faithful Author of this Doctrinâ— will abundantly and to the fulâ— perform what he hath promised tho in the beginning it be unknown to believers seeing hâ— who freely and graciously hath promised standeth not in need oâ— the goodness of others nor iâ— made poorer by conferring hiâ— own but by how much the morâ— he is liberal and bountiful by sâ— much the riches of his goodnesâ— and inexhaustible mercy does encrease Rom. 10. For the samâ— Lord over all is rich unto all thaâ— call upon him Whether then the reward of the Discipline of Christ be fully known to his followers or but darkly shadowed out to them yet it shall not be denied to those who with a pure and holy heart seek after it nor shall it want any thing of that amplitude and fulness which the divine nature of the thing it self and the Majesty Authority and Bounty of him that promises it does require Esa 55. For as the Heavens are higher than the Earth so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts For as the rain cometh down and the snow from Heaven and returneth not thither but watereth the Earth and maketh it bring forth and bud that it may give seed to the sower and bread to the eater so shall my word be that goeth forth of my mouth it shall not return unto me void but it shall accomplish that which I please and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it for ye shall go out with joy and be led forth with peace the Mountains and the Hills shall break forth before you into singing and all the trees of the field she clap their hands Instead of tâ— Thorn shall come up the Fig-treâ— and instead of the Bryar shall comâ— up the Myrtle tree and it she be to the Lord for a name for aâ— everlasting sign that shall not bâ— cut off A clear proof of thâ— appears in Abraham whom God heretofore having selected and separated him from the Doctrinâ— and Manners of the Gentiles proposed as an excellent pattern to be imitated by those who would imbrace and submit to this Discipline how he having received and by firm Faith believed thâ— promise of an earthly inheritance did not instantly know what extent of Land was assured to him referring that to thâ— Almighty who had made the Promise but thought it was enough for him to relie on the promises of the God of the whole Earth who having freely spoken the word was best able and most willing to perform it And no sooner was the Promise made but he trusting it obeyed the command and submitted to the conditions enjoyned him Gen. 12. For the Lord said unto Abraham get thee out of thy Country and from thy kindred and from thy Fathers house unto a Land that I will shew thee and I will make of thee a great Nation and I will bless thee and make thy Name great and thou shalâ— be a blessing And I will bless them that bless thee and curse him that curseth thee and in thee shall all families of the Earth be blessed So Abraham departed as the Lord had commanded him knowing neither whither he went nor how large the possession was that he was to have which the Apostle observing saith By Faith Abraham when he was call'd to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance obeyed and he went out not knowing whither he went wholly trusting to the word of him who could and would perform more than he was able either to ask or think and looking upon it as his duty to obey the Master whose Disciple he was that had promised him large inheritance to be revealed and discovered unto him in due time as the event made appear For Abraham having made a competent progress in the discipline he had embraced being called by God to whose institution he had resigned himself was fully instructed by him not only in the exâ—ent of the Earthly inheritance but of the Heavenly Blessings also which were shadowed and typified thereby as it is written Gen. 13. And the Lord said unto Abraham after that Lot was separated from him lift up now thine eyes and look from the Place where thou art North-ward and South-ward and East-ward and West-ward For all the Land which thou seest to thee will I give it and to thy Seed for ever And I will make thy Seed as the dust of the Earth so that if a Man can number the dust of the Earth then shall thy Seed also be numbred Arise walk through the Land in the length of it and in the breadth of it for I will give it unto thee Wherefore seeing no Man can doubt but that what things God hath promised will more fully be accomplished than he who is to receive them can wish for oâ— think it will be the duty of a true Believer and Disciple of Christ to set diligently about the performance of the condition imposed upon him and to leave the blessings and favours which he does expect to the arbitrement of him to whose conduct and doctrine he hath resigned himself even to God Almighty the powerful and rich Father of all Mercies who maketh it to rain upon the Just and the Unjust and who by the mouth of his own Son in whom he hath spoken and made the greatest of promises to us hath promised to give his good spirit to those that seek him For if he most graciously fulfilled what at sundry times and in divers manners he spake and promised unto the Fathers by the Prophets and if the word spoken by Angels was stedfast how can we be denied or disappointed of any thing that hath been promised to us by the Son of his Love the faithful interpreter of his Will and bountiful dispencer of his Grace and Mercies This made a most approved Apostle who by his own and the experience of others was convinced of that truth break out in thankfulness to God Rom. 8. What shall we then say to these things If God be for us who can be against us He that spared not his own Son but delivered him up for us all how shall he not also with him freely give us all things So that on the part of him that promises no doubt can be made nor any impediment interpose why those things which have been promised should not superabundantly be fulfilled Luke 6. good measure pressed down and shaken together and running over shall men give into your bosom And the truth of this Christian Doctrine for ever stands firm and unshaken Tit. 1. According to the Faith of Gods Elect and the acknowledging of the truth which is after godliness In hope of eternal life which God who cannot lie promised before the World began but hath in due times manifested his word Heb. 6. For when God made promise to Abraham because he could swear by no greater he sware by himself saying surely blessing I will bless thee and multiplying I will multiply thee
salvation who when he would have Men to turn to him with their whole heart and mind and so obtain life he patiently waits for their Repentance and this the holy Scriptures clearly testifie Isa 30. Therefore will the Lord wait that he may be gracious unto you and therefore will he be exalted that he may have mercy upon you And the Apostle St. Peter saith The Lord is not slack concerning his Promise as some Men count slackness but is long-suffering to us-ward not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance Now that the Conversion and true Repentance of sinners is most acceptable and pleasing to God his own Son shews us in that saving Sermon which he made in the three Parables of the prodigal Son the lost sheep and groat whereby he exhorted all Men that they would endeavour by their conversion to please God and cause joy in the whole Court of Heaven that so they might tast of the wonderful goodness of God who is rich in mercy towards all that call upon him with a pure and single heart and upon whom if they approve themselves by Faith and the practice of true Repentance and Obedience he bestows great mercies and the spirit of sanctification with all his gifts and graces which St. Peter affirms was given to all that obey him and our Saviour promised to be given saying John 14. If ye love me keep my commandments And I will pray the Father and he shall give you another comforter that he may abide with you for ever even the spirit of truth whom the world cannot receive Now in the sence of St. John the world are they who live according to the lust of the eye the lust of the flesh or the pride of life that is who are slaves to lust delights pleasures or ambition for those shall not feel the power and virtue of that holy spirit abiding in them as the Lord himself pronounces Gen. 6. My spirit shall not always strive with Man for that he also is flesh With Man who is flesh and striveth not to mortifie the deeds of the Flesh as the Apostle saith if ye live after the flesh ye shall die but if ye through the spirit do mortifie the deeds of the body ye shall live to wit through the spirit of God given and communicated unto you for so it is written Isa 66. Thus saith the Lord the Heaven is my Throne and the Earth is my Footstool where is the house that ye build unto me and where is the place of my rest for all those things hath mine hand made and all those things have been saith the Lord but to this Man will I look even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit and trembleth at my word Those divine gifts and graces whereby Men upon Earth are changed into other creatures and become almost celestial avoiding the corruption that is in the World through lust and having their conversation in heaven examples and instances of these gifts I say which were very frequent of old are now rare to be found on the Earth because we have neither that strong and lively faith in the Promises of God nor purely and sincerely obey his Precepts neither are we filled with the holy fear of the Lord but by a double and deceitful heart wicked and perverse thoughts and actions we are wanting to our selves and to the grace and goodness of God of God I say who trieth the heart and searcheth the reins and sees us wholly given over to impure thoughts the delights and pleasures of the flesh and to pride and ambition like adulterous Women dealing treacherosly against their lawful husbands which kind of hearts estranged from or divided in their chief love he neither loves nor approves of The mind must be pure and single and fervent in love that aspires to the heavenly marriage of this bridegroom and would have it confirmed and made good to it The wise Son of Sirach advises us to endeavour that as much as we can when he saith Ecclus 1. 2. Distrust not the fear of the Lord and come not unto him with a double heart Wo be to fearful hearts and faint hands and the sinner that goeth two ways And the word of God by the mouth of his holy Prophets does also in many places expresly admonish us heartily to renounce the vanities sins and pollutions of this World and make it our whole care to forsake them Jer. 4. O Jerusalem wash thine heart from wickedness that thou mayest be saved how long shall thy vain thoughts lodg within thee Whosoever come so provided to seek the Lord shall certainly find him to be loving gracious and bountiful Jer. 29. Ye shall seek me and find me when ye shall search for me with all your heart and I will be found of you saith the Lord whose blessed Son hath also said Mat. 5. Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God God is to be seen by the pure in heart saith our Saviour He is to be seen dwelling in them whom he consecrates for a holy Temple to himself as it is written Isa 57. For thus saith the high and lofty one that inhabiteth eternity whose name is holy I dwell in the high and holy place with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit to revive the spirit of the humble and to revive the heart of the contrite ones Psal 147. He healeth the broken in heart and bindeth up then wounds This contrition of heart so acceptable unto God and so much commended in Scripture doth not dwell nor abide with the anxious desire of worldly things and of the pomp and glory of the age which are hateful to the Lord. Nor let any Man perswade himself that he can serve two Masters that is that he can please God and at the same time fulfil the lusts of the flesh pursue the vanities pride and ambition of the World and obey the dictates of carnal wisdom The Apostle St. James declares it to be impossible Jam. 4. Ye adulterers and Adulteresses know ye not that the friendship of the World is enmity with God whosoever therefore will be a friend of the World is the enemy of God Do ye think that the Scripture saith in vain the spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy And therefore we are earnestly warned by the Apostle St. John that being deluded by vain arguments or any idle and groundless hope and opinion we should not retain the love of this World but wholly reject it if we would approve our selves to God whom we ought to love for our own salvation John 2. Love not the World neither the things that are in the World If any Man love the World the love of the Father is not in him for all that is in the world the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the pride of life is not of the Father but is of the world And the world passeth
THE PRACTICAL RULE OF Christian Piety CONTAINING The Summ of the whole Duty of a true Disciple of Christ Written Originally in Latin By Benedictus Aria Montanus AND Translated into English By A. LOVEL M. A. LONDON Printed for Joseph Hindmarsh Bookseller to his Royal Highness at the Black Bull in Cornhill 1685. THE Author's Preface TO THE Christian READER THEY who from the Study of the Holy Scriptures and of the nature of worldly things learn and do confess that God takes care of sublunary affairs do clearly perceive that the rough Tempest wherein most Christian People are at present tossed is not the effect of the uncertain influences of the Stars nor that it is raised by hidden and obscure causes None of them doubt but that the publick Calamities of Kingdoms People and Cities are sent by the Judgment and Providence of God the avenger of wickedness and that before they happen they are Prophesied and foretold by Pious and Chosen Men for the glory of divine Justice and the amendment of the lives of sinful Men as it is written Amos 3. Can two walk together except they be agreed Will a Lion roar in the Forrest when he hath no Prey will a young Lion cry out of his Den if he have taken nothing Can a Bird fall in a snare upon the Earth where no Gin is for him Shall one take up a Snare from the Earth and have taken nothing at all Shall a Trumpet be blown in the City and the People not be afraid Shall there be evil in a City and the Lord hath not done it Surely the Lord God will do nothing but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the Prophets Now for what causes such Commotions are raised both in publick and private affairs the same Prophet does declare pubish in the Palaces at Ashdod and in the Palaces in the Land of Egypt and say assemble your selves upon the Mountains of Samaria and behold the great tumults in the midst thereof for they know not to do right saith the Lord who store up Violence and Robbery in their Palaces Therefore thus saith the Lord an adversary there shall be even round about the Land and he shall bring down thy strength from thee and thy Palaces shall be spoiled To me truly the visible cause o' the divine Judgment against us appears to be our publick and common sins whilst I see the greatest part of Christians rent into several Sects not only seduced and led away by many errors but also proud and puffed up in them and others who live in the Communion of the Church and profess the true Doctrine neglecting the duties of the same and almost wholly perverting it and so whilst I reflect upon the depraved minds of some and the corrupt and dissolute lives of others and the Dissentions Jars Oppositions Enmities and perverse courses of both I often think with my self upon this The Lord looked down from Heaven upon the Children of Men to see if there were any that did understand and seek God They are all gone aside they are altogether become filthy there is none that doth good no not one Tho I neither be a Prophet nor the Son of a Prophet yet I dare be bold to foretel greater Storms hanging over our heads unless they be prevented It is enough to me to make me affirm this that I see those crimes in the Earth which God Almighty by infallible Oracles has threatned not to let go unpunished For if the Lion roar who will not be afraid if the Lord hath spoken who shall not prophesie Therefore he may very lawfully predict future evils who sees the manifest causes from which God Almighty calling Heaven and Earth to witness has foretold that difficult and sad times will arise Isa 1. Now the causes which I observe I think are obvious to all Men to wit Deut. 32. our contumacy and insolence our hardned obstinacy in wicked courses and a kind of contending with God that punishes us which the Prophet Isaiah takes notice of in the Jews Isai 1. Why should ye be stricken any more ye will revolt more and more The whole head is sick and the whole heart faint From the sole of the foot even unto the head there is no soundness in it but wounds and bruises and putrifying sores they have not been closed neither bound up neither mollified with Ointment And would to God! that in this tossing and agitation of the World there were no other loss but of the wealth dignities splendour and honours of the age which tho they be highly valued yet it might justly be born with nay and perhaps to be wished seeing such heavy loads and burdens are many times hinderance to the prosperity of our course but which is most sad and grievous when the danger of the loss of one poor soul ought in right to be prevented by the throwing over-board of all the goods and Cargo of the Ship yet in such doleful Ship-wrecks innumerable numbers of souls are observed to perish and be swallowed up in the deep which is the greatest of all humane miseries Now seeing it is the duty and office of the Masters and Pilots to bestir themselves for the safety of the beaten Vessel and that I observe many of those who are concerned diligently labouring for that purpose tho I want both authority and skill to act amongst those who rule the Ship yet as being of the number of those who in common danger ought not to be idle spectators but busie in lending a hand or at least assistant with fervent prayers I thought it my duty according to the mean and low station that I stand in in the Church of God with all humility and modesty to propose what I have judged proper for remedying of the evils whereof the causes are so obvious to be known especially since we bend our care to the admonishing and helping of those who when they are unable to understand higher and greater matters are not perhaps frequently taught those things which are more useful and necessary to be known of all Men in general and which if they be ignorant of they can never attain to salvation nor to the knowledge of those Points which are reckoned more noble and sublime truths Nor do we fear that these our endeavours will seem unseasonable or superfluous to those great Men who are more learned and skilful in the art of instructing and teaching the way of living we are rather confident that the considerate will approve of our design hoping that if we have given any hints that may serve for forewarding their duty they will take it kindly and in good part For in great Storms the chief Masters and Pilots receive sometimes good advice from the Passengers when they are pleased to hear them In how much then we have learned from the Doctrine and Word of God for the obtaining of God the salvation of our souls in the next World and publick Peace and Tranquillity in this we conceive
them because of the blindness of their heart who being past feeling have given themselves over unto lasciviousness to work all Vncleanness with greediness They again who were not without a sense and knowledge of God but would not conform to a steddy and sure rule of Conduct studying rather to follow their own humour than to comply with the simplicity of truth have broached most idle Notions of the excellence of the divine Nature and erroneous and most dangerous Perswasions of the way of imitating the same leading most part of Mankind first into error and a snare and then into utter destruction as it is written Rom. 1. The wrath of God is revealed from Heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who hold the truth in unrighteousness because that which may be known of God is manifest in them for God hath shewed it unto them For the invisible things of him from the Creation of the World are clearly seen being understood by the things that are made even the Eternal Power and Godhead so that they are without excuse Because that when they knew God they glorified him not as God neither were thankful but became vain in their imaginations and their foolish heart was darkned Professing themselves to be wise they became fools and changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible Man and to Birds and four-footed Beasts and creeping things Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts to dishonour their own bodies between themselves who changed the truth of God into a lie and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator who is blessed for evermore The Doctrine therefore of Men that had no conformity to the Faith of God or that fell off from the knowledge of God unto Vanity false and foolish imaginations could neither rightly define nor exhibit and declare the true happiness of Mankind That only Doctrine which the revealed Will of God doth teach is capable through the power and goodness of its author to perform what it hath promised to those who truly and sincerely become its Disciples For the Scripture saith Psal 119. The Proud have digged Pits for me which are not after thy Law All thy Commandments are Righteousness There are many instances which manifestly prove that the Doctine of the word of God hath fulfilled and made good what it promised and foretold to the true Disciples and followers thereof and that it can and daily does perform the same to those who are guided thereby Now this Doctrine hath promised Salvation eternal happiness and the inheritance of the kingdom of Heaven in and through the Son of God who was to be sent into the World and the descent of the Holy Ghost into the minds of Believers which as a sure pledge and earnest of the celestial inheritance might by his inspirations teach them the true and saving use of the Heavenly gifts and Graces of this the Disciples of our Lord had experience as the holy Ghost himself bears witness 2 Pet. 1. Simon Peter a Servant and an Apostle of Jesus Christ to them that have obtained the like precious Faith with us through the righteousness of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ Grace and Peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord according as his divine Power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises that by these you might be partakers of the divine nature having escaped the corruption that is in the World through lust The Apostle St. Paul treating of the vanity of the Doctrine of the Gentiles and of the truth and benefits of the Christian Discipline says to the same purpose Eph. 4. But ye have not so learned Christ if so be that ye have heard him and have been taught by him as the truth is in Jesus That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man which is corrupt according to the deceiful lusts And be renewed in the spirit of your mind and that ye put on the new man which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness Acts 3. Ye are the Children of the Prophets and of the Covenant which God made with our Fathers saying unto Abraham and in thy Seed shall all the kindreds of the earth be blessed Vnto you first God having raised up his Son Jesus sent him to bless you in turning away every one of you from his iniquities Now that state and condition to which the true Disciples and Followers of the Christian Doctrine are by the grace and goodness of God advanced does in honor dignity and amplitude of glory and bliss far exceed all that the natural Man the Wit of Philosophers and the pains and study of mortal Man can conceive define or comprehend without the special favour and assistance of divine grace Isa 64. For eye hath not seen nor ear heard neither have entred into the heart of man the things which God hath prepared for them that love him 1 Cor. 2. But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit for the Spirit searcheth all things yea the deep things of God For what Man knows the things of a Man save the spirit of Man that is in him even so the things of God knoweth no Man but the spirit of God This state and condition may in some measure indeed be delineated and described which by the help of God in time and place convenient we shall attempt but that will be but a faint emblem and adumbration rather than a true and lively representation of the same for the fulness of this solid and excellent happiness is not to be expressed in the common way of speech nor conceived by the thoughts of men unless of those who by the influence and operation of the Holy Ghost are rendred capable of so great mysteries Eph. 3. For this cause saith the Apostle I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ of whom the whole Family in Heaven and Earth is named that he would grant you according to the riches of his glory to be strengthened with might by his spirit in the inner man that Christ may dwell in your hearts by Faith that ye being rooted and grounded in love may be able to comprehend with all Saints what is the breadth and length and depth and height and to know the love of Christ which passeth knowledge that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God Now although a Disciple of this Christian Doctrine may not at first comprehend the greatness and excellence of the state to which he is called until by divine favour he hath attained to it nevertheless the dignity and extent of the happiness is not therefore less nor will it by any disappointment be diminished for the mosâ—
And so after he had patiently endured he obtained the Promise For Men verily swear by the greater and an Oath for confirmation is to them an end of all strife Wherein God willing more abundantly to shew unto the Heirs of Promise the immutability of his counsel confirmed it by an Oath that by two immutable things in which it was impossible for God to lie we might have a strong consolation who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us which hope we have as an anchor of the Soul both sure and stedfast and which entereth into that within the Vail whither the forerunner is for us entered even Jesus made an High Priest for ever after the Order of Melchisedec It remains then which is the design of this little Book that we handle the Parts and Offices that are incumbent on Believers and the Scholars of Christ but especially those which indifferently concern all ranks ages and conditions of Men and without which their learning will be in vain and the Doctine insignificant Let every one then whether King or Priest Prince or States-man private or publick rich or poor Bond or Free Father or Son Husband or Wife Young or Old Merchant or Artificer Soldier or Peasant Learned or Unlearned provided he profess himself to be a Disciple and Follower of Christ and Christian Doctrine provided he be Baptized into the Faith of the Catholick Church without which there is no Salvation let every one I say learn in what Station soever he be how he ought to keep his Post behave and carry himself in this World and that from the Precepts and Institutions of the Holy Ghost himself who ought to be his Guide and not from us who do but as Students in the same School deliver to our fellow Scholars the Precepts and Doctrine of our great Master who hath called us from Darkness to his marvellous Light and let him take it in good part if perchance we inculcate some things which way seem hard and uneasie to the Manners Customs and Opinions of this present Age not interpreting what we say as a reproof to any person in particular but judging it the duty of a faithful Minister and Servant to declare and manifest to his fellow servants the Will of the Lord in his own words whereby if any Man out of Conscience Ignorance or Fear shal think himself censured he must not be offended with the Doctrine and Precepts which are Just and Holy nor with his fellow Servant who delivers them but with himself his faults and vices who having professed this Doctrine hath not submitted himself to the Laws and Conditions thereof which are Constant Universal and Immutable and not made and published that according to the desire humour lust and counsels of every private man they may be altered and changed but which command Obedience by changing all those Desires Passions Lusts and Counsels that may be a hindrance to the punctual observation of the same our Lord himself having said Mat. 5. Think not that I am come to destroy the Law or the Prophets I am not come to destroy but to fulfill That is to make those who believe in me pure holy and faithful in observing and fulfilling the same For verily I say unto you till Heaven and Earth pass one jot or tittle shall in no wise pass from the Law till all be fulfilled Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least Commandments and shall teach Men so he shall be called the least in the Kingdom of Heaven but whosoever shall do and teach them the same shall be called great in the Kingdom of Heaven For I say unto you that except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees ye shall in no case enter into the Kingdom of Heaven Now if the entry into the Kingdom of Heaven be denied to those whose righteousness and obedience to the Laws of God does not exceed that of the Scribes and Pharisees not of the wicked and hypocrites but of the good Scribes and Pharisees who seemed most to excell in the study of observing the Law what will become of him who through hatred or favour of Man shall pervert change conceal dissemble or any other ways make void the rules of righteousness that he is to deliver to his fellow Christians and teach so He shall indeed be called the least in the Kingdom of Heaven and deemed unworthy to be admitted into that Heavenly Communion and Society into which all that are received are called Kings and great Now to be a King and to be the least are inconsistent hence it follows that in the Kingdom of Heaven it is the same thing to be the least and to be none for no man that breaketh the Commandments of God and teacheth others so to do shall enter into the Kingdom of Heaven but they only shall enter whose righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees and who being not only hearers but doers of the Law shall be justified before God Wherefore if in the Precepts Rules and Instructions of the Doctrine that hath been delivered unto us any thing may seem to any Man stricter than his own Will Opinion or predominant Affections can comply with or submit unto let him if he intends to enter into life be persuaded that neither the way which God hath once fenced in is to be changed or enlarged nor that strait and narrow Gate made wider for the sake of any particular Person and that he must become Humble Lowly and poor in Spirit striving to walk in the narrow way and to enter at the strait Gate which will not be difficult to those who truly love this Doctrine and earnestly implore the assistance of Divine Grace that will be denied to none who dutifully and carefully submit to the rules and dictates of this Discipline For Psal 145. The Lord is nigh unto all them that call upon him to all that call upon him in truth He will fulfill the desire of them that fear him he also will hear their cry and will save them And so he shall underderstand that the ways of the Lord are broad and pleasant to those who as Pilgrims and Strangers abstaining from and renouncing the carnal desires that war against the Soul and becoming poor in Spirit undertake that holy Journey and enter into the right way as the Royal Psalmist saith Psal 119. And I will walk at liberty for I seek thy Precepts I will speak of thy Testimonies also before Kings and will not be ashamed And I will delight my self in thy Commandments which I have loved My hands also will I lift up unto thy Commandments which I have loved and I will meditate in thy Statutes I know that good and holy Men will willingly listen to their fellow Christian and not so much mind the language and learning of him that writes as the sayings which proceed out of the mouth of the living God whose sacred and infallible
plainly declares to those who moved with a pious study and zeal yet proposed to themselves other courses than were enjoyned them by his Counsel and Precepts Isa 48. Thus saith the Lord thy Redeemer the Holy One of Israel I am the Lord thy God which teacheth thee to profit which leadeth thee by the way that thou shouldst go Oh that thou hadst hearkned to my Commandments then had thy Peace been as a River and thy Righteousness as the Waves of the Sea From which holy Sentences it follows that every Disciple ought at least to know the chief Heads of the Discipline that is profitable unto him those I mean which may be known retained and practiseâ— by all and require neither mucâ— Labour great Study a deep Wiâ—â— length of Time nor far Travâ—â— for attaining to the knowledge them as it is written Deut. 3â— For this Commandment which I command thee this day is not hiddâ—â— from thee neither is it far off 〈◊〉 is not in Heaven that thou should say who shall go up for us to Heâ—ven and bring it unto us that 〈◊〉 may hear it and do it Neither it beyond the Sea that thou should say who shall go over the Sea for 〈◊〉 and bring it unto us that we 〈◊〉 hear it and do it But the Wordâ— very nigh unto thee in thy moutâ— and in thy heart that thou maâ— do it This Piety then that is to 〈◊〉 known and practised by us is dâ—vided into three parts to wit Fear Repentance and Charity with the observation of the Laws of God which whosoever being rightly taught shall keep and observe they will through the most bountiful Promise and Covenant of God confirm and encrease to him the Grace and Mercy of the Lord to his own Salvation and at length bring him to the possession and enjoyment of the Kingdom of Heaven For such is the efficacy that the Will and bounteous Liberality of God hath granted to these three Parts or Virtues if you had rather call them so that he whose mind is filled and endowed with them may thereby avoid the wrath and dreadful Judgment of God and find Grace and Mercy in the Eyes of the Almighty In the first place then they who would practise the Duties of Christian Piety must have their minds filled with a divine Fear that is with an awe reverence and watchful observation of those things which are known to be either acceptable or displeasing to God that they may wholly detest flie and abhor the last and with all care and diligence pursue and seek after the first For that disposition whereby the mind so reverences God that it wills nothing which may offend that immence goodness and rejects nothing which it knows to be conform to the Will of God that disposition of mind I say is called the fear of the Lord and is said to be the beginning of all true Wisdom which by another name also the Latins have called Religion Philosophers have divided this into a servile and filial fear and the Christian School have admitted the same distinction condemning the servile fear so far as it was a forerunner to and made way for the filial But we whose design it is not so much to dispute nicely about these matters as to accommodate them to vulgar capacities and to square our discourse according to the rule of sacred Oracles following the definition given by the Holy Ghost call this fear of the Lord Religion or Reverence whereby the mind of an holy Man being affected observes and follows what he knows to be acceptable to God and on the contrary rejects and shuns what is displeasing to him Wherefore this pious disposition of mind is by Wisdom so defined The fear of the Lord is the beginning or principal part of Wisdom that is to say a Religious observation of those things which by Knowledg or Wisdom we know to be desired or shunned Now by Wisdom in this place is to be understood the knowledg and notices oâ— the divine Will whether attained by word writing or tradition or by revealed rules and rational intimations Now this divine Fear puts him in whose heart it is upon the exercise of true repentance incline him to the Study and observation of the Laws of God and stiâ— him up to a search and diligent enquiry into the nature oâ— both For when once a Maâ— hath resolved with himself tâ— reverence and practise all thaâ— he knows to be acceptable to God and to flie and shun those things which do displease him he makes it his chief care to learn what it is that God approves of and what he condemns and being so taught he implores the assistance of the divine Grace repents of the former sins of his mispent life and proposes to himself the way of Gods Commandments wherein persisting in a steddy and uninterrupted course he is made partaker of the Heavenly Promises stipulated by the Covenant of Grace and enjoys the fellowship and communion of that blessing which the Father of Love has promised can and will make good to them who believe in him and which in effect he hath fulfilled to those who have obeyed his most Just and Holy Will Wherefore the Wisdom of God knowing what extraordinary fruits spring from this root of divine fear that it might dehort Men from the violation of the Laws of God and deter them form the danger of everlasting Wrath and indignation by the mouth of the Son of Sirach callâ—â— Ecclus. 1. The fear of the Lord a Crown of Wisdom Honour and Glory and Gladness and a Crown of Rejoycing And to explain and commend it more effectually and plainly saith that the fear of the Lord is a Fountain of Life The fear of God is therefore called the beginning and fountain of Life because reclaiming Man from the violation of the Laws of God and inducing him to true repentance it sets him upon the keeping and performance of the Commandments that he may obtain Grace and Mercy in the sight of the Almighty whereby he becomes the son of God and heir of eternal Life through the most gracious Promise and Covenant of that God who freely and of his own accord takes upon himself the care conduct instruction and sanctification of all those who cleave unto him by Faith and true Obedience and therefore the Royal Psalmist sings Psal 145. He will fulfil the desire of them that fear him he also will hear their cry and will save them and in another place Psal 103. For as the Heaven is high above the Earth so great is his Mercy toward them that fear him As far as the East is from the West so far hath he removed our transgressions from us Like as a Father pitieth his Children so the Lord pitieth them that fear him And again The Mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear him By all which we are taught that the never failing Mercy of God is infinite eternal to those who
Masters because we are all apt to learn and imitate wicked and bad examples for as the divine Oracle saith Gen. 8. The imagination of Mans heart is evil from his Youth Nor would any reason of State allow if the fear of the Lord Repentance and Brotherly-love dwelt as they ought in the hearts of Princes that open Malefactors disturbers of the publick Peace and those that hurt and corrupt the Innocent and Simple who by the Authority of divine Law are utterly to be expelled and cast out of Christian Governments should either be suffered to live in their own Country or be received protected and defended by other Princes or secured by Pass-ports and safe conducts lest thereby they might be continued alive to the ruine and destruction either of the Princes and Magistrates from whom they have fled or of those by whom they are received If this were punctually observed we should find greater reverence paid to the Law less licentiousness and wanton and rash Factiousness amongst Christians For neither is divine Justice divided nor is any wicked impure or incorrigible person tho transported to any place of the Earth approved of or accepted of God nor ought good and godly Princes ever to admit such to any place in their favour or affairs for it is written Psal 5. For thou art not a God that hath pleasure in wickedness neither shall evil dwell with thee The foolish shall not stand in thy sight thou hatest all workers of iniquity Thou shalt destroy them that speak leasing the Lord will abher the bloody and deceitful Man Now that this Judgment and Counsel of God ought to be followed by those Princes who study and endeavour to approve themselves to the Lord and Prince of Princes that holy profession of the Prince according to Gods own heart plainly demonstrates Psal 101. I will walk within my house with a perfect heart I will set no wicked thing before mine eyes I hate the work of them that turn aside it shall not cleave to me A froward heart shall depart from me I will not know a wicked person Whoso privily slandereth his neighbour him will I cut off him that hath a high look and a proud heart will not I suffer Mine eyes shall be upon the faithful of the Land that they may dwell with me he that walketh in a perfect way he shall serve me He that worketh deceit shall not dwell within my house he that telleth lies shall not tarry in my sight I will early destroy all the wicked of the Land that I may cut off all wicked doers from the City of the Lord. The authority of divine Justice is perpetual and unalterable which ought equally to be regarded by all Christian Princes nor must they think it is divided or to be executed by halves but they must observe it wholly and entirely squaring it by the Will and Precept of the King of Kings and Lord of all the Earth who when he had appointed Cities of Refuge or Sanctuaries amongst his People whither they who had killed any one without malice or inveterate and confirmed hatred might fly to escape revenge concerning others who with a deliberate purpose of mind committed the fact he thus Enacts Deut. 19. If any Man hate his neighbour and lie in wait for him and rise up against him and smite him mortally that he dies and fleeth into one of these Cities then the Elders of his City shall send and fetch him thence and deliver him into the hand of the avenger of blood that he may die thine eye shall not pity him but thou shalt put away the guilt of innocent blood from Israel that it may go well with thee The same Justice he commands to be executed Deut. 17. 19 22 24. against Thieves Robbers Cheats Ravishers Adulterers and other open Offenders and publick violators of Justice Truth and Honesty all whom he will have taken out of the way that the evil may be put away from Israel and therefore to the several sentences he adds And so shalt thou put away the evil from among you And since the Christian Doctrine hath taught the rest of the Officers of Kingdoms and Commonwealths all Judges Lawyers Advocates Proctors Clerks and other subservient Ministers of Magistrates and Courts of Judicature the fear of the Lord Repentance and Brotherly-love it will not allow them to Practise or get Estates by Fraud Deceit Cavilling Petty-fogging malicious interpretation of the Law protracting of Suits starting of litigious Processes superfluous invention of Pleas or by false information against the Innocent or unjust defence of the Guilty For this Doctrine condemns all haughtiness of mind Luxury Pride and Ambition and all vices that are fed and cherished by riches even innocently got but much more severely condemns Men who get Estates and live splendidly of the sweat and blood of their Christian Brethren and by their Fraud Craft cunning and over-reaching and such ways as exceed the perverseness of which God sadly complaining thus threatens by the Prophet Jer. 5. Among my People are found wicked Men they lay wait as he that setteth snares they set a trap they catch Men. As a Cage is full of Birds so are their Houses full of Deceit therefore they are become great and waxen rich They are waxen fat they shine yea they over pass the deeds of the wicked they Judge not the Cause the Cause of the Fatherless yet they prosper and the right of the needy do they not Judge Shall I not visit for these things saith the Lord Shall not my soul be avenged on such a Nation as this from such crimes must all the Officers of a State flee who in prospect of Salvation endeavour to live Godly Justly and Honestly in this present wicked world and they ought to make it their whole care and business that Equity Justice and Moderation may flourish both in publick and private and that the powerful rich and crafty may not unjustly impose upon the weak poor and simple since that charge is seriously pressed upon them by God himself Isa 1. Learn to do well seek Judgment relieve the oppressed Judge the fatherless plead for the widow Now as to the Rich and such as The Duty of the Rich. endeavour to be so if they would remember their promise made in holy Baptism and confirmed by covenant with the Lord if they resolve to follow after and practise holiness according to the rules of Christian Piety they may easily and plainly learn from the Doctrine of our Lord and Master contained in the three aforementioned Heads how far otherwise they ought to behave themselves both in getting and spending of Estates than most part of Rich Men usually do For the Unjust Covetous and Insatiable Desire of Riches and the vain superfluous ambitious or selfish use of them are not consistent with the fear of the Lord the duty of Repentance and Brotherly-love of Christians which approve not those advantages that wealth abuses to pleasures and