Iob therefore shewed himselfe to haue learned this compassion effectually when as he saith If I did contemne the iudgement of my seruant and of my maide when they did contend with me what then shall I answere when God standeth vp against me For he that made me in the wombe hath he not made him This all men must needes say is mercie to the life of our neighbour indeede when wee shall shew compassion to them whom we might oppresse as being not able to resist vs. The second example is of such as our Sauiour speaketh of who visited him in his members though many other who saw their miserie did not so saying When I was hungrie ye gaue me meate Here by his owne words we may see that true compassion will shew it selfe by releeuing in time of neede and shutteth not vp it selfe with an vnsauorie answere as Iames speaketh God prouide for you And as we should shew our helpe chiefely to the needie and poore so ought we euer to be readie to helpe all other with whom we liue as they shall stand in neede of it by counsell trauaile or the like euen as Simeon did his brother Iudah against the Cananites and the rest of the tribes did Gideon against Midian and the Amalekites But I will with adding a little more now make an ende of this dutie towards the life of our neighbour That which I haue said thereof may teach how pitie is to be shewed to the bodily necessities as to the whole life of the needie and afflicted and likewise how we must be readie to helpe all sortes that are distressed and therefore much more to be harmelesse and innocent Vertues they are of singular price though little set by in this euill world and yet he that is voyde of them were better be out of the world For both of them are accompanied with other vertues which doe set out the worth and beautie of them euen as a chaine of golde rings and bracelets doe beautifie and adorne a comely person For the latter that is innocencie and harmelesnes is accompanied with meekenes patience and long suffering without standing stifly vpon an offence or hotly pursuing it but easily passing by it Also he that is harmelesse is gentle tractable and soone intreated to forgiue a trespasse though some can neuer be brought to it he is also peaceable and communicable and fit to be liued with which vertue is rare to be found Therefore the innocent and harmeles man is much to be set by and as profitable to him who liueth with him as of himselfe he is commendable And this is to be ioyned with the other vertue which in this place I before commended namely helpfulnes and which hath adioyned to it mercie and tender compassion to succour them that be in misery and kinde heartednes and goodnes as the scripture calleth it to preuent euill and daunger from our neighbour before it take holde of him And thus much of the dutie which we owe to the body and life of our neighbours That which remaineth is of the regarde and compassion which is to be had ouer their soules particularly That seeing the multitude of bad examples is one especiall imboldening of the world in euill we who are marked more then others how we liue after the Gospell which we haue in so great price ought both to walke warily towards such as are yet in vnbeliefe as well as vnblameable amongst our brethren that so we may hope that one time or other it may please God to call them home as the Apostle speaketh to the beleeuing wiues And who seeth not that good example and innocent life doth more moue the ignorant and vnstayed persons at the first then the doctrine because though they heare it yet they vnderstand not the power and authoritie of it neither are able to weigh the soundnes of it vntill they see the beautie of it appeare in practise And therefore he saith Let your conuersation be pure that they which obey not the word may be wonne by you With this holy example of life another dutie is required that all occasions be taken and the oportunities vsed of winning men to God and of confirming them who are in Christ alreadie and peace making and reconciling such as be at variance and obseruing one another and prouoking to loue and good workes the fruites thereof by instruction by exhortation admonition consolation and such like If the desire of the saluation of our brethren were such when oportunitie serueth and especially in companie as that for the same we could neglect our owne ease and vaine liberties in idlenes and vnprofitable talke there is no doubt but by kinde and wise dealing with them we should preuaile with some especially this one thing being added a thing of all other most looked after that with godly counsell we pitied the necessities of those that be in wants as their case requireth and that with the bowels of compassion whereby both their hearts are comforted and they better prepared to take good by our counsell and instructions euen as Boaz did to Ruth in both when his kinde and sweete words to her with his friendly dealing caused her to say Oh my Lord thou hast comforted me thou hast spoken to the heart of thine handmaid These two former duties being rightly obserued and duly regarded that is that we honour the image of God in our neighbour as it shall appeare to vs and that with this humilitie we ioyne tender loue to his life and person as now hath been said we cannot rest there but we must declare the same loue in not hurting or greeuing him in any good thing that he hath and setteth by neither can we in truth say we loue him when we can be content for all that to doe the thing which we know will offend and vexe him And therefore euery Christian which hath this loue in him will be readie to giue his neighbour his due in this commaundement not to attempt his honestie and chastitie which is principally forbidden in this precept So that through this loue to our neighbour and all that is his we must liue so innocently and chastly that none may haue cause to complaine that they be hurt or annoyed by vs this way and that we our selues doe warily shunne and auoyde all occasions whereby wee know wee might bee in daunger thereof Therefore for the better obtaining of this at our hands God requireth this of vs that both our mindes and bodies be chaste the one pure from vncleane lusts desires and thoughts tending to vnchastnes the other kept in honour for so the Apostle calleth it free from all executing of such vncleane desires by any strange pleasures which he condemneth And therefore that all the parts of our bodies be kept continent as well as the face eyes eares tongue hands and feete be turned away from such occasions
obey it euen this faith I say must be planted in them as well as faith to be saued because by it as well as by this Gods people must liue afterwards and be vpholden And this doctrine because it is occupied about the promises of this life and the commandements of God which are to guide vs to full sanctification here I did not therefore ioyne it with my discourse of faith in the former treatise but referred it to this place as the fittest where I teach how to liue godly to the attaining whereof the beleeuing that I haue spoken of is a speciall helpe and furtherance And so I wish the christian reader to marke well that which I say about this matter for it is one of the hardest points in all christianitie to practise and one of the darkest to conceiue and see into and to be rightly perswaded of and setled in and a point in deed lesse stoode vpon and taught and made cleere by Preachers themselues in their Sermons and Catechizings and yet our liuing by faith throughout our whole life which is the fruit of it is as plainely taught and brought to light in the Scriptures as any need to desire it and namely in those places to the Hebrues and the Galathians one The iust shall liue by faith the other I liue no longer but Christ in me and the life that I leade is by faith in the sonne of God As if they both should say Christ by his spirit doth draw his faithfull ones to be led and guided by the word of truth which he hath set downe to them and they desire no other life then that which there they are moued and perswaded vnto whether we meane the commaundements or promises I said that this beleeuing which I speake of is not much laide open in publike teaching but only this which is the effect of it that we ought to be obedient to the word of God and therefore it is that the forwarder sort of good hearers except some few who haue been throughly made acquainted with it and exercised in it by long experience doe little see into it namely that they may vndoubtedly be perswaded that God will make them able to obey his will as they are fit to reach vnto it and that he hath promised if they once come to know that they are beloued of him that he will afterwards be with them to quicken their will and draw their affections and strengthen them to doe their duties as it was said by the Angell to Mary Haile thou that art freely beloued the Lord is with thee Many of Gods deare children when they are somewhat staied about the assurance of their saluation after that they haue been long labouring about it and then come to heare that they must leade new liues many of them I say are willing to goe about it but they are much discouraged because they see not how they shall be able And least any should obiect that Paul himselfe was so troubled who said To will is present with me but I finde no meanes to performe that which is good I answere he complained not of that which I doe that is that he had no hope in God nor no promise of strength from him to performe for he said the contrarie in sundry places I am able to doe all things through the helpe of Christ which strengtheneth me And againe I liue no longer but Christ in me but he complained that for all the hope of helpe that he had yet the rebellion of his flesh and nature that was vnreformed did mightily resist him And this hinderance he had and we all shall haue while we liue But what is that to this that besides this rebellion of the old man they haue this also to hinder them that they cannot tell whether they shall haue strength to make them able or no nor whether God haue giuen them any promise that their burthen shall be made light and that Christ himselfe will beare the greatest part of it for them that so it may be made easie This it is that killeth the heart of right good christians when they are ignorant of it and when they be not well grounded in it and throughly perswaded of it that God will make them able and fit for so great a worke as the leading of a godly life is euen like the burthen of the Israelites who were inioyned their taske of bricke that they had made in times past which worke was hard enough and yet themselues to seeke and prouide their strawe This I am sure hath troubled many who yet were willing and readie to doe any duties required of them and hath been the cause why they haue gone about the seuerall actions of their life the bearing of their trouble and the offering vp of their prayers the more deadly and vncheerefullie and therefore the more aukely and wearisomely And for the benefit of many good soules I will say that which hath been acknowledged vnto me by sundrie well approued christians when I haue in conference set downe plainelie to them the point which now I write of namely how necessarie it is to beleeue in generall whatsoeuer other promises or precepts in the word of God as well as the promises of saluation by Christ Oh haue many said if wee could haue holpe vp our selues out of distrust feare and vncomfortable dumpes by applying the promises of God concerning grace necessarie for vs outward deliuerance from daungers and good successe in our lawfull dealings of this life wee might with much ease and peace haue staied vp our selues when for want therof we were sore plunged and almost fainted and with halfe the toyle which wee vsed for it wee might haue vpholden our selues in hope with comfort For many houres yea and sometime daies wee haue beate our braines and reasoned to and fro with heauie hearts how to wade thorough some afflictions and how to bee contented with some accidents which were like to fal out and come to passe and this we did because we missed of the right way of trusting to Gods prouidence that he would turne all to the best without which resolution who can quietly rest in any vncertainties here below So effectuall and good a meane it is to be led by faith and to haue it as a daily companion with vs. By which wee hauing perswasion of the greatest benefit of all other namely Christ we might the more easily haue assured our selues we see now of any smaller whether any trouble to haue a good issue out of it or any good thing as it should haue been expedient for vs to inioy it And wee may say truly wee know nothing to haue been the cause of so much and so long vnprofitablenes and heauines these many yeeres as this that we haue not been rooted and grounded in faith as we haue had a care to please God For wee being subtilly vndermined by Sathan to
to be put in practise yea and although they could yet do they not sufficiently nor throughly guide a Christian I answer he that vnderstandeth so much in the Scriptures as that he knoweth thereby himselfe reconciled to God and so haue sure hope to be saued and to be one of them whom God hath chosen out of the world from the rest which shall perish he can easily vnderstand the meaning of this direction and the points and parts thereof and is fit to be directed by it as for any other it is but to accuse and conuict him of infinit iniquities in his life and of guiltinesse of eternall damnation thereby although through the law of his members which rebell against the law of his mind and through ignorance and the malice and subtiltie of the diuell he be much distracted on the other side and hindred from that which he seeth he ought to do vntill experience haue made him better acquainted with it But this is the battell which he must feele and haue with his lusts and which euery true beleeuer must be exercised with daily and yet this resistance and rebellion against Gods grace which he feeleth by this corruption and sinne daily is a most fit whetstone to sharpen him the more to imbrace and follow these rules in this direction set downe because he shall see that by them he is made strong against these his rebellions daily by litle and litle whereas without some such direction he could in no wise be able to resist Now whereas it is obiected that although it should be practised yet it is not a sufficient directing of him for and throughout the day seeing euerie rule and point hath not his certaine time set downe in which it should serue and in the which it should be required to this I say that we must not imagine that there is any such direction as though thereby we might keepe from sinne any houre of the day but this direction teacheth how by the wisedome of Gods spirit according to the measure of our knowledge we may be led through euery part of the day in peace and safety and do all the outward actions of the day as by occasion we shall be called thereto more purely and dutifully and with more ease and chearfulnesse then otherwise might be looked for especially after we haue by longer experience bene exercised therein for God doth teach his children wisedome when and how to vse thankes and when to make requests what sinne to oppose themselues against as their weakenesse shall require what duties to follow how to watch ouer their heart and life and by all to find and obtaine rest to their soules And although through infirmitie which is in the best they shall neuer fully reape the fruite which the rules do leade vnto for they faile through ouer-sight rashnesse and by other naturall corruption are much feebled and therefore must needs come short in performing duty as they ought yet through the grace that God giueth his they find and still may obtaine by the helpe hereof such ease in the seruing of God through the day as they thought before impossible and neuer looked to inioy that they may truly say notwithstanding the sinne that cleaueth to them that they haue oft most sweete communion with God and hold their sinne in great subiection to their admiration which was wont full sore to imbondage them Neither shall this seeme strange or doubtfull which I say if it be well considered For hath not the Lord promised to make his children partakers of the diuine nature euen the grace of his holy spirit whereby they shall flie the corruption that is in the world through lust hath he not sayd that if they watch and pray they shall not fall into temptation but be deliuered from euill and that if they resist the diuell he shall flie from them and by the armour of a Christian they shall stand fast against all infernall subtilty And hath he not sayd that the weapons of our warfare are mighty casting downe strong holds which seemed impossible to be cast downe hath he not taught vs that he is greater which is in vs then he that is in the world hath he not promised them his spirit the comforter which the world cannot haue that they might not be here as Orphanes and desolate and that he will lay no more vpon his then he will make them able to beare And what should I say more hath he not giuen them singular prerogatiues that they being vpholden by them may passe by the deceiueable baites of the world that they may not poyson them And by this litle which I say of a great deale which might be sayd out of the Scriptures to the like purpose doth not God harten and incourage his to trust in him for that strength and grace which shall be sufficient for them hath he not taught them daily to thinke much of these things Now then when his poore seruants come to know his mind and will in them and how he is affected to them yea which is more when they shall be further instructed that his will is that they should daily occupie their minds in thinking of these and such like things is it any great maruell if they grow more heauenly minded and be more constantly setled in an holy course and so become acquainted with the practise of duty more vsually and continually then they were wont when either they know not that any such thing was required of them daily or how to bring their hearts daily to like of it And when they shall be well and throughly perswaded whatsoeuer the wandring and inconstant course of the most be that God requireth of them that euery day they shall warily shunne euill waite to honor him in the proper duties and seruice which they owe to him count it their chiefe worke to do so daily to pray oft and to speake to him in thanksgiuing daily renew their faith and hope of saluation and other temporall fauours of his when I say they shall see that God commeth thus neare to them whiles they are absent from him here on earth and offereth them this familiaritie as his friends and not vsing them as seruants is it to be maruelled at that they accept of it daily and when they haue tasted once that this may be their vsuall and ordinarie diet this sweete communion with God I meane which was wont to be but their feasting now and then is it to be thought strange that they should reach out their hand to this their welfare No no if God once perswade his that they may walke in his fauour euerie day and with more acceptation and better welcome then when they could haue but a small glimse of it once in a weeke moneth or quarter they will not starue when they may banquet they will not eate achornes with swine when they may
also the comfort by our preaching which may easily be greater to vs then to them which heare vs oh what can be in this life comparable vnto it whereby also our hearts are sweetly seasoned and our liues farre better gouerned and wee more safely kept from euery euill way as Salomon saith Prou. 2.10 vnlesse we be carelesse of our owne good More then this we haue incouragement and perswasion to doe our duties in this behalfe more cheerefully by considering that so many as we turne from their euill waies so many soules we are counted to saue Iam. 5.20 And this wee should doe now whiles wee may doe it in peace and whiles there are many willing to heare whose example may draw on others who if they should not be taken whiles they may will not afterterwards perhaps be brought on though we should neuer so much desire it fearing that which the Apostle saith 2. Tim. 4.3 that the time will come when they will not suffer holesome doctrine and hauing their eares itching shall after their owne lusts get them an heape of teachers and shall turne their eares from the truth and shall be giuen to fables And lastly we know that the reward after this life is a stronger motiue then all these which I haue mentioned but I am sure that all together are most strong and should be to vs as the threefold cable that is not easily broken and that is set downe in Daniel thus They which instruct others shall shine as the light of the firmament and they which turne many to righteousnes as the starres for euer This is that which I thought meete to say to my brethren in the Ministerie who according to their diuers estates places people and other occasions shall I know too well meete with discouragements enough but if they be wise against the greatest of all other which are within them I meane the distemperatures and contradictions and disputes of their owne euill hearts I doubt nothing but that the other shall be resisted and ouercome All obiections which might trouble and hinder from this worke and dutie are infinite Therefore only looke to God and haue him going alwaies before you and let his word be the man of your counsailes in which estate alone sound and durable peace is to be found and he will teach the teachable aboue their expectation and giue wisedome to the simple and strength to the weake that by him they shall finde that easie which otherwise were impossible I meane to swallow vp discouragements and finde the greatest ioy in the diligentest performing of dutie Now I turne to you my brethren or people and hearers who as I haue said raise vp lets and hindrances to too many against your selues though ye had none offered you by your Ministers Whose case for the greatest part I pitie and bewaile that you are so farre from knowing and duly considering this great mercie of God towards you in sending his preachers among you that very few of many see the end of their ministerie and therefore receiue them not as from God as the instruments by whom ye may beleeue and be reformed and consequently look and waite for the accomplishment of your happines after ye haue first tasted how good the Lord is to them by their preaching vnto you Know ye therefore that God hath appointed them as messengers of your reconciliation with him who were farre sequestred from him before and estranged and wheras he might haue taught you by other meanes and led you thorough this long and wearisome wildernes by other guides he hath seene this the fittest way to doe it by men his ministers seeing yee should neuer haue been able to heare the Lord himselfe if hee should haue spoken to you no more then the people of Israel were when they cried out at the hearing of his voyce and said Lord speake thou no more to vs but let Moses speake to vs and we will heare him in all that thou shalt say to vs by him Heare them therefore who are able to deliuer the Lords message vnto you whose preaching is life or death to you and if ye despise them in that their message ye shall doe all one as if ye despised the Lord himselfe that sent them Heare them I say in the Lords steed in all that they shall say to you from him Learne by their ministerie to see your selues to be the sonnes and daughters of God almightie who before the ministerie of the word worke vpon you mightily are his enemies your hearts being set on euill workes and vnder his wrath iustly Suffer your selues to bee launced purged wounded seeing ye cannot otherwise be healed Receiue the holesome word of exhortation and be content to put your neck in his yoke and willingly submit your selues to his word that so ye may glorifie God for his loue towards you in and by their labour and trauaile among you that ye may thereby gaine more then if you had al abundance and your hearts desire Which because you see not I will shew you how great it is in some sort and that is so much as if you attaine it ye owe no lesse then your owne soules to them for it Philem. 19. For they shall not only saue themselues who shal performe this dutie of teaching amōg you in such maner as hath bin before set down but they shall saue you also who intertaine them as Gods messengers 2. Tim. 2. and be meanes to make you see your selues happie both here and for euer Which being so who can sufficiently admire the blindnes nay the wilfull blindnes of the people the carelesnes yea the bold carelesnes and blockishnes of them who see nothing of this which I say though wee speake oft of it and aloud among them that they may regard it I thanke God to see some thing that I see in some persons I meane their reuerent and thankfull receiuing of the Gospell and their care to be reformed by it but that in so long a time of peace and free passage to the Gospel vnder her Maiesties most prosperous raigne so few make that the flower of their garland and their best portion it is most worthily to be bewailed Which testifieth too cleerely that either there are many enemies of the Gospell among vs besides Priests and Iesuites and open Recusants and among them that loue it as they pretend many of them loue darknes more then light because their deedes are euill and who doe not esteeme Gods messengers as sent from him for their singular benefit For then would not some and those not a few denie them their due which God hath giuen them that labor among them nor withhold their earthly things from them to whom they deliuer spirituall nor esteeme meanly and basely of them who would faine win them to God Neither would many of the people lay such blockes in their owne way as they doe descanting of them in such
may not be burdensome to others and of performing the duties of our particular callings in the which actions we may haue proofe of the grace that is in vs I meane patience righteousnes hope faith loue that so our whole conuersation may bee well ordred and proportionable to other holie duties and therefore in these respects we may be willing and content to liue while God will haue it so that wee may shew foorth the vertues which he hath giuen vs amongst men which otherwise should be hidden and it could not otherwise be seene of men that any can possibly liue godly who hath an hand in the world when in the meane while God forbiddeth not the actions mentioned but commaunds them only he chargeth that in doing of them we be not tainted neither haue our consciences defiled The 2. cause why I say that we should not contemne life and other lawful liberties is because vpon this principle falsely grounded and as falsly vnderstood that wee should forsake the world diuers haue troubled many weake people abused them saying and teaching and that vnder a great pretence of godlines that when we begin to be deuout and to sauour of religion wee ought to leaue the world that is to say depart from our earthly callings and dealings and also from the societie and fellowship of men who are occupied therein And to the end that greater deuotion and pietie may be bred in vs we are say they to goe aside into Abbeyes Frieries Armetages and Cloysters where we may neither heare nor see any such dealings And as the opinion is plausible to the ignorant and vnstable though palpable to them that are staied in iudgement so it hath deceiued many and the diuell hath shewed himselfe as an angel of light in perswading that such a kinde of life is the highest degree of holines although it hath been and easily may be proued to be the denne and depth of abomination For though many haue of a good meaning at the first gone apart from secular affaires and betaken themselues to liue in sequestred places because they would not be troubled with earthly dealings yet subtile theeues arose afterwards of the popish prelacie who abused this to horrible mischiefes for we must not be ignorant of this that when men will venture without their warrant the longer they doe it the further they fall into the depth of sinne as a man once gone out of his way goeth further astray till he seeke to come in againe Which hath been the cause why much wickednes hath in time broke forth in the Papacy where the people haue been hartned to this monasticall life and superstitious deuotion as idlenes whoredome sodomitry hypocrisie and most cruell murthering of the soules of many infants which were misbegotten So that not to digresse too farre this is the second reason why I made plaine my meaning in saying that the contempt of the world is not the wearines of our life the leauing of our affaires in the world or the forsaking of our particular calling as though no man may be godly and a beleeuer that vseth these but to proue that one may be a contemner of the world that vseth them all and by consequent that he who is sure of his saluation by faith may haue this grace to despise the world which I haue set downe as the sixt propertie or inseparable companion of faith To proceede therefore when we see that we be thus made rich by the Lord after that we haue fastened on his promises whereas we were before so vnlike to find the least part of such preferment we begin to lament our former vnkindnes to our God which we dailie offered him when as yet we knew no such thing and are ready to be reuenged on our selues for it as the woman in Luke bewailed her vnkindnes which she had shewed to her Lord and Sauiour before and did now witnes it after she had felt his loue so sweete by washing his feete with her teares and wiping them with the haires of her head For we cannot be ignorant that when he sought vs we fled from him and refused to come such fruites we yeelded him of all his patience and long suffering whereby he sought to winne vs we were as the vines of Sodome and our grapes as bitter as Gomorrha euen as much as if we had offered him the venome of Dragons in a cup and the poison of Aspes to drinke It was the vnspeakeable mercie of God that we were not consumed when we regarded not to know him nor to haue acquaintance with his waies though he sent his ministers dailie amongst vs to reclaime vs. We therefore now are ashamed to thinke what we haue done and are deepely grieued to remember that we should finde him so louing and gracious to vs who had done all this iniurie vnto him And therefore we sorrowing thus haue been brought to a greater care of ordering our waies aright and desire to please him yea to be euen angrie with our selues and to seeke an holy reuenge at our owne hands that thus we may declare that we doe vtterly condemne our former course of the which who would haue said that the Lord would euer haue pardoned it and haue brought vs to be wearie of it But thus it hath pleased him to get himselfe honour in this world by shewing himselfe gratious and kinde to vs so vnworthie ones that we may be examples as the Apostle speaketh of himselfe to all that shall in time to come beleeue in him to eternall life that they may the more easilie be perswaded that he will receiue them to mercie Euen this made Dauid say Remember not O Lord the sinnes of my youth and againe if thou shouldest looke streightly what is done amisse who should abide it And to come to the last we seeing and knowing our selues thus to be redeemed out of so deepe miserie we wishing the same good to our brethren which we our selues haue receiued of God declare vnto them how we are redeemed as occasion is offered as Philip and Andrew did priuately Iohn 1. and Paul publikely being called thereto For we cannot chuse but speake the things which we knowe the loue of God constraining vs as well to them who knowe the same that we may reioyce together as to them who know it not that they being yet in the estate wherein we were may be perswaded to make speede out of it And the rather remembring that as it is our dutie being conuerted our selues to strengthen others so also because if we turne any from their euill waies we haue been meanes to saue so many soules from death Neither are we of their mindes who thinke it both vnciuill and vnseasonable either among strangers or their owne neighbours to acquaint the ignorant and wandring soules with this heauenly matter or to build vp the weake in the more sound and cleere
vp in their spirituall life Desire saith he that sincere milke of the word that ye may growe thereby And these are the especiall things which are most apparantly to be seene in them by others and felt of themselues who also are much troubled for want of stronger faith thirsting after and ioying in the sense and feeling of Gods louing kindnes True it is they haue little minde to the sinne which they were wont to offend in yet that is not so much to be counted sound practise of godlines for that they oft times little marke and consider how they are tempted and inticed hauing their minde taken vp in that wherein they most desire but are more like to fresh and vnexpert souldiers who haue not as yet been feared in the field but where they see that they haue offended God they take it heauilie Their calling is cheerefullie followed whilest their small faith is vpholden by cleauing to the promise and as vncheerefully when that faileth moning and pining if it be long wanting There is great danger to be feared in both these their estates through Sathans malice and subtiltie which they yet are ignorant of and vnacquainted with as they are with most of the other hindrances of their going forward The one of them is least whilest their comfort continueth they should neglect their lawfull busines as thinking it to be the greatest let which they haue seeing by meanes thereof they cannot attend to reading praying and thinking of Gods loue to the quickning of their hearts when they would although when they haue leasure and opportunity to such duties they haue no such desire for the most part neither doe they vse it commonly to the most and best aduantage of their soules as they might Here Sathan appeareth as an Angell of light The second danger is least when they be voide of this comfort they fall into heauie dumpes distrustfulnes and feare that all was but a shadow and a dreame from hence may arise despaire for a time and after a sleepie and secure conscience as fearing that the Lord will no more restore to them the grace that they were wont in him to finde Here the diuell sheweth himselfe as a roring Lyon But before experience teach how to deale herein counsell and helpe of other who are able to minister it with calling vpon God as well as ordinarie hearing of Sermons is chiefelie when they are so weake that they cannot helpe themselues to be sought for and regarded And the rather for that their childishnes doth require the same For many follies weakenesses grosse ignorance are in the most of them and many deceiuings of themselues many phantasies and ouersights are carried about of them yea and these not only long lien in if they be troubled with melancholy and not teacheable following carefully the light which God reuealeth to them but also the lusts which ruled them before will hardly be maistered but keepe their hold and abide in great strength to their disgrace and discouragement especially when after that they haue a while ioyed in their saluation they afterwards not well knowing how to occupie themselues shall waxe idle and vnprofitable and so growe to their olde course againe when they cannot get into a better which Sathan doth mightily labour to bring them to For we must remember that they are compared to children for that they should daily growe out of childishnes and not looke as it were to be alwaies set on the lap Which wisdome God giueth teaching euen his weake ones to know themselues better from day to day and to looke to beare some crosses which God sendeth for the exercising of their faith and patience because he their father doth see it meetest for them to haue it so and to prepare them for greater by little and little And as children growe to leaue childishnes so they should begin to mislike such faults as they espie in themselues and not to thinke that they should be from time to time borne with and winked at in them Therefore our Sauiour compareth the estate of his Church and people in the first age and beginning of it to a graine of mustard seede which being once rooted how small soeuer it be groweth forward from appearing aboue the ground to be a blade and so to branch Teaching his thereby that they should so looke to go from one degree to another that though they did not knowe what was to be done of them in this their christian course when they first entred into it yet now after they haue been trained vp in it for a season and haue tasted of the promise of life they should hasten thither thorough all lets which might hinder them and purge out as they come to espie them many vnbeseeming qualities and customes as excrements And seeing their happines is not here below therefore they may not dreame of any such thing that is to haue their heauen here nor for their professions sake looke that the ignorant and wicked world should commend and esteeme of them but contralily yea perhappes of their owne flesh to be despised and hated for it They are to begin to know the multitude of fleshly lusts which secretly lurke within them seeing they are now much fitter to discerne and finde them out in themselues then euer they were at any time the Lord tenderlie dealing with them as not to shew them all at once which were enough to dismay them nor how many afflictions abide them which were like to confound them Their religion must not be to espie faults in other for that religion is soone learned and to hold a vaine and deceitfull hope of their own righteousnes when it is but froth for that is readie enough to take holde on them especially where they are not vnder good teaching Neither let them thinke much to heare a rebuke which sauoureth in them of much pride and blindnes nor to thinke euery good thing rare and admirable in themselues when many euils are within them which they doe not yet espie and finde out but reuerence Gods graces in others that they may the sooner be like them Thus I haue shewed in some sort what are the thoughts affections and desires vsually and for the most part of the weaker sort of Gods children about matters of the soule this being added that they are grieued when they are led of the contrarie and this is to bee vnderstood of that part of their estate which is free from strong and vehement temptations for otherwise it may best be gathered out of the former treatise how it is with thē the which I haue partly laid foorth and described plainly and partly set downe in the way of exhortation For the same things that I exhort them vnto are the verie anatomie and representation of their hearts except the diuell hath cast them into some spirituall sicknes as I haue said which he doth to many of this weake sort as also he
added publike fasts when the people of God by some especiall calamities either hanging ouer them or alreadie vpon them or for greeuous transgressions against God do abase and humble themselues more earnestly and feruently to intreate God against them Also publike thanksgiuing for some rare benefit or deliuerance sent vpon the Church In all which publike actions the Lord requireth streightly besides that we should loue desire and procure them by all meanes that we can so that we shew all reuerence in the vse of them as by bowing our neckes in making our prayers lifting vp of our hands or eyes as occasion is offered so casting downe of lifting vp the countenance with cheerefulnesse as the matter heard requireth An other part of Gods worship is when the most of these now spoken of are vsed priuately of vs Also the talking and conferring of the word of God in mutuall instructing admonishing exhorting comforting or any way else which is fit for edifying as singing of Psalmes and thanksgiuings in Christian families both ioyntly and seuerally according to their particular occasions and oportunities and namely at meate and at rest And to conclude we must all both magistrate minister and people carefully auoyde and watch against all occasions of superstition and idolatrie and be zealous against the same to the rooting out and abolishing of them as much as in vs lieth and carefully retaine and hold our company and familiaritie with the true professors and worshippers of God and continue daily our frequenting of the places of publike assemblies of Gods people and not breake off our fellowship as the manner of some is Neither giue or take occasion one or other of vs in our seuerall estates or places of hindring or cooling our holy and comfortable proceedings in the Lords pure worship and seruice But seeing the Scripture teacheth that he is not a Iew which is so onely in the eyes of men neither is the drawing neere with the lips and bodie onely spirituall therefore the manner of doing these duties in Gods outward worship is also to be learned as in a word I haue touched before that as in themselues they are good and godly so they may as they come from the beleeuers be also sweete and sauourie in the Lords nostrils namely that as they proceede from faith so they may be seasoned with holie affections as oft as they are offered to him So that wee are to know this that when wee shall set vpon any part of his worship which now hath been spoken of it is highly displeasing to him to goe about the same lightly rashly falsely hypocritically and vnprofitably for that were abominable to him as a dead sacrifice But contrarily wee must vse them with al high reuerence being prepared rightly before wel affected in the vsing of them and ayming at the most profitable end which he hath appointed that so we may be approoued and allowed of him Now if I should particularly declare how and after what manner euery part of the outward worshipping of God should be vsed as I haue shewed in generall I should tarie too long in this matter but in some few of the principallest particulars I will shew it that thereby may be seene what is required in the rest In the preaching of the word being the way to inlighten vs first with faith and after to settle and establish vs in the truth wee should come prepared to the hearing of it after this manner laying aside all filthines of heart and hands which might hold out wisedome we being readie and desirous to receiue it with a hungrie soule and therefore not rashly and little regarding what we goe about neither comming with a captious and malitious purpose to heare In the action it selfe we should be thus affected with our whole soule to marke and weigh the matter that so we may bee touched with it accordingly that is to say with hearing our faults wee should bee pricked and relent with hearing promises beleeue and receiue comfort by them by doctrine of dutie to be fullie resolued to practise it and therefore not to haue our heads full of other matters running vpon our profits and pleasures or in hypocrisie and though wee take some delight in that which we heare yet not to bee contented to rest therein without the feeling of the true worke of it in vs. After wee haue heard wee should giue all diligence to muse and conferre of the things which we haue heard examining them by the Scriptures with the good men of Thessalonica and finding agreement betwixt both with more boldnes to set our selues forward in euery good way by the helpe thereof This is the right manner of hearing the word of God preached which the Lord hath taught his people to endeuour after as whereby he warranteth them singular fruite and blessing And although this be but the vse and helpe of one part of Gods worship yet if wee were alike directed in all the rest how greatly thinke wee might a Christian bee holpen and enabled to the true worshipping of God by the same which now being not knowne of many neither reuerently practised is a thing most vnsauourie and irkesome vnto them Not much vnlike to this is the true manner of the priuate exercise of Gods word in reading and conferring vpon it that with high reuerence in hope to get profit thereby and praying earnestly for the same we should goe about it whiles we are at it withdraw our mindes from all other things and after applie it profitablie and readilie to vse it To the Lords Supper if we desire to finde it as it is in it selfe an heauenlie banquet we should see that we come in our wedding garment meet guests for such a table apparrelled with the robe of faith and repentance without which the Lord of the feast will neither looke vpon vs nor welcome vs but expell vs rather In the time of our receiuing we should be heauenly minded much comforted and made glad as feeding vpon such dainties whereby our soules and bodies shal liue happily for euer And afterwards to be thankfull to the giuer of so great good things and a long time after to retaine the strength we receiued by them to the end wee may feele ourselues readie to testifie the same by all dutifull obedience for the time to come Of prayer also which shall be more fully spoken of in another place there is an holie and reuerent vse to be made though many are little acquainted with it namely that we should seriously weigh Gods almightie power and how fatherly he is affected to vs which two things should be our pillars to leane vnto so that we may be the better prepared thereto that whilest wee are in powring out of our prayers vnto him wee may through this confidence feele our selues effectually moued to lift vp pure heart and hands vnto him with cheerefulnes and after
partly maintaine themselues but not without the helpe of others by borrowing of them and the third sort is able to lend or to giue or to do both therefore according to these diuers sorts of men the seuerall points of righteous dealing one with another must be spoken of and those which are beside this shall be considered afterwards They who haue no other way to liue or to be maintained but by receiuing mens beneuolence haue their proper dutie assigned them of God about their neighbours goods first to know that their poore estate is allotted them of God as the rich mans is also according to the Scripture which saith The Lord maketh poore and he maketh rich and therefore he is to liue in it with contentation As also hee may doe if hee know God to be his father through Christ his redeemer for there is incouragement enough from thence to liue contentedly and comfortably in any condition in the which God shall set him For want of the which it is that neither poore nor rich are contented without hunting after that which is another mans Now as it is the poore mans dutie to be contented with his portion so it is in no sort tolerable in him to grudge at other mens abundance for shall his eye be euill seeing God is good Neither ought he so much as to wish the same and so to iniurie his neighbour but to receiue thankfully that which befalleth him acknowledging such to be Gods instruments and as it were his hands wherby he ministreth to his necessities And because the people of God which either sent reliefe to the poore of other Churches as they of Macedonia and Corinth to Ierusalem or who prouided for their poore as they in the Acts they did it to incourage them to remaine and abide constant in the doctrine of the Gospell therefore the poore which liue with vs must know this and looke to performe this dutie also that hauing such incouragement they make it their chiefe worke to liue godly and obediently That is to say to glad their hearts who refresh their bodies when they may see their innocent conuersation and zeale to Godward according to their knowledge But I lament the estate of the poore euen as I doe many thousands of others to thinke how few of them are fit to heare this their dutie with any hope to be the better for it and what an vniuersall blindnes and securitie is amongst them seeing they are as farre from the desire of true knowledge as they are from possibilitie of obtaining it yea though there bee offered vnto them a plaine and easie manner of teaching them which as it is at this day for the most part in that estate to be seene so it seemeth to haue been vsuall among such long agoe that the poore liued for the most part without care of religion as by Ieremy his words doth appeare Who when he had after inquirie found that there were few that sought the truth he said Surely they are poore for they know not the law of the Lord I will get me to the great men for they haue knowne the way of the Lord but these haue altogether broke the yoke and burst the bonds God moue the hearts of them in whom it lieth to redresse it to pitie the one and the other and to haue a greater care of their good by prouiding that they may bee taught the saluation and happines of Christians then they being yet ignorant haue care of themselues Euen to be meanes to bring light to some of them who haue long sate in darknes and especially for the obtaining of the forgiuenes of their sinnes and the change of their liues But I must remember that I am in setting downe the duties of all Christians about the goods of their neighbours although intire pitie hath moued me to make this short digression The last dutie therefore of this sort of poore people is with the former that as much as they be able and their bodilie infirmities of age blindnes lamenes and such other will suffer them that they redeeme their time from idlenes and consequently from other euill passing of the same to doe any profitable worke which they are fit for euer tying their hearts eyes and hands from pulling to them or desiring that which is anothers The second sort that I am to deale with here are they who cannot liue by their labour alone but stand in neede of the helpe of others by borrowing some thing of them that so they may the better prouide for themselues and theirs Their dutie is carefully and faithfully to purpose the restoring of that which they borrowed at the day appointed and that with thanks And therefore in no wise to abuse their creditor by a dishonest denying of it or vnwillingnes to repay it thereby and by other delayes seeking to defraude him and thinke hardly of him if he requireth it which to doe is as if they counted it their owne and a kinde of theft and so they shut vp mens compassion from lending For a chiefe cause of little lending is euill paying It is further required of them that they borrow not without neede as many doe to maintaine themselues in play and idlenes for by that meanes they depriue him who hath neede indeede to borrow seeing the lender cannot pleasure both And although they finde fauour to borrow for their necessitie yet they must not looke to borrow that which they are not like to pay againe by taking more dealings into their hands then their abilitie will serue vnto for many vndoe themselues and others by that meanes much lesse may they borrow to lend to another for vsurie as we call it Lastly if their simple meaning in purposing to repay it at the due time be disappointed yet their care must be to satisfie their creditor and content him with promising new day and paying part and euery way that they can except it be forgiuen them altogether to shew that they were not faultie nor negligent in this matter And this for the borrower now as concerning such as are able to giue and to lend first I will set downe their duties in those respects and how they should vse their goods to the end they may continue this dutie of lending and giuing still after I will shew what rules of righteous dealing they must vse in the getting and increasing of their goods with all men and in all kindes of their dealings that so they may be free from this common euill of wronging any in their commodities They who giue must giue freely not by compulsion and cheerfully desiring thereby to relieue and comfort them who receiue it for charitie and conscience sake as the necessitie of the poore body requireth and their abilitie will giue leaue and so as they may giue to one as well as to another and continue the same duty and
hearts should conceiue and our mouthes should set forth and declare his praise accordingly For if we be commaunded as the Psalmist teacheth to continue this duty long after his benefits be receiued as he saith Let Israel now say that the Lord is gratious after his bountifulnesse had bene declared vnto them how much more ought we to praise the Lord daily for his mercies renewed vpon vs Therefore did Dauid the faithfull seruant of God force himselfe to performe this duty as too slouthful in his owne iudgement though we reade of none more continually occupied in it Psalme 103.3 saying Praise thou the Lord ô my soule and all that is within thee praise his holy name and further he saith that he will be euer setting forth his goodnesse and praise his name alwayes And yet that none may hinder this duty in vs by saying we are not bound to follow no not good examples in all things let vs well weigh the commandement of God by the Apostle saying In all things be thankfull as if he should say that our whole life ought to be a thanksgiuing and therefore it is no life when we cannot be thankfull And what the thankfulnesse is which should daily be in vs looke in the former treatise The next duty to be daily performed of vs is watchfulnesse and prayer of which two as the first ought to be continuall euen to ouer-see our whole worke in and through the day and to looke before vs that all may be done to the glory of God for as the eye-lids preserue the tender eyes from annoyance so doth this our life from offence and our feete from falling so this latter namely prayer is to be as an helpe and hand-maid vnto that And although I prescribe no certaine rule nor set houre to the solemne performing of this duty because we are taught to pray alwayes at any time as we shall haue fit oportunity yet ought our hearts to be lifted vp to God often hauing euer occasion and sometime solemnely and by set prayer powring out our complaints and making our requests vnto him Both of them are so farre to be in vse with vs as we are desirous to retaine sound peace and quiet minds toward God and to be free from or at least not to be ouercome of temptations which seeing we are subiect vnto euery day it cannot be doubted of but as the one should not cease I meane watchfulnesse but be working in vs continually and keepe vs waking out of spirituall slumber throughout the day so the other which is prayer should quicken and sharpen it and both of them strengthen vs being oft and vsuall with vs against all occasions which might else ouer-match vs. And can any be ignorant when our Sauiour taught vs to pray euery day for our daily bread but that we should pray euery day for grace to be guided aright and comforted there being as great need of it and more then of the other The same thing he meant when he vttered a parable to them to this end that they ought to pray alwayes and not to waxe faint but euer willing though not euer able So that the life of a Christian is no day well passed when prayer as it hath bin before described is not one member part of it The last point of our direction is that we by meanes of all these as our faith and feare of displeasing God c. may keepe and hold fast our holy and most sweete peace with God and our reioycing which is the fruite of this Christian walking and an vnseparable companion vnto the same I haue taught this in generall before onely now I shew that it is daily to be kept and maintained of vs in such wise that as we regard our bodily maintenance while we liue here so should we prouide that this our peace which passeth vnderstanding be not broken off betwixt God and vs. If it be asked how this shall be the Apostle saith If we be iustified by faith in our Lord Iesus Christ we haue and do inioy it And we haue heard that the Lord hath both giuen liberty yea and commandement to his children that they should daily beleeue and lay hold on eternall life and rest themselues in the assurance of his loue and how can this exclude that peace which we speake of Nay our reioycing in the Lord which is rather a degree beyond this peace we are commaunded to entertaine and retaine alwayes that is at all times that none may imagine that I meane we should onely some one time in the day or other possesse and inioy it Neither indeed is any part of our life any day pleasant vnto vs without it Therefore the Apostle doth very fitly meet with an obiection of ours in the forenamed Scripture thus that if any of vs dare not presume so farre as to take our part in cōtinual reioycing in the Lord or if we shold thinke that the Apostle was not well aduised in offering so great libertie vnto vs he repeateth his words thus againe I say reioyce as if he should say you who are carefull ouer your selues and ouer others for to such he speaketh be ye merry and ioyfull in the Lord from time to time yea and so as no worldly sorrowes do breake it off Now I haue shewed what are the necessary graces which should accōpany the life of the beleeuer daily I wish him to view thē all at one sight together to see if he may well be without any of them as without certainety of the forgiuenesse of his sinnes without feare of offending God a thankfull heart and chearfull watching and praying against euill c. And he cannot walke voide of any of them so yet he must not thinke but that there are other particular actions beside these but they be all to be well ordered and gouerned by these And now somewhat I will set downe about them not vnprofitable and needlesse I haue briefly proued that some certaine manner of directing a Christian daily is required in the word of God and that it is no fancie of mans braine thus nearly and narowly to looke to himselfe and haue set downe a draught thereof out of the Scripture and therefore men must know that it is their sinne when they are not guided by these rules in the daily course of their liuing I say when these accompany them not whatsoeuer their calling is or the actions which they are occupied about it is their sinne whether it be of ignorance that they know them not which is the lesse if they be willing to learne or carelesnesse or wilfulnesse that they do not or will not regard them and being sinne it is to be resisted seeing no sinne is to be borne withall or rested in And that it may be thought more necessary to be daily guided in this maner we must know that these graces which I haue spoken of are not at some one
behind vs. That is seeing some part of the day is vsually bestowed in companie therfore in what cōpanie soeuer we shall be either of our owne familie or strangers superiours or inferiours and how oft soeuer that we haue speciall regard to be harmelesse and free from giuing any ill example carefully marking and shunning the occasions thereof and prouocations thereto And that we be readie by all oportunities to take any good that we may either by example or communication from others or do good our selues by offering both And that in any of our dealings with men about or in the things of this life we neither hurt or do wrong to any but rather suffer it knowing how we are giuen to loue our selues and in matters of profit especially with the neglect of others which among Christians is a sore blemish That we do not ill spend the time in our solitarines or when we be alone I meane that at such times as wherein we shall be free from companie we haue the like care of our hearts and behauiour being alone that we were taught to haue of them both and of our talke in companie For example that in our behauiour we attempt or go about no euill as stealing whoring or committing any vnlawfull thing c. and concerning our hearts that we suffer them not to wander after needlesse and vaine things but hold them within this compasse that either our thoughts be of those things which are lawfull as the well ordering of our busines and yet that also with moderatiō or of things holy and spirituall as the glorie of the life to come Gods loue to vs and care ouer vs in this world and such like considering and remembring that we must redeeme the time to the best vses we can and in conscience most approue of or if our thoughts be at any time of things euill that it be onely to bring vs into further hatred and detestation of them and not to ingender and raise vp a liking thereof in our hearts which Sathan euer intendeth though we had no such meaning nay rather purposed against it when we first entred into thought of them That we vse our prosperitie and all the lawfull liberties of this life soberly and so as we seeke to be the better by them Forasmuch as our merciful father bestoweth vpon vs many great blessings euen here where we be straungers both in token that he can affoord vs them and to shew that pietie and the feare of God are not without reward no not in this life 1. Tim. 4.8 Therefore it behooueth vs to be circumspect and warie that we swell not neither be insolent because of our prospering neither idle and loose in our liues and so abuse the same to carnall libertie but to be more rich and fruitfull in all good duties both to God and men because we know that he which hath receiued much of him shall much be required Amos 3.2 And that herein is our heauenly father glorified that we bring foorth much fruite Iohn 15.9 And so we haue the right vse of Gods benefits which is a greater treasure then the benefits themselues 1. Kings 3. as we may see by the fearefull ends of such as had many great blessings but regarded not how to vse them That we be ready to receiue our afflictions meekly and patiently and so be found indeed where we are tried with them that our patient minds may be knowne to all Our liues are subiect to many calamities and euery day to sundry yet doth not the Lord chastise vs for that he taketh any pleasure in our sufferings but of very loue sendeth them for our benefit namely to weane vs from the excessiue loue of the world and to purge out our drosse thereby that we might not perish with the world but haue proofe of our faith and patience which causeth the greatest ioy of all other Therefore we must not fret and be impatient in them but confesse that they are necessary and meete as oft as God sendeth them and therefore waite to see a good end of them that so we may haue experience of great good by them which may make vs hope for the like after and that without fainting That we constantly keepe and vse the exercise of prayer and thanksgiuing in our families and such other helpes to maintaine the knowledge and true worship of God and of true happinesse amongst vs. For seeing we are forgetfull of our duties and easily drawne away by the world we haue need to haue daily and oft accesse to God and our seruants especially who haue litle other priuate helpe These exercises of Religion are prayer reading chatechising and conference with singing of Psalmes c. and that these or such of them as are common to the whole family be vsed at the most conuenient times when the family may come together and that we indeuor to do the same together twise in the day at least prouiding to performe the duty of it with chearfulnesse and reuerence knowing that we haue therein communion with our God and most sweet refreshing of our soules thereby alwayes remembring that this shall not be so aukely gone about nor so hard as many find it if other duties before mentioned be carefully looked to That before we lye downe at night we looke backe to the workes of the day how we haue passed it that where we haue had blessings we may be thankfull and proceede in the like course after where we haue faulted and failed we may reconcile our selues to God and so lye downe in peace For seeing we haue some speciall infirmities to make mention of and some particular benefits to giue thankes for and to powre out our complaints in speciall maner it is meete as we shall be able that we should thus view and go through the seuerall acts of our life in the day calling them to remembrance as we can that where we shall see that we haue receiued helpe and strength to liue well and to keepe peace with God by the rules and duties prescribed otherwise then we were wont before we did so particularly obserue our wayes we may with praise to God reioyce and take comfort in our gaine and more constantly hold out in the same course and where we haue failed we may be willing to see and acknowledge our faults laying hold of pardon and looke better to our selues after and so making agreement with the Lord as being reconciled to him and leauing no accusations nor checkes to our consciences we may lye downe in peace and fall asleepe in that state euen as we awoke with it in the morning ready to make our bed our graue and so shew our selues to be pilgrimes and strangers as our fathers were And these are the duties of our liues falling out ordinarily and most commonly to be done euery day at least some of
in men and to the good that commeth by it that he may stirre vp this gift in himselfe whosoeeuer he be that hath any such and not be dismayed if successe follow not by and by as he would wish I haue seene much good done by it euen in the mouth of priuate men And if it were kindly vsed of Christians as they shall haue occasion and much more by the Minister there would much good blessing followe it but if men take not heed the Diuell doth so craftily hinder it that it will take small effect but rather be frustrate and broken off That will be if he who should be occupied in this seruice to God be a loose liuer himselfe he shall do no good by it to others and he shall soone waxe weary of it and especially if he be not very watchfull in his earthly dealings that there grow no conceipts straungenesse and other dislikes by meanes of them betwixt him and others for they will soone hinder it But here I cannot omit to bewaile the vnseasonable speeches of some as also vncharitable and discouraging that as though they saw no vse of these duties namely of exhorting admonishing and reprouing nor of the Apostles commanding that they should be continued aske What Papists any conuert from their poperie hereby whereas it is well knowne that the common sort of them admit small talke about religion their common answer being this They meane not to reason except the learneder sort of them who of a wilfull and malitious mind against religion and Prince maintaining it do of set purpose abuse their gifts to the peruerting of the truth But God be thanked this charge of exhorting and rebuking one another was giuen before poperie was hatched and there should haue bene need inough of it though it had neuer bene bred and so it shall be a Christian duty much pleasing the Lord without any regard of them who scorne it wheresoeuer it be wisely and religiously vsed and without controuersie much blessed this being regarded of them towards whom it is vsed which is written I beseech you brethren suffer the words of exhortation For consolation also and ministring comfort it is another worthy duty when in mens bodily sicknesse or trouble of mind or otherwise in their wants we do ease their sorowfull hearts with sweet words from God wisely and fitly applied to them and comfort them as he hath comforted vs. When a penitent soule counting that his greatest miserie which is a token of his greatest happinesse I meane the feeling of the burthen of his sinne desiring nothing more then to be eased shall be brought to be perswaded so and that his sinne is forgiuen him what can be like comfortable to him For he shall be one of a thousand to him that can do it as we reade in Iob. So when another in case of bodily distresse or necessitie shall in like sort be spoken to as the woman of Canaan was by our Sauiour saying O woman great is thy faith be it to thee as thou desirest what a reuiuing of her was it thinke we Not much vnlike to the dealing of Boaz with Ruth a desolate and poore widow and a strannger which caused her to breake foorth and say O my Lord thou hast comforted me and spoken to the heart of thine handmaid For if the diseased person be much cheared by Phisicke bodily what maruell though spirituall comfort worke vpon the soule mightily It should be in request therefore aboue all other priuate matters euen as it is the waightiest that there should be not Ministers onely who yet chiefly should do it but euen priuate Christians also who should be able in some measure to comfort one another in their heauinesse but this also is to seeke with men Not one of many can speake to the purpose to a sicke bodie to comfort him but vnsauorily that which may more increase his heauinesse by telling him they are much grieued for his sicknesse c. when who seeth not they had need of other comfort As for other companies they are of another kind some about honest refreshings some about bargainings couenants-making other agreements some about suites debates controuersies and such like and although there cannot certaine rules be giuen concerning them all yet they must be all gone about and done in such wise as that they may be sutable and correspondent to the other parts of Christian life that there be no breaking off our comfort with God by loose and carelesse doing of them but that we hold the vnitie of the Spirit in the bond of peace neither that there be a following of the fashion of other men in them but that we being armed with such grace as is fit for those occasions may shew that we are attired with the furniture of Christians which wee ought continually as with seemely apparell to be cloathed with to make our whole conuersation comely For example to speake of christian recareation wherein a part of companie keeping is taken vp for the most part which is an exercise not separate frō godlines of some thing that is indifferent for the necessary refreshing of the mind or bodie or both who doubteth but that God hath taught his seruants how to vse it although others will neuer come vnder any rule or gouernment For they who will not be subiect in other parts of their liues to Gods commaundements much lesse will be controlled or directed by them in this wherein they imagine they haue free libertie to vse it as they list Such therefore as do claime the benefite of it must be as carefull to vse it aright as to looke to enioy the libertie of it not as they who if they once get this by the end That it is lawfull neuer enquire further of the lawfull manner of vsing it The time when it may be vsed is not when we list but when we haue neede of it through wearinesse and other vnfitnesse for to that end the Lord appointed such intermission for vs. And though some desire it not greatly to driue away from themselues annoyances of mind or bodie thereby yet to othersome it is not to be denyed in either of both those respectes they being carefull to vse it as God doth allow and in going about it because through the corruption of our hearts we become easily vnsetled by such actions it shall be very expedient to strengthen our selues by some looking vp to God in our vse thereof that we may take no hurt to our soules whiles we refresh our selues seeing all the creatures of God are good to the faithfull vser of them if they be receiued with prayer and thankes by which they are sanctified and he who counteth it too harsh and sad a matter to desire grace of God to vse it aright may well feare that hee shall offend in it For the kind of our recreation it must be honest and of good report
learned better then the other to sustaine the same For where faith is in Gods promises without which they cannot heartily loue heauenly things they must know that they haue a liberall portion and therefore ought to lift vp their hearts out of their deadly dumps and as these and such like directions do counsell them let them grow forward but without discouragement yea though their measure be small and they in their owne iudgement be the backwardest of others Of small beginnings come great proceedings of one little sparckle a mightie flame and the talle Okes were sometime but small akornes he hath well begun who hath in truth begun and he hath much who feeleth that he wanteth much and he who in an humble and a meeke spirite hungreth after knowledge and grace hath made good proceeding towards the attaining of both and shall in time be satisfied therewith This I speake to incourage those whom Sathan abuseth by occasion of some wants of good things in them when in the meane while if they knew so much there is no cause but contrariwise of reioycing Thus much of the first kind of lets CHAP. 8. Of the second kind of generall lets namely The vnmortified affections wherewith he oppresseth the beleeuer And first Of feare that they shall not perseuere and of pride in their gifts NOw I hauing shewed how the former kinds of lets should be remoued the second kind followeth which containeth the sinnes and corruptions that are in vs whereby the Diuell hath exceeding great aduantage against vs to hinder vs from this heauenly course which we should walke in And they are besides the ignorance and blindnesse that is in vs of which I haue spoken before our vnruly and vnmortified affections and the worldly lusts which if they preuaile and be suffered to rule in vs they thrust out with violence all grace and goodnesse Of these I will mention some particulars euen the most dangerous if comparison may be made of all the rest and the Reader may the better iudge of the other I adde if comparison may be made because they are all so raging that when they are stirred vp in vs and set on fire a man cannot tell which is most odious in it selfe and worketh most furiously and that most disguiseth vs who make our selues bondmen thereto For proofe of that which I say when filthie lusts are kindled and haue gotten some strength in a good Christian though that be neuer without his owne great fault how doth it trouble and disquiet him yea wound and accuse him he thinking it the loathsomest and most shamefull of all others as indeed there need no worse thing to annoy and disturbe him and it causeth him oft to say Oh what can be more irkesome vnsauorie and shameful then this Euen as the people said in Samuel of their wilfulnesse We haue sinned many other waies but especially in asking a King so I say that sin seemeth to a penitent christian when he commeth to himselfe most odious wherewith he hath felt his heart most intangled But to proue that true which I sayd so doth he cry out of the rest when he remembreth how he hath beene deceiued by them a worldly and greedy mind seemeth most wearisome and vnbeseeming of all other to him and biteth most deeply when that hath possessed him and when he hath offended by anger malice feare impatience peeuish conceitednesse and the rest he saith the same of them euerie one for the time wherein it hath bene the chiefest prouoker of him to offend is most cried out of euen as if there were no other to be compared with it thus he speaketh of them I say when he repenteth And by this it may appeare when there are many of these euery while assaulting and as it were arresting a poore Christian which suffer no other good thing to be in place where they be that if he be not strengthened armed against these and such other of that kind he can neuer keepe a setled course and daily continue the same in a godly life Of these therefore as I sayd I will mention some that the beleeuing Christian may the more carefully auoide them And herein this aduice is not vnprofitable that euery one marke with which he is most incombred and most easily ouercome of as feare anger vncharitablenesse c. and by what occasions he is readiliest drawne to them that he may the more preuaile ouer them by such helpe as he shall haue ministred to him The remedies so farre as I shall adde here shall either be set downe seuerally with the seuerall lets or one remedie for sundry lets or where neither is know that the daily direction which we haue beene moued to practise shall be the remedie in such a case And among the vnmortified affections I will begin with that which troubleth the most of them till God giue them release or deliuerance and that is A fearfull doubting of their perseuerance I meane that poore Christians shall not so soone begin to be drawne out of the world to any liuely hope of saluation and care of pleasing God and so haue escaped one bondage but he plungeth them into another holding them vnder dreadfull feare and distrustfulnesse that they shall not perseuer to the end of a godly life especially in sore trials and when persecution and strong temptations shall come And this feare he doth fasten vpon them the more easily seeing that affection of feare is most nearly glewed to them and besides when they see examples of faintings in many professors and how cruel the vngodly prophane scorners Atheists Papists and persecuters are among whom they liue this feare is soone strengthened and confirmed in them For which cause our sauiour forewarned his Disciples of it saying Feare not them which kill the body but are not able to kill the soule but rather feare him which is able to destroy both soule and body in hell and Saint Paule In nothing feare your aduersaries c. For this cannot be predominant but it feebleth vtterly the powers of the mind as the raising of the mudde in a spring troubleth the pure water and consequently holdeth backe the instruments of the body from practising well any kind of dutie In these fetters therefore of feare and most painefull and irkesome streights he holdeth them or if any escape and so begin to reioyce in their hope againe yet shall they not attaine thereto nor grow therein distrusting themselues and resting in the promise of God nor be deliuered out of their feare but with much difficultie and striuing and yet if they be it shall not be at once but by litle and litle while the word of God soketh into their hearts as the soft raigne into the hard ground For I must confesse that as all passions are troublesome and do much vnsetle vs for the time so feare and sorow do this most of all especially when the things about which we feare
oftentimes euen when we haue renewed our couenants after some fall or daungerous coldnesse espyed and repented of yet shall we by litle and litle fall to our old bias againe Now if herewith good means faile we are set so much the more forward herein as we reade of the people of Israell euen in the short absence of Moses from them being but fortie dayes I do not speake of the vnfitnesse and naturall vntowardnesse of the mind or vnaptnesse of the bodie to Gods worship or to the duties of our particular callings which being sometime in the best of Gods people are by moderate and honest recreating of them if they cannot otherwise expelled and shaken off but I speake of the vnwillingnesse that the flesh feeleth to hold on constantly in dutie further then it liketh and that is not vtterly to cast off the yoke of Christ but to serue God and it self too For there is nothing more desired of it then when some duties haue bene perfourmed to God that it may haue libertie as it liketh to occupie and set on worke both heart and hand in some manner to the displeasing of God For euen as the hypocrites and vnreformed persons do neuer serue God heartily but from teeth outward and seeing Gods seruice is holy and pure but they carnall and earthly minded cannot at all delight therein euen so Gods children being sanctified but in part haue many prouokings of them by that wisedome of the flesh that remaineth in them to be wearie of liuing godly and are troubled with strong reasons to induce and draw them thereunto And this is so true that euen the best after they haue renewed their couenant with the Lord to be more fruitfull and constant also do purpose the same with full resolution yet by litle and litle they shall feele that feruencie of theirs weakened and cooled and sensibly declining euen as the Sunne toward his going downe For which cause the Apostle doth oftentimes strongly fence the Christians against it saying Be not wearie of well doing And againe Stand fast in the faith quite you like men be strong And thus if we curbe not in the vnruly affections and lusts which would soone fasten vpon vs and do not oft record our many sweet liberties which we find in seruing God which shall also be greatest when we haue continued longest we shall find this too true by our owne experience namely what wearines groweth vpon vs now and then especially of holding on chearefully and dutifully in our Christian course For as the diseases in the nether parts of the bodie do make the heart heauie and the head to be distempered and they being healed do ease and quicken both euen so these vnmortified affections of ours being out of order do trouble the soule and disquiet it therfore the well ordering of them is a singular chearing and comforting of the soule and mind Herein therefore we must know and be perswaded that Gods grace shall be sufficient for vs who by the disgracing of them by his word will weaken them in vs and will make the way easie vnto vs euery day more and more vnto the godly life and take away the difficulties which stand vp to hinder vs euen as we see how he encourageth vs thereto saying My yoke is easie and my burden is light Moreouer though the diuell cannot breake vs off vtterly from a daily care of pleasing God yet he will so labour to vnsettle vs with reproches ill opinions vniustly conceiued of vs false reports and disgrace with our betters which shall meete with vs in euery place that we shall be much disquieted if not vnsetled for the time or stirred vp to bitternesse take counsell how we may be reuenged with sundrie other discouragements euen vntill we enter into the sanctuarie of the Lord and come to due consideration of our estate againe namely that the Lord is not chaunged toward vs for all that but willeth vs to reioyce saying If you be ill spoken of for my sake and the Gospels reioyce and be glad for great is your reward in heauen But whatsoeuer may stand vp in our way to prouoke fainting and wearinesse in our christian course we haue strong and many perswasions against them as that we shall reape our reward without wearinesse Gal. 6.9 euen a crowne of righteousnesse 2. Tim. 4.8 But because the matter ariseth more large then I looked for although I studie with all breuitie to set downe the diuerse kinds of vntamed affections barely with their remedies I will therefore shut vp this second sort of lets with naming the particulars onely which are not alreadie mentioned that the reader may know and so be able to discerne them and so beware of them as of the rest So he sometime prouoketh vs to vniust anger which is no better then a short madnesse especially when we can say we had cause offered vs so easily doth he turne our affections against vs which God teacheth vs to vse to good ends and purposes At some other time he poisoneth vs with deadly conceipts and heartburnings against such as we dislike also with loosenesse and lightnesse of heart also with rashnesse and hastines wherein we do nothing well with lumpishnes and melancholie and with diuerse such like the beginnings and first risinges of the which although our owne hearts do breed yet the strength of them is of Sathan By all which as he seeth his best opportunitie he so possesseth our hearts that they are no more fit in that sort being vnsetled to be employed in any part of Gods seruice then the running water when it is stirred and troubled in the bottome is for our necessarie vse And thus it may appeare how many of Gods deare seruants are holden backe by occasions of their owne corruptions the diuell adding strength thereto from shining as lights in a christian course and when God hath mercifully begun in them the life of godlinesse how they do afterwards though it be litle to their commendation or reioycing breake off or hinder their growing forward in the same through some great fault of their owne not subduing their rebellious hearts as God teacheth them neither stirring vp and cherishing the good gifts of God which were giuen them before as they might with ease haue done being taught and shewed how especially their fault is this that they haue giuen themselues to many fond and vaine liberties both in speaking thinking and liuing which to be pulled from it would seeme to them when they should but euen heare of it to be as the cutting off a peece of their flesh I speake not now of the vnreformed for their vsuall course is ordinarily thus neither are they in any order before men except they haue their owne mind satisfied For the remedying of these and such like this is no small helpe that they set themselues to marke their disposition and inclination better to what sinne
and if we did wisely shunne the sinnes which by riches we are prouoked vnto as needlesse spending and nigardly sparing and their affinities and take benefite to our soules and by more religiousnesse looke after the life to come we should bind this sinne in bands and chaines which will otherwise breake our hearts with griefe and drowne both soules and bodies in vtter destruction And the poore whom in this argument I haue litle mentioned who are not therefore free from couetousnesse though they haue no great store of riches shall best testifie that they be not as the most of their condition tainted with this sin if they hold fast innocency contentation yea thanksgiuing that is if they hurt not others by ill seeking goods but be content with their estate though it be meane and thankefull to God for it seeing they deserue not euen the poorest estate For of both this may be sayd If their conuersation be in heauen that is gouerned by heauenly rules then may they well go through their dealings on the earth And seeing the snare is in vaine set for that which hath wings therefore they flying and mounting with the wings of watching meditation and prayer ouer the snares which are layd for them shall safely auoid the deceipts of him who seeketh to intrap them And this be sayd of the remedies against worldlinesse and couetousnesse the reasons follow briefly which should disswade vs from the same The first is seeing we cannot inioy them long but either they shall be taken from vs or we from them and yet this short time is also vncertaine as in the parable of the steward is declared to whom it was sayd euen as it were vnlooked for Come giue an account of thy stewardship for thou mayest be no longer steward This is the slipperie estate of all things here below as by Scripture is proued all to be vanity and by experience which teacheth what alterations and changes there are euery where both by death and otherwise which while it is layd to heart and seriously thought on doth much quaile the pride of life in vs and therefore also will weane vs from the loue of the world and to the contempt of it The second reason is seeing the riches of this world are not our owne but borrowed as our Sauiour Christ saith If ye haue not bene faithfull in another mans goods who will giue you that which is yours where he likeneth them to things that a man borrowes of his neighbour Now we see that no man maketh reckoning of that which is another bodies as his goods substance if he valew his estate he counteth himselfe neuer the richer for that which he oweth and is euer about to pay it backe and the honester man will be the more carefull to restore it but to flourish and beare it out with another mans goods and occupie with them when they are required and called for it is neither the part of a wise man nor of one which loueth quietnesse and peace Now then for vs to busie our selues endlessely and griply about wealth as though it were our proper heritage when the owner is euery day calling for it what madnesse is it to be counted And yet if it were our owne it were the smaller riches godlinesse is the great and though we are occupied about many things yet that one is necessarie And if he that goeth to warre doth not intangle himselfe with the affaires of this life ought not we much more to be free from snaring of our selues with the goods of this world when neither they are our owne and when we are called to another maner of battell where they are sure to get no victory who are intangled in the world But these words mine and thine are so commonly in our mouths that we giue manifest proofe thereby that although we know that our goods be borowed yet we do not greatly remember or thinke vpon it and that we are tied with such loue and liking to them that we price them farre aboue those which are our owne proper goods indeed I meane knowledge and grace But let this be inough to the wise that for this very cause they should loue them litle because they be but borrowed The third reason which ought to perswade vs to vse the world soberly that so we may not be tainted with worldlinesse is this For that if we be not faithfull in this which is but litle in respect of the great and pretious treasures of saluation and happinesse we will not neither shall be faithfull in them but shall shew our selues not too meane as we beare the world in hand when we professe that we seeke eternall life by the Gospell preached but shall proue that all our prayers confessions of our sinnes and hearings are in vaine and that we shall be neuer the better for them And what a point of madnesse were that And yet our Sauiour affirmeth it to be so saying He that is faithfull in the least he is also faithfull in much and he that is vniust in the least is vniust also in much And who doth not see it to be so For he that will wound and trouble his conscience for a litle commoditie will he not much easilier do it for a greater and he that will ieopard his saluation for a penny will he not much more do it for a pound and he that will hazard it for a pound will he not do as much for an hundred Neither let any obiect this That some will indanger themselues by a great robberie who will not haue their hand in small pilfring For as that is no proofe of faithfulnesse in the persons so it cannot ouerthrow Christs words which cannot be resisted that is to say If a man will make shipwracke of conscience and credite for a small benefit he will do it much more for a greater A great and maine reason doubtlesse why a man should be true and trustie plaine and simple in and about worldly things and commit no vnrighteousnesse neither offer any iniurie to inrich himselfe thereby when that shall be an vtter discharging him of the fauour of God and a frustrating of all his hope of heauen and happinesse Therefore if we looke for any benefit by Christ any comfort by the Gospell and any communion with the Saints and in a word if we looke to reape any fruite of our holy profession looke we to it that we be reformed in this part of our conuersation and if we desire to vse well and rightly things spirituall which are the chiefest let vs not be loose or which is worse vnconscionable in these earthly things which are the meanest The fourth and last reason to perswade hereto is this that we shall giue an account as of other things which we haue done in our life whether they be good or bad so especially of our getting vsing and forgoing of our goods and commodities
rather then is our perill greater when we haue so many more strong allurements and deceiueable prouocations to set our delight vpon the things of this world then when we were holden vnder of afflictions for he worketh vpon our hearts by occasion of these commodities which many other do want to puffe vs vp with pride and high-mindednesse and so imbolden vs to say because we haue much Who is the Lord and to forget our selues to be mortall men when we be not in pouertie wants and sorrowes like the common sort of others and to make our riches peace health and such like our strong hold But these are not the one halfe of his slie practises by the which he maketh prosperitie as much as in him lyeth to be our bane euen as it is to men of the world for he subtilly maketh drunken our hearts with the loue of our goods and so holdeth out the loue of the christian life and the true loue of God from vs for the one of these cannot stand with the other The particular infections which from these generall diseases the diuell seeketh to bring vpon our soules and all by occasion of wealth and worldly pleasure who so weigheth but indifferently shall easily be brought to confesse that happinesse consisteth not in the things which a man possesseth neither that the rich man is the happie man but is most commonly the miserable the wofull man and he whom the diuell doth so much the more easily draw to grieuous iniquities because of his prosperitie and when he hath rocked him asleepe then he secretly murdreth and woundeth to death his soule no lesse palpably then Iael did the bodie of Sisera For who doubteth of this that as prosperitie it selfe is Gods blessing and commeth neither from the East nor the West much lesse from the diuell so yet that all the mischiefe which commeth thereby is his procuring and subtill and secret bewitching of them who haue this wealth and liue in this prosperitie According to the saying of the Apostle It is the prince of this world that blindeth mens eyes who beleeue not the Gospell that being in darknesse whether they be poore or rich they may not be able to see how to vse their estate aright And our Sauiour saith It is the diuell who stealeth the word out of mens hearts when they haue heard it whether they be poore or rich so that although it teach them both how to walke the one in contentation the other in lowlinesse and doing of good workes yet neither of them is a whit the better and therefore the rich man for of him I am to speake if he be not poore and meane in his owne eyes and fruitfull in doing many duties and in bringing foorth much fruit seeing the diuell so watcheth and hindereth him can no easilier enter into the kingdome of God then the camell through the eye of a needle Neither let any man obiect that the diuell deceiueth not a godly man thus for except he haue learned to vse his prosperitie aright as in Gods word he is taught as not to be high minded but to be more plentifull in good workes thereby as I haue said then otherwise he could to loue it litle seeing it is not the great riches which Saint Paul speaketh of but the meane and small and except he haue learned to want also as God shall trie him if I say he be not thus armed euen he who is otherwise the child of God may be haled by the diuell to daungerous euils and to a grieuous ouerthrow and that by the occasion of his prosperitie and welfare And therfore it is an especiall point of wisedome while God giueth vs peace health and a safe enioying of our outward commodities to take heed that we rest not in them neither make them or any other to be fleshly holds or proppes to leane vpon for full easily they will be cast downe with very small blastes of aduersitie and trouble and howsoeuer we went for zealous persons before yet full faintly shall we perfourme our duties being readie to be led about by the diuell so many wayes by occasion of our prosperitie and yet perhaps most of all when God shall send a chaunge But let Gods louing kindnesse shewed to our soules because it is renewed vpon vs euery day prouoke vs in all estates to be true and faithfull to him and let vs not serue him for his outward benefites although I deny not but that we may haue more libertie thereby both to doe our duties to him and to our brethren and that more plentifully then in wants and necessitie And as it behoueth vs thus to vse prosperitie as that we may not abuse it so if we haue by any occasion bene turned out of the way let vs suspect our false hearts the more afterward to withdraw them further off from the loue of the world and in token of our repentance and pardon obtained to reuenge our selues yea if there be cause to make restitution as Zacheus did But to proceed Another occasion the diuell taketh of quenching grace in vs by family-matters about the which he so busieth and occupieth our heades that right good Christians do perceiue themselues sooner to take hurt thereby then they can espie it and see themselues vnsetled thereby before they are aware And that is in the varietie and multitude of worldly affaires when either they are more then with the practise of christianitie we can looke to or being not so yet they being sundrie and diuerse our hearts are wholly taken vp with them and so they become vnsetled and vnprofitable especially because we are wont to deale rashly loosely and vnaduisedly in the most outward things we go about For otherwise we taking our lawfull workes in hand aduisedly and watchfully and walking circumspectly in our diuerse affaires the diuell cannot so easily preuaile against vs whiles we are carefully taking heed to our wayes and confidently perswaded that God alloweth vs and is pleased with vs in the doing of them But to say the truth the most part euen of good Christians attaine not to this grace in houshold affaires and matters about their maintenance thereby so moderately and warily to carie themselues as that they auoide the common hurts which the most men do sustaine that is an vnquiet mind distracted or vnsetled with some other corruption by occasion of so many dealings In which case they make themselues as I haue said before vtterly vnfit to do any good for a time yea and so abide for a long space if they haue not the more tender consciences to call them backe the sooner For both they themselues haue bene wont through custome to be hastie forgetfull and vnwatchfull in these matters and haue seene it so common a thing with others to do the same that although they come euen from prayer or from a Sermon yet can they hardly speake or do
crosses from God as sent to them in his loue they murmure not against him neither refuse to be chastised of him but are thankfull and therefore labour for patience that it may haue her perfect worke yea and further if they can finde any sinne in themselues which might draw these corrections of the Lord vpon them they heartily turne from it with all possible speed that so they may more confidently intreat the Lord to turne away all the tartnesse of their affliction frō them And they which after this maner behaue themselues vnder the crosse although they performe these duties but in weaknesse shall finde their troubles howsoeuer for the time irkesome vnto the flesh yet to be gainfull manie waies and in manie respects vnto their soules For they shall giue them a proofe of that grace as meeknesse trust and confidence which otherwise they could not know to be in them They shall teach them also experience of greater acknowledging Gods fatherly kindnesse which worketh and bringeth forth these sweet graces in them by as vnlikely occasions as the soft waters gush out of the hard and stonie rocke for in others what doe afflictions cause for the most part that haue them but rage and fretting and such like Besides in those who are rightly exercised in the bearing of them they hold them from many sinnes which others runne into they make them more humble and thankfull they hearten them by custome therein to beare greater yea greater than they thought possible that euer they should haue gone vnder and with all these commeth most sound and exceeding comfort in the end at least with hope in the middest of them which shall not make them ashamed Therefore if the seruants of God may inioy these with many other such commodities by their afflictions and haue so good liking of the Christian life that they will not forsake it for the greatest of them I conclude this third branch as the two former That the Lord hath not left their afflictions vpon them to vexe them and make their liues wearisome and vnpleasant to them but that they should receiue much good and benefit by them And although they be not without sharpnesse yet the Christian life hath so many sweet fruits of them therewith that as men are not wearie of the pleasant spring time though it be anoied with the flea so we do not loath our afflicted estate being so many waies gainfull for some bitternesse that accompanieth the same for holy securitie through the favour of God a good conscience and confidence of our cause that it is good maketh euen a hard state easie or at least tolerable And these priuiledges which I haue now spoken of who can sufficientlie maruell that our glorious God doth communicate to mortall men yea vile sinners which were once without God in the world I confesse in setting them downe that I am much astonished to thinke of his vnspeakable kindnesse especially because I haue mentioned no vaine speculations or dreames of mans braine which vanish in the aire but vndoubted truethes out of the word of God and found true by experience of many good Christians so that we may worthily be prouoked to seeke a part therein amongst them And yet so much the greater they are and better to be accounted of inasmuch as the longer they be inioyed the more fruit and comfort they bring to him that hath his part in them And when we finde not this doctrine sauourie and sweet to vs nor the vse of it in our afflictions let vs not charge and challenge the Lord for it but consider what we haue lost through vnbeliefe CHAP. 12. Of the eighth priuiledge Of growing in grace NOw as it cannot be denied but that these forementioned graces are singular priuiledges so to passe the next we are not to be ignorant of this that whatsoeuer good things Gods people already haue and inioy yet God hath more in store for them and will giue more grace and greater measure of his heauenly gifts then they before they had them could either aske or thinke And this is woorthy to be considered with the former as a further increase and higher degree of the fruits of his loue that he doth so largely and bountifully reach out his hand vnto them that thereby they may be inriched as farre beyond the beginnings of their true happines as their beginnings were beyond their first condition before it in the iudgement of all men For cleerer proofe heereof we are to know that he maketh them to grow in sounder vnderstanding of his wil in more assurance of faith and strength of hope in more patience vnder the crosse more moderation in the vse of their lawfull liberties and benefits of this life he giueth them better rule ouer their hearts and affections and that in more things then at the first and ofter easilier and so ouer their liues and actions their tongues their hands their eies their eares The Lord giueth them farre more inlargement in praier then in times past and constantly to bestow more time in all the helpes to godlinesse and to scoure off much rust and rubbish of the rebellious old man and their euill qualities as they haue and see greater reason why they should doe so yea he worketh more sound comfort by the holy Ghost and more constant continuance thereof in them then they were wont to be acquainted with And to comprehend much in few words the whole course of their life is much better gouerned then it was wont to be and the image of God more liuely and cleerely restored And are not these thinke we priuiledges farre aboue their expectation and greater then they could looke for All which the Apostle knowing that they were dainties prepared for the Lords beloued ones and a great treasure although hidden from the world did daily wish and pray for that they might be giuen to the church of Colossa as he sheweth in these words After that I heard of your faith in Christ Iesus and loue towards all the Saints I ceased not to pray for you that you might be filled with all knowledge of his will in all wisdome and spirituall vnder standing that you might walke worthy the Lord and please him in all things bringing foorth fruit in euery good worke increasing in the acknowledging of God strengthened with all might according to his glorious power vnto all long suffering and lenity of mind with ioy What haue I said concerning this priuilege which the Apostle hath not fully conteined in these words And yet what people are there being but lately turned to God as the Colossians were which might not thinke that the graces which he put them in hope of and incouraged them to looke for were not more and farre greater then they might possibly be partakers of Which thing may liuely be seene in Moses example if we compare the time wherein God did first call
is one with him and therefore seeth that while Christ liueth he must and shall liue also so he hauing thereby perpetuall vnion and fellowship with him doth drawe strength and grace from him euen as the branch doth from the vine that so he may liue the life of a Christian If then he haue that power of renewing him which is signified and sealed by baptisme namely the power of Christs death mortifying sinne and the vertue of his resurrection in raising him vp to new life is not baptisme throughout his life a forcible meanes to helpe him forward in a Christian course as oft as he doth duely consider it So in the Lords supper the faithfull communicant by the oft receiuing of it is not onely by the bread and wine assured that his soule may be comforted by Christ and so inioyeth the same but also is spiritually strengthened to all good duties so that he findeth a most soueraigne helpe by it to growe vp vnto a perfect age in Christ Iesus And this shall more appeare if we consider how manifoldly the faithfull Christian is furthered and set forward in the well framing and amending his life thereby both in preparing himselfe to it before it come in the action and present vse of it when he doth come thereto and after the inioying of and departing from it Of which three seeing they may serue as well for a perpetuall rule to examine himselfe by and to direct him in the right vse of it alwayes after as well as to proue the matter which I haue in hand namely that the Sacraments are great helpes to godlines I will stay a little while about them And for the preparing or making him fit to receiue with profit this is the manner how it ought to be done namely First that he proue and trie himselfe in these things whether he haue the knowledge of mans miserie of his redemption of his renewing and of the nature and benefit of that Sacrament with the knowledge of other principall points all which it is meete that he should haue who looketh for comfort by it Secondly that he hold fast his faith in the promises of saluation which God hath wrought in him before by the preaching of the Gospell the which at this time may not be wanting but holden fast and after particular falles recouered The third is that he keepe his heart diligently to the renouncing and subduing of all sinne and readie to any dutie that he shall be called vnto Fourthly and more particularly that he haue no swelling nor rising of heart against any man or woman no although they be his vtter enemies but be reconciled to them and at peace with them as he desireth to be with the Lord. And fiftly that he being thus qualified desire as he shall haue opportunitie to be partaker of this Sacrament and to receiue the benefit which God offereth by it And this is the manner of examining a mans selfe vnto the which rules he that is sutable he is a welcome guest to the Lords table But because much slouth forgetfulnes darkenes corruption and weaknes do soone gather together and so grow vp euen in good men to the choaking of these forenamed gifts of God that such as haue sometime found all these in themselues yet at the time of receiuing cannot finde them therefore at the comming to the Lords supper God giueth especiall charge that if in any of his people these graces should by their owne negligence and default be weakned dimmed and decayed that they doe not rashly put themselues forward to it in that case but speedily seeke to recouer themselues againe by a due examination of their estate according to the forementioned rules Which if they do then more hardly and difficultly obtaine and going about it cannot see cleerely that they are thus furnished as they were sometimes they may thanke themselues the fault is their owne for that they did so long neglect the same and did not labour when they were well to keepe well constantly Let them not cease therefore till they recouer which of them that knowe how being sanctified shall be obtained Now the recouering of themselues is on this manner Let them goe apart by themselues and laying all other things aside seriously enter into due consideration what accuseth them and troubleth their conscience which in no wise may be omitted then whatsoeuer bee found amisse be it slouth carelesnes worldlines distrust vncharitablenes or any other like sinne let it be sensibly and heartily bewailed acknowledged renounced Prou. 28.13 and lastly a recouering of their faith by apprehending Gods mercy Prou. 28.13 and their wants therein and in their repentance supplyed againe by renuing their couenant with God This manner of behauiour in Christians before they offer themselues to the Lords supper is necessarie after they haue fallen as I haue said before and herein standeth their preparation to receiue the Lords supper Which preparation is one of the three things necessarily required of them who shall with profit come vnto the Lords supper And can this preparation be any lesse then a great helpe to all which shall inioy it He who was before snared in the world who had been filled with strong corruption as with poyson fallen into some particular sinnes who had neglected the nourishing of his faith been at some bitter variance with his neighbour or had done any such other like thing now by this preparation calling himselfe home repenting and returning as this examination teacheth doth he not finde thereby a singular helpe thinke we to the recouering of his strength and the doing of his former workes againe And if he haue done none of all these offences and therefore shall not neede to offer such violence to himselfe but hath kept a Christian course in his life and followed a good direction to the peace of his conscience as I doubt not but many doe yet as oft as he shall repaire to this Sacrament in this estate shall he not be much confirmed and more strongly setled in the duties of Christianitie when he shall by examination finde and see that he though fraile is a meete guest for the Lords table and therefore welcome and not thrust out of the companie for want of his wedding garment Shall it not be a great comfort at many other times as oft as hee shall remember and thinke vpon it and that it hath been thus with him alreadie when he receiued and thus may be also as oft as he shall repaire vnto it againe So that euen the preparation to the Lords supper is a great meane to goe forward in godlines Now to come to the action itselfe when a man rightly prepared inioyeth the present benefit of the Sacrament and there is comforted and made glad by the words of Christ himselfe the maker of the banquet who biddeth him welcome and to be merry saying his body which is meate indeede and his bloud which is the onely
holesome and sauourie drinke are prepared for him how can he but be much heartened and be set forward in a Christian course when he shall be thus reuiued and quickned in his soule with the spirituall duties which by true faith he feedeth vpon and that no lesse sensibly then he eateth the breade and drinketh the wine And yet thus much I will say that if this merry making at the Lords boord were either in hollownes on the behalfe of him that biddeth as it is with many men who inuite other to their table or onely a temporarie and earthly benefit on the behalfe of the receiuer it were not so much to be accounted of but it being farre otherwise namely both in goodnes and perpetuitie a benefit that hath no companion euen a continuall feast it hath therefore great force to stirre vp the partie to honour God And from hence it is that the communicant as one admiring the goodnes and kindnes of God there declared to him and of himselfe felt and inioyed breaketh forth into praises and saith as is figured in Salomon his song O Lord thou hast made me drunke with the wine of thy seller how sweete is thy loue and thy kindnes past finding out What shall I render to the Lord for all his mercies Is it hard now to see is it hard now to iudge how this heauenly banquet doth for the present time and in the receiuing therof or may at leastwise inlarge the heart of the faithfull seruant of God and make him fit for dutie and fill his heart with comfort while he communicateth in the supper with the rest of the faithful so welcome to the Lord who inuited him to it For there he may and ought to meditate on the daintines of the banquet on the loue of him that ordained it on the communion he hath with Christ and his graces and on the outward signes what they assure him of and on the word preached which sheweth him all this All these things with such like he may thinke on and apply to himselfe For although the flesh striueth against the spirit as well herein as in other workes of it yet the faithfull communicant in his measure findeth his heart readie to yeeld vp to the Lord in this heauenly banquet no lesse then I haue said euen the sacrifice of praise and thankes though all doe it not in a like measure And euen so to come to the third point it is of the same force after he hath receiued the Sacrament and inioyed the benefit therein bestowed vpon him to hearten him on and strengthen him to euery good worke euen as a man well refreshed with meate is made strong to labour this Sacrament I say doth after the receiuing of it where right vse is made of it according to Gods appointment through the remembrance and due consideration of the kindnes of God therein offered and reaped easily carry on the seruant of God in a feruent desire of all well doing In all that I say of the Sacrament the wise reader I doubt not vnderstandeth me not that this alone without other meanes and helpes doth this but as the Lord in great fauour to his Church hath prouided varietie of them for it as the weakenes of it doth require as some publike some priuate so he hath made this amongst the rest to be one by the which as by the rest a godly life is much furthered Which I thought very meete to adde because of all other helps to the practise of Christianitie I am perswaded that the Sacraments are least thought or found to be so and that they are vsed for the most part without the benefit which God hath ioyned with them that is in ceremonie onely And this holesome or right vsing of them because it is little seene or inioyed therefore is there such negligence in repairing to them and vnreuerence disorder yea and prophane behauiour in the administring and receiuing of them which is the principall matter that is to be regarded about the Sacrament and looked vnto both of the minister and people But it is not my purpose to enter into this treatise I conclude this point therefore that seeing the Sacraments doe seale vp the promises of God to the faithfull receiuer vnder a visible and infallible signe and againe binde him in reuerence be it spoken to the performing of his couenant and seeing particularly the first Sacrament of baptisme doth ingraffe him into Christ and that other of the Lords supper doth by so holy preparation before he come with such comfort ministring in and at his receiuing and such strengthening of him after worke vpon him as hath been said that therefore the Sacraments are singular helpes for all true beleeuers to growe in a godly life And consequently I say of the receiuers of them as of them which vse the other helpes that he who is not made more able to conquer his lusts and weaken the strength of sinne and is not more hartened to the life of godlines doth abuse them and seeth not Gods purpose in ordaining them Which sinne how seuerely God will punish the Corinthians example doth testifie and proue CHAP. 4. Of publike prayers also of the priuate helpes in generall THe publike prayers solemnly offred to God in the congregation and praising of him with Psalmes is another of these publike helpes In the which if that minde be in vs with the which we haue been taught to come to all holie exercises and so be prepared for them who doubteth but that wee may receiue much helpe by them yea and the better a man is the more he shall profit by them For when the faithfull from God himselfe haue a promise that they shall be heard in all things that are good for them euen the most excellentest and doe then emptie their hearts by confessing their sinnes and with the rest of the godly lift vp their spirits and voices together in praising him is there any doubt but that they are afterward in priuate more cheerefully bent to serue him And in that the ignorant which in the best places is the greatest number take no more profit by them it is not long of the exercises but that they are vnfit to receiue benefit by them and a preiudicate opinion in some that they can take no good by them and therefore partly in ignorance partly in rash zeale they giue themselues to sleight and negligent hearing of them The direct remedie to redresse both faults as farre as in man lieth were an ordinarie able ministerie whereby both the ignorant might besides other good things learne rightly how to vse them and the preiudicate ones which conceiue the worse of them for that they see small fruit to follow of them should be silent and haue nothing to say against them except with the Brownists they will despise all publike assemblies But whatsoeuer the ignorant get the children of God may find especiall good refreshing by them
let them labour in their calling diligently both they which want and they who haue much for that becommeth vs all well so as with it we prouide that we be not hurt by the worldly goods that is by diuerse sinnes which they cause whereby we should vtterly disgrace our profession And thereby and by no better way we shall proue that we are not couetous while we arme our selues against al such euils as riches do cause men to commit for the excessiue loue that they beare to them a great number of the which I haue set downe And this of the third remedie The fourth and last is this that we not onely prouide that we be not hurt by them but also that we looke to it carefully that we be much bettered by them towards Gods seruice more then if we wanted them For although poore and rich are commanded to consecrate themselues to God yet they may best do it who haue most helpes thereto And who can deny that in the wealthy estate there are many more helpes hereto then are to be found in the needie and poore this being graunted that both sorts feare God with whom onely I haue here to deale For first they haue more time and freedome then these to all exercises of religion and the worship of God both publicke and priuate I meane they may ofter inioy the preaching of the word haue recourse to reading Christian conference in good company meditation also and prayer which how great helpes they be to the keeping of a setled course in godlines hath bin before set downe whereas the poore besides that they shall looke to themselues commendably if they be not discouraged and made impatient by their wants so they cannot for the most part take the benefit of the afore-mentioned helpes in any such sort as the other may Now if any here will obiect and say as indeed he may if he marke the course of the most wealthie at this day yea euen of those who will seeme religious That these benefits of God do rather draw mē away from feruency and forwardnesse in a godly life then further and helpe them thereto I answer that if it be so it is the sinne of the persons who are so vnthriftie vsers of Gods blessings and their grosse vnthankfulnesse to him who do thereby prouoke him to take away his bountie from them or to giue it them in his wrath and heauie displeasure For I am sure the Lord teacheth them the contrarie namely that where much is bestowed there much shall be required and that this is the end of the abundance of all good things which he giueth vs that we should serue him with ioyfulnesse and with a good heart Indeed as men go to worke in the world who haue receiued great riches at Gods hand it is hard to proue that they be most fruitfull but let such know that their account shall be the greater Therefore the obiection being thus answered it remaineth cleare and without controuersie that men who haue receiued greater outward benefits of God then others may and ought to be the better for them to God-ward as from whom iust cause of care and thought taking is remoued then the poorer sort who lie open to them both This good therefore we must see that we do to our selues who haue receiued of him the commodities which many of his deare seruants do want that we hold the profession of our hope with ioy from day to day that we may say it truly that our soules are much more well liking by the abundance or necessaries of this life which we haue or else we shall neuer be able to free our selues from the blemish of worldlinesse But if this grace accompany the three former in vs we shall well declare that we nourish an heauenly mind and labour against this great sin of coueting worldlinesse But to go further our riches should do vs other good beside that which I haue spoke of For we should make them our friends to helpe vs into euerlasting habitation so our Sauiour counselleth vs saying Make you friends of your riches and that is by laying them vp in the Lords hands while we be carefull to bestow them on Gods poore Saints For thus we giuing them to the poore do lend them vnto the Lord and do as it were put them in his hands and so whatsoeuer we lay out shall plentifully be payed vs againe euen an hundreth fold in peace which passeth vnderstanding in this life though not alwayes in riches againe and in the world to come eternall life Yea verily such acts shall not be forgotten but shall be witnesses and testimonies of our faith for why do we giue but because we beleeue in the liuing God who is a plentifull rewarder of all that seeke him and the sauiour of all that beleeue in him and the workes of such shall follow them Euen thus should we do ourselues good with them and therefore we must not thinke all too little for our selues and those which are ours And it will one day be wished that we had thus done good to our selues by them rather then to be seruants yea slaues to our children in prouiding greedily for them for it so falleth out with the most while we dare scarcely take any part of our goods to honest and necessarie vses lest we should thereby plucke from them therein verifying the saying of the wise This is an euill sicknesse that in all points as we came so shall we go and what profit haue we that we haue trauelled for the wind that is in vaine and for nothing Oh the good that many might do with their goods I say not to others but euen to themselues if they were carefull to bestow well but some part of that which they haue But this is no place to bewaile such cases neither haue men almost any eares to heare or hearts to lament such neglects of duty To conclude therefore this last remedie against couetousnesse and worldlinesse the monster of many heads euen this good which I haue sayd we might do to our selues with our riches euery one in his seuerall estate who is able to giue and hath no need to receiue which if we did carefully looke to who seeth not how it would chase away the grossenesse and daunger of this foule sinne And therfore much more if all these remedies be vsed 1 that we do no man hurt 2 but good as occasion shall be offered 3 nor hurt our selues by them but benefit our soules we may be bold to assure our selues that we shall disgrace couetousnesse in vs one of the greatest mischiefes that the Diuell can worke vs. For if we did take heed that no man in any dealings might charge vs iustly with vnmercifulnesse or iniustice nor our owne consciences if our hand and our heart did go where we are bound to releeue and discharge duty