among men and be vpholden and maintained in such sort that they may weigh downe all wicked practises of men against the same The duties in generall which belong to all inferiours doe arise from this one as from a fountaine that is to say subiection which is a voluntarie acknowledging that they are set vnder those which are their superiours by Gods ordinance and appointment The which when men are perswaded of they will readily goe vnder any dutie that appertaineth to them And from hence issueth inward reuerence towards them as to thinke highly of them for that person which God hath put vpon them and therefore also to giue them that outward reuerence which is due to them as to rise and bowe to them to giue them the higher place libertie to speake before them and to giue them reuerent titles and submitting themselues to them euery way as it is meete which if in loue it be not regarded and the benefit which God hath appointed thereby to come to their inferiours considered that so there may be a preseruing of the dignitie and worthines of such persons and places amongst men all confusion and barbarousnes must needes insue and follow And for this cause the superiours againe for their parts must see that they carry themselues towards them as brethren in all curtesie sauing their authoritie and further also that they goe before them both in all innocencie and example of good life And because there are some superiors to vs by ciuill authoritie as princes and other magistrates and some ecclesiasticall as Church officers some by nature as parents some by age as the gray headed and some by gifts as of knowledge experience and other graces therefore both their inferiours to them and they to their inferiours besides the former duties in generall set downe haue somewhat seuerally to looke to one towards the other To such as haue authoritie ouer them inferiours must submit themselues in bearing their rebukes and receiuing their corrections willingly and without resistance by not answering again by stomack or countenance yea though they suffer wrongfully which commaundement Saint Peter giuing to seruants toward their masters who are not superiours of the highest power or of greatest authoritie doth much more binde other inferiours to be subiect thereto And further besides this such inferiours are charged by God to be obedient onely to their lawfull commaundements so that God be not thereby depriued of his due for this cause subiects pay tribute to their Princes hold both their goods and liues so as they be at their commaundement And seruants which will testifie and shew that they count their masters worthie all honour do frame themselues to serue them with faithfulnes and diligence not with eye seruice by the one seeking their profit and good trustily by the other doing their duties with care and painfulnes euen as to the Lord himselfe So all high Magistrates both Kings and such as are in authoritie vnder them owe this particularly to the people ouer whom they are to regard that the Gospell of Christ Iesus be published freely and purely by the Ministers thereof thorough their whole dominion to bring the people to God and the same dominion to bee well gouerned by the right executing of wholesome and good lawes that the people may liue an honest and quiet life vnder them So also Masters for recompence to their seruants are charged by the Lord to shew themselues as well good and bountifull towards them in recompencing their labour and trauaile to the full as besides it to doe that which is iust and equall vnto them the which they for their parts doe owe to them againe which is to prouide that they may bee taught in the congregation and at home as also of themselues to see that no necessaries in meate drink work and honest intermission in due time bee wanting neither that they with whom they haue so couenanted bee kept ignorant and vnexpert in their trade Another kinde of superiours are kindred by nature and parents in the flesh to whom their inferiours and children for the singular benefits which they receiue from them except they degenerate farre from their duties do acknowledge much to be due to them againe Among which this is not the least that they shew themselues forward in the imbracing of holie instruction according to the ripenes of their yeeres That their reuerence and obedience continue of children I speake euen vnto their end although with more libertie when they shall be of more ripe yeeres their parents themselues consenting thereto Also that they make no mariages without their consent That in token of thankfulnes they be readie to helpe their necessities And that they be carefull also to doe their duties euen to those which shall succeed their parents by way of second mariage For their parents are bound to teach them from their youth as was said of seruants to keepe them from idlenes to traine them vp in some lawfull and honest trade to gouerne them wisely and kindly to prouide for their necessitie of mariage and to minister things needfull for this life as they shall be able and as they may doe it religiously and lawfully Of those superiours which excell their inferiours in gifts the Minister of God is chiefe who is furnished with knowledge and grace to conuert many to God and to perfect them as Gods instrument vnto the day of Christs comming And so particularly to lift vp the faint-harted by comfort to strengthen the weak to direct him that wandreth vncertainly for want of knowledge and to waite with patience and by becomming all to all that he may gaine some to God Therefore the Lord hath giuen him a great honour with them whom hee preuaileth with not to bee counted their teacher onely but their father they who know their duties for this heauenly communion which they inioy with God himselfe and with Iesus Christ by his ministerie doe with gladnes make him partakers of all good things for this life and haue them in singular loue for their workes sake And this they doe besides the subiection reuerence and obedience which they haue in common with all inferiours who are willing to be taught and reioyce to be counted obedient children in the faith Among these which I count superiours in gifts of the mind they are to be reckoned who are strong Christians and whom God hath indued with a liberall portion of heauenly grace wisedome experience c. more then other of their brethren and who know their libertie which they haue by Christ in things indifferent and abuse it not Towards these the weaker sort must know that it is their dutie not to iudge them who vse their libertie which they haue by Christ neither to count them as prophane men for doing that which they themselues dare not doe but to thinke
things shall be weakened in vs without the which we can neuer vse the lawfull pleasures and profits of this life moderately and rightly this one thing being added that this aduice be the more carefully and constantly regarded seeing the danger were like to be great by the neglecting of it And now vpon this which hath beene sayd it clearly and necessarily followeth that if thus we get superiority and dominion ouer our hearts and affections in the vse of earthly things then our actions and dealings about these lawfull liberties shall be well ordered in the sight of God and men to the great quietnesse and peace of our conscience for the righteous is bold as a Lyon For who doth not know that as the heart is affected either well or ill euen so it draweth the wordes and workes after it to be like and sutable which is the cause why I labour to perswade Christians to the subduing of the lusts and intemperate rebellions of the heart and to haue in meane reckoning and price all things here below that they may be the lesse offensiue in the whole course of their earthly dealings For when we be thus resolued in our hearts constantly watching thereto that we as God hath taught vs will so farre forsake all as we shall thereby be hindred from following our Lord Iesus Christ in any point of his holy commandements we are stayed from manifold abusings of our liberties as wealth peace preferment and such like And when we can containe and keepe our hearts from coueting and desiring any way to vse our prosperity vnlawfully we shall neither iniure others in any thing that is theirs nor haue our commodities as snares thornes and choakes to strangle and hurt our selues but in the inioying of all blessings of this life shall be sober and fruitfull in good workes and more feruently longing after the treasures of the paradise of God Which fruits of prosperity few do reape but runne into excesse and passe their bounds one way or other so truly it is sayd That as it was in the dayes of Noe so it will be in and vntill the comming of the sonne of man They eate they dranke maried wiues and were maried c. that is they chiefly regarded these things rather then the manner how or the end why and more then they did consider wherefore the Lord set them in this world And this be sayd of the first branch of this dutie that is of the vsing of prosperity and the lawfull liberties of this life rightly and how God teacheth his children daily as their state shall require to do the same accordingly as it is one of the duties which is of necessity to be obserued daily of all that desire well to bestow the day and to giue a good account thereof at the euening and end thereof Yet to such as obiect and aske If I will debarre them of their mirth and pleasures which in their prosperitie and through the benefit of their wealth they may inioy I will adde this briefe answer I wish they prospered in health strength earthly commodities and peace so as their soules might also prosper And I thanke God I am not so enuious against the welfare of any of my good brethren but that with the Apostle I can and do pray that they might be altogether Christians that is true and faithfull seruants of God without the bands or other hardnesse which some other of Gods people do sustaine and go vnder But seeing prosperity is a slippery way it is meete that all such as desire to be free from dangerous fals should looke diligently to their steps and seeing that our Sauiour himselfe hath taught vs that it is an estate full of danger they should not thinke much to be admonished put in mind daily to take heed that they stand sure and in safety It is not enough thinke we and a great fauour of God that he giue vs liberty to inioy his earthly benefits vnlesse we abuse them to the fulfilling of our fleshly desires Doth Christ allow vs any otherwise to take our pleasure on the earth then that it may not hinder vs from following him by temperance and sobernesse by humblenesse and meeknesse the way to heauen Or doth he bestow more on some then vpon others that they who haue much should set on edge the teeth of others by licentiousnesse We are called and that most fitly strangers to teach vs that we should not be medling nor intangle our selues here so as we should be vnready and vnwilling to go home And that is a right stranger-like liuing in the world and an inioying the lawfull liberties of it that we be made more fit thereby for the heauenly life and not to linger after any thing here or cling about it so that we being tied to any lawfull pleasure or profit we should not as free citizens of heauen be daily somewhat nearer it and readier to go to it And do we thinke that they are such strangers who pleade for such a liberty and reioycing here that their owne consciences do tell them that they are not willing and readie to die Are they such strangers who are priuy in their owne hearts that their reioycing is most for the commodities and delights of this world eating drinking pastime mariage gaine and successe in their dealings c. who if death should come vpon them whiles they are in the middest of them must needs cry out and say O death how vnwelcome art thou vnto vs who haue our pleasure in these It is the Lord that saith by his Prophet Let not the rich reioyce in his riches nor the strong in his strength nor the wise in his wisedome but he that will reioyce let him reioyce in this that he knoweth me And it is our Sauiour which saith Woe be to them which now laugh for they shall houle and weepe woe be to them which are full for they shall be hungry And againe Sonne thou in thy life time receiuedst thy pleasure therefore now art thou tormented Lastly Iob that was deare to the Lord sayd If I haue reioyced for that my hands haue gotten much and for that my riches are great euen this were to deny the Almighty Therefore know we that our reioycing ought not to be earthly yea as a godly man may not be glad for that he hath much going no further seeing that were but to be tied to the creature and to rest in a broken and a deceiptfull stay so neither may he reioyce in any other earthly thing whatsoeuer but he setteth it as well as riches in the Lords place from which it ought to be banished Now the heart of a Christian is the Lords temple and dwelling place and he it is that must dwell there as he himselfe hath said Giue me thine heart my sonne That must be where the treasure is it must haue no other treasure in heauen but him nor any on
to complaine of and what is more required of vs then that which we do that thus we may be set forward counselled and confirmed and seeing what course we ought to take for the bringing of this to passe we may be stablished in a Christian life For it doth not a litle helpe to haue this communion with some Also that we our selues should be helpers of others where either any do require the same duty of vs or through bashfulnesse dare not be bold or through simplicity cannot do it yet we seeing that they stand in need of such counsell and direction should through loue shew them what we can and what we haue learned in this behalfe And here we purposed for the hope of the great fruite of this communion to auoide strangenesse which as it breaketh off all profit betwixt vs so it giueth feare of some secret conceiptednesse and that much loue is wanting This direction if it be read ouer as we shall see cause and may do it cōueniently with a mind desirous as wel to see what is amisse in vs as also in faithfulnesse to vse these remedies we may be bold the Lord working by meanes to assure our selues that we shall not labour herein in vaine And when we haue attained hereto we determined not to rest in that but to be directed still by such rules as Gods word doth minister to vs. Now hauing set downe remedies by which we may raise vp our selues out of any declinings from a godly life we added some reasons to perswade vs thereto for as much as we may be sure that hinderances and discouragements inough shall meete with vs to withhold vs. First this that by such a course and seeking to walke with God as the former remedies do direct vs vnto we are brought to a most sweet and holy communion with the Lord in comparison whereof nothing is to be desired For it is an honor and prerogatiue which the world neither knoweth neither can attaine vnto To get principalitie ouer him who is the prince of the world that is the diuell and to obtaine grace against our owne euill hearts in well ruling them which is a greater honour then to subdue kingdomes Also that hereby we haue libertie with godly boldnesse to come before the Lord in our complaints and prayers being assured that whatsoeuer we shall aske of him according to his will it shall be granted vs and that our peace and comfort hereby is so great that none who hath but euen tasted of it would chaunge his estate for any other and that the conscience of such men is not beaten and disquieted with hellish and fearefull torments In this case a man need not feare malicious accusations because he hath bene circumspect in looking to his wayes and therefore deseruedly euill speeches can take no hold of him seeing he that is carefull to please God cannot iustly incurre the rebukes of men As for euil tidings he is free from the feare of them because he hath armed himselfe to looke for the hardest And they who like not this state which al things considered shall be found to be the richest part and best portion they must feede themselues with folly and take their fill in vanitie till their miserie ouertake them in the mid way and destruction meete with them when they litle thinke vpon it Moreouer howsoeuer this indeuouring after a godly life hath euer of the world bene litle regarded yet the happiest and men of greatest commendation for godlinesse haue alwaies preferred it and made it as the flower of their garland and the crowne of their reioycing we haue a cloud of witnesses and not all in one age who haue walked with God euen from Enoch and thereabout to this day who testified this daily looking to their liues to be the best thing of all Now if by these and such like perswasions we be brought to like of it we faithfully couenanted with our selues to vse these remedies which haue bene set downe for continuance and to make our beginnings sound and substantiall so as they may be able to beare and vphold the waight of all that shall presse them downe For although our temptations be strong and many yet may none of them preuaile thus farre as to make vs breake off this our happie couenant for if we be not strongly armed against this we shall easily find that hinderances enough will arise which will quickly weaken the power of our best purposes and frustrate all that we haue taken in hand Here will inward lets come in our way and those of many sorts as to thinke it more then needeth to liue thus also that many who are godly do not thus the inordinate loue of some speciall sinne may withhold vs and much dulnesse vnprofitablenesse and rebellion may make vs vtterly vnable to hold foorth this course Many outward discouragements also and hinderances will be readie here to stand in our way as houshold troubles and disquietnesse by them disorder in seruants and children vntowardnesse and ill successe in businesse want of blessing somtimes where it was hoped for losses c. also much toyling occupying our selues about these things below with neglect of our heauenly and christian calling These are some of a great number and the commonest whereby holy duties do most easily grow out of place and vse with vs. Let this rule therefore said we be well regarded of vs and that which followeth shall be the easier for many loathsome wearinesses will in short time arise which if it be possible will breake vs off from this enterprise After this we said that if we with diligence continue it we must beware we make not a common thing of it so as though we vse it yet no fruite nor blessing returne to vs by it The which as it falleth out most vsually in the doing of good things so in this the best of others it is most to be feared In the first setting vpon many duties some chearefulnesse may be seene in vs and some time and trauell bestowed but alas within a very short time we grow full of them they become irkesome and tedious to vs and though we do not vtterly breake them off yet we may perceiue that without any great sweetnesse and delight we go about them The reason hereof is that our fleshly hearts can like of no good thing long If therefore either of these two wayes we depriue our selues of the benefite of growing forward by these forenamed remedies that is by the negligent vsing of them or the leauing off of them yet the fault must be quickly espied and not long lyen in for that is more dangerous then can easily be beleeued To the better attaining hereof we may vnderstand that we may grow to a commonnesse in a good thing two wayes either when we be in prosperity in which estate it will be very hard to see our great need to vse feruencie and zeale in holy
that Paul had in our measure Many weake discouraged for want of this victorie Many know not their libertie The two next vertues Diligence and Constancie Diligence and Constancie bring great matters to passe What diligence is required What constancie The gaine of these Many pay deare for their liberties Want of these vertues dangerous Other two vertues Humilitie and Meekenesse These alwayes necessarie The Christian life no idle nor vnsetled life The end of one worke the beginning of another yet without toile Keepe alwaies an appetite to some new dutie CHAP. 15. COm 1. Duties to Gods person Knowledge of God Trust hope patience Ioy thankefulnesse Request loue Desire of God presence reuerence feare Com. 2. Gods worship ministery sacraments Publike prayers Censures Publike fasts Extraordinary thanks Priuate worship Maner of Gods worship spirituall How Gods worship is to be vsed The word 1. Preparation 2. In hearing 3. Hauing heard How conference and reading should be vsed How the Lords supper should be receiued How prayer should be made Com. 3. In all things to glorifie God In an oath 1. Trueth 2. Righteousnesse 3. Iudgement In beholding Gods works Com. 4. Keeping holy of the seuenth day Varietie of holy exercises Publike duties Priuate 1. By our selues 2. With others CAAP. 16. SEcond Table Dueties to God and man are not to be separated Beare loue to all Brotherly kindnesse to Christians Many duties to our neighbour Com. 5. Duties of inferiors Common to all inferiors Subiection Reuerence Superiors duty Diuers kinds of superiors Duties of subiects and seruants Duties of all in authority as Princes Masters Childrens duty Parents Ministers Hearers Strong Christians Weaker Others excelling in gifts Ancient in yeeres Duties towards our equals By examining see our wants and need of Christ Maintaine our owne reuerence Com. 6. Duties towards the life of our nighbour Bodily life and health To hurt none By mildnesse of spirit to beare much Cut off all occasions of discord To do good to their liues In their miseries To pitty them To shew mercy To seruants distressed To the sicke in visiting them Helpfulnesse and harmlesnesse vertues of singular price What vertues accompany them Pittie to the soule of our neighbour Good example To winne and confirme others Helpe the poore Luk. 16.8 Reuel 18.15 Iam. 3.6 Tit. 1.15 Iob. 34.3 Act. 7.51 Philip. 3.8 Rom. 6.17 Iere. 6.29.30 Act. 11.24 The intent of the author and generall summe of the whole booke The fruite and benefit of it to the true Christian What the vngodly may learne by it The second point The reasons of setting out this The first The authors desire that they might profit by it This worke especially tendeth to better the good It is of vse to all sorts of good christians and that was one reason of setting it out The second reason of setting it forth The third The fourth The fift The sixt Iasper Loarte Heb. 10.22 Act. 15.9 Esay 61.1 Ezech. 34.4 Ioh. 8 32. Rom. 1.16 1. Ioh. 5.4 The seuenth reason The third point in the preface The contents and particularly of the whole booke in seuen seuerall treatises The first treatise The second treatise The third treatise The fourth treatise The fift treatise The sixt treatise The seuenth treatise The fourth point of the preface directing the reader how to reade this booke with most profit Iam. 2.10 Heb. 13.18 Matth. 5.18 Hovv any may knovv they be the Lords Most are deceiued in the assurance of saluation 1. Papists think it impossible 2. Carnall Protestants thinke it easie Luk. 12.32 Matth. 7.14 Luk. 19. Matth. 7.21 3. VVeake Christians full of doubting Three generall heads or parts of this first treatise Three branches of the first head The first head The first point of mans miserie Gen. 1.26 Heb. 2.7 Reuel 12. Gen. 3. Two parts of mans miserie first his sinne Gen. 6.5 Hosea 1.2 Coloss 1.21 Mans sinne vvhat Euery part corrupted Vnderstanding Ephes 4.17 Conscience 1. Cor. 2.14 Heb. 10.22 VVill. Rom. 8.5.6 Conuersation Thoughts Desires Outvvard behauiour 1. Tim. 1.15 Rom. 8.7 Prouer. 28.9 Iohn 9.31 Psalm 50.16 Fevv thinke it thus The second part of mans misery The curse first on the body Deut. 28.15 Gen. 3.17 Heb. 1.2 Men shift off this This curse is to all The curse vpon the soule The necessitie of this knovvledge of mans miserie It must be knovvne as vvell as our miserie Ioh. 3.16 1. Tim. 1.15 2. Cor. 5.21 Act. 4.12 1. Ioh. 2.1 The first point about the remedie Gal. 3.10.12 Heb. 9.22 and 12.14 Rom. 8 3. The second point about the remedie Act. 4.12 1. Ioh. 5.12 Rom. 58. Ioh. 3.16 The third point about the remedie Rom. 1.16 Luk. 2.10 Matth. 11.12 The fourth point about the remedie Matth. 11.28 Act. 26.18 Hebr. 4.1 Rom. 10. Rom. 5. The third poynt of the first part of this Treatise Rom. 7.9 They are most light who haue most cause to mourne Prouer. 14.12 Act. 14.16 Col. 1.9 Rom. 15.4 Act. 2.37 Matth. 24.27 Iam. 4.9 Psalm 73.4 Luk. 13.2 The lavv is to be preached 2. Tim. 4.2 But not vvithout the Gospell 1. Tim. 1.13 Ierem. 21.18 Iudg. 2.3 10. 1. Sam. 7.2.3 Obiection Ansvvere Ierem. 8.6.7 Luk. 15.17 Reuel 2.4 The complaint of the penitent sinner Rom. 7.24 Luk. 17.9 Matth. 12.20 Matth. 11.24 Matth. 5.4 Matth. 9.12 Luk. 7.38 Prou. 28.9 Matth. 15.27 Luk. 15.17.18 Iob. 33.23 Acts. 9.6 Ezech. 36.26 Luk. 15.18 Rom. 10.14 Matth. 13.44 Ezech. 16.6 Heb. 12.2 Matth. 13.44 He whom God loueth highly priseth the pearle Luk. 16.12 Esay 55.1 He hath nothing of his owne but sin Yet hard to renounce that Matth. 19.29 But he despiseth it Hos 14.9 This is a great worke of God Ioh. 6.44 Ier. 13.23 He forsakes not sinne as the wicked 1. King 21.27 Ioel. 2 13. 1. King 22.8.26 Luk. 19.9 1. Sam. 7.3.4 Pro. 28.13 Psal 78.36 Phil. 1.7.8 God sealeth vp his promises to the beleeuer 2. Cor. 1.22 Rom. 8.16 The beleeuer reasoning with himselfe Act. 16.15 Luk. 15.20 He weigheth all things hereto belonging He seekes helpe of others Ioh. 7.37 Gen. 45.26.27 VVhat will follow of applying Christ 1. Cor. 1.30 Ioh. 10.27 c. Mat. 5.4.5 Psal 48. A description of the smallest measure of faith How God worketh faith Luk. 19.9 Faith vniteth to Christ Matth. 16.17 Common professors haue not this faith Phil. 1. How God worketh faith Act. 14.1 VVhy many want faith Luk. 18.8 The conclusion of this third part Markes of faith Ioh. 3.23 Seeing God commandeth vs to beleeue Psal 77.3.8.9.10 1. Pet. 2.2 Psal 32.5 Many deceiued in faith 1. Let of faith the diuels bewitching 2. Cor. 4.3.4 Fault of not beleeuing in Minister and people In the minister Prou. 29.18 1. Not teaching Rom. 10.17 Matth. 15.14 Prou. 29.18 2. Seldome teaching Heb. 8.11 Phil. 3. 1. Thess 2.11 1. Tim. 4.13 2. Tim. 4.1 2. Pet. 1.12 Ioh. 21.17 1. Pet. 5.2 Necessitie of often teaching Rom. 12.9 Ezech. 33.3 Ierem. 48.10 1. Pet. 5.5 3. Let of faith in the Minister not plaine
Cor. 13.1 Psal 119.99 Prou. 19.2 The second rule Col. 1.10 Practise is first in an heartie desire Deut. 6.5 Ierem. 48.10 Our affections must be stronger as the good is greater How we come by this grace Ephes 4.22 2. Pet. 1.4 Rom. 6.4.5 As we desire so must we indeuour to do good Psal 122.8 9. Rom. 6.12.13 All parts of our bodies giuen to serue God Make a trade of godlines 1. Tim. 5. 2. Cor. 6.3 The first vertue is vprightnes Deutr. 18.13 Ephes 6.14 Iohn 1.17 Pretences in good actions Psal 130.3 1. Cor. 1.12 Necessitie of those rules and vertues Vnarmed venturing abroade is cause of sore wounds Obiect We cannot doe as we desire Answer 1. 2. The best desire without assurance of Gods helpe is vaine 1. Iohn 5.4 Phil. 4. Rom. 5.10 Rom. 8.30 VVhy Paul ouercame not all rebellion 2. Cor. 12.9 Paul was not caried into grosse iniquity VVe may looke for the like grace that Paul had in our measure 2. Chron. 16.9 1. Chron. 28. â— 2. Cor. 12.9 Rom. 7.25 1. Iohn 2.1 Many weakâ— discouraged for want of this victorie Many know not their libertie Ephes 5.8 The two next vertues diligence and constancie Diligence and constancie bring great matters to passe 2. Pet. 1.5 Ierem. 48.10 Iam. 1.25 VVhat diligence 2. Pet. 1. Ephes 5.15.16 Rom. 16.19 12.9 Constancie Iohn 8.31 15.5 Gaine of these Reuel 2.19 2. Tim. 4 8. Many pay deare for their liberties Note Want of these daungerous Prou. 23.17 Ephes 5.6 1. Thess 5.3.6 Gal. 5.7 1. Cor. 15.58 1. Cor. 16.13 Matth. 24.12 Ioh. 8.31 15.7 Phil. 1.6 1. Thess 5.24 Col. 1.10.11 1. Iohn 4.4 Psal 37.37 2. Tim. 4.8 Other two vertues humilitie and meeknes Matth. 11.29 Ephes 4.2 Col. 3.12 These alwaies necessarie Luk. 17. â— Deut. 18. Matth. 11.30 Deut. 12.18 Iohn 15.5 Ephes 4.3 The second point in this second part of godlinesse wherein this performing of good duties doth consist Duties towards gods person Knowledge of God Psalm 73.18 Trust Hope Dan. 3. Patience Psalm 3.7 Phil. 4 10. Rom. 52. Col. 1.11 Ioy. Phil. 4.4 Psalm 4.4 Thankfulnes 1. Thes 5.18 Request Loue. Phil. 3.8 Cant. 2.4.5 Psalm 16. Desire Gods presence Reuerence Feare 1. Pet. 1.17 Act. 9.31 The second commaundement Gods worship Isay 1.12 Iohn 4.23 Ministerie Rom. 1.16 Publike prayers Censures Publike fasts Ioel. 2.12 Extraordinary thankes Hester 9. Luk. 18.13 Iohn 11.41 Priuate worship Manner spirituall Hovv Gods worship is to be vsed The word Act. 26.18 Preparation 1. Pet. 2.1 Iam. 1.21 Act. 10.33 In hearing Isai 61. Act. 2.37 2. Thess 3.4 Hauing heard Act. 17.11 How conference and reading should be vsed How the Lords Supper should be receiued Matth. 22.13 Hovv prayer should be made Matth. 6.9 1. Tim. 2.8 Psal 116.13 The third commandement Luk. 1.75 Ioshu 7.19 1. Cor. 10.31 In all things to glorifie God Col. 4.4 Psal 118.5.12 In an oth In truth In righteousnesse In iudgement In beholding Gods workes The 4. commandement Holy keeping of the seuenth day Exod. 20.10 Varietie of holy exercises Publike assemblies Priuate exercises Psalm 92. Duties to God and man not to be separated Iam. 1.27 Beare loue to al. Brotherly kindnes to Christians 1. Pet. 1.7 The fift commaundement Many duties to our neighbour Duties of inseriours Common to all inferiours Subiection Rom. 13.1 Reuerence Iob. 32.4 Superiours duty Diuers kinds of superiours Subiects and seruants Tit. 2.6 1. Pet. 2.19 Rom. 13.6 Obedient Tit. 2.9 Col. 3.23 All in authoritie as Princes Psal 78. two last verses 2. King 11.17 Masters Childrens duty Iob. 1. Luk. 2. Genes 24.55 1. Cor. 7.36 Numb 30.4 Gen. 47.12 Ruth 1.16 3.6 Parents Prou. 22.6 2. Cor. 12.14 Ministers Matth. 13.52 Act 26.18 Ezech. 34.4 6. 1. Thess 5.14 1. Cor. 9.22 1. Cor. 4.15 Hearers 1. Cor. 9.11 1. Thess 5.13 Strong Christians Weaker Rom. 14.3.4 Excelling in gifts Ancient in yeeres Iob. 32.4 Our equals Fom 12.10 By examining see our wants and neede of Christ Iohn 13.14 Maintaine our own reuerence The 6. commandement Bodily life and health Hurt not Exod. 21.22 Prou. 17.19 Prou. 19.11 Gen. 13.7 1. Cor. 13.7 1. Tim. 6.17 Doe good to their liues 1. Iohn 4.11 Matth. 9.26 Pro. 3.27 Shew mercie Iob. 31.13 14. Visit the sicke Matth. 25.35 Iam. 2.16 Iudg. 1.3 Iudg. 6.35 Pitie to the soule Good example 1. Pet. 3.1 1. Cor. 10.33 VVin and confirme others Heb. 10.24 1. Thes 5. Helpe the poore Rom. 12. Phil. 7. Ruth 2.13 The seuenth commaundement Not to attempt our neighbours honestie Our minds and bodies must be chaste Vnmaried 1. Cor. 7.32 Maried 1. Pet. 3.7 The 8. commandement Not to iniurie in his goods Rom. 13.8 Not lay claime to that which is another mans In controuersie Gen. 13.8 To forgoe part of our right 1. Cor. 6.5 Matth. 5.40 Diuers states Luk. 3.10 The dutie of them who liue by almes 1. Sam. 2.7 Contentation 1. Tim. 6.8 Not to grudge Matth. 20.15 Rom. 16.3.4 Rom. 15.26 2. Cor 9.2 Act. 4.34.35 Liue godly Iust complaint of our poore Ierem. 5.4 Act. 26.18 Auoid idlenes The dutie of the borrower Repay truly Kind of these Psal 15.14 Borrow not without need If they cannot keepe day The dutie of the giuer How to giue freely Matth. 5.42 Rom. 12.8 Philem. 7. Iam. 2.16 2. Cor. 8.3 Act. 4.35 Numb 36.12 The dutie of the lender Exod. 21.26 Matth. 18.25 Men ought to be moderate in spending that they may lend Deut. 15.11 Two sortes haue goods to their destruction The couetous doth no good while he liueth The lauishing spenders hurt such as they should doe good to Lending needefull Exod. 22.25 Luk. 6.33 Rich borrowing should recompence the lender Matth. 7.12 Of suretiship Luk. 10.35 Pro. 22.26 6.1 How farre we may be surety Genes 42.37 Pro. 22.27 Lawfull vocation 1. Pet. 4.10 Deale lawfully Deut. 15.15 Leuit. 25.14 Amos. 8.5 Psalm 15.4 Partnership Vsury vnlawfull Regard had of both parties is no vsurie Matth. 7.12 Vsury and oppression haue no place among Christians Of annuities VVhat they be Two kinds of them The first kind full of danger Men must not sell that which they haue not Forehand bargaines seldome end well The second kind not vnlawfull Yet abused on the sellers behalfe On the behalfe of the buyer Such buyers are grinders Some annuities worse then ten in the hundred How to redresse such abuse Restitution Iob. 31.16 Prou. 3.29 Prou. 21.15 The 9. commandement To reioyce in our neighboure credit 3. Iohn 2. Gal. 5.26 1. Thess 5.14 Sorrow for their infirmities Hope the best Ephes 2.5 1. Cor. 6.11 Matth. 7.1 Tit. 3.2 To couer faults Leuit. 19.17 Iam. 5.20 Rebuke Not to disclose vnmeete secrets Note Not to speake of faults Matth. 18.15 1. Cor. 1.11 Pro. 14.25 To defend his credit Act. 26.15 To giue testimonie Take all in best part Matth. 1.19 Iohn 13.28 Luk. 7.39 We should censure our selues Not too credulous Matth. 10.17 To note out euill men Act. 2.40 Tit. 3.2 Pro. 15.1 The tenth commaundement
but this which I say is the lesse beleeued and regarded seeing many and those as great sinners as most others are as merie or at least as farre from any wound or sting of conscience as any which a man would thinke were not like to be if they were in such depth of miserie Let them know they haue little to take comfort in that for as I haue said this is so with some because they neither know nor beleeue this but they lie in ignorance and vnbeliefe and therefore neither suspect nor feare any such thing and so it is with all the world vntill they haue knowledge by the law and Paul sheweth that it was so with him till the law reuealed it to him for so he saith Rom. 7.8 I once was aliue before the Lawe that is I thought myselfe in most perfect safetie euen through this ignorance I say and vnbeliefe it is that this which I haue sayd lieth as dead and not a man of a thousand dreameth of or is feared with any such matter And this is furthered by the vnskilfulnesse and carelesnesse of the Ministers who as the Lords watchmen should awake their people out of their deepe and deadly sleepe when they yet haue oft-times healed the hurt of the daughter of Gods people with sweete words saying peace peace when there is no peace Ierem. 6.14 For with such as by the loue and labour of their faithfull teachers haue been wisely plied and followed it may be seene to be otherwise and there ye may find many though all take not good thereby which haue knowledge of and beleeue these things which bewrayeth the blindnes and bondage of the rest almost the whole world who would laugh out and mocke at this doctrine and make al beleeue that there is no such matter But I haue bin long in this I will now proceede to the next point and shew further how God worketh in him whom he will saue when he hath brought him thus farre The second worke they consult in this case what to doe AFter that he seeth by the doctrine which hee hath heard how the case standeth with him namely that he is guiltie before God of eternall punishment and wrath and seeth not how to escape the same hanging ouer him the Lord directeth him and guideth his heart to enter into further consideration with himselfe of and about his present estate and consulteth what to doe in that his extremitie Neither doth he this lightly or houerly as many after he hath heard the necessitie of that dutie taught him and the same earnestly vrged vnto him but mindeth it seriously and goeth about it as a matter of life and death That God thus moueth him to deliberate in so weightie and doubtfull a case no man neede to call it into question when nothing is well done without it in earthly matters of any moment where the wit of man is the chiefe or only agent and dealer For we know that rashnes doth nothing well how much more then may we think that God will not suffer him whom he meaneth to bring to so great honour as the assured hope of saluation is to goe about it without due regard and consideration especially he dealing by ordinary meanes where they may be had and come by But that he entreth into consultation what to doe it is euident by that the Prophet Ieremy saith with a vehement complaint when the people were called to repentance and the Prophet waited to see what fruit should follow that there was none that said What haue I done that is none entred into consultation about the matter Therefore it is said that the prodigall sonne who resembleth most rightly the sinner and in his returning home to his father resembleth the penitent sinner in turning to God that he did before that come to himselfe and say How many hired seruants in my fathers house haue bread enough and I die for hunger Which what other thing was it then to consider and deliberate what he were best to doe And the Steward questioning with himselfe what to doe when hee was warned to giue an account of his stewardship doth plainly teach this Besides all that hath been said if the godly who had fallen could not repent before they remembred and considered their fall and from whom they were fallen as we reade of the Church of Ephesus and Peter before he wept bitterly remembred the words of Iesus and how he had transgressed against them Vpon all these considerations let vs not doubt but that God draweth his to consult about their estate what they should doe being in anguish and distresse of mind And that they may looke for little good to come of their casting downe and sorrow which by the law is conceiued in them if they doe not in the most serious manner as they be able and as the case requireth thinke and deliberate about it And therfore they whom God watcheth ouer if they be not able to counsel themselues yet the Lord guides them to aske counsell of others as the forementioned example in the Acts and of the woman of Samaria doth teach And in what manner hee doth this what thoughts he hath about the same is not hard to coniecture but euen as other in the same estate mentioned in the Scripture doe testifie namely what he is to doe and whether there bee any hope how hee was bewitched to come to that estate what he hath lost and depriued himselfe of in this his estrangement from God by following and seeking his owne will and foolish libertie he seeth an end is come of the cursed race which he hath runne and that little time which he hath yet remaining will also full soone be gone His delights iests merrie conceits dreames and vaine hope that hee had of long life of promotion increase of riches of good cheere with his companions or such like alas they are gone he is ashamed to thinke what deceiueable pleasures they were And as for safetie and sound peace he seeth how farre off from them he is He seeth that his former life will be called to an account and is alreadie And although he thinketh of delaies excuses or other vaine shifts and deceiuing of himselfe yet he seeth that these cannot put away the deadly remembrance of his wofull estate especially when hee considereth that God will not be mocked nor his word be frustrate which hath bewraied his miserie He will therefore consult no longer with flesh and bloud as he hath done but putteth away all fleshly and carnall shifts and holds and by Gods gracious direction taketh counsell by the knowledge that hee hath and considereth that no man can come to Christ if the heauenly father draw him not by his spirit And therefore although the sorrow of hypocrites vanisheth away and commeth to nothing yet by Gods gracious working in him it becommeth an occasion of humbling and breaking of heart vnto him and of much other good as
may serue and the people be so blockish they say that nothing will enter into them yet the well aduised will not refuse to heare and weigh the rule of S. Paul to Timothie that attendance should be giuen to teaching and that they should be readie to doe that dutie in season and out of season and to put the people in minde of the same daily though they know this thing as well as to attend to reading priuately to make them fitter for that dutie Christ hath laid no weightier busines vpon them calling it the pawne of their loue to him to whom he hath giuen this charge to this end that this may be well and throughly done and the rather seeing the people depend vpon them They will also consider that the people haue many infirmities much dulnes slipperie memories and sundrie other pulbackes all which doe shew the necessitie of often teaching The which being so I professe with griefe it astonisheth me oft when I thinke of the too great slacknes and vnwillingnes of many who haue gifts that they hearing and knowing that he who hath an office must attend vpon it and againe that woe is pronounced to them who doe it not and that as they loue Christ they should feede his lambes and his sheepe and also that the flocke dependeth vpon them Yet that they can be content to take the commoditie and to refuse the labour and as some doe count it too base a thing to discharge that dutie But howsoeuer they can easily shift it off before men they shall not be able to answere it with peace to God But yet where this is remedied there may be lets enough on the Ministers behalfe to hinder the hearers yea though they should be willing to be taught from comming by faith As if he should teach often and yet doe not carefully acquaint himselfe with the peoples weakenes and want in conceiuing the doctrine which is to bee deliuered vnto them but should speake aboue their reach little to their vnderstanding and conceiuing and consequently little to their edifying There is nothing more like to hurt the people then such a kinde of teaching when they shall haue a learned man to preach vnto them whereby they are readie to thinke their case farre more happie then others and yet they shall not be able thereby to receiue light edification in faith and godlines and sound comfort that is not easie and plaine to them which he himselfe vnderstandeth Although it were to be wished that some things were not put foorth by them to the people which they themselues haue not tried by the Scripture and cleerely seene into of the speakers before they vttered them I vtter not this to grieue any of my brethren who desire to doe good in the Church of God hauing receiued gifts of God thereunto but to put all in minde to labour to be vnderstoode as well as to speake the truth And that some may more especiallie know that the neglecting of plaine speaking is a chiefe cause of little fruite of their labours it neede not be taken heauilie for I know men of singular learning and gifts who haue already much altered the manner of their teaching framing themselues to the diligent hearers capacitie and more and more desire to doe the same daily rather then to be commended for learned men of them which neither conceiue nor vnderstand them Yet my meaning is not to nourish or perswade to rude absurd and barbarous teaching which were more fit to make them which should teach ridiculous and the Scriptures themselues without authority or credit as also to mocke the people but that by their plainenes in the euidence of the spirit reuerence might be procured to their Ministerie among the hearers and that their doctrine might be approued in their consciences which is approued of the Lord as being drawne from his word and easilie conueied to their vnderstandings that so they may proue that they preach with power and authoritie and not as the Scribes There is but one thing more which in my iudgement doth hinder profiting on the teachers behalfe and that is when by Catechising the chiefe grounds of faith be not briefely and cleerely taught in right and good order the one depending vpon or following the other as they ought by fit coherence and agreeing together that the people may see the way cleerely to saluation and thereby they may the better make profit of their whole Preaching and Ministerie also As that repentance be not required of the people before faith that faith be not warranted to be in the people when they see no neede thereof by their sinne and miserie because it is cleere that they can finde no sweetnes in Christ who feele not their sinnes bitter and sower Also that a man be taught that he no sooner beleeueth then he is made a new creature and so is changed in heart and in life and that the new borne desire to growe by the sincere milke of the Word It were a great furtherance to their Ministerie if where the grounds of Religion be plainely and soundly taught the Minister did by conference and questioning in his Catechising and by examination at Communions trie how the doctrine is receiued seeing for want of this a better opinion being conceiued of many by the teacher then he knoweth cause why they are vnsound in many necessarie things who yet for their often hearing are thought to be ignorant of no necessarie poynt of knowledge which the Minister hath often taught It were much to be wished that the Minister who is willing to take this paine for it is tedious and vnwelcome to many might haue authoritie to proue such as heare him how they profit as well to build vp those which are weake the better when he seeth wherein their want is greatest as also to purge out the leauen of Poperie and other errors ouf of them which are infected therewith Whereby also this benefit might come that if any sculking Iesuits or Priests or other Papists or heretikes should creepe into any of their Parishes and Townes they might by the diligent care of the Minister well furnished with knowledge and authoritie be remoued or reclaimed And otherwise the people being neuer proued how they haue receiued the truth neither by authoritie inioyned to be subiect to triall of their soundnes as well as to resort to the assemblie doe through custome lye hardened in their ignorance and superstition and still remaine wilfull in their old dregges A Minister able and painefull through loue in few necessarie points iointly laid together labouring with the people to make a sufficient Catechisme might be well assured that he should call so many to the fellowship of the pretious faith as God had appointed there vnto eternall life and without this it is found too true that much preaching doth the lesse good as shall appeare better vnto such as list
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
haue experience of his grace working in them which otherwise they should not haue had I cannot more liuely compare the malice of Sathan in this case then to one who thrusting thorough his enemie and purposing to kill him doth thereby let out the vlcer and corruption out of his bodie and so preserue him After the same manner is it with Gods children much priuie pride remaineth yet and much secret fauouring of and bearing with themselues is in them which is like to worke them great sorrow and daunger the diuell therefore sore thrusting at them and seeking to wound them with the feare of Gods anger because of their sinnes or some especiall fall doth thereby purge that corruption out of them by their seeing and confessing forsaking the same preuenting and watching against it afterward and resorting vnto God by prayer of faith for pardon thereof and that in earnest sort so that they doe or may thereupon obtaine it And thus we may see that euen then when Gods seruants are mastered of their affections and in fighting against them are found the weaker yet euen those falles of theirs doe turne to their exceeding good afterwards And therefore it is not their vndoing when any such thing falleth out as for want of faith and experience many doe often feare But yet let this which I say be wisely receiued that to the true beleeuers it shall thus come to passe and not els least any hearing this should after he hath fallen be little carefull to rise vp againe in such manner as I haue shewed and yet thinke all should bee well with him notwithstanding which is not possible Thus by occasion of this obiection I haue bin longer then I had purposed in this matter By this it may appeare that how vnskilful soeuer the Christian beleeuer was and as vnable as he was vnskilfull to renounce his ignorant and sinfull lusts before the Lord became his teacher yet since that he taught him to fight he hath growne expert in that spirituall battell whereas others who haue not beleeued truly shall find it is as possible for a black Moore to chaunge his skinne or the Cattamountaine her spots as for a man accustomed to euill to leaue it As Christ said of the rich man It is as easie for a camell to goe thorough the eye of a needle as for a rich man to enter into the kingdome of heauen so no more can a wicked man renounce his course for the wisedome of the flesh that is of man vnrenued is an enemie to God because it neither is nor can be subiect vnto him If this were throughly setled in mens hearts that there is no dramme of goodnes in them by which they might be able to turne from their former wicked waies but that their carnall wisedome and reason to the which they most cleaue doe hinder and hold them backe from it whereby it commeth to passe that it is so hard for them to renounce al that which is euill would they not thinke it worth all labour and trauaile to come by it who now are content to be deceiued in thinking that they haue it and yet are vtterly without it Neither can this bee otherwise with them whiles their hearts are vntamed and remaining in their old estate but when they be indued with new qualities they shall finde this both possible and easie as hath been said to commaund their lusts and desires which were sometimes vnruly and haue them in subiection by little and little CHAP. 6. Of the diuers kinds of euill to be renounced and namely of inward against God and men BVt to proceed as we haue seene in what manner sinne is to be renounced so let vs now consider the diuers kindes of euill which are to be renounced before we lay foorth the good fruits and duties which proceed from the same And these kindes of euill are of two sorts either inward or outward And to speake distinctly of them that I may proceede we are taught that in the godly life in whomsoeuer it be found the lusts and concupiscences which reigne throughout the world and make them whom they rule to be as bruite beasts these corrupt lusts I say with all other such defilements of our actions are in the godly life renounced according to the light which we haue to discerne thē yea the faithful desire to abstaine from thē as men who haue receiued another manner of spirit then the men of the world and therfore can take vp their delight in better things and who know the hurt which these vnruly euils bring with them whatsoeuer shew of pleasure they offer And although all haue conflicts with them and doe not hold them vnder in a like measure yet of the weakest of Gods children they are hated and striued against when they are once seene and perceiued But by these inward euils I meane not the natiue infection of the heart for of this I haue spoken before but the fruits hereof namely the wandring noisome blind thoughts fleshly desires and worldly lusts which arise from the hart so infected which are contrarie to the commaundements of God and tending directly to the destruction of them who bring them foorth So that as the hands feete and eyes be the members of the bodie and doe whatsoeuer the bodie hath need of euen so these are the members and as the armes feete and eyes of the heart and execute and performe whatsoeuer it desireth And although they are so many that no man can number them euen as the fountaine of the heart is so deepe that no man can gage it yet because they are much vnknowne I will giue some helpe in the vnderstanding of them and so much the rather because they being vnknowne many neuer mislike their liues neither are ashamed nor wearie of them though they bee stained shamefully with them and so become most abominable And first the roote of all the rest is vnbeleefe when a man not giuing sound credit to the word of God and the holie Scriptures dareth be bold to harbour the same whatsoeuer is forbidden in them From hence growe out euen in those which professe three armes or boughes of the which euery one shooteth forth as branches innumerable worldly lusts first impious against God second iniurious to men and the third sort most properlie concerning themselues As touching the maiestie of God as mens hearts are full of blindenes and couered with darkenes so it goeth against them to be taught the true knowledge of the true God it is death to them to be drawne out of their ignorance they cannot abide to heare of his iudgement day they would there were none they rebell against the spirituall and true seruing of God and that which they yeeld him is a will worship euen that which phantasie custome or fleshlie wisdome teacheth them And whereas he requireth that confidence should be
Christ Iesus so loueth vs that he is readie to doe any thing which is expedient for vs because of the great fauour that he beareth vs whereby we are made able also and in whom we can doe all things as shall be expedient for vs. For as nothing can separate it from vs so he thinketh nothing too good or too pretious for vs. So that he into whose heart his loue is shed plentifully is perswaded that as he hath saued him from the greatest daunger of hell so he will much more saue him from the smaller of being ouercome of his corrupt lusts and that he who hath bestowed by free graunt and sure promise the greatest benefit vpon him namely the kingdome of heauen will not denie him the smaller that is grace to liue Christianly here on earth For he that hath giuen vs Christ by whom we haue the former how shall he not with him giue vs other things also And if not as we would yet that is best which he giueth Now for the other part of the obiection that Paul himselfe did not finde grace to ouercome the rebellion of the old man that is his corrupt nature I say it is true that fullie and perfectly he did not to the end that he might alwaies haue a marke of his vnworthines and sin remaining in him and thereby remember that it was of only mercie that he was pardoned and the grace of God that kept him from falling away from him And for both these causes that he might be abased and kept humble vnder so great grace as hee had receiued in regard whereof he had as he confesseth himselfe been exalted and lifted vp aboue measure and last of all that he might from time to time finde sweetnes still in the forgiuenes of his sinnes But although he was not perfect here as an Angell yet was he not caried of his lusts into grosse iniquitie as some dreame because he cried out and complained I am carnall solde vnder sin O wretched man that I am And it was necessary that he should mislike and be grieued with the smallest rebellion or resistance of goodnes and with some vnfitnes to his calling which he felt sometimes and to other good duties but yet Gods grace was sufficient to keepe him that he fell not into that depth that he might haue done But I haue in effect answered this alreadie by another occasion Now to applie this to our selues and not to bee glutted with it as many are I say that wee likewise through the same grace in our measure may looke with good cheere to bee deliuered from the yeelding to our wicked lusts which most dangerously incumber vs as hee was from his wee being resolued that our most louing father for the tender care hee hath ouer vs is alwaies looking downe from heauen and beholding who is vpright hearted towards him how weake soeuer that he may shew himselfe strong towards him and thereby supplie his weaknes And thus the desire to keepe a godly course being soundly planted in vs and the same proceeding from faith also who doubteth but that it may haue strength to doe such outward duties as are required though weakly to endeuour at least which God will accept though wee doe not alway preuaile ouer such strong corruptions as oftentimes for want of such grace doe master vs. But in thus speaking I shew what Gods children may confidently looke for not what euery one obtaineth And except the sinne of incontinencie against the which God hath prouided a lawfull remedie wee haue both promise from God and wee by the power of our faith doe inioy such victorie ouer other sinnes as whereby wee may walke without iust reproofe amongst men and keepe our peace toward him also this being added that when we are craftily deceiued by the vncessant malice of the diuel although not without our owne slouth sleepines and securitie we haue accesse as in time past and recourse to God by the meanes of our aduocate and doe recouer our hope and hold againe Thus I haue shewed how they who haue a will and good desire may look for strength also to performe in some good sort the duties which seeme so difficult and impossible to them so that they neede not be greatly troubled with that obiection howsoeuer there are many and those also fauourers of Christian religion who neuer finde nor feele the same But because many of Gods deare seruants finde it not thus oft times neither are able to say that they feele this but contrarily doe complaine that their life is full of disquietnes for that they cannot ouercome the force of anger impatience raging frowardnes and such like neither liue godly to their contentation although they desire it because I say these may be discouraged by this doctrine I would haue them vnderstand that I haue not in the former answere to the last obiection set downe what euery godly Christian doth or shall feele as I said before but what God of his bountifull liberalitie hath prouided that they may feele and find and how their estate may be bettered and their spirituall libertie enlarged Besides many good people doe not know this in a long time what God hath bequeathed them nay many of them neuer know one of the many sweet liberties and priuiledges of Gods children but only receiue so much light from the father of light and therefore are rightly called the children of light as whereby they see the way to his kingdome and according to the knowledge they haue of his will thereafter they declare and shew it forth in their liues but nothing as they might and as some others doe Now to proceede to the other vertues which further our practise of a godly life such as receiue and desire to attaine to the grace which I haue spoken of that is to be more sound and better setled in an holy course they are and must be glad with all their heart to be diligent and painefull in this worke of the Lord and to abide constant therein that they may by these two vertues adioyned nourish all good desires and holy endeuours after they be once planted in them and hold out the contrarie whilest they be not yet greatly troubled with them and set on worke their knowledge in such practise as it may well be seene whose seruants they are This diligence and constancie in whatsoeuer they be vsed they bring great things to passe whether it be in any trade or in the searching out of things obscure and hard to be found out when only the light of reason is followed and who doubteth then but that in holy duties wherein men are guided by the spirit of God most excellent effects are brought forth of them Neither is any dutie indeed well performed without them for which cause S. Peter speaking of the godly life teacheth that all diligence must be added thereto Giue all
blessing receiued bee made more readily disposed to pray often with thanksgiuing And these are some of the chiefe duties to God and in such manner as is before mentioned they are to bee performed vnto him Now further we are commaunded not onely in his worship but also in our whole life euery where to seeke his glorie for so he hath willed vs that we should frame the whole course thereof holilie throughout the sixe daies that so we may glorifie him therein And who doth not see that this should be so namely that in our life and behauiour we should as well walke worthie the Lord in al things as in the worshipping of him both publikely and priuately as we haue been directed before That so there may be in these two commandements fully laid foorth vnto vs a summe of all outward duties which in the sixe daies we ought to performe vnto him and in the due practise of both we may shew foorth the fruite of that knowledge acknowledgement faith feare and loue of God and all other inward graces which we haue bin taught to honour him with in our hearts by the first commandement Therfore as I said the duties inioyned vs in this third doe most fitly go with those of the two former that not onely in the time of preaching and prayer and such like exercises of religion but also in our common and vsuall speech and actions we declare what a worthie and reuerend estimation wee haue of the Lord as by speaking all good of his name word and workes and in our lawfull callings by ordering and behauing our selues wisely and graciously that al which liue with vs may see that our religion is ioyned with the power of godlines And that this bee done of vs in all estates and conditions of our life both in prosperitie and aduersitie and that as many as wee can preuaile with our owne familie and charge especially wee labour to perswade vnto the same yea and if wee at any time fall by infirmitie yet that wee acknowledge the same as cause requireth and so returne to the Lord againe as Iosua exhorted Achan to doe To be short Whether we eate or drinke or whatsoeuer we doe els all is to be done to the glorie of his name And in mentioning the commonest of our actions as our eating and drinking he excepteth none to the end that wee may carie our selues in a staied and well ordred course continually whilest wee shew that in the smallest matters and in our actions which seeme least weightie we be afraid to offend as in our common talke that it be sauourie and for edifying And seeing we vse the name of God very oft both in our common speech and particularly in an oth his mercie iustice wisedome and power are to moue our hearts as oft as we haue cause to speak of him with all high reuerence to vse the same But more especially when iust occasion of swearing by him is offered wee should diligently consider the person of the Lord how he is a reuenger of all such as take his holy name in vaine and the matter it selfe about which wee sweare that wee doe it in truth in righteousnes and iudgement In truth so that whatsoeuer be affirmed or denied may truly and for certaintie be affirmed or denied and whatsoeuer be vowed or promised be promised and vowed without fraud and simplie In righteousnesse that there bee a iust cause of our swearing and that which is agreeable to the will of God In iudgement that it bee done aduisedly not lightly or rashly but that we may take comfort in performing that great dutie aright namely that wee haue made knowne the truth which being made knowne by vs hath cut off some great doubt and controuersie And so should wee in the beholding of the workes of God as the firmament with the Sunne Moone and Starres the earth with her furniture as the corne grasse trees and her large prospect take sweete feeling of Gods Maiestie and beautie which shineth in them reioycing with reuerence that he hath giuen vs this cleere glasse to behold his face in although this wee must know that in all these inferiour creatures and workes of his wee see not any part of his throne but onely some part of his footstoole which should moue vs therefore in all our actions to beware of hypocrisie Seeing therefore we haue daily vse of these I thought good to make mention of them yet in as few words as I could so large matters how wee ought to vse them let the residue bee learned by ordinarie hearing those who being furnished with gifts fit for this purpose are appointed of God to make his people sound and skilfull in them that they may shew to the world that the honouring of God as it is set foorth in his word is another manner of life then the world is acquainted with and so bringeth another manner of honour to him and comfort to men then the imbracers and louers of the world can be partakers of Thus I haue spoken of the behauiour which inwardly and outwardly both in Gods holie worship and in our whole conuersation towards God directlie we are to shew in the whole sixe daies throughout our life That which followeth next is that part of holines obedience which is to be giuen to the Lord one day in seauen Nothing differing from all the three former sauing that all our owne workes though lawfull on other daies are on this day as much as is possible to be laid aside that is except in case of necessitie and the whole day to be bestowed in his worship and seruice and in things directly tending to the same So that by vertue of this part of Gods honour we are not restrained from our sinne onely which we are forbidden euery day but from common labour also which is an hinderance from the consecrating of the whole day vnto God And therefore lawfull workes being forbidden we may assure our selues that much more he condemneth the intermixting of vaine and foolish Enterludes and Playes with such like misspending of the time and the filling of mens mouthes as well as their heads with worldly cares and dealings to too common on that day although not tolerable on other But because the Lord knoweth how prone and readie we are to wearines of well doing therefore he hath not onely appointed some part of this day to be passed in publike and other some in priuate exercises of godlines but also he hath giuen vs great varietie of both sorts that so the whole time may be bestowed without tediousnes and toyle euen from our preparing our selues to the sanctifying of it at our vprising vnto the last duties at our lying downe which mercifull and wise regarde of his ouer vs if it cannot mooue vs to giue our selues to practise this part of holines whatsoeuer our excuses be we plainely shew that our mindes are earthly
and carnall and that we doe but fauour our selues in worldlines or profanenes idlenes and ease when we reason against it as being too precise The publike duties are the reuerent assemblies of Christians in the preaching of the word in prayer and administring of the sacraments on that day especially to be vsed howsoeuer on other dayes by occasions oft intermitted All of them are most blessed helps for the establishing of vs in an holy life Of the priuate some doe particularly concerne our selues alone some are as well for the benefit of others as for our owne comfort for our selues we are to meditate on the works of God vpon his wonderfull workes which he hath done for the sonnes of men that so we may feele his goodnes many waies and from the sweetnes which we perceiue in the creatures we may be lifted vp to behold the beautie and fauour of the creatour We are also to thinke of the doctrine which we haue heard that it may the easilier be imprinted in vs. And on this day we are more freely to consider of our estate how we proceede in the religious keeping of our couenant with God and how we grow in the assurance of Gods mercie and our redemption or whether we goe not backe or stand not at a stay And euery way as our neede shall most require we are to vse our examinings of our selues meditations and thanksgiuings on this day not only for our present comfort but for our more fruitfull walking all the weeke following Conference of good things tendeth as well to the edifying of others as our selues Beside the which there are other duties to be don to them as to do the workes of mercie to them as well in visiting them in their sickenes releeuing their necessities breaking off their disagreements and reconciling them who were at variance as in spirituall comfortings of them as God doth inable vs. And these al laid together are as a continuall direction for the holy vse of the Sabboth to vs euen as the daily direction which I shall adde afterwards is to serue a Christian daily as long as he shall liue for the profitable and heauenly spending of the Sabboth is the market of the soule in the which he who is wise will prouide and store himselfe for all the other dayes of the weeke wherein it is like he shall haue little helpe but much discouragment as in the world may be seene And this holy passing of the Sabboth must be religiously regarded of al the Christian family as the charge giuen to the gouernor thereof doth shew and of the stranger also who shall come vnder his roofe This is the sum of the holines which we are to shew towards God he that desireth to heare more fully of this matter which I may not handle at large let him reade such treatises as are written of that argument CHAP. 16. Of certaine duties to men in the fift sixt and seuenth commaundement the obeying whereof is a part of the godly life NOw followeth another branch of the second part of this godly or Christian life requiring of vs righteous dealing towards all men Where by the way this is to be carefully regarded that seeing there is an apparant distinction and difference betwixt those forenamed duties of holines to God and these of righteousnes to men which shal follow and yet both alike commaunded therefore that no man disioyne in his practise or separate the one from the other seeing the Lord hath set them downe ioyntly together I speake this because there are many who delighting in hearing the word preached and prayer and reading which are duties directly appertaining to God yet are very negligent in performing that which is due to men as in doing workes of charitie to the poore liuing peaceably and comfortably in mariage or in shunning hastie iudging of their brethren and in being dutifull to superiours as magistrates parents maisters when yet they commaund in the Lord and so contrarily some shall be found doing many things commendable to men and no religion in them towards God Which thing if it be of ignorance is a shamefull blemish in them who are guiltie of it seeing they haue had so long a time graunted them of God in which they might haue learned better but if after it bee knowne it remaine still it plainely testifieth that there is in them a wilfull disobedience against God and that the best of their workes are in vaine And before I enter into the particular duties of righteousnes to all sortes of men it is here as in the fittest place to be taught which cannot be afterward so conueniently added That we haue this minde in vs that we beare loue towards all men euen our greatest enemies from which ground and roote of loue we may be readie to performe all the duties which we shall know to belong to them from vs required particularly in the commaundements following And secondly that we ioyne with it an other generall vertue which is brotherly kindnes to Christians which are brethren with vs which is an holy and especiall loue of one faithfull brother towards another And these two are those which Saint Peter speaketh of when he saith ioyne with brotherly kindnes loue where this vertue is they haue learned to giue euery one of the faithfull their brethren according to the knowledge wherewith God hath inlightened them the seuerall duties required in the second table A rare and singular gift of God which if we could see the practise of it what light of good example it giueth and what profit it would inflame vs wonderfully to the practising of it Now follow the seuerall parts of righteousnes to men as they are distinctly set downe in the sixe commaundements following to be performed of Christians and which helpe to make vp the second part of a godly life In all which although there are many more particular duties to be mentioned then were in the former part because we haue so many dealings and that with infinit persons yet I will set them downe with the like breuitie as neere as I can that I haue done the duties of holines to God leauing the reader to learne the other as I haue said before by other ordinarie meanes And first the dutie which men owe as they are inferiors to others and the superiors to them againe come here to be considered both generally and one particularly towards another Where this is required of all inferiours that they so carry themselues in their whole course to them which by Gods appointment are aboue them or excell them that they may shew in their whole course that they honour them for so the will of God is not to require any one especiall action or dutie of them but that their whole conuersation be such towards them that the person which they take vpon them and the place wherein they are may haue more credit and estimation
them such as God will confirme vnto the end and to consider that they themselues had more neede to bee setled in the knowledge of the truth then to take vppon them to censure those which are wiser then themselues The dutie of the strong is to beare their infirmities neither to please themselues in the things which they doe but to build vp the weake and to vse their libertie aright seruing Christ therein and seeking the good and benefit of their neighbour which is done when for his sake they abstaine when neede is euen from things lawfull and then it is necessarie when their weake brother by their example is led to doe that which he hath no warrant of and therefore his conscience is defiled and wounded thereby and so he waxeth the more backward in the seruice of God But besides these gifts in the stronger sort such as God hath beautified with any gifts which others doe want ought to bee had in honour and account for the same and not saucily and proudly to be contemned for by such God helpeth forward the welfare of those who do want the same And namely the ancient in yeeres and gray-headed are of the yonger sort to bee esteemed and had in reuerence as Elihu hath giuen example in the booke of Iob who being in the companie of sage and graue men himselfe but yong did keepe silence a long space and when he spake he said he did so reuerence their age that he was afraid to speake And if wee can frame our selues to giue these duties to our betters and inferiours it shall be the easier to regard the dignitie and worthines of those which are our equals which in that one sentence of the Apostle is taught vs that when the case so standeth that we might seeme as worthie persons as others and not any thing inferiour to them in the iudgement of men yet let vs giue ouer our right vnto thē if it be any and in giuing honour to them go before thē And when we haue had experience of carefull practise in giuing this due to our neighbor we shall both perceiue our want and be ashamed to see how manifoldly wee sometime failed herein which without faithfull examining will neuer appeare by meanes of our secret selfeloue and what benefit wee haue of Christs righteousnes in this one commandement to couer our so great vnrighteousnes against it and thereby set our selues more earnestly to grow sound in the duties of it This point of humilitie is for good cause required of vs towards our neighbour that wee may the more readilie yeeld to other duties which follow And this of the duties which we owe to the person of our neighbour to the which if we adde this that wee be carefull to maintaine our owne reuerence and credit among men by a course beseeming our holy profession we shall doe well Now we are to see what God inioyneth vs towards their life To name the duties onely and barely to mention them doth little good to the most that shal reade them either for vnderstanding or practising of them and to stand long I may not the least that can be said of the particular duties in euery commaundement though breuitie bee studied for is more then I meant to bee occupied about the wise reader must haue consideration thereof The duties to their liues are many and those both to the bodily life and the spirituall From whence wee must fetch for our daily practise all that wee are bound to performe about this part of dutie And to the preseruing of bodily life health and welfare in our neighbour as much as lieth in vs it is required at our hands first that he sustaine no hurt by vs or any of ours as farre as we can hinder it in stripe wound bitter taunt or hard handling any other way either he or his whereby his life might be made vnpleasant while he liueth harmelesse amongst vs nay though he should ouershoote himselfe towards vs and prouoke vs yet God will haue vs armed against such offences by that mildnes of spirit which changeth our boisterous nature into sweete amiablenes verifying that which is written by the Prophet the lambe and the lion shall feed together Esai 11.6 whereby we are made able and fit to liue euen with bad persons Which mildnes teacheth vs to beare much and suffer farre rather then to bee angrie in our owne cause which how weightie soeuer it seemeth to vs is no better then follie and madnes therefore not to desire reuenge at their hands but to wish still their good And for our owne parts wisely and carefully both in words and in deeds to auoide and cut off all occasions of discord yea though it be with the forgoing of some part of our right as Abraham did to Lot and to procure peace so farre as it may be without offence to God or the hindring of our own saluation and taking al things in good part as far as possibly we may Oh how much doth he comfort the life and glad the heart of his neighbour whose earnest endeuour it is to liue thus with all men though it be a gift of God which should shine euen in the rich themselues as the Apostle sheweth saying Charge them which are rich in this world that they be not high minded but easie to be liued withall But yet is it further required at our hands that besides the hurting no man as hath been said we should doe them good And indeede such should our whole course be towards others that we might make easie as many mens burthens as we can seeing God in the riches of his mercie hath vnburthened vs of so intolerable weight as pressed vs by our sinne euen as he hath loued vs therefore so from hence it is that we haue loue one to another as to haue care of their life and welfare to maintaine it as their necessitie shall require and our abilitie can performe To manifest it in their miseries by pitying them and hauing a fellow-feeling of the same with them and so to testifie it both by words and deedes as our Sauiour by doing the the same in pitying the people who were dispersed as sheepe without a shepheard gaue vs example to doe the like And as their troubles and calamities shall be the greater so the more speedily to lend our helpe to them to ease them as much as in vs lieth That this may the better be conceiued and practised of vs we may take two examples for all the rest to shew it in for this being so needefull and that oftentimes I meane to shew mercie and so much complained of to be wanting I will stay a while in it The one is in the distressed case of seruants who if all hard measure being offered them they must yet not be suffered to answere for their innocencie their burthen should be great
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
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
to reape no fruite of it or being in suit of law wil lend his money to his aduersary to hold plea against him But such men are amongst vs I say not who take much paine to come to eternall life and yet are well inough content to goe without it For being louers of pleasures more then louers of God they knowe that they cannot haue it but as though the diuell were not strong enough to accuse and inchaunt them they doe negligently yea willingly offer him aduantage by keeping in a bad course though they know how to come out of it or grow worse and worse to their speedie confusion Or who is it which being warned out of his house yea and that in earnest manner will yet delay and neglect to seeke and prouide for himselfe till he be cast into the streete But concerning the matter which I deale in if mens prophane liues and slouthfulnes driuing off their repentance from day to day were but perpetuall beggery and going about all the dayes of their liues from doore to doore I would haue said nothing though it were pitifull to see any cast themselues into such misery but they sell themselues bondmen to hell without recouerie and are as stubble before the Lords wrath which is a fire to burne them and therefore it requireth more earnest calling vpon The Lord commended the vniust steward not for his particular act but because he had done wisely who when he had warning to be put out of his stewardship he prouided elsewhere to be receiued But such warning will not preuaile nor such wisdome fasten vpon these men vntill as they haue liued in pleasure and libertie of the flesh they die in sorrow and vtter bondage and so receiuing a iust recompence of their liues they finde though too late how true this is which I say And if this be the estate of many who yet doe commonly resort to heare Gods word who wil reade at home yea and haue praiers in their houses for this I am sure many of our countrie do whose case yet because I know I doe heartily bewaile for that the Christian life is not for all this aimed at almost in many of their actions good Lord what shall the estate of others be who come as farre behinde them as they doe behinde the best of Gods seruants euen those others I say who being the greatest part of the people are not troubled with any thought of God or diuell heauen or hell throughout the weeke but hauing their heads filled and their time continually taken vp in matters of the world and in hearing and telling newes and tales yet many of them nothing concerning themselues and leauing their callings doe busie themselues with other mens matters needlesly and spend many dayes in the weeke in idlenes prating vaine games and pastimes and cannot finde one houre in it to bethinke themselues of any account giuing to their heauenly Lord and maister though to that very end they are set here that once yet at last they might begin to returne vnto him But I haue taried longer about this matter then I meant Therefore leauing them who trouble not themselues greatly with godly exercises I will returne to such who are in profession and in shew farre before them and yet because they doe not hartily and faithfully seeke to be bettered I meane to be setled in a Christian life doe therefore reape no good by the meanes which they vse But some perhaps may thinke some hardnes in this speech and may obiect thus doe wee not therefore repaire to the word and vse good meanes to the end we may become faithfull and vpright and get good by them and haue not they who haue most profited in godlines attained vnto it hereby why then doe ye affirme they say and that to the discouragement of many that if our hearts be not reformed the meanes doe vs no good I answere that it is farre from my meaning to raise the least discouragement to any in whom if I knew but the smallest desire to be reconciled to God I would be most readie to cherish and to strengthen the same and he that exerciseth himselfe in reading hearing prayer God perswade him ten fold more if he desire to profit thereby neither doe I doubt but that such shall see in time to their great comfort that it is not in vaine to waite patiently on the Lord for a blessing vpon his own ordinance But this I say when men either thinke that they doe as much as they neede while they ioyne themselues to the exercises of religion and rest contented therein and see not that they are enemies to God vnder his curse and without faith and therfore without God in the world and see not their wants and emptines of grace how they are fraught with many sinnes vncontrolled and strong rebellions not restrained let not such looke to glorie in their meanes vsing their reioycing is not good their estate is wofull and that in no meane degree They may be said vnto as they of Laodicea were in the Reuelation by the holy Ghost Thou saist thou art rich and needest nothing and knowest not that thou art miserable and blinde and poore and naked I counsell thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire and eye-salue And marueile not that I haue said that such whose hearts are not purged by faith receiue no profit by the exercises of religion as might further be shewed by many more examples of Capernaum Corazin and Bethsaida For euen the deare children of God when they waxe wanton against the Lord and grow slouthfull in performing their duties to God or doe them in a sleighter manner then they sometime had done as he punisheth their transgressions other waies so doth hee this one way chastise them that they shall feele no sweetnes nor finde no sauour in the best things they shall doe or exercises of religion which they shall goe about And this it is that we heare many euen good people complaine of that they cannot profit at a Sermon their hearts are rouing elsewhere all the time almost of prayer reading is irkesome to them and they withdraw themselues euen from good companie All which with meditating about their estate were wont to bee the things wherein they tooke greatest delight and comfort what is the cause thinke wee that they are now become so contrarily minded Surely this they haue waxen wearie of their reuerent attending vpon God as all good things doth the flesh soone turne into wearines and begin after the manner of men with whom they liue to seeke their vnlawful libertie some way not being circumspect enough about y e keeping of the best things in price and estimation and when the Lord seeth this hee taketh from them the priuiledges which they enioyed before he dimmeth the light of their mindes that they see not so cleerely and shutteth vp their hearts that they
pride worldlines anger malice reuenge vniust dealing and lying that as euery man is more easily ouercome of or hurt by them more then of other sinnes so hee should haue a more continuall feare of them watchfulnes against them and bestow more time in seeking the rooting out of them that so the wealth and safetie of the whole life may be preserued when such noysome sores as did most of all impaire the same be cured But if men be either ignorant of this dutie or cannot be perswaded to set themselues to the entertaining of it and to get acquaintance with it they must looke to liue destitute of a chiefe part of godlines or if it be but now and then in some especiall actions and parts of our life regarded and looked vnto as it is done of them who are not greatly experienced in the practise of Christianitie it will make the godly life in great part to be bereaued both of her gaine and beautie Our hearts must not range where they list nor our delights bee fastned where we please but our eyes our tongues our eares hands feete and the whole powers of our mindes and members of our bodies must beholden within compasse In so much that if we see we haue but broken out of our constant course a little that our consciences begin to checke vs we should tremble to thinke what we haue done and feare alwayes for the time to come least we should offend We must watch when we are well to keepe well and when we haue been deceiued to returne speedily againe we must watch in trouble against triefnes and impatience in prosperitie against wantonnes and lightnes Iob. 31.1 If we could frame to this we should doe well enough as he that looketh to his foote in a slippery place shall not be hurt And if we may by watching ouer our selues haue our whole life in safety and welfare are we not worthie to smarte if we cannot doe so much for so great a benefit Therefore most worthily doe such suffer hardnes and sorrow who will in no wise be brought to take heede to their waies but cry out that it is precisenes and a kinde of death vnto them to be restrained from their noysome and dangerous liberties From whence ariseth boldnes and wilfulnes which cannot want much sinne But this watchfulnes doth God require to be in vs and to be accounted no tediousnes but had in high price and he that with an honest heart and good conscience submitteth himselfe hereunto he shall be able to proue by good experience that watchfulnes is a great meane to maintaine a godly life Thus much for the more plaine and full handling of this first priuate helpe called watchfulnes CHAP. 6. Of Meditation the second priuate helpe NOw followeth the second which is Meditation And that is when we doe of purpose separate our selues from all other things and consider as we are able and thinke of some poynts of instruction necessarie to leade vs forward to the kingdome of heauen and the better strengthening of vs against the diuel and this present euill world and to the wel ordering of our liues I say of purpose seeing we both must minde such things in good aduisednes and set our selues about them resolutely when we take them in hand that they may be done with more reuerence and profit and also seeing it falleth out for the most part that we seldome enter into meditation of heauenly things when we doe not intend them but are ledde by the obiects of our mindes eyes or eares an hundred waies amisse or if any good thought arise it is repelled by and by and goeth no further To proceede I say that when we meditate we ought to separate our selues from all company and troublesome occasions as our Sauiour commaundeth vs to doe when we pray priuately these two being companions as in our chamber priuatly or in the field or some commodious place that we may the better performe it the smallest occasions soone breaking vs off from such seruice of God And I say lastly that we must there set our minds on worke about the cogitation of things heauenly by calling to remembrance some one or other of them which we knowe and so debate and reason about the same that our affections may thereby be moued to loue and delight in or to hate and feare according to that which we meditate on so that we may make some good vse of it to ourselues And this spirituall exercise of meditation is euen that which putteth life and strength into all other duties and parts of Gods worship And this the holy Ghost reporteth of Isaac the Patriarke that he went out into the field toward the euening to meditate Which had not been commendable if he had not vsed so to doe seeing it is the right kinde of such holy duties to be oft in vse being taught of his father Abraham who was the friend of God and very familiar with him and therefore we may be sure had much communion and talke with him As also our father Enoch did who for proofe hereof is said in his whole life to haue walked with God And this are all such as desire to take any good by it to know that they must be acquainted throughly with this sweete and heauenly communing with the Lord and themselues which was called of the Fathers of ancient time their Soliloquie that is the talke which they vsed to haue alone by themselues That as men wearied desire rest so wee by the varietie and multiplicitie of busines in this world being troubled and distracted may seeke ease to our mindes by meditation For otherwise wee may muse and thinke vpon any good things and ponder our words and actions which wee doe to see them done aright which yet is not this kind of meditation that I now speake of but that watchfulnes mentioned before which is a warie regarding and taking heede to our waies in one thing after another Which yet the Prophet calleth meditation also as where he saith All the day long doe I meditate on thy word and in Iosua Thou shalt meditate day and night on the booke of the law which wee know could not be vnderstood of meditation by intermission of companie or other actions and busines but in their whole course a circumspect care and regard that they might bee done after the word And the matter of this our meditation may be of any part of Gods word on God himselfe his wisedome power his mercie or of the infinite varietie of good things which wee receiue of his free bountie also of his workes and iudgements or on our estate as our sinnes and the vilenes of our corruption that wee yet carrie about vs our mortalitie of the changes in this world or of our deliuerance from sinne and death of the manifold afflictions of this life and how wee may in best manner beare and goe through them and the benefit thereof
things as good Christians amongst men neither any other but such as doe know it would euer thinke that so much poyson could be inclosed in so narrow a roome as within the compasse of one silly man Oh the fruite and benefit which by our meditation and priuate prayer we reape is so great the spirit of God changing our hearts thereby from their daily course and custom more and more and bringing the heauenly life into more liking with vs and making it more easie and sweete which with the men of the world is so yrkesome and vnsauorie that none can well expresse or conceiue it but he which hath felt the same For by it God bringeth to passe that the sugred baites of earthly delights and transitorie pleasures of the world though Sathan kindleth an excessiue and an inordinate loue of them in vs become not deadly poison vnto vs as they doe to many the Lord teaching vs to see the painted vizor and deceiueable picture of them by looking into them throughly that we may beware of them And as the Scripture noteth how the men of God who are most commended there for their pietie as Moses Dauid Paul and others were much taken vp of this exercise so I dare boldly affirme that the most godly of our time may thanke God much for their acquaintance with it and much vse of it and others that are strangers to it how wise and forward soeuer they be in practise of Christian dutie should be much more purged and cleansed from euill if with their other seruices of God they were conuersant in this meditation ioyned with their priuate prayers and this secret talking with God and with their owne hearts And therefore although I looke not by this speech to perswade prophane men and such as are addicted and giuen ouer to the full inioying of their hearts desire in the things of this present world to regard this practise of musing yet my hope is that I shall easily preuaile with those Who haue been readie and willing long agone if they might haue had any plaine direction to teach them how to vse it to preuaile I say with them to haue it in greater reckoning for the neere and inward acquaintance which they may haue with God by it as by little and little they shall be inabled But the truth is indeede that it is new and strange to such as haue not been accustomed to it though people of good hope in somuch that when they heare by the word of God that such a dutie is required by him at their hands they are readie though it tend to their great benefit to reason against it as needles and too hard to be attained vnto contenting themselues to serue God without it rather then to imbrace it immediatly vntill they may see further into the necessitie benefit and possibilitie of it And for the first two how necessarie and profitable it is I haue shewed as also it will further appeare by that which followeth of the lettes which doe hinder it and the remedies against them And then I will shew how possible yea in time how easie it will become and then will the benefit and fruite thereof most chiefly appeare And concerning the letters how many and great soeuer they be before I speake of them I haue no doubt notwithstanding them by Gods assistance to make the way so easie and plaine to the true Christian to meditation in this treatise of and about it that by the same the difficulties and discouragements which doe most trouble them shall be remoued or at least weakned that howsoeuer some take no profit by it they shall haue the way shewed them in a few leaues which they also may learne in a few weekes to make good benefit of it which otherwise they may without helpe be voyde of for many yeares To say somewhat therefore of the impediments first which hold Gods people strangers from the vse of meditation with profit they are of two sorts For either they are such as hinder them altogether from going about or entring into it or else they keepe them from taking any good thereby although they set apart all other things of purpose that they may giue themselues for the time wholy thereto Of the former sort there are three The first is when a Christian knowing this dutie to be required of him goeth about it either in the morning as I here perswade if it may be or at any other conuenient time but he hath no matter in readines to meditate vpon he is emptie barren and vtterly to seeke about what to bestowe the time and his cogitations for although he hath heard many things in sermons and wanteth many graces which might driue him the rather to meditation the better to come by them and carrieth about many corruptions and hath receiued many blessings and mercies from God yet the diuell holdeth him as it were blinde forgetfull and his minde confounded it being occupied and taken vp vsually other waies amisse so that he can finde nothing to muse or consider vpon whereby he might season his heart Which when he seeth and thereby that he cannot proceede in the dutie which he hath been taught to performe and desireth also to doe the same he is exceedingly discouraged made heauie hearted and thereby the more hardly perswaded to goe about it any more but vnable to aske the way to redresse the same For they who are so snared and ouermatched by the diuell can hardly seeke remedy if any thing be amisse with them but leaue of altogether from the good in the which they perceiue themselues to be stopped which is cleane contrarie to the practise of the children of this world who are so wise in their kind that if they be disappointed and broken off from their purpose one way they will seeke the accomplishment of their desire many other waies rather then to be frustrated Now against this Let I haue set downe hereafter in this treatise a way to remedy it vnto the which I referre the reader that is to say certaine rules to helpe him to meditate and examples also to set him on worke yet least euery weake Christian should not be able sufficiently to direct himselfe this I adde further and more particularly that it shall be expedient for him principally to propound to himselfe as he is able these foure things till he shall be better able to helpe himselfe to muse of them First of his vnworthines vilenes and other his seuerall corruptions and sinnes Secondly of the greatnes of Gods bountie in forgiuing so many and subduing daily more and more the dominion of sinne and Sathan in him Thirdly he is to thinke how he may be guided through that present day after the rules of his daily direction especially those that seeme hardest to be followed both the well ordering of the heart and framing his life so farre as they agree with Gods word Fourthly let him meditate
the contrarie Furthermore the workes which must of necessitie be done daily are to carry our selues both in prosperitie and vnder all blessings rightly that is cheerefully thankfully and fruitfully and in our afflictions patiently and with contentation And who doth not know that these both should bee daily For first that praises and thanksgiuing in our prosperitie are required to be daily as long as that estate abideth consider what the psalmist saith my tongue shall talke of thy righteousnes daily Psalm 71.24 and that meant Saint Iames Chap. 5.13 In our prosperitie to sing praises and Saint Paul wishing vs to giue thankes in all things bringeth vs to the same dutie euery day And although the word daily be not there mentioned and where he saith reioyce in the Lord alwayes Phil. 4.4 yet who doubteth that he can meane any lesse then this when hee saith in all things euen such as come to passe daily and euery day and yet euen this word daily is in other Scripture vsed For as the mercies of God are renewed daily vpon his so Gods people are in the example of the man of God whose praise is so great in the Scripture taught that as they enioy them euery day so they are euery day to sound forth his praise thankfully and cheerefully as such who feele and acknowledge thereby the exceeding sweetenes of Gods louing kindnes and benefits and that is to make the true and right vse of them And as daily praises are to be offered for benefits so must the patient and right bearing of afflictions bee daily also and earnest prayers to God made for the remouing of them as we reade the Prophet Daniel did daily and three times in the day Dan. 6.10 But about afflictions God requireth these two things of vs the one that we should prepare and make readie our selues to beare them as from him in such quiet manner as that we be not vnsetled nor troubled at the heart by them when we heare of them the other that when they come we shew our selues to be such indeede and through the incouragement which we haue from him we submit our selues euen as our necke vnto the yoke willingly to goe vnder them Now though no wise man doubts but that Gods meaning is that we should be patient and obedient in one as well as another and one time as well as an other yet that it may plainely be seene it is to be knowne that both these are giuen vs in commandement euery day For first God hath taught vs in the fourth petition giue vs this day our daily bread so to pray for all things needefull to this present life as his most wise prouidence seeth meetest and best for vs and therefore if he in wisedome doe see afflictions fit for vs though we are not to pray for them we offer our selues readie to receiue them and take them as a part of our daily bread or else we vnderstand not what God teacheth vs to pray for nor what we offer to him in making that prayer For we desire of God in it blessing fit for the time wherein we are euery day and therefore not onely in peace and prosperitie the blessing of thankes c. but vnder affliction patience contentation and such like graces euen the thing of the day in the day as Agur saith that is euery thing in his time and as the time requireth For in prosperitie the time requireth one blessing in affliction another that so wee may hang on God euery moment By this it may bee seene that Christians ought euery day to prepare for troubles and that is a speciall part of their dutie in the day The other thing about afflictions is that wee beare them willingly when they come euery day And this is that which our Sauiour Christ teacheth when he saith he that will come after me must deny himselfe and take vp his crosse daily and this is an other part of our dutie in the day so needfull to be looked vnto as none more So that God hath taught his that whether their life be incombred with afflictions or whether it be passed in the vse commodities and benefits they shall in both estates learne of him how to be directed daily Yea and to shut vp this poynt and make it more full not onely euery day he hath directed vs how to liue in both estates but euen through the day also according to that which is written by Moses in Deuteronomie The beloued of the Lord shall dwell in safetie vnder his protection all the day long When Christ saith watch and pray least ye fall into temptation what day or part of the day doth he warrant vs to be free from daunger without these meanes as experience also sheweth By these things which I haue now spoken of namely daily to be giuen to euery good worke and to looke to our selues that both in prosperitie and aduersitie we be daily well ordered we see that a Christian may be able to gouerne himselfe safely through the day although hee had no further direction But yet more particularly the word of God doth direct them how to passe the day in their calling in company alone by themselues and consequently in all the actions of the day Which because I haue appointed afterward to prooue it and would auoyde tediousnes in not repeating it againe I will deferre it till I come to the more particular handling of the daily direction But yet the meanes and helps whereby a godly life is preserued daily as I promised before and least I should not so particularly handle them in the direction following I will in few words set downe and shew how God hath inioyned so many of them as doe necessarilie helpe to the practise of godlines daily to be vsed and though not the same yet one or other as prayer meditation exhorting one another praise and thankes attending to the publike meanes of the word daily as oft as we may inioy it These meanes God doth not onelie inioyne daily to bee vsed but also in such wise as he who weigheth how the commaunding of them daily to be vsed goeth with the commaunding of the godlie life daily to be continued by the helpe of them shall cleerelie see that God meant not coldlie and ceremoniouslie to haue them performed of vs but that of them both a true and holie seruing of him daily should bee framed that so we might be one daie as another and not fickle and chaunging alwaies as otherwise we must needes be For prayer and praises in Dauids example thrise in the day we are taught to offer them besides occasions at other times of the daie which a man that looketh well to his waies shal finde to be many Watchfulnes which is a due considering of our waies a taking heede to them is required to be through the daie and all the daie long not on some more then other
case of many much lesse doe they one daie as well as another keepe an euen course for they omitting their care any one daie are the easilier brought to the like securitie many daies after Which men although I denie not but in some of their actions and at some time doe honour God highly and performe many duties well and that is for the most part when they haue been quickned by the preaching of the word or their owne meditation and prayer or reading c. yet they being vsually carried by such libertie taking to themselues farre out of the way doe pull downe againe that which they had builded and cause their holy profession to be ill spoken of and the former commendation of them to become ridiculous and are themselues soone vnsetled by euery light occasion dulled by worldlie dealings vnquiet by prouocations incensed to reuenge by iniuries and much estraunged from the life of godlines in many points whereas some proportion and sutable agreement should bee in the whole course of Christians And yet thus it will be as I haue said which is bad enough if it bee well weighed with such Christians as doe not learne how and seeke with all diligence to be able to preuent such daungers For they being subiect to the same infirmities occasions of offending and prouocations inward and outward vnto the which the best armed people of God are and yet not so afraide and suspitious of them not daily making it the chiefest matter to walke well fenced against them as the others doe which without a dailie and continuall watch as farre as frailtie will permit cannot bee they must needes finde much discontentment in their liues and discomfort as also far more loosenes and distemperature then the other doe Besides this they not accustoming themselues to any certaine course of walking with God nor following any direction to order their waies they doe bring this burthen vpon themselues that when they are fallen they lie long and hardly rise vp againe and make it also an harder matter for them to serue God as they were wont to doe vnlesse which is worst of all they make a light matter of sinne and so returne too hastily for mercie to God before they haue well weighed and considered their falles and offences And by this consider on the contrarie what the safetie of the other is who count Gods seruice perfit freedome and therefore will not be drawne from it at any time or if they fall yet lie not still because they haue setled themselues to be well guided daily Besides all that hath been said this appeareth cleerely that God looketh for it that Christians should euery daie be directed as well as some one daie by the order that he hath set in the tenne commaundements For whereas all dutie to bee performed of vs is either to bee shewed towards God or men he to teach vs in what sort and manner this is to bee done hath thus set downe his will vnto vs saying Concerning my selfe for the sixe daies throughout the weeke yeare your whole life worship and serue me both inwardlie and outwardlie as in the three first commaundements I haue bound you and on the seuenth daie as the fourth commaundement inioyneth And this is your direction in all dutie to me for euer Concerning men without any respect of any daie or particular time frame your selues daily and alwaies as the sixe last commaundements doe require Who doth not see that the Lord setting downe his minde in the commaundements after this manner hath of purpose set downe a perpetuall direction for his people throughout their pilgrimage For though all see it not neither consider it what then Shall the will of God be of no effect because of the ignorance of men but they who see the will and meaning of God aright in them see no lesse thē this that I haue said Neither let any obiect here that there is no other direction giuen vs then generally to follow the commandements for our guide seeing euery commandement is to be vnderstood spiritually and therefore reacheth to all particulars of that kind yea euen those which are inward For he setteth downe more then that namely that both on the sixe daies and euerie of them one euen course of worshipping and seruing him be vsed and aimed at in our particular actions and on the seuenth daie another perpetuallie to bee obserued on the sabboth for euer diuers from the former And because the duties that wee owe to men are in the sixe last commaundements indifferentlie on all the seuen daies to be performed therefore indifferentlie on the one as well as on the other and not at our pleasure when wee list or as we thinke good our care to practise and faithfullie endeuour after them is to bee continued and so the contrarie sinnes in like sort are to be renounced Now in that many of Gods people see it not to be thus nor make any such vse of it it is by reason of their ignorance of Gods will in the commaundements and vnwillingnes to take paine about the same and vnacquaintance with a daily endeuouring and setting themselues to the particular practising of dutie in euery commaundement according to their knowledge as euery one hath heard the same laid open vnto him But further that we should thus be fullie resolued euery daie to liue religiouslie and that in particular and not serue God by the grosse it is plainelie declared in the Epistle to the Galathians namely that we should not esteeme one day aboue another neither attribute holines to one more then to another and so neglect one in regard of another And although it may be said that they in so putting difference in daies did therein shew themselues superstitious but we are not so to bee iudged of though wee doe not as carefullie worship and obey God one daie as another I answere that both in that place and to the Colossians he rebuking that sinne of putting difference in daies doth condemne as well our securitie who seeke not to glorifie God as sincerelie and holilie on one daie as another as their superstition who groslie thought one daie holier then another And consequentlie looke what certaine and cleare rules the Scripture giueth vs for directing our liues one daie the same must conscionablie bee applied to euery daie And in this respect the sabboth it selfe though appointed by God to holie exercises more then other yet is neither in it selfe holier then other nor we to thinke that we may be lesse holie on other daies then on that but so to looke to our hearts and our waies that although euery daie cannot bee as the Sabboth through want of the helps which on that daie we may inioy and by reason of many hinderances which fall out on other daies rather then on it yet wee should endeuour to walke in the sanctification of our hearts and innocencie of life on the other daies as
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
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
bene set down in this whole treatise but onely of the well ordering of the heart whereas that toucheth but some part of mens duties in the sight of God but all other things are left as it seemeth to our owne discretion which are to be done in the eyes of men To the which I answere that the heart of true Christians being kept thus purged from euill and seasoned graciously as we haue heard good life and behauiour will come from thence as Salomon saith and according to the diuers occasions which shall fall out to euery one daily his knowledge shall and will guide him either in his calling or in the supply of it by other necessarie duties but more particularly they must not looke that there can be any certaine direction giuen of the outward parts of our liues which of them shold be done euery day because the actions of our liues are variable for the most part and innumerable as all do know and therefore cannot all be done vpon any one day and men are constrained by sundrie occasions to do some duties one day some on another and oft it falleth out that such as they must of necessitie do on some one day or else they shall sinne as following their callings painefully and diligently they cannot do on some other but they shall sinne as to visite their parents on their death bed or make peace betwixt men when it is required at their hands But further and to the more full satisfying of such as would desire it this I say that although there can be no certaine and perpetuall rules giuen more particularly which are as necessarie one day as any except we would lay burthens on Gods people which he himselfe hath not done and those concerne the heart inwardly not the outward conuersation yet there are certaine duties of the life perfourmed in the sight of men more commonly and vsually then some other and they are such as do concerne all true people of God and for the most part fall out euery day at least one or other of them if not al. These therefore which shall be of so great vse among Gods seruants I thinke not amisse to set downe and so to satisfie their demaund so farre as Gods word giueth leaue not of necessitie to tye any to the practising of them euery day which I would haue well to be marked but as euery one seeth that he is bound yet some one or other of them must be done euery day as we shall see afterwards And for the other which do not bind the conscience euery day which I do set downe now immediatly following and yet are profitable and helpfull to liue well and happily let a Christian vse them and so many and as oft as he may and as he hath occasion offered him and as he gaineth thereby in godlinesse and winneth peace to his heart and knoweth not how to do better seeing it is an hard thing for the most Christians to see particularly how to passe the day in the particular parts of it from one houre to another especially when they must intermit the workes of their calling but it shall be in an idle very vnprofitable maner without some such helpe and furtherance A briefe summe therefore of these I will set downe with some short explication and vtter my mind more fully of them afterwards And they are neuer done aright nor in their kind except they proceed from the heart well ordered as I haue said before And they are in number nine the first whereof is this CHAP. 10. Of outward duties of life most commonly to be done daily but not of necessitie THE first that we awake with God That is to say that as soone as we haue broken off our sleepe euery morning we bend and resolue with our selues to giue vnto the Lord the first fruites of the day and that either directly by thankesgiuing confession of our sinnes and request making for our selues and Gods people we lift vp our hearts to God in a briefe manner or indirectly that is though we tye not our selues to this manner and forme yet that we make it our first worke after our awaking to common with and looke vp to God drawing our hearts to the loue of and reioycing in him that he being first in account with vs may be also throughout the day chiefe with vs and present to guide blesse and comfort vs and that we do this till in a more solemne maner we see our selues apart from other things to prayer The second that we prouide if it may be solemnely and vpon our knees to make profession of our repentance by confession of our sinnes requests made to God with thanksgiuing taking to vs words as Hosea speaketh that is with our mouths vttering them preparing our selues by meditation hereunto That is before we enter into the affaires and dealings in the world if it be possible we make this our first worke of the day and in our confession let our speciall sinnes be mentioned by which we haue most displeased God in our thankes let some particular fauours of God be remembred in our requests let vs craue pardon of our sinnes with faith to obtaine it and all other necessaries namely that we may well go through the day and haue Gods blessing in all that we shall set our hand vnto in the day To proceed the better in all these let vs meditate either on some of Gods mercies or our owne sinnes or on some other things profitable that by meditation and prayer before we enter into our affaires we may be the better prepared to passe the whole day after in much better sort then otherwise we might be like to do That if it shall then be most expedient we with our minds still kept well ordered betake our selues to our calling and vocation That is that we willingly and diligently set our selues to performe dutie in that worke or seruice for the which we are fitted and to the which we are called and therein abide as we are able except any waightier matter drawe vs from it assuring our selues that we please God no lesse therein then in obeying his other commaundements And that we be therefore chearefull therein it being the businesse that God hath set vs about and confident that we shall find good successe seeing we haue a promise of blessing from him and so doing that we take heede that we mind not our profite in such wise that we coole any grace thereby or quench holy affections in vs but that we be fit to go from it to such other duties as shall be meete that so we may do our earthly businesse with heauenly minds which is an high point of godlinesse and make them and holy exercises helpes one to the other That in all companies we behaue our selues as we are taught of God and as it becommeth vs especially so as we leaue no ill sauour
more then needeth to be tied to any such thing and to perswade themselues that they may with some few duties doing please God as well as they who spend their whole life in searching out infinite points of Gods will to practise the same and they count that an easie way to heauen in comparison of the other which they thinke long and tedious But let such vnderstand that they are not fit to make their vse of it They must be other maner of persons whom I speake to or go about to perswade for they who will weigh things aduisedly shall consent I doubt not to that which I say and shall see further the daunger of these men who content themselues to stand at a stay rather then to be led still forward in a fruitfull and holy course and so being much idle and vnprofitable imagine and conclude by and by that it can be no otherwise with men whiles they here on earth be absent from God and so likewise that the christian life is not such or so pleasant as the Scripture euery where affirmeth it to be which is nothing else then to charge it with falshood and lies but many of Gods deare seruants do know it and find by experience that this Christian life hath no match abounding in delights yea and those most sound permanent and vnspeakeable To returne therefore to them whom God in mercy hath called to assurance of their saluation for they by such direction as I speake of shall see the Christian life more easie by many degrees then euer they found it whiles they walked after no certaine direction before such I say both poore and rich Minister and people one and another may learne and that euery day through their life how to keepe company how to be solitarie how to be occupied in their labours how to cease from them how to rise and how to lye downe and how to bestow the other times of the day not discouraged at night though they did not all duties which in one day cannot be but quiet and chearfull seeing they did those which by good direction they saw most necessary For they shall be taught by it to keepe a certaine proportion and agreement in their actions that as one sauoreth of Religion and a godly mind so may the other also and as they speake and heare the word well so they may haue their thoughts good also their harts purged from whence both these do come and as in their prayers to be holily affected so in their husbandry houswifery feasting iourneying buying eating and other dealing that so euery part of the day in the diuerse actions of it may haue the proper due thereof which if it may be obtained is not meanly to be accounted of if we consider how many thousands neuer tast of this dainty through the yeare which we may inioy euery day yea and for the want of it haue a wofull and a deceiueable passing of the time and for the most part wearisome and tedious Besides we may by the benefit of it so be occupied in our earthly and common businesse as from the same we may come readily and willingly to heauenly exercises whereas the most come vntowardly and also in the same businesse we may haue our minds heauenly and therefore our actions which are done thereby to be there after And whereas many euen of good hope are wont to complaine and say that longer then they be in praying reading or such like exercises they cannot keepe in any well ordered course any long time in the day together but are distracted like others of the world which vse neither reading nor prayer yet we by the helpe which God giueth vs hereby when we necessarily intermit them and cease from them for a time being occupied in our calling or other profitable duties we I say may hold a good and well ordered course in our other actions and businesse in and through the day notwithstanding And more then this when we can bring our hearts to looke carefully to this as to our haruest we shall get such a distast in euill in respect of that which we had sometime that we shall haue great liberty to forsake and contemne it And here for the better incouragement of the reader to looke more carefully into this matter and not to be dismayed by the strangenesse and vnaccustomednesse of the thing to the which I perswade I will faithfully report vnto him the speech of sundry Christians long taught and of the best sort of such as had profited by the preaching of the Gospell as farre as I could iudge in those parts When they first heard of any forme of daily directing them whereby men are taught to be euery day kept in the same holy compasse that they should be any day some conceiued it not at the first hearing seeing they had not bene acquainted with it secondly some smiled at it as thinking it impossible to be brought into practise thirdly some confessed that their hearts did rise against it as perceiuing that it was a certaine rebuking in great part of their former liues which was a thing vnwelcome to flesh But it appeared to be a fault in all three sorts by this that they did afterward correct themselues For when they saw further into it and weighed the benefit of it more deeply they were of another iudgement and sayd as a fourth sort did say when it came first to their hands that they did highly approue of it and that it ought to be so and that for want of such helpe and direction they had bene much confounded and troubled in their course and that they would haue thought themselues happy if they could possibly haue attained to the practise of it wishing that they had bene acquainted with it long before For they saw in perusing the parts of this daily direction which I haue here set downe that their hearts and liues should be freed from many incumberances hereby wherewith they were before annoyed and that they should serue God and liue with men much more chearfully then they did before And this is the summe of their first speech which diuerse honest and well disposed Christians vsed which I report for the further incouraging and perswading of the Reader to a more free and willing receiuing of this course which I offer and set before him After this they were aduised and exhorted to go about the practising of it according to the seuerall points thereof after the right and cleare vnderstanding and due considering of it and to shew faithfully how they felt it to helpe them forward in well passing the day more then when they walked without it in the world and which points of it they found hard to be obserued and how they were letted or what liberty they found more by it in the gouerning of their liues then when they looked not after it Thus they were counselled to make triall of it by the moneth and so
daily CHAP. 12. Of the declaration of the first dutie of awaking with God AND of the first three parts of this treatise thus much Now for the better vnderstanding of the nine last mentioned duties and more cleare insight into them especially for the helpe of them which cannot so easily gather so large a matter out of so few wordes I will more fully open euery branch thereof one after another And whereas I teach Christians in this place first when they awake to be with God and to accustome their thoughts to be holy I meane indeed so much that so soone as they awake they should be taken vp about heauenly things for where their treasure is there should also their hearts be as to thinke of Gods kindnesse and loue towards them and that they abide still in his fauour as at any time before the remembrance whereof at our first breaking off our sleepe what can be like sweet and comfortable euen as a prisoner condemned but to temporall death doth on the contrarie at his awaking out of sleepe fall into most dreadfull thoughts and feare They are also to thinke how they haue bene refreshed by their rest and kept from the manifold dangers of the night c. by the which many haue miscaried And all these and such like meditations should salute them when they first awake to this end to reuiue that foundnesse of heart wherwith they lay downe the night before if they lay downe as became them and also that no roote of bitternesse breake out of them to staine their actions at their first entring into the day which were very like to be if it should not be preuented and held out by some such gracious thoughts Also by this meanes they prouide well for the better keeping their liues in frame all the day after without the which regard had in purpose to performe it assoone and as well as they can they are so ready to range and go astray one way or other that although they did lye downe the night before in peace and with quiet and meeke hearts yet the diuell as we know it well watching his oportunitie they may easily be vnsetled and so runne into sundrie euils which cannot be auoided All which being considered who doth not see how great a meane this kind of awaking with God is and how worthily it may be reckoned for one of our duties to indeuour to take vp some time thus when sleepe departeth Neither let any obiect that this is more then poore Christians can attaine to for all such would faine attaine to that grace if they were taught how and directed the Lord hauing framed and fitted them for it euen by this that he hath made them Christians and therewithall hath giuen them hearts which are willing thereunto but yet euery man in his measure and as he hath receiued of God which giueth to no man nigardly who seeketh heartily And if this satisfie not some who desire to begin the day aright after their first perfit shaking off of sleepe and awaking let such for their better direction breake their minds to those who through longer experience are better exercised in the wayes of the Lord then themselues Onely this caueat and watch-word I giue that if through barrennesse in good things thou art not able to set thine heart a worke when sleepe is gone from thee to fasten vpon somewhat that is profitable to thy soule or to thy companion if thou hast any with thee arise if it be conuenient if not and that thou feelest thy heart to be caried vnto prophanenesse or to cause thy mouth to sinne any way checke thy selfe rebuke thine heart and so take occasion euen by thy euill to do good And remember him who at his first awakings in the morning did thus giue vnto the Lord the first fruits of the day as I haue taught thee to do as in the Psalme where he saith O Lord thou wilt heare my voyce early in the morning Early in the morning will I direct my words vnto thee and will looke vp and in the Prouerbes Wisdome shall commune with thee when thou wakest and guide thee when thou walkest The words of the Psalme although they be not to be vnderstood only of the time of our first awaking yet they include that time as well as any other in the day but that place of Salomon doth plainely shew that it ought to be as vsuall and ordinary to set our hearts on worke about some holy and heauenly things when we first awake as it should be to looke to be guided by Gods word all the day through And there is no doubt but if this Scripture and such like were beleeued and well weighed directly tending to this end to teach Christians to take vp their hearts in holy cogitations and heauenly desires before the diuell hath poysoned them and euilly imployed them and further if they would be willing to see this first letting loose their hearts to sundry sinnes as iesting vaine laughter light and loose talke iarring contention depth of worldlinesse and such like to be one chiefe cause of an vnprofitable yea an offensiue life in the day afterwards it should be farre better with them then it is I meane if they would thus do they should find much more ease in seruing of God and fruite therein and comfort thereby both in the morning and all the day after whereas I see with mine eyes heare it with mine eares that many passe the day very vnbeseeming Christians who haue long sought the Lord though only in a generall manner indeed and others see that it is not with them so well as both it might and they themselues know it should be who do perhaps some one time in the day now and then go to prayer but otherwise they haue litle regard of many their actions yet their prayers which they make are not for the most part powred out to God till their heads and harts both are so filled and fraught with the world and other matters that they haue made themselues in a maner vnfit to pray And as for such as say they haue other matters to thinke on as soone as they be awake and they cannot bestow their time after that manner it may please them to know that as for the time if their heart were ready and did know how to do this duty it might very sufficiently and well-nigh be performed in so much time for a need as the Lords prayer distinctly vttered might be sayd ouer in For in such a space might a Christian lift vp his heart to God and salute him with an holy remembring of his fatherly kindnesse and namely for present preseruation in soule and body and confirme himselfe in his former sound-hartednesse which if he did no more were a true and right awaking with God and the onely right way to thinke of other things as they ought Therefore with thine heart thus seasoned if it
may be addresse thy selfe to be ready to any duties which thou hast to do and be strongly perswaded and confident that God who loueth thee so dearly as in thy prayer thou beleeuedst and in thy thanksgiuing thou didst acknowledge that he I say will be with thee to guard thee from all aduersary power of Sathan and his instruments which might rise vp against thee and by the comfort of his holy spirit keepe thee from euill for he which hath all power in his hand looketh downe from heauen and beholdeth all the earth to shew himselfe strong with them which are of an vpright heart towards him and therefore be incouraged thereby with confidence to set vpon any duty and to withstand any euill And further remember that thou art armed by God with all furniture meet for the seruant of God with faith to beleeue all Gods promises with hope to be kept from fainting with righteousnesse to performe all duty with sincerity to do it with a single heart with knowledge of the word of God to direct thee aright and with the preparation of the Gospell of peace to be shod against troubles and dangers in thy voyage to Gods kingdome Remember all these and that thou hast not the right vse of these except thou beest setled against the discouragements which might stand vp in thy way And therefore be chearfull and of good courage although there are many things which may one time or other put thee to trouble and many occasions of vnquietnesse and vnsetlednesse may arise which also would otherwise vndoubtedly soreshake thee Thus before thou goest about any thing it is requisite for thee to renew thy faith that thou mayest rest freshly on God for his protection throughout the day and waite to see it so and obserue that thou mayst be guided by him and make thy heart mery in him considering that he is more to thee then all the world beside And this for the declaration and further laying open of this first duty as with any conuenience it may be done to teach vs how to awake with God CHAP. 13. Of the declaration of the second duty of beginning the day with prayer NOw when thy heart shall after thy first shaking off thy sleepe be lifted vp to thy God set thy selfe to the next part of thy duty prayer confession of sins and thanksgiuing in solemne maner vpon thy knees casting off and renouncing such foolish and fruitlesse thoughts and fantasies as were wont and still may hold thee from this duty and set vpon it as soone as thou canst conueniently yea if it may so be let it be the first worke that thou shalt take in hand in the morning season except in time of sicknesse when thou keepest thy bed and then ioyne it with the former rule and make of both one and pray shortly when paine giueth thee no further libertie but yet feruently and more often But if it cannot be thy first worke yet let not thy deferring of it be a breaking it off if thou mayst performe it neither let a light occasion cause thee to deferre it for such shall neuer be wanting especially thine owne vnwillingnes or slouth but when for some especiall and weightie cause thou doest deferre it returne if it may be after thy necessarie businesse ended to the performing of it therwith renew thy couenant of amendment of life And to expresse my meaning about this more plainely remember and acknowledge the kindnesse of thy God in benefits daily and hourely receiued both to soule and bodie and sometime particularly that so thou mayst be more nearly knit vnto him and delight in him For daily and oft thankfulnesse to God is of great force to subdue thee vnto God and to maintaine a thankfull heart in thee all the day following And let another part of this morning worship of God adioyned to this be an hearty recording and viewing of thy sinnes a bewailing and confessing of them to God and accusing of thy selfe with an especiall remorse for those which haue most troubled thee and be humbled vnder the burthen of them that so thou mayest see thy selfe a wretched person and infinitely indebted to God and so withhold thy heart from insolencie and securitie and be broken-hearted that thou mayst the better abide so after And with both these send vp loud cries vnto the Lord through Iesus Christ confidently looking for pardon of them that thus thou mayst find the death of Christ daily fresh sweete and sauorie to thee which the most do make too common and vnsauorie And pray also in faith for grace and power to mortifie thy sinne and to direct thy wayes and for all earthly blessings and by thine owne necessities be moued with compassion towards thy brethren euen the whole company of the militant Church who haue the like need of Gods blessing as thou hast and withall that those which are yet without and strangers from the common-wealth of Israel may be brought home that thus thou mayst both testifie thy loue to them and daily remember and consider how thy selfe and all other do depend vpon him for whatsoeuer is good and necessarie And to helpe forward this dutie the better some meditation or musing vpon such things as may asswage the bitternesse and corruption of the heart and season it with grace were a thing most requisite as euerie one may be brought to it As for example sometime of our mortalitie of the vncertaintie and slipperie estate of all things vnder the Sunne of the change of persons times estates of the glorie of the kingdome of heauen sometime of our saluation to make it more sure of the duties we are to do in the day and how we may keepe our selues from the defilements and sinnes which we are in danger to fall into of the occasions by which we are most like to be led to euill and of the helpes and meanes with the sundrie priuiledges of a Christian which we haue to withdraw vs from the same and sometime of any particular branch of any of these and the corruptions of the heart and of the Christian armour of some of these or of the like matters let meditation be raised before prayer be entred into if it may be And because meditation is much out of vse euen among Christians and therefore it will be found the harder matter to go about and take it in hand I haue therefore set downe some meditations of all sorts both briefly and in larger manner to helpe those which without helpe cannot draw matter from their owne experience to meditate vpon as I haue before set downe a short Treatise about the same that through the helpe of both they may want nothing about this dutie and Christian exercise so that their hearts be framed and fitted thereto This part of Gods worship namely prayer confession of sinne thanksgiuing and meditation being conscionably and carefully vsed and gone about before
thou entrest into thine affaires and dealings in the world thou shalt in no meane sort be prepared and enabled to passe the day in thy seuerall duties doing as thou art directed All which may be well discharged and performed after they be once well vnderstood how they should be practised in one quarter of an hower and lesse if need be And by this thou mayst see what this part of the dutie tendeth to and what it requireth of thee and how thou shouldest performe it And as for them which thinke that the doing of this ordinarilie is more then is needfull of whom euerie litle dutie done to God more then they haue already or do vsually performe is thought too much let them know that the gaine is verie great And as concerning them which make a light matter of it saying that they are not now to begin this exercise in the morning but do and haue continued it and yet they see no such fruit to come of it To such I answer that I feare that to vse it as I haue set it downe is not so common in practise as diuerse do take it to be or else they should not say that litle profit commeth by it For all such obiecters are vndoubtedly farre from the right vse of it and one of these wayes they swarue from it that either they come not vnto it with an humble and well ordered heart or they know not how to be occupied in it or else some speciall sinne is in the way to cause that it cannot as Incense ascend vp to God The least of these faults may easily hinder the profit and darken the beautie of it I doubt nothing but that at sometime diuerse Christians in an holy and right manner do discharge it but reuerently and confidently to do it laying all other things aside which hinder it that I dare not affirme of many which causeth the benefit of it the lesse to appeare to them Which kind of men if they cannot constantly tye themselues to it with delight when yet they may very well they should shame and put themselues to rebuke for omitting it through slouth and vnwillingnesse if by no other reason yet by the practise of some of the deuouter sort in popery who although they serue God superstitiously yet they obserue their houres appointed to them after their blind maner hauing only a confused and deceiueable hope to be heard I speake of the best of them to the shame of such as who knowing better how to worship God aright thinke it too much to tie themselues to any thing more then they vse to do and that is when they thinke good or be driuen to it in sicknesse feare c. or in any other maner many times that is without the right and true properties of it and then sometime I graunt and that in the morning perhaps they betake themselues to it But howsoeuer it be with such the holy Ghost hath greatly helped the frailtie of Christians hereby who are by naturall corruption cleauing fast to them prouoked in the morning as soone as they are vp to be raunging abroad in the world and according to their delights dealings and occasions to be caried after them either in vanitie of mind and lightnesse or in vnquietnesse contention quarrelling and worldlinesse minding litle for the most part but things earthly and entring after this manner into the day do for the most part go further frō God all the day after For this cause the holy Ghost hath taught them that they should preuent these daily inconueniences by taking vp their minds and hearts to farre better vses that is to say that after their awaking with God they should if it may be repaire to God more solemnely which is done by meditation of Gods power mercie c. by thankfulnesse for benefits receiued and promised by freeing themselues from guiltinesse of Gods wrath by confessing their sinnes and praying for the benefit of forgiuenesse and for grace in the day against the euils thereof and for good gouernement throughout the same that they being well seasoned thus in the morning they may retaine the sauour and hold the strength of such a gracious beginning as I haue sayd all the day after And to speake more plainely that they being thus well fenced with this spirituall reuiuing of their minds and hartening of themselues against all assaults before they enter into the field with their enemie they may be well armed against the batterie of temptations and prouocations which will vndoubtedly meete with them and so keepe their liues from the force of them and from hurt by them in farre better maner then such can do who being naked and destitute of this furniture do lie open vnto them whatsoeuer conceipt they haue of their owne wisdome and strength And this which I haue sayd being well considered I do not see what exception can be brought against this part of dutie vnlesse anie will further cauell about the time which I said need not be much after we haue well learned how to bestow the same To the which I tye no man hauing shewed what time the performance of such a dutie doth require and otherwise I leaue it to all to consider whether their willingnesse sufficiencie in gifts and their leisure will yeeld more time or not so much so as there be a faithfull discharge of the dutie in such sort as they may rest therein with peace and may feele themselues more fit to walke warily and strengthned against the dangers which fall out in the daie which they in no wise should doubt of if they do it sincerely And now I haue said of this second dutie what I haue thought conuenient to him which desireth to vse it to his profit teaching him that is ignorant how to practise it and exhorting him that through necessitie of importunate businesse at some time is constrained to omit it in the first beginning of the day that yet afterwards he watch his best leisure and oportunitie to performe it and last of all answered obiections as I haue seene it expedient This onely remaineth to be added that we must consider that these duties which here I set downe to be as oft performed as they may and of which this is one do serue to keepe settle vs in the practise of the daily direction before mentioned Whosoeuer therfore desire to reape the fruit hereof by that which I haue set down knowing how to vse it but yet being often necessarily hindered let them performe it when and as oft as they can but they which are free from such businesse ought fully to resolue and determine with themselues daily to performe it if they be able and not slouthfully nor for the fauouring of the flesh to neglect it as oft as they feele themselues vnwilling to vse it for then small fruit is to be hoped for as I haue sayd before Neither indeed can any such omitting of it be any way excused seeing
rule or dutie directing vs in company NOw followeth an other dutie for the guiding of vs in companie that is to say when by any occasion we be in place with others that with the same well ordered harts with the which we haue bene taught to discharge other duties in the day we carie our selues in companie because it is a part of our life in the passing of the day very diuerse and distinct from that wherein we are solitarie and deale with our selues And although a man may be both in his calling and in companie at once yet as I haue shewed how euery one ought to be conuersant in his calling without respect had of companie so now I shew particularly how companie should be vsed without respect of mens callings Now as the companies be of many sorts with which we are occasioned to be occupied and the matters infinite which fall out to be debated of in the same so can there not therefore any certaine and particular rules be giuen to direct our selues in them but yet some generall obseruations may helpe vs much the rather seeing they to whome I direct my speech and who may take profite by this haue attained to the heartie desire of keeping a good conscience alreadie and haue for a great part of them some measure of sound knowledge of the will of God which will greatly further them in the same And because all companies among men are not for and concerning trafficke in earthly dealings and matters about this present life as bargainings and couenants but some are among neighbours and friends partly for the increasing of loue and partly to make merrie and othersome by other occasions and some by accident without any purpose thereof before in all which kinds we often take much hurt and be in farre worse case by them for want of good direction and heed-taking then we were before we entred into thē First therefore I will speake of those companies wherein we haue more libertie to benefite our selues one by another to God-ward as hauing no weightie dealings to hinder vs and then of the other which belong to the affaires and dealings about this present life how to vse them In both which generally this is a generall rule to be obserued in all companies That we feare daunger and be harmelesse in them and without offence leauing no ill sauour by example behind vs but more particularly the marke which we are to ayme at in all our familiar companies is this That wee should not rush vnaduisedly into them as most men do but determine before to do good in them to others as we be able and to helpe them forward vnto eternall life by all good oportunities we can or purpose to take good of others as occasion shall be offered This rule to make no doubt of the former Mat. 18.7.8 is according to the Scripture that as we should draw vnderstanding out of them whom God hath plentifully enriched with it so we should be moued with pitie and compassion towards them who are ignorant and carelesse or though they were neither of both yet many wants and infirmities at least they haue as we our selues haue and therefore haue neede beside the preuenting of other daungers to be exhorted stirred vp called vpon and instructed that so both they and we might be edified and built vp in our most holy faith and haue our loue and mutuall peace confirmed betwixt vs that so our lippes may feede many and through Gods goodnesse we may be meanes to turne some from going astray out of their way and we may haue also cause to thanke God for the like by others and reioyce in our Christian fellowship together All which vses Ionathan and Dauid enioyed in their meetings the one by the other And to what great purpose shall it be to inioyne watchfulnesse ouer the other parts of our life if in companie we haue not an especiall regard of it thereby to take all good oportunitie to make our companies profitable For daily experience teacheth how many occasions of offending God and of troubling our selues are offered and occasioned therein and were we not better be absent one from another then in such sort meete together Besides what an vnruly member the tongue is though it be small the Apostle declareth when he saith That it setteth on fire the whole bodie and is it selfe set on fire by hell And as for the heart which setteth it on worke who is ignorant how readie that is euery way as the companie shall be to offend either by teachinesse conceipts misconstruing or by loosenesse and lightnesse and such like And both these being well considered how many companies shall be found where one is not the worse for another where one corrupteth not the other where there are not fallings out quarrels and debate or prophane and endlesse talke of the world ieasting vaine and idle speech if not filthie communication and ribaldrie or where there is not buying and selling of those which are absent And as for lying swearing as Hosea speaketh with such other abhomination it goeth through the land and where these faile what other speech is in stead of them most commonly but telling of tales needlesse newes and such like foolish and heathenish talke euen in such as professe which were bad enough for them which haue not heard of the Gospell The most tolerable communication amongst the rest which is vsed is as I haue said to be deepe in and about the world and matters of commodity wherein as I deny not but that there is a lawfull vse permitted to men sparingly soberly and wisely when and so farre as there is cause euen so as it is most commonly vsed it is made well nigh as bad as the other that it hindreth and holdeth away all other matters profitable and drowneth the persons ouer head and eares in it Now seeing we know it is thus should not this common and daungerous corruption preuailing and continuing thus in most companies cause the seruants of God to bewaile it seeke to stay and to hinder it and euery one for his owne part both Pastor and people as much as in him lyeth labour earnestly to redresse it And therefore what is more needfull about our companie then to haue it euer in purpose to learne and get somewhat where we may in companie and to helpe forward others which we may do any good vnto as we are able or to make some other good vse of it That we may haue testimonie within our selues that we had made better vse of our companies then the most seeke to do or then we in times past had done our selues And whatsoeuer exceptions may in probabilitie be brought against the performance of this dutie which after as conuenient place shall require I will answer yet for those who reioyce in the hope of the life to come when they meet together it should not be
holy exercises Caleb in constant following of the Lord to the end c. This the holy Ghost exhorteth vs to in the Epistle to the Hebrewes Follow the faith and conuersation of such and consider what hath bene the end thereof A necessarie watchword for numbers in this age so degenerated from the godly course of the reuerend Auncient that were before them that they haue not onely not knowne the God of their fathers but also disgraced that zealous seruing of God which they vsed The examples of such therefore as I set downe before shall be no small helpe being oft before vs to chase away from vs friuolous and hurtfull fantasies faintnesse discouragements and wearinesse of well doing and cause that the multitude of contrarie examples shall not hurt vs by their pride boldnesse and licentious life and to ioyne vs fast to Iesus Christ though not now seene of vs and that we may hold the profession of our faith with ioy vnto our end CHAP. 16. Of the declaration of the fifth duty how we should behaue our selues in solitarinesse NOw I will passe to the next duty which is to guide and teach vs how to cary our selues and passe the time when we are out of company solitary by our selues alone And this it is that seeing a great part of the day many times is passed when neither our callings are in hand neither we occupied in any company we must haue the same especiall care ouer our hearts and behauiour when we are alone that we were taught before to haue in company And as we are counselled by the Prophet that if we desire to reforme our wayes and so to liue blessedly we must take diligent heed to them all one as well as another as Gods word directeth vs so this being one part of our wayes euerie day for the most part to gouerne our selues christianly at all times when we are by our selues alone we must haue a speciall regard and care of the same For who is able to reckon vp all or the most part of the occasions whereby we are moued and prouoked to offend and let loose our hearts to sinne when we are alone and how infinite kinds of euill we may be brought vnto at such times when there is none present by feare or shame to hold vs from them Nay I say more the most iniquities which are done in the sight of the world were first inuented and purposed onely in the sight of God and the sinnes which openly are committed haue bene in warping and working secretly before which the Prophet did plainely expresse when in bewailing his sinne which was come into the eyes of men he sayd thus Against thee only ô Lord haue I sinned as if he should haue sayd I offended thee secretly by vngodly desire before I proceeded in the sight of men to giue offence And so saith another Scripture that Dauid walked on the roofe of his house and saw from thence a woman c. And to shew more fully that it is a fit time for the Diuell to occupie our heads in sundry kinds of euill when we are alone it is noted that our graund-mother Eue was set vpon by Sathan when she was alone her husband not being with her And our Sauiour was assaulted by him when he was in the wildernesse out of the company of men with many other such sayings Which I alleadge not as though I were of opinion that there is no danger to be feared in company I haue before sayd the contrarie but to shew that there is many wayes sore danger of falling when we are alone and so we the more naked to resist which was the thing that I intended to proue which our wofull experience I am full sure confirmeth who are no sooner from company alone but swarmes of vaine foolish and if they be not chased away of noisome and perillous thoughts and desires as a swarme of Bees about a mans eares are solliciting and offering themselues vnto vs. Now then seeing the case so standeth who doth not see what need there is of some good helpe to keepe our soules from annoyance at such times And not onely so but also to stirre vp our selues vnto the doing of such duties as we shall see to concerne vs most that so we may make this solitarie part of our life which is not small to be sutable and correspondent vnto the rest And for some plaine and certaine direction herein we may consider the things which we are occupied about in solitarinesse Now we know that all matters which go through our hands or heads while we are out of company are either simply holy or vnholy or things indifferent now our owne necessitie and Christian wisedome will teach about which of all these we haue most cause to be occupied and let vs not be slacke and negligent to marke and obserue that but let our circumspect care and watchfulnesse which must alwayes accompany vs euer foresee that for without it we shall do nothing well And therefore if in iourneying walking sitting still or lying in our beds c. we shall remember that we are held downe with any sinne or infirmitie let vs muse vpon the occasion of it vpon the vilenesse shame and danger of it how hard it is to renounce it how God is prouoked thereby and therefore how to be abased vnder it and so in confidence craue pardon of it and grace to weaken it If we haue need and cause to take order for some earthly businesse which otherwise will turne vs to great trouble let vs with good aduice thinke with our selues how to dispose of it to our peace If neither of both these giue vs occasion to be occupied then let vs watch such good oportunitie of being alone to make benefit of the time by setting our selues to muse vpon some holy things as the loue of God our mortality c. or inioy the libertie of talking with our God by prayer thanksgiuing reading reioycing in him c. or if we haue any other necessarie duty to be done as we shall be able when we be from our calling let that be gone about And if it be obiected that it is an hard matter thus to do I must needs say it will be hard to haue our hearts thus at commandement when we are by our selues especially for such as cannot reade but yet let vs consider againe that we cannot be better occupied what did I say better nay we can hardly be otherwise occupied without sinne And this aduice for the redeeming of the time when we are alone as long as it is the counsell of the Lord that we should thus gaine it from euill I am not moued what they say against it who neither vse their solitarinesse thus but as though thought were free giue their hearts libertie to roaue and raunge any where Sure I am we cannot be too prouident and carefull that way and the best follow
directed in these common things nor to be called to our reckoning and account for offending by impatience anger back-biting and heart-burning against any man and for such like passions which declareth that as it is an hard thing for Christians to walk in the vprightnesse of their hearts by perfourming other duties in the midst of their houses so it is no lesse hard and rare in this bearing of discommodities and other troubles to shew themselues lights and examples to the rest of their familie But these vnquietnesses which are counted small are not to be admitted at any time in our liues seeing they vnsettle and draw vs out of our course Therefore that neither one nor other kind of affliction become vnsetlings of vs this counsell we must take from the Lord which I haue now set downe that euery day we arme our selues against the feare of such as may come and against impatience by such as alreadie are come vpon vs. Let vs thinke it no toyle to watch and looke to our selues thus if we may by this meanes be rid of that which is toile indeed yea greater toile and ease our selues on the contrarie an hundred fold For we shall not onely prouide well hereby against those which are present but as experience and proofe of Gods helpe bringeth hope which maketh not ashamed so by our experience we shall find the like in our troubles to come What strength got Iosua by this that he had oft times beleeued Gods promise and found that he neuer failed him trusting in his word which he had spoken concerning victorie ouer his enemies or deliuerance from them Insomuch that he after some proofe of Gods keeping promise with him in bringing him ouer the riuer Iordane in giuing Iericho and the citie Ay into his hands in the battell against the fiue kings of Canaan he triumpheth in his hope of conquest the Lord hauing promised to him victorie ouer them and therefore saith to his souldiers and men of warre before he ouercame them The Lord hath deliuered them into your hands and therefore be of good courage And what other thing made the Apostle Paule in great afflictions to stay himselfe vpon God and to cast his care vpon him but this experience and long proofe which he had of Gods tender care ouer him It was I say that which made him expresse the same in these words God hath deliuered out of great tribulations and doth deliuer daily and I am sure also that he will deliuer in all time to come This experience if we haue as who may not haue it in many afflictions if he haue rested vpon God therein it shall be a strong weapon to defend vs from fainting distrust or dispairing and to keepe vs from vnsetlednes and able to vphold vs in an infallible hope of a good issue euen before it come But to this end we must hold our selues fast to the prop of Gods promises and lye close to them as an anker and thus we being armed we shal see the Lords deliuerance for vs as clearely as we may discerne the arrow to flie in the ayre It is a great point of wisedome to learne of God thus to beare our trials and troubles that first we commit the ordering and disposing of them to him as Hester did by fasting and prayer of faith secondly that we vse all lawfull meanes whereby we may haue a good successe and end as she did in going to the king for helpe against Hamans diuellish deuises and then the third will follow that God will turne them to the best These three in one short verse the Prophet setteth downe together saying Commit thy way to God and be thou doing good and verily he will bring it to passe But if we will not be directed by the Lord in bearing our afflictions as the rebellious heart will be soone readie to cast off his yoke but will take counsell of flesh and bloud as Saul and many such haue done yea and Dauid at that one time though smally to his comfort then this shall follow either for want of preparing our selues meekely for them before they come or for not thankfully receiuing them when they are come they shall sore flaight and astonish vs and raise in our hearts such passions and distemperature as will vnsettle our whole course and bring vs out of frame In which estate as we shall be vtterly vnfit to any seruice of God so shall we be also vnmeet for any Christian societie with men we being so confounded in our selues for our vnwelcome troubles and so disguised in our speech countenance and behauiour by yeelding and giuing place to the frowardnesse and vnbridlednesse of our hearts By all which who doth not see that we do both adde new troubles vnto the former and make them which God sendeth vpon vs farre more grieuous then otherwise they should haue bene For all who haue experience can tell that the intemperance of our hearts and the impatience which is suffered to beare sway in vs do raise many distractions and vexations in our liues which we might else haue bene voide of and the Lords trials and fatherly chastisements are thereby made farre more irkesome vnto vs. And of this seuenth dutie thus much whereby we may see how necessarie it is for vs daily beside the well beginning of the day and care for right vsing our prosperitie moderately that we be also very watchfull that our afflictions breed no disorder in vs but be quietly borne that so all parts of our liues throughout the day and the whole course of our waies may be ordered commendably and aright that euen in the dayes of health and peace we looking for our chaunge and labouring to bring our hearts to more humilitie through continuall watching and oft and earnest prayer we may not onely not count it straunge when euen sharpe visitations shall take hold of vs but in respect of the end thereof which is to do vs much good we may with willingnesse receiue and go vnder them especially seeing as hath bene said our most louing father hath fully certified vs that he hath no other meaning in sending them And here marke that as poore and rich are both taught their dutie in common together so there is somewhat to be learned of them both seuerally the one to be more specially armed with contentation vnder his pouertie the other with humilitie and sobernesse for the right and well vsing of his wealth and plentie CHAP. 19. Of the declaration of the eighth dutie namely Of vsing religious exercises in our families VNTO all the former duties which we must labour to perfourme this is to be added to the end we may enioy as many liberties as we can that with the same wel gouerned heart which we haue bene taught to bring to the perfourming of them we look that both in the morning and at euen as it shall stand best with the well performing of
other duties we and the other parts of our familie do reuerently worship God together that is to say that we solemnely vpon our knees make confession of our sinnes and requests to him with thanksgiuing And because it is required that the word of God should be taught by vs to our children and charge Gen. 18.19 therefore that when we may conueniently we instruct them as they be fit to conceiue in those things which are most necessarie for them training them vp to answer to the same and that they be incouraged to haue acquaintance with the Scriptures and to be exercised in them from their childhood 2. Tim. 3.15 that so the word of God may dwell in them plentifully Col. 3.16 and to edifie themseues in singing of Psalmes to the praise of God the putting of themselues in mind of the heauenly melodie and reioycing which they shall haue with the Lord and his Saints in his kingdome Euen this I say is another of those duties which is as oft as may be to be perfourmed in our families I say as oft as may be because no mans conscience should be accused for the omitting of it on some dayes vpon necessitie which may fall out but yet no man for all that may faine necessitie to passe ouer a dutie of so great vse and for so long continuance euen throughout his life except he supply the omitting of it in some answerable sort otherwise And whereas by the examples of Gods holy seruants this dutie of calling vpon God is commended to vs as to haue bene offered to God three times in the day the other of teaching their families as a thing ordinarie and vsual what cause is there why we in whose dayes the light of the truth shineth more clearely then it did in theirs should be behind them in any such duties sometime by our selues sometime with our families vntill we might say that we haue bene sutable to them in testifying our loue to God whome we obey in perfourming them and the religious care of our owne good which we are sure can neuer be enough As for the daily continuance of this dutie from time to time throughout our life although I doubt not but that many do it now and then who yet will not tye themselues vnto it constantly and therefore reape the sleighter fruite of it some reasons I will alleadge to perswade them And first it may please such to vnderstand that our necessities do require it one day as much and as well as another except necessitie hinder as hath bene said before seeing some are rude some worldly some ignorant and the best are forgetfull and we find that euery day bringeth with it sufficient cause to renew our faith and strength against sinne and all kinds of discouragements and to honour and praise God if it be well considered for his daily fauours and kindnesse For such duties being in vse daily do hold vs from some euill which we should otherwise do Besides seeing particular families are the members and parts of the church and euery gouernour is that in the familie that the Minister is in the congregation therefore if they be not accustomed to worship and serue God at home how shall they be able to do it with profite in the assembly especially seeing experience teacheth that the mind being vnseasoned all the weeke at home is further off from goodnesse on the Sabbath and yet all which is done this way both publikely and priuately is litle enough euen in the best Christians And that we come the oftener and more chearefully hereunto as oft as it shall behoue vs we must know and consider that we haue therein communion and fellowship with the Lord and are admitted to speake and breake our minds vnto him and so haue our soules most sweetly refreshed thereby as if we met before him publikely And what is like vnto such libertie that in a reuerent sort we may be admitted to speake vnto the Lord and to haue him make aunswer to vs againe So that it should not be hard for vs to be brought to enioy so great commoditie but rather to count our state the more happie the ofter that we may be partakers of such a benefite Againe it is meete that we should in this sort haue our recourse to him daily to the end that our whole conuersation may sauour of him that as all aboundance of heauenly odours that is of spirituall grace do flow from his Maiestie to all that are about him and by the prayer of faith come neare him more fragrant then Aarons ointment so we being conuersant with him in this heauenly manner may hereby as by a sweet preseruatiue keepe our selues from all annoyance of Sathan and the world And therefore it is no wisedome for vs to be long from him in this manner especially hauing such free accesse vnto him whensoeuer we list This reason should the easilier perswade vs because we see how by occasion of earthly dealings our earthly minds draw vs to be altogether earthly in our talke one to another churlish hote bitter or light prophane rash and so in our behauiour testifying nothing else but a worldly mind And is any thing more to be desired then the chaunging of this course But what is fitter then this when we ioyne daily together in such holy manner against it euen there where the faults are committed And thus I hauing shewed that there is no cause why we should thinke much to tye our selues daily as we shall be able to these duties weigh now a litle what companions we haue in the Scriptures in the performance of them Abraham is renowned of God for his diligence and faithfulnesse in the perfourming of these exercises of religion in his familie for instructing them and therefore no doubt praying with them seeing all things are sanctified by the word and prayer 1. Tim. 4. Iosua also who professed openly that he and his houshold would serue the Lord did not darkely declare therein that the chiefe parts of Gods seruice were not neglected that is prayer thankes and the teaching them their duties And Cornelius hauing this commendation in the Scripture that he feared God with all his houshold and besides that he was giuen much to prayer hath left sufficient testimonie that both he prayed with his houshold as well as priuately by himselfe alone and also that he laboured and vsed the meanes of instructing the same whereby he might bring them to that feare of God which was in them Therefore seeing such worthy seruants of God haue gone before vs in the performance of these duties in their families and so haue continued them as there is no doubt as they haue seene their daily necessitie to require and that they reaped singular fruite thereby therefore it shall be necessarie for vs oft and vsually to meete together for the priuate worshipping of God in our familie the whole together be it small or great For this may
all see and easily know that God hath commanded that parents and fathers of families should rehearse his lawes continually vnto their children and as it were whet their memories with them by talking of them in their house and when they lye downe and when they rise vp and to bring the word of God into familiar acquaintance with them which is no more then he saw necessarie for them By the which commandement we may see how this latter age of ours is degenerated from the holy custome of religious exercises in our families which were in vse so many thousand yeares agone For there can be no time found throughout the day nay the whole weeke in many Christians houses to be occupied about such matters and yet which maketh their sinne the greater how are they letted from them by more weightie occasions No but partly through ignorance so that they could not through the trifling out of the time in idle and vnnecessarie talke or folly and partly through continuall taking vp of it in one worldly thing or other or nourishing teachinesse and such like by which their prayers as well as all other good things are broken off whereas they should do it by themselues alone also rather then neglect it with their houshold the Lord so requiring of vs the one that we should do the other also and not so tyed vs to one time that we should looke after it at no other for it should be oft times as we heard in Deuteronomie but thereby teacheth vs in wisdome to appoint to our selues some certaine time or other for that his seruice lest we should obserue no time but omit it altogether And as for the fruite of this dutie if it be perfourmed with reuerence of vs as the Lord himselfe hath taught vs it is an opening of the doore of his treasurie vnto vs as we who haue any experience can truly say That by it we haue not bene meanely enriched So that such prayer and holy exercise is sutable and answerable to the other parts of christian dutie which are to be perfourmed throughout the day as by the other duties before mentioned may appeare And so our prayer as I said before of the vse of it in the morning shall be an helpe to godly life to make vs liue better and our good life an helpe to our prayer that we may pray more feruently Therefore to say no more of this point because I haue before set downe after what manner we ought to pray and present our selues before God in euery Christian exercise if we purpose and indeuour constantly to continue the same about euening and morning there remaineth no more but this that we take heede to our couenant indeed and that we breake it not off by euery light occasion neither giue place to such lets as Sathan will raise vp in our way as by the vntowardnesse of our heart by sleepe and slouthfulnesse the comming in of straungers and occasion of ordinarie businesse neither vse it for fashion yea and this let vs know that if the ruler of the family performe not this dutie yet is the Christian familist to perfourme it by himselfe And of the eighth rule thus much CHAP. 20. Of the declaration of the ninth and last duty Of viewing the day NOW the last dutie remaineth that thou must with the same wel-ordered heart whereby thou hast bene taught to go through all the actions of the day looke backe before thy lying downe how thou hast passed it how farfoorth thou hast walked with God in it as thou art directed and taught and wherein as thou art able to remember thou hast offended whether thou hast remitted thy care and watch and how thou hast wandred thereby after the desire of thine owne heart That thy soule may reioyce in the blessing which thou hast found so farre as thou hast bene guided aright and thou mayest by this experience hope more confidently that thou shalt with more ease keepe the same course hereafter and for thy strayings and infirmities be sorrowfull and displeased with thy selfe that so thou mayest both humble thy selfe and craue pardon for thy sin be the more carefull to sin no more in that manner This I am sure euery sound-hearted Christian must needes approue of and thinke him in good case who thus lyeth downe to his rest For this is indeed to lye downe in peace and safetie that it may be sutable to his awaking and entring into the day on the morning And the benefite and fruite of this trauell who would not be glad to reape and enioy which is continuall safetie and a prosperous estate whiles a Christian thus setteth himselfe to passe the dayes of his pilgrimage and one of them as another when his heart is looking after his actions in and through the day that God may be pleased This were to lead a stranger-like life indeed and a walking with God which is no more then should be aymed at by him and the necessariest worke which he hath to do Such an one shall well proue that he seeketh a kingdome elsewhere and looketh not for his heauen here And if it be asked whether we looke hereby to be voide of sinne I say no. But yet if in this course there haue notwithstanding the care of pleasing God in the day some thing escaped which ought worthily to trouble vs as by Sathans malice and vigilancie and our owne corruption may easily come to passe yet by this order taking with our selues that hath bene mentioned it shall not sleepe with vs but we hauing so farre preuailed with our selues as thus to hunt and pursue it and to expell and banish it and so reconcile our selues to our God as it is said If any man sinne we haue an Aduocate before our lying downe what a quiet and sweet estate is this like to be But it is will some say an offering of great violence to our selues to doe thus daily and more then Gods word imposeth vpon vs therefore except it be proued to vs by authoritie of Scripture we will leaue it to such as list to be subiect to it To whom I answer That the violence which is offered is but to the flesh to the which we are not debters and therefore are not to take thought to fulfill the lusts of it but to hinder them rather which shall be graunted of necessitie if it be prooued that God commaundeth vs to offer such violence to our selues and that he straightly chargeth vs that we lye not downe in our sinnes neither be bold to sleepe in them the which what other thing is it then that we so consider and looke backe vnto our actions in the day that we may haue peace when we lye downe at euen The words of the Lord which I alleadge to this purpose are these Be angrie but sinne not let not the Sunne go downe vpon your wrath neither giue place to the diuell In the which
wrought this in vs. And seeing we loued him we therefore began to keepe his commaundements And this is the cause why Gods people are affected thus and delight in his seruice and one in another as they haue perswasion of their true conuersion and do therefore other duties readily which others will not set vpon nor go about and this is that which the Scripture calleth Our first loue Thus feruent are Gods children in the beginning to the admiration of many and no dutie is thought too great for them to perfourme to him as he thinkes nothing too good to bestow vpon them Yea it may truly be said If euer we loued we loued God and Christ more then any thing as Paule sheweth to the Philippians and our brethren as it is in the Psalme All my delight is in the Saints vpon earth and the Ministers as Paule speaketh I beare you witnesse that to do me good you would haue plucked out your eyes Now then to come to our purpose when this loue shall waxe cold as here our Sauiour chargeth many with it and many now a dayes are iustly to be charged for it is it not an intollerable trecherie When we shal let slake in vs the consideration of such loue of God to vs in Christ which neuer faileth nor chaungeth towards vs and we thought sometime that it could neuer be forgotten of vs is not this slaking of our loue towards him a iust cause of complaint against vs And do we not declare thereby that either we be growne dull slouthfull forgetfull or that we thinke that the Lord hath ceassed to be mercifull Is it not a plaine testifying that we thinke we are not regarded and prouided for by him so as we may continue all wonted duties and seruices towards him Yea rather are we not iustly to be charged that we are couenant-breakers or haue as adulteresses broken our faith to our first husband Whereas we hauing so long enioyed the priuiledges of his people and citizens should now much more do so and looke confidently for the promised reward our saluation being now nearer then when we first beleeued For why should pleasure or profite wealth or fauour things present or to come put out of place that loue of God in vs or cause vs for thē to be rebuked Why should not our workes be more at the last then at the first as our knowledge is more and our experience greater And therefore who seeth not cause sufficient that our affections of first loue should continue I may iustly make a heauie complaint of the decay thereof in many Ministers whose glorie and crowne it was sometime to see the peoples profiting in godlinesse as Paul saith whose meate and drinke was to do the will of their Father and who did well prooue that they loued Christ more then all other things by their diligence in feeding his sheepe and lambes and what prey or bootie soeuer they haue met with and got since sure I am that some of them do sometime wish those seasons past were now present still And whatsoeuer causes of this decay they alleadge yet when they weigh their case vprightly they can say no lesse but the fault is principally in themselues How many of the people also may I speake of who verifie that saying of Christ Iohn was a burning light and for a season ye delighted in him who neither can honour God as then they did nor giue that light to other All which I wish to consider that which was said to them that had offended in the like case I haue somewhat against thee because thou hast left thy first loue Remember from whence thou art fallen and repent c. Thus I haue in some sort laid foorth this first loue which God by his spirit worketh in all his elect children when he first bringeth them home and maketh them to know how greatly they are bound to him for their so admirable deliuerance and happie conuersion And herewith I haue shewed how easily both teacher and hearer leaue and depart from the same and fall from it though otherwise they keepe some course in seruing God as the Church of Ephesus did whom yet the Lord reproued sharpely for that they had lost this For thus he saith I know thy workes and thy labour and thy patience and that thou canst not beare with them that are euill c. Neuerthelesse I haue somewhat against thee that thou hast left thy first loue Our Sauiour likewise in Saint Mathew foretelleth that this should be one thing among many other worthily to be complained of That in the latter dayes in which these wherein we now liue are reckoned the loue euen of many good Christians as also of such as seemed by good likelihood to be so shall decay and waxe cold whereby what other thing did he meane then this that mens affection in the worshipping and seruing of God the zeale of his glorie loue to their brethren and feruencie towards the preaching of the Gospell should be sore and much abated ouer it was in the beginning when they first embraced it and were enlightened by it to beleeue in him And as though he would teach that it should be a very hard thing to recouer this first loue againe he giueth this watch-word in the same place But they that continue to the end shall be saued Whereby me thinke◠he doth liuely admonish and warne all sound-hearted Christians to looke heedfully and carefully to nourish and preserue that holy pure and first sparkle of grace kindled in them against all that might come in the way to quench and put out the fame As though he would say Although all pietie and christian care of honouring God be not extinguished in men yet if they decline thus farre to suffer their earnest and feruent affection and loue to God and goodnes to be cooled in them euen this is a blemish not to be borne or allowed and a sinne which both God cannot nor will not beare and passe by in them and which striketh at the very life and saluation of those that offend in that manner and such a losse as will be hardly recouered againe And though in other wordes yet fully to the same purpose Saint Paul speaketh to the Thessalonians when he saith Quench not the spirit as if he would say The worke of grace wrought in you by the spirit of God to fixe your delight on heauenly things and not on the earth and whereby ye were caried to set vp in your hearts the Creator and the things which he commaundeth before the creature this worke of the spirit destroy ye not neither let your feruent desires and holy affections which haue bene kindled in you therby be as fire which water quēched Now then if the words of our Sauiour both to the church of Ephesus and his prophesie of that which should come to passe in the last dayes
duties and seruices of God when we see varietie of earthly delights set before vs to enioy and we without controulement of any person may take our fill of them Therefore if in this estate we perceiue any loathsomenesse of well doing to grow vpon vs we must charge our selues with ficklenesse inconstancie falshood against God secret dissembling vnfaithfulnesse c. If we should be content thus to fall from the Lord and if we be not readie without contradiction to stirre vp our selues to a fruitefull and chearefull vse of christian meanes againe yea if we be the worse for Gods benefites we must looke that he wil take them from vs and cause vs to yeeld him other manner of fruites by the want of them Also we must here call to mind whiles with delight we serued the Lord what comfort and godly boldnesse with him we found which now if we begin to decline from him we can enioy no more but may looke for some such recompence as shall be meete for reuolters yea and we must tell this we said to our owne hearts without flatterie that if we waxe wearie of the Lord at our pleasure it is to be feared and that iustly that he will shake vs off in our feare and necessitie we shall not dare to set vpon this christian care again if once we be glutted with it and though we do yet shall we not find it easie for vs to go forward although we set vpon it againe but that one time or other we shall be like to be driuen backe which iudgement is fearefull aboue many and next vnto despaire We must thinke that the Lord dealeth tenderly with vs if we may haue libertie to glorifie him by manifold encouragements in outward blessings whereas many haue thought it a singular priuiledge and great kindnes of his towards them that they may do it in imprisonment in bonds in pouertie in reproch c. And generally we ought to thinke that if we thus vse his benefites that we grow more vndutifull towards him then many which want them it is time for him as hath bene said to take them from vs and to bestow them vpon such as will yeeld and render vnto him better fruite of them And if this should be any occasion of licentiousnesse to vs that many yea the most of such as haue a great portion in earthly commodities do delight in them and take them not to be giuen them of God to the end that they should liue more holily or be the fruitfuller in christian duties by them we must answer to our selues thus againe that we neuer were taught it of God to follow examples no not of the best men contrarie to expresse rules of Scripture much lesse the euill examples of the multitude and common sort of such as reiect all Scripture Now though we fall not this way by meanes of our prosperitie for that were very grosse yet if we should more couertly deceiue our selues by thinking thus that we haue sufficiently profited by this direction now and therfore may cease and neglecting to see our wants daungers infirmities and discouragements which are in our way as in time past and so cast off this trauell against these deceiuings of our hearts we must resolutely be perswaded of the manifold perils outward and inward which are in our liues which full soone if we grow cold and remisse in a godly life do begin to take hold of vs therfore to keepe our selues well whiles we be well And thus we must vse our selues as hath now bene set downe that we may not vse the practises of godlinesse after a common manner But many whiles the Lord reacheth foorth encouragements to them and filleth their liues with outward blessings do accustome themselues to some commendable course who when God chaungeth their prosperous estate do immediately chaunge with it that is to say whiles daungers and great afflictions take hold of their liues they are so distressed and grieued for them that they grow froward impatient and disquieted thereby and are vtterly vnfit to continue such godly meanes as before they vsed for the growing forward in a godly life Hereby is great daunger to be feared therefore if possibly by any of Gods chastisements we shold fall thus farre yet we must confesse such slippes with griefe and with shame and astonishment behold our falles and settle no peace in our hearts till we haue returned and recouered our strength againe and so returne to our first estate againe which also most certainely we shall if with the seruants of God in all ages as the Israelites 1. Sam. 7.4 Hester and Mardocheus Hester 4. Iehosaphat 2. King 20. and others we confesse our sinnes with melting and broken hearts yea our particular sinnes of murmuring impatience fretting and such like that so we may be receiued of our heauenly father for his Christs sake to mercie and forgiuenesse THE SIXTH TREATISE SHEWETH WHAT PRIVILEDGES BELONG TO euery true Christian and how he may haue his part in them CHAP. 1. Of the summe of this Treatise the reasons why it is set out the order of it and of the diuers kindes of priuiledges THe next thing which commeth in place to be spoken of is concerning the priuiledges and liberties which God hath bequeathed vnto and freely bestowed vpon his people and beloued seruants I do not meane any of his benefits which he suffereth the vngodly to enioy which yet are farre more sweet and sauoury to his children than to them but I meane those which are peculiar to the faithfull whereof the other haue no part nor portion The which although all the faithfull enioy not and therefore feele not so great contentation in their liues as they might doe yet they haue free grant and liberty of the Lord so to doe if they knew the will of God in that behalfe or if knowing it they be not holden backe through vnbeliefe as being strongly perswaded that they doe not belong vnto them I know that of those many and great blessings which the children of God partake some are peculiar and proper to some in respect of their callings offices and places which are not common to all but I intend to make mention onely of those which one may possesse although not in a like measure aswell as an other And this I do for sundry and diuers causes partly that the godly may see their riches in some sort aswell as other men know theirs and knowing them may enioy them to their great contentation which few of them doe as they might and that if by any occasion they should be either by the baits of this world by their owne forgetfulnesse faint-heartednesse distrust or other weaknesse of their owne or by Sathans malice put out of the possession of them or any of them yet by considering and remembring these or some of them they might be able to returne home againe from whence they straied and that more easily and willingly
but once in all his life what a manner of priuiledge then is this to be accounted that we may grow from faith to faith and from a darker knowledge of it to a clearer from day to day and that with better assurance then we hold any thing in this life by seale writing witnesse or any other way that law can deuise For indeed the benefit of knowing this so great a treasure to be fallen vs were by many degrees lesse if it were when it is once knowne to vs afterward to be doubted of and called into question againe and that our assurance might not both grow greater and daily continuance of the same be obteined But thanks be to God for his vnspeakable mercy who hath prouided that the longer we liue the better we may know it For the longer that we haue beleeued Gods promise and beene acquainted with it who doubteth but that we may much more cleerely be perswaded of it then in former times when we first beleeued and when we had not as yet so often considered it nor so deepely weighed what might hinder and weaken our faith or come against it For at the first enlightning of our hearts with this sunne-shine of faith we haue many mistes and cloudes cast before our eies to dim darken it many doubts arising from our owne weaknesse vnworthinesse feeling of our sins when we haue had as yet little experience of Gods tender compassion care ouer vs or at least when little marked of vs much feare troubleth vs then because we see many things to accuse vs and for that we doe not many duties which we heare taught vnto vs but when we are better acquainted with him we more easily beleeue that he will forgiue them all vnto vs. And as the yoong childe is not able to stand and go alone till time hath brought more strength euen so it fareth with vs. But when we haue after longer time seene the will and minde of God to be constant vnchangeable our own care to please God to be vnfeigned though vnperfect more then which nothing is required of vs and that the best of Gods seruants haue had the same infirmities as well as we that we haue liberty when we see our weaknesse to seeke pardon of the same at the hands of our good God these and such like considerations after longer time when we haue oft weighed God hath giuen vs greater strength of faith and strengthned vs to waxe more confident euen as we haue withall become more humble and obedient So farre is it off that this assurance the longer time we haue inioied it should be further off from vs. And as for that many obiect that sundry of Gods children after they haue knowen it doe fall to doubt of it after this gainsaieth not that which I affirme For that it may be and is thus I deny not the deuils subtilty and malice being stronger then men haue faith to resist it But the trueth is that as the godly are renewed but in part so through corruption they may waxe wearie oftentimes of that care which should procure their welfare and may as no doubt but many doe neglect to nourish their faith daily and slake their delight in vsing reuerently the best meanes for the conforming of the same and therefore such doe the oftner taste of the hard dyet of other men because they will sometimes choose to follow their waies Besides there are others which though they offend not that way yet they giue too much place to distrust hauing no iust cause by an euill conscience which is the greatest enemie to faith and heereby they depriue themselues of the benefit of this faith and confidence Which kind of people must labor to stay themselues by the perswasion of such Scripture as is written of purpose for their comfort as Take my yoke vpon you and yee shall finde rest to your soules also A contrite heart God will not despise c. Mat. 11.29 Psal 51.17 Mat. 12.20 Psa 43.5 But to returne seeing they may hold abide in Gods loue and hold fast this knowledge of it the longer they liue they see this must be granted them also That none shall take them out of the Lords hands or custodie but that he will care for them vnto the resurrection day Wherein this is a further degree flowing from the former that this loue of God being shed into their hearts plentifully by the holy Ghost it maketh them more quiet ioyfull and better satisfied then all that can be desired of them besides according to that which Saint Peter saith Though we see him not yet we beleeue in him and we reioice with ioy vnspeakable and glorious For what is there in the world that can raise the like ioy in our hearts as this that we know that we shall see the good pleasures of the Lord in the land of the liuing that is in his militant church heere and haue an house not made with hands but eternall in his triumphant heereafter who doeth not see as the former ages haue found and felt and they who yet remaine on earth shall finde that to all other things euen the best there is an appointed end And therefore the ioy that men conceiue for them is but flitting and momentanie not vnspeakable and euerlasting So that the peace and ioy which arise from the certeinty of our saluation is woorthely rekoned as a singular priuiledge in as much as it doeth not onely exceed all worldly treasures but also because it is proper to the children of God and the other haue no part in it And further this should better appeare how great a priuiledge it is to be beloued of God if we could possibly conceiue the dreadfull feare of the reprobate in desperation and how little comfort such an one taketh in all his wealth and delights which he hath in this world in whatsoeuer price and account they are with fooles but would giue them all for one quarter of an houres feeling of Gods louing kindnesse and sweet countenance towards him if it could be inioied and the sound peace and comfort that commeth with it And therefore if any will know the benefit and greatnesse of this priuiledge let him aske of them who hauing hardned their hearts through vnbeliefe are growne into despaire who with wearisome sighes and groanes that cannot be expressed doe thinke with themselues and speake many times Oh how happy are those which are saued yea and what would they giue if they had it how many thousand worlds for a part in Gods kingdome Or if the damned soules in hell could speake they would tell you whether this be a prerogatiue to be kept so safely from the torments thereof and honoured with the assurance of heauen and happinesse as partly may be gathered by that which Saint Luke writeth of the Epicure in the Gospel saying Oh that the tippe of a
great part against their will as shall be said afterwards for else they should haue their heauen heere which may not be but as they espy it they giue it no rest but with hearty mislike they oppose themselues and fight against it and because they haue sweetnesse and pleasure in in the Christian life therefore the gainesaying lusts which rebell against that course and striue to hold them from it are neither so forceable as they haue beene neither doe so long time as they were wont hold them vnder But this which I haue said of the remainder of sinne and of rebellion of nature abiding still in the best of Gods seruants I would haue well to be marked for that many will be ready to take occasion otherwise to cauill and quarrel against that which I haue said namely that God hath giuen this priuiledge and liberty to serue him with delight For thus they reason If you can goe forward thus easily in a Christian life that you can take pleasure in it which to so many Godly people is toile it seemeth that you are not hindered nor clogged with the rebellion of the old man which is our corrupt nature but that his force and strength is extinguished and killed whereas the scriptures tell vs farre otherwise and the best men that euer were borne after the maner of men felt it smarted by it and complained of it Therefore say they you set before vs such a Christian as is no where to be found But to all this I answere somewhat more fully than I did before that if it were not for the stirring and rebellion of the old man and the corruption and naughtinesse that cleaueth fast vnto vs we should by many degrees farre exceed the greatest measure of holinesse which we can now possibly reach vnto although we denie not but that through the grace of God we haue attained to somwhat already For as we serue God with delight now and may God be glorified do so for the most part so we should but for the sinne that sticketh fast in vs doe so perfectly and continually without intermission and contradiction as the heauenly spirits do And as our Sauior Christ seeing he could neuer be conuicted of any sinne when he was heere vpon earth as his words prooue Which of you can accuse me of sinne therefore when the Prince of this world namely the Deuill came he found nothing in him which he looked for namely sinne euen so should it likewise be with vs but for this fountaine of spirituall leprosie whereas now we finde through the vncleannesse of our hearts that there is imperfection and weaknesse euen in our best actions that I say nothing of those which are common And although with delight we goe forward in duty both to God and men yet through weake knowledge faith memorie c. through subiection to sinne and Sathan euen the best estate that we can attaine to is with much infirmitie and with iust cause of crying out as the Apostle by his example taught the perfectest in this world to doe saying O wretched man that I am who shall deliuer me from the body of this death So that the olde man is not killed nor his strength extinguished we say no such thing but abated indeed and weakned much aswell as pardoned through the grace and power which wee receiue dailie from our Lord Iesus Christ by faith And this for answere vnto the former obiection whereby it may clearely be seene what I meane when I say that God hath giuen power to vs if we acknowledge and beleeue it to leade a Christian life with delighting in it which though it be not without change full and absolute yet in that it is so great libertie as it is it ceaseth not to be worthily accounted a most great priuiledge as I haue said before For is it a small thing to finde pleasure and the greatest reioycing in the subduing of our euill hearts and in the forgoing of our vnlawfull liberties which other men fight for with tooth and naile and would count their life worse than any death except they might inioy them Nay is it not an high degree of honour that we may from day to day be admitted to reioyce before the Lord in the duties which we doe euen all that we shall set our hand vnto when yet others are so farre off from it that they would chuse to lie in prison all the daies of their life rather than they would be thus yoked as they account of it O therefore praise the Lord all ye seruants the Lord I say who doth so wonderfull things for his for in this is that Scripture fulfilled which saith Honourable things are reported of thee that is which thy God hath done for thee O thou citie or people of God And if it were not so that the Lord hath done so great good things for his people how could that be true which is said in another place of their happie estate that it is better to be a doore-keeper in Gods house because we are there in his seruice and vnder his gouernment than to dwell in the tents of the vngodlie wheresoeuer yea though it were in the palace of Princes If it be further demanded Where are such as inioy this prerogatiue in their liues I say I know no cause why Gods people which haue an acquittance and discharge against the day of iudgement and the wrath to come and haue sound knowledge and assurance of their saluation and of Gods fatherly care ouer them while they liue here I say I know no cause why all they should not haue some good and liuely resemblance of such persons For did they holde fast this perswasion that God hath giuen this libertie vnto them the Deuill who it is which iniuriously deteineth it from them should deceiue and defeat them no longer in the grosse sort and maner that he doth But this I must adde because it is a common bait whereby they are snared earthly pleasures and profits yea though lawfull must be in meaner reckoning with them They are too eager and greedy in their dealings and their hearts especially must be pruned of much drosse rubbish as vnwillingnesse vntowardnesse in the vsing of those helps by the which men may wait vpon God with ease from time to time Also men must thinke it the greatest libertie to haue their hearts readilie framed and disposed to their seuerall duties and be perswaded that nothing is better for them then thus to bridle the vnruly affections which are euery while ready to breake off the best course that can be entred into of them And if we thinke it much to be inioined thus to curbe vp the old man which most hindreth from going forward with delight and readinesse consider what iniury we offer to the Almighty that whereas nothing goeth forward well that is vnwillingly gone about so neither should this worke of the Lord
vp with dreames and hurtfull thoughts These lusts be causes of all woe CHAP. 7. 3. EVill lusts concerning our selues Fretting when we be crossed of our will Excessiue delight in aboundance Pride of life Frowardnesse Selfe-loue c. The word of God maketh his Children wary against these A speciall part of a godly life to renounce these It is not done without daily striuing Lusts marre all Weake seruice accepted if it be sound He that obserues these lusts and resists them is occupied in a godly life All ouercome not these alike The better sort how farre they come and how Examples of such The weaker are not to distrust for not matching the best These lusts are resisted of all beleeuers in their measure They who be ruled by their lusts can claime no part in a godly life The weake may stay their comfort in these three speciall graces 1. That they haue a cleere knowledge of their saluation 2. That they account it as their chiefe treasure 3. That they be set forward in some good course whereby they may grow in faith and obedience These three must be earnestly laboured for The chiefe end of this booke is to set forward a weake Christian How to make godlinesse a pleasure The gaine of such a course Why God witholds some grace from his Causes in our selues of not growing Ignorance Slouth Fauouring sinne Timorousnesse and vnbeleefe Remedy of our vnbeleefe CHAP. 8. HOw the minds of the godly are occupied Three ages of Gods children 1. Childhood 2. Middle age 3. Old age The highest degree of Christians How the mindes of such are vsually taken vp The best are molested sometimes with lusts They are not comparable to the Apostles Paule had speciall priuiledges These are called fathers The second sort of the godly in battell The practise of such Sinne is odious to them though not euer ouercome ef them These are sometime discouraged Glad to vse all helps Set against smaller sinnes They are held vnder their infirmities for their good The third sort of the godly About what their thoughts are chiefely occupied The dangers that these are subiect vnto 1. Danger in comfort 2. Danger when they feele want of comfort Many defects are in these Yoong Christians compared to children These must grow Their duty Gods children are in danger sometimes to be dazeled and without feeling Yet euen in this estate they differ from hypocrites and vnregenerate How they differ These degrees may in some respect fall one into another Examples of these three sorts of Gods people CHAP. 9. OVtward wickednesse must be renounced Prooued 1. by doctrine of the scriptures 2. by examples The sinnes that he loued best are renounced of the beleeuer CHAP. 10. FOure sorts of men which hope for saluation and yet renounce not open sinnes 1. Grosse offenders The vngodly will scorne professours if their liues be faulty Such are seldome reclaimed 2. Sort of bad professors ignorant and carelesse The wofull estate of such Yet there want not such as flatter them in it Many laugh at the rude for their homely speeches who yet are like them in qualities 3. sort Ciuill professors Some of all these three sorts are sometimes prickt in conscience Notes of their hypocrisie Sudden flashes of grace 4. sort Schismatickes They are taunters railers and slanderers of their bretheren Censurers of others Soone ripe in their owne conceit Inordinate liuers Worse in dealing then men who professe no religion These with the former are farre from a godly life Other disorders of such professors Earthlinesse Vnquietnesse Vnprofitablenesse Pride of life Ill educating their children Vncharitable surmises CHAP. 11. OBiect Are all such damned Answere No if they repent God shoales out some from others h. Infirmities in all The godly somewhat infected with common corruptions Difference betweene the falles of the godly and the wicked The godly fall not but when they are secure and take liberty How we may be fenced No warrant of not falling dangerously We may be preserued from soule falles The ends why God suffers some to fall so 1. To humble men 2. To magnifie his mercy in forgiuing great sinnes 3. In regard of others Otherwise no feare of falling Gods tendernesse ouer his Sweet comfort to the weake What infirmities the godly be subiect to The state of weaker Christians These differ much from all wicked What the sinne of infirmitie is The wicked sinne boldely Their sorrow is carnall CHAP. 12. THe heart purged must so be kept How the heart is kept What danger growes when the heart is not kept Great labour thus to keepe the heart With this heart it is easie to renounce euill An ill gouerned heart the cause of all disorder Little acquaintance with our hearts brings great bondage An high grace to liue well without the whip The faithfull in part thus kept downe Sinne is not shaken off as a burre Grace to vanquish sinne may be attained and more and more from day to day The good treasurie of the heart being kept bringeth forth good things A peece of heauen to liue with such as keepe their hearts well Without it nothing sauoury The fruite of a well ordered heart The looking to the heart in a good moode onely dangerous The heart may alwaies be lookt to An other cause why the heart should be lookt to otherwise it will not be ready to any duty How we may be fitte to pray and meditate The onely way to curbe vp our lusts is to looke to our hearts Without this small fruite or comfort This clensing of the heart is not perfect This clensing though weake is a great priuiledge CHAP. 13. THe second generall branch of the life of a beleeuer More hard and excellent to doe good then to eschew euill Not to rest in eschewing euill Three branches of this second part of this treatise 1. Setteth downe rules to direct to the practise of duties 2. Sheweth wherein this part of godlinesse consisteth 3. Answereth obiections Necessity of rules to liue well by The first rule to liue well is Knowledge Knowledge what To grow in this knowledge With this knowledge must goe Delight in it Without this delight no fruite of knowledge Knowledge an excellent gift But without the salt of grace vnsauory The second rule Practise Practise is first in an hearty desire Our affections must be stronger as the good is greater As we desire so must we indeauour to doe good All parts of our bodies must be giuen to serue God Make a trade of godlinesse Vertues that further vs to the former rules 1. Vprightnesse 2. Diligence 3. Constancie or perseuerance Vprightnesse what Pretences in good actions Necessity of these rules and vertues Vnarmed venturing abroad is cause of sore wounds CHAP. 14. OBiect We cannot doe as we desire Ans 1. Gods grace shall be sufficient 2. The best desire without looking for Gods helpe is vaine Why Paul ouercame not all rebellion Paul was not caried into grosse iniquitie We may looke for the like grace
al. 1. Pet. 2.10 Iam. 4.1.2 This shall be accepted Psal 130.3 1. Ioh. 2.2 He that obserues these is occupied in a godly life Iam. 4.7 All ouercome not these alike The better sort * Moses meeke Numb 12.3 Abraham beleeuing Rom. 4.3 Ioseph continent Genes 39.10 Daniel zealous for the Lord Dan. 1.8 6.11 The woman in Luke full of loue Luk. 7.47 with many more such Therefore they ruled their euill hearts from the contrary corruptions The weaker are not to distrust for not matching the best These lusts are resisted of all beleeuers in their measure They who be ruled by their lusts cā claime no part in a godly life The weake may stay for their comfort in these three speciall graces Cant. 3.3 Note These three must be earnestly laboured for Luk. 8.1 Matth. 13.36 A chiefe end of this booke is to set forward a weake Christian How to make godlines a pleasure Note Deut. 33.12 Gaine of your course Why God withholds some grace from his Note 2. Cor. 12.9 Causes in our selues of not growing Jgnorance Slouth Fauouring sin Timorousnesse Iames 1.6 Remedie of our vnbeleefe How the minds of the godly are occupied Three ages of Gods children * 3. Childhood 1. Pet. 2.1 2. Middle age Ephes 4.14 1. Olde age Heb. 5.14 Heb. 12.12 13 Heb. 5.14 Ephes 4.14 1. Pet. 2.2 The highest degree of Christians Heb. 5.14 1. Iohn 2.13 Heb. 10.24 Matth. 13.31 Prou. 14.8 Prou. 2.10.11 Prou. 6.22 2. Pet. 1.8.9 Acts 24.16 Coloss 1.10 Hebr. 12.12 Rom. 13.11 Reuel 2.22 Acts 2.25 26. Psalm 1.2 Psalm 119.67 Luk. 19.42 The best are molested sometimes with lusts 2. Cor. 12.9 Rom. 7.24 Not comparable to the Apostles 2. Cor. 12.4 Paul had speciall priuiledges Zach. 12.8.9.10 These be fathers Tit. 2.4 The third sort of the godly in battell 1. Ioh. 2.14 Sinne is odious to them though not euer ouercome of them These are sometime discouraged Cant 3 2.3 Glad to vse all helpes Set against smaller sinnes These be held vnder their infirmities for their good The third sort of the godly 1. Iohn 2.14 1. Pet. 2.2 The first danger in comfort The second danger when they feele want of comfort Many defects of these Young Christians compared to children These must growe Matth. 13.31 Psal 88.9 Their dutie Gods children are in danger sometimes to be dazeled and without feeling These degrees may in some respect fall one into another Exod. 3.11 Exod. 10.29 Outward wickednes to be renounced 1. Sam. 7.4 Vide Iudg. 10.14 Hos 14.1 2. Cor. 7.1 2. Pet. 2.20 Beleeuers must forsake their former sinnes Iam. 1.25 Rom. 6.2 Examples Genes 39.10 Hebr. 11.24 Luk. 19.2 Luk. 7.37 The vngodly will scorne professors if their liues be faulty 2. Tim. 3.5.6 The second sort of bad professors ignorant and carelesse Note the wofull estate of the rude ignorant Ierem. 8.11 Many laugh at the rude for their homely speeches who yet are like them in qualities Note A third sort Ciuil Professors Matth. 21.31.5 20. * Some of all these 3. sorts are sometimes prickt in conscience Exod. 9.27 1. King 21.27 Mark 6.19 Hos 6.4 Mich. 6.6 Iob. 27.8.9.10 These be hypocrites Psal 78.36 Psal 50.16 Ioh. 3.19 Sudden flashes of grace A fourth sort of bad professors schismatikes inordinate liuers They are taunters railers and slaunderers of their brethren And censurers of others Soone ride in their own conceit Tit. 3. Inordinate liuers Worse in dealing then men who professe no religion Rom. 1. Ephes 5.11 2. Cor. 7.1 Other disorders of such professors Earthlines Note Matth. 12.36 Vnquietnes Heb. 10.25 Gen. 2.18 Luke 9.23 Ill educating their Children Rom. 12. 1. Iohn 3. Prouerb 20.7 Vncharitable surmises Iames 3.1 Ob. Are all such damned God shoales out some from others Psalm 1.2.50.16 1. Thes 1.9 Iohn 1. 10. Infirmities in all Matth. 7.22.25.34 The godlie somewhat infected with common corruptions Difference betweene the fals of the godly and the wicked Cant 5. Note Cant. 3.4 5. The godly fall not but when they are secure and take libertie 1. Sam. 35.24 Psalm 89.31 Psalm 91.11 Philip. 3.13 2. Chron. 16.9 Philip. 4. 2. Sam. 11.4 Psal 51.5 Prou. 4.23 Heb. 4.1 Heb. 3.12 How we may be fenced 2. Tim. 3.13 No warrant of not falling deadly VVe may be preserued from foule falles 2. Pet. 1.5 Col. 1 2◠Iam. 1.27 2. Pet. 1.10 1. Cor. 4.3.4 Act. 26.18.19 The first end why God suffers some to fall so Some to be humbled by their falles VVhy many fall The secōd end to magnifie his mercie in forgiuing great sinnes Ioh. 21.15 A third end why the faithfull fall in regard of others 1. Tim. 1.16 Otherwise no feare of falling Psal 130.3 Luk. 1.54 Gods tendernes ouer his Deut. 33.12 Rom. 5.10 Col. 1.23 Sweet comfort to the weake Note Rom. 8.31 2. Pet. 3.16 Tit. 1.15 Cant. 3.4 Cant. 2.14 1. Ioh. 5.4 VVhat infirmities the godly be subiect to Luk. 17.10 Rom. 7.24 Gal. 5.17 The state of weaker Christians These much differ from all wicked Phil. 2.12 1. Iohn 3.21 Psalm 4 8. What sinne of infirmitie is Note Wicked sinne boldly Their sorrow is carnall Note The heart purged must so be kept Prouerb 4.23 How the heart is kept Psal 119.9 Luk. 12.35 Great labour thus to keepe the heart VVith this heart easie to renounce euill An ill gouerned hart cause of all disorder Little acquaintance with our hearts brings great bondage An high grace to liue well without the whip The faithfull in part thus kept downe Sinne is not shaken off as a burre Heb. 12.1 2. Cor. 2.11 Grace to vanquish sinne This may be obtained and more and more from day to day Psal 51.5 Luk. 6.45 Gal. 5.22 A peece of heauen to liue with such as keepe their hearts well Psal 120.5.6 VVithout it nothing sauory Fruite of a well ordered heart Good moode Psalm 1.2 Psal 119.15 Heart may alwayes be looke to Pro. 23.26 Psalm 116.12 Another cause why the heart should be lookt to other wise it will not be readie to any duty Note How we may be fit to pray and meditate The onely way to curbe our lusts is to looke to our hearts Without this small fruite or comfort Matth. 19.29 Matth. 6.6 15.7 Note This clensing of the heart is not perfect Hebr. 12.1 Rom. 7. Psalm 130.3 This clensing though weake is a great priuiledge Luk. 18.9.10 The second generall branch of the life of the beleeuer Matth. 5.16 Prouer. 19.22 More hard and excellent to doe good then to eschew euill Not to rest in that Three branches of this second part of this treatise and which they are Obiections if any be Necessitie of rules to liue well by The first rule to liue well is knowledge Knowledge what And to grow in this knowledge 2. Pet. 1.5 Rom. 2.29 Iob. 13.17 VVith this knowledge must goe a delight in it Prou. 2.4 Prou. 2.10 Without this delight no fruit of knowledge Ioh. 3 10. Knovvledge an excellent gift But without the salt of grace vnsauourie 1.
because wee follow Christ Iesus himselfe wee must know that all our duties must be practised in humilitie and meeknes for so he saith in submitting your selues to my doctrine and in leading the godly life learne of me to be humble and meeke As if hee should say if ye bee hautie and high minded so as ye despise the simplicitie of my doctrine and thinke it too base a thing for you to be subiect to or froward and vntractable that in some points ye wil hold back though in some other ye be obedient ye can neuer liue godlie as God requireth of you These therefore must haue no place in Christians either Ministers or priuate persons but the contrarie vertues as I haue said which are oft times in the Scriptures set downe together as well as in this place that wee may know how needfull it is that they should alwaies goe together and that although there bee many goodly gifts in a man yet if he hath not these they shall lose their credit and beautie amongst those which behold them and withhold their commoditie from him who wanteth them And these two are not particular vertues which sometime only may haue vse but such fruites of the spirit as necessarily are required in all actions so that at no time humblenes of minde and meeknes of spirit may be wanting All these vertues I confesse are common as well to the forsaking of euill as to the doing of good and so vnderstand it though it be put out of place But I set them down here seeing the former part of this treatise was so large And that which I haue said of this matter I wish to be well obserued that the life of the beleeuer is a continuall proceeding in the departing from euill and endeuouring after duties in such manner as hath been said and a setled course in repentance and a constant walking with God and not an idle or vncertaine stumbling vpon some good actions whiles a great part of his life is neglected and not looked after he must not be sometime at commaund and readie to offer his seruice to God in some good moode and after take his owne libertie to doe what he listeth The Lords seruice is not like the disordered seruice of many vnreformed gentlemen where besides the attending at table and on horsebacke the attenders may runne where they will but it is like to a well gouerned familie where all are appointed their office and place in one thing after another to be well occupied and kept from idlenes and yet not discharged thereby to doe what they will after So our Sauiour teacheth it should be with his seruants as with a seruant in a familie who when he hath wrought in the field is not by and by discharged of other duties but then doth busines at home so they when they haue been fruitfull and haue purposed to doe all that is required of them haue done but their dutie So that the end of one worke is the beginning of another and yet al without toile and tediousnes For so hath God prouided that his seruants may be merie at their worke yea whatsoeuer they shall put their hand vnto and the more duties they do redeeming the time from idlenes and vnprofitablenes the merrier There is much work in the Lords familie as there are many places to serue in And the slouthful idle ones howsoeuer they can haue place sometime in earthly gouernment yet are they expelled from thence And this is that which Saint Peter warneth vs that we be neither idle nor barren which we shall auoide if wee be filled and furnished with the traine of heauenly vertues as knowledge faith loue patience godlines And herein is our heauenly father glorified if we bring foorth much fruite To this end we must know that Christianitie is fitly compared to a trade wherein men goe from one worke to another and a Christian hath many sins to weede out and to labour against and therefore not carelesly to marre all his worke in an houre that he hath well followed sundrie daies as he that loseth all that he hath by a cast at dice. He hath also many duties to looke vnto towards God his neighbour and himselfe wherein it shall bee found requisite for him to be carefull after the doing of one to goe to another and not to admit any thing against the peace of his conscience no not in his recreations nor in his weightiest worldly dealings feastings companie c. but to see the vnitie of the spirit kept in the bond of peace And as the Phisitions doe wel direct that for the preseruing of bodily health it is good to rise from our meate with an appetite and not to ouercharge the stomack so it is none of the meanest rules for maintaining our soules health to keepe alwaies an appetite to some new dutie when we haue performed the old and not to be so wearied in the doing of one that wee bee vtterly vnfit to goe about another This one thing being thus from time to time carefullie regarded shall make all the rest well and rightly vsed and the whole life thereby kept in frame and good order For thus to bee setled in our Christian course that with full resolution we be willingly weaned from our euill lusts and corruptions or readilie disposed to one good dutie or other and not wearie but it be forthwith disliked as we neede not seruing so bountifull a master as we doe who haue God the commaunder of our worke and a promiser of blessing vnto it Thus I say to be setled who can say but that it is a singular testimony of their spirituall welfare to all that practise it and a furtherance of a godly and well ordered life CHAP. 15. Of some particular duties pertaining to God directly in the first second third and fourth commaundements NOw the rules and vertues hauing been set downe which helpe to the practise of a godly life I will shew in what points this life consisteth and set downe a summe of it but more briefly I will doe it because it may in some sort be gathered by the description of the vngodly life and also for that no man can set downe all the particulars of it but they must be learned and knowne of the true Christian out of good catechismes and by daily and attentiue hearing of his ordinarie teacher who is able to instruct him herein and by a diligent search into his owne life by the commaundements But yet to helpe the weake that they may see how to drawe out of this whole treasurie and rich hoard of the commaundements for the better ordering of their wayes through their whole course that which shall be necessarie seeing they shall not alwaies haue other helpes at hand I will set downe some of the chiefest throughout them all And first those duties which directly pertaine to God following the order which I did in setting downe the
sinnes before According to that which is in the Apostle where he saith that the knowledge of saluation teacheth vs to liue holily c. and to giue vnto God the things which are Gods And first of all to begin with the duties of the first commaundement the life and light of all the rest it is first required that we seeke and desire to know God though not perfectly which we cannot doe yet as he may be knowne of vs as his word doth reueale him to vs that in his nature and properties he is spirituall infinit pure holy righteous onely wise constant omnipotent onely good one in essence three in person and in his workes as his constant decree and execution of the same in creation and gouernment in all most admirable as wee see in the earth with hir furniture wherewith we are best acquainted although that be but as his footestoole to conceiue of his glorie in heauen which is as his throne But alas this knowledge of God is weake euen in many a true Christian beleeuer but that euery one is then fit to learne it aright when he is once a Christian Furthermore we must acknowledge that is allow and in heart yeeld and consent vnto the truth of those things which we know of him that then we may safely and boldly beleeue in him and cleaue to him For this knowledge of his maiestie causeth al his faithfull ones to be truely knit vnto him and to fixe their whole delight in him so that they say with the Psalmist Whom haue I in heauen O Lord but thee and who is he on earth whom I desire in comparison of thee So that none is as the Lord vnto them We thus cleauing vnto him and knowing our selues to be safe vnder his winges grow to put our confidence in him that he will helpe vs in all our necessities and tribulations And from this confidence arise many other Christian duties as to hope and looke for that helpe which in confidence we assure our selues of from the Lord yea although meanes be wanting yet we giue glorie vnto God as the three children which being cast into the burning fornace committed themselues vnto his protection although at that time they saw no likelyhoode of helpe at all Againe through this confidence we are not afraide no not in greatest daungers but are patient and without murmuring hold our peace because we know the Lord hath done it and that which is more we count it good for vs that wee are afflicted and receiuing all as from a father doe reioyce soundly and heartily in them through hope at least And through the same confidence we reioyce in euery condition of life vnspeakably yet no otherwise then as we be afraide to doe any thing which may displease God as I shall say afterwards because we know that although this is wearisomnes to the wicked yet there is cause continually offered vs to be carefull that in all things we may be approoued of him And seeing we behold how all good things doe flow to vs from God therefore we offer vnto his maiestie this other dutie in all things to be thankfull namely with a kinde heart testifying that all our well-fare commeth from him and so doe we in our wants and necessities lift vp our hearts vnto him by prayer for the obtaining of the things which we want And when he thus bountifully imparteth to vs all good things which yet are but the smaller fruites of his fauour and yet if they were not enough he would send vs more and greater who doubteth that with al our hearts and strength we are affected to loue him more then wife children house land or whatsoeuer is of greatest price in the world beside yea that in comparison thereof the best things of price are reckoned but as doung And in token of this true loue to God we giue our selues to solace our soules in him as Dauid euen when he was in daunger of his life did comfort himselfe in his God 1. Sam. 30.6 because it is so sweete and beautifull to thinke and meditate oft times vpon the infinit good things that doe flow from him vnto vs but most of all desiring to inioy his presence in heauen which shall be with fulnes of pleasures for euermore And further because all which know God and put their confidence in him and loue him are ouerwhelmed as it were with the infinitnes and excellencie of his glorious maiestie therefore they are drawen to behaue themselues more reuerently and vprightly before him then before the greatest potentates in the world and therefore are prepared to walke before him continually in an holy and childlike feare desiring that he will teach them by his wisdome direct them by his prouidence and blesse their whole course so as they may comfortably feele the same through their life Now besides these duties of holines which we owe directly to the person of God meerely spirituall and inward there are other whereby we worship him outwardly which also are parts of this holines towards God it followeth therefore now to mention some of the chiefe points of this externall worship of God both publike and priuate and in what manner it should be vsed but before it is to be knowne that he will allow of no other meanes of worshipping him outwardly then he hath appointed and prescribed himselfe in his word And therefore the office of the ministerie it selfe by which God is truely worshipped publikely must not be an office to sacrifice and say masse for the sinnes of the quicke and dead which Gods word plainely condemneth neither must it be any other then that which God acknowledgeth for his that is a publishing and preaching of the Gospell and glad tidings of saluation by Iesus Christ to penitent sinners and beleeuers and a ministring of the sacraments which he hath ordained for the comfort of them Such ministers they must be at the least which serue him whatsoeuer graces they haue beside if they would that God should acknowledge and take them for his and after such outward manner must they worship him in all dutifulnes of heart both magistrate and priuate person who will worship him aright And amongst the publike seruices of God these are some and the principall with prayers by voice expressed thanksgiuing confessions of sinnes and singing of Psalmes the fruite of the lippes with the censures of admonition and excommunication as cause doth require which I knit together for breuitie sake seeing I haue onely taken in hand to set downe shortly what the partes of Gods outward worship are not largely to handle them that all may see the better hereafter when I shall come to it how the daily direction for a Christians life may fitly bee drawne out and made vp of the whole body of godlines layde together in the commaundements To these may be
for necessity onely or for feare of punishment or shame of the world or because they would be rich all which are carnall sensuall and diuellish respects as I sayd before in forbidding all vitious affections in mens lawfull actions neither do they please God which thus go to worke And further they must do these lawfull workes in perswasion and confidence that God will blesse them therein and giue them good successe and take that for their daily bread and blessing which God in their thus-going to worke doth bestow vpon them And lastly they must do these without adding the common sinnes which wicked persons do vse at their worke as swearing lying negligence idlenesse falshood and deceiuing cursing quarrelling impatience and contention These and such other of their owne deuising the wicked do bring in among the lawfull workes which God commaundeth them to do and mixeth such euils with the doing of the workes which of themselues are good that they vtterly marre and deface them thereby depriue themselues of Gods blessing and it causeth their callings and trades to be meanely accounted of and in discredit with such as are not able to iudge as though none could vse them better whereas others as poore as they and as much put to their shifts yet taking better direction and depending on God and carefully abstaining from such sinnes as are wont in the most to accompany their lawfull workes and dealings do liue in them contentedly peaceably and holily and do in that manner put honor and beauty vpon their callings and testifie that God hath to singular ends and purposes appointed and giuen them vnto vs. And thus would God haue Christians go to their worke and do all their lawfull businesse not as hirelings onely in regard of their bellies And this were a goodly and most beautifull sight to behold in all sorts maisters seruants buyers sellers and euen in the poore labourers yea cutters of wood and drawers of water and they that are of meanest place in families may liue godly in them while religion rules their actions and while they desire to do them as they are taught in the word of God And they who go to worke after this maner may be merry at their worke and merry at their meate and yet I meane not as the prophane and earth-wormes who sometime are merry when they haue more cause to be heauy seeing neither they nor their worke are pleasing to him but the other may reioyce and be glad by Gods allowing yea commanding it them where he saith Reioyce thou and thine before the Lord thy God in all that thou puttest thine hand vnto And againe Serue the Lord thy God that is in that thou art appointed by him to do in ioyfulnesse and with a good heart for the aboundance of all things And this is the mirth and ioy of heart which the Apostle willeth vs to take our part in saying Speake to your selues in Psalmes and Himnes and spirituall songs singing making melodie to the Lord in your hearts with thankes for all things through Iesus Christ In this sort hath God allowed his seruants who haue learned and are resolued to obey him in all things to reioyce and go about their worldly affaires and in like maner doth he allow them to vse all their lawfull liberties in this life all which he knoweth they haue need of to allay the tartnesse and asswage the painfulnesse and griefe which through their afflictions are infinite wayes ready in all places to meete with them And not to do lawfull businesse and workes thus and with the three former rules set downe but as the vnruly and disordered people of the world do them is to make the lawfullest and excellentest callings base and meane and to the persons themselues most hurtfull while they stand forth against them as accusations for that they haue vsed them vnlawfully which in themselues are very honest and lawfull which I say that I may answer the brutish and irreligious sort who say they know no difference betwixt those who are counted godly and themselues seeing they are faine say they to worke for their liuing as well as we their godlinesse will not feede them The difference let them learne from that which I haue sayd I haue also spoken this by occasion for the satisfying of the simple-harted that they may not thinke that in requiring that we should liue euery day in a godly maner I do vrge any to leaue off and lay aside their callings and businesse and yet this I shew to be required by the Lord how and in what maner those lawfull workes ought to be done of them that he therein may be pleased And so I conclude that the beleeuer ought euery day to arme and frame himselfe to a godly life and to cast off all that sauoreth not thereof as in some which are most vsuall actions I haue shewed seeing his whole conuersation must beseeme the Gospell remembring what the wise man saith All that thine hand shall find to do do it with all thy power for there is no worke in the graue whither thou goest Which if it were perswaded throughly to men that it ought to be so and that it is as necessarily to be looked after as their maintenance health yea or their life it selfe which none wel aduised wil deny then should there not be this posting it off from one to another which now there is nor this refusing to be subiect to God in this maine and great commaundement of doing all to his glorie which they that refuse do refuse godlinesse it selfe And there should not be this parting of stakes betwixt God and our selues that sometime we will be forward and sometime backeward in some things obedient but in others denying our obedience which causeth such patching and peecing of duties as is farre from holinesse without which yet we shall neuer see the Lords face whereas yet by constancy in duty and keeping of a daily course therein much dulnesse deadnesse barrennesse slouth idlenesse and the fruits thereof lewd lusts and many such dangerous euils should be auoided with which euen many good Christians to their great heart-smart afterwards are annoyed because they know not how to do better The sixt point of our daily direction in thankfulnesse I meane a renewing of this duty to the Lord euery day that so we may still see and acknowledge our selues indebted vnto him and be the fitter to go vnder any of his fatherly chastisements which he shall lay vpon vs which without it will presse vs downe and raise bitternesse in our hearts and also that by it we may the ofter call to mind Gods many kindnesses to cheare our harts which are too soone forgotten of vs. The Prophet Ieremie forceth this daily duty to be continued of vs when he saith that the mercies of God are renewed vpon vs daily and what followeth vpon that but this that our