thou seest nothing in it which God approueth not And that is in few words that euery day and through the day thou weane and withdraw thine heart from any such noisome baite or prouocation as suffereth thee not to arise in the morning to walke through the day and to lie downe at night in peace and safety vnder Gods protection and euerie day I still say wishing thee to remember that if thou beest negligent and carelesse but one day that may fall on thee to vexe thee long after which should not else fall out in thy whole life And that part of life
well ordered But seeing few can heare this saying that our hearts should be holden in subiection to Gods will from time to time and our desires and thoughts though fond and foolish captiuated therefore Sathan taketh his aduantage thereby to make them slaues and bondmen to his suggestions and deceitfull inticements to bereaue and make them voide of all sound iudgement and thus to come to do those things which sometimes they were ashamed of or at least haue iudged very hardly of others for doing them And thus it commeth to passe that besides the hinderance we haue by our euill hearts when we shall haue considered and well pondered how many wayes the diuell letteth and hindereth vs we shall see good cause to prouide the strongest helpe and defence that we can against the same Now then that it may more clearely be seene what daunger and feare we are in by him which may easily breake off our course in godlinesse some of his bad sleights and practises are more particularly to be laid foorth which though they be many and diuerse yet may be fitly drawne to these two heades Either they do all set against our faith or else directly ayme at the extinguishing and burying of godly life in vs wherein if the diuell can preuaile against vs he hath gotten what he would and we haue lost that wherein our glorie stood CHAP. 3. Of the diuels troubling the weake beleeuer about his faith and if he do not preuaile against him one way he seeketh by another AND first for the former to declare how he troubleth the weake faith of Gods children for I omit to shew how he leadeth them captiues who are in his snares being taken prisoners of him to do his will and how forcibly he holdeth backe such as do but begin to looke after eternall life that they shall be long in cheaping but neuer buying although it be without mony his malice crueltie and diligence do euidently appeare in the new borne Christians which are made the children of God by faith as S. Iohn saith The dragon made war with the remnant of the womans seed which keepe the commaundements of God and haue the testimonie of Iesus Christ How many heauie discouragements he presseth downe their weake faith withall that they may shake it off vtterly and be perswaded infinite times that they haue none at all Christs words to Peter do prooue saying Simon Simon Sathan hath desired to winow you that is to scatter and cast you out And how mightily he preuaileth with many for a season so farre that they are altogether in a maner without comfort the dispersed Churches in the Apostles time knew then and they now know best who haue felt and found it so Also it would hardly be beleeued if both Scripture and experience were not cleare witnesses in this behalfe how he terrifieth them with their owne wants ignorances infirmities and vnworthinesses also with feare of shamefull falles which it seemeth to them that they are vnlike to auoide and the rather when he brings to their remembrance such good seruants of God as haue fallen in the like manner before them Besides these what vnsetlings doth he worke in them whiles he feareth them with this that for all their care they shall neuer hold out in their faith and holy course of life vnto their end but by persecutions and other afflictions which shall be stirred vp against them or by other prouocations they shall be turned backe All which with many other he oppresseth them with and all to the end they may cast away their hope and confidence conclude resolutely that they haue no faith The which though the sleepie and drowsie professors are not moued with yet with his weake children it so preuaileth that they haue no greater affliction And in that our Sauiour himselfe was mightily set vpon by him about this thing Whether he were the sonne God or no what other thing did it signifie then this that none of vs should easily attaine to this honour to know our selues to be the children of God and rest quietly therein but we should find Sathan our aduersarie a most mightie hinderer of vs in our going about it For wherein can he shew his malice more fully or verifie the Scripture more clearely which saith That he is enuious man and again That there shall be enmitie betwixt the seed of the woman and the Serpent and that he should treade vpon his heele Indeed this is to be graunted that euen their weake faith which they haue is sweet vnto them and God doth sometime shew them how happie a thing it is to be in his fauour and freed from condemnation Saint Iohn thus speaking to them I write vnto you that beeene that you may know ye haue eternall life And by reason of the litle tast and fruite of their weake faith God so vpholdeth them that they can neuer be contented to forgo it and therefore would they most chiefly be occupied in thinking of it to nourish and strengthen it if they knew how and were able as being their chiefe treasure But the diuell knoweth that there are all those wayes which I haue before spoken of and many other to dismay them and trouble their minds about the same and that their weaknesse is easily wrought vpon for he watcheth his best oportunitie whereby he may driue them into feare doubting heauinesse and such like And the want of outward blessings in many doth much increase it from the which they shall neuer be free long together but euery while be troubled till they grow better acquainted with the nature and propertie of Gods promises namely how true vnchaungeable and perpetuall they be euen as God himselfe also is also except they prize them aboue all other things and send vp earnest prayers to God daily and oft for this faith to be rooted in them which they must do most willingly and gladly as in the first treatise I admonished that it being more and more daily setled in their hearts they may feele their doubting and feare to vanish as fast as they perceiue their hold in the promises of God to waxe stronger and by those meanes by which I taught the weake beleeuer there to strengthen his faith let him looke to be vpholden against the lets which I haue mentioned before or any other whatsoeuer may trouble him It is also to be graunted that God doth ordinarily stablish mens faith the sooner and more easily by the cleare sound and most skilfull and wise applying of Gods promises by his Ministers and messengers whom he appointeth to that worke and as this is done more weakely and darkely the greater and longer is their combat conflict but how cleare and plaine soeuer the wil of God about our saluation be to vs who haue experience of the truth which is taught vs yet it is not so by and by to them who do but newly imbrace this glad tidings although they
let them labour in their calling diligently both they which want and they who haue much for that becommeth vs all well so as with it we prouide that we be not hurt by the worldly goods that is by diuerse sinnes which they cause whereby we should vtterly disgrace our profession And thereby and by no better way we shall proue that we are not couetous while we arme our selues against al such euils as riches do cause men to commit for the excessiue loue that they beare to them a great number of the which I haue set downe And this of the third remedie The fourth and last is this that we not onely prouide that we be not hurt by them but also that we looke to it carefully that we be much bettered by them towards Gods seruice more then if we wanted them For although poore and rich are commanded to consecrate themselues to God yet they may best do it who haue most helpes thereto And who can deny that in the wealthy estate there are many more helpes hereto then are to be found in the needie and poore this being graunted that both sorts feare God with whom onely I haue here to deale For first they haue more time and freedome then these to all exercises of religion and the worship of God both publicke and priuate I meane they may ofter inioy the preaching of the word haue recourse to reading Christian conference in good company meditation also and prayer which how great helpes they be to the keeping of a setled course in godlines hath bin before set downe whereas the poore besides that they shall looke to themselues commendably if they be not discouraged and made impatient by their wants so they cannot for the most part take the benefit of the afore-mentioned helpes in any such sort as the other may Now if any here will obiect and say as indeed he may if he marke the course of the most wealthie at this day yea euen of those who will seeme religious That these benefits of God do rather draw mē away from feruency and forwardnesse in a godly life then further and helpe them thereto I answer that if it be so it is the sinne of the persons who are so vnthriftie vsers of Gods blessings and their grosse vnthankfulnesse to him who do thereby prouoke him to take away his bountie from them or to giue it them in his wrath and heauie displeasure For I am sure the Lord teacheth them the contrarie namely that where much is bestowed there much shall be required and that this is the end of the abundance of all good things which he giueth vs that we should serue him with ioyfulnesse and with a good heart Indeed as men go to worke in the world who haue receiued great riches at Gods hand it is hard to proue that they be most fruitfull but let such know that their account shall be the greater Therefore the obiection being thus answered it remaineth cleare and without controuersie that men who haue receiued greater outward benefits of God then others may and ought to be the better for them to God-ward as from whom iust cause of care and thought taking is remoued then the poorer sort who lie open to them both This good therefore we must see that we do to our selues who haue receiued of him the commodities which many of his deare seruants do want that we hold the profession of our hope with ioy from day to day that we may say it truly that our soules are much more well liking by the abundance or necessaries of this life which we haue or else we shall neuer be able to free our selues from the blemish of worldlinesse But if this grace accompany the three former in vs we shall well declare that we nourish an heauenly mind and labour against this great sin of coueting worldlinesse But to go further our riches should do vs other good beside that which I haue spoke of For we should make them our friends to helpe vs into euerlasting habitation so our Sauiour counselleth vs saying Make you friends of your riches and that is by laying them vp in the Lords hands while we be carefull to bestow them on Gods poore Saints For thus we giuing them to the poore do lend them vnto the Lord and do as it were put them in his hands and so whatsoeuer we lay out shall plentifully be payed vs againe euen an hundreth fold in peace which passeth vnderstanding in this life though not alwayes in riches againe and in the world to come eternall life Yea verily such acts shall not be forgotten but shall be witnesses and testimonies of our faith for why do we giue but because we beleeue in the liuing God who is a plentifull rewarder of all that seeke him and the sauiour of all that beleeue in him and the workes of such shall follow them Euen thus should we do ourselues good with them and therefore we must not thinke all too little for our selues and those which are ours And it will one day be wished that we had thus done good to our selues by them rather then to be seruants yea slaues to our children in prouiding greedily for them for it so falleth out with the most while we dare scarcely take any part of our goods to honest and necessarie vses lest we should thereby plucke from them therein verifying the saying of the wise This is an euill sicknesse that in all points as we came so shall we go and what profit haue we that we haue trauelled for the wind that is in vaine and for nothing Oh the good that many might do with their goods I say not to others but euen to themselues if they were carefull to bestow well but some part of that which they haue But this is no place to bewaile such cases neither haue men almost any eares to heare or hearts to lament such neglects of duty To conclude therefore this last remedie against couetousnesse and worldlinesse the monster of many heads euen this good which I haue sayd we might do to our selues with our riches euery one in his seuerall estate who is able to giue and hath no need to receiue which if we did carefully looke to who seeth not how it would chase away the grossenesse and daunger of this foule sinne And therfore much more if all these remedies be vsed 1 that we do no man hurt 2 but good as occasion shall be offered 3 nor hurt our selues by them but benefit our soules we may be bold to assure our selues that we shall disgrace couetousnesse in vs one of the greatest mischiefes that the Diuell can worke vs. For if we did take heed that no man in any dealings might charge vs iustly with vnmercifulnesse or iniustice nor our owne consciences if our hand and our heart did go where we are bound to releeue and discharge duty
reward 26 And lest I should be thought to say like to the Poets vaine More then the truth in praise therof and so should seeme to faine 27 Full many a thousand euen of them who haue their time ill spent And vnto vaine delights their yeres and all their strength haue lent 28 And haue not chose the better part in wisdome for to grow Haue cri'd out fearefully at length and said It hath beene so 29 All pleasure Folly they did call which heeretofore they found And sorrow'd that they had no part in that which was most sound 30 They haue cried out of idle life and of their youth mispent That to the reading of good bookes their hearts they haue not bent 31 For what though men should set themselues to seeke a pleasant life In all things ease and peace to finde and to be voide of strife 32. Full true it is that without this their pleasure is but paine Right soone it shall depart from them and sorrow come againe 33 Where are the mighty and the proud and flanting ones become Some 100 yeeres agone they died and such as had their roome 34 The rolls of kings and princes great and chronicles of late Record to vs full many a one who liu'd in pompe and state 35 A time they had their time is gone their glory is decaied And sinne to such as died not well a wofull hire is paide 36 And as for men of lower place whom better we did know Whose crowne was beauty ease and wealth and did in dainties flow 37 Behold it is with them as if they neuer heere had beene As if no pleasure or no pompe of theirs had once beene seene 38 And such as doe remaine as yet and liue as they haue done Shalt finde the same which they haue found when once their race is run 39 So that small cause there is we see this kinde of life to choose And for the same the sauour sweet of heauenly life to loose 40 But such as doe in wisdome ioy and take delight therein Shall haue with peace a place on earth and greater gaine shal win 41 Therefore mine owne desire shall be to take this for my part The water streames and pastures sweet of Gods word with my heart 42 And such as these few reasons may perswade vnto the same I wish them that which to my selfe at this that they may aime 43 Then happy we throughout our life what euer vs befall Thrice happy eke when we go hence and God vs home shall call 44 Let the words of my mouth please thee and thoughts of heart ô God And in the same continually let me make mine abode 45 As haue the daies of sorrow beene so may our comfort be That as we did not praise thee then so may we now praise thee A TABLE CONTEINING the summe and substance of the whole boooke in the principall points of it The first Treatise CHAP. 1. ASsurance of Saluation the ground of all Most men are deceiued about it Papists thinke it impossible Carnall Protestants thinke it easie Weake Christians full of doubting Three generall heads or parts of this Treatise Three branches of the first head CHAP. 2. MAn created happie fell into miserie Two parts of mans miserie The first His sinne Mans sinne what Euery part corrupted Vnderstanding conscience will Affections Conuersation Thoughts desires outward behauiour Mans best actions abhominable Few thinke it thus The second part of mans misery The curse Which bringeth all plagues After this life In this life The creatures cursed for mans cause Much more himselfe In all he takes in hand In his body diseases c. In his senses deafnesse In his friends and kindred c. He hath no right to any thing that he inioieth and shall be called to iudgement for it Men shift off this This curse is to all To harden the heart against it dangerous The curse vpon the soule To be giuen vp to vile lusts To be darkened in his vnderstanding Hastening to endlesse woe and not see it Hardnesse of heart Desperation madnesse c. Remedilesse feares c. Hell paines extreame easelesse endlesse The necessitie of this knowledge of mans miserie If this doctrine displease men they may thanke themselues The doctrine of the Gospel must go with this CHAP. 3. OF the knowledge of redemption and deliuerance It must be knowen as well as our misery Foure things to be considered in it 1. What it is and wherein it consisteth Merit ouerthrowne 2. By whom it is wrought 3. How it is reueiled 4. How it is receiued and imbraced Faith what How it is wrought CHAP. 4. KNowledge of our miserie and redemption necessarie to saluation They are most light who haue most cause to mourne The person that shall be saued beleeueth and applieth generall things particularly to himselfe Heereby the heart is troubled Few hearing the doctrine of miserie thinke it to be their owne case They are hardned and make it cōmon Their woe at the time of death Answer to such as would not haue the law preached The law is to be preached But not without the Gospell Effects and fruits of the law preached in the faithfull The ignorance of the law how dangerous Great fault in the minister that teacheth not the law Consultation the second worke Consultation necessarie Prooued Without it sorrow for sinne profiteth little They that cannot counsell themselues must aske The complaint of the penitent sinner What his thoughts are 1. About his owne estate 2. Concerning the minde of God towards him He is secretly vpholden by the promise Humiliation the third worke How necessarie it is What great fruit it brings A secret desire of forgiuenesse the fourth worke From what ground this ariseth Or what breedeth this desire Many are long ere they come to this point and the cause why How feruent this desire ought to be To the humbled soule the tidings of saluation most welcome til then little set by This desire continueth till the thing be obteined What staieth and vpholdeth him in this case He resolueth neuer to walke in his former estate and why How Sathan laboureth that men should not come to this point and by what meanes What hee is the better for this resoluing Confession and crauing of pardon the fifth worke How this is done How great a matter this is To forsake all for it and highly to price it the sixth worke Obiect 1. Can these or any thing that man doth be accepted without faith Answ Although none of these things be faith yet they are not without it We cannot discerne the very moment when faith is wrought Obiect 2. Must we thus prepare our selues to receiue faith Answ It is not in our power It is gods onely worke to doe it To apply Christ and his promise the seuenth worke God sealeth vp his promises to the beleeuer How the beleeuer reasoneth with himselfe He weigheth all things heereto belonging He seekes helpe of others How he groweth
Reue. 1.3 A proofe of negligent reading Two obseruations about reading The first The second The extraordinarie helpes to a true Christian life The first extraordinarie help is solemne thankesgiuing VVhat it is An example of it Ester 4.16 9.1 Ester 9.18 21. It is to be vsed according to the occasion Publikely Or priuatly Scriptures fit for it 1. Chron. 16.8 to 16. 29.10 to 15. The second extraordinarie helpe is fasting What it is 2. Chron. 20.6 Dan. 3.18 2. Cor. 12.9 2. Chron. 20.12.13.27.28 Cautions how to vse the helps mentioned in this treatise Haue them in high account Vse them not for fashion Vse them constantly If they waxe vnsauoury giue no place to such deceit but mone to God for the former grace This treatise is necessarily to be ioyned with the former The generall summe of this treatise Some good Christians thinke strange to be held in compasse euery day The end why this treatise was written Tit. 1.16 Note Few doe resolue to liue godly euery day Note Psal 84.10 Prou. 8.11.18 A simile Daily directing of our liues after Gods word is a safe and peaceable estate Matth. 11.29 The parts of this treatise foure The first reason consisting of proofes out of the word 1. Pet. 1.17 1. Pet. 4.2 Heb. 3.12 Luk. 1.75 Many if God be publikely worshipped on the sabboth looke no further Many of good hope thinke it not needefull to liue godly euery day Prou. 10.9 Gal. 6.16 Psal 119.9 VVhat is ment by this daily direction The proofe of the first part of the second reason namely That a certaine course of godlines is commaunded in the word Psal 119.9 The second part of the second reason namely that it must be brought into practise euery day Prou. 28.14 1. Tim. 5.10 Psal 119.97 Psal 71.15 â—â— Obiection Answere Act. 24.16 Act. 26.7 Psal 145.2 Prou. 6.22 The parts of a godly life to be practised daily In prosperitie 1. Thes 5.19 Lam. 3.23 In afflictions Two things required about afflictions Iam. 1.5 2. Chr. 20.3.4 Lam. 3.27 Psal 32.6.7 2. Sam. 15.26 First that we prepare our selues for them before they come Prou. 30.8 Second that we beare them rightly when they come Luk. 9.23 Deut. 33.12 Matth. 26.41 Helps to a godly life are to be vsed daily Prayer and praises Psal 55.16.17 119.164 Prou. 6.22 Watchfulnes Psal 119 97. Exhortation Heb. 3.13 Reading Iosh 1.8 How farre we are tied to them daily Publike hearing Pro. 8.33 Act. 2.46 The daunger that followes the neglecting of it Matth. 26.41 Heb. 3.13 2. Tim. 4.5 Prou. 28.13 Psal 32 6.7 Psal 91.11 2. Sam. 7.14 2. Chron. 16.9 Prou. 10.9 Psal 89.31 Matth. 13.25 Matth. 12.44 Iudg. 16.20 Psal 130.5 Psal 123.2 Prou. 4.23 Prou. 23.17 Heb. 3.12 Jllustration of the former matter by similitudes The first Psal 91.12 The second The third The fourth Prou. 10.9 Psal 89.32 The fift 2. Tim. 3.10 Gen. 5.22.23 Gen. 6.5 Heb. 3.2 The fift that daily direction is fittest to keepe vs well while we be well and to raise vs vp being fallen All good Christians being alike subiect to sinne must alike be fenced against it The sixt reason drawne from the ten commaundements being perpetuall A commaundement a perpetuall rule to worship God by daily And to liue with men daily The seuenth reason holines should be on all daies Gal. 4.10 Obiection Answere Col. 2.16 The eight reason drawne from our conuersation Phil. 3.20 Phil. 1.27 Obiection Answere Rom. 1.21 Note The second part of this fourth treatise A description of this daily direction Prou. 23.17 Mat. 26.41 Ephes 6.14 * Ephes 4.27 Act. 24.16 The third thing in this description is that our indeuour be heartie and constant The third part of the description Luk. 16.13 Col. 1.10 Heb. 13.18 The last points Obiect Answer Rom. 7. How the beleeuer should be enabled to keep the rules of direction Obiection Answer Although through infirmitie we come short yet much ease shall vve find in seruing God by following direct 2 Pet. 1.4 Math. 26.41 Math. 6.13 Iam. 4.7 Ephes 6.14 2. Cor. 10.4 1. Ioh. 4.4 Ioh. 14.17 1. Cor. 10.13 The prerogatiues of a Christian 2. Cor. 12.9 Note Ioh. 14.23 Reu. 3.20 Psal 16 3. 1. Tim. 4.16 Note Note Math 6.33 Ioh 15.10 Habac. 2.4 Heb. 11.13 Gal. 2.20 The first point of the daily direction Humiliation for sinne Ephes 4.26 Iob. 1.5 Psal 6.6 The second point Forgiuenesse of sinne Act. 2.38 Hos 14.2.3 Ioh. 15.9 Peti â— Lamen 3.23 The third point Preparation and arming of our hearts against euill readie to good Heb. 3.12 * Deut. 5.29 Mat. 22.37 Prou. 4.18 The 4. Flee euill 5. Follow good Deut. 5.29 A godly life daily consisteth not onely in the exercises of religion VVe may serue God in our ordinarie and meanest works The man in his The vvoman in hers Prou 3â— They must be done by faith Not for carnall respects Committing the successe to God Auoiding the common sinnes that prophane ones ioyne vvith them Men disgrace and marre their lavvfull callings by their sinnes The true Christian only may and ought to be mery at his vvorke Deut 12.18 Deut. 28.46 Ephes 5.19 Philip. 1.27 Eccles 9.10 1. Cor. 10.31 Heb. 12.14 The sixt point Thankfulnesse Lament 3.23 Psal 118.7 1. Thes 5.18 The seuenth point VVatch and pray 1. Thes 5.17 The eight Peace 2. Co. 1.12 Rom. 5.1 Phil. 4.4 1. Thes 5.16 Aduertisement to the Reader about the direction VVhat the beleeuer is to vnderstand by the direction Note Heb. 10.35 and cast not away our confidence Flowers for a Christian to smell on The vnruly heart the chiefest trouble that a man hath Some fruit of it Daily directioÌ„ the chiefe remedie against it Some Christians say what may be said will go no further in practise of religion then they be already Reu. 3.17 The wicked shall waxe vvorse Incouragement to the teachable A bewailing of them vvho rest in their state not seeking to be bettered 1. Thes 4.3 The flâ—sh will spurne against daily direction Follow one of these rules throughly and all the other vvill be familiar Obiection Answer Obiection Answer Pro. 4.23 No rule is nor can be giuen what outward vvorkes are to be done daily seeing they are variable and infinite The first outward dutie To awake with God The same more fully The second outward dutie Morning prayer Hos 14.2 The same more fully Hos 14.4 Psal 111. 116.1 The third Our calling The same The fourth The right vse of companie The same The fift Solitarinesse The same The sixt Prosperitie The same Amos. 3.2 Iohn 15.9 1. King 3. * Psal 37.36 Luk. 12.18.20 The seuenth Afflâ—ctions The same Lam. 3.33 1. Cor. 11.31 Iam. 1.2 1. Pet. 1.6 Rom. 5.5 The eighth Family exercises The same The ninth A viewing of the day at our lying downe The same Heb. 11.13 Againe the daily direction is described Note The third part of this fourth treatise Note The daily directing of our selues a great gaine to vs. Many things to hinder