to such an hidious summe that they are afraid to reuiew their reckonings heerein like Banquerupts who hauing consumed their meanes and made their estates desperate cannot indure to keepe any accounts or if they doe to cast vp their reckonings because their debts are growne so great that they haue no hope that they shall euer discharge them and therefore they will not grieue themselues in looking vpon those euils which they cannot auoyd Or like vnto foolish and desperate Patients who haue let their sores run so long without vsing the meanes whereby they might haue been cured that now they feare the remedy more then the disease and chuse rather to rot in their corruption then to haue their festred sores searched to the bottome Thirdly because they so ouermuch loue and minde worldly things that they securely neglect their spirituall estate and are so wholly taken vp in keeping their accounts with men that they can find no leisure to account with God Yea so wholly are they possessed with earthly vanities that they neuer so much as thinke of it as a thing necessary that they should spend any time in examining themselues and searching out their sinnes Fourthly because they presume so much of Gods mercy that they imagine that he wil forgiue all their debts in the grosse summe and neuer Eccles 11. 9. Math. 12 33. and 16. 2. and 25. 19. 2. Cor. 5. 10. trouble either himselfe or them in examining particulars though in many expresse places of Scripture he hath professed the contrary and though it will not stand with Gods infinite wisdome to forgiue such great debts before his debters take notice of them that they may loue him who hath forgiuen them so much be thankfull and render vnto him due praise for his infinite bounty Wherein what doe they else but make an Idoll of Gods mercy in separating it not onely from his Iustice but also from his Wisedome and Truth CAP. XXIIII Containing diuers effectuall reasons to mooue vs vnto this exercise of Meditation §. Sect. 1 That this duty is required in the Scriptures BVt that those who truly feare God may not bee carryed away in this common streame of negligence and corruption sporting themselues in the pleasures of sinne vntill they fall into the dead sea of endlesse destruction let them first consider that this duty of consideration and examination of our estates is strictly required of God and hath been alwayes practised by the faithfull The former is manifest by plaine testimonies of holy Scriptures Dauid exhorteth vs to stand in awe and sinne not and to commune Psal 4. 4. with our owne hearts vpon our bed and be still The Church in the Lamentations demandeth why a liuing man should complaine seeing a man is Lam. 3. 39 40. punished for his sinnes and therefore his best way is not to lye lamenting his paine but to finde out and remooue the cause that the effect may cease Let vs search and try our wayes saith she and turne againe to the Lord. So the Lord saith that the people of Israel vpon their freedome out of captiuity should remember their wayes and all their doings wherein they Ezek. 20. 43. had been defiled that they might be lothsome in their owne sight for all the euils Hag. 1. 5 7. which they had committed Thus the Apostle exhorteth vs to examine our 1. Cor. 11. 28 31. Gal. 6. 4 5. selues before we come to the Lords Table and telleth vs that if we would iudge our selues we should not be iudged of the Lord. So elsewhere Examine 2. Cor. 13. 5. your selues whether you be in the faith prooue your selues c. And thus in many Rom. 6. 17. 1. Cor. 6. 9 10. Ephes 2. 11. places he putteth those in mind to whom he writeth of their former sinfull estate out of which through Gods mercy they were deliuered that they might repent of their sinnes past and praise the Lord for their present condition The neglect of which duty the Lord complaineth of and condemneth in the Iewes as the cause of their grosse ingratitude and impenitency The Oxe knoweth his owner and the Asse his Masters crib but Esa 1. 3. Israel doth not know my people doth not consider So Ieremie I hearkened and Jer. 8. 6. heard but they spake not aright no man repented of his wickednesse saying What haue I done As on the other side the practice of this duty is commended vnto vs in the examples of the godly Thus Dauid performing himselfe what he perswaded vnto others saith that hee considered his owne Psal 119. 59. Luk. 15. 17. wayes and turned his feet vnto Gods testimonies So the Prodigall did begin his repentance by comming to himselfe as it were out of the dead swoone of sinne calling to remembrance his departing from such a gracious Father and his owne wandrings in the wayes of wickednesse in which he had lost himselfe as in an inextricable and endlesse Labyrinth And the Apostle often recalleth his sinnes to his remembrance to humble himselfe that had committed them glorifie God who had forgiuen them and comfort others who had alike falne and to incourage them with him to forsake their sinnes and turne vnto God by vnfained repentance §. Sect. 2 The great profit of this exercise of examination Vnto these precepts drawing vs and these examples leading vs to this duty of examination we may adde the great profit which may allure vs Plus teipsum explora quà m proximos nam illud lucrum tuum est hoc proximorum c. Nazianzen in sentent and the vrgent necessity which presseth it vpon vs. For first the benefits are manifold which accompany this exercise Examine thy selfe more saith one then thy neighbours for that is thy gaine this theirs Thou shouldest rather take an account of thy actions then of thy moneyes seeing these perish but they are permanent and shall continue with thee More especially this examination bringeth vs vnto a distinct knowledge of sinne which otherwise wee should onely see in generall view and as it were in the whole lumpe or masse It discouereth vnto vs their innumerable numbers both great and small and as the Sun-shine helpeth vs to discerne euery sluttish corner which before was not seene and reuealeth not onely the grosse vncleannesse of the house but much dust and innumerable moates which we not discerning thought the house cleane and free from them So doth this searching of our hearts lay open vnto vs many annoyances which before were hid and innumerable numbers of our lesser sinnes which wee thinking to be nothing supposed our selues to bee so pure that there was no need to be purged of them It sheweth vnto vs not onely our grosse offences but also the corruptions and imperfections of our best actions and with our errours and wandrings out of the way of truth our lamenesse and slownesse whilest we are walking in it It discouereth with the number of our sinnes their
1. Deut. 8. 17. receiue vnto secondary causes and inferiour meanes as to our owne wisedome power and industry but ascribe them wholly vnto God whose gifts they are for otherwise we shall not giue God the praise but sacrifice Hab. 1. 16. Isa 10. 13. to our owne nets Thirdly we must not thinke how much we want but what we haue not how many are preferred before vs but how many better then we come behind vs and want the good things which wee inioy The helpes whereby we may be furthered in this duty of thanksgiuing are first to take notice of those manifold blessings which the Lord heapeth vpon vs euen of his particular gifts at the very time they are receiued for whilest they are new they more affect vs and stirre vs vp to greater thankfulnesse Secondly we must highly value them in our iudgements if not in their owne worth yet as they are loue-tokens sent from God pledges and pawnes of his fauour and earnest-pennies of euerlasting life and happinesse for the better wee conceiue of Gods benefits the more thankefull will we be vnto him for them Thirdly we must keepe blessings receiued in former times in faithfull memories that we may often recount them and adding them to the new wee may become more feruent and cheerefull in performing of this duty especially those mayne benefits of Gods loue our election creation redemption vocation iustification sanctification continuall preseruation and assured hope of our glorification The which we shall the more readily doe if we consider that it is an especiall meanes to mooue the Lord to conferre vpon vs new benefits when as we are truely thankefull vnto him for the old which is the mayne end for which he gaue them and to cast vpon vs the seeds of his blessings with a liberall hand when as we are not barren grounds but yeeld vnto him the fruits of thanksgiuing CAP. XII Of the duties of the daily exercise in euery seuerall part of the day And first of waking with God by Prayer and Meditation §. Sect. 1 Of lifting vp our hearts vnto God assoone as we awake that we may offer vnto him our first seruice HAuing spoken of those Christian duties which are necessarily to bee performed thorowout the whole day we are now come to shew how the day is to bee spent in the particular parts of it and what speciall duties are to be performed in them seuerally as God shall giue vs conueniency and opportunity The which we will diuide as the naturall day consisting of foure and twenty houres is diuided into such duties as respect either the day or night The duties of the day are either those which ordinarily and constantly are to be done in certaine parts of the day without omission or alteration vnlesse vpon some vrgent cause or those which respect circumstances persons states occurrents not limited vnto any certaine time of the day but wayting vpon the most opportune and fit occasions Of the former sort are duties meerely religious and belonging to all Christians generally and indifferently or ciuill duties which notwithstanding ought to be performed of all the faithfull after an holy and religious manner The first religious duty wherewith wee are to beginne the day is that assoone as we awake out of our sleepe wee offer vnto God a morning sacrifice and as it were the first fruits of all our thoughts affections and indeuours sequestring them from the world and earthly vanities that they may bee fixed vpon God and things heauenly and spirituall And euen whilst our bodies lye still on our beds and before we haue vnbarred the dore of our lips to giue passage vnto our words in this still silence we must lift vp our hearts vnto God to commune with him and as it were to salute him by consecrating vnto him their first and best seruice Of which duty we haue Dauid an example for our imitation who no sooner awaked but he was presently with God as he professeth and sought him Psal 139. 18. Psal 63. 1. earely thirsting in his soule after him like a dry and thirsty land Yea so diligent and feruent was he in doing this duty that he preuented the dawning Psal 119. 147. of the morning and before he was thorowly awakened and had all his senses set fully at liberty from the bands of sleepe his heart is rowzed vp and fixed vpon God to giue him praise and then that being awaked Psal 57. 7 8. doth also awaken his tongue and instruments of musicke and his whole man to ioyne together in glorifying God So the Church in Esayas song saith that shee longed after God in the night and resolueth that with her Spirit Esa 26. 9. within her she would seeke him earely Which that wee may likewise practise let vs consider that the Lord our God is our chiefe treasure and our soules sole delight and therefore let our hearts bee first there where our treasure is and seeing he is the onely true cause of all comfort and reioycing let vs solace our selues in our fruition of him by this sweete communion For if worldly men who haue fixed their hearts on earthly vanities doe meditate on them in the night without wearinesse and no sooner awake in the morning but presently they consecrate vnto them their first thoughts and desires as the couetous man to his riches the ambitious man his honours the voluptuous man his pleasures let vs be ashamed if wee cannot be as feruent and diligent in dedicating vnto God the first seruice of our hearts who is infinitely more worthy of our loue Againe there is no businesse in the world of like waight and worth vnto this as bringing singular comfort to our hearts saluation to our soules therfore let vs giue it the priority and precedencie and not suffer euery pedling and pelting trifle take vp our hearts first and make it to watch at the doores and sometimes to depart away for want of admittance And seeing God is the most worthy person and offereth to conferre with vs about the waightiest occasions let vs not after an vnmannerly and foolish fashion suffer him to attend our leisure till we haue done conferring with the contemptible and worthlesse world about earthly occasions which are slight and of no value Finally the morning is the best and fittest time for the vndertaking and atchieuing of any imployment because of the freenesse of our minds from all incumbrances the viuacity and cheerefulnesse of the spirits and the vigour and abilities of all our parts by reason of our late rest and therefore let vs consecrate the very prime of it vnto our gracious God who best deserueth our best seruice §. Sect. 2 Of lifting vp our hearts by some short prayer Now this first seruice which we are to offer vnto God consisteth in prayer and meditation which are the two wings of our soules whereby they soare aloft into heauen and there inioy the presence of God The first duty
small difference betweene Meditation and Contemplation yet as the Schooles define it there is some in degree Meditation being an exercise of a lower and meaner nature within the reach of all Christians which will put out their hand vnto it Contemplation more high and heauenly fit only for such as by long exercise haue attained to much perfection That exercised about any spirituall obiect not onely originally in the vnderstanding but also imaginary and brought vnto it by the Ministery of the senses as the creation of the world the death and passion of Christ and such like but this about things chiefly intellectuall sublime and heauenly as the nature and attributes of God the Trinity of persons in Vniâ—â— of essence the ioyes of heauen and others of like nature Finally it is an exercise which of the most is performed with much difficulty because of their weakenesses and want of vse being hindred in their spirituall flight by hauing the waight of earthly cares and distractions as it were hanging at their heeles and the wings of their soules somewhat besmeared with the lime of worldly vanities but this of great Proficients who by much practice haue brought their Art into an habit and are able with ease yea with much pleasure and delight to soare with the Eagle an high pitch in their heauenly thoughts and to spend heerein great part of their time not stooping towards the earth but when they are forced by naturall necessity which being satisfied and their bodies and mindes somewhat refreshed they doe as weary of the earth raise vp their soules and renew their wonted flight §. Sect. 3 Of the efficicient cause or person who is to meditate The efficient cause or person who is to performe this exercise is the Christian onely and the man regenerate for holy things must not bee Hag. 2. 13. touched with prophane hands seeing they doe not sanctifie them but are polluted with their vncleanenesse Neither can they that are dead in sinne doe the actions of the liuing and are so farre from performing this holy duty in any acceptable manner that they are not able so much as to thinke a good thought Neither is it enough that we be once purged from their guilt and punishment in our iustification by the death and bloodshed of Christ applyed by faith or that we be freed from the corruption of sinne in the first acts of our sanctification but seeing wee doe daily renew our sinnes and thereby defile our soules and bodies we must daily clense them by renewing our repentance and not presume to vndertake this holy worke liuing and lying in our spirituall defilements but we must wash our soules as sometimes the Israelites their clothes before we presume to approach vnto this mount of Meditation wherein God hath promised to be seene and to clense the Tables of our hearts with the teares of true contrition before we goe about to haue any holy impressions written in them And seeing sinne like a thicke cloud doth dimme and dazle the eyes of our mindes so as we cannot see holy and heauenly things wee must first dispell them by vnfained repentance before we can receiue any comfort of diuine and heauenly light And being to entertaine our Bridegroome Christ in his spirituall presence into our hearts as it were into our houses and to solace our soules in a more heere communion and familiarity with him we are first to purge them from all noysome defilements which will make our company lothsome vnto him and though wee cannot so sufficiently purifie them that they may bee worthy to entertaine so pure and holy a ghest yet at least in a sincere affection let vs labour to doe the best we can that it may not appeare to be a fault of negligence but of our spirituall pouerty and impotency which disableth vs to giue him any better welcome The formall cause of this exercise is a serious cogitation or intentiue deliberation Neither is this worke of the Lord to be done negligently and slightly letting the reines loose to our cogitations that they may wander whither they list but wee are to intend the whole powers of our mind vnto it and to set them strictly to this holy taske not suffering them to wander abroad whither they please but to apply themselues to that which they haue vndertaken vntill they haue brought their worke vnto some good perfection The subiect-matter of our Meditation is something diuine spirituall and heauenly vnto which our thoughts for the time it lasteth are to be restrained and not suffered to wander after or to intermingle with them any worldly things The finall causes or ends of it are the glory of God and our owne saluation both which are aduanced when as wee handle after an holy manner in our Meditations some such holy and spirituall matter as may tend to the bettering of our iudgements and increase of our inward sanctity by working in our hearts the loue and feare of God zeale and deuotion in his seruice an vtter hatred of sinne and a sincere purpose to please him in all things and to glorifie his Name by performing more carefully and conscionably all the duties of a godly life §. Sect. 4 That Meditation is an exercise which belongeth to all Christians And thus we see generally what Christian Meditation is and the causes of it the which being a singular and effectuall meanes of working in our hearts a great increase of all sauing graces and of strengthening vs to the duties of a godly life is not to be appropriated vnto any one profession or sort of men which were a dangerous Monopolie tending to the inestimable preiudice of the Christian Common-wealth when such a singular commodity as is profitable for all is ingrossed into the hands of some few but is to be laid out in common to all the faithfull who are any way interessed in grace or godlinesse Neither ought any sort or sexe to thinke that they are exempted from this exercise vnlesse they thinke themselues so strong in grace that all meanes of spirituall growth are needlesse or so weake and impotent that they hold them boot lesse seeing such exemption is no prerogatiue but a disfranchisement at least in part of their spirituall freedome and a losse of a singular priuiledge which the Lord in that great Charter of his Couenant made in Christ hath granted vnto them For he hath not onely allowed all the faithfull to haue the Booke of his Law in their hands to reade it or in their mouthes to talke of it but with the finger of his Spirit hath written and ingrauen it in their Jer. 31. 34. hearts that they may continually thinke and meditate vpon it Yea hee hath not onely left it vnto vs as a gracious liberty which we may take and leaue at our pleasure but hath strictly imposed it vpon all his people as a necessary duty These words which I command thee this day shall be in thine Deut 6. 6 8.
though those who are in their youth and prime age be weary faint and vtterly fall yet if being humbled in the sense of our owne weakenesse we doe deny our selues and waite vpon the Lord he will renew Phil. 1. 6. our strength and we shall mount vp with wings as Eagles we shal run and not be weary and walke and not be faint This worke of regeneration is not our own but the Lords who is as able willing to perfect a work as to begin it for not to finish what he hath vndertaken and begun were a signe either of inconstancie or want of power whereas he is immutable and omnipotent according to that of the Prophet Shall I bring to the birth and not Esa 66. 9. cause to bring foorth saith the Lord shall I cause to bring foorth and shut the wombe saith thy God Though then the duties of a godly life seeme vnto vs hard difficult and euen vnpossible yet let not this discourage vs seeing nothing is impossible with God though they bee so farre aboue our abilities Luk. 1. 37. that they also exceed our hopes so as we scarce dare sue and seeke after that power of performance which God requireth and we desire let vs remember that the Lord is able to doe exceeding abundantly aboue all that we aske or Eph. 3. 20. thinke according to the power that worketh in vs. And though we are ready to stumble at euery stone of offence and to sinke in euery tentation let vs goe on cheerfully for all this seeing our God is able to keepe vs from falling and to Iude vers 24. present vs faultlesse before the presence of his glory with exceeding ioy Yea he is ready to preuent vs with his grace and not only to worke in vs as in the Prodigall son some good desires of returning vnto our heauenly Father Luk. 15. that we may serue him but euen when he seeth vs afarre off he will run to meet vs giue vs kind intertainment and feast vs so with a banket of his graces that we shall be inabled with cheerfulnesse to doe his worke And therefore though we find neuer so mighty opposition as soone as we are entred into the course of Christianity yet being assured of Gods presence and assistance let not this dismay vs For if God be with vs who can be against Rom. 8. 31. vs Pharaoh may wel frowne and storme against vs but his ruine shal be our safety The deuill may rage and as it were rend vs with his tentations but out he must come leaue his hold when God commandeth him Though we apprehend the greatnesse and difficulty of the worke and our owne weakenesse and insufficiency to goe thorow with it let not this discourage vs from vndertaking it for the Lord is with vs his grace is all-sufficient and his power is manifested and glorified in our infirmities Though we are weake 2. Cor. 12. 9. Eph. 6. 10 13. in our owne strength and able to doe nothing yet we are strong in the Lord and in the power of his might with the Apostle able to do all things through the power of Christ which strengtheneth vs. Though we through our corruption are prone to fall into any sinne the Lord shall deliuer vs from euery euill 2. Tim. 4. 18. worke and preserue vs vnto his heauenly Kingdome and finally though we are so fettred and gauled with our naturall corruptions that wee can scarce creepe in the wayes of Gods Commandements yet we may resolue to run Psal 119. 32. in them with great agility and swiftnesse when he shall be pleased to inlarge our hearts They saith an ancient Father who resolue to passe from the loue of worldly pleasure vnto an honest and vertuous life finde it at the Cyr. in Hesaiam lib. 4. cap. 55. first a rough and vncouth way which is hardly passable For the sweetnesse of a long settled and confirmed custome opposeth and hindreth them and lothnesse to breake it doth much intoxicate and disturbe their mindes Neither can our carnall affections be easily shunned or subdued nor is the way of vertue plaine and easie to euery one who offereth to run in it But yet God prospering and helping vs forward and smoothing and leuelling these rough and vnpassable wayes a man may easily escape or ouercome the assaults of his owne carnall affections and couragiously mount vnto the top of the hill of vertue §. Sect. 3 That God the Sonne ioyning with vs taketh away all difficulty Secondly God the Sonne ioyning with vs in the duties of a godly life will take away all difficulty and enable vs to performe them with all cheerefulnes and delight For being vnited vnto him by a true and a liuely faith and ingrafted into this blessed fruitfull Vine as liuing branches wee shall receiue such spirituall life and sap of grace from him that we shall bring forth the ripe grapes and pleasant fruits of holinesse and righteousnes Being knit vnto him in this blessed vnion and becomming liuely members of his body wee shall haue communion with him and receiue such vertue and vigour as shall be effectuall not only for our iustification but also for our sanctification From his death Rom. 6. 4. we shall receiue vertue strength for the mortifying of the flesh and the sinfull lusts thereof so as it shall no longer reigne and rule in vs as in former times and from his Resurrection such a quickning power as will enable vs to rise out of the graue of sin and to walke in the waies of holinesse and righteousnesse bringing forth the plentifull fruits of new and true obedience Besides our Sauiour who exhorteth vs to take his yoke vpon vs offreth himselfe to ioyne with vs and to be our yoke-fellow and as the taller and stronger Oxe drawing together with one that is lesse and weaker easeth him of the chiefest part of the burthen so our Sauiour so farre exceeding vs in greatnesse and strength doth free vs from all irkesomnesse and cumbersome tediousnesse of that burthen which he layeth vpon vs by bearing it vp vpon his owne blessed necke and shoulders Neither doth he call vs vnto him to trouble and vex vs but to ease and comfort vs. Not to oppresse vs with a burthen aboue our strength but to lighten vs of the intolerable load of sin by taking it vpon himselfe in stead wherof he layeth vpon vs his sweet and easie yoke of Euangelicall obedience according to that his gracious call and inuitation Come vnto me all yee Matth. 11. 28 29 30. that labour and are heauie loaden and I will ease you take my yoke vpon you and learne of me for I am meeke and lowly in heart and yee shall finde rest vnto your soules for my yoke is easie and my burthen light So that though it be a yoke and burthen yet it needs not dismay vs seeing it is but light and easie in comparison of that
thee In God I haue put my trust I Psal 56. 3 4. will not feare what flesh can doe vnto mee Thus the Church triumpheth ouer all her troubles and remaineth secure in cases of greatest feare in sole confidence of Gods protection God is our refuge and Psal 46. 1 2 3. strength a very present helpe in trouble therefore will wee not feare though the earth be remooued and though the mountaines be carried into the middest of the sea c. And so likewise the Apostle Paul What shall we say then to these things if God bee for vs who can bee against vs who Rom. 8. 31. to 39. shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods Elect it is God that iustifieth who is hee that condemneth c. Who shall separate vs from the loue of Christ shall tribulation or distresse or persecution or famine or nakednesse or perill or sword nay in all these things we are more then Conquerours through him that loued vs and thereupon he concludeth I am perswaded that neither death nor life nor Angels nor principalities nor powers nor things present nor things to come nor height nor depth nor any other creature shall be able to separate vs from the loue of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lord. Yea so solely and wholly doe the faithfull ground their spirituall securitie vpon the Lord that when they excell and abound in wisedome strength and all earthly helpes it is not encreased and when they are depriued of them all it is no whit lessened and abated because the Lord in himselfe is all-mightie and all-sufficient and hath by all these meanes no strength added vnto him nor yet is any whit weakned when all these inferiour comforts and encouragements are taken away And this the Lord requireth of Abraham that hee should be secure in his sole protection Feare not Gen 15. 1. 17. 1. Abraham I am thy shield and thy exceeding great reward And againe I am the almightie God or the God all-sufficient walke before me and be thou vpright And of the Church Feare not thou worme Iacob and yee Esa 41. 14. men of Israel I will helpe thee sayth the Lord and thy Redeemer the holy One of Israel Intimating thus much that though the Church were so sensible of her owne weaknesse that shee was as vnable in her owne strength to resist the malicious rage of her cruell enemies as a seely worme yet shee had cause enough to bee secure and without 2. Cor. 12. 9. feare because the Lord who is all-sufficient and taketh delight to manifest his power in weakenesse had promised his helpe §. 4 That the regenerate onely are the subiect of spirituall securitie Thirdly I say that this Christian securitie followeth our regeneration iustification and peace with God because there is no true securitie to those who are vnregenerate vnder the guilt and obnoxious to the punishment of sinne and who haue God for their enemie who is able and readie euery minute to consume and destroy them There is no sound securitie to those who by hellish charmes haue rocked conscience asleepe which is euery day in danger to be awakened and being rowzed vp will catch them by the throat and hale them to answere for all their crimes at the vnpartiall Barre of Gods fearefull Iudgement In which regards I may conclude with the Prophet that there is no such peace to the wicked for when they are once awakened Esa 57. 20 21. out of this sleepe of carnall securitie they are like the troubled Sea when it cannot rest whose waters cast vp mire and dirt But it is the faithfull only who being truely conuerted from their wicked wayes iustified and reconciled vnto God and hauing peace with him haue also peace of conscience that are capable of this grace of spirituall securitie §. 5 The grounds of spirituall securitie on which it resteth Fourthly I lay downe the grounds of Christian securitie wherevpon it resteth namely knowledge beliefe and remembrance of God and his sauing attributes Wherein it is quite contrarie to carnall securitie which is grounded on the ignorance not beleeuing and forgetfulnesse of them which the greater they are the greater is the carnall mans securitie euen as contrariwise spirituall securitie encreaseth in strength as we doe more and more encrease in the contrarie graces Fiftly I shew what feare spirituall securitie expelleth namely that onely which is carnall and seruile For as for that holy filiall and spirituall feare of God our gratious Father in Iesus Christ it is no way opposite to this Christian securitie yea they are mutuall causes one of another and so the more the one encreaseth the more vigour and strength it ministreth to the other The more happie we find and feele our selues in our secure resting vnder Gods protection the more Nihil potest esse securius quam illi omnia committere qui nouit suis cultoribus congruè profutura praestare Cassian in Psa 72. we feare to displease so gratious a Father vnder the wings of whose prouidence we enioy such sweet securitie and the more wee feare to offend him the more secure wee are in his loue and fauour For as one sayth nothing can be more safe and secure then to commit all things vnto him who knoweth how to giue most fitly all things profitable to those that feare and serue him §. 6 Of the continuance and perpetuitie of spirituall securitie Sixtly I adde the continuance and perpetuitie of the Christians securitie not for a spint alone like carnall securitie till the conscience be awakened with the threatnings of the Law or the smart of Gods seuere Iudgements but in all estates and at all times though not alwayes alike and in the same proportion in his sense and feeling In which respect the Christian findeth it to encrease or diminish as hee thriueth or decayeth in those graces which are the causes which both breed and nourish it and as he is more diligent and carefull or more negligent and remisse in vsing the meanes whereby it is obtained and preserued But when the Christian thriueth in spirituall grace is watchfull ouer all his wayes and endeauoureth in all things to please and serue God and so preserueth inwardly peace with him and peace of conscience then is there no outward thing that can disturbe his peace or depriue him of his spirituall securitie which he hath in the assurance of Gods fauour and protection but he constantly retaineth it at all times and in all estates and enioyeth secure peace in the middest of warres and troubles and a quiet calme in the greatest stormes and tempests of worldly calamities As for example in the time of extremest dangers he is secure and safe as though there were no perill approching so as he can say with Dauid I laid mee downe and slept Psal 3. 5 6. I awaked for the Lord sustained me I will not be afraid for ten thousands of people that haue set
effectuall liuely and full of spirituall sap faith springeth as it were the mayne body of the tree and from it all other vertues and graces like the boughes and branches and the profession and practice of Christianity in good workes and the duties of godlinesse like the leaues and fruits doe proceed and grow For first we know God and his sauing attributes and then by faith we apprehend and beleeue them And vvhen by an effectuall knowledge we conceiue by a liuely faith beleeue them as that Iehouah who is our God is infinite in all perfection omnipotent omniscient omnipresent and all-sufficient most good and gracious most mercifull and true then doe we trust in him loue him and grow zealous of his glory obey and serue him praise and reioyce in him and in all things submit our selues to his good pleasure And so when we know and beleeue the former attributes ioyned with his iustice and hatred of sinne they worke in our hearts the true feare of God humility and awfull reuerence moouing vs to honour and worship him in spirit and truth to imbrace and practise all vertues and holy duties because they are acceptable vnto him and to flye and forsake all vice and wickednesse because they are odious in his sight So that sauing knowledge as the roote doth comprize in it the life and sap of all other graces whereof it is that in the Scriptures it is put for them all and comprehendeth in it alone all Religion and the duties of godlinesse Thus the Lord prohibiteth vs to glory in our wisedome strength and riches but let him that glorieth glory in this that hee Jer. 9. 24. vnderstandeth and knoweth me And our Sauiour telleth vs that This is life eternall to know God and whom hee hath sent Iesus Christ It is the maine Ioh. 17. 3. ground and cause of all true obedience and therefore the Lord before he giueth his Law which hee would haue kept and performed prefixeth a Preface wherein he describeth himselfe that his people might know him I am the Lord thy God which brought thee out of the land of Egypt and out of the house of bondage And Dauid exhorting his sonne Salomon vnto Gods seruice doth first require that he should know him And thou Salomon my sonne know thou the God of thy father and serue him with a perfect heart 1. Chro. 28. 9. and a willing mind Neither will any doe him chearefull seruice till they Heb. 11. 6. know what a mighty and gracious Lord he is and what bountifull wages both of temporall and eternall blessings hee giueth vnto those that faithfully serue him It comprizeth in it the summe of all Gods promises concerning his gifts temporall and spirituall in the couenant of Grace I will put my Law in their inward parts and write it in their hearts c. and Ier. 31. 33 34. they shall all know me from the least of them to the greatest of them saith the Lord. It is the cause of all other vertues for before we know them we cannot so much as desire them as our Sauiour implyeth in his speech to the woman of Samaria If thou knewest the gift of God and who it is that saith to Iohn 4. 10. thee Giue mee drinke thou wouldest haue asked of him and hee would haue giuen thee liuing water More particularly it is the cause of faith for we cannot come vnto him nor beleeue in God till we know him and what hee Heb. 11. 6. is And affiance for as the Psalmist saith They that know thy name will put Psal 9. 10. their trust in thee for thou Lord hast not forsaken them that seeke thee Of our loue of God for we must know how louing and louely he is before we can loue him and as the Apostle saith We loue God because hee loueth vs first And the vsuall speech is There is no loue of that of which there 1. Ioh. 4. 19. is no knowledge To which purpose Augustine saith that we may loue Ignoti nulla cupido Inuisa possumus cupere incognita nequaquam Rom. 10. 15. things vnseene but not vnknowne Of our inuocation and prayer for how shall they call vpon him in whom they haue not beleeued and how shall they beleeue in him of whom they haue not heard It is the cause also of our conuersion vnto God and of turning to him from our sinnes by true repentance For the first grace wrought in vs by the Spirit is illumination whereby our mindes are inlightened with a sight of our misery and our hearts inflamed with a desire to come out of it And to this purpose it is said that the Apostle Paul was sent vnto the Gentiles first to open their Act. 26. 18. eyes and to turne them from darkenesse to light and then to recouer them from the power of Satan vnto God c. In a word by knowledge of God we attaine vnto all grace and peace requisite to life and godlinesse according to that of the Apostle Grace and peace bee multiplied vnto you through the 2. Pet. 1. 2 3. knowledge of God and of Iesus our Lord according as his diuine power hath giuen vnto vs all things that pertaine vnto life and godlinesse through the knowledge of him that hath called vs to glory and vertue So that grace and glory holinesse and happinesse are deriued vnto vs by this sauing knowledge and that in such measure as this knowledge is vnto which we haue attained Heere in this life our knowledge is but begun and so with it our sanctification and glory and that being but in part these are imperfect also but when we haue this knowledge in perfection wee shall be perfect also in righteousnesse and blessednesse and when the dim glasse is remooued and we see God face to face and know as we are knowne then shall we in his presence 1 Cor. 13. 12. haue fulnesse of ioy and pleasures at his right hand for euermore To which purpose Psal 16. 11. 1. Ioh. 3. 2. the Apostle also saith Beloued now are we the sonnes of God and it doth not yet appeare what we shall be but we know that when he shall appeare we shall be like him for we shall see him as he is §. Sect. 3 That ignorance estrangeth vs from God and the life of grace and glory Contrariwise want of this knowledge and ignorance of God and his will maketh vs strangers from God and the Common wealth of Israel and Ier. 31. 33 34. Ioh. 10. 14 4 5. howsoeuer we be the Church yet to be no true members of the Church For God hath promised to all that are in the Couenant of grace that hee will put his Law in their inward parts and write it in their hearts and that they shall all know him from the least of them to the greatest of them And our Sauiour saith that he knoweth all the sheepe of his fold and is knowne of them
no contentment in their greatest abundance but like sweete drinkes encrease thirst and as fuell put into the fire inflame the heate of carnall concupiscence Or if they giue some seeming content in the time of health yet how little pleasure doe we take in them vpon our sicke beds though they haue some taste vnto our carnall appetite in the time of life and strength yet what an after tang leaue they at parting and how little comfort and contentment bring they against the terrours of death and the dreadfull apprehensions of approaching Iudgement §. Sect. 4 The third reason which is taken from the necessity of piety The third reason is taken from the necessity of piety seeing without it wee can haue no assurance of any spirituall benefit neither in this life nor in the life to come For it is the end which God hath proposed vnto Ephe. 1. 4. them all vnto which he most certainely attaineth if we euer attaine vnto them seeing he who is infinite in wisedome and power can neuer faile of his end which he propoundeth to his actions Now the Lord hath chosen vs that we should be holy hee hath redeemed vs out of the hands of all our Luke 1. 74. Col. 1. 22. spirituall enemies that we should worship him in holinesse and righteousnesse all the dayes of our liues We are reconciled by Christ in the body of his flesh through death that hee may present vs holy and vnblameable in Gods sight He hath adopted vs for his children that wee may be holy as he is holy He hath iustified and pardoned all our sinnes that being freed from Leuit. 19. 2. Mat. 5. 45. Rom. 6. 18. sinne wee may become the seruants of righteousnesse And therefore without this holinesse we can haue no assurance that we are elected redeemed reconciled adopted or iustified and consequently that we shall be saued for though it be not the cause of our happinesse yet it is the way that leadeth vnto it in which if we walk not we shal neuer come into that place of blessednes for without holinesse none shall see the Lord as the Apostle teacheth vs. Heb. 12. 14. §. Sect. 5 The fourth reason perswading vs to piety which is the consideration of Gods manifold mercies and of Christs comming to Iudgement Vnto these reasons we may adde the consideration of Gods manifold mercies in Iesus Christ which ought to bee notable inducements to moue vs to the imbracing and practising of piety For what greater incouragement can we haue to make vs zealous and cheerefull in the duties of Gods seruice then to consider how gracious and good God hath beene vnto vs in our creation redemption and continuall preseruation in giuing vnto vs his Sonne and pardoning our sinnes in freeing vs out of the cruell bondage of all our spirituall enemies and in multiplying his blessings vpon vs both in spirituall and corporall things And this argument the Apostle vseth to this purpose I beseech you therefore brethren by the mercies of God that yee present your bodies a liuing sacrifice holy acceptable Rom. 21. 1. to God which is your reasonable seruice And as the fruition of Gods present fauours ought to make vs forward in his seruice so also the consideration of his gracious promises concerning better and more excellent things in time to come euen the full fruition of his glorious presence and eternall blessednesse in his euerlasting Kingdome And this reason also the Apostle vseth to this end Hauing therefore these promises dearely beloued let vs 2. Cor. 7. 1. clense our selues from all filthinesse of the flesh and spirit perfecting our holinesse in the feare of God Finally the consideration of Christs comming to Iudgement should perswade vs vnto holinesse when as the heauens being on fire shall be dissolued and passe away with a noyse the elements melt with feruent heate and the earth with all the workes thereof shall be burnt vp For then onely they shall bee happy who haue beene holy and raigne with God in glory who haue faithfully serued him in holinesse and righteousnesse in the Kingdome of grace And thus the Apostle Peter reasoneth Seeing then saith he that all these things shall be dissolued what manner of persons ought yee to be in all holy conuersation and godlinesse But I shall 2. Pet. 3. 11. haue hereafter occasion to speake more fully of this point when I come to shew the manifold reasons and motiues which may induce and perswade vs vnto a godly life and therefore for the present I will content my selfe thus briefly to haue touched them referring the Reader for his more full satisfaction to the following discourse CAP. III. Of our adhering and cleauing vnto God with the full purpose and resolution of our hearts §. Sect. 1 Of the summe of the first Commandement WE haue spoken of piety which is the summe of the first Table And now it followeth that we speake briefely of the particular precepts the first whereof is contayned in these words Thou shalt haue no other gods before me or before my face The maine scope and summe whereof is this that wee know acknowledge and worship Iehouah the Father Sonne and holy Ghost in Trinity of persons and vnity of Essence and no other gods besides him For to haue God is in our mindes and vnderstandings to know and acknowledge him to bee our God all-sufficient incomprehensible omnipotent immutable eternall iust mercifull and infinite in all perfection in our hearts and affections to adhere and cleane vnto him with faith affiance hope loue zeale whom we know to be the chiefe Goodnesse and supreme cause of all our happinesse in our wills with all earnest desire and constant resolution to serue and obey him in all his Commandements with all the power and faculties of our bodies and soules whom we know and acknowledge to be the chiefe end of all things and so infinitely good gracious vnto vs and with our bodies actions and indeuours to worship and serue him alone with all our might and strength So that the true sauing knowledge of God is the ground of all other vertues and obedience as we haue shewed and therefore if wee would imbrace any vertues or perform any Christian duties of a godly life we must in the first place labour to haue our mindes inlightened with the knowledge of God and his truth without which our deuotion will bee no better then superstition and all our indeuours in the performance of religious duties meere will-worship and idolatry as wee see in the example of the Idolaters who in stead of worshipping the only true God worship stocks stones and Images Saints and Angels and in stead of doing Gods will in their deuotions do their owne wills and therefore tire themselues and spend all their strength in vaine §. Sect. 2 Of adhering to God what it is and the necessity of it But of this knowledge of God which is the maine ground of a godly life wee
to bee performed are either common to all the members of this body which is that they l 2. Sam. 24. 17. Neh. 1. 4. 2. 3. Ier. 9 1. Ps 122. 6 7 8. loue their countrey and preferre in their iudgements desires and indeuours the good of it before the good of all others or of themselues or the speciall duties of superiours and inferiours as the supreme Soueraigne and Magistrates or subiects and people The generall dutie of the former is that as they desire the honour of parents m 1. Pet. 2. 13 14. Gen. 4◠8. Iudg. 5. 7. so to carry themselues in all things as fathers of their countrey and subiects The speciall duty of Soueraigne Princes is the good lawfull and commendable exercise of his soueraigne power especially in making good Lawes and seeing them duly executed in creating and making good Magistrates of State and containing them in their duty in shewing mercy vnto those whom they may lawfully pardon being obnoxious to the rigour of the Law and Iustice towards those who by the Lawes of God and the Common-wealth ought to die In hearing of causes of great importance which respect the good of the Common-wealth and of particular persons especially of high and last appeales in waging warres and concluding peace so as they may be iust profitable and safe for their Countrey In all which hee is to aime chiefly at Gods glory and the good of the Church and Common-wealth Which duties that he may performe he must be qualified and furnished with many excellent vertues as a Deut. 17. 19. piety religion and the true feare of God b Pro. 29. 4. Iustice c Pro. 20. 28. clemency d Deut. 17. 17. Pro. 28. 16. bounty and liberality e Psal 2. 10. wisedome and learning f Ios 1 6. Deut. 31. 23. fortitude and courage g Pro. 30. 4 5. Eccl. 10. 13 14. temperance and sobriety h Deut. 17. 17. Pro. 31. 3. chastity i Deut. 17. 20. Psal 131. 1. Exod. 18. 21. Deut. 1. 13. 16. 19 20. 73. 8. 2. Sam. 18. 3. 21. 17. Lam. 4. 20. 1. Tim. 2. 12. Psal 61. 6 7. 1. Pet. 2. 17. Pro. 24 21. 1. Pet. 2. 13. Rom. 13. 1 5. Rom. 13. 6 7. Mat 17. 27. 22 21. Psal 82. 1. 1. Pet. 2. 13 14. modesty and humility The speciall duty of Magistrates is that in executing of their office they conscionably labour to aduance the glory of God the honour of their Soueraigne and the good of the whole Common-wealth and of all the particular members of it Vnto which these vertues are required in them that they be men of k courage fearing God louers of iustice haters of wrong and all euill faithfull and true free from couetousnesse and haters of bribes and rewards wise and prudent iust and vnpartiall hauing in iudgement no respect of any mans person The speciall duties of subiects towards their Soueraigne are first a singular loue of them approoued by their speciall care of their safety by their high esteeme of them and frequent and feruent prayers for them Secondly to honour and reuerence them as the supreme gouernours vnder Christ ouer all persons and in all causes Thirdly to be obedient and subiect vnto them in all things lawfull and that in the Lord and for conscience sake Fourthly to be seruiceable and helpefull vnto them both with their bodies and states The speciall duties of the people towards their Magistrates are to loue and reuerence them as Gods deputies to submit themselues to their lawfull Commandements and punishments and finally to be thankefull vnto them and ready with all chearefulnesse to allow vnto them such stipends and fees as are due for their maintenance CAP. XII Of the duties required in the sixth Commandement §. Sect. 1 Of the summe of this Commandement And of anger and hatred IN the foure following Commandements are all those common vertues and duties required which concerne all our neighbours in generall and all the contrary vices and sinnes forbidden all which concerne either their person and life or the adiuncts belonging to them as their chastity goods and fame Those vertues and vices which respect the person and life are inioyned or forbidden in the sixth Commandement in these words Thou shalt not kill which hath precedency before the other because the person and life are of greater worth and excellency then the adiuncts that appertaine vnto them The summe whereof is this that wee in all our thoughts words and deedes imbrace all vertues and performe all duties which tend to the good of the person and preseruation of the life both of our neighbours and our selues and flee the contrary vices and sinnes whether they be inward or outward And these are either the rootes and fountaines from whence the rest doe spring and flow as anger and hatred or the fruits and streames which arise and issue from them The first duty commanded is iust anger against the sinnes of our neighbours and our Eph. 46. 26. Mar. 3. 5. selues vnto which is required that it arise from iust causes and be directed to good ends that it be in a lawfull manner and measure and continue a fit and conuenient time And heereunto are required as the meanes of it patience long-suffering and mildnesse goodnesse slownesse to anger and readinesse to forgiue The contrary vice whereof is heere forbidden of which I will not heere speake hauing written largely of it in another Treatise of Anger place The second vertue commanded is an holy hatred of our owne and our neighbours sinnes which is alwayes ioyned with the loue of the persons Leuit. 19. 17 18. Now the fruits of holy and iust anger and hatred are to a Pro. 19. 11. 10. 12. Psal 38. 13 14. passe by an offence b Matth. 6 12 14. 18. 21. Col. 3. 13. Luk. 17. 3 4. Leuit. 19. 8. freely to forgiue wrongs and iniuries and euen to forget them and to requite c Mat 5. 44. good for euill to those who haue wronged vs by d Pro. 25. 21 22. helping and e Psal 35. 13. Act. 7. 60. praying for them and finally to vse all f 1. Pet 3. 8. Gen. 23. 4 6. 24. 19. Act. 27. 3. humanity and courtesie towards all men acquaintance and strangers §. Sect. 2 Of the inward duties and vertues heere required Other more speciall fruits may be distinguished according to the difference of persons towards whom they are referred As first if our neighbours are in prosperity we are not to enuie them if they bee our superiours nor to emulate them being our equals nor to disdaine them being our inferiours but contrariwise g Num. 11 29. Act. 26. 29. wish vnto them all good things which we haue or they want and congratulate their well-fare and communicate with them in our h Rom. 12 15. 1. Cor. 12. 26. reioycing at their happinesse If they
without which we can haue no assurance that wee shall receiue any thing at the hands of God heereby it manifestly appeareth that our prayers also ought to be daily and continuall Thirdly we are daily and continually subiect to innumerable dangers in respect of the euils that may befall vs in our soules bodies and estates and it is God onely watching ouer vs with his prouidence that can both preserue vs from them and deliuer vs out of them the which we cannot expect vnlesse we serue his prouidence by vsing this meanes of prayer whereby onely his gracious helpe and assistance Mat. 7. 7. is obtained and therefore our continuall dangers needing continuall preseruation from them commendeth vnto vs the necessary vse of our daily and continuall prayers Finally the many and mighty enemies of our saluation doe continually assault vs with their tentations that ouercomming they may bring vs to destruction And prayer is the chiefe meanes both of buckling vnto vs the whole Armour of God whereby we are inabled to stand in the euill day and of obtaining the helpe and assistance of his holy Spirit whereby alone we are inabled to ouercome And therfore as we are continually tempted to one sinne or other so must we continually pray for grace to withstand the tentation and as the Apostle speaketh Pray alwayes with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit Ephes 6. 18. watching thereunto with all perseuerance c. CAP. XI Of the daily exercise of Thankesgiuing and how it ought to bee performed §. Sect. 1 What things are required in the duty of thanksgiuing ANd as we are thus to pray daily continually by making our suites and petitions vnto God so also by thankesgiuing returning thankes and praise for all the benefits and blessings which wee receiue at his hands Vnto which duty diuers things are required first that it bee done in the name of Christ according to that of the Apostle By him therefore let vs offer the Ephes 5. 20. Heb. 13. 15. Ro. 1. 8. 7. 25. sacrifice of praise to God continually that is the fruit of our lips giuing thanks to his name Secondly that it be done in a right manner vnto which is required that it be done first not onely in outward profession with the lips but also inwardly with the soule with all the powers and faculties of it according to that of the Psalmist Blesse the Lord O my soule and all that Psal 103. 1. 104. 1. is within me blesse his holy name First in our vnderstanding we are to take notice and rightly to conceiue of Gods benefits not onely in some generality but also of those particular blessings which we daily and continually receiue from him that we may not be vngratefull through ignorance and heedlesnesse but haue thankefull mindes and so as the Psalmist speaketh sing praises with vnderstanding Neither must we onely know Gods Psal 47. 7. benefits and blessings but also acknowledge them to be his free gifts and that he is the principall Author and fountaine of all the good which wee Jam. 1. 17. Habac. 1. 16. either presently inioy or hope for in time to come giuing him the whole glory of his gifts and not attributing them to secondary causes and inferiour meanes which are onely his instruments by which hee conserreth these gifts vpon vs. In our iudgements we must rightly value and highly esteeme of Gods benefits as well when we inioy them as before we had them or when they are taken from vs not extenuating but rather amplisying his gifts to the aduancing of his glory and increasing of our thankfulnesse Psal 16. 6. In our memories we must thankefully retaine the remembrance of Gods manifold mercies and inestimable benefits that wee may continually Deut. 6. 11 12. 8. 14. take occasion thereby to praise him for them esteeming it one of the worst kinds of vngratitude to forget our benefactour or the gifts and blessings which wee haue receiued from him And this God often imposeth vpon his people that they should not forget him nor his blessings and Psal 103. 2. Dauid vpon his owne soule Blesse the Lord O my soule and forget not all his Ps 9. 1. 138. 1. 86. 12. benefits But aboue all we must be thankefull vnto the Lord with all our hearts according to that of Dauid I will praise thee O Lord with my whole Psal 119. 7. heart Or if we faile herein of that perfection which the Law requireth yet at least let vs doe it in vprightnesse and integrity which will be accepted of God in Iesus Christ Vnto which thankfulnesse of the heart is required first that it be done in humility giuing God the whole praise of Psal 115. 1. his owne workes and acknowledging his glory and greatnesse his goodnesse and graciousnesse who dayneth and vouchsafeth of his free grace to respect vs who are dust and ashes base and contemptible sinfull and miserable Gen. 32. 10. 1. Chro. 17. 16. and are so farre off from deseruing the least of his mercies and benefits that we haue iustly merited the greatest of his iudgements and punishments Secondly we must shew our thankfulnesse with all due reuerence in respect of Gods glorious Maiesty acknowledging it to bee a singular priuiledge that so mighty a King and Soueraigne Lord of heauen and earth will receiue any thing at our hands Thirdly wee must performe it with all alacrity and cheerefulnesse reioycing much in that he giueth vs not onely the occasions of this duty but hearts also to doe it in some poore and weake measure §. Sect. 2 That we must giue thankes in all things And after this manner must we shew our thankfulnesse vnto God The obiect of our thanksgiuing or the cause and occasion of giuing thankes 1. Thes 5. 18. Ephes 5. 20. is all things according to that of the Apostle In euery thing giue thankes And againe giuing thankes alwayes for all things vnto God the Father in the name of the Lord Iesus Christ That is we must giue thankes for all good things which are so in their owne nature or which through Gods wisedome power and goodnesse are made so vnto vs for positiue good things as all Gods blessings and benefits both temporall spirituall and eternall or priuatiue when God in his loue and mercy freeth vs from those euils of punishment which our sinnes haue deserued or at least doth not inflict them in that measure and degree which hee might iustly impose vpon vs in which respect the Church in her greatest afflictions Iam. 3. 22. tooke occasion of praysing God and acknowledging his mercies in that they were not vtterly consumed And doth also turne these light and Rom. 8. 28. momentany afflictions to our good as the mortification of our sinnes the inriching of vs with spirituall graces the furthering of our saluation and the increasing of our heauenly ioy and happinesse §. Sect. 3 That we must
by curious-cooked cates and alluring delicacies In which regard the same author saith and Socrates Plutarch de garrulitate long before him that we are to take heede of those meates which allure vs to eate when we are not hungry and of those drinkes which intice vs to drinke when we are not thirsty because like witchcrafts they delude our appetites the deuill the great deuourer of mankind hauing a great hand in them For howsoeuer all things were made for man yet it is not good for him to vse all things nor at all times but the circumstances of time occasion manner and other relations and respects to the things vsed are of great moment to make them profitable or hurtfull Adde heereunto that these dainty cates require much expense of time and trouble both of body and mind in those that prouide them which made Epicurus the Philosopher himselfe who placed mans chiefe felicitie in voluptuous pleasure in teaching rules of diet which might bring with it most delight to appoint notwithstanding vnto his disciples for their ordinary diet herbes rootes fruits and common fare because these were at hand and easily cooked whereas the tedious trouble in prouiding dainty fare is so great that the short delight of fruition will in no sort recompence it And how much more then should we who professe Christianity restraine our appetite from affecting these delicacies euen for conscience sake seeing if not we our selues yet some other for vs which charity maketh much alike doe spend the strength of their minds and bodies in making and cooking these curious prouisions and waste and mis-spend their precious time for the base purchase of these voluptuous pleasures And as they require great labour and expence of time in him that prouideth them so also excessiue cost in him who payeth for them in which respect I appeale vnto their consciences with what comfort they can hope to appeare before their Iudge calling them before his Tribunall to giue vp their accounts when as it shall appeare that they haue consumed so many of his Talents entrusted vnto them in riotous and dainty cheere and haue bestowed so little vpon the poore members of Iesus Christ to supply their necessities and keepe them from famishing Now how little profit doe they purchase vnto themselues at these deare rates If indeed by bestowing treble cost Qui ese is vtuntur vilissimis sunt robustiores saniores generosiore◠vt famuli dominis agricolae possessoribus non solum fortiores sed etiam prudentiores vt Philosophi diuitibus Clem. pa dog l. 2. c. 1. vpon their diet they could but double their strength health and all their abilities both of body and minde and so become twice themselues and as much outstrip other men in these things as they exceede them in these costly curiosities they should haue laid out their moneys vpon a reasonable good purchase but wee see the cleane contrary in daily experience namely that those who ordinarily feede on couerser fare haue good complections and sound temperature and are healthy and lusty strong and vigorous for all manly imployments whereas the other looke pale and thin as though they had but single nourishment by their double cost and are so effeminated in their mindes with luxury and excesse and disabled in their strength that they are more fit for venereall courtings and to combate before a Carpet then for any manlike exercises or martiall atchieuements Yea oftentimes by glutting them with these dainties they fill their bodies with diseases as gowts palsies stone collicke and sicknesses of all sorts from which a more spare diet which commonly accompanieth courser fare would haue priuiledged and exempted them CAP. XXV Of diuers other duties which wee ought to performe at our meales §. Sect. 1 That we ought to be content with our allowance OTher duties there are which at our meales ought to bee performed in which I will be more briefe and sparing because I haue beene larger in the other then I purposed the excesse of diet in these times drawing me on and making me also exceed in prescribing rules of moderation The next duty then which we are to obserue at our meales is that we bee contented with our cheare as being that portion which God in his wise prouidence hath thought fitting for vs and not suffer our mindes to surfet by feeding on idle wishes of better cheere when our sensuall appetites are stinted with ordinary fare and short commons Neither let vs murmure and repine because we haue such meane allowance nor enuie others their full tables much lesse let vs as it is the manner of many nice wantons excuse our too little or too meane fare when euen their owne consciences tell them that they haue too much yea when they are so proud of their cheare that their dispraises serue but as their salt meates to their drinkes to draw on their ghests to giue more commendations Nor yet let vs like the same persons vpon other occasions fret and fume when as our meate is not so curiously cooked as standeth with our nice appetite chafing as much at the small errours of the Cooke as if the good of the Common wealth and our owne safetie and saluation wholly rested on it But let vs that professe Christianity leaue these vanities and learne of the Apostle to be contented 1. Tim 6 6 8. Phil. 4. 12. with such food as sufficeth nature and is fit to preserue our health and strength for if we would but consider how vnworthy wee are of the least part of our prouisions and how farre the smallest of Gods fauours doe exceede our greatest deserts and how many of Gods deare children come farre short of vs in these his blessings and testimonies of his loue we should finde iust cause of turning our murmuring and repining into prayses and thanksgiuings §. Sect. 2 That we may be merry at our meales Thirdly so farre as will stand with Christian grauity and the occasions that shall be offred wee must be merry at our meales for seeing then the Lord conferreth his blessings vpon vs and giueth vnto vs these testimonies of his loue shewing that hee watcheth ouer vs with his prouidence to preserue and nourish vs it is a time of reioycing in the fruition of his fauours And this is one speciall end for which the Lord giueth vs his benefits of meate and drinke that in eating and drinking wee should delight Eccl. 2. 24. our soules in inioying the fruit of our labours and therefore hee hath bestowed vpon man not onely bread and meat to nourish and strengthen him but also wine to make his heart glad and oyle to make him looke with a chearefull countenance Which liberty and comfort of reioycing Psal 104. 15. at their meales the holy Saints of the Primitiue Church tooke vnto themselues and breaking bread from house to house did eate their meate with Act. 2. 46. gladnesse and singlenesse of heart praysing God in
the fruition of his benefits Againe the chiefe end of our eating and drinking is that being thereby refreshed we may be made more fit for the duties of Gods seruice now the body is no more cheared with wholesome meates then the heart and mind with honest mirth and consequently the one is no lesse profitable then the other Neither is it onely necessary for the soule whose refreshing and recreation consisteth in delight but also for the body and preseruing of health and therefore mirth is worthily esteemed one of the chiefe doctors amongst Physicians because if it be seasonable and moderate it cheareth the spirits and so causeth better concoction whereas contrariwise melancholy and lumpish heauinesse damping and dulling them doth turne much of our nourishment into the same humour But yet our care must be that as wee season our meate with mirth so our mirth with the salt of grace that wee may glorifie God in it who is the chiefe cause of our reioycing and mutually profit one another In which regard we must take heede that our liberty burst not out into licenciousnes and that wee doe not make our selues merry with prophane iests by abusing the Scriptures and taking Gods holy name in vaine nor with ribauldrie and scurrilous conceits which tend to the corrupting of maners and the poysoning of our owne hearts and theirs that heare vs nor with biting and bitter gibes and frumps which wound the good name of our neighbour and as much vexe his heart with anger griefe and discontent as wee are delighted with the salty wittinesse of the conceit Finally we must be carefull because here going with the winde and tide we may easily ouer-shoote our selues that wee bee not immoderate in our mirth but keepe our selues within the bounds of sobriety lest our mirth degenerate into phrensie and so iustly incurre the Wise mans censure I said of laughter It is madde in which respect it is fit that wee bee Eccles. 2. 2. carefull to keepe the reines still in our hand that we may checke and curbe in our mirth when it beginneth to gallop lest it giue vs a fall and cause vs to discouer much weakenesse and infirmitie But as the Lord is the cause of our mirth so hee must bee the chiefe end of it and as our reioycing is of and from him so it must bee for him and in him according to that of the Apostle Reioyce in the Lord alwayes and againe I say Phil. 4. 4. Reioyce so that wee may reioyce euen with a double ioy not onely in spirituall but also in ciuill and temporall things if our ioy and mirth be honest and harmelesse witty without the froth of vanity and so ingenuous and charitable that it tend not onely to make our selues merry but to delight them also that beare vs company §. Sect. 3 Of our conferences and discourses at our tables The fourth Christian duty to be done at our meales respecteth our speeches and conferences vnto which is required that they be profitable tending to make vs more holy and religious or more wise and morally vertuous or more liuely and cheerefull vnto the performance of all good duties The first kinde of Colloquies and discourses are chiefly to bee preferred seeing wee must first seeke the Kingdome of God and his righteousnesse Matth. 6. 33. and worldly things in an inferiour place which are incomparably of lesse worth Of which conferences wee may reape more fruit and benefit then of our bodily nourishment seeing that preserueth the outward man onely but these are the spirituall food and repast of the soule which is by much the more excellent part that is but perishing food which corrupteth and wee with it but this food of our soules will indure to life eternall Now because our hearts being barren in good meditations wee cannot easily finde out vpon a sudden fit matter for these discourses and when wee doe are easily put out and drawne vpon euery occasion to fall againe to worldly and idle talke therefore it were good for vs to thinke before-hand on some profitable subiect whereon wee may discourse and conferre or at least that wee doe lay hold on the best opportunities that for the present are offered vnto vs and slightly passing ouer things which are impertinent and vnprofitable as wee doe those meates which doe not please vs pitch vpon that which best maketh for our purpose and make our spirituall meale of it as beeing that wholesome and well-rellishing dish for which putting all the other backe wee haue all the while reserued our stomackes But though these religious conferences at meales bee most profitable yet may wee also lawfully talke of ciuill and morall points yea euen of our owne affaires and ordinary businesse or things some way pertinent to the bettering of our selues or some in our company either for the increasing of our wisedome and prudence or the fitting of vs for action and imployment especially when wee obserue that our company cannot bee easily drawne to entertaine such speech as wholly tendeth to piety and Religion Yet may wee as occasion serueth powder euen these discourses with piety and lying as it were at the spirituall lurch take all good aduantages to insert and interlace into these discourses something profitable for the soule and to bring as much as wee can ciuill premises to pious conclusions Finally it is neither vnprofitable nor vnseasonable if our speeches at our meales doe sometimes tend to the refreshing of our wearied mindes after serious studies with pleasant conceits and honest mirth because though these bee of no great worth in themselues yet they looke to things of more value and serue as helpes and meanes to fit and prepare vs for imployments of an higher nature The which being a thing which wee chiefly ayme at in taking our repast and in refreshing thereby both our mindes and bodies I dare not exclude all pleasant discourse from such meetings for though wee may not make our spirituall meale of such light meates yet may they well serue as sawce to quicken our appetite and though wee may not dwell in such merry conceits yet when our wits are dulled and blunted with more serious discourses wee may vse them as the Israelites did the Philistines forges for our necessity and descend vnto them for a while to sharpen our tooles The which course in our conferences I doe not commend as most excellent in it owne nature for it were to be wished that wee were so spiritually and heauenly-minded that our hearts might be at all times euen rauished with delight when wee are exercised in high and holy meditations and speeches or bringing them to their full effect in our workes and actions but I onely allow it as lawfull and well agreeing and suteable to our present estate full of frailty and infirmitie Vnto which hauing respect I will conclude this point with this one caueat that neither in matters appertaining to Religion nor ciuill wisedome we doe in these
their carriage and gouernement but behaue themselues in all things grauely and with a kinde of Christian Maiesty and authority according to the example of Iob who obserued such grauity in his carriage that when the young men saw him they hid themselues and the aged arose and Iob 29. 8 9. stood vp the Princes refrained talking and laid their hand on their mouth The which as it gaineth authority to gouernours so the contrary leuitie and lightnesse of behauiour doth expose their persons to scorne and their gouernement to neglect and contempt Thirdly there is required that piety iustice and sobriety doe shine in the whole course of their conuersation that so they may become examples vnto their inferiours of an holy righteous and vnblameable life then the which nothing is more powerfull and effectuall to draw inferiours to imitation of those vertues which they obserue in them And therefore Dauid intending a strict reformation of his house beginneth first with himselfe that hee might be an example vnto all the rest and resolueth that he will behaue himselfe wisely in a perfect way and walke within his house with an vpright heart and then that hee will banish out the wicked from his family and entertaine and countenance the religious and faithfull of the land Whereas contrariwise if they take neuer so much paines in teaching them their duties yet if they doe not make their owne liues examples of their rules but run a contrary course in their practice they shall not so much further them in the wayes of godlinesse by their instructions as discourage and hinder them by their bad example Fourthly they must not insult ouer their inferiours with tyrannicall pride and cruelty nor doe all they may by reason of their power and authority to keepe them vnder as base vnderlings out of a fond and false opinion raysing the pitch of their absolutenesse and greatnesse out of their slauish deiection who are vnder their gouernment but they must mixe with their power and authority parent-like loue brotherly humanity and Christian mildnesse and modesty that their inferiours may honour them as fathers as well as feare them like Lords and may yeeld vnto them free cheerefull and voluntary obedience subiecting to their gouernement Rom. 13. 5. not onely their bodies and outward actions but also their hearts wills and inward affections For if the hearts of Kings themselues must not bee lifted vp aboue their brethren then much lesse should the hearts Deut. 17. 20. of inferiour gouernours in families bee thus exalted Fifthly they must gouerne in the Lord as his Vice-gerents and Deputies and chiefly ayme therein at Gods glory remembring that from him they haue all their authority and that they exercise not their owne but the iudgements of the Lord according to the saying of good Iehoshaphat to his Iudges Take 2. Chro. 19. 6. heede what yee doe for ye iudge not for man but for the Lord who is with you in iudgement And this must make them chiefly to aime by their gouernement to containe their inferiours in the duties of piety and righteousnesse that God may be glorified both by themselues and also by all those which are in the family And finally they must make it appeare in all their gouernement that they doe not wholly ayme at their owne particular and priuate profit but also at their ioynt good which is the chiefe cause why the Lord hath made them superiours vnto others not that they may serue their turne of them and looke no further but that they may like the head the members of the body gouerne them for their benefit And this argument the Lord vseth to perswade inferiours to honour their superiours that it might goe well with themselues in the land which the Lord gaue Deut. 5. 16. them And the Apostle mooueth them to doe that which is good vpon the like reason because their gouernours were the Ministers of God to them for good if they did well Rom. 13. 4. §. Sect. 2 Of the iustice loue which are required in gouernement The things required vnto the administration of their gouernement are iustice and loue the which must be tempered the one with the other that loue may moderate and sweeten iustice and iustice may keepe loue vnpartiall and vpright lest our actions sauouring of nothing but iustice seeme rigorous and expose vs to hatred and loue not guided nor backed by iustice degenerate into doting fondnesse and so expose vs to contempt whereas both rightly mixed the one with the other will cause reuerence and obedience The which mixture must bee vsed in all our actions towards all vnder our gouernement although these vertues are to bee exercised diuersly and the one to be more manifested then the other according to occasion time persons and deserts For though we ought to loue all yet those especially who excell in Gods graces and profit most in all religious Christian and ciuill duties and to such our loue must bee most manifested to incourage them to go on in their good courses and to draw others to follow their example The which was Dauids practice as he professeth who though he were indifferently iust towards all his subiects yet his loue exceeded towards the faithfull of the land and those which walked Psal 102. 6. in a perfect way But especially our loue and iustice must appeare in our rewards and chastisements which are the mayne bonds and very sinewes of gouernement We must reward those who deserue well partly by our words commending their good actions which is a great incouragement to well-doing as the Apostle implyeth when hee vseth it as a reason to perswade inferiours to their duty Doe that which is good saith he and thou shalt haue praise of the same the which our Sauiour will vse to Rom. 13. 3. his seruants at the last day Well done good and faithfull seruant thou hast Mat. 25. 23. beene faithfull ouer a few things c. And partly by deeds the which must sauour both of iustice in giuing them their due wages and of loue and bounty by giuing according to our ability gifts to incourage them in their well-deseruing Chastisements also must be vsed towards them who will not otherwise be reclaimed from their faults nor kept in due order either in words only by gentle or more sharpe reproofes according to the quality of the offence or by stripes when nothing else will serue For otherwise we shall offend against God in neglecting being his Deputies to glorifie 1. Sam. 2. 29. him in his Iustice against our selues by becomming accessary to their sins against the parties offending whom we reclaime not but suffer them to go on in their wickednes to their destructions against those of the same family whom by this impunity we incourage to follow their ill example and the whole society which is hereby made obnoxious to Gods Iustice But this correction is only good when it is necessary being like
meanes to be freed from them but as we are to pray that we may not be led into tentation so also that we may be deliuered from euill §. Sect. 3 That we must beare our afflictions with patience and what things are required heereunto And these are the rules which are to bee obserued before afflictions befall vs. In our afflictions the mayne duty to be performed is that we beare them with patience which is that passiue obedience whereby wee submit our selues vnto Gods will with all meekenesse humility and contentation in all estates bearing his fatherly chastisements quietly constantly and willingly till hee deliuer vs and giue vnto vs lawfull meanes to bee freed from our afflictions So that if wee would rightly demeane our selues in the time of our troubles wee must beare them with patience vnto which is required first obedience humility and contentation whereby wee meekely submit our selues vnto Gods good pleasure to bee chastized of him and to beare that crosse which he imposeth saying with Eli It is the 1. Sam. 3. 18. Lord let him doe what seemeth good vnto him and with Dauid Heere I am 2. Sam. 15. 26. let him doe vnto me as it seemeth good in his eyes and with our Sauiour Christ Not as I will but as thou wilt Secondly that we beare our crosse Mat. 26. 39 42. quietly with Dauid not opening our mouthes to murmure and mutter Psal 39. 9. because it is the Lord that hath imposed it and professing with Iob that we will lay our hands vpon our mouthes keepe silence and speake no more And Iob 39. 37. howsoeuer we may and ought to grieue moderately in our afflictions as being the chastizements of our heauenly Father for our sinnes which the Apostle telleth vs we must not despise yet we must labour as much as may Heb. 12. 6. Ier. 5. 3. be to be free from tumultuous passion from repining against Gods prouidence or raging against the inferiour meanes of our afflictions which are but as rods in his hands imitating as neere as wee can the example of our Sauiour Christ who was brought out as a sheepe to the slaughter and as Esa 53. 7. a sheepe before the shearer is dumbe so opened he not his mouth Thirdly there is required constancy whereby wee resolue to beare our burthen so long till God who laid it vpon vs doe put to his helping hand and take it off that is we must not vse vnlawfull meanes to shift it from vs nor murmure against Gods prouidence whilest it lyeth heauy vpon vs but hold out to beare it with all patience till God giue vs lawfull meanes to be eased of it Which that we may doe we must after one assault is past prepare our selues for another and like good Pilots in a storme after wee haue broken many billowes we are not to be secure but still be in readinesse expecting others neuer ceasing our care and diligence till we be safely arriued in the Hauen of rest And this our Sauiour hath warned vs of when hee saith that he who will bee his Disciple must take vp his crosse daily and follow him Luk. 9. 23. And the Apostle Iames would not haue our patience onely to begin well but to haue her perfect worke and lacke nothing Lastly there is required to Iam. 1. 4. this patience that we beare our afflictions willingly and cheerefully not because we can doe no otherwise but with all alacrity and readinesse as Rom. 8. 18 28. 2. Cor. 4. 17. being sent of God who by his wisedome and power can and in respect of his goodnesse and truth will dispose of them for our good And this our cheerefulnesse must shew it selfe in our readinesse to praise and magnifie Gods Name not so much in regard of the afflictions themselues though in respect of that greater measure which our sinnes haue deserued wee haue in our greatest afflictions iust cause to blesse God with Iob Iob 1. 21. and with the Church to acknowledge the mercies of the Lord in that we Ier. 3. 22. are not vtterly consumed as in regard of his wisedome goodnesse and truth whereby he causeth them to worke together for the best and to serue as meanes to further our saluation And this the Apostle Peter requireth that if any man suffer as a Christian he should not be ashamed but glorifie God 1. Pet. 4. 16. on this behalfe The which was practised by Paul and Silas who when they Act. 16. 25. were cast into the dungeon and after they were cruelly whipped put into the stockes bore all with patience and expressed their thankfulnesse by singing of Psalmes Secondly our cheerefulnesse must shew it selfe by our spirituall reioycing and ioy in the holy Ghost not in respect of our afflictions themselues which in their owne nature or as they are fruits of sinne doe iustly bring with them griefe and mourning but in respect of the fruits and benefits which through Gods infinite wisedome and goodnesse they bring vnto vs in this life and the life to come And in this regard our Sauiour willeth his Disciples to reioyce in their persecutions because their reward Mat. 5. 11 12. was great in heauen The which they accordingly performed reioycing when they were beat at the commandement of the Councell because they were thought worthy to suffer rebuke for Christs Name Vnto Act. 5. 41. Rom. 5. 3. 1. Thes 1. 6. which high degrees of patience though wee cannot attaine in any perfection yet must we labour and striue after them and though wee cannot hit the marke of perfection yet we must shoote as neere it as we can being Iam. 1. 5. in the meane time sorry for our wants and infirmities and vsing all good meanes whereby they may be supplied §. Sect. 4 Of the meanes of patience first because God is the Author of all our afflictions Now the chiefe meanes whereby wee may attaine vnto patience in our tribulations are principally two the first is feruent and effectuall prayer Iam. 1. 5. 2. Cor. 13. 4. Rom. 15. 5. Phil. 4. 13. according to that of the Apostle Iames If any of you lacke wisedome that is to beare the crosse of which he there speaketh let him aske it of God which giueth to men liberally reproaching none and it shall be giuen him For it is God alone who doth comfort vs in all our tribulations He is the God of patience and consolation the Father of mercies and God of all comforts by whose wisedome directing vs and power assisting vs we are able to doe all things and preserued from sinking vnder the heauiest afflictions The second helpe and meanes of working patience in afflictions is meditation vpon such reasons as may cause and begin it where it is not and increase it where it is already begun And these concerne either the induring of the crosse or the end and issue The former are simple or comparatiue The simple reasons arise
rest compose our selues to sleepe in such a Christian and holy manner by prayer and meditation that euen as much as may be our imaginations and dreames may retaine some rellish and sauour of our former religious exercises Where by the way wee may note that as the Christian Sabbath is to begin at the dawning of the day because it was instituted in remembrance of Christs Resurrection who was that Sunne of righteousnes who brought light and life vnto vs by performing and finishing that great worke of our Redemption and not ouer-night like the Iewes Sabbath which was ordained to put them in mind of the worke of Creation and the rather because it was fit that there should vpon these diuers reasons be a difference betweene their Sabbath and ours so also it is to continue to the dawning of the next day as wee haue formerly shewed by Pauls example §. Sect. 2 That we must rest from our owne workes on the Lords Day And thus we see the time of the Lords Day how long it is to continue now we are to speake of the duties which ought to be performed in it And these are all comprized in these two things first in obseruing a Rest and secondly in keeping it holy or in sanctifying this Rest vnto Gods seruice The Rest consisteth in the forbearing or not doing of our owne workes but onely in cases of necessity and when the sanctification of the Lords Day requireth them as duties tending to the aduancing of Gods seruice or such workes of mercy and Christian charity as belong to this Day as the study and paines of the Minister the trauell of the people to places of diuine worship visiting and helping of the sicke and distressed confounding of contentions and making peace betweene neighbours feeding and tending of cattell and such like Where by our owne workes I vnderstand all our thoughts words and actions which simply or chiefly tend to our owne profit or pleasure As first the workes of our callings Exod. 31. 15. of all kinds whatsoeuer as all workes of husbandry euen in the time of haruest buying and selling carrying of burthens trauelling and such like Secondly all kinds of recreations which are not necessary for the preseruing of health and life and tend not to the better fitting and inabling of vs for religious duties but to sensuall and carnall delight Of which sort are walking abroad that we may take the ayre or that wee may conferre one with another or meditate on the creatures some bodily exercise in course of physicke to refresh the body and in some cases musicke not onely vocall by singing of Psalmes which is a duty of the Sabbath but also on instruments when as it is vsed not for carnall and sensuall delight but to refresh our spirits and quicken our dull and drowzie hearts and minds that they may with more cheerefulnesse returne vnto the performance of religious and holy duties in which cases there may at some times be the same vse of these recreations so they be in moderation in an holy manner and to these ends which is of physicke meates and drinkes But from all other recreations which tend onely to carnall and sensuall delight we must wholly abstaine first because the Lord expressely forbiddeth vs to doe our owne pleasure on his holy Day and contrariwise commandeth vs to call his Sabbath our delight Esa 58. 13. the holy of the Lord honourable and that we should honour him nor doing our owne wayes nor finding our owne pleasures nor speaking our owne words Secondly because they are our owne workes from all kindes whereof Gods Commandement restraineth vs that wee may bee wholly deuoted to the seruice of God and the meanes which inable vs thereunto yea they may in some sort be called more our owne workes then the workes of our callings because these are more expressely commanded and are ordinarily more necessary and more directly tend to Gods seruice then the other for it is possible to liue and serue God without these recreations but not vnlesse we walke in the duties of our callings And therefore if these bee forbidden on the Lords Day then much more the other which are of lesse vse and necessity Finally because these worldly recreations doe more dangerously and cunningly winde into our hearts steale them away from holy duties and distract vs in Gods seruice then the duties of our callings the workes and labours whereof we doe not loue for themselues but onely as they are meanes of deriuing pleasure or profit vnto vs whereas we loue these sensuall pleasures for themselues and oftentimes so dote vpon them that we neglect our worldly profit yea the seruice of God it selfe and the eternall saluation of our soules that we may inioy them §. Sect. 3 That on the Lords Day we must abstaine from carnall recreations Now if any obiect that to depriue vs of these recreations is to take away all the ioy and comfort of our liues to this I answere that it is an obiection which altogether misbeseemeth a Christian For howsoeuer Infidels and carnall worldlings may reioyce chiefly in them as hauing no greater cause of ioy and comfort yet it ought not to bee so with the faithfull who should chiefly reioyce in the Lord and in the pledges and testimonies of his loue and fauour in their Communion with him who is their Phil. 4. 4. summum bonum and chiefe happinesse and the visible signes of his gracious presence vnto which spirituall ioy Dauid exhorteth Delight thy Psal 37. 4. selfe in the Lord and he shall giue the desires of thine heart Of which he in many places propoundeth himselfe as an example for our imitation Secondly if we be spiritually and not carnally and worldly-minded we may make the Lords Day it selfe our delight as he requireth which if we Esa 58. 13 14. doe then we shall indeed finde sweete delight in the Lord. For what greater delight can there bee to a Christian then to praise God by singing of Psalmes who hath beene so good and gracious vnto vs then to heare the Word whereby God assureth vs of his fauour and of the pardon of our sinnes and receiue the Sacrament whereby it is sealed and assured vnto vs then to feast our soules at this spirituall banket and afterwards meditate on and peruse our spirituall euidences whereby the assurance of heauenly happinesse is conuayed vnto vs then to be assured that wee are redeemed out of the hands of all our spirituall enemies and restored to the glorious liberty of the Sonnes of God then to solace our selues in the sweete society of Christ our Bridegroome in his Banketing-house and to be stayed and comforted with his flagons of wine apples and kinde imbracements Cant. 2. 4 5 6. which spirituall ioyes if we rellish not what doth it but argue a carnall taste and appetite which we ought to bewaile and mortifie and not feede and cherish it with vaine sports and worldly recreations
vnto integrity and sincerity §. Sect. 1 The first meanes is to set God before our eyes and our selues in his presence NOw the meanes hereof are diuers First wee must set God before our eyes and our selues in his presence performing all Ier. 17. 10 11. the duties of his seruice not as those who haue men onely to looke vpon and censure vs who alone behold the outward actions but as in the sight of God who searcheth and tryeth the very secrets of the heart and reines and knoweth whether our hearts be vpright and our actions performed in sincerity and truth or deceitfull and done in hypocrisie not aiming at his glory in obeying his Commandement but at by-respects and worldly ends Herein following the example of Dauid who desiring to walke in the way of Gods Commandements Psal 16. 8. with an vpright heart vsed to set God alwayes before his eyes For carrying our selues in all our conuersation as in Gods presence is the meanes to make vs vpright in all our wayes whereof it is that this phrase of walking with God is vsed to signifie the integrity of Gods seruants in all Gen. 5. 22 24. their conuersation and God himselfe perswading Abraham to vprightnesse Gen. 17. 1. exhorteth him to walke before him as a meanes thereof Walke before me saith he and be vpright So Dauid vseth it as an argument to perswade 1. Chron. 28. 9. Salomon to serue the Lord with a perfect heart and a willing mind because the Lord searcheth all hearts and vnderstandeth all the imaginations of the thoughts And Paul in his preaching shunneth all deceit in handling 2. Cor. 2. 17. Gods Word and vseth all sincerity because he spake as in Gods sight and presence §. Sect. 2 The second meanes is to meditate on the excellency profit and necessity of integrity and sincerity The second meanes is to meditate on the excellency profit and necessity of this sincerity and vprightnesse of heart The excellency heerein appeareth Psal 8 4. 11. in that the Lord so highly esteemeth it that he approueth them as perfect who serue him with this integrity though they bee neuer so full of wants and weaknesses and neglecteth yea seuerely punisheth the most glorious workes of Hypocrites which are done without it It is most profitable seeing God withholdeth nothing from them that walke vprightly for he is vnto them a Sunne and a Shield a Sunne for consolation a Shield for protection a Sunne to giue them life a Shield to defend life giuen a Sunne to make them fruitfull in all good and a Shield to preserue them from all euill and hee will giue vnto them grace in this life and glory and happinesse in the life to come Finally the necessity of this integrity and sincerity hereby is manifest seeing the best graces which are without it are false and counterfait our wisedome diuellish our faith dead our repentance fained our loue worldly and carnall our zeale dissembled our Religion hypocrisie and all the seeming good duties which we performe of no esteeme in Gods sight For if sincerity be wanting our prayers are but lip-labour our preaching a kind of merchandizing for the hire of worldly gaine as the Apostle implyeth our receiuing 2. Cor. 2. 17. the Sacraments no more accepted in vs then in Iudas and Simon Math. 6. 2. Magus our giuing of almes not being done with vpright hearts to please God but to be praised of men shall haue the hypocrites reward that is glory before men and eternall shame before God his Saints and holy Angels §. Sect. 3 The third meanes of integrity and sincerity The third meanes is to consider that nothing shall be wanting vnto vs for protection from dangers or supply of necessaries if we will serue God in sincerity For he is all-sufficient without the helpe of inferiour meanes and a most powerfull and bountifull Master who is both able and willing to reward and protect all such as doe him faithfull seruice so as there is no cause why we should halt betweene him and the world or giue any place to dissimulation and hypocrisie for feare or fauour as though wee could no otherwise escape danger or obtaine things necessary for the supplying of our wants vnlesse we be more carefull to please men then God seeing he is all-sufficient in himselfe to protect and prouide for vs and hath both the hands and hearts of all men at his disposing so as they can neither helpe nor hurt vs but so farre forth as he is pleased to vse them as instruments to serue his prouidence And this argument the Lord vseth to perswade Abraham vnto this sincerity I am God all-sufficient walke before Gen. 17. 1. me and be vpright As though he should say Though thy idolatrous friends forsake thee and thy heathenish enemies oppose thee because thou hast renounced their Idols and wholly deuoted thy selfe to worship me in truth yet let not this discourage thee in thy sincerity seeing I am all-sufficient to reward and defend thee So the Prophet telleth Asa that 2. Chron. 16. 9. there was no cause why he had relyed vpon the King of Syria and not vpon the Lord his God seeing he is mighty and all-sufficient to preserue all those whose heart is perfect towards him §. Sect. 4 The fourth meanes is to watch ouer our hearts The fourth meanes is that we keepe a narrow watch ouer our hearts labouring daily to approue their sincerity vnto God For naturally they Ier. 17. 10. are deceitfull and much hypocrisie and dissimulation lyeth lurking in them In which respect it is necessary that we often examine them with what purpose we performe good actions what causes mooue vs and at what ends we aime And if we finde them worldly and carnall let vs labour to purge them from these corruptions according to that of the Apostle Iames Cleanse your hands ye sinners and purifie your hearts ye double-minded Jam. 4. 8. And when we finde them ready to halt betweene God and the world either for feare or for the getting of some earthly benefit and to start aside from their sincerity we are to call them backe and finding other bonds too weake to binde these fugitiues vnto sincerity in Gods seruice we are to tye them hereunto by solemne couenant according to the example of Asa and Iosiah who thus bound themselues and their subiects 2 Chron. 15. 12. and 34. 31. that with all their hearts and soules they would seeke and serue the Lord. §. Sect. 5 The fifth meanes to meditate on the Day of Iudgement Finally let vs often meditate on the Day of Iudgement when as the secrets of all hearts shall be disclosed and all hidden things brought to Eccles 12. 14. 2. Cor. 5. 10. light and laid open to the view of men and Angels according to that of Ecclesiastes God will bring euery worke into Iudgement with euery secret thing whether it be good or whether it be
our selues that with all our indeuour wee striue to make our best speed §. Sect. 7 That we must performe all good duties with a quiet and peaceable minde The third rule is that we labour to performe all the duties of a godly life with a peaceable and quiet minde which is not disturbed with disheartening Rom. 5. 3. feares or tumultuous passions The which calme quietnesse ariseth from two causes The chiefe and principall is our peace with God and peace of conscience which are effects and fruits of our iustification by faith The which assuring vs of the remission of our sinnes our reconciliation with God victory ouer all the enemies of our saluation and that the Lord so watcheth ouer vs with his prouidence and ruleth vs in all our wayes with his Wisedome and Power that wee shall neuer fall from him and so ouer-ruleth all things which oppose vs that nothing shall be able to hurt or hinder vs and all things shall turne to our good and further our saluation we are made heereby constant cheerfull and couragious in all Christian duties seruing the Lord in holinesse and righteousnesse Luk. 1. 74 75. without feare all the dayes of our liues For then our sinnes and the iudgements of God due vnto them will not terrifie vs the malicious assaults and tentations of our spirituall enemies will not affright and discourage vs afflictions and persecutions for righteousnesse sake and for the profession and practice of Gods true Religion will not daunt and dismay vs but we will in despite of all these oppositions hold on our way and finish our course with ioy Whereas if wee want this inward peace and tranquillity our sinnes will presse vs downe as an heauie burthen and Psal 38. 4. hinder our proceeding in the wayes of godlinesse our consciences will accuse and terrifie vs Satan with his tentations will affright and beate vs downe and outward troubles ioyned with those inward discouragements which we finde in our selues will so vexe and disquiet vs that either wee shall desist in the wayes of godlinesse as despairing to ouercome all these difficulties or else proceed slowly and vnsettledly with much vnconstancy and discomfort The second cause of this inward peace and tranquillity of mind is the subduing and mortifying of our carnall lusts and tumultuous passions as worldly loue fleshly feare rash anger and the rest and the right ordering of all our affections when they are sanctified For where those vnruly passions doe still liue and beare sway they blind the mind that it cannot discerne the right way corrupt and ouer-rule the will that it cannot chuse euen that which the iudgement approueth and so vnsettle vs in all good courses that we can keepe no constant tenour in them but vpon euery slight occasion all our good resolutions are ouerthrowne and we quite turned out of the right way Whereas if these bee subdued and kept as it were vnder hatches the mind being quiet is able to iudge vprightly and the will to imbrace that which holy reason commendeth to its choyce and the worke of piety prospereth and proceedeth without any disturbance And as we are thus to mortifie our carnall lusts so we must rightly order our affections and passions euen after they are sanctified that they may performe their duties in due time and place and like seruants attend vpon holy reason that they may assist it and not as commanders and chiefe agents goe before it For as when a right and due order is obserued in the performing Christian duties reason being inlightened by Gods Word and Spirit first approuing them the will vpon the commendation of reason chusing them and the affections and passions subiecting themselues to the seruice of them both affect and desire them and oppose with all their strength all impediments which hinder their producing into act out of this orderly proceeding as in a well gouerned state wee become constant in all good courses contrariwise when affections beare chiefest sway and are the first mouers vnto Christian duties reason being thrust from his throne and will from the councell table though we may by fits and flashes performe them yet doing them in a disorderly manner not out of sound iudgement rightly informed but out of sudden and vngrounded passions wee can neuer bee constant in any good course but hot and zealous whilest the heat of passion lasteth remisse and indifferent when this feruour abateth and stone-cold when it ceaseth And this is the true cause why so many who haue beene zealous professours in their youth become luke-warme when they come to riper yeeres and wholly cold and negligent worldly and profane in their old age because their Religion and deuotion was but a flash of youthfull passion and not well-grounded vpon sanctified reason and a sound and settled iudgement conuinced by the euidence of truth and rightly informed by the Word of God And therefore seeing the first beginnings were disorderly and confused it is no maruell if the proceedings be vnsettled and vnconstant and hauing laid so vnstable and vnsure a foundation it is no great wonder if the whole building in short time become ruinous §. Sect. 8 That all our duties must arise from the fundamentall graces of a godly life The fourth rule is that all the duties of a godly life doe not only arise and spring from those inward and fundamentall graces sauing knowledge a liuely faith purity of heart a good conscience and feruent loue as I haue already shewed at large in the beginning of this Treatise but also that they be ioyned and accompanied with other Christian and internall vertues and principally Christian prudence zeale and humility without which they cannot be acceptable vnto God Christian prudence is most necessary to the well performing of all good duties because it guideth and directeth vs in all particular actions that they may bee done aright both in respect of the matter and the manner the substance and circumstances of which if we faile or of any one of them our workes otherwise commendable doe lose all their grace and excellency For though they be neuer so good in the matter yet if they be done in an ill manner and though for their substance they seeme neuer so glorious yet if we faile in the circumstances not obseruing due time place or persons that which is generally good in the Thesi and Theory ceaseth to bee so in the Hypothesi and in respect of the particular act as it is done by vs neither can we safely passe thorow all these narrow straits and difficult passages vnlesse Christian prudence sit at the Helme and direct vs in all our courses Besides this prudence is necessary for the guiding and tempering of our zeale which is a good Souldier in the Christian warfare but an ill Commander as being fit for execution but not to giue directions and if it be not vnder the conduct of prudence it becommeth blind and preposterous rash and wilfull like a headstrong
that wee fit our burthen to our strength so as we may be able to performe them in sincerity and truth yea with cheerfulnesse and delight and not oppresse our selues with an vnsupportable waight by taking vpon vs more then we are able to beare In which respect many offend especially young professours who being children in Christ and indued but with a small measure of the gifts and graces of Gods Spirit doe seeke to match and exceed those who are come to a ripe age and to a great measure of perfection in all outward duties of Religion and a godly life As for example because these being indued with a great measure of knowledge and grace besides excellent gifts of nature and both much helped and perfected with long practice and experience are able according to all occasions to conceiue prayers and to continue in them with perseuerance powring foorth their soules with great freedome and liberty of speech and spirit words comming at will and not being any stop in inuenting of them vnto their deuotion and feruency of affection but like streames from the fountaine flow freely and kindly from them therefore they also wanting knowledge and the spirit of supplication in any good measure doe notwithstanding tye themselues to the same taske and not onely contemning all formes impose a necessity vpon thēselues of conceiuing all their prayers vpon the sudden but also of continuing and holding out as long a time in this exercise as those that haue been longest practised in it Vpon which it must necessarily follow that their deuotion and affection must bee much cooled and distracted when as the powers of their soule are taken vp wholly with inuention of words and matter and that through ignorance and want of gifts many things will be impertinent the same things often repeated because new matter commeth not to mind many imperfect and scarce sensible speeches without any order or coherence vttered to make vp the breach where knowledge inuention and memory haue failed them Others seeing some great proficients in godlinesse and long exercised in mortification strict in their courses denying the world with all vnlavvfull pleasures subduing their flesh vvith moderate fasting and abstinence and such like spirituall exercises they also though but newly entred into the profession of Religion will not onely labour to imitate but exceed and goe beyond them though not in invvard truth and spirituall duty yet at least in bodily exercise and outvvard shevv If they abstaine from vnlavvfull pleasures these vvill restraine themselues of those vvhich are lavvfull If they be moderate in their honest recreations these vvill not vse any at all If they subdue the flesh vvith fasting that they may be more fit for prayer and other parts of Gods seruice these vvill pine their bodies and so impaire their health and strength that they are made vnfit to performe any Christian duties vvith any cheerfulnesse If they auoyd immoderate mirth carnall ioy and scurrilous iests these vvill scarce admit a smile and place much of their Religion in continuall mourning in a sorrowfull and deiected countenance and in an austere carriage of themselues in all companies not knowing that as there is a time for mourning so also for reioycing that Christian ioy beseemeth none but Christians seeing they Psal 33. 1. Phil. 4. 4. onely haue interest and right in the causes of it and that wee may yea ought to reioyce in the Lord with a double ioy Finally they content not themselues to match in these outward shewes and bodily exercises those who farre excell them in inward graces nor to ouertake those who haue set out long before them in the race of Christianity vnlesse they quite outstrip them and leaue them farre behind The which must needs proceed either from spirituall pride which maketh them ouerweene their gifts and to thinke their strength fit for the hardest taske or from hypocrisie which maketh them to supply in outward shewes what is wanting in inward substance or at best from blind zeale which transporteth them beyond themselues and their abilities in a flash of passion But if we meane to hold on a constant course in Christianity we must auoyd this practice and being truly humbled in the sight and sense of our owne frailty and weaknesse let vs so begin as wee may continue and hold out to the end with daily increase in all grace and goodnesse Let vs so bee carefull to tame the flesh with due and seasonable seuerity as that we do not impaire our health disable our bodies to the seruice of God nor depriue our soules of all comfort whereby they are made cheerfull in all Christian duties Let our zeale carry vs as farre and fast as it wil but let it not ouer-carry vs beyond all bounds of spirituall wisedome and discretion Let vs not rashly vndertake a taske before we haue examined our strength whether it bee sufficient for it and ere we cast the burthen vpon our shoulders let vs poyze and waigh it that we may know whether wee shall be able to continue vnder it without fainting till we come to the end of our iourney Finally let vs so labour to bring our outward man to conformity in bodily exercises and externall duties with those which are greatest proficients in Christianity as that wee doe not forget to spend our greatest paines and strength in mortifying our sinfull lusts as pride couetousnes rash anger malice enuie vncharitablenesse and the rest and not onely to adorne our soules inwardly with all sanctifying graces loue humility patience zeale and such like but also to approue the truth and sincerity of them by our workes of piety righteousnesse and mercy towards the afflicted members of Iesus Christ For to neglect these and to bee strict in outward shewes and bodily exercises is as it were to bestow much cost vpon the outside of the house and to let the inside lye full of rubbish to decke the body and neglect the soule and life of Religion which consisteth chiefly in inward graces and the practice of them in the maine duties of holinesse and righteousnesse to esteeme the shell more then the kernell Math. 23. Quid prodest quod affligis corpus tuum quando nihil proficit cor tuum Ieiunare rigitare mores non corrigere Euseb Emissen ad Monach. Hom. 4 and to make our selues as our Sauiour compareth such like vnto painted sepulchers which are outwardly trimmed and gorgeously gilded and painted but within full of rottennesse and putrifaction What doth it profit saith one that thou afflictst thy body when as thine hart is neuer the better To fast and watch and not to mend thy manners is as if a man should bestow great paines without the Vineyard in weeding and manuring but leaue the Vineyard it selfe neglected and vnhusbanded and fit for nothing but to bring forth thornes and thistles §. Sect. 4 That we must exercise our selues in the duties of a godly life according to the measure of
delight in vs. Secondly we must heare it not as the word of man but as it is the Word of God by which wee shall one day bee iustified or condemned Thirdly wee must hunger after the sincere milke of Gods 2 Cor. 5. 20. Luk. 10. 16. 1. Pet. 2. 1 2. Word without the mixture of humane traditions carnall eloquence and worldly wisedome that we may grow vp thereby Fourthly wee are to heare with all attention hauing our eyes fastened vpon the Teacher and hanging vpon his lips as the child vpon the mothers brest like the hearers Luk. 4 20. and 19. 48. Nehem. 8. 3. Act. 20. 7. of our Sauiour Christ to which end wee must carefully banish all worldly cogitations and wandring thoughts and also all drowzinesse and sleepinesse seeing we would not so heare our equals and much lesse our superiours Fifthly we must heare with alacrity and cheerfulnesse and shake off all dulnesse and carnall wearinesse which makes no part of the Sermon pleasing but the conclusion onely Sixthly wee must heare with all due reuerence the Word as being the Word of God and not of man as from him and before him in whose presence the hils and mountaines shake and tremble Seuenthly with all humility submitting our selues vnto it as vnto the Scepter of Gods Kingdome to bee ruled and directed instructed and reproued by it and not rebell against Gods holy ordinance and repine and rage against our Teachers when they touch our consciences to the quicke and sharpely reproâ—e vs for our sinnes Lastly we must heare the Word with faith and a good conscience giuing credit Heb. 4. 2. vnto all the parts of it as well threatnings as promises and applying all to our owne vse with an earnest desire to profit by it and to lay it vp in the closet of our hearts that we may not be forgetfull hearers and like leaking Heb. 2. 1. and riuen vessels that will hold nothing §. Sect. 3 Of duties to be performed after the hearing of the Word After the hearing of the Word two duties are to be performed The first is that publikely in the Church we ioyne with the Minister in giuing praise and thankes vnto God for his mercy towards vs in feeding our soules with the bread of life and for the liberty he hath giuen vs to come in peace and safety into his holy Assemblies to heare vs speake vnto him in our prayers and to speake vnto vs by his Minister and Ambassadour and that priuately at home at least in some short manner wee renew our thankesgiuing and desire the Lord to write that which we haue heard in our hearts by the finger of his Spirit and to make it effectuall for the inriching of our hearts with sauing grace and the strengthening of vs to all holy duties And if our memory ability and gifts will serue it is profitable for vs and acceptable to God if we can frame our prayer according to that which we haue heard confessing those sinnes which haue been reproued bewailing those wants which haue been discouered desiring those graces which haue been commended vnto vs or praising God if we already haue them and desiring grace and spirituall strength that we may performe those duties vnto which wee haue been perswaded and exhorted The second duty is that we lay vp that which we haue heard in our hearts and memories that we may practise them in our liues For as it is not enough to haue good seed sowne in our grounds if wee doe not couer it that it may take root but let the fowles of heauen take it away nor to feed vpon wholesome meate vnlesse we retaine it in our stomackes that it may be digested and like good nourishment applied to all the parts of the body so it will little auaile vs to heare many Sermons and neuer thinke more of them after we are gone out of the Church and to receiue this spirituall food with greedy appetites if we keepe it not but presently cast it vp againe out of hearts surfetted with worldly cares and clogged and cloyed with the grosse humours of our sinfull lusts The which as I am perswaded is one chiefe cause why the most euen amongst diligent hearers haue after so long inioying the light of the Gospell so little profited either in knowledge or holy practice namely because they haue been so carelesse in keeping what they haue heard and haue put this spiritual treasure into broken bags and this precious liquor into riuen vessels Now the meanes to retaine and imprint the things which we haue heard in our hearts and memories is first to loue regard and set our hearts vpon them for euen old men as we say who are weakest in memory doe yet retaine those things which they most affect The second is that wee heare the Word with diligent attention obseruing the method of the Teacher and how he proceedeth from poynt to poynt fastening the former poynt in our mindes by casting our eye backe vnto it when as hee is leauing of it and proceeding to another For as it is not possible that the fault of the first concoction should be amended in the second seeing euery part and faculty is wholly taken vp about its owne proper worke so is it no more possible that we should remember that which wee neuer minded or that the memory should bring forth that which the vnderstanding neglected to lay vp by due attention and obseruation And therefore the Apostle telleth vs that we ought to giue the more earnest heed to the things wee heare Heb. 2. 1. lest at any time we should let them slip Thirdly this may make vs rub our memories and make vs carefull to imprint in them the things which wee heare if we consider that our diligent hearing of the Word will not make vs happy vnlesse we also retaine it in our memories and practise it in our liues for so the Apostle Iames saith that if we looke into the perfect Law of Iam. 1. 25. liberty and continue therein being not forgetfull hearers but doers of the worke we shall be blessed in our deed And the Apostle Paul limiteth the promise of saluation made vnto the preaching and hearing of the Word to the condition of retaining it in our memories I declare saith hee vnto you the 1. Cor. 15. 1 2. Gospell which I preached and ye receiued by which also ye are saued if you keepe in memory that which I preached vnto you Fourthly wee must vnto our hearing adde meditation which is a notable meanes of imprinting it in our hearts and memories Fifthly wee must conferre with others that they may helpe vs where we are wanting and we them where they haue failed Sixthly Gouernours of families may helpe themselues and those which are committed to their charge for the better vnderstanding and remembring of what they haue heard by repeating the chiefe poynts of the Sermon after they are come home by strength of their memory or
of saluation Psal 116. 12. 150. 2. and praise him who is so worthy to be praised Praise him in his noble acts praise him according to his excellent greatnesse Praise him in his power and truth praise him for all his grace and goodnesse Blesse and magnifie him for all his former benefits and his Christ through whom they are all conferred vpon thee And especially as by present occasion thou art bound for that he hath giuen vnto thee the grace of repentance and renewed and increased it by this present exercise graciously assisting and inabling thee by his holy Spirit to bring it to good issue Praise therefore the Lord O my soule Psal 103. 1. and all that is within me praise his holy Name And now with these praises offer and recommend thy selfe into the hands of thy gracious God and faithfull Sauiour who is all-sufficient to keepe thee vnto the end and in the end Thou art not worthy worthlesse soule his receiuing and owning but so much the rather offer thy selfe vnto him who is able to make thee worthy Deuote and consecrate thy selfe wholly vnto his seruice and resolue to glorifie and please him in all things for the time to come And because thy resolutions are weake thy power small and thy best indeuours full of imperfections make thy seruice as acceptable as thou canst by offering thine heart with it and doing all that thou canst doe willingly and cheerfully Desire the assistance of his good Spirit to direct and guide rule and ouer-rule thee in all thy thoughts and desires words and workes that they may in some measure answere vnto thy resolutions and bee pleasing and acceptable in his sight Especially desire his helpe that the practice of thy repentance may be suteable to thy Meditations in the whole course of thy life that more and more sorrowing for thy sinnes thou mayest haue daily more cause to reioyce in the assurance of his loue and thine owne saluation and that turning from them and returning to thy God thou mayest more and more glorifie him by bringing forth better and more fruits of new obedience And now returne vnto thy rest O my soule for the Lord hath dealt bountifully with thee Repose thy selfe securely vnder the shaddow of Psal 116. 7. his wings who is able to defend thee and to cause thee in the midst of garboyles and desperate dangers to dvvell in safety God is thy refuge and Psal 4. 8. strength a very present helpe in trouble He hath made thee to heare ioy and gladnesse that the bones which he had broken might reioyce Thou didst sow in teares Psal 46. 1. but he hath caused thee to reape in ioy Thou didst goe forth weeping bearing Psal 126. 5 6. precious seed but thou art come againe reioycing bringing thy sheaues with thee Blesse therefore the Lord all his workes in all places of his dominion Blesse the Psal 103. 22. Lord O my soule CAP. XXIII Of the third priuate meanes of a godly life which is consideration and examination of our estate §. Sect. 1 How consideration and examination differ THe third priuate meanes of a godly life is consideration and examination both which are in truth but branches of Meditation Yea the former if we take it in the largest extent differeth little or nothing from it seeing we may be said either to meditate or consider of any thing when we thorowly and deliberately ponder and waigh it in our mindes with all the circumstances belonging to it But heere we will take it in a more strict sense as it pondreth those things which neerely concerne our estate and so it is much like vnto examination although if we speake properly and distinctly there is some difference betweene them For consideration is yet as we heere handle it more generall extending to all things that concerne vs past present and to come but examination properly meddleth not with things to come but searcheth out those things which are past or present bringing them to be tryed by the rule according to which wee doe examine them whether they bee true or false good or euill Consideration waigheth and deliberateth before-hand what wee are about to doe and whether it be lawfull or vnlawfull expedient or vnnecessary profitable or to our losse and accordingly mooueth vs either to doe it or to leaue it vndone But in examination we consider of that which is done already whether it be well or euill done wisely and to our good or vnaduisedly and to our hurt If the former were thorowly performed the latter would not be much necessary vnlesse it were to reuiew our good actions as God did the workes of creation that we might approue them and reioyce in the conscience of our well-doing But because we often faile in it and doe things rashly and without due aduice therefore wee are necessarily to vse the latter and to examine what before wee considered not our after-wit being better then our fore-wit that so we may reforme what is amisse and returne into the right way out of which wee haue erred Yet because I would not make this already long Treatise ouer-tedious to the Reader but chiefly because many points and proofes are coincident belonging to them both I will not diuide them in my Discourse but handle them together and the rather because I haue already spoken of the generalities of consideration in which it chiefly differeth from this other of examination in the former tract of Meditation §. Sect. 2 Of examination what it is and wherein it consisteth This examination or consideration is nothing else but a serious waighing and pondring of those things which neerely concerne vs in our spirituall estate or the diligent searching and triall of our estates how they stand between God and vs in matters concerning his glory and our owne saluation The which examination is held after a solemne manner in the Court of Conscience and in Gods presence wee sitting as Iudges vpon our selues to giue sentence according to the Law of God and the euidence of our owne consciences either with or against our selues concerning those things which we haue done or left vndone good or euill In which triall by helpe of memory and conscience our Register and Witnesse we reuiew and take a suruey of all that wee haue done in the flesh of all our parts and faculties of soule and body examining how we haue imployed them to the glory of him that gaue them our vnderstandings in knowing and acknowledging him our memories in remembring him our hearts and affections in adhering and cleauing vnto him by louing fearing trusting in him and so in the rest Of all our thoughts also words and actions how wee haue by them glorified or dishonoured God Of all our course and carriage in our whole life and conuersation and how wee haue therein answered the end of our Creation and Redemption which was to glorifie him who hath made and saued vs. More especially wee may
greatnesse and hainousnesse and maketh vs know whilst we search our sores to the bottome that they are so deepe and dangerous that they need present cure and the soueraigne salue of Christs Blood which seemed so slight whilst they were skinned ouer with colourable excuses that we thought there was no haste of the cure that euery Lord haue mercy vpon vs or shallow broken sigh was sufficient to heale them It worketh our hearts to a true hatred of them when vpon iust triall wee see their vglinesse and deformity their horrible pollution and noysome sent For howsoeuer whilst these filthy channels were vnstirred they did little trouble vs with any ill sauour yet when wee rake in these stinking puddles they make vs abhorre them and shew by their noysomnesse how much they need clensing Yea it will make vs to loath our selues for our sinnes sake and thus abhorring our selues to repent with Iob in dust and ashes according to that of the Prophet Then shall yee Iob 42 6. Ezek. 36. 31. remember your owne euill wayes and your doings that were not good and shall loath your selues in your owne sight for your iniquities and abominations And as it thus humbleth and prepareth our hearts for repentance so is it a most effectuall meanes to worke it in vs. And this Salomon intimateth where hee saith that if the Israelites hauing sinned should bethinke themselues and repent nothing that they must consider their euill wayes before 1. King 8. 47. they could repent of them And our Sauiour first requireth that the Church of Ephesus should remember from whence shee was falne and then Apoc. 2. 5. that she should repent and doe her first workes of loue Thus the lamenting Church remembring her sinnes and afflictions which they had brought Lam. 3. 19 20. vpon her was humbled and repented By reason whereof it furthereth much the worke of sanctification and helpeth to purge out of vs the relikes of our sinfull corruptions For this frequent examination will not suffer sin to sleepe with vs nor to haue any time to fortifie it selfe against vs but assone as it is entred it discouereth this enemie and will not suffer it to lay against our soules any secret ambushments It nourisheth in vs the true feare of God and maketh vs carefull to auoyd his displeasure It pulleth vs backe being ready to fall into sinne when we consider the miscries which attend vpon it and from relapsing into our old diseases when we remember with what danger and difficulty we did escape them It keepeth our hearts and consciences pure and peaceable whilst by the frequent vse of it they are preserued from the pollution of sinne or quickly purged when they are defiled It nourisheth Gods graces in vs and maketh vs constant in the wayes of godlinesse It helpeth vs much in aspiring towards perfection whilst by often reuiewing of our works we see their defects and indeuour to amend them Finally it preserueth vs from receiuing any hurt by Gods temporary Iudgements for if we would iudge our selues he would not 1. Cor. 11. 32. iudge vs and maketh vs comfortably and with ioy expect the comming of the Lord to the last Iudgement when as wee hereby keepe euen our accounts and are prepared to render a reckoning when he calleth for it §. Sect. 3 That this exercise of Meditation is very necessary The necessity of this exercise doth likewise appeare because the neglect of it depriueth vs of all the former benefits But more especially as repentance is necessary vnto saluation so this examination must necessarily goe before repentance For first we must by examination come to the knowledge of our sinnes before we can either bewaile or turne from them Whereof it is that our Sauiour calleth sinners onely to repentance that is Mat. 9. 13. such as know and acknowledge themselues to be in this number And Ieremy willeth the backsliding Israelites first to acknowledge their iniquities Ier. 3. 13 14. and then to repent of them and to turne vnto the Lord. And Dauid saith that he thought on his wayes and then turned his feete vnto Gods Testimonies Psal 119. 59. So the Lord saith of the Iewes that they should remember their wayes and be Ezek. 16. 61. ashamed And putteth consideration before repentance as a cause and meanes of it Because saith he he considereth and turneth away from all his 18. 28. transgressions implying that he could not haue turned vnlesse he had first considered of his sinnes from which hee turned And this as one excellently M. Dyke of repentance obserueth is implyed euen in nature where there is the same instrument of seeing and weeping to shew vnto vs that weeping depends vpon seeing He that sees well weepes well He that sees his sinnes thorowly will bewaile them heartily And this want of consideration the Prophet noteth to haue beene the cause why Ephraim would not turne vnto the Lord that he might heale them They consider not saith he in their hearts Hos 7. 1 2. that I remember all their wickednesse And the Prophet Ieremy noteth this to haue beene the cause of the Iewes impenitency because no man so much as demanded What haue I done Neither in truth is there any one greater Ier. 8. 6. cause why men in our owne dayes goe on in their sinnes without repentance then want of due consideration what they are doing namely treasuring Rom. 2. 5. vp against themselues wrath against the day of wrath and as it were heaping vp a pile of wood for their owne burning Neither were it possible that they should rush into all sinne like the horse into the battell if they would but examine whither they are a going and into what desperate dangers of death and destruction they plunge themselues by continuing in their wicked courses Againe without often and strict examination it is not possible for vs to finde out or auoyd the deceitfull wiles of our owne sinfull hearts seeing they are so deepe that without much searching Ier. 17. 10. wee cannot sound them to the bottome Whereof it is that the Wiseman counselleth vs that we should aboue all other obseruations looke Pro. 4. 23. to our hearts And the Apostle exhorteth vs to take speciall heed lest there should be in vs an heart of vnbeliefe in departing from the liuing God Moreouer Heb. 3. 12. Deut. 11. 16. without this diligent search whereby wee come to a sight of our wants we would flatter our selues in our weake and fraile estate as though nothing needed reformation and pleasing our selues in our owne imperfections we would neuer labour and striue after more perfection For we are naturally so full of pride and selfe-loue that as Salomon speaketh Euery Pro. 21. 2. way of a man seemeth right in his owne eyes And therefore our Sauiour exhorteth vs to take heed that the light which is in vs be not darkenesse that is Luk. 11. 35. that
our seeming wisedome be not foolishnesse and that wee mistake not the stained cloth of our imperfect obedience for the pure white linnen of perfect sanctity and so grosly abuse our selues for if a man thinketh Gal. 6. 3. himselfe to be something when he is nothing he is deceiued and coozeneth himselfe of his owne saluation With which deceit it is easie to be ouertaken with proud Iusticiaries by reason of our selfe-love if wee doe not often and seriously examine our selues according to the perfect rule of Gods Law and in this cleere Looking-glasse behold our blemishes and the manifold wants and imperfections of our best actions Furthermore the necessity of this examination heereby appeareth in that the neglect thereof is the cause of all sinne For what is the reason why men rush headlong into all manner of grosse and notorious wickednesse Why they blaspheme Gods holy Name for no worldly aduantage but vpon meere vanity Why they displease God and disable themselues vnto all duties of his seruice by surfetting and drunkennesse without any gaine yea to the discredit of their persons and ruining of their estates Why they commit filthinesse and vncleannesse thereby weakning their bodies and shortning their liues and why they continue in these and many such sinnes with impenitency and hardnesse of heart Surely not so much through the ignorance of their mindes or because their iudgements are not conuinced that these are grieuous sinnes which for the present draw Gods fearefull plagues vpon them and will heereafter be punished with euerlasting death For they heare these things daily sounding in their eares in the Ministery of the Word and see fearefull examples and presidents continually of them in others who haue liued in the like wickednesse But because though they haue sight and knowledge yet they haue no vse of it the deuill hauing so hud-winkt and blind folded the eyes of their minde that they neuer examine their state nor consider with themselues what they doe whither they are a going nor what will be the issue and end of these things And so like hooded Hawkes are carried quietly by the deuill into all wicked courses which leade them to destruction §. Sect. 4 The former point prooued by the Scriptures Esa 1. 3. And this is manifest by the Scriptures which in many places shew that men commit many of their sinnes and liue in them without repentance because they examine not their estate nor enter into due consideration what they doe Thus it is said that the cause of the Israelites vngratitude and rebellion against God was because they did not consider either Gods goodnesse and bounty nor their owne wickednesse and the manifold euils which thereby they brought vpon themselues That the cause why many of them followed drunkennesse and sported themselues in this sinne with all sensuall delight was because they regarded not the worke of Esa 5. 11 12. the Lord neither considered the operation of his hands That they forsooke the Lord and worshipped stockes and stones the works of their owne hands Esa 44. 19. because none considered in their hearts the vanity of Idols and that themselues had made them of the same tree wherof they had burned a part and conuerted other parts of it to other vses That the cause of Babylons insolency pride wherby they tyrānized ouer Gods people was because they did not cōsider that God had made them only scourges rods to correct his people which hauing done he would cast thē into the fire which things Esa 47. 7. 57. 11. they did not lay to heart nor remember the latter end namely their destructiō and the deliuerance of Gods people And as neglect of this consideration is the cause of sinne so also it exposeth vs to fearefull punishments for if we will not iudge our selues we shall be iudged of the Lord if we forget his Iudgements and neuer thinke of them hee will rub our memories and helpe vs to recouer our lost wits by whipping vs like Bedlems and making vs sensible by smart who were insensible of reason Thus the Lord saith that the whole Land was made desolate because no man laid it to Ier. 12. 11. heart And thus he threatneth the Israelites that because they did not remember and consider his former mercies and their owne sinnes and vnworthinesse therefore he would recompence their wayes vpon their head and Ezek. 16. 43. make them to know him by his Iudgements when as his mercies would not make them acknowledge him Lastly this may shew vs how necessary this examination is seeing it must of necessity bee done either in this world or the world to come For all shall render a reckoning of all that they haue done in the flesh and therefore if wee doe not examine and iudge our selues heere God will examine and condemne vs heereafter If we doe not call our selues to account in this life when as finding our selues short in our reckonings we haue time to sue through the Mediation of Christ for the pardon of our debts and to procure a generall acquittance and discharge we shal be accountant to Gods Iustice at the day of Iudgement when the Day of grace and saluation being past there will bee no place for procuring of pardon but being much indebted and hauing nothing to pay we shall be cast into the prison of outer darkenesse without hope of mercy or deliuerance from that endlesse misery Which fearefull Iudgement and condemnation if we would auoyd let vs heere whilst the Day of saluation lasteth examine iudge and condemne our selues that wee may turne from our sinnes by vnfained repentance and so hauing Christ to be both our Aduocate and Iudge we shall then escape Gods seuere and strict Iudgement seeing he will answere for vs and our examination and iudgement being already dispatched in this life nothing shall then remaine but that he our Iudge should pronounce the sentence of absolution and enter vs into the full fruition of that heauenly happinesse and euerlasting ioyes of his Kingdome which by his death and merits he hath purchased for vs. CAP. XXV Of the fourth priuate meanes of a godly life which is walking daily with God §. Sect. 1 That we are alwayes in Gods presence THe fourth priuate meanes of a godly life is with Enoch to walke with God that is to set our selues in his presence alwayes Gen. 5. 22. remembring that he is with vs hearing all our words and beholding all our actions yea euen the very secret thoughts of our hearts And that not as an idle spectatour but as a righteous Iudge who is both able and willing to reward vs bountifully if wee doe well and to punish vs seuerely if wee doe euill Wherein wee haue holy Dauid for our example who professeth that hee Psal 16. 8. did set the Lord alwayes before him Which that wee may imitate let our iudgements first be thorowly informed in this truth that howsoeuer God keepeth his chiefe
our sinnes and the Iudgements of God due vnto them testifying our repentance for them and our vnworthinesse of his least mercies by resting from all bodily labour in the day of our fast and wholly abstaining from our food and all other comforts and delights of this life so farre foorth as it will stand with necessity of nature charity and comelinesse and much more by forsaking all our sinnes and doing the workes of piety and charity that by this renewing of our humiliation and repentance wee may increase the feruency of our prayers and strengthen our faith in this assurance that they shall be graciously heard and granted vnto vs. In which description this religious fast being principally intended as an exercise of repentance by which it is increased and as a helpe to our prayers that they may bee more feruent is sufficiently distinguished from all other kinds of fasts As first from the fast of necessity for want of sustenance or appetite to it seeing this is voluntary and at our free choyce Secondly from that ordinary abstinence whereby wee temperately soberly and sparingly feed vpon Gods creatures for the satisfying of nature and not the pleasing of our carnall lusts and appetite which is most commendable as being of common and daily vse and the other onely to be vsed vpon extraordinary occasions seeing in this fast we restraine our selues but in respect of some part of our food whereas that whereof wee intreate is a totall abstinence for the time both from all food and the most of our worldly comforts Thirdly from a physicall fast which is prescribed and vsed for the cleansing of the stomake and body from ill humours and the preseruing or recouering of our health and from a politique fast appoynted by the Magistrate for ciuill ends and the good of the Common-wealth seeing this is a religious fast which aimeth onely at such ends as are spirituall and tend to the health and welfare of our soules Lastly from a morall fast which is vndertaken by those which are single and vnmarried for the preseruing of their chastity and keeping their bodies from being defiled with filthy lusts seeing this is no solemne or extraordinary action but to be commonly put in practice so oft as wee finde it necessary and seeing also it aymeth at a farre other end then this of which I heere speake namely the preseruing of chastity Whereas the end of the religious fast is by humiliation and prayer to obtaine some speciall suites at Gods hands §. Sect. 2 That the duty of fâ—â—â—ing is not ceremoniall but â—eâ—â—iâ—ed Gospel as well as the Law Againe whereas I call it a religious act I imply hereby that God is the Author of it and requireth it at our hands seeing he hath restrained vs in all duties appertaining vnto his seruice that we worship him according to his reuealed will and not according to our owne inuentions Neither are we to esteeme it as a part of the ceremoniall Law which is abrogated by Christ for howsoeuer there were many rites about it of this nature which now are some of them abolished and some out of vse as renting of their garments wearing of sackcloth sitting in ashes and couering their heads therewith and such like yet in respect of the maine substance which is the humbling of the soule before God by all good meanes that we may testifie our repentance and be made more feruent in our prayers Ioel. 2. 12 13 14 Esa 58. 5 6 7 c. 2. Chro 20. 3. as it was required of them more especially then the outward rites and ceremonies in the time of the Law so is it no lesse commended vnto vs vnder the Gospel to be religiously obserued vpon all extraordinary occasions For our Sauiour Christ purposely teacheth vs the right manner Mat. 6. 16. 17. 21. how iâ— ought to bee done commendeth the efficacie of it being ioyned with prayer a Luk 5 31 35. and sheweth that howsoeuer his Disciples vsed it not whilest he was with them because it was vnseasonable for the children of the Bride chamber to fast the Bridegroome being with them yet they should performe it when he was taken from them And thus it was accordingly practised by the seruants of God not on certain dayes set times but vpon great and extraordinary occasions not only in the time of the Law as by b 2 Chro. 20. 3. Iehosaphat and his people by c Dan. â— 3 â—0 2. 3. Daniel d 〈…〉 21. Ezra and the children of the captiuity by e 〈…〉 18 19. Queene Hester her maids Mordecay and all the whole people of the Iewes but in the New Testament also by the f 〈…〉 14. Disciples of Iohn the Baptist g 〈…〉 2 3. and by the Church when they set apart Paul and Barnabas By h Luk. 2. â—9 Hannah the Prophetesse and i Act. 10. 30. Cornelius who it seemeth frequently vsed this exercise and not onely vpon extraordinary occasions that by the helpe thereof their prayers might be more seruent and effectuall to preuaile with God though it may bee not in that solemne manner and with that deepe humiliation as is ioyned with this whereof we speake For this is to bee performed not ordinarily and so oft as wee pray but vpon extraordinary occasions as the Apostle implyeth where he inioyneth married persons not to defraud one another vnlesse by consent 1. Cor. 7. 4. for a time that they might giue themselues to fasting and prayer seeing he must needs be vnderstood of extraordinary fasting prayer vpon vnusuall and waighty occasions because ordinary prayer is to be vsed by them euery day together without any necessity of such separation So our Sauiour telling vs that the time of fasting is a time of mourning implyeth that it is vnseasonable but when we are occasioned to mourne vpon some speciall and waighty cause for otherwise ordinarily Christians are to reioyce in the Lord as the Psalmist and the Apostle exhort and Psal 33. 1. Phil. 4. 4. Esa 22. 12. not to mourne after this extraordinary manner till God calleth them vnto it Finally it is euident that this fasting ought not to be ordinary seeing it is a Sabbath of humiliation wherein we are bound to rest from all our ordinary labours and duties of our callings in which we are ordinarily to spend our time §. Sect. 3 The causes of a true fast and when it is most seasonable The cause which should mooue vs to performe this duty of fasting is that we may by more feruent and effectuall prayer obtaine at Gods hands some great and extraordinary benefit either priuatiue or positiue Priuatiue as freedome and deliuerance from some dangerous euill either of sinne or punishment In respect of the former when we or our Country in which we liue are guilty of some grieuous sinne and other meanes ordinarily vsed haue not beene effectuall to pull vs out of it or when some strong
corruption doth yet lye vnmortified in vs and preuaileth against vs notwithstanding our many purposes and promises to subdue and root it out then is this exercise seasonable that humbling our selues in an extraordinary manner wee may with all feruency desire the assistance of Gods holy Spirit for the healing of our selues and the Land by turning vs vnto God and for pulling vs out of these preuailing and raigning sins through serious and sound repentance for the subduing of our corruptions that they may no more leade vs captiue vnto sinne and bringing of them in subiection to the spirituall part And thus Paul in the sight and sense of his sinnes especially that haynous wickednesse in persecuting the Saints of God in his first conuersion is said to haue fasted three dayes Act. 9. 9 11. And Ezra with the people humbled themselues by fasting before the Ezr. 9. 3 6. 10. 6. Neh. 9. 1 2. Lord because they had grieuously sinned by taking strange wines the which raigned and swayed so powerfully amongst them that the authority of the Magistrates and preaching of the Prophets was not for a good while sufficient to pull them out of it The euill of punishment is also a sufficient motiue to make vs humble our selues before God by fasting and prayer and that either when some heauy iudgement is threatned and imminent that we may auert it or already imposed that we may bee deliuered out of it whether it bee priuate and concerne our owne person and family or publike respecting either the Church or Common-wealth Concerning the first when the heauy Iudgements of God are but threatned and ready to light vpon vs then the Lord especially calleth vs to fasting and mourning that vnfainedly repenting of our sinnes Esa 22. 12. which are the causes the iudgement which is the effect may cease and be auerted And then this exercise is most seasonable and profitable because the sentence is more easily stayed then reuoked and the malefactour with lesse suite acquitted or pardoned then the execution put off after he once hath his doome besides that it is a greater benefit and much more safe and sweet to be kept from the fire then to be pulled out like fire-brands that are halfe burned and much more pleasing vnto God seeing he attaineth vnto the end of his threatnings which is not to punish for hee delighteth Ezek. 33. 12. Micah 7. 18. not in the smart of his children whom he correcteth but that by mature and seasonable repentance we may escape and so his mercy may be magnified in the forgiuenesse of our sinnes An example whereof we haue in Iehosaphat who by humbling himselfe by fasting and prayer escaped the inuasion of his many and mighty enemies and in the Nineuites who at Ionas preaching repenting of their sinnes were spared and preserued from that imminent destruction which was threatned against them Neither are Gods threatnings absolute but to be vnderstood with Ier. 18. 7 8. the condition of repentance namely that the punishment denounced shall be inflicted if we goe on in our sinnes but auerted if wee humble our selues before God and so leaue and forsake our sinnes But if wee haue neglected this duty till the Iudgement haue already seazed vpon vs then our best course is to doe it rather late then neuer and to labour by our sound humiliation to haue our sinnes first pardoned and then to haue the punishment remooued which we haue had no care to preuent Whether it bee a priuate iudgement inflicted on our selues as sickenesse pouerty losses disgraces and such like or publike lying vpon the Church and Common-wealth wherein wee haue our part and share either in our owne persons or by sympathy and compassion as being fellow-members Iudg. 2. 4 5. 3. 9. Dan. 9. 3. Ios 7. 6. Ioel 1 14. 2. 12 15. of the same body as the sword captiuity pestilence famine and the rest So likewise this exercise is profitable when wee addresse our selues vnto God as humble suters for the obtaining of some speciall and important benefit which is no lesse necessary for the good estate of our selues or others then hard and vnlikely to bee obtained or atchieued by any meanes of our owne deuizing And thus it is fit that wee should humble our selues before God by fasting and prayer when wee vndertake any waighty businesse either for our selues or the good of the Church and Common-wealth vpon which occasion Ezra Nehemiah and Hester Ezr. 8. 21. Nehem. 1. 4 13. Hest. 4. 16. Act. 13. 3. fasted and the Church when they sent foorth Barnabas and Paul about that great worke the conuersion of the Gentiles But especially wee haue iust cause of thus humbling our selues when we finde some great defect in any of Gods sauing graces and would labour earnestly with God by Prayer that it may bee supplied when wee finde our selues exceeding weake in faith and desire to haue it increased and strengthened when we feele our hearts hardned through the deceitfulnesse of sinne so as we cannot repent and would haue them suppled and softened that they may resolue and melt in vnfained sorrow for our sinnes when wee finde our affiance in God so feeble that it is ready to faint and faile in euery small triall or when we perceiue want of gifts and abilities in our selues for the well performing of the duties of Christianity or of our callings and would be suters to him who is the Fountaine and Author of euery good Iam. 1. 5 17. and perfect gift that hee will inable vs at least with competency and sufficiency of such gifts as are necessary for the discharge of our duty with comfort to our selues and profit to others but especially so as Gods glory may receiue no damage or detriment §. Sect. 4 The ends of a true fast And these are the causes which may moue vs to fasting The ends at which we must chiefely ayme in this action are of two sorts The first and principall is the glory of God which wee then most magnifie when we vilifie and abase our selues acknowledging our great vnworthinesse of his least mercies and extolling his grace goodnesse in that he doth not inflict vpon vs those fearefull Iudgements which our sinnes haue deserued In which respect it is quite contrary to the nature of a true Fast if we propound this as the maine end of it that we may satisfie Gods Iustice and merit by it at Gods hand the pardon of any of our sinnes or the ioyes in heauen in any part or degree For such a Fast is fit for none but Pharisees and proud Iusticiaries who would rob God of the glory of his free grace and mercie and our Sauiour Christ of the all-sufficiencie of his merits and satisfaction that they may in some part arrogate it vnto themselues by hauing some share in the praise of their iustification and saluation And they who thus fast the Lord may iustly charge them as he did the
doe that which is good exercising our selues in all Christian duties both towards God and our neighbours both in the day of our fast and afterwards In respect of that present time we must with extraordinary care and diligence exercise our selues in all good workes and principally in the duties of piety and of Gods seruice as prayer hearing and reading of Gods Word holy conferences and meditation the subiect matter whereof may fitly bee repentance of which I haue before spoken all which according to the occasion are to be performed with more then ordinary zeale and deuotion And these duties of piety towards God we must approoue to be sincere and without hypocrisie by our workes of iustice and righteousnesse mercy and compassion towards our neighbours For in the day of our fast the Lord specially requireth that we should execute iudgement and shew mercy and Zach. 7. 9. Esa 58. 6. compassion euery man to his brother that we should loose the bands of wickednes vndoe the heauie burthen let the oppressed goe free and breake euery yoke For therefore as one saith we restraine our minds from desiring meate that Idcirco à varijs ciborum desiderijs mentem retrahunt vt totam eius vim occupent in cupiditaâ—e virtutum c. Hieron ad Celantiam we may exercise their whole force in coueting after vertues And so our flesh will lesse feele the paine of abstinence when it hungreth after righteousnesse But especially we must in this day exercise our charity in the workes of mercy and in relieuing the poore To which vses wee must at least spend so much as we spare from our selues and our families by our fast or else we giue iust cause of suspition that wee fast more out of miserablenesse then deuotion being content to fast that all our seruants may beare vs company and so by emptying their and our owne bellies to adde something towards the filling of our bags And this the Lord specially requireth in the day of our fast namely that we should deale our bread to Esa 58. 7 10. the hungry and bring the poore that are cast out into our house that when wee see the naked we should clothe him and that we hide not our selues from our owne flesh that we should draw out our soules to the hungry and satisfie the afflicted soule Which duties if we neglect we may be iustly charged that wee fast rather with the Iewes to our selues then vnto the Lord hauing more regard Math. 6. to our profit then to piety or charity As therfore our Sauior hath ioyned these three together in his doctrine so must wee after the example of good Cornelius conioyne them in our practice for our fasting will bee Act. 10. Misericordia pietas ieiunij sunt alae c. Chrysost in serm de ieiun eleemos maimed and of no worth if it be seuered from either of them Mercy saith one and piety are the wings of fasting by which it mounteth aloft into heauen and without which it lyeth and walloweth vpon the earth Fasting without mercy is but a picture of hunger and image of holinesse Without piety fasting is but an occasion of couetousnesse for what is spared from the body is put into the bag Hee that fasteth not to the poores aduantage lyeth vnto God and he who when he fasteth doth not bestow his dinner vpon the poore but layeth it vp in store doth plainly shew that he fasteth for couetousnesse and not for Christs sake c. And these are the workes wherein we must exercise our selues in the day of our fast which must not end when it endeth but be continued in some good measure for euer after For as we must then resolue that we will in the whole course of our liues afterwards be more carefull and conscionable in all our wayes and more earnest and diligent in performing all good duties vnto God our neighbours and our selues so if wee would approoue our purpose to be sincere we must indeuour accordingly to put it in practice and vse all good meanes which may inable vs heereunto Where for a conclusion of this discourse of fasting we may obserue that if it be vsed aright and as God requireth it must needs be a singular good helpe to the leading of a godly life seeing nothing more humbleth vs in the sight and sense of our sinnes and spirituall wants nor doth make vs more hunger after grace with a vehement appetite nor doth make vs more feruent and earnest in our prayers for the obtaining spirituall strength to serue God and to withstand the tentations of all our spirituall enemies nor finally that more exerciseth and increaseth our repentance our sorrow for our sinnes past and purpose of amendment for the time to come by seruing God with more zeale and diligence in all Christian duties of piety and holinesse in his owne worship in the workes of righteousnesse and mercy towards our brethren of temperance and sobriety in respect of our owne persons CAP. XXXVI Of the arguments and reasons which may moue vs to leade a godly life and first such as respect Gods nature workes and loue towards vs. §. Sect. 1 The first sort of reasons taken from Gods nature and attributes HItherto we haue intreated of the reall and practicall meanes whereby we may be inabled to leade a godly life And now it followeth that we propound some reasons and arguments which may effectually perswade vs both to vse these meanes and also to performe all the duties of holinesse and righteousnesse vnto which by these meanes we are inabled seeing it would little auaile vs to haue all the helpes of godlinesse vnlesse we haue also hearts to vse them And because the reasons which might bee produced to this purpose are innumerable seeing there is scarce any part of Gods Word or workes either of Creation or Gouernment which doth not yeeld some motiue vnto godlinesse therefore passing by the most which might be alleaged it shall suffice as briefly as I can to touch some of the chiefe and principall all which I will reduce vnto three heads either as they respect God our neighbours or our selues The arguments of the first sort either respect God himselfe his nature and attributes both generally considered and as he exerciseth them towards vs or that duty which we are bound to performe vnto him Concerning the former there cannot be any more forcible reasons alleaged for the perswading of vs to serue God in duties of a godly life then a thorow consideration of Gods nature and attributes For first he is the onely true God Iehouah the most absolute Being who hauing his Essence in and from himselfe giueth being to all things and therefore to be serued by all creatures and especially by vs seeing in him we liue moue and haue our being He is God infinite Act. 17. 28. in all perfection and therefore ought in all things according to his nature to be serued with absolute and
hands because being created wee haue Act. 17. 28. Psal 104. 28. no power to subsist of our selues but wholy depend vpon God for the continuance of vs in our life and good estate for as the Apostle saith In him we liue moue and haue our being so that if he withdraw his assisting power we perish and returne vnto our dust By his all-ruling prouidence we are euery day in the yeere euery houre in the day and euery minute and moment in the houre preserued from innumerable dangers which otherwise would seaze vpon vs from the assaults of our many and mighty enemies and especially of that roring and deuouring 1. Pet. 5. 8. Lyon who is alwaies ready to destroy vs if wee were not preserued vnder the wings of the Almighty from his rage and malice By it wee are gouerned and directed in all our waies so as we cannot stirre a foote nor moue a hand nor open our eyes or eares nor speake a word if wee had not strength from him By it all the creatures become seruiceable vnto vs and worke together for our good which otherwise would bee our bane From God wee haue all the benefits which we inioy the Sunne which giueth vs light and vitall heate the ayre which wee breathe the earth which sustaineth vs the meate which feedeth vs the apparell which couereth our nakednesse and keepeth vs warme our health and wealth our peace plenty and prosperity and all other blessings fit both for necessity and for our comfort and delight And not onely the things themselues but all their vertue and vigour whereby they become profitable to those ends for which we vse them doe come from him and doe as meanes and instruments serue his Prouidence for the deriuing of all good vnto vs himselfe still remayning the chiefe and principall cause which worketh by them or can deriue vnto vs all things needefull without them if they bee wanting For it is he who feedeth vs by our meate by our clothes keepeth vs warme by our friends doth comfort and relieue vs for which vses they would be vneffectuall yea produce the cleane contrary effects if they had not from his blessing their power and efficacy Now to what end O man dost thou receiue daily at the hands of God such innumerable blessings but that thou shouldest acknowledge him the Author of them and praise him for all the good which he doth vnto thee Why doth hee preserue thy life but that thou shouldest liue to his glory Why doth hee make all his creatures in heauen and earth seruiceable vnto thee but that thou shouldest hereby be moued with more cheerefulnesse to serue him who hath created both them and thee Why doth he preserue thee from dangers and protect thee from enemies and deliuer thee out of troubles and afflictions but that thou shouldest glorify and serue him without feare in Psal 50. 15 Luke 1. 74 75. holinesse and righteousnesse all the dayes of thy life Why doth he giue the light of the Sunne but that thou shouldest shun the workes of darkenesse and serue him in the duties of thy calling Why doth he let thee breathe the ayre but that thou shouldst spend this breath in speaking singing to his praise Finally why doth hee feed and clothe thee and giue vnto thee those manifold blessings which thou inioyest but that by this rich wages hee may incourage thee to doe him faithfull and cheerful seruice which if thou neglectest and mis-spendest all the rich gifts which thou hast receiued to the dishonour of him that giueth them in the seruice of sinne and Satan and in satisfying of thine own carnall and sensuall lusts what dost thou hereby but bewray thine horrible ingratitude towards such a gracious and bountifull Lord and Master What dost thou but alienate his loue from thee and prouoking his wrath against thee mooue him in his iust displeasure to withdraw his gifts from thee which thou abusest or let thee inioy them in his anger to thy greater hurt leauing them with thee as testimonies to conuince thee of thy shamefull vngratitude and as talents lent vnto thee which when thou hast mis-spent to the dishonour of thy Lord or not imployed them in his seruice will but prepare for thee a fearefull account at the terrible Day of Gods last Iudgement CAP. XXXVII Two other reasons mouing vs vnto a godly life The first taken from Christ giuen vnto vs by his Father the other from the Couenant of grace made in him §. Sect. 1 Of the inestimable gift of Iesus Christ which should moue vs to loue and serue God THe fourth mayne benefit which God hath giuen vnto vs is his onely begotten and dearely beloued Sonne Iesus Christ to be our Head and Sauiour in whom we were elected by whom we were to be saued redeemed For being falne in Adam who was the head and roote of all mankinde and not onely partakers of the guilt and punishment of his sin but also of the corruption of nature deriued from him whereby we were disabled to all good and made prone vnto all euill it would not stand with Gods Iustice to elect or saue vs till it were fully satisfied and wee freed from this sinfull condition Which being a worke impossible to men and Angels in respect of that infinite price which was to bee payd God of his free grace and loue ordained and appointed in his eternall Counsell his Sonne to be our Sauiour and Redeemer and to this end to take our nature vpon him that hee might be vnto his elect the second Adam and the Head of his Church in whom he chose them to life and saluation which the first Adam lost both for himselfe and all his posterity For howsoeuer the free loue and meere grace and good will of God be the supreme and highest cause of our election and saluation and Christ in respect of it but a meanes or subordinate cause of working that for vs which Gods loue had first decreed neither was Christ the cause that moued God to loue vs John 3. 16. with this first loue and free grace but this loue the cause which moued God to giue his Sonne vnto vs to be our Sauiour and Redeemer yet may it be truely said that wee could no otherwise be elected then in Christ as our Head and the roote of all our righteousnesse that iustice and mercy meeting together God might be glorified in them both although we be not elected for him but of Gods absolute will and free grace which moued him to giue vs his Sonne and all other good which wee receiue by him And this the Apostle plainely affirmeth that God hath chosen vs in him before the foundation of the world and that he hath predestinated vs to the adoption of children by Iesus Christ Ephe. 1. 4 5. vnto himselfe according to the good pleasure of his will to the praise of the glory of his grace wherein he hath made vs accepted in his Beloued
Apostle perswadeth Christians in diuers callings to performe their duties in them that they might not cause the Word of God to be blasphemed 1. Tim. 6. 1. Tit. 2. 5. seeing it is the common custome of worldly and wicked men to to lay the faults of Professours vpon their profession and to impute their scandalous sinnes to their much going to Church and hearing of the Word as though their profession and hearing were the cause of their wicked and vnlawfull courses whereas in truth they would if they abused them not bee as strong cables to draw them from all impiety and vnrighteous dealing And contrariwise he would haue them to liue in an holy conuersation that they might adorne the doctrine Tit. 2. 10. of God our Sauiour in all things For men are apt to speake of the Religion and truth which wee professe either in the better or worser part according to the fruits which we bring forth of it in our liues thinking our Religion to bee pure and good if we approue our selues to bee so by our holy and Christian practice and conuersation but contrariwise if like those of whom the Apostle speaketh wee haue onely a forme of Godlinesse and in our liues deny the power there of or professe 2. Tim. 3. 5. that we know God but in our workes disclaime him being abominable and Tit. 1. 16. disobedient and vnto euery good worke reprobate wee shall open their mouthes not onely against vs but also against all Professours of Gods true Religion yea euen against the Religion and Doctrine of truth it selfe which we professe For if euer Dauid himselfe fall into foule sinnes it will not onely tend to his owne dishonour but also giue occasion to the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme as though he were 2. Sam. 12. 14. a patrone or approuer of such crimes §. Sect. 5 The 1. reason that we may auoid giuing of offence And so much of those reasons which respect God The second sort respect our neighbours from whom also wee may draw diuers arguments 1. Cor. 10. 32. to perswade vs to an holy conuersation And first because we shall being vnblameable auoid giuing vnto them any iust offence eitherby laying stumbling blockes in their way whereby they should be hindred from the professing of the true Religion when as they are able to take exceptions to the liues of Professours or if they bee religious bee grieued in their righteous soules when they see our liues full of blots and blemishes or make the weake fall by our ill 2. Pet. 2. 7 8. example The which we must carefully auoid because our Sauiour Matth. 18. 7. pronounceth a fearefull woe against those by whom such offences come and contrariwise labour with the Apostle to exercise our selues Acts 24. 16. dayly in this that wee may haue alwaies a conscience void of offence towards God and towards men Secondly we may be moued to the practice The second reason of al holy duties of a godly life that we may gaine those that are without to Christ to imbrace that true Religion which we professe For if we haue our conuersation honest among the Gentiles they seeing our good 1. Pet. 2. 12. workes will glorifie God in the day of their visitation And this argument the Apostle Peter vseth to perswade wiues vnto their dutie that they which 1. Pet. 3. 1. obeied not the Word might without the Word be won with their Christiā conuersation The which so much preuailed with the Apostle Paul that he vtterly denied himselfe and his owne will and became all things to all men that he might gaine some to Christ and was content to please all 1. Cor. 9. 19 22. Chap. 10. 33. men in all things not seeking his owne profit but the profit of many that they might bee saued And how much more then should we with all willingnesse walke in such a course of holinesse and righteousnesse which in gayning others will profit our selues and not onely saue them by gayning them to Christ through our good example but assure our selues also of our saluation Finally wee may be perswaded vnto all The third reason holy and Christian duties because they so much tend to the good and profit of our brethren who are in the same holy communion with vs. First because by the light of our godly liues we shall moue them together with vs to glorifie our heauenly Father who is the Author Matth 5. 16. and Fountaine of all good things which they see in vs. Secondly because we shall edifie them by our good example and moue them to imitate those good things they shall see in vs and by our communion and fellowship with them like kindled coales on the same heape wee shall inflame their zeale and by an holy emulation make them striue to match vs in their Christian duties as the Apostle sheweth in the example of the Corinthians whose zeale in Christian beneficence 2. Cor. 9. 2. had as hee saith prouoked many And thus hee perswadeth Timothy to bee an example vnto beleeuers in word in conuersation in charity 1. Tim. 4. 12. in spirit in saith in puritie And exhorteth vs all to consider one Heb. 10. 24. another to prouoke vnto loue and to good workes To which purpose nothing can bee more effectuall then good examples when as we see those duties constantly performed by our brethren with much comfort and delight which wee feared as tedious troublesome and almost impossible and in this regard durst not vndertake them Finally wee shall doe good to our brethren euen in the duties themselues both of piety by teaching admonishing exhorting comforting and counselling them that neede our helpe and also of mercy by feeding the hungry clothing the naked visiting the sicke and such like workes of Christian charity whereby wee minister vnto their necessities CAP. XL. Of such reasons moouing vs to the duties of a godly life as respect our selues §. Sect. 1 The first reason taken from that dignity vnto which God hath called vs. IN respect of our selues there are also many effectuall arguments and reasons which may mooue and perswade vs vnto all duties of a godly life As first that high and heauenly dignity vnto which God of his free grace and goodnesse hath called vs out of a most miserable and wretched condition which should effectually mooue vs to walke worthy this high and excellent Eph. 4. 1. calling as the Apostle exhorteth vs. For wee were in darkenesse and in the shaddow of death but the Lord hath called vs into a marueilous light reuealing cleerely vnto vs the knowledge of himselfe and his will the great mystery of saluation by Iesus Christ and the meanes whereby we may be made partakers of the fruits and benefits of it in which respect it becommeth vs to walke as children of light circumspectly not as fooles Eph. 5. 8 15 16. 1. Th. 5. 5 6 7 8 Col.
leading of a godly life they also escape many temporary Heb. 6. 6 7 8. iudgements and sharpe afflictions whereby God like a gracious and wise Father doth correct his children when they neglect their dutie and sinne against him which differ nothing from the punishments that are in this life inflicted vpon the wicked in their matter and oftentimes very little in the quantity and sharpnesse of the stripes but onely in the causes from which they proceed which is the loue of a gracious Father towards the one and the anger of a iust and seuere Iudge towards the other also their diuers ends the chastizements of the Faithfull being intended for their good and amendment that they may not being iudged be condemned with the world but 1. Cor. 11. 32. the punishments of the wicked for the satisfying of Gods Iustice by inflicting on them deserued punishments But howsoeuer the sinnes of the Faithfull cannot moue the Lord to reiect them or cause his loue to depart from them seeing it is one branch of the couenant made in Christ that he will loue them with an euerlasting loue and pardon all their sinnes yet they doe moue him to correct them with the rod of men and Ier. 31. 3 31 33 34. 2. Sam. 7. 14. Psal 89. 31 32. Heb. 12. 6. Apoc. 3. 19. the stripes of the children of men for he chastizeth euery sonne whom he loueth and receiueth that being pulled out of their sinnes by strong hand which they would not flee and forsake out of meere loue they may by their vnfained repentance and amendment escape eternall condemnation as wee see in the example of Dauid the Corinthians and many others The which his iust yet gracious seuerity there is no possible 1. Cor. 11. 31 32 33. meanes to escape no not though Noah Daniel and Iob should intercede for vs or any other who are most highly in his fauour vnlesse Ezek. 14. 13. we preuent these sharpe corrections by leading a godly life and fleeing from sinne which is the cause of them or stay Gods hand by turning from our sinnes by vnfained repentance Which course if wee take wee shall be freed not onely from eternall punishments but also from temporary afflictions which our sinnes doe bring vpon vs vnlesse it be such as the Lord inflicteth for the triall of his graces in vs that being approued they may be crowned with an answerable measure of ioy and heauenly happinesse According to that of Salomon A prudent man foreseeth the euill and hideth himselfe but the simple passe on and are punished Or if by our sins we haue brought them vpon Pro. 22. 3. vs yet repenting of them and returning into the waies of righteousnesse we shall when we crie vnto God obtaine helpe and deliuerance according to that of the Psalmist The righteous crie and the Lord heareth Psal 34. 17. and deliuereth them out of all their troubles Seeing then no chastening for the present seemeth ioyous but grieuous what a strong motiue should Heb. 12. 11. this be to perswade vs to forsake all our sinnes and to serue the Lord in the duties of a godly life seeing wee haue hereby this singular benefit of being freed from temporary afflictions which are so sharpe and bitter vnto vs A third benefit which will redound vnto vs by leading of a godly life is that being vnblameable giuing vnto none any iust cause of offence we shall hereby stop the mouthes of wicked men so as they shall not be able to reproch vs nor blemish our good name by their calumnies slanders with any shadow or colour of truth And this was a strong reason to moue the Apostle to walke in a godly vnblameable life that by exercising himself herein he might haue alwaies a conscience voyd of offence towards God towards men And this Act. 23. 1. 24. 16. Tit. 2. 7 8. argument he vseth to perswade Titus to shew himselfe in all things a patterne of good workes that he who was of the contrary part might be ashamed hauing no euill thing to say of him Thus the Apostle Peter exhorteth vs to sanctifie the Lord in our hearts and to haue a good conscience in all things 1. Pet. 3. 15 16. that whereas wicked men speake euill of vs as of euill doers they may be ashamed that falsely accuse our good conuersation in Christ And perswadeth the Faithfull to abstaine from fleshly lusts and to haue their conuersation honest 1. Pet. 2. 11 12. among the Gentiles that whereas they spake euill of them as of euill doers they might by their good workes which they should behold glorifie God in the day of visitation And thus he moueth subiects to shew all obedience to Magistrates because it is the will of God that by wel-doing Vers 15. they should put to silence the ignorance of foolish men Or if wee cannot thus farre preuaile with them by our holy conuersation in respect of their maliciousnesse but that they will seeke to disgrace vs by their vniust slanders and reproches yet may wee in the confidence and peaceable cleerenesse of a good conscience stand out against them as a brazen wall beating backe their false calumnies vpon their owne heads and like immoueable rockes returne their fome and froth vpon themselues when as all that heare them shall condemne their malice and fals-hood Yea they shall by their slanders but giue occasion vnto all men to speake of our innocencie in which respect as Iob speaketh though they should write a booke against vs Iob 31. 35 36. wee might take it vpon our shoulders and binde it as a crowne vnto vs and that not onely a Crowne of Fame in this life but of Glorie also in the life to come according to that of our Sauiour Blessed are Matth. 5. 11 12. yee when men shall reuile you and persecute you and shall say all manner of euill against you falsely for my sake Reioyce and bee exceeding glad for great is your reward in Heauen And that of the Apostle Peter If yee be reproched for the Name of Christ happie are yee for the 1. Pet. 4. 14. Spirit of Glorie and of God resteth vpon you Now what a strong reason this should bee to mooue vs to walke vnblameably in the duties of a Godly life it may hereby appeare if wee consider how precious and excellent a good name is seeing as the Wiseman speaketh A Good name is rather to be chosen then great Riches Pro. 22. 1. and louing fauour rather then Siluer and Gold And is to be preferred before the most precious oyntment seeing it smelleth most sweetly both to our selues and others which are neere and farre off Eccl. 7. 1. §. Sect. 4 That a godly life doth much strengthen vs against Satans tentations A fourth benefit of a godly life is that it much strengtheneth vs against the assaults of Satan and so armeth vs against all his
withhold from them that walke vprightly And the Apostle Peter testifieth that God according to his diuine power hath giuen vnto vs that is all the faithfull who serue him in holinesse and righteousnesse all things that pertaine vnto life and godlinesse through the knowledge of him who hath called vs to glory and vertue whereby are giuen vnto vs exceeding great and precious promises c. Now these blessings and benefits which God hath promised as the gracious rewards of a godly conuersation are either temporall and of this life or eternall and of the life to come Those of this life are either corporall concerning the body and outward estate or spirituall respecting chiefly the good of the soule by inriching it with all sanctifying and sauing graces The benefits of the former kinde are promised to all those who serue the Lord and carefully obserue all his Commandements although not absolutely but conditionally so farre foorth as the corporall blessings will best stand with Gods glory and our spirituall and eternall good Thus the Lord promiseth in the Law that hee will giue vnto those who obserue and keepe it all the Deut. 28. blessings of this life respecting either their persons or states As that hee will blesse them in themselues and also in their children and posterity Leuit. 26. that he will giue them health of body and a long life and good dayes Psal 34. 12. prosperity and plenty of all good things strength of body and gifts of the minde as wisedome fortitude and the rest that he will blesse them in the field and in the house at home in the city and abroad by giuing them victory ouer all their enemies and causing them to be had in honour and high esteeme amongst all the nations which dwelt about them All which his gifts are vnto those that feare God double blessings because he not onely giueth the things themselues but also the right vse of them whereby they become truely profitable Secondly because he maketh his gifts sufficient in what proportion soeuer they are for their preseruation and comfort and by giuing contentment with them causeth them to satisfie their desires whereas worldly men are insatiable like the graue and hell which neuer say Enough Thirdly because hee doth measure out vnto them such a proportion of worldly blessings as is most fit for their spirituall estate that they may bee more mindfull of him and haue their faith hope affiance humility and other sauing graces exercised and increased and doth not suffer them to abound in such superfluous excesse as would bee rather an heauy burthen vnto them then a benefit a meanes to quench his graces in them and to distract them in all religious duties a snare to intangle them in worldly cares and to withdraw their hearts from him and to fasten them vpon the world an occasion to make them forget him and like pampered horses to kicke against him that feedeth them to weaken their affiance and to make them trust in themselues and their owne prouisions to puffe them vp in pride towards him and insolencie towards their neighbours as though they excelled them as much in true worth as they exceed them in worldly wealth The which is a singular benefit to the faithfull that seeing they cannot through naturall corruption measure their appetite the Lord like a carefull and skilfull Physician should stint and diet them letting them haue so much not as they desire but as they are well able to disgest seeing a greater quantity would but surcharge their stomakes and cause a surfet turning all the superfluity into crudities and the hurtfull humours of vice and sinne as pride couetousnesse loue of the world and such like which would much hazzard and impaire their spirituall health And thus the Lord promiseth corporall blessings vnto them that serue him not simply and absolutely but so as they may be truly beneficiall not because he would haue them so mercenary as to serue him chiefly for worldly wages as the deuill charged Iob for hee respecteth onely that filiall obedience which ariseth out of a Iob 1. 9. liuely faith and vnfained loue but seeing we are so sensuall that we haue things present in great esteeme and neglect future blessings much more precious and permanent therefore the Lord graciously condescending vnto our weakenesse and infirmities doth also promise and giue vnto vs corporall benefits as it were temporary wages that receiuing besides our future hopes this present pay we might the rather be incouraged to performe vnto him diligent seruice Thus the Lord perswadeth vs not to forget his Law but to apply our hearts to keepe his Commandements because Pro. 3. 2. length of dayes long life and peace they shall adde vnto vs. Thus wisedome mooueth all to imbrace her not onely for her spirituall excellencies but Pro. 8. 18. also because riches and honour are with her and those which seldome meete Iob 22. 24 25. durable riches and righteousnesse vnlesse these promises are rather to bee taken in a spirituall sense And our Sauiour Christ perswadeth vs to forsake the world and our selues by this argument because no man that leaueth Mar. 10. 29 30. house or brethren or sisters c. for his sake and the Gospels but they shall receiue an hundred fold now in this time houses and brethren and sisters c. and in the world to come eternall life The Apostle also vseth this reason to perswade vnto Christian beneficence not only because they should reape a plentifull haruest of their seed so sowne in heauen but also because God 2. Cor. 9. 6 8. was able to returne vnto them such sufficient plenty of temporall blessings that they might still abound vnto euery good worke So that Gods earthly and corporall benefits which he hath promised to those that serue him may serue as strong though not the strongest reasons to make vs diligent in all Christian duties For howsoeuer carnall and worldly men are to be condemned who stand most affected to temporary rewards enquiring who will shew them any good and what profit there is in seruing the Almighty Mal. 3. 14. when any man perswadeth them vnto it yet Gods owne children though they are chiefly to regard spirituall grace and heauenly glory may haue in performance of their duty some respect to earthly benefits and incourage themselues in Gods seruice in hope to receiue such a proportion of them as will stand with their spirituall good and eternall saluation to which end God hath promised them §. Sect. 3 That by a godly life Gods sauing graces are much increased in vs. The second sort of the benefits of this life are Gods spirituall graces all which are much increased by a godly life And first heereby our faith is much confirmed and increased by our frequent performing the duties of holinesse and righteousnesse For as often Acts doe confirme and increase an habit and both our bodily strength and all faculties of
the mind are not onely preserued but also much improoued by continuall exercise so vertuous actions and workes of piety and righteousnesse being the exercises of our faith doe tend much to the strengthening of it whereas contrariwise by the neglect of these duties it is much weakened and by the contrary vices and acts of sinne exceedingly shaken and grieuously wounded In which regard the Apostle ioyneth the holding of faith and a 1. Tim. 1. 19. 1. Cor. 15. 58. good conscience because the one will not stay without the other being such louing twins as cannot be diuided but liue and die together More especially the duties of a godly life doe confirme our faith in the assurance of our election not as causes for the election of God is free of grace and Rom. 11. 6. Eph. 1. 4. not of workes but as the effects and fruits of it and as the end vnto which wee are elected for wee are not chosen because wee were holy but to the end that wee might bee holy as the Apostle sheweth Thus the Apostle Peter exhorting vs to make our calling and election sure 2. Pet. 1. 10. prescribeth this as the onely meanes the ioyning of one vertue and Christian duty with another telling vs that if wee doe these things wee shall neuer fall The Psalmist likewise setting downe the markes and signes whereby wee may know whether God hath chosen vs to dwell in his holy mountaine maketh this the first chiefe to walke vprightly and work righteousnesse Psal 15. 2. 24. 4. and to haue cleane hands and a pure heart Secondly hereby our faith is perswaded of Gods grace and loue in Christ For by keeping of Gods Commandements we are assured that we loue God according to that of the Apostle Iohn Whoso keepeth his Word in him verily is the loue of God perfected 1. Ioh. 3. 6. 1. Ioh. 4. 19. and consequently that he loueth vs seeing we loue him because he loued vs first our loue being but a sparke of that diuine and infinite flame Thirdly of our effectuall calling this being the meanes which the Apostle prescribeth to make it sure For heereby we know that the grace of God 2. Pet. 1. 10. Tit. 2. 11 12. bringing saluation hath shined vnto vs when as we are taught thereby to deny vngodlinesse and worldly lusts and to liue soberly righteously and godly in this present world that wee haue in a sauing manner heard Gods Word when hauing receiued it into honest hearts wee haue brought foorth fruits Luk. 8. 15. with patience That wee are ingrafted into Christ the true Vine when Ioh. 15. wee bring foorth the ripe Grapes of holinesse and righteousnesse That wee are trees of righteousnesse of Gods owne planting when like the tree planted by the riuers of waters wee bring foorth fruit in due season That wee are good men when out of the good treasure of our heart Psal 1. 2. Mat. 7. 17 18 20 we bring foorth that which is good That wee are of God and the Sheepe of Christ when we heare Gods Word and follow him And that wee are truely Luk. 6. 45. a kinne to Christ when wee doe the will of his Father which is in heauen Ioh. 8. 47. Mat. 12. 50. Fourthly by a godly life and the workes of piety and righteousnesse our faith is assured of it selfe that it is liuely and vnfained for as our good workes doe shew it vnto others so also they approoue it vnto our selues as being the fruits of this tree and the very breath of this body without which it is but a dead stocke and rotten carkasse For as the Apostle Iames Iam. 2. 17 26. telleth vs Faith if it haue no workes is dead being alone And as the body without the spirit is dead so faith without workes is dead also Fifthly our faith is heereby assured of our iustification and of all the fruits and benefits that doe accompany it As that we are freed from our sinnes both in respect of their guilt and punishment by the death and resurrection of Iesus Christ when as by the vertue and power of them we feele our selues deliuered from the corruption of them so as they doe not rule and raigne in vs as in former times and quickned in the inner man vnto holinesse and newnesse of life That we are reconciled vnto God when as we feele an earnest desire and constant indeuour wrought in vs of pleasing him in all things That we are his children by adoption and grace when we liue as it becommeth his children and resemble our heauenly Father in holinesse and righteousnesse That we are sanctified by his Spirit when as wee bring forth the fruits of our sanctification in a godly and Christian life That we haue vnfainedly repented of our sinnes when as wee bring forth fruits worthy amendment and doe daily exercise our selues in good workes Finally that we are Citizens of heauen and heires of euerlasting happinesse when as we haue our conuersation there setting our hearts and affections on things aboue and not on things beneath and when hauing Phil. 3. 20. Col. 3. 2. Joh. 3. 2 3. this hope that we shall be made like vnto Christ we haue purged our selues as he also is pure §. Sect. 4 That a godly life strengthneth and increaseth our hope and confidence in God The second spirituall benefit of a godly life is that it strengtheneth and increaseth our hope and confidence in God grounded vpon this assurance Psal 34. 15. that hee will preserue all those that feare and serue him from all euill all perils and dangers and the malice and might of all their enemies and that he will prouide for them all things necessary seeing he who is so bountifull euen to his enemies will not let his owne children want any thing that is good who haue a desire to serue and please him So that they which feare the Lord haue great cause to trust in the Lord as the Psalmist Psal 115. 11. exhorteth because he is their helpe and shield And this made the three Children so confident that they cared not for the rage of the Tyrant nor for the fiery Furnace though seuenfold hotter then ordinary because they had serued God with a good conscience and thereby were assured that the God whom they serued was both able and willing to deliuer them Dan. 3. 17. This made Daniel to serue God constantly whom hee had formerly serued notwithstanding the cruell edict of the King because he well knew that the God whom he serued was able to deliuer him from the Lions as Dan. 6. 16. Darius also acknowledged From which confidence there arise diuers other singular benefits as inward ioy and comfort in all estates seeing in this confidence we haue cast all our care vpon God patience in all troubles seeing we trust assuredly in God for helpe and deliuerance in that time which shall be most seasonable both for his glory
the least moment withdraw his hand and cast vs from vnder the protection of his wise and powerfull prouidence we should vtterly perish and come to nothing §. Sect. 4 That he guideth and gouerneth the godly with his grace and holy Spirit 1. In their prosperity The third priuiledge which the Lord vouchsafeth vnto the godly is that he so guideth and gouerneth them by his grace and holy Spirit that they make a right vse of all estates both of prosperity and aduersity and turne all things which happen vnto them by the Diuine prouidence to their spirituall good the inriching of their soules with all sauing graces and the furthering and assuring of their eternall saluation For whereas wicked men inioying worldly prosperity doe stand in slippery places their table becomming a snare vnto them and their honours riches and pleasures the baits of sinne which make them to fall into the diuels nets of perdition for their honours nourish and increase their ambition their riches serue as sweet drinkes to make them thirst the more and increase their swelling dropsie of couetous desires their pleasures make them more sensuall and voluptuous and all together worke in them pride and forgetfulnesse of God carnall selfe-loue and loue of the world affiance in earthly vanities and contempt of spirituall and heauenly things The Lord preserueth those that feare and serue him from falling into these tentations by moderating their desires and mortifying their carnall concupiscence so as they doe not excessiuely affect these worldly vanities nor dote vpon them when they haue them but vse them onely as helpes and comforts of their pilgrimage and not set their hearts vpon them as their Paradise and the rewards of their Countrey because they know them to be vaine and vncertaine both in their getting and keeping momentany and mutable being euery day ready to leaue vs or we them Their honours doe not puffe them vp in pride but make them the more humble seeing they possesse them not as their owne proprieties but as Gods Talent whereof one day they must giue a reckoning as wee see in the example of Dauid who though he were aduanced from a lowe estate to a Kingdome yet professeth that his heart was not haughty nor his eyes Psal 131. 1 2. lofty but that he behaued himselfe in all meeknesse and mildnesse as a child weaned of his mother Their riches doe not withdraw their hearts from God though they abound in them neither doe they trust in them because they know them to be vncertaine but in the euerliuing God who giueth them 1. Tim. 6. 17. richly all things to inioy as we see in the example of Iob who though hee Job 31. 24. were the wealthiest man in all the East yet he did not make gold his hope Iob. 31. 24. nor said vnto the fine gold Thou art my confidence nor reioyced because his wealth was great nor because his hand had gotten much But onely they vse them as the great instruments of well doing and as meanes to inable them to exercise themselues in the workes of mercy according to Iobs example who being rich and able to doe good did not withhold from the Iob 31. 16 17 19. poore their desire nor caused the eyes of the widow to faile nor did eate his morsels alone but did let the fatherlesse eate thereof nor would see any perish for want of clothing nor the poore to lye without a couering Their pleasures though as great as they inioy who haue eminent places in Kings Courts doe not like intoxicating cups bewitch them and make them so drunke that they forget the ioyes of heauen vnto which they aspire but euen when they haue drunke the deepest draught of them they can with Salomon say of them that all is vanity and vexation of spirit and that there is no profit Eccles 2. 11. vnder the Sunne And when they are put to their choyce so as they must of necessity leaue the one to imbrace the other they will with Moses haue such respect to the recompence of their heauenly reward that they will chuse rather Heb. 11. 25 26. to suffer affliction with the people of God then to inioy the pleasures of sinne for a season Finally though with the Patriarches they abound with Gods blessings yet they will not fixe their hearts vpon them because here they Heb. 13. 14. and 11. 10. haue no continuing City but they seeke one to come which hath foundations whose builder and maker is God and therefore like the Workman is permanent and euerlasting Now what a priuiledge is this to be vpheld in such slippery places in which all that are left to themselues doe fearfully fall to haue antidotes against these dangerous drinkes wherewith all that want them are poysoned to bee made more humble mindfull of God and thankfull vnto him by these worldly things which make the most proud forgetfull and vngratefull Finally to haue such a right vse of all these earthly and temporary blessings that they become vnto vs pledges of Gods loue and earnest pennies of eternall happinesse and so to inioy both earth and heauen all the comforts of this life as helpes and furtherances to assure vs of the glory and ioyes of the life to come Of which seeing none but the godly are partakers what a strong motiue should it be to perswade vs vnto the seruice of God in an holy life §. Sect. 5 Secondly he guideth the godly in the time of their afflictions In respect also of the afflictions of this present life godlines hath no lesse priuiledges For first they which carefully serue please God are wholly 1. Pet. 2. 24. Col. 2. 14. Gal. 3. 13. deliuered from thē as they are punishments of sin to satisfie Gods Iustice because Christ hath in their stead satisfied for them paid their debt to the vttermost farthing and by taking away their sinnes through his death and sufferings hath also cancelled the hand-writing which was against them freed them from the curse of the Law and all the punishments which were due vnto them Secondly by leading of a godly life we are freed from afflictions in the greatest part as they are the corrections of Gods children For howsoeuer sometimes the chiefe end at which God aimeth in afflicting the godly is the triall of those graces which hee hath giuen them that being approoued he may be glorified that gaue them and Jam. 1. 12. his gifts crowned in those that haue receiued them yet for the most part sinne being the occasion euen of these trials and the cause of other crosses according to that in the Lamentations Wherefore doth a liuing Lam. 3. 39. man complaine a man suffereth for his sinnes Hereof it followeth that wee may escape these afflictions if we carefully flee sinne and serue the Lord in the duties of a godly life For though the Lord iudgeth his children 1. Cor. 11. 32. in this life that they may
Lord our own consciences shal approue iustifie vs. Let vs consider that as the praise applause of men Matth. 7. 1 2. is mutable and momentary so likewise their contempt disprayses and false censures of which wee within a while shall be acquitted and they being repayed according to their owne measure shall be iudged and condemned The which argument the Prophet vseth to incourage vs in this case Harken vnto me ye that know righteousnesse the people Esay 51. 7 8. in whose heart is my Law feare yee not the reproch of men neither be afraide of their reuilings for the Moth shall eate them vp as a garment and the Worme shall eate them vp like wooll but my righteousnesse shall be for euer and my saluation from generation to generation Finally let vs remember that it hath beene alwaies the lot of the Righteous who haue truely feared God and made conscience of all their waies to be vilified and basely esteemed amongst wicked worldlings Thus the Israelites because they serued God according to his will by offring vnto him such sacrifices as he required were so contemned and despised of the Gen. 43. 32. idolatrous Egyptians that they accounted it an abomination to eate with Gen. 43. 32. them Of this the true Church complayneth and against this it prayeth Haue mercy vpon vs O Lord haue mercie vpon vs for we are exceedingly Psal 123. 3 4. filled with contempt Our soule is exceedingly filled with the scorning of those that are at ease and with the contempt of the proud So likewise Dauid complayneth I am small and despised yet doe I not forget thy precepts Psal 119. 141. And the Apostle Paul speaking of himselfe and of other Gods faithfull Ministers saith that they were made and reputed as the filth of the 1. Cor. 4. 13. world and the off-scowring of all things Which Saints and seruants of God wee must be contented to accompany in their contempt and vile esteeme when by the profession and practice of the truth we fall into it if euer wee meane to accompany them in glory Yea our Sauiour Christ himselfe was content for our sakes to be contemned and Esay 53. 2 3. despised amongst men as it was foretold by the Prophet and whilest he performed the duties of his calling to be accounted a friend and companion of Publicanes and sinners yea to be himselfe esteemed a notorious sinner a prophaner of the Sabbaths whilest hee healed on them a Sorcerer whilest he did miracles a Wine-bibber whilest he consorted with sinners after a familiar manner that he might call them to repentance and lastly after a despised life to die a contemptible and reprochfull death euen the death of the Crosse and thereby to be numbred amongst the wicked And therefore why should the members looke for honour and high esteeme where the Head was so scorned and contemned Why should wee not for his sake deny our selues and our owne credit and reputation amongst men who therefore despise vs because wee deuote our selues vnto his seruice Why should wee not thinke such contempt our chiefest glory and the base esteeme of the world sufficiently recompenced when wee are dignified with the title of Gods seruants and sonnes and with that precious account which he maketh of vs Why should we not with patience and ioy follow our Head in the same way by Heb. 12. 2. which he ascended vnto glorie comforting our selues according to his example against all contempt and reproch by looking vpon the ioy which is set before vs CAP. VI. Of externall impediments whereby the world hindreth vs in the duties of a godly life and first slaunders and derision §. Sect. 1 How we may be armed against the slaunders of the world ANd these are the impediments which are internall in the mindes and iudgements of wicked worldlings Those which are externall arise from their words and actions Concerning the former the world seeketh to discourage all those which truely feare God in their profession and holy practice by their contumelies and foule aspersions slaunders and reproches For when they haue nothing in truth to obiect against them in respect of their holy and vnblameable conuersation then imitating their father the deuill who is a false accuser of the brethren they loade them with calumnies and slaunders either by laying to their charge the things which they neuer did or reporting things materially true after a false and malicious manner that with these obloquies and reproches they may discourage them in their Christian courses and discountenance and disgrace euen their best actions Thus Ahab accused Elias to be a troubler of Israel and Amazias 1. King 18. 17. Amos to haue conspired against the King in the midst of the house of Israel Amos 7. 10. and that the Land was not able to beare his words Thus they slaundered Stephen that he had spoken blasphemous words against Moses and against Act. 6. 11. God Paul and Silas that they were troublers of the Citie and State that Act. 16. 20. 17. 7. 18. 13. they did contrary to the decrees of Caesar saying that there was another King one Iesus That they perswaded men to worship God contrarie to the Law That Act. 21. 28. 24. 5. they taught all men euery where against the People Law and Temple and had polluted that holy place by bringing Greekes into it And thus by Tertullus they slaundered Paul affirming that he was a pestilent fellow and a mouer of sedition among the Iewes throughout the world c. Yea so malignant are these blacke mouthes that they dared to cast foule and false Matth. 12 24. 26. 61. Luk. 23. 2. aspersions vpon our Sauiour Christ himselfe and blot and blemish the white and pure robe of his innocencie with their vniust and reprochfull calumnies And such measure his Saints and seruants found at the hands of wicked men in the time of the persecuting Emperours such haue they found since and shall doe vnto the end of the world Against which discouragemenst if we would be armed wee must remember that this needeth not to seeme any strange thing vnto vs seeing our Sauiour Christ hath foretold that this should be the lot of all his seruants to be reuiled and slaundered for his sake and the Gospels That our Head and Lord hath borne these reproches for our sake and therefore wee his members and seruants must not thinke much if wee suffer the like for him and his truth That there was neuer any so deare vnto God nor innocent amongst men who haue not beene whipped with the scourge of malicious tongues and therefore we must not thinke to goe alone vpon earth but must here beare them company if euer wee hope to enioy their society in that heauenly happinesse Secondly if we would not be discouraged with Nos modò id agamus vt malè de nobis nemo loqui absque mendatio possit Hieronym ad
the world vse such spite and spleene towards the most outragious offender that euer liued as it doth to the Saints and seruants of God for the truth sake For towards them oftentimes it quite blunteth the poynt and edge of humane lawes and commonly moderateth and mitigateth the extreme rigour of them in their punishments but against the faithfull it sharpeneth the poynt and edge where none is yea deuiseth new lawes when the old restraine their malice And whereas they content themselues with those punishments which the lawes determine against the most notorious and hainous offenders and when they are forced for the safety and preseruation of humane societies to execute them they doe it as the Law requireth and oftentimes with some pity and compassion contrariwise when they haue to doe with those who being Gods faithfull seruants haue made themselues liable to their lawes they sport themselues in their torments and out of meere malice to them for their Religion and piety they execute the Lawes with all sauage cruelty adding both by their words and actions many outrages ouer and aboue those punishments which the Law requireth as we see in the example of our Sauiour Christ and the theeues crucified with him For whereas they contented themselues with their simple death without any additaments of malice they could neuer satisfie their spitefull rage in vexing and tormenting our Sauior Christ but vsed him with all contumelious reproch spitting vpon and buffetting him scourging and crowning him with thornes scoffing and deriding him mocking and moing at him giuing vnto him when he thirsted gall and vineger and insulting ouer him in mirth and triumph when they saw the bitter anguish of his soule The which also is to be obserued in the examples of those punishments which haue been inflicted vpon most hainous malefactours as murtherers traytors paricides and vpon the innocent Martyrs of Iesus Christ if wee compare the one with the other Of which no other reason can be giuen but that the world loueth her owne and hateth those which belong vnto God affecting the persons of wicked men and setting themselues onely against their crimes not out of any loue towards God or simple hatred of their sinnes as being transgressions of his Lawes but out of selfe loue because their offences are against humane lawes which if they should not be preserued and maintained obserued and obeyed societies could not subsist nor the safety and welfare of their owne estates bee otherwise vpheld Whereas contrariwise it maligneth and hateth euen the very persons of the godly as being the members of Iesus Christ onely for their profession of Religion and practice of holy duties and in these respects can neuer sufficiently disgorge its malice against them §. Sect. 2 That it hath alwayes been the lot of the godly to bee persecuted in the world Now the meanes to remoue the former impediments are manifold The first is to consider that it hath alwayes from the beginning of the world been the lot of Gods children to be persecuted of the wicked in which regard it is vnto vs a notable and comfortable euidence that wee loue God and are beloued of him when the wicked world maligneth and pursueth vs with all rage and cruelty for righteousnesse sake For thus Cain persecuted Abel because his seruice was accepted of God Thus Pharaoh and the Egyptians raged against the Israelites when they did but make mention of going into the Wildernesse to offer sacrifice Thus the wicked Kings and more wicked Priests persecuted Gods true Prophets the Scribes and Pharises the Apostles of Iesus Christ the idolatrous Emperours the Christians of the Primitiue Church and the limmes of Antichrist the holy Martyrs because they professed Gods true Religion and brought forth the fruits of it in their holy practice More particularly Dauid often professeth that he was maligned by his wicked enemies without cause onely because he did that which was good and sought in all his courses to be approued of God And the Apostle Paul in many 2. Cor. 11. 23 24 c. words setteth downe the grieuous persecutions which hee often suffered at their hands who were enemies to Gods truth But as these holy Saints of God were not by all these persecutions discouraged in their course of godlinesse but the more boysterously the stormes of malicious rage blowed against them the more firmely and constantly they held the cloke of their Christian profession and holy practice according to that of Dauid Many are my persecutors and mine enemies yet doe I not decline from Psal 119. 157. thy testimonies so must we doe in this case following their good example if we would haue any comfortable assurance that God will thinke vs worthy to be ranked in this number And this argument taken from these examples our Sauiour vseth to arme his Disciples against this discouragement Reioyce saith he and be exceeding glad seeing your reward is great in Mat. 5. 12. heauen for so persecuted they the Prophets which were before you Yea our Sauiour Christ himselfe hath begun to vs that wee may not feare to pledge him and hath drunke the deepest draught in this bitter cup of worldly persecutions For what mischiefe could hell it selfe raise vp out of her infernall bowels what cruell rage and exquisite vexations and torments could malicious wit deuise which were not inflicted vpon this innocent Lambe the Lord our righteousnesse Now what can be a more effectuall reason to moue vs with all patience and cheerfulnesse to indure the greatest extremities for Christs sake then to remember what grieuous torments he hath suffered for vs who were strangers and enemies vnto God and the children of wrath as well as others For if our great and glorious Generall and Soueraigne King hath thus exposed himselfe to the extremest dangers and thrust himselfe into the thickest crowd of enemies where he hath receiued grisly and mortall wounds that hee might rescue and recouer vs who were taken captiue by them and set vs at liberty how valiantly should we fight his battels euen vnto blood against the enemies of our saluation especially considering that he looketh vpon vs incourageth vs to the fight supporteth and strengtheneth vs with his grace and holy Spirit defendeth and succoureth vs when we are ouer-matched raiseth vs vp when wee are foyled and holdeth in his hand the Crowne of victory being ready to set it vpon our heads when wee haue finished the fight And this argument our Sauiour vseth to incourage vs in all our sufferings and persecutions Remember saith he the word that I said vnto Joh. 15. 20. you The seruant is not greater then his Lord. If they haue persecuted mee they will also persecute you And so likewise the Apostle Peter For as much then 1. Pet. 4. 1. saith he as Christ hath suffered for vs in the flesh arme your selues likewise with the same mind for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin c. The which
our persecutions we may well suffer with greater patience and comfort if we consider that they are not punishments for our sinnes from all which Christ hath fully freed vs but the trials of our faith which being approued shall be crowned with euerlasting ioy and happinesse In which regard we haue cause greatly to reioyce as the Apostle Peter speaketh 1. Pet. 1. 6 7. though now for a season if need be we are in heauinesse through manifold tentations that the triall of our faith being much more precious then the gold that perisheth though it be tryed with fire might be found vnto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Iesus Christ So the Apostle Iames My Iam. 1. 2 12. brethren count it all ioy when ye fall into diuers tentations of which hee afterwards rendreth this reason Because blessed is the man that indureth tentation for when he is tryed he shall receiue the Crowne of life which the Lord hath promised to them that loue him And indeed what a wonderfull priuiledge is this and what great cause doth it minister vnto vs of comfort and reioycing when we consider that the Lord hath vouchsafed vnto vs this great honour to suffer afflictions for his owne glory and the furthering and assuring of our saluation when as he might haue iustly inflicted them and farre greater vpon vs for our sinnes and to the burthen of our sufferings haue deseruedly added the vncomfortable waight of shame and infamie All which blessed priuiledges we shall lose and run into the contrary mischiefes and euen hellish condemnation if we shrinke from our profession and holy practice for feare of persecution and refuse to suffer for his sake who hath suffered so much for vs. For he that loueth his life shall Ioh. 12. 25. lose it and hee that hateth his life in this world shall keepe it vnto life eternall And againe If any man come to me saith our Sauiour and hate not his father Luk. 14. 26 27. and mother and wife and children and brethren and sisters and his owne life also namely when they come in comparison with Christ and when the loue of both cannot stand together hee cannot be my Disciple And whosoeuer doth not heare his crosse and come vnto me cannot be my Disciple §. Sect. 3 That our Sauiour hath foretold these persecutions Secondly let vs consider that our Sauiour Christ hath long agoe foretold that whosoeuer wil be his Disciples must suffer in this world troubles and persecutions and that those who will attaine vnto heauenly happinesse must trauaile vnto it by that afflicted way which himselfe and all his seruants haue gone before them If any man saith he will come after mee Luk. 9. 23 24 25 let him deny himselfe and take vp his Crosse daily and follow me For whosoeuer Mat. 16. 24 25. will saue his life shall lose it and whosoeuer will lose his life for my sake shall saue it Now what is a man aduantaged if he gaine the whole world and lose himselfe or be cast away So the Apostles first offered the Crosse vnto them who Act. 14. 22. would afterwards weare the Crowne and haue told vs before-hand that by many tribulations we must enter into the Kingdome of God And that whosoeuer 2. Tim. 3. 12. Luk. 14. 27 28 c. will liue godly in Christ Iesus shall suffer persecution And therefore our Sauiour Christ seriously aduiseth vs that before we take vpon vs the profession of Christianity we first sit downe and cast vp our accounts examining our selues whether we can be content to suffer with him that wee may afterwards raigne with him and to indure afflictions and persecutions in this world that wee may eternally triumph with him in glory and happinesse in the world to come Now what more faire dealing could be vsed then to tell vs before-hand what we must trust to and before hee entertaine vs into his seruice to acquaint vs thorowly with our worke which he requireth of vs before we can receiue our wages which wee expect from him If indeed hee had allured vs to serue him by promising that we should inioy pleasures riches and honours in the world and that for his sake wee should bee well accepted and fauoured of all men wee should haue had great cause of discouragement when wee should come so farre short of our hopes and finde nothing in the world but crosses and afflictions paines for pleasures pouerty for riches and for glory shame and disgrace for then seeing his promises faile in things that concerne this life we had cause to doubt of those that respect the life to come But now contrariwise seeing he hath foretold that we must in this world suffer troubles and persecutions and be hated of all men for his Name sake and that afterwards when by our patient suffering we haue approued our saith and loue towards him he will crowne these his graces in vs with ioy and happinesse in the life to come our afflictions and persecutions should not daunt and dismay vs yea rather wee should reioyce in them as the infallible signes of our future hopes for hauing found Christs Word verified in the first part of his predictions respecting our afflictions and persecutions we may vndoubtedly expect that we shall finde it also true in that part which concerneth our crowne of victory and heauenly ioyes which after our momentany sufferings we shall euerlastingly possesse according to the gracious promises which he hath made vnto vs. §. Sect. 4 That worldly persecutions cannot greatly hurt vs. Thirdly let vs incourage our selues against these persecutions because they cannot greatly hurt vs for first they are either light and easie if they be long and tedious or short and momentany if they be sharpe and grieuous For God hath graciously so composed and framed our natures that their frailty and weakenesse cannot hold out to beare any heauy burthens and hath made them mortall and of such short continuance that their afflictions and grieuances must needs be short and momentany Secondly the greatest persecutions which rage and malice can raise against vs can but reach vnto the body and onely extend to the time of this life but cannot at all hurt the soule nor hinder our happinesse in the life to come In which respect our Sauiour incourageth vs against these persecutions Feare not them which kill the body but are not able to kill the soule but Mat. 10. 28. rather feare him who is able to destroy both body and soule in hell Thirdly these persecutions cannot much hurt vs because our gracious God keepeth and preserueth vs so as we cannot faint and fall and pulleth out their sting so as they shall neuer be able to giue vnto vs any mortall wounds And therefore as the Apostle Peter exhorteth Let them that suffer according 1. Pet. 4. 19. to the will of God commit the keeping of their soules to him in well-doing as vnto a faithfull
paines and care they take about their fraile and mortall bodies and for the preseruing of their flitting and fading health and strength and the prolonging of their vncertaine and momentany life What paines they take in tricking and trimming decking and adorning clothing and beautifying nourishing and feeding pampering and pleasing physicking and dyeting their corruptible carcases though they are assured that by all their care and cost they can but for a short time adiourne diseases and infirmities and for a small and vncertaine while procure a repriuall from approching death Finally consider that there is much more toyle and difficulty in the waies of vice and sinne then in the way of vertue and godlinesse although carnall loue so sweeteneth it to a corrupt appetite that it is either not discerned or not much abhorred For example what rackes and torments are in couetousnesse and ambition and what comfort and sweetnesse in contentation and submission of our estates to the will of God What pangs and pulls of an euill conscience accompany vice and sinne and what peace and quietnesse ioy and delight haue wee in the conscience of our innocency and well-doing Vnto what stormes and tempests doth pride expose vs from all which we are secured by lowlinesse and humility What vexation and griefe is there in malice enuie anger and desire of reuenge and what ioy and sweet delight to be found in brotherly loue reioycing in one anothers good peaceablenesse passing by and pardoning of offences and making friends of enemies by our kind vsage and sweet conuersation What trouble and discontent in discord contention and wrangling suits of Law and what sweetnesse and contentment in amity friendship mutuall agreement and euen in departing from some part of our right that we may thereby purchase Iewels of farre greater price peace and loue Finally what anxiety and vexation is there in carking care about worldly things and what ioy and pleasure in the life of faith whereby we securely rely vpon Gods promises and prouidence and goe boldly vnto him as vnto our gracious Father when we are in any want with confidence that it shall be supplyed in that manner and measure as will best stand with his glory and our owne good In all which respects and innumerable others as wicked worldlings after all their labours about worldly vanities and the vaine and vnfruitfull works of darkenesse haue iust cause to complaine with those in the Booke of Wisedome Wee haue wearied our selues in the way of wickednesse and destruction yea wee Wisd 5. 7 8. haue gone thorow desarts where there lay no way but as for the way of the Lord we haue not knowne it what hath pride profited vs or what good hath riches with our vaunting brought vs All these things are passed away as a shaddow and as a Poast that hasted by So on the other side the faithfull who haue spent their time and strength in the duties of a godly life haue iust cause to comfort themselues in their happy choyce when leauing the world and the pleasures of sinne and imbracing the loue and feare of God they haue deuoted themselues wholly to Gods seruice seeing they may with Augustine reioyce in God and praise him saying Let my heart praise thee and let my tongue and all my bones say O Lord who is like vnto thee c Confess l. 9. c. 1. How sweet and pleasant is it now become to want the sweetnesse of worldly vanities That which I feared to lose what ioy is it to haue lost For thou O most true and supreme sweetnesse didst cast them out of me thou didst cast them out and didst enter in their stead who art sweeter then pleasure but not to flesh and blood cleerer and brighter then all light but to the inner man onely and then all honour much more high and honourable but not to those who are exalted in themselues Now was my mind free from the biting and eating cares of ambition couetousnesse voluptuousnesse and from scratching the itching scab of lust and did freely talke with thee my beauty riches saluation and my Lord and God And after a painefull warfare they may with the Apostle make that comfortable conclusion when death approcheth I haue fought a good fight I haue finished 2. Tim. 4. 8. my course I haue kept the faith Hencefoorth there is laid vp for me a Crowne of righteousnesse which the Lord the righteous Iudge shall giue vnto me at that day And therefore let not those seeming difficulties any longer discourage vs from resoluing to serue God in the duties of a godly life seeing thereby we shun and escape much greater difficulties in the wayes of sin then we shall euer find in the way of a Christian and holy conuersation CAP. XV. That a godly life is not harsh and vnpleasant mopish and melancholike but aboue all others most cheerefull and pleasant sweet and delightfull §. Sect. 1 That though a godly life were sad and sorrowfull yet this should not discourage from it A Third obiection which the flesh maketh against a godly life to discourage and hinder vs from entring into or proceeding in it is that it is harsh and vnpleasant mopish and melancholike depriuing vs of all ioy and delight which is the very life of our life and which being taken from vs it becommeth irkesome and tedious The which obiection of the flesh the deuill and the world labour all they may with their vtmost policy and skill to confirme and strengthen and knowing that men naturally are affected with nothing more then with pleasure and ioy and doe shunne aboue all things sorrow and sadnesse they vse all their Art to blinde and delude vs by offering to our view all the pleasures of carnall and corrupt courses and hiding from vs the griefes and mischiefes which alwayes attend vpon them and like a bitter tang or lothsome after-taste doe vtterly spoile these sinfull and fleshly delicacies And contrariwise they offer to our consideration all the sorrow and smart losses and worldly inconueniences which they must vndergoe who resolue to please God in the strict and constant performance of the duties belonging to a godly life concealing in the meane while the manifold comforts which doe accompany them and the inestimable ioyes and euerlasting happinesse vnto which they attaine that continue in them vnto the end For the answering of which obiection wee are first to know that though there were as much sadnesse and as little ioy for the present time in the godly life as is pretended by our spirituall enemies yet this should not discourage vs from chusing and imbracing it seeing both the pleasures and paines solace and sorrowes of this life are but short and momentany whereas both the ioyes and griefes which shall immediately succeed them are endlesse and euerlasting In which regard wee are to account that mirth miserable which ends in perpetuall mourning and that sorrow and sadnesse sweet and comfortable which is attended with eternall and
necessity of their body naturall life as some small refreshings in their Inne that they may afterwards with more strength cheerefulnesse proceed in their iourney But the prime and principall ioyes which rauish their soules with inward delight are secret vnknowne to all sauing those who haue tasted of them So that they may say to worldlings of their ioyes when they obiect vnto them their sadnesse want of mirth as our Sauiour of his meat We haue ioyes which you know not of seeing our ioy is to doe the will of our heauenly Father For it is that hidden Manna which our Sauiour giueth them to eat like Ioh. 4. 34. Apoc. 2. 17. that new name written in the white stone which no man knoweth sauing he that receiueth it It is a beauty which cannot be beheld with carnall eyes and a sweetnesse which is not rellished by a common prophane taste seeing it is of an holy spirituall nature so that when Christians are so afflicted in their outward estate that they seeme vnto naturall men to haue no cause at all of reioycing they may notwithstanding say with the Apostle We haue wherof we may glory through Iesus Christ in those things Rom. 15. 17. which pertaine to God §. Sect. 4 Of the diuers obiects of our spirituall ioy Now the obiects of this Spirituall ioy are diuers the chief and principall is God himselfe his Christ and holy Spirit for he being the summum bonum the supreme ioy and chiefe blessednes the fruition of him and his grace and the bright beames of his face and fauor shining vpon vs must needs be the matter cause of supreme and vnspeakable ioy And this is that ioy and reioycing in the Lord which is in the Scriptures not only permitted to the faithfull restrained vnto them alone as their peculiar and proper right but enioyned required as being a duty which we owe vnto God the performance wherof maketh them happy blessed Let not saith the Lord the wise man glory in his wisdome Ier. 9. 24. nor the mighty man in his might nor the rich man in his riches But let him that glorieth glory in this that he vnderstandeth and knoweth me c. So the Psalmist exhorteth to this ioy Reioyce in the Lord O yee righteous for praise is Psal 33. 1. comely for the vpright Of which he propoundeth himselfe for an example My soule shal be ioyfull in the Lord it shall reioyce in his saluation And the Psal 35. 9. Apostle likewise Let him that glorieth glory in the Lord. And againe 2. Cor. 10. 17. Phil. 4. 4. Reioyce in the Lord alway and againe I say reioyce In which himselfe tooke such abundant comfort and contentment that he resteth in it alone and renounceth all other ioyes God forbid that I should glory in any thing sauing Gal 6. 14. in the Crosse of Iesus Christ by whom the world is crucified vnto me and I vnto the world And if we thus reioyce in the Lord we shall not only be blessed and happie in our worke but also in our wages and reward which is promised vnto all those who make him their chiefest ioy according to that of the Psalmist Delight thy selfe in the Lord and he shall giue thee Psal 37. 4. the desires of thine heart So the Lord promiseth to the faithfull that they should delight themselues in him and hee would cause them to ride Esa 58. 14. vpon the high places of the earth and feede them with the heritage of Iacob c. And as the Faithfull doe thus reioyce in God himselfe so also in his Word and workes For when they finde sweetenesse and comfort in the spirituall Manna and food of their soules then they feede vpon it with ioy and delight So Dauid I haue reioyced in the way of thy Testimonies as much as in all riches Thy Testimonies are my delight Psal 119. 14 24 103 111 162. and my councellors Thy Testimonies haue I taken as an heritage for euer for they are the reioycing of mine heart How sweet are thy words vnto my taste yea sweeter then hony vnto my mouth I reioyce at thy Word as one that findeth great spoyle So also they reioyce in Gods workes of creation and gouernement admiring Gods infinite wisedome power and goodnesse that shineth in them Especially in that great worke of our Redemption by Iesus Christ and in the application thereof vnto themselues by the inward and effectuall working of Gods Word and holy Spirit Thus also doe they reioyce in the life of fayth and in the fruits thereof their sanctification and new obedience and in the testimony of a good conscience according to that of the Apostle Our reioycing is this the testimony of our conscience that in simplicity and 2. Cor. 1. 12. godly sincerity not with fleshly wisedome but by the grace of God wee haue had our conuersation in the world Yea the faithfull with holy and heauenly mindes doe reioyce in earthly and temporary blessings in their houses and lands wiues and children meates and drinkes pastimes and recreations For to this end God hath giuen them neither is there as the Wise man speaketh in them any other good but for Eccles 3. 12 13. a man to reioyce in their fruition and to doe good in his life and that euery man should eate and drinke and inioy the fruit of his labour it is the gift of God And againe Behold that which I haue seene It is good and comely for one to eate and to drinke and to inioy the good of all his Eccles 5. 18 19. labour that hee taketh vnder the Sunne all the dayes of his life which God giueth him for it is his portion Euery man also to whom God hath giuen riches and wealth and hath giuen him power to eate thereof and to take his portion and to reioyce in his labour this is the gift of God §. Sect. 5 That the Christians chiefest ioy is Spirituall and wherein it exceedeth all other ioyes So that no lawfull ioy either spirituall or temporall inward or outward is wanting vnto the righteous who desire to please God But yet their chiefe and principall ioy in which they exceede all others is spirituall in the assurance of Gods loue and their owne saluation and that both in respect of the excellency perpetuity and propriety of it For first it excelleth all other ioyes being of a spirituall and diuine nature and as it were a short prelude to that heauenly and harmonious ioy of which wee shall haue the full and euerlasting fruition in the life to come For so the Apostle teacheth vs that the Kingdome of God that Rom. 14. 17. is the first beginnings of it in this world consisteth not in meates and drinkes but in righteousnesse peace and ioy in the holy Ghost and they who haue here tasted these first beginnings of this heauenly ioy shall haue the perfect fruition
of that fulnesse of ioy and of those eternall pleasures Psal 16. 11. Pro. 28. 12. which are at Gods right hand for euermore So that when righteous men reioyce there is great glory as the Wise man speaketh seeing their ioy farre exceedeth the ioy of them who reioyce in their corne and wine as being not onely much more excellent both in respect of Psal 4. 7. the nature and obiect but also an earnest-penny of a greater bargaine the first beginnings and prime taste of those full riuers of diuine pleasures whereof they shall drinke their fill in Gods Kingdome and the first fruits of that heauenly and happie haruest of ioy which is reserued for them in the life to come And therefore no maruaile seeing this spirituall ioy is aboue all others most excellent that Dauid when hauing wounded his conscience with grieuous sinnes hee was depriued of the sense and feeling of it for a time did so earnestly desire to haue it againe restored Restore vnto mee Psal 36. 8. Psal 51. 12. the ioy of thy saluation and vphold mee with thy free Spirit Seeing herein hee had much more contentment sound comfort and delight then in all the earthly pleasures which a Kingdome could yeeld vnto him For they all were but slight and childish this solid and substantiall they vaine and worthlesse this excellent and of incomparable value they short and fickle momentany and mutable this durable and permanent And this is the second reason to commend vnto vs this spirituall Ioy in that it is not like worldly ioyes onely by fits and flashes but settled and constant in all estates and conditions as well in aduersity and affliction as in prosperity and all earthly aboundance For if our hearts bee once replenished with this Ioy no man shall bee able to take it from vs and being of a spirituall Rom. 5. 3. Iohn 16. 22. and diuine nature no earthly thing can quell or quench it No prison can locke it from vs no banishment can diuide and seuer vs no losses and crosses confiscations of goods Rackes or Gibbets fire or sword can take it away and depriue vs of it For in all extremities wee haue an inward Comforter euen the Spirit of God dwelling in vs which filleth our hearts with ioy and turneth our mourning into mirth and gladnesse and as our afflictions Iohn 16. 7. 2. Cor. 1. 5. doe abound so also he causeth our consolations to abound much more Wee liue the life of faith and not of sense which looketh not so much vpon things present as vnto our future hopes and certaineties and hereby wee apply vnto vs Gods Word and gracious promises which supplyeth comfort sufficient to support vs in all our sorrowes For it assureth vs that those are blessed which mourne now because they shall bee comforted and which weepe now for they shall laugh Math. 5. 4. Luke ◠21. That all things euen afflictions themselues shal worke together for the best and our momentany and light suffrings shall cause vnto vs a farre most excellent Rom. 8 28. 2 Cor. 4. 17. Act. 14. 22. 2. Tim. 2. 12. and eternall waight of glory that by these many tribulations wee shall enter into the Kingdome of heauen and if we suffer with Christ wee shall also raigne with him And this was that Word of God applyed by faith which was Dauids comfort in his afflictions without which hee should haue perished Psal 119. 50 92 This was it which made the Church of Macedonia in a great triall 2 Cor. 8. 2. of affliction and in their deepe pouerty to haue withall abundance of ioy This made the godly Hebrewes to take ioyfully the spoyling of their goods knowing Heb. 10. 34. that they had in heauen a better and induring substance Finally by this the Apostle himselfe was filled with comfort and exceeding ioyfull in all his 2. Cor. 7. 8. tribulations But contrariwise the carnall ioy of worldlings in the pleasures of sinne is fickle and false mutable and momentany like the short blaze and crackling of thornes vnder a pot or laughter in a fit of phrensie Eccl. 7. 6. or of a man tickled which laugheth in the face and countenance when he is grieued at the heart because in the middest of their mirth they haue many a cold qualme and checke of conscience being not able to forget that after all their youthfull reioycing they must come vnto Iudgement Chap. 11. vers 9. The which euen in laughter maketh the heart sorrowfull because the end of Prou. 14. 13. their mirth is heauinesse and when they glory in outward appearance to haue 2. Cor. 5. 12. no ioy at all in the heart For who but fooles can reioyce in their full barnes and abundant prouisions that remembreth This night his soule shall be Luk. 12. 20. taken from him Who can haue any sound ioy and comfort in such pleasures and delights which within a while shall end in endlesse woe and misery according to that of our Sauiour Woe vnto you that laugh now for Luk 6. 25. ye shall mourne and weepe §. Sect. 6 That this spirituall ioy is proper to the godly and belongeth to no other Finally the faithfull who resolue and indeuour to serue and please God in the duties of a godly life haue propriety in this spirituall and Psal 33. 1. Psal 111. 8 15. heauenly ioy seeing it belongeth to them all and to them alone none other hauing any part and share in this high and holy priuiledge For first this ioy in the Scriptures is appropriated vnto them onely and no other So the Psalmist Reioyce in the Lord O ye righteous for praise is comely for the vpright And againe Light is sowne for the righteous and gladnesse for the vpright in heart The voyce of reioycing and saluation is in the Tabernacles of the righteous In which regard he desireth to see the good of Psal 106. 5. Gods chosen to reioyce in the gladnesse of his Nation that hee might glory with his inheritance And the Prophet Esay ioyneth these together Thou meetest Esa 64. 5. him that reioyceth and worketh righteousnesse Secondly the faithfull can only thus reioyce because all the causes of this spirituall ioy belong peculiarly vnto them alone For they onely are elected to saluation in which respect our Sauiour exhorteth his Disciples to reioyce in this because their names were written in the Booke of life They alone are the redeemed of Luk. 10. 20. the Lord who being freed out of the captiuity of all their spirituall enemies haue exceeding great and iust cause to reioyce in this gracious deliuerance And when by the glad tidings of the Gospell the Lord proclaimeth Esa 61. 1 2 3. liberty to captiues and the opening of the prison to them that are bound then doth hee also thereby comfort them that mourne giuing vnto them beauty for ashes and for mourning the oyle of ioy So the Prophet
saith that the redeemed of the Lord shall returne and come with singing vnto Sion and euerlasting Esa 51. 11. ioy shall be vpon their heads they shall obtaine gladnesse and ioy and sorrow and mourning shall flee away They are called to the Marriage of the Math. 22. 2. Kings Sonne and feasted with a delicious banquet of his speciall fauours and none but they haue communion with Christ that they may reioyce Cant. 2. 4 5. and solace themselues in the fruition of his loue They and none besides are iustified of Gods free grace through the righteousnesse and obedience of Iesus Christ and therefore haue cause to be of good comfort seeing Math. 9. 2. their sinnes are forgiuen them So the faithfull professe that they would greatly reioyce in the Lord and that their soules should be ioyfull in their God Esa 61. 10. because he had clothed them with the garment of saluation and couered them with the robe of righteousnesse as a Bridegroome decketh himselfe with ornaments and as a Bride adorneth her selfe with her Iewels They also haue cause aboue all others of ioy and reioycing in that they are reconciled vnto God by Iesus Christ and are at peace with him and with their owne consciences Rom. 5. 1 3. in which respect they haue iust cause of glorying in their tribulations for this peace with God passeth all vnderstanding and his loue is Phil. 4. 7. Cant. 1. 2. better then wine refreshing and cheering our harts more then all the cold qualmes of worldly crosses can daunt and dismay them seeing by Gods loue towards vs and our loue towards him wee haue this priuiledge that all things shall worke together for our good They alone haue the Spirit of Rom. 8. 28. God dwelling in them which worketh in their hearts this spirituall ioy Gal. 5. 22. and by vniting them vnto Christ and through him vnto God his Father the Authour and Fountaine of all goodnesse blessednesse and ioy doth giue vnto them cause sufficient of triumphing with ioy vnspeakable and Esa 51. 12. glorious in the fruition of all happinesse through this sweet and happy communion Finally the faithfull onely who serue and please God haue hope and assurance of eternall blessednesse in the Kingdome of heauen when all teares being wiped away from their eyes they shall bee comforted Apoc. 21. 4. after their mourning and after their weeping laugh and reioyce For Math. 5. 4. the Lord will shew them the path of life and cause them to inioy in his presence Luk. 6. 21. fulnesse of ioy and at his right hand pleasures for euermore In which regard Psal 16. 11. the godly in this assurance of faith haue as much greater and better cause of reioycing aboue all worldlings who abound in their present possessions of earthly wealth and wallow themselues in voluptuous pleasures as a young heire in his nonage who expecteth the inheritance of some goodly Lordship or if you will some great and glorious Monarchy hath more cause of reioycing then a poore cotager in a silly tenement in which for the present he dwelleth but yet onely holdeth it at the Landlords pleasure For there we shall haue riches and treasures which Mat. 6. 19 20. cannot rust with canker nor we be robbed of them by theeues there are honours subiect to no blemish of disgrace and pleasures for euermore In all which respects let the righteous be glad as the Psalmist exhorteth let Psal 68. 3. them reioyce before God yea let them exceedingly reioyce And that not by fits and flashes but at all times and vpon all occasions according to that of the Apostle Reioyce euermore Neither is there any time vnseasonable for 1. Thes 5. 16. the spirituall ioy of the righteous so long as they haue the face and fauour of God shining vpon them which is all-sufficient in it selfe to turne all their mourning into mirth and their sorrow into gladnesse euen when they are sore pinched and pressed with the waight of their afflictions and cause them to reioyce inwardly in their hearts when their cheekes are bedewed with their teares Heerein quite contrary to the wicked who reioyce in the face but not in the heart whereas the faithfull 2. Cor. 5. 12. doe inwardly glory euen in their tribulations which notwithstanding being bitter and vnpleasant to the flesh do make them to discouer nothing but griefe in their outward countenance Yea sorrow for sinne it selfe when as wee mourne as a man mourneth for the death of his onely sonne and first borne doth not abate our spirituall ioy yea in truth it doth much increase it for this godly sorrow worketh repentance to saluation not to 2. Cor. 7. 10. be repented of and causeth the true Christian exceedingly to reioyce in that he can heartily grieue because by his sinnes hee hath displeased his God And this trembling in the sight and sense of our sinnes and the Iudgements of God due vnto them may through faith assuring vs that by Christ we are freed from them be ioyned with inward gladnesse according to that of the Psalmist Serue the Lord with feare and reioyce Psal 2. 11. with trembling §. Sect. 7 An admonition to the faithfull to lay hâ—ld on this ioyfull priuiledge and to shake off sorrow and sadnesse By all which it appeareth that godlinesse doth not depriue any of ioy and gladnesse yea rather the more godly we are the better right and title we haue vnto it and may iustly exceed all others as much in mirth and cheerfulnesse as we haue in vs more then they the causes of all sound and solid reioycing The which as it should perswade all who are yet vnresolued to enter without delay into this Christian course that they may attaine vnto this high and excellent priuiledge and not suffer themselues to be any longer discouraged with this vaine and false conceit that they must leaue all their chiefest ioyes when they leaue and forsake the pleasures of sinne so should it mooue those who haue a desire and purpose to serue and please God to lay hold of this ioyfull priuiledge seeing God freely offereth it vnto them and not any longer to please themselues with their melancholike dumpes and affected sadnesse as though they were greatest proficients in mortification when they most exceed in lumpish heauines which needs to be mortified as well as any other carnall affection that in stead thereof our hearts may bee replenished with spirituall ioy For hereby they doe not onely exceedingly discredit and disgrace a godly life and by casting vpon it this false aspersion of sorrow and sadnes discourage others from entring into it but also make it to become so tedious and troublesome harsh and vnpleasant that they cannot proceed in it without much vncomfortablenesse nor performe the duties of Gods seruice with any cheerfulnesse and delight when as their spirits are dulled and deaded with this mournfull and deiected heauinesse
the World with him and is a fruit or branch of originall corruption and one kind of hardnesse of heart whereby forgetting Gods Power and Prouidence his Iustice and hatred of Sinne and not obseruing his fearfull Iudgements executed vpon the wicked nor his Mercies extended towards those that serue him mens hearts are emptied of the true feare of God and so without checke and remorse of conscience or griefe of heart quietly and securely goe on in their sinfull courses to their eternall destruction And this is naturally bred and borne in all men alike without exception although nourished and increased diuersly by those causes of securitie before spoken of according to that predominancy which they seuerally haue in one more then in another And continueth and wholly possesseth all the powers and faculties of Heart and Mind as it were a spirituall Lethargie till the Lord awakneth them out of it as he doth euen the wicked sometimes by the thundering threatnings of the Law and sense of his heauie Iudgements for their sinnes striking horror and despaire into their mindes hearts and consciences whereby it commeth to passe that they who slept securely and neuer awaked can now take no rest at all And the godly alwayes whom he first rowseth out of this dead sleepe partly by Legall comminations and partly by some sharpe Afflictions so as like the Iaylor suddenly awakned they crie out to Gods Ministers Men and Brethren what shall we doe that we may be saued and Act. 16. afterwards by the preaching of the Gospell whereby the true feare of God is wrought in them which maketh them to watch ouer their wayes that they may not being ouer-come by tentations doe any thing displeasing in the sight of God So that euen naturally this vaile of securitie is spread ouer the eyes of all men whereby they see not or seeing like men asleepe with their eyes open consider and regard not the all-seeing Eye of God looking vpon them yea euen into all the secret corners of their hearts and reynes the Iustice and Power of God whereby hee is ready and able to punish sinne nor his Loue Mercy and Goodnesse towards all those that seeke and serue him vntill by the preaching of the Word and inward operation of the Spirit applying vnto them the vertue of Christs death this vaile is rent in sunder whereby they come to a sight of Gods sauing attributes which worke in vs a reuerent and filiall feare of him which is alwayes accompanyed with a holy care and watchfulnesse ouer our selues that we doe not any thing displeasing in his sight §. 2 Of carnall securitie which is affected and voluntarie The carnall securitie which is affected and voluntarie is when as men purposely vse all meanes to harden their hearts against Gods feare and to stop their eares that they may not heare any thing which may awaken them of their pleasing sleepe of sinne that so they may without any disturbance commit all manner of wickednesse with delight and greedinesse whereby they much strengthen and increase their naturall securitie vntill by custome it becommeth habituall They adde Arte to Nature and thinking that they cannot sleepe soundly enough and without feare of disturbance in their naturall slumber of securitie they stupifie their senses as it were with opium till they are brought into an vnrecouerable Lethargie and sleepe of death They doe not onely draw ouer their alreadie hard hearts and seared consciences a callum or thicke skin which will not be pierced with the pricke of a pin but as one saith euen a treble plated armor Triplex circa praecordia ferrum which is high proofe against the Sword of Gods Spirit the Word of God yea euen the Musket shot of his Iudgements and Punishments They doe not onely quench all good motions of Gods Spirit restrayning them from sinne but quite put out those small sparkes of the light of Nature which remayne in them They doe not alone stop the voyce and crie of their consciences with the lowder clamour of their tumultuous lusts and passions but put to silence all that would admonish them of their wicked courses with their impudency in sinning They harden their fore-heads against all reproofes and flye in their faces who reprehend their wickednesse They shut their Esa 6. 9. Zach. 7. 11 12. eyes that they may not see Gods Iudgements and stop their eares that they may not heare of them either as they are threatned in the ministerie of the Word or inflicted on impenitent sinners like vnto themselues yea they stupifie their senses that they haue no feeling of them but can out-face their owne punishments and euen laugh when they are lashed with Gods whip And though all these outward Sconces were batterd and beaten downe so as sinne dare no longer abide in the countenance Words and externall Actions yet they haue an inward Fort vnto which being impregnable it may safely retyre euen an heart of Rocky and Adamant hardnesse whereas it may sleepe in great securitie there being no engine or shot which will batter this Hold. §. 3 Of carnall securitie which is in the vnregenerate Secondly this carnall securitie is to be distinguished according to the diuers subiects in which it is For it is to be considered as it is in the vnregenerate before conuersion who are wholly ignorant and forgetfull of God destitute of Faith and the feare of God or as it doth remayne in the faithfull after they are in part regenerate and truely conuerted In the vnregenerate it continueth in it full strength wholly possessing and corrupting the mind and heart and depriuing them vtterly of Gods feare of the sight and sense of their sinnes and of the Iudgements and Punishments due vnto them either threatned and imminent or else alreadie inflicted and imposed In these it raigneth and ruleth without resistance as a King and Soueraigne vnto whom they yeeld peaceable and quiet obedience keeping all in peace without any feare or disturbance and as Satans Vice-Roy subiecteth all the powers of the Mind and Soule vnto his rule and gouernment so as quietly and without feare they doe his will according to the saying of our Sauiour When a strong Man armed keepeth his house all that hee possesseth is in peace Or if the conscience being awakned and affrighted Luk. 11. 21. with the threatnings of the Law and apprehension of Gods Iudgement doth check their lusts and passions and disturb this quiet peace Carnall securitie soone pacifieth these tumults by stopping the voyce of the Conscience and casting it into a deepe sleepe whilest it causeth it to be lulled in the lap of carnall pleasure and singeth vnto it the sweet and bewitching tunes of worldly delights with the dittie of earthly profits and preferments In which they continue till they come to sleepe that last sleepe of death and are summoned to appeare before Gods Iudgement Seate to giue an account of all their former courses vnlesse in the meane time the Lord
in the Canticles I sleepe but my heart waketh or like Cant. 5. 2. vnto the sleepe or rather disease in sleepe which Physicians call Ephialtes wherein they feele this waight of carnall securitie lying heauy vpon their hearts and striue with all their might to shake it off but are notable till God assist them by his Spirit and throughly awaken them by his Word For the faithfull in this securitie doe carefully and conscionably vse the meanes whereby they may be freed from it as the diligent hearing of the Word Meditation Prayer and such like and are much grieued in themselues that they performe these duties with so much dulnesse and drowsinesse and that they so little profit by them And this was the case of Dauid who being somwhat awakned by Nathan doth flye vnto God by Prayer desiring to bee awakned more throughly and to be more and more quickned by Gods Spirit and to recouer the operations and feelings of it which were so much abated in him Create saith he in me a cleane heart O God and Psal 51. 10. renew a right Spirit within me Cast me not away from thy Presence and take not thy holy Spirit from me Restore vnto me the ioy of thy saluation and vphold me with thy free Spirit And againe My soule cleaueth vnto Psal 119. 25. 88. the dust quicken thou me according to thy Word Quicken mee after thy louing kindnesse so shall I keepe the testimonie of thy mouth So the Church complayneth vnto God of this securitie and hardnesse of heart O Lord why hast thou made vs to erre from thy Wayes and Esa 63. 17. hardned our heart from thy feare Returne for thy seruants sake the Tribes of thine Inheritance §. 6 Of the causes of carnall securitie in the faithfull First prosperitie worldly or spirituall Now the causes of this carnall securitie in the Faithfull are principally these First their abuse of worldly prosperitie and temporall benefits with which God hath blessed them when as being in themselues common gifts which hee bestoweth as often and in as great plentie vpon the wicked as the godly they notwithstanding esteeme them as speciall Testimonies and Pledges of his loue and so out of this false ground conclude that hee will watch ouer them with his Prouidence and keepe them still in this flourishing estate safe and sure from all afflictions and troubles which mooueth the Lord that hee may waken them out of this securitie in which they were more apt to rest vpon his gifts then vpon the Giuer or at least vpon the Giuer for the gifts sake to depriue them of this prosperitie in which they trust and to hide his Face from them in respect of those earthly pledges of his loue As wee see in the example of Dauid I said saith he in my Psal 30. 6. prosperitie I shall neuer be moued thou Lord of thy fauour hast made my Mountayne to stand so strong that is Thou hast so established my Kingdome euen as Mount Sion the seate thereof which cannot be remoued But thou diddest hide thy Face and I was troubled In which securitie 2. San. 24. Dauid was when he numbred the people trusting ouer-much in the arme of Flesh and multitude of his Subiects but was awakened out of this sleepe by the message of the Prophet and that grieuous plague whereby so many of them were destroyed Yea sometime this carnall securitie in them is caused through their spirituall prosperitie and the ioyfull feelings of Gods fauour in the pledges of sauing graces which maketh them to thinke these comforts will alwayes last and that in the strength of them they shall hold out in the profession and practise of true godlinesse vnto the end and so rest more vpon the Springs or Streames of these sanctifying Graces then vpon God himselfe who is the Fountayne of them Which moueth the Lord to stop the course by spirituall desertions as it were at the head of the Riuer and to giue them ouer to their owne strength without any flow of fresh supply whereupon these streames in their sense and feeling are soone wasted with the scorching heate of tentations so as they returne to their naturall drynesse And to this securitie new Conuerts are most subiect who like fresh-water Souldiers thinke that they haue wholly conquered all their spirituall Enemies because they haue gotten the better of them in some light skirmishes and that they are sure and firme for euer falling because they haue such feelings of Gods assistance and the ioy and comfort that doth accompany it whereas in truth God tendring their child-hood and weaknesse doth hold them vp in their wayes because hee would not at their first venturing to goe haue them discouraged by their falls and knowing that like vntryed Souldiers they are faint-hearted and easily discouraged from fighting in the spirituall warfare he giues them victorie in some small skirmishes that they may be heartned to indure constantly and couragiously in sorer conflicts The which they misse-construing and attributing too much vnto their owne strength and valour the Lord to driue them from this ill-grounded securitie doth leaue them to themselues and suffereth them to fall and to bee ouertaken with some danger vpon which they become oftentimes in the sight and sense of their weaknesse as cowardly and fearefull as they were before confident and couragious and vncomfortably complaine as men forlorne and forsaken of all hope And this an ancient Father well obserued Some saith hee thinke the sweetnesse of their imitation Quidam dulcedinâ—m incheationis putant sublimiâ—aâ—em confirmationis ideò cum tentatio sâ—quitur derelictos se à Deo putant Greg. in Moral lib. 24. cap. 7. the height of their confirmation and therefore when a tentation followeth they iudge that they are vtterly forsaken of God And againe For the most part euery one newly conuerted herein slippeth and fayleth that whilest hee is entertayned with the sweet sense of some gifts of grace for his initiation or entrance into the course of Christianitie hee thinketh that hee hath attayned vnto the confirmation of perfection and esteemeth it the consummation of full measure not knowing that they are but the allurements of inchoation whereof it commeth to passe that whilest he is touched and shaken with the tempest of some tentation he suspecteth himselfe to bee despised of God and in the high way to vtter destruction whereas if hee would not giue too much credit to the comforts of his first entrance he would in his prosperitie prepare his mind to indure aduersitie and would afterwards so much the more firmely resist Vices comming to incounter him by how much hee had more wisely foreseene them §. 7 The second cause is spirituall pride Another cause of carnall securitie in the faithfull much like vnto the former is spirituall Pride whereby they ouer-weene their owne abilities and the measure and strength of their gifts and graces receiued And so leauing their onely sure dependancy
Now what can argue greater securitie then through our want of consideration to mistake our repentance as a thing being in our owne power and therefore at our command whensoeuer wee call for it whereas it is the free gift of God and therefore to be receiued with all care and diligence whilest the acceptable Time and Day of saluation lasteth wherein the Lord graciously offereth this gift vnto vs What can more conuince vs that our hearts are in this dead sleepe then caresly to put off a thing of such importance as our repentance is which concerneth vs no lesse then our eternall Saluation or Damnation vnto after-times which are most vncertayne we hauing no assurance no not so much as of one minute What sheweth more euidently our carelesse retchlesnesse then Luk. 17. with the old World and the filthy Sodomites to liue impenitently in our sinnes Eating and Drinking Buying and Selling Building and Planting till wee bee swept away with the Deluge of Gods Iudgements and be consumed with his inflamed Wrath. Or with Belshazzar Dan. 5. to feast and carowze till the Finger vpon the Wall writ downe the sentence of our condemnation Finally if securitie did not besot vs how could we be so be-fooled as to conceiue that we may more fitly and conueniently repent long hereafter then at the present when we haue by abusing Gods patience incensed his wrath and moued him to withdraw his gifts and graces When wee haue hardned our hearts with customable finning so as neither Gods Word nor Works Mercies nor Iudgements can pierce into them When as we are distracted with infirmities of body and cares of mind sense of present euills and feare of worse How could we be perswaded to imagine that wee shall more easily make vp our reckonings betweene God and vs when they are growne so great as they are sufficient to fill Zacharies large roll then when they are in Day-bookes and short Zach. 5. 2. Scrowles that we can better come out of Satans bondage when he hath long held vs in his captiuitie and worne vs out and lamed vs with his gyues and fetters of sinne then when wee are first come into his thraldome Or that we can pull vp sinne when by time and continuance it is like an growne Tree rooted in vs then when it was newly planted and as it were in the tender twigs if our hearts were not hardned and the eyes of our vnderstanding quite blinded with this carnall securitie §. 8 The fourth signe is hypocrisie The fourth signe is Hypocrisie when as we make outward shew of holinesse and nourish corruption in our hearts tipping our tongues with a golden and glorious profession and angling for prayse and commendations by presenting vnto the sight of men some seeming good actions that wee may more cunningly hide and disguise our secret sinnes For as sinceritie and Gods feare accompanie one another according to that of the wise Man He that walketh in his vprightnesse Pro. 14. 2. feareth the Lord as wee see in the example of Iob who is said to haue Iob 1. 1. beene a man perfect and vpright and the cause thereof is rendred because he was one that feared the Lord So Securitie and Hypocrisie are neuer seuered but as the Cause and Effect goe still together For if we were not blinded with securitie we could neuer be so foolish as to imagine that we may please God with outward shewes that being a Spirit he will be content with outward and bodily seruice that he can be satisfied with the seruice of the outward Man and that in the Church onely and when we are in good and religious Companie and let the Deuill and the World haue the heart at all times and the whole Man in places secret and vnseene How could we hope to be out of danger when wee are in the darke and doing the works of darknesse seeing Night and Day are to God alike and his piercing eye searcheth and seeth euen the hidden secrets of the heart and reynes if our carnall securitie did not make vs beleeue that as wee regard not God but haue remoued him farre from our thoughts so hee as little respecteth and thinketh of vs. Like the foolish Lapwing who hauing hidden his head becommeth secure thinking that hee is no more seene then hee himselfe seeth others §. 9 The fift signe is to feare Man more then God The fift signe is when we feare Men more then God being more carefull to please and more loath to displease them then his Maiestie Matth. 10. 28. Exod. 1. 17 18. Heb. 11. 23. Dan. 3. and 6. For as the true feare of God maketh vs to neglect men in comparison of him according to the commandement of our Sauiour Feare not them that kill the body c. and the example of the good Midwiues and the Parents of Moses who feared God more then Pharaoh of Daniel and the three Children who regarded not the Kings Edict either commanding Idolatrie or forbidding Gods true worship and the Apostles who professed that they feared God more then Act. 5. Men So it is the nature of carnall securitie to make vs feare and respect men because their rewards and punishments like vnto it selfe are carnall worldly present and subiect to the senses and to neglect God though his be vnspeakable and euerlasting because being future and for the time to come and as yet not to be seene or felt we neuer consider nor thinke of them Herein much like vnto foolish children who feare more the Schole-master threatning to whip them because of the present smart then the deserued threats of their iust Father though they concerne them no lesse then their reiection out of his fauour for the present and dis-inheriting from their patrimonie in time to come §. 10 The sixt signe immoderate feare in time of danger The sixt signe of carnall securitie is immoderate feare in time of danger For it is an ordinarie thing with Vices when they are a little checked and crossed to turne into their contrarie extremes As of presumption into despaire prophane mirth into deepe melancholy insolent pride into most abiect basenesse as wee see in the example of Benhadad who being exalted in the opinion of his vnresistable forces 1. King 20. 3. 10. 32. gloriously boasteth that the King of Israells siluer and gold wiues and children were alreadie his before the battaile because the dust of Samaria could not suffice for handfulls for all the people that followed him but being put to the worse in the battaile hee becommeth cowardly base sending his seruants with halters about their necks to acknowledge his seruice and to beg for life And thus it fareth with carnall securitie which in the time of prosperitie and safetie is bold and confident but when danger approcheth entertayneth all feares and is presently daunted and dismayed with the shaking of a leafe As wee see in the example of the Apostle Peter who was most confident and
mens dum virtutis suae securitate resoluitur infidiante aduersario inopinatae culpae telo perforatur ibid. as one saith oftentimes it commeth to passe that he whom the conflict of tentation could not ouercome is shamefully foyled by his owne securitie And the mind becomming loose and negligent in securitie of its owne vertue is pierced and wounded with the weapon of an vnexpected fault by our treacherous enemie And this is the cause why the Lord continually exerciseth his seruants in the spirituall warfare and suffereth the enemies of their saluation to skirmish with them that they may bee preserued from securitie which is farre more dangerous then any warre And as Scipio wisely aduised in the Senate that Carthage should not vtterly bee destroyed lest the Romanes with too much peace and securitie should become slothfull and effeminate and so bee easily subdued by some other enemies so the Lord would not giue vs a full victorie ouer our spirituall enemies but suffereth them though with ouer-ruled and abated forces to skirmish with vs that we may not become slothfull and secure and so exposed to more danger And thus wee see that carnall securitie is in it selfe a dangerous euill and grieuous sinne the which should moue vs with vnreconciliable hatred to abhor and make warre against it neuer being at rest till by the vse of those good meanes which God hath sanctified for this purpose wee haue banished it out of our hearts and in stead of it established in them the true feare of God CHAP. IX Where is shewed that carnall securitie is the cause of many fearefull punishments §. 1 That carnall securitie depriueth of Gods fauour and protection and dispoyleth vs of all spirituall grace BVt that we may be moued to pursue this Vice with more deadly hatred and more carefully vse all good meanes to be armed against it let vs now further consider that as it is the euill of sinne and the cause thereof as hath beene shewed so also it is the cause of the euill of punishment yea it selfe is also a punishment of other sinnes Concerning the former This securitie exposeth vs to many euills both priuatiue and positiue For it depriueth vs of Gods assistance in the day of tentation whilest it blindeth our eyes that we cannot see the want of his helpe hardneth our hearts that we cannot desire it and shutteth our mouthes that wee cannot craue it by our feruent prayers It dispoyleth vs of the rich furniture of Gods sauing graces by causing vs to neglect or formally and coldly to vse the meanes whereby they should be nourished and increased as hearing the Word Reading Meditating Prayer and the rest presuming that we are well enough safe and in good estate without them whereupon must needs follow their languishing and decaying if this securitie be still cherished in vs. For the strongest bodies will waxe faint and weake if they bee depriued of their food whereby they should bee nourished The greatest flame and fire will soone goe out if it be not fed with a new supply of fuell and kept in by blowing The greatest state will soone bee consumed if men lauishly spend vpon the stocke and vse no meanes to adde vnto it The best Vines will grow wild and bring vnripe and sowre Grapes if they be neglected and be not pruned and well ordered The most fruitfull ground will in stead of good Graine bring forth weeds Thornes and Thistles if it be not husbanded and manured And thus it fareth with vs in our spirituall estate our strength of grace will turne vnto weaknesse if in our securitie we thinke our selues so strong that wee need not to cherish them with the spirituall Manna and meanes of grace and saluation The fire of the Spirit will bee extinguished if wee cast vpon it this cold water of securitie and doe not continually re-enliue it by blowing vpon it and stirre vp the gifts and graces of God in vs as Paul exhorteth Timothy Wee shall soone breake and 2. Tim. 1. 6. bee banke-rupted in our spirituall state if thinking with the Laodiceans Apoc. 3. 17. that we are rich enough and haue need of nothing we neglect the meanes whereby the mayne stocke of Gods graces may be preserued and increased in vs. Wee shall like degenerate Vines in stead of sweet bring forth nothing but sowre Grapes if we neglect the continuall purging and pruning of our selues from our superfluous lusts and doe not preserue our hearts well ordered and in the feare of God Finally in stead of the fruits of Vertue we shall breed and bring forth nothing but the weeds of Vice and Sinne if we neglect our spirituall husbandrie breake not vp the fallow grounds of our hearts weed them not of thornie cares manure them not by the vse of all good meanes whereby they may bee made rich and fertile and sow not in them the good seed of Gods Word which will bring forth in vs the fruits of Holinesse and Righteousnesse §. 2 Of some speciall graces whereof carnall securitie depriueth vs. More particularly our light of knowledge will soone grow dimme if we securely content our selues with that we haue and doe not more illuminate our vnderstanding by the light of Gods Word from which as the light of the Moone from the Sunne it was first borrowed Or else if it remayne quicke and sharpe in theorie and speculation it will waxe vaine and vnprofitable in respect of vse and no way further but rather hinder vs in the wayes of godlinesse Our faith will become faint if through securitie we carelesly neglect the meanes of Hearing Rom. 10. 17. 1. Tim. 1. 5. Reading Praying c. seeing it is nursed and cherished by the same meanes by which it was bred and borne in vs. Our loue will waxe cold and fruitlesse if wee grow secure and sluggish with the Spouse in the Canticles neglecting to see and seeke the face of our Beloued in Cant. 5. 2. 6. the vse of his holy Ordinances to harken to his Voyce not meditating on his infinite loue wherewith hee hath loued vs vpon which cooling of our affection towards him he will withdraw himselfe and hide from vs his louing Countenance as it is in the same place and so wee shall also lose the sweet and comfortable sense and feeling of his loue in our hearts till wee haue shaken off our carnall securitie and haue diligently sought his face and fauour by renuing our faith and repentance Our affiance in God will soone languish if we either securely flatter our selues with a conceit that wee are out of danger or haue strength in our owne hands to preuent or ouer-come it neither can we catch sure hold of this staffe of our strength till wee see what need we haue of it and haue cast out of our hands the brittle Reede of our owne abilities Our feare of God will quickly fayle and giue place if wee nourish securitie which is an vtter enemie and opposite vnto it
will Ezech. 34. 22 to 31. set one Shepheard ouer them and he shall feede them euen my seruant Dauid that is Iesus Christ the Sonne of Dauid hee shall feede them and he shall be their Shepheard And I the Lord will be their God and my seruant Dauid a Prince among them I the Lord haue spoken it And I will make with them a couenant of peace and I will cause the euill beasts to cease out of the Land and they shall dwell safely in the Wildernesse and sleepe in the Woods c. §. 2 The causes of spirituall securitie respecting our selues The causes of this spirituall securitie on our part are those vertues and graces receiued from God which haue the promise of it and make vs fit and capable to receiue and apprehend it when as the Lord of his free grace doth offer it vnto vs. The principall whereof is the Spirit of adoption crying in our hearts Abba Father which sealeth vp Rom. 8. 15 16. in our hearts the assurance of Gods loue and beareth witnesse with our spirit that we are children of God And if Children then Heires and Heires of God and Co-heires with Christ who as we suffer together so shall we be glorified together The which Spirit of adoption is opposed to the Spirit of bondage and freeing vs from all seruile feare doth inuest vs with the priuiledge and together with it the peace of securitie of the Children of God And this Spirit also is accompanyed with an whole Armie of spirituall Graces which taking vp and as it were manning the Fort of our hearts doe keepe them and vs safe and secure in all assaults of danger and the spirituall encounters of tentations so as they shall neuer bee able to make vs fall away or alienate vs from Gods vse So the Apostle Peter telleth vs that if we giue all diligence 2. Pet 1. 5 6 10. to make our Calling and Election sure by adding one Grace and Vertue to another this golden Chaine will so keepe and strengthen vs that we shall neuer fall that is neither from the estate of Grace in this life into the state of sinne and death nor from our assurance of the state of Glorie in the life to come into that miserable condition of condemnation and destruction §. 3 Of the particular causes of spirituall securitie first sauing knowledge But besides these Graces in generall there are speciall Graces which are the causes of this spirituall Securitie both because the promise of it is made by God vnto them and because in this respect wee become capable of it and fit to apprehend and receiue it when the Lord in mercy bestoweth it vpon vs. The first of these is the sauing Knowledge and remembrance of God and his sauing Attributes of Wisedome Power All-sufficiency Mercy Goodnesse Loue and Truth not onely as they are infinitely in God and of his Essence and Nature but as they extend and are exercised towards vs. For when we acknowledge and remember that God is infinite in all goodnesse and perfection is our God and we his Seruants and Children that he is infinite in wisedome and knoweth what is best for vs how to preuent all dangers to supply most fitly and fully all our wants and to deliuer vs most seasonably from all euill both of sinne and punishment that he is infinite in power and able to doe whatsoeuer he will and can at pleasure destroy our Enemies and defeate all their projects and purposes and arme vs with strength in our greatest weaknesse so as we shall be able to ouer-come them and withstand all their tentations that he is al-sufficient and by himselfe able to supply all our wants as well without as with meanes and a rich portion which is sufficient to make them who inioy him happy in the absence of all earthly good and presence of all temporall miseries that he is infinite in mercy goodnesse and loue towards vs in Christ and therefore as willing as able to doe that for vs which he knoweth to be best and most fit to make vs eternally happy and that he is also infinite in truth most infallibly verifying and accomplishing his Word and gracious Promises made vnto vs of Grace and Glorie temporall protection and euerlasting saluation then doe wee cast our selues securely vpon his prouidence for supply of all our wants protection from all dangers and deliuerance out of all miseries and afflictions So that as carnall securitie is caused through the ignorance and forgetfulnesse of God and his Attributes so Christian securitie which is opposite vnto it is caused by the knowledge acknowledgement and remembrance of them §. 4 The second cause a liuely Faith in Christ The second cause which produceth this spirituall securitie as the fruit and effect of it is a liuely faith in Christ and firme affiance and Rom. 5. 1 3. confidence in God For being iustified by Faith we haue peace with God and peace of Conscience and with them inward securitie and spirituall ioy euen in afflictions and tribulations So being by Faith ingrafted into Christ and become members of his body we may be secure in his power and protection assuring our selues that hee will preserue his owne members from all euill prouide for them all necessaries and defend them from the malice and power of all Enemies so as they shall not be able to hurt and destroy them which were to suffer a mayme in his owne blessed Body If we by Faith relye our selues vpon this Rocke of strength then though the Rayne descend and the Floods come and the Winds blow and beate vpon vs yet we are secure Matth. 7. 26. from all danger because wee cannot sinke or fall being founded vpon a Rocke If wee beleeue Gods Promises of preseruation and protection there is no cause of feare in the greatest extremities because we are sure of helpe and deliuerance which is certainly promised to all the faithfull according to the saying of Iehosaphat Beleeue 2. Chron. 20. 20. in the Lord your God so shall yee bee established beleeue his Prophets and yee shall prosper If beleeuing in God we put our affiance in him and cast our selues wholly vpon his prouidence and protection this will worke in vs this spirituall securitie For he that dwelleth in the secret of Psal 91. 1 2 3 c. the most High shall abide vnder the shadow of the Almightie Hee that maketh the Lord his refuge fortresse and trust shall bee deliuered from the snare of the Fowler and from the noysome pestilence Hee will couer him with his feathers and vnder his wings shall he trust his Truth shall be his shield and buckler He shall not be afraid for the terror by night nor for the arrow that flyeth by day c. because hee hath made the Lord his refuge and the most high his habitation There shall no euill befall him neither shall any plague come neere his dwelling For hee will giue his Angels charge ouer
of the fruits of this hatred from which diuers impediments doe arise that hinder many in the wayes of godlinesse And these are either internall in the minde and iudgement or externall in the words and actions of the former sort there are two notable hinderances and discouragements The first is the false iudgement and erroneous opinion of wicked worldlings shewed in their hard and harsh bitter and vncharitable censures of the godly whereby they condemne their persons and all the good graces of God in them with all the vertuous actions which are done by them as euill and faultie Their feruencie of deuotion in religious exercises they iudge to be grosse hypocrisie their wisdome and Christian prudence they repute wilinesse and subtilty their simplicity folly their zeale 2. King 9. 11. madnesse their patience Stoicall apathy and stupidity their frugalitie niggardly auarice their bounty lauish wastfulnesse their Christian forbearance and long-suffring pusillanimity and base cowardize their seuerity cruelty their resolute and absolute obedience to Gods Law they condemne as no better then rebellion against Princes and Magistrates their contempt of the world and earthly vanities is reputed by them cynicall and melancholike sottishnesse and folly In a word if wee set our selues seriously to please God nothing that wee can doe will please the world but all is taken at the worst and euen our best vertues will be branded and blemished by their vniust and vncharitable censures as blameworthy and vicious But that this may not discourage vs in our Christian courses let vs consider that this hath beene euer the portion of all Gods children to be condemned by his enemies Thus the Prophets were censured to be opposites to Princes and States the Apostles to be seditious Matth. 11. 18. persons and brochers of nouelties Iohn the Baptists abstinence Matth. 26. 8. and austerity was counted deuillish Maries loue and bounty reputed needlesse and lauish wastefulnesse Yea our Sauiour Christ himselfe escaped not these false and vniust censures but had his best actions blemished with the malicious censures of wicked men His miracles done by the vertue of his diuine nature were deemed to be done by the power of Beel-zebub the prince of the deuils For his benigne sociablenesse he was iudged a boone-companion and a friend to Publicanes and sinners and all his gracious words wrested and misconstrued vnto the worst sense which wit and malice could giue vnto them And therfore if we will walke in their steps we must looke for the like measure which both our fellow seruants and our great Lord and Master haue found before vs. Againe let vs remember that we stand or fall to our owne Master and as it will doe vs little good to be approued of the world when he condemneth vs so as little hurt to be condemned of the world when God and our consciences doe approue and iustifie vs. Finally let vs know to our comfort that the day will come when all these vniust censures and sentences pronounced by the mouthes of malicious men shall be wholy reuersed and all the sorrow and griefe caused by them swallowed vp with rauishing ioy when we shall heare that last sentence of approbation pronounced by our Lord and Sauiour Well done good and faithfull seruant c. applauded Matth. 25. 23. by the acclamation of all the Saints and Angels §. Sect. 5 Of worldly contempt vnto which the godly are liable The other impediment whereby the world laboureth to discourage all that in the sincerity of their hearts feare and serue God is to Mal. 3. 17. haue them aboue all other men in greatest contempt and basest esteeme For whom God prizeth as his choysest Iewels the world vilifieth as abiects and the refuse of all things whom the Lord honoureth with the glorious titles and priuiledges of his owne children and heires apparant to his heauenly Kingdome the world despiseth as men vnworthy to liue in any humane society And no sooner are they admitted into that holy and happy communion with God and fellowship of his Saints but presently worldly and wicked men shunne them as vnworthy their company For as the vniust man is an abomination Pro. 29. 27. to the iust so he that is vpright in his way is abomination to the wicked And this was that stumbling blocke which being cast into the way hindred many of the Rulers from following Christ and from imbracing and professing that truth of which their consciences were conuinced because they feared lest hereby they should impeach their reputation and expose themselues to the contempt of their consorts louing the praise of men more then the praise of God This kept the parents Ioh. 12. 43. Joh. 9. 23. of the blinde man from confessing Christ and iustifying his miracle because the Iewes had decreed that if any man did confesse that Iesus was Christ he should be put out of their Synagogue and banished from their societies and publique assemblies Which impediment if we would remoue wee must learne to esteeme basely of the worlds estimate and neither to thinke better of our selues when it honoureth vs nor worse when it vilifieth and despiseth vs. To which purpose let vs consider that when wee are for righteousnesse sake most contemned in the eyes of the world wee are most magnified in the eyes of God and contrariwise when we haue most the applause of men in our euill courses we are esteemed of God most vile and abiect according to that of our Sauiour That which is highly esteemed amongst Luk. 16. 15. men is abominable in the sight of God Let vs remember that we cannot immoderately affect the applause of men and maintaine faith and a good conscience For as our Sauiour demandeth How can yee beleeue Ioh. 5. 44. which receiue honour one of another and seel not the honour that commeth from God onely That we can neuer hold out constantly in our course of Christianity vnlesse we can with the Apostle esteeme it a very small 1. Cor. 4. 3. thing to be iudged of mans iudgement and can be content with him by honour and dishonour euill report and good report to goe forward in the duties 2. Cor. 6. 8. of a godly life which if wee performe with neuer so much diligence zeale yet if therein we doe not ayme chiefely to please God more then men we shall not be the seruants of Christ but of the world Gal. 1. 10. seeing we will be willing to lay aside our profession and holy practice when the world censureth and condemneth them Let vs know that it will little auaile vs at the day of death or iudgement to haue had the approbation and applause of men when as God and our owne consciences shal condemne vs nor be any cause of griefe at that day when we call to minde that for the pleasing and honouring God in all Christian duties we haue displeased the world and brought our selues into contempt with men when as the