vnderstand or to practise For although many shall haue no neede of this directing of them to reade it with profit because they can easily direct themselues when they once know the generall parts and argument of it as before is mentioned yet because my desire herein is as well to helpe and benefit the plaine and simple such as many of them are amongst whom I haue preached the same as well as to bring the wiser and more learned sort acquainted with the practise of it therefore I know they shall haue neede thereof Now when they shall vnderstand it in some good sort let them weigh and consider how far forth they haue had vse of it heretofore as whether they haue according to the first part of this booke by the ministerie of any sound preacher of the Gospell attained to the assurance of their saluation and of the forgiuenes of their sinnes wherein if any will take it as granted though falsely as they are most readie to doe so who haue least felt the burthen of their sinnes and therefore are indeed furthest off from it herein I say if any will needs deceiue themselues I cannot helpe it but they are like to reade the rest with lesse fruit and comfort and to goe without the vse of it in their liues whatsoeuer they hope for And therefore such I aduise to take most paine in the first part I meane in the doctrine of it and reading other treatises concerning the matter as Master Mores and other catechismes and Maister Perkins workes namely his booke intituled the graine of mustard seede And to raise all the doubts they can to any experienced teacher or brother and to looke for and see those things worke vpon them which are taught there both the doctrine of humiliation and also of iustification and deliuerance If this be attained let them consider for the better assuring themselues hereof that they cannot but affect loue imbrace and delight in the doctrine of sanctification and repentance from dead workes I meane they shall desire to practise the godly and christian life when they see that it is the commaundement of him who loueth them most dearely and what it is and wherein it consisteth which is the summe of the second treatise of this booke And to this end let them reade and by marking seeke as such who would finde that they may see what sinne there is in them which they are not willing nor desirous to forsake if there be any or among duties generally appertaining to all or particularly touching themselues which they cannot submit themselues vnto If there be either of these found in them as that they cannot leaue nor be brought to renounce some particular sins nor obtaine of themselues to be subiect to some speciall duties as thinking it too strict as thus it may be with many and no doubt is such must know that it is the doctrine of the Scripture that all the commaundements of God be had in account of vs and conscience made of one as well as of another which if they see and acknowledge according to the word of God they cannot but submit themselues thereunto if they haue rightly imbraced the doctrine of the former treatise that as in iudgement and knowledg they yeeld so their heart and affections may goe with the same And so doing God will worke in them by little and little seeking it by prayer of faith euen as he wrought the like in them before and weakned such rebelliousnes in their hearts alreadie If therefore the teachable and christian reader be thus farre wrought vpon by the spirit of God that he thus fauour approoue and giue ouer himselfe to be made truely repentant which is that that is required in the second treatise of this booke then is he fit to occupie himselfe about and to be conuersant in the third and fourth part of it that is to say in the doctrine which requireth a daily walking in a Christian course by the vse of such helps as are appointed of God for that purpose and some of them also daily as in the proper place shall appeare For euery true Christian is to know that the religion and worship of God must be in vse and practise among the imbracers of it as well one day as another But how shall any be able to keepe his heart in frame and reforme his life daily by the meanes which God hath appointed as in the third and fourth part of this booke is required except he be first a liker and an allower of all knowne points of dutie and doe hartily renounce all euill as is required in the second part Which being done let him looke to grow daily more strong in faith whereby he may hold and keepe fast the certaintie of Gods fauour daily and constantly And not as too many and yet the people of God doe who are not acquainted with this that their confidence should be maintained daily or a good conscience in their particular actions regarded and that on one day as another but thinke it enough at sometimes to haue this care Neither let any looke to repell this as too strict vnder pretence of weightie affaires and their owne infirmitie For this is but the delusion of the diuell as shall be shewed who will easily perswade it to be more then needeth This is that which must be learned out of the third and fourth part And when this is vnderstood approued consented vnto and aymed at the fift part of the booke shall be cleare and easie to vnderstand and what vse he should make of it namely of the lets and hinderances which the diuell raiseth vp to hold him backe from this course of life and the practise of the same of the which some I will set downe and helpe him the better to know many others thereby And he that shall indeuour to direct his life and take heede to his wayes as he shall by Gods word be taught shall breake through many of the lettes which yet shall strongly hold backe and hinder other men as the fift part will shew and if he be for a season withdrawne from a godly course yet he shall there finde helpes and remedies to recouer againe and little ease otherwise And if there be any difficultie in conforming a mans selfe after this forementioned doctrine as I deny not but the flesh will finde many yet against them all let him proceede and reade with good regard the sixt Treatise wherein are set downe the manifold and goodly prerogatiues and priuiledges which God hath bequeathed to his people to hearten them on and incourage them to godlines and to make the christian life easie and he shall see great light and finde exceeding force therein to stirre him vp to goe forward mightily against all fainting And then he shall not be moued for all the obiections cauils and fleshly reasons which he shall reade in the seuenth part For the comfort and experience which he shall partly enioy
so he powreth out earnest praiers to him for the pardon of thē through the mediation of Christ All which howsoeuer they seeme to him to be no great matters who is not as yet a competent and sufficient iudge in this case yet the Scripture commendeth them to be great euen the fruite of some little and weake faith and him who obtaineth them to be in especiall fauour with God as in the forenamed parable is most liuely to be seene where the father resembling God is said to haue met his lost sonne before he came at him and to haue imbraced and kissed him after that hee was resolued in himselfe to goe and seeke to him for fauour and pardon and to acknowledge his faults vnto him c. Now was there any thing thinke we in the naturall father which is not much more in the father of mercie who exceedeth all the fathers of the earth in kindnes and compassion Thus the Lord by his holy spirit worketh in the hearts of his children and with all these forementioned graces which he giueth them he draweth them to prise and value this benefit of redemption so highly as the wise Merchant doth the field wherein the pearle is hidden selling all to buy it so doe they I say set light by all things in comparison of this and are caried with this mind that they will forsake whatsoeuer may hinder for the obtaining of it The sixt worke they forsake all for it and highly prize it BVt what then some perhaps will say do you affirme that these things can do a man any good without faith for of this nothing hath yet bin said and doe you affirme a man to be iustified for such an one is he who is in fauour with God hauing no faith or that any thing is accepted of God which he doth as his desire to bee forgiuen his hungring after it his humiliation accesse to God in prayer and confession of sinnes all these being without faith or if not so do ye then say that we our selues must thus prepare our selues to receiue faith but that is to attribute free will vnto man being yet in the estate of miserie and bondage and vnrenewed as being yet without faith To the first I say that although none of these be faith yet I say that they are not without it as I will more fully shew afterward neither that God is pleased with any man neither he himselfe is iustified but only by it but wee cannot discerne or set downe the very moment when faith is wrought but when the other forenamed graces of God are effectuallie wrought in the heart then is this of faith wrought also by the same spirit neither can hee that hath receiued this faith into his heart so certainly and easily iudge of it as of those other gifts which accompanie it To the latter obiection I answere that I am farre from ascribing to man vnrenewed any inherent goodnes whereby he may prepare himselfe to receiue faith he is I say destitute of all goodnes in his will and of power to doe good such graces are giuen him of God as was said before For God findeth all men in their filthines and gore bloud as the Prophet Ezechiel speaketh and she whom he vouchsafeth to make his beloued spouse I meane his Church he raiseth out of the dust washeth and clenseth her from her filthines wherein hee found her and then taketh her to him to delight in as his deare and onely spouse It is the Lord therefore which is the author and finisher of his faith who shall be saued and he as he hath abased him and filled his heart with sorrowes for the same purpose so it is he that soketh it by little and little and seasoneth it in time with faith hope and comfort This is his only worke And although it be hard to determine whē faith is wrought as I haue said and how long dreadfull feare continueth yet by meanes of the knowledge of his miserie and redemption God worketh them both in his heart and that when and in what manner it seemeth best to his wisedome so that it may be seene that it is so And thus I hauing answered these two obiectiōs I wil now proceed morefully to shew how he guideth bringeth home this lost sheep as I had in som sort proceeded to do before I was occasioned to digresse a while by reason of the two former questions now answered To proceede therefore with this person whom the Lord wil saue when he hath wrought thus farre in him earnestly to desire the remedie against his miserie he leaueth him not there as many through ignorance wāt of wise building vp are held longer at this stay and although not lying in vtter vnbeleefe yet not bold to applie Gods promise to their soules euen as there are many who haue had compunction of heart that neuer goe further but waueringly are off and on and whē the desire is not accomplished the heart fainteth and they for all their desire seeing it vanisheth away is not constant fall away altogether But God goeth further with this person as I haue said For he hauing now with the skilfull merchant weighed the price of this pearle namely to haue Christ to become his hath it in such estimation that he counteth meanely of all things in comparison of this and in good aduisednes selleth all that he hath to buy it But what hath he you will aske of his owne to purchase or come into the possession of it As for his goods and riches whatsoeuer he inioyeth they are not his owne but an others and borrowed yet many thousand poore soules which shal be saued haue little or no wealth at all but this precious pearle is not bought with money What hath he then ye say to procure it verily he hath nothing but an interest and hold in sinfull pleasures and worldly lusts But alas some man will say what doe ye naming of them as things any thing worth But I say againe I must mention that which he hath of his owne and that is his sinne which though euery reasonable man will say that it is not worth the mentioning yet it was sometime more precious to him then siluer and in account aboue the purest gold and therefore to renounce it is no easie nor small matter And yet so well it falleth out for him there is no other thing required of him to the attaining of the forementioned pearle then the casting away and the forsaking of that his sinne For so the Lord plainely testifieth he that denyeth himselfe he shall be my disciple and whosoeuer forsaketh any thing that is which God condemneth he shall haue an hundreth fold more then he forgoeth so bountifull a rewarder is the Lord of all that seeke him and afterward eternall life Therefore when this silly sinner vnderstandeth and giueth credit vnto it as deare and pleasant as his sinnes were vnto
agreeth not with their humor and to cauill and quarrell with that which naturall reason doth not allow yet wishing better things vnto such I am not discouraged but for their sake who would desire the same in practise which here they shall finde by reading I will goe forward in this enterprise I know it can doe the best no harme I am sure trusting and looking for the blessing of God that it shall do many good such I meane as would doe well if they knew how and would grow wiser sounder and more constant in faith and a godly life if they had helpe and direction thereto plainely set before them And I am not ashamed to say that for mine owne furtherance as well as other mens and the better carriage of my selfe through this my pilgrimage I haue been willing to gather some such things together as in this small volume I haue contriued Neither had it come into the hands of others vnlesse such as are of account aboue my selfe for their gifts as well as my neighbours among whom I haue preached the doctrine had perswaded me to set it forth Besides all that hath been said I haue chiefly in this enterprise as God doth know sought this that this vnperfect weake labour of mine may stir vp and moue some of my godly brethren who for the habilitie and grace which God hath giuen them if their leasure had been as much as mine might tenne-fold more profitably and substantially haue vndertaken it to enlarge and perfect the same the argument being so needfull and profitable to the further benefit of Gods Church and people Another reason of setting out this treatise was this that they who desire it may see by the diligent marking of the same the beauties of the Christian life more clearely then by many Christians liues it can bee seene and that it may bee brought into greater account with many who thinke it through errour ouerburdensome And partly also I was moued hereunto by this reason that the Papists cast in our teeth that we haue nothing set out for the certaine and daily direction of a Christian when yet they haue published they say many treatises of that argument For answere to the first poynt of this obiection they cannot deny but that they care not what they say to bring the people out of loue with our religion they cannot I say deny that both in catechismes sermons and other treatises there is set forth by vs that which may cleerely direct Christians and stir vp godly deuotion in them though all be not gathered together into one volume for the second part concerning their treatises I graunt there are two which I haue seene set forth by them in our English tongue the one called a Christian Directorie the other the Exercise of a Christian life wherein the author doth though both superstitiously and nothing properly goe about to teach and giue direction for euery day in the weeke the one bearing the name of Robert Parsons the King of Spaines confessor the other by an Italian a Iesuite Doctor in Diuinitie and translated into English by some fauourite of Poperie the first is nothing lesse then a direction for a Christian though it be called a Directorie tending rather to perswade men to resolue with themselues to leaue some grosse euils then to shew them soundly how to attaine pardon or teaching how to liue christianly the other is a ridiculous tying men to a daily taske of reading some part of the storie of Christs passion and saying certaine prayers throughout the weeke euery day a taske but indeede nothing lesse then directing after the will of God him who desires to leade a Christian life Both of them I dare boldly affirme being deceiued themselues doe deceiue others especially the simple who is not able to discerne and trie the lying spirit in them The one that is to say Parsons hath vnder a pretence of a holines and deuotion set downe sundrie impediments to resolution But yet they are put in among other things to take away the harshnes and tartnes of manifold errours of merit and other superstition mixed with them and vpholden in that religion and as it were with sugar to season them which else no taste could abide and in the depth of a subtill heart put in to make the world beleeue that the Popish religion is the onely holy religion and the professors thereof the godliest liuers when yet Antichrist is their captaine and head or as they will not deny the Pope of Rome who yet doth and for these many yeares hath vpholden and maintained open and almost infinit heresies and abominations And as their religion and worship is composed and framed of heresies and lies and a confused heape of superstitions and outward dead workes euen Iewish and Heathenish ceremonies so the persons themselues who professe they know most and that they are able to giue rules vnto others vpholding and building vpon so rotten foundations are furthest off from well guiding others so that no man may euer looke by any Popish direction to liue christianly Although I will not dissemble what I thinke namely that some doe meane more simply and truely then the rest and thinke that they serue God aright hauing deuout minds but being ignorant of the truth must needes be deceiued But of Maister Parsons booke of Resolution seeing he and some other haue set it out in a glosing stile to insinuate with the ignorant and vnlearned reader that he seekes no other thing but to draw him to pietie and godlines I cannot forbeare but I must say a little which otherwise I would not haue done And the rather for that I know he hath snared many simple peoples consciences thereby who being themselues willing to be led in a right way beleeue that he meanes as he speaketh and therefore are left I say deceiued and in a bottomles gulfe out of the which if God helpe them not some other way it is not possible for them to get And this I say first for the deliuering of such out of the snare and maze in which they haue lost themselues by reading of that booke that although there be a pretended shew of godlines in it and much superstition yet the best of it is farre from true pietie and godlines seeing that and euery part of it proceedeth from faith ioyned with assurance of Gods fauour which is that alone that purifieth the heart and maketh it able to bring fourth fruits of amendment of life without which mens best actions are wrought by the strength of corrupt nature and are fruites of the flesh and workes of darkenes and so abominable And yet this faith doe Papists make no reckoning of neither therefore can the booke of Resolution teach or hold it Further I say that the law onely is vrged in that booke without teaching the poore soule that may be terrified thereby how to lay hold on the promise of eternall
they are fallen pag. 514 Chap. 7. Of the fift priuiledge namely the gracious helpes by which he hath granted them to grow in faith and godlines pag. 519 Chap. 8. Of the sixt priuiledge namely of the right vsing of prosperitie pag. 524 Chap. 9. Of the seuenth priuiledge concerning the afflictions of the godlie and namely of the first branch of the same that is how they may be free from many of those troubles which doe light on and meete with the vnreformed pag. 529 10. Of the second branch of this priuiledge concerning the afflictions of the faithfull namely that God deliuereth them out of many when the wicked still remaine in theirs pag. 535 Chap. 11. The third branch of this priuiledge that wee may haue much good by our afflictions pag. 539 Chap. 12. Of the eight priuiledge of growing in grace pag. 543 Chap. 13. Of the ninth priuiledge that the beleeuers shall perseuere vnto the end pag. 549 Chap. 14. Of the tenth and last priuiledge inioyed perfitly in the life to come but begun here pag. 560 The seuenth Treatise containeth the obiections and cauils which may be brought against the doctrine before set downe and an answere to them Chap. 1. OF the summe and order of this Treatise pag. 569 Chap. 2. The first obiection that there needes no direction daily besides Gods word and therefore this is needles answered pag. 570 Chap. 3. Of answering this obiection that no such direction can be obserued daily pag. 575 Chap. 4. Of answere to this reason against the practise of daily direction that it is toylsome and inconuenient taking away al pleasure from men and hinders their labours pag. 577 Chap. 5. Of answere to another reason against daily directing of vs that it would breake off all societie and fellowship among men pag. 581 Chap. 6. Of the doubts and obiections which weake Christians ought to propound vntill they bee satisfied namely how they may attaine to such direction daily and answere thereto and other like namely that they count it hard and what such ought to doe pag. 583 Chap. 7. Of other obiections of the weak as that they cānot see how they should walke thus while they liue in such an euill world and other like obiections with answers thereto pag. 587 Chap. 8. Of the obiection of weake Christians who cannot reade and another of them that are troubled through some Scriptures and answers to both pag. 590 Chap. 9. Of the obiection that Ministers may follow daily direction but yet not therefore the people and of such as obiect that better counsell is giuen by the author then hee himselfe will follow with answere to both and a larger answere to the first obiection in the second chapter pag. 593 Chap. 10. The conclusion of the whole booke containing an exhortation to good and bad pag. 599 FINIS THE FIRST TREATISE SHEWING WHO BE THE TRVE CHILDREN OF GOD. CHAP. 1. The summe and order of this first Treatise ALthough my chiefe purpose be to direct the true Christian who is already a beleeuer how to walke daily through the course of this life in such wise as he may finde a very sweete and effectuall taste of eternall happines euen here which few doe thinke can be obtained yet I haue thought it meete first to shew who are true beleeuers and the children of God and how men are brought vnto this estate and thereby may know that they are so Partly for them who desire to be directed in a Christian life that they may haue this ready at hand by them to shew them that they are the Lords notwithstanding many doubts be oft raised by Sathan against them and that others may learne to know it who are yet ignorant of it as without the which in vaine should they goe about a godly life Which as it is the weightiest and chiefest poynt of all others in diuinitie and the ground of the rest which I haue taken in hand to intreate of so it is with the greatest regarde to be dealt in whether we respect those which vnfolde and lay open the same or those which desire to be instructed and perswaded in the truth thereof For it comes to passe by our corrupt nature and slownes of heart to beleeue and Sathans subtiltie many waies beguiling vs that we in nothing more deceiue our selues then in and about the assurance of saluation for proofe hereof we may vnderstand that some yea many thousands thinke that no man can know whiles he liueth here that he is the Lords neither can haue any assurance of his fauour till his death vnlesse it be by speciall reuelation And this is the error of the Papists On the other side many thinke that this is not so hard a question as that any that professe the gospell should doubt of their saluation notwithstanding our Sauiour Christ saith that his flocke is but small and that in comparison but few shall be saued And this is the opinion of our common Protestants which say Lord Lord and yet are not prepared to doe the will of the Lord and therefore farre from entring into the Kingdome of heauen Besides both these many poore ignorant soules thinke whiles they doe well and serue God they may be assured of their redemption by Christ but if they be by any meanes hindred from pleasing God yea though it be by meere frailtie and corruption of nature then they can haue no hold thereof which vncertaintie though it cleaue vnto many who are deare vnto the Lord yet it is to be counted their error and sinne and they must be brought to a more staied iudgement then thus to thinke that either there is changeablenes with God or to be so much their owne enemies as by meanes of this error to fill their liues with such vncomfortablenes and depriue themselues hereby of this assurance of Gods loue which is the strongest perswasion to true godlines These are some few of a great many doubts and erronious opinions about this matter as after shall appeare For resolution whereof though many things must be said yet the matter it selfe may cleerely and soundly be set downe in few words To the end therefore that these and such like many see how farre differing Gods thoughts are from mans and as I haue said before that al which haue receiued this doctrine may haue it before their eyes daily in some easie and familiar manner to confirme them I will as God hath made me able set downe that which is expedient for this point and this I haue thought good to referre to these three heads First to shew how a man may attaine to this to know that he is the child of God and how God worketh it by his spirit in the hearts of those which are his Secondly how the weake beleeuers may vphold themselues in temptation and so be staied as seeing that they differ apparantly from those which are not the Lords And thirdly how they may
afterwards more easily prooue that they haue true faith and be able to confirme and preserue the same and finde how much such an estate is to be desired And for the plaine declaration of the first point hereof these three things must be handled The first the cleere knowledge of mans miserie The second of his redemption and deliuerance out of the same And the third how both these ought to worke vpon their hearts and what fruite they will bring foorth by the operation of the holy Ghost in such as shall be saued That is to say that the one which is the knowledge of miserie will wound and humble their hearts when they shall see thereby that they are but dead and damned people The other will heale the sores of their hearts and lift them vp againe to the beholding of all their sinnes pardoned and their woe remoued so as if they had neuer been pressed downe with the same And to this shall be adioyned a discourse of the lets of faith and what desire it is from which it commeth CHAP. 2. Of mans miserie TO begin therefore with their miserie and briefly to speake of it and the next branch seeing they are of others largely handled no man must think that it is the estate wherein God at the first created them either Adam the father of all the world or his posterity which was then in his loines Sure it is I say that it was not thus with mankind in the beginning for God then made all things good and man amongst other creatures hee made holie and happie the lord of all the creatures which were vpon the earth little inferiour to the Angels indued with infinite blessings full of beautie and glorie So that when it might be seene that nothing was wanting but this that he was not altogether free from losing this blessed estate yet euen there the diuell tooke an occasion against him and deceiued him and his posteritie and cast them from that happie condition which before they enioyed And yet if this had been all the harme that mankind by the malice of the diuell sustained it had been little in respect of that which fell vpon him For behold besides the losse of his felicitie he was plunged into extreame miserie and desolation which consisteth of these two branches that hee doth alwaies and in all things offend God being able to doe nothing but that which displeaseth him as hauing his heart alwaies and onely euill And secondly that he in all this is odious to God and most iustly accursed of him Mans sinne is not onely that transgression of Adam in most vnnaturall and treacherous rebellion and disobedience whereof hee is most iustly guiltie with Adam and hath his part as being to stand or fall with him but another which riseth out of this euen that infection of all the powers and members both of the soule and bodie Which as poyson put into a cup of wine doth make it deadly dispersing it selfe into the same in like manner this corruption or concupiscence which by the first sinne of Adam is spread ouer his posteritie doth poyson his whole nature so that no sound part is found in him from the crowne of the head to the sole of the foot And from hence it is that the vnderstanding euen the excellentest power of the mind is filled with blindnes and darknes and sauoureth not the things which are of God The conscience is wounded seared or defiled some other way and neuer soundly peaceable The memorie forgetting good things wholy or remembring neither good or euill aright and as it ought as experience forceth the best to complaine The will is captiue and of no strength to doe good neither wanteth habilitie to that which is euill And thereafter is he caried of his affections as a chariot on her wheeles onely to that which displeaseth God What should I say more For who can chuse but bewaile and lament such a distressed and wofull estate of the soule of man which somtimes hauing been framed after the image of God in true holines and righteousnes is now both emptie of that grace and filled with all filthines of sinne and vncleannes But alas who beleeueth this or consenteth to it that it is true that man who hath so good an opinion and high conceit of himself should yet be indeed so farre off from that which he dreameth of and in such bondage and slauerie as hee would seeme to be farthest off from the least part thereof But to goe forward if his conuersation and course of liuing which is the vntimely fruite of this bitter roote were laid out in her colours which I must onely very briefly touch it were able to make him who thinketh himselfe most innocent to appeare most vile and loathsome in his owne eyes ashamed of himselfe and to hide himselfe in a dungeon that no other might behold him For to speake of the actions of the minde what are his cogitations about heauenly matters but errors falsehood and Iyes What are the wishes and desires of his heart but earthly and fleshly in degree one aboue another till he being led away of his concupiscence is inticed and so consenteth thereto defendeth it and is hardened What is the outward behauiour but an yeelding vp of the members of the bodie as instruments and weapons of sinne euen the sinne of the tongue and sinne of the life in so much that he is all waies and in all things and therfore out of measure sinful As Paul though he liued after the most strict order of the Pharisees which was in shew farre aboue many yet when he was conuerted could say I was a blasphemer an oppressor a persecutor So that it is most truly verified which is written that he neither is nor can be obedient to the law of God and that he can do nothing but sinne The sinnes of man are as the haires of his head and sand of the seashore innumerable and his best actions as his prayers are no better then abominable before God as Salomon speaketh He that turneth his eare from hearing the law euen his prayer shall be abominable Oh it is not imagined of thousands that there is any such euidence to be brought against the inhabitants of the earth euen the vnworthie sonnes of men which yet were sometime by creation the sonnes of God For the most vngodly which can be heard of will haue some goodnesse to be found in them so farre off is it that they will yeeld to this censure that all their life is sinfull And therefore it is no marueile though men account of themselues as they doe euery one flying to this shelter that he hopeth he is not the worst of others For the cleerer laying open of these sinnes particularly some view of Gods law thorough euery commaundement is to be taken which I would here my selfe haue set downe but that
hereafter wee shall see Also he considereth that God is slow to anger and readie to forgiue sinners being gracious and full of mercie And though that thought be repelled through the remembrance of the greatnes of his sinne and vnacquaintednes with the promise yet there is no doubt but that he is secretly vpholden by it from dreadfull despayre Thus while present comfort faileth he sorroweth still and the more deeply for that he thinketh verely that he hath no part in it and therfore being cut off that way for the time he cannot but returne to think of his desolation and woful condition which breedeth deepe sighs and sorrowes afresh And he breaking foorth as one full which can hold no longer it wrings out such strong cryes Oh miserable man that I am what shall I doe how shall I escape this fearefull vengeance In this heauines he accuseth himselfe and complaineth but to auoide that miserie he seeth it impossible and to go vnder it still he feeles it intolerable And although he knoweth that there is a remedie and what it is which yet many in such heauines and abasement doe dimmely and weakly know and therefore their sorrow is the more yet can he not apply it to himselfe by any meanes In this extremitie therefore of his and being in this streight and distresse he crieth out with Paul O wretched man that I am who shall deliuer me And therefore the Lord guideth him to some instructour as hee did Paul to Ananias Act. 9.17 or stayeth him by the publike ministerie or by his owne knowledge bringeth him as wee reade of the prodigall child Luk. 15.17 to counsell himselfe by that which he hath heard The third worke they are broken hearted and humbled THe former consultation by Gods working bringeth this resolution to him that he will no more looke backe to his old Sodom what hard conditions soeuer he go vnder and so he falleth to relenting his heart is broken and he humbled and abased and in this spirit of meeknes saith as Paul did after he was cast down Act. 9.6 Lord what wilt thou haue me to doe And now he seeth that the Lord hath him at aduantage as a man bound in chaines readie and attendant to whatsoeuer it pleaseth him who before for his stiffe-necked stubbornnes was neither to be entreated commaunded nor feared This vnfained humbling of himselfe before God for all his wants breaches and wounds in conscience is a beginning of all goodnes and grace which man feeleth in himselfe and casteth off pride and the strength of an high minde and what knowledge of religion or any other good gifts soeuer a man hath without humilitie he is but vnreformed and vnmortified An happie discipline and nurture to be wondred at that can so soone and suddenly breake the clods of so hard an heart and so easily winde him as a twigge or wand whether it listeth him who could not before any more then the great tree in the least manner be bowed Thus must the Lord worke and shew his wisedome and power vpon this vnframed and crooked person before he can be made right and straight But what then perhaps you will say and what is this man the neerer to Gods kingdome and the sight and knowledge of his redemption out of his forementioned miserie I answere Very much euery manner of way For being thus humbled he is now easily to be perswaded and being by the same spirit of God enlightened whereby he was cast downe with heauines and feare before he is fit to thinke of and to remember the sweete promises of God which before though he had heard yet saw that he had nothing to doe with them and therfore durst not hearken after them Now he can thinke of that which by preaching he sometime heard as one who may be in hope to be the better for it that God is of that nature that he may be entreated and reconciled to him The fourth worke a secret desire of forgiuenes ANd by such considerations he raiseth vp himselfe and the Lord kindleth in him an especiall desire of the forgiuenes of sinnes and of the fauour of God which cannot be right and well ordered if it did not proceede from some hope that God will be entreated of him Here therefore he setteth before his eyes more cleerely then he could before the nature of God how louing and kinde he is how readie to pardon and how how great sinners who might more easily be dismaied then he haue found fauour with him It is also by Gods good directing of him much to the helping forward of him that he remembreth none are exempted from this benefit but such as exempt themselues And that the brused reede especially shall not be broken nor the contrite heart despised but the heauie laden comming to him shall be eased and they who mourne shall be comforted being blessed alreadie And although through ignorance and ill building vp many are farre from those thoughts affections a long time the diuell working vpon their weaknes and God so disposeth it also that euen some such as haue the best meanes and helpes to set them forward may feele and see their owne weaknes for a time yet doth he worke those things in them at one time or other if he purpose to saue them and this feruent desire I meane though in some with more timorousnes and this hungring after mercie which God stirreth vp in him and this earnest longing after a remedie by Christ is such and so feruent in him that as a man appointed to death setteth not by all the pleasures and gaine in the world in comparison of a pardon without which he cannot haue ioy in any thing So this poore sinner feeling the terrour of Gods curse and knowing that there is no release for him but only in Christ whom if he haue he shall be saued and if he haue not he shall perish euerlastingly doth aboue all things in the world sigh after him longing to bee made partaker of him In this hunger therfore and thirst of his after pardon how welcome think we shall good tidings be now vnto him Such a man so low brought and so abased in his owne eyes and so farre from all hope of worldly remedie either in himself or in other if he might be staied with any word of comfort at that time how acceptable were it like to bee vnto him Much more welcome doubtlesse then all the promises of the Gospell haue euer been to him before or then all things in the world be now to him besides Then if hee might haue the coursest diet it would be sweete and most sauourie to whom an hony combe before was not pleasant nay crummes vnder the table are comfortable refreshings to him who before was glutted with the childrens dainties Oh how glad such an one would be if he might be receiued of his heauēly father to be but as an hired seruant who could not before be brought to
him that he could neither by feare nor shame neither by allurements or perswasions before that be brought to abandon and waxe wearie of them yet now he disclaimeth and cryeth out of them and in an vtter detestation of them saith as Ephraim said of Idols in which she had so much delighted What haue I to doe with them A thing all may see to be verie admirable A man to forgoe that which he loued best of all yea better then life it selfe for how many lose their liues for their sinfull pleasures yea and that willingly and readily only for the hope of that which as yet he hath not is it not admirable and must not that hope thinke we be sure and certaine though in him so weak as yet that they cannot professe it Thus doth the Lord worke in the heart of him who shall imbrace Christ for his Sauiour that nothing shall separate betwixt them It may well be said No man commeth to him except the father draw him by his spirit for otherwise we reade that it is as hard for a wicked man to become good as for the blacke More to chaunge his skin or the leopard his spots And whereas it may be said there are many when they are pricked in conscience for their sinnes who doe thus cry out of them for the time but it appeareth afterwards to haue been but a blast and as it may seeme a sodaine passion which vanisheth away and commeth to nothing I affirme the same and grant it to be so but this is a farre other thing and this worke of grace to forsake all for the hope of mercie and forgiuenes of sinne differeth as much from that rash and sodaine cracke of fearefull crying out of sinne while onely terror oppresseth as cannon shot differeth from the shot of paper the one casting out the diuell for bearing any more dominion in him the other seeming to fray him with bold and lowd words I defie the diuell c. but driuing him away in deede no otherwise then the popish holie-water as may be seene in comparing both sorts together For example though Ahab gaue signes that he forsooke his sinnes by rending his cloathes but not his heart putting sackcloth vpon him and fasting yet he shewed by and by after that al was but a ceremonie by wilfull resisting and disobeying the message of God by the prophet and boldly affirming that he hated him Yet on the other side Zacheus did farre otherwise for how he receiued Christs doctrine he declareth by the fruites following reuenging himselfe for his ill gotten goods with a restoring fourefold and giuing halfe the rest to the poore and Christ also testified of his forsaking and leauing his gainfull vnlawfull trade by open affirming him to be the sonne of Abraham An other example the people whom Samuel perswaded to forsake their sinne for the hope of the promise did not only lament after God but they did in deede forsake it they did cast away Baalim and Ashtaroth idoles which they so delighted in declaring thereby that they found by the prophets ministerie a farre greater treasure that is the mercie of God in forgiuing them their sinnes according to that which is written since but true before euen since the first mans repentance He that confesseth and forsaketh his sinne shall finde mercie But their fathers who made as great profession and shew as they returning to God and seeking him early yet they did but flatter him with their mouth and dissemble with their tongue for they were not faithfull in his couenant But these shall suffice like vnto the which there are many more Let it be graunted therefore that this is a mightie and admirable worke of Gods spirit which thus perswadeth this sillie soule which is trauailing hard to finde peace rest vnto his heart thus I say to bid farewel to his sweetest delights for the hope of the gaine that is set before him For these two goe together highly to esteeme and prise the promise of life and happines and for the same to despise and set light by the things which were best beloued And yet this as impossible as it is to any other in those whom God chooseth out of the world he worketh it as sensibly as we may discerne the wilde beast to be tamed and the cleere and sunshine day to be ouercast and darkned For God kindleth a feruent desire longing after that glad tidings namely that he will freely bestow it vpon him that thirsteth after it till he hold and inioy it as his owne And that which S. Paul saith of himselfe that when he began to see the beautie of this blessed message he counted those things losse which had been vantage to him yea very doung for Christs sake that he might win him the same is verified in all such as I now speake of euen whosoeuer he be and then he is truly come home no more to be cast off or forsaken of the Lord. And this gracious affection is thus riuited into him and as it were writtē with an adamant pen neuer to be rased out any more to the end it may alwayes after remaine and be found in him after experience as it standeth with great reason it should euen as it was with Moses when he was of a ripe age full fortie yeares old he did shew the fruite of it as many other wayes so this one that he refused to be called the son of Pharaos daughter and to inioy the pleasures of sinne for a season And when this worke is wrought in him that he forsaketh all things for this which he seeketh and so highly priseth it then he is fit to apply it as followeth which is the last worke The seuenth worke they apply Christ and his promise FOr by the doctrine of y e promises which he heareth or hath heard published and preached vnto him he draweth his hart to applie thē to himselfe and to fasten vpon them as his owne euen as if they had bin properly made to him he perswadeth him by that which he heareth no longer to feare God as a terrible Iudge and so slauishly to abide in his former bondage as one in danger of damnation stil and vnder the curse but sealeth vp his saluation in his heart and maketh it as effectually his as any bargaine is made sure to vs when he who sold it hath sealed it vnto vs or giuen earnest thereof And therefore it is that the Scripture doth so often vse this phrase of speech We are sealed vp by the spirit of promise and by the spirit of our God to giue vs to vnderstand that as nothing is with greater securitie assured vnto vs then a writing sealed so there cā be no surer way for a man to hold this redemption and saluation then by hauing it sealed vnto him by the spirit of God who onely knowing the minde of the father and of the son
also the comfort by our preaching which may easily be greater to vs then to them which heare vs oh what can be in this life comparable vnto it whereby also our hearts are sweetly seasoned and our liues farre better gouerned and wee more safely kept from euery euill way as Salomon saith Prou. 2.10 vnlesse we be carelesse of our owne good More then this we haue incouragement and perswasion to doe our duties in this behalfe more cheerefully by considering that so many as we turne from their euill waies so many soules we are counted to saue Iam. 5.20 And this wee should doe now whiles wee may doe it in peace and whiles there are many willing to heare whose example may draw on others who if they should not be taken whiles they may will not afterterwards perhaps be brought on though we should neuer so much desire it fearing that which the Apostle saith 2. Tim. 4.3 that the time will come when they will not suffer holesome doctrine and hauing their eares itching shall after their owne lusts get them an heape of teachers and shall turne their eares from the truth and shall be giuen to fables And lastly we know that the reward after this life is a stronger motiue then all these which I haue mentioned but I am sure that all together are most strong and should be to vs as the threefold cable that is not easily broken and that is set downe in Daniel thus They which instruct others shall shine as the light of the firmament and they which turne many to righteousnes as the starres for euer This is that which I thought meete to say to my brethren in the Ministerie who according to their diuers estates places people and other occasions shall I know too well meete with discouragements enough but if they be wise against the greatest of all other which are within them I meane the distemperatures and contradictions and disputes of their owne euill hearts I doubt nothing but that the other shall be resisted and ouercome All obiections which might trouble and hinder from this worke and dutie are infinite Therefore only looke to God and haue him going alwaies before you and let his word be the man of your counsailes in which estate alone sound and durable peace is to be found and he will teach the teachable aboue their expectation and giue wisedome to the simple and strength to the weake that by him they shall finde that easie which otherwise were impossible I meane to swallow vp discouragements and finde the greatest ioy in the diligentest performing of dutie Now I turne to you my brethren or people and hearers who as I haue said raise vp lets and hindrances to too many against your selues though ye had none offered you by your Ministers Whose case for the greatest part I pitie and bewaile that you are so farre from knowing and duly considering this great mercie of God towards you in sending his preachers among you that very few of many see the end of their ministerie and therefore receiue them not as from God as the instruments by whom ye may beleeue and be reformed and consequently look and waite for the accomplishment of your happines after ye haue first tasted how good the Lord is to them by their preaching vnto you Know ye therefore that God hath appointed them as messengers of your reconciliation with him who were farre sequestred from him before and estranged and wheras he might haue taught you by other meanes and led you thorough this long and wearisome wildernes by other guides he hath seene this the fittest way to doe it by men his ministers seeing yee should neuer haue been able to heare the Lord himselfe if hee should haue spoken to you no more then the people of Israel were when they cried out at the hearing of his voyce and said Lord speake thou no more to vs but let Moses speake to vs and we will heare him in all that thou shalt say to vs by him Heare them therefore who are able to deliuer the Lords message vnto you whose preaching is life or death to you and if ye despise them in that their message ye shall doe all one as if ye despised the Lord himselfe that sent them Heare them I say in the Lords steed in all that they shall say to you from him Learne by their ministerie to see your selues to be the sonnes and daughters of God almightie who before the ministerie of the word worke vpon you mightily are his enemies your hearts being set on euill workes and vnder his wrath iustly Suffer your selues to bee launced purged wounded seeing ye cannot otherwise be healed Receiue the holesome word of exhortation and be content to put your neck in his yoke and willingly submit your selues to his word that so ye may glorifie God for his loue towards you in and by their labour and trauaile among you that ye may thereby gaine more then if you had al abundance and your hearts desire Which because you see not I will shew you how great it is in some sort and that is so much as if you attaine it ye owe no lesse then your owne soules to them for it Philem. 19. For they shall not only saue themselues who shal performe this dutie of teaching amōg you in such maner as hath bin before set down but they shall saue you also who intertaine them as Gods messengers 2. Tim. 2. and be meanes to make you see your selues happie both here and for euer Which being so who can sufficiently admire the blindnes nay the wilfull blindnes of the people the carelesnes yea the bold carelesnes and blockishnes of them who see nothing of this which I say though wee speake oft of it and aloud among them that they may regard it I thanke God to see some thing that I see in some persons I meane their reuerent and thankfull receiuing of the Gospell and their care to be reformed by it but that in so long a time of peace and free passage to the Gospel vnder her Maiesties most prosperous raigne so few make that the flower of their garland and their best portion it is most worthily to be bewailed Which testifieth too cleerely that either there are many enemies of the Gospell among vs besides Priests and Iesuites and open Recusants and among them that loue it as they pretend many of them loue darknes more then light because their deedes are euill and who doe not esteeme Gods messengers as sent from him for their singular benefit For then would not some and those not a few denie them their due which God hath giuen them that labor among them nor withhold their earthly things from them to whom they deliuer spirituall nor esteeme meanly and basely of them who would faine win them to God Neither would many of the people lay such blockes in their owne way as they doe descanting of them in such
wise as they will be sure that none of them shall doe them good For rather then they would haue nothing to except against them if they cannot finde those accusations that are iust they are content with any shew why they should refuse to bee counselled and perswaded by them And therefore if they be old they say they dote and know not what they say if they be yong they haue no iudgement nor experience if they be wealthie then they are couetous if poore then base and contemptible if they be maried they can not follow their callings but the world if vnmaried then they liue suspiciously And thus to say no more it is fearefull to see how little the people in one respect or other are seasoned with the sweete fruite of the Ministerie and therefore if ye feare God regard your owne welfare and peace and will not come to iudgement imbrace the Ministery reuerently as Gods message and the greatest and most lets of faith are remoued Thus I hauing set downe these lets which doe chiefly hold from faith both on the Ministers part and the peoples and hauing said somewhat to both in way of exhortation seeing out of these two kinds of men God chuseth out his elect I conclude that there are many lets from faith but yet withall it may be seene that there is apparant remedie to be found against them as I haue said and how subtilly soeuer the diuell bewitcheth and holdeth men backe by them yet the Scripture offereth greater grace by the which they may breake through all hindrances and discouragements which may keepe them from it if the Minister and people would make conscience of their duties CHAP. 7. What desire breedes faith BVt seeing it were both long to stand in prescribing remedie against all these lets and the way for all hath been set downe to come by faith alreadie I will therefore briefly stirre vp and aduise such as are in good way and haue made some good entrance that they may see what to take heede of and what to imbrace and to seeke faith by the meanes and in the manner which before I haue set downe and a little to strengthen them after they haue attained to any true measure of it Wherein it is to be marked because I before highly commended a good desire that a naked and bare desire of saluation now and then stirred vp in men is not to beleeue as many thinke although without any ground But seeing such as haue a desire sometime are they for the most part whom God doth make beleeuers for while men are voide of that there is little hope to be conceiued of them I will therefore shew for the helpe of them who doe anything looke after true happines what desire it ought to be and whereto it groweth if it be true and sincere that it may not deceiue them For we may finde many who haue sometime desired it earnestly and yet neuer obtained it as Balaam that a man could hardly haue shewed any difference betwixt their desiring of it and the desire of such as haue attained to it indeede for that instant But in time it hath appeared that it was but sudden or of short continuance and failed before it obtained that which it sought as by them who in the Gospell are said to haue ioyed in that which they desired to heare but it vanished whereas the desire of the other cannot be satisfied without it but mourneth and longeth for it and pineth for sorrow when any thing commeth in the way to weaken the hope which was conceiued of it till that bee remoued which hindred them from that benefit Therfore such must know that their desire which is sometime fleeting and somtime faint must become both feruent and constant as in the parable of the pearle may be seene That as soone as it was found the value of it being knowne of the skilfull Merchant he neuer rested till he had gotten it for his owne for wee must know that he who thus desireth it is forcibly drawne hereunto by God who hath shewed him his great neede of it and what he shall gaine by it and thereby hath prepared and made him fit to receiue it for otherwise if God draw not men to the valuing of it it is of no account with them Now further this desire if it be the worke of Gods spirit is strengthened hereby namely while hee prizeth and valueth it according to the worthines of it as farre as he is able that is to say thus that in his account it farre surmounteth and excelleth all the world with whatsoeuer is of account in it he esteemeth of it as a most pretious treasure to beleeue because hee knoweth that he which beleeueth is deare vnto God and shall be saued And so must faith and assurance of eternall life be valued indeed of him who shall finde the blessing of it for which cause S. Peter calleth it pretious faith Now who can esteeme thus of it as that it is better then all profit pleasure and preferment but he must needes thinke all his praying for it hearing the word which worketh it his questioning about it and his trauaile and labour in meditating of the promises whereby the spirit of God writeth it in the heart but he I say must needes thinke all his paines well bestowed in seeking it yea and infinitly recompenced though he hath long waited the Lords leisure for the enioying of it Al which meanes another man thinketh very needlesse and that it is meere follie to make all this adoe to come by it and yet he will say it is better then the world also but he can content himselfe when he hath heard the promise without any setting of his desire in it to wash away all with a word of course that he hopeth to be saued by Iesus Christ as well as other Which slight esteeming of it is too cleere a token how farre hee is from it Now who seeth not the difference betwixt these two to be this that the one is led by the spirit of God whereby the father of heauen doth reueale this secret mysterie of faith to him and doth wonderfully draw his heart vnto it the other is led by fleshly reason as his guide which is the greatest enemie to this worke For our reason thinketh it vnnecessarie to set more by that which we cannot see with carnal eyes then by that which we haue in present possession and see it handle it enioy and vse it therefore no man doing thus is led by the spirit of God which assureth him who is led by it that God hauing promised glorie greater then the world though hee seeth it not he shall finde no lesse then is promised therefore he setteth more by it then by all things here before his eyes And this is the way to beleeue in God indeede though wee see him not that by this our confidence in him wee may haue ioy and
and yet euen that maketh them complaine vntill they be inlarged and he that hath not this witnesse within him shall not doe best to sooth vp himselfe with a vaine confidence Thus I conclude that ioy and peace are inseparable companions of faith But here me thinkes I heare some obiecting thus If you zealous folke who glorie so much of the assurance of saluation and for that very cause be so ioyfull ye agree not within your selues for some which are of your mind are euer sad and sorrowfull To this I answere that many desire to be sure and grone for it in the Lords eares and in time shall be comforted being already pronounced to be blessed and sometime they are assured for a season and then are cheerefull and before this they cannot be so as they whose hearts the Lord hath opened more cleerely to behold that excellent mystery But further I say that it should trouble no wise bodie to see them mourne for a while after that which shall being atteined make them merrie for euer after And it is a meere cauill in them that twit Gods weake seruants for that which giueth so iust cause of mourning namely their doubting seeing they desire nothing more then to be assured And if they doe not mixe their feare and heauines with melancholy passions they offend not in lamenting after God while they long aboue all things to behold Gods louing countenance towards them But if their heauines make them waspish tuchie froward vnquiet rash in censuring them who are not in their estate I say these as mad and frantike passions are to be condemned But these obiecters say that this sad countenance and behauiour in them who are more religious than the most part of others causeth many to shun religion and to be afraide to ioyne themselues to their acquaintance and company and to meddle with muzing on the Scriptures or on Sermons more then to heare and reade them and so trouble themselues no further To this I say that we are not so to looke to exemples that we hurt and hinder our selues thereby from that benefit which the Scriptures doe most certainely direct vs vnto But if men would weigh things indifferently they who are so ready to challenge many good Christians for their heauines which yet they know tendeth to the seeking of comfort might see their owne fault greater whose mirth for the most part is ioyned with lightnes and profanenes holding goodnes and grace out of the company and not a reioycing for that they know God to be their most louing father without which their ioy is but follie yea madnes as Salomon speaketh of laughter which testifieth such ioy But to end this in few words let such as haue true hope in God though weakely moderate their heauines that they may offend as few as they may and they that finde fault with them for that let them know that they ought rather to pitie and pray for them and interpret all in the best manner and looke that their owne mirth and cheerefulnes be well warranted them or else it were farre better for them to haue part in the others heauines And for answere to this thus much But to goe forward as the due consideration of the greatnes and perswasion of the certaintie of his benefits will raise this ioy in the heart of him that possesseth it so likewise it will cause him to maruaile with reuerence to see his state so changed himselfe to be brought from so lowe a depth of extreame miserie to so high a degree of honour and glorie and so to be enriched by this fauour of God that he shall oft feare on the suddaine least it should not be so wondring at the greatnes of the same as Iudas the good Apostle did who considering the great kindnes of Christ brake forth into these words Lord what is the cause that thou wilt reueale thy selfe to vs and not to the world Yea and the woman of Samaria which had long lien in blindnes and superstition and in the fruites of both that is in cauilling and mocking yet when our Sauiour had ouercome her euill with good and conuerted her her heart was so set on the benefit which she receiued by him that she forgat her water-pot which in her who sauoured before only of the earth was a great matter and went admiring at her owne change to tell her neighbours of that welcom newes which had befallen her and was a meane of their conuersion also Ioh. 4.28.29 But Sauls conuersion did so cause him to wonder at Gods worke therein that it caused also them that beheld it to admire it to be amazed when they saw him preach the doctrine which he before pursued with the imbracers of it Act. 9.21 So great admiration doth this precious faith worke in them that obtaine it And yet if this holie and reuerent admiration at so great good things befallen those or other such should but then onely immediatly after the receiuing of them be felt the benefits might seeme the smaller but it is farre otherwise if it be duly nourished and maintained for they are so sweete and so farre aboue all that they can aske or looke for that except it bee through mens owne default they are euery day new and fresh and so farre from bringing tediousnes that the oftner they be daily considered and the longer they be inioyed the more they will cause wondring at the loue of the giuer and what should moue him to bestow so great a portion euen more then the whole world vpon so vnworthie an one as would haue thought a little before that it had been an happie estate not to haue been at all The Sunne in the beautie and strength thereof doth not more cause the eye to dazle then the viewing and beholding of this glorie which God communicateth with his beloued ones doth astonish and abash the heart to thinke of it which is so true that Dauid the man of God did many yeeres after hee felt himselfe beloued of God fall into this holie admiration as that God should doe such great things for his soule as deliuer him from the neathermost graue by which he meant hell And therefore it cannot be without grosse bewitching of many professors by Sathan that if they haue at the hearing of this tidings published meruailed a little they thinke they haue receiued this benefit with that reuerent account that it deserueth though after it waxeth a common thing with them for this they say it were foolish daily to bee wondring at one thing as when we first heard of it Full well all such declare what fruite they reape by it but if they did daily consider their vnworthines they should see more cause to wonder euery day then at the first if comparison may bee made in such a case It is to be wondred at that God pardoneth sinnes daily in that his mercie continueth daily to pardon them and for that
hold in this errour of vnbeleefe although wee see manifestly that the seede of faith was in vs it was the cause why in all other good things we went forward the more sleightly So that we see great cause to season our hearts with beleeuing throughout our whole life whatsoeuer labour it cost vs. To this purpose was the speech of those Christians And to goe forward who doth not know that when some certaintie of saluation is attained of men yet for all that in as much as it is but weake that they haue many heart griefes for this that they see they haue a long wearisome pilgrimage to goe thorough and little knowledge and perswasion of any great guiding of them through all the feares and difficulties of it Pitie therefore the distressed estate of Gods poore people ye shepheards of his flocke Although this is but one point of many which ye are to teach them and arme your selues with that minde which was in the Apostle who saw it meete as long as he should abide in this tabernacle to put the people in mind of al things necessarie to saluation from day to day though they knew and were stablished in them And let me with your patience say one thing more to you which if ye will be aduised by me will be much to your owne benefit and of those that heare you Aboue all things seeke to haue that your owne and effectually wrought in your selues which you teach the people for you know that the Phisitions who practise by experience are best able to deale with their patients Especially in this matter of faith labour to be more exercised how you haue vse of it in beleeuing for your owne parts either precepts or promises and content not your selues with bare knowledge of the truth And so doing ye shall make good gaine of that which you shall teach if your hearers should not and yet such teaching while ye bee sure that it hath done your selues much good shall set such an edge on your doctrine by your more liuely cheereful and powerfull deliuering of it that it shall farre more easily procure an appetite in the people to receiue it as they did in Iohn Baptists time with greedines and as it were with violence and so that if they be not brought to the true practise of Christianitie by it they will not bee brought to it by any other teaching And this I wish that ye be not of the minde that some haue been of for it is no opinion fit for the Minister of God that is to say that they thinke though some preach by experience yet no man is bound to do so as though it were in mens choice to doe which they list when wee know that the good shepheard doth go before the sheepe and they follow him And if he goe before them in example of good life then he cannot chuse but teach them by experience that which he himselfe doth practise in his good example And so hee that shall thinke that he is not bound to teach by experience as well as by the letter concludeth that hee is not bound to bee a good man himselfe who teacheth Now I haue said what I purposed I will goe forward In teaching labour much in this manner which I haue mentioned to beate into the people with making it plaine to them how they may be assured of their saluation as I haue taught in the first treatise beate in I say this doctrine of beleeuing that God will minister all helpe to inable them to liue godly For in both points if view might be taken throughout this dominion it should be found that the people are ignorant and to seeke both how to come to the assurance of saluation and also how they should be rightly taught to leade a godlie and a Christian life And how commeth this to passe but because men teach not oft of which all may see what neede there is or els they doe not in commiseration of the peoples weak capacitie and memorie beate vpon these things among all other againe and againe So S. Paul hath left behind him his practise for our instruction saying It grieueth me not to write when hee cannot come to preach them the same things to you and for you it is a sure thing And we should know that it is no shame to preach the same things oft yea in our owne congregation but meete and fit especially if they bee these speciall matters vnlesse we contend for the vaine praise of men and will shew our pride by seeking after nouelty rather then our desire of the peoples edifying Yet I nourish not barbarousnes nor the vttering vnseasonably and vnsauourly either of the same words and sentences or in bosome Sermons the same things but in the euidence of the spirit and in renuing our labour and paine euen about the same doctrine which we taught before it shal be so farre from being wearisome and tedious that the best hearers shall affirme that they cannot heare them too oft but desire with all their hearts to heare them againe And because I am by fit occasion come to vtter this I will adde one thing which ought worthily to preuaile much both with Preacher people And that is this that in this long and gracious time of peace and libertie of free preaching the Gospell he is a rare priuate man that I goe no further who is able plainly and soundly to set downe how a sinner may know himselfe to be in the state of saluation and assured that he is the child of God and when he is so how hee should bring foorth the fruites of repentance and leade a godly and Christian life I know it is the holie Ghost who alone can worke this in mens hearts but I speake of the expressing and setting down thesame And though I doubt not but that some conceiue it yet if they did that well they could in some sort vtter it also as wee are commaunded to take vnto vs words to expresse that which we conceiue as well as to haue matter in our minds And although the knowledge of this in generall doe bring men in liking with it yet who seeth not that the particular vnfolding hereof by fit coherences knitting one point with another is the way to make it vnderstood and conceiued aright By the which the hearer is farre more easily brought to haue the effectuall worke thereof in him And thus to returne againe to that from whence I digressed not vnnecessarily and so to draw to an end about it Although people profit thus far that they get some true taste of saluation by preaching yet they shall very much stagger and goe backe and coldly set vpon the practise of godlines if they be not well grounded in beleeuing that God will build them vp more strongly from day to day and perfect the good worke in them which he hath begun euen to full sanctification in the
it and after And according to the prouerbe like tree like fruite for a good man out of the good treasurie of his heart bringeth forth good things and the wicked man out of the ill treasurie of his heart bringeth forth euill things This heart of man therefore must be good and holy and pure it must be brought to yeeld and submit it selfe willinglie to better instruction then naturallie it hath been acquainted with that so it may bring forth fruite of amendment of life and be readilie disposed vnto euery good worke But as I sayd that men may not deceiue themselues who for the most part being ignorant about the heart and the nature and properties of it doe thinke that they may liue godlie whatsoeuer corruption doth infect the heart it shall be requisite to know it better and how all godlinesse is but fantasie or hypocrisie vnto the heart be reformed and changed We must haue it clensed and well seasoned and afterwards kept so that it may be no longer an enemie to vs or an hinderer of vs in any of our good actions but contrarilie that by the helpe of it we may dailie goe forward in well doing at least by striuing or after a repulse to returne againe For this we are to know that the heart of man before it be emptied is a dungeon of iniquitie before it be inlightened a denne of darkenes before it be clensed a puddle of filthinesse and that which Saint Iames speaketh of the tongue may much more be said of the heart that before it be tamed it is an vnruly euill If then such an heart be the guide of our life how monstrous and loathsome must that life needes be Hereby therefore it is cleere that the heart must be purged of this corruption as I haue said it must be changed from this nature and custome that when any departing from sinne should be or any dutie to God offered this may not be a pulbacke and hinderer but ready to giue consent thereunto and a furtherer thereof in subduing the corruption of the same from time to time For who seeth not that this were otherwise a toile most tedious yea a thing altogether impossible as oft as we should goe about any good dutie then to haue our heart to seeke as they say and to be set in frame as if an husbandman should alwaies be driuen to mend and sharpen his plough share when and as oft as he tilleth the ground or a Carpenter to grinde his tooles so oft as he goeth to worke but much more seeing the heart is backward and not willing and ready to any good thing yea rather rebellious against it must not all of necessitie the more preposterouslie goe forward But to proceede more particularlie to anatomize and describe the heart and in few words to say much of it we must know that it is ouerspread with vnbeleefe deceitfull vnruly loose hardned wilfull vaine idle blockish cold in goodnes and without sauour and soone wearie of it high big proude disdainefull selfe-louing vncharitable vnkind conceited impatient angry fierce enuious reuenging vnmercifull froward and tuchie churlish sullen medling worldly filthie and vncleane louing pleasure more than godlinesse vnprofitable repining earthlie greedie or couetous idolatrous superstitious vnreuerent hypocriticall disobedient to betters iudging rashlie hardlie reconciled and in a word prone to all euill is it not then hardlie tamed Which must needes be graunted when the most part of people vnder the Gospell doe either not know nor suspect this and therefore are farre from abilitie to hunt these corruptions out and they who know it doe yet loue them as their owne flesh and therefore be neuer the neerer to the purging out or remouing of them It is not without cause therefore that Salomon saith there are seuen abominations in the heart that is many And Ieremy in like manner affirmeth that the heart of man is deceitfull and deepe aboue all things who can gage or search it out Euen I the Lord saith God am the searcher or finder out of it Therefore also our Sauiour to set out the nature of the heart saith Out of the heart come euill thoughts murders adulteries fornications thefts false testimonies slaunders Must it not then needes be a filthie sinkehole out of which so vnsauorie stinkes doe arise So that it may truly be said the heart of man is euill aboue measure and in the kindes thereof in number as the sparkles that come out of the furnace and as the sand of the sea shore which is innumerâ—â—le And what should I say more The time would be too short to proceed further and I shall haue occasion in another place to speake of the same But by the way this is worthilie to be lamented that where the Scripture is so plentifull in describing and setting out of the manifold and foule defilements of the heart that men are so blind in vnderstanding them and see so little when the holy Ghost bewraieth so much And hereof it is that they feare so little danger and suspect so little hurt to be comming towards them thereby in the middest of so great and iust cause to feare and suspect both For who is merrier or more secure than he that hath most sinne in his heart to witnes against him Which being so who doth not see that such a draft-house is to be emptied and that much grace and water of life had neede to be poured in to sweeten and season it before it be fit to be imployed to good vse and to be made a temple for the holy Ghost to dwell in and a good treasurie that out of it a good man may bring forth good things Yea an admirable thing it is that it should euer be brought to good But to go forward now to shew what this purging of the heart is and how it should be purged For the first we must know that it is a renuing in holines and righteousnes by little and little of all true beleeuers they being first deliuered and freed from the tyranie of sinne and feare of damnation for a man is no sooner set at libertie from the feare of euerlasting death and the wrath of God but he is also sensiblie drawne to let goe his holde and interest in sinne which before he had and feeleth the same to receiue a deadly wound in him and the power thereof to be abated and crucified And so findeth that verified in him which the Apostle setteth downe to the Romans that is to say How can such as are dead to sinne liue any longer therein And withall he is quickened and sensiblie stirred vp to a loue and earnest desire of things holy and heauenlie euen that he may please God and being renued in the spirit of his minde doth affect and long after righteousnesse and true holines And herein consisteth this purging and changing of the heart which I now speake of and such a thing it is shewing
saying he that hath this hope purgeth himselfe To this I will speake somewhat at large seeing it is a point of great moment and weight It is true indeede that our hearts are made new and purged by faith wee knowing thereby our selues to be made the beloued of God For it is faith in the pretious promises of God which the holy Ghost worketh in vs whereby wee flie the corruptions that are in the world through lust and which purgeth the heart casting out the draffe and filthines which was in vs. And vntill our minds be thus inlightened that wee see cleerely that our sinnes are forgiuen vs and we vnited to Christ and made one with him and partakers of the graces of his spirit wee neuer come out of our selues neither haue any desire to heauenly things but our wisedome is earthly diuellish and sensuall For we being not yet assured of the happines of heauen doe know no better delights then our blind and deceitfull hearts do dreame of here on earth The which though wee see by experience that they are short and momentanie seeing they who haue greatest part in them cannot keepe them long yet we who haue least part in them will neuer forgoe the loue of them vntill we see how we may certainly inioy better which may cleerely bee seene in the poorer sort of people destitute of grace that although they haue no wealth yet it doth their hearts good to talke of it in token that it is the thing which they loue best of all And hereof it is that many thousands through ignorance passe their time in sport play pastime and pleasure accounting that the onely life that is to bee wished to liue deliciously for a season Others in quarrelling contention murmuring debate suites and accusing of their neighbours The most tolerable and honest course seemeth to be the spending of mens yeeres in and about the worldly goods And thus are men occupied although one sort diuersly from another yet all to bee pitied seeing they walke amisse I speake of such as know no better Notwithstanding no one of these can be brought to mislike his course or to turne his hart and delight from it vntill he be assured of a farre better portion No although wee bring tidings hereof vnto them so as they beleeue that it is true and haue great liking of the same yet till they see that it may be their owne they will not so much as goe about the dispossessing of such vnsauourie and fond lusts from their hearts But when they beleeue that God is a plentifull rewarder of all that seeke him and that they who were once no people are now freely made his people and beloued of him which were sometime not beloued then their hearts turne and aske after him then they desire to know more of his will and mind and repent that they were so ignorant before and that so long time and that they drunke vp the draffe of vnsauourie puddles euen deceitfull pleasures when they might haue drunke of the sweet cesternes which were able to refresh their soules with the water of life And although there are many doubtings before they be setled in this perswasion assured of better delights yet they are no sooner resolued of their saluation and what liberties they haue by Christ whereby they are made happie which how it is attained hath been shewed in the former treatise but so soone are their euill harts and affections changed so farre as the iudgement is inlightened and they contrarily affected to that sin which they liked before as seeing now cause sufficient why they should doe so for they receiue from Christ by his spirit both will and power thereunto For faith worketh by loue and so causing them to loue God and for his sake their brethren it maketh them also readie to doe any thing for him whom they loue and therfore to auoide and cast off all allurements to euill and sinne which he cannot abide So that it is faith which purifieth and changeth the heart not as the chiefe and highest cause for that is the holie Ghost as hath been said which at the same time when it assureth vs of our reconciliation with God doth worke this change and sanctification also which is a purging of vs from the corruption of our owne nature and an induing of vs with a new qualitie and disposition of minde whereby wee begin to will well and sincerely to goe about the things which please God and both by the merits and power of Christs death and resurrection Which I do aduisedly mention againe briefly for the weaks sake who shall the point being somwhat hard to conceiue the better vnderstand the one by the other And these two faith and a pure heart cleere and appease the conscience from accusation and checkes and worke most sweete peace and holy securitie Rom. 5.1 For from faith and a pure heart ariseth a good conscience that is a quiet and excusing conscience euen as true loue to God and to our brethren proceedeth from both And these do set on work the will to hate sinne which before it loued and contrariwise cause the affections as feare hope loue ioy c. to be well ordered in such sort as the whole man is carried thereby euen as the chariot on the wheeles agreeably and the heart being thus renued doth worke that glorious repentance in vs a thing much in speech amongst professors of the truth but little in vse or set by being both a purpose of the heart Act. 11.23 an inclination in the will Psal 119. vers 44 57. and a continuall endeuouring in the life Act. 24. vers 16. to cast off all euill and to obey God both inwardly and outwardly according to the measure of knowledge in euery one For when we are sanctified wee are deliuered from the tyrannie which sinne had ouer vs into the libertie of the sonnes of God to walke righteously and obediently that we receiuing new increase of grace from Christ daily may hold fast the same libertie vnto our end This I haue said seeing it maketh way to the renouncing and forsaking of sinfull life and to the practising of the contrary of the which more shall be said anon it so necessarily following the change of the heart and for that the reader may the better see that if he can finde his heart to goe with this doctrine and that he hath a part in it he may be assured that all that I shall speak of hereafter being of the same kinde and necessarily depending vpon it shal the more easily be receiued of him to his singular comfort and that all men may see whatsoeuer the wicked world doth glorie of that without this effectuall clensing and purging the heart there is no sound repentance and currant and true fruites of amendement to be found amongst them And this though all true Christians cannot expresse as I haue
put in him for continuall defence deliuerance and succour in soule and bodie they are carried with distrust as with a whirlewind and therefore their hope is faint or none at all before they see their desire accomplished In their great dangers when meanes to come out doe faile them they are ouercome with feare and almost beside themselues In losses impatient and full of murmuring receiuing them as from a cruell iudge and sorrowing for them deadly And as some haue their hearts thus boiling in their trials and afflictions so others haue their hearts swelling against God in obstinacie and contempt for his afflicting them and are loose careles and desperate whatsoeuer pincheth them yet in a scoffing spirit they say within themselues let him doe his best yet will we not turne vnto him nor seeke vnto him oh horrible blasphemie fearefull to be once named that I say nothing of them who ascribe all to blinde fortune in cursing of the which they curse God or as the Atheists doe to nature Are not these loathsome guestes to lodge in the hearts of Christians I doe not goe about to set downe the poisoned corruptions and lusts of Heathens Turkes and Atheists as they are properly called that is such as deny God vtterly for so should I neuer haue done but to lay forth some part of the corruptions which dwell and abide in the hearts of such as goe for Christians that many of them who can beare out matters boldly here among men may see what villanie and treacherie they commit against God This is a little of a great deale of the dishonour which they offer to God And as this declareth what rebellion is in men vnder the crosse so how they behaue themselues towards him in the daies of their prosperitie experience teacheth and I could shew at large if the time would suffer me to declare it As for thankefulnes there is little or none in them I appeale to their owne consciences what doe their hearts yeeld to God the whole day thorough for his manifold mercies and if some doe yet is it done onely in words for a fashion onely and from the very teeth outward and yet many are ashamed euen at their table to doe that They reioyce in the merry world whilest they haue ease and plenty they looke for no other but wish it alwaies so yet what grace doe they desire the more although they haue their fill but are rather more headstrong and inordinate And if they aske ought of God it is to bestowe it on their lusts being made drunken with their pleasures so that they are louers of them more then louers of God and become insensible thereby and past all feeling If some be not thus hardened yet shall they be found to haue small desire to furnish their hearts with the best gifts when yet they see that he which hath giuen the one is as readie to giue the other also And as for the true worshipping of God how farre are the most from taking pleasure therein when yet one day bestowed in it is better then a thousand in any delights beside For superstition and blind deuotion carrie many to false worships affirming boldly that they cannot rest in that manner which God prescribes in his word that is to doe it in spirit and truth though God sendeth vs to the Scriptures to know his will and minde but the will-worship which they deuise to themselues and which they take vp by tradition as to represent God by an image and Christ by a Crucifixe that onely pleaseth them and their deuotion is frozen and cold except it be helped by such counterfeit delusions And many of them which imbrace the truth and retaine the right manner of worshipping God according to his word yet are content to be deceiued while they denie that which onely maketh the other well pleasing to God and sauourie to themselues that is to doe it with their heart and ioyfully without which God telleth them plainly that in vaine they worship him And as in their worshipping of him by the vse of religious exercises their harts take no delight euen so in his seruice throughout the course of their priuate conuersation how vaine prophane and dissolute are their hearts what pleasure is it to them to please him though it should be their meate drinke and pastime and how lightly are his iudgements passed ouer how fearefull soeuer they be so farre is it off that they can expell their hypocrisie and other sinnes Moreouer they haue no desire in peace to bee taught the true vse of it namely to haue peace with God and as much as in them lieth to be at peace with all men Rom. 12.18 no not in their owne houses which yet to be without is a little hell to them And as for the Lords Sabboth and other many good meanes appointed on the same to season and change their hearts they sensiblie loath them or finde no sauour in them neither is it any part of their thought to seeke any comfort in them although they be the chiefe flower of a true Christians garland or if some of them doe it is in superstitious deuotion wishing that religion vp againe whereby God is dishonoured highlie but as their fathers before them did euen so doe they passe through the world as shadowes their mindes looking no higher so that though they were made to honour yet they not vnderstanding it are like the beasts that perish These may serue for a taste of the corruptions and worldly lusts which men not worse accounted of doe swarme with directly tending to the dishonour of God from which with the rest that follow when wee shall see how God deliuereth his beloued we shall haue cause to loue the godly life more heartily which is by Gods grace freed from such intemperancie freed I say so that it ruleth them not neither reigneth in them although sometimes in some thing it preuaile against them till they repent of it which grace none of the other doe finde nor obtaine when they be at the best But to goe forward to acquaint men with some of the vnbridled and worldly lusts which carrie them after the hurt of their neighbour what vnreuerence contempt and obstinacie appeareth to be in the hearts of many against their betters diminishing that authoritie credit and estimation which God hath giuen them so that place yeeres and gifts are had in meane account of them Where is that ancient reuerence which younger men in the Ministerie haue giuen to those who haue gone before them in labours gifts and good example they imagining themselues able to doe farre better then their elders and therfore ambitiously aspiring to that which they ought not and lifting vp themselues aboue them when yet they should haue learned to honour and submit themselues to those of low degree What vnthankfulnes in the people to them which labour for their
indifferencie is thrust to the walles amongst men if it stand not with their gaine And this they will doe who are otherwise not voide of religion by all which it may be seene how mens minds are occupied and with what good stuffe their heads are filled But to draw to an end in the laying forth of these worldly lusts tending to the hurt of our neighbour in his goods and to goe to another kinde whereas men should seeke to preserue the good name and credit of others as their owne they are carried to nothing more preposterously thorough their vnruly lusts For how rare are those men which take well and interpret in the better part things done or words spoken doubtfullie but rather suspect as soone as they heare them that all was done of malice and therefore conceiue hardly against them by and by so strong are their rebellious lusts that they cannot be held in what deepe conceits therefore doe arise and rash surmises of them as they did in Saul against Dauid and Ionathan his sonne and all thorough mistaking of that which was rightlie done and honestlie meant and spoken how doe their hearts burne hereupon thinke we to speake and doe not ambiguouslie and doubtfullie against them but resolutelie whatsoeuer commeth into their head as Shemei did against Dauid So that they thirst to defame them by word or writing yea and if many yeeres before there were any offence committed by them of which they are priuie although they concealed it till then and made light of it yet now if it hangeth them are set on fire in their mad moode to disclose it as the wicked Hebrue did abuse Moses What inuentings of libels and deuising of new slaunders yea against our owne brother and mothers sonne and with such shamelesse boldnesse and impudencie that Iezabel was not able to goe beyond them in that facultie And by these it may be gessed not doubtfullie what swarmes of outragious lusts doe lurke secretly in their bosomes who yet see little or nothing amisse in themselues and oftentimes set as good a shew vpon their doings in the sight of others as the best nay I say more who shall with a Iudas his kisse imbrace them whom behinde their backe they thus abuse And none of these foule and shamefull faults would breake out openly by mouth and life if they were not nourished secretly in the heart before But that I may shut vp all that I haue to say of these sorts of worldly lusts least many should obiect that although they graunt that sometime they be led with these frensies yet they be not alwaies so bad I say that is smallie to their commendation and reioycing for as they are now too oft and common so should they be commoner if other things did not breake them off But can they denie this that whereas their desires should tend to good and leade them to God that yet they are the most of their time taken vp in wishing somewhat of their neighbours to their hurt Whereby besides their deceiuing of their owne hearts and spending their pretious time in dreames about things which come not to passe so they plainely shew what they would haue wherein although some containe themselues at one time without consenting to that which they haue foolishly wished yet haue they no more gouernement ouer their hearts but to offend after the same sort at another time and what a deceiueable vnprofitable wearisome life is this to say nothing of the perill which commeth to their soules hereby thus to become seruants to their own lusts who are created of God to so singular ends Thus I haue in some sort laid forth the lusts of the heart against God and men thoroughout the commaundements the which swarming in wicked men as I haue shewed and ruling and carrying them are the causes of all dissolutenes licentiousnes and disorder in their liues and of many sore punishments thereby By that which I haue said of this matter it may appeare what a singular mercie of God it is vnto his children that their hearts are not nurseries of such draffe but that they abhorre it rather For though this grace of renouncing such filthines be little regarded of the common sort but counted precisenes yet shall it be an ornament in these before God and a most precious comfort vnto themselues CHAP. 7. Of other inward euils and sinnes most properly concerning our selues NOw follow the branches of earthly corruptions and worldly lusts which although they doe offend God yet they doe not directly concerne the person of God or of their neighbour but especiallie themselues that in some sort I may discouer and bewraie the loathsome kennell from whence all ill life doth come which few doe well knowe and therefore suspect in no sort the danger that they are in a taste of the which as of the former but more briefelie I will set downe And they are so euill and monstrous that though men who are possessed of them deale neither with God nor men directly yet their hearts are too lamentablie yea and that for the most part continuallie incumbred with them these outragious lustes of theirs doe sometime so wilfully carrie them as it were a streame that missing of their will euen that which they would haue they desire nothing more then to be out of the world forgetting all Gods kindnes toward them and yet when God calleth them hence indeede they cannot abide to heare of it but rebell against it more then against any thing in the world Againe they are so vnruly that if God giueth them the bridle and follow them with abundance of his outward benefits they haue no delight in them except they abuse them most excessiuelie in eating and drinking not to liue thereby but to surfet to be pampered so as they be fit for no good thing in play from one kind to another counting it pleasure to liue deliciously for a season in costlines of apparell and curious trimming vp of their carkases not mindfull of the necessities of others howsoeuer their superfluity would helpe to apparell many which goe naked How doe they please themselues and imagine that others doe admire them for the same yea and for all this oftentimes that I say nothing of them which runne in debt for it wringing and powling others for the maintenance of it ioying beyond measure in their children though little caring for their good education which is the very pride of life so manifestlie condemned Vpon these and such like their hearts are set in their plentie and contrarilie fretting murmuring and vexing their hearts when they fall into necessitie although they heare that a good name is better than golde yet they will followe their appetite so grosselie vntill the fruite of it causeth them to lose credit and good name as if it were nothing worth What should I say of their priding in their wit wealth beautie strength
diligence saith he to ioyne with your faith vertue as if he should say that all is lost without it and Ieremy saith that he is cursed that doth Gods busines negligentlie And of constancie what saith S. Iames He that looketh in the perfect law of libertie and abideth therein if he be not a forgetfull hearer but a dooer of the worke shall be blessed in his deede that is in so behauing himselfe Therefore by the first of these two namely diligence let them be readie to take all occasions and opportunities to the doing of some good and to shunne idlenes and vnprofitablenes that so they may bring foorth much fruite redeeming the time wisely while they may and that with a thousand times more gaine then others doe and not as slouthfull and vnthriftie persons passe it ouer idly and vnprofitablie for the pleasing and satisfying of their foolish appetite for the present time By the second namely constancie and continuance let them not onely keepe their hearts and liues in the same good estate which by diligence they haue alreadie nourished in themselues but also waxe more fruitfull and their hearts more inlarged and so daily become followers of euery good worke vntill their latter yeares be better then the former and vntill they haue finished their course with ioy And being once acquainted with the gaine that these bring with them they shall doe as the merchants who hauing their mindes set vpon their aduantage suffer not themselues to range after pleasures but busily follow their trade which bringeth in commoditie so that whatsoeuer part of the Christian life they are occupied about holding these for their companions they may count it the most happie time which is so bestowed For in so doing they weane their hearts and mindes from much draffe and worldly lusts which would if they might be lodged there much annoy them and thereby they are much more readily disposed vnto dutie then such as will not imbrace them who being contented with any vncertaine and deceiueable perswasion of Gods fauour and refusing to bee holden within such narrow streights and compasse of this holie and Christian counsell that is of going forward by diligence and constancie in their course breake out oftentimes to their trouble daunger and discredit when the other are quiet and merie And because they account it bondage to bee held in after that manner therefore they finde that they pay deare for their liberties when they be after constrained to repent the seeking of them and yet cannot easily recouer their inward peace which they lost for them nor shake them off againe when yet most gladly they would And for want of these two and through the contrarie slouth and inconstant vnsetlednes in that they doe not settle themselues to one good thing or other euen the most of the godly doe not finde that sweete fruite in their life which is to bee found namely of safetie vnder Gods protection from time to time but by improuidence and wearines of well doing they doe by little and little plunge themselues into some deepe vnsetlednes out of the which it is hard to arise againe Therfore Salomon in two words hath fitlie expressed them both saying Let the feare of the Lord be in thy heart continually which is as much as a diligent care to please him with constancie therein Thus as I haue said to these former rules and vertues which guide vs to liue godlie these two are commanded diligence and constancie By the one that we be readilie prepared as wee ought to practise good and so resist euill whereas slacknes and no care or too little is condemned By the other that thereby wee may continually goe forward in doing good and fleeing euill wherein all staying ficklenes or going backward is very dangerous Hereto belongeth that to the Corinthians when he hath said Awake to liue righteously and sinne not he addeth Be stedfast and vnmoueable alwaies abounding in the worke of the Lord knowing that your labour is not in vaine And after Watch stand fast in the faith quite your selues like men and be strong And this is necessarie aboue all things that so wee may become that simplicitie which is meete for them who are in Christ Now that this our diligence and care in all good duties ought to bee for continuance and euen while life lasteth let vs know that the Lord commaundeth it to all his children according to that which is written He that abideth to the end he shall be saued And in another place If ye continue in my word and it abide in you then are ye my disciples indeed and Aske what ye will and it shall be done to you And yet this might bee spoken to small purpose if the Lord had not promised as much to his faithfull seruants that they shal haue grace to perseuere giuen them from aboue as he saith by the Apostle He that hath begun this good worke in you will performe it vntill the day of Iesus Christ Also to the Thessalonians Faithfull is he that hath called you which will also doe it If it be demanded how he will inable them seeing there are many feares in their life of finall falling away the same Apostle answereth this in the Epistle to the Colossians saying To the end ye may walke worthie of the Lord and please him in all things and be fruitfull in al good works increase in the acknowledging of God ye must be strengthened with all might through his glorious power vnto all patience and long sufferance with ioyfulnes And S. Iohn speaketh to the same purpose thus Greater is he that is in you that is the spirit of God then he that is in the world that is the diuell The fruite of such a course is both an happie end here as it is written Marke the end of the vpright and iust for the end of that man is peace and happines for euer after As wee reade where Paul saith I haue fought a good fight I haue finished my course and kept the faith from henceforth is laid vp for me the crowne of righteousnes which the Lord the righteous Iudge shall giue me at that day and not to me onely but to all that loue his appearing But I haue been long in the former points and by occasion haue shewed throughout the whole discourse of the godly life that it must be continued to the end I cease now to say any more Thus hauing set downe these vertues which must guide vs to practise the godlie life throughout our whole course it may easily bee seene how euerie man who is come thus farre may prooue himselfe a repentant person and be apt and fit to bring foorth the fruits of amendement in his particular actions and how his whole conuersation may bee such as may beseeme a man of God so farre as humane frailtie will suffer wherein
in greatest necessitie to stretch out their hand the more largely without the which necessitie they may continue their patrimonie and inheritance to their posteritie The lender is bound to helpe his neighbour such an one I meane as I haue described the borrower to bee if hee bee able to forgoe it and for the appointed time that he hath lent it not to require it againe and to receiue it at the due time without any commoditie much lesse to compound or agree with him for any for whiles he pretendeth to seeke his poore neighbours commoditie and yet thereby laboureth to seeke his owne aduantage with the others hurt that were intolerable But yet it is lawfull for him to take a pledge of him if he doubt of his credit so that it bee not his bed or such a necessarie thing as he cannot well spare And yet if he see that it cannot be repayed without hazard of his vndoing he must beare with him and shew compassion either for a time or forgiuing it wholy vnto him These things considered and wisely regarded what should it greeue them whom God hath indued with riches and the commodities of this life more then they neede to the end he may proue them what liberalitie they will shew to their poore flesh to reach out their hand as they see most neede both in giuing and lending and there especially where God hath placed them and to their owne kindred And for this cause men ought to know that they should be more moderate in spending wastfully vpon others where they neede not neither doth any charitie binde them or vpon themselues in diet apparrell or such like considering that he which hath made them able to giue might and could haue made them stand in neede to receiue and therefore we haue the poore alwayes amongst vs that we may doe good to them But all is too little for mens selues by meanes either of a licentious wasting as excesse and needeles sumptuousnes of clothing and prouiding for their bodies or by a miserable pinching and hoarding vp for their posteritie that they may exceede and passe their bounds and that they may match any of their equalles to the vtmost whatsoeuer commeth in by the yeare or by the quarter they haue a bottomles bag to put it in none are the better for it but themselues and theirs whereas indeede none are more the worse for it then themselues and theirs as we see it oft to come to passe they themselues comming to an heauie reckoning for it their children for the most part spending it wastfully But I cannot now bring examples which in scripture and experience are innumerable And whereas there are two sortes of them who haue goods for their destruction the one hath no other thought abiding with him but about encreasing though he know not why and perhaps haue neither childe nor brother of whom it is verified that the couetous neuer doth good till he be dead like the water in the ice which neuer is profitable vntill it be thawed The other sort goe so farre in satisfying the desire of the heart and the lust of the eye and take such pride and iolitie in their life whiles they haue that which they would that in stead of giuing and lending they haue not sufficient at the yeares end to satisfie all their expences what doe I say to satisfie when they are a whole yeares reuenue afore hand in charges besides other debt so that they who might with Iob haue comforted the hearts of many poore men by lending are faine to greeue the hearts of many and those meaner then themselues by borrowing or which is all one by deferring of them who haue neede to vse it being their owne that they may verifie the words of the wise man chap. 5.12 There is an euill sicknes that I haue seene vnder the sunne to wit riches reserue to the owners thereof for their hurt And thus much of lending whereby this one thing may appeare that lending is an helpe appointed of God for the reliefe and ease of the poore without taking any thing for it and so oppressing him thereby with vsurie which could not otherwise maintaine their charge rather then for the benefit and behoofe of such as are well able to liue Which sort of men yet if in some extremitie they stand in neede and haue no way to prouide for it but by diminishing of their inheritance or by impairing their stocke and trade in such a case for a present necessitie shall not offend if they require and seeke helpe by borrowing for some short time so as they be readie to affoord the like helpe againe in the like neede But to do this for the increasing of their patrimonie or for any long time and any great summe otherwise then by agreement betwixt both parties that the like gratifying of his part may be performed if he will require it there is no band in Christianitie so streight that it tyeth the one partie to lend it nor any libertie therein so large that it giueth leaue to the other to request it Both which I draw from the generall law which all must be subiect to namely Whatsoeuer ye would that men should doe vnto you the same doe ye vnto them and contrariwise Now concerning suretiship this briefly is to be said seeing it is of the like nature vnto lending Although it should pitie vs to see a man fallen into daunger to his creditour through any default yet no dutie bindeth vs to take vpon vs for him to meddle where we haue nothing to doe except it were in a matter of so small value that by benefiting him we should not hurt our selues greatly But otherwise wee haue commaundement oftentimes to beware of it As where it is said Be not thou of them who are sureties for debt And againe If thou hast striken hand and entred into suretiship thou art snared And so by needeles dealing in other mens busines they bring vpon themselues needeles troubles and are also oft hindred from following their owne calling But yet least we should thinke that in no case this dutie were to be performed we must know that for such as are knowne of vs to be approued Christians or our brethren with good aduise we may that is so farre as we are able to beare the burthen as Ruben did offer a pledge to his father for the safe bringing backe of Beniamin his younger brother But if any such weight should lie vpon it as that our vndoing and vtter impouerishing should thereby be procured I say with Salomon Why shouldest thou cause thy bed to be taken from vnder thee when thou hast nothing to pay For of thee it shall be required Now the duties of righteousnes which follow are such as we are bound to performe towards all in our common dealings whereby we encrease our commodities that in none of them we
acquainted with it For answere to all let such vnderstand and know that this Christian life is not to be peeced vp with some good actions in the which we may rest neither consisteth of good intents and in chopping and changing our course from good to euill and contrarily but it is the same which I haue said euen the keeping of our hearts sincere and vpright and vnfainedly bent to walke with the Lord after all his commaundements throughout our whole course according to our knowledge and that in such wise and with such delight that he who hath experience of it would not change it for any other for why it yeeldeth an hundreth fold for one in all carnall liberties or delights which we forsake And that it must be thus with the people of God and may possibly be also that of the Prophet doth plainely declare that the man which may reioyce and speake of his estate with comfort indeede is he which doth not by fittes and at some odde times lift vp his heart to God but who doth so loue his law that he meditateth in the same all the day long as he himselfe did meaning this that his thoughts should leade him to God from time to time and when they are occupied about euill or ranging in the world vnprofitabile and amisse that he should by and by without dallying or delay call them backe againe And what thinke we doth he meane in another place when not speaking particularly of himselfe but generally of all which are the Lords he saith The blessed man doth exercise himselfe day and night in this that he may please God as his word directeth him and haue peace thereby with him and so may testifie that God is his treasure because his heart and loue is set vpon his commaundements He doth not meane that we who will be happie must be occupied in prayer hearing or reading onely both day and night neither yet doth he meane that in some pange or when we thinke good we should be occupied thus and well affected and haue our liues well framed but this he meaneth that he who is godly and happie indeede indeuoureth to this that his minde may delight in and be possessed of good matters or rightly vsing lawfull or carefully resisting those which are sinfull And it is the same which the Apostle ment when he said our conuersation is in heauen though we are on earth teaching therein himselfe and all other Christians that their whole course so farre as mans frailtie would permit and how farre it may permit let this treatise out of Gods word testifie ought to be a setled and constant carrying of themselues as I said before throughout their liues in such sort as they might shew and approue themselues to be men of God If we desire to see examples of these things the Scripture setteth out many vnto vs and namely the life of our father Enoch that in his time which soone after the creation of the world was corrupted he did yet walke with the Lord as if it should say he did so liue in the world amongst men that he had yet through his life an heauenly and most happie communion with God Abraham though he be not exempted from infirmities yet from the first time of his calling vnto his death what a rare paterne did he set before the eyes of men in his example of a man consecrated to God and not earthly minded For wheresoeuer he came he set vp an altar vnto the Lord declaring thereby that no change of place time or companie could withholde him from following the Lord but as the first left countrie and kindred at his commaundement when he knew not as yet whither he should goe or what should become of him So when he had leasure after to returne yet he refused because he sought a better countrie namely heauenly witnessing still more and more that his obedience was sound and faithfull by looking to another inheritance vntill an hundred yeares were fully complete in an holy course And of Iob how cleerely doth the holy Ghost witnes this whereof I speake In somuch that he not onely withdrew himselfe and departed from the corrupt examples of the people of his time but also had a particular regard of the actions of his life both towards God and men For proofe whereof his strong faith with patience prayers and sacrifices doe testifie the one his iust dealing with all men and mercifulnes to the poore with rare wisedome in gouerning his owne family and in carrying himselfe toward all doe shew most cleerely the other All which were not at times but vsually and ordinarily performed and through his course of life looked vnto and continued And yet another thing I must needes adde as I am perswaded very admirable that he did vse to acquaint himselfe in the middest of his prosperitie with the looking for a change and did learne in his greatest abundance to want and being in so high a place yet he was not puffed vp because he considered how fleeting and momentany all things were and that his prosperitie was lent him onely for a short time and was not a patrimonie or inheritance to him for euer So that when he was afterward tried with losse of all which was exceeding much it might appeere that he was but little moued with it because he had loued it but a little when he did inioy it The which gratious man thus vsing the world as hath been said holding all so strangerlike while he had it and so willingly foregoing it when God would require it how could he doe it without a diligent looking to his wayes and the directing of the thoughts of his heart in a very particular manner and that in and about worldly goods in which case men thinke no bounds should be prescribed them As for Moses although it was a rare grace when he was of full and ripe yeares to refuse to be maintained as the sonne of Pharaohs daughter and to inioy the pleasures of sinne for a season yet it is more marueilous how in example he went before the rest in the things which God required and shining daily more and more as the Sunne till the noone tide not weary of his seruice as many are but liking better of it the longer experience he had of it so that there was no good being elsewhere to him and so accomplished eightie yeares in that righteous and holy course As for Dauids practise besides the Lords commendation of him that he was a man after his owne minde so that we may see more particularly how he passed his time that one place of his Psalmes doth cleerely shew where he saith This is the course of my life after the which I frame my selfe as the blessed of the Lord also doe with my whole heart I seeke thee O Lord as thy word teacheth me the which so farre as I haue
let no man meruaile though they who are vtterly destitute of faith and of other parts of the Christian armour be so farre off from good life as they be seeing they renounce this arming of themselues which I haue proued that a Christian life cannot be without And now by this which hath been said of the armour hitherto it is the easier to vnderstand what it is and what the parts of it are and how the Christian life cannot stand without it Now I will proceed as I haue promised to the third point in this matter concerning the armour namely how it should be put on and be worne that so wee may better see how to take that good by it which God offereth vs. For which end and purpose it is to bee marked that euery true beleeuer in his first conuersion to God is thereby made partaker of all things pertaining to life and godlines and therefore is not destitute of any common grace of a true Christian hauing them as a childe lately borne all the parts and faculties of soule and bodie though weake in all amongst which these that are here compared to armour are principall This being so a faithfull Christian need not wonder when he is willed to haue this grace and parts of this holie armour in a readines hee neede not wonder I say where he shall haue it or doubt how to come by it For we see he hath it alreadie and as our Sauiour Christ said The kingdome of heauen that is the glorious raigning of his in the elect commeth not by obseruation neither shall men say loe here loe there for the kingdome of heauen is in you So I say this armour which God hath appointed to defend his militant Church withall from infernall slauerie it is not to be seene nor to be gazed vpon with the eye but it is in the faithfull and possesseth their soules euen now when many will perhaps aske how shall we come by it or where is it For if any should imagine that he hath it not after beleeuing as through ignorance he must needs can such an one choose but be exceedingly troubled about this how hee should come by it and put it on for such a charge the Apostle giueth Let vs know therefore that this armour is not alway to bee in seeking which had not need to be whē it should be in occupying but the Lord according to the necessitie of it which he seeth to be in euery one of his children against the infinite dangers of the world doth prouide it for euery one of them and furnisheth thē with the same Euery one of them hath some measure of true faith and hope though this be weake in them euery one hateth iniquitie and is readie to worke righteousnes according to his skill and the most feeble Christian hath an vpright heart and some spirituall wisdome to discerne good from euill which yet a man of greater knowledge if he be not inlightened with the spirit of regeneration cannot although one more then an other And the same I say of the rest But ye will obiect why doth the Apostle will vs to put it on if we haue it alreadie and will say this doubt is not yet answered neither can ye tell what he meaneth by that when he speaketh thus Put on the whole armour To this I answere that his charge is that Christians should not haue this spirituall armour as men in time of peace haue bodily armour hanging by and rustie and vtterly vnfit for vse but as souldiers haue theirs in battaile that is girded to them and put vpon them and this also whiles the battaile continueth So he commaundeth vs that we let not the parts of this armour so to be vnoccupied in vs that we haue no feeling of it and so no benefit by it but be sure continually that we haue it on and readie for vse that we lie downe with it and rise vp with it and be well aduised that through the day in all places and whatsoeuer we goe about we haue it with vs as farre as we can be able This is his meaning when he saith put on the whole armour and in an other place put on tender mercie and kindnes as the elect of God For our battaile lasteth all our life long and our enemies be deadly and all our strength is by our armour Therefore who seeth not now that a Christian can safely be no time without this armour If this be darke and hard to any euen they may know themselues to be those who haue not skill to put on this armour and who haue been ignorant of the vse and power of it they haue not well learned the will of God about the necessitie and benefit of it And therefore euen such though they may be the Lords yet doubtles the diuell holdeth them in strong chaines of darkenes and ignorance and therefore also in great slauerie and bondage which God for his part hath shewed them the way to come out of if they could once come to see the same and be perswaded that they haue a part in it For through the vnskilfulnes of men in the right vse of the armour and vnacquaintance with euery part of it the liues euen of the deare seruants of God are much blemished and vnglorious amongst men and to themselues besides the idlenes and vnprofitablnes of them exceedingly vncheerefull Therefore seeing God hath giuen them all helps needefull for their defence from this present euill world from subiection to Sathan and their owne damnable lusts seeing also he hath taught them to know this their libertie and priuiledge to haue the daily aide and benefit of their armour for the strengthening of them in all good duties I know nothing to remaine doubtful which should neede to trouble them hereafter no not the weakest saue this one thing namely how this armour should be put on Now to haue the feeling of euery part of this armour faith against distrust at any time hope against fainting vprightnes against hypocrisie knowledge against the deceitfulnes of sinne righteousnes against all kinde of iniquitie and the preparation of the Gospell of peace against crosses to haue I say this armour in a readines to safe cundict and keepe vs throughout our life in the practise of our Christian direction this is to be done Watchfulnes continuall and prayer hartie and oft is to be vsed of vs which also is prescribed of the Apostle himselfe when he saith after he willeth the Ephesians to take to them this whole armour pray alway withall manner of prayer and watch thereunto with all perseuerance c. We see God will haue vs perswaded that this whole armour may be had and put on and therefore to pray to him for it But in any wise these prayers he will haue to be made without doubting and wauering without which manner of praying we cannot looke to receiue any thing For it hath pleased our
Christian religion is able by the helpe thereof to make a confession of his faith and giue an account of the hope that is in him and to answere soundly to questions that shall be put foorth to him But all this is but the knowledge of the letter if hee goe no further and may delight a good man to see it in him rather then yeeld any great fruite towards Gods kingdome to himselfe But the Christian who hath had the proofe of this knowledge that is how it hath been effectuall to him how it hath assured him of his owne saluation reformed and chaunged him and cast out the filthines of heart and life which was in him before and so hath wrought in him many other waies he I say that hath experience of this hath receiued another manner of blessing then the other and is like daily to receiue much more Such a thing is experience for hee considereth obserueth and applieth the things which he heareth seeth and doth to his owne vse and by things past thus duly regarded hee learneth and getteth wisedome to aduise and guide him for the present and the time to come no otherwise then the experienced husbandman doth in his calling and dealings And by this wee may gather what experience is Now to shew how farre it reacheth we may vnderstand that it maketh vs wise in all things which are profitable to godlines and eternall life in so much as our life is little worth if it be not helped by this For till wee begin to marke how true euery part of Gods word is and that God doth daily execute that in the world which he saith in his word he wil bring to passe we reuerence it not neither regard it but only in speech and in shew till we marke and obserue how God punisheth the hollow hearted and the workers of iniquitie we feare not to doe ill and so on the contrarie till we find how sweete and pleasant a thing it is to be gathered vnder the Lords wings and what a shelter and defence he is to his faithfull seruants wee make no reckoning of his seruice but it is vnsauourie and vnwelcome to vs. But the experience of Gods dealing toward vs and of the carriage of our selues toward him in what course we best prosper and finde most rest to our soules this bringeth the true feare of God which is the onely wisedome For the due consideration and remembrance of the time past and Gods worke therein is a forcible meane through his blessing to make vs goe forward better and better in the Christian way For when wee can say vpon good proofe and triall that wee haue seene that it hath alwayes gone well with such as are vpright in heart and innocent in their liues and with our selues when wee haue walked after the same rule and that when wee haue kept our selues from the defilements of the world we haue seene good dayes and liued comfortably this establisheth vs in the same course most firmely and constantly afterwards and when wee haue obserued that God hath punished securitie an ill conscience rashnes and wilfull sinning as they are very blind that marke not that this experimentall knowledge bringeth great wisedome in the choyce of our wayes and causeth vs to take heede to our selues that it may goe well with vs. So when we are able to say we haue in our troubles humbled our selues to God confessed our sinnes and sought pardon in faith and had hope to see a good ende of it and patience to beare it and haue though it seemed very vnlike for the time found and obtained it this is a cleere demonstration to vs that therefore in the like trouble we shall finde the like blessing by the like meanes vsing And this experience neuer faileth if wee rightly ground it that is if that which wee haue marked to bee wrought by God hath been agreeable to that which in his word hath been spoken by him This wee finde to haue often stirred vp the deare seruant of God Dauid both to bee comforted in his affliction because before he had so been and also to bee constant in a godly life because that hee had marked that it euer bringeth a peaceable ende And what maruaile should this be to any who are trained vp in the Lords house For this we know that as in all trades or sciences the beginnings are hardest and fullest of discouragements so it fareth with Christians namely that their first entrings are most doubtfull and fullest of weakenes yet who cannot remember that euen then God wrought most louingly for them and dealt most tenderly with them when their faith was yet so weake and young that they could not well discerne it For how hath he kept many of them from sore falles holden them from manifold and great afflictions and not brought many of their sinnes to light at once least they should haue been discouraged euen as he hath promised to regard their weakenes whereas otherwise they must needes haue been driuen to great extremitie These and many other such like why hath the Lord done them but that his children should marke and obserue them to learne experience by them against the times which shall come after and that they might safely and boldly promise vnto themselues greater proofe of his assistance and fatherly kindnes towards them And why hath he giuen a good end of their former chastisements when they penitently desire it euen to this end that their hope may be strengthened for the times that shall come after As the Apostle speaketh of himselfe and other godly people God hath deliuered vs doth deliuer vs and we trust in him that yet hereafter he will deliuer vs. Also why preserued hee them from fearefull falles when they earnestly craued it or made the way of godlines more easie then they could haue hoped for but to hearten them on to looke more confidently for the like grace and blessing when they haue now receiued longer proofe of Gods kindnes toward them and of his keeping promise with them if they shall seeke him in the same dutifull manner that they were wont to doe For the Lords hand is not shortned that he cannot helpe but is neerer to them as they are better acquainted with him to beleeue it So that as men who haue found out the way to bring in profit cannot be disswaded from it euen so it fareth with these But wofull it is that where so great benefit and gaine might bee reaped by so small trauaile euen by marking Gods manner of dealing with his seruants yet that so few should be brought to this wisedome and perswaded to seeke out the best and happiest way which yet is not hard to them that would gladly finde it For I must speake the truth and God hee knoweth it that few set themselues about this worke to get this experience when yet they haue oft smarted for their foolishnes but for all
needlesly of other mē or of their dealings was wont to be cōmon with them and in solitarinesse a spending of their thoughts and desires after the like manner vainely vntill they were able more wisely to discerne how to giue euery dutie in the day his time and how to occupie both the one and the other throughout the day But they haue with heartie thankes to God protested that after they had attained to this they saw farre more clearely into the practise of Christianitie then euer before they did and found the Lords yoke farre more easie to them and themselues setled with more sound peace in the leading of their liues This report of some Christians whom I know well I haue set downe where by this little the rest may be coniectured for the better encouraging of the reader to be acquainted with a daily direction for the course of his life and that he should not rest in a generall and vncertaine obedience to God And let nothing that I haue said of them be thought needlesse or vnmeete for vs as long as we can see good reason for this which they did But know wee that this kind of seruing God both may bee and is and hath bene God be thanked vsed of many of Gods seruants though I will not say in a like maner and ought to be of the rest as euery one shall be able to see into it And therefore I purpose to thrust no fancie nor conceit vpon any but that which all well aduised persons must iustifie to be the commaundement of God and which bewrayeth too plainely that many professors of the Gospell haue not so much sought for the sound practise of a godly life by reading the stories of holy men in the word of God as to report generally that they haue bene holy neither haue reaped that benefit by the Scripture in enioying a sweet life aboue other men as the Lord in much mercie hath affoorded them For though the sect of the Family of loue the Church of Rome and sundrie other lying spirits do fancie a course which the Scripture knoweth not and some of them also fantastically haue for euery day in the weeke deuised an order to be followed as the reading of certaine taskes nothing lesse then proper to direct their liues yet in this which I here propound namely that we should be daily directed in our whole course I haue followed no fancie and dreame of man but haue in all good conscience spoken from God and drawne it from the Scripture both for the learned and simple high and low one and other and is neuer in vaine to the right vser of it although I deny not but that a skilfuller handler of it might haue set it downe farre more exquisitely But from whence is the difficultie that it is no more in practise being a treasure of so infinite value and that so many pray and some of them often to leade a godly life yet when and where they should not there they fauour themselues and say they are weake and vnable From whence I say is this but from hence that they will put no diligence thereunto to obserue their waies in which they prosper and contrariwise also there is no aunswerable trauell nor labour for skill and experience in this Christian course to that which is in all other but euery litle is tedious to them and wearisome They are seuen yeares at other trades to learne them though they be apt to them and forward in them before they are thought fit to occupie by themselues But yet without seuen yeares or seuen moneths diligent exercising of the rules of christian life for before they be conuerted to the obedience of God what reckoning is to be made of their professing they will be thought fit to do as the best in this trade of christian liuing although it be cleane against their nature Nay I say more he is a rare man who can be perswaded to be guided by religion and the rules thereof but seuen weekes constantly I may truly say seuen dayes for if he who would but so long giue ouer himselfe to liue by faith and walke with God he would neuer seeke to be loosened and set at libertie againe to his old life but would renounce it vtterly so great should his aduantage be in this course and trade And as I know that this is the maine and greatest cause why so fewe are lights and examples to others so when people are taught the truth clearely concerning this matter for I am sure that it is neglected of many through ignorance let them either resolue to be gouerned through the day and from day to day or let them looke to find small reioycing in the christian life with much vncomfortablenesse which otherwise need not to be And therefore in the feare of God let men thinke and iudge of themselues as Gods word teacheth them yea let them professe as they be or let them looke to find as they be and not as they professe But as the most do handle the matter they shall find it harder to practise a christian life after seuen yeares twise told then the hardest trade after halfe seuen And as it is with many of them who neuer learned their occupation well that they are neuer skilfull in it nor thriue by it as others do so one especiall cause why many neuer practise godlinesse to the welfare of their soules neither prosper nor be well liking therein is because they neuer soundly learned how to liue godly for continuance and constantly one day as an other but peeced and patched vp the same with here a good deede and there another and in being sometime deuout and zealous the most of their actions being vnregarded and of many of them it may truly be said the power of godlinesse was neuer throughly rooted and setled in their hearts These rules and the like for the daily directing of a Christian are to be well conceiued and approued in our conscience to be such as are very fit and profitable to guide vs the which whosoeuer hath the spirit of God doth or may discerne because they are according to the word of God and practise of his children and so he yeeldeth to them and of euery such they are duely and daily to be regarded so farre as God giueth him to conceiue of and see into them this indeuouring to practise them will bring a man increase daily of sound libertie and freedome from bondage to his boisterous passions and vnruly life and recompence an hundred fold in sweet peace all his losse in earthly and vaine delights which he was wont to make the flower of his garland And seeing they will worke vpon the simplest whose heart is vpright and which the Lord hath opened to conceiue them therefore when thou seest that thou art such a one and that thou hast felt them these rules of directiō I meane to perswade and draw thee on to follow them
Reader in mind but euen of those which go before others in the imbracing of the Gospell For euen of them many are very faultie and blame worthie in this matter and therefore they had need to be willing to take knowledge of it by the least watch-word and amend it and not tary with the world till they be shamed for it and confounded Yea and this is the more to be marked because some of these whiles they haue bene vnder the crosse haue bene humble and kept within good compasse in their liues and haue had oft recourse to God in their prayers as they haue confessed it was meete for them to do But why speake I this because when the Lord hath giuen them deliuerance they haue shewed thēselues to haue bin no such persons as before but haue soone gone from their former care and haue kicked vp their heele waxing wanton in their prosperitie euen as they were forgetfull of their former calamities Psal 119.67 So that it may truly be sayd that few by earthly things are drawne on and incouraged to the loue of heauenly which yet is the end that the Lord hath in giuing them If they haue rest from persecution and trouble and inioy peace in their daies how many do with the Churches mentioned in the Acts take the benefit of it that is to edifie and build vp themselues the more strongly in knowledge faith and godlinesse and draw others thereto by their example And if their plenty of Gods outward benefits be such that they may eate of the fat and drinke of the sweete yet how many find the Lords seruice more sweete daily to them then they find his outward benefits But they do rather after the manner of others begin to rest in them many times and to say Here is good being for vs whereas the more men haue the more they should looke that they serue him with ioy for all their abundance And further if they haue time at will wherein much good may be done to themselues and others is this their chiefest care to redeeme it to euery good vse because the dayes be euill and to apply their hearts to wisedome seeing they haue but a while to liue Nay that were too sad a matter for them to heare of But numbers of them take vp a great part of the day most commonly in the pleasures and delights which are by euill custome in euery season of the yeare affoorded Wherein for the satisfying of them to the full if the publicke duties of Gods worship in the familie which should be daily continued for the benefit of the whole company be not neglected oft times yet how come they to them and in what case are their hearts to the performing of them when they sauour of nothing else but their vaine if not vnlawfull pleasures Which complaint if euer may now in this generation be made of the better sort of Christians and that also most rightly when many of the gentry of this land and others who had for certaine causes iustly mouing them for sundry yeares together banished out of their houses the vse and practise of dicing and carding with such prophanenesse and disorder as accompanieth the same haue within these few yeares as though they could no longer forbeare brought them in againe A lamentable fruite of their wealth peace and prosperitie among many other such But if it be duly considered what good might haue bene done through our land in this long time of peace and plentie and how the oportunitie euen the time of our visitation as fit for holy duties as faire weather for haruest hath bene ouer-slipped that I say no more it ought iustly to wring out plenty of teares for so great transgression But I will containe my selfe Our Sauiour speaking but of one part or peece of prosperity namely of riches saith Oh with what difficultie shall they who haue riches enter into the kingdome of heauen If he speake thus of riches what thinke we is his iudgement of them which with riches haue many other kinds of blessings with how much ado shall such go into the kingdome of heauen and much more gouerne themselues rightly from day to day And what maruell seeing a rich mans riches are his strong city and thereby he is bold to do many things wilfully which he durst not so presumptuously do if he had them not They are baites and do often draw his heart to be set vpon them that whiles they are in request and chiefly accounted of there may be no place for better things to rule and raigne there although for shame and feare they are not altogether reiected euen as it may be sayd of play Where that is entertained good bookes are litle red and occupied It was the last temptation that the Diuell attempted our Sauiour withall The glory and wealth of the world I meane to teach vs this among many other things That if the other two be ouercome yet the Diuell looketh to preuaile by this What should I say of the innumerable hurts which euen good men sustaine by these benefits and good blessings of God as that they hate one another contend with and deceiue one another and make themselues strangers one to the other thereby and which is none of the least euils among other their harts are so knit to them that they consider not how they take in hand their worldly busines nor how they vexe trouble their poore brethren if any fall into their hands but go to worke against them cruelly or at least in rashnesse with which nothing is well done If we should but consider how they beate their braines about them euery way who are yet wealthie alreadie bestowing all their wisedome in deuising how to increase and bring them in when it were to be looked for that the great riches godlinesse should be much more sought after If I say we should consider this we should enter into a very maze By which and many such like it may with bitter complaint be lamented of the which we haue bin long admonished that Religion in these many yeares of our peace hath brought forth much wealth to the Church but the daughter hath deuoured and eate vp the mother And that this which I say may not be vnderstood onely of riches know we that all lawfull liberties do worke the same effects that men for the most part become worse by them as in the Psalme the Prophet declareth Before I was afflicted I went astray that is when I had my libertie and therefore this shall serue to shew with how much ado they which haue them walke daily in a Christian course and the rather the more variety of earthly delights they inioy with them Now therfore it being thus what cause haue all such as are louers of the truth whō God suffereth to liue in peace health and prosperity to be wise and wary against so many dangers and warned by the hurt
weakened in me contrary to that which sometime I haue found and perswadeth me that euen my afflictions and the hardest parts of my life are sent not in thine anger and displeasure but of fauour and mercy and that for my good thou doest of very faithfulnesse cause me when so euer I am chastised to be corrected And so for thine afflicting of me also I am and more learne daily to be thankfull And the rather I see iust cause hereof because I am priuy in mine owne heart how litle cause I giue of this tender handling and most kind regarding of me yea rather I see causes innumerable why I should be giuen vp into a reprobate sense and both be made an example vnto others in this life of miserie and after be cast into endlesse woe For besides mine originall sinne wherein I was conceiued and borne my whole life before I was called to know thee to be my Sauiour through Christ my redeemer was nothing else but an vtter departing from thee and a dishonoring of thy name In euery cōmandement and branch thereof I was rebellious and disobedient to thee and that as many times as I haue haires vpon my head And since thou hast washed me from my wickednesse and purged me from my sinnes whereas I thought I should haue roundly and readily liked and submitted my selfe to thy holy will which is the rule of righteousnesse yet I haue fealt and do daily that I am hindred much from that good course which I desire not doing the good which I would most willingly but oft times that which I allow not and yet besides this I perceiue that there is much sinne in me which I know not as from time to time since my first beleeuing in thee I haue by litle and litle espied and found out so that most iustly I may say Oh Lord who can tell the manifold errors of this life or how oft he offendeth thee And as for the deceiptfulnesse of sinne who is wise inough to discerne it in many things as when we shall be angry for a iust cause when we shall giue our eye and heart liberty to please themselues in that which they desire when we grow weake in faith whiles we be about our lawfull businesse and such like which because I feele my selfe to be incombred with and with many such I do here as most vnworthie in my selfe acknowledge the same and humbly sue vnto thee ô heauenly father for thy deare sons sake Iesus Christ to pardon still my sins corruptiō who do confesse that I offend thee so oft in the day as I cannot expresse this morning to receiue me gratiously into thy fauorable protectiō that I may be satiate replenished with thy louing kindnes so that al the day after I may retaine the sauour of it haue my heart so sweetly seasoned with it that I may find feel all my actiōs as good things to proceed out of the good treasury of it and not to be fleshly rebellious corrupt as proceeding from a roote of bitternesse And as for the sinne which is hidden from me reueale and bring to light vnto me that I may be shamed and humbled thereby and not abuse thy pardoning of me to bold licentiousnes making that a colour of euill in me but let me plucke downe all pride of my heart and see my selfe daily and so this day more indebted to thy maiestie then otherwise I could possibly thinke my selfe to be and to send vp more oft and earnest prayers against the same Thus good Lord let me sensibly feele this mornings worke to be effectuall through thy blessing euen as it is thine owne ordinance that I should begin the day thus that I may haue my heart inlarged hereby to do my other duties with more cheare and fruitfulnesse and that I being thus perswaded of thy fauor may also be assured that thou wilt be with me to assist me and blesse me in all the lawfull workes actions which thou hast appointed me this day to do And seeing thou hast appointed that we should be occupied in some trauell and worke profitable to the common-wealth which also may keepe our selues from idlenesse incline my heart to obey this thy commandement not onely for other causes but chiefly because thou wilt haue it so and with chearfulnesse that may shake off tediousnesse and vntowardnesse as farre as of my frailtie may be obtained In the workes of my calling let me keepe my heart from all distemperature disorder and rebellion and containe my selfe from euerie euill way in the good successe which thou giuest let me not be lifted vp with lightnesse in the contrary not cast downe with immoderate heauinesse Let me see good and sufficient cause of intermitting the same as oft as I cease from it and let my mind be stable and well setled to follow thee though the actions of the day be many and variable In all companies let me frame my selfe this day to be harmelesse and innocent at home let me be warie against the common euils which are in families as brawling disagreeing with any anger vncharitablenesse reuiling prouoking or being prouoked by others but forbearing and forgiuing if I haue ought against any so let me be free from foolish iesting slandering of others lying vnprofitable and needlesse talking So abroad let me not fashion my selfe after the euill example of the world in these or the like but humbly carying my selfe towards mine equals giuing honor to my betters and making my selfe equall with those who are my inferiours as knowing my selfe what I am And not onely so but as I shall haue oportunitie graunt good Lord that I may do good by exhorting teaching comforting and admonishing and offering my selfe to take good by receiuing the same where I may that thus I may leaue no ill sauour in any place but with comfort call to mind the companies that I haue bene in and not with an euill conscience And that part of the day which I shall haue free from the fore-mentioned duties to be alone whether iourneying sitting walking or lying graunt most mercifull father that my heart may be weaned from vaine cogitations and fond desires euen the secretest and that out of the good treasurie of my heart I may raise holy and profitable meditations oft musing of the heauenly things contained in thy word namely thy mercies of mine owne mortality troubles subiection to sinne and Sathan and how I may order aright all my lawfull affaires and disgrace and bring in discredite with my heart all iniquity and the very apparance thereof Let me aime at these things this day as at a marke And whereas most mercifull father we are wont to go to prayer hearing conferring and reading of thy word with much vnwillingnesse and vntowardnesse and to be sleepie and vnreuerent therein graunt that I may be armed against these and contrarily may stirre vp my selfe to chearfulnesse and gladnesse when such times
Christian seeing there are so many helpes meanes and incitements thereto granted to them by God Also to make them better see themselues the vilenesse which remaineth in them and Sathans malice and other of his properties how many things he layeth in their way to make them stumble thereat that the reading of these may hold them from securitie and from faintnesse and wearinesse in their Christian course whereto they are most inclined of themselues though they were set forward thereto by no other Now although as oft as a man practiseth not this or the like daily direction it is certaine that he is letted yet euery one seeth it not to be so by and by neither how or by what he is letted much lesse how to redresse it therefore is this place and treatise of the lets most needfull to shew what lets will lye in our way to hold vs from following good direction and from practising of the Christian life daily that they being knowne may be preuented and auoided so farre as we may haue peace which shall be if the rules for directing vs be carefully obserued or at leastwise if we be hindred any manner of way yet we may see how and so hauing remedies at hand we may be glad to repaire speedily vnto them and thereby returne into the way againe And therefore I haue thought it expedient to signifie the same in this chapter and that my purpose is to speake in the whole treatise following of these and such like matters of purpose for the helpe and comfort of such as cannot yet find the Lords yoke to be easie nor his commaundements pleasant and sweet vnto them at one time as another in one point as in another but toilesome and burthensome So that although I haue in the first treatise said somewhat particularly for their sakes as I could take fit occasion to do yet because I know that many who are willing to liue well and christianly do make a toyle thereof and do not find any great pleasure in the duties of it and therefore make question oftentimes seeing they find it so hard whether they were best to go forward or no especially when they haue bene driuen to commit any shamefull sinne therefore I thinke it very expedient to remoue these daungerous thoughts and shew them some way to come out of this vncomfortablenesse Now the maine and chiefe lets are the diuell with all his force subtiltie and malice and our euill hearts so farre as they are vnreformed and by means of both all things in the world though not in their owne nature but by thē made occasions to vs of falling and offending God Whereby may be gathered what I meane by lets and hinderances in this treatise euen whatsoeuer may hold vs backe from peace with God Now all these and euery of them is able to breake off our course in godlinesse that we shall not bend our minds otherwise then in some generall sort and manner to worship God and liue with men and although they preuaile not so with all that they breake off their course altogether yet some one part or other of the godly life shall be neglected and so one day after another it shall continue with them in such wise that their reioycing in the Lord shall faile neither shall their light shine amongst men whereby God might be glorified In this darknesse and bondage the most part of Gods people are holden so that although they haue some litle sight of redemption and dimme hope at some times that their sinnes are forgiuen them yet neither enioy they their part in this any long time nor their sweet libertie in godlinesse which they should haue in all estates both which the Lord hath graunted to enioy as I haue shewed before They must therefore learne carefully to resist all such lets as they shall know to stand vp in their way to hinder them of these therefore I meane to giue a tast and of the chiefe and most of them that we may see and discerne them and shew some helpe against them And first generally I will set downe the properties of the diuell as his malice subtiltie crueltie and the like by the which in sundrie sort he worketh vpon the hearts of poore Christians and deceiueth them infinite wayes and together with these I will set downe the encouragements which God hath giuen them against the same which be farre greater then many of them do thinke And secondly more particularly of the seuerall kinds of lets and hinderances which Sathan raiseth vp against them and the kinds of them and which they be and how he vseth their hearts and the world as his instruments to ouerthrow them and the particular remedies against the same wherby such as are incumbred with any of these lets may count it no strange thing neither be dismayed thereat and by this which they shall reade may be prouided of some helpe and deliuerance CHAP. 2. Of Sathans properties and attempts against vs in generall and our helpe against them TO begin therefore first generally euen he it is Sathan I meane that withstandeth vs in euery good thing as I haue said before and leadeth vs amisse many waies although we see our selues set free from the infernall woe And therefore it is that our hearts cannot so soone be raunging though it be neuer so litle but he is readie to meete with them and set them forward in some euill and by his most slie subtiltie he fasteneth our liking and our affections there before we can be aware of it so that we maruell after to see such a suddaine vnsetlednesse in vs and such a chaunge from a wel-ordered course wherein we were before And hereby it is also of him I meane that we can deale about nothing but we may possibly and be oft times snared with it he knowing how to vse all outward objects to our hurt as wealth beautie friends libertie peace and all blessings and contrarily losses sickenesse disgrace c. If that we be at home he workes by domesticall affaires if abroad he taketh occasion from thence So that wheresoeuer or whatsoeuer we do or be occupied in the Scripture teacheth vs that he is about vs how good soeuer we be if not in vs as in the men of this world and that which is most daungerous of all he doth most craftily deceiue vs when we do least suspect it More particularly to lay foorth this I cannot here conueniently If therefore men be ignorant or vnexperienced of his working and properties in themselues it is not to be maruailed at though they beare their deadly wounds about them through his vncessant malice and subtiltie for it is not possible but that euery naturall man one way or other should be deepely bewitched made senslesse and foolish with pleasures profites dreames of earthly happinesse to come feare securitie hard-heartednesse or some such like And this is the estate of the world at this day
especially three for I do not vndertake to mentiō all particulars which were infinite the rest will be discerned more easily by these The first is when the Diuell holdeth vs out of a setled course in godlinesse which all the godly ought to liue in daily though he cannot breake it off altogether The second is the want of our first loue though we hold and keepe some course in godlinesse more then many do The third is want of a sufficient ministerie though we be troubled with neither of the two former If these three be not in our way I see not much which may greatly hinder vs. For if we be resolued to consecrate our selues wholly to God while we liue and indeuour to nourish and preserue that feruencie which at our first calling God wrought in vs so that such holy sparckles be not quenched and then that we haue the word of God ordinarily to blow vp and chearish the same doubtlesse we are in the safest and best way to liue happily that in this life can be inioyed although all haue not the like measure of grace and experience by meanes whereof it cannot be alike with all though they be voide of these fore-mentioned lets as I shall haue occasion to shew after namely what trouble and disquietnesse the Diuell raiseth in some weake yet deare seruants of God by occasion of some want of graces in them which others haue But while I shew how the Diuell hindreth vs I do not meane that he hath any absolute power or authoritie of himselfe but as God giueth it him for the triall of his and the punishment of his enemies but the power which he giueth him he doth most cruelly subtilely and malitiously exercise with all diligence that he may deceiue euen the best and so destroy them if it were possible Neither let any aske how he can thus deceiue and bewitch vs for the ground of all temptations being our owne weaknesse he being a spirit hath accesse vnto our spirits to trouble them and through long experience knowing our nature and practising our miserie from age to age he is able with ease to worke our annoyance in all respects And this giueth him knowledge of our minds more fully who vnderstandeth the same by the least shew and inclination of our affection and will not that he knoweth our hearts perfectly for that is proper to God onely but by his long acquaintance with our nature from Adam to this day this maketh him not onely to expect any outward signification of speech or gesture to conceiue our intents and purposes by but also out of our vniuersall corruption whereof he hath continuall proofe to discouer the vanitie of our minds and the thoughts of our hearts which after he hath found he setteth vs forward as he seeth occasion whereto we must inclne to disobey God and his holy commandements But I will returne to the lets whereby the Diuell deceiueth the simple that they shine not as lights to honour their profession in a godly life The first of the three I sayd is by holding them from being setled in an holy course As for example he so handleth the matter that many true hearted Christians shall not know how or not thinke it meete to tie themselues to any rules or order of passing the day and leading their life but walke as it falleth out with some generall care and a good meaning at some time whereas the Scripture teacheth vs to be directed particularly in our thoughts words and deeds touching euerie commandement that our whole conuersation may beseeme the Gospell Now therefore if we passe the day and looke not before vs what we go about that we may be caried with care for the right performing of our duties who seeth not that euen this one is a sufficient let to him who is holden vnder of it as not being able to answer for many of his actions done to the offence of God and men in the day as he might haue bene For in that experience which I haue I cannot say that this one let is remoued from very many euen of those which giue good hope that they would do well and therefore it blemisheth many of their actions Some do propound to themselues a course of passing their time and framing of their liues in some points commendably as for example in their calling to be occupied in some labour but do not religiously behaue themselues therein shewing patience where they ought and as they haue occasion nor iustice and innocencie and so walke in the feare of God and therfore do not find the sweetnesse which a godly life yeeldeth whereas that were a right and good directing of them but herein they rather followe the example of others in thinking they do well then are led by any commandement of God or warrant of his word and therefore they not wisely foreseeing how many wayes the Diuell will go about to hinder them euen in that are soone broken off from that good purpose which they made and are vnsetled againe whether it be by their ignorance and folly or pretence of other occasions whatsoeuer was the meane thereof the Diuell was the worker of it They are no wiser nor deserue any greater commendation then the former who at some times and for a season keepe and obserue such order and direction to leade their liues by as they haue learned out of the holy Scriptures but by litle and litle they fall to do it in a sleight and common manner euen for fashion in great part and rather through custome and for shame and so waxe soone veary then with delight and comfort and all because their hearts go not with their actions constantly neither do they regard or looke to their consciences in one thing as in another that they may be kept in peace In all which though they cannot so much be blamed for any great euill they do yet their inconstancie in declining so soone from their good beginnings is no small blemish in them although they lie not long therein Whereby who doth not see that the Diuell watcheth them narowly that he may spoile them of their liberties and bring them into sore dangers although few of them giue themselues to know by whom this is wrought neither marke what letted them or put them out of their course much lesse preuent or resist them Nay which is more to be maruelled at some are so grossely deceiued by him that they are not grieued for the time that they were letted but glad to haue excuses for their breaking out Againe when they are distempered in their course and fallen into euill thereby yet know they not how to recouer but fall further or be afraid to go about their recouerie Some when God giueth them an inckling of his displeasure yet go forward till he strike them with more maine blowes and then they become blockish vnder great afflictions as we reade of Ionas when he
oftentimes euen when we haue renewed our couenants after some fall or daungerous coldnesse espyed and repented of yet shall we by litle and litle fall to our old bias againe Now if herewith good means faile we are set so much the more forward herein as we reade of the people of Israell euen in the short absence of Moses from them being but fortie dayes I do not speake of the vnfitnesse and naturall vntowardnesse of the mind or vnaptnesse of the bodie to Gods worship or to the duties of our particular callings which being sometime in the best of Gods people are by moderate and honest recreating of them if they cannot otherwise expelled and shaken off but I speake of the vnwillingnesse that the flesh feeleth to hold on constantly in dutie further then it liketh and that is not vtterly to cast off the yoke of Christ but to serue God and it self too For there is nothing more desired of it then when some duties haue bene perfourmed to God that it may haue libertie as it liketh to occupie and set on worke both heart and hand in some manner to the displeasing of God For euen as the hypocrites and vnreformed persons do neuer serue God heartily but from teeth outward and seeing Gods seruice is holy and pure but they carnall and earthly minded cannot at all delight therein euen so Gods children being sanctified but in part haue many prouokings of them by that wisedome of the flesh that remaineth in them to be wearie of liuing godly and are troubled with strong reasons to induce and draw them thereunto And this is so true that euen the best after they haue renewed their couenant with the Lord to be more fruitfull and constant also do purpose the same with full resolution yet by litle and litle they shall feele that feruencie of theirs weakened and cooled and sensibly declining euen as the Sunne toward his going downe For which cause the Apostle doth oftentimes strongly fence the Christians against it saying Be not wearie of well doing And againe Stand fast in the faith quite you like men be strong And thus if we curbe not in the vnruly affections and lusts which would soone fasten vpon vs and do not oft record our many sweet liberties which we find in seruing God which shall also be greatest when we haue continued longest we shall find this too true by our owne experience namely what wearines groweth vpon vs now and then especially of holding on chearefully and dutifully in our Christian course For as the diseases in the nether parts of the bodie do make the heart heauie and the head to be distempered and they being healed do ease and quicken both euen so these vnmortified affections of ours being out of order do trouble the soule and disquiet it therfore the well ordering of them is a singular chearing and comforting of the soule and mind Herein therefore we must know and be perswaded that Gods grace shall be sufficient for vs who by the disgracing of them by his word will weaken them in vs and will make the way easie vnto vs euery day more and more vnto the godly life and take away the difficulties which stand vp to hinder vs euen as we see how he encourageth vs thereto saying My yoke is easie and my burden is light Moreouer though the diuell cannot breake vs off vtterly from a daily care of pleasing God yet he will so labour to vnsettle vs with reproches ill opinions vniustly conceiued of vs false reports and disgrace with our betters which shall meete with vs in euery place that we shall be much disquieted if not vnsetled for the time or stirred vp to bitternesse take counsell how we may be reuenged with sundrie other discouragements euen vntill we enter into the sanctuarie of the Lord and come to due consideration of our estate againe namely that the Lord is not chaunged toward vs for all that but willeth vs to reioyce saying If you be ill spoken of for my sake and the Gospels reioyce and be glad for great is your reward in heauen But whatsoeuer may stand vp in our way to prouoke fainting and wearinesse in our christian course we haue strong and many perswasions against them as that we shall reape our reward without wearinesse Gal. 6.9 euen a crowne of righteousnesse 2. Tim. 4.8 But because the matter ariseth more large then I looked for although I studie with all breuitie to set downe the diuerse kinds of vntamed affections barely with their remedies I will therefore shut vp this second sort of lets with naming the particulars onely which are not alreadie mentioned that the reader may know and so be able to discerne them and so beware of them as of the rest So he sometime prouoketh vs to vniust anger which is no better then a short madnesse especially when we can say we had cause offered vs so easily doth he turne our affections against vs which God teacheth vs to vse to good ends and purposes At some other time he poisoneth vs with deadly conceipts and heartburnings against such as we dislike also with loosenesse and lightnesse of heart also with rashnesse and hastines wherein we do nothing well with lumpishnes and melancholie and with diuerse such like the beginnings and first risinges of the which although our owne hearts do breed yet the strength of them is of Sathan By all which as he seeth his best opportunitie he so possesseth our hearts that they are no more fit in that sort being vnsetled to be employed in any part of Gods seruice then the running water when it is stirred and troubled in the bottome is for our necessarie vse And thus it may appeare how many of Gods deare seruants are holden backe by occasions of their owne corruptions the diuell adding strength thereto from shining as lights in a christian course and when God hath mercifully begun in them the life of godlinesse how they do afterwards though it be litle to their commendation or reioycing breake off or hinder their growing forward in the same through some great fault of their owne not subduing their rebellious hearts as God teacheth them neither stirring vp and cherishing the good gifts of God which were giuen them before as they might with ease haue done being taught and shewed how especially their fault is this that they haue giuen themselues to many fond and vaine liberties both in speaking thinking and liuing which to be pulled from it would seeme to them when they should but euen heare of it to be as the cutting off a peece of their flesh I speake not now of the vnreformed for their vsuall course is ordinarily thus neither are they in any order before men except they haue their owne mind satisfied For the remedying of these and such like this is no small helpe that they set themselues to marke their disposition and inclination better to what sinne
and apparell and nourishing our hearts as in a day of slaughter disdaining our inferiours repining at our betters with a greedie and hastie seeking to go beyond our equals and infinite others like for euen in these may Gods seruants be drowned And so on the contrarie if we thriue not nor attaine to that which we looke for what commeth from vs but fretting and vexation of heart for that we obtaine not our desire that is the good successe which we hoped for So that before the issue commeth we do not with contentation rest vpon God and meekely commit the successe to him no but rather vnquietly and distrustfully carie ourselues vntill the triall come Besides these there are other kinds of offending which a Christian man may fall into as when he shall ouer-lay himselfe with such multitudes of worldly dealings that there can be no place nor time giuen to holy exercises of prayer or regard had of christian walking in his ciuill or common actions but all the wisedome which God hath giuen him to farre more excellent purposes is bestowed this way euen to be rich then the which folly what greater may fall into one who thinketh himselfe wise For what hath he prouided for himselfe but care toile and miserie couered with iolitie while he liueth and the fruite of his follie at his death that he being turned out of all here he is much vexed and disquieted hardly brought to cast off this burthen and heartily to repent this his disguised estate is hardly receiued into euerlasting habitation after but hath worse prouided for himselfe then the meanest godly person which liued vnder him I graunt it is to be allowed that Salomon saith A diligent hand maketh rich and The slouthful commeth to pouertie But that none may be deceiued with mis-vnderstanding his wordes let him be the interpreter himself what diligence it is which he alloweth to grow rich by euen such and no other as will giue him leaue to seeke wisedome as gold and to lay it vp as treasure and to labour for vnderstanding aboue all things such also as in the middest of his diligence to become rich he be affraid to offend and such as it may not be his trauell that he doth most looke after Such an euill is to be seene in the world I meane euen amongst men otherwise well to be hoped of that they do not marke when the sweetnesse of gaine comming in is felt how godly duties grow as bitter and vnsauourie to them which was wont to be otherwise with them Last of all besides these before named in christian mens dealings worse things for the getting of this worlds good may come to passe that is that vnlawfull meanes may be practised as iniuring one of another whiles either by deceipt in bargaining or otherwise it be offered or whiles violence be shewed oppression and rigour and there be none against them able to resist it more particularly whiles men contrarie to Gods commaundement do put their money to vsurie If in this sort or the like we should be prouoked in our affaires and dealings to go to worke as it is the manner of the most to do we should so blemish yea deface the christian life whatsoeuer graces of God should be in vs that we lying open to our aduersarie but in some of these for want of a particular regard had against them we should need no other occasions to make our liues irkesome reprochfull and vncomfortable But I haue hitherto laid foorth onely some of the diseases that grow out of a worldly mind in mens dealings but there is no lesse euill incurred of an earthly minded man though otherwise religious euen whiles he is free from all affaires wherby his profites and substance are increased For he who doth not yet see the deceiptfulnesse of richs how they blindfold the heart that it cannot see clearely the beautie of christianity alas how is he led about of his fantasies like a foole to dreame of the happinesse of his outward estate Oh what pleasure is it to him to thinke of that which he hath How is his heart made drunken with the fleshly reioycing in his wealth and welfare How doth it delight him to think what libertie he hath in the world by reason of his abilitie to please himselfe in that which his heart carieth him to or his eye lusteth after when yet he is so much the more miserable because he hath nothing to restraine him from such libertie How doth he cast in his head what he will do hereafter and within some few yeares how conueniently he will haue all things about him I speake still of a Christian for euen so may such an one be beguiled for a season and before the time be expired he is taken away from all like the foole in the Gospell and laid in the earth And thus his spiders webbe which with much care and long time was in working is now suddenly swept away in one moment It were infinite to say that which might here be vttered and to very good purpose how many waies and how farre the poore soule may be led to deceiue it selfe and finally to be vtterly vndone being altogether bereft of all heauenly furniture through the foolish and sottish dreames of earthly felicitie which do oftentimes fasten euen vpon good men sometime vnawares through the corruption of the heart and the commonnesse of this euill which they see in the world All which how clearely do they proue that riches are commaunders and maisters and men slaues and seruants to whatsoeuer they will force them and get such secret loue and liking in their hearts that it will be a matter of great difficultie to breake their fellowship and yet a greater vexation of the hart when it must be broken There is such a neare agreement and liking betwixt our nature and them that we can talke with them as with a friend and are led by them to many euill purposes and ends So that we may possibly be brought to abuse them to the satisfying of our lusts both in excesse licentiousnesse pride and the ioynting of our aduersaries and what not that I say not much of the deceiptfulnesse which there is small hope to make men see that is to become very slaues and droiles for the aduancing of their childrē neglecting for that cause whatsoeuer oportunities God offereth them of doing much good For it may be seene that many rich men haue seemed to liue to no other end then to leaue great wealth to them whom yet they laboured not to make fit to vse it aright and therefore prouided to the vndoing of them And yet to comfort the hearts of their poore brethren with thē or to apply them to any such ends they are backward and slow yea too pinching spary and nigardly as if all were too litle for a few bellies And as they hardly come from vs to good vses so are we as much
let them labour in their calling diligently both they which want and they who haue much for that becommeth vs all well so as with it we prouide that we be not hurt by the worldly goods that is by diuerse sinnes which they cause whereby we should vtterly disgrace our profession And thereby and by no better way we shall proue that we are not couetous while we arme our selues against al such euils as riches do cause men to commit for the excessiue loue that they beare to them a great number of the which I haue set downe And this of the third remedie The fourth and last is this that we not onely prouide that we be not hurt by them but also that we looke to it carefully that we be much bettered by them towards Gods seruice more then if we wanted them For although poore and rich are commanded to consecrate themselues to God yet they may best do it who haue most helpes thereto And who can deny that in the wealthy estate there are many more helpes hereto then are to be found in the needie and poore this being graunted that both sorts feare God with whom onely I haue here to deale For first they haue more time and freedome then these to all exercises of religion and the worship of God both publicke and priuate I meane they may ofter inioy the preaching of the word haue recourse to reading Christian conference in good company meditation also and prayer which how great helpes they be to the keeping of a setled course in godlines hath bin before set downe whereas the poore besides that they shall looke to themselues commendably if they be not discouraged and made impatient by their wants so they cannot for the most part take the benefit of the afore-mentioned helpes in any such sort as the other may Now if any here will obiect and say as indeed he may if he marke the course of the most wealthie at this day yea euen of those who will seeme religious That these benefits of God do rather draw mē away from feruency and forwardnesse in a godly life then further and helpe them thereto I answer that if it be so it is the sinne of the persons who are so vnthriftie vsers of Gods blessings and their grosse vnthankfulnesse to him who do thereby prouoke him to take away his bountie from them or to giue it them in his wrath and heauie displeasure For I am sure the Lord teacheth them the contrarie namely that where much is bestowed there much shall be required and that this is the end of the abundance of all good things which he giueth vs that we should serue him with ioyfulnesse and with a good heart Indeed as men go to worke in the world who haue receiued great riches at Gods hand it is hard to proue that they be most fruitfull but let such know that their account shall be the greater Therefore the obiection being thus answered it remaineth cleare and without controuersie that men who haue receiued greater outward benefits of God then others may and ought to be the better for them to God-ward as from whom iust cause of care and thought taking is remoued then the poorer sort who lie open to them both This good therefore we must see that we do to our selues who haue receiued of him the commodities which many of his deare seruants do want that we hold the profession of our hope with ioy from day to day that we may say it truly that our soules are much more well liking by the abundance or necessaries of this life which we haue or else we shall neuer be able to free our selues from the blemish of worldlinesse But if this grace accompany the three former in vs we shall well declare that we nourish an heauenly mind and labour against this great sin of coueting worldlinesse But to go further our riches should do vs other good beside that which I haue spoke of For we should make them our friends to helpe vs into euerlasting habitation so our Sauiour counselleth vs saying Make you friends of your riches and that is by laying them vp in the Lords hands while we be carefull to bestow them on Gods poore Saints For thus we giuing them to the poore do lend them vnto the Lord and do as it were put them in his hands and so whatsoeuer we lay out shall plentifully be payed vs againe euen an hundreth fold in peace which passeth vnderstanding in this life though not alwayes in riches againe and in the world to come eternall life Yea verily such acts shall not be forgotten but shall be witnesses and testimonies of our faith for why do we giue but because we beleeue in the liuing God who is a plentifull rewarder of all that seeke him and the sauiour of all that beleeue in him and the workes of such shall follow them Euen thus should we do ourselues good with them and therefore we must not thinke all too little for our selues and those which are ours And it will one day be wished that we had thus done good to our selues by them rather then to be seruants yea slaues to our children in prouiding greedily for them for it so falleth out with the most while we dare scarcely take any part of our goods to honest and necessarie vses lest we should thereby plucke from them therein verifying the saying of the wise This is an euill sicknesse that in all points as we came so shall we go and what profit haue we that we haue trauelled for the wind that is in vaine and for nothing Oh the good that many might do with their goods I say not to others but euen to themselues if they were carefull to bestow well but some part of that which they haue But this is no place to bewaile such cases neither haue men almost any eares to heare or hearts to lament such neglects of duty To conclude therefore this last remedie against couetousnesse and worldlinesse the monster of many heads euen this good which I haue sayd we might do to our selues with our riches euery one in his seuerall estate who is able to giue and hath no need to receiue which if we did carefully looke to who seeth not how it would chase away the grossenesse and daunger of this foule sinne And therfore much more if all these remedies be vsed 1 that we do no man hurt 2 but good as occasion shall be offered 3 nor hurt our selues by them but benefit our soules we may be bold to assure our selues that we shall disgrace couetousnesse in vs one of the greatest mischiefes that the Diuell can worke vs. For if we did take heed that no man in any dealings might charge vs iustly with vnmercifulnesse or iniustice nor our owne consciences if our hand and our heart did go where we are bound to releeue and discharge duty
rather then is our perill greater when we haue so many more strong allurements and deceiueable prouocations to set our delight vpon the things of this world then when we were holden vnder of afflictions for he worketh vpon our hearts by occasion of these commodities which many other do want to puffe vs vp with pride and high-mindednesse and so imbolden vs to say because we haue much Who is the Lord and to forget our selues to be mortall men when we be not in pouertie wants and sorrowes like the common sort of others and to make our riches peace health and such like our strong hold But these are not the one halfe of his slie practises by the which he maketh prosperitie as much as in him lyeth to be our bane euen as it is to men of the world for he subtilly maketh drunken our hearts with the loue of our goods and so holdeth out the loue of the christian life and the true loue of God from vs for the one of these cannot stand with the other The particular infections which from these generall diseases the diuell seeketh to bring vpon our soules and all by occasion of wealth and worldly pleasure who so weigheth but indifferently shall easily be brought to confesse that happinesse consisteth not in the things which a man possesseth neither that the rich man is the happie man but is most commonly the miserable the wofull man and he whom the diuell doth so much the more easily draw to grieuous iniquities because of his prosperitie and when he hath rocked him asleepe then he secretly murdreth and woundeth to death his soule no lesse palpably then Iael did the bodie of Sisera For who doubteth of this that as prosperitie it selfe is Gods blessing and commeth neither from the East nor the West much lesse from the diuell so yet that all the mischiefe which commeth thereby is his procuring and subtill and secret bewitching of them who haue this wealth and liue in this prosperitie According to the saying of the Apostle It is the prince of this world that blindeth mens eyes who beleeue not the Gospell that being in darknesse whether they be poore or rich they may not be able to see how to vse their estate aright And our Sauiour saith It is the diuell who stealeth the word out of mens hearts when they haue heard it whether they be poore or rich so that although it teach them both how to walke the one in contentation the other in lowlinesse and doing of good workes yet neither of them is a whit the better and therefore the rich man for of him I am to speake if he be not poore and meane in his owne eyes and fruitfull in doing many duties and in bringing foorth much fruit seeing the diuell so watcheth and hindereth him can no easilier enter into the kingdome of God then the camell through the eye of a needle Neither let any man obiect that the diuell deceiueth not a godly man thus for except he haue learned to vse his prosperitie aright as in Gods word he is taught as not to be high minded but to be more plentifull in good workes thereby as I haue said then otherwise he could to loue it litle seeing it is not the great riches which Saint Paul speaketh of but the meane and small and except he haue learned to want also as God shall trie him if I say he be not thus armed euen he who is otherwise the child of God may be haled by the diuell to daungerous euils and to a grieuous ouerthrow and that by the occasion of his prosperitie and welfare And therfore it is an especiall point of wisedome while God giueth vs peace health and a safe enioying of our outward commodities to take heed that we rest not in them neither make them or any other to be fleshly holds or proppes to leane vpon for full easily they will be cast downe with very small blastes of aduersitie and trouble and howsoeuer we went for zealous persons before yet full faintly shall we perfourme our duties being readie to be led about by the diuell so many wayes by occasion of our prosperitie and yet perhaps most of all when God shall send a chaunge But let Gods louing kindnesse shewed to our soules because it is renewed vpon vs euery day prouoke vs in all estates to be true and faithfull to him and let vs not serue him for his outward benefites although I deny not but that we may haue more libertie thereby both to doe our duties to him and to our brethren and that more plentifully then in wants and necessitie And as it behoueth vs thus to vse prosperitie as that we may not abuse it so if we haue by any occasion bene turned out of the way let vs suspect our false hearts the more afterward to withdraw them further off from the loue of the world and in token of our repentance and pardon obtained to reuenge our selues yea if there be cause to make restitution as Zacheus did But to proceed Another occasion the diuell taketh of quenching grace in vs by family-matters about the which he so busieth and occupieth our heades that right good Christians do perceiue themselues sooner to take hurt thereby then they can espie it and see themselues vnsetled thereby before they are aware And that is in the varietie and multitude of worldly affaires when either they are more then with the practise of christianitie we can looke to or being not so yet they being sundrie and diuerse our hearts are wholly taken vp with them and so they become vnsetled and vnprofitable especially because we are wont to deale rashly loosely and vnaduisedly in the most outward things we go about For otherwise we taking our lawfull workes in hand aduisedly and watchfully and walking circumspectly in our diuerse affaires the diuell cannot so easily preuaile against vs whiles we are carefully taking heed to our wayes and confidently perswaded that God alloweth vs and is pleased with vs in the doing of them But to say the truth the most part euen of good Christians attaine not to this grace in houshold affaires and matters about their maintenance thereby so moderately and warily to carie themselues as that they auoide the common hurts which the most men do sustaine that is an vnquiet mind distracted or vnsetled with some other corruption by occasion of so many dealings In which case they make themselues as I haue said before vtterly vnfit to do any good for a time yea and so abide for a long space if they haue not the more tender consciences to call them backe the sooner For both they themselues haue bene wont through custome to be hastie forgetfull and vnwatchfull in these matters and haue seene it so common a thing with others to do the same that although they come euen from prayer or from a Sermon yet can they hardly speake or do
the nourishing of such fleshly libertie as shaketh off so needfull dueties So shall we shew our selues wise though the world count vs fooles and be in good saftie when their danger shall be great Now I would haue proceeded to lay foorth before the Christian Reader an other priuiledge which in this place would very fitly come in and that is that God hath surely prouided that they who are thus farre beautified and blessed of him shall thus continue vnto the end but seeing it is the last that is inioyed in this life it shall haue the last place among the temporall priuiledges But yet I thought not amisse to mention such a thing here both to stay them which after the hearing of so blessed beginnings and proceedings would be glad to heare of the end answerable to them both and also that they may looke for it in the place assigned CHAP. 8. Of the sixth priuiledge namely of the right vsing of prosperitie NOw the next priuiledge that I thinke may most fitly be ioyned with the former is how the Lord hath taught his the right vse of prosperitie and aduersity and how they may cary themselues in peace and be vpright in both estates two of the most principall parts of our life seeing the greatest part of it doth goe thorow them for the most of it is accompanied with blessings or chasticements The right vse of both although in some sort and in generall may be gathered out of the former discourses and namely of the third priuiledge yet because they are distinct points and it is hard to vse them aright and as precious as it is hard I know it is very necessarie to make a particular Treatise thereof And first more clearely to speake of the one I say God hath exceedingly declared his mercie and kindnesse this way to his people that although prosperitie be a slipperie path and riches and honour health and friends with all the other lawfull pleasures profits and liberties of this life doe deceiue and vndoe the greatest part of the world which inioy and possesse them yet the beloued of the Lord may be free from this danger and so directed that they need not be taken in these snares nor make them their bane which are giuen them as blessings this grace therefore if any shall be found to inioy they may be worthely said to be priuiledged aboue other men Now to proue this that Gods children may vse the world rightly which is impossible for any other to doe I doe not meane that because they haue right vnto earthly things through Christ and are heires with him of the blessings of the world that therefore they doe soberly and as they ought vse the same for many euen of them are I confesse farre from it and therefore that which they want I labour to helpe them to but as they are the persons which may be perswaded and brought to the right vse of these outward liberties and not the wicked so God draweth their hearts thereunto by his mighty power whereby he is able to doe all things For when he causeth this doctrine to be taught them Of the contempt of the world of contentation in their estate of moderation and sobriety in lawfull pleasures and profits c. he imprinteth it in their hearts by the holy ghost he maketh them able to beleeue that it is spoken to them and therefore to apply it to themselues he maketh them prooue how this doctrine worketh in them and try themselues by it that where they see themselues to haue gone beyond their bounds they may returne and bring their feet backe into the way of his testimonies he through the same doctrine seasoneth their hearts and wholly possesseth them with the loue of it that so their wants may be supplied and they thereby may grow better practised in this sobriety And although the inioying of earthly commodities be an alluring baite and easy to make a man forget his mortality as we see in Nabucadnezzar Herode and others yet the scripture giueth greater grace as to Daniell Iob and others who determined not to set their hearts on them But besides this through further benefit of the scripture God causeth his to set oft before their eies the daily changes of all things vnder the sunne Ps 102.26 the death of noble personages friends and acquaintance the most flourishing flowers to fade and loose their bewty and nothing to continue in one estate and by the oft and deepe considering of these their harts are much apalled the pride of life greatly abated in them And as they grow daily to see more cleerely their gaine heereby and that without these meditations vpon examples and doctrine of death and mortality c. they cannot keepe their heartes freed from infection by the world and earthly dealings so doe they more resolue with themselues daily to thinke of them still and to purge out their old and accustomed delightings in worldly things their dreames of long life desire of ease and increase of earthly commodities with all which the diuill stuffeth and filleth their braines that while they begin to giue themselues ouer to these they may be perswaded strongly that there is no other happinesse to be attained vnto and so therby destruction may suddenly come vpon them Thus I say the Lord frameth his to the contempt of the world and to temperance and contentation to desire no more then their most wise prouident father thinketh meet for them nor no longer to inioy any of their temporall liberties then he shall see it to be expedient Thus he teacheth them both in wanting to thinke themselues yet neuerthelesse beloued of God and in the inioying of aboundance not to thinke themselues the better for it nor to be proud of it I say he teacheth them for neither bring they this grace with them from their cradle but learne it and study how to learne it so as they may practise it and yet they learne it not by their owne wisdome but by God who is onely able to teach it them who by the meanes that I haue shewed doth bring to passe that they so buy as if they possessed not and so vse the world as that they abuse it not so vse mariage as they are not hurt nor hindered from godly life by it more then if they were vnmaried but much furthered and helped by it neither neglect they thereby the caring for the things of the lord but as two are better then one so finde they as God hath appointed much helpe thereby vnto euery good worke Neither though they haue much in the world do they therfore loue it much but are glad to follow holy Iob in that when he said If I haue made gold my hope or haue said to the wedge of gold Thou art my confidence If I reioiced because my substance was great or because my hand had gotten much this had beene an iniquitie to be
grow to direct themselues safely and with holy peace as it were meet for them in such a troublesome world and many waies dangerous as they liue in Some to draw towards an end say nothing troubleth them so much in all that I haue said as the vrging of these speeches All the day long we must meditate on the law and passe the whole time of our dwelling heere in feare Also Whatsoeuer we do eat or drinke c. And Take heed lest at any time there be in any of you an euill heart and vnfaithfull to depart away from the liuing God These and such like places they confesse in their iudgement are vrged too sore and they could else be content with all their hearts to glorifie God sometime and in some parts of their liues as they are able but what comfort shall it be say they when we haue done what we can to thinke yet that God is neuer the more pleased with vs because we know we haue omitted many things which we ought to haue done and committed the contrarie I answer The sense of the places I cannot alter and yet I will not leaue them still in their doubt and perplexitie but for their further satisfying I will not refuse to vnfold them more clearely and helpe them to some stay and resolution And first let them be perswaded of this that there is nothing in these or any such like scriptures which may iustly dismay him that seeketh the Lord in trueth neither is anie lawfull libertie heereby denied to a Christian in such benefits as God hath left vnto him to be inioied onely vnto the flesh whereto we are not debters are we commanded to bidde battell and that so farre as of vs fraile men but yet indued with Gods spirit may be performed Yet more particularly to speake to them I dissemble not my meaning plainly to be this that if any time of the daie or part of our life we thinke we may take any libertie to euill and sinne no not then when we haue before beene best occupied for after such times commonly doe men most giue themselues the bridle this cannot be done without manifest contempt of these scriptures consequently of the maiestie of God who knowing what is best for vs hath thought good thus to direct vs. And yet alas how common this is in many which goe for good Christians we may see with griefe who as though God had giuen them some times to offend in and some liberties which in his worde are condemned which were to make him saie and vnsaie and to denie and affirme the same things I say as though it were thus they do by euerie small occasion let loose the raine to licentiousnesse and yet I denie not but that they doe many things commendably But what doth that auaile them For as dead flies doe cause to stinke and putrifie the ointment of the Apothecarie so some ill parts of life and dead fruites mixed with commendable vertues do spoile them of their vertue and beautie that they haue no fauour in the sight of God neither giue they any sweet smell or sauour vnto men and as the leauen though it be but a little doth sower and leauen the whole lumpe of dough so some strong corruptions being suffered to beare sway in the life doe corrupt euen that which otherwise would be good For as it is a bleamish and deformitie in nature to see in a mans body one eie or legge small and the other great so if there be not proportion and agreeablenesse in our liues betwixt one part of it and another it is an vtter deformitie in the whole They thinke it harde to be bound they saie to bring particularities of their liues vnder examination and themselues to be held within the compasse of anie such rules as should debarre them of anie libertie which they shall thinke good for them and that it were too foolish for them to thinke necessarie and too seruile to obey follow them But let them remember what they said that they are willing to do what duties they can and then let them heare me what seruitude it is I lately set down that is only a stopping of the course of flesh and our owne corrupt will and affections the which yet if we liue after we shall die and be cut off from our inheritance with God and with Christ Indeed by these meanes we should bridle many passions of pride loftinesse swelling and breake off many boisterous outrages which rise vp in vs as wrath frowardnesse heart-burning and quench manie fierie darts of concupiscence vncleane lusts and wantonnesse with other such fonde and dangerous delights which lead men to destruction and cleare our liues season our tongues with Christian talke as well as clense our hearts And is there any man which reioiceth in the name of a Christian who would haue his libertie in these euils What did I say libertie nay who would become a bondman for to speake properly and truely that is bondage in the highest degree to his owne intemperate affections and desires As for the varietie of good liberties which our most mercifull God hath betrusted vs with which are both manie and comfortable in themselues we may vse them all in the Lord so that God haue his honour thereby but whiles we take our part in them the Lord may not lose his part due to him in a worde whiles we vse them soberly and with care not to offend and that nothing be done against knowledge and peace therein And is not this sufficient and enough for all men which are the Lords I am sure when men cannot be content to keepe themselues at this staie as they pay dearely for euery stolne libertie so they must say when they haue had their mindes satisfied after all The godly life excelleth and sing the dolefull song of them who haue learned it somewhat too late by their wofull experience that Measure is a treasure when their mirth is at an end For doe we not see that when Christians haue walked in a good course for a time and after haue begun to shake off the yoke of obedience and haue againe sought libertie to the flesh alledging this What must we be alwaies pent in to looke to our waies see we not I say that God hath in some houre or day giuen them vp into their owne hands in haste and rashnesse to run with greedinesse to the fulfilling of their hearts desire which they haue sought and in that one houre to lay a foundation of sorrow for many yeeres after But haue they afterwards in like haste and with ease returned againe Nay then they must haue shewed themselues wiser than some who were wise and more strong than Sampson the strongest in his time who after he had prostituted made himselfe a sot and slaue to a base mistresse recouered not himselfe againe vntill he had ground in the prison like an
beside themselues while they were in such good moodes they come to themselues againe that is to their old course and say Shall we forgoe our pleasant life our mery companie our braue stomacks which make vs famous and to be spoken of yea the meanest haue somewhat to hold themselues in as it were in chaines that they may not returne to God lest he should saue them But now I haue shewed them their estate euen their shame and the woe which they are in and what variety of spirituall and heauenly delights they haue forgone by refusing to walke within the compasse of Christian duty from daie to daie which sweetnesse of holy delights God giueth his seruants as a taste of heauen in this life what remaineth but this that all which will not shew themselues desperate wilfully to seeke their owne confusion consider this though they haue long forgot God and lay it to heart namely that they say with the apostles euerie one seuerallie when Christ their master told them that one among the rest should betraie him Is it I master and with Paule when he was smitten downe at the gates of Damascus Lord what wilt thou haue me to doe yea and let them doe as the seruants of Benhadad when they were in great feare of their liues by the king of Israell They put halters about their necks and came and humbled themselues before him and said they were his seruants to the end they might finde fauour at his hands Thus I say let them seeke the Lord while he may be found and say Spare thy people ô Lord and be no longer angry with the sheepe of thy pasture But let them doe it in trueth till the promises of God be beleeued of them and applied to them piercing to the heart and taking hold of the affections so that they may see themselues to be of the number of Gods people and to goe beyond all reprobates and till the same word of God which they haue heard preached hauing beene the seed of saluation to them may be the mould of their conuersation also which they being cast into may be fashioned after the doctrine of it And the rather for the renued peace and defence of the gospell by the happy succession of our most gracious Soueraigne the kings Maiestie as well as the hope we haue for the time to come of liuing safely vnder our vine figgetree lest if they serue not the Lord with ioy and a good heart for all such good things they doe procure such plagues as shall manifestly shew that he is angry with them Now to shut vp all if it be said to me that I haue shewed how men may liue happily but nothing hath beene said about happie dying be this for answere An happy life bringeth an answerable death and the learning and accustoming of our selues to die contemne the world while we liue shall lead vs the way to eternall and blessed life when we must die For that knowledge faith hope and other grace is to vphold and guide vs at death which was the staffe and stay of vs in our life which God shed plentifully into our hearts both in our life and at our death to make vs blessed in both And of this Treatise and of the whole booke thus much A SWEET MEDITATION OF THE AVTHORS LONG AGOE of the benefit of reading conference musing on holy things and praier conteining a complaint that these holy exercises are neglected for that which is worse than nothing euen mens sinfull will 1 OH what a blessed thing it is with godly learn'd to talke By reading and by conference both as we sit and walke 2 And oft to thinke vpon the ioy by God for his prepar'd And eke to pray with groanes to him the like hath not beene hard 3 It doth reuiue our hearts most dull and bring our mindes in frame It doth indue our soules with light made fit to praise Gods name 4 It causeth vs our time to spend in fruit and heauenly sort It keeps from euery euill way and so from ill report 5 It holds our minds frō earthly thoghts and vanities most vaine It doth become pleasant and sweet instead of irkesome paine 6 By this ill tidings are not fear'd afflictions are not heard But from impatience and ire hereby we are preseru'd 7 By meditation and reading with prayer annext thereto We make our gaine of that which we are loth once to forgo 8 It maketh vs a sauour sweet in places where we come That some are gain'd to God thereby and folly hath no roome 9 Blessed is he whose portion this in stead of toile is giuen Whereby some cannot read a line from morning vnto euen 10 And as his lot in fairer ground is cast whom this behighteth In reading and in studie sweet that ioyfully delighteth 11 So he that seeth not this grace and priuiledge most great Sorrow and shame shall him pursue and folly be his meat 12 I speake of those whose calling is by learning for to liue Whom God would haue be free from world and good example giue 13 And so of euery one as he hath liberty and leaue That he do not for fond delight◠himselfe hereof bereaue 14 But Lord what griefe it is to thinke that this so happie a lot Should be trod downe as pearles of swine of many a drunken sot 15 That this deceitfull merchandise of profit and of gaine Should darken so blinde mens eies that they should loath this paine 16 That some should dreame of honour high and of promotion so That this sweet state with all her fruits they should gladly forgo 17 That neither Scripture giuē by God nor books by learned made Can cause them be in loue with them and so forsake their trade 18 Indeed it doth require the heart from euill to be brought That louers of pleasures more than God may come to better thought 19 I meane that they may sin abhorre of euery loathsome kind And that their chiefest ioy may be from thence to weane their mind 19 And with no lesse delight of heart they wisdome may imbrace Till godlinesse hath got in them a roome and setled place 20 Such shall it finde a pleasure sweet their yeeres and time to spend In authours holy and diuine vntill their life do end 21 And such therefore may be full sure the forenam'd fruites to reape And to inioy all good delights in measure and in heape 22 If any thinke this too great toile and state of life to hard Let him againe thinke that full great and sweet is the reward 23 〈◊〉 for my selfe with Salomon this one thing I may say Tha◠〈◊〉 haue had experience of 〈◊〉 a happy day 24 Such as deceitfull world doth yeeld to such as it imbrace Yet neuer saw I pleasure like vnto this heauenly grace 25 What did I say Not like to it no nor to be compar'd For one it yeeldeth twenty fold in pleasure and