Maintaine and hold this right and Title of thine Thinke not that this Spirit of Grace and Supplication is spent though thou see not God so clearely in it for all ends as thou desirest yet giue it not ouer thy sinne hath bound thee in cheynes but Prayer is not bound rather it bindeth the Lord by promise to thee The eare of God is not heauy that hee should not heare Hee is not as a man that he should be distracted by multitude of praying Suppliants at once a thousand to him are as one and one as a thousand Beware of Atheisme in this kinde Secondly Goe in the Lord Iesus by a promise hauing thy wants in a readinesse and thy faith on wing let not thy course in praying issue from a formall platforme though I iudge not any man for reading a prayer but a liuely feeling and humble pinching of soule for thy Necessities Thirdly shake off all extremities of a corrupt heart by faith which must hold thine eye fixed upon thy Mediator by his Spirit vpholding thy faintnesse and groning within thee against all thy presumptions commonnesse dulnesse deadnesse coldnesse and beseech the Lord to stirre thee vp to pray as he shall suggest vnto thee by the present occasion well digested either for the Church others or thy selfe Tye thy selfe to no punctualnesse but as the holy men in Scriptures have done so let confession sometimes goe before or follow prayer and either of both thankesgiuing Come not to the Lord with either an heart moyling and lowring with discontent without faith or bold and ventrous without humiliation but let both haue their due weight If thou wouldest be heauenly in prayer first abase thy selfe as a worme dust and ashes yea as Master Bradford hell and the sinke-hole before the Lord who is heauen and holinesse if the Lord haue any speciall draught for thy net he will put thee out of conceit with thy owne Art and thy selfe as Peter was when hee had toiled all night and catcht nothing Emptinesse is the onely raiser of our minds in prayer Oh! how hard is it to get and then secondly by faith be quickned to wait for 〈◊〉 â—nswer these two will fill thee with heauenly affections and rid thee of thine owne inuentions manner and ends Fourthly Adde these meet qualities of Prayer viz. fervent importunity as one whom God cannot bee rid of till thou speed and frequency as hauing sped well already If in prayer thou finde little stirring know it is not because Prayer is not Gods Ordinance but he would try whether forme and the worke done bee not aboue spirit and faith in thee if they be not persist and goe against the edge of thy owne deadnesse resting in that measure gladly which the Lord sees best for in this case thou wilt pray oftnest as 2 Cor. 12.10 Fifthly and aboue all come not to pray with any tainted knowne sin I say not onely grosse but euen secret and close through a lazy heart loth to cast them off or a loose heart louing them better than the things thou prayest for lest the Lord iustly leaue thee to be wearisome to him and thy selfe Cast out thy wrath and earth and disdaine and censures and vncharitablenesse yea let thy praying awe thee against them ere thou pray that it may arme thee when thou hast done Til prayer become thy familiar friend bring thee into acquaintance with God for a supply of wants pardon of daily sinnes helpe for all duties of conuersation And so looking vp to thine Aduocate for a couering of thy weakenesse this duty shall be a speciall helpe to godlinesse vnto thee Touching the Lords Prayer I send my Reader to the speciall Treatises thereof Q. Adde somewhat of meditation and leaue the rest A. Touching this Ordinance I may call it the high-way to all good conuersation yea I may say it 's as the smoke of the sacrifice in which the Angell Iudg. 13.20 went up to heauen in I set it not aboue prayer but magnifie it to set an edge vpon people who will not know it And surely if that be an helpe to God which both takes away lets and both in the act and effects of it is so admirable iudge what an helpe meditation is Tell mee then first what are the cheefe lets to grace in them who otherwise want not knowledge Surely either giddinesse of mind or vnsavourinesse of spirit The former like a sieve out of the water loseth all it gets suffers nothing either truths heard or workes seene to abide long in the heart But Meditation settles them in the Spirit that they leake not out Heb. 2.1 Thus the life of a thousand Sermons of mercies and occasions is preserued In stead of the latter it seasons the heart with the sap the life the savour of good things They are not heaps upon heaps leauing vs a thirst but we drink of them digest them and make our soules merry with them Euen as an enuious man so long chewes the cud of his malice in his bed till hee haue het his heart and deuised reuenge so is meditation a reall grace on the contrary and whetteth vpon the promises and works of God till it be fired with the love of them Againe it makes the meaning view scope and order both of particular doctrines and the whole frame of Religion to become our owne And lastly wee come hereby to the ease of practice the fruit hereof Experience so that if once we haue found crosses to doe vs good wee feare not when new ones approach if wee haue felt the gaine of a Sabbath we get a delight therein in a word whatsoeuer is easie it becomes sweete and therefore if this be worth somewhat to find the yoke of God easie and his burthen light as to say the truth it is the vpshot of goodnesse well may wee then say Meditation is a diuine helpe to a good course Oh! how it s to bee lamented that men know it not they get no matter to chew vpon they seperate not themselues to it thinking they may meditate while they â—e at worke they doe not curbe their wild and wandring hearts from other obiects and so this piece of Gods Worship is irkesome vnto them Thus much for a tast of some of the priuate Q. But are the extraordinary helpes so too A. There need be the lesse question of that because as their nature is more solemne so is their vse if they be attended accordingly And first that of Fasting Of which I say this that if wee esteeme that receit aboue all which doth cure a disease that no other medicine could then surely fasting deserues account Our Sauiour tels vs This kinde of Diuels goeth not out Mar. 9.29 saue by fasting and prayer that is all the ordinances of God are effectuall but this aboue all for this end Wherefore briefely whither we bring the Churches or our owne cases either sinnes or sorrowes before the Lord to be done away Let vs first arme
care so to be alway vp in our zeale and spirit is no marke of goodnesse Submit with an innocent heart to bee led as the Lord will haue thee coueting the best measure but resting in Gods measure Ionathan and his Armor-bearer in that 1 Sa. 14.13 crept vp the hill to the Philistins against the Rocke and yet because he had a watchword from God was cheerfull And as Peter was ready to be at Christs command Luk. 5. to let downe his net against his owne experience so let vs be in God his worke and way although tediously rather then in our way of affections not knowing our owne spirit It is a blessed thing to trade for fayth although with small successe yea when wee cannot compasse a promise yet set our marke vpon it and say It is precious it shall haue my weake heart and endeauour till God giue me my desire Yea although thy measure proue small and thou prayest and hearest and gettest little yet make much of that little and bee thankefull The Lord deals out to the poore soule as once a wise friend dealt with an acquaintance of his he sent her three tokens a brasse farthing a mil-six-pence and a piece of Gold bidding the Messenger first to giue her the farthing if she tooke it well then the sixpence also and after that hee sent her the gold As Paul 2 Cor. 12. was content to pray for any grace and the woman of Canaan was glad she might be as a dog to pick vp crumbes Thus much for the third vse of admonitioÌ„ The last is Exhortation to all vnder the condition of a Vse 4 promise to beleeue it Oh that the Lord would set it home 2 Cor. 6.1 Receaue not this offer in vaine Let all that hath beene sayd of the ground of a Word from God and the duties of cleauing to it be layd to heart Let vs not vse a Word of God as a vaine thing The Word is a precious treasure of Christ and hath all his strength and authority in it accompt it so then resigne vp thy Crowne and cast it at the feet of the promise Popish Emperors haue left all their Glory and layd their Scepters downe at the feet of an Idoll as weary of the world Oh that God would tire vs and vrge vs to resigne vp all our soules to his promise Wee see not the Lord indeed nor heare him not speake but we haue a sure word of promise in which we shall be wise if we attend to it as a light in a darke place It hath all Gods power in it it is as gold purged it hath all authority and resembleth his person As a graue Preacher once sayd Thy Word O Lord is Holy and pure as thine owne Maiesty Oh yeeld our impure hearts to it If a man come into the Presence Chamber of a King and see him not there what will he do Surely hee will bow to the Chaire of Estate Why Because it represents the King Thinkest thou that any chaire of Estate can so hold out the Glory of a King as doth the promise shew forth the grace of GOD in Christ Kisse the Son in his promise then But thou wilt say Oh it is hard to honor a promise and God therein Well then Tim 3. vlt Esay 57.19 go to God in prayer and bow thy knees and beg of him to reueale this mystery of Godlinesse Christ vnto thee Eph. 1.17 18. and so the Disciples Lord encrease our faith It is the gift of God he creates it as the fruit of the lips Most Heauenly is that phrase of Dauid Psal 119.49 Thy promise in which thou hast caused mee to put my trust It is the Lord that must cause the heart to put her trust in the promise I know Lord the condition of fayth the excellency of thy Word and all those bottoms of it I am vrged to ponder thy Word to cleaue to it to consent and obey But Lord I am still the same it will neuer be done for me except thou draw me else Lord I shall be as Agrippa almost perswaded and thy cords will breake in the drawing therefore fulfill thy promise thou that offrest the promise cause me to do all these and cause me to enter Couenant with thee for pardon and life Oh looke to this Moralize not with the Lord in other things this the one thing necessary if this be the rest will follow Fayth will purge the Conscience change the heart order the conuersation in three if bred in the second Else the further the worse ill digestion is not mended by the veines rotten saith cannot be mended by a shew of duties Remember the issue of Christs enquiry will be for sayth Luk 18.8 Those that haue it the Lord will bee admired in them in that day 2 Thess 1.7 wo be to them that want it Better to be a drunkard a theefe though very damnable then to want faith to giue God the lie and to sin against the Remedy Mâ—se vpon the first words of Ioh. 3.19 and vpon Ioh. 3 vlt Mark vlt. Nothing but condemnaâ—ion is to such and that the worst So in 2. Cor. 4.4 If our Gospell be hid it s to them that perish And as thou wouldst stand vnconuinced not onely before the woman of Canaan and the Centurion Mat. 15. Luk 6. wâ—o being but strangers yet are wondred at for fayth but euen before Turkes Pagans who neuer had the meanes so tremble at it that such should condemne thee and aboue all things labor to rely vpon the promisâ— for pardon and lif ere thou goe from hence and be seen no more The Loâ—d perswade vs all to it Gen 9.26 And â—his be sayd of this last Article in the practize whereof I haue bâ—e e laâ—gâ— becaâ—sâ— it is the maine Branch of pâ—acticall Cateâ—â—isme and the chiefe scope of t e whole Booke The end of the second Part. THE THIRD PART OF THE CATECHISME The Text EPHES. 4.20 21 22.24 20 If you heard him and have bin taught by him as the truth is in Iesus 21 That ye put off as concerning the former conversation the old man which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts 22 And that ye put on the New man which after God is created in righteousnesse and true holinesse 24 Wherefore putting away lying speake the truth c. Q. WHat is the connexion of this Text A. From the 17. verse the Apostle enters into this point viz. to urge the Ephesians to a renewed course according to that grace they had received from God The argument stands in a comparison betweene their carriage in their former ignorance and that which the grace of God in Christ had taught them since that is that conuersation which ye walked in before your calling was very sutable to the estate ye lived in for as then yee were vaine blinde darkned hardned in heart and past feeling in conscience so your course was prophane estranged from the life of God and given
daylie life so doth the soule all her workes in Christ Christ in her prayes preaches prospers suffers and in a word doth all her workes in her as Esay 26. Q. What is the life of faith in estates and first in Prosperity A. The cleauing of the soule to God in the promise of his Al-sufficiency Gen. 17.1 and 1 Cor. 3. end Al things are yours and ye Christs It s the Lord Iesus our head who being Lord of all made himselfe no body that we might haue right to all promises Faith then cleaues to this promise First That if God hath made vs a feast in the mountaines much more hee will in the valleyes Esay 25. And looke what blessing so euer he see good it 's mine life good daies good marriage children family health successe recouery credit wealth it 's mine A childe of God beleeues no temporall promise otherwise than a spirituall both purchased by Christ alike although if he see them vnfit I am to beleeue a supply otherwise as good or better but else faith cleaues to a temporall in the full right to Christ without ifs or ands as well as the other And not onely so but serues Gods prouidence for them with holy confidence setting the Lord aboue his owne labours in the secret blessing of a promise going to worke without indirect courses without sinne or sorrow beleeuing that whatsoeuer his portion be more or lesse it 's his giuen him by his father and therefore best and any other should be worse and to conclude accounting the commonest blessing to be no common loue to him but vouchsafed in kindnesse to his seruant and therefore not snared thereby and nailed to the earth but raised vp rather as by wings to the giuer to serue the Lord with a good and cheerefull heart for all his blessings Q. What is the life of faith in the estate of aduersity A. It is the cleauing of the soule to God in the promise of his protection and redemption 1 Cor. 1.30 The poore soule saith with David on his death-bed The Lord liueth who hath deliuered my soule out of all aduersity sword of Saul pursuit enemies in battell and now will deliuer me in deatâ— And how first as it was with Christ that no trouble nor yet one houre sooner befell him than God preordained so shall a poore soule beleeue that no enemy shall hurt or afflict in any kind then or vntil the Lord see meet but as he so thou shalt passe through all so also 2. If any doe assault thee sickenesse poverty suits prison malitious enemies thou shalt say with Christ This is their houre they are come in season they are meet read 1 Pet. 1.6 they are no accidents they are the allottings of my Father for speciall good 3. When they doe lye vpon thee yet the Lord shall bee thy light in darkenesse and shall bee thy defence and couer thy head in the day of battell See Micah 2.7 Psal 84. end hee shall make thy bed in sicknesse and walke with thee in the Fornace hee shall be thy peace of heart thy strength to endure hee shall purge thee by them and bring thee out as gold out of the Fornace So that thou shalt say Perhaps the Lord shall doe me good for this crosse this day make me better than if I had not had it It is good for mee that I was afflicted And after a tolerable passage read Ier. 29.6 7. he shall deliuer me out of all one way or other so that the spirit of glory and the conquest of Christ rests vpon me and by his promise Ioh. 16. vlt. I haue ouercome the world I shall take good courage and say Micah 7.8 I shall rise when I am fallen and afterward I shal with the Lord Iesus be out of the gunshot of all afflictions yea as the estate of a beleeuer is through his whole life so shall it be comfortablest at death and the last day shall be his best a rest from all labours Q. What is the life of faith in meanes vsing A. It is the cleauing vnto God by the promise for the power and blessing of and vpon all his ordinance which point seeing it will fall into Article 4. vse 3. therefore thence fetch direction Q. What is the life of faith in duties A. It s the cleauing of the soule to God by a promise for strength to giue vs the grace to doe what hee commandeth of which also seeing I treat in Article 3. vse 4 there looke Q. What is the life of faith in Graces A. It 's the soules cleauing to God in the promise and in the grace of the Lord Iesus for a supply of grace conuenient for it selfe both for number and measure Ioh. 1.17 from his fountaine we receiue grace for grace like for like so many for so many In the strength of this promise a poore barren soule comes to the Lord and hearing what treasure is in Christ and for whom comes with confidence and pleades for it selfe Oh Lord as empty a wretch as I am of mercy of compassion of righteousnesse of loue of patience thou hast put all into the nature of Christ Emanuel though I am pestred with a peeuish froward proud worldly spirit yet thou hast sayd where sinn hath abounded grace abounded much more thou delightest to honour thy Sonnes grace in purging such sinfull ones from their cursed qualities thou wilt haue thy grace pointed at Oh! who would haue euer haue looked to see such a proud wretch humble so worldly an one heauenly minded Nay the Lord can vse those weapons of sinne to bee weapons of righteousnesse choler to turne zeale for God prodigality to turne bounty to the poore members of Christ I see where the Lord creates the new creature hee also creates the graces thereof where he marryes he giues the marriage Ring beset with all Iewels of faithfulnesse humblenesse and the like Why then should a poore member pine away for want when the head is full and full for his members Oh! I see all things are mine in Christ all meanes duties yea and graces mine Didst thou not say so Lord and causedst me to trust thee for it that out of thy Fountaine I should haue for both number those that are most wanting and for measure that which may strengthen a feeble heart Euen as Haman hearing what should be done to a fauorite answered he meanes me whom else so the poore soule heere The Lord hath renued mee and whom should he bestow Graces vpon to beautifie sooner Q. Goe forward to the second branch of our Communion with God wherein doth it consist A. In the exercise of the graces of his spirit For looke how Merchants and Chapmen haue the policy and traffike for wares and mony so the godly haue their commerce with the Lord for grace Read Phillip 3.19 But our conuersation is in heauen And this stands in these three things First in the encrease of their graces for the experience of the sweete
perfect freedome yea meate and drinke Ier. 31.33 Eze. 36.27 according to that Ierem. 31. I will write my Law in their hearts and cause them to walke in my Statutes that is put strength of mine owne into them to agree with my Rule and stoope to my Scepter Kings command their people but serue themselues upon their strength cannot put any into them but Christ is serued by his owne Q. What hath he done for vs as our Prophet A. His Prophecy commeth yet neerer to the matter in hand for although all that I have said be to be supposed ere the Law can direct vs yet the actuall worke of direction issueth from his Prophecie And first by a Declaring and secondly by a Reuealing Worke. The Declaring worke is a witnessing to the soule that he is the true Lord and Comman-of his People Esay 55.4 that he rules his law as by his scepter that all his Preisthood and merit ends in his kingdome and obedience that it is his honour that all knees bow to him and that they kisse the Sonne that hee is the obiect of it through whom the Father is honoured that true Liberty stands not in hauing our wil but in putting on this yoke and who so doth otherwise deceives himselfe But secondly by his Reuealing worke by this hee directs the soule and sets the steps of it as Luk. 1.79 in peace by this he vses the tenor of his Law to be a liuely finger to point out duty for euery occasion and to frame the soule to draw his Law to euery need and vse in the life according to that 1 Ioh. 2 20.27 Ye haue an vnction from the Holy one who telleth you all things And in Esay 30.21 Their eares shall heare a voyce behinde them saying This is the way walke in it This is a Revealing with direction by which the soule sees the vse of Christ in euery Commandement and is led on by him as her Guide thereby as if an Oracle should speake from heauen Esay 55. A Leader and Commander to his people vers 4. And thus a Christian may see how the Commandements of the Morall Law are the directions of Christ and how he is the Law-giver of the soule in them all and till this bee conceiued it is no wonder if we account them as a strange thing Hos 8.12 But by this meanes familiar Q. I conceiue now how Christ hath made his Law a direction to godly life now come to the directions themselues what are they A. They concerne either God himselfe in the 1. Table as his inward worship of feare confidence and setting him vp to be our God alone in the first Or our outward reasonable seruice and worship of him in pure manner in the second Or our faithfull abearing our selues in all holinesse in such actions of common life as are not immediate worship in the third for I referre oathes and vowes to the second which I desire wise Readers to thinke of or the set day of our Worship vpon one day of seuen since the eighth day was turned into Gods day or the Christian Sabbath and that in the fourth Or else our neighbour and our selues in the other six Subiection to all Superiority in the fifth Maintaining his pretious life as being better than all that follow in the sixth Of his Chastity in the seuenth His Estate in the eighth His Name in the ninth The tenth forbidding not onely that Concupiscence which reaches to the detriment of our neighbor but vnder that as most sensible to vs all that wicked propension and bent of nature before actuall sinne whereby originally we are prone to all vnâ—ustice and impiety and intemperance Concerning which as hauing said enough in the second Arâ—icle of Conuersation and it being no part of my purpose to repeat what hath been written by so many learned faithful Writers I omit to say any more only contenting my selfe to lay downsome briefe rules how the Law is to be conceiued the Minister of Christ for righteousnesse and so to conclude the Article with breefe vses Q Mention then some of these Rules A. First that all the Lawes of Christ must be vnderstood to be of another manner of force and authority than the Lawes of men euen the greatest for they are limited with exceptions in all kindes and doe but reach to the outward man and penalties thereof But these doe reach to the conscience and they binde the inner man God whom wee haue to doe with seeing the soule in her vtmost retirednesse as a thing naked Heb. 4.13 and his word being pure as himselfe and piercing betweene the ioynts and marrow Heb. 4.12 and therefore there he sets vp his Throne and there is no evasion from him Secondly Let vs know that his Commands are not idle things and arbitrary which we may obey at our curtesie or if not yet God is as a weake King for whom his Subjects are too strong as Ioab and Abisâ—ai for David but reall Lawes from an authority that both knowes offenders and can punish them yea which accurseth all transgressours and will not hold them guiltlesse Heb. 12. ult a consuming fire as the manner of his uttering them Exod. 20. in earthquakes and thunder shewed and therefore be we afraid to provoke him and yet he is a God able to gratifie his obedient ones in ample manner even to a thousand generations and it s not to be neglected that both kind of sanctions are expressed in so short a view Thirdly obserue that the commands of the second Table are the edicts of the same God whose the first are Iam. 12.11 and therefore in which the Lord takes himselfe as much either honoured or not as the first which I speake lest any should cavill and thinke that 1 Sam. 2.25 If man sinne against man a man may iudge but if against the Lord who shall entreat to be meant of morall offences No but onely of common discurtesies and offences or breaches which are in mens power to release For even those sinnes of Eli's Sonnes were against women and yet he tels them the Lord tooke them as against himselfe So that although men be the object of the second Table yet not the last into which the morrall offence is carried and therefore it is not in man to release any more of it then his owne damage the rest the Lord onely can remit as the sinne is of equall guilt so the forgiver must be of equall power Fourthly the Law must be alwayes understood according to the scope even as every other part of the Word as promises and threats Wee must not rest in the bare letter and so destrow the life and spirit of the Law How shoud ten words include all our conversation except the letter of the Law be enlarged to the meaning of the Law-giver The Law then rests in the true intent of it Therefore as for all Pharisaicall licentious or prophane wretches who doe limit this Law and acknowledge no more
then serues for their purposes chopping and changing as Papists who leaue out the second Commandement quite and make vp tenne by making two of the last let vs abhor it Let vs abhor both their enlarging of duties beyond the Law where God hath made no sins there making sinnes and where he makes no Lawes making them to bind the Conscience vrging them more seuerely than faith and repentance Oh! it 's most intollerable And so their shortning of them and cutting them off by the middle making reach no further then the notorious euils of them But let this be our rule that look what God aymes at vnder the grossest let vs also ayme at and both abhorre each appearance of euill as well as the most odious and cleauing to good in the least as well as the greatest He that breakes the least Matth. 5.19 shall be the least in heauen and is guilty of the greatest If the scope of the second Commandement be next to the worship it selfe to prouide for the purity of it any will-worship should be to vs as an Idoll and all rebellion as witch-craft 1 Sam. 15.23 Fiftly we must conceiue the coÌ„mandements as importing no patcht or peeced obedience to one or a few charges but an entire and whole one as the coagmentation of the Lawes of both Tables doth import Let vs alway conceiue the scope of the Law to require integrity and all partiall seruice to bee a forfeit to the whole Law and be farre from all such hipocrits and Ciuilians of whom the one colours his vnrighteousnesse by his pretensed deuotion which men cannot controle the other their impiety and prophannes of their hearts by the outward ciuility in some of the Commandements of the second Table both in truth breaking both Sixtly the Lawes of the former Table are generally to bee preferred to the duties of the second yet with an exception that we conceiue it upon equall tearmes thus that the commands of the first ranke in the former table haue precedency ouer the second not each branch of the former aboue the second in their first ranke It is generally more excellent that God haue his due then man not particularly the neglect or contempt of a Sermon is a fouler sin than the murther of a man Seuenthly Vnderstand the commandements to require at our hands the vtmost of our wit deuise and courage to serue God that if we be beaten off in one kind yet wee desist not till we see that we be denied altogether Else to take any occasion of perill perhaps supposed onely to neglect duty is to discharge our selues of seruice ere God doth Eightly Let vs obserue the Commandements of God neuer crosse each other if any such case occurre as wherein one cannot stand with the other let vs know the one must alway yeeld to the other as if the child bee set about his fathers lawfull businesse hee may not at the same time neglect his calling though to a religious end as to heare the word c. except the parent release him the prerogatiue of the first Table aboue the second notwithstanding Lastly Let vs note this that duties of necessity and mercy which cannot be otherwise done are to be preferred to duties of piety at that season as the Phisition to attend the patient or to help the Oxe out of the ditch rather than worship God first and suffer these to despaire the whilest Obedience in such cases is better than sacrifice and the omission of a duty is no contempt with God But I cease to mention any more seeing it 's lesse to my purpose Q. Conclude then the Article with some vses Vse 1 A. First it strongly confutes all enemies to the Law of God either old Athiesticall Antinomists or late Libertines and carnall hipocrites It 's no wonder that they are so rife in these daies of loosenesse for euen our Sauiour did touch vpon such Mat. the 5.17 the Apostle writes few Epistles but he meetes with such turners of the grace of God into wantonnesse men of corrupt mindes and Peter writes that many abused the Epistles of Paul to their owne destruction 2. Epist 3.16 It is no wonder if theeues might haue their will would suffer no watches to be kept or deformed women loath or break al true Glasses Let vs so much the rather abhorre them as odious enemies to God and vnder pretext of the Law of liberty walâ—e as lawlesse libertines and ouerthrow the Law of Conuersation Vse 2 Secondly let vs consider how dangerous a thing it is to worship God according to our owne fancies and inuentions The Lord wee see will not trust his owne Familie of Beleeuers with prescribing of Lawes to themselues vnder colour of that faithfulnesse It was a good speech of old They are the best Lawes which giue least power to the Iudge God will haue no Iudge to be his Chancellor to make or interpret or change Lawes he knowes our boldnesse and Sacriledge in this kind Nay hee knowes that curiosity of our braines which being weary of his Lawes devise new and loue their owne better than his and so in time iustle out the Lords with our owne And as we can open our mouthes against Papists in this kind so let vs hate them in the roote and cast out of our selues all such selfe and selfe-loue as vnder a colour of reteyning Gods Lawes yet seeke a breadth of our owne in his narrow and make his Lawes our owne through our bad mixtures This is the sinne of hipocrites and time-seruers let vs if wee ignorant study this Law of God duely and when we see his will which is as the decrees of Medes and Persians let vs not descant vpon it and nibble at as a fish at the bate being fearefull of the hooke striuing by the rottennesse of our deceiued heart to bring Gods Lawes to the bent of our owne bowes and corrupt them in the simplicity of them There is little oddes betweene the carnall wil-worship of them that thrust vpon the Lord their owne and the spirituall wil-worship of them that take away from him his Thus did Balaam Num. 22.12 whom the Lord at first told plainely he should not go with Balacks seruants but that answer not pleasing him lo how he goes between barke and trâ—e causing them to stay a night longer vers 19. What was this but to make the Lords charge a nose of waxe was it possible the Law of righteousnesse could stoope to a law of couetousnesse Beware wee of this hipocrisie least while we dally with God when we know it the Lord suffer vs to dash out our owne light and lay offences in our way and leaue vs to our selues that as hee when he would needes go with them and fetch inchantments from place to place yet being dazeled and besotted with his owne lust should not know himselfe to be an hipocrite nor be capable of conuiction what is more terrible then to heare such an hipocrite make himselfe beleeue that
without wearinesse Q. Are all these equall in excellency A. No as the Lord hath planted such a light in the Sunne as giues light to all inferiour Planets so hath he giuen to the Ministry of the Word an eminency aboue the rest so that therefrom as the begetter of faith and grace doth issue all ability and strength to other ordâ—nances The Moone may helpe a traueller when the Sunne is absent yet shee hath but a borrowed light therefrom So haue other ordinances of the Sacraments prayer conference and the like their foyson from the Word preached which I speake not to diminish the rest for all haue their speciall vse and each of them with the word are aboue it onely the Sacraments in their sealing property and priuate duties in their peculiâ—r familiarity although if comparison be made the Word preached hath the preheminence Rom. 10.14 See Numh. 29. where the chiefe ordiâ—ances are vrged Q. What vses serue these for A. As I said for the builning vp and preparing the soule for euery good worke and the perfecting of sanctification in the feare of the Lord 1 Cor. 6.1 Q. I would heare them named and distinguished A. It is not the purpose of this view to make common places of any thing which as many others haue excellently performed the seuen treatises especially so to omit them I desire my reading Auditors to reuiew those seueral Scriptures vpon which all these haue beene at large handled as the Doctrine of fasting vpon Mat. 6.6 of publike thanksgiuing vpon Lament 3 23. of hearing aright vpon Esay 55.3 of the Sacraments vpon 1 Pet. 3.21 by the way and largely vpon 1 Cor. 11.28 of experience vpon Lament 3.27 of watchfulnes Mat. 24 42. And so of Communion and assembling Psa 133. and Heb. 10.25 To giue euen a little of these Sermons would fill the booke which is now much fuller than I meant yet for the desire of your good somewhat of fiue or sixe of the chiefe their nature and vse in the helping to godlinesse And first to distinguish them They are either priuate or publike and both these sorts are equally either ordinary or extraordinary Being wee with the latter and they are either fasting or thanksgiuing Q. What is Fasting A. A solemne ordinance of God attended with rest and abstinence wherein the Church lawfully assembled to heare and pray doth powre out her soule in selfe-affliction and supplication with importunity for the turning away of some great present or imminent sinne and danger Q. And what is Thankâ—giuing A. A sollemne ordinance of God wherein the Church lawfully assembled powres out her selfe in prayses and thanks for some rare blessings and deliuerances And let this also bee vnderstood of priuate in both extraordinary kinds termes being obserued Q. And what are the publike ordinary A. The Word read and preached with prayer and the administration of Baptisme and the Supper Q. What are the priuate ordinary A. Prayer family duties reading the word meditation conference and the like Q. What is the Word preached A. It is a publike eminent ordinance wherein the Minister lawfully deputed doth distinctly and soundly read the Word giue the sence ground the Doctrine and conuincingly apply it by instruction reproofe confutation and exhortation Q. What is the Sacrament of Baptisme A. The former Sacrament of the New Testament wherein by due application of water to the infant all Christ is sealed vp to the soule for regeneration Q. What is the Sacrament of the Supper A. The second in order in which by due giuing and receiuing of bread wine the Lord Iesus is wholy giuen and taken by the beleeuing soule to be nourished to eternall life Q. What is priuate Payer A. A lifting vp of the heart to God in the name Iesus Christ in confession and supplication for the pardon of sinne the granting of all good things and acknowledging of mercies already receiued Q. What is Meditation A. A serious reuiuing of these truths we haue heard or the administrations of God towards vs or others that both mind and heart being seasoned with the sauour thereof we may be furthered thereby to duty Q. What is Conference A. A wise and louing laying together by two or more of such things as concerne the glory of God and our spirituall edifying for mutual information quickning I ayme in these descriptions rather at the good then the humour and conceit of my reader and that by way of digression and by these let the rest be aymed at Q. Now that which you most ayme at being to show how all these make for the groth of the soule in godlinesse let mee heare you treat of it in particuler A. I will giue a view of some of the chiefe and so hasten to end with vse First for that of hearing the Word bee sure thou hast true right to the blessing of it This Article of the meanes belongs onely to the new creature to further him in his course else the word cannot build thee except first it haue begot thee See 1 Pet. 2.3 If ye haue tasted how gracious the Lord is then come to the Word to grow by it Else it will poison thee if thou bee impure nothing is pure Eph. 4 22.23 .. If ye haue knowne the truth as it is in Iesus then come and put off c. Secondly prize and couet it Prize it as that word which hath beene the seed of immortality and glory vnto thee It will be no hard worke to prize it if thou haue found it so in the former vnto thee For this experience will send thee to the Word with all reuerence and esteeme saying where shall I finde such treasure as here It is my life and the food thereof no Market can afford that ware that the Word offereth if thy heart be not lost in profits and pleasures froth and ease but prizeth aboue all things the grace of an holy conuersation surely that word will be precious that directs to it This made Dauid thinke himselfe in a store house and treasury when he came to the Word because it serued to order all his matters Now if it bee precious it will be couetâ—d hungred after attended with al heed yea snatcht with violence as precious things are 1 Pet. 2.2 Couet and eagerly tugge at the Word as the child at brest Sleepe not wander not gaze not but attend the Gates and Posts of Wisedome and Vnderstanding if thou lookest they should preserue thee Thirdly come from an holy course and practise when thou commest to heare Come not from thine owne course of wrath world selfe purge these first 1 Pet. 2.1 and so come Repent of all old sinnes of heauing thy triflings and dallyings with the Word thy base mixtures and come from a good course and so the Word shall send thee backe to it with more strength and grace than thou camest Who is he that eates the sauoriest meale The idle sluggish one No the strong laborer toyled worne
third part of the Catechisme such a conuersation also which is rare to finde such as no Pharise or hypocrite shall bee euer able to reach because hee neuer felt or tasted how good the Lord Iesus is How should Simon kisse anoynt wipe the feete of Iesus without his forgiuenesse Hee had little to forgiue and therefore little loue he made a dinner to Christ in courtesie but kissed him not nor anoynted him Looke vp to God now and see in what this whole view of the Catechisme stands Surely by the way of sinne and the Law to carry thee to fayth in the Lord Iesus The scope of this Treatise weigh well 1 Tim. 3. vlt. that the truth of Iesus may lead thee to an holy conuersation this is Christ Iesus the mystery of Godlinesse to feele such perswasion of vndecaying sweetnesse and such presence of this perswasion of loue as might tell thy deerest lusts Rom. 6.21 What fruit haue I had of ye yea make thee stinke before them as he sayd of Dauid that thou mightst bee Christs seruant for euer and that hee might pray reade meditate heare doe suffer obey in thee in his strength walke in all holy conuersation Endeauor it then and the more thou hast toyled with thine owne hands and skill and catcht nothing the more fall downe in the deepe experience of thy vtter nothing those nets of thine owne which thou hast sacrificed so long vnto lay them by and see the vanity of them saying Lord depart from me a sinfull wretch Cast thou out Lord on the right side of the Shiâ— Thou that hast all the fish in the lake at command to bâ—ing â—hem together all duties the whole worke of Conuersation to go through with ease and delight O Lord Iesus do thou all my workes in me Esay 26.12 Secondly to this end be admonished not to rest onely Vse 3 in this that thou hast fayth suppose it be true except also thou haue learned the truth of fayth as it is in Iesus As thou hast receaued from the Lord Iesus so walke Remember to stirre vp that spirit of Christ in thee which was once giuen thee let it not lye dead in thee I dispute no questions 2 Tim. 1.14 how farre the abilities of the regenerate reach in point of concurrence with the Grace of the Spirit I dare not thinke that the Spirit puts the reyne out of his owne hand and sway into ours or that he is euer tyed to worke in vs he may desert vs for a time to abase vs much lesse that our principle is actiue from vs as our selues It s enough that he as our actiue principle must worke the will and the deed in vs and do all for vs and that he hath betrusted vs with such an instrumentall ability and influence from himselfe as is endued with fitnes to this Holy conuersation and more then so hath giuen vs the hand of faith to iogge his arme continually to assist vs binding himselfe by promise till wee giue him ouer not so forsake vs in his assistance if we will plead our liberty Oh happy they that can he will not be wanting to vs If when we sought him not he found vs and finding Esay 65.1 reconciled vs to himselfe by his death how much more shall he by his life saue vs and giue vs the hand to helpe vs ouer this great hill of conuersation that so wee reape the fruit of holines eternall life Oh let vs put forth our soules to this worke It is the workeman that must make the Sawe to cut Rom. 5.9 10 Rom. 6.22 by framing it to such a power and cut with it when he hath done Both are his yron cannot make it selfe sharpe alone and beeing sharpe cannot cut alone nor apply it selfe to the wood or stone so heere yet remember he that hath put an instrumentall power into ours soule to obey hath also created the life of fayth in vs to stirre this arme of the Spirit to draw this Sawe ouer our wood and stone that wee may 〈…〉 performe obedience Oh that any who euer sought the Lord for fayth should hang it vp till it rust and neuer set it on worke by prayer selfe deniall and diligence Let vs not bee of the mind of them who thinke themselues safe if once they haue fayth they doubt not but she will set her selfe on worke whether wee be sleeping or waking No no he that will not saue thee for thy obedience will yet saue thee by it and he that doth neyther of both for thee will yet do neyther without thee but he will so bow thy soule to a sweet liberty of loue and delight to obey and to such a confidence in his promise to be enabled yea such a perswasion within thy selfe to encourage that beeing mooued and acted thou shalt act and worke together with his grace thy owne saluation Be not wanting then to such a principle of life and motion in thee Vse 3 Lastly watch to thy selfe duly and dayly and to this worke of conuersation and way that God hath chalked out for thee Do as those Numb 9.19 who attended the watch of the Lord day and night ready vpon the least wauing of the Cloud or fire from the Tabernacle to remooue and vpon the first rest hereof to stand still As the Apostle neuer thinkes himselfe to haue pressed a duty well when he vrges to pray or read or heare or bee armed except hee adde this too Watch thereto Eph. 6.18 1. Pet. 5.8 1. Cor. 16.13 So say I Obey and watch to it walke with GOD in this wheele of thy course and watch to it be aware of each turne of the wheele each duty occasion liberty seruice else it will be in vaine to know it if thy loines bee not girt and thy lampe alway burning to it If GOD haue once purged thy foule heart and seasoned it for thee keepe it so he did it not with much adoo that thou shouldst vndoo it all at once by thy ease and sloth world pleasures wearinesse and the like Let the wise Virgins take heed of nodding in this night of the age we liue it Let them watch to their worke let them see how they grow downeward in rooting and setlednesse vpward in fruitfulnesse skill ease and experience resolution and full purpose of heart to cleaue to God And by so doing wee shall watch to the comming also of our Lord Iesus to translate vs from this our poore walking with him to be with him and to be rid of all our clogs which hinder vs from so doing and goe from this our doing Gods will as it is in heauen to doe it in Heauen Neuer was greater cause for vs to long for this comming then in these times wherein not only we are letted by Satan and the world from our duties I meane the seruice of the time and the grace of our conuersation Oh how well shall it be the when not onely Goates and Sheepe shall for euer be parted but the sad carriage and strangenesse of sheepe to sheepe bee both forgiuen and remoued where Luther and Zuinglius as one sayd where Cranmer and Hooper where Ridley and Sandeâ—s shall accord for euer in perfect amity Come Lord Iesus come quickly Amen Giue God the praise FINIS LONDON Printed by I. N. for SAMVEL MAN dwelling at the signe of the Swanne in Pauls Church-yard 1632.