in the Spirit And if like those good Thessalonians we receive and believe the Gospell and entertaine the word with joyfulnesse notwithstanding all afflictions 1 Thes 1.5 6 9. 1.3 4. if wee turned God from all our false Gods our owne delights and vanities to which wee have wedded our hearts and if our faith increase and our love abound and if we have faith and patience as they had in all our crosses and afflictions then may wee assure our selves that wee are effectually called as they were John 10 c. out of the vastâ— wildernesse of this woefull world unto Christ our Shepheard for our Saviour Christ saith that his sheepe know him heare his voyce and follow him If therefore wee know acknowledge and embrace Christ if we heare and hearken unto his voyce and doe it if we study to resemble imitate and follow him in love meeknesse patience humility justice fidelity truth confidence and compassion then we may confidently assure our selves that wee are his sheepe effectually called home into his fold Mortification being of such necessity in the ordinary meanes of our salvation as that wee cannot be regenerate before wee carefully discharge this office of mortification let us therefore endeavour this duty with all diligence let us denounce a bloody and generall warre against all our sinnes let us entertaine favour and correspondencie with none but let those sins that have beene our delight be in our hatred let us not love them for their profit because transitory Wee must not foster our sins neither for profit nor pleasure neither feare them for their number If sin overcome us we are their slaves let us not favour them for their pleasure because moment any let us not feare them for their number though infinite many nor for their strength though they have conquered a world of people let us have confidence in God because hee is on our side and hath a care of us when sin got the upper hand of us and wee victoried by them we were then their servants their slave when wee overcome and have victoried them let us make them our slaves perpetually let us bind them in chaines cast them in prison and for ever utterly destroy their evill power Let us have no pity no favour Note no compassion on sin because when we were overcome by sin sin was mercilesse against us let us not as did Saul spaire any for their dignity or worth but with David let us mortifie and destory all let us hate the sins of youth and despise the sins of age let us not be partiall in our owne particulars let not prosperity alter us neither let poverty tempt us but having undertaken to warre with sin let us be full in opposition against it let us not end our warre without victory Let us strive to overcome sin with a constant resolution let us not interrupt it by truce but let us be resolute in our purpose and constant in our resolution and at all occasions and in every distresse let us resort to the throne of Gods mercy and crave the assistance of his holy Spirit hee is our Conductor hee is our Commander and the Generall in this spirituall warre let us consult with that Oracle and by it receive direction let us fight with the arme of his might and win the garland of holy victory for having God on our part whom then shall we feare and if he be with us who can be against us his policies cannot be prevented nor his power with victory opposed What wee want of spirituall power in our selves Psal 18.1 c. shall be abundantly supplyed by the infinite power of the holy Ghost for by him wee shall be able to overthrow an host of sin and by the strength of our God Note wee shall overcome all extremities and avoyd all dangers hee is the end of our hope and the maine battell of our power wee are but the reare hee is our Generall Hebr. 12.2 we are his souldiers his holy Crosse is our colours his holy Word our weapons And being thus appointed we dare confront all the enemies of our soule the Divell our sins and all that doth oppose us wee dare undertake their conquest spoyle their power discipline their errors and by the perpetuall death of our sins obtaine a perpetuall quiet of our conscience and the everlasting peace of our soules Of Regeneration VVHen all things was first created every thing was perfectly good no defect no blemish no need of correction Quest. the first defection was sin the first sin was the sin of Angels the next the sinne of man Here may be demanded a question why God did permit Adam to fall from his integrity and suffer him and his sonnes to revolt and fall into sinne and did not hinder the fall which hee could have done if it had pleased him Answ But hee would not hinder it because such was his pleasure for certaine causes best knowne unto himselfe in the meane let no man thinke that God was injurious for he was not indebted to us Job 36 23. to confirme us by his grace and to keepe us from declining but this fall was permitted by God for the greater benefit of his elect for their glory procured by Christ Esa 46.10 11. doth farre exceed and surpasse the glory which was given them in their creation which had never beene if man had never falne by sin great are the evills which we suffer by reason of that first offence but what faithfull man would not endure farre greater rather then to want so great a Redeemer God not bound to let did permit this fall yet it is not to be ascribed unto him as the cause thereof but to mans owne will for hee did not incline Adams heart unto sinne nor did he infuse the least corruption into his soule Jam. 1.13 14 15. neither did he withdraw any grace from him before hee inspired into him but hee fell by his free will through his owne default at the perswasion and suggestion of the Divell man was therefore the cause of his iniquity in his owne proper will and not from Gods predestination As God brought man into the state of life so man brought himselfe into the state of death for if any man decline from piety and justice hee runs headlong of his owne will hee is drawne by his owne concupiscence and is beguiled through his owne perswasions the Father hath no hand in this fall the Sonne is no agent of this sinne Note the holy Ghost is no worker of this wickednesse therefore the fault of mans choosing of that which was forbidden is not by any meanes to be transferred or ascribed unto God for God punished the sin of Angels in their owne particulars only for they were to derive their natures to posterity by generation and naturall descent because they were ordained for the service of God in certaine particular offices assigned them in the
be signifying that hee is an eternall unchangeable being and all other creatures are temporary and mutable This name in the New Testament is given to our Lord Christ Apoc. 1.8 when he is called Alpha and Omega the beginning and the ending which is which was and which is to come the Almighty for all time past and to come is aye present before God And to this name Christ alludeth Before Abraham was I am Iohn 8.58 this Name should teach us likewise to have alwaies present in our mind our first creation our present corruption and our future glorification The third Name is Jah Psal 112 c. Psal 113.1 2.3 4 5. which as it comes of the same roote so it is the contract of Jehovah and signifieth Lord because hee is the beginning and being of beings This Name is ascribed unto God so when this Name is absolutely given to God it answereth to the name Jehovah and so translated by the seventy Interpreters for God is so a Lord that he is absolute of himselfe and Lord of all This Name should alwaies put us in remembrance to obey his Commandements to feare his Judgements Mala. 1.6 to submit our selves in all things to his blessed will and pleasure saying with Ely It is the Lord 1. Sam. 3.18 let him doe whatsoever seemeth him good The fourth is God 600. times used in the New Testament which signifieth To burne or kindle for God is light and the Authour both of heate light and life in all Creatures either immediately of himselfe or mediately by secondary causes but when it is properly and absolutely used Note it signifieth the eternall essence of God being above all things and through all things and seeth all things in all places giving life and light to all creatures and preserving and governing them in their wonderfull frame and order therefore let us take heed every where what wee doe in his sight thus farre of the names which signifie the Essence of God The Name chiefely which signifieth the persons in the Essence is Elohim Elohim signifieth the mighty Judges Genes 3.22 Deut. 7.6 it is a name of the plurall number to expresse the Trinity of persons in the unity of Essence the mighty God or all the three Persons in the God-head Math. 21.37 It is derived of Alah hee swore because in all weighty causes when necessity requireth an oath to decide the truth we are onely to sweare by the Name of God which is the great and righteous Judge of Heaven and earth as oft therefore as we read or heare this name Elohim it should put us in mind to consider that in one divine Essence there are three distinct persons and that God is Iehovah Elohim Now follow the names which signifie Gods essentiall workes which are these five especially Math. 27.46 Math. 25.31 2 Chro. 32.8 The first El which is as much as strong God and teacheth us that God is not onely most strong and fortitude it selfe in his owne Essence but also that it is hee that giveth strength and power to all creatures therefore Christ is called El Gibbor the strong most mighty God therefore let not Gods children feare the power of enemies for El our God is more strong then they Secondly Shaddai that is omnipotent by this name God usually stiled himselfe to the Patriarchs I am El Shaddai the strong God Almighty because hee is perfectly able to defend his servants from all evill to blesse them with all spirituall and temporall blessings and to performe all the promises which he hath made unto them for this life and in the life to come This Name belongeth onely to God himselfe and to no creature no not to the humanity of Christ This may teach us with the Patriarchs to put our whole confidence in God and not to doubt of the truth of his promises and the performance thereof Thirdly Adonai which is My Lord this name Analogically is given to creatures but properly it belongeth to God alone it notes unto us the mysterie of the holy Trinitie if I be Adonim Lord Malac. 1.6 where is my feare this name is given to Christ when he saith Cause thy face to shine upon thy Sanctuary that is desolate Dan. 9.17 18. for Adonia the Lord Christ his sake The hearing of this holy name may teach every man to obey Gods Commandements and to feare him alone to suffer none besides him to raigne in his conscience to lay hold by a particular hand of faith upon his Word and Promises and to challenge God in Christ to be his God saying with Thomas Thou art my Lord and my God 4. Helion that is most high this name Gabriel giveth unto God telling the Virgin Mary Psal 9.2 Dan. 4.17.24.25 Act. 7.48 Luk. 1.32 that the childe that should be borne of her should be the Son of the most high This teacheth us that God in his Essence and Glory exceedeth infinitely all creatures of heaven and earth and that no man should be proud of any earthly honour or greatnesse but to desire true dignitie and to labour to have communion with God in grace and glory 5. Abba signifying Father Rom. 8.15 Esay 9.5 Jam. 1.17 2 Tim. 6.16 for God is Christs father by nature and Christians by adoption and grace Christ is called the everlasting Father the prince of Peace because he doth regenerate us under the new Testament God is also called father of Light because God dwelleth in inaccessible light and is the â—â—thour not onely of the sonnes light but also of all the light both of naturall reason and of supernaturall grace this name teacheth us that all the gifts which wee receive from God proceed from his meere fatherly love and that wee should love him againe as deare children and that wee may in all our troubles be bold to call upon him as a father for his helpe and succour thus should wee not heare of the sacred names of God but that wee should thereby be put in mind of his goodnesse unto us and of our duties unto him and then we should finde how comfortable a thing it is to doe every thing in the name of God a phrase usuall in every mans tongue but the true comfort thereof through ignorance knowne to few mens hearts it is a great wisedome and an unspeakable matter for the strengthening of a Christians faith to know how in the mediation of Christ to invocate God by such a name as whereby hee hath manifested himselfe to be most willing and best able to helpe and succour him in his present need and adversitie The ardent desire of knowing God is the surest testimony of our love to God and of Gods favour to us Psal 91.14 15 16. Because hee hath set his love upon mee therefore will I deliver him I will set him on high because he hath knowne my name he shall call upon me and I will heare him yea I will be with
him in trouble and deliver him and bring him to honour and shew him my salvation Thus farre of the nominall Attributes The reall Attributes are of two sorts either absolute or relative the absolute Attributes cannot in any sort agree to any creature but to God alone these are two Simplenesse and Infinitenesse Simplenesse is that whereby God is voide of all composition division multiplication accidents or parts compounding either sensible or intelligible so that whatsoever hee is he is the same essentially it hinders not Gods simplenesse that hee is three because God is three not by composition of parts but by co-existence of persons Job 11.8 Infinitenesse is that whereby all things in God are void of all measure limitation and bounds above and beneath before and after From these two doe necessarily flow three other absolute Attributes Act. 7.48 49. 1 King 8.27 1. Unmeasurablenesse or Ubiquity whereby he is of infinite extension filling heaven and earth containing all places and not contained of any space place or bounds and being no where absent is every where present hee is universally present repletively every where inclusively no where Psal 19.1 by which God is said to be in heaven because that there his power wisedome Hos 2.21 Esa 40.22 c. and goodnesse is in a more excellent manner seene and enjoyed as also because that usually he doth from thence powre both his Blessings and Judgements upon us 2. Unchangeablenesse whereby God is void of all change both in respect of his Essence and Will 3. Eternitie whereby God is without beginning of daies or end of time and without all bounds of precession Thus farre of the absolute Attributes now of the Relative or such as have reference to the Creatures Those are five 1. Life 2. Understanding 3. Will. 4. Power 5. Majestie 1. The life of God is that by which as by a most pure and perpetuall act Psal 36.9 hee not onely liveth of himselfe but is also that ever and over-flowing Fountaine of life from which all creatures derive their lives so as that in him they live move breath and have their being and because his Life onely differs not from his Essence therefore God is said onely to have Immortality the second Tim. 6.16 is Understanding or Knowledge of God and is that whereby by one pure act he most perfectly knoweth in himselfe all things that ever were are or shall be yea the thoughts and imaginations of mens hearts 2. This knowledge of God is either generall by which God knoweth simply all things eternally the good by himselfe 1 King 8.39 Psal 139.2 c. the evill by the good opposite unto it imposing first things contingent the lot of contingence and to things necessary the law of necessity and thus knowing all things in and of himselfe Luk. 16.15 Hebr. 4.22 he is the cause of all the knowledge that is in all both men and Angells secondly the speciall knowledge called the knowledge of approbation Rom 11.33 by which hee particularly knoweth and graciously acknowledgeth onely his Elect for his owne 2 Tim. 2.19 Understanding also containes the wisedome of God by which hee most wisely ruleth them to serve his owne most holy purpose and glory 3. The Will of God is that whereby of necessitie he willeth himselfe as the soveraigne good and by willing himselfe willeth most freely all other good things which are out of himselfe though in it selfe the will of God be but one 1 Tim. 2.5 Rom. 9.15 16 as in his Essence yet in respect of the divers objects and effects it is called in the Scriptures by divers names 17 18. 1 Joh. 3.1 The first Love whereby is meant Gods eternall good will whereby hee ordaineth his Elect to be freely saved through Christ Psalm 45.8 Ephes 1.11 and bestoweth on them all necessarie graces for this life and in the life to come taking pleasure in their persons and service 2 Thes 1.6 The second Justice is Gods constant will whereby hee recompenseth men and Angells 2 Tim. 4.8 according to their works ' punishing the impenitent according to their deserts called the justice of his wrath Deut. 7.9 10. and rewarding the faithfull according to his promise called the justice of his grace The third mercy Psal 145.7 c. which is Gods mere good wil and ready affection to forgive a penitent sinner notwithstanding all his sinnes and ill deserts Mat. 16.18 19. The fourth goodnesse whereby God willingly communicateth his good with his creatures Psal 146.6 c. and because hee communicateth it freely Numb 23.19 20. it is termed grace The fifth truth whereby God willeth constantly those things which he willeth 2 Pet. 3.9 10. effecting and performing all things which hee hath spoken in his appointed time Rom. 2 4. The sixt is patience whereby God willingly forbeares to punish the wicked so long as it may stand with his justice 1 Thes 4.3 and till their sinnes be ripened The seventh holinesse Heb. 12.14 whereby Gods nature is separated from all prophanenesse and abhorreth all filthinesse 1 Pet. 1.5 and so being wholy pure in himselfe delighteth in the inward and outward purity and chastity of his servants Esay 6.2.3 which hee infuseth into them The eight Anger whereby is meant Gods most certaine and just will Psal 106.23.29 40 41. in chastning the Elect and in revenging and punishing the reprobate for the injuries they offer to him and his chosen Reve. 19.1 2. and when God will punish with rigor and severity Thes 1.1.10 then it is tearmed wrath temporall to the Elect and eternall to the reprobate Fourthly Gen. 17.1 Psal 115.3 Math. 11.26 Math. 8.2 Eph. 1.11 Math. 3.9 20.34 Rom. 9.17 18. the power of God is that whereby hee can simply and freely doe whatsoever hee will that is agreeable to his nature and whereby as he hath made so hee still ruleth Heaven and earth and all things therein This almighty power of God is either absolute by which he can will and doe more than he willeth or doth or actuall by which God doth indeed whatsoever he will and hindereth whatsoever he will not have done Psal 115.3 Fifthly Majesty is that by which God by his absolute and free authority raigneth and ruleth Chro 29.11.12 2 Sam. 7.22 Apoc. 5.12.13 Rom. 9.15 Luke 19.27 Psal 2.9 110.1 as Lord and King over all creatures visible and invisible having both right and propriety in all things as from whom and for whom are all things as also such a plenitude of power that he can pardon the offences of all whom he will have spared and subdue all his enemies whom hee will have plagued and destroyed without being bound to render to any creature a reason or account of his doings but making his owne most holy and just will his onely most perfect and eternall Law from all these Attributes ariseth
an Apple perhaps no better or not so good in taste as many other in the garden whereof Adam might have freely eaten without feare or forseit all this doth witnes Gods infinit love to his creature man who gave him so great a power and had purposed so inestimable a reward for so small a service This is the summe of this place But so great is the mischiefe strength and working of sinne that it hath bereft all mankind in the very beginning and first entry of our nature from the purity of good conscience trust in God streightnesse of justice liberty of will to doe good quietnesse of life the honour of being the Image of God of our governance and from the incorruptnesse also of nature and immortality and hath infected it with wicked hypocrisie and brought us into danger of all evill made us slaves of sinne subiect to the wrath of God unto corruption to innumerable calamities and unto death Apulaus not onely of body but everlâ—sting So that the scholler of Plato when he describeth man Man saith hee dwelt upon earth glad of reason able to talke having a soule immortall Jerem. 4.2 members subject unto death of light and carefull mindes bruitish and servile bodies not like in conditions but like in errours of peevish boldnesse stiffe in hope vaine in labour brickle of fortune every one mortall and yet together continuing ever their whole kind by mutuall succession of their brood changeable their time ever fleeing away long ere they be wise soone dead in their life never content this saith Apulcius which it seemeth he marked well the corruption of our nature though hee knew not the beginning thereof thus it is better to speake to mans understanding with profit then be vainely curious This as doth the former remembers all men how surpassing the love of God is to man-kind who notwithstanding man was made of a matter so base and unworthy as nothing like him yet doth God descend his Majesty to dignifie his basenesse and did heape such honour such favour upon man as made him the most excellent and most happy of all the creatures of God giving him felicity and power to continue it which of all the blessings of God was the greatest for that is thought to be the greatest misery To have beene happy is a misery to have beene happy and to fall from that happinesse and the greatest happinesse is to be able to continue happy which power God gave to the liberty of man to be or not to be happy for ever This extraordinary degree of favour to our first father Adam doth deserve a thankfull acknowledgement from all men because the favour did reach to all the generations of Adam even to us and to them that shall succeed us for ever All men being then in Adam and Adam the Compendium of all men the honour and the grace being conferred to every man in generall without exception of any Seeing God hath thus honoured our father Adam and enlarged his benevolence unto him above the rest of his creatures and seeing this was not given unto Adam onely but to his posterity for ever even to us being the sonnes of Adam and derived from his beginning Let us therefore acknowledge our selves in as great a debt of beholding to our God as Adam our father was to whom God gave these blessings by name and in speciall manner wee being interested in the benefit as well as Adam but as his sinne made himselfe and us his posterity both alike miserable so if hee had continued constant in his innocency he had made himselfe and us alike eternally happy without feare without hazard without forfeit without interruption let us therefore advise and remember our selves what honour what thankes what service is due from Adam and his posterity unto God Let us compare the infinite greatnesse and goodnesse of God to Adams nothing let us measure â—hem in the infinite distance of their worth let us study to know what desert what moving cause of ours could provoke God to these degrees of favour let us search this desert in the excellency of mans nature doubtlesse it is not there to be found though wee search with diligence Let us then resort to the mercy of God and there inquire there wee shall rightly understand this knowledge For thy selfe O God did move thy selfe to these effects Note thy Mercy did move thy Majesty thy favour did move thy Power thy goodnesse did perswade thy greatnesse thy greatnesse did effect what thy goodnesse caused thus was God tempted by himselfe to dignifie our Father Adam therefore Adam could be no cause of his owne honour because it was in Gods decree before Adam had being therefore Adam had greater cause of thankefulnesse that God did please without cause thus to advance him and to multiply his infinite and abundant favours upon him Adams honour was ours Adams duties are ours Resolution wee are as strictly bound in our dutifull obligation to God as our father Adam was let us therefore his posterity be constant in that duty wherein he failed and though Adam hath disinherited us his posterity of that power which hee had to performed his divine acknowledgements yet let us by our best endeavour strive with our nature to reforme our errours to imitate so neere as wee can Adams innocency thus let us ever be resolved to contend against the corruption of our nature and with a holy ambition to covet to equall or exceed the honour and happinesse of our father Adam in his innocency and seeing God did make us so wonderfull in our frame so excellent in our nature let us therefore with modesty and reverence to God esteeme our selves let us understand and remember our selves that God hath made us creatures of note and excellence ordained for holy ends and made us Masters of infinite other creatures let us remember that our soule is the divine breath of God our bodies the temple of the holy Spirit let us therefore bend all our endeavours to fashion the government of our lives in some proportion to â—his excellency of our nature let us hate the company of the wicked and imitation of evill because God hath created us good let us value the posterity of our soule before the possession of the whole world let us be jealous of our selves and carefull to feare to give entertainment to any evill cause that may move deprave or corrupt us let us love our owne salvation above all but God because God did honour us above all but himselfe in our creation Thus may wee lawfully with religious modesty endeavour and esteeme of our selves God did grace us in our creation but then God will double that grace in our salvation for this I doe earnestly intreat I pray I hope Of originall Sinne the Fall and Apostacy of man VVHen man was in the height of his prosperity having all things requisite to make him both happy and great and wanting
us but it must be considered with what minde those things be wrought which be of themselves good whether of the affection of love and mercy or for some other cause Let us not love in word neither in tongue but in deed verity 1 Iohn 3.18 for hee is not worthy straightway to have the commendation of good workes which doth bestow meate drinke and cloathing upon the poore not of the desire to do good but rather to hunt hauke for glory and praise in the sight of men wherefore all be not immediately good workes which be esteemed to be good unlesse they be such as doe profit their neighbours and that they do proceed from a good and faithfull heart and the affection of charity thereby our faith is exercised fed encreased and strengthened by good workes and that wee be assured by them in our consciences of our election and calling in that wee doe daily more and more feele the grace and vertue of Christ encreasing in us by meanes thereof like as on the contrary part evill workes doe expresse and shew forth more and more the malice and wickednesse of our hearts Therefore Saint Peter admonisheth us to make our election and vocation sure 2 Pet. 1.10 Eccles 28.10 for like as the fire by wasting much wood waxeth greater and stronger so is godlinesse and faith fedde and maintained in Christian men by the study and use of good workes even so by use exercise of vertuousnesse men doe come to a perfect habite of the same and so by imitation of their good workes others bee stirred up to the like desire of godlinesse when they doe see some lively examples in their neighbours that by the applying of good workes to the reliefe and necessities of the poore Jam. 1.27 John 3.17 Hebr. 13.1 2 3 16. needy widdowes fatherlesse prisoners sicke folkes and all other distressed which kind of goodnesse doth resemble the very disposition of God himselfe for the goodnesse which wee are created unto is not determined in the workes of mercy onely but it doth extend unto our whole life and common trade of living together Amity is the true bond of all humane society wherein one man is so knit unto another by mutuall love ayd and service even as the very members and parts of our body doe service one to the necessary use and ayde of the other wherefore they be not men but vaine shapes of men John 5.5 which doe vainely and idlely spend all their life as though they were borne to no other intent and end but to waste and consume upon themselves without regard to their Christian brethren or relieving and supplying their wants and necessities in time of need to which end they were chiefly and necessarily ordained of God next then to doe him service and divine worship for Saint Paul admonisheth all men to walke worthily in the sight of the Lord Col. 1.10 to please him in all points being fruitfull in all good workes for hee that is fruitfull in all good workes doth please the Lord in all things if they be done with a pure and sincere faith for they bee the fruits of faith for good workes are pleasing to God Good workes be done by the Spirit of God because they bee done by his Spirit for he doth worke in us both to will and to performe according unto his good will and pleasure therefore forasmuch as they come from him it cannot be but that they must be liked of him That which is just and good is loved of God as the authour and beginner of them Such is his justice that he loveth the same which is just and good being himselfe of all other most just and the rewarder of all good workes that proceed of faith but wee must not assume the reward of our good workes to proceed of our owne deserts but unto the goodnesse of God who doth worke the effects of godlinesse and charity in them that believe True and sincere love is an inseparable property in the godly no Christian without faith Iohn 15.17.12 13 14. and no faith without charity where there is not the brightnesse of charity neither is there the zeale of faith Note take away the light from the sun and thou maist aswell take charity from faith Charity is the outward act of the inward life of a Christian the body is dead without the spirit James 2.26 so faith is dead without charity He is not of Christ that hath not the Spirit of Christ and hee hath not the Spirit of Christ Gal. 5.22 that hath not the gift of charity for charity is the fruit of the Spirit and the bond of perfection Col. 3.14 Note As the members of the body are knit together by the Spirit that is the soule so the true members of the mysticall body of Christ are united by the holy Spirit in the bond of charity 1 King 6.21 22 Salomons Temple was all covered with gold within and without so let Gods Temple be all beautified with love and charity both within and without let charity move thy heart to compassion and thy hand to contribution for compassion is not sufficient unlesse there bee also outward contribution neither is outward contribution sufficient unlesse there be also inward compassion 1 Iohn 4.7 c. faith receiveth all from God and charity giveth againe unto our neighbours God is love and by faith we are partakers of his divine nature no man believeth in Christ which loveth not Christ and no man loveth Christ unlesse he love his neighbour neither doth he apprehend the benefits of Christ with true confidence of heart that doth deny his neighbour the office which hee oweth unto him That is not truly a good worke which proceedeth not from faith Rom. 14.13 neither is it truely a good work which proceedeth not from charity charity is the seed of all vertues it is no good fruit which springeth not from the root of charity for charity is the spirituall taste of the soule for unto it alone is every good thing sweet and pleasant every hard thing sweet yea all troubles and adversities sweet 1 Ioh. 13.34 35 It profits not to give all that one hath unto the poore if hee hath not charity for the outward action is done in hypocrisie if there bee not inward love Rivers of bounty profit not unlesse it spring from the fountaine of charity Charity is patient for no man is easily angry with him that he loveth charity is bountifull for hee that by charity hath bestowed his heart which is the chiefe good of the soule how can he deny his outward goods to his neighbour which are of farre lesse worth Charity envieth not because hee that hath charity looketh unto anothers good as upon his owne Charity thinketh no ill 1 Cor. 13.1 c. but loveth truly and from his heart Charity is the bridle of anger Charity is simply
is made by no manner of respect of any quality of ours neither doth God elect any man for his birth or beauty or for any prerogative or excellency in his person Rom. 2.11 for God is no accepter of persons and these things are not before election but come after it for that which Moses saith of the generall election of all the Israelites Deut. 7.7 may be as truly said of the speciall election of all faithfull Israelites that God hath not chosen them for their multitude but of his owne love nor for any dignity Gen. 4.3 but of his owne mercy wee see God respected not the older-ship of Cain but chose Abel hee regarded not the riches of Nabal the wisedome of Achiâ—ophel 2 Sam. 17. 2 Sam. 18. 1 Sam. 28. 2 King 9.10.33 the beauty of Absalom the comlinesse of Saul the princely blood of Jezabel neither were all the seed of Abraham elected as was Abraham it is God that hath chosen us and doth make us meete to be partakers of the inheritance of the Saints and not any prerogative or dignity in us Wee call Christ our Saviour because hee by his dignity and merit hath deserved our salvation of God for us Therefore in no wise must wee attribute our election unto any respect of our quality and worthinesse but unto the onely respect will and purpose of God and that wee can give no reason for it The respect of our election is to be sought in God himselfe Psal 8.4 c. but onely his 〈◊〉 and infinite goodnesse was the cause of it for the perceiving of our owne unworthinesse and depravation doth drive us not this for saith David Lord whâ—â—â— is man that thou art so mindfull of him and the sonne of man that thou so visitest him Psal 444. Eph. â—â— â— The Apostle doth so expound this cause that hee doth wholy attribute it uâ—â—â— God and nothing at all unto us he doth turne the respect of our election unto the good pleasure will purpose and grace of God according unto the good pleasure of his will according to the riches of his grace and according to his good pleasure which hee purposed in himselfe therefore he predestinates according to his purpose So that we must believe that these be the causes of our election and choice for all men should know that there is a supernaturall cause which is the cause of all things and that the cause of the cause Esay 43.13 God hath chosen us because it hath so pleased him is the cause of the thing caused Therefore God hath determined it who can alter it he hath chosen us because it so pleased him he would doe so because he purposed in himselfe so to doe wee must rest here and seeke 〈◊〉 other cause of these causes therefore we must not rashly and ungodly search and travell why it hath so pleased him and why he would and purposed so to doe but wee must impute it wholy and onely unto the infinite goodnesse and riches of his grace our Saviour Christ when he said I thanke thee O Father Math. 1â— 25 â—â— Lord of Heaven and Earth because thou hast hid these things from the prudent and wise and hast revealed them unto â—abes Hee did referre the cause hereof to nothing else but to the good pleasure and will of God his Father add 〈◊〉 and saying Even so O father for so was it thy gâ—od pleasure Rom. 9.15 And the Apostle when hee disputed of election and refusing he doth openly and stedfastly referre the causes of both refusing and electing unto the will of God saying He hath mercy on whom he will and haâ—dâ—eth whom be wiâ—â— hâ—â—e hardned Therefore we must consider and certainely ground our election and salvation upon his good pleasure will and purpose whose will is most free interest and right most highest over all things truth â—â—â—â—â—â—ble his pleasure stedfast for ever his purpose most effectuall and power not to be withstood Job 36.5 and without let or hindrance all which doe agree with the nature of Gods goodnesse whose property is ever to have mercy and to doe good there it is noâ— possible that the election of us made according to his pleasure Esay 43.1 3. will and purpose should be altered or made voyd but stand firme and stable for ever For like as reprobation doth exclude all manner of conjunction of them that hee refused with the refuser God so doth election joyne the chosen with the chuser which knitting together of two most sundry natures of God and man could not be made without the closing up of some mediatour Hot and cold cannot be united but in some meane which may receive bâ—â— their is much lesse possible that man which is colder then Ice Heb. 12.29 should bee united with God who is a consuming fire This cause is most cleare to all of reasonable understanding saving onely to them which neither considering the highnesse of Gods wrath 1 Pet. 1.20 The mediator betwixt God and us nor the basenesse of mans weakenesse and corruption doe thinke they may be joyned unto God without a mediatour now who that mediatour is in whom God hath chosen us before the feding of the world and hath joyned us unto him in a perpetuall conjunction the Apostle doth diligently expresse to the Ephesians saying Eph. 1.1 Blessed be God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who hath blessed us in all manner of spirituall blessing in heavenly things by Christ according as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world Therfore we are chosen by God the Father in Christ his Sonne in an everlasting election before times and seasons when the world was made Wherein wee do see that it was so determined for ever that we should bee saved by Christ the Sonne of God our mediatour and it was so predestinated that the same eternall Word should be borne at his time in our flesh so that by the same through which wee should be created by in him wee should be chosen also to bee redeemed and saved and this our faith in our Mediatour and Saviour Christ hath a most ancient foundation that is to say eternall before all times The foundation of our faith is most ancient and layd before the world began In this wise also wee were in Christ before the world was made by the strength of this eternall election as his chosen but hee did choose us to the intent that wee should be in him and be saved by him For Christ was made the Mediatour head and Saviour of the Elect before the nativity of his flesh but he was appointed so by the Father for evermore Rom. 9. and wee were chosen in him before we were borne at the same time when God determined upon the head and Mediatour of them that should bee saved and did also determine upon them that should bee saved by him as his members which determination the
both caused and continued in us by the secret power of God our selves being meerly passive and moved to divine exercise by the onely direction of the holy Ghost and therefore that we doe ascribe the honour of every good action to God by whom it is caused and utterly disgrace our selves in our owne estimation because Gods grace doth leade every man to every particular action of goodnesse Note Againe seeing that by faith in Christ God doth both cancell and abolish our sinnes and repute us righteous in his presence it doth remember all men the admirable degree of Gods favour and the powerfull operation of faith First Gods favour towards us hee being pleased to forgive us our sins and deserts of condemnation and to give and impute the most absolute righteousnesse of his deare Sonne Christ to all men upon this easie condition of faith that such who have a true faith to apprehend him shall be accepted in his favour as sonnes and shall appeare in the presence of God as equally righteous as if themselves had actually performed righteousnesse in their owne particular persons Secondly Heb. 11.1 c. wee are taught the powerfull operation of true faith that it is able to enter heaven and to apprehend and apply Christ and his righteousnesse to reconcile the favour of God unto us and to satisfie his displeasure to wash off the leprosie and spots of our sins and to put on us the garment of righteousnesse even Jesus Christ the Sonne of God by whom and through whom wee are justified in the fight of God and by whom also wee shall be saved Let us therefore carefully endeavour our selves in a constant exercise of all godly actions not that we repose our justification in the vertue or merit of our owne workes but that by the testimony of our good works we may approve our selves to be faithfull and that our faith is more than a common or a generall historicall faith even a living and a saving faith which is and must be the onely meanes of our apprehending Christ who is the all-sufficient and onely matter of our justification and let this be the onely glory and pride of our well-doing that this witnesse of workes shall gaine us the reputation of Gods servants and that Gods faithfull children here on earth shall esteeme and repute us to be of their fellow-brethren then which let us never desire a greater cause of boasting and this judgement of good men must needs rise from the testimony of good workes because there is an inevitable necessity of consequence and necessary dependence betweene faith and workes they being as inseparable as the heat from the fire and as necessarily depending as the body and the soule let this provoke us to a zealous forwardnesse of all godly actions because thereby we shall conclude the assurance of our justifying faith and thereby satisfie the desire of our owne soules and that doubt which otherwise might justly be had of us in the common opinion of men From this argument must needs follow this conclusion that seeing we have the fruits of faith Note good works therefore we have also the cause of workes true faith and that therefore this faith thus working is a tree of Gods owne planting this is that use this is that comfort and consolation which wee shall understand and find in the nature of our best deserving workes thus let us esteeme them and but thus let us therefore avoid and abolish that dangerous opinion of meriting by workes because it is farre better to want honour then to force it from God by violence nay let us rather disgrace our selves then to dis-inable our Saviour Jesus Christ for if righteousnesse be from our selves it is not onely from him and then would follow that absurd and blasphemous conclusion that he is not the onely Saviour neither hath perfected the worke of mans salvation let us therefore doe all the good we can Note but let us repute our deeds though never so good to be the effect and not the cause of goodnesse in us let us also confidently hold that nothing is able to merit salvation but onely the righteousnesse of Jesus Christ let us therefore utterly disclaime our selves and our owne power which is nothing but weaknesse and wholly ascribe all vertue and all power to our Saviour Christ for it is safer to give him honour then to take it from him and it will farre better become our Christian modesty to acknowledge our weakenesse and infirmities then proudly to boast and advance our selves above our deserts and worthinesse If therefore God by the moving of his holy Spirit doe incline our hearts unto godlinesse hee will also give us grace to continue in the same and give us a desire and power in godly exercise which when it makes us grow plentifull in the demonstration of holinesse let us ascribe the glory thereof unto God to whom it is due onely and onely acknowledge our selves to be that instrument whereby his holy hand of grace is pleased to work with to our salvation Of Faith FAith is the ground the foundation and the pillar of the truth 1 Tim. 3. and it is the constant assent of the heart unto those things which bee taught and promised by the word of God for to believe is to assent unto the same which we doe heare it is also a certaine and sure perswasion of the heart What it is to believe that there is a God whereby wee doe believe certaine things of God as that there is a God and that there is but one and none other besides him that hee is omnipotent the creator of heaven and earth that he is just doing good to the righteous and punishing the wicked that he is good gentle and mercifull to them that doe amend their sinfull life that he is true and keepeth promise that he is able to performe what hee hath promised that hee is everlasting and many other things that bee reported of him in holy Scriptures and to beleeve also of Christ that hee is the onely begotten Sonne of God the word of God made flesh true God and true man our onely Lord redeemer Saviour and Mediatour hee was crucified dead buried and rose againe taken up into Heaven touching his manhood and that he sitteth at the right hand of the father and that he shall come at the end of the world to judge the quicke and the dead and many other things set forth in the Evangelists and Apostles and to believe of the holy Spirit that he is of the same Godhead equall with the Father and the Sonne that he is of the light giver of the minds the comforter teacher reliever renewer sanctifier and governour of the elect of God this maketh a great matter to the salvation of man how it be grounded in their hearts Secondly To believe God that we doe believe God also that is to credit and to believe his word as the word of
it so in contending for this spirituall garland Heaven it cannot but be an extraordinary degree of content and spirituall pleasure to be named in the ranke of best deservers And as malefactors that suffer publique punishment for their offence esteeme the shame more then the paine of their corrections so ought all men to feare the shame they must endure The booke of conscience cannot be defaced but onely by the precious blood of Christ when their conscience disgraceth them before so great a presence as will be at the generall day of judgement For let all men be perswaded that all their faults are so written in the booke of their conscience that there is no meanes to obscure their knowledge and to raze them out neither will the conscience though it bee our owne bee corrupted to connive and dissemble with God but even to our owne faces it will produce all our sinnes whose memory is not blotted out by the righteous blood of Jesus Christ the Sonne of God 1 Pet. 3.21 and seeing the witnesse of our conscience is the evidence whereby wee are all judged either to life or death wee all ought most carefully to avoyd the doing of ought that may offend our consciences Not to offend our conscience but rather to live in feare and awe of conscience because our eternall state dependeth upon the report and accusation of our owne conscience This ought to prevent all unconscionable actions in us and to move a dread in us to have a detestation of every sin because when we have committed sinnes wee have hired so many witnesses against our owne soules to urge our eternall condemnation The silent conscience will be most terrible and loud at the day of judgement Customary sinning duls the sence of conscience Lastly seeing that that conscience which in this life is most silent will notwithstanding at the day of judgement bee most terrible and clamorous it admonisheth all men not to rebell against their conscience and to runne on without checke in the committing of sinne but rather to yeeld themselves to the correction of their conscience left by their customary sinning they dull the sence of conscience and so runne on the race of all unlawfulnesse for though the reproofe of conscience bee very terrible to him that rightly understands it yet ought it to bee carefully apprehended and respected as a moving cause to reformation and repentance and let no man incourage himselfe with common example that because the common sway of mens actions respect greatnesse more then goodnesse and craft more then conscience that this can warrant any ones imitation but rather wheresoever we see unconscionable dealing if in our friends wee ought to admonish them and tell them of their fault if in our enemies we must hate the sin but pity the sinner and labour if it be possible The office of charity his conversion but not his imitation and this direction is both wisedome and charity for he that is wise shall be armed and not harmed by ill example and he that is charitable will doe all the good he can and wish the good he cannot doe Let us therefore constantly endeavour to reduce to memory the severall actions of our life past let us then compare them to the duty of our conscience Good conscience is in hatred with sin and thereby understand in what degree of sinne we are what our conscience shall approve let us continue what it condemneth let us hate be it our pleasure be it our profit be it our neerest or our dearest sin if our conscience call it sin let us despise it let there be nothing shall make us alter or suspend this resolution let us be constant in the love of conscience what we have done amisse let us reforme it by conscience what we have to doe let our conscience judge it lawfull before wee doe it if our conscience presents us profit let us despise it if it be not honest if pleasure and not lawfull let us loath it let us undertake no action nor entertaine no favour but by the direction of conscience in every judgement and in all our actions To consult with conscience let us consult and be led by the rule and voyce of conscience if the world commend a sin and our conscience condemne it let us condemne the world and commend our conscience let us credit our conscience more then common example because our conscience must judge us and not example if our conscience accuseth us secretly of sin wee shall certainly know there is cause let us not silence our conscience from all reproofe let us only avoid the cause of reproofe sin and that carefully when our conscience shall urge us the Law our sins and the condemnation of the Law we have deserved let us not despise our conscience nor despaire mercy but direct our hearts and our eyes of faith to Jesus Christ the strength of our salvation Rom. 5.1 by whose favour wee shall both satisfie the Law and our conscience the hope and comfort we have in his righteousnesse will quiet the trouble of our conscience and hee that hath reconciled God and us will also reconcile us to our conscience Conscience that did accuse will comfort and make it that was our accuser our comforter This direction I propose to my selfe and doe perswade all men as I propose and purpose that in all our actions and consultations we judge nothing convenient that is not lawfull and nothing may be thought lawfull but that which hath the warrant of a good conscience To avoid Security COnsider thou devout soule what a matter it is to be saved and thou shalt easily shake off all security at no time and in no place is there security neither in Heaven nor in Paradise much lesse in the world Genes 3.17 An Angell fell in the presence of the divinity and Adam fell in the place of pleasure Adam was created after the Image of God and notwithstanding hee was deceived by the trecheries of the divell Solomon was the wisest of men 1 King 3.12 and 11.3 and yet his wives turned away his heart from the Lord. Judas was in the Schoole of our Saviour and did every day heare the saving Word of that chiefe Doctor Luk. 22.3 and yet was hee not safe from the snares of Satan hee was plunged headlong into the pit of covetousnesse and desperation and so into the pit of perpetuall punishment David was a man according to Gods owne heart 1 Sam. 13.14 and was unto the Lord a most deare sonne and by murther and adultery 2 Sam. 12.6 7. hee became the sonne of death Where then and when is there security in this life Relie with an assured confidence of heart upon the promises of God and thou shalt be safe from the invasions of the divell There is no security in this life but in the life to come there is no securiâ—â— in this life but
diligence is required of their spirituall travells all which ought to fashion themselves as neere as they can to the example of the holy Apostles Lastly The promises of the Gospell belong to the faithful onely seeing the promises of the Gospell belong to the faithfull onely that is industrious in the service of the Law this ought to provoke all men to contend in godly exercise to exceede one another and to stirre up their frozen and dead desires with the hope of the promise of the Gospel and that they thinke not the Law burthensome being now made easie by the grace of the Gospel and therefore to travaile in the duties of the Law with alacrity and spirituall comfort having their confidence and eyes of faith upon the promise of Christ made in the Gospel Thus if men dispose themselves and their affections they shall find the great and happy difference betwixt Mount Sinai and Mount Sion the Law and the Gospel The difference betweene Mount Sinai and Mount Sion in both which the gracious may finde comfort but with great inequality for unlesse wee be throughly perswaded that our salvation doth flow from the fountaine of Gods mercy and acquaint our selves with eternall election which God hath set forth in the holy Scriptures the schoole of the holy Ghost wherein as nothing is omitted necessary to bee knowne so nothing is taught but that which is expedient for man to know The ministers of Gods Word must therefore beware that they doe not keepe the faithfull from that which the Scripture delivereth unto them lest they seeme maliciously to defraud them Ephes 1. of that which God doth afford unto them or reprove his Spirit as if hee had revealed things fit for some considerations to be revealed The Word is a sure rule to direct our understanding and it is the chiefest point of sobriety in us when wee learne to make God our schoole-master and then to leave learning when hee leaves teaching and when hee leaves speaking wee should leave inquiring hee which curiously pries into Gods secrets runnes himselfe into an inextricable labyrinth and findes not that wherewith his curiosity may be satisfied Religion is not an indifferent thing but wholly to be imbraced and constantly professed The Gospell therefore being a covenant betweene God and our soules our care should be rightly to understand this covenant lest by mis-understanding and false construction we breake the covenant of grace and so runne our selves into a dangerous hazzard Let us therefore search the sence of the mysteries of the holy gospell and if they exceed our understanding let us compare them with the holy writings of the Prophets and Apostles if they exceed our capacity let us consult with the learned expositions of reverend fathers of the Church if all these satisfie not let us daily resort to the servants of this ministration and by diligent observing their sermons expositions and spirituall exhortations we shall both learne what is the covenant we have entred with God and the meanes we must use to keep that covenant and when wee have obtained this forwardnesse 1 Tim. 4.1.2 and hope of better knowledge let us carefully avoyd the dangerous inchauntments of heretiques schismatiques and all false teachers let us beware and not taste of their poyson though they present it in cups of gold let their bayte make us suspect their hookes and their faire and holy pretences their foule and wicked purposes for having found the Lord Christ which is all truth and hath sealed his covenant with us let us preserve that truth from defacing and laying that for our foundation let us build thereon the whole frame of our life and fashion all our actions by the rules of the gospell as the example of Christ hath commanded us that so wee may keepe covenant with our God and obtaine the promise of the gospell which is the salvation of our soules and then with holy Iacob Gen. 45.28 let us boast of our happinesse and say unto our soule wee have enough wee desire no enlargement Againe when wee meditate the matter of the gospell that is the words and workes of our Saviour Christ then it should move us to a reverend esteeme of the story of the gospell and make us delight to exercise our time in the often reading and conferring thereof for if they that have estates of temporall possessions be most carefull to preferre such evidences and writings as is delivered them for their security and assurance and often times spend a great part of their wealth and labour to confirme and continue such estate and such evidence shall we not then much more spend our best diligence and meanes to keepe covenant and understand rightly the writings of the holy Gospel which are the deeds and evidences betweene God and us touching the everlasting state of our soule and carefully to keepe such covenants as give us claime and interest in the possession of a Kingdome Shall men give their substance to Lawyers to maintaine their beggerly possessions on earth beggerly indeed in respect of Heaven though it were the possession of the whole earth and shall we neglect the covenants of everlasting life and may have Law without money let us never doe it Note let us never give testimony of such madnesse let them labour their earthly possessions that will but let us labour the possession of Heaven let them waste their substance on Lawyers wee can have Law and Lawyers much more reasonable Let the Prophets and Apostles be our Counsellors their hands will not be corrupted their judgement cannot erre let us therefore affy in their confidence and endeavour as they direct us Lastly when we meditate upon the particulars of the story of the Gospel let us despise all other histories in comparison of them and the old Testament for the writings of men commonly labour vaine vile and unworthy arguments and those of them that travell in a good cause yet are they defective either in matter or forme but the Gospell and other holy Scriptures being written by the direction of Gods holy Spirit they are nor onely holy in their matter but excellent in their forme and most able to give the desirous Reader infinite variety of content Therefore when wee desire to read of Majesty and great action of Empire warre conquest government policy and infinite other of this kind that depend on greatnesse we may finde both stories and examples in the Scriptures many and unmatchable If we desire to read the stories of mercy love peace humanity civill action and the rest that depend on goodnesse every page in the Gospel can furnish us either with some story or some example of that kind if wee desire to read of wonders and miracles of most admirable credence they are in the Scripture most frequent yet most true in other writings not common yet commonly false Therefore let the holy Scriptures and especially the holy Gospell which is the covenant of our
have deliverance from eternall captivity and torment Thirdly seeing Christ Jesus is the matter of the Covenant of grace betweene God and man it doth also most neerely concerne all men to endeavour all meanes possible A most needfull care is to be had of all men and by their eyes of faith to apprehend Christ who is onely to be apprehended by faith and so to receive the forme and impression of his sacred Image whereby they shall be truely interested in the possession of heaven when those that want this shall be rejected of God with this answer Away from me yee wicked for I know you not because yee have not the Image of my Sonne Fourthly seeing the whole matter of the Covenant of grace is fully contained in the words and workes of Jesus Christ and that all things necessary both to a civill and Christian life are contained in the Story of the holy Gospell it behoveth all men to give that sacred Word preheminence and that no man All directions must be conformed to Scripture neither any state or fellowship of men whatsoever presume to decree or ordaine Canons or Statutes Ecclesiasticall or civill which is any way repugnant or may prejudice the directions of Jesus Christ delivered and set forth in the most holy Gospell but as Christ our Prince our Priest and our Prophet hath given us either by doctrine or example Eccle. 18. Reve. 22.18 19 which needfull directions are necessary and of lawfull use either in a Christian Church or State so no Christian Church or State should presume to innovate or alter those directions which Christ our high Priest and great Prince hath left established unto us but in all directions both in Church and State there must be needfull care that every particular have relation to the truth of holy Scripture and be conformed to the example of Christ for whatsoever direction whether it concerne the soule or society if it bee not either necessarily grounded or agreeth with the Word of God is altogether unlawfull in a Christian Church and State How to square every particular action neither can dispensation make it lawfull or tollerable Therefore by the square of the Scriptures all men ought to measure the Lawfulnesse of every action and direction and that whatsoever shall disagree from God and the holy Scriptures may be judged error and intrusion of disorder and therefore of necessity to be spewed out of every Church and State of Christian men The meditation of this doctrine and these duties should make us serious in our Christian care let us not now content our selves to have onely a generall knowledge of Christ Jesus our Redeemer To consider God in his Majesty onely is terrible but let us labour to understand him in his double nature for if we consider him in his divinity as he is God onely it is a terrour to our remembrance but if we consider him in his double nature it gives us hope and alacrity for the Majesty of God is terrible to sinfull man but his mercy is comfortable and supporteth the falling spirits of our soules which would faint and die in despaire if the grace of God did not succour and give supply to such extremities therefore as God doth most delight himselfe in the use of his mercy so let us delight our soules most in the holy contemplation of his mercy and as Christ Jesus is the most lively character of his mercy Christ Iesus is the character of Gods mercy so let our cares bee most busie in the meditations of Christ his Gospell is the booke of Gods mercies wee have eyes of faith and can both see and read the stories of mercy let us therefore direct our labours and endeavour our studies in the most happy knowledge of our Saviour Jesus Christ Note and in him wee shall finde all goodnesse and infinite variety of matter in him wee shall finde the cause of our redemption Where to finde the cause of mans redemption wee shall finde it in his will wee shall finde it in his working he did cause our good he did effect it also in his will was the cause in his workes was the effect This godly meditation may kindle a zeale in them that were dead in sinne and provoke holinesse where it is not to see the infinite greatnesse Ier. 4.2 Psal 34.20 the infinite goodnesse of God omniscious of God omnipotent to yield himselfe to such a wonderfull difference of fortune he that had all happinesse in the highest degree breathing unutterable pleasure in the bosome of his Father and he that made the heavens and the earth should descend from heaven to earth and there assume the forme of wretched man and in that forme worke such righteousnesse as might satisfie God satisfie the Law for the sinne of man and in that forme to bee borne in poverty to live in contempt and die in disgrace and all this to be done by the onely begotten Sonne of God for the good of man a creature that was become apostate a traytor to God a rebell to his lawes and the very cause and actor of his disgrace death and Tragedy O that I had but words to expresse the imaginations of my soule what formes of mercy we may see in our Saviour Jesus what slackenesse what scantinesse We must meditate what we cannot expresse in words nay what foulenesse of desert we finde in our selves his good and our evill are infinite therefore what we cannot expresse in words or workes let us devise it in our thoughts let us learne to believe and know our Saviour to bee infinite good though we cannot expresse his infinite goodnesse what we can doe to his glory let us by all meanes endeavour it what wee cannot doe our selves let us perswade others let us endeavour any thing that may adde any thing to the honour of our Saviour for in gaining his favour we shall have the fulnesse of all favour and in losing his favour we have naught but tribulation and misery he is the seale of the covenant of grace betweene God and as if wee want our seale wee shall want our assurance and so lose the favour of God A dangerous forfeit and forfeit our eternall estate in Heaven Therefore let us esteeme the favour of our Saviour before all things let us esteeme all things nothing in respect of him if he subscribe not to our pardon wee are but dead the Law hath cast us without him there is no grace no hope of favour no hope of pardon let us direct our eyes of faith unto him upon the bended knees of our heart and when we have found him whom our soule loveth let us resort to him in daily prayer winne his favour by endeavour in faithfull and carefull serving him and make him the sole end of our desires who hath wrought who hath effected our salvation Thus by the assistance of his grace I purpose to doe in my owne particular
our soule The second thing in the cure of our soules is the soveraigne matter by which the diseased soule is cured the most soveraigne balsome the sacred blood of the Lambe of God of the Sonne of God shed for the redemption of man-kind 1 Pet. 2.24 for so saith his holy Apostle Saint Peter who his owne selfe bare our sins in his body on the tree that we being delivered from sin should live in righteousnesse by whose stripes we were healed our sins are taken from us by his bearing them our wounds are cured by his wounds our eternall death prevented by his temporall death for but the Sonne of God No physicke but the blood of Christ can cure a wounded soule Christ Jesus there is no Empyricke no quintessence no physicke can cure a wounded soule so venomous is sin and so incurable are the wounds that sin hath made onely the blood of the holy Lambe is altogether able to deliver and heale them and that is both so certaine and present in vertuous operation as that one drop rightly applyed is able and sufficient to cure the wounds of a world of soules The last thing in the cure of our soule is the manner of applying this most soveraigne medicine The manner of applying Christ Hebr. 11.6 Christ Jesus and that is by a true and lively faith for without faith it is impossible to please God and without faith it is impossible to apprehend the Sonne of God neither let this seem strange to a Christian judgement that wee should be able by faith to apprehend Christ and to apply him to our repentant soules for hee himselfe hath taught us that whatsoever wee shall aske in prayer Matth. 21.22 if we believe wee shall have it whereby he maketh faith the covenant and condition of prayer and promiseth that such prayer that is directed to him by a living faith shall onely and alwaies prevaile No resistance against a true faith against which there is no resistance therefore to apprehend apply Christ to our wounded soules we must reach with our hands of faith to his Fathers bosome take him from the altar of his crosse and by faith apply his precious blood nay his bloody body to our wounded soules for he that doth it faithfully doth it effectually and shall doubtlesse find assurance in himselfe that the wounds of his soule are cured and that sin is for ever dis-inabled from hurting him that hath Christ fully applyed for where he is in mercy there is assurance and safety of divine protection and this is the order that all Christians should take in repentance and spirituall sorrow First to prepare their soules then to apply Jesus Christ their salvation Note in whom there is safety without whom none To declare the manner and the causes of godlesse sorrow and false repentance wee will avoid them for their number and variety let the true judge the false and let this true forme of repentance here prescribed teach the Christian Reader to avoid all dissimulation and hypocritical sorrow for sin Hypocriticall sorrow is in God hatred 2 Cor. 7.10 11. and remember that godly sorrow causeth repentance not to be repented of but worldly sorrow causeth death But gentle Reader let mee admonish thee that we despise not Christ because upon his crosse he hanged betweene two thieves neither that wee honour thieves Mat. 27.38 39. because they hanged upon the crosse with Christ for that which is but meere truth is no truth and the best vertue is ever placed betweene two extremes This Doctrine of Repentance and spirituall sorrow doth remember all men very needfull admonishments First seeing that sin is the cause for which we repent us and by whose poyson our soules are so grievously infected and so fouly deformed and wounded it ought to move all men to a loathing and detestation of sin by which we are grieved in our selves and brought in hatred and displeasure of Almighty God Note for if wee so carefully avoid all such annoyances as bring any little taste of griefe to our bodies in this temporall life wee ought much more to avoyd sin which causeth such extremity of griefe in our soules and doth both deprive us of Gods favour and bringeth an everlasting destruction upon us Secondly seeing there is no repentance profitable to salvation but that which is caused in us by the moving of Gods holy Spirit it behoveth all men to be serious in their repentance and not to content themselves with a slender examination of their sins and then returne againe to their former remissenesse and disobedience but to be heedfully carefull to repent them of all sinne and to be constant in that care without alteration without interruption and that our repentance respect rather a shame and griefe to have offended so gracious a God then any feare of temporall or eternall punishment Saul and Ahabs repentance lest as did Saul and Ahab by such false and feigned repentance they lose their soules Thirdly seeing the soule cannot be cured but by repentance neither can apply or apprehend Christ Jesus unlesse it be first prepared and made fit by the exercise of these duties and not to satisfie themselves with the exercise of one or two of them but to endevour them all because they are all necessary to repentance for as in the Commandements of the Law he that faileth in one breaketh all so in these duties of repentance he that neglecteth one The danger of presumption profiteth by none but annihilateth the purpose of his spirituall sorrow Let no man therefore flatter himselfe with this presumption that if hee hath beene an extortioner a thiefe or a godlesse person that his repentance will suffice though hee be sorry for his sins and acknowledge them to God though these be very needfull and necessary duties yet they are not all the duties of our soule in our preparation to repentance therefore if hee hath extorted Luk. 19.8 or as Zacheus did taken by forged cavillation from any man that is by indirect or dishonest course or meanes Verse 9. hee must repent as Zacheus did and make restitution as farre as he can otherwise salvation can never come to his house therefore as they are all necessary so are they all joyntly necessary every man being bound to all these as God and grace shall enable him Fourthly seeing Christ Jesus is that Physician and that onely salve which is able to cure a wounded soule and that without him there is no working no cause no meanes of spirituall deliverance from sinne We must sell all to purchase Christ and griefe of a wounded conscience Therefore it most neerely concerneth all men to endeavour all meanes to purchase this Christ their salvation and righteousnesse and to despise all things in respect of him their Saviour and the onely soveraigne salve to heale their wounded conscience And seeing wee have Jesus Christ proposed us to be our salvation The
willingnes of Christ to bee apprehended of the faithfull who is alwaies willing and ready to bee apprehended and applyed to our soules by whom wee onely enjoy the peace of conscience and the hope of Heaven therefore no man ought to affy and have any confidence in the pardons of Popes dispensations indulgences and such trash and merchandise whereby the besotted and blinded people of this world is wonderfully delighted for such dangerous pedling stuffe Note must not bee thought to have equall vertue with the blood of Christ or that they have any power in the cure of soules but on the contrary they surfeit the conscience and poyson the soules of them that trust in them inlarging the wounds both in number and griefe Dangerous Physicke and maketh the soule incapable of cure and most unfit to have the precious blood of Christ Jesus applyed unto it Lastly seeing there is no meanes to apprehend and apply this Christ the physicke and Physitian of our soules but onely by a true and lively justifying faith Christ cannot be apprehended but by a true faith only therefore it most necessarily concerneth all men to have this meanes of apprehending Christ because as it is said The salve though most soveraine cannot profit the sore unlesse it bee applyed by faith that being the maine act of our spirituall health all other offices and duties being but circumstances to assist and forward this act Moreover the faith by which wee apprehend Christ must be more then a generall faith for it profiteth not to our health and salvation to know onely that Jesus Christ is the present cure of our soules unlesse we also by a confident and a lively faith apprehend and apply him to the sore of our soules Againe seeing Christ is our only salvation and seeing faith is the only meanes of apprehending him we ought not to seeke or appoint any other meanes or matter of salvation neither any other manner of applying it and therefore no man ought to ascribe righteousnesse to himselfe or his workes or to the supererogating workes of his friends but onely to Jesus Christ and that this Christ is onely apprehended by a saving faith for by faith we live Note by faith we walke by faith wee are justified and our hearts purified by it we vanquish the world and without it it is impossible to please God Let us therefore often meditate this doctrine of repentance what feare what care what affliction is in the soule at such occasion let us practise it in our selves and pity it in others let us condemne sinne to bee the greatest cause of such misery and let us condemne our selves to be the greatest cause of that sinne When wee exercise this spirituall office of repentance let us bee carefully busie in the duties thereof A necessary resolution let us search the wounds of our soules expell and empty the rottennesse and putrefaction thereof search and dresse them search them by a serious examination of our sins and dresse them by an humble and hearty acknowledgement How to dresse the wounds of our soules let us also examine the actions and particulars of our lives let us compare them with our duties and those that proportion not thereto let us call them our errors and our sinnes and the wounds of our soules let us by meanes of faith and prayer referre our defects to bee supplyed to the most absolute satisfactory righteousnesse of our Saviour Jesus Christ The righteousnesse of Christ must supply all our defects what we finde sin let us call it sin let us not flatter our errors nor smooth our deformities and defects in our selves let us not pretend health when wee are dangerously sicke nor safety when wee are mortally wounded We must not foster nor favour no sinnes let us not favour our sins be it a sin of profit or a sin of pleasure in this cause let us despise both let us be sorry for all acknowledge all and earnestly pray for the remission of all if we have gained possessions and wealth by theft extortion or forged cavillation let us restore as our present estate shall enable us let us be ashamed that Zacheus the Publicane shall restore his extortions foure-fold and we not to restore the principall Shun all such sin as the plague or leprosie because we know that salvation will not come to the house that is so infected but as of necessity all sin must bee cured All sinne of necessity must be cured otherwise there is no cure in our repentance let us hate all sin without dispensation of any otherwise we repent not but flatter our selves in presumption and vaine confidence and because nothing can apprehend and apply salvation to our soules but onely by the hands of saving faith let us therefore bee sure that our faith bee lively and stedfast faith let us trie it by the evidence of our workes they will beare us witnesse and testifie what it is and of what nature Workes must try our faith for as our faith in Christ doth justifie us before God so the workes of our faith doe justifie us in the sight of men If the fruit of our faith be good our faith it selfe then must needs be good and availeable to apprehend and apply Jesus Christ our salvation Let us therefore be plentifull in the exercise of good actions that our conscience may testifie our faith and that our faith may bee able to execute the holy office assigned it We must be plentifull in good workes and why when wee have the assurance of this faith let us then with stedfast confidence looke up to Heaven let us seeke him whom our soule loveth and when we have found him let us expose before him the calamity of our soules and our present condition wee are in let us lay open our sins discover our wounds declare our endeavour and report our faith when we have thus done wee may assure our selves that our Saviour will rejoyce at our recovery be glad of our conversion and returne and will shew us his righteousnesse and will also willingly yeeld himselfe unto our faith and give us free liberty in the use of his righteousnesse Apprehension of Christ Let us busily apply our cares to apprehend him in his righteousnesse and stretch our hands of faith to the altar of his Crosse and with a wonderfull degree of comfort apply his sufferings his wounds and his death to heale the wounds which sin hath made in our soules Note and infuse his most precious blood into them and with that blood shall enter the spirit of health and everlasting safety Thus in an instant shall wee finde the happy alteration of our soules and wee that but then were in spirituall griefe The happy alteration of our soules anguish and tribulation shall now finde joy and strength in our soules and our soules that were before wounded deformed and full of the markes of sinne shall now
God What fiery darts of the divell can be so mortiferous that they cannot be quenched in the fountaine of divine grace What so great a staine of the conscience that his blood cannot purge Here is not felt the fire of Gods fury but the heat of his love here is the Sonne of righteousnesse Malac. 4.2 the present light of our soules our first Parents were brought into Paradise that most sweet and fragrant garden Gen. 2.8 the type of eternall beatitude behold the penitent conscience is here cleansed by the blood of the Sonne of God and by the body of Christ are nourished the members of Christ the head the faithfull soule is fed with divine and heavenly dainties the sacred flesh of God which the Angels adore in the unity of person which the Arch-angels reverence Psalm 18. at which the powers doe tremble and which the vertuous admire is the spirituall food of our soules Let the heavens rejoyce Psal 96.11 let the earth be glad but much more the faithfull soule upon whom such and so great benefits are bestowed Our most bountifull God Matth. 22.4 hath prepared a great feast hearts that be hungry must be brought unto it he that tasteth not thereof feeleth not the sweetnesse of this heavenly feast to believe in Christ is this heavenly feast but no man believeth Note unlesse he confesse his sins with contrition and repent him of the same Contrition is the spirituall hunger of the soule and faith is the spirituall feeding God gave Manna Exod. 16.4 the bread of Angels to the Israelites in the wildernesse In this feast of the new testament God giveth us the heavenly Manna that is his grace and forgivenesse of sins yea his Sonne Christ Jesus The Lord of the Angels is that spirituall bread which came downe from heaven to give light and life unto the world The desire is the food of the soule and the soule comes not to this mysticall feast unlesse it desires to come thereto Matth 25.8 Verse 10. and it cannot desire the heavenly sweetnesse if it be full of this worlds comforts at the comming of the Bridegroome the Virgins that had no oyle in their lampes staying too long were shut out so they whose hearts in this world are not filled with the oyle of the holy Spirit shall not be admitted by Christ to the participation of the joy of this holy feast but shall have the gate of indulgence the gate of mercy the gate of consolation the gate of hope Rom. 5.20 the gate of grace and the gate of good workes shut against them Our Saviour Christ hath yet another kinde of calling and happy is hee that heares and obey it Christ often knocks at the gates of our heart by holy desires Note devout sighes and pious cogitations and happy is hee that openeth unto him as soone therefore as thou feelest in thy heart any holy desire of the heavenly grace assure thy selfe that Christ knockes at thy heart make haste let him in lest hee passe by and presently shut the gate of his mercy against thee as soone as thou feelest in thy heart any sparke of holy motions or godly meditations perswade thy selfe that it is kindled by the heat of divine grace and love that is of the holy Spirit cherish and nourish it 1 Thes 5.19 that it may grow to be a fire of love in thee and take heed that thou quench not the Spirit 1 Cor. 3.17 and hinder the worke of the Lord our heart is the Temple of the Lord hee that destroyeth the Temple of the Lord shall feele his severe judgement and he destroyeth it whosoever refuseth to give place to the holy Spirit inwardly calling him by the Word In the old Testament the Prophets could heare the Lord speaking inwardly in them and so all the true godly doe feele those inward motions of the holy Spirit drawing them unto goodnesse Ephes 4.3 therefore all men must endeavour to keepe the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace A preparation to the receiving of the holy Communion of the Body and Blood of Iesus Christ THere is a hearing and a preparation before hearing there is a praying and there is a preparation before praying and there is a receiving and there is a preparation before receiving which if it be wanting the receiver receiveth uncomfortably the prayer prayeth vainly and the hearer heareth unfruitfully like those which doe eate before hunger or drinke before thirst this preparative before hearing praying and receiving for the health of our soules doth signifie the rules of physicke for preparatives are ministred alwaies before physicke Note and as the preparative which goes before maketh way to the physicke or else it would doe no good but hurt so unlesse examination goe before the Sacrament 1 Cor. 11.27 29. wee seale up the threatnings which are pronounced against us in stead of the promises which are made unto us for the Sacrament is a seale and sealeth good or evill as every other seale doth therefore all men ought carefully to examine themselves but they that are suspected of a crime doe not examine themselves but are examined of others lest they should be partiall in their owne cause but a faithfull Christian should examine himselfe of his crime Verse 31.32 Note and be his owne judge his owne accuser and his owne condemner for no man knowes the spirit of man but the spirit which is in man which will condemne him if he be guilty and tell him all that he hath done and with what minde he did it and what punishment he deserveth for the same this is the close sessions or private arraignement when Conscience sits in her chaire to examine accuse judge and condemne her selfe Eccles 18.19 because she will escape the just condemnation of God Thus have holy men kept their sessions at home and made their hearts the fore-man of the Jury and examine themselves Note as wee examine others The feare of the Lord stood at the doore of their soules to examine every thought before it went in and at the doore of their lips to examine every word before it went out so shouldest thou sit in judgement of thy selfe and call thy thoughts words and actions to give in evidence against thee whether thou be a Christian or an Infidell a sonne or a bastard a servant or a rebell a sincere believer or an hypocrite if upon examination thou find not faith nor feare nor love nor zeale in thy selfe let no man make thee believe thou art holy that thou art godly Note that thou art sanctified that thou art a Christian that thou art a believer because thou art worse then thou seemest to thy selfe to be therefore if my heart tell mee that I love God whom shall I believe before my selfe 1 Cor. 2.11 No man can search the heart of another man so Paul saith No man knoweth the spirit of any man
and the direction of the holy Ghost should keepe the holy day upon that Lords day or Sunday Apoc 1.9.10.11 agreeable to the practise of the ancient Church and worthily solemnize it on the first day of the weeke in memoriall of the worlds redemption to the honour and praise of the Lord Jesus who rose from death to life upon that day This should stirre up all Christians to a thankfull remembrance of their redemption by Christ his resurrection from the dead Hebr. 2.5 2.11 5.9 And note that with the day the blessing of the day is likewise translated to the Lords day because all the sanctification belonging to this new world is in Christ and from and by him conveyed to Christians and because there cannot come a greater motive or cause then the new creation of the world therefore the worship of God is fitler solemnized on this day then on any other The holy Sunday is the Lords market day for the weeks provision Esa 55.1 2 3. wherein he will have us to come unto him and buy of him without gold or silver the bread of Angels and water of life the wine of the Sacraments and the milk of the Word to feed our soules tried gold to inrich our faith Apoc. 3.18 Gen. 2.2 3. Exo. 20.10 11. precious eye salve to heale our spirituall blindnesse and the white rayment of Christs righteousnesse to cover our filthy nakednesse Of Christs Ascension MEditate upon thy Saviours ascension by a holy contemplation Joh. 20.29 thou faithfull soule for Christ withdrew his visible presence from the faithfull to exercise their faith by holy contemplation and blessed are they that see not Mat. 6.21 Act. 8.21 Colos 3.2 and yet believe where our treasure is there let our heart be also Christ our treasure is in heaven let our hearts therefore be set upon those things that are heavenly and meditate upon those things that be above let us put our confidence in the pledge of the holy Spirit which the Lord left unto us at his departure let us put our confidence in the body and blood of Christ which wee receive in the mysterie of the holy Sacrament and let us believe that our bodies which are filled with this incorruptible food shall at length be raised up againe and that which we now believe in faith wee shall then see with our eyes and our hope wee have now in Christ shall then be reall fruition to our soules the Lord is present unto us here but in part Colos 3.4 but in the mansion of his heavenly kingdome Act. 1.9.10.11 12. we shall behold him in his glory and know him as hee is which is our life our Saviour ascended up from the Mount of Olives the Olive is the signe of peace and joy therefore not without great cause hee ascended up from Mount Olivet because by his passion and holy sufferings he hath purchased peace and tranquillity for amazed and terrified consciences not without cause did hee ascend up from the Mount Olivet for the court of heaven exceedingly rejoyce to receive him the Mount doth not onely put us in minde but doth also call and invite us to heavenly things and seeing we cannot follow him with the feete of our body let us follow him with the feete of our holy desires The disciples stood lifting up their eyes Vers 11. and looking towards Heaven so let all the true Disciples of Christ lift up the eyes of their heart to behold and desire heavenly things Sweet Jesus what a blessed and glorious alteration followed thy passion Oh happy and sodaine change how didst thou suffer on Mount Calvary for our sinnes and how doe I now behold thee in the Mount of Olives there thou wast alone here thou art accompanied with many thousands of Angels there thou didst ascend up to the Crosse in disgrace Luke 24.52 here thou didst ascend up into Heaven in a cloud and in glory there wast thou crucified betweene thieves here thou dost rejoyce amongst the company of Angels and Saints there thou wast nayled to the Crosse as a condemned man here thou art at liberty and dost deliver those that were condemned Eph. 5.23 30 there suffering and dying here rejoycing and triumphing Christ is our head and the Saviour of the body we are his members Rejoyce therefore and bee glad thou faithfull soule for though our sinnes doe hinder us yet the communion of nature doth not repell us where the head is there shall the members be also our head is in heaven therefore the members have just and great cause to hope for entrance there not onely so but they are assured already that they have possession there Christ descended from Heaven to redeeme us and againe hee ascended up into heaven to glorifie us unto us was he borne Note for us did he suffer and for us did he ascend our charity is confirmed by Christs passion our faith by Christs resurrection and our hope by Christ ascension Let us strive to follow Christ our Bride-groome not onely with our ardent desire but also with our good workes Acts 21.27 Acts 1.10 for nothing that is defiled shall enter into this heavenly City The Angels that came from heavenly Ierusalem appeared in white robes by purity and innocency is figured that no pride can ascend with the Doctour of humility nor no malice with the Authour of goodnesse with the lover of peace there ascends no discord and with the sonne of the Virgin there ascends no uncleannesse after the parent of vertue there ascend no vices and after the just person there ascends no sinnes Therefore he that desires to see God face to face let him so live here in this world as in his sight and hee that hope for celestiall things let him contemne terrestriall things Our Saviour Christ promised unto his Apostles that after his departure he will send unto them from his father a comforter John 14.26 15.26 Luke 24.47 Vers 47. John 24.17 the holy Ghost the Spirit of truth to testifie of him and to teach them all things and to endue them with power to preach repentance and remission of sinnes in his name among all Nations saying Peace I leave with you my peace I give unto you Therefore let not our hearts be troubled neither let us feare but that our Saviour which redeemed us will also through his merits and mediation glorifie us in Heaven O sweet Jesus draw our hearts unto thee whether thou art gone before and that in the meane time wee may immitate thy goodnesse mercy truth and patience and follow thee in the same Amen Of the holy Ghost OUr Lord Jesus ascending up into the Heavens and entring into his glory Acts 2.4 Vers 1. Exod. 10.11 sent the holy Ghost upon the Apostles on the day of Penticost as in the old Testament when God proclaimed the Law in Mount Sinai he came downe unto Moses So when the Gospell was
greater and more excellent thaâ— either faith or hope because it is more necessary to the life of man and also inâ—iuturnity because it never dieth nor hath any end and so extendeth further Walker and keepeth a man from doing hurt unto his neighbour Charity seeketh not those things which are her owne because that shee loveth her neighbour and preferreth his good before her owne Charity is not provoked to anger Charity imagines no mischiefe Charity rejoyceth not in anothers iniquity but Charity condoles anothers griefe and maketh anothers misery to be her owne Charity suffers all things believes all things endures all things and hopes of good issue in all things Charity refuseth not to doe unto others as she desires that others should doe unto her for Charity is not partiall in her owne cause tongues shall cease prophesies shall cease Sciences shall be destroyed but Charity shall never cease but remaine for ever the perfection and fruition thereof shall be compleate in the life to come Thinke upon these things O devout soule Note to study and endevor godly charity the maine ground of Christian amity Whatsoever thy neighbour be Eph. 4.31 32. yet he is one for whom Christ dyed why dost thou then deny to shew thy charity unto thy neighbour whom God hath commanded thee to love Christ laid downe his life for him why shouldest thou then deny thy love unto him If thou truly lovest God thou must also love his Image Wee are all one spirituall body let us therefore have all one spirituall minde Why should those soules live at variance here upon earth which one day must live together in heaven Whilest our minds agree in Christ Eph. 4.5 6 7. let our wills also be conjoyned in one wee are all members of one body let us not live at variance but cherish one another that member of the body is dead which hath not a feeling sense of anothers griefe neither let him judge himselfe a member of Christs mysticall body who doth not grieve at the misery of another which suffereth we have all one Father that is God whom Christ hath taught us to call upon daily Matth. 6.9 saying Our Father and how shall hee acknowledge thee to be his Sonne Hatred stirreth up strifes but loue covereth a multitude of sinnes Matth. 6.14.15 Eccl. 28.1 c. unlesse thou againe owne his sonnes to be thy brethren love thy brethren which God hath commanded thee to love if he be worthy doe it because he is worthy if he be not worthy yet for his sake who hath commanded thee and whom thou oughtest to obey if thou lovest him that is thine enemy thou shewest thy selfe to be a friend to God and in his favour doe not marke what man doth against thee but what thou hast done against God whom by thy sinnes thou hast offended in a farre more grievous manner observe not the injuries offered thee by thine enemies but observe the infinite benefits God hath conferred upon thee in Christ Ephes 5.2 who commandeth thee to love thine enemies by the condition of our earthly nativity we are neighours and by the hope our celestiall inheritance wee are brethren Marke what Christ saith Matth. 5.44 Love your enemies blesse them that curse you doe good to them that hate you and pray for them that hurt and persecute you therefore let us love one another in a brotherly love Psal 133.1 kindle in us O God the fire of true love and charity by the operation of thy holy Spirit Of Gods eternall Election and Predestination OF the eternall decree of God concerning Predestination surely no man of Christian beliefe doth make doubt thereof The consideration whereof doth commend unto us Ephes 1.3 the wonderfull power and purpose of God wherein hee determined with himselfe upon our salvation before the world was made Esa 43.11.13 For what else is it to choose and elect men that be not but to fore-see and appoint unto them their salvation before they were borne and it is an incredible matter how great an assurance of salvation there riseth in the hearts of the faithfull to understand and believe Rom. 4.16 c. that God had a care of them before the world was made and that they were chosen by him unto salvation before they had being hereupon the faithfull Christian may gather confidently and most assuredly that God cannot forsake them after they be made and are existant whom he choose and appointed unto salvation before they were existant and before the world was made God elects the faithfull unto salvation before they had being No man will deny that God hath not liberty to doe with his owne what he listeth for seeing that hee is the Maker Creator preserver and conserver of all things and Lord of heaven and earth it followeâ—h Rom 9.18 Esay 45.8 9. that he hath power upon all things for he hath mercy on whom he will and whom he will he hardeneth when he made the world hee made it after his owne will when hee dissevered those things that he had made he disserved them as hee would the heavens from earth fire from water darknesse from light beasts from beasts plants from plants times from times seasons from seasons and man from man therefore we may assure our selves and stand in this that God hath power to determine at his owne will of the salvation of man either else wee must utterly deny him to be God and say that hee hath not power over all his creature O man Esay 43.13 Rom. 20.21 Reade the whole Chapter what art thou that thus disputest with God shall the worke say to the worke-man why hast thou made me on this fashion Hath not the Potter power over his clay even of one lumpe to make one vessell to honour and another to dishonour who is able to resist his will Joh. 36.23 albeit hee did know before what we should be yet for all that hee found nothing in us whereby hee should be moved to choose us wee are all by nature borne the children of wrath hee knew before wee should be such wherfore he had cause to refuse us rather then to choose us The free election of God is the efficient cause of our salvation the materiall cause is Christs obedience the formall cause is our effectuall calling and the finall cause is our sanctification neither can wee boast that hee chose us in respect of our godlinesse and justice that was to come for if there be any godlinesse and justice in us it is in us not as a cause but as the fruit of election and grace of God for as is said hee chose whom hee would of his free mercy not because they would be faithfull but because they should be faithfull and he gave them grace not because they were faithfull but to the intent and end they might be made faithfull wherefore it appeareth that the choyce or election of us
devotion of the heart in the turning unto God by godly and humble affection and bewayling of an afflicted heart whereby the aid of God is most humbly besought When prayer is in season whether wee doe the same by words or by wayling or sighes wee are to pray in due season with regard of minde upon reasonable cause correspondent and proportionable to the present necessitie and case James 1.5 and therefore Saint James saith James 5.13 If any man want wisedome let him aske it of God againe If there be any among you afflicted let him pray is any merry let him sing Psalmes if we consider the parts of prayer which be to aske to request and to beseech to lament and to make more to craâ—e aid to make intercession for others or our selves 1 Tim. 2.1 to praise and give thankes wee shall easily understand when the time serveth to pray our wants shall declare unto us what is to be desired and demanded at Gods hand the conscience for our sin doth enforce us unto prayer to obtaine forgivenesse for our sins and to turne away the wrath of God from us the slaunders and rebukes offered of the reprobate and ungodly doe make the afflicted and miserable to burst out into wailing and lamenting trouble and affliction doth instruct us when wee ought to crave and desire ayd and helpe from God Psal 34.14 1 Tim. 2. Charity and pity doe move us to make intercession for our neighbours and brethren that be falne into adversity or otherwise subject unto temptation and the anger of God the perseverance and continuall supply of the benefits of God and the zeale of his glory doe stirre us unto praise and thankesgiving and where there is no feeling of these things in the heart and minde of man Without feeling of these things our prayers will not be heard of God there is prayer in vaine and out of season at what time soever it bee made The Christian man is both Lord and master of times and seasons so that he may pray freely at all times and in all places where and when he lift at his owne liberty uâ—â—o his commodity and necessity levelling his prayers in all things unto the right marke which is to worke and proceed religiously faithfully and truely with his Lord God having regard of his owne and his neighbours necessities and good he ceaseth not to pray in his heart which ceaseth not to doe good The necessity of prayer is either spirituall or temporall the spirituall necessity Two kinds of necessities in praying Note is of things which doe concerne a godly mind soundnesse of religion and desire of salvation By this wee bee compelled to aske of God a good and right spirit the gift of faith trust in hope forgivenesse of our sinnes patience in adversity continuance of true godlinesse and the like without which wee cannot be saved Our corporall necessity is the same which concerneth the sustentation of our life as the nourishment of our body ayd succour and releife in all our wants and necessities Therefore we doe say in the Lords Prayer Give us this day our daily bread and when wee doe desire the health of the sicke and diseased and the ease and delivery of the afflicted and persecuted and the preservation of them which are in perill and danger In Prayer there be requisite certaine outward behaviours and gestures which doe declare a lowlinesse and an humble submission unto God as that of Daniel who fell upon his knees three times a day and made his petition Dan. 6.10 Luke 22.41 and praised his God And our Saviour Christ prayed upon his knees in the Garden Ephes 3.14 and Saint Paul fell upon his knees when hee prayed for the Churches of the Gentiles Others doe lift up their hands toward Heaven 1 King 8.22 as wee read of Salomon that prayed unto God before the Arke Others doe cast up their face unto Heaven Mat. 26.27.39 and others doe lie groveling upon their face as Christ also did Others doe pray and humble themselves in haire and sackcloth as David did Psalm 35.13 Ionas 3.6 and as the King of the Ninevites and some prayed â—nto God sitting as Elias did sitting under the Juniper tree 1 King 19.4 and David prayed also sitting before the Lord. The Publican whose prayer God heard 1 Sam. 17. Luke 18.13 2 King 20 2.3 hee prayed standing and smote his hand upon his brest and said God be mercifull unto me a sinner and Ezechias prayed lying in his bed Therefore whether we doe fall upon our knees or lie groveling upon our face or in ashes haire or sackecloth either sitting standing or lying or walking so that we doe pray earnestly Jam. 5.15 16 17. faithfully and substantially with humble and contrite heart and mind no question it will be acceptable and well pleasing unto God Acts 10.31 Almes-deeds no doubt doth commend and set forth our prayers well unto God as wee may perceive by Cornelius unto whom the Angell said Thy prayer is heard and thine Almes-deeds are had in remembrance in the sight of God Note The manner of praying For that godly disposition is acceptable unto God which hath both mercy and well-doing joyned withall The manner of praying peculiar to Christians is when wee doe offer our prayers unto God the Father by our Lord Jesus Christ our onely Saviour and Mediatour and faithfully deo desire to be heard for his sake thereunto serveth the promise of Christ in Iohn saying Verily verily I say unto you John 16.23 24. whatsoever ye aske the Father in my Name he shall give it you Hitherto ye have asked nothing in my Name aske and ye shall have it that your joy may be full Iohn 14.13.14 And whatsoever ye shall aske in my Name that will I accomplish that the Father may bee glorified in his Sonne Then if thou callest Esay 58.9 the Lord shall answere thee if thou cryest he shall say Here I am It is an exceeding great benefit of God towards us in that he requireth us to conferre with him familiarly by pious prayer hee bestoweth upon us the gift and the fruit of prayer great is the force of prayer which is poured forth on earth but hath its working in Heaven the prayer of the just is the key of Heaven prayer ascendeth up from us to Heaven and deliverance descends from God to us prayer is the shield and buckler of the faithfull by which they repell all the fiery darts of their adversaries the anger of God is also repelled by the prayers of the faithfull Our Saviour himselfe prayed not that hee had need to pray Eph. 6.16 17. but to commend unto us the dignity thereof prayer is the tribute of our subjection because God hath commanded that wee should every day offer unto him our prayers as a spirituall tribute Prayer is the ladder of our ascension unto Heaven for it is
afflictions that wee must abide them not onely patiently but with joy also through faith and hope Whosoever is wretched and afflicted is to be pitied and relieved for that he is distressed and afflicted the Samaritan which is spoken of in the Gospel did pity Luk 10.30 c. relieve and helpe him that was falne into the hands of thieves having no respect of his Country or religion but in consideration that hee was a man himselfe hee had compassion and tooke pitty of the miserable case and perill of the man distressed therefore it is a good and charitable deed and to be used of all men towards their Christian brethren to relieve helpe succour and comfort the needy distressed and afflicted person not onely for that hee is afflicted but for his Saviour Christ his sake who hath commanded it wee ought to doe good to all men as the Apostle saith Gal. 6.10 Especially to them which are of the houshold of faith there must mercy also be shewed unto him that is chastened for his sinnes God is well pleased withall and doth require it as wee may perceive in Esay where he charged the Moabites lovingly to entreat the Israelites whom hee had scourged for their sinnes Hide the chased saith he Esay 16.3 4. and bewray not them that are fled let them that are persecuted dwell with thee and be thou their refuge Therefore seeing that it is a worke of true goodnesse to have pitty and mercy upon the distressed and afflicted wee ought not to enquire after their religion life and occasion of their affliction at what time wee ought to succour them but for compassion sake to bestow our ayd and reliefe upon them in their distresse and miseries as men afflicted for their misery and affliction doth sufficiently declare their wants and necessities but when the afflicted is thus perplexed vexed grieved and in anguish they must patiently suffer and beare them and not despairingly runne to desperation nor to rest dissolute and carelesse what become of them but they must in Christs Name repaire unto God who although he be offended will yet shew mercy for hee doth not cast off upon every offence nor revenge every wrong as the world doth Luke 15.20 but like the Father of that unthrifty sonne receiveth againe him that strayed and lovingly imbraceth him that returneth unto him by true and serious repentance faithfull prayer and holy contemplation and uprightnesse of living with the consideration of Gods purpose in afflicting him for hee may not censure these evils or the least of them to come by chance as the world often and most rashly and unadvisedly affirmeth or that they befall him by reason of the unfortunate Planet Psal 73.5 Esay 47.13 under which he was borne as the starre-gazer fondly maintaineth for the Lord God Almighty that high and incomprehensible Jehovah Revel 1.8 that everlasting Alpha and Omega He which was and is and is to come he is the former framer creator preserver and governour of all things and who but hee made and prepared those famous starres in the Firmament Iob 38. Esay 51.13 Psal 89.13 Arcturus Orion and Pleiades who spread forth the Heavens like a curtaine who limited the North and South climates who made the Sunne and Moone but hee and therefore let all men thinke that his creatures which he hath formed framed and placed for the use and behoofe of man for the distinction of times and seasons and to give light unto the earth and his creatures thereon keepe every of them his Sphere as a walke whereas unto a continuall taske they are tyed by the omnipotent Commander who keepeth them without variation in the first course doing their continuall service and labour for the behoofe of man as other creatures doe and are not as Gods or governours of mans nature neither can they dispose of their inclinations constitutions or affections or make them happy or unhappy but are ruled governed and commanded by God as other inferiour creatures are to stand and move at his pleasure the Sunne stood still in Gibeon and the Moone in the Valley of Aialon Iosh 10.13 2 King 20.10 and that for a whole day so the Sunne at the commandement of the Lord retyred ten degrees in the Firmament as a signe for Hezechias health which proveth that these creatures are as all other even subject to the will of the superiour Governour who needeth not the helpe of such weake meanes to worke the long or short life of man the happy or unhappy estate of man the poore or rich portion of man 1 Sam. 2.6 7 8 or any matter belonging to the soule or body of man but all cometh from his sacred wisedome and divine providence all men are in his hands as the clay in the Potters and he frameth and forgeth of all formes and fashions Rom. 9.21 some to honour some to dishonour some to bee high some to bee low some to bee rich some to be poore some to be reverenced and some to bee despised afflicted and persecuted and every man must rest contented with his portion bee it good or bad sweet or sowre And therefore bee not so hardy and voyd of reason as to dreame that thy constitution inclination good or bad successe in thy proceedings the prosperous or adverse issues of thine endeavours thine estate poore or rich or thy troubles and afflictions proceedeth from the influence dominion rule or power of these creatures but that a divine and supernaturall cause worketh that in thee which the wit of man cannot conceive wherein though the world afford thee no comfort All our afflictions troubles miseries and calamities which happen unto us commeth of our sinnes yet art thou bound by an inward bond of duty to acknowledge all thine infirmities all thine afflictions and all the crosses which happen and fall upon thee to proceed even from thine owne sinnes and filthy corruptions as buffets to rouze thee from the forgetfulnesse of thy duty to his sacred Majesty for thy roving and ranging astray after vaine and foolish things superfluous desires and overmuch negligence of thy calling and in great love and favour doth thy loving father give thee these gentle corrections even of mercy to reclaime thee from the way of sinne unto a more sincere and sacred course of life Heb. 12. So that the troubles and miseries and all the adverse things that can befall us are Gods gentle chastisements to his children to reforme them but to the obstinate and unbeleeving they are messengers of his judgements Numb 14.2 Judg 6. Judg. 10. and utter renunciation who by his punishments waxe worse and worse who doe murmure and grudge at the course he taketh to amend them as did the rebellious Israelites whom he did often visit in mercy before he entred into judgement with them hee calleth us by his punishments from perils to the end wee should not be subject to the dangerous security of a pleasing estate
thine owne eyes Be truely the same thou seemest to be be therefore the same in the sight of God who beholds thy heart that thou seemest to be in the eyes of men that see thy face content not thy selfe with an outward good name when thy conscience shall tell thee it is undeserved A deserved good name for any thing but for godlinesse lasts little and is lesse worth in all the holy Scriptures wee never reade of an Hypocrites repentance and no wonder for whereas after sin conversion is left as a meanes to cure all other sinners what meanes remaines to recover him who hath converted conversion it selfe into sinne woe therefore unto the soule that seemes religions and is not the same marke the fearefull end of notorious evill men to abhorre their wicked actions Numb 23.10 marke the life of the godly and imitate their life and actions and their blessed end obey thy betters Psal 37.35 36 37. Esay 58.5 6. observe the wise accompany the honest and love the religious And seeing the corrupt nature of man is inclined to hypocrisie beware that thou use not the exercise of religion Mat. 23.27 28. as matter of course and custome without care and conscience and make no more shew of holinesse outwardly to the world then thou hast in the sight of God inwardly in thine heart keepe thy speech cleane from all obscenity and let thy talke be gracious Ephes 4 2â— Prov. 31.26 Psal 139.20 21 22. that hee that heares thee may grow better by thee and be ever more earnest when thou speakest of religion then when thou talkest of worldly matters if thou perceivest that thou hast erred persevere not in thine errour rejoyce to finde the truth and magnifie it study therefore three things especially to understand well to say well and to doe well endeavour to rule those that are under thy charge and authority rather by loâ—e than by feare for to rule by love is easie and safe but tyranny is ever accompanied with care and terrour oppression will force the oppressed to take any advantage to shake off the yoake that they are not able to beare neither will Gods justice suffer the sway that is grounded upon tyranny long to continue rule therefore over Christians being a Christian in love and mercy like Christ thy Master make not an occupation of any recreation the longest use of pleasure is but short but the paines of pleasure abused are eternall use therefore lawfull recreation so farre forth Prov. 21.17 Phil. 4.8 9. as it makes thee fitter in body and minde to doe more cheerefully the service of God and the duties of thy calling be therefore carefull henceforth to make use of thy short time that remaines as a man would of an old lease that were neere expired doe not waste and consume thy time in idlenesse sports playes and toyish vanities for man was not created for sports playes and recreations but zealously to serve God in religion and conscionably to serve and helpe his neighbour in the use of his vocation and by both to ascertaine himselfe of eternall salvation esteeme therefore the losse of time Ephes 5.16 Luk. 16.2 Matth. 25.21 one of the greatest losses redeeme it carefully and spend it wisely that when that time shall come thou mayest be no longer here on earth thy master may welcome thee with an â—uge bone serve and give thee a better in heaven in thy prayer That is well done and welcome good and faithfull servant Matth. 6.6 pray fervently and devoutly for God detests the service of the outward man without the inward heart as hypocrisie so hee counts the inward service without externall reverence to be mere prophanenesse therefore hee requireth both in his worship in prayer therefore bow thy knees in witnesse of thy humiliation lift up thy eyes and thy hands in testimony of thy confidence hang downe thy head and smite thy breast in token of thy contrition but specially call upon God with a sincere heart serve him holily serve him wholly serve him onely for God and the Prince of this world are two contrary Masters and therefore no man can possibly serve both the more thou art separated from the world Prov. 15.8 the more acceptable thou art unto God aske faithfully of God whatsoever thou desirest to have and whatsoever thou hast give thankes unto God for it hee that is not thankefull for that which hee hath already is unworthy to receive more and Gods grace ceases to descend when our thankes cease to ascend whatsoever happeneth unto thee make use of it for good when thou art in prosperity thinke that thou hast just cause to blesse and praise God when thou art in advesirty thinke that thou art put in minde of thy repentance and conversion Prov. 14.25 when the glory of God or good of thy neighbour doth require speake the truth 1 Kings 22. and feare not the face nor frowne of man for sometimes the frowne of a Prince may be the favour of God neither shall flattery still hold in credit nor truth alway continue in disgrace Shew the strength of thy wisedome in instructing shew the strength of thy power in helping and the strength of thy riches in doing good to the poore and needy let not adversity cast thee downe neither let prosperity puffe thee up let Christ be the marke in the imitation of thy life Acts 3.21 follow him in the way that thou mayest overtake him in his country in all things have a speciall care of profound humility 1 Pet. â— 8 and be ardent in charity cleave unto God and lift up thy heart to him by charity let humility keepe downe thy heart that thou beest not proud judge God to be a father for his clemency and a Lord for his discipline a father for his power and gentlenesse and Lord for his severity and justice therefore love him as a father piously Psal 37.5 feare him as a Lord necessarily love him because he willeth mercy feare him because he willeth justice commit thy way unto the Lord and put thy trust in him Phil. 2.13 acknowledge thy sins and proclaime his mercy and thou shalt have ease in thy misery O God thou that hast given us grace to will the good give us also grace to perfect the good which thou hast willed Of Gods Glory VVHatsoever wee doe Colos 3.17 let us doe all things to the glory of God for God created all things by his power but to his owne glory for that was the holy end for which he created them for as waters are derived from the Sea returneth thither againe so all things that are being derived from the mighty power of God returne their duty service and the honour of all their actions to God discharging every one their duty and service in the maine Ocean of Gods glory the which though it receive not augmentation of honour by the supply of any his creatures being
day of hope but to the wicked their day of feare Death then in these divers respects of good and bad men hath a sting and yet cannot hurt is dead and yet living and by opening the gate of temporary death doth admit the entrance either into eternall life or eternall death the one is the most happie condition of Gods chosen the other the most miserable state of the Reprobate and damned for as this life wherein we breathe is but a sacrament or little resemblance of that which is to come so the terrour of a temporary Death hath no proportion with the torments of everlasting Death wherein both the body and the soule shall suffer such affliction as is beyond the power of imagination infinite in measure infinite in manner infinite in time To undertake to report of Heaven and Hell Salvation and Damnation otherwise then is set forth in this Booke is not in my purpose or power to describe them but this we may know that both are infinite Heaven is infinite in time and happinesse and Hell is infinite in time and torment the one as Gods resemblance is infinite good the other as the Divels is infinite evill the one is hoped for the other feared to which all Mankinde must make their resort and by the gate of Death passe their temporall life to one of these to eternitie Seeing our sinne was the cause of death and from our selves had his first originall it ought to humble all men in their own estimation and to acknowledge the great corruption of our nature which makes us powerfull onely in doing evill and in producing such bad effects as cause our owne destruction and the consideration of this may correct their proud opinion that vainely arrogate such power unto themselves as to be the meanes in cause of their owne salvation fondly and falsely thinking that their eyes of nature are not blind in spirituall judgement but imagine to have in themselves that vertue and power which they only have by imagination for if Adam by his sinne did produce and give life to such a monster by birth as death is what expectation then can bee had of our weake ability who are in all respects but sinne Adam's farre inferiours and by much lesse able in the performance of any spirituall duty Secondly seeing death hath universall power over all flesh and seeing that there is no partiality in the execution of this office no dispensing of favour no lengthening of time but commeth certainly but not certainely when this may advise all men to godly action and to live to day as if they were to die to morrow lest otherwise death commeth unexpected and so prevent their good determinations which being onely determined and not done availe us to no other end but griefe and unprofitable repentance Againe seeing all must die and bee reduced againe to earth Iere. 13.18 this should controll the proud ambitious natures of men who in this life insult over men of inferiour state and dignifie themselves in their owne estimations as if God had not made them of earth or that the grave would not humble them and make them earth againe These men that value themselves rich by having the beggarly gifts of fortune and despise the most rich treasure of Grace Iere. 4.2 where it liveth in the banishment of poore fortune these that despise death most when they live P. l. 34.20 Note and feare him most when they die are here admonished to reforme this insolent behaviour and to remember themselves that how proud soever they be yet they must be humbled in the grave and that the wormes and corruption will destroy their pride and in despight of greatnesse make them inferiour to the meanest beggar on earth and yet can death heape a greater calamity upon them and open unto them the passage to everlasting death and afflict them with the damned in torments perpetuall and infinite thirdly seeing that Christ by death hath slaine death and hath taken his hurtfull sting from him whereby he might be hurtfull to Gods Elect it doth admonish a zealous duty of thankfulnesse in them in the merit of the Lord Jesus Christ their Saviour By whose meanes death is no death to them but rather life and advantage by whom they have the doore opened to everlasting salvation for so ought all men to understand of death Note as the common Jaylor of all flesh the world is the prison wherein we are shut death when he openeth the doore delivereth from prison leadeth the parties delivered either to liberty or judgement for so are all that die transported from earth either to heaven which is their liberty or to hell the place of execution Death then is that one key that openeth the double passage the one to heaven the other to hell the one leadeth to salvation the other to damnation Lastly seeing that death is a repose and rest from earthly labours it ought to sweeten the sorrowes of this life with hopefull confidence alacrity and spirituall comfort notwithstanding most men doe repute the professours of holinesse but base and abject people and deride their simplicity in wicked worldly policies making holinesse a note of folly and their owne audacious impudence the onely marke of wisedome and deepe discretion yet should not this discountenance a good cause but rather confirme a Christian resolution and give boldnesse and Christian courage to beare off with patience the contempts and disgraces of evill and wicked men and secretly scorne at their base estimations having their eyes of faith still fixed on the end of all things death with a settled confidence that death will not onely give them rest from all their troubles and adversities but admit them also into the blessed fellowship of God the holy Angels and Saints from whence they shall see their proud enemies cast into utter darkenesse and obloquie and with miserable desperation acknowledge their wilfull neglects in Christian duties thus the meditation of death may give disgraced and afflicted Christians a life of hope in the height of their extremities Therefore let not the faithfull doe as the wicked doe feare to die but hope to die intending the spirituall passage and course of their lives Acts 12. so as that their end may give them comfort without terrour let us reduce to memory what the holy Prophets Apostles and Martyrs have done in this cause how carefull they have beene to preserve their lives in the memory of honest and godly reputation how carelesse also have they esteemed their lives for the defence and reputation of the Gospel Acts 7. being content nay carefull not onely to give up their lives but to give them up with torment for the testimony of Jesus Christ our Lord and Saviour To these men let us frame our imitation let us care for our lives as they cared let us also care to die as they cared in every work of our life let us remember our end and at our end
and obey God in every one of his commandements but if at any time through frailty thou slippest into any sin wallow not in it but speedily rise out of it by unfaigned repentance praying for pardon till thy conscience be pacified thy hatred of sin increased and thy purpose of amendment confirmed God gives many blessings lest through want being his childe thou shouldest despaire and he sendeth thee some crosses lest by too much prosperity playing the foole thou shouldest presume but in all thy will have an eye to Gods Will lest thy selfe action turne to thine owne destruction count therefore Christ thy chiefest joy and sin thy greatest griefe estimate no want to the want of grace nor any losse to the losse of Gods favour and then the discontentment which grows by outward meanes 1 Tim. 6.8 9. shall the lesse perplexe thine inward mind and bestow no more thought of worldly things then thou needes must Col. 3.1 2. for the discharge of thy place and the maintenance of thine estate but still let thy care be greater for heavenly then for earthly things and be more grieved for dishonour done unto God than for an injury offered to thy selfe but if any private injury be offered unto thee Psalm 139.21 c. Eccles 28. Rom. 12.13.20.21 beare it as a Christian with patience Never was an innocent man wronged but if patiently hee bare his crosse he overcame in the end but if thou frettest and vexest at thy wrongs offered the hurt which thou doest to thy selfe is more then that which thine enemies can do unto thee neither canst thou more rejoyce him then to heare that it throughly vexeth thee but if thou canst shew patience on earth Deut. 32.35 36. God will shew himselfe just from heaven but if thine enemy still continueth in his malice and increase in his mischiefe give thou thy selfe unto prayer Jerem. 11.20 committing thy selfe and commending thy case unto the righteous judge of heaven and earth and in the meane while waite with David on the Lord Psal 27.14 be of good courage and he shall comfort thine heart undertake not an evill case for no mans sake for it is not that man but God that shall judge thee doe not therefore preferre the favour of men before the grace and favour of God and esteeme no sinne little For the curse of God is due to the least and the least would have damned thee had not the Sonne of God died for thee Ezek. 9.4 Mark 3.5 bewaile therefore the misery of thine owne estate and as occasion is ministred mourne for the iniquity of the time pray to God to amend it and be not thou one of them that make it worse in thy conversation be thou courteous towards all grievous to none familiar with few live piously to God-ward to thy selfe chastly to thy neighbour justly shew favour to thy friend shew patience to thy enemy let thy good will be towards all and shew thy bounty to them that have need thinke often of the shortnesse of thy life and the certainety of thy death and wish rather a good life then a long die daily to thy selfe and mortifie the vices of the flesh so in death thou shalt live unto God let mercy appeare in thy affection goodnesse in thy action curtesie in thy countenance humility in thy attire modesty in thy neighbourhood and patence in tribulation alwaies thinke upon three things past the evill which thou hast committed the good which thou hast omitted and the time which thou hast pretermitted thinke alwaies upon three things present the brevity of this life the difficulty of being and the paucity of them that shall be saved alwaies thinke upon three things to come death then which nothing is more horrible judgement then which nothing is more terrible and the paines of hell then which nothing is more intolerable Every evening reconcile thy selfe to God by prayer for thy sins past that day and give thankes to God for giving thee time to repent there are three things above thee which never let slip out of thy memory the eye that sees all the eare that heares all and the dreadfull Judge which punisheth all bewaile the evils past remember thy sinnes grieve for them and pray for amendment remember Gods justice that thou maist bee kept in feare remember Gods mercy that thou maist not dispaire as much as thou canst withdraw thy selfe from the world and the vanities therof and addict thy selfe wholly to the service of God study to please none but Christ and feare to displease none but him pray unto God to pardon and forgive thee what is past and to governe and amend in thee what is to come God hath communicated himselfe wholly unto thee therefore communicate thou thy selfe wholly unto thy neighbour that is the best life that is busied in the service of others shew reverence and obedience unto thy superiour instruct and defend thy inferiour give counsell and ayd unto thy equall let thy body be subject to thy minde and thy minde to God for thy workes doe not passe away but are cast as certaine seeds of eternity Gal. 6.8 Therefore if thou sowest in the flesh of the flesh thou shalt reape corruption if thou sowest in the Spirit of the Spirit thou shalt reape life everlasting after death the honour of the world shall not follow thee neither shall thy heape of riches follow thee Revel 14.13 neither shall thy pleasures follow thee neither shall the vanities of the world follow thee but thy workes shall follow after thee Therefore to day appeare to be such in the sight of God as thou desirest to be esteemed at the day of judgement learne to live in this life as thou wouldest obtaine eternall life for in this life is eternall life obtained or lost therefore let holy meditations bring forth in thee knowledge Prov. 15.8 and knowledge compunction and compunction devotion and let thy devotion make earnest intercession unto God by prayer for the silence of the mouth is a great good for the peace of the heart James 1.19 O the shame when a man 's owne tongue shall be produced as a witnesse against himselfe to the confusion of his owne shame Therefore let thy words be few but advised forethinke whether that which thou art to speake be fit to be spoken affirme no more then what thou knowest to bee true and be rather silent then to speake to an ill or no purpose Let thy heart and tongue ever goe together in honesty and truth 1 Pet. 2.1 hate lying and dissembling in an other detest it in thy selfe or God will detest thee for it for he hateth a lyar and his father the divell alike let not thine anger remaine when thou seest the cause removed and ever distinguish twixt him that offendeth of infirmity and against his will Prov. 6.30 Acts 3.17 1 Tim. 1.13 Psal 59.5 and him who offendeth maliciously and of set purpose
let the one have pitty and the other justice in matters of accusation be first assured of the truth then censure and as thou tendrest the reputation of an honest heart never let malice in hatred make thee to reveale that which love in friendship bound thee a long time to conceale for as God breeds among men truth peace and amity that wee should live to doe one another good so the divell daily soweth falshood discord and enmity to cause if he can the dearest friends to devoure one another Rejoyce not at the fall of thine enemy for thou knowest not what shall bee the manner of thine owne end but bee more glad to see the worst mans amendment rather then his punishment hate no man for feare least Christ loves him and be angry Pro. 24.17 18. Rom. 5.8 10. and turne his wrath from him unto thee love thine enemy for Christ loved thee when thou wast his enemy by the merits of his blood hee requireth thee for his sake to love thine enemies Eph. 2.4 c. Math. 18.24 28 deny him being a Christian if thou darest hee asketh but forgivenesse for forgivenesse petty forgivenesse for the infinite forgivenesse of Almighty God therefore though thou thinkest thine enemies unworthy to bee forgiven yet Christ is worthy to bee obeyed Doe nothing in the sight of a civill friend for which thou canst not be safe unlesse it bee concealed nor any thing for which if just cause be offered thou needest feare him if that he proves thine unjust enemy If thou beest disposed to be merry have a speciall care to three things That thy mirth be not against Religion that it be not against Charity and that it be not against Chastity then be as merry as thou canst onely in the Lord. Levit. 19.12 Speake not of God but with feare and reverence as in his sight and hearing for seeing we are not worthy to use his holy name in our mouthes Deut. 28.58 Rom. 9.5 much lesse ought wee to abuse it vainly in our talke but to use it ordinarily in vaine rash or false oathes is an undoubted signe of a soule that never truly feared God Pray therefore with David when thou art to speake in any matter that may move passion Psal 141.3 1 Thes 5.26.14 2 Thes 3.5 Levit. 19.17 Psal 15.5 Deut. 15.13 14. Set a watch O Lord before my mouth and keepe the doore of my lips In praising be discreet in saluting courteous in admonishing friendly in forgiving mercifull in promising faithfull and bountifull in recompencing of good service and other friendly courtesies making not the reward of vertue the gift of favour Doe no evill though thou mightest for God will not suffer the least sinne without bitter repentance to escape unpunished Leave not undone any good that thou canst but doe thou nothing rashly nor any thing till thou hast first taken counsell of Gods word 1 Sam. 30.8 of the lawfulnesse thereof and praying for his blessing to blesse thy endeavour and then doe it in the Name of God with cheerefulnesse of heart committing the successe unto him in whose power it is to blesse with his grace whatsoever businesse is intended to his glory and when thou art tempted to doe any evill worke 1 Cor. 7.5 remember that satan is where his businesse is Let not the child of God bee the instrument of so base a slave hate the worke if thou abhorrest the author and remember with Ioseph Gen. 39.9 that though no man seeth yet God seeth all in all places fly therefore with Ioseph from all sinne as well those that are secret in the sight of God as those that are manifest in the eyes of men be therefore as much afraid of secret sinnes Luk. 8.17 12.2 as of open shame and so avoid all in generall so as thou doest not nurse nor allow to thy selfe any one particular or darling sinne for the craftie divell can hold a mans soule as fast by one as by many sinnes and faster by that one that doth please thee than by all those which begin to be abhominable unto thee and as thou desirest to avoid sinne so be carefull to shun the occasion Prov. 5.8 love all good things for Gods sake but love God for his owne sake whilest thou holdest God to be thy friend Psal 118.6 7. Prov. 16.7 thou needest not feare who is thine enemy for God will either make thine enemie to become thy friend Rom. 8.31 Gen. 32.4 c. Exo. 32.27 c. or will bridle him that he cannot hurt thee No man is overthrowne by his enemy unlesse that first his sinne hath prevailed over him and God hath left him to himselfe therefore he that would bee safe from the feare of his enemies and live still in the favour of his God Num. 42.43 c. let him redeeme the folly of the time past with serious repentance looke to the time present with religious diligence and take heed to the time to come with carefull providence In effecting good actions distrust not Gods providence though thou seeth the meanes either wanting or weake and if meanes doe offer themselves unto thee Iudg. 7.17 c. be sure that they be lawfull and having gotten lawfull meanes take heed that thou relie not more upon them then upon God himselfe labour in a lawfull calling for it is Gods ordinary meanes by which hee blesseth his children with outward things pray therefore for Gods blessing upon his owne meanes and in earthly businesse beare an heavenly minde doe thou thy best endeavour and commit the whole successe to the fore-ordayning wisdome of Almighty God never thinke to thrive by those meanes which God hath accursed Matth 16.26 that will not in the end prove gaine which is gotten with the losse of thy soule therefore in all thy actions endeavour with Saint Paul to have a cleare conscience towards God and towards men Acts 14.16 Give every man the honour due to his place but honour a man more for his goodnesse then for his greatnesse and of whom soever thou hast received a benefit unto him as God shall enable thee remember to be thankfull acknowledge it lovingly unto men and pray for him heartily unto God and count every blessing received from God as a pledge of his eternall love and as a spurre to pricke thee on to a godly life be not proud for any externall worldly wealth nor for any internall spirituall gifts not for externall goods because they be momentany and will shortly be taken away not for any internall gifts for as God gave them so will hee likewise take them away if forgetting the giver thou shalt abuse his gifts to puffe up thine heart with a pride of thy owne worth and to contemne others for whose good Almighty God bestowed those gifts upon thee hast thou any one vertue that doth move thee to be selfe-conceited thou hast twenty vices that may better vilifie thee in