imperfect in vs may be made perfect through Christ and that our new obedience which cannot be accepted according to the Couenant of workes as comming from seruants may be acceptable according to the Couenant of grace as comming from sonnes whose desires and indeuours are pleasing to our heauenly Father who accepteth the will for the deed The Law prescribeth the way wherein all are to walke that will leade a godly life The Gospel as a faithfull companion incourageth vs to goe in this way and leading vs by the hand preserueth vs from falling and when through frailty wee are falne it lifteth vs vp againe §. Sect. 4 That in a godly life we must ioyne together the duties of piety righteousnesse and sobriety Now the duties of a godly life which the Law requireth respect either God or men both which are to be considered first generally as they are to be performed of euery Christian in the whole course of their liues and secondly as they are to be exercised in them euery day The duties which respect God are contained in the first Table and are all comprehended vnder the name of piety The duties which concerne men are comprehended in the second Table and are either the duties of righteousnesse and mercie which respect our neighbours or the duties of temperance and sobriety belonging to our owne persons All which must goe together and may in no wise be seuered the one from the other For piety is the roote of righteousnesse and sobriety and these the fruits and signes of piety and neither of both are accepted of God but when they goe together seeing piety without righteousnesse is like a foundation without a building and righteousnesse without piety is like a building without a foundation that as a fire without light this like the fooles fire a light without heate that alone at the best makes but hypocrites this without that no better then proud Iusticiaries and ciuill worldlings And hereof it is that the holy Ghost in the Scriptures ioyneth them altogether requiring no lesse the one then the other So he saith that those who are the redeemed of the Lord shall worship him in holinesse and righteousnesse before Luk. 1. 74 75. him all the dayes of their liues that we must pray for Kings and all that 1. Tim. 2. 2. 6. 11. Eph. 4. 24. are in authority that we may leade a quiet and peaceable life vnder their gouernment in all godlinesse and honestie That our spirituall renewing according to Gods image ought to be both in righteousnesse and true holinesse That a Bishop ought to be a louer of hospitality and a louer of good men sober iust Tit. 1. 8. 2. 12. holy and temperate that the grace of God which bringeth saluation appearing hath taught vs to deny vngodlinesse and worldly lusts and to liue soberly righteously and godly in this present world And that they who will make their calling and election sure must not imbrace loose and single vertues nor performe 2. Pet. 1. ad 10. scattered duties but linke and chaine them one with another For they are such twinnes as liue and die together and the soule life and breath of Christianity which may bee distinguished in doctrine and discourse but not derided in our practice and conuersation §. Sect. 5 Of piety comprising in it all duties of Gods seruice The first and maine duties required vnto a godly life are all comprehended vnder the name of piety required in the first Table Which is Pietas quid aliud est quam Deum pura mente colere quae alio nomine latria nuncupatur Ad fratres in Eremo Serm 24. Primò amare Deum gratis haec est pietas c. Aug. de Temp. Serm. 234. Mat. 4. 10. Deu. 6. 13. 10. 20. nothing else but that true Religion whereby we worship the onely true God according to his will reuealed vnto vs. So Augustine What is piety but to serue God with a pure minde which is otherwise called worship And againe this is piety to loue God freely and absolutely and out of him to expect no reward but what is expected from him For he is the chiefe Goodnesse and what thing of worth can he aske of God to whom God seemeth of little worth So that piety consisteth in Gods true seruice and in the performance of those holy duties of his worship which he requireth in the first Table of which piety is the summe according to that of our Sauiour repeated out of the Law Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God him only shalt thou serue The which is sometime signified by the feare of God a part of diuine worship being put for the whole Thou shalt feare the Lord thy God and serue him and shalt sweare by his Name And sometime by the loue of God which is put for all worship because all holy seruice and true obedience doth flow from it So Moses in his repetition of the Law makes this the sum of all Thou shalt loue the Lord thy God with all thine heart with Deut. 6. 5. all thy soule and with all thy might And our Sauiour Christ telleth the Lawyer that this is the great Commandement which comprehendeth in it the whole first Table Thou shalt loue the Lord thy God with all thine heart Mat. 22. 37. and with all thy soule and with all thy minde Where hee sheweth both the obiect of true worship which is the Lord our God onely and the speciall and principall act of it which is loue from which as a fountaine all other parts like streames doe spring and flow and also the subiect of this duty which is the whole man For by the heart is vnderstood all the affections desires and inclinations by the soule the will purpose and resolution by the minde the reason vnderstanding discourse and memory and by the might or strength which Saint Luke also addeth all the faculties of the soule and parts of the body with all their functions actions and Luk. 10. 27. operations both internall and externall So that the whole man must be consecrated vnto the seruice and worship of God by all those who imbrace piety and desire so to performe the duties of a godly life as they may be acceptable and pleasing in the sight of God The which as it is required by him so there is none but he who can inable vs in any measure to performe it seeing it is not in our owne power but his free gift and the worke of his holy Spirit which is bestowed vpon whom and when hee will for it is God onely who by his diuine power giueth vs all things which pertaine to life and godlinesse as the Apostle Peter speaketh and therefore 2. Pet. 1. 3. when he requireth it of vs we must returne vnto him againe and intreate him by earnest and feruent prayer that he will inable vs to performe that which hee requireth according to that of Augustine Giue what
offered vnto vs. Neither must we thinke it sufficient vnto a godly life to reserue his Sabbaths for Gods seruice and spend the rest of the weeke in the seruice of the world and our owne lusts nor that we serue him in some things and these in others nor on some other dayes besides the Sabbath or some part onely of euery day reseruing the rest to liue as we list But wee must constantly and continually in euery thing and at euery time performe seruice vnto God in all our actions and throughout our whole course and conuersation not onely in abstaining from all sinne which he hath forbidden but also in performing of some Christian duty of holinesse righteousnesse and sobriety which he hath commanded or in vsing the meanes whereby wee may be inabled vnto them Neither is God alone serued when we performe some religious act as praying hearing the Word singing Psalmes or some eminent workes of charity and sobriety but also in the meanest duties of the basest calling yea euen in our eating and drinking lawfull sports and recreations when as wee doe them in faith which not onely assureth vs that these actions are commanded 1. Cor. 10. 31. of God and warranted by his Word but that we and our workes are accepted of him and so inableth vs to doe them with cheerefulnesse and delight as being not chiefly the seruice of men but of God And also when in doing these our ordinary businesses which belong to our callings wee doe repose our trust and affiance in God that hee will blesse vs in them and giue them such successe as shall be most for his glory and our good and inioy the fruit and benefit of them as blessings sent from God with praise and thankesgiuing And when as in them we haue an eye and due respect to God seeking in them chiefly his glory and doing them in loue and obedience to his Commandements and not for necessity only praise or profit feare of punishment or hope of reward which though we may respect secondarily and in some degree in the ordinary actions of our liues yet not first and principally if we would be accounted to doe God seruice in them And in the next place to our owne and our neighbours mutuall good especially the inriching of vs with spirituall graces and the euerlasting saluation of their and our owne soules §. Sect. 2 That no time is exempted from Gods seruice prooued first by testimonies of Scripture In which generall sense if we take the seruice of God and thus largely with these references vnderstand the Christian duties of a godly life then is there no day houre or minute wherein we are not to bee exercised in some of them And this appeareth both by testimonies of Scriptures and firme reasons The Scriptures require that our whole liues be spent in the seruice of God and that we daily performe vnto him the duties of holinesse righteousnesse and sobriety So the Apostle would haue vs to walke daily according as God hath directed vs and make his Word the rule of our conuersation from which we must neuer swarue neither on the right Gal. 6. 16. Psal 119. 9. Ios 1. 7. hand nor on the left and to keepe a continuall watch ouer our selues lest there be at any time in any of vs an euill heart of vnbeliefe in departing from the Deut. 5. 32. Heb. 3. 12 13. liuing God and to exhort one another daily whilst it is called to day lest any of vs should be hardened through the deceitfulnesse of sinne The Apostle Peter perswadeth vs to passe the whole time of our soiourning heere in the 1. Pet. 1. 17. Pro. 28. 14. feare of God and not some part of it onely which we can best spare and that we liue no longer the rest of our time in the flesh according to the lusts of 1. Pet. 4. 2. men but the will of God seeing the time past of our liues may be enough yea farre too much to haue walked and wrought after the will of the Gentiles The Tit. 2. 11 12. grace of God appearing hath taught vs to deny all vngodlinesse and worldly lusts and to liue soberly righteously and godly whilest wee continue in this present world And therefore hath the Lord redeemed vs that being deliuered out Luk. 1. 74 75. of the hands of our enemies we might serue him without feare in holinesse and righteousnesse before him all the dayes of our life Of which we haue also examples in the Scriptures in the Saints and seruants of God who after their conuersion passed their whole time in his feare and spent their strength in doing vnto him continuall seruice So Enoch is said to haue walked Gen. 5. 22. with God that is in the whole course of his pilgrimage to haue kept him in his sight and to haue carried himselfe in all his actions as in his presence that he might be accepted of him And Dauid as he maketh it a marke of a blessed man to meditate and exercise himselfe in the Law of Psal 1. 1 2. God day and night so doth he in many places shew that it was his owne practice My mouth saith he shall shew foorth thy righteousnesse and thy Psal 71. 15. Psal 55. 17. Psa 119. 97 11◠145. 2. Act. 26. 7. 2. 46. saluation all the day for I know not the numbers thereof Euening and morning and at noone will I pray and cry aloud O how loue I thy Law it is my meditation all the day I haue inclined my heart to performe thy Statutes alway euen vnto the end Euery day will I blesse thee and will praise thy name for euer and euer So the Apostle saith of the whole Church of the Iewes that they did instantly serue God day night and particularly of himselfe that it was Act. 24. 16. his continuall exercise to haue alwayes a good conscience voide of offence towards God and towards men But the best president of all for our imitation is our Sauiour Christ who spent his whole time in doing the workes of him that sent him in the day time preaching and doing miracles and workes of mercie that he might bring saluation vnto the lost sheepe of the house of Israel and in the night sequestring himselfe for prayer meditation in the mount of Oliues Secondly God hath giuen his Law not that we should sometimes obserue his Commandements and sometimes breake them but that we might obserue them daily and continually in all things and at all times and that it might serue as a rule and squire according vnto Psal 119. 9. which we are to frame our whole liues and euery particular action For there he prescribeth duties to be performed at all times on his Sabbath and on the sixe dayes besides the generall duties which belong to all and those that respect vs in our particular callings the duties of piety whereby we offer vnto him immediate seruice and
our selues but wee must also with like care and circumspection watch ouer our brethren seeing the Lord hath not committed vs to our owne single watch but hath inioyned vs to be mutuall obseruers and keepers one of another not curiously to pry out one anothers faults to censure and aggrauate them but charitably to take notice of them that wee may helpe to amend them Thus the Apostle inioyneth vs to consider one another to prouoke vnto loue Heb. 10. 24. 3. 13. and to good workes and that we should exhort one another daily while it is called to day lest any of vs should be hardned through the deceitfulnesse of sinne For this care and watchfulnesse being an inseparable effect and fruit of Christian charity extendeth it selfe not onely to our owne persons for this were nothing but selfe-loue but as farre as it stretcheth that is to all our neighbours Thus Dauid tooke notice not onely of his owne sinnes to mourne for them but saith that riuers of waters did runne downe his eyes because Psal 119. 136. other men did not keepe Gods Law Yea this his care extended to his enemies My zeale saith he hath consumed me because mine enemies haue Vers 139. not kept thy Word But though our care must extend to all yet wee must keepe this watch in a speciall manner ouer those who are committed to our speciall charge as the Housholder ouer his family and the Pastour ouer his flocke according to that of the Apostle Take heed to your selues Act. 20. 28. and to all the flocke ouer the which the holy Ghost hath made you ouerseers c. Which whoso neglecteth and taketh care onely for himselfe hee is worse then an Infidell and plainely discouers that hee is of Cains speech and spirit Gen. 4. 9. thinking it enough to looke to himselfe and scorning to bee his brothers keeper CAP. XII Of the reasons whereby wee may bee perswaded to keepe this Christian watch §. Sect. 1 That this watch is necessary because God requireth it THe next point to be considered is the meanes whereby wee may both be stirred vp and also inabled to keepe this Christian watch which are partly reasons that may mooue vs to vndertake it and partly helpes inabling vs to performe it The reasons which may perswade vs vnto this watchfulnesse are diuers all which may be reduced vnto two heads 1. Because it is most necessary 2. Because it is exceeding profitable The necessity of it appeareth diuers wayes First because God hath expresly required it Take heed to Deut. 4. 9. Luk. 12. 36. thy selfe keep thy soule diligently c. Let your loynes be girded about and your lights burning and ye your selues like vnto them that wait for their Lord when he will returne from the wedding that when he commeth and knocketh ye may open vnto him immediately So Ioshua exhorteth the people to take diligent heed to doe the Commandement and the Law to loue the Lord their God and to Ios 22. 5. 23. 11. walke in all his wayes and to cleaue vnto him and serue him with all their heart and with all their soule And our Sauiour Christ exhorteth all to watch and Mar. 13. 33 37. pray because we doe not know when the time of his comming should be And stirreth vp the Church of Sardis to be watchfull and to strengthen the things Apoc. 3. 2. which did remaine and were ready to die The which his Commandement he powerfully and effectually presseth by diuers parables as of the goodman Luk. 12. 37. of the house who carefully watcheth the comming of the thiefe that hee may not rob and spoile him Of the wise and faithfull seruant who watcheth for the comming of his Lord that hee may finde him imployed in his businesse who being found faithfull is richly rewarded for his care and diligence And of the euill seruant who neglecting this watch is fearefully punished And of the ten Virgins whereof fiue were wise and fiue Mat. 25. 1. to 14 foolish the wise watching diligently for the comming of the Bridegroome and being found prepared were receiued with him into the bridall Chamber of ioy and happinesse the foolish through their carelesse negligence being taken at vnawares and vnprouided were excluded from his glorious presence for euermore So that no duty is more straightly inioyned and earnestly inforced then the spirituall watch to the end wee might obserue it with the greater care and diligence or if wee neglect it hauing had so many and effectuall warnings wee might bee left without excuse §. Sect. 2 Other reasons shewing the necessity of keeping this watch The second reason to inforce the necessity of this watch is taken from our estate and condition heere on earth First because through our corruption we are exceeding weake and full of frailty and infirmity by reason whereof we are prone vnto sinne and easily ouercome with the tentations of our spirituall enemies if wee neglect the keeping of this vvatch and be taken vnprouided The which reason our Sauiour vseth to inforce the necessity of vvatching and praying Watch and pray saith he lest ye fall into tentation The Spirit indeed is willing but the flesh is weake So the Apostle Mat. 26. 41. in this regard vvilleth him that thinketh he standeth to take heed lest he 1. Cor. 10. 12. fall and exhorteth vs to worke out our saluation with feare and trembling And the Wiseman pronounceth him blessed vvho in the sight and sence of Phil. 2. 13. his ovvne frailty and infirmity feareth alwayes For as it is necessary for Pro 28. 14. those vvho haue vveake and sickly bodies to obserue a strict diet and for those Citizens vvho being besieged by mighty and malicious enemies and haue many breaches in their vvalls to be very diligent to make them vp againe and in the meane time to keepe a carefull and strong vvatch ouer those vveake places because their enemies are ready to take all aduantages and to giue the fiercest assaults vvhere they are likeliest to haue the speediest entrance and least resistance So vve vpon the same grounds must thinke it necessary to double our vvatch because our soules are sickly and full of vvants and vveaknesses and many breaches are made in the chiefest Bulvvarkes of our ovvne strength by the cruell and continuall assaults of our spirituall enemies Secondly our care is necessary in keeping this vvatch because naturally vvee are drovvzy and sleepy like those in a Lethargy vvho need to haue some continually standing by and to keepe them avvake by pricking and pinching them that they may not fall into the sleepe of death Yea and after that vve are regenerate and are espoused vnto Christ vve are apt vvith the fiue vvise Virgins to nod often and take a nap vvhen as vvee should vvaite for the comming of our Bridegroome And if hee did not avvake vs daily by his Spirit knocking at the doore of our hearts and his
but presently like the body touched by Elizaeus 2. King 13. 21. in the graue we receiue such vertue and vigour from him that we are reuiued and raised from this graue of sinne vnto holinesse and newnesse of life We are by nature wild vines who bring foorth nothing but sowre grapes of maliciousnesse and sinne but when wee are ingrafted into the Ioh. 15. 1 4 5 8. true vine Iesus Christ we change our nature and receiuing the liuely sap of grace from this roote of righteousnesse we bring foorth the fruits of obedience whereby our heauenly Father is glorified and we assured of our election and saluation Finally without him wee can of our selues doe Matth. 5. 16. 2. Pet. 1. 10. nothing as he hath taught vs but being vnited vnto him we may say with the Apostle that we can doe all things through Christ which strengtheneth vs. Phil. 4. 13. And this is that which the same Apostle teacheth vs We are buried saith Rom. 6. 4 5 6. he with him by baptisme into death that like as Christ was raised vp from the dead by the glory of the Father euen so we also should walke in newnesse of life For if we haue beene planted together in the likenesse of his death we shall be also in the likenesse of his resurrection Knowing this that our old man is crucified with him that the body of sinne might be destroyed that hencefoorth wee should not serue sinne And therefore if we would bee new creatures let vs put on Iesus Christ and labour to be vnited vnto him by his holy Spirit and a Rom. 13. 14. liuely faith for in him alone we are elected vnto holinesse in him onely we are created vnto good workes which God hath before ordained that we should Eph. 1. 4. 2. 10 walke in them §. Sect. 7 That onely those can leade a godly life who are in the couenant of grace The third thing required is that we be in the couenant of grace made with vs in Iesus Christ whereby God hath assured vs that he will bee our God and that we shall be his people he our gracious Father and we his children whom he will accept in his best beloued For vntill we be in this couenant our persons are not accepted we remaining the slaues of sinne and in the state of death and condemnation and consequently nothing which we can doe seeme it neuer so glorious is pleasing in Gods sight We are till then vnder the law and couenant of workes if not as it was giuen to the Iewes yet as it was ingrauen in our hearts in our creation and Rom. 2. 14 15. consequently vnder the curse which is denounced against all that doe not Gal. 3. 10. continue in all which is written in the booke of the law to doe it namely in that perfection which the law requireth Of which fayling innumerable times we cannot according to this strict rule yeeld obedience nor performe the duties of a godly life But when we are admitted into the couenant of grace made in Iesus Christ then this rigour of the law is remitted and we are tyed onely to the obedience of sonnes which consisteth more in our wills desires and indeuours then in our abilities to performe our dutie in perfection The which obedience as this perfect law of liberty doth require so doth it inable vs to doe that which it requireth For in this couenant the Lord promiseth that he will take away our stony hearts which Ezek. 11. 29. 36. 26. Ioh. 16. 13. will rather breake then bow vnto his will and giue vs hearts of flesh which will incline to all good motions of his Word and holy Spirit And that hee will giue his holy Spirit vnto vs to conduct and rule vs in all our 1. Ioh. 2. 27. wayes and to support strengthen and comfort vs against all the difficulties and discouragements which doe affront and crosse vs in our Christian course That he will write his Law not in Tables of stone but in our Ier. 31. 31 32 33 34. hearts that we may not depart from him And if contrary to our purpose we slip in our way the Lord hath promised that he will not remember our Mal. 3. 17. sinnes to impute them vnto vs but will spare vs as a father spareth his sonne that serueth him Now what can bee a greater incouragement vnto the performance of all the duties of an holy life then to know that wee are accepted of God and that our obedience though imperfect and mingled with much corruption and weakenesse shall in Christ not onely be pardoned but highly regarded and richly rewarded by our louing Father And therefore let vs labour to be in the couenant of grace vnto which nothing on our part is required but a liuely faith in Christ applying all Gods promises made vnto vs in him and that we bring forth the fruits of this faith in vnfained repentance and new obedience §. Sect. 8 That a liuely faith is necessarily required vnto a godly life The fourth thing required in those who are to leade a godly life is a liuely faith whereby we vnderstand not onely a generall faith whereby we know and beleeue that the duties which we performe are agreeable to Gods will and warranted by his Word but a true liuely and iustifying faith whereby we are ingrafted into Iesus Christ and made partakers of all his benefits For we must first by him be made righteous before wee can doe the workes of righteousnesse wee must first become good trees Matth. 7. 18. before we can yeeld good fruits and be liuely branches of the true Vine Iesus Christ which sucke from this roote the sap of grace and holinesse before we can beare the sweete and ripe grapes of new and true obedience which are acceptable to God and well rellishing vnto his taste In which respect the Apostle telleth vs that without faith it is impossible to please God Heb. 11. 6. because whatsoeuer is not of faith is sinne Besides our best righteousnesse is Esa 64. 6. like a polluted cloth stained with our corruptions and mingled with our imperfections and consequently cannot indure the seuere triall of Gods strict iustice nor be accepted of him who being infinite in perfection in himselfe alloweth of nothing that is imperfect vnlesse being vnited vnto Christ we be made partakers of the benefit of his death and obedience and so haue the imperfection of our actions couered with his perfect righteousnesse and their pollution washed cleane away in his most precious blood And therefore if we would leade such a godly life as may be pleasing vnto God we must first labour to be indued with a liuely faith that all our fruits of obedience springing from this roote may bee accepted in and for Christ and be allowed through his righteousnesse and obedience which deserue to bee reiected in respect of their owne pollution and imperfection §.
carriage and conuersation whereby we please God in all things by doing his will reuealed in the Scriptures more specially a godly life consisteth in our walking before him in the duties of piety righteousnesse and sobriety with faith a pure heart and good conscience all the dayes of our liues In which words three things are contained First the duties which in this godly life are to be performed Secondly the foundation vpon which they are grounded and the fountaines from which they ought to flow Thirdly their time of continuance and how long by vs they are to be performed The duties of a godly life are all referred vnto three heads First piety towards God which compriseth in it all Religion the whole worship and seruice of God both publike and priuate with the matter manner time meanes and all circumstances and in a word all the duties required in the first table Secondly righteousnesse towards our neighbours whereby we deale with them as we would haue them to deale with vs and giue vnto euery one their owne behauing our selues iustly with all and mercifully with all those who need our helpe Thirdly sobriety and temperance towards our selues whereby we possesse our vessels in purity and honour as it becommeth the Temples of the holy 1. Tim. 2. 5. Ghost Secondly there is heere expressed certaine fundamentall vertues vpon which our vertuous and godly actions ought to bee grounded and from which they must spring and flow if we would haue them acceptable vnto God namely a liuely faith without which wee cannot please him a pure heart from which as a fountaine floweth all true obedience and a good conscience purged from dead workes by the precious blood of Christ which warranteth all our actions done in faith as approoued of God and so inciteth and incourageth vs to bring foorth the fruits of new obedience when as wee know that our persons and all our actions are accepted of God in Iesus Christ And lastly heere is expressed the time how long wee are to continue in the doing of the duties of a godly life namely not for a while no nor yet for a long time together but indefinitely wee are to continue in bringing foorth these fruits of obedience throughout the whole course of our liues and as the Apostle teacheth vs neuer bee weary of well-doing But of these points I shall haue occasion to speake more largely afterwards and therefore 2. Thes 3. 13. will content my selfe for the present thus briefly to haue touched them for the explaining of the former description of a godly life CAP. IIII. Of the forme and manner how all Christian duties ought to bee performed namely with feruency of desire a settled resolution and earnest indeuour to please God in all things §. Sect. 1 That these desires resolutions and indeuours are required of all those who will serue and please God ANd so I come from the matter of it and the duties therein required to speake of the forme and manner how they may be so performed as that they may bee acceptable in Gods sight And heereunto there concurre three things First feruencie of desire Secondly a settled resolution And thirdly an hearty and earnest indeuour to please God in all things by doing his will in the duties of pietie righteousnesse and sobriety First our hearts must be inflamed with feruent desires to please God in all things and to doe his will in as great perfection heere on earth as the Angels and Saints doe it in heauen although we cannot possibly in this state of sinne and corruption attaine vnto it So the Church professeth of her selfe In the way of Esa 26. 8 9. thy iudgements O Lord haue we waited for thee the desire of our soule is to thy name and to the remembrance of thee with my soule haue I desired thee in the night yea with my spirit within me will I seeke thee early The which desires breake out into longing wishes after that perfection which we cannot as yet compasse as we see in Dauid O that my wayes were directed to keepe thy Psal 119. 5. statutes And are accompanied with bitter griefe and lamentable complaints when as we finde them crossed with our corruption and defeated by the tentations of the deuill and the world as we see in the Apostles example To will is present with me but how to performe that which is good I find Ro. 7. 18 19 c. not For the good that I would I doe not but the euill which I would not that I doe c. for I delight in the Law of God after the inner man but I see another law in my members warring against the Law of my minde and bringing me into captiuity to the law of sinne which is in my members O wretched man that I am who shall deliuer mee from the body of this death And this feruent desire of the heart to please God by doing his will is alwayes accompanied with an vndanted resolution and settled purpose of the will to shake off all delayes and breake thorow all difficulties which hinder vs in our course and with all care and good conscience to vse all helpes whereby we may be inabled and furthered in Gods seruice And thus Dauid resolueth that he will keepe Psal 119. 8 30 32 33 34. Gods statutes I haue chosen the way of truth thy iudgements haue I laid before me I will runne the way of thy Commandements when thou shalt inlarge my heart Teach me O Lord the way of thy statutes and I shall keepe it vnto the end Giue me vnderstanding and I shall keepe thy Word yea I shall obserue it with my whole heart And from this desire of the heart and resolution of the will there followeth an earnest indeuour in the whole man of conforming all our powers and parts words and workes intentions and actions to the will of God that we may in all things please him and glorifie his name by hauing the light of our liues shining before men according Matth. 5. 16. to the exhortation of the Apostle Whether ye eate or drinke or whatsoeuer 1. Cor. 10. 31. ye doe doe all to the glory of God §. Sect. 2 That all Euangelicall obedience consisteth chiefly in these desires resolutions and indeuours And in these desires resolutions and indeuours doth consist the very forme and essence of a godly life it being the top of that perfection which Act. 11. 23. we can attaine vnto in this state of imperfection This is that Euangelicall obedience which in the Gospel is required of vs as we see in the Acts of the Apostles where Barnabas exhorteth the Church of Antioch not to performe that perfect obedience which the Law exacteth which was a yoke too heauy for any to beare but that with purpose of heart they would cleaue vnto the Lord. Vnto which also the Gospel inableth vs being made powerfull and effectuall by Gods grace and the inward operation of his
effectuall liuely and full of spirituall sap faith springeth as it were the mayne body of the tree and from it all other vertues and graces like the boughes and branches and the profession and practice of Christianity in good workes and the duties of godlinesse like the leaues and fruits doe proceed and grow For first we know God and his sauing attributes and then by faith we apprehend and beleeue them And vvhen by an effectuall knowledge we conceiue by a liuely faith beleeue them as that Iehouah who is our God is infinite in all perfection omnipotent omniscient omnipresent and all-sufficient most good and gracious most mercifull and true then doe we trust in him loue him and grow zealous of his glory obey and serue him praise and reioyce in him and in all things submit our selues to his good pleasure And so when we know and beleeue the former attributes ioyned with his iustice and hatred of sinne they worke in our hearts the true feare of God humility and awfull reuerence moouing vs to honour and worship him in spirit and truth to imbrace and practise all vertues and holy duties because they are acceptable vnto him and to flye and forsake all vice and wickednesse because they are odious in his sight So that sauing knowledge as the roote doth comprize in it the life and sap of all other graces whereof it is that in the Scriptures it is put for them all and comprehendeth in it alone all Religion and the duties of godlinesse Thus the Lord prohibiteth vs to glory in our wisedome strength and riches but let him that glorieth glory in this that hee Jer. 9. 24. vnderstandeth and knoweth me And our Sauiour telleth vs that This is life eternall to know God and whom hee hath sent Iesus Christ It is the maine Ioh. 17. 3. ground and cause of all true obedience and therefore the Lord before he giueth his Law which hee would haue kept and performed prefixeth a Preface wherein he describeth himselfe that his people might know him I am the Lord thy God which brought thee out of the land of Egypt and out of the house of bondage And Dauid exhorting his sonne Salomon vnto Gods seruice doth first require that he should know him And thou Salomon my sonne know thou the God of thy father and serue him with a perfect heart 1. Chro. 28. 9. and a willing mind Neither will any doe him chearefull seruice till they Heb. 11. 6. know what a mighty and gracious Lord he is and what bountifull wages both of temporall and eternall blessings hee giueth vnto those that faithfully serue him It comprizeth in it the summe of all Gods promises concerning his gifts temporall and spirituall in the couenant of Grace I will put my Law in their inward parts and write it in their hearts c. and Ier. 31. 33 34. they shall all know me from the least of them to the greatest of them saith the Lord. It is the cause of all other vertues for before we know them we cannot so much as desire them as our Sauiour implyeth in his speech to the woman of Samaria If thou knewest the gift of God and who it is that saith to Iohn 4. 10. thee Giue mee drinke thou wouldest haue asked of him and hee would haue giuen thee liuing water More particularly it is the cause of faith for we cannot come vnto him nor beleeue in God till we know him and what hee Heb. 11. 6. is And affiance for as the Psalmist saith They that know thy name will put Psal 9. 10. their trust in thee for thou Lord hast not forsaken them that seeke thee Of our loue of God for we must know how louing and louely he is before we can loue him and as the Apostle saith We loue God because hee loueth vs first And the vsuall speech is There is no loue of that of which there 1. Ioh. 4. 19. is no knowledge To which purpose Augustine saith that we may loue Ignoti nulla cupido Inuisa possumus cupere incognita nequaquam Rom. 10. 15. things vnseene but not vnknowne Of our inuocation and prayer for how shall they call vpon him in whom they haue not beleeued and how shall they beleeue in him of whom they haue not heard It is the cause also of our conuersion vnto God and of turning to him from our sinnes by true repentance For the first grace wrought in vs by the Spirit is illumination whereby our mindes are inlightened with a sight of our misery and our hearts inflamed with a desire to come out of it And to this purpose it is said that the Apostle Paul was sent vnto the Gentiles first to open their Act. 26. 18. eyes and to turne them from darkenesse to light and then to recouer them from the power of Satan vnto God c. In a word by knowledge of God we attaine vnto all grace and peace requisite to life and godlinesse according to that of the Apostle Grace and peace bee multiplied vnto you through the 2. Pet. 1. 2 3. knowledge of God and of Iesus our Lord according as his diuine power hath giuen vnto vs all things that pertaine vnto life and godlinesse through the knowledge of him that hath called vs to glory and vertue So that grace and glory holinesse and happinesse are deriued vnto vs by this sauing knowledge and that in such measure as this knowledge is vnto which we haue attained Heere in this life our knowledge is but begun and so with it our sanctification and glory and that being but in part these are imperfect also but when we haue this knowledge in perfection wee shall be perfect also in righteousnesse and blessednesse and when the dim glasse is remooued and we see God face to face and know as we are knowne then shall we in his presence 1 Cor. 13. 12. haue fulnesse of ioy and pleasures at his right hand for euermore To which purpose Psal 16. 11. 1. Ioh. 3. 2. the Apostle also saith Beloued now are we the sonnes of God and it doth not yet appeare what we shall be but we know that when he shall appeare we shall be like him for we shall see him as he is §. Sect. 3 That ignorance estrangeth vs from God and the life of grace and glory Contrariwise want of this knowledge and ignorance of God and his will maketh vs strangers from God and the Common wealth of Israel and Ier. 31. 33 34. Ioh. 10. 14 4 5. howsoeuer we be the Church yet to be no true members of the Church For God hath promised to all that are in the Couenant of grace that hee will put his Law in their inward parts and write it in their hearts and that they shall all know him from the least of them to the greatest of them And our Sauiour saith that he knoweth all the sheepe of his fold and is knowne of them
and that they know his voyce and are able to discerne it from the voyce of a stranger And as it makes vs strangers from God and the Couenant of grace so also from the life of God or the godly life which he commandeth as we see in the example of the Gentiles who hauing their vnderstanding darkned were alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that was in them because of the blindnesse of their heart And contrariwise thrusts vs headlong into all manner of sin for as the Apostle saith in the same place When the Gentiles through their ignorance were thus estranged frō the life of God they became past feeling and so gaue themselues ouer to lasciuiousnes Eph. 4. 18 19. to worke all vncleannesse with greedinesse So Hosea hauing set downe a Catalogue Hos 4. 1 6. of many grieuous sins which made the Iewes liable to Gods heauy iudgements doth after shew that the cause of all their sin and punishment was because they lacked the true knowledge of God in the land Whereof it also is that sinners of all kinds are included vnder the name of ignorant persons who know not God So the Psalmist Powre out thy wrath vpon Psal 79. 6. Ier 10. 25. the heathen that haue not knowne thee and vpon the kingdomes that haue not called vpon thy name And the Apostle saith that the Lord Iesus shall come with 2. Thes 1. 7 8. his mighty Angels in flaming fire to take vengeance on them that know not God And therfore if we would haue any portion in Gods sauing graces or part in heauenly glory if we would not be strangers from God and aliants from his Church if we would performe any duty of a godly life or not be caried headlong into all wickednesse if we would not be subiect to Gods iudgements and fearefull destruction nor exposed to the imprecations of the faithfull in this life nor to the vengeance of a terrible Iudge when Christ shall appeare at his second comming let vs not liue in ignorance but vse all our indeuour to attaine vnto the sauing knowledge of God and his will Neither let vs with ignorant people content our selues with our own good meanings and blind deuotions as our guides in godlines for then our seruice of God will be but will-worship and the carnall conceits of our owne braines and all our Religion being nothing else but bodily exercise and Esa 1. 12. 29. 13. ignorant superstition will be reiected of God as odious and abominable §. Sect. 4 That God is the chiefe Author and efficient cause of sauing knowledge Seeing therefore knowledge is so necessary vnto a godly life we will a little further insist vpon it shewing what it is and the nature and properties of it whereby we shall be the better able to labour after it in the vse of all good meanes and know to our comforts when we haue attained vnto it Sauing knowledge then is a grace of God wrought in vs by his holy Spirit which inlighteneth our minds to know those things which are reuealed of God and his will by his Word and workes that we may make an holy vse of it for the sanctifying of our hearts and direction of our liues in all duties of holinesse and righteousnesse Whereby we may perceiue that not nature but God onely is the Author and efficient cause of this knowledge and so much onely doe we know of God as we are taught of God According to that couenant of grace in which God promiseth that hee Ier. 31. 33 34. will put his Law in our inward parts and write it in our hearts and that wee shall know him from the least to the greatest So our Sauiour speaking of his Elect saith that they all shall be taught of God And againe No man knoweth the Iob. 6. 46. Sonne but the Father neither knoweth any man the Father but the Sonne and he vnto whomsoeuer the Sonne will reueale him Neither is this knowledge a naturall habit of the minde but a grace of God which is not purchased by vs or our owne merits or therefore bestowed vpon vs rather then others because God foresaw that we would vse it when we had it better then they but Gods free gift promised in the couenant of grace The which he worketh Ioel 2. 28. in vs first by sending his Sonne his true essentiall wisedome who hath reuealed vnto vs his Fathers will and being the great Prophet of the Church hath made knowne vnto vs the counsels of God and all things necessary for our Saluation and that not onely nor chiefly to the wise of the world but to the weake and simple according to that of our Sauiour I thanke thee O Father Lord of heauen and earth because thou hast hid these Matth. 11. 25. things from the wise and prudent and hast reuealed them vnto babes And secondly his holy Spirit who was and is sent from the Father and Sonne to teach and lead vs into all truth as our Sauiour promised his Apostles And this is that holy anointing of which the Apostle speaketh whereby wee Iob. 16. 13. know all things and neede not that any teach vs but as this anointing teacheth vs of all things And that Collyrium or precious eye-salue which Christ Apoc. 3. 18. promiseth to giue to the Angell of the Church of the Laodiceans to inlighten their blind eyes in the knowledge of the truth So the Apostle telleth vs that we cannot see nor conceiue the things which appertaine to Gods Kingdome but God hath reuealed them vnto vs by his Spirit for the 1. Cor. 2. 10. Spirit searcheth all things euen the deepe things of God And hence it is that he is called the Spirit of wisedome reuelation and illumination and the Ephe. 1. 17. Iohn 16. 13. Spirit of truth because he is both light and truth himselfe and also inlighteneth our mindes which are naturally full of darkenesse and leadeth vs into all truth needefull for our saluation And therefore if we would haue this sauing knowledge we must goe to the chiefe Fountaine and Author of it and pray often and earnestly that he will for his Sonne and by his holy Spirit take away our naturall blindnesse and open our eyes that we may see the wonderfull things of his Law Psal 119. 8. §. Sect. 5 Of the instrumentall causes of sauing knowledge The instrumentall causes of this knowledge are first the Booke of nature secondly the Booke of Grace The Booke of nature for euen this light being sanctified by Gods Spirit is helpefull to the regenerate for the reuealing of God and his will vnto them And that both the eternall booke of nature which is the conscience and the externall Booke which is the great volume of the creatures For if there be in all men some reliques of the light of nature shining in their consciences which conuince them that there is a God and that this God is most
good powerfull iust bountifull a liberall rewarder of good and reuenger of euill according to the saying of the Apostle That which may be knowne of God is manifest in them for God hath shewed it vnto them then how much more clearely doth this light Rom. 1. 19. shine in the faithful when as it is renewed and made much brighter and clearer by Gods holy Spirit The Booke also of the creatures doth conuince all men that there is a God and that he is infinite in wisedome and power omnipresent and full of goodnesse according to that of the Apostle The inuisible things of him from the creation of the world are cleerely seene Rom. 1. 20. being vnderstood by the things that are made euen his eternall power and Godhead so that they are without excuse And therefore how much more may the faithfull profit by learning and reading this Booke who haue the holy Spirit for their Tutor which openeth their eyes that they may see Gods wisdome goodnesse and power shining in them and their hearts that meditating on them they may make an holy vse of this knowledge for the stirring of them vp to render vnto God prayse and thanksgiuing The Booke of grace also is either the internall writing of Gods Law and will in the heart and inward parts by the Spirit of God which the Lord promiseth to doe in the couenant of grace or the outward Booke of the Ier. 31. 34. holy Scriptures in which are contained all things necessary to be knowne of God and his will for the saluation of our soules And lastly Gods Ministers are his instruments whereby he reuealeth himselfe and his will vnto vs who doe expound vnto vs his written Word and vnfold the mysteries and difficulties thereof that we may vnderstand them And therefore if we would attaine vnto the knowledge of God and his will we are to vse the helpe of those instruments which he hath ordained for this purpose especially we are to desire that inward writing of the Spirit in our hearts and to make vse by reading and meditation of the Scriptures and by often hearing of them expounded and applied vnto vs by Gods faithfull Ministers CAP. VI. Of the obiect of sauing knowledge namely God himselfe and his attributes his Word and workes §. Sect. 1 That there is a God and how we may know it ANd these are the causes of sauing knowledge The obiect of it is God his will and workes Where first we are to know that there is a God who is to be worshipped and serued of vs. Vnto which we attaine by the light of nature which reuealeth this principle vnto vs and conuinceth all men of this truth by the Booke of the creatures in which the infinite wisedome power and goodnesse of the Creator shineth by the terrours of conscience following the commission of heynous sinnes though neuer so secret by the series and dependancy of causes one vpon another in the disquisition whereof there is no end till we come to the cause of causes who hauing his being of himselfe giueth being vnto all things by the goodly order which may be obserued in the creatures and the motion of the heauens and the celestiall bodies by the finall causes one thing being referred to another till wee come to the summum benum and supreme end of all things which is God by the accomplishment of Prophecies foretold long before their euents by the consent of all Nations in acknowledging this principle and finally by the iudgements and punishments executed vpon the wicked euen in this life by all which we come to the cleare vnderstanding of this truth that there is a God although in truth it is so euident in it selfe that no argument can be brought to illustrate it seeing nothing is so cleare and manifest §. Sect. 2 Who this God is and how he may be described Secondly we are to know what this God is or rather who he is For what he is in his owne essence he hath not reuealed in the Scriptures neither are we capeable of this knowledge nor any other creature seeing he is infinite and we finite But who he is he hath made knowne in his Word namely that he is Iehouah Elohim a Spirit infinite in all perfection one in nature and three in persons the Father Sonne and holy Ghost By which description it appeareth that God is primum ens and the first being who hath his essence of himselfe and giueth being to all things as his name Iehouah signifieth that he is vncreated and a Spirit as our Sauiour John 4. 23. the wisedome of the Father hath made him knowne vnto vs not so much thereby shewing his essence what he is which is ineffable and incomprehensible as distinguishing him from all corporeall substances That he is but one because he is infinite in all perfection wisedome power presence and the rest and it is against the nature of infinitenesse to bee more then one because hee made and gouerneth all as supreme Monarch in which Monarchy there can be no copartners and because he is the cause of causes from which all things haue their being and vpon which they wholy depend §. Sect. 3 Of Gods attributes and how they are ascribed vnto God Thirdly we must know that this diuine essence is infinite in all perfection The which perfection is seene in his properties which are not properly in God who is all essence and no qualities for whatsoeuer is in God is God but according to the capacity of our shallow vnderstanding neither doe they differ from his essence nor one from another for God is one and of a most simple nature admitting no diuision into parts faculties or properties nor yet any essentiall distinction but onely in our comprehension or maner of vnderstanding So as we must not take his properties to be any parts of his essence seeing euery essentiall propertie is his whole essence and therefore howsoeuer distinguished in respect of his diuers manner of working towards the creatures yet not in themselues but are inseparable one from another In which respect the wisedome of God is the wise God the power of God the powerfull God and so in the rest And his wisedome power mercy goodnesse iustice truth are all one in their essence there being in God but one most simple and pure act vnto which diuers names are giuen in the Scriptures to shew vnto vs how it is diuersly exercised towards the creatures §. Sect. 4 Of Gods primary attributes and how they may be described Now these Attributes are of two sorts First primary Secondly secondary Primary are those which declare vnto vs the essence of God as he is absolutely in himselfe of which there being no similitude in the creatures they are attributed vnto God alone without communication to any other And in this number are Gods Simplicity Infinitenesse Eternity Immensity Immutability and Omnipresence all-sufficiency and omnipotency His simplicity is an essentiall attribute by which
knowing that there is a God we must worship and serue him and professing him with our lips we must not deny him in our liues Knowing that he is a Spirit we must not rest in bodily exercise which profiteth nothing but worship him in spirit and truth Knowing that he is infinite and omnipresent we must with Enoch walke with God and in all things carry our selues as before him Knowing that he is all-sufficient we must trust in him for all things both in the presence and absence of inferiour meanes Knowing that he is omniscient and the searcher of our inward parts wee must approue our hearts as well as our workes vnto him and make conscience of committing secret sinnes as well as those which are open and manifest to the world Knowing that he is omnipotent we must depend vpon him for preseruation from all euill and defence against all enemies and that in greatest difficulties and dangers because things euen impossible to men are possible with God Knowing that he is the chiefe Good we must loue him aboue all things knowing that he is true yea truth it selfe wee must beleeue his Word and promises Knowing that he is iust we must feare to offend him that he is mercifull we must hope in him that he is bountifull we must do cheerefull seruice to so gracious a Master Knowing that he is but one God wee must worship him alone and not false gods and grauen Images and set vp no Idols in our hearts as the earthly Mammon with the couetous worldly honours and vaine glory with the ambitious and carnal and sinfull pleasures with those that are voluptuous Finally knowing that he is one in essence three in persons we must worship the Vnity in Trinity Mat. 1. 6. Knowing that God the Father is our Father in Christ we must reuerence 1. Pet. 1. 17. Luke 1. 74. feare and loue him that God the Sonne is our Redeemer we must worship and serue him in holinesse and righteousnesse before him all the daies of our liues and knowing that the holy Ghost is our Sanctifier 1. Thes 4. 4. 1. Cor. 6. 19. and dwelleth in vs wee must possesse our vessels in purity and honour that wee may bee fit temples and habitations for this holy Ghest c. §. Sect. 4 Of the meanes of sauing knowledge And this is that sauing knowledge which is necessary to a godly life the which we haue not of our selues for euery man is a Ier. 10. 14. beast in his owne knowledge b Ier. 4. 22. 1. Cor. 2. 14. wise vnto euill and vnto any good without vnderstanding but it is a grace and free gift of God as before we haue shewed And therefore if we would obtaine it wee must carefully and conscionably vse all good meanes which hee hath appointed for this purpose And first we must begge this grace of God by feruent and effectuall prayer according to that of the Apostle Iames c Iam. 1. 5. If any man want wisedome let him aske it of God that giueth all men liberally and vpbraideth not and it shall be giuen him as we see in the example of d 1. King 3. 6. Salomon and desire him to send his holy Spirit into our hearts which will e Iohn 16. 13. leade vs into all truth and like a f Apoc. 3. 18. precious eye-salue will open and illighten the blind g Psal 119. 18 27. eyes of our vnderstandings that we may see the wonders of Gods Law The which our prayer will be more effectuall to preuaile with God if we craue this knowledge to this end that we may glorifie him by it according to that of Dauid Make mee Psal 119. 27. to vnderstand the way of thy precepts so shall I talke of thy wonderous workes and make our knowledge the rule of our liues practising the things we know in the whole course of our conuersation to which end Dauid beggeth it of God Teach me O Lord the way of thy statutes and I shall keepe it Vers 33. 34. vnto the end Giue me vnderstanding and I shall keepe thy law yea I will obserue it with my whole heart Secondly let vs be diligent in hearing reading and meditating of Gods Word which giueth h Psal 19. 7 8. 119. 130. Pro. 1. 3 4 5. light and vnderstanding vnto the simple and is sufficient to make vs i 2. Tim. 3. 15 16 17. wise in all things vnto saluation and to make the man of God perfect and throughly furnished vnto all good workes Thirdly we must vse holy conferences with others whereby we shall inrich our mindes by communicating with them in their stocke and more firmely imprint in our memories that which we know already according to that of the Apostle Let the Word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisedome Col. 3. 16. teaching and admonishing one another Fourthly we must labour to be reconciled vnto God in Christ and then becomming his friends hee will make vs acquainted with his will and counsailes according to that of our Sauiour I haue called you friends for all things that I haue heard of my Father Iohn 15. 15. I haue made knowne vnto you Fifthly let vs labour to haue our harts fraughted with Gods feare for if any man feare the Lord him shall he teach the way Psal 25. 12. 1. Pet. 5. 5. Psal 25. 9. Matth. 11. 25. 1. Cor. 3. 18. that he shall chuse Sixthly let vs decke our selues with humility for hee giueth his grace to the humble and teacheth him his way he reuealeth his secrets to little babes and hideth them from those who are wise and prudent in their owne conceits And therefore we must be fooles to our selues and to the world if we would be wise to God and our owne saluation For there is no true wisedome but in the sauing knowledge of God and his will and holy obedience yelded vnto them according to that of the Prophet The wise men are ashamed they are dismaied and taken lo they haue Ier. 8. 9. Deut. 4. 6. reiected the Word of the Lord and what wisedome is in them Seuenthly wee must labour after holines for God reuealeth his mysteries vnto his Saints but Col. 1. 26. will not suffer his wisdome to enter into a prophane and malicious soule as we see in the experience of the greatest Prelates and Doctors of the world who liuing in prophanenesse and all sensuality haue not so much feeling sauing and experimentall knowledge of God and the mysteries of his Kingdome as many silly women and simple Ideots Lastly wee must put those things in practice which we already know and then will God reueale more vnto vs and fasten that which we know already in our hearts and memories for as our Sauiour saith If any man will doe his will he shall Iohn 7. 17. know of his doctrine and we shall with Dauid be wiser then the ancient yea Psal 119.
truly sayd that the iust doe liue by their faith and that they cannot leade their Heb. 2 4 liues in holinesse and righteousnesse without it For there are so many mighty enemies that encounter vs in this way so many difficulties and dangers which we must ouercome so many duties contrary to our corrupt nature to be necessarily performed and so many strange corruptions to be mortified and subdued in vs that if we respect our owne strength it will plainely appeare to be vtterly impossible to goe forward in the course of godlinesse or to attaine vnto any measure of that sanctification which we labour after whereas contrariwise if wee renounce our selues and our owne strength and by a liuely fayth rest vpon the power and promises of God for the beginnign continuing and perfecting of this worke then neede we not to be discouraged by our wants and weakenesses from vndertaking or proceeding in it nor by the malice and might of our spirituall enemies or any other difficulties which meete vs in the way seeing we are assured that the Lord our God is all-sufficient to remoue all impediments to giue vs strength against all opposition to make things in themselues impossible to become possible and easie vnto vs and not only able but also willing to bring vs on in the wayes of godlinesse and to perfect that good worke of grace in vs which he hath begunne In which respects we haue great cause with all courage and cheerefulnesse to vndertake this worke and to goe on in the wayes of godlinesse if by faith wee are once perswaded that we shall in Gods good time ouercome our spirituall enemies subdue our strong corruptions performe with ease and comfort those duties which seeme yet so difficult and in some good measure attaine vnto that sanctification and holinesse of life which wee labour after §. Sect. 5 Of the meanes whereby wee may strengthen our faith in the assurance of our sanctification Now the meanes to attaine vnto this faith and to be more and more confirmed in it is to consider that God the Father hath elected vs as well Ephes 1. 4. to the meanes as to the end and as he hath ordayned vs vnto life eternall so also that we shall walke in the way of holinesse and righteousnes that leadeth vnto it according to that of the Apostle he hath chosen vs before the foundations of the world that we should be holy and without blame And therefore as his election is certaine to bring vs vnto euerlasting happines so also to conduct vs thither by this way of holinesse eyther by a shorter cut as the thiefe vpon the Crosse who was not cōuerted before he suffred or by alonger way as Simeon Iohn the Apostle and many others So in that golden chaine of saluation whom hee did predestinate them also he called Rom. 8. 30. whom he called them he iustifyed and whom he iustified them he glorifyed the decree of God is coupled and linked vnto the end by the meanes which come betweene them Againe we haue Gods promises vpon which wee may build our faith as well for our sanctification as for our saluation and that not only as the promises of life eternall include the promise of holynesse and a godly life as the way that leadeth to that end but seuerally and in speciall manner For in the Couenant of grace the Lord promiseth to write his Law in our hearts by which phrase is signified that we shall not only know his will in our vnderstandings but incline vnto it with our affections Ier. 31. 34. that we may practise it in our liues euen as the law of nature written in the heart of Adam by creation inabled him both to know it and also to imbrace and obey it So God promiseth that vnder the Kingdome of Christ he will take away their corruptions of nature and make them to become new creatures Yea the Lord hath not onely said but Esa 11. 6 9. sworne it that all who are redeemed out of the hands of our spirituall enemies Luke 1. 74 75. shall worship and serue him in holinesse and righteousnesse before him all the daies of their liues that is not by fits and starts but from the day of their conuersion to the day of their death Againe the Lord promiseth to giue his Spirit to those that aske him and our Sauiour that he will send the Comforter who shall leade vs into all truth so that he shall not barely teach Luke 12. 11. Iohn 16. 13. vs the way but guide vs in it subduing the flesh with the lusts thereof and inabling vs to withstand the tentations of Satan and the world to ouercome all difficulties and to hold out in our profession and practice of true godlinesse vnto the end Moreouer we may haue a sufficient ground for this speciall faith if we consider that the vertue of Christs death being Rom. 6. 4. applied by faith is as effectuall for the mortifying of our flesh and sinfull corruption as for the taking away of the guilt and punishment of our sins and that his resurrection is as powerfull to rayse vs vp to newnesse of life in this world as to the life of glory in the world to come and therefore they that haue part in Christ may apply him vnto themselues by faith for assured sanctification as well as for iustification or saluation according to that of the Apostle But ye are in Christ Iesus who is of God made vnto vs wisedome and righteousnesse and sanctification and redemption that is not 1. Cor. 1. 30. onely sufficient to make vs holy by imputation of his holinesse but by working in vs inherent holinesse by his Spirit Finally the holy Ghost who dwelleth in vs is all-sufficient to perfect the worke which hee hath begun and will not willingly lose his labour in giuing it ouer before he Phil. 1. 6. hath attayned his end And therefore though our flesh be neuer so rebellious he both can and will tame and mortify it though our enemies bee neuer so many and malicious he is all-sufficient by his owne strength in our greatest weakenesse to ouercome them And though we meete with neuer so many difficulties he will so assist and strengthen vs that they shall not bee able to hinder vs from proceeding in the way of holinesse till we come to our place of happinesse Now if by these considerations we strengthen our fayth in this speciall perswasion that if wee will waite Gods leysure in the vse of all good meanes wee shall certainely attayne vnto that sanctification which we labour after it will bee a notable incouragement to make vs goe on cheerefully in the practice of all duties which concerne a Christian life for who would not couragiously fight that is beforehand assured of victory or run a race that is sure to come to the goale and winne the garland or vndertake waighty and necessary enterprises though of great difficultie if he
as perfect and what they did seemed iust and 1. King 15. 11. right in his eyes Whereas on the other side how glorious soeuer our words and actions seeme to be yet if we regard wickednesse in our hearts the Lord Psal 66. 18. will not regard vs nor our prayers if we will not lay Gods Word to our heart Mal. 2. 2. to giue glory to his name he will send a curse vpon vs by which euen his blessings shall be accursed §. Sect. 3 That God respecteth no duty vnlesse it proceed from a pure and sincere heart Neither can any duty of a godly life which we performe vnto God be approoued of him vntill our hearts bee first approoued And as Dauid 2. Sam. 3. 13. Deut. 6. 6. would not accept of Abners seruice nor let him haue the fauour of seeing his face except he brought his wife with him so neither will the Lord regard any seruice which we offer vnto him if we leaue our hearts behind vs which are aboue all other parts espoused vnto him by solemne Couenant In all our obedience the heart is chiefly required These words which I command thee this day shall be in thine heart ye shall lay vp these words in your heart and in your soule and binde them for a signe vpon your hand that they may be as frontlets betweene your eyes And againe Set your hearts vnto Deut. 11. 18. 32. 46. all the words which I testifie among you this day In our conuersion vnto God the heart must first turne vnto him Turne ye vnto me with all your heart c. and rent your heart and not your garments and turne vnto the Lord your Ioel 2. 12 13. God Breake vp your fallow ground and sow not among thornes circumcise your selues vnto the Lord and take away the foreskin of your hearts In our Ier. 4. 3 4. spirituall warfare against the enemies of our saluation the Court of gard must keepe the carefullest watch about the Castle of our hearts that it may not be surprized neither by the secret treason of the flesh nor the open violence of the deuill or the world seeing if we lose this fort we shall lose the life of grace which is preserued in it according to that of Salomon Keepe thine heart with all diligence for out of it are the issues of life The curing Pro. 4. 23. our soules of their spirituall diseases must beginne at the heart and the inward cause of corruption must thence bee purged before there can bee any true reformation or sound health in the outward parts Euen as the heate of the face is not much abated by casting vpon it water or cooling things but by allaying inwardly the heate of the liuer Finally our seruice of God if wee would haue it accepted 1. Tim 4. 8. must not bee performed onely with the outward man for as the Apostle speaketh Bodily exercise profiteth little but it must bee the seruice of the heart and performed in spirit and truth Otherwise it Ioh. 4. 23. will bee vaine and but lost labour according to that of the Prophet cited by our Sauiour This people draweth nigh vnto mee with their lippes but their heart is farre from mee But in vaine they worship Matth. 15. 8. mee c. If wee wash our hands and not our hearts and make cleane the outside of the cup and platter and let the inside bee defiled with corruption and sinne wee shall not exceed the Pharises who by our Sauiours censure did not exceede the hypocrites and were worse then Publicanes and professed sinners and if wee gild the outside by a glorious profession and inwardly in the heart nourish our corruptions wee shall with them bee rightly compared to painted sepulchers which were outwardly glorious but within full of dead mens bones and all vncleannesse Mat. 23. 25 27. §. Sect. 4 That all true reformation repentance must begin with the consecrating of our whole hearts vnto God And therefore when we goe about the reformation of our liues let vs first begin witht he purging of our hearts and offer them vnto God as a Psal 40. 8. Psal 119. 112 167 141. 4. free-will offering and the first fruits of our new obedience if wee meane to haue a good crop of godlinesse and the whole haruest sanctifyed to our vse And this was Dauids practice watching chiefely ouer his heart that he might consecrate it aboue all other parts to the Seruice of God I delight saith he to doe thy will O my God yea thy Law is within my heart And againe I haue inclined mine heart to performe thy Statutes alway euen vnto the end My soule hath kept thy testimonies and I loue them exceedingly So Moses prayeth vnto God in behalfe of himselfe and the people Teach vs so to number our dayes that we may apply our hearts to wisdome Neither is it sufficient eyther to please God or to attaine vnto sanctification and a godly life to consectate our hearts in part only vnto Gods seruice and to reserue part for the seruice of the world For wee cannot serue two masters so contrary in disposition nor at once please God and Mammon as our Sauiour hath taught vs. We must not halt betweene two opinions but if God be God wee must serue him If Baal be God we must serue him God Matth. 6. 24. 1. King 18. 21. is a iealous louer and will indure no corriuals in the heart which aboue all parts he chiefely loueth And therefore if we intend to leade a godly life and to please God in all our courses wee must set our whole hearts to seeke and serue him and as he requireth loue him with all our heart and Deut. 6. 5. Mat. 22. 37. Psal 119. 10 34. with all our soule and with all our mind So Dauid With my whole heart haue I sought thee O let me not wander from thy Commandements Giue mee vnderstanding and I shall keepe thy Law yea I shall obserue it with my whole heart And thus Asa and his people entred into a Couenant to seeke the Lord God of 2. Chro. 15. 12. their fathers with all their heart and with all their soule §. Sect. 5 That we must take speciall care for the purifying of our hearts and wherein it chiefely consisteth By all which it appeareth how necessary it is that intending to lead a Godly life we deuote and consecrate our hearts yea our whole hearts Esa 66. 3. to the seruice of God And because he being most pure can indure no corruption or pollution and therefore will abhorre our most formall seruice if our hearts continue and delight in their abominations yea will as much hate the heart it selfe polluted with sinne if it be offered vnto him as Swines blood or a dogs head therefore from hence also it appeareth how necessary it is when we set our selues to please God by a godly life to take speciall care to
haue in the first place our hearts purged and purified from the filth of sinne For naturally our hearts are full of all vncleanenesse fountaines of maliciousnes and sinkes of sinne spiritually blind and foolish but vnto all impiety witty sharp-sighted and as the Prophet speaketh wicked and despightfull aboue all things auerse vnto all Ier. 17. 9. good and prone to all euill dead and dull to Gods seruice and full of life and vigour to the seruice of the diuell the world and our owne carnall concupiscence Finally they swarme with all noysome lusts as pride hypocrisie couetousnesse voluptuousnesse ambition malice enuie disdaine worldly loue and all manner of carnall corruption And therefore it is most necessary that our hearts be first cleansed and purged before wee can offer vnto God any acceptable seruice for what can issue out of these sinks and puddles of corruption but all manner of sinfull impiety and what streames of Gods seruice so pure in themselues which will not bee polluted if they runne thorow these dennes and ditches of all abominations Now this purging of the heart consisteth in the mortification of the flesh and its sinfull lusts and in spirituall renewing vnto holinesse and new obedience whereby we begin to hate all that euill which we formerly loued and to loue that good which we formerly hated to loath the tyranny of sinne and Satan vnto which with all willingnesse we subiected our selues in time past and to imbrace the true seruice of God in all sincerity which before we eyther neglected or performed after a formall cold and careles manner And finally haue our hearts and affections weaned from the loue of the world and earthly vanities vpon which in the dayes of our ignorance wee wholy doted as on our chiefe delight and treasure because we now see that they are vncertaine momentany and mutable worthlesse and vnprofitable yea to those that set their hearts vpon them hurtfull and pernicious And contrariwise adhere and cleaue vnto the Lord with all our soules as being all-sufficient and infinite in all perfection chusing him for our portion and inheritance our rocke and refuge and farre preferring him before all earthly treasures and delights And thus the Lord when he called Abraham out of Vr of the Chaldeans to bee his seruant withdraweth his heart from the loue of worldly things as being insufficient to preserue him from euill or to furnish him with any true good by promising that he himselfe would be his shield and exceeding great reward And thus he perswadeth him vnto vprightnesse of Gen. 15. 1. heart and to walke before him in holinesse of life because if hee would chuse him for his portion he should finde him almighty and all-sufficient and therefore able to preserue him from all danger and to relieue and Gen. 17. 1. supply all his wants though for his profession and practice of Gods true Religion he should be abandoned of all worldly helpes exposed to the malice of many and mighty enemies And thus Moses contemned the world and refusing the pleasures of Egypt and the honours of Pharaohs Court adhered vnto God and his pure Religion chusing rather to suffer Heb. 11. 25. affliction with his people then to inoy the pleasures of sinne for a season So Dauid being in his heart and affections like a weaned child and lothing the worlds brests from which he had formerly sucked the sweet milk of earthly Psal 131. 2. vanities with so much delight doth with all his heart and soule cleaue vnto the Lord chusing him for his portion and inheritance and esteeming him as his sole treasure The Lord saith he is the portion of mine inheritance Psal 16. 5 6. and of my cup thou maintainest my lot The lines are falne vnto me in pleasant places yea I haue a goodly heritage And when he was forsaken of all worldly helpes in the day of trouble hee was not like worldlings as a man forlorne and desperate but he cryed vnto the Lord and said Thou Psal 142. 5. 119. 57. art my refuge and my portion in the land of the liuing So elsewhere he professeth that all his ioy and comfort was in the Lord and the assurance of his loue the which was better and greater then was incident to worldlings in all their posterity There be many saith he that say Who will shew Psal 4. 5 6 7. vs any good Lord lift thou vp the light of thy countenance vpon vs. Thou hast put gladnesse in my heart more then in the time that their corne and their wine increased And thus the Church in the Lamentation was not in her greatest misery left hopelesse and helpelesse but cleauing to the Lord with her heart shee cryeth out The Lord is my portion saith my soule therefore Lam. 3. 24. will I hope in him §. Sect. 6 Of the causes of the hearts purity And these are the things wherein this purity of heart doth consist The principall efficient which worketh it in vs is the whole Trinity the Father Sonne and holy Spirit God the Father beginneth this sanctification and holinesse in our hearts by taking away their hardnesse and making them soft and tender and by giuing vnto vs his Spirit to purify them from the filth of corruption and to quicken them in the life of grace according to that promise I will giue them one heart and I will put a new spirit Ezech. 11. 19. 36. 26. within you and I will take the stony heart out of their bodies and will giue them an heart of flesh And againe After those daies saith the Lord I will put my Ier. 31. 33. Law in their inward parts and write it in their hearts And therefore if we would haue this grace we must with the Apostle haue our recourse to God praying for our selues as he did for the Thessalonians The very God of peace sanctifie you wholy and I pray God your whole spirit and soule and 1. Thes 5. 23. body be preserued blamelesse vnto the comming of the Lord Iesus Christ God the Sonne purifieth our hearts by shedding his precious blood that it might be a Lauer of regeneration wherein our polluted hearts might be cleansed For so deepely are they engrayned in the skarlet dye of sinne that nothing else will take away their spots and staines and bring them vnto snowy whitenesse It is onely his Crosse that crucifieth these carnall corruptions and the vertue of his death that killeth and mortifieth sin in vs. And this is that Fountaine which the Lord promiseth should be opened Zach. 13. 1. to the house of Dauid and Hierusalem for sinne and for vncleanenesse in which if our hearts be not washed they will remaine in their naturall filthinesse God the holy Ghost purifieth our hearts by vniting them to Christ by dipping and washing them in this Fountaine of his blood and so maketh Ioh. 3. 5. the death and merits of our Sauiour which are sufficient
in themselues effectuall vnto vs for our purification For as the Poole of Bethesda had Ioh. 5. by the mouing of the Angell vertue in it to cure diseases but yet did good to none but those only which were put into it so though the blood of Christ be sufficient to cure the heart of the leprosie of sinne and to make it cleane yet it is of no efficacie vnto any sauing those who are by the holy Spirit dipped and washed in it seeing like the poore lame cripple wee are naturally impotent and cannot make any vse of these meanes of our recouery vnles we be assisted by the holy Spirit The instrumentall cause of this purificatiō is a liuely faith wrought in vs by the Spirit to this end the which we may apply vnto our selues Christ his death and precious bloodshed for our spirituall purging from sinne which is perfected in our iustification in respect of the guilt and punishment and begun in our sanctification by purifying our hearts from their natural corruptions Act. 15. 9. In which respect faith is said to purifie our hearts not materially or formally by any vertue inherent in it selfe but instrumentally by applying vnto vs the vertue of Christs death and bloodshed And vntill we haue this faith wrought in vs by the Spirit whereby we are assured of the riches of Gods grace in this life and glory and happinesse in the life to come our hearts remaine it their naturall filthinesse and are full of all carnall and worldly lusts neither is it possible that they should be perswaded to contemne the baites of worldly vanities and to tread vnder-foot the pleasures of sinne with which they are naturally so much delighted till they haue an offer of better things from God and haue some assurance that vpon their renouncing of the world and fleshly lusts and seeking after these richer gifts they shall most certainely attaine vnto them according to that of the Apostle Blessed be God and the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ 1. Pet. 1. 4. who according to his abundant mercy hath begotten vs againe vnto a liuely hope by the resurrection of Iesus Christ from the dead to an inheritance incorruptible and vndefiled and that fadeth not away reserued in heauen for you And this purged Moses heart from the loue of the world and made him willing to suffer afflictions with the people of God because with the eye of faith he looked vpon the recompence of reward And this caused the Saints of God Heb. 11. 25. to content themselues to dwel in tabernacles not to regard any earthly mansions because they looked for a City which hath foundations whose builder Heb. 11. 9 10. and maker is God the holy Martyrs to indure with patience ioy most cruell persecution not accepting deliuerance because by faith they were perswaded that they should obtaine a better resurrection Of which comforts of Heb. 11. 33. fayth wee haue great neede to be thereby supported vnder the Crosse and perswaded vnto the contempt of the world seeing Iesus the Author and finisher of our faith who was free from all worldly lusts and carnall corruption was by his heauenly hopes incouraged in his earthly sufferings for as the Apostle testifieth He for the ioy that was set before him endured the crosses despising the shame and is set downe at the right hand of the Heb. 12. 2. Throne of God CAP. XI Of the signes of a pure heart and the meanes whereby we may both obtaine and preserue it §. Sect. 1 Of the inward signes of a pure heart ANd these are the causes of a pure heart The signes whereby we may know whether our hearts bee thus purified or no are either inward or outward The inward signes are first the loue of holinesse and purity for as when our hearts are defiled with naturall corruption we loath sanctitie and loue and delight in impure lusts and the pleasures of sinne so when our hearts are purified by faith they are chiefly pleased with those things which please God and louing purity and piety they delight in the exercises of holinesse and righteousnesse And therefore when we loue purity and holinesse it is an euident signe that our hearts are pure and holy seeing the cause of loue is likenesse and where there is no similitude there can be no loue The second signe is hatred of sinne which vpon the same ground we naturally loue especially of those sinnes vnto which our corrupted nature is most inclined because they most molest and trouble vs and polluting the heart with their defilements hinder most our progresse in sanctification and holinesse And thus Paul when his heart was purified abhorred all corruption and delighted in Gods Law hating that sin most which he did most commit because like a Rebell it warred against the law Rom. 7. 15. of his minde and made him captiue to the law of sinne The third signe is our carefull auoyding all meanes and occasions of spirituall pollution for as he that hath filthy hands careth not to handle filthy things but when they are washed cleane will not willingly touch that which will defile them so an impure heart shunneth not the occasions and meanes of impurity because they cannot make it worse then it is in it owne nature in the quality though they may increase the pollution in respect of the degree yea rather being like filthy hogges naturally inclined vnto filthinesse they seeke the occasions of more vncleannesse and purposely wallow themselues in the sinke and puddle of sinne as often as they haue opportunity of satisfying their carnall lusts More especially he that hath a pure heart delighteth in the company of those who are pure and holy by whose Christian conuersation his purity and sanctification may be more and more increased and cannot indure the society of the wicked no not when like filthy dogs they fawne vpon him because he knoweth that the leprosie of sinne is of an infectious and spreading nature that he who toucheth pitch shall be defiled with it and that worldly men most defile when they most fawne and doe vs least hurt when they are farthest from vs. §. Sect. 2 Of the outward signes of a pure heart The outward signes of a pure heart are the fruits of sanctification and holinesse for the tree is knowne by the fruits and the fountaine by the Mat. 7. 17 18. streames that flow from it whether they be good or euill for a good tree cannot bring foorth euill fruit nor an euill tree good fruit as our Sauiour hath taught vs. If therefore the fruits we beare be pure and holy it is an euident signe that our hearts be purified and sanctified if the streames be cleere and sweete such also is the fountaine from which they spring and if the coyne wee outwardly spend and vse in our Christian trading one with another be currant of pure metall and the right stamp then is the treasury of our
any respect stand in neede of our helpe of the other sort are inward eiaculations and lifting vp our hearts in our secret prayers at all times and vpon all occasions and holy meditations of Gods mercies or our owne miseries or on the meanes whereby we may be inriched with all grace and enabled vnto the performance of holy duties For this priuiledge the heart hath aboue all other parts that whereas they cannot exercise their duties but when fit opportunity is offered as the eare cannot heare the Word but when it is preached nor the hand performe workes of mercy but when it hath meanes to doe them and fit subiects to worke vpon the heart needeth neuer to be idle and out of holy exercise but euen when our bodies are taken vp with the workes of our callings or honest recreations wee may 1. Thes 5. 16 17. 18. on all occasions pray giue thankes and exercise our hearts in holy meditations Psal 1. 2. eyther reioycing in the Lord and his mercies or sighing and sorrowing in the sight and sense of our owne miseries And if our hearts be thus exercised being wholy taken vp with Gods seruice they will haue no leysure for the imployments of the diuell the world and the flesh whereas if they be swept cleane of all spirituall grace and holy duties the diuell will easily enter with whole swarmes of noysome lusts and Math. 12. 46. so pollute them at his pleasure with all manner of poysonous abominations CAP. XII Of Conscience in generall the nature properties and effects of it §. Sect. 1 That the nature of Conscience may partly bee knowne by the name THe last ground of a godly life is a good conscience without which it is impossible to please God or to performe any duty acceptable in his sight In speaking whereof wee will first generally shew the nature of conscience then more particularly intreat of a good conscience The nature of conscience may bee partly knowne by the name which signifieth to know together or with another for as the minde vnderstanding the nature of things is sayd to know them so when another ioyneth with it in this knowledge they are sayd to know together Now there is no creature that can ioyne with man in the knowledge that is secret in his minde according to that of the Apostle No man knoweth the things of a man but the 1. Cor. 2. 11. Spirit of a man that is in him Whereof it is that humane lawes take no notice of the thoughts of the heart either to reward or punish them but it is only the Lord that searcheth the heart and reynes who knoweth and taketh notice together with our mindes of all the secrets which are knowne vnto it Whereby the nature of conscience in part appeareth namely that it is such a faculty in the soule as taketh notice of all our actions and beareth witnesse of them before Gods Iudgement seate eyther with vs when they approue them as good or against vs when as they condemne them as euill So that the conscience is a certayne diuine power which is placed by God in the soule of man as a third party indifferent betweene him and vs somtime speaking for vs and sometime against vs as the equity of the cause requireth It is Gods Monitour which he hath set ouer vs to take notice of all wee doe that hee may either reward our well-doing or punish that which is done amisse And because simple knowledge might see and conceale what it seeth and knoweth God to this science hath added conscience which being placed in vs on the behalfe of the great King of heauen and earth will not let any thing lie hid and smothered but giueth vnpartiall witnes of whatsoeuer is done before his Tribunall eyther excusing vs when wee doe well or accusing vs when we haue sinned against him Not that the Lord needed any such witnesse or Monitour to informe him of our actions for he seeth and knoweth all things past present and to come with one perfect and simple act but because he would in the administration of his iustice proceede in a legal manner that wee hereby might be conuicted of the vprightnesse of his iudgements hauing in our selues a witnesse that iustifieth and approueth them §. Sect. 2 What conscience is being generally considered But that we may yet more clearely discerne the nature of conscience what it is we will thus define it Conscience is a faculty or power placed by God in the soule of man which reflecteth the vnderstanding vpon it selfe causing it to apply its generall and contemplatiue knowledge of truth and falshood good and euill to practicall vse for the ayming and determining of all our particular actions according to the generall rules of reason either with vs or against vs. It is a faculty and not a naturall habit which may bee got and lost for howsoeuer the operations of it may be hindred and deadded for a time by carnall security hardnesse of heart and the violence of our lusts and passion euen as reason it selfe cannot exercise its functions in the time of sleepe or drunkennesse that it neuer vtterly fayleth but when it is awakened by affliction it sheweth it selfe in the actions of accusing condemning and terrifying as in former times Neither is it a bare art of vnderstanding as some would haue it but a distinct faculty working power which in it own vertue produceth diuers So the Apostle Paul speaketh Rom. 2. 15. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is their reasonings the meane while accusing or else excusing one another actions For when the vnderstanding in the Thesy and Theory by way of generall contemplation approueth of any action as good or condemneth it as euill the conscience applyeth it in the Hypothesy vnto a mans owne particular actions and by vertue of those generall notions in the vnderstanding determineth of them either with or against vs that they are good or euill And this it doth as the schooles speake in a practicall Syllogisme in which the reason or contemplatiue vnderstanding so called because it is exercised in contemplation and in seeking out the principles of all knowledge is in respect of this office named also by Diuines 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because it is the keeper and conseruer of those notions implanted in vs concerning good things to be imbraced and euill things to be shunned of vs this contemplatiue vnderstanding I say doth in this Syllogisme offer vnto vs the Maior or Proposition The conscience which they call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because as I haue shewed it knoweth not to it selfe alone but with God maketh the Minor or assumption and the facultie of iudgement determining of the fact inferreth the conclusion As for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 example The vnderstanding suggesteth this Proposition Hee that serueth God who is the supreme cause and chiefe Good performeth a good dutie The conscience assumeth But thou hast serued God the supreme
cause and chiefe goodnesse and so the iudgement inferreth therefore thou hast performed a good duty Againe on the other side the vnderstanding saith Whosoeuer will worship God truly must worship him according to his reuealed will and not according to his owne inuentions the conscience assumeth But thou hast not worshipped him according to his reuealed will but according to thine owne inuentions whereupon the iudgement inferreth Therefore thou hast not worshipped God truly Or thus Whosoeuer breaketh the Law is accursed saith the vnderstanding But thou saith the conscience hast broken the Law therefore saith the iudgement thou art accursed §. Sect. 3 Of the diuers offices of conscience Now this facultie of conscience performeth diuers offices in respect of the diuers parts wherein it exerciseth its power and vertue For in the vnderstanding before our actions are atchieued it playeth the part of a friend or gentle Monitour telling what is to be done or left vndone with the penaltie or reward which will follow our commission or omission After the deed is done it becommeth a Iudge approouing or disallowing the action and either absoluing or condemning vs for the doing or not doing of it In the memory it performeth the office of a Notary Conscientia est Codex in quo quotidiana peccata conscribuntur Chrys in Psal 50. Rom. 2. 15. 1. Cor. 1. 12. and Register in setting downe and keeping vpon Record what wee haue done good or euill and also of a witnesse giuing euidence either with or against vs according to the nature of our fact accusing vs when wee haue done ill and excusing vs when we haue done well In the will and affections it is the deputie of Gods Spirit to suggest and inioyne vs good duties and when they are done to reward vs by comforting cherishing and replenishing our hearts with ioy and when we haue done ill especially by committing sinnes which are haynous and against conscience it executeth the office of a Iaylour or tormentor filling the heart with shame and sorrow with feare and terrour with finall desperation hellish perturbation and intolerable tortures that no racke nor gallowes no hot pincers or scalding lead may be compared with them as we see in the example of Cain who out of a despairing conscience crieth out that his punishment Gen. 4. 13. was greater then he could beare and of Iudas who to ease his torment which the gnawing worme of conscience caused hanged himself And with this office of conscience the Heathens were acquainted which gaue occasion to that fiction of hellish furies which endlesly haunted and tormented those who had committed haynous sinnes against the light of nature The which also appeareth by their writings wherein are many notable sayings to this purpose What doth it profit saith Seneca to hide Senec. Epist 43. a mans selfe and to auoide the eyes and eares of men A good conscience calleth in the multitude and an ill is sollicitous and fearefull euen in solitude If the things thou doest be honest care not though all men know them if dishonest what skilleth it though no man know them seeing thou knowest them thy selfe O miserable man that thou art if thou despisest such a witnesse And againe It is the greatest securitie to doe no Epist 105. man wrong They that cannot abstaine from it doe leade a life full of confusion perturbation so much fearing as they haue hurt Neither are they at any time quiet After they haue done mischiefe they feare they are troubled Conscience suffereth them not to intend any other things but euery hand while to reuiew themselues He suffereth punishment that expecteth it and he expecteth that hath deserued it It is possible by some meanes to be safe with an ill conscience but neuer secure For he thinketh he may be taken with the manner though yet he be not In sleepe he is troubled and being awake as oft as he nameth any mans wickednesse he thinketh of his owne It neuer seemeth enough blotted out neuer sufficiently couered A guiltie conscience hath sometime the hap to be hid but neuer Exemplo quodcunque malo committitur ipsi displicet authori c. Iuuen. Satyr 13. Plut. Apoph assurance So the Satyrist Whatsoeuer crime is committed by euill example it first displeaseth the author This is the first punishment that no man guilty can be absolued himselfe being Iudge although by the fauour of the corrupted Iudge he be acquitted In which regard Cato was wont to say that euery man ought to feare and respect himselfe most when he doth any euill because though he may shun others yet from himselfe he cannot flee §. Sect. 4 That conscience hath all its power and authority from God onely Now this power of conscience in iudging witnessing binding and punishing it hath onely from God which is the Lord of it and hath seated it in man as his Viceroy and Deputie to rule him in all his wayes and if he will not obey to be his Notary to keepe vpon record all his faults his Witnesse to giue testimony against him and his Executioner to torment him when in the Court of conscience hee is condemned Neither hath any creature power ouer conscience either to binde it or set it at liberty but God only nor hath the conscience it selfe any authority to execute these offices till it haue a Commission ingrossed and sealed from God which is either the Law of nature written in the heart in our first creation or the diuine Oracles of God contained in the bookes of the Old and New Testament And if without these conscience doth any thing against vs either by vniust iudging or false accusing we may reuoke it all by a Writ of errour and make our appeale from this false iudgement in the Court of conscience to our supreme Lord to bee iudged by him according to his Law For howsoeuer in the creation conscience was an vpright Iudge and true witnesse yet after the fall the vnderstanding being darkened with ignorance and the iudgement corrupted doe offer vnto the conscience false rules and Principles and so cause it to giue wrong euidence and erroneous iudgement iustifying when it should condemne and condemning when it should iustifie excusing those whom it should accuse and accusing them whom the Law of God excuseth and absolueth The which commeth to passe because the light of nature is through the fall almost extinguished and the booke of the Law written according to which conscience should iudge and testifie is not vnderstood and knowne or because it is blinded by lusts and passions or being corrupted hath the mouth stopped with the bribes of worldly vanities or finally is become seared and senselesse with customable sinning and habituall wickednesse CAP. XIII Of a good Conscience which is a maine ground of a godly life what it is and the causes of it §. Sect. 1 What a good conscience is and of the cause efficient which workes it in vs. IN which regard conscience thus
corrupted and disabled cannot be a sufficient ground of a godly life till after our regeneration it be renewed and restored in some measure vnto that integrity and perfection which it had in our first creation And this we call good conscience which is a maine foundation of godlinesse guiding and inabling vs to the performance of all good duties which God requireth In speaking whereof we will first shew what it is and then the causes of it the effects and fruits which spring from it the properties and signes whereby wee may know it and the meanes by which we may obtaine it if it bee wanting or preserue and keepe it if we already haue it Concerning the first A good conscience is that which being renewed by Gods Spirit and a liuely faith applying vnto vs the vertue of Christs death and obedience doth speake peace and truly testifie vnto vs according to the Scriptures that we are redeemed out of the hands of all our enemies reconciled vnto God iustified sanctified and shall perseuere in grace vnto saluation and that all our actions are warranted by the Word and accepted of God in Iesus Christ though in themselues imperfect whereby we are comforted in all things made cheerefull and diligent in Gods seruice and willing to doe all things which may be pleasing vnto him The causes of a good conscience are diuers The principall efficient is God the Father Sonne and holy Spirit The Father bestoweth this gift vpon vs who as in the beginning he first created and placed it in vs as an vncorrupted Iudge and vnpartiall witnesse betweene him and vs so it is he alone that doth renew and repaire the ruines thereof contracted through the fall of our first parents by which together with all other faculties conscience was corrupted and either so deadded seared and benummed that it had no sense and feeling at all or when it awakened out of this deadly swowne did nothing but accuse and terrifie vs or vniustly excuse and incourage vs in our sinfull courses by presenting vnto vs false comforts §. Sect. 2 Of the meritorious cause of a good conscience The meritorious cause of it is God the Sonne and our Sauiour Iesus Christ who satisfying Gods iustice and appeasing his wrath by his death and obedience freed vs from the guilt and punishment of our sinnes reconciled vs vnto God and made our peace with him vpon which followeth peace of conscience and freedome from the accusations and terrours of it For when by the Law of God or light of nature it is set a-worke to Rom. 8. 1 33 34. affright and disquiet vs in regard of our sinnes then shewing our pardon sealed by the blood of Christ it is calmed and quieted hauing nothing to lay to our charge which Christ our surety hath not satisfied for vs. Whereof it is that our Sauiour was prophetically named The Prince of peace and prefigured vnder the type of Melchizedech because hee is not Esa 9. 6. onely the King of righteousnesse by whom we are iustified but also King of Heb. 7. 2. peace as the Apostle speaketh who making our peace with God did thereby also procure for vs peace of conscience For the Iudge hath no authority to condemne nor the witnesse to accuse nor the Iaylour to imprison nor the executioner to punish and torment when the supreme Soueraigne King of heauen and earth being satisfied by the sufferings of his Sonne hath sent vs his free pardon and wee haue pleaded it in the Court of conscience Yea rather the Iudge doth then acquit and absolue vs and the witnesse saith nothing against vs but as a messenger of good things doth testifie vnto vs this ioyfull tydings And hence it is that our Sauiour was no sooner borne vnto vs but the holy Angels were sent as Gods Heralds to proclaime this peace Glory bee vnto God in the highest and in earth peace good will towards men The which peace our Sauiour Luk. 2. 14. wrought as a Mediatour betweene God and vs by satisfying his iustice and offering himselfe as an all-sufficient sacrifice for the sinnes of all his elect So the Apostle saith It pleased the Father that in him should all fulnesse dwell And hauing made peace through the blood of his Crosse by him Col. 1. 19 20. to reconcile all things to himselfe And else-where he affirmeth that we were without Christ being alients from the Common-wealth of Israel and strangers Eph. 2. v. 12. to 18. from the Couenant of promise hauing no hope and without God in the world but that now in Christ Iesus we who sometimes were farre off are made nigh by the blood of Christ For hee is our peace who hath made both one and hath broken downe the middle wall of partition betweene God and vs Hauing abolished in his flesh the enmity euen the Law of Commandements contained in ordinances to make in himselfe of twayne one new man so making peace And that he might reconcile both vnto God in one body by the crosse hauing slaine the enmity thereby And came and preached peace vnto vs both them which were a farre off and to them that were nigh And thus working our peace with God he brought also peace to our consciences when as by his blood hee had clensed them from the guilt and punishment of sinne for if the blood of Bulls and Goates sanctified to the outward purifying of the flesh how much Heb. 9. 13 14. more shall the blood of Christ who through his eternall Spirit offered himselfe without spot to God purge our consciences from dead workes to serue the liuing God Finally the conscience is renewed and sanctified by God the holy Ghost whilest he applieth Christ and all his benefits the vertue of his death and precious blood and maketh them effectuall for the purging of our consciences from all sinnefull corruption and spirituall defilements that wee may be inabled to performe pure and acceptable seruice vnto God §. Sect. 3 Of the instrumentall causes of a good conscience For the effecting whereof he vseth as his instruments the preaching of the Gospell and administration of the Sacraments and a liuely faith which by them both made effectuall by the inward operation of the Spirit is begotten and also confirmed and increased in vs. First the preaching of the Gospell is the instrument which the Spirit vseth whereby a good conscience is wrought in vs for when the Law preached and the curse threatned like a strange winde and tempest hath rent the mountaines and broken in pieces the rockes of our proud and hard hearts and as the earthquake and fire which Elias saw and felt hath terrified the conscience with the guilt of sinne and caused vs to hide our faces from Gods presence 1. King 19. 11 12 then the still voice of the Gospell causing these stormes to cease doth quiet and calme the conscience so as wee can without terrour yea with much ioy and comfort heare the voyce of God
neuer examine their actions by it yea rather being carried through the violence of their carnall lusts and passions into all disobedience and sinne and resoluing in themselues to goe on in their course doe cast the Law out of their sight and remembrance lest conscience hauing it to iudge by should accuse and condemne their euill actions and so abate their pleasure which they take in them But especially if we would haue good consciences we must apply vnto our selues the sentence of the Law which condemneth Deut. 26. 27. Gal. 3. 10. all of sinne and subiecteth them vnder the curse who doe not continue in all that is written in the booke of the Law to doe it For vntill the Law doe conuince vs of sinne and that we cannot be iustified before God in our own righteousnesse we shall rest in it neuer seeke to be partakers of the righteousnes of Christ by which alone we can be iustified before God and consequently by it only obtaine peace of conscience In which regard it is not sufficient to know and apply the Law vnto vs for this will worke in the conscience terrours and feares and no peace but onely vse it as a schoolemaster to teach vs our owne vilenesse and sinfull corruption and that we are in our selues most miserable in the feareful state of death and condemnation that so it may bring vs vnto Christ in whom alone we can be iustified and obtaine sound and secure peace And therfore if we would haue good consciences wee must also know the Gospell in which God of his free grace doth offer vnto vs peace and reconciliation in Iesus Christ wee must acquaint our selues with the couenant of grace which is the maine foundation of all our peace when as thereby wee are assured not onely that Gods mercies are infinite and Christs merits all-sufficient but that they belong vnto vs performing the condition of the couenant that God for Christs sake will forgiue vs our sinnes be reconciled vnto vs and Esa 32. 40. write his Law in our hearts that we may not depart from him §. Sect. 3 The third meanes of a good conscience is a liuely faith Thirdly we must not for the obtaining of a good conscience only know the Gospell and Couenant of grace with the sweet promises therein contayned but also apply them by a liuely faith and in a speciall maner interesse Rom. 5. 1. Heb. 9. 14. Col. 1. 20. our selues in them by performing the condition of the couenant which is our restipulation that we make with God For we must be iustified by faith before we can haue peace with him or peace of conscience Our consciences must be purged by the blood of Christ from dead workes and from the guilt and punishment of all our sinnes before they will speake peace vnto vs. The Charter of our peace must be drawne vpon the Crosse sealed with the effusion of Christs blood and must be receiued and pleaded by faith before our consciences will cease accusing and condemning or stand with vs vpon any tearmes of peace Now this faith must be approued to be vnfayned sound by the fruits which it bringeth forth in vnfained repentance by the changing of our hearts and renewing of our mindes our hatred of euill and loue of good our sorrow for our sinnes past and resolution to leaue and forsake them for the time to come and to serue the Lord in the contrary duties of holinesse and righteousnesse without which fruits faith is no liuing Tree but a dead stocke which will giue vs no assurance of peace with God in the remission of our sinnes and consequently will bring with it no peace of conscience And hereof it is that the promises of the Gospell are as often made to repentant sinners as to those that beleeue in Christ because though faith only be the condition of the Couenant yet it is such a faith alone as is fruitfull in repentance Neyther can this faith be so easily seene and discerned in it selfe but onely by the fruits that spring from it which necessarily inferring this good Tree from which they spring the promises are made to them because these being more sensible they may be more easily applied §. Sect. 4 That the exercises of repentance are notable meanes to get a good conscience also the loue of God and our neighbours Fourthly the exercises of repentance are notable meanes to worke peace of conscience as our often humbling of our selues before God in Luk. 1. 53. 1 Pet. 5. 5. Esa 57. 15. Pro. 28. 13. the sight and sence of our vilenesse and vnworthinesse whereby our stony hearts are broken and our spirits made contrite our dayly confession of our sinnes vnto God and earnest crauing of pardon for them seeing our fayth will assure vs and answerably our consciences will witnesse with vs according to the rule of Gods Word that humbling our selues we shall be exalted that being empty of all grace and goodnesse and hungring after it we shal be filled and satisfied that the God of peace wil dwell with vs and bring his peace vnto vs being of broken hearts and contrite spirits and finally that confessing and forsaking our sinnes we shall finde mercy seeing it standeth vpon the truth of Gods promise according to that of the Apostle If we acknowledge and confesse our sinnes he is 1. Ioh. 1. 7 8. faithfull and iust to forgiue vs our sinnes and to cleanse vs from all vnrighteousnesse Of which we haue experience in the example of Dauid who being afflicted in the sight and sence of his sinne with terrours of conscience vsed this meanes to quiet it and get peace I acknowledge saith he my sin Psal 32. 4 5. vnto thee and mine iniquity haue I not hid I said I will confesse my transgressions vnto the Lord and thou forgauest the iniquity of my sinne Lastly the vnfained loue of God and of our neighbours is a notable meanes for the obtayning of a good conscience for if we loue God our consciences will witnesse vnto vs that he loueth vs seeing his loue shed abroad in our hearts by the holy Ghost worketh this loue in vs and is that diuine fire and flame from which this heate commeth for we loue him because he loued 1. Ioh. 4. 19. vs first as the Apostle testifieth And this loue of God towards vs and our loue towards him will make vs carefull to keepe our consciences vnspotted of any knowne sinne and zealous in doing all things which may be pleasing in his sight From which sense of our mutuall loue will spring peace vnspeakeable wee resting securely vpon him who so loueth vs and whom we so loue According to that of the Apostle Aboue Col. 3. 14 15. all things put on charity which is the bond of perfectnesse and let the peace of God rule in your hearts §. Sect. 5 Of the meanes whereby a good conscience may be preserued And these are the meanes
thou Daquod iubes iube quod vis commandest and then command what thou wilt §. Sect. 2 Reasons moouing vs to imbrace piety first because it is most excellent And thus we generally see what piety is Let vs in the next place consider briefly of some arguments which may mooue vs to imbrace and practise it in the whole course of our liues The first is that piety and the duties of it are most excellent and to be preferred before righteousnesse both in regard of our iudgements which ought to esteeme them aboue the other in respect of the obiect God himselfe vnto whom immediatly they are to be performed who infinitely exceeding men the duties which wee owe vnto him are incomparably to bee preferred before those which are due to them In regard also of our hearts and affections which ought to imbrace with greater loue and desire those things which our iudgements doe most highly value and in respect of our indeuour and practice wherein we ought to giue priority and precedencie in regard of time and place vnto the duties of piety aboue all earthly things according to that of our Sauiour First seeke the Kingdome of God and his righteousnesse c. Againe Mat. 6. 33. Christ calleth the first Table inioyning piety The great Commandement Mat. 6. 38. vnto which the second is like but not equall For piety is the fountaine of righteousnesse and the alone sure foundation vpon which it standeth which if it wanteth or is built vpon any other ground as it were vpon a quagmire or the sands it will soone fall and come to ruine seeing the building can stand no longer then it hath a foundation to rest vpon as we daily see in the Morall and meere ciuill righteousnesse of worldlings which resting vpon their credit or profit or feare of humane Lawes doth last no longer then they lust It is the heart and head of Iustice which giueth life heate and motion vnto it without which it is but a dead trunke yea the very soule which doth informe it without which it is but a lothsome carkasse in Gods sight And therefore in the practice of a godly life we are more highly to esteeme and answerably with more care earnestnesse and delight to put in practice the duties of piety which concerne God immediately then the duties of righteousnesse which respect our neighbours As for example we must loue and feare and obey God more then men and when both will not stand together we must neglect the one in comparison of the other as wee see in the example of the Apostles who when men forbade that which God commanded obeyed him rather Act. 5. 29. then them But yet seeing all duties both to God and men are commanded of God and in that regard we ferue or disobey him mediately and indirectly when wee doe or neglect the duties which concerne them therefore in performing the duties of the first Table in our iudgement affection and practice we are to obserue a due proportion betweene them comparing like with like the greatest with the greatest middle with middle and the least with the least neyther are the ceremonies and circumstances and meanes of pious duties to be preferred before the maine and substantiall duties of righteousnesse as we see in Gods owne choice vvho preferred mercy before sacrifice and the duties of righteousnesse Hos 6. 6. Esa 58. 3 6. Mat. 12. 1 2. c. Leuit. 24. 9. Exod. 29. 33. mercy and loue before an externall fast or the outvvard rest of the Sabbath vvhich is but a meanes of the seruice of God and of our spirituall resting from sinne §. Sect. 3 The second reason is taken from the profit of Piety The second reason is taken from the profit of piety vvhich may much induce vs to the imbracing of it For if mens hearts are set chiefely vpon Psal 4. 6. gaine and are ready to enquire after it vpon all occasions according to that of the Psalmist There be many that say Who will shew vs any good And if their affections and desires are inflamed and inlarged according to the greatnesse of the profit vvhich they pursue then vvhen our iudgements are conuinced and persvvaded that there is most gaine in godlinesse there is great reason why our hearts should be set vpon it as our chiefest treasure But the Apostle telleth vs that godlinesse is gaine yea 1. Tim. 6. 6. great gaine with contentation where he maketh not the gaine of godlinesse to depend vpon the condition of our contentment as though there were no profit in it vnlesse wee be contented with it but that it is the effect and an inseparable companion of godlinesse to make vs contented with all estates and therefore not gaine onely if it be ioyned with content but because it alwaies bringeth with it contentation Euen as the Sunne is said to bee comfortable not if it giue light but because it giueth light it doth bring vs comfort with his beames and brightnesse Now this profit of piety is incomparably greater then the gaine of the whole world for this is profitable but for some purposes but the other for all things that onely for the present but this also for eternity according to that of the Apostle Godlinesse is profitable vnto all things hauing promise of the life that 1. Tim. 4. 8. now is and of that which is to come In this life it assureth vs of Gods grace and fauour that we are his children and heyres of his promises who are continually vnder his protection and thereby safe from all danger that though we haue but little yet there is cause of great contentment seeing our small pittance is better then the riches of many wicked it being a pledge Psal 37. 16. of Gods loue and an earnest penny of our heauenly happinesse That we are blessed in all estates prosperity and aduersity pouerty and riches health and sicknesse life and death because God that loueth vs will by Rom. 8. 28. his wisdome and power cause all things to worke together for our good In the life to come also godlinesse will be most gainefull for when all worldly profits are vtterly ceased and the glory and beauty of them withered and vanished out of sight then shall we finde most profit in our piety and reape a ioyfull haruest of all our holy indeuours Then shall we with confidence approach into Gods presence when as we expect that Crowne of glory which he hath freely promised to those who haue serued him in holinesse and righteousnesse all the daies of this life and hauing on this wedding garment we shall be admitted into the Bridall chamber of our Head and Husband Iesus Christ and there eternally solace ourselues in the fruition of his loue and of that heauenly happinesse which he hath prepared for vs. Whereas contrariwise all worldly things without piety are vnprofitable to all in many things and in all things to many giuing
that he shall neuer taste of the same stripes and reuerenceth him in respect of his power iustice grauity and authority ouer him though he expecteth nothing from them but all good So the Apostle Peter vseth this argument And if ye call on 1. Pet. 1. 17. the Father who without respect of persons iudgeth according to euery mans worke passe the time of your soiourning heere in feare And the Apostle Paul vseth Gods seuerity to the reiected Iewes as a reason to make vs to feare God and exhorteth vs to worke out our saluation with feare and trembling Rom 11. 28. Phil. 2. 12. Besides being partly flesh as well as Spirit and therefore full of infirmities and corruptions it is profitable for the vnregenerate part which is a slaue and not a sonne to be contained in dutie and restrained from sinne by the feare of Gods Iustice power and punishments For our loue being imperfect our feare cannot attaine in this life to filiall perfection but so farre foorth as we are vnregenerate is seruile and slauish And to this end are Gods iudgements denounced and punishments inflicted in the Heb. 3. 12 13. Psal 119. 120. 1. Cor. 10. 6 11. hearing and sight of the godly that they may feare to offend so iust and mighty a God and so escape these fearefull punishments But the chiefe grounds and causes of Gods feare in the hearts of his children are sauing knowledge and a liuely faith whereby being assured of Gods loue in Christ we loue him againe and are aboue all things afraid to doe any thing which is displeasing in his sight either in the omission of any duty or commission of any sinne which our gracious and louing Father either commandeth or forbiddeth §. Sect. 2 That this feare of God is commended vnto vs in the Scriptures and of the great profit of it And this is that feare of God which in the Scriptures is so much commended vnto vs and causeth those who in their hearts imbrace it to bee Pro. 28. 14. Deut. 6. 13. 10. 12. happy and blessed according to that of Salomon Blessed is the man that feareth alway which blessednesse that we may attaine vnto let vs labour after this feare and to this end let vs consider the excellencie and profit of it that our hearts being inflamed with the loue of it we may carefully vse all good meanes whereby we may obtaine it The excellency of it heerein appeareth in that it compriseth in it all other duties and is vsually put for the whole seruice of God wherein the whole man is to bee imployed according to that of Salomon Let vs heare the conclusion of the whole matter Eccles 12. 13. Feare God and keepe his Commandements for this is the whole of man Secondly it is called in this respect the head and beginning of wisedome that is Psal 111. 10. Pro. 1. 7. of all godlinesse and true Religion Thirdly it giueth grace and vertue vnto all other duties and maketh them acceptable in Gods sight For our whole conuersation must be a constant walking in Gods feare In it wee Act. 9. 31. must worship and serue God Serue the Lord with feare And in thy feare will I worship towards thine holy Temple By it our sanctification is perfected Ps 2. 11. 5. 7. 2. Cor. 7. 1. Phil. 2. 12. and our saluation wrought out and finished The profit of this feare of God is also inestimable for it restraineth vs from all vice and sinne according to that of Salomon A wise man feareth and departeth from euill and of Pro. 14. 16. 8. 13. Psal 4. 4. Gen. 39. 9. Dauid Stand in awe and sinne not As we see in the example of Ioseph who had his eares and heart stopped against the vnchaste allurements of his mistresse by the feare of God And of the Egyptian Midwiues who by the Exod. 1. 17 21. feare of God were kept from obeying the wicked edict of the King Whereas contrariwise the want of this feare is the cause of all disobedience and sinne as Abraham implyeth in his speech to Pharaoh and the Gen. 20. 11. Apostle plainely expresseth for hauing set downe a Catalogue of many sinnes he concludeth with this as the cause of all the rest There is no feare Rom. 3. 15. of God before their eyes Secondly it is a fountaine of life making vs to depart Pro. 14. 27. from the snares of death Thirdly it incites and inables vs to the performance of all good duties and therefore the Lord hauing deliuered his Law wisheth that the hearts of his people might be alwayes fraughted Deut. 5. 29. with his feare that thereby they might bee mooued to obey it and the Preacher in this respect compriseth in it alone all other vertues and duties Pro. 15. 33. Eccl. 12. 13. because it mooueth vs to the imbracing of them all Fourthly it deliuereth from all other feares and causeth them to giue place when it is present as the Sunne all other inferiour lights For if we feare God we will not feare the threatnings of men if we feare him that can cast body and soule into hell we neede not feare them that can onely and that by his Act. 5. 29. Luk. 12. 5. permission kill the body as our Sauiour implyeth Fifthly it maketh vs partakers of all good things promised in this life for hee that feareth the Psal 34. 9. Esa 66. 2. Lord wanteth nothing which is good but God is present with such to take notice of all their wants and his eares are open to heare their prayers Psal 145. 19. and grant their desires Finally it bringeth with it euerlasting blessednesse For blessed is the man that feareth the Lord that walketh in his wayes Psal 128. 1. 112. Pro. 28. 14. And happie is the man that feareth alway but he that hardeneth his heart shall fall into mischiefe Which promises belong not alone to those that feare God but also to their posterity after them for their seede shall bee mighty Psal 112. 2. vpon earth and their generation blessed as the Psalmist speaketh §. Sect. 3 Of the meanes of obtaining this feare of God Now the meanes of attaining vnto this feare of God are diuers First to consider and meditate of Gods nature and attributes as of his omnisciency whereby he seeth all things euen the secret corners of our hearts of his omnipotency whereby he is able to reward vs if we feare him or punish vs if we neglect him of his Iustice whereby he impartially iudgeth all men without respect of persons of his truth which neuer fayleth in his promises or threatnings But especially of his mercy and goodnesse towards vs in Christ which will inflame our hearts with his loue and out of this loue cause vs to feare his displeasure as the greatest euill according to that of the Psalmist There is mercy or forgiuenesse with thee that thou mayest be feared The second
15. 10. grace seeing of our selues we are not able so much as to thinke a good thought 2. Cor. 3. 5. Phil. 2. 13. but it is God alone that worketh in vs both the will and the deed §. Sect. 5 Of the excellency and vtility of humility And this is that humility which as it is in it selfe most excellent so vnto vs most profitable and therefore of vs to be much esteemed and earnestly 1. Pet. 5. 5. desired It is most excellent as being the most beautifull ornament which maketh vs appeare glorious in the sight of God in which respect the Apostle exhorteth vs to decke our selues with it Yea it adorneth all other vertues making them as the foyle the Iewell being in themselues rich and beautifull much more precious and glorious in the sight of God and men It is most profitable also for when we humble our selues and become euen with the earth we are thereby preserued from falling and when we iudge our selues we shall not be iudged of the Lord. Yea if wee humble our selues the Lord will exalt vs and if with the poore Publicane we 1. Cor. 15. 32. Luk. 18. 12. acknowledge our sinnes we shall depart iustified and find God faithfull 1. Ioh. 1. 9. of his promise in forgiuing vs our sinnes So the Apostle Iames Humble your selues in the sight of the Lord and he shall lift you vp And the Apostle Jam. 4. 10. Pro. 15. 35. Peter Humble your selues therefore vnder the mighty hand of God that he may exalt you in due time And thus the Lord exalteth the humble by inriching them with all his gifts both temporall spirituall and eternall With temporall benefits for by humility and the feare of the Lord are riches honour Pro. 22. 4. and life With spirituall graces for he resisteth the proud but giueth his 1. Pet. 5. 5. grace to the humble Hee filleth the hungry with good things but sendeth the proud empty away For he a Psal 25. 9. Mat 11. 25. Pro. 11. 2. teacheth them his wayes and reuealeth vnto them the secrets of his Kingdome making them thereby wise vnto their saluation He giueth them the grace of iustification and the b Luk 18. 12. Mat. 11. 28. forgiuenesse of of all their sinnes Hee maketh them c Gen. 32. 10. 1. Chro. 29. 15. thankefull in prosperity acknowledging themselues with Iacob and Dauid lesse then the least of Gods mercies and that all the good which they haue they haue receiued it from God and not onely patient but also thankefull d Lam. 3. 22. in greatest afflictions acknowledging that it is the mercies of the Lord that they are not vtterly consumed He blesseth them with his e Esa 57. 15. Iob 22. 29. presence taking delight to dwell with them that are of an humble heart and contrite spirit and so with his power and prouidence safegardeth them from all euill Finally in the life to come he crowneth humility with eternall glory and felicity according to that of our Sauiour Blessed are the poore in spirit for theirs is the Kingdome Mat. 5. 3. of heauen So that humility is not onely it selfe a most excellent grace but the chiefe meanes also of obtaining all other graces seeing God giueth them onely to the humble For they only shall haue the riches of Gods best and most precious gifts who will bee thankefull vnto God for them those onely are thankefull who highly esteeme them and they alone make this estimate who haue felt the want of them and earnestly desired them and they and no other haue thus done who are thorowly humbled in the sight and sense of their owne pouertie emptinesse and nakednesse §. Sect. 6 Of the meanes whereby we may attaine vnto humility And thus when our hearts are inlarged with that loue of this excellent and profitable grace let vs in the next place carefully vse all good meanes whereby we may be decked and adorned with it And first we must often and seriously meditate vpon Gods excellency and infinitenesse in wisedome glory power iustice and goodnesse and then the opinion of our owne worth will vanish like the light of a candle when the Sunne shineth in its full brightnesse and our seeming perfection which much pleased vs when we beheld it alone or compared it with others who come short of vs will appeare to be nothing but imperfection and wee vile and of no worth in our owne eyes Secondly let vs compare our state as it is with that it was in our creation and there will be great cause of humiliation in the best gifts and graces in vs seeing they are but the ruines of an old building and like base worne-out ragges of sumptuous apparell Thirdly let vs compare our vertues and duties with that which the Law requireth and so we shall haue good cause to be cast downe in the sight of our imperfection when we see what perfection euen vpon the penaltie of the curse it exacteth of vs. Fourthly let vs meditate on the matter whereof we are made and into which we shall againe be resolued and then may wee in all humility say with Iob to corruption Thou art my father and to the Iob 17. 14. worme Thou art my mother and my sister yea with Dauid that we are wormes and no men And acknowledge with Abraham that wee are but dust and Psal 22. 6. Gen. 18. 27. ashes vnworthy to appeare in Gods presence or to make any suite vnto him Fifthly let vs set our many and grieuous sinnes before vs our originall corruption which is the roote of all wickednesse and our actuall transgressions both of omission and commission and withall the wrath of God and curse of the Law due vnto them and this will make vs with the Publicane to cast downe our eyes and smite our brests and with broken and contrite hearts to cry out God be mercifull vnto me a sinner Luk. 18. Sixthly with our graces and vertues let vs compare our vices and corruptions and so our few graines of gold will be couered with such a masse of drosse our small quantity of good corne mixed with so much chaffe that our good parts will not so much lift vs vp as our ill will pull downe and humble vs if we weigh them in the ballance of an vnpartiall iudgement Seuenthly let vs remember that we haue nothing but what we haue receiued 1. Cor. 4. 7. and 15. 10. and that by the grace of God we are that we are and therefore let vs not boast as though we had not receiued them but retaining the ioy and comfort of Gods graces vnto our selues let vs returne all the praise and Iam. 1. 17. glory vnto him whose gifts they are and not carry our selues as proud owners but as humble and thankefull debters Eighthly let vs consider that what good things soeuer are in vs they are the Lords talents of Luk. 16. 2. which we must giue an account at
companie or else necessarie for our selues when as silence will make vs guilty of his fault §. Sect. 7 Other duties respecting our outward profession And these are the duties which respect our inward disposition now of those which concerne our outward profession in which respect our Math. 26. 60. 61 Ioh. 2. 19. 1. Sam. 22. 9. testimonie of our neighbour must bee both true and charitable and neither false simply nor in shew of words true but false in sence neither yet vncharitable and malicious all which ought to bee obserued of vs in all our testimonies both publike and priuate being ready in all things and at all times to professe the truth concerning our neighbour with charity both in respect of his vertues which as iust occasion is offered we ought to acknowledge and commend both in his presence and absence and also his vices which wee are to tell him of before his face and not suffer sinne to rest vpon Leuit. 19. 17. Pro. 27. 5. Psal 141. 5. him and not to make mention of them behind his backe but vpon necessity as to those that may helpe to reforme him or to those who may bee hurt or corrupted by his company or example that they Pro. 28. 4. 24. 24. Pro. 27. 4. Act. 12. 22. Pro. 29. 5. Ier. 9. 8. Mat. 22. 16. 1. Cor. 6. 10. 1. Sam. 31. 4. Iohn 19. 3. Matth. 27. 42. Gal. 4. 29. Pro. 16. 28. 26. 20. Leuit. 19. 16. Ezech. 22. 9. Rom. 1. 30. Iam. 4. 11. may taking warning hereby escape these dangers And contrariwise wee ought to auoide flattery wherein wee may offend in respect of the matter of our speech as when wee praise men for their vices or the manner in commending either fainedly or aboue measure or the end either seeking our owne profit like parasites or the hurt of the party whom wee flatter And on the other side wee must shunne euill and cursed speaking which any wayes tendeth to the impayring of our neighbours credit and good name The which is vsed either in his presence by reuiling and contumelious speaking by deriding and scorning him or in his absence by whispering or talebearing slandering and backbiting §. Sect. 8 Of the preseruing our owne good name The duties which euery man is bound to performe vnto himselfe are first a care to procure and preserue his good name and credit and secondly that he giue a true testimonie of himselfe Our care to procure and preserue our good name consisteth in vsing the meanes whereby it is gotten as glorifying God seeking his kingdome and righteousnesse walking vprightly being such as wee would seeme to bee and Phil. 4. 8. 1. Sam. 2. 30. Mat. 6. 33. Psal 112. 6. Pro. 10. 7. Mat. 7. 1 2. Psal 133. 1. Luk. 14. 29 30. Rom. 12. 3. Eccle. 10. 1. 1. Thes 5. 22. Rom. 12. 17. 2. Sam. 12. 12. 1. King 2. 8 9. in keeping a good conscience And also in auoiding the meanes both of vaine-glory as seeking to please men more then God hypocrisie seeking commendation by vanity and vices louing of flatterers vsuall censuring of others attempting matters aboue our ability and gifts And also of infamie which either arise from our selues as all sinnes both open with all apparances of them and secret which God to our shame will bring to light or else from others as all disgracefull lies slanders and opprobrious speeches against which we ought especially if wee be publike persons to defend and maintaine our credit and good name The true testimonie of our selues is either concerning good which if it bee true wee must vpon iust occasion confesse it with modestie to Gods glory or if false with modestie and 1. Cor. 15. 10. Pro. 28. 13. 1 Ioh. 1. 9. Iosh 7. 19. Iohn 1. 10. Iam. 5. 15. Psal 51. humility to denie it or else concerning euill which if it be true we must confesse it both to God with earnest desire of forgiuenesse and also to man when by our confession wee may aduance Gods glory and either our owne or our neighbours good or if it bee false that wee constantly deny it Contrariwise wee are by this Commandement bound to shun the contrary vices to these vertues as to deny the good things in vs to Gods dishonour that gaue them and to speake more basely and meanely of our owne gifts and good parts then there is cause or then that which wee truly conceiue either to auoide boasting which is no better then a modest lie or to draw commendations Psal 52. 1. Phil. 3. 19. Gen. 4. 23 24. from others which is counterfaite modesty and a cunning kinde of arrogancy And also on the other side vaine and false boasting wherein wee may offend either in respect of the obiect in boasting of that which is not good but euill or being good is not in vs at all or at least in that measure which wee assume vnto our selues Or else in respect of the ende as when wee speake of the good things in vs or done by vs for our owne glory especially when it is ioyned Mat. 26. 33 35. 1. Cor. 4. 7. Esa 10. 15. Luk. 18. 10. Act. 8. 9. Gen. 18. 15. 2. Sam. 1. 10. compared with 1. Sam. 31. 4 5. with neglect of Gods honour or the disgrace of others or else for our gaine and aduantage Or finally in respect of euill when out of pride and selfe-loue wee deny that euill which is truly affirmed or affirme that euill of our selues wich is false to gratifie others or to picke a thanke §. Sect. 9 What is required in this Commandement to wit originall righteousnesse and spirituall Concupiscence IN the former Commandements as we haue shewed the Lord forbiddeth all externall sinnes both in word and deede together with Rom. 7. 7. 13. 9. 1. 24. Col. 3. 5. 1. Pet. 4. 2 2. 2. 11. 23. 3. Gal 5. 16. 17. the internall sinnes of the heart commited against our neighbours which are ioyned with consent of the will and commandeth the contrary vertues and now in the tenth and last Commandement that hee might shew his Law to be spirituall and of such large extent that nothing no not the least motions or first thoughts are exempted and out of the reach of it hee requireth the inward purity of the minde and imaginations thoughts and intentions heart and affections and the rectitude orderly and iust gouernement of them all for our owne and our neighbours good and contrariwise condemneth and forbiddeth not onely those grosse kindes of concupiscence and lusts of the flesh Rom. 7. 7. 13. 9. 1. 24. Col. 3. 5. 1. Pet. 4. 2 2. 2. 11. 2. 3. 3. Gal. 5. 16. 17. which are ioyned with consent of will but euen the first and least motions of euill concupiscence which goe before consent which are the rootes seedes and fountaines of all other sinnes as all euill thoughts inclinations and desires which are repugnant with charity
yet thought of most to be no sinnes and free from the censure of law the which the Papists doe stifly defend making this concupiscence and lust after baptisme to bee no sinne Now this purity of minde and heart here required consisteth of two parts originall righteousnesse and perfect loue of our neighbours and our selues and the concupiscence of the Spirit Originall righteousnesse is both a cleanenesse from all vnrighteousnesse and euill concupiscence against our neighbours and a disposition and pronenesse to all the duties of charity the which righteousnesse the Lord hauing in our first creation planted in our natures doth iustly require it of vs in his Law though by our fall in the loynes of our first parents we haue lost it and can neuer attaine vnto it in any perfection Yea he doth it not onely in iustice towards all but also in mercy towards his elect to this end that seeing hereby their vnrighteousnesse corruption and misery in themselues they might bee forced to renounce themselues and their own righteousnesse and flee vnto Christ that both they might be clothed with his righteousnesse and by his Spirit be renewed according to his Image Ephe. 4. 22 23 24. Luke 1. 74 75. Tit. 2. 12 13. Rom. 8. 6 7. 7. 8 23. Gal. 5. 17. 1. Tim. 6. 9. 1. Pet. 2. 11. in wisdom holines and righteousnes Contrariwise here is forbidden euill concupiscence which is either originall concupiscence or sin as it is referred against our neighbours the which is that habituall corruption of our natures and that euill inclination and pronenesse to lust against our neighbours contrary to the Law of God or actuall concupiscences which are euill motions in our mindes and hearts against our neighbours both hurtfull and foolish which motions are either euill phantasies and thoughts of the minde or euill affections and perturbations of the heart 1. Cor. 13. 5. all which inclining men to euill are repugnant to charity §. Sect. 10 Of the Spirit lusting against the flesh The spirituall concupiscence here required containeth the good motions of the Spirit and the lusting of the Spirit against the flesh The good motions of the Spirit are righteous charitable cogitations in our mindes concerning our neighbours and like affections in our hearts towards them which are to be imbraced and nourished in vs and contrariwise euill thoughts are to be shunned which either are cast into mens mindes by the diuell and are called his suggestions or arise from originall corruption and habituall concupiscence and both of them either sleeping or waking The lusting of the Spirit against the flesh whereby we Gal. 5. 17 24. fight against our corruptions and crucifie the flesh with the lusts thereof is here also commanded and to be intertained and imbraced of vs. Of which I haue written more fully in another * The fourth part of Christian warfare Treatise §. Sect. 11 Of the meanes inabling vs vnto the obedience of this Commandement The meanes whereby we may be enabled to yeeld obedience to this Commandement are of two sorts first such as tend to the attayning and preseruing of the purenes of the heart which are First to walke with God seeking to approue our hearts vnto him who searcheth and trieth as well our secret thoughts and inclinations as our outward words and actions Secondly to obserue and watch ouer our hearts and senses that no euill concupiscence doe arise in vs or enter into vs or if they doe arise or be suggested that we doe not admit them or forthwith extinguish and quench them Secondly to watch ouer our selues that no euill concupiscence do arise in vs or enter into vs to which end a twofold care is needful 1. When we are awake to keepe our minds occupied in good and holy meditations and exercised about lawfull things not suffring them to be idle or to wander about things vaine vnlawful 2. When we are to sleepe that we commend our soules into the hands of God desiring him to keep them safe from tentations and pure from concupiscences Thirdly to obserue and guard our sences especially our sight by whose ministery Gen. 3. 6. Josh 7. 21. Job 31. 1. Psal 119. 37. Ephes 6. 12. 2. Cor. 10. 5. the obiects of concupiscence are represented to the minde Fourthly that we put on and keepe fast buckled vnto vs the whole spirituall Armour of God which is mighty to cast downe imaginations and to subdue euill thoughts And finally that we frequently vse feruent and effectuall prayer vnto almighty God that he will assist and gouerne vs with his holy Spirit against all tentations and suggestions of the diuell the world and our owne flesh THE THIRD BOOKE OF A GODLY LIFE CONTAINING IN IT THOSE DVties which are required in our daily exercise both generally at all times of the day and vpon all occasions and specially in the seuerall parts of it CAP. I. That the duties of a godly life ought daily and constantly to be performed and not by fits and spurts onely §. Sect. 1 That the duties contained in the former Booke are to be performed daily and constantly vpon euery fit occasion AND thus haue wee intreated of the duties which are to bee performed of all those who desire to leade a godly and Christian life Now we are to shew how all these duties of piety righteousnesse and sobriety are to be daily and continually exercised of vs so farre foorth as our callings and occasions meanes and opportunity will suffer and inable vs. Neither is it possible that all these duties should be performed by euery man seeing diuers of them are appropriate to diuers persons sexes and callings in which respect the subiect is not tied to performe the duties of the Prince nor the Prince of the subiect the husband of the wife nor the wife of the husband c. nor yet that all duties common to all Christians should be performed euery day seeing many times we want fit obiects to exercise them vpon as also conuenient time and leasure ability and opportunity But this is required of vs that at no time we commit any thing against the holy Law of God or thinke that any time company or other circumstance can make sinne seasonable nor yet omit any of the former duties when God requireth them at our hands giuing vs fit obiects occasions meanes and ability to performe them And that not onely some spare time bee allotted to these Christian duties taking liberty to spend the remainder of our dayes after our owne sinfull lusts or in the vnlawfull and base seruice of the world and the prince thereof for the worthlesse hire of earthly vanities but we must bee wholly taken vp of them and bee still exercised in the practice of some one or other of them as shall be most conuenient and will best sort with the aduancing of the glory of God and the spirituall and temporall good of our selues and our neighbours in respect of meanes and occasions
of righteousnesse and sobrietie whereby we serue him mediately in doing the duties which hee hath commanded towards our neighbours and our selues because in doing them we obey him Whereby it appeareth that there ought to bee no time nor any action of our liues exempted from Gods seruice seeing hee hath giuen vs his Law to serue for our direction at all times and in all things Finally the Word of God giueth vnto vs directions and rules according to which wee are to frame our whole liues both in respect of persons and callings as the duties of superiours and inferiours fathers and Ios 1. 8. 1. Tim. 2. 1. children magistrates and people domesticall and politicall towards God themselues and one another and also in respect of euery part of the day for the well beginning continuing and ending of it and of all states and conditions whether we be merry and cheerefull or sad and sorrowfull in sicknesse or in health in poore or rich estate prosperity or aduersity to Iam. 5. 13. 1. Thes 5. 16 17 18. 1. Cor. 10. 31. Iam. 1. 15. Luk. 9. 23. Deut. 4. 30. Psal 50. 15. shew vnto vs that there is no time or state wherein any man is left to his owne liberty to liue as he list but that continually and in all conditions euery man is bound to conforme his life in euery particular action according to Gods reuealed will To which end wee are inioyned at all times to meditate and speake of Gods Law and Commandements to haue them in our hearts to teach them vnto our children at home and abroad at our lying downe and at our rising vp and to binde them for a signe vpon our Deut. 6. 8. hands and as frontlets betweene our eyes And so the Wiseman commandeth that we binde them continually vpon our hearts and tye them about Pro. 6. 21 22. our neckes because when we goe it shall leade vs when we sleepe it shall keepe vs and when we awake it shall talke with vs the Law being such a lampe and light as is sufficient to guide and direct vs in all our wayes Psal 119. 105. §. Sect. 3 Diuers reasons proouing the necessity of the daily exercise of a godly life Secondly this daily practice of all Christian duties in the whole course of our liues and in euery particular action of them may be inforced with these reasons first because the Lord hath created and redeemed and doth continually preserue vs to this end that we should spend our whole liues in his seruice by performing the duties of holinesse and righteousnesse and not some part onely reseruing the rest for the seruice of the world and the satisfying of our carnall lusts Secondly he giueth vnto vs the continuall wages of his blessings and benefits for the present and hath promised to giue vnto vs the euerlasting reward of heauenly happinesse in the life to come not that we should doe our owne wills and workes much lesse of his professed enemies but that wee approoue our selues and our seruice vnto him in all things who hath giuen vnto vs this rich wages and chiefly respect his glory in whatsoeuer we doe either in his immediate seruice or in performing the duties which he hath commanded vs towards our neighbours and our owne persons seeing wee are bought at an high 1. Cor. 6. 20. Rom. 12. 1. price that we might no longer be our owne but his and glorifie him both in our soules and body by offering vnto him that seruice which he requireth Thirdly seeing it is the best wisedome to imploy all and euery of our actions to the best purpose and no time is so well imployed as in Gods seruice whether we respect God our chiefe Goodnesse to whose glory all Matth. 5. 16. 2. Pet. 1. 10. should tend as vnto their supreme end or our owne saluation which by this and no other meanes can be assured vnto vs and contrariwise the greatest folly to spend our liues or any part of them in vaine to no purpose or profit as all that time is which is not taken vp in Gods seruice by performing some duty of piety righteousnesse or sobriety seeing those maine ends at which we ought in all things to aime namely Gods glory in our owne saluation are not hereby aduanced and furthered but crossed and hindred Fourthly to be daily exercised in Christian duties is the best meanes to keepe our soules in good plight and state by nourishing in them all sauing graces for as it is not enough to keepe our bodies in a good case and habitude that we preserue the vigour and strength of them by seasonable and conuenient foode vnlesse wee also digest it and confirme our strength by fit exercise so for the preseruing of our soules in good state it is not sufficient that we nourish Gods graces in vs by hearing the Word and feeding on this spirituall Manna vnlesse wee daily exercise them in the performance of all Christian duties And as it is the best meanes to preserue our soules in health when they are well so also to recouer them when through surfets in sinne it declineth and is impaired whereas if we haue onely some generall purposes of liuing Christianly or performe these duties but by fits and starts wee shall easily fall into spirituall consumptions of grace and dangerous sicknesses of sinne before we be aware and when they haue by neglect and customable continuing in them taken fast hold of vs wee shall either not recouer or at least with great difficultie §. Sect. 4 The many and great dangers which follow the neglect of this daily exercise Fifthly we may bee mooued to this daily and continuall exercise by consideration of the many and great dangers which doe accompany the neglect of it first because we shall mooue the Lord to withdraw from vs his graces when as we are secure slothfull in the exercise of them For he giueth vnto vs these spirituall Talents not that we should wastefully misspend them or idlely tye them vp as it were in a napkin and cast them in a corner where they doe no good but that we should by imploying improoue them to the glory of our Master and good of our selues and our fellow-seruants which when we neglect to doe he will take them from vs and giue them vnto others who will vse them to more purpose and profit And thus Dauid growing secure and beginning through sloth to 2. Sam. 11. 2. remit something of his spirituall exercises in which he had beene formerly zealous was left vnto himselfe to fall into tentation God withdrawing the assistance of his grace and holy Spirit and so was ouertaken of foule and grosse sinnes Secondly without this daily exercise wee shall soone fall off from all power of godlinesse and grow by degrees from bad to worse till there be no prints of goodnesse remaining in vs. For our course and proceedings in piety is no naturall motion but against the current and
without which we can haue no assurance that wee shall receiue any thing at the hands of God heereby it manifestly appeareth that our prayers also ought to be daily and continuall Thirdly we are daily and continually subiect to innumerable dangers in respect of the euils that may befall vs in our soules bodies and estates and it is God onely watching ouer vs with his prouidence that can both preserue vs from them and deliuer vs out of them the which we cannot expect vnlesse we serue his prouidence by vsing this meanes of prayer whereby onely his gracious helpe and assistance Mat. 7. 7. is obtained and therefore our continuall dangers needing continuall preseruation from them commendeth vnto vs the necessary vse of our daily and continuall prayers Finally the many and mighty enemies of our saluation doe continually assault vs with their tentations that ouercomming they may bring vs to destruction And prayer is the chiefe meanes both of buckling vnto vs the whole Armour of God whereby we are inabled to stand in the euill day and of obtaining the helpe and assistance of his holy Spirit whereby alone we are inabled to ouercome And therfore as we are continually tempted to one sinne or other so must we continually pray for grace to withstand the tentation and as the Apostle speaketh Pray alwayes with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit Ephes 6. 18. watching thereunto with all perseuerance c. CAP. XI Of the daily exercise of Thankesgiuing and how it ought to bee performed §. Sect. 1 What things are required in the duty of thanksgiuing ANd as we are thus to pray daily continually by making our suites and petitions vnto God so also by thankesgiuing returning thankes and praise for all the benefits and blessings which wee receiue at his hands Vnto which duty diuers things are required first that it bee done in the name of Christ according to that of the Apostle By him therefore let vs offer the Ephes 5. 20. Heb. 13. 15. Ro. 1. 8. 7. 25. sacrifice of praise to God continually that is the fruit of our lips giuing thanks to his name Secondly that it be done in a right manner vnto which is required that it be done first not onely in outward profession with the lips but also inwardly with the soule with all the powers and faculties of it according to that of the Psalmist Blesse the Lord O my soule and all that Psal 103. 1. 104. 1. is within me blesse his holy name First in our vnderstanding we are to take notice and rightly to conceiue of Gods benefits not onely in some generality but also of those particular blessings which we daily and continually receiue from him that we may not be vngratefull through ignorance and heedlesnesse but haue thankefull mindes and so as the Psalmist speaketh sing praises with vnderstanding Neither must we onely know Gods Psal 47. 7. benefits and blessings but also acknowledge them to be his free gifts and that he is the principall Author and fountaine of all the good which wee Jam. 1. 17. Habac. 1. 16. either presently inioy or hope for in time to come giuing him the whole glory of his gifts and not attributing them to secondary causes and inferiour meanes which are onely his instruments by which hee conserreth these gifts vpon vs. In our iudgements we must rightly value and highly esteeme of Gods benefits as well when we inioy them as before we had them or when they are taken from vs not extenuating but rather amplisying his gifts to the aduancing of his glory and increasing of our thankfulnesse Psal 16. 6. In our memories we must thankefully retaine the remembrance of Gods manifold mercies and inestimable benefits that wee may continually Deut. 6. 11 12. 8. 14. take occasion thereby to praise him for them esteeming it one of the worst kinds of vngratitude to forget our benefactour or the gifts and blessings which wee haue receiued from him And this God often imposeth vpon his people that they should not forget him nor his blessings and Psal 103. 2. Dauid vpon his owne soule Blesse the Lord O my soule and forget not all his Ps 9. 1. 138. 1. 86. 12. benefits But aboue all we must be thankefull vnto the Lord with all our hearts according to that of Dauid I will praise thee O Lord with my whole Psal 119. 7. heart Or if we faile herein of that perfection which the Law requireth yet at least let vs doe it in vprightnesse and integrity which will be accepted of God in Iesus Christ Vnto which thankfulnesse of the heart is required first that it be done in humility giuing God the whole praise of Psal 115. 1. his owne workes and acknowledging his glory and greatnesse his goodnesse and graciousnesse who dayneth and vouchsafeth of his free grace to respect vs who are dust and ashes base and contemptible sinfull and miserable Gen. 32. 10. 1. Chro. 17. 16. and are so farre off from deseruing the least of his mercies and benefits that we haue iustly merited the greatest of his iudgements and punishments Secondly we must shew our thankfulnesse with all due reuerence in respect of Gods glorious Maiesty acknowledging it to bee a singular priuiledge that so mighty a King and Soueraigne Lord of heauen and earth will receiue any thing at our hands Thirdly wee must performe it with all alacrity and cheerefulnesse reioycing much in that he giueth vs not onely the occasions of this duty but hearts also to doe it in some poore and weake measure §. Sect. 2 That we must giue thankes in all things And after this manner must we shew our thankfulnesse vnto God The obiect of our thanksgiuing or the cause and occasion of giuing thankes 1. Thes 5. 18. Ephes 5. 20. is all things according to that of the Apostle In euery thing giue thankes And againe giuing thankes alwayes for all things vnto God the Father in the name of the Lord Iesus Christ That is we must giue thankes for all good things which are so in their owne nature or which through Gods wisedome power and goodnesse are made so vnto vs for positiue good things as all Gods blessings and benefits both temporall spirituall and eternall or priuatiue when God in his loue and mercy freeth vs from those euils of punishment which our sinnes haue deserued or at least doth not inflict them in that measure and degree which hee might iustly impose vpon vs in which respect the Church in her greatest afflictions Iam. 3. 22. tooke occasion of praysing God and acknowledging his mercies in that they were not vtterly consumed And doth also turne these light and Rom. 8. 28. momentany afflictions to our good as the mortification of our sinnes the inriching of vs with spirituall graces the furthering of our saluation and the increasing of our heauenly ioy and happinesse §. Sect. 3 That we must
the office of an accuser then of a Iudge and lastly of a mediatour to craue pardon and sometime find out thy selfe For hee willingly erreth who knoweth not his errour and too much loueth himselfe who will haue others erre that his errour may lye hid By which exercise wee should receiue singular profit For hereby wee should preserue our soules and hearts in a thriuing estate when wee doe like wise Merchants and shopkeepers examine them and search ouer our consciences as it were our bookes of accounts to see whether wee haue gayned or lost in our spirituall trading by examining what wee haue receiued and what we haue layd out which if we would doe we should not easily be cast behind hand when as we preuent our errours and vse meanes to repaire our losses in their first beginnings nor as many are be bankrupted in our estates at vnawares for want of care to examine them Wee should sleepe much more sweetely and securely when as we haue so composed and set straight our reckonings as that wee neede not to feare though the great Iudge should before morning call vs to an account In which regard the same Author commendeth this exercize The minde saith he is daily to be called to an account Sextius vsed at the end of the day and when he retired himselfe to rest to examine his minde What euill of thine hast thou cured What vice hast thou withstood in what art thou better that anger will cease or be more moderate which knoweth that it shall not escape the censure of an vnpartiall Iudge What therefore is more excellent Quid pulchrius hac consucâ—udine excutiendi totam diem c Sâ—neâ— de ira lib. 3. cap. 36. then this custome of examining euery day How sweete is that sleepe which followeth the reuiew of our selues How quiet sound and free when the minde is commended or admonished and as a watchman and secret censurer of it selfe doth iudge of it owne manners We should also preserue our hearts in their purity and soundnesse if not from all infirmities and corruptions yet at least from deepe putrifaction and the festering sores of sinne when as we cure the wounds being yet greene and cast out sinne by repeetance as soone as it is first entred not suffering it to lodge and sleep with vs no not one night We should hereby keepe our spirituall state well settled so as it would not easily be shaken or at least ouerthrowne with the assaults of the enemies of our saluation when as we constantly looke to our Christian Armour and watching ouer our hearts as our chiefe forts repaire the breaches as soone as they are made Finally wee shall preuent carnall security and hardnesse of heart when wee examine our selues daily and bee better fitted and prepared for the day of death and Iudgement when as wee keepe our accounts euen and haue our bookes of reckonings betweene God and our consciences made vp and in continuall readinesse For he may soone cleare his accounts with his Master at the yeeres end who like a faithfull and diligent Factor doth make all reckonings straight at the end of euery day §. Sect. 5 Meditations at our first lying downe Besides this examination there are also other Meditations very profitable as to call to our remembrance Gods manifold blessings and benefits bestowed vpon vs the day past respecting our soules bodies and states in that he hath preseru'd vs from innumerable euils with which many others haue beene ouertaken for continuing vnto vs still the acceptable time and day of saluation and suffering vs with so much patience to continue in this life that we may make our calling and election sure notwithstanding our manifold and grieuous sinnes for giuing vnto vs some poore desires and indeuours to doe him seruice and to accept of it in Christ though in it selfe full of wants and imperfections Especially if we haue in any measure performed the former duties of the daily exercise we must not forget to render vnto God the praise and glory due vnto him for it by the gracious assistance of whose holy Spirit we who of our selues are not able so much as to thinke a good thought haue beene inabled vnto them So likewise it is requisite that at our lying downe we call our sinnes to our remembrance the duties which wee haue omitted or corruptly performed and the vices which we haue committed and though through Gods mercy wee haue beene preserued from grosser sinnes yet wee must not thinke our selues so excused but call to minde our frailties and infirmities for which God in his righteous iudgement might condemne vs. Our sloth and backwardnesse to good duties our coldnesse wearinesse and many distractions in Gods seruice our excesse in mirth or sorrow the neglect of our Christian watch ouer our thoughts senses words and workes our idlenesse or vnprofitablenesse pride selfe-loue vniust anger sinister conceits and vniust censures of our neighbours and such like In the sight and sense whereof we must truely humble our soules before God by vnfained repentance and earnestly begge in Christs Name mercy and forgiuenesse Finally it is profitable then to remember our mortality and mutability death and Iudgement that we who now goe well to bed may shortly bee cast vpon the bed of sickenesse and we that now liue may within a while be imprisoned vnder the arrest of death yea let vs not looke vpon it as a thing farre off but approching at the threshold and ready to knocke at Luk. 12. 19 20. the doore and thinke that this very night as well as another may bee the time when God by sicknesse and death will summon vs to appeare before his Tribunall And if in respect of thy health and strength this seemeth vnlikely Cuiuis potest accidere quod cuiquam potest Sen. consider that it hath beene the case of many before thee and that which befalleth any may happen to all In which regard let vs not dare to sleepe till through Christ we are at peace with God haue made our accounts euen by pleading Christs satisfaction and full payment and haue our pardon in our hands to shew sealed to all the faithfull with his blood and to vs in particular by his holy Spirit and a liuely faith applying the fruit and benefit of his death vnto vs. And then resigning our soules and bodies into the hands of him who is a faithfull Sauiour and able to keepe safe whatsoeuer is intrusted vnto him we may with Dauid lying downe in 2. Tim. 1. 12. Psal 4. 8. peace take our rest because it is he onely that maketh vs dwell in safety §. Sect. 6 Duties to bee done in the night And first Prayer and Thanksgiuing In the night also there are other duties to bee performed for euen then we must seeke the Lord according to the example of the Church which Esa 26. 9. Cant. 3. 1. Psal 119. 55. professeth that with her soule shee desired the Lord in the night
Saturday in the afternoone and resort to the Church that their bodies being refreshed by rest and their minds prepared by prayer and meditation they might be the better inabled to performe the publike and solemne duties of Gods seruice the Day following The which being now neglected and both Masters and seruants taken vp with their laborious businesse later for the most part that night then any other in the weeke with watching and wearinesse they are made altogether vnfit to performe Gods worship their hearts being full fraught with their worldly affaires not hauing had so much leisure as to take a farewell of them and their heads so drowzy and heauie that they cannot hold them vp from nodding and sleeping euen in that time which is allotted to diuine exercises §. Sect. 4 That in our preparation we must purge our selues from all sinfull corruption And as we must thus in our preparation purge our hearts from worldlinesse so must we with no lesse care cleanse them from all sinfull wickednesse 1. Pet. 2. 1 2. To which purpose we must search and examine them if no sinnes lye lurking in them vnrepented of especially such as most hinder our profiting by the publike Ministery as wrath and maliciousnesse and chiefly against our teachers filthinesse dissimulation hypocrisie preiudice and forestalled opinions voluptuousnesse couetousnesse worldlinesse and such like And yet more particularly wee must call to our remembrance what sinnes wee haue committed the weeke past and seriously repent of them lest continuing in our wicked courses and cherishing our sinnes as it were in our bosomes when we present our selues before God they moue him to abhorre vs and our sacrifices of prayer and thankesgiuing Esa 6. 9. and to giue vs ouer to be further hardened by the deceitfulnesse of sinne whereof it will follow that our hearts becomming fat our eares heauie and our eyes shut we shall heare and not vnderstand and see but not perceiue that we might be healed and conuerted And this the Lord required of the Israelites that they should first wash them and make them cleane Esa 1. 16. namely in turning from their sinnes by vnfained repentance and then approch and come vnto him The which was typically signified by that commandement of washing their clothes before the giuing of the Law Exod. 19. 10. answerable vnto which is the sanctifying and purging of our hearts by faith and repentance from all pollution of sinne before wee approch into Gods presence to receiue his Word For he will not turne vnto vs nor by his gracious promises assure vs of his fauour till we turne from our sinnes nor suffer the precious liquor of his Word to be corrupted and spoyled by powring it into our hearts whilest they continue in their pollution and vncleannes Neither are we fit to receiue the ambassage of our reconciliation till we haue made our peace with him For if hauing offended Math. 5. 23 24. our brother we may not approch vnto the Altar to offer our gift till wee haue first sought to be reconciled vnto him then much lesse may we presume to offer vnto God any religious seruice vntill first by our vnfained repentance we haue made our peace with him And if our fallow grounds must be prepared and plowed vp before they be sowed then must wee in like manner plow vp the fallow grounds of our hearts as the Prophet exhorteth Jer. 4. 4. before they can be fit to receiue the seed of Gods Word §. Sect. 5 That in our preparation we must vse al helps which may further vs in the sanctifying of the Lords Day Secondly we must in this preparation vse all helpes which may further vs in the sanctification of the Lords Day as namely those common Psal 119. 20. Psal 42. 1 2. meanes of prayer reading the Word and other holy writings meditation c and more especially we must worke as much as may be longing desires in our hearts after the Lords Day that therein wee may come into Gods holy assemblies and be made partakers of his holy ordinances and that we may truly say with Dauid My soule breaketh for the longing that it hath vnto thy iudgements at all times And againe As the Hart panteth after the water-brookes so panteth my soule after thee O God my soule thirsteth for God for the liuing God O when shall I come and appeare before God For if wee expect it not with desire we shall not greatly reioyce in the fruition if it be not our longing before it approch it will not when wee inioy it be our delight Now to stirre vp these longing desires after it wee must meditate on the excellency of this Day aboue all others seeing God hath consecrated it vnto his worship and seruice as his owne peculiar drawing neerer vnto vs in all visible signes of his presence and admitting vs to come neerer vnto him then at other times Let vs thinke on the spirituall beauty and brauery of Gods House and of his holy Assemblies graced and adorned with his speciall fauours and with the light of his countenance which infinitely excelleth the Sunne in brightnesse and comfort whereby the Church becommeth faire as the Moone cleere as the Cant. 6. 10. Sunne and terrible as an army with banners with which spirituall beauty being rapt vp and rauished let vs cry out with Dauid O how amiable are Psal 110. 3. thy Tabernacles O Lord of Hosts My soule longeth yea euen fainteth for the Psal 84. 1 2 10. Courts of the Lord my heart and my flesh cryeth out for the liuing God c. A day in thy Courts is better then a thousand I had rather bee a dore-keeper in the House of my God then to dwell in the tents of wickednesse Let vs meditate on the singular priuiledges which the Lord on this Day imparteth vnto vs with a liberall hand admitting vs into his Chamber of presence and communicating himselfe vnto vs by giuing vs free liberty to speake vnto him about all our wants and grieuances and to offer vnto him our suits and petitions with a gracious promise that hee will heare and grant them yea into his Councell chamber where he imparteth vnto vs all his secrets and the chiefe counsels of his Kingdome and not only causeth the great Charter of our peace and manifold priuiledges to be read and expounded vnto vs but also sealeth it by his Sacraments for our owne peculiar vse Finally let vs consider of the manifold benefits which the Lord on that Day communicateth vnto vs. For it is Gods Festiuall wherein hee nourisheth our soules vnto life eternall if wee bring a good appetite to this spirituall banquet It is his great Seale Day wherein hee signeth and sealeth vnto vs a generall pardon for all our sins and all our spirituall euidences of our heauenly inheritance both by the priuie Signet of his Spirit and the great Seale of his Sacraments It is the Day of Gods largesse wherein he
kill Now if thou commit no adultery yet if thou kill thou art become a transgressour of the Law For there is a chaine of vertues and vices whereby they are so fast and inseparably linked together that he who imbraceth and practiseth any one vertue and Christian duty out of his loue and obedience to God imbraceth and performeth all the rest hee that willingly liueth in the neglect of any one duty or maketh no conscience of committing any knowne sinne neglecteth all and is prepared to commit any wickednesse In which regard it may truly bee said that the vnregenerate man breaketh all Gods Commandements euen those which hee seemeth to keepe and that the sound Christian obserueth all euen those which he seemeth to breake For howsoeuer the one doth not actually transgresse euery Commandement yet there is in him an habit of sinne and a naturall disposition and readinesse to breake all when opportunity serueth and when hee is tempted thereunto with the alluring baits of worldly vanities And though the other doe not actually keepe the whole Law but faileth in many particulars yet there is in him an habit of holinesse and righteousnesse and a disposition and desire resolution and indeuour to obserue all for with the Apostle they consent vnto the whole Rom. 7. Law that it is holy and good and being in their hearts delighted in it they striue to keepe one Commandement as well as another and when they faile of their purpose doe heartily bewaile their imperfections It is true that a wicked man may not onely forsake many sinnes but may also in some sort loath and detest them but this is not out of his loue towards God or because he hateth or forbiddeth them but caused by some common restraining grace or done out of some corrupt passion and disposition not because he hateth sinne but because some contrary vice being predominant in him doth draw him vnto another extreme And thus the couetous man hateth prodigality and the prodigall couetousnesse the presumptuous man melancholike despaire and the despairing sinner bold presumption the coward bloody quarrell and the desperate backster Plerique metu peccare cessant non innocentia profectò tales timidi non innocentes dicendi sunt Seneca cowardize Yea thus may a man outwardly shun all sinnes which make him liable to legall penalties out of selfe-loue that hee may gaine rewards or escape punishments not out of loue to vertue and innocency but feare of running into danger §. Sect. 5 That without totall obedience we cannot attaine to heauenly happinesse Finally vnlesse we performe totall obedience in the desire purpose and indeuour of our heart vnto the whole Law of God wee can neither attaine vnto heauenly happinesse nor escape hellish death and condemnation though we imbrace and practise many vertues and duties and flee from many vices and sinnes For as a Mill-stone will keepe vs from mounting aloft as well as a Mountaine and the one as well as the other would cause vs to sinke into the bottome of the Sea if it were fastened vnto vs so if any one sinne haue taken such fast hold of our hearts that we will by no meanes be moued to leaue it the waight thereof will bee sufficient to keepe vs from ascending vnto heauenly happinesse and to drench and drowne vs in the sea of perdition So the Apostle saith that he that liueth not in all or many sinnes but in any one shall neuer enter into the Kingdome of heauen Neither fornicators nor idolaters nor adulterers nor effeminate c. shall inherit the Kingdome of God And the Apostle Iohn saith that 1. Cor. 6. 9 10. Apoc. 22. 15. euery sort of sinners as sorcerers and whoremongers and murtherers and idolaters and lyers shall be excluded from this place of blessednesse So that as for the losse of corporall life it is not necessary that the body should be wounded in euery place but a mortall wound in any of the vitall parts is sufficient to let in death and giue it seisure of the whole man so is it in this case And as particular sinnes depriue vs of happinesse so they plunge vs into death and destruction as appeareth by that distinct enumeration which the Prophet maketh of particulars If saith hee hee Ezek. 18. 10 13. beget a sonne that is a robber a shedder of blood and doth the like to any of these things and that neglecteth any of the duties there mentioned hee shall not liue but surely dye And the Apostle Iohn saith that sinners of euery kind shall Apoc. 21. 8. haue their portion in the Lake which burneth with fire and brimstone which is the second death Now if any will say that if for any one duty wilfully neglected or sinne committed they shall lose the ioyes of heauen and be cast into hell torments then it were as good to bee outragiously wicked and to liue in all manner of sinne let one of the Ancients make answere to such an obiection This saith he is the speech of an vngratefull and reprobate Ingrati serui est his sermo c. Chrysost in Eph. cap. 2. serm 4. seruant yet let not such an one let the reines loose to all impiety for his owne profit For though all impenitent sinners are excluded out of heauen and throwne into hell yet all in hell doe not suffer equall torments but some greater and some lesse according to the quality and number of their sinnes CAP. V. Of the properties of Christian and holy duties which respect their causes efficient and finall §. Sect. 1 That all duties should spring from the loue of God AND these are the properties which respect the duties themselues The properties which concerne the manner of doing them are diuers and respect either the causes that mooue vs to performe them or our disposition in doing them The causes are either efficient or finall The efficient cause mouing vs to performe all the duties of a godly life ought to be the loue of God which is the fountaine of true obedience and should bee so powerfull in vs that we should thereby be moued to serue like children our heauenly Father though there were no reward promised to our seruice which is the motiue that induceth mercenaries and seruants rather then children to doe their duty For howsoeuer we may in our obedience haue an eye with Moses to the recompence of reward yet the chiefe argument Heb. 11. 25. that preuaileth with vs ought to be not the loue of our selues and out of it the desire of our owne saluation but the loue of God who is the chiefe Goodnesse whose glory is much to bee preferred before our owne good Neither is it enough that the loue of God accompany our actions and that they be done in and with it as running together as it were in the same streame but also that it be the fountaine from which all our obedience doth spring and flow Consider we therefore when wee vndertake the
Mat. 12. 50. great honour and be made of Gods owne Priuy Councell by the illumination of his Spirit yea next a kinne to our Sauiour Christ That God will heare all our prayers for the blinde man could see this that if any Ioh. 9. 31. man be a worshipper of God and doe his will him he heareth And if in our Petitions we desire that Gods will may be done in ours we are sure to haue 1. Ioh. 5. 14. them granted as the Apostle Iohn telleth vs. Finally that those onely shall attaine vnto euerlasting life who indeuour in all things to doe Gods will for he that doth the will of God abideth for euer as the Apostle speaketh 1. Ioh. 2. 17. and not hee that saith Lord Lord shall enter into the Kingdome of Heauen Mat. 7. 21. but he that doth the will of our Father which is in heauen as our Sauiour teacheth vs. CAP. VI. Of those properties which respect our hearts and affections §. Sect. 1 That we must performe all duties of a godly life with cheerefulnesse ANd these are the properties which respect the causes of all Christian duties Those which concerne our disposition in doing them doe either more principally respect the heart and affection or the carriage generally of the whole man In respect of the heart this is the property of all the duties of a godly life that they be done heartily according to that of the Apostle Whatsoeuer ye doe doe it heartily as vnto the Lord and not vnto men But of this in the generall I haue before spoken and therefore will heere insist vpon two speciall branches of it the first is alacrity and cheerefulnesse the second is feruent zeale in all good duties Concerning the former we ought to performe all the duties of a godly life with alacrity and cheerefulnesse as being an inseparable property of them if they be sincere and vpright And this the Lord requireth generally in all Christian duties that we be ready vnto euery good worke and more specially in the duties Tit. 3. 1. of his seruice and all the parts thereof For wee must not onely seeke and serue the Lord but also make him our chiefe delight We must serue Psal 37. 4. Psal 100. 1. 95. 1 2. the Lord with gladnesse and come before him with thankesgiuing Wee must come before his presence with thankesgiuing and make a ioyfull noyse vnto him with Psalmes as the Psalmist exhorteth And wee must serue God with a 1. Chro. 28. 9. perfect and a willing minde as hee perswadeth Salomon his sonne Neither must we goe to the place of Gods seruice lumpishly and heauily but bee glad and reioyce when we mutually exhort one another to goe vp to the Psal 122. House of the Lord. For as in the time of the Law God could not indure a dead oblation but would haue a liuing sacrifice or the life of it and especially the inwards and heart offred vnto him so can he not abide that we should tender vnto him a dull dead and heartlesse seruice without any spirit life and cheerefulnesse which is no more pleasing then a dead carrion in his sight More especially we must not onely serue God on his Sabbaths but we must account them our delight In our prayers we must Esa 58. 13 14. with the Apostle make our requests with ioy We must in our thankesgiuing Phil. 1. 4. reioyce before God according to that of the Psalmist O come let vs sing Psal 95. 1. 33. 1 2. vnto the Lord let vs make a ioyfull noyse to the Rocke of our saluation And againe Reioyce in the Lord O ye righteous praise him with harpe c. Our preaching must be not by constraint but willingly not for filthy lucre but of 1. Pet. 5. 2. a ready minde Our oblations towards the building of the Tabernacle and Exod. 35. 5 29. furthering the meanes of Gods seruice must like the Israelites be offered with a willing heart And this alacrity and cheerefulnesse must bee vsed in all other Christian duties if we would haue them acceptable vnto God Our Almes must be giuen with cheerefulnesse and not as wrested from vs 2. Cor. 9. 7. by importunity because the Lord loueth a cheerefull giuer Our benefits must be bestowed not grudgingly and slowly but readily and with alacrity Philem. v. 14. for it is a double benefit when the heart goeth with the gift and as the Heathen man sayd Hee giueth twice that giueth speedily and readily Seneca Finally seeing if wee be seruants and doe our duty aright wee Eph. 6. 6. serue God and doe his will therefore also we must doe it cheerefully and from our hearts §. Sect. 2 Reasons which may mooue vs to this cheerefulnesse Now that we may thus serue God with alacrity and cheerefulnesse let these reasons perswade vs. First because it is most acceptable vnto God and in much more high price with him then the worke and duty it selfe be it neuer so excellent in outward appearance For if euen mortall men who neede the duties and seruice of others are much more delighted with the kindnesse and loue of the giuer then with the gift it selfe And if Parents and Masters are better pleased with the willing cheerefulnesse of their children and seruants then with their duties which they performe being done with grudging and repining then much more is the Lord delighted with our alacrity and readinesse in the duties of his seruice rather then with the outward workes and actions seeing we can in nothing bee profitable vnto him yea as we haue shewed before hee esteemeth no bodily seruice which is not en-liued with this soule of cheerefulnesse whereas contrariwise though our duties of his seruice be full of manifold imperfections and corruptions yet if they be performed with ready and cheerefull hearts he doth accept of them for perfect obedience For hee accepteth in the seruice of his children the will for the deed and if there be 2. Cor. 8. 12. a willing minde a man is accepted according to that he hath and that power of performance which God hath giuen and not according to that he hath not as the Apostle speaketh Secondly this cheerefulnesse and alacrity maketh our otherwise vnperfect seruice like vnto that which is performed by the blessed Angels who are alwayes ready as soone as they heare Gods Psal 103. 20 21. voyce to doe his pleasure as the Psalmist speaketh they stand about his Throne continually and no sooner receiue his Commandements but hasten to execute them with winged speed Thirdly because cheerefulnesse and delight in Gods seruice as it is most highly esteemed so is it aboue all other most richly rewarded for if wee delight in the Lord hee will giue vs the desires of our hearts if wee delight in him and call his Sabbaths which Psal 37. 4. are consecrated vnto his seruice our delight also hee will greatly honour Esa 58. 13
into act when wee haue had fit occasion Our worldlinesse and earthly mindednesse which haue made vs by affecting transitory trifles to neglect spirituall and heauenly excellencies and neglecting Gods seruice to serue Satan in hope of receiuing this base wages and rewards of iniquity Our little profiting by the long inioying and vsing of the light of the Gospell and plentifull meanes of our saluation for the inriching of our selues with Gods spirituall and sauing graces knowledge faith affiance loue zeale patience or the fruitfull exercizing of them in the duties of a godly life which hath come to passe by our irreuerent slothfull and sluggish vsing of the meanes nor bringing vnto them any faith zeale feruency of spirit or a good conscience Our want of Christian valour and resolution in the Christian warfare and our often yeelding vnto the tentations of Satan the world and our own flesh Finally our abuse of prosperity and temporary blessings which being giuen vs of God as present wages in our hands to make vs more cheerfull in his seruice we haue abused as meanes and occasions to make vs more sinfull more forgetfull of God and negligent and cold in his seruice more proud worldly and vnconscionable in all our courses And when we haue called to our remembrance these and such other sinnes whereby we haue been hindred in the wayes of godlinesse and haue vnfainedly lamented and bewailed them with bitter griefe and resolued amendment for the time to come then are we also to renew and strengthen our faith by applying afresh vnto vs the gracious promises of the Gospell which are made in Christ vnto all repentant sinners The which often renewing of our couenant with God will be a notable meanes of strengthening vs vnto all the duties of a godly life seeing this couenant of grace is the ground and foundation of them God hauing promised therein that hee will take away from vs our stony hearts and giue vs hearts of flesh and that hee Ezek. 11. 19 20. and 36. 26. will put a new spirit within vs that we may walke in his statutes and keepe his ordinances and doe them That he will giue vs one heart and one way that wee Ier. 31. 33. and 32. 40. may feare him for euer and put his Law in our inward parts and write it in our hearts that we shall not depart from him And as thus on Gods part wee are strengthened vnto all good duties by his Spirit which hee promiseth and giueth vnto vs so also on our part this renewing of our faith inabling vs hereunto for the more we are assured of the remission of our sinnes and of all Gods benefits both spirituall in this life and heauenly in the life to come the more we loue him who hath so loued vs and of his infinite bounty hath multiplied vpon vs such inestimable blessings and Nehem. 10. 29. the more wee loue him the more loth wee are to doe any thing which may displease him and the more forward and willing to glorifie him and to performe all good duties acceptable in his sight §. Sect. 6 That we must take more care to approue our wayes to God and our owne consciences then vnto men The second rule is that we chiefly labour to approoue all our workes and wayes to God and our owne consciences rather then vnto men the testimony whereof is much more to be esteemed then publike fame and humane censures For fame being but a breath of the often deceiued multitude may also deceiue vs by giuing a false testimony either on the worser or better part but our cōsciences which are priuy euen to our secret actions and inward intentions in doing them will not easily bee corrupted to giue in false euidence especially in those who are sanctified and regenerate Humane and vulgar censures are often false and friuolous ridiculous and impious applauding that which God condemneth and condemning that which he commendeth and commonly that best pleaseth the multitude which displeaseth him They call him honourable not who honoureth God and is honoured of him who is a sonne of God brother of Christ and heire of heauen but who is innobled by the vertues of his parents or who hath bought glorious titles as it were a slaue in the market or as the Centurion his freedome with a great summe They call him rich and happy who is poore beggerly naked and vtterly destitute of the riches of Gods graces because he hath some worldly pelfe which euery day may be taken from him or he from it And hee of the world is esteemed valorous and magnanimous who is so impotent in ruling his passions that he cannot beare the least iniury without taking reuenge and contrariwise he base and cowardly who dissembleth wrongs and according to Christs Commandement doth readily forgiue them leauing vengeance to God vnto whō alone it belongeth Though nothing is more contrary to true fortitude or the magnanimous constancy of a sound and well-settled minde then with euery wind of words to bee moued out of a right state and with other mens folly to become furious and frantique But a good conscience giueth in true euidence as witnessing with God or that which he witnesseth not out of a blind opinion mis-led by passion but according to the booke of holy Scriptures with which this booke of conscience commonly agreeth And therefore if wee would leade a godly life and constantly performe those Christian duties which are pleasing vnto God let vs lightly regard the censure of the multitude who ordinarily outface and discountenance vertue and piety and commend and magnifie vice and wickednesse iustifie those whom God condemneth and condemne those that hee iustifieth accounting their false praises a great dishonour and their scornes and disgraces for innocency and piety our praise and glory seeing he cannot be but honourable whom God honoureth nor want glory whom Christ his Saints and holy Angels approue and applaud And contrariwise let vs highly esteeme in all our actions the testimony of our owne conscience which will restraine vs from secret sinnes as well as from open and notorious and mooue and incite vs to all Christian duties euen in our secret closets when there is none by to censure our actions And as no wise man in running of a race is much moued with the speeches of the standers by which hee assuredly knoweth to be false and friuolous thinking euer the better of himselfe when he is cast behind all the rest of the company because they commend his speed or the worse when he hath outstripped them and is neere the goale because they discommend him for his slownesse so neither must we be lifted vp with a good conceit of our selues when others commend vs for our swiftnesse in the spirituall race if our owne consciences tell vs that wee are slow and behind all the rest with whom wee contend for the Garland nor yet deiected and discouraged when they dispraise vs if we are priuie vnto
helpe of their notes and examining their children and seruants and putting them to giue an account of what they haue heard and learned Lastly we must make what we haue heard our owne by applying it to our owne vse and bringing it to practice in our liues and conuersations whereby we shall Luk. 11. 28. Ioh. 13 17. Iam. 1. 25. intitle our selues to that blessednesse which is promised to all those who both heare the Word and keepe it And so much of the first meanes of inabling vs to the duties of a godly life the ministery of the Word and the things that are required vnto it The which I haue the more briefly Christian warfare 1. part lib. 2. cap. 26. passed ouer because I haue touched diuers of the poynts before and more fully handled some of them in another Treatise CAP. VII Of the second publike meanes of a godly life which is the administration of the Sacraments §. Sect. 1 That the Sacraments further vs much in a godly life as they are seales of the Couenant THe second meanes of inriching vs with all sauing graces and strengthening vs vnto all the duties of a godly life is the right vse of the Sacraments Baptisme and the Lords Supper both which doe much conduce hereunto and each of them seuerally For the Sacraments are seales annexed to the Couenant of grace purposely instituted of God to strengthen and confirme our faith in this assurance that Christ and all his benefits doe belong vnto vs that in him and for his righteousnesse death and full satisfaction vnto Gods Iustice he hath pardoned and forgiuen vnto vs all our sinnes that in him he is well pleased with vs and hath giuen vnto vs iust title and interest to all his promises both of grace in this life and glory and happinesse in the life to come that hee will giue vnto vs his holy Spirit and thereby write his Law in our hearts that we shall not depart from him mortifie our corruptions and quicken vs vnto new obedience Of all which benefits the Sacraments are not onely significant signes but also infallible seales annexed purposely by God vnto his Couenant to assure vs that he will performe all his promises and to giue vnto vs like a bond and conueyance legally signed and sealed iust title and interest vnto all those blessings euen before we sensibly haue them in possession and fruition Yea not onely so but they also serue like instruments and conduit pipes to conuey to the worthy receiuer Christ and all his benefits Now what can more forcibly perswade or more powerfully inable vs to the duties of a godly life then the representing assuring and exhibiting of all these inestimable benefits in the right vse of the Sacraments What can more inflame our hearts with most feruent loue towards God then the consideration yea sense and feeling of this admirable loue of God towards vs in giuing vnto vs when wee were sinners strangers and enemies vnto him and his grace Christ Iesus and with him all these vnspeakable benefits and what more then loue can effectually mooue vs to an holy desire in all things to glorifie and please him and to walke worthy his loue in all holinesse of life and conuersation What can more lighten the burthen of our labour and make vs to thinke all too little which we can doe and suffer for him Againe the Couenant of grace sealed vnto in the right vse of the Sacraments doth singularly incourage vs to lay aside all doubts and difficulties seeing God thereby assureth vs that he will yea hath giuen vnto vs his holy Spirit to direct and assist vs in all our good indeuours in the mortifying of all our sinfull corruptions seeme they neuer so strong and vnresistable and strengthening vs to the performance of all good duties seeme they neuer so difficult and vnpleasing vnto flesh blood And what can more effectually moue vs to go on in the worke of sanctification then to haue such an assistant to ioyne with vs vnto whom nothing is difficult being infinitely able to performe and perfect whatsoeuer he vndertaketh What can more powerfully perswade vs to doe God faithfull seruice then to haue the pardon of our sinnes put into our owne hands signed and sealed so dearly purchased and so freely giuen then to haue the present pledges and pawnes of Gods loue and fauour the earnest of his Spirit the first fruits of his graces and the conueyances of our heauenly Inheritance sealed and deliuered into our own keeping For who would be so sluggish as not to doe faithfull and diligent seruice to such a glorious and gracious Master for such liberall and bountifull wages Finally seeing in the right vse of the Sacraments wee doe really and truly though spiritually and by faith receiue Christ that he may dwell in vs and we in him and not onely communicate with him in his diuine graces imputed by God and applyed by faith but also by vertue of his Spirit assisting this ordinance haue all sanctifying and sauing graces confirmed and increased in vs whereby wee are strengthened vnto all the duties of a godly life hence also it appeareth how much they conduce and further vs in them seeing we haue Christ himselfe a co-worker with vs who by his holy Spirit sustaineth the greatest part of the waight of that his easie yoke and light burthen which he layeth vpon vs in which respect we may take courage vnto vs and say with the Apostle that we are able to doe all things through the power of Christ which strengtheneth Phil. 4. 13. vs and seeing also they cherish and increase his gifts and graces in vs whereby we are moued and inabled to worke together with him in all holy duties of Gods seruice and of a godly and Christian life §. Sect. 2 That the Sacraments further vs in godlinesse as they are testifications of our seruice to God Secondly the Sacraments are helpes vnto vs for this purpose as they are solemne testifications of our seruice and obedience vnto God seeing they are his liueries and cognizances whereby his seruants are knowne from others and the sacramentall oath which he causeth all his souldiers to take when he entertaineth them into his spirituall warfare and the pres-money which he putteth into their hands whereby hee obligeth and firmely bindeth them to continue constant in this warfare and to fight couragiously vnder his colours Now this may mooue vs to doe faithfull seruice vnto our great Lord and Master partly because hee hath so innobled vs by giuing vs entertainment into his Family and graced vs by letting vs weare his liuery and cognizance seeing it is a farre greater aduancement and dignity to be one of his meanest seruants euen a doore-keeper in his House then to be the greatest Monarch in the earth partly Psal 84. 10. because he incourageth vs to faithfull and diligent seruice by such bountifull wages and inestimable rewards and partly because wee shall otherwise
small difference betweene Meditation and Contemplation yet as the Schooles define it there is some in degree Meditation being an exercise of a lower and meaner nature within the reach of all Christians which will put out their hand vnto it Contemplation more high and heauenly fit only for such as by long exercise haue attained to much perfection That exercised about any spirituall obiect not onely originally in the vnderstanding but also imaginary and brought vnto it by the Ministery of the senses as the creation of the world the death and passion of Christ and such like but this about things chiefly intellectuall sublime and heauenly as the nature and attributes of God the Trinity of persons in Vniâ—â— of essence the ioyes of heauen and others of like nature Finally it is an exercise which of the most is performed with much difficulty because of their weakenesses and want of vse being hindred in their spirituall flight by hauing the waight of earthly cares and distractions as it were hanging at their heeles and the wings of their soules somewhat besmeared with the lime of worldly vanities but this of great Proficients who by much practice haue brought their Art into an habit and are able with ease yea with much pleasure and delight to soare with the Eagle an high pitch in their heauenly thoughts and to spend heerein great part of their time not stooping towards the earth but when they are forced by naturall necessity which being satisfied and their bodies and mindes somewhat refreshed they doe as weary of the earth raise vp their soules and renew their wonted flight §. Sect. 3 Of the efficicient cause or person who is to meditate The efficient cause or person who is to performe this exercise is the Christian onely and the man regenerate for holy things must not bee Hag. 2. 13. touched with prophane hands seeing they doe not sanctifie them but are polluted with their vncleanenesse Neither can they that are dead in sinne doe the actions of the liuing and are so farre from performing this holy duty in any acceptable manner that they are not able so much as to thinke a good thought Neither is it enough that we be once purged from their guilt and punishment in our iustification by the death and bloodshed of Christ applyed by faith or that we be freed from the corruption of sinne in the first acts of our sanctification but seeing wee doe daily renew our sinnes and thereby defile our soules and bodies we must daily clense them by renewing our repentance and not presume to vndertake this holy worke liuing and lying in our spirituall defilements but we must wash our soules as sometimes the Israelites their clothes before we presume to approach vnto this mount of Meditation wherein God hath promised to be seene and to clense the Tables of our hearts with the teares of true contrition before we goe about to haue any holy impressions written in them And seeing sinne like a thicke cloud doth dimme and dazle the eyes of our mindes so as we cannot see holy and heauenly things wee must first dispell them by vnfained repentance before we can receiue any comfort of diuine and heauenly light And being to entertaine our Bridegroome Christ in his spirituall presence into our hearts as it were into our houses and to solace our soules in a more heere communion and familiarity with him we are first to purge them from all noysome defilements which will make our company lothsome vnto him and though wee cannot so sufficiently purifie them that they may bee worthy to entertaine so pure and holy a ghest yet at least in a sincere affection let vs labour to doe the best we can that it may not appeare to be a fault of negligence but of our spirituall pouerty and impotency which disableth vs to giue him any better welcome The formall cause of this exercise is a serious cogitation or intentiue deliberation Neither is this worke of the Lord to be done negligently and slightly letting the reines loose to our cogitations that they may wander whither they list but wee are to intend the whole powers of our mind vnto it and to set them strictly to this holy taske not suffering them to wander abroad whither they please but to apply themselues to that which they haue vndertaken vntill they haue brought their worke vnto some good perfection The subiect-matter of our Meditation is something diuine spirituall and heauenly vnto which our thoughts for the time it lasteth are to be restrained and not suffered to wander after or to intermingle with them any worldly things The finall causes or ends of it are the glory of God and our owne saluation both which are aduanced when as wee handle after an holy manner in our Meditations some such holy and spirituall matter as may tend to the bettering of our iudgements and increase of our inward sanctity by working in our hearts the loue and feare of God zeale and deuotion in his seruice an vtter hatred of sinne and a sincere purpose to please him in all things and to glorifie his Name by performing more carefully and conscionably all the duties of a godly life §. Sect. 4 That Meditation is an exercise which belongeth to all Christians And thus we see generally what Christian Meditation is and the causes of it the which being a singular and effectuall meanes of working in our hearts a great increase of all sauing graces and of strengthening vs to the duties of a godly life is not to be appropriated vnto any one profession or sort of men which were a dangerous Monopolie tending to the inestimable preiudice of the Christian Common-wealth when such a singular commodity as is profitable for all is ingrossed into the hands of some few but is to be laid out in common to all the faithfull who are any way interessed in grace or godlinesse Neither ought any sort or sexe to thinke that they are exempted from this exercise vnlesse they thinke themselues so strong in grace that all meanes of spirituall growth are needlesse or so weake and impotent that they hold them boot lesse seeing such exemption is no prerogatiue but a disfranchisement at least in part of their spirituall freedome and a losse of a singular priuiledge which the Lord in that great Charter of his Couenant made in Christ hath granted vnto them For he hath not onely allowed all the faithfull to haue the Booke of his Law in their hands to reade it or in their mouthes to talke of it but with the finger of his Spirit hath written and ingrauen it in their Jer. 31. 34. hearts that they may continually thinke and meditate vpon it Yea hee hath not onely left it vnto vs as a gracious liberty which we may take and leaue at our pleasure but hath strictly imposed it vpon all his people as a necessary duty These words which I command thee this day shall be in thine Deut 6. 6 8.
next vnto faith vpon Luk. 24. 37. which hee would haue them to preach in his Name A duty that belongs vnto all and is neuer vnseasonable alwayes necessary An Euangelicall grace and chiefe fruit of faith in which it liueth without which it is dead So that as faith is the life of our soules by applying Christ vnto vs in whom we liue so repentance in respect of our sense and feeling which can no otherwise iudge of the hidden roote but by the outward fruit is the life of this life As faith is the onely condition of the Couenant of grace which assureth vs of all good things temporall and eternall so repentance as a counter-bond assureth vnto vs this assurance by a sensible infallibility outward euidence perswadeth vs that we performe this condition of beleeuing in Christ and apprehending all the promises by faith vnfained Now that thou mayest O my soule proceed in some order what is this repentance but an Euangelicall and sauing grace of God wrought in thine heart by his holy Spirit applying by faith as by his instrument Christ and all his benefits which inflaming thine heart with feruent loue doth make thee looke vpon him whom thou hast pearced to bewaile thy sinnes as the chiefe causes of his death to hate and forsake them and to turne vnto God offering vnto thee grace and pardon by amendment of life and bringing foorth the fruits of new obedience So that it is a grace and free gift and no naturall endowment which commeth by inheritance or else procured by thine owne purchase It is the gift of God who giueth vnto thee all good things It is a gift of his free grace preuenting thee when thou didst neuer so much as thinke of it by putting into thy mind the profit and necessity of it and into thy heart some desire of receiuing it preparing and fitting thee for it by the preaching of the Law working humiliation contrition and legall sorrow and fitting thy mind and will that they might consent and obey the motions of the Spirit outward in the Word and inward in the heart and conscience working it first in thee by changing the mind and heart and turning them from sinne vnto holinesse and righteousnesse co-working with thee that thou mayest continue renew and increase in the practice of it and perfecting thy repentance in the parts and degrees of it which himselfe begun It is hee that calleth vs to repentance and inableth vs to repent He striketh our stony hearts and maketh them to relent by sound contrition before these rocks will yeeld any waters of true repentance It is he that powreth the Spirit Ezek. 11. 29. 36. 26. Zach. 12. 10. Act. 5. 31 11. 18. 2. Tim. 2. 25. of grace vpon the house of Iudah before they can lament for their wickednesse and that giueth repentance to the house of Israel and with it remission of sinnes Thou canst not turne vnto him O my soule before hee first turne vnto thee nor weepe bitterly with Peter till hee thaw thy frozen heart by reflecting vpon thee the beames of his gracious countenance Yea when he turneth thou canst not turne till hee turning his face turne also thine heart as it is running away with feare and neuer looking backe that thou mayest behold his gracious countenance promising nothing but good and his stretched out Arme to receiue thee vnto grace and fauour Surely saith the Church after I was turned I repented and after that Ier. 31. 19. Lam. 5. 21. I was instructed I smote vpon my thigh No man can sorrow for his sinnes nor resolue to forsake them but hee that hateth them nor any hate them but they who loue God nor any loue him whose hearts hee first inflameth not by sheading abroad his loue in them by the holy Ghost which hee giueth vnto Rom. 5. 5. 1. Joh. 4. 19. vs. Neither doth he worke alone but together with his Sonne and holy Spirit For it is the blood of this Lambe of God which worketh our adamantine hearts to this relenting softnesse and the water which issued out of his pierced side which being beheld with the eye of faith doth draw out of our eyes the brinish waters of repentant teares And therefore because he is the Author of our repentance both as hee procured it by the meritorious vertue of his death and worketh it by his blood-shed applyed by faith he inioyneth his Apostles to preach repentance in his Name Finally Luk. 24. 47. it is the oyle of the holy Spirit which suppleth and softneth our hard and stony hearts It is this diuine fire which warming our cold hearts with the flame of Gods loue and the hot blood that issued from our Sauiour causeth them to send vp into our heads these salt yet sweet waters of vnfained repentance which distill by our eyes and in trickling teares drop from our cheekes This winde of the Spirit must blow vpon vs yea must blow into vs before wee can returne vnto God one sigh to expresse our sorrow for our sinnes And therefore O my soule seeing God is the principall cause of thy repentance rob him of no part of his due but ascribe vnto him the whole glory of his owne worke Which though hee could effect by his sole immediate power yet hee is pleased to vse in it many subordinate causes meanes and instruments by which he worketh this grace in thee As ministeriall and helping causes namely the Ministers of the Word who in this worke are co-labourers with Christ sent by him to open mens eyes and to turne them from darkenesse to light and from Act. 26. 18. the power of Satan vnto God that they may receiue forgiuenesse of sinnes and inheritance among them that are sanctified by faith in Christ in which respect they are called spirituall fathers begetting them to God by the seed of the 1. Cor. 4. 15. Word So likewise instrumentall causes which are inward precedent and immediate as sauing knowledge shewing the way to repentance a liuely faith vnfained loue and true feare of God both in respect of his mercies and iudgements especially the last and generall Iudgement at Act. 17. 30. the end of the world or else outward which either lead and draw or else mooue and perswade vs to repentance Of the former sort are many instruments and meanes to bring vs to it As the Ministery of the Word and first the preaching of the Law which prepareth vs for it and of the Esa 55. 7. Gospel which worketh it in vs by assuring vs that if wee will turne to the Lord he will haue mercy vpon vs and forgiue vs our sinnes So also crosses Psal 119. 71. Luk. 13. 1 2 3. Rom. 2. 4. and afflictions either vpon our selues or others Gods blessings and benefits either promised or bestowed The moouing and perswading causes are innumerable as the loue of God towards vs his patience and long suffering his truth in his
to cure all the sores of sinne though the head be sicke and the whole heart faint and though from the sole of the foot Esa 1. 5 6 16 17. to the crowne of the head there is no soundnesse in thee but wounds and bruises and putrifying sores yet if thou wilt apply vnto them this soueraigne salue they shall be all healed so that euen thy crimson and scarlet sinnes shall become white as snow and wooll §. Sect. 5 Of the kinds of repentance ordinary and extraordinary And thus thou seest O my soule the nature of true repentance which admitteth of no distribution into kinds but yet thou maist distinguish it into some degrees For either thou maist consider it in the first acts of thy conuersion when as thou diddest breake from thy sinnes by bewayling and forsaking them and turning vnto thy God in new obedience or else it is the continuing of it throughout the whole course of this life For as thou art neuer in this world perfectly cured of the sores of sin but that they will breake out againe the inward corruption not thorowly drawne out still seeking vent in some outward issue so this plaister of repentance must continually be applyed and renewed and be neuer quite neglected and throwne away vntill by death the cure be perfected Now this repentance which thou must continue O my soule euen till by thy separation from thy beloued body thou be freed from that hated body of sinfull corruption is either ordinary or extraordinary Thy ordinary repentance is that which thou must daily performe for as thou daily sinnest against thy good God so thou must daily sorrow for thy sinnes bee humbled in the sight and sense of them hate and abhorre them as conquered rebels who hauing gotten new strength haue giuen thee these foyles subdue and mortifie them and indeuour to please thy God in the contrary duties of his seruice Thy extraordinary repentance is either when by reason of thy sloth and security thou hast discontinued this exercise and afterwards doest vndertake it afresh being excited and moued hereunto by outward helpes the preaching of the Word afflictions danger of being ouertaken with some approching euill extraordinary blessings and such like or by the inward motions of Gods holy Spirit or else when thou art ouertaken for want of keeping the spirituall watch of some grieuous and vnusuall sinne whereby thou hast made deepe wounds and fearefull gashes into thy conscience In both which respects thou must double thy zeale and diligence that thou maist rise from whence thou art falne redeeme the lost time wherein thou hast negligently intermitted this holy exercise bewaile thine extraordinary sinnes with extraordinary sorrow and bitter griefe both in greater measure sutable to these greater sinnes and in a more vehement and powerfull manner hating these sinnes with more then mortall hatred driuing out these cursed enemies which haue giuen thee such shamefull foyles with all despite and redoubling thy watch that they may for euer be kept out of thy coast and neuer be able to surprize and ouercome thee Finally thy repentance my soule must be extraordinary when thy God moueth thee vnto it by any extraordinary occasion as when thou art to performe some duty of his seruice of great moment and importance as the receiuing of the Sacrament of the Lords Supper which requireth extraordinary preparation and examination when thou humblest thy selfe in some solemne fast publike or priuate for the auerting of some imminent iudgement or deliuerance from some present euill or when thou art to vndertake some businesse for thy selfe the Church or Common-wealth no lesse waighty and necessary then full of difficulty and danger then my soule is it high time for thee to renew and redouble thy repentance that thy sinnes which separate betweene thy God and thee may be remooued and not stop and hinder thee from receiuing the assistance of his grace and holy Spirit in these waighty imployments So also when thou addressest thy selfe to thy God to make suit for some blessings which thou much desirest from which thy sinnes might hinder thee and stop the streame of his grace that though it ouerflow to all others yet thou shalt remaine dry and barren or for the remouall of some great afflictions which if thou continuest in thy sinnes thou maist iustly feare will bee continued vpon thee till thy God by redoubling thy stripes and smart haue made thee to renew thy repentance and redouble thy sorrow Finally it is fit time thus to repent when thy God summoneth thee by sicknesse to appeare before him and threateneth thee to bring thee before his Tribunall vnder the arrest of death then is there no more need O my soule to set thy house and state in order then thy selfe and then is it fit time that thou shouldest renew thy repentance with Ezechias in an extraordinary manner that thou maist make thine accounts ready before thou art to render them vnto thy Iudge and seeing thou art much indebted and hast nothing to pay thou must whilest thou art here by renewing thy faith and repentance sue out thy pardon and get a generall acquittance for all thy debt sealed with thy Sauiours blood that so thou maist goe with ioy and comfort when thy Iudge calleth thee to make thine appearance CAP. XXI Shewing how we must worke the former points vpon our hearts and affections §. Sect. 1 How our harts are to be affected with feruent desires to practice this duty of repentance ANd now my soule that thou hast in thy vnderstanding discoursed of the chiefe poynts obseruable in this excellent grace of repentance labour to worke what thou knowest into thine heart and affections and to bring it all to some holy vse that thou maist prepare these spirituall meates not onely to looke vpon for so thou maist in this great plenty depart an hungred and be neuer the better in thy health strength and good liking but indeuour to apply them to taste their sweetnesse to feed vpon and digest them for thy nourishment Thou hast discouered my soule excellent waters which though they be bitter in their owne nature yet the wood of thy Sauiours Crosse being cast into them by the hand of faith will make them to become sweet Drinke deepely of them O my soule that thou maist neuer againe thirst after the pleasures of sinne which may well glut thee but will neuer satisfie thee but the more thou drinkest the more thou thirstest whereas these waters my soule will cure this dropsie and make thee thirst onely after spirituall things in which there is great delight seeing thou maist heere drinke thy fill without impeachment yea with much improuement of thy health or rather because thou canst neuer be filled in this life thou maist euer thirst and euer drinke thirst without distemper without griefe and drinke with all spirituall delight seeing these waters satisfie without satiety And as they are good for thine inward thirst so also for thy both
diligently heard the Word of God and applyed it vnto thy selfe for this end the threatnings of the Law for thy humiliation and the sweet and gracious promises of the Gospell assuring thee of the pardon of thy sinnes and of Gods loue and fauour that thou mightest loue God againe who hath so loued thee and forgiuen thee so great a debt and testifie this loue by bewailing thy sinnes whereby thou hast displeased so gracious a Father Hath Gods mercy patience and long-suffering drawne thee to repentance and hast thou beene offended with thy selfe because thou hast offended thy God who hath multiplied vpon thee so many testimonies of his loue Hast thou made right vse of Gods blessings and benefits to be made thereby more carefull to please him and of his chastisements and fatherly corrections to be made thereby more fearefull to offend him Hath thy sorrow in any good measure been sutable to thy sinnes and hast thou more bewailed thy sins then the punishment the guilt then the smart and in this respect chiefly because thou hast by them dishonoured thy God rather then for the miseries which they haue brought vpon thy selfe Hast thou bewailed all thy sinnes and those most of all whereunto thy corrupt nature is most inclined and not onely thy sinnes of grosse commission but also thy sinnes of omission and the wants and imperfections of thy best actions Hast thou been affected with Gods Iudgements and with those most of all which are spirituall and touch thee rather then thy sinfull flesh Hath the smart of thy sores been such that nothing would ease them but the balme of Gilead the blood of Christ applyed by faith and haue carnall sports rather increased then abated thy griefe Hast thou so washed thy selfe in the waters of repentance as that thou hast thereby been cleansed from thy Esa 1. 16. sinnes and hast thou being freed from sinne become the seruant of righteousnesse Hast thou been earnest in thy repentance and taken occasion from thy former negligence and vnprofitablenesse to redeeme thy lost time by redoubling thy diligence in Gods seruice Hast thou found plentifull fruits in thee worthy repentance and amendment of life And as thou hast increased in yeeres hast thou increased in fruitfulnesse bringing forth most in thine older age Hast thou found in thee those speciall fruits of care cleering indignation feare desire zeale and holy reuenge before spoken of §. Sect. 2 Of Confession Alas my soule how defectiue hast thou been in all these things Alas my God how should I without much shame and confusion of face looke vpon thee seeing when I come to pay that debt and duty which I owe thee my siluer is turned into drosse my medicine is become a poyson Esa 1. 22. my repentance which should be the salue for my other sinnes is so full of wants and imperfections that it selfe needeth to bee repented of and if this bath wherein I should wash my polluted selfe were not it selfe bathed and cleansed in a pured fountaine the precious blood of Iesus Christ so foule it is through the filth of my corruptions that it would but the more defile me and make me lothsome in thy sight It is true my God and I acknowledge it to thy glory that through thy grace I haue repented and doe desire to repent still more and more And that small measure which I haue receiued and which I returne vnto thee is not false and counterfet but in sincerity and truth But alas my Lord it is so maimed with imperfections and defiled with corruptions that it is vtterly vnworthy thine acceptance And seeing thou hast forbidden in thy Law that any sacrifices should be offered vnto thee which were maimed or vncleane how should I presume to offer this sacrifice of my sighes and teares which are so imperfect and defiled were it not that thou hast told me that the sacrifice wherein thou chiefly delightest is a broken heart and humble and contrite spirit And because thy perfection can indure no imperfection thou hast appoynted another sacrifice pure and perfect euen that which thy deare Sonne hath offered vnto thee vpon the Crosse to cleanse and couer the impurity and imperfection of mine that it may be acceptable in thy sight These waters of thy grace O my God were pure and perfect as they came from thee the Fountaine of all purity and perfection but alas they are now defiled by running thorow the polluted channell of my filthy heart But being againe cleansed by running thorow the pure Fountaine of my Sauiours blood they are restored to their purity and fit for thine acceptance From my selfe immediately I dare not offer vnto thee my repentance for it is wholly stained and defiled with my corruption and mingled with much impenitency carnall security and hardnesse of heart And though it be most imperfect yet haue I been too too slothfull in vsing any of those good meanes wherby I might attaine vnto more perfection or when I haue vsed them it hath been so formally and negligently that they haue had little efficacie to worke this grace in me Thy legall threatenings haue not humbled me thy Euangelicall promises haue little affected mee the good motions of thy Spirit haue been quenched in me thy blessings and benefits haue not allured me thy chastisements and corrections haue not drawne me but notwithstanding all these helpes I haue continued in my sinnes with much impenitency or laboured to come out of them with much weakenesse My sorrow for sinne hath been very small and ioyned with much hardnesse of heart my desires of amendment exceeding feeble and faint my resolutions weake and vnconstant and my actions and indeuours impotent and imperfect and when to will is present with me I finde no power to Rom. 7. performe that which is good so that I cannot doe the good I would nor leaue vndone the euill I would not §. Sect. 3 Of Complaint Alas my soule how farre hath thy carnall security preuailed with thee How hath it rocked thee in such a deepe slumber that thou hast little or no sense of thy sloth but when thou art asleepe dreamest that thou art waking How is thine heart hardened through the deceitfulnesse of sinne that it is scarce sensible of its owne hardnesse yea when thou dost discerne it how art thou hampred and fettered with the gâ—ues of thy corruption that thou hast neither power nor will to better thine estate Repentance is the meanes of curing thine infirmities and sicknesses of sinnes But thou fearest the medicine more then the disease and neglectest or formally vsest all good meanes whereby it might be obtained and applyed Thou thinkest no care or cost too much for the compassing of worldly vanities and thou canst in pursuing them keepe thy desires within no bounds but the more thou drinkest the more thou thirstest But how soone art thou tyred in working thy heart to sorrow for thy sinnes and how little of this doest thou thinke enough In
thee by bringing forth the fruits of new obedience but I shall be able to better my speed and to runne the way of thy Commandements when thou shalt Psal 119. 37. inlarge my heart O thou therefore who chiefly delightest in the sacrifice of an humble heart and contrite spirit create in me a soft and tender heart and renew in me a right spirit Frame me according to thine owne will that thou maist delight in me and dwell with me yea according to thine owne couenant for thou hast promised to giue me a new heart and a new Ezek. 11. 19. and 36. 26. spirit and that thou wilt take away from me my stony heart and giue vnto mee an heart of flesh Thou art glorified in me when I bring forth much fruits of Iob. 15. 8. new obedience O be not wanting vnto thine owne glory by suffering me to be defectiue in fruitfulnesse but after I haue brought forth some purge me againe and againe that I still bringing forth more fruits thou maist be more glorified §. Sect. 7 Inforcement Yea Lord my wants are not small and therefore my suit must not bee slight I must still wrastle with thee by my prayers and strong cryes and not let thee depart without a blessing I am weake to preuaile but I haue thy truth to support me who hast promised that I shall obtaine if I follow Luk. 18. 1. 8. my suit without fainting O then make good thy word vnto thy seruant Psalm 119. wherein thou hast made me to put my trust Giue me a melting heart which will relent and resolue easily into teares of repentance I am much defiled with the filthinesse of my sinnes and a little washing will not make me cleane Purge me thorowly therefore O my God and multiply my washings first and chiefly in the blood of Christ which will cleanse mee from the ingrained guilt of my crimson and scarlet sinnes and wash mee in the lauer of Regeneration and in the waters of vnfained repentance which will by vertue of the former washing helpe to purge mee from the filth of my corruptions Turne me O turne me vnto thee my God and Lam. 5. 21. Cant. 1. 3. so shall I be turned draw me and I will runne after thee Rectifie and fructifie my more then ordinary barrennesse with the extraordinary showres of thy grace and warme my heart with the beames of thy loue that whatsoeuer good seed of thy Word shall fall into it may take deepe root and bring forth plentifull fruits of holinesse and righteousnesse that as I haue heretofore more then many others dishonoured thee by my sinnes so also I may now glorifie thee in some good degree by bringing forth in more then an ordinary manner and measure plentifull fruits of new obedience §. Sect. 8 Confidence And now comfort thy selfe O my soule for thy God hath granted what thou hast so feruently craued Yea it is the end why hee would haue thee to aske because he hath a desire to giue and that by discouering thy beggery and pouerty he might take occasion to discouer the riches of his bounty He that hath inlarged thine heart with these feruent desires hath done it purposely to this end that hee may fill it and satisfie them Thou couldest not so much as aske this grace of repentance if the Spirit Rom. 8. 26. of God did not helpe thine infirmities and inable thee to pray with sighes and grones which cannot be vttered and how can thy God reiect that prayer which his Spirit inditeth and is made according to his owne will Yea be confident my soule for thou canst receiue no repulse in this suit seeing he himselfe hath commanded thee to aske it and promised to giue it He who is true of his promise and omnipotent in performance hath bound himselfe by his gracious Couenant that hee will take away thy stony heart and giue thee an heart of flesh that thou shalt looke vpon Zacb. 12. 10. him whom thou hast pierced and shalt mourne for him as a man mourneth for his onely sonne and be in bitternesse for him as one is in bitternesse for his first-borne That he will write also his Law in thine heart that louing and obeying Jer. 31. 33. and 32. 42. it thou maist neuer depart from him And his Word is yea and Amen his promises as good as present payment Yet my soule to helpe thy weakenesse he hath giuen vnto thee already some first beginnings of repentance Phil. 1. 6. Rom. 11. 29. as an earnest of the rest that yet is wanting Hee hath begun this worke of grace in thee and therefore his gifts being without repentance he will surely perfect it Wait vpon him then O my soule by faith yea wait vpon him not onely with patience but also with ioy and comfort for he that hath promised will come and will not tarry and will Habak 2. 3. worke in thine heart such sorrow for thy sinnes as he himselfe shall accept as sufficient and cause thee to bring forth such plentifull fruits of new obedience as shall glorifie him and seale vp in thine heart the assurance of thine owne election and saluation §. Sect. 9 Congratulation and thanksgiuing Thrice happy then my soule art thou now in thy God who wast in in thy selfe wretched and miserable for he hath not onely made with thee the Couenant of grace wherein hee hath assured thee of the pardon of thy sinnes and of his fauour in which consisteth thy life and blessednesse but also hath inabled thee to performe the condition of faith and repentance whereby thou art assured that thou hast thy part and interest in all his promises Reioyce therefore in the Lord and againe reioyce Praise and Phil. 4. 4. magnifie his great and glorious Name who hath been so good and gracious vnto thee Thou wast in wofull misery by reason of thy sinnes and the punishments due vnto them but hee hath deliuered and made thee happy and hath both offered vnto thee ioy and blessednesse and also the meanes whereby thou maist attaine vnto it Hee hath shewed vnto thee the way of life and hath giuen vnto thee both will and ability to walke in it What wilt thou now returne vnto him O my soule for all the Psal 116. 11. good that hee hath done vnto thee Yea what canst thou returne that is worth acceptance but that which thou hast receiued from this fountaine of all goodnesse yet though hee hath giuen all vnto thee something there is which he will be pleased to receiue from thee as though it were thy gift euen the sacrifice of praise and thanksgiuing Nothing else canst thou giue but this free-will offring nothing else doth he require who is so absolute in all perfection that hee needeth nothing A fit oblation my soule frō such a child to such a Father from so meane poore a subiect to so rich and high a Soueraigne Take then into thine hand the Cup
duties which they command and committing the sinnes which they forbid Whereof I shall not need heere to set downe the particulars according to which triall is to bee made seeing I haue done it already in the former part of this Treatise vnto which I referre the Reader who desireth to make vse of it for this purpose Only let vs know that the Law of God being a most perfect abstract of his will doth containe in it all vertues which he commandeth and vices which he forbiddeth and though it be briefe in words yet as Dauid saith it is in the sense and meaning exceeding Psal 119. 96. large And therefore when we goe to examine our selues according vnto it we must not looke so much to the bare words of euery Commandement as to their sense being inlarged according to the rules of extention which are grounded vpon the Scriptures and euen vpon reason and common equity As first where any vice or sinne is forbidden there the contrary vertue or duty is commanded and contrariwise Secondly where one particular vice is forbidden or duty commanded there all vices or duties of the same nature and kinde are forbidden or commanded as our Sauiour hath taught vs in his exposition of the Law Thirdly Mat. 5. 21 22 the Law being perfect doth require perfect obedience of the whole man and euery part inward and outward soule and body so also whole obedience vnto all and euery Commandement for hee that breaketh one of Iam. 2. 10. them is guilty of all and not onely that our obedience bee whole and totall in respect of the parts but also in respect of degrees that it bee in that perfection which this perfect Law requireth Fourthly the Law being spirituall and hauing a spirituall sense and power doth binde not Rom. 7. 14. onely the outward man to externall obedience but also the soule and secret thoughts the heart and conscience Yea the first and last Commandements haue a large extent aboue all the rest reaching euen to our thoughts and first motions which haue not the consent of will ioyned with them Fifthly where any vertue or vice is commanded or forbidden there also all the meanes and occasions are commanded or forbidden Sixthly where any duty is commanded or vice forbidden there also the signes of them both are also inioyned or prohibited for wee must haue a good conscience both before God and also before men and auoyd not Act. 24. 16. onely the euill it selfe but also all appearance of it And lastly the common rule of charity binding vs to loue our neighbours as our selues and that God may be glorified in their obedience as well as our owne the Law of God requireth that wee should not onely obserue all that is contriued Psal 119. 139. in it our selues but also prouide as much as in vs lyeth that it bee likewise obserued by our neighbours yea euen by our enemies §. Sect. 5 How we must aggrauate our sins in respect of circumstances And if by helpe of these rules we inlarge the Law of God according to the true sense and meaning of it and examine our selues answerably in all the duties which it commandeth and all the vices and sinnes which it forbiddeth we shall heereby come to a cleere and liuely sense and feeling of our sinnes in all the sorts and kinds of them vnto which when we haue in some measure attained we must then further examine our selues how often and innumerable times we haue reiterated and multiplyed the same sinnes against euery of Gods Commandements in thought word and deed And then wee shall plainely see that our sinnes in number exceed the haires of our head and the starres of heauen Which when we haue done we must in the next place consider how haynous they haue many of them beene in respect of their quality and degree Where we are carefully to take heed that we doe not as corrupt nature pride and selfe-loue perswade the most excuse minse and extenuate our sinnes but that wee looke vpon them in their naturall vglinesse and outragiousnesse and aggrauate them by all their circumstances of persons manner time place and the meanes which God hath giuen vs to preserue vs from committing them or of raising vs out of them by repentance As that wee haue thus and thus sinned not onely when wee were the vassals of Satan vncalled and vnregenerate with full consent of will and with all delight and cheerefulnesse but since wee were called regenerate and inlightened by Gods Spirit and since we haue giuen our names to Christ and professed our selues to be his seruants we haue oftentimes done seruice vnto Satan his arch-enemy by committing many sinnes not onely through frailty and infirmity either through ignorance or because we were taken vpon the sudden and at vnawares but oftentimes wittingly and willingly against knowledge and conscience yea sometime wilfully being transported with the violence of our carnall lusts and passions and as it were with an high hand against God That we haue thus sinned not onely in secret committing that wickednesse in Gods presence which wee would haue forborne in the presence of a mortall man but also openly and scandalously to the dishonour of God and slander of our profession That wee haue not seldome falne into these sinnes but often and many times yea euen after that we haue repented of them and haue resolued vowed and promised that we would leaue and forsake them That we haue committed these sinnes not against an enemy a stranger or one of meane condition like vnto our selues but against God omnipotent in power and glorious in Maiesty and vnto vs so infinite in grace and mercy that with all other blessings which we inioy or hope for he hath giuen the Sonne of his loue vnto vs and for vs that he might by his death worke that great worke of our Redemption and giue vnto vs life and happinesse who were the slaues of Satan dead in our sinnes enemies to God and our owne good and the children of wrath as well as others That we haue not by strong inducements beene drawne to offend so great and gracious a God but for meere trifles and the contemptible wages of worldly vanities That wee haue committed these sinnes being the members of Iesus Christ our Head and so as much as in vs did lie haue defiled him with the taint of our sinnes and drawne him as much as we could into communion with vs in our wickednesse that shed his precious blood to purge and purifie vs that we might be holy and without all blemish of sinfull pollution That we haue by our sinnes grieued the good Spirit in vs vexing him who is our Comforter by quenching his good motions and obeying the suggestions of Satan and the lusts of our sinfull flesh That we haue thus sinned and hauing falne haue lien in our sinnes without repentance notwithstanding the plentifull meanes which God hath granted of grace and sanctification As the
2. Tim. 3. 15. 2 Iohn ver 1 4. our learning that we through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might haue hope The Apostle Iohn likewise writing to children young and old men plainely implyeth that no age is exempted but euen little children must reade that they may be seasoned with the knowledge of Gods truth from their tender age like young Timothy and the children of the elect Lady and so being trayned vp in the way which they should chuse when they are old they will not depart from it and hauing this sound foundation of knowledge layd they may haue the building of faith and piety more easily erected and set vp in them And young men also must reade the Scriptures that being armed with this sword of the Spirit they may be the better enabled to resist the tentations of the diuell the world and their own flesh which in that age are most strong and violent Finally old men after they haue gotten much knowledge must still diligently studie the Scriptures that they may be the better confirmed and settled in the things which they know recall those things to memory which that age otherwise is apt to forget and that hauing knowne God and his Christ from the beginning not onely by reading and hearing but by much experience they may be refreshing and renewing this knowledge be the better able to walke themselues in this cleare light and guide and direct others also by their fatherly instructions in the right way that they should chuse But yet in a more speciall manner this dutie of reading the Law and Word of Deut. 17. 18 19 Iosh 1. 8. God is pressed vpon Princes and Gouernours that being inlightened with the knowledge of Gods will and truth they may themselues yeeld obedience vnto it seeing hereby they shall not onely saue their owne soules but also bee a meanes of the saluation of many others their liues and actions being exemplarie and powerfull to draw those which are vnder them to follow and imitate them in that which is either good or euill And also that hauing this light to guide them they may administer righteous iudgement and gouerne the people committed to their charge in the feare of the Lord establishing amongst them Gods true Religion and maintaining in all their dominions iustice and truth But aboue all others the Ministers of Gods Word are religiously bound to exercise themselues diligently in reading the Scriptures seeing they must not onely haue skill to direct themselues and their owne families but to instruct all others committed to their charge in the Word and will of God for the Priests lips Mal. 2. 7. must preserue knowledge and the people must seeke the Law at their mouth for he is the messenger of the Lord of hosts And he principally more then ordinary Christians must giue attendance to reading exhortation and doctrine 1. Tim. 4. 13 16. and continue in them because in so doing he shal both saue himselfe and those that heare him §. Sect. 2 That we are chiefly to be exercised in reading and studying of the Scriptures The second generall point to be considered is the subiect matter of our reading of which wee must make good choyce seeing it were much better not to reade at all then to spend our time in perusing such bookes as are prophane teaching nothing but vanitie and lyes wantonnesse ribaldry and contempt both of Religion common honesty in which number are books of scurrilous iests plaies and Machiauellian policie For as we say in the prouerbe Where God hath his Church there the diuell hath his chappell and apishly imitating the diuine Maiesty that he may blinde his followers get from them the like glory and especially that he may disgrace Gods holy ordinances as God hath his Sacraments Ceremonies so he will haue his to seale vp to his vassals their more assured condemnation And as God hath his bookes of holy Scriptures contayning his will and Lawes for the sanctifying and gouerning of his people so the deuill will haue scribes inspired with his will to set forth bookes of hellish impieties and damnable policies for the corrupting of mens iudgements the poisoning of their hearts and manners and the trayning vp and gouerning of his subiects in all sinne and wickednesse And therefore all those who desire to please God in the duties of a godly life must with as much care flee such bookes as Mariners doe the rockes and sands and as they professe themselues Gods seruants so they must make choyce of such bookes as will better their knowledge and practice in his Lawes as they professe themselues of the Christian Religion so they must read and studie such bookes as being religious will further them in Christianity and enable them to performe vnto God more diligent and faithfull seruice In which respect the Booke of holy Scriptures contained in the Old and New Testament is to be preferred aboue all others seeing it is the foundation and ground of them all which hauing God for it Author is of infallible truth and is to be beleeued in its owne sole authority and needeth not the confirmation of reason or any humane testimony but shineth like the Sunne in it owne light Whereas all writings of men who are subiect to errours are onely so far foorth to be beleeued and imbraced as they are consonant and agreeable with it For all men are lyers and through their ignorance subiect to errors apt to deceiue and to be deceiued and therefore are no further to be credited then as their sayings and works are approoued by the Canon and rule of Gods infallible truth Besides that the Word of God is of more maiesty power efficacie then any mortall mans and his more immediate ordinance which being more effectually assisted and wrought into our mindes and hearts by his holy Spirit is of greater efficacie for the inlightening of our vnderstandings the mollifying of our hearts the strengthening of our Faith and sanctifying of our affections then all other writings without it And this Dauid found by experience professing that by studying and meditating in the Booke and Law of God he became wiser then the Ancients and of more vnderstanding then his teachers Psal 119. 9◠100. §. Sect. 3 Their obiection answered who pretend the obscurity of the Scriptures Neither let any man pretend that the Scriptures are of such difficulty and so hard to be vnderstood that priuate men must not presume to Psal 19. 7 8. Pro. 1. 4. read them seeing they haue plainely taught vs that the Law of the Lord inlighteneth the eyes and maketh wise the simple And wise Salomon telleth vs that this was one chiefe end of his penning that portion of holy Scripture that he might giue subtilty that is more then common knowledge to the simple and to the young man knowledge and discretion So that though the Scriptures finde men simple and ignorant yet they doe not leaue them so seeing they
Couenant of Grace God doth not stand vpon strict termes with vs exacting legall and perfect performance but onely Euangelicall sincerity and truth and that we desire and indeuour to keepe our promise as much as we are able And seeing also because our strength is but small the Lord hath graciously promised the assistance of his holy Spirit to strengthen vs in our good indeuours and inable vs to performe what he requireth and we haue vndertaken in some such manner as may be acceptable in his sight Now what stronger motiue can there be vnto the duties of a godly life consisting in a liuely faith and vnfained repentance then to consider that wee are tyed hereunto by this couenant which is the maine ground of all our good the remission of our sinnes grace and glory which if wee make voyd by our impenitency and infidelity wee can haue no part in Gods mercies and gracious promises nor in Iesus Christ and all his benefits Especially considering that if we but resolue and indeuour to please God in these holy duties both wee and our seruice shall bee accepted in Iesus Christ our imperfections being couered with his perfect obedience and our corruptions washed away with his blood which if we neglect to performe and liue stil in our infidelity and impenitency without any serious desire or constant indeuour to know God or to feare and serue him whatsoeuer profession and shew we make to the contrary yet most certaine it is that we are not yet in this Couenant nor shall as long as we continue in this state haue any part in the benefits promised seeing the Lord who cannot faile of his word hath in this couenant assured vs that he will not Ier. 31 33 34 35. and 32. 40. onely bestow his blessings but will also fit and inable all his Elect with whom onely he maketh it to performe what he require that their hands that he will inlighten them with the knowledge of himself his will and write his Law in their hearts thereby working in them these resolutions and indeuours to obserue and keepe it that he will be their God and they his people and that he will knit them so vnto him as that they shall neuer depart from him and therefore so long as wee finde no such things wrought in vs we can haue no assurance that as yet we haue any part in this Couenant or in any of the benefits therein promised CAP. XXXVIII Of two other reasons mouing vs to a godly life the one taken from our effectuall Calling the other from our free Iustification by faith §. Sect. 1 That the benefit of our effectuall Calling should moue vs to serue God in the duties of a godly life THe sixth benefit is our effectual Calling whereby the Lord vouchsafeth by the preaching of the Gospell to make knowne vnto vs his good will and pleasure concerning the eternall saluation of our soules in and for Iesus Christ and by the inward operation of his holy Spirit working with the outward ministery to beget in vs a true and liuely faith whereby wee apply vnto our selues Christ Iesus and all his benefits For in the ministery of the Word God not onely offereth vnto vs Christ to be our Sauiour and Redeemer but also prepareth and fitteth vs to receiue him giuing vnto vs a true sight of our sinne and misery by which our hearts are humbled and broken and working in them an earnest hungring and thirsting after Christ and his righteousnesse that by him wee may be recouered out of our wretched estate and attaine vnto life and saluation by his merits and obedience The which feruent desires he graciously satisfieth by working faith in vs grounded vpon his infinite mercies the all-sufficient merits of Christ and his free and indefinite promises whereby we apply him vnto vs with all his benefits So that in this benefit of our effectuall Calling three things chiefly concurre first the sauing hearing of the Word whereby our eares and hearts are opened and our minds inlightened with the knowledge of the great worke of Redemption wrought by Christ Secondly the donation of God the Father whereby he offereth and giueth Christ vnto vs to bee our Sauiour and vs vnto Christ to be saued and redeemed by him Thirdly incision into Christ and vnion with him he becomming our Head and wee his members the bond whereof on his part is his holy Spirit and on our part a true and liuely faith All which affoord vnto vs strong motiues to perswade vs vnto all duties of a godly life For first what an incomparable benefit is this that the Lord passing by innumerable others who either neuer heard the sound of the Gospell or hearing haue made no benefit by it wanting the inward assistance of his holy Spirit hee should both grant vnto vs this light and also open our eyes that we should behold it and that he should hereby chuse and call vs out of the corrupt masse of mankinde which stil lyeth dead in sinne and make vs true members of his Church giuing Christ vnto vs and vs vnto Christ and vniting vs vnto him as liuely members of his body that we might be partakers of him and all his benefits And how should this affect our hearts and prouoke vs to make a right vse of such inestimable blessings which is the end why God hath bestowed them For why hath he inlightened our eyes more then others but that by the benefit of this light we should walke in the wayes of holinesse Iob. 12. 35. and righteousnesse and so glorifie him in our saluation Wherefore hath he called and culled vs out of the world but that wee should walke worthy of this high calling and renouncing the world and worldly lusts deuote our selues wholly to his seruice Why hath hee giuen Christ vnto vs and vs vnto Christ but that hee might saue vs from our sinnes not onely in respect of their guilt and punishment but also from their corruption and that he raigning in vs by his grace and holy Spirit might depose sinne and Satan from their regency and suffer them no longer to rule and raigne in our mortall bodies Why hath he vnited vs vnto Christ by his Spirit but that wee should bee led and ruled by it and not by our owne lusts and that we should submit our selues as becommeth members to his gouernment seeing it were a thing monstrous in the body for any inferiour part to rebell against the Head and to withdraw it it selfe from its regiment and iurisdiction and vtterly vnsutable that so holy an Head should haue any members delighting in wickednesse and drawing it as much as they are able into the fellowship and communion 1. Cor. 6. 15. of the same sinnes And that this is the maine end of our calling that we should glorifie God by seruing him in holinesse and righteousnesse it is cleere and euident by the Scriptures For the Apostle telleth vs that God hath not called vs
withhold from them that walke vprightly And the Apostle Peter testifieth that God according to his diuine power hath giuen vnto vs that is all the faithfull who serue him in holinesse and righteousnesse all things that pertaine vnto life and godlinesse through the knowledge of him who hath called vs to glory and vertue whereby are giuen vnto vs exceeding great and precious promises c. Now these blessings and benefits which God hath promised as the gracious rewards of a godly conuersation are either temporall and of this life or eternall and of the life to come Those of this life are either corporall concerning the body and outward estate or spirituall respecting chiefly the good of the soule by inriching it with all sanctifying and sauing graces The benefits of the former kinde are promised to all those who serue the Lord and carefully obserue all his Commandements although not absolutely but conditionally so farre foorth as the corporall blessings will best stand with Gods glory and our spirituall and eternall good Thus the Lord promiseth in the Law that hee will giue vnto those who obserue and keepe it all the Deut. 28. blessings of this life respecting either their persons or states As that hee will blesse them in themselues and also in their children and posterity Leuit. 26. that he will giue them health of body and a long life and good dayes Psal 34. 12. prosperity and plenty of all good things strength of body and gifts of the minde as wisedome fortitude and the rest that he will blesse them in the field and in the house at home in the city and abroad by giuing them victory ouer all their enemies and causing them to be had in honour and high esteeme amongst all the nations which dwelt about them All which his gifts are vnto those that feare God double blessings because he not onely giueth the things themselues but also the right vse of them whereby they become truely profitable Secondly because he maketh his gifts sufficient in what proportion soeuer they are for their preseruation and comfort and by giuing contentment with them causeth them to satisfie their desires whereas worldly men are insatiable like the graue and hell which neuer say Enough Thirdly because hee doth measure out vnto them such a proportion of worldly blessings as is most fit for their spirituall estate that they may bee more mindfull of him and haue their faith hope affiance humility and other sauing graces exercised and increased and doth not suffer them to abound in such superfluous excesse as would bee rather an heauy burthen vnto them then a benefit a meanes to quench his graces in them and to distract them in all religious duties a snare to intangle them in worldly cares and to withdraw their hearts from him and to fasten them vpon the world an occasion to make them forget him and like pampered horses to kicke against him that feedeth them to weaken their affiance and to make them trust in themselues and their owne prouisions to puffe them vp in pride towards him and insolencie towards their neighbours as though they excelled them as much in true worth as they exceed them in worldly wealth The which is a singular benefit to the faithfull that seeing they cannot through naturall corruption measure their appetite the Lord like a carefull and skilfull Physician should stint and diet them letting them haue so much not as they desire but as they are well able to disgest seeing a greater quantity would but surcharge their stomakes and cause a surfet turning all the superfluity into crudities and the hurtfull humours of vice and sinne as pride couetousnesse loue of the world and such like which would much hazzard and impaire their spirituall health And thus the Lord promiseth corporall blessings vnto them that serue him not simply and absolutely but so as they may be truly beneficiall not because he would haue them so mercenary as to serue him chiefly for worldly wages as the deuill charged Iob for hee respecteth onely that filiall obedience which ariseth out of a Iob 1. 9. liuely faith and vnfained loue but seeing we are so sensuall that we haue things present in great esteeme and neglect future blessings much more precious and permanent therefore the Lord graciously condescending vnto our weakenesse and infirmities doth also promise and giue vnto vs corporall benefits as it were temporary wages that receiuing besides our future hopes this present pay we might the rather be incouraged to performe vnto him diligent seruice Thus the Lord perswadeth vs not to forget his Law but to apply our hearts to keepe his Commandements because Pro. 3. 2. length of dayes long life and peace they shall adde vnto vs. Thus wisedome mooueth all to imbrace her not onely for her spirituall excellencies but Pro. 8. 18. also because riches and honour are with her and those which seldome meete Iob 22. 24 25. durable riches and righteousnesse vnlesse these promises are rather to bee taken in a spirituall sense And our Sauiour Christ perswadeth vs to forsake the world and our selues by this argument because no man that leaueth Mar. 10. 29 30. house or brethren or sisters c. for his sake and the Gospels but they shall receiue an hundred fold now in this time houses and brethren and sisters c. and in the world to come eternall life The Apostle also vseth this reason to perswade vnto Christian beneficence not only because they should reape a plentifull haruest of their seed so sowne in heauen but also because God 2. Cor. 9. 6 8. was able to returne vnto them such sufficient plenty of temporall blessings that they might still abound vnto euery good worke So that Gods earthly and corporall benefits which he hath promised to those that serue him may serue as strong though not the strongest reasons to make vs diligent in all Christian duties For howsoeuer carnall and worldly men are to be condemned who stand most affected to temporary rewards enquiring who will shew them any good and what profit there is in seruing the Almighty Mal. 3. 14. when any man perswadeth them vnto it yet Gods owne children though they are chiefly to regard spirituall grace and heauenly glory may haue in performance of their duty some respect to earthly benefits and incourage themselues in Gods seruice in hope to receiue such a proportion of them as will stand with their spirituall good and eternall saluation to which end God hath promised them §. Sect. 3 That by a godly life Gods sauing graces are much increased in vs. The second sort of the benefits of this life are Gods spirituall graces all which are much increased by a godly life And first heereby our faith is much confirmed and increased by our frequent performing the duties of holinesse and righteousnesse For as often Acts doe confirme and increase an habit and both our bodily strength and all faculties of
should raise it vp at the lâ—st Day It standeth vpon not our resolution or loue towards God but vpon his vnchangeable counsell and decree which shall stand who hath not appoynted 1. Thes 5. 9. vs to wrath but to obtaine saluation by our Lord Iesus Christ and vpon his loue which is immutable and euerlasting for whom he loâ—eth to the end hee Jer. 31. 8. loueth them Not vpon our strength but vpon the power of God who is more mighty to saue then all our enemies to hurt and destroy vs so that Joh. 13. 1. though we be weake and vnable to hold out yet we shall bee established for Rom. 14 4. 2. Tim. 1. 12. God is able to make vs stand and to keepe that which wee haue committed vnto him against that great Day of Christs appearing for he is greater then all and Ioh. 10. 28. none is able to pull vs out of his hand Finally it resteth not vpon the truth of our promises made to God but of his promises made to vs who is a faithfull and true witnesse and all his promises in Christ Yea and Amen For the Apoc. 1. 5. 2. Cor. 1. 20. Lord hath made his couenant with vs and promised that hee will put his Ier. 31. 31. and 33. 33. Esa 59. 21. Ier. 32. 40. Law in our inward parts and write it in our hearts and will be our God and wee shall be his people That he will forgiue our iniquity and remember our sinnes no more that he will put his Spirit vpon vs and that his words which hee hath put into our mouthes shall not depart out of them from henceforth euen for euer and that he will make an euerlasting Couenant with vs and not turne away from vs to doe vs good but will put his feare into our hearts so as we shall not depart from him That though we fall we shall not be cast off because the Lord putteth Psal 37. 24. Psal 112. 6 9. vnder his hand That our righteousnesse shall remaine for euer and that we shall neuer be moued but shall be had in euerlasting remembrance The which Couenant and promises of God are most immutable and vnchangeable For the Mountaines shall depart and the Hils shall be remoued but Gods kindnesse shall not depart from vs neither shall the Couenant of his peace be remoued Esa 54. 10. Yea it is easier for heauen and earth to passe then one tittle of his Word to faile Luk. 16. 17. The which may serue as a forcible argument to perswade vs to serue the Lord in the duties of a godly life seeing when wee are once entred into it we shall be sure to hold out in our Christian course vnto saluation notwithstanding our owne frailty and corruption the many and great difficulties which we find in the way the might malice of all our spiritual enemies for he that hath begun this good worke of grace in vs is able and Phil. 1. 6. willing to perfect it vnto the end The which argument taken from the infallibility of Gods counsell ordaining vs to saluation the Apostle vseth to with-hold vs from all sinne The foundation of God saith he standeth sure 2. Tim. 2. 19. and the Lord knoweth them that are his And let euery one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity Yea that we might the better bee incouraged to forsake all sinne and to serue God in holinesse and righteousnesse he hath not kept this royall and inestimable priuiledge of our perseuerance in grace vnto saluation as a secret to himselfe but hath so plainly reuealed it in his Word that we may take notice and bee assured of it according to that of the Apostle These things haue I written vnto 1. Joh. 5. 13. you who beleeue on the name of the Son of God that ye may know that hee hath eternall life To the end that thereby our hearts may bee replenished with gladnesse and wee incouraged to hold on in our course with ioy seeing though we haue many lets and mighty oppositions in the way yet we are sure that at the last we shall come safely to our iourneys end §. Sect. 4 The great and inestimable priuiledges wherewith God crowneth a godly life in the world to come And these with many other are the rich and royall priuiledges wherewith God in this world doth reward and crowne a godly life which though they be great and inestimable yet are they all little in comparison of that glorious happinesse which God hath reserued for those that loue and serue him in the world to come being all but short preludes to that heauenly harmony and small earnest-pennies and first-fruits of that maine bargaine and plentifull haruest For there we shall both in our soules and bodies be perfectly freed from all miseries and euils both of sinne and punishment and all teares shall be cleane wiped from our eyes and Apoc. 21. 4. there shall be no more death nor sorrow nor crying neither shall there bee any more paine as the holy Ghost speaketh And contrariwise wee shall there in ioy such honours riches and ioyes as neither the tongue can vtter nor the heart conceiue For we shall inherit a Mat. 25. 34. a Kingdome an b and 7. 31. heauenly Kingdome yea the Kingdome c Act. 4. 22. of God which like himselfe because it chiefly consisteth in the fruition of himselfe is most absolute and infinite in all perfection There we shall be crowned with a d Iam. 1 12. Crowne of life an e 1. Cor. 9. 25. vncorruptible Crowne a f 1. Pet. 5. 4. Crowne of glory There wee shall be perpetually feasted at the great feast and g Apoc. 19. 9. marriage Supper of the Kings Sonne where there shall be nothing but mirth and gladnesse plenty without want and fulnesse without satiety There we shall rest from all our labours and sanctifie vnto God a perpetuall Sabbath continually singing praises vnto him who is the Authour and Fountaine of all our happinesse There we shall swimme in a riuer and torrent of pleasure and haue fulnesse of ioy at Gods Psal 36. 8. and 16. 11. 1. Cor. 15. right hand for euermore There we shall haue spirituall bodies that is such as shall be indued with spirituall and excellent qualities as immortality and agility strength and impassibility beauty and comelinesse brightnes and glory There our soules shal be perfectly renewed according to Gods Image being indued with such wisdome and vnderstanding that wee shall know God and his will our selues and all the secrets and mysteries Eph. 5. 27. both of nature and grace and with such complete holinesse and righteousnesse that there shall be neither spot nor wrinkle in them There we shall haue the blessed and glorious societie of all the holy Saints and blessed Angels and perfectly louing them as our selues we shall reioyce in their happinesse as much as in our owne
our selues in vaine by labouring after impossibilities Finally that though wee haue neuer so much grace and be as forward as any in the duties of godlinesse yet we may fall from this state and become as wicked as any other and therefore seeing when we haue done our best in seruing God and haue with much paines stored our selues with all spirituall graces wee may lose all our labour and become notwithstanding all our care and diligence vtter brankrupts in all goodnesse it were our best course to giue ouer this doubtfull paines in the seruice of God and to satisfie our owne lusts with the present fruition of worldly delights Of all which tentations which Satan as impediments casteth in our way to discourage vs in the course of godlinesse I haue largely spoken in the first part of my Christian Warfare and therefore heere thus briefly passe them ouer referring the Christian Reader to that Booke for his more full satisfaction in these points §. Sect. 5 Satans tentations whereby he seeketh to hinder vs from entring into the wayes of godlinesse or from proceeding in them In respect of the godly life it selfe Satan raiseth against vs many lets and impediments either to hinder vs from entring into the course of Christianity or to make vs performe the duties required in it superficially and vnprofitably In respect of the former he vseth many deuices to stop our entrance into the wayes of godlinesse And first he laboureth to keepe our eyes blinded with ignorance that wee may not see the wayes of godlinesse wherein we should walke or if they be discouered by the light of the Gospel shining vnto vs hee will indeuour to keepe vs from seeing the profit and necessity of walking in them The former whereof we may auoyd by remembring and considering that sauing knowledge is one of the chiefe grounds of a godly life without which it is no more possible that we should performe the duties of Christianity then to walke in difficult wayes hauing no eyes to guide vs nor light to direct vs in them And therefore we must not content our selues with our good meaning and ignorant deuotion which can bring foorth no better fruits then blind superstition and will-worship which are odious vnto God but vse all good meanes whereby our minds may be inlightened with the sauing knowledge of Gods truth and carefully inquire after the good and old Ier. 6. 16. wayes as the Prophet speaketh that wee may walke therein and finde rest to our soules And for the auoyding of the other wee must know and remember that nothing in the world is so profitable and necessary as to walk in the wayes of godlinesse after that by the light of truth they are discouered vnto vs seeing this alone though all worldly things bee wanting will make vs happy and blessed in this life and the life to come Luk. 10. 42. whereas if we haue all other things and want this wee shall be wretched and miserable Secondly Satan laboureth to hinder vs from entring into the wayes of Christianity by alluring vs to continue in our sinful courses with the baites of worldly vanities and by causing vs to content our selues with the present possession of these earthly trifles hee maketh vs to neglect our heauenly hopes which are infinitely more excellent and permanent For the escaping of which snare wee must labour to contemne these inticing baites by considering that these worldly things are in respect of spirituall grace and heauenly glory vaine and vnprofitable vncertaine mutable and momentany as elsewhere I haue plainely shewed Christ Warf 2. part Thirdly he hindreth vs frō all duties of godlinesse by the deceitfulnesse of sin which he secretly windeth into our hearts by degrees till by many acts of wickednesse he hath brought vs vnto a custome which is like another nature and hath in it the commanding force of an vnresistable Law Which hindrance if we would auoyd we must watch ouer our selues that our hearts be not hardned through the deceitfulnesse of sinne to which purpose Heb. 3. 13. we must shunne the first occasions withstand the first motions of it and plucke vp these cursed plants before they be thorowly rooted or if wee haue already loaded our consciences with these dead workes our second care must bee to breake off our sinnes by vnfained repentance offering heerein to our corrupt nature an holy violence and as the Apostle speaketh We must lay aside euery waight and the sinne that doth so easily beset Heb. 12. 1. vs clinging as it were about our neckes to hold vs backe that wee may so runne with patience vnto the Race which is set before vs making voyd by degrees the strong custome of sinne by the acts of piety and righteousnesse vntill wee haue confirmed in vs the contrary custome of godlinesse and new obedience Finally Satan laboureth to hinder vs from entring into the course of Christianity by perswading vs to make delayes and when he cannot any longer make vs beleeue that it is needlesse or of small waight but that seeing the profit and necessity of it wee doe resolue to leaue our former sinfull liues and to betake our selues vnto Gods seruice he will perswade vs to deferre it for a time as a thing vnpleasing to our corrupt nature and vnprofitable to our worldly ends vntill we may finde some fitter opportunity and haue better settled our earthly businesse The which impediment I shal haue fitter occasion to remoue in the following Discourse Onely let vs here remember that if we will be aduised by our Sauiours wise counsell We must first seeke the Kingdome of God and his righteousnesse Math. 6. 33. which being a matter of greatest waight and in comparison onely necessary we must not put it off till after-times which are vncertaine but secure our selues of it whilest the day of saluation lasteth And these are the common impediments which Satan casteth into our way that he may stop vs from entring into the wayes of godlinesse with which if he cannot so farre preuaile as to make vs neglect all holy duties altogether hee will in the next place indeuour to make them vnprofitable for our saluation To which purpose amongst many other lets he chiefly and most vsually vseth these two The first is to keepe vs from feeling in them any power of godlinesse for the bettering of our spirituall estate by causing vs to performe these duties in a cold and formall manner more for custome then conscience sake The other is to make vs fickle and vnconstant in them performing them by fits and flashes when we haue least to doe and haue some spare time from our worldly imployments The former whereof wee may auoyd by setting our selues about the duties of Christianity as our mayne businesse with all resolute diligence and zealous deuotion knowing that it is impossible to trauaile in this way so full of difficulties and dangers without serious indeuour or to performe duties of so high a nature
Stewards of his family who must haue in Matth. 13. 52. store both new and old that they may giue a fit portion to all their fellow seruants They are Gods Ambassadours vnto the people 2. Cor. 5. 20 21. who represent his owne person and deliuer vnto them the glad tydings of the Gospell wherein God offereth vnto them peace and reconciliation and therefore being so highly honoured they must not be slacke in doing their message Finally they are their spirituall Fathers 1. Cor. 4. 15. ordained of God as his instruments to beget them vnto himselfe by the immortall seed of the Word which if they neglect the people through their default remaine the children of wrath and dead in their sinnes Secondly let them remember that heauy woe and dreadfull curse denounced against those who preach not the Gospell 1. Cor. 9. 16. or doe the worke of the Lord negligently Thirdly let them haue Ier. 48. 10. in minde that fearefull account which those haue to make at the day of Iudgement that through their sloth worldlinesse or vnconscionable kinde of preaching are found guilty of destroying the soules which were committed to their charge Fourthly let them be incouraged to the diligent performance of their dutie by that inward peace of conscience and vnspeakable ioy and comfort which all Gods faithfull Ministers finde and feele in their owne hearts and consciences when as by their Ministery they see God glorified in the saluation of his people committed to their charge Finally let them incourage themselues in their painfull labours by calling to minde that vnspeakeable recompence of reward promised to all those who conuert others vnto righteousnesse seeing they shall shine as starres of Dan. 12. 3. the firmament in the glory of Gods Kingdome §. Sect. 4 Of other meanes respecting the people Secondly the people for their part are to vse all good helpes and meanes for the remouing of this impediment And first their care must be to place themselues vnder sufficient godly and faithfull Ministers who will carefully and conscionably breake vnto them the bread of life And if in the dayes of their ignorance they haue seated themselues vnder blinde guides ignorant insufficient Ministers or if such be imposed vpon them against their wils in those places where their lands and liuings trades and meanes doe lie they must not onely sigh and mourne vnder this burthen but also vse all lawfull meanes to be freed from it as soone as they can either by procuring some better meanes by their care and charge or by remouing their habitation though with some worldly inconuenience vnto some other place Esteeming this one thing necessary to enioy the meanes of their saluation and with the wise Merchant purchasing this pearle Matth. 13. 45. and treasure at the highest rate rather then be without it For if wee would be hired with no worldly gaine to liue in such places as affoord no food for the nourishment of our bodies let vs be no lesse wise and carefull for our precious soules and not hazard them to death and destruction by continuing in those places for our worldly aduantage where there is a continuall famine of the Word but rather then want it wee must wander from sea to sea and from the North to the East that Amos 8. 11 12. we may seeke and finde it But if the Ministers vnder whom God hath placed vs haue sufficiencie of gifts and yet through sloth and negligence worldlinesse or want of care and good conscience neglect their dutie we are not so easily to abandon them before wee haue vsed all good meanes whereby they may be made more painefull and diligent And first wee must labour with God by our feruent prayers that he will sanctifie their gifts and giue vnto them such faithfull and honest hearts as that they may more conscionably set themselues to seeke Gods glory in the saluation of the people committed to their charge and so imploy their talents which they haue receiued as that they may be able to make a cheerefull account when as they shall be called to giue vp their reckoning For if those which are most faithfull and diligent in discharge of their dutie need these helpes which made the Apostle so often to desire the prayers of the people how much more doe they need them who haue so many defects in the worke of their Ministery Secondly we must indeuour to draw them on to more diligence by our good counsels and admonitions in the Spirit of loue and meekenes without all spleene and bitternes or any disgrace offred to their persons Thirdly we must labour to win and encourage them not onely by auoyding causelesse wranglings and contentions but also by paying vnto them iustly and honestly their full due which Matth. 10. 10. by the Lawes of God and men belong vnto them and not take occasion vpon the neglect of their dutie to neglect ours Yea rather with open hearts and hands wee must carry our selues liberally towards Gal. 6. 10. 1. Cor 9. 7. Heb. 13. 5. 1. Tim. 5. 17. them according to our ability that gayning their loue they may become more carefull to seeke our spirituall good communicating vnto vs their ministeriall gifts when they see vs willing to communicate vnto them our corporall blessings Fourthly we must not vilifie and contemne their Ministery though there be therein some wants and imperfections nor runne from them to others who in our iudgement doe exceed them but beare with their infirmities and doe our best to reforme and amend them Finally when they preach vnto vs we are to heare them with all diligence and reuerence whereby we shall make them more carefull to deliuer things worth our hearing and more ready to take greater paines when they see them so much regarded For as the sucking of the childe draweth downe the mothers milke and causeth it to come in greater plenty whereas if the brest be not drawne all the milke is soone dryed vp so is it in this case betweene the Minister and the people By all which and the like meanes if wee preuaile nothing wee are if possibly wee can to remooue our selues from vnder their charge seeing it is not much materiall vnto vs whether they cannot or will not teach vs the way of saluation and no lesse necessitie lyeth vpon vs of hearing then vpon them of preaching the Gospell nor a lesse woe if through our owne negligence wee heare it not §. Sect. 5 Of the impediment of a godly life arising from the euill liues of some Ministers The last publique impediment respecting the Ministery is the euill liues of many who take vpon them to perswade others to the practice of Christian duties For ordinarily the people imagine that they goe fast enough in the waies of godlinesse if they keepe full pace with those which are their Teachers And though they heare them often in the Pulpit vse many arguments to draw them on to more
away both these causes and effects of it And first wee must rowze vp our spirits and stirre vp Gods graces in 2. Tim. 1. 6. vs as the Apostle exhorteth that wee may not bee weary of well-doing by 2. Thes 3. 13. considering the waight and worth the profit and necessity of Christian and religious duties in comparison whereof all worldly things ought to be neglected as vaine and of no value Let vs remember that all the promises of grace life and saluation shall be assured vnto vs if we faint not whereas we shall haue no part or interest in them though we haue made neuer so good beginnings or proceedings if we doe not still goe forward and hold out vnto the end For if we indure Matth. 24. 13. to the end we shall be saued if we fight vnto the death we shall receiue the Crowne Apoc. 2. 10. of Life But if wee lay our hand vpon the Plough and looke backe we shall Luk. 9. 62. not be though worthy of the Kingdome of heauen Finally let vs dayly renue the meanes of Spirituall life and strength that so they also may be renued and repayred as hearing reading meditation prayer watchfulnesse holy conferences and the rest without which the soule will grow faint and languish like the body which is depriued of corporall food but especially when we feele our faintnesse and languishing wearinesse let vs vnite all the powers of our soules in prayer vnto Almighty God desiring him by the inward operation of his holy Spirit to quicken our deadnesse and strengthen our weakenesse that we may not waxe wearie of well doing but continue constant vnto the end Now concerning the effects of this slothfull wearinesse which are also great impediments to a godly life as hindring vs from entring into it or proceeding in it inconstancie and vnsettlednesse in performing Christian duties and want of feruencie in our loue and zeale in doing of them I shall not neede to adde any thing here for the remoouing of them seeing I haue spoken before of perseuerance and constancie in the dayly performance of all Christian duties and of that feruour of loue and zeale which ought to be vsed in doing of them And therefore thus much shall suffice to haue spoken of those impediments which arise from the flesh and corruption of our nature and also of the helpes and meanes whereby wee may remoue them CAP. XIII Obiections against a godly life made by the flesh answered and first such as pretend impossibility and difficulty §. Sect. 1 That a godly life is possible vnto vs. BVt the flesh doth not onely hinder vs in the duties of a godly life by those reall impediments which it casteth in our way of which I haue before spoken but also by suggesting into our mindes many strong obiections which tend to this maine end that wee may be discouraged from entring into the course of Christianity And first the flesh is ready to obiect that in this state of frailty and corruption it is vtterly impossible to lead a godly life in that manner as it hath beene before described For who can bring that which is cleane out of that which Iob 14. 4. is vncleane Who can leade such a life as is pleasing and acceptable vnto God whose pure eyes can indure nothing which is impure and imperfect seeing the Prophet telleth vs that our best righteousnesse is as Esay 64. 6. a polluted cloth and the Apostle who so farre exceeded vs that now liue in piety and righteousnesse notwithstanding complayneth that he could not doe the good he would but contrariwise did the euill he would Rom. 7. 15. not And therefore it is in vaine to wearie our selues about impossibilities and so to lose both the pleasures of this life and that which is to come And thus the flesh perswadeth vs to play the bankerupts and to resolue that because we cannot pay all our whole debt that therefore wee will pay nothing at all To which I answere with our Sauiour Christ that those things which are impossible to vs are both possible and easie vnto God who hath promised to assist vs if we desire and indeuour to serue and please him Secondly I answere that though nothing will please God but that which is pure and perfect all our best actions are full of corruption imperfection yet this need not to discourage vs from doing the best we can seeing Christ who hath perfitly fulfilled the Law for vs couereth our imperfections with his most perfect righteousnes washeth away our corruptions in his most precious blood so that we may doe the best we can then what is wanting on our part shal be supplied on his For what the Law could not doe in Rom. 8. 3. that it was weake through the flesh God sending his owne Son in the likenes of sinfull flesh and for sin condemned sinne in the flesh that the righteousnes of the Law might be fulfilled in vs who walke not after the flesh but after the Spirit as the Apostle speaketh Thirdly though that perfect obedience which the Law requireth be impossible vnto vs in respect of our frailty corruption yet that Euangelical obedience required in the couenant of grace namely that beleeuing in Christ we desire resolue indeuor to please God in al things is not so Though we haue no ability to performe seruice vnto God in that exact perfection which the Law requireth yet if we doe that which we are able in sincerity truth with vpright hearts good cōsciences we shal through Christ be accepted of God For he reiecteth not the least indeuours of his faithfull seruants who desire Nehem. 1. 11. to feare his name He will not breake the bruised reed nor quench the smoking Matth. 12. 20. flax till he bring forth iudgement vnto victory He spareth vs as a father spareth Mal. 3. 17. his sonne that serueth him and if we haue a willing mind we shal be accepted according 2. Cor. 8. 12. to that we haue and not according to that we haue not He pittieth our frailties and infirmities like as a father pittieth his children that feare him Psal 103. 13 14. out of this pitty pardoneth them For he knoweth our frame remembreth that we are but dust And though he hath most pure eyes which can indure no pollution yet he beholdeth not iniquity in Iacob neither doth he see Num. 23. 21. peruersnes in Israel Nor is he any accepter of persons but in euery nation he that Act. 10. 35. feareth him worketh righteousnes not according to the rigor of the law from which Christ hath freed vs but in the truth and vprightnes of his heart is accepted of him And thus was Dauid accepted as a man according to Gods own heart because he applied himselfe to obserue his precepts alwaies Psal 119. 112. to the end notwithstanding his grieuous sins and fearefull fals
calleth it a talent of leade For experience will teach vs that the soule is oppressed Zach. 5. 7. with no heauier burthen then the conscience of an ill spent life and the remembrance of our sinnes euen as contrariwise nothing more exalteth and cheereth the mind then the possession of iustice and vertue Yea that Euangelicall obedience which Christ here calleth his yoke and burthen is not onely light and easie but also commodious and exceeding profitable Which made Dauid out of good experience to professe that the Law of Gods mouth was better vnto him then thousands of gold and siluer Psal 119. 72 127 Psal 19. 10. Pro. 8. 11 18 19 and that it was more to be desired then gold yea then much fine gold And Salomon likewise affirmeth that wisedome that is the sauing knowledge and practice of true godlinesse is better then Rubies and all things that may bee desired are not to be compared vnto it that riches and honour are with it yea durable riches and righteousnesse and that the fruit thereof is better then gold yea then fine gold and its reuenew then choyce siluer Yea the duties of a godly life are not onely easie and profitable but also sweet and pleasant In which respect Dauid saith that Gods Commandements were sweeter to his Psal 19. 9. Psal 119. 103 111. Vers 14. Prou. 2. 10. and 3. 17. Ioh. 4. 34. mouth then the honey and the honey combe that they were the reioycing of his heart and that he reioyced in Gods testimonies aboue all riches So Salomon saith that wisedome is pleasant vnto the soule and that her wayes are wayes of pleasantnesse and her paths are peace And our Sauiour Christ found so much pleasure and comfort in doing his Fathers will that he neglected his food euen when he was hungry in comparison of it Now if the way of Gods Commandements was esteemed of the Saints so easie profitable and pleasant in the time of the Law how much more haue wee cause so to iudge of it in the time of the Gospell seeing God hath reuealed his will much more cleerly and affoorded vs farre greater helpes and incouraged vs to serue him with much sweeter and more gracious promises not now vailed with types and shadowes but cleerly expressed to the vnderstanding of the most simple and certainly assured vnto vs by the seales the Sacraments to take away from vs all doubting and wauering By all which and many other meanes our Sauiour Christ as it was prophecied of him maketh all crooked wayes straight and all rough places plaine that all Esa 40. 4. difficulties being taken away and remoued we may trauell in the wayes of godlinesse with much ease and comfort ioy and delight But aboue all other incouragements against all pretended difficulties this is one of the greatest in that the Lord in the time of the Gospell doth not exact of vs the rigorous and strict performances of seruants who must not haue their wages vnlesse they doe the will of their Lord in that manner and measure as he requireth but the duty and obedience of sonnes passing by Mal. 3. 17. 2. Cor. 8. 12. our infirmities and accepting the will for the deed the purpose and indeuour for the act and performance And that there may be no manner of discouragement hath also promised to assist vs with his grace and holy Spirit that we may be the better inabled to doe that which he requireth so as we may say with the Apostle I am able to doe all things through the Phil. 4. 13. power of Christ which strengtheneth me CAP. XIIII That a godly life is not tedious and troublesome to the regenerate man but easie and familiar §. Sect. 1 That the regenerate haue a new nature vnto which a godly life is easie and pleasant ANd thus it appeareth that the godly life is easie and pleasant in it selfe and it owne nature Now if wee can further prooue that it is also vnto vs nothing hard or impossible tedious or troublesome but contrariwise easie and familiar then the obiection of difficulties being sufficiently answered and remoued need not to be any impediment to hinder vs from entring into the wayes of godlinesse To which purpose we are first to know that howsoeuer the leading of a godly life be as hard and difficult as grieuous and euen vnpossible for a naturall man as for Lead to swimme or for the earth to leaue its center and to mount vp vnto the skies yet vnto those who are regenerate it is not so seeing their corrupt nature is changed and sanctified and they haue a new nature wrought in them vnto which a godly life is easie and familiar by reason of that similitude which is betweene them And thus the Lord when hee would haue his people to serue him in the duties of holinesse and righteousnesse doth promise to worke this change in them And the Lord thy God will circumcize thine Deut. 30. 6 11 14. heart and the heart of thy seed to loue the Lord thy God with all thine heart and all thy soule c. For this commandement which I command thee is not hidden from thee neither is it farre off c. But the Word is very nigh vnto thee in thy mouth and in thine heart that thou maist doe it And againe I will giue Ezek. 11. 19 20 and 36. 26 27. them one heart and I will put a new spirit within you and I will take the stony heart out of their flesh and I will giue them an heart of flesh that they may walke in my statutes and keepe my ordinances and doe them So in the new couenant of grace the Lord promiseth that he would write his Law not in Tables Jer. 31. 33. of stone but in the fleshie tables of their hearts and put it into their inward parts thereby inabling them to yeeld vnto it cheerfull obedience seeing they haue an internall cause of this spirituall motion in themselues euen an heart sanctified and replenished with the loue and feare of God which maketh them to desire aboue all things to serue and please him In respect of which change so farre forth as they are changed and regenerate it is no more tedious and wearisome vnto them to performe the duties of a godly life then for the liuing fountaine to spring or the riuer to flow or for grosse vapours and slimie exhalations to mount aloft into the middle and highest region of the aire when as they are rarified by the Sunne and haue their nature changed from an earthly grosnesse to an ayery or fiery subtilty and lightnesse although the reliques of sinne and corruption of nature remaining still in the vnregenerate part doe hang vpon vs and pull vs backe hindring vs in our spirituall motion like an exhalation inclosed with the vapours of the middle region so as it cannot mount vp vnto his owne proper place whereof arise some tedious conflicts and sharpe incounters which make the
may be reclaimed from going on still in this erroneous and tedious course and that others may not be discouraged by their example from resoluing to lead a godly life let vs know that there is no ioy comparable vnto that which is or ought to be in Christians that desire to serue and please God in their holy conuersation For if as Bernard hath Oblatus siquidem Isaac sanctificatus est non mactatus Non Isaac sed aries morietur non peribit tibi laetitia sed contumacia c. Bernard sermo de verbis Petri Ecce nos reliquimus omnia excellently obserued wee can be content with Abraham in faith and obedience towards God to offer and sacrifice our Isaac First our laughter and ioy it shall onely be sanctified but not slaughtred and killed Thy Isaac shall not die nor thy mirth perish but the Ram only that is the peruersnesse and prophanenesse of thy pleasure and ioy which endeth alwayes in griefe and anxiety Isaac thy ioy shall not die as thou supposest but shall surely liue onely it shall be lifted aloft vpon the Altar and vpon the wood that thy ioy may be holy and heauenly sublime and lofty not in the flesh and things beneath but in spirituall things in the crosse of Christ those high and holy priuiledges which we haue through him For howsoeuer Christians in their first conuersion and humiliation chiefely act the part of sorrow heauines in the sight and sense of their manifold and haynous sinnes and shead teares of bitter griefe looking vpon him whom they haue pierced yet being Zach. 12. 10. Rom. 5. 1 3. iustified by faith hauing peace with God in assurance of his mercy and remission of their sins they triumph with ioy euen in their afflictions and tribulations and though they sow in teares yet they reape in ioy though they haue a dropping and sorrowfull seed-time yet their haruest which yeeldeth vnto them a fruitfull crop of sauing graces which yet are but the first fruits of their succeeding ioy and heauenly happines is full of mirth gladnes So that with Dauid they reioyce Psal 4. 7. more in the bright beames of Gods gracious countenance shining vpon them then worldlings doe or can doe when their corne and wine is increased And though they be in respect of their afflicted estate As sorrowfull yet they are alwaies reioycing as the Apostle speaketh because 2. Cor. 6. 10. they know that all things euen crosses and calamities themselues worke together for their good The which will more manifestly appeare if we a little further consider the testimonies and examples of holy Scripture For the Psalmist telleth vs that the voyce of reioycing and Psal 118. 15. saluation is in the Tabernacles of the righteous And Salomon speaking of Wisdome which consisteth in the sauing knowledge of God and his truth and the practice of it in all holy and religious duties saith that her wayes are wayes of pleasantnesse and all her paths are peace So Dauid saith Pro. 3. 17. of the Church and children of God the liuely members of it That Psal 36. 8. they should be abundantly satisfied with the fatnesse of his house and that he would make them drinke of the riuers of his pleasure Our Sauiour also promiseth vnto the Disciples and in them to all the faithfull that he Iob. 16. 22. would giue them such a permanent ioy as no man should be able to take it from them And finally the Apostle setteth it downe not as a common gift but as a speciall fruit of the Spirit not drooping sorrow and disconsolate heauinesse but ioy and peace And this also appeareth Gal. 5. 22. by the examples of the holy men of God recorded in the Scriptures Thus Dauid saith My soule shall bee ioyfull in the Lord it shall reioyce Psal 35. 9. in his saluation Neither did he onely thus reioyce in the testimonies of Gods fauour and conquest of his enemies but also in his obedience and keeping of Gods Law I haue reioyced in the way of thy Psal 119. 14 16. testimonies as much as in all riches I will delight my selfe in thy Statutes I will not forget thy Word And againe I delight to doe thy will O my God Psal 40. 8. yea thy Law is within mine heart Thus the Apostles reioyced euen in Act. 5. 41. their persecutions because they were thought worthy to suffer for Christs sake and Paul and Silas when as their backes were torne Act. 16. with sore stripes and their feete locked in the Stockes Thus the Apostle found matter enough to glorie in through Iesus Christ in things Rom. 15. 17. pertayning to God And tasted such vnspeakeable ioy in the knowledge of Christ and him crucified that he disclaymeth all other Gal. 6. 14. ioy And else-where he professeth that he had no scant measure of this sweet delight but that he was filled with comfort and was exceeding 2. Cor. 7. 4. ioyfull euen in all his tribulations Neither is this ioy whereof I speake in which the Christian exceedeth all other men sensuall and carnall in the pleasures of sinne and the fruition of earthly vanities not in rioting and reuelling in swilling and drinking dicing and carding vaine dalliance and good fellowship chambring and wantonnesse for such Eccles 2 1 2. pleasure he accounteth vanity and such mirth madnesse and chuseth rather to goe into the house of mourning then into the house of such feasting reioycing because such ioy laughter is but short and momentany like the crackling of thornes vnder a pot and alwaies endeth in Eccles 7. 2 6. sorrow and anxiety It is not in mad mirth and in sinfull and vnlawfull delights for Christian charity reioyceth not in iniquity but reioyceth in the 1. Cor. 13. 6. truth and this ioy is alwayes ioyned with righteousnes and the peace of a Rom. 14. 17. good conscience in which the Kingdome of God consisteth For being subiects of Christs Kingdome such as it is such also is their ioy but his Kingdome is not of this world but spirituall heauenly and therefore their ioy and reioycing is likewise of the same nature And howsoeuer Gods children may and ought to reioyce euen in his temporary blessings as they are testimonies of their heauenly Fathers loue and also in honest sports and recreations of which I haue before spoken wherby they are fitted for higher duties as musicke shooting hunting hawking and such like those cautions before set downe being duely obserued yea howsoeuer in these respects they haue greater more iust cause of ioy and reioycing then any worldling because these are but vsurpers who haue a fearefull account to make of their intrusion whereas the other haue their right restored vnto them by Iesus Christ yet these are not the chiefe ioyes which they rest vpon as being in cōparison dull and heartlesse cold and comfortlesse only they vse them for the
thy seruice and thy fatherly corrections more fearefull to displease thee Remooue all impediments of thy glory and aduance the meanes whereby it is aduanced Aduance thy Kingdome vniuersally ouer all rule ouer thine enemies and subiect all things vnto thy gouernment that nothing may resist thy power Rule ouer thine owne seruants and Church after a speciall maner in protecting and preseruing them and let them like dutifull subiects yeeld obedience vnto thee their Soueraigne in all things Make vs in this life true members of the Kingdome of grace that afterwards we may be triumphant members of the Kingdome of glory Rule in our hearts effectually by thy Word and Spirit worke in vs thine owne good worke of grace make vs Citizens of the Saints and meete to be partakers of thy Kingdome of glory Pull vs more and more out of the kingdome of Satan in which we naturally are subiects and let him no longer raigne and rule in our hearts and minds to our perdition Let vs no longer be ruled by the lawlesse law of sinne neither let it raigne in our mortall bodies by making our members the instruments of it but be thou our King and rule in our hearts by thy Word and Spirit Erect the Kingdome of grace where it is not yet begun continue and increase it amongst vs where it is established blesse the meanes wherby it is furthered and remoue the impediments which hinder it Free vs from the remnants of the kingdome of darkenesse from our sinnes and corruptions lusts and concupiscences Let vs not yeeld to the tentations of Satan the world and our owne flesh but giue vs victory ouer them Let vs first seeke thy Kingdome and righteousnesse and let vs indeuour to be members of the Kingdome of grace that afterwards we may be members of the Kingdome of glory Let thy Kingdome of glory also come hasten the comming of Christ to Iudgement to this end accomplish the number of thine Elect and subdue thine enemies vnder thy feet Let vs so liue alwayes as if we were ready to meete Iesus Christ and let vs labour to be euer such as we desire to appeare before his Iudgement seate that so when he commeth we may not depart from him ashamed Let it appeare O Lord that thou raignest in our hearts by our humble subiection and submission in all things vnto thy most holy will let vs see and bewaile our imperfect obedience and daily labour after more perfection Giue vs grace to deny our selues and our owne wills and affections which are opposite to thy will and let vs labour to performe absolute obedience vnto thee in all things Arme vs with patience in all our afflictions that we may say with Christ Not my will O Father but thine be done Let vs seriously desire that thy will may bee done concerning vs and let vs not grieue when we see it done because it crosseth our wills Let vs not content our selues with a bare outward obedience but let vs doe thy will after a spirituall manner as the Angels doe it in heauen with sincerity and vprightnesse of heart with alacrity and cheerfulnesse with readinesse and speed without delay Let vs doe thy will fully and not by halues constantly and not by fits faithfully and humbly not assuming any glory to our selues but yeelding it wholly vnto thee Let all our suites which concerne our selues bee referred to thy glory as their maine end Giue vs temporall benefits so farre foorth as they serue for thy glory and our spirituall good Teach vs to moderate our desires and not to couet after superfluities seeing thou hast taught vs to aske for bread and not for dainties Let vs be contented with our allowance if we haue but necessaries as food and raiment yea bread to sustaine our liues and if thou giuest vs more make vs thankfull vnto thee for it Let vs haue a true desire and care to get our goods by good and lawfull meanes that wee may be assured that we eate our owne bread and that it is giuen vs of thee Let vs walke diligently in our lawfull callings that wee may eate the labours of our own hands and working with quietnesse that which is good let vs eate our owne bread Let vs not set our hearts and desires vpon the things of this life nor couet other mens goods but be contented with our owne portion which in thy wise prouidence thou hast allotted vnto vs. Let vs haue a moderate care to prouide that which is conuenient that we may not be burthensome but rather helpefull vnto others and let vs neither be carelesse and negligent nor turmoile our selues with carking care to hoord vp for many yeeres Let vs depend vpon thy blessing in the vse of good meanes for the obtaining of our desires and expect it vpon the things themselues when we haue obtained them and let vs sanctifie all thy blessings to our vse by the Word Prayer and Thankesgiuing Let vs not trust in our owne prouision but in thee and casting all our care vpon thee let vs in all our wants flie vnto thee for supply Giue vs things necessarie not onely for our nature but also for our states and callings places and persons Giue vs with thy blessings their right vse and giue them vertue and strength to sustaine and nourish vs. Let vs when wee want these blessings begge them from thee and when wee haue receiued them returne thee thankes Inflame our hearts with loue towards our brethren and let vs not through couetousnesse and selfe-loue seeke onely our owne good but let vs seeke the common good of our brethren and pray for it as well as for our owne Let vs know and acknowledge our frailty and mortality who neede to be dayly sustained by thee and let this make vs like children to resort dayly vnto thee our heauenly Father crauing from thee all things needfull Let vs not be distrustfully carefull for the time to come but euer depend vpon thy Fatherly prouidence being assured that thou who hast prouided for vs to day wilt prouide for vs to morrow Let vs lay vp goods to good ends not onely that we may haue to supply our wants and to prouide for our families but also to releeue the necessities of others Let vs not be so addicted to the commodities of this life but that withall wee doe most principally labour for Spirituall graces and things pertayning to a better life Let vs as much desire to be freed from the corruption of sinne as the guilt and punishment and as wee craue the forgiuenesse of our sinnes so let vs earnestly labour to forsake them Remit and pardon all our sinnes and to this end giue vs a liuely Faith to apply Christ for our iustification Let vs pray for remission not onely with feruencie but also with Faith stedfastly beleeuing that thou wilt pardon them and seale this assurance in our hearts by thy good Spirit Let vs see our sinnes and heartily bewayle them and be truely
my life that therein I may doe thee seruice and vse all good meanes for the furthering and assuring of my saluation O Lord giue mee a true sense and feeling of thy loue that I may loue thee againe and a liuely apprehension and taste of thy rich mercy and goodnesse that mine heart and voyce may returne vnto thee the praises that are due Yea so much the more O Lord increase my thankfulnesse by how much the lesse worthy I am of the least of thy mercies by reason of my manifold and grieuous sinnes For I confesse vnfainedly that miserable estate in which I am by nature both in respect of my originall corruption in which I was conceiued and borne whereby all the powers and faculties of my body and soule haue beene wholly defiled and vtterly disabled vnto all duties of thy seruice for which I was created and that I haue made my selfe much more miserable by adding heereunto actuall transgressions whereby I haue broken all and euery of thy Commandements in thought word and deed both by omitting the duties which thou hast commanded and committing the contrary vices and sinnes which thou hast forbidden the which as they are for the quality of them haynous so doe they in number exceed the haires of mine head and the starres of heauen Yea Lord I haue not onely thus sinned against thee in the dayes of my ignorance when as I neither had any knowledge of thee and of thy will nor so much as any desire to serue and please thee but euen since the time that thou hast called mee to the knowledge of thy Truth and by the good motions of thy Spirit hast perswaded mee to imbrace professe and practise it since thou hast allured mee by thy gracious promises to serue thee and hast incouraged mee heereunto by innumerable blessings and large testimonies of thy fauour I haue often sinned against thee through frailty and infirmity and not seldome against my knowledge and conscience Oftentimes I haue neglected thy seruice to serue in the meane while mine owne sinfull lusts and when I haue vndertaken it I haue performed it oftentimes after a cold and formall manner with much weakenesse and wearinesse vnchearefulnesse and deadnesse of heart and spirit By all which my sinnes thus multiplyed against thee I haue iustly deserued to bee depriued of all thy blessings and benefits and to bee ouerwhelmed with all those fearefull punishments threatned in the Law respecting both this life and the life to come O Lord my God affect my heart with vnfained sorrow in the sight and sense of this my sinne and misery And as it is a burthen too heauy for mee to beare so let mee haue such a feeling of it that I may hunger after the righteousnesse of Iesus Christ and apply it vnto mee by a liuely faith and so make good the Couenant of grace which thou hast made with mee one speciall branch whereof is this that thou wilt remember my sinnes no more I confesse that I haue offended thy Iustice but my Sauiour Christ hath satisfied it by paying my debt to the vttermost farthing accept therefore of his satisfaction and impute not vnto mee that debt which hee hath discharged I haue deserued eternall death and condemnation but hee was condemned that I might bee acquitted and hath suffered the bitter death of the Crosse and thine anger due vnto my sinnes that I might bee freed from death and thy displeasure and therefore O Lord I beseech thee for his sake to take away the guilt and punishment of all my sinnes that they may neuer bee imputed vnto mee in this life nor in the life to come And being thus iustified by faith and at peace with thee let mee also obtaine peace of conscience in the assurance of the remission of my sinnes and thy loue and fauour in Iesus Christ Giue vnto mee thine holy Spirit and thereby seale mee vp vnto the day of my Redemption and make mee thine owne Child by adoption and grace Let mee approoue my selfe to bee thy Child by resembling thee my heauenly Father in holinesse and righteousnesse by hating and forsaking all that is euill and by louing and imbracing all that is good Sanctifie mee thorowout in my soule and body and let mee not onely make an holy profession with my mouth but let it proceed from my heart and bee expressed in the whole course of my life Encourage mee in this worke against all difficulties by assuring mee that thou wilt bring it to good effect and let mee apply vnto my selfe thy gracious promises which assure mee as well of my sanctification and victory ouer my corruptions as of my iustification and freedome from the guilt and punishment of my sinnes Let mee set continually before mee thy Law as the rule of my life and labour to conforme my obedience in all things thereunto denying vngodlinesse and all worldly lusts and liuing holily and religiously in respect of thee righteously and charitably in respect of my neighbours and temperately and soberly in respect of mine owne person Let mee labour to obserue thy whole Law in forsaking all sinne especially that which is most sweet and pleasing to my corrupt flesh and in imbracing all vertues and Christian duties which thou hast commanded especially those vnto which my nature is most auerse Let mee not content my selfe with such an hypocriticall holinesse as is destitute of righteousnesse nor with such a meerely morall righteousnesse as is without holinesse but let mee approoue my piety to bee sincere by my iustice charity and mercy and let these bee sanctified by my true godlinesse and religious deuotion Let mee not stand at a stay contenting my selfe with that small measure of sanctification which is begunne in me but let mee daily striue in the vse of all good meanes whereby I may attaine vnto more perfection and so sanctifie them vnto mee by thy holy Spirit that they may bee effectuall to perfect that good worke which thou hast begunne Inrich mee more and more with all sanctifying and sauing graces with the knowledge of thee and thy will a liuely faith in Iesus Christ vnfained repentance for my sinnes firme affiance and confidence in thee feruent loue of thee and my neighbours yea euen mine enemies for thy sake Inflame mine heart with an ardent zeale of thy glory replenish it with thy feare that it may neuer depart from thee Strengthen mine hope in the assured expectation of all thy gracious promises especially those which concerne my euerlasting happinesse giue mee patience in all my troubles thankefulnesse for all thy benefits peace of conscience spirituall ioy in the assurance of thy loue and the grace of perseuerance in the profession and practice of thy true Religion vnto the end Remoue all stumbling blockes of offence out of my way comfort me against all discouragements and arme me against all the tentations of my spirituall enemies that they may neuer preuaile against me Take me into thy gracious protection
our selues liable to the fearefull curse thereof and to all the plagues punishments of this life and the life to come Neither is there any power in vs to helpe our selues out of this misery being as vnable to renew our nature as the Blackamore to change his skin or the Leopard his spots Yea when by thy Spirit wee are regenerate and haue some desires and indeuours to serue and please thee wee are vtterly vnable to satisfie thy Iustice for the least of our sinnes past seeing if thou lookest vpon vs with thy pure eyes our best righteousnesse will appeare like a polluted cloth so mingled with our imperfections and stayned with our corruptions that it cannot challenge any other reward as its due but thy displeasure and euerlasting death O Lord wee humbly beseech thee let vs not securely rest and please our selues in this our wofull condition but hauing a liuely sense and feeling of our sinne and misery let vs labour aboue all things to be freed from it And seeing there is no name in heauen or earth whereby wee may bee saued but by Iesus Christ alone thine onely Sonne and blessed Redeemer whom thou hast purposely sent into the world to saue sinners O Lord let vs renounce our selues and all creatures in heauen and earth as being vtterly vnsufficient to satisfie thy Iustice and saue our soules and let vs rest vpon him alone hungring and thirsting after his righteousnesse and desiring aboue all things that wee may bee found in him And for his sake we humbly beseech thee to magnifie thy mercies in the free forgiuenesse of all our sinnes and as they in their waight and number doe exceedingly abound so let thy grace abound much more in their forgiuenesse Enter not into iudgement with thy seruants for in thy sight shall no man liuing bee iustified Wee are not able to answere vnto thy Iustice one of a thousand but Christ our surety hath payed our debt and now as our Aduocate pleadeth for vs that by him thou hast thy due and that thy Iustice shall sustaine no losse in setting vs free seeing hee hath made full satisfaction for vs. Heare him then deare God thus pleading for vs Heare vs holy Father in his mediation pleading for our selues forgiue vs all our debts and cancell the hand-writing by which wee were obliged that it may neuer bee produced in iudgement against vs. Contrariwise wee beseech thee write the new couenant of grace not in tables of stone but in the fleshy tables of our hearts and not onely enrole the great Charter of our peace in the volume of the Booke containing in it the glad tidings of the Gospel but ingrosse and ingraue it in the booke of our consciences by the finger of thy Spirit that wee may with inestimable ioy dayly peruse it when wee haue it in our owne custody And not only worke in vs this peace in our assured freedome from the guilt of all our sinnes but also inward and outward purity in our soules and bodies by bathing and washing them in the blood of Christ from all sinfull corruption And sanctifie vs throughout that our whole spirit and soule and body may bee preserued blamelesse vnto the comming of our Lord Iesus Christ make vs in him more then conquerours ouer all the enemies of our saluation and spirituall Kings raigning especially ouer our corruptions that they may not by their might and malice disturbe our peace Reuiue vs more and more with the Spirit of Grace and power that we may walke with cheerefulnes in the waies of thy commandements performing throughout the whole course of our liues all Christian duties of holinesse righteousnesse and sobriety Indue vs plentifully with all sanctifying and sauing graces and let vs bring forth the fruits of them all in our new obedience with all sincerity vprightnes of heart Open our blind eyes that we may see the wonderful things of thy law increase our faith that the gates of hel may not preuail against it preserue vs from carnall security and hardnesse of heart and as wee daily renew our sinnes so let vs daily renew our repentance and sorrow for them Confirme our affiance in the assurance of thy power and loue strengthen our hope worke our hearts to thy feare inflame them with thy loue and with feruent zeale of thy glory giue vs humility patience and spirituall reioycing in the assurance of thy fauour euen in our afflictions and tribulations Make vs zealous of good workes that wee may approoue our faith by the fruits of it and let vs neuer bee weary of well-doing Arme vs against all the assaults of our spirituall enemies against the feare of death and iudgement to which end let vs keepe alwayes our accounts euen that we may not be loth to be called to a reckoning Prepare vs for the dayes of affliction and persecution that wee may be ready with wisedome constancy and courage not only to doe but also suffer all things for thy sake Accept with these our suits and prayers our praises and thankesgiuing for thy manifold blessings and benefits both corporall spirituall and eternall for thy inestimable loue and that singular pledge thereof thy deare and onely Sonne whom thou hast giuen vnto vs to worke that great worke of our Redemption for our being and well-being all thy graces in this life and assured hope of glory and happinesse in the life to come For our continuall preseruation in the whole course of our liues this night past and this day hitherto for our quiet rest and all other comforts of this life For all which and all other thy mercies thy blessed name bee praised and magnified Wee beseech thee good Lord continue thy mercy and loue towards vs in the whole course of our liues and namely in the residue of this day watch ouer vs with thy gracious prouidence and thereby preserue vs from all sinne and danger and so rule all our thoughts words and deeds that being holy and righteous they may be acceptable in thy sight Let vs so spend this day in thy feare as though it were the last day of our liues and let vs with all care and watchfulnesse so arme our selues against all the tentations of our spirituall enemies as that they may not preuaile against vs to make vs slothfull in thy seruice Finally giue vnto vs all things necessary for our soules and bodies and so sanctifie all thy blessings to our vse that they may be helps and furtherances vnto vs in seeking thy glory and our own saluation Vouchsafe these and all other blessings not onely vnto vs but also to thy whole Church and euery member thereof as if particularly wee had named them and so ioyne vs in the holy communion of grace as that we may for euer inioy the communion and fellowship of thy blessed Saints and Angels in the Kingdome of glory Heare vs and helpe vs O God of our saluation in all these our suits for thy Sonne and our Sauiour
Iesus Christ his sake to whom with thee and thy holy Spirit one true and euerlasting God we ascribe the glory and praise of all goodnesse and perfection both now and euermore Amen A Prayer for the Family in the Euening O Lord our God most high and holy most dreadfull and glorious in thy might and Maiesty vnto all creatures terrible and like a consuming fire vnto all impenitent sinners but a most gracious and louing Father vnto all those who are reconciled vnto thee in Iesus Christ Thou hast commanded vs to call vpon thee in all our necessities and hast incouraged vs hereunto by thy most gracious and free promise that where two or three are gathered together in the name of thy Sonne there thou wilt be present amongst them by thy holy Spirit to heare their suits and relieue their wants In obedience to which Commandement and in some assurance of thy gracious promise we thy poore and vnworthy seruants doe heere in the mediation of Iesus Christ humbly prostrate our selues before thy Throne of grace and mercy acknowledging our selues guilty of innumerable sinnes and thereby lyable to as many fearefull punishments but yet in the merits of thy Sonne and in the truth of thy promises pleading for pardon and forgiuenesse We confesse vnto thee that wee were conceiued and borne in sinne hauing all the faculties and powers of our soules and bodies so wholly defiled with originall corruption that wee are vtterly disabled for thy seruice and prone vnto all manner of wickednesse and haue in the whole course of our liues multiplied against thee our actuall transgressions by breaking thy whole Law and euery Commandement thereof in thought word and deed Wee are naturally full of ignorance and blindnesse of mind neither knowing thee nor thy truth and after that thou hast caused the light of the Gospell to shine vnto vs for many yeeres our minds are still full of darknesse We content our selues with a small measure of knowledge and continue children in vnderstanding when we should be of ripe age not striuing after more perfection neither according to the measure of our meanes are we rich in knowledge and in the fruits of new obedience We are full of infidelity and doubting and negligent in the vse of the meanes whereby our faith should be confirmed and strengthened and are full also of impenitency security and hardnesse of heart and doe both seldome and slightly bewaile our sinnes past and but weakly and vnconstantly resolue and indeuour to amend our liues for the time to come We are ready to trust in the creature more then in thee the Creator and cannot as we ought rest vpon thy power and promises in the absence of inferiour meanes We are apt to forget thee when thou most remembrest vs and the more that wee abound with thy blessings the lesse mindfull wee are of thee from whom we haue receiued them Wee haue loued the world and earthly things more then thee and heauenly excellencies and haue preferred the pleasures of sinne before thy loue and fauour being ready to hazard these rather then to forgoe them We are full of selfe-loue and haue been moued hereby to sow vnto the flesh of which we can reape nothing but sin and punishment and haue set our hearts so much vpon carnall vanities that they easily draw them away from thee We doe not patiently and constantly hope and waite for the accomplishment of thy promises though we haue great experience of thy power truth and goodnesse towards vs. We are cold or luke-warme in our zeale and haue not with any feruency aduanced the meanes of thy glory nor remoued the impediments whereby it is hindred Our reioycing is more in the flesh then in the Spirit in worldly things and the pleasures of sinne more then in thee the Fountaine of all true ioy in the fruition of thy present fauours and expectation of heauenly happinesse Wee are vngratefull vnto thee for thy manifold benefits and oftentimes when we praise thee it is with our lips onely and not with inward ioy and cheerfulnesse of our hearts Wee doe not approoue our loue and thankefulnesse vnto thee by our fruits of obedience but haue been negligent in the duties of holinesse and righteousnesse that wee might giue glory to thy holy Name and all wee doe is maimed and imperfect full of wants and weaknesses and stained with many corruptions Wee are ready to murmure and repine in our least afflictions and doe not beare thy fatherly corrections with patience and thankfulnesse being more sensible of the smart then of our sinnes which haue caused it and looking more to the rod then vnto thy hand which thereby chastizest vs for our amendment Wee doe not feare to displease thee by our sinnes nor auoyd thine anger as the greatest euill or if we doe feare thee at all it is not so much for thy mercies as to auoyd thy Iudgements We haue not adorned our selues with humility and meeknesse in the sight and sense of our owne vilenesse and vnworthinesse but are full of spirituall pride arrogating vnto our selues those gifts we haue not and ouerweening those we haue or ascribing the praise of them vnto our selues which is onely due to thee We are negligent in the duties of thy seruice and doe not performe them in Spirit and truth but either neglect them vpon euery slight occasion or doe them without due preparation coldly and formally without any feruency of zeale respecting thy glory or our spirituall good We haue often taken thy holy Name in vaine and abused thine holy ordinances and prophaned thy Sabbaths not doing thy will onely on thy holy Day but speaking our owne words walking in our owne waies and seeking our owne carnall delights We haue also neglected the duties of righteousnesse charity and mercy towards our neighbours and of temperance and sobriety towards our selues By all which and many other our sinnes wee haue made our selues subiect to thy wrath and the curse of the Law and haue iustly deserued to be depriued of all testimonies of thy loue and to bee ouerwhelmed with all thy iudgements and punishments both in this life and the life to come O Lord our God affect our hearts with sonne-like sorrow because we haue so much and often displeased thee our gracious Father and let vs be grieued in our soules that wee are so little grieued for our sinnes whereby we haue pierced our Sauiour and grieued thy good Spirit dwelling in vs. And further wee beseech thee in the multitude of thy mercies to remit and forgiue all our sinnes and wash vs cleane from the guilt and punishment of them all that they may neither depriue vs of thy loue and manifold blessings temporall and eternall nor expose vs to thy wrath and fearfull punishments And not onely remit our sins and heale our soules but speake comfortably to our consciences by the secret voyce of thy Spirit as once thy Sonne did to the sicke of the palsie Sonnes be of good
in the sight of the same but to defend it as though it were lawfull yea to glorie in it as if it were commendable as wee see in the example of Doeg who not onely did abominable wickednesse but also boasted Psal 52. 1. himselfe in his mischiefe as the Psalmist speaketh For sinne as oft as it is committed leaueth a blot and poysonous taint behind it in the heart and conscience which if wee doe not labour to wash away with the precious blood of Christ applyed afresh vnto vs by a liuely Faith and by bathing them in the teares of vnfayned repentance it will make them readie to receiue the infection of the next tentation and at last so wholly corrupt and sinfull that they will bee sensible of no wickednesse because it is of the same nature and temper with them To which purpose one saith that these pricks of tentations comming Minus autem dolent sed magis inficiunt quia dum menti diutius adhaerent taâ—to fiunt minus pauendi quantò magis assâ—â—eâ—i Gregor Moral lib. 24. cap. 7. into common vse are made more large and wide though not more sharpe and sensible They grieue lesse but infect more because sticking long vnto the minde they are by so much the lesse feared by how much they are become the more familiar For out of many acts of sinne at last it commeth to an habite which as it is long in getting so it is not easily lost And whilest it continueth sinne is committed at ease without any reluctation of minde or checks of conscience and liued in with great securitie these euill habites producing actions like themselues with as great facilitie as the eye seeth or the eare heareth Againe this often sinning groweth vnto a custome which being euill is the greatest Tyrant hauing in it the nature of a Law which bringeth an vrgent necessitie with it that cannot bee resisted yea it becommeth a second Nature and causeth men to sinne as familiarly and easily as the Riuer runneth the stone descendeth or the sparks flye vpwards It hardneth the heart and seareth the conscience making it like vnto the path-way which is much trampled vpon in which the seed of the Word can take no roote but as soone as it is cast vpon it the Fowles or Fiends of hell come and take it away as our Sauiour speaketh It maketh the heart like vnto the hand Matth. 13. which by much labour getteth such a callum or thicke skin vpon it that it is almost insensible and the Conscience like vnto the Backe which is at first sensible of the smallest stripe but with much whipping becommeth so stupid and benummed that the greatest lashes cause little smart §. 6 The sixt cause of Securitie is the present impunitie of sinners The sixt cause of this carnall Securitie is impunitie of sinners after much wickednesse committed by them For although God out of his goodnesse patience and long suffering differreth the execution of his righteous Iudgements and after sinners haue often deserued Death and condemnation doth giue vnto them many Repriualls that in the meane time they may sue out their Pardon and escape punishment by turning vnto him by vnfayned repentance yet the vessells of wrath ordayned to destruction through the hardnesse of their hearts which cannot repent take occasion vpon this Mercy and Patience of God of liuing securely in their wicked courses and so by multiplying their sinnes treasure vp vnto themselues wrath against the day of wrath and reuelation of the righteous Iudgement of God as the Apostle Rom. 2. 4 5. speaketh Like herein to desperate Malefactors who because they haue often escaped securely goe on in their wickednesse as though they were free from all danger or rather to such as being apprehended arraigned and adiudged to die are through the fauour of the Iudge repriued for a while that they may vse meanes to procure their pardon But they because day of Execution is a little deferred conclude with themselues that all the storme of perill is ouerblowne and with Agag that the bitternesse of death is past and therefore spend their whole time in Pleasures and Delights in Dancing and Reuelling Drinking and Whoring yea securely returne to their former wicked courses Stealing and Robbing Quarrelling and Killing till the Iudge seeing his Mercy and Patience thus abused doe giue out his Warrant for their speedy Execution So the wise Man telleth vs that because sentence against an euill worke is not executed speedily therefore Eccles 8. 11. the heart of the sonnes of men is fully set in them to doe euill An example whereof wee haue in the Israelites who because God held his Esa 57. 11. peace for a long time therefore they feared him not Yea it grew to a wicked prouerbe amongst them that the dayes were prolonged and euery vision fayled that is because the Iudgements of God threatned by the Prophets were deferred therefore their prophesies were worthy Ezecb. 12. 22. no credit as being neuer likely to be fulfilled So Scoffers of these latter times securely walke after their owne lusts and say Where is the 2. Pet. 3. 3 4. promise of Christs comming to iudgement seeing since the Fathers fell asleepe all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation as the Apostle Peter hath fore-warned vs. And what is the cause of all this but the abuse of Gods patience and long-suffering and a false and blasphemous conceit of his Nature and Actions arising from it For when hee delayeth to inflict his Iudgements vpon the wicked for their sinnes they conclude that there is no God or no Prouidence that hee sitteth in Heauen and either seeth not or regardeth not what is done on Earth yea that hee is like them allowing and approuing of their wicked courses as the Psalmist speaketh Psal 50. 21. and therefore they may securely proceed in their sinnes without feare or danger §. 7 The seuenth cause presumption on Gods mercy The seuenth cause of carnall securitie is presumption on Gods mercy whereby men conceiue that though they liue as they list and daily prouoke his wrath against them by wilfull sinnes committed against knowledge and conscience yet hee is so pittifull and tender in compassion that hee will not at all or but very slightly punish them for their wickednesse or though they doe make them lyable to his displeasure by their sinnes yet they may continue in them for a time and not depriue themselues of the pleasure and profit of them seeing whensoeuer they repent they shall haue pardon and bee receiued to Grace and Mercy The which they may doe time enough hereafter when God beginneth to execute iudgement which if hee deferre to doe vntill the houre of their death euen then it will bee time enough to repent seeing hee offereth his Grace to all whatsoeuer at all times whensoeuer that forsake their sinnes and call vpon him for mercy and forgiuenesse And thus doe wicked men make an
Idoll of a mercy in God falsely fancied vnto themselues whilest they seuer it from his Iustice which will not let the sinnes of such presumptuous wretches goe vnpunished and from his Truth which hath denounced fearefull Iudgements against them who securely abuse his patience and long suffering which should leade them to repentance and make them sorry and ashamed that they should offend so gracious and mercifull a God as an incouragement to hearten them on in their course of wickednesse and to make them contemne his Iudgements and Threatnings §. 8 The eight cause the neglect or contempt of the meanes of grace and saluation The eighth cause is the neglect or contempt of the meanes of spirituall grace and eternall saluation as of hearing the Word the vse of the Sacraments Meditation Prayer holy Conferences and such like For as these are the meanes of working our hearts to the true feare of God repentance and spirituall watchfulnesse so the neglect of them causeth carnall securitie hardnesse of heart and boldnesse in sinning And as all other Vices get head and strength by forsaking the vse of the meanes whereby the contrarie Vertues are wrought because they are the priuation of them and therefore the remouall of the one from that subiect which is capable of them is the placing of the other as wee see Light succeed Darknesse and Darknesse Light Rest Labour and Labour Rest so is it in these the putting away of the feare of God by neglecting the meanes whereby it is bred and nourished in vs is the cause of entertayning carnall securitie And so likewise as all other Vices being admitted doe mutually strengthen one another that they may keepe firmer and surer possession against the Vertues which they oppose so is it betweene these for the more we neglect the Word Sacraments and the rest the more secure wee shall be in all sinfull courses and the more strong wee grow in carnall securitie the more negligent wee waxe in those holy Exercises And therefore the Prophet ioyneth them together as mutuall causes of one another They stopped their eares that they should not heare and made Zach. 7. 11 12. their hearts as an Adamant stone §. 9 The ninth cause hearing the Word without Faith The ninth cause is the hearing of the Word without Faith giuing no credit either to the threatnings of the Law or promises of the Gospell Heb. 4. 2. For as the Word is vnprofitable if it bee not mixed with Faith in those that heare it as the Apostle speaketh so it becommeth in this respect by accident through our corruption dangerous and hurtfull Either it is the sauour of life vnto life or the sauour of death vnto death 2. Cor. 2. 16. Either it weakneth and killeth Vice or giueth more strength and vigour to it either it softneth our hearts like Waxe or hardneth them like Clay either it worketh them to Gods feare when we beleeue his Promises and Threatnings or maketh them more carnally secure when wee giue no credit to them For the Word of God proceeding out of his mouth shall not returne vnto him void but shall accomplish that which pleaseth him and prosper in the thing whereto hee sends it Esai 55. 11. as the Prophet speaketh And as oft as we heare it either it setteth vs forward in the right way that leadeth to saluation or through our corruption and vnbeliefe it maketh vs to goe faster and more securely in the wayes of death and destruction It will make our hearts melt like the heart of good Iosiah or to become more hard like the heart of Pharaoh and wee shall receiue Gods Ambassadors with feare and trembling as the Corinthians did Titus or with proud neglect and 2. Cor. 7. 15. scornefull censures fore-stalling preiudice and resolued obstinacy as the Athenians did the Apostle Paul So the Lord speaketh of some Act. 17. 18 32. who should take occasion vpon hearing the curses of the Law to blesse Deut. 29. 20. themselues in their hearts saying I shall haue peace though I walke in the imagination of my heart to adde drunkennesse to thirst And the Prophet from the Lord saith of the people of the Iewes that whilest they heard and vnderstood not and seeing perceiued not their hearts were made Esa 6. 9. more fat their eares heauie and their eyes more blind which is not caused by any naturall propertie of the Word but by accident through mans corruption that doth abuse it and so maketh that a curse which was ordayned for a blessing Like the weake and tender eye that is made more blind by the bright beames of the Sunne which cause stronger sights to see and discerne the better or the weake eare which is made more deafe by too much hearing of loud sounds or the sicke stomacke which becommeth more sicke by receiuing holesome nourishment whereby one strong and healthy would bee confirmed in health and by well digesting of it minister vigour and strength to the whole body §. 10 The tenth cause the not applying the Word preached The tenth cause is the not applying of the Word preached or read vnto our selues for our owne vse and benefit but putting it off to others as though it concerned them and not vs especially admonitions and reprehensions for sinne and the threatnings of Gods Iudgements against those that continue in them without repentance For so are men blinded with pride and selfe loue that they can see no faults in themselues or if they doe yet they seeme so small and veniall that they are scarce worth the reprouing and so defectiue are they in charitie towards their Neighbours that they can easily spie the least Motes in their eyes and make of euery Moll-hill a huge Mountayne And this maketh them to shift all rebukes for sinne and denunciations of punishment from themselues vnto others to whom they thinke they more fitly belong and so blesse themselues and securely liue in sinne as though they were free from all danger Yea though they be neuer so faultie in those Vices that are reproued yet if in truth they can find out any that in the iudgement of the World doe goe beyond them in those kinds then can they heare them sharpely rebuked without any sting of conscience or sense of the smart of their owne sinnes yea with much pleasure and delight And thus haue I often heard after some powerfull Sermon against couetousnesse a greedie Muck-worme nothing moued for his owne auarice because hee hath beene able to picke out of a whole Citie or Countrey some one supposed to bee more wretched then himselfe vnto whom hee hath applyed all that was spoken And so when pride hath beene rebuked or profanenesse or worldlinesse or any other sinne I haue noted that those who haue highly offended in these kinds in the iudgement of all others haue like innocents securely blessed themselues applying nothing spoken to their owne vse because they could point at others that haue exceeded them
in faultinesse As if the Cutpurse should thinke himselfe safe and secure from danger of Law because there are other greater Theeues that breake Houses and rob by the high Way or the common Whore-master should thinke himselfe in no danger of Gods or Mans Lawes because there are others that liue in Incest and filthy Sodomie or the Man-slayer should flatter himselfe with a secure hope of escaping at the day of Assize because there are some in the Iayle that haue committed parricide §. 11 The eleuenth cause is the misse-applying of the promises of the Gospell The eleuenth cause of carnall Securitie is the misse-applying of the promises of the Gospell vnto those who haue no part or interest in them For when as there is no promise so generall and indefinite which is not limitted and restrayned to the condition of the Couenant of Grace Faith in Christ bringing forth the fruits of vnfayned repentance yet wicked men resoluing to goe on in the course of sinne no sooner heare the Promises of Gods mercy the pardon of their sinnes and eternall life and saluation for the righteousnesse and obedience of Iesus Christ which haue alwayes the former condition expressed or vnderstood but presently with great confidence or rather presumption they lay hold of the Promises but haue no care at all of performing the Condition Thus when the Lord saith As truely as I liue I will not the death of a sinner that they make vse of for the Ezech. 33. 41. nourishing of their carnall securitie neuer regarding what followeth but that he repent and liue So when Christ saith that he came not to Matth. 9. 13. call the Righteous but Sinners with that they comfort themselues in their sinfull courses but obserue not to what he calleth them namely to repentance before they can haue any part with him in glorie And when they heare the Apostles speech that God will haue all men to bee 1. Tim. 2. 4. saued they make a bolster of it whereon they sleepe securely in their sinnes but leaue out the following condition which would helpe to keepe them waking namely that hee will haue all whom hee would haue saued come first to the sauing knowledge of his Truth which is 1. Ioh. 2 3 4. neuer seuered from the fruits of obedience And thus these Spiders out of the fragrant flowers of Gods promises sucke most deadly poyson and make no other vse of the sweet tunes of the Gospell but to bring and continue them in the deepe sleepe of carnall securitie the which serue vnto the faithfull as effectuall meanes and motiues to make them leaue their sinnes and turne vnto the Lord by vnfayned repentance §. 12 The last cause is a flattering Ministerie The last cause of this carnall securitie is a soothing and flattering ministerie and when those who are sent as Gods Ambassadors to denounce his Iudgements against impenitent sinners either for feare or fauour for hope of gayne or auoyding of displeasure doe their message vnfaithfully proclayming peace to them against whom God hath denounced warre and applying vnto them the gracious promises of the Gospell to whom nothing belongeth but the terrible threatnings of the Law Of such Prophets the Lord often complayneth They say still saith he vnto them that despise mee The Lord hath said Ier. 23. 17. yee shall haue peace and they say vnto euery one that walketh after the imagination of his owne heart No euill shall come vpon you And againe They haue healed the hurt of the Daughter of my People slightly Ier. 6. 14. saying Peace peace when there is no peace Of such the Prophet Ezechiel speaketh thus from the Lord. They haue seduced my people Ezech. 13. 10. saying Peace and there was no peace and one built vp a Wall and loe others dawbed it with vntempered morter If the pride of great Ones will display it selfe in its colours and in wearing garments of strange and euen vnnaturall fashions they incourage them in it because these things being of an indifferent nature are left to their free choise and there is no difference to be made betweene Yellow and Blew French and English Yea if they will so haue it whether being Men or Women they disguise themselues in the habite of the contrarie Sexe If being their Benefactors they liue vpon vsurie that they may be more bountifull towards them in their mind and more able in their purse they soothe them in this sinne by telling them that whatsoeuer is spoken of it in the Scriptures to shew how haynous it is in Gods sight is to be vnderstood onely of byting vsurie and of that which is exacted of those who are miserably poore If they haue a mind to inrich themselues with bribes they secure them in their course as being a matter full of equitie that those who doe good vnto others should againe receiue from them answerable gratuities If Naboths Vineyard so please them that by right or wrong they will wring him out of it they hold them excused if they desire it on a price and if oppression and blood follow vpon his denyall not they but poore Naboth is to be blamed who would bee so wilfull and churlish as to denie men of their greatnesse and worth a thing so conuenient and necessary for them And thus doe they as the Prophet speaketh put cushions vnder Ezech. 13. 18 19. their elbowes that they may sinne at their ease and pollute Gods Name among the People for handfulls of Barley and peeces of Bread to slay the soules that should not dye and to saue the soules aliue that should not liue by lying vnto them who will giue them the hearing Yea with this false and flattering Doctrine many ioyne their wicked example bearing them company who are vnder their charge in all their sinfull courses yea rather as Captaines and Precedents they goe before them and leade them the way The which when it hapneth O would it did not happen too often it giueth double strength to mens carnall securitie there being few that feare to follow their Guides or to goe as farre as they in the fruition of their sinfull pleasures or profits who are by their Calling and Profession bound to restrayne themselues and others from all that is euill and sinfull But contrariwise tread securely in those Pathes which they see their Teachers tread before them supposing that if there were any great danger in walking these wicked wayes they who farre exceed them in learning and knowledge would not with the hazard of their owne soules so ordinarily trauaile in them CHAP. IIII. Of the diuers kinds of carnall Securitie §. 1 Of naturall securitie which is in all men HAuing spoken of the causes of carnall Securitie it now followeth that we shew the kinds thereof And first it may bee distinguished by the diuers degrees of it In which respect carnall securitie is either naturall or affected and voluntarie Naturall is that which euery one bringeth into
the World with him and is a fruit or branch of originall corruption and one kind of hardnesse of heart whereby forgetting Gods Power and Prouidence his Iustice and hatred of Sinne and not obseruing his fearfull Iudgements executed vpon the wicked nor his Mercies extended towards those that serue him mens hearts are emptied of the true feare of God and so without checke and remorse of conscience or griefe of heart quietly and securely goe on in their sinfull courses to their eternall destruction And this is naturally bred and borne in all men alike without exception although nourished and increased diuersly by those causes of securitie before spoken of according to that predominancy which they seuerally haue in one more then in another And continueth and wholly possesseth all the powers and faculties of Heart and Mind as it were a spirituall Lethargie till the Lord awakneth them out of it as he doth euen the wicked sometimes by the thundering threatnings of the Law and sense of his heauie Iudgements for their sinnes striking horror and despaire into their mindes hearts and consciences whereby it commeth to passe that they who slept securely and neuer awaked can now take no rest at all And the godly alwayes whom he first rowseth out of this dead sleepe partly by Legall comminations and partly by some sharpe Afflictions so as like the Iaylor suddenly awakned they crie out to Gods Ministers Men and Brethren what shall we doe that we may be saued and Act. 16. afterwards by the preaching of the Gospell whereby the true feare of God is wrought in them which maketh them to watch ouer their wayes that they may not being ouer-come by tentations doe any thing displeasing in the sight of God So that euen naturally this vaile of securitie is spread ouer the eyes of all men whereby they see not or seeing like men asleepe with their eyes open consider and regard not the all-seeing Eye of God looking vpon them yea euen into all the secret corners of their hearts and reynes the Iustice and Power of God whereby hee is ready and able to punish sinne nor his Loue Mercy and Goodnesse towards all those that seeke and serue him vntill by the preaching of the Word and inward operation of the Spirit applying vnto them the vertue of Christs death this vaile is rent in sunder whereby they come to a sight of Gods sauing attributes which worke in vs a reuerent and filiall feare of him which is alwayes accompanyed with a holy care and watchfulnesse ouer our selues that we doe not any thing displeasing in his sight §. 2 Of carnall securitie which is affected and voluntarie The carnall securitie which is affected and voluntarie is when as men purposely vse all meanes to harden their hearts against Gods feare and to stop their eares that they may not heare any thing which may awaken them of their pleasing sleepe of sinne that so they may without any disturbance commit all manner of wickednesse with delight and greedinesse whereby they much strengthen and increase their naturall securitie vntill by custome it becommeth habituall They adde Arte to Nature and thinking that they cannot sleepe soundly enough and without feare of disturbance in their naturall slumber of securitie they stupifie their senses as it were with opium till they are brought into an vnrecouerable Lethargie and sleepe of death They doe not onely draw ouer their alreadie hard hearts and seared consciences a callum or thicke skin which will not be pierced with the pricke of a pin but as one saith euen a treble plated armor Triplex circa praecordia ferrum which is high proofe against the Sword of Gods Spirit the Word of God yea euen the Musket shot of his Iudgements and Punishments They doe not onely quench all good motions of Gods Spirit restrayning them from sinne but quite put out those small sparkes of the light of Nature which remayne in them They doe not alone stop the voyce and crie of their consciences with the lowder clamour of their tumultuous lusts and passions but put to silence all that would admonish them of their wicked courses with their impudency in sinning They harden their fore-heads against all reproofes and flye in their faces who reprehend their wickednesse They shut their Esa 6. 9. Zach. 7. 11 12. eyes that they may not see Gods Iudgements and stop their eares that they may not heare of them either as they are threatned in the ministerie of the Word or inflicted on impenitent sinners like vnto themselues yea they stupifie their senses that they haue no feeling of them but can out-face their owne punishments and euen laugh when they are lashed with Gods whip And though all these outward Sconces were batterd and beaten downe so as sinne dare no longer abide in the countenance Words and externall Actions yet they haue an inward Fort vnto which being impregnable it may safely retyre euen an heart of Rocky and Adamant hardnesse whereas it may sleepe in great securitie there being no engine or shot which will batter this Hold. §. 3 Of carnall securitie which is in the vnregenerate Secondly this carnall securitie is to be distinguished according to the diuers subiects in which it is For it is to be considered as it is in the vnregenerate before conuersion who are wholly ignorant and forgetfull of God destitute of Faith and the feare of God or as it doth remayne in the faithfull after they are in part regenerate and truely conuerted In the vnregenerate it continueth in it full strength wholly possessing and corrupting the mind and heart and depriuing them vtterly of Gods feare of the sight and sense of their sinnes and of the Iudgements and Punishments due vnto them either threatned and imminent or else alreadie inflicted and imposed In these it raigneth and ruleth without resistance as a King and Soueraigne vnto whom they yeeld peaceable and quiet obedience keeping all in peace without any feare or disturbance and as Satans Vice-Roy subiecteth all the powers of the Mind and Soule vnto his rule and gouernment so as quietly and without feare they doe his will according to the saying of our Sauiour When a strong Man armed keepeth his house all that hee possesseth is in peace Or if the conscience being awakned and affrighted Luk. 11. 21. with the threatnings of the Law and apprehension of Gods Iudgement doth check their lusts and passions and disturb this quiet peace Carnall securitie soone pacifieth these tumults by stopping the voyce of the Conscience and casting it into a deepe sleepe whilest it causeth it to be lulled in the lap of carnall pleasure and singeth vnto it the sweet and bewitching tunes of worldly delights with the dittie of earthly profits and preferments In which they continue till they come to sleepe that last sleepe of death and are summoned to appeare before Gods Iudgement Seate to giue an account of all their former courses vnlesse in the meane time the Lord
is no better backed then with the strength of a bubble To thinke that we can constantly hold Gods gifts which in their owne nature are the wages of those that feare and serue him when as by multiplying our sinnes and especially our pride and presumption we daily prouoke his wrath and moue him in his iust displeasure to take them from vs Finally what greater signe of extreme securitie then to be proud of our Masters wealth committed to our keeping as if it were our owne and because we are more indebted and haue a greater account to make then other men as though we should neuer be called to a reckoning §. 6 The fift signe is customable sinning The fift signe is customable sinning without renuing of repentance especially if these sinnes be committed not through frailtie and infirmitie but against knowledge and conscience For howsoeuer he that feareth God may fall into sinne yet the secure person alone committeth commonly knowne sinnes which either wound or feare the Conscience Though he may fall often as the wise Man speaketh for in many things we sinne all Yet he maketh not a custome Eccles 7. 20. Iam. 3. 2. of it neither is it his way but his slips and errors but it is the secure man onely that maketh sinne his vsuall trade that walketh in the Psal 19. 1. counsatle of the vngodly as his way that standeth in the way of sinners as his place of abode that sitteth in the seate of the scornefull as in the place of his rest and chiefe repose Finally though the faithfull through his owne wickednesse and strength of Satans tentations may grieuously fall into haynous sinnes yet it is not his but a propertie of a secure Worldling to continue in such sinnes without repentance It is a great signe of carnall securitie to commit a knowne sinne for the base hire of earthly vanities seeing if God take him with the manner and lay it to his charge it is the bane of his Soule the losse of Heauen and purchase of euerlasting torments in Hell fire And who not blinded with securitie could run these hazards for things of such small value But how much more if hauing often hardly escaped these dangers we make a common practise of thrusting our selues into them by our ordinary course of sinne and by carelesse liuing in these sinnes without repentance For who not drowned in securitie could imagine himselfe to be in any safety that hath the halter about his necke and the knife at his throat and is euery minute in danger of execution yea who can cast himselfe vpon the Pikes and take deepe draughts of this deadly poyson of sinne and yet presume of health and safetie §. 7 The sixt signe abuse of Gods Patience to impenitency Rom. 2. 4. The sixt signe of securitie is when a Man taketh incouragement by Gods patience and long suffering and his owne impunitie for his former offences of multiplying his transgressions and of going on in sin without repentance For the riches of Gods goodnesse and patient forbearance should as the Apostle saith leade vs to repentance filling our hearts with sorrow and our faces with shame because we haue so long and so often offended a God so gracious and mercifull And besides it is a notable incouragement to make vs hasten our repentance seeing vpon it we are sure of pardon For we shall surely find him gracious in our returning whom we haue found so gracious in our backsliding he will vndoubtedly shew mercy and pardon our sinnes vpon our repentance who hath so long time patiently wayted that he might take occasion vpon our true conuersion to haue mercy vpon vs. But if we abuse and despise so great a mercy and vnspeakable goodnesse and take occasion of Gods patience and loue the more to prouoke him and to goe on more carelesly in our sinfull courses what doth this argue but an hard and secure heart which cannot repent but treasureth vp vnto it selfe wrath against the day of wrath and reuelation of the righteous Iudgement of God who though now he be patient yet shall at that day render vnto euery man according to his deeds Rom. 2. 5 6. rowsing him vp with greatest torment and smart who hath liued in his sinnes with greatest securitie and inflicting vpon him the sorest Apoc. 18. 7. punishment who hath most contemptuously abused his greatest patience §. 8 The seuenth signe presumption on Gods mercy The seuenth signe is presumption on Gods Mercy whereby the impenitent sinner perswadeth himselfe that sinne he neuer so much yet God is so gracious that he will forgiue him and so taketh occasion hereby to giue liberty vnto his carnall lusts that they may glut themselues with their sinfull delights and imbrace all wicked obiects without feare of danger Now this argueth an heart destitute of all grace and desperately hardned with carnall securitie For though Gods mercy be great and infinite yet he hath none for them who thus grosly abuse it but for those alone who take occasion thereby to reuerence his goodnesse and to shun with greater care his displeasure according to that of the Psalmist There is mercy with thee that thou mayest Psal 130. 4. be feared and they onely are his true Israel and Vessels of Grace in whose saluation he will glorifie and set forth the prayse of his rich Mercies who returne and seeke the Lord their God and Dauid their King that is the sonne of Dauid and his holy anoynted Iesus Christ and feare the Lord and his goodnesse as the Prophet speaketh Hos 3. 5. §. 9 The eight signe is the contempt of the meanes of saluation The eight signe is the contempt and vtter neglect of the meanes of Grace and Saluation as the Hearing Reading and meditating in the Word Prayer the Sacrament of the Lords Supper communion with the Faithfull and the rest or the cold and carelesse formall and negligent vsing of them without any desire or indeauour to profit by them For they whose hearts are seasoned with any true feare of God at all doe feare and seeke his Face and fauour in his holy Ordinances they tremble at his Word as the Prophet speaketh they worke out their Esa 66. 2. Phil. 2. 12. saluation in the vse of all good meanes sanctified for this purpose with feare and trembling as the Apostle teacheth vs their hearts long after the Waters of Life like the thirstie Lands and as the chased Hart Psal 42. 1. bray after the Riuers of Water and if they bee restrayned from comming into Gods holy Assemblies passionately crie out with Dauid O how amiable are thy Tabernacles O Lord of Hosts my Soule longeth Psal 84. 1 2. yea euen fainteth for the Courts of the Lord my heart and my flesh cryeth out for the liuing God! And when they heare the Law their hearts melt as did the heart of good Iosiah they are astonyed in the sight of sense of their sinnes and heare the
heed and taking heed we shall escape §. 6 That carnall securitie exposeth vs to Gods fearfull Iudgements Secondly this carnall securitie bringeth vpon vs Gods fearefull Iudgements as appeareth by many testimonies of Scriptures wherein Deut. 19. 19 20 21. they are denounced and many examples of secure sinners vpon whom they haue beene inflicted So the Lord threatneth that if any hearing the words of the Curse recorded in the Booke of the Law doe blesse himselfe in his heart saying I shall haue peace though I walke in the imagination of my heart to adde drunkennesse vnto thirst hee will not spare him but then his anger and jealousie shall smoke against that man and all the curses that are written in that Booke shall lye vpon him and the Lord shall blot out his name from vnder Heauen and the Lord shall separate him vnto euill Thus because the Rulers of Ierusalem said We Esa 28. 15 18. haue made a couenant with Death and with Hell are wee at agreement when the ouerflowing scourge shall passe through it shall not come vnto vs for wee haue made lyes our refuge and vnder falshood haue wee hid our selues therefore the Lord threatneth that their couenant with Death shall be disanulled and their agreement with Hell shall not stand and that when the ouerflowing scourge shall passe through they should be trodden downe by it So because the residue of Israel liuing in great iniquitie blood and peruersnesse said in their securitie The Lord hath forsaken Ezech. 9. 9 10. the Earth and seeth not the Lord threatneth that his eye should not spare them and that he would haue no pitie but would recompence their way vpon their head Thus the more carelesse and secure the Iewes were in examining their wicked works and wayes saying in their hearts The Lord will doe neither good nor euill the more curiously Zeph. 1. 12 13. he threatneth to search them out and to punish them with greater seueritie the which hee implyeth by that borrowed speech that hee would search Ierusalem with Candles and punish the men that were setled on their lees making their goods to become a booty and their houses a desolation So because Babylon liued in her sinnes with great securitie and promised vnto her selfe impunitie and the continuance of her prosperitie the Lord denounceth those iudgements against her Esa 47. 8. from which specially shee blessed her selfe euen losse of Soueraigntie slaughter and desolation the which is also threatned against the Anti-type the Romish Babylon and in Gods good time shall be inflicted Apoc. 18. 7 8. And thus doe secure sinners who through hardnesse of their heart cannot repent treasure vp for themselues wrath against the day of wrath and Rom. 2. 5 6. the reuelation of the righteous iudgement of God who will render vnto euery man according to his deeds §. 7 The former point illustrated by examples This also is cleere and euident by the examples of former times for thus the old World and Sodom and Gomorrah liuing securely in Luk. 17. 25 28. their sinnes without repentance eating and drinking buying and selling building and planting marrying and giuing in marriage were destroyed with Gods fearefull Iudgements of Fire and Water So the Iewes when they securely blessed themselues in their prosperitie and drowned the voyce of the Lords Heralds denouncing warre with Ier. 6. 142 their lowder crie of peace peace were vanquished by their enemies and led into a miserable captiuitie Thus Belshazzar was attached in Dan. 5. the middest of his cups and being in his chiefe pollity feasting his Princes and Concubines and farre off from all danger his ruine is written by a finger vpon the Wall and soone after executed and accomplished And as this hath beene the condition of secure men in time past so is it now and shall be to the end of the World and euen at the end of it For when they shall say peace and safetie then sudden destruction shall come vpon them as trauaile vpon a Woman with 1. Thes 5. 3. child and they shall not escape as the Apostle telleth vs. In which regard the estate of secure men flourishing in prosperitie is like the state of the fatted Oxe that is led to slaughter who is as secure and far from feare as he was in fore-times when he was led to the pasture or of the silly Bird which feedeth securely on the bait when the Net is readie to bee pulled vpon her or of the Drunkard of which the wise Man speaketh who sleepeth securely in the midst of the Sea or as hee lyeth vpon the top of the Mast readie to bee blowne ouer Hatches Pro. 23. 34. in euery Tempest §. 8 That carnall securitie plungeth men into euerlasting condemnation But most fearfull is the estate of secure men in respect of that fearefull condemnation which they plunge themselues into in the World to come When as they shall not onely be depriued of heauenly ioyes but be also for euer tormented with hellish torments As we see in the example of the retchlesse and secure seruant whose Lord came in a day when he looked not for him and in an houre that he was not aware of and not onely depriued him of the reward giuen to the faithfull seruant whom hee found well imployed but also cut him off and appointed Matt. 24. 50 51. him his portion with hypocrites where shall bee weeping and gnashing of teeth Neither shall they bee subiect onely to ordinarie punishments and tortures in this hellish condemnation though the least in this kind bee fearfull and intolerable but as they haue more securely wallowed themselues in carnall and worldly pleasures presuming that they should alwayes last the more exquisitely shall they bee tormented as we see by that fearfull sentence pronounced against the Whore of Babylon the Antichrist of Rome How much she hath glorifieth her Apoc. 18. 7. selfe and liued deliciously so much torment and sorrow giue her For shee saith in her heart I sit a Queene and am no widdow and shall see no sorrow For if the Lord obserueth such a iust proportion in executing iudgement according to the Law of requitall in this life How much more Lex tallonis may shee and all other of her condition expect it in the last iudgement when there shall be no further day of vengeance taken but euery sinner shall be punished to the full according to the qualitie and quantitie of his sinnes §. 9 That carnall securitie is a fearful punishment of other sinnes Finally as this carnall securitie is in it selfe sinfull the cause of sinne and the cause of punishment so that we may know that there is no relation or respect of euill wanting in it it selfe also is a fearful punishment of other sinnes For when we not onely put out the small sparks of the light of nature remayning in vs and put to silence our owne consciences accusing vs for sinne but
the hand of his mercie hee will thrust from him with the hand of his iustice and that the greater mercie he hath shewed to mooue vs to repentance the more fearefull iudgements will he inflict vpon vs if we neglect it through our carnall securitie and because wee haue not onely wilfully wounded our soules with sinne but also haue despited our heauenly Chyrurgeon by casting away the plaisters which hee hath applied for our cure hee will let vs rot in our corruptions laugh at our destruction and mocke when Apoc. 22. 11. Pro. 1. 24 26. our feare cometh §. 9 The eighth remedie is to vse carefully the meanes of saluation The eighth meanes is that wee diligently vse the meanes of saluation seeing they are also the meanes of implanting the feare of God Ier. 3. 4. in our hearts and so remoouing and rooting out of this carnall securitie As first the carefull and conscionable hearing of the Word which is that Plow and Harrow that breaketh vp the fallow grounds of our hearts and that bruiseth and maketh them contrite so as they are fit to receiue the seeds of all spirituall graces that Hammer which breaketh these rockes in pieces and that Fire which melteth and dissolueth those mettals that cannot be broken as Ieremie speaketh and Ier. 23. 29. finally that Sword of the Spirit which giueth a deadly wound to carnall securitie whilest it layeth open the hainousnesse of sinne the wrath of God and curse of the law due vnto it the rewards promised vnto those who feare the Lord and the punishments denounced against those who liue in their securitie both in this life and the life to come Neither is it possible that we should long sleepe in carnall securitie if we leaue our eares open to receiue the voyce of these sonnes of thunder speaking vnto vs. Especially let vs withall diligence hearken vnto those admonitions and exhortations which are purposely vsed by the holy Ghost to rouze vs vp out of this sleepe of securitie As that admonition of our Sauiour Watch therefore for yee know not Matth. 24. 42. what houre your Lord doth come And againe Take yee heed watch and Mar. 13. 33. pray for yee know not when the time is Let your loynes be girded about Luk. 12. 35 36. and your lights burning and yee your selues like vnto them that wait for their Lord when he shall returne from the wedding that when he commeth and knocketh yee may open vnto him immediatly Blessed are those Seruants whom the Lord when he commeth shall find watching So let vs hearken vnto and with all care meditate vpon those admonitions and exhortations of the Apostles Awake thou that sleepest and stand vp Eph. 5. 14. from the dead and Christ shall giue thee light It is now high time to awake from sleepe for now is our saluation neerer then when wee beleeued The night is farre spent and the day is at hand let vs therefore cast off the workes of darkenesse and let vs put on the armour of light Let vs not Rom. 13. 11 12. 1. Thess 5. 6. 1. Cor. 10. 12. Phil. 2. 12. sleepe as doe others but let watch and be sober He that thinketh he standeth let him take heed lest hee fall Worke out your saluation with feare and trembling Take heed lest there be in any of you an euill heart of vnbeliefe in departing from the liuing God But exhort one another daily whilest it is called to day lest any of you be hardned through the deceitfulnesse of sinne Be sober be vigilant because your aduersarie the Deuill as Heb. 3. 12 13. a roaring Lion walketh about seeking whom he may deuoure So also meditating in Gods law which in it selfe is sufficient to cause our hearts 2. Kings 22. 10. to melt like the heart of Iosias with true compunction and contrition so as the frozen dregs of securitie can haue no harbour and in the Gospell which will implant in them the feare of God arising out of faith and loue To this purpose serueth also the often receiuing of the Sacrament of the Lords Supper whilest labouring to come prepared that we may receiue it to life and saluation and not to iudgement and condemnation it giueth vs occasion to examine our estate and to call our selues to a strict account before Gods Tribunall and to renew our couenant with him by renewing the condition of faith and repentance And finally holy conferences whereby wee stirre vp Gods graces in one another keepe and vphold them from falling and raise them vp being fallen exuscitate and re-enliue the gifts of Gods Spirit which are readie to be cooled and quenched and by mutuall exhortations preserue one another that wee bee not hardned Heb. 3. 13. through the deceitfulnesse of sinne §. 10 The ninth remedie is to heare the Word with faith The ninth meanes is that we receiue the Word with faith without which it cannot profit vs for the shaking off this carnall securitie For as vngratious Children and Seruants proceed in their euill courses though they heare their Parents and Gouernours encouraging them to obedience by many promises and indeauouring to terrifie them by threatning punishment if they giue no credite to their word so vnlesse we beleeue Gods gratious promises made to those that feare him and his threatnings against those who securely neglect him his mercies and judgements wee will neither entertaine this feare nor banish securitie out of our hearts Whereas contrariwise if wee giue credite to the things wee heare namely that thete is a just God who beholdeth all our workes who will call all that we doe to judgement euen our vnknowne actions and secret thoughts either to crowne them with euerlasting rewards or to punish them with intolerable and endlesse torments it is not possible that we should be secure For if no man can liue in securitie who is perswaded that being liable to the Law his necke is daily in danger of the halter or that a sword hangeth ouer his head in a weake thread though these are but temporall euils which when they haue done their worst doe but hasten that death with nature would bring vnto vs with a little slower pace much lesse could they bee secure if they thought themselues indeed endangered to hellish torments and euerlasting death and condemnation §. 11 The tenth remedie is to applie the Word vnto ourselues The tenth meanes is that we doe applie vnto our selues the Word which we heare and not if we dislike it shift it off from our selues to others saying vnto our soules when wee heare reproofes this is my sinne which is reprooued seeing I haue either committed it or hauing the seeds of it in me may bring forth the fruits of it in outward act if God by his Word and holy Spirit nippe and restraine them not This admonition belongeth vnto me and I will take warning and grow wiser and more watchfull by it This instruction is mine for my better
him to keepe him in all his wayes c. If with Dauid we put our trust in the Lord wee shall not need to feare what Psal 56. 4. flesh can doe vnto vs. If wee trust in the Lord wee shall bee blessed and Ier. 17. 7 8. like a Tree planted by the Waters that spreadeth out her Rootes by the Riuer which shall not see when heate commeth but her leafe shall bee greene and shall not bee carefull in the yeere of drought neither shall cease from yeelding fruit §. 5 The third cause Charitie The third cause of spirituall securitie is Charitie for as the Apostle telleth vs there is no feare in loue but perfect loue casteth out feare 1. Ioh. 4. 18. Col. 3. 14 15. and if wee doe aboue all things put on charitie which is the bond of perfectnesse then also will the peace of God rule in our hearts and worke in them this Christian securitie For if wee truely loue God it is an euident signe vnto vs that he loueth vs for as the Apostle sayth Wee loue him because he loued vs first and being assured of Gods loue wee 1. Ioh. 4. 19. need not to doubt of his protection whereby hee will keepe vs from all euill and of his prouidence watching ouer vs which will prouide for vs all things necessarie And finally if wee vnfainedly loue the Lord then may we be secure in all dangers and in the middest of all troubles and crosses because the Lord through his infinite wisedome and power will cause all things euen afflictions themselues to worke together for good to them that loue him and will so weaken the Rom. 8. 28 35. strength of them that they shall neuer be able to separate vs from the loue of Christ §. 6 The fourth cause the true feare of God The fourth cause is the true feare of God for this feare remooueth all other feares whatsoeuer and if with filiall affection wee feare God Psal 34. 9. as Sonnes we may thereby be freed from the seruile feare of Slaues So also this feare of God will free vs from feare of Men and the feare of our Creator will quite expell the feare of the Creature It will free vs from feare of all danger of euill seeing nothing shall be able to hinder our happinesse For Blessed is the man that feareth the Lord hee shall not be mooued for euer but shall be had in euerlasting remembrance Psal 112. 1 6 7. He shall not be afraid of any euill tidings his heart is fixed trusting in the Lord. His heart is established he shall not be afraid vntill he see his desire vpon his enemies The fift cause is Iustice and righteousnesse both in our hearts words and actions because as the Wise-man sayth He that walketh vprightly walketh surely for the righteous shall neuer be remooued and there Pro. 10 9 10. 12. 21. shall no euill happen vnto the iust And that because the Lord watcheth ouer them to deliuer them in the time of danger and prouide for them in the time of want For as the Psalmist saith The eyes of the Psal 34. 15. 1. Pet. 3. 12. Lord are vpon the Righteous and his eares are open to heare their crie so that none shall bee able to harme vs if we follow that which is good And vnto them hee hath made his promises of peace and protection The worke of righteousnesse shall be peace and the effect of righteousnesse quietnesse and assurance for euer and my people shall dwell in a peaceable Esa 32. 17. habitation and in sure dwellings and in quiet resting places And againe In righteousnesse thou shalt be established thou shalt be farre from oppression for thou shalt not feare and from terrour for it shall not come neere Esa 54. 14. thee In assurance of which promises the righteous is bold as a Lion Pro. 28. 1. and disdaineth to goe out of his way of iustice and godlinesse though he be affronted with many dangers because being armed with this brest-plate of righteousnesse he is assured they cannot hurt him Eph. 6. 14. §. 7 The last cause is new obedience The last cause of this spirituall securitie is new obedience For when like dutifull and louing children we doe desire and endeauour to doe the will of our heauenly Father at all times and in all things and perform as much as we are able that obedience which his law requireth not onely in our outward actions but also in our hearts and inward affections and bewaile our wants and imperfections when we come short of that measure and degree which wee desire to attaine vnto it will worke in our hearts a child-like confidence in the loue of our God and make vs securely to repose and cast our selues in all estates and conditions vpon his gratious prouidence for the supplying of all our wants protection from all dangers and deliuerance out of all afflictions And so much the rather because wee are hereby strengthned in our Faith and enabled to applie vnto our selues all those sweet and comfortable promises which God hath made vnto those who bring foorth these fruits of new obedience especially those which concerne spirituall peace and tranquillitie of mind and this holy and Christian securitie So the Lord promiseth That if wee will keepe his Statutes and Iudgements wee shall dwell in the Land in Leuit. 25. 18 19. safety And in another place That if we keepe his Statutes and walke Chap. 26. 3 5 6. in his Commandements to doe them the Lord with all other temporall benefits promiseth peace and safetie and that wee shall lie downe and none shall make vs affraid And Zophar telleth vs that if wee prepare Iob 11. 13 15 19 our hearts to seeke God and stretch out our hands towards him that then we shall be steadfast and without feare lie downe securely and be freed from the feare of all things So Wisedome promiseth that who so hearken vnto her and obey her voice they shall dwell safely and shall Pro. 1. 33. be quiet from feare of euill Yea the Lord hath not onely said but sworne it that all his redeemed shall worship and serue him without feare Luk. 1. 74 75. in holinesse and righteousnesse before him all the dayes of their life §. 8 Of the effects of spirituall securitie And these are the causes of this spirituall securitie The effects of it are quite contrarie to those of carnall securitie for it doth not make vs more slothfull and sluggish in the seruice of God but more watchfull ouer all our wayes that wee may doe all things which are acceptable vnto God from whom wee enioy so great a blessing and not commit any thing against knowledge and conscience which may disturbe our sweet peace or depriue vs of the inward ioy of this spirituall securitie It doth not make vs more negligent and backward in holy duties but to performe them with all diligence and
want of them wee want also this assurance how can wee haue any roome in our hearts for securitie to lodge in seeing they are wholly taken vp with feares and doubtings or at least with carnall securitie which keeps all quiet because it shuts our eyes and benummeth all our senses so as we cannot see nor feele our danger Finally these vertues and spirituall graces are our Christian armour which being buckled vnto vs is of high proofe to preserue vs in safetie against all assaults of enemies that would disturbe our peace but if they be wanting then like the Israelites Exod. 32. 25. we are naked dis-armed of Gods assistance dis-furnished of all munition and weapons wherby we might make any resistance against the encounters of our spirituall enemies and so an easie prey to be seazed on and led captiue by them §. 5 The fift means is to labour to be indued with those peciall sauing graces which are the causes of first knowledge and remembrance of God and his Attributes Secondly A liuely Faith More especially if we would vse the meanes whereby wee may in ioy this Christian securitie wee must labour to know acknowledge and remember Gods sauing Attributes as he exerciseth them towards vs for our good as his Wisedome Power All-sufficiencie Mercy Goodnesse Truth and the Rest For these are the foundation and ground of this securitie vpon which it is built and resteth of which if we are ignorant or forgetfull it is no more possible for this Fort of securitie to be erected in vs then to set vp a goodly building without a foundation or to make it durable if it be seated without other support vpon the Moores or Sands In the second place let vs labour after a liuely and iustifying Faith which is the condition of the Couenant vpon which alone all our safetie and securitie resteth and relyeth the alone instrument which vniteth vs vnto Christ and the only hand by which we receiue all Gods promises and the fruits and benefits which doe accompanie them Finally that impenetrable shield which repelleth all the fierie darts of Satan and maketh vs vndanted and without feare when wee are encountred with his tentations And therefore if we be indued with Faith there is cause enough why we should be secure seeing we are in Couenant with God and by vertue thereof vnder his protection the members of Christ who is so armed with power that all the malice of the Deuill and power of Hell are not able to vanquish or doe vs any hurt and haue all our vitall parts couered with a shield of proofe which cannot be pierced with all the Darts of Satans tentations Thirdly let vs vse all good meanes to Thirdly Affiance in God haue our hearts comforted and confirmed with firme affiance and confidence in God which is a fruit of the former grace wherewith if we be indued the Lord will be the Rocke of our refuge our Sanctuarie Psal 18. 1 2. 144. 2. and Castle of strength vnto which if we flee in the time of danger we may inioy safetie and securitie For the God in whom wee trust is able to supply all our wants to preserue vs in the day of danger and to defeate and bring to nought all the plots and practises of all our enemies and if we make him our hope and confidence he will be our strength and tower and he will so watch ouer vs with his prouidence that we may sleepe securely vnder the shadow of his wings Fourthly Fourthly Loue of God let vs seeke with all earnestnesse to haue our hearts inflamed with that heauenly fire of Gods loue which being but a reflection or little sparke of his diuine loue towards vs will be an euident signe to assure vs of it And this loue of God in vs and towards vs will worke in vs spirituall securitie in the assurance of Gods protection who so loueth vs and whom we so loue and this filiall affection when we finde and feele it in vs will cast out all seruile feare and make vs bold and confident in the sense and apprehension of his fauour towards vs knowing that hee who so deerely loueth vs is all-sufficient in wisedome and power to turne all things to our good and to make all our afflictions and tentations our Enemies power and our owne weaknesse to become helpes and furtherances to our saluation Fiftly if wee would Fiftly The feare of God haue this spirituall securitie we must by all meanes cleanse our hearts from carnall securitie and nourish in them the true feare of God For as well may we accord Light and Darknesse Fire and Water Good and Euill as spirituall securitie with that which is carnall Whereas contrariwise the true feare of God dwelling in vs will banish all other feares and make vs secure in those gracious Promises which the Lord hath made vnto all that feare him as namely that there shall bee nothing Psal 34. 9. 145. 19. wanting vnto them and that hee will fulfull the desire of them that feare him and will heare their crie and saue them So that if they be not short in desiring safetie and securitie the Lord will not be slow to grant it or though they should be wanting vnto themselues in this regard yet the Lord will not be wanting vnto them seeing he is both willing and able to doe exceeding abundantly aboue that wee can either Eph. 3. 20. aske or thinke Sixtly if we desire this securitie we must labour that Sixtly Christian righteousnesse wee may be alwayes found clothed with the garment of righteousnesse both the imputed righteousnesse of Christ applied by faith which doth perfectly free vs from all danger and bring with it peace Rom. 5. 1. of conscience and ioy in the holy Ghost and inherent righteousnesse and holinesse wrought in vs by vertue of Christs death and resurrection whereby wee are entitled vnto all the promises of Gods grace and protection made vnto the righteous and among the rest vnto them especially which concerne our safetie and securitie of which I haue before spoken Seuenthly which is like vnto the former wee Seuenthly New obedience must studie and indeauour to performe vnto God in lieu of thankfulnesse for all his benefits new obedience not that of the Law which is impossible but Euangelicall which is the obedience of faith when hauing respect vnto all Gods Commandements wee labour to walke in them with sincere and vpright hearts and with constancie and perseuerance Psal 119. 6. vnto the end And if wee thus seeke out this old and good Ier. 6. 16. way it will bring vs to this rest of spirituall securitie which we labour after If we take this sweet and easie yoke of Euangelicall obedience and hating all Pharisaicall pride learne of Christ to bee meeke and lowly in heart we haue his gratious promise for it that wee shall find Matt. 11. 28 29. this rest for our soules If we