shew to the world to blinde the eyes of men they care not what they doe nor how prophanely and lewdly they carry themselues in the sight and presence of the all-seeing God First to walke with God or to walke before God is so to carry our selues as in the sight and presence of God acknowledging his all-seeing eye discerning all our thoughts words and deedes and admitting him to be the iust iudge of them all and of the whole course of our liues or to walke before God is to lead a holy and godly life fearing to offend God in any thing being fully perswaded that wheresoeuer among whosoeuer or whatsoeuer doing that God himselfe stands by vs beholding and obseruing all our actions speeches and thoughts and will iudge them all It is as Saint Luke hath it in the song of Zacharie to serue God without seruile feare in holines righteousnesse before him all the daies of our life Luke 1. 74. 75. Thus did Enoch He walked with God Gen. 5. 24. Thus after him did Abraham The Lord before whom I walke Gen. 24. 40. So did Dauid purposing and resoluing so to doe I will walke before God in the land of the liuing Psal 116. 9. Thus did good King Hezekiah I beseech thee O Lord remember now how I haue walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart and haue done that which is good in thy sight 2 King 20. 3. And so must all of vs doe that looke to liue with him in glory according to Gods commandement giuen to Abraham and so to vs all Walke before me and be vpright Gen. 17. 1. In all which examples especially that of Hezekiah wee may obserue first this dutie of walking before God secondly the manner of it which is two-fold first in truth secondly with a perfect heart that is an vpright heart thirdly his exercise 〈◊〉 this his walking first doing secondly that which was good thirdly not in the presence of men onely to be seene of them but as approuing his heart vnto God hee did all in his sight Fourthly his accustomed practise through the whole course of his life after conuersion I haue walked and I haue done speaking of the time of his former life not deferring it till death where we may see walking before God and doing of good must goe together Fiftly the clearenesse of his good conscience out of which he appeales to God for this was not any pride or presumptuous conceit that this good King had of himselfe seeking any way to iustifie himselfe before God but it was his peace of conscience which passeth all vnderstanding Hee knew well that I may vse the words of Saint Paul his example that he had liued in all good conscience before God vntill this day Acts 23. 1. and that he had exercised himselfe to haue alwaies a conscience void of offence toward God and toward men Acts 24. 16. His conscience bearing him witnesse in the holy Ghost Rom. 9. 1. Out of this good conscience I say he appealeth to God saying I beseech thee O Lord remember how I walked c. A most notable and worthy patterne of all both high and low to be followed that wee may so walke before God both in life and death This continuall walking before God to consider that wee are alwaies in Gods presence is first a speciall remedie against sinne and a motable meanes to make vs liue in the feare of God This kept Ioseph from vncleanenesse Gen. 39. 9. Iob from impatiency Iob 1. 18. The Mid-wiues from murther Exod. 1. Abraham in obedience Gen. 22. and 25. chapters Dauid in integrity Secondly this is a maine signe that we are friends with God and that he is well pleased with vs. So Enoch by walking with God is reported of to haue pleased God Heb. 11. 5. All our glorious workes without this are nothing He hath shewed thee O man what is good and what the Lord requireth of thee surely to doe iustly and to loue mercy and to humble thy selfe to walke with thy God Micah 6. 7. 8. The Prophet Amos saith Can two walke together except they be agreed Amos 3. 3. Vnder which interrogatiue is included this negatiue two cannot walke together except they be agreed and if they doe walke together it is a signe they are agreed So those that walke with God are at agreement with him In Christ hee is well pleased with them Mat. 3. 17. and being at agreement with him shall continually haue his loue and fauour extended towards them as hee that is alwaies in the Kings presence cannot but be highly in his fauour who dare wrong him Yea what shall be done to the man whom the King will honour whom hee delighteth to honour Thus and thus shall it be done to the man whom the King will honour Esth 6. 6. 9. 11. If this be so among those who are in fauour with earthly Kings then what honour shall they haue that are alwaies in Gods presence and daily tread his Courts A thousand times blessed are they for God himselfe will honour those that honour him 1 Sam. 2. 30. Hee is with those that are with him 2 Chron. 15. 2. and if God be with them who can be against them Rom. 8. 31. Yea hee is with them in trouble he will deliuer them and honour them with long life hee will satisfie them and shew them his saluation Psal 14. 15. 16. Thus as they haue walked with God here in the kingdome of grace they shall for euer liue with him in glory which is meant Reuel 3. 4. They shall walke with Christ in white for they are worthy not as the Church of Rome gather for the worthinesse of their workes but of their persons accepted of God as righteous in Christ his righteousnesse being imputed to them and made theirs The second kinde of walking is towards men first Publique secondly Priuate Publique walking concernes first the members of the Church and all beleeuers secondly those which are out of the Church Towards the first we must walke in loue peace humility meekenesse c. Walke in loue as Christ hath loued vs Ephes 5. 1. Walke with all lowlinesse and meekenesse with long-suffering forbearing one another in loue endeauouring to keepe the vnity of the spirit in the bond of peace Ephes 4. 1. 2. 3. And this is loue that wee walke after his commandements This is the commandement that as yee haue heard from the beginning yee should walke in it Iohn 2. epist verse 6. Wee must walke and liue so giuing no iust cause of scandall offence but shewing a good example to all men in all things We are children of the light we must therefore walke as children of the light Ephes 5. 8. Letting our light of an holy example so shine before others that they may see our good workes and glorifie God Math. 5. 16. Towards the latter wee must walke wisely honestly no-offensiuely taking great heed to our waies and hauing a speciall care
6 7. Thus praying without faith we aske but receiue nothing because we aske amisse Iam. 4. 3. It must bee the prayer of faith that must doe the deede and preuaile with God Iam. 5. 15. Lastly no profitable hearing the Word without faith For the Gospel was preached vnto them of old time as it is now preached vnto vs but it did not profit them because it was not mixt with faith in those who heard it Heb. 4. 2. Thirdly wee must walke by faith because the things promised and expected of vs are inuisible and cannot bee beheld in outward appearance as remission of sinnes iustification the resurrection and life euerlasting Therefore faith is the ground of things hoped for the euidence of things not seene Heb. 11. 1. And thus in all the dueties of our generall and particular callings wee must walke that is liue by faith not to post off all doing of good vntill death thinking to goe to heauen with saying Lord haue mercy vpon mee but hee that will die in faith must liue in faith No pleasing of GOD without faith No saluation without pleasing of God Ergo no saluation without liuing by faith To which faith true repentance must bee ioyned for one cannot goe without the other faith must shewe it selfe in the fruits of repentance and howsoeuer the beginnings of repentance are before faith yet the act of repentance it selfe and the fruits of it follow faith The second way of God The second way wherein we must walke is the way of Gods Commaundements And then are we said to walke in this way when we yeeld obedience vnto all Gods Commandements Vpright obedience though imperfect is walking in them That the Commandements are a way and obeying of them is the walking in them it thus appeareth Dauid saith I will runne the way of thy Commandements Psal 119. 32. Here they are called a way The children of Israel turned out of the way which their fathers walked in obeying the Commaundements of the Lord Iudg. 2. 17. here obedience is walking in this way For first their fathers walked in this way How did they walke Obeying the Commaundements What did the children of Israel They did turne out of the way and did not walke in it How so because they did not so as their fathers did that is they obeyed not the Commaundements Therefore thou shalt keepe the Commaundements of the Lord thy God to walke in his wayes Deut. 8. 6. This is the onely thing which God requireth And now Israel what doth the Lord thy God require of thee but to feare the Lord thy God to walke in all his wayes c. Deut. 10. 12. Yee shall walke after the Lord your God and feare him and keepe his Commandements Deut. 13. 4. Wee must anouch the Lord to bee our God and to walke in his wayes c. And the Lord will anouch vs to bee his peculiar people Deut. 26. 17 18. See I haue set before you this day life and good death and euill life and good in that I commaund thee this day to loue the Lord thy God to walke in his wayes and to keepe his Commaundements c. Deut. 30 15 16. In all which places it is euident that to walke in Gods wayes is to keepe and obey the commandements of GOD. For this cause Dauid acknowledging this to bee the good and safe way prayed earnestly O let mee not wander from thy Commandements Psal 119 10. where we may note that if wee liue out of this way of Gods Commandements wee doe nothing but erre wander and goe astray This made Dauid so much to reioice in the way of Gods testimonies haue such respect vnto these wayes of God Psal 119. Now this obeying of Gods Commandements which is walking in them must bee first speedily without delay Dauid made haste and delayed not the time to keepe them Psal 119. 60. and 2. cheerefully Dauid wil runne them 3. freely without constraint 4. generally to all Gods Commandements 5. discreetly Dauid in comparison of this way hates all other He made choice of the way of trueth Psal 119. 30. 6 vprightly without hypocrisie Dauid kept them with his whole heart 7. continually without ceasing Dauid kept thē vnto the end all these are set downe Psal 119. at large This was the way of Zacharias and Elizabeth They were both righteous before God walking in all the Commandements of the Lord blamelesse Luk. 1. 6. and this is the way that all must walke in that looke for heauen For Circumcision is nothing and vncircumcision is nothing but the keeping of the Commandements of God 1. Cor. 7. 19. that is in the kingdome of grace no outward priuiledge or preeminence either of Iew or Gentile is either acceptable to God or auaileable to saluation without the keeping of Gods Commandements The third way which God The third way hath appointed for vs to walke in is The way of good workes Boza opera sunt via regni non causa regnandi saith Bernard Good workes are the way to the heauenly Kingdome though no cause of reigning in that Kingdome They are no meritorious causes of saluation as the Papists hold for so is onely Christ by the merits of his death and passion neither can the merit because they are imperfect but they are the way which God hath appointed for vs to walk in and liue in for howsoeuer we are said to be iustified and saued by faith without works it is to be vnderstood in the act of iustification before God yet not as it is faith but as it is an instrument to apprehend the obiect Christ but in the person already iustified before God good workes must concurre to declare vs before men that wee are iustified by faith before God for though faith alone be said to iustifie vs yet that faith which is alone without good workes doth not iustifie vs. Good workes are such as without which faith is but a dead carkase as the body without the spirit and therefore shew me thy faith by thy works at large Iam. 2. And good workes are a way to walke in S. Paul prooueth plainely For wee are Gods workemanship created in Christ Iesus vnto good workes which God hath before ordained that wee should walke in them Ephes 2. 10. The Papists doe vs great wrong by their slanders saying that we teach that a iustified person is freed from all keeping of the Law and that the law is fulfilled onely in beleeuing and that the Gospel commands nothing but faith and the like thus accusing our doctrine of licentiousnes I say they grosly abuse vs and most falsly accuse vs Indeed wee reiect good workes as they are held by the Papists to bee meritorious causes of saluation but setting that aside and their absurd conceit of the merit of works of supererogation and wee wil vrge them as strongly as they though no◠in that manner as they yea we vrge them and hold them necessary not as causes meriting life eternall
THE CHRISTIAN MANS WALKE With the most regardable and remarkable Steppes thereof the true Rule according to which and the manner how we must Walke Shewing the infallible properties of the children of light As I haue wrote in few words whereby when yee reade ye may vnderstand Ephes 3. 3. Newly published by the Author Nathanael Cole Preacher at S. Leonards Bromley in Middlesex on the backside of Stratford-Bow neere London This is the way walke in it Esa 30. 21. LONDON Printed by T. S. for Thomas Pauier dwelling in Iuy-Lane 1624. TO THE HOnorable and Worshipfull Company of all our English MERCHANTS trading to East India Grace and peace c. COnsidering with my selfe to whom I might present this worke beeing the third fruits of my labours in this kinde I thought vpon a saying of Salomon in his Prouerbes A man that hath friends must shew himselfe friendly Prou. 18. 24. Which speech beeing oft recalled was the occasion of this presentation and impulsiue cause of the dedication of these Sermons to all your most respected worthinesse The most deseruing cause I confesse was the acknowledgement of wonted beneuolence and your annuall beneficence whereof these few yeeres I haue been partaker So that Commemoratio beneficij became Commendacio officij to mee .i. The remembrance of your vndeserued bounty was a commending and commanding of this my most deserued duety The final cause in regard of God is to seeke his glory in the good of his Church in regard of you to testifie my thankfulnes for your choice of mee among some other of my fellow labourers in this case And as hee that forgets the benefits of God or men cannot but bee vnthankefull to both so on the contrary Qui quanta sibi gratia collata sit nescit quantas largitori grates debet non intelligit .i. Hee that knowes not what fauour is bestowed vpon him vnderstands not what thankes hee oweth to him that gaue it And the more deserued praise belongs vnto you because yours is a vitall not a funerall beneficence Concerning which it is well of some obserued that beeing vitall it is free and such as God accounts of it shewes first your faith in Gods prouidence Secondly your loue and care to doe good to Gods Ministers Thirdly that you trust not in vncertaine riches Fourthly it gaines you the prayers of those to whom you are beneficiall whereas a funerall beneficence is most commonly formall for fashion to doe as others doe or extorted to the hazzard of their goods or for vaine-glory or to stoppe the mouth of an accusing conscience Now because I could no way better expresse my thankefull heart nor knew hauing so many friends how to shew my selfe more friendly I haue presumed to make an exchange for your temporall to bestow amongst you all this spiritual gift it being the best requitall I can make or cotent that I could giue I acknowledge my selfe much obliged to you though vnknowne to most of you I praise you in God and blesse God for you all and though I cannot say I am yours to liue and die with you yet by Gods grace I shall euer bee yours to liue and pray for you that I may vse the words of Samuel As for me God forbid that I should sin against the Lord in ceasing to pray for you but I wil teach you the good the right way Onely feare the Lord and serue him in truth with all your heart for consider how great things hee hath done for you 1. Sam. 12 23 24. And now giue me leaue I beseech you to speake freely to you all as Paul did to the Corinthians My mouth is open vnto you my heart is enlarged Now for a recompense in the same be ye also enlarged 2. Cor. 6. 11 13. Let your good workes be continued And bee not weary in well doing for in due season ye shall reape if yee faint not Gal. 6. 9. It is constancie in well-doing that crowns the worke In cassum bonum quid agitur si ante vite terminum deseratur i. It is in vaine to doe any good thing and to leaue off before death as Non coepisse sed perfecisse virtutis est saith Ierome .i. It is the property of vertue not to begin well but to end well Let your good workes be plentiful and abundant More at last than at first Reuel 2. 19. Yea sometime superabundant like the Macedonians who to their power yea and beyond their power were willing of themselues c. 2. Cor. 8. 3. Let all be done discreetly making much of them that feare the Lord Psal 15. 4. Distributing to the necessitie of Saints Rom. 12. 13. doing good to all but specially to those which are of the houshold of faith Gal. 6. 10. so regarding and rewarding most plentifully those that labour painefully in Gods haruesi Thus let good doing be chearefully not grudgingly or of necessity but willingly for God loues a chearefull giuer 2 Cor. 9. 7. if there be first a willing minde God accepts it 2 Cor. 8. 12. And to stirre you vp the more remember I beseech you what Salomon saith He that pittieth the poore lends vnto the Lord and what hee hath giuen him will he pay him againe Prou. 19. 17. Remember what Saint Paul saith To doe good and to communicate forget not for with such sacrifices God is well-pleased Heb. 13. 16. Remember what our Sauiour Christ saith Hee that receiueth a Prophet in the name of a Prophet shall receiue a Prophets reward Math. 21. 22. God will reward you here and hereafter Hee will reward you 1 Donando by giuing you all necessary good 2 Condonando by forgiuing you all your sinnes 3 Coronando by crowning you with euerlasting life God will be with you 1 Dirigendo by directing you in his waies and guiding you in alyour affaires 2 Porrigendo by reaching out his helping hand in all your distresse God will bee with you 1 Detegendo by discouering the plots and deuices of your enemies 2 Protegendo by defending you against all dangers at home and abroad both by sea and land Thus the Lord is with you while ye be with him no longer 2 Chron. 15. 2. And if you become like Dauids blessed man whatsoeuer you doe it shall prosper Psal 1. 1. 2. 3. If you shall meditate in the law of God day and night and obserue to doe what is written therein then shall you make your way prosperous and then you shall haue good successe Ioshua 1. 8. Now giue mee leaue I humbly beseech you to aduance my speech a little further to you all you encounter with the mighty billowes of the great Sea you indanger your selues and yours both in body and goods In the middest of life they are in death If it please God to honour you in a strange Land with the treasures of it and to giue safe returne home then labour to honour God in your owne Country with that which he hath lent you So you honouring God
in these or but in any one of these hath small cause or none at all to boast of his profession yea further bee it so that the world seeth not these in him yet his life may bee most wicked by liuing in secret sinnes which who so doth cannot bee said to leade his life according to his profession Aboue all things therefore looke wee to our liues both toward God and men in publique and secret The grace in the heart will appeare in the actions of the life and where a good life is not the heart cannot bee good and againe in stead of walking and liuing in grace such lewd liuers walke in sinne because they liue in sinne Coloss 3. 7. Lastly From the persons here exhorted wee must bee admonished to take heede of a common sinne of this age namely decay of grace wheras a growth should appeare by our liues wee grow worse and worse many were better and had more knowledge zeale loue ioy deuotion and the like many yeeres agoe than now which is a fearefull case The Lord had somwhat against the Church of Ephesus for this decay because she had lost her first loue Reu. 2. 5. And surely much hath God against a great number in these dayes where iniquitie abounds and the loue of many waxeth cold Mat. 24. 12. Wee are lights our light must shine before others Matt. 5. 16. But it is a great signe of a great blemish in vs and that light is going out when the graces of God decay in vs This is one maine cause why Paul stirreth vp the Ephesians already conuerted to walke thus and thus namely to put them in minde to keepe and preserue the former graces committed vnto them and not to suffer them to decay In a word this exhortation to walke as children of light condemneth the customary walking in darkenesse darkenes I say of ignorance blindnesse errrour and of grosse sinnes going on still in wickednesse and not knowing what they doe because darkenesse hath blinded their eyes 1. Iohn 2. Hauing their vnderstanding darkened through their ignorance because of blindnesse of their heart Ephes 4. 18. Therefore as Paul saith The night is farre spent the day is at hand let vs therefore cast off the workes of darkenesse and let vs put on the armour of light Rom. 13. 12. Doct. 4 If this bee a property of a childe of light one that is regenerated to walke proouing what is pleasing to God then To liue in a course displeasing to God is a manifest signe of an vnregenerate man and one that is yet in darkenesse This Saint Paul confirmeth setting it as a brand vpon the wicked They please not God and are contrary vnto all men 1. Thess 2. 15. Vse This teacheth As to put a difference betweene the wicked and the godly the children of darkenesse and children of light So to take heede and beware of all sinne whatsoeuer whereby we doe displease God and not to harbour any one sinne in vs For it is sinne which displeaseth God as Dauid saith Thou art not a God that hast pleasure in wickednesse neither shall euill dwell with thee thou hatest all workers of iniquitie Psalm 5. 4 5. for such as displease God shall haue the displeasure of God both in soule and body here and hereafter And thus much be said of the third point concerning the persons to whom Paul speaketh viz. Children of light walke proouing what is acceptable or well-pleasing to the Lord. The fourth and last point in this first Steppe is the continuance of it as the words haue relation to the word Walke in 8. Verse Walke proouing what is acceptable to the Lord By walking as I haue shewed at large in the beginning is meant liuing a speech borrowed from trauellers signifying to liue or to hold on a course of life to leade our liues thus and thus either in the generall duties of Christianity or in some particular calling Thus this word Walke is taken either in good sence or bad In good sence as 2 Cor. 5. 7. We walke by saith is all one with Gal. 3. 11. The iust shall liue by faith In a bad sence as the Colossians are said to walke in sinnes that is to liue in sinne In which yee also walked sometime when yee liued in them Colos 3. 7. Many are the places to prooue this truth Gal. 5. 16. Walke in the spirit that is Order your liues according to the direction motion of Gods spirit So Gal. 5. 25. If wee liue in the spirit let vs walke in the spirit where liuing and walking are ioyned together shewing that the spirit is not an idle spirit in any but it will manifest it selfe in a well-ordered conuersation Againe that which Paul calleth Walking after the flesh Rom. 8. 1. hee calleth liuing after the flesh verse 13. This being more then plaine sundry Doctrines are hence to be gathered Doctr. 1 First That being conuerted the whole course of our liues must be a study and endeauour to search know approue and practise the will of God proouing what is pleasing to the Lord for so the word Walke includes the whole life of man especially after conuersion agreeable to that of Zachary We must serue God in righteousnesse and holinesse before him all the dayes of our liues Luke 1. 74. 75. Thus did Dauid Hee turned not aside from any thing that God commanded him all the daies of his life c. 1 King 5. 15. This was the accustomed practise of good King Hezekâ—ah that made him appeale to God with a cleare conscience saying I haue walked before thee O Lord in truth and with a perfect heart and I haue done that which is good in thy sight 2 King 20. 3. not speaking in the present tense or future tense but in time past saying I haue liued thus and thus through the whole course of my life to this time of my death And thus did Zacharias and Elizabeth Luke 1. All which must bee vnderstood of their vpright endeauour and purpose of heart so to liue and not of perfection of life Vse 1 Here then is a true Rule whereby to try our Conuersion Art thou conuerted then thou hast a full purpose of heart not to sinne but all thy studie endeauour ioy and delight will be in the whole man in all thy thoughts words workes to doe onely that which may please God Art thou conuerted Art thou freed from sin and become seruant to God Then thou hast thy fruit vnto holinesse and the end euerlasting life Rom. 6. 22. But on the contrary if thy life be wicked and conuersation disordered boast not of thy conuersion yea though thou liuest but in one sinne and purpose so to doe thou mayst bee dead in sinne but not dead to sinne For a conuerted sinner dead to sinne cannot liue any longer therin Rom. 6. 2. Hee can neither indure sinne in himselfe nor others Vse 2 Must our whole life bee such as may please God This then condemnes
all such as liues vitiously all their life time spending all their time in sinne pleasure and vanity neuer regarding to please God but wholly taking pleasure in vnrighteousnesse in stead of spending their time in the seruice and feare of God they wholly mispend it to the worship and seruice of the Diuell Oh how can such men approoue their conuersion yea rather they giue euident proofe and testimony of their owne damnation without speedy repentance for the childe of God truely conuerted walketh i. e. liueth so as vsing all good meanes to please God not in some part but in the whole course of his life Vse 5 This condemnes the practise of all such as deferre doing of good putting it from time to time from youth to middle-age from middle-age to old-age from old-age to death Thus being deluded by the cunninâ— and subtilty of the Diuell perswade themselues that there is no such neede to beginne so soone to walke in Gods waies liuing by faith in repentance and new obedience but it is enough for them to enter into that path at the houre of death and not in the course of their life They thinke if they can say Lord haue mercy on mee at the last gaspe they shall goe to heauen whereas it hath beene prooued that a man may dye with those words in his mouth and yet goe to hell if he haue not in his life done Gods will Math. 7. 22. Let no man plead here the example of the Theefe who repented at last it was extraordinary and it was one that none should despaire it was but one that none should presume and though it be true repentance is neuer too late yet late repentance is seldome true God promiseth forgiuenesse to repenting sinners but we finde not in all the booke of God that he hath promised repentance to euery sinner to repent when he list wee must not thinke to die the death of the righteous vnlesse we liue the life of the righteous God hath giuen vs our life as a space to repent in Reuel 2. 21. that the whole course of our life might be spent to his glory and not to post it off to death againe wee haue no warrant that God will giue vs grace at death Vse 4 This must teach vs aboue all things to looke that our liues bee sutable to the Gospell and answerable to Gods will reuealed therein So shall we be sure they shall be well-pleasing to God Onely then let your conuersation be as it becommeth the Gospell of Christ Philip. 1. 27. Let vs in our whole life bring foorth fruits meete for repentance Math. 3. i. e. workes of mercy charity piety Let vs liue godly righteously and soberly in this present world Tit. 2. 12. godly in regard of God righteously in regard of others soberly in regard of our selues In a word Let vs passe the whole time of our soiourning here in feare 1 Pet. 1. 17. Thus wee shall approoue our conuersion and walke so as pleasing God Doct. 2 Hence I gather the Doctrine of constancy and perse uerance in knowing and doing the will of GOD and what is pleasing to him for so much the word Walke imports and the exhortation of the Apostle to the conuerted Ephesians is to no other end but to teach them and vs that it is not sufficient to begin to know Gods will and make some good proceedings but to labour to hold on their whole course of their lise in doing Gods will to hold out constant vnto the end and in the end working out their owne saluation with feare and trembling Philip. 2. 12. This perseuerance is the onely thing which obtaines the Crowne and the want of it procures the curse of God both in this life at the end of this life and after this life as will appeare by these places of holy Scripture He that shal endure vnto the end shall be saued Math. 24. 13. God will render to euery man according to his workes eternall life to those that by patient continuance in well-doing seeke for glory c. Rom. 2. 6. 7. Be thou faithfull vnto the death and I will giue thee a crowne of life Reuel 2. 10. and many such like places shewing that life eternall and saluation belongs to none but those that walke that is liue in a constant course of well-doing with perseuerance and continuance in doing what is pleasing to God On the contrary it is written Cursed is euery one that continueth not in all things written in the booke of the law to doe them Gal. 3. 10. if a man could doe the law if he could doe all things in the law yet if he did not continue in so doing by the sentence of the law hee is accursed This the Apostle knew well and therefore though these Ephesians were already conuerted and attained to great knowledge of God yet still hee stirreth them vp to constancy and perseuerance saying Wake proouing what is pleasing to God Vse Labour then aboue all things for this grace of perseuerance hast thou entred into the profession of religion of Christ and of his Gospell hast thou made good beginnings and shewed thy selfe in some measure sound and sincere in obeying Gods will Goe on then in the name of God be constant be stedfâ—st vnmooueable alwaies abâ—â—â—â—ing in the worke of the Lord 1 Cor. 15. 58. As yee haue â—â—â—aies obeyed so make an end of your owne saluation Philip. 2. 12. Finish your sanctification in the feare of God 2 Cor. 7. 1. Oh remember that there is no pleasing of God nor hope of glory in the life to come without perseuerance in obeying Gods will therefore Saint Paul ioynes both together saying Walke-proouing what is pleasing to God There is no way to please Gâ—d but by faith Without 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 impâ—ssible to plâ—ase â—od Hâ—b 11. 6. but it is not the beginnings of faith but the soundnesse appearing in persâ—â—â—rance â—n the faith If then thou wouldest know certainly that God is reconciled vnto thee that Christ died for thee that thy sinnes are forgiuen thee and that thou shalt appeare blamelesse before God at the latter day then labour for perseuerance Marke what Saint Paul saith most notably for this purpose You that a ere sometimes alienated and enemies in your mindes by wicked workes yet now Christ hath reconciled in the body of his flesh through death to present you holy and vnblameable and vnreprooueable in his sight if ye continue in the faith grounded and setled and bee not mooued away from the hope of the Gospell c. Colos 1. 21. 22. 23. Loe here the maine thing of all that shall be crowned is perseuerance in the faith Be therefore constant be stedfast in the faith 1 Pet. 5. 9. Watch ye stand fast in the faith 1 Cor. 16. 15. Beware lest being led away with the error of the wicked yee fall from your owne stedfastnesse 2. Pet. 3. 17. Thus if yee continue vnto the end yee shall in the end
such a moderation of our affections and passions there is no true faith Thus wee must bring forth the fruits of repentance being changed in our minds laying aside the purpose of sinning resoluing by Gods grace to sinne no more and being heartily sory for offending so good a God and so for obedience to endeauour in the vse of all good meanes to performe it from all the powers and parts both of soule and body and where this is in trueth there will follow a change in the will thoughts and affections and all the actions of our life For they that are Christs haue crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts Galat. 5. 24. Thirdly They must all be entire and totall not partiall Thus wee must beleeue all that the Prophets haue spoken Luk. 24. 25. Repentance must bee of all sinne or else of none wee must not haue a dispensation for any one sinne and obedience must bee totall to the whole will of God in yeelding cheerefull obedience to euery commandement without partialitie For he that breaketh one Commandement is guilty of all Iam. 2. 10. Therefore Christ saith Yee are my friends if ye doe not some things but whatsoeuer I commaund you Iohn 15. 14. And as Paul saith This is our proofe whether wee be obedient in all things 2. Cor. 2. 9. Fourthly All must bee voluntary with a cheerefull and willing minde nothing violent will last long Thus Gods children are described to bee voluntaries Thy people O Lord shall come willingly at the time of assembly Psal 110. 3. Dauid gaue Salomon this counsell to serue GOD namely in the whole course of his seruice and in all the parts of his worship whereof Faith Repentance and New Obedience are chiefe with a willing minde 1. Chron. 28. 9. Thus did Dauid himselfe delight to doe Gods will Psalm 40. 8. and it was our Sauiours meate and drinke to doe his Fathers will Iohn 4. 34. Thus doe the Angels in heauen who are described to haue wings to shew their speede alacrity willingnes and cheerefulnesse in doing Gods will and wee must bee like them Some beleeue but it is onely for a time and in time of temptation fall away such a faith was neuer willingly so neuer sound Some repâ—â—t oâ— rather seeme to repent and to leaue sinne when sinne leaues them when in regard of opportunity or feare or age or some such like respect they cannot commit sinne yet they regard sinne in heart This is no sound repentance and so for obedience many performe a constrained obedience as the deuils wicked Church-Papists and the like and so no sound obedience and thus though grace bee imperfect and full of many infirmities as no grace can be perfect in this life yet if there bee in vs a willing minde it is accepted according to that a man hath 2. Cor. 8. 12. Thus with the Corinthians We must beleeue repent and obey and not onely beginne to doe but to be forward and to haue a readinesse as to will so to performe 2. Corinth 8. verses 10. 11. Fiftly All the former graces that they may be sound must bee accompanied with a good conscience without this all our Faith Repentance and Obedience are but counterfeit Thus wee must indeuour alwayes to haue a conscience void of offence toward God and men Acts 24. 16. that wee may truly say with Paul I haue liued in all good conscience before God vntill this day Acts 23. 1. Thus Saint Peter saith Wee must haue a good conscience 1. Pet. 3. 16. This good conscience is such as hath no manner of purpose to liue in any one sinne whatsoeuer but is resolued to please GOD in all the wayes of his Commaundements and that continually and it doth excuse not accuse On the contrary the bad conscience is when a man resolueth to cherish or purposeth to liue in any one sinne whatsoeuer Thus Paul counselleth to keepe faith and a good conscience from which good conscience some haue erred and as concerning faith for it was but a temporary and counterseit faith haue made shipwracke 1. Tim. 1. 19. Wee must hold the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience 1. Tim. 3. 9. Thus the end of the Commandement is loue out of a pure heart and a good conscience and faith vnfained c. 1. Tim. 1. 5. 6. in which place it is plain that a pure heart a good conscience and a sound faith are three inseparable companions neither is it possible one to bee without the other so for Repentance and Obedience yea the whole seruice of God must bee with a good conscience as Paul saith My God whom I serue from my forefathers with pure conscience 2. Timoth. 1. 3. Wee must haue a good conscience in all things Hebr. 13. 18. that wee may say in all these how I beleeue repent and obey my conscience beares mee witnesse Rom. 9. 1. Lastly All must be sound in Continuance It is no sound grace to beleeue for a time and in time of temptation to fall away It is not to seeme to repent to hang down the head like a bulrush for a day and to looke heauily and to doe some good things by fits and afterward to returne to the former vomit of our sinnes but wee must be faithful vnto the death Reu. 2. 10. by liuing continually to our liues end in Faith Repentance and new Obedience Wee must bee stedfast in the faith 1. Pet. 5. 9. Wee must stand fast in the faith 1. Cor. 16 13. Wee must continue in the faith grounded and setled c Coloss 1. 23. So for Repentance it must bee daily renewed increased and continued for this cause our Sauiour Christ so often vrgeth the duty of repentance vpon the Churches in the Reuelation Chapt. 2. and 3. signifying the continuance and daily renewing of it though they had repented before and great reason it should bee thus because so long as wee liue wee sinne daily For there is not a iust man that doth good and sinneth not Eccles 7. 20. therefore wee must repent daily so for Obedience we must with the Philippians alwayes obey and still worke out our saluation with feare and trembling Philipp 2. 12. passing the whole time of our soiourning here in feare 1. Pet. 1. 17. and finishing our sanctification in the feare of God 2. Cor. 7. 1. And herein let this bee well obserued that where any grace is begun if it bee in truth it is constant if it fades away it was neuer true Therefore this was Pauls perswasion Being confident of this very thing that God who hath begun a good worke in vs will performe or finish it vntill the day of Iesus Christ Philipp 1. 6. Thus haue I shewed plainly wherein the soundnesse of these graces consist and that I may vse Pauls words this is sound doctrine Tit. 1. 9. both to exhort and conuince the gainesayers Thus haue I spoken that which becomes sound doctrine Tit. 2. 1. where wee are exhorted to bee
alluring others vnto sinne This is made a note of a wicked man Sinners doe entice c. at large Prou. 1. from 10. to 15. This appeareth notably in the description of the Harlot Prou. 7. through the whole Chapter where wee may see how the Whore in the attyre of an Harlot and subtilty of heart in the twilight in the euening in a blacke and darke night met among the simple ones a Youth voide of vnderstanding So she caught him and kissed him and with an impudent face said vnto him inticing him as there followeth I haue done thus and thus and I haue this and that at home my bed is brauely bedeckt my husband is from home come let vs take our fill of loue till morning let vs solace our selues with loues from the 6. Verse to the 21. Now marke what followes With much faire speech shee caused him to yeeld with the flatterings of her lips she forced him Verse 21. thus by inticing him she prouoked him to sinne And this is a common sinne at this day in all such as delight in Whoorish company and drunken fellowship if they cannot compell them to sinne they will by one meanes or other allure and intise them to sinne It is the brand which Salomon setteth vpon the wicked A violent man entifeth his neighbour and leadeth him into the way that is not good Prou. 16. 29. And this bee said of the first way of hauing fellowship with others in sinne viz. by prouocation Vse Teaching all those that haue bin guilty in any of these waies to repent to bewaile their miserable and wretched estate hereby as being in it selfe accursed of God and to resolue fully to leaue and forsake such vngodly courses lest the wrath of God smoake against such people and there be none to quench it for certainely for such things sake the wrath of God commeth vpon such Againe this must teach all to hate these courses and instead of prouoking to euill to draw on others vnto good according to our seuerall places and callings and charges committed to vs as Magistrates their Subiects Ministers their People Parents their Children Masters their Seruants one neighbour another to labour with them by exhortation by perswasion to intice them to vrge them vnto good duties as Paul saith Let vs hold fast the profession of our faith without wauering and let vs consider one another to prouoke vnto loue and all other good workes Heb. 10. 23. 24. The neglect of this is the cause why sinne doth so much abound and grow so rise Secondly a man may haue fellowship with others in sin by consent as if a man seeth and knoweth another to commit a sinne actually and yet hee himselfe doth not commit it in his owne person yet because hee consenteth to the doing of it hee is guilty and becomes accessary vnto the other in this sin And this is another note of a wicked man who knowing the iudgement of God that they which doe commit such things are worthy of death not onely doe the same but take pleasure and consent with them that doe them Rom. 1. 32. So God reprooueth the wicked When thou sawest a theefe thou consentedst vnto him c. Psal 50. 18. This consenting to finne is nothing else but an approbation or allowing of sinne without either contradicting the sinner or any griefe or sorrow for the sinne Saint Paul complaines of the Corinthians for this and checks them that they were puffed vp and had not rather mourned for the fact of the incestuous man 1 Cor. 5. 1. 2. This consent is either 1. Secret 2. Open. Secret in the heart and mind Open either in word or deed and whosoeuer consenteth but in heart becommeth accessary to the sinne much more when he doth it openly in word or deed or both Thus the Iewes consented vnto the death of Christ saying Let him be crucified Math. 27. 22. 23. So whereas Ioab slew Abner smiting him vnder the fift ribbe that hee died 2 Sam. 3. 27. Yet Abishai Ioabs brother is said also to stay Abner Verse 30. which must be meant in regard of consenting with Ioab concerning his death So Saul was consenting to the death of Steuen partly in word partly in deed in stoning of Steuen And Saul consented vnto his death Acts 8. 1. that is hee did approoue and allow of his death and thus all these had fellowship with workes of darkenesse Vse Take heede then how any doe giue their consent vnto any wickednesse thinking they may very well excuse themselues because they did not personally commit the sinne wee see that the very consent makes guilty As vngodly talke drawes a man into sinne so vngodly silence holds a man in sinne and God complaineth of the wicked that saw the theefe and consented with him Psal 50. Let vs therefore take vp the counsell of Salomon My Sonne if sinners entise Consent thou not c. at large Prou. 1. 10. c. Consent not either with sinners or their sinnes if thou doest remember the iudgement of God and his wrath hangs ouer thy head and thou must looke for eternall death Rom. 1. 32. Our consent must be only in good things and with good men as Paul saith I consent vnto the Law of God that it is good Rom. 7. and if at any time we are ouertaken in any sinne wee must say as Paul That which I doe I allow not Rom. 7. 15. our consent and approbation must be onely of things more excellent Philip. 1. 10. Thirdly a man may bee accessary to other mens sins by giuing euill counsell Thus was Herodias mother accessary to the murthering of Iohn though Herod beheaded him for Herodias being before instructed of her mother said Giue mee here Iohn Baptists head in a charger Math 14. 3. to 11. Thus bad counsell was a meanes of his death Thus was Ionadab accessarie to the incestuous rape of Ammon Ammon indeed lay with his own sister hee personally committed the sinne for he forced her and when hee had committed the fact hee hated her more than before he loued her but all this was by the euill counsaile of that wicked and subtill man Ionadab who counsailed him to faine himselfe sicke and when Dauid his Father should come to see him Ammon should desire of the King that Tamar his sister should dresse him meate that so by that his lust might be fulfilled The King granting his desire Ammon tooke his opportunity forced her and lay with her at large 2 Sam. 13. This giting of bad counsell is when one man perswadeth another vnto sinne and it is a great cause of much euill in the world By this came the fall of our first Parents for Sathan perswaded Eue and Eue her husband Gen. 3. 4. 6. And thus by this bad counsell were the high Priests and Rulers accessary to the crucisying of Christ because they perswaded the people to aske Barrabas a murtherer and a robber Acts 3. 14. Iohn 18. 40. and to destory Iesus
better it may be omitted for the present Now if any think themselues too good or too great to be reproued and so will not yeeld their neckes to this yoke let them remember Gods iudgement vpon King Vzziah who resisting Gods ordinance in the ministery of the Prophet reproouing him was striken with a leprosie to his death 2. Chron. 26. And thus much of the threefold Steppe of the Christian mans Walke AN ADDITION of certaine places of holy Scripture setting forth the true Manner of this Christian Walke both Exhorting and Dehorting Exhortations THis Manner I finde in holy Scripture propounded to vs by the Apostles two wayes Generally Specially Generally It must bee according to the tenour of Gods Word First such as the Word teacheth Secondly such as beseemeth graceth and adorneth the Word Thirdly onely such as being the onely life Onely let your conuersation bee as becommeth the Gospoll of Christ Philip. 1. 27. What it teacheth the Apostle sheweth For the grace of God meaning the doctrine of the Gospell teacheth vs to denie vngodlinesse and worldly lusts and to liue godly righteously and soberly in this present world Tit. 2. 11 12. Godly in regard of God Righteously in regard of others Soberly in regard of our selues Specially This manner is propounded diuersly First We must walke Circumspectly that is warily exactly strictly with great carefulnes and watchfulnesse taking great heed to our wayes and looking narrowly to our cariage See that ye walke circumspectly not as fooles but as wise that is not in ignorance but indued with sauing knowledge redeeming the time that is vsing a double and treble diligence for time to come for that we haue spent formerly so idlely and vainely because the dayes are euill that is full of euill men Ephes 5. 15 16. And the more euill the times are the more circumspect must we be Secondly We must walke Vprightly that is voyd of all hypocrisie before God and guile and dissimulation among men simply sincerely in singlenesse of heart fearing God Walke before mee saith God to Abraham and be vpright Gen. 17. Who shall goe to heauen He that walketh vprightly Psal 15. 2. Qui vadit planè vadit sanè Hee that walketh vprightly walketh surely Pro. 10. 9. He that walketh vprightly shall be saued Pro. 28. 18. Better is the poore that walketh in his vprightnesse then he that is peruerse in his wayes though he be rich Pro. 28. 6. The iust man walketh in his integrity his children are blessed after him Pro. 20. 7. Thirdly We must walke Innocently that is without offence not that we can so liue as neuer sinne or neuer offend for that is impossible for there is no righteous man that doth good and sinneth not Eccles 7. 20. But we must so walke as that we giue no iust occasion of offence or scandall vnto any whereby they may iustly blame vs this is to walke inoffensiuely Thus Zacharias and Elizabeth walked in all the commandements and ordinances of the Lord blamelesse Luke 1. 6. God hath chosen vs before the foundation of the world that we should bee holy and blamelesse before him Ephes 1. 4. Fourthly We must walke Honestly There is a twofold honesty Ciuill Religious Ciuill honesty is necessary but will not serue the turne to bring vs to saluation as many will pleade I liue in an honest calling taking paines in that calling I giue euery man his due I doe no man harme I wrong no man I defraud no man I keepe the Church c. All this is commendable but thus Caine might haue pleaded and many a wicked man Religious honesty is that which is ioyned with godlinesse when a man hath a good and honest heart hauing care to keepe faith and a good conscience purposing and resoluing to liue in no one sinne whatsoeuer but to please God in all his commandements continually as on the contrary that is a dishonest and wicked heart which resolueth to cherish any one sinne whatsoeuer Let vs therefore walke honestly as in the day not in rioting and drunkennesse not in chambring and wantonnesse not in strife and enuying Rom. 13. 13. Hauing our conuersation honest among the Gentiles c. 1. Pet. 2. 12. For the time past of our life may suffice vs to haue wrought the will of the Gentiles when wee walked in lasciuiousnesse lusts excesse of wine c. 1. Pet. 4. 3. Wee must pray for Kings and all in authority that we may leade a quiet and peaceable life in all godlinesse and honestly 1 Tim. 2. 2. where we see godlinesse and honesty ioyned together as inseparable Fifthly wee must walke chastly abstaining from fleshly lusts auoiding vncleanenesse abstaining from fornication and knowing how to possesse our bodies in sanctification and honour not in the lusts of concupiscence as the Gentiles which know not God 1 Thessalonians 4. 3. 4. 5. and that wee may keepe our selues chaste wee must alwaies haue the feare of God before our eyes as Ioseph did Gen. 39. for by the feare of God men depart from euill Prou. 16. 6. Wiues must haue chast conuersations coupled with feare c. 1 Pet. 3. 1. 2. Sixthly wee must walke wisely not in the wisedome of the world which is enmity against God There is a wisedome which is earthly sensuall diuellish But the wisedome that is from aboue is first pure then peaceable gentle easie to be intreated full of mercy and good fruits without partiality and without hypocrisie Iam. 3. 15. 16. Who is a wise man among you and endued with knowledge let him shew out of a good conuersation his workes with meekenesse of wisedome Iam. 3. 13. walke wisely towards those which are without that is not onely towards beleeuers but towards such as are not yet come to the faith and the true knowledge of Christ Colos 4. 5. and for an helpe hereunto let vs walke with the best who are the godly wise For he that walketh with the wise shall be wise Prou. 13. 20. Seauenthly we must walke louingly in loue to God and man our whole conuersation must be in loue Walke in loue as Christ hath loued vs in conformity not equality Ephes 5. 2. I beseech thee Lady not as though I wrote a new commandement vnto thee but that which we had from the beginning that we should loue one another And this is loue that wee walke after Gods commandements This is the commandement that as yee haue heard from the beginning yee should walke in it 2 Epist Iohn 5. 6. Eightly wee must walke fruitfully Our life must bee full of good workes of piety mercy and charity Wee must therefore learne to maintaine good workes that wee be not vnfruitfull Tit. 3. 14. Paul prayeth for the Colossians that they might walke worthy of the Lord vnto all pleasing being fruitfull in euery good worke and increasing in the knowledge of God Colos 1. 9. 10. For we are Gods workeman-ship created in Christ Iesus vnto good workes which God hath ordained that wee should walke in