which will not stand with this let it as deadly poyson be carefully auoided and reiected of thee Here followeth a prayer containing the summe of the life which is to be daily led of a true Christian A forme or paterne to teach and direct a Christian how to begin the day with meditation and prayer and confession of sinne and thankes after he hath first awaked with the Lord containing in it the matter of this Treatise necessarie for him to practise throughout the day following and for euery day The summe may be drawne out of it more briefly O Lord God most mighty and mercifull through Iesus Christ let that mind be in me which is in thy faithfull people and with the which thou delightest to be sought vnto sound and without hypocrisie humble meeke teachable to euery good thing fitly and readily disposed vnto euery good worke let me be framed this morning to the liking of the Christian course as I haue learned it out of thy word and haue tried that it is the only happie estate which here can be inioyed And with this mind let me enter into my meditation thansgiuing confession of sinnes and prayer For whom haue I in heauen ô Lord but thee or whom do I desire on earth in comparison of thee who doest whatsoeuer it pleaseth thee and hast all creatures euen the Diuels subiect to thee who as thou hast filled the whole earth with thy goodnesse so particularly thy mercies are wonderfull to me and that my soule knoweth right well And as in thy fauour is life and happinesse so thou as one abounding in loue and compassion hast counselled yea and commanded vs for our owne good to seeke it that we might be happie by it And yet lest we should be deceiued with the delusions and baites of this world and set our delight on them thou soundest this alarme in our eares daily that all things in this world are transitorie vaine and soone flitting away and we our selues with them daily drawing vnto our end Thou hast caused this to be published in our hearing that all flesh is grasse and the glory and beautie of it as the flower of the field that fadeth and that all things below the more they haue bene delighted in the more deeply they shall sting and vexe vs when they forsake vs. And lest we should iudge and hope of our estate after the deceiptfull dreames of our owne braine as we are most easily inclined to do thou hast liuely set out our whole shape as in a glasse to be full of miserie and cursednesse if we haue not yet attained to know that we are thy sonnes and daughters that our names are written in the booke of life These all and such like while I meditate vpon as also that thou wouldest haue vs euery day make our saluation more sure to be perswaded of thine vnchangeable loue I wonder at them and most of all to consider thine inestimable and vnutterable kindnesse in them all This draweth from me as there is exceeding great cause vnfeined thankes with ioy vnspeakeable and glorious especially for that I see thou hast done all this for me euen the vnworthiest of other that for my sake thou gauest thy deare sonne to death that he might bring me to euerlasting life that to me among other thou wouldest haue the glad tidings of it to be brought and preached to the end that I may know my selfe as surely to be one of thine as if I were gathered vp to my fathers to inioy thy presence most glorious already that of me among the rest of thy chosen ones thou hast an especiall regard and care against all things that might hurt me and wilt continue the same euen to my liues end when I shall feare neither trouble nor danger neither Diuell nor hell any more that thou hast granted me to know it by faith and in token thereof hast sanctified me and made me able to loue goodnesse and loath euill in some measure that thou hast wrought repentance in my heart whereby I indeuour to forsake all knowne sinnes and to please thee in all things that thou hast giuen me a delight in thy word whereas many find litle sauour in it that thou turnest mine afflictions to my good and teachest me the right and sober vse of my prosperitie that thou giuest me accesse vnto thy maiesty by prayer when I will and for whatsoeuer is needfull that I haue liberty to vse all other helpes for the maintaining of a godly life that I may rise vp when I haue fallen and offended thee and returne to thee againe that thou hast giuen me to striue against sinne and Sathan as a souldier of Christ and makest me to find ioy in the Christian life and thy seruice to be perfect freedome And yet for all this that thou giuest me hope of nearer communion with thee that thou assurest me that through thy power I shall be inabled to perseuere in this christian course to my liues end and that after it I shall be receiued into glory And further that thou hast not onely bestowed these great priuiledges vpon me which are proper and peculiar to thine owne children but also hast in most gratious maner prouided for the continuance of these vnto me and ministred abundantly vnto me the good things of this life as to liue vnder a most Christian and religious Prince and King defending and maintaining the Gospell against all Antichristian malice and tyranny and other aduersary power and the same truly and sincerely preached and by whom our liues liberties and liuings are peaceably continued I thankfully also acknowledge thy great mercy for the fellowship which I haue with thy good seruants in liuing with them and for that credite and fauour which thou grantest me among them also for conuenient habitation competencie of thy outward blessing good liking contentation and agreement in mariage or if ones state require it out of it for health and strength to walke in my particular calling and the benefit of a lawfull calling it selfe for freedome from grieuous paines and diseases from suite and seruice burden and bondage to Pope and tyrant and all other vnreasonable ones for blessing and successe in my lawfull affaires other benefits mention as thou shalt haue cause These thy mercies with many other daily renewed vpon me both to the comfort of soule and body do cause me I say to thinke my selfe infinitly beholding and bound to thy Maiestie and to say ô Lord what is man that thou so delightest in him and againe What shall I render vnto thee for all thy kindnesse which hath no end nor measure This loue therefore constraineth me contrary to my corrupt nature to be most willingly subiect to thy will and holy gouernement this maketh thy commandements not to be to me as sometime they were burdensome and vnwelcome but sweet and pleasant this causeth the strength of mine vnruly lusts and vnlawfull desires to wanze and be
ye would not forgoe your portion for a kingdome And thinke this of me who am not ashamed to be said to haue giuen you this counsell I know what I say in thus prouoking and labouring to perswade you if ye refuse neuer looke to come to the like offer And to you and as many as desire saluation how farre off soeuer as yet ye be know that ye are in the estate of diuels if ye continue as ye be and ye are the liker to continue so the longer ye liue if while ye be called ye refuse You are as outlawes Gods care reacheth not to you neither are you vnder his protection being his enemies but he or some of his sergeants will arrest you when you thinke not of it and hell will receiue you and the happines which other shall haue will flie from you which God forbid CHAP. 10. Of the eyght companions of Faith NOw I haue spoken of those who are weakest in faith and haue the smallest measure of it and haue laboured to stay them in their temptation I haue also shewed the causes of their conuersion the loue of God the father in giuing his sonne the loue of the sonne in reconciling them to God and deliuering them from all their miserie the word of promise preached to bring them tidings of this Gods spirit assuring them by working faith in them and perswasion thereof and to this end I haue set down these because in the ordinarie comming to eternall life there is no other way yet seeing these are not so easilie felt of vs as they are sure and infallible groundes in themselues to vs of saluation therefore I will adde some other effects or rather properties of true faith which doe accompanie the assurance of the loue of God and of Christ Iesus in vs and are the workes or fruites of the holy Ghost by the Gospell which although they be not of like authoritie with the former yet are they easilier felt to be in vs. So that both sorts of euidences laid together and meeting and concurring in one and the same person shall giue him most cleerely to vnderstand that as God hath graciouslie bestowed it so we may effectuallie receiue and hold it as our owne and that with more certaintie euery day as our saluation shall euery day be neerer then when we first beleeued And thus I come vnto the third generall part of this treatise wherein seeing I hope the weakest beleeuers are or may be somewhat staied by that which I haue said already I now purpose in this last part to shew how all such of Gods people as are staied from strong feare trouble of mind may by other cleere euidences haue further proofe and triall of their faith and be able to preserue and confirme it and how much such an estate is to be desired for the benefit it bringeth And first to teach the beleeuer to trie that he hath this excellent gift of faith these eyght graces being companions of it and more easilie perceiued and discerned then faith it selfe will cleerely testifie that where these be there shall that be found also This true beleeuer therefore whosoeuer he be first as soone as he shall perceiue that God farre otherwise then he looked for hath giuen him his sonne to bring life vnto him and to be his wisdome righteousnesse sanctification and redemption he must needes feele in his heart great ioy and comfort as we see in the example of the Eunuch when Philip had conuerted him he went away reioycing Acts 8.39 and in Samaria where when he had preached Christ there and had brought them to repentance there was great ioy in the Citie Acts 8.8 And what maruaile for how can a man be perswaded by good and infallible grounds that greater happines is giuen him of God then all the world is worth but he must needes reioyce with ioy vnspeakeable as they which dreame For is there any naturall man so senseles that if he should vnderstand that some portion of goods as an hundreth pounds value by the yeere were befallen him yet he should not feele his heart made ioyfull thereat and can this honour befall any that he is highly in fauour with the Lord of heauen and earth and thereby of a child of wrath made heire of heauen for euer but it must needes glad his heart exceedingly and raise sensible ioy in him which cannot be expressed as in him who found the pearle But doe common professors thus or worldlings when they manifestly bewray that they are glutted with the tidings of it So that as the Eunuch before mentioned immediatly after he had been instructed in this mysterie of faith went on his way reioycing and as Paul soone after his conuersion was marueilously comforted although before as farre from it and as deepely cast downe as any so let it not be doubted of but when God hath once inlightened the heart of any which before sate in darkenes to see himselfe vndoubtedly saued but that it raiseth vp in him ioy vnspeakeable and glorious in his measure Indeede it shall not perhaps so much be seene or appeare to another as by good euidence it is felt of himselfe Neither shall a stranger that is a man otherwise affected be partaker of this ioy but that it accompanieth them who are by faith made assured of their election our Sauiour Christ teacheth saying Reioyce not that the spirits are subdued vnto you but rather reioyce because your names are written in heauen And whereas it may be obiected that it is sore shaken and slaked by afflictions let that trouble none for no affliction for the time present is ioyous but grieuous and yet we reioyce euen in them through hope that maketh not ashamed Rom. 5.4 Besides we haue it here but in part as we haue all other graces and yet affliction after we haue been exercised with it aright shall make our ioy the greater in the end when Gods former graces shall be restored to vs which we were wont in him to finde therefore Saint Peter saith Though ye haue not seene yet ye loue him in whom though ye see him not yet ye beleeue in him and reioyce with ioy vnspeakeable Now seeing it must needes be thus it may well proue to vs that the common opinion of faith which most haue where the Gospell is preached namely that they beleeue in Iesus Christ deceiueth them and is nothing lesse then true For were they perswaded of their happines how could they chuse but feele withall their soules more ioyfull and glad within them then all the commodities of this life could make them For we no sooner know our selues iustified before God by faith but we are at peace with him and such peace as passeth all vnderstanding Which after we know how sweete and pretious it is we will by no meanes forgoe againe although for want of stronger faith and sounder knowledge it is more flitting in some
receiued I lay it vp and hide it in my heart as treasure and so farre as I doe not vnderstand it I desire to be further taught of thee I vse to speake of thy wonderous workes and of thy wisedome I take more pleasure in thy testimonies then in all manner of riches and I daily meditate and muse thereon By these with many other such properties of a godly man mentioned in the same Psalme we may conclude without doubting that a minde thus exercised was not voyde of a life full of answerable fruites And three times a day he did vse to refort to God ordinarily in prayer and thanksgiuing after a solemne manner besides other occasions oft moouing him that saue onely in that one matter of Vriah the Hittite we seldome reade of a man more taken vp of an heauenly heart then he was I make mention of these holy seruants of God the more particularly setting downe their course of liuing their properties and their whole estate rather then some of their actions and holy works to this end That they who loue to haue short worke made of this matter and content themselues with this as a sufficient warrant of godlines if they can reckon vp some commendable workes in their liues whereas the baddest haue somewhat in them that is commendable may not iudge so of a godly life deceiuing themselues but may make it their whole conuersation to be godly not fauouring themselues in any knowne sinnes or actions doubted of to be sinnes but sifting themselues daily to search and finde them out neither withholding themselues from new duties which they haue not been wont to practise but teachable and readie to heare whatsoeuer the Lord hath to require of them And my meaning is that after we haue made an entrance into a godly life we should not hold on by fittes now and then as I said and be off and on as many are but constantly goe forward as our yeeres growe vpon vs and carefully to indeuour that in one thing as well as in an other we may please God in reuerence and in feare Neither is it my purpose in all this to perswade that beleeuers must haue some godlines for that must be attained to alreadie of all such as I direct my speech to neither that they should rest in that which they haue but looke vpon such to follow them who in the Scriptures are set before them as the forwardest Christians and holiest examples So that they acquainting themselues still with their owne wants weaknesses and corruptions which they beare about them may daily gather strength against them and prosper as the Lords plants in euery part of their life to become fruitfull So shall they know by experience what this meaneth which I speake of namely to walke with God continually and after a certaine manner although wandering on the earth wrapped in with infirmities to haue their conuersation in heauen with him And so shall they more cleerely and fully behold the benefit of Christs death that it was not onely to saue them from eternall death and to bring them to euerlasting life but also to worke the death of sinne our most deadly enemie and to mortifie it and to purchase for them a comfortable passage thither also through the inioying of many goodly blessings in this life as pledges of the same though it be otherwise but a vale of miserie to all such as finde not this for their portion For this is to be knowne that as euery one excelleth another in the graces of the spirit thereafter is his measure greater in the priuiledges of a Christian more then others and with more sound and continuall comfort doth he passe his daies and free his life from reprochfull and fearefull euils And the more that any godly man increaseth in goodnes and goeth beyond that estate wherein he hath sometime been in knowledge and in an high esteeming of it and the right vse of the same the more shall his life be filled with matter of sound and pure reioycing Therefore to conclude this matter seeing the godly and Christian course of liuing is not a seruing of God when we thinke good but from time to time nor a looking to some of our actions when others are not regarded nor an estate vnpleasant to the spirituall man whom the holy Ghost directeth but easie sweete and comfortable seeing also we haue heard by many examples of godly men otherwise not without their infirmities any more then we that this life hath been practised in al ages I conclude that the elect and beloued of the Lord shall yeeld to the imbracing of it and must take vp the same though it be a yoke to the corrupt lusts not yet subdued and that such as see not cause to submit themselues to Gods commandements one as well as another but will take their libertie in some euill after the desire of their hearts cannot glorie with any sound peace of a godly life And consequently that the life of the common Protestant which counteth it precisenes to be abridged of any libertie that he hath been wont to vse or yet liketh to inioy how vnlawful or offensiue soeuer it be is nothing lesse then a godly and Christian life for such a one will come to the light that whatsoeuer is not as it ought to be may be made knowne and so remoued But he that will not be touched nor suffer his actions to be censured nor reprooued though he be farre from this practise but pleaseth himselfe in the things which he doth is without all question fraught and filled with infinit euils and a bondman to his own lusts whatsoeuer opinion he hath of himselfe and let such a one know that his damnation sleepeth not But many of these with whō I haue to deale such as goe for good Christians and who in sundrie of their doings are of vs well to be liked though God iudgeth the heart many such I say doe keepe at a stay or content themselues with this that they doe no great euill although they doe little good because they see few liue better by whom they might take any great light to amend To speake plainly they thinke there are none in these daies who doe follow the steps of the holy fathers whose liues I commend which kind of persons may be easily conuinced and I will say no more then I needes must The truth is that the generall state of those men who imbrace the Gospell is much to be bewailed For although they are infinitly the worse by reason of the swarmes of Atheists Papists Familists and others both Heretikes and Machiuilians which with their stinking breath doe poyson many thousand inhabitants which dwell in the land amongst them yet besides this the abomination is great without respect of them through ignorance little reuerence to the word custome in euill and sleight executing of sundrie good lawes among vs but this ought
commeth the greatest and that which maketh all these great and that is the pleasures at Gods right hand for euermore and the glory the vnspeakeable glory which was prepared and laid vp for vs before the beginning of the world And amongst all the other although this be by many degrees the chiefest yet I confesse that for the excellency thereof and for that I cannot see into the bewty of it as I doe somewhat into the other whereof I haue some experience I confesse I say that I cannot expresse to my contentation my minde about the same and do feare that in speaking of it I shall rather make it seeme lesse then if I said nothing yet somewhat seeing this place doth so require This estate therefore of the faithfull after this life the scripture setteth out by earthly comparisons and similitudes to our capacity for that we are not able to conceiue the same if in it owne nature it were described vnto vs and especially by the resemblances of those things which we doe most affect and delight in as honour treasure riches bewty friends pleasure ioy inheritance and possession of our owne Behold therefore heere prepared for thee ô happy Christian an habitation not made with hands but euerlasting in heauen an inheritance immortall vndefiled c. not purchased with gold and siluer but with a farre more excellent price for what is more desired then to liue with our friends But lift vp thine eies and see how God hath prepared for thee the company of the celestiall spirits namely his holy angels and elect people to eat and drinke with at his table for euermore I meane to haue fellowship with them and to dwell with Iesus Christ and his blessed Apostles Prophets Martyrs friends kinred and acquaintance which is the highest degree of the communion of Saints Pleasure and ioy how is it sought after yea what is welcome without them And that thou maist know that the Lord hath liberally prouided for thee this way know and vnderstand that the ioy which there is possessed is such as it causeth a continuall singing and thanksgiuing And what honour can be greater then to be the kings sonnes and daughters yea to raigne triumphantly after we haue ouercome death sinne hell the deuill the greatest enemies that euer were conquered The like I might say of the rest And all these priuiledges are so much the greater because as their habitation it selfe is permanent and euerlasting so are all the treasures which are inioied therein euerlasting also And therefore the precious things of the kingdome of heauen are said to be such as no eie hath seene no eare hath heard neither is the heart of man able to conceiue The happinesse of princes hath beene inioied and therefore is knowen what and how great it is which prooueth that it is in no sort to be compared to this Neither is it any maruell seeing one day in the courts of the Lord euen in this life is better then a thousand else-where euen in a princes palace therefore in the estate of glory after this life how much more And yet further this is not to be neglected that when the wicked shall be at their wits end and smitten with horror weeping wailing and gnashing of teeth euen then shall the faithfull inioy this infinite varietie of heauenly blessings which if it were possible for them to haue a dreadfull feare and perswasion of losing and forgoing would be an exceding and intolerable torment vnto them Besides we that liue now in this corrupt estate of the world for it was not so in the beginning and behold the varietie of Gods creatures replenishing the world the beasts of the field the fishes of the sea the fowles of the aire the Sunne Moone and starres furnishing the vpper parts aboue vs the trees corne and grasse beautifying these inferiour parts of the earth beneath vs if we might haue seene all these in their perfection with him which was made Lord of them euen man when he was yet without sinne in the world what a glorious habitation should it haue beene And yet but as a court-yard or entrie into a kings palace should it haue beene in respect of the heauenly mansion which is the celestiall Ierusalem for this is called but his footstoole but heauen is his throne And therfore if the Lord did so adorne this earth as that it is yet full of admiration to see but the prints of his glory his power and wisedome therein and yet it is but for a season euen a while to be a place of refreshing for vs who can thinke how magnificent the kingdome of heauen is which with all the infinite commodities he hath made to be a perpetuall habitation and dwelling place for all his beloued ones And so likewise it is an high degree of prosperitie to be inlightned to see by faith but in this world the sweet life of a Christian yet is this but a taste of heauen and a day there is better then a thousand elsewhere and the prerogatiues of a Christian are admirable When Paule was wrapt into the third heauen had heard things that were not to be vttered it is said that he was lift vp with the aboundance of reuelation and When Christ was but transformed that his garments did shine as the sunne Peter was astonished how much more then with this glory which in the former are but dimly represented As for the further describing of it by the particular kindes of pleasures and delights to the body and euery part of it and euery sense partaining to it and to the soule likewise which some haue taken vpon them to affirme and set out the Lord hauing said no such thing himselfe of the kinds of pleasures which are to be inioied there I leaue it as a bold coniecture of mans braine and fitter for the popish cleargy to teach to their superstious company who as their whole forme of their worshipping of God is outward grosse and carnall with Sonnets and sounds to please the eare and praier-like sights to delight the eie but that worship which is in spirit and truth is not in vse with them so they imagine as grosly of the delights which are in heauen that part of them are in the exceeding sweetnesse to the sense of smelling maruellous pleasure to the sense of tasting and so of handling they speake answerably I will not I say wade further then I may wade safely what the kindes and varietie of pleasures are particularly which the righteous are partakers of the Lord hath not reuealed vnto me and therefore I am not ashamed to say I know not It is enough that I am sure they are so great and many that they cannot be once thought of according to their woorthinesse no not of the wisest who can see furthest and enter most deepely into matters Onely this I will say and with this I will end That
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
sinnes before According to that which is in the Apostle where he saith that the knowledge of saluation teacheth vs to liue holily c. and to giue vnto God the things which are Gods And first of all to begin with the duties of the first commaundement the life and light of all the rest it is first required that we seeke and desire to know God though not perfectly which we cannot doe yet as he may be knowne of vs as his word doth reueale him to vs that in his nature and properties he is spirituall infinit pure holy righteous onely wise constant omnipotent onely good one in essence three in person and in his workes as his constant decree and execution of the same in creation and gouernment in all most admirable as wee see in the earth with hir furniture wherewith we are best acquainted although that be but as his footestoole to conceiue of his glorie in heauen which is as his throne But alas this knowledge of God is weake euen in many a true Christian beleeuer but that euery one is then fit to learne it aright when he is once a Christian Furthermore we must acknowledge that is allow and in heart yeeld and consent vnto the truth of those things which we know of him that then we may safely and boldly beleeue in him and cleaue to him For this knowledge of his maiestie causeth al his faithfull ones to be truely knit vnto him and to fixe their whole delight in him so that they say with the Psalmist Whom haue I in heauen O Lord but thee and who is he on earth whom I desire in comparison of thee So that none is as the Lord vnto them We thus cleauing vnto him and knowing our selues to be safe vnder his winges grow to put our confidence in him that he will helpe vs in all our necessities and tribulations And from this confidence arise many other Christian duties as to hope and looke for that helpe which in confidence we assure our selues of from the Lord yea although meanes be wanting yet we giue glorie vnto God as the three children which being cast into the burning fornace committed themselues vnto his protection although at that time they saw no likelyhoode of helpe at all Againe through this confidence we are not afraide no not in greatest daungers but are patient and without murmuring hold our peace because we know the Lord hath done it and that which is more we count it good for vs that wee are afflicted and receiuing all as from a father doe reioyce soundly and heartily in them through hope at least And through the same confidence we reioyce in euery condition of life vnspeakably yet no otherwise then as we be afraide to doe any thing which may displease God as I shall say afterwards because we know that although this is wearisomnes to the wicked yet there is cause continually offered vs to be carefull that in all things we may be approoued of him And seeing we behold how all good things doe flow to vs from God therefore we offer vnto his maiestie this other dutie in all things to be thankfull namely with a kinde heart testifying that all our well-fare commeth from him and so doe we in our wants and necessities lift vp our hearts vnto him by prayer for the obtaining of the things which we want And when he thus bountifully imparteth to vs all good things which yet are but the smaller fruites of his fauour and yet if they were not enough he would send vs more and greater who doubteth that with al our hearts and strength we are affected to loue him more then wife children house land or whatsoeuer is of greatest price in the world beside yea that in comparison thereof the best things of price are reckoned but as doung And in token of this true loue to God we giue our selues to solace our soules in him as Dauid euen when he was in daunger of his life did comfort himselfe in his God 1. Sam. 30.6 because it is so sweete and beautifull to thinke and meditate oft times vpon the infinit good things that doe flow from him vnto vs but most of all desiring to inioy his presence in heauen which shall be with fulnes of pleasures for euermore And further because all which know God and put their confidence in him and loue him are ouerwhelmed as it were with the infinitnes and excellencie of his glorious maiestie therefore they are drawen to behaue themselues more reuerently and vprightly before him then before the greatest potentates in the world and therefore are prepared to walke before him continually in an holy and childlike feare desiring that he will teach them by his wisdome direct them by his prouidence and blesse their whole course so as they may comfortably feele the same through their life Now besides these duties of holines which we owe directly to the person of God meerely spirituall and inward there are other whereby we worship him outwardly which also are parts of this holines towards God it followeth therefore now to mention some of the chiefe points of this externall worship of God both publike and priuate and in what manner it should be vsed but before it is to be knowne that he will allow of no other meanes of worshipping him outwardly then he hath appointed and prescribed himselfe in his word And therefore the office of the ministerie it selfe by which God is truely worshipped publikely must not be an office to sacrifice and say masse for the sinnes of the quicke and dead which Gods word plainely condemneth neither must it be any other then that which God acknowledgeth for his that is a publishing and preaching of the Gospell and glad tidings of saluation by Iesus Christ to penitent sinners and beleeuers and a ministring of the sacraments which he hath ordained for the comfort of them Such ministers they must be at the least which serue him whatsoeuer graces they haue beside if they would that God should acknowledge and take them for his and after such outward manner must they worship him in all dutifulnes of heart both magistrate and priuate person who will worship him aright And amongst the publike seruices of God these are some and the principall with prayers by voice expressed thanksgiuing confessions of sinnes and singing of Psalmes the fruite of the lippes with the censures of admonition and excommunication as cause doth require which I knit together for breuitie sake seeing I haue onely taken in hand to set downe shortly what the partes of Gods outward worship are not largely to handle them that all may see the better hereafter when I shall come to it how the daily direction for a Christians life may fitly bee drawne out and made vp of the whole body of godlines layde together in the commaundements To these may be
Gods mercie which is a firie and venimous dart or els from dreadfull doubting and feare which are companions thereunto or which is as deadly and daungerous from presumption vaine hope and deceiuing of himselfe which hath not the shield of faith and is not certaine thereby of eternall saluation and of the fauour of God to guard him in this life And though this man had no other thing to make him vnhappie yet who doth not see that euen this is enough to make al his pleasures vnsauourie if he should either feele the one or might be perswaded of the other Besides what is his life euen at the best when hee hath no trust in Gods manifold promises And although these things being not seene with eye be as little thought vpon of the most part in the world yet the Scripture hath concluded that there is no sound peace to any such yea rather that the diuel hath as a raging lion his paw vpō their throte ready euery houre to take away their soule as the Apostle sheweth though this seeme lesse seeing it is not knowne nor felt whereas if they were shielded by this faith and that in their neede it should not be so with them but thereby they resisting him hee should flie from them Againe to shew how impossible it is to bee in safetie without the other parts of the Christian armour how can any man walke innocent and harmeles among his neighbours though others should walke so towards him except he hath put on the breast-plate of righteousnes and armed himselfe with this cogitation to doe no man any wrong and not onely so but also to doe no other iniquitie or euill which might offend any or wound his owne soule How many waies shall hee be carried to sinne against God and his neighbour I speake not of an vnbeleeuer who can doe nothing but sinne but euen of a Christian who hath an heart which hateth sinne yet euen he if he indent not from time to time a fresh with his heart against all vnrighteousnes and the parts of vnholie life he shall be disfigured with many blemishes and disgrace himselfe and his holie profession also by his many vnlawfull actions so farre is it off that innocencie is in his heart and in his hands and that he liueth vnrebukeable and without blame amongst men And therfore it is that S. Paul teaching the Corinthians how they should be apparelled with the parts of Christian armour as puritie and vprightnes knowledge of the word of God and with patience and long suffering which hope ingendreth doth among the rest commend to them this one by his owne example namely the armour of righteousnes both on the right hand and on the left that is in prosperitie and aduersitie that so they should giue no occasion of offence in any thing but in all things approoue themselues as the seruants of God The same may be said of the other parts of the Christian armour that I haue said of the shooes of peace of the shield of faith and of the breast-plate of righteousnes For if there be not some cleere and sound knowledge of the word of God which as a sword may cut the bands of sinne asunder like a cord how shall a Christian be able to discerne the deceitfulnes of sinne but be led by it and taken with it as with a baite How can he choose although he be zealous and desirous to doe well but to be led into many errours and so goe without the sweete life which in Christianitie is to be found if hee haue not well learned and digested this in the depth of his heart it is written to the contrarie So if he be not girded as it were with sinceritie that hee may be adorned with it wheresoeuer he become and all other good gifts of God in him be bound together by that that hee hath them in truth that hee delighteth in them indeed how shall he be infected with hollownes and hypocrisie what shew of holines soeuer appeare in him To conclude what can there be in his life daily but fainting vncomfortablenes and sundrie discouragements whiles he is weaned from the foolish and vaine delights of this world and seeth not the pleasures of heauen with mortall eyes what can there els be to him I say if the hope of saluation be not as an helmet to keepe life in his soule and with this hope of saluation which cannot deceiue him a cheerefull hope of well passing the course of these conflicting daies also vnder the wings of Gods protection till he come thither As for other hope who knoweth not that all other hope of earthly peace or long life is like to a broken tooth and sliding foote But by this hope tediousnes is remoued and cheerefulnes to waite contentedly in this pilgrimage for a full deliuerance is obtained Therefore how truly may this bee said that the Christian life without the armour of God cannot be continued For if euery part of it be so needfull throughout our life as hath bin said who seeth not that euen such an one as hath receiued grace from aboue by the preaching of the Gospell to be borne a new and to be begotten to a liuely hope yet for all this shall not thriue nor prosper without diligent and vsuall nourishing of this new birth in him nor grow vp to a perfect age in Christ deliuered from the hindrances by the world and the diuell except he be strongly armed as God hath taught him to be This is so truly verified in all Gods children that euen they who are not the forwardest of others yet if they haue any strength against euill at any time they haue it from God thus euen by the meanes of the armour If they were not sometimes armed they should make as great breaches and fall as dangerously one day as another and yet if they were acquainted with this armour thoroughly they should make their worst and most vncomfortable day in the weeke equall with the best and the happiest which they sometime inioyed in heauenly passing of their time and in sweete comfort And for want of this armour either for that men know it not or for not hauing vse of it the infinite irkesomnesses heauines distraction dumpishnes doubting and feare doe vexe them and such like deadly poysons doe occupie the hearts euen of Christians as also light reioycing in a fleshly manner vaine hope phantasticall dreames of peace and safetie where none is And for want of this their liues also before men are kept from shewing foorth light and good example in one thing as well as in another yea rather they are harbourers of sundrie euill qualities in so much that few are incouraged to waxe better by them nor to suspect that any thing is amisse in them but are hardened to goe forward in their old course still And if it be thus with such as haue some good and sound beginnings in Christianitie
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
things shall be weakened in vs without the which we can neuer vse the lawfull pleasures and profits of this life moderately and rightly this one thing being added that this aduice be the more carefully and constantly regarded seeing the danger were like to be great by the neglecting of it And now vpon this which hath beene sayd it clearly and necessarily followeth that if thus we get superiority and dominion ouer our hearts and affections in the vse of earthly things then our actions and dealings about these lawfull liberties shall be well ordered in the sight of God and men to the great quietnesse and peace of our conscience for the righteous is bold as a Lyon For who doth not know that as the heart is affected either well or ill euen so it draweth the wordes and workes after it to be like and sutable which is the cause why I labour to perswade Christians to the subduing of the lusts and intemperate rebellions of the heart and to haue in meane reckoning and price all things here below that they may be the lesse offensiue in the whole course of their earthly dealings For when we be thus resolued in our hearts constantly watching thereto that we as God hath taught vs will so farre forsake all as we shall thereby be hindred from following our Lord Iesus Christ in any point of his holy commandements we are stayed from manifold abusings of our liberties as wealth peace preferment and such like And when we can containe and keepe our hearts from coueting and desiring any way to vse our prosperity vnlawfully we shall neither iniure others in any thing that is theirs nor haue our commodities as snares thornes and choakes to strangle and hurt our selues but in the inioying of all blessings of this life shall be sober and fruitfull in good workes and more feruently longing after the treasures of the paradise of God Which fruits of prosperity few do reape but runne into excesse and passe their bounds one way or other so truly it is sayd That as it was in the dayes of Noe so it will be in and vntill the comming of the sonne of man They eate they dranke maried wiues and were maried c. that is they chiefly regarded these things rather then the manner how or the end why and more then they did consider wherefore the Lord set them in this world And this be sayd of the first branch of this dutie that is of the vsing of prosperity and the lawfull liberties of this life rightly and how God teacheth his children daily as their state shall require to do the same accordingly as it is one of the duties which is of necessity to be obserued daily of all that desire well to bestow the day and to giue a good account thereof at the euening and end thereof Yet to such as obiect and aske If I will debarre them of their mirth and pleasures which in their prosperitie and through the benefit of their wealth they may inioy I will adde this briefe answer I wish they prospered in health strength earthly commodities and peace so as their soules might also prosper And I thanke God I am not so enuious against the welfare of any of my good brethren but that with the Apostle I can and do pray that they might be altogether Christians that is true and faithfull seruants of God without the bands or other hardnesse which some other of Gods people do sustaine and go vnder But seeing prosperity is a slippery way it is meete that all such as desire to be free from dangerous fals should looke diligently to their steps and seeing that our Sauiour himselfe hath taught vs that it is an estate full of danger they should not thinke much to be admonished put in mind daily to take heed that they stand sure and in safety It is not enough thinke we and a great fauour of God that he giue vs liberty to inioy his earthly benefits vnlesse we abuse them to the fulfilling of our fleshly desires Doth Christ allow vs any otherwise to take our pleasure on the earth then that it may not hinder vs from following him by temperance and sobernesse by humblenesse and meeknesse the way to heauen Or doth he bestow more on some then vpon others that they who haue much should set on edge the teeth of others by licentiousnesse We are called and that most fitly strangers to teach vs that we should not be medling nor intangle our selues here so as we should be vnready and vnwilling to go home And that is a right stranger-like liuing in the world and an inioying the lawfull liberties of it that we be made more fit thereby for the heauenly life and not to linger after any thing here or cling about it so that we being tied to any lawfull pleasure or profit we should not as free citizens of heauen be daily somewhat nearer it and readier to go to it And do we thinke that they are such strangers who pleade for such a liberty and reioycing here that their owne consciences do tell them that they are not willing and readie to die Are they such strangers who are priuy in their owne hearts that their reioycing is most for the commodities and delights of this world eating drinking pastime mariage gaine and successe in their dealings c. who if death should come vpon them whiles they are in the middest of them must needs cry out and say O death how vnwelcome art thou vnto vs who haue our pleasure in these It is the Lord that saith by his Prophet Let not the rich reioyce in his riches nor the strong in his strength nor the wise in his wisedome but he that will reioyce let him reioyce in this that he knoweth me And it is our Sauiour which saith Woe be to them which now laugh for they shall houle and weepe woe be to them which are full for they shall be hungry And againe Sonne thou in thy life time receiuedst thy pleasure therefore now art thou tormented Lastly Iob that was deare to the Lord sayd If I haue reioyced for that my hands haue gotten much and for that my riches are great euen this were to deny the Almighty Therefore know we that our reioycing ought not to be earthly yea as a godly man may not be glad for that he hath much going no further seeing that were but to be tied to the creature and to rest in a broken and a deceiptfull stay so neither may he reioyce in any other earthly thing whatsoeuer but he setteth it as well as riches in the Lords place from which it ought to be banished Now the heart of a Christian is the Lords temple and dwelling place and he it is that must dwell there as he himselfe hath said Giue me thine heart my sonne That must be where the treasure is it must haue no other treasure in heauen but him nor any on
him to goe to Pharao to bring away his people from the bondage and slauerie in the which he held them in Egypt with the daies which came after when he brought them from thence For when he should first goe he shewed great weaknesse to be in him himselfe an vnmeet person to go before a king and the burthen too great for him to go vnder as by his owne words may appere when he saith Who am I that thou shouldest send me vnto Pharao and that I should bring the children of Israell out of Egypt But afterwards how boldly did he his message vnto the king neither fearing his threats nor countenance but rather as it plainly appeareth Pharao was sore afraid of him as in that he confessed to him in great anguish of heart his sin and desired that he would sue vnto the Lord for him acknowledging that he could much preuaile with him that his plagues might cease Behold heerein one of the greatest matters as is the feare and face of princes he which was afraid to looke Pharao in the face at the first was afterward through strength of faith by cleauing to the Lords commandement and promise able to do his message to him with exceeding courage boldnesse And if in this one grace and gift of God he so increased which of all other seemeth the hardest thereby ouercomming that timorousnesse and faint heartednesse which would if it had not beene by spirituall manhood and courage expelled haue made him vtterly vnfit for the discharging of so weighty a duty what doubt is there but that in other graces of God he increased also proporcionably Which doth further confirme that which I haue taken in hand to shew that is that the Lord giueth that grace vnto his beloued from which they were most far off both in their owne sight and in the iudgement of others and therefore as I haue said more then they sometime could aske or looke for And no other thing did our Sauiour Christ meane when Nathaniell acknowledging him to be very God for that he saw a token thereof in him he said Nathaniell because I said I saw thee vnder a figge tree beleeuest thou Behold thou shalt see greater things then these For thou shalt see the Angels of God ascending and descending vpon the sonne of man that is to say thou shalt see farre more cleere signes of my Godhead thou shalt see my father from heauen vpon earth to witnesse and testifie the same in most familiar manner so that the light which now thou hast thereof and the faith by meanes of it and thy loue to me and the comfort which thy soule hath thereby with other graces are in comparison nothing to that they shall be euen as a graine of mustard seed is vnto a tree that hath boughes and branches And what other thing would the Lord haue vs to learne but this by these speeches that the prodigall sonne desiring but to be receiued of his father into his house as one of his hired seruants was taken againe as his naturall sonne and the woman of Canaan which desired but with the whelps to be refreshed with the crums which fell from their masters table had graunted her for her great faith all that she would euen the childrens dainties Euen so hath the Lord prouided wonderfull things for them that feare him as it is said in the Psalme Very glorious things are reported of thee ô thou citty of God And as it is written Who would haue said that Sarah should giue sucke and that the barren should be fruitfull so who would say that they which had in a manner nothing should abound in many graces What was Iosua before he was chosen in the roome of Moses his master to be gouernor of such a mighty people but after he beleeued him which said Euen as I haue beene with Moses so will I be with thee he found that faith courage wisdome experience and neare acquaintance with God which he in no sort was like before to haue beene partaker of What was there in Salomon to discharge so great a prouince as he entred vpon in his father Dauids stead but after that the Lord had granted him his wish and choise he obtained the gracious wisdome which was maruelled at throughout the world The Apostles themselues the first three yeeres after they were called to follow Christ had no great matter in them aboue other Christians but after that our Sauiour had sent them greater measure of heauenly grace from aboue who doth not see by the history of their actes how vnlike they were vnto such as they had beene I doe not meane in the visible gifts of the holy Ghost which were extraordinary but in faith in ioy in duties of their callings as he told all the eleuen at his departure from them I haue many things to say to you but you cannot receiue them now yea rather you hardly vnderstand me but the day is at hand when yee shall not need to aske any questions And Peter after he feared God yet was dismaied at the words of a seely damsell but after greater grace receiued was not afraid of the mighty no not the high priest So were sundry of the churches as that of Thessalonica who for all that their beginnings were famous as appeareth in the first epistle of Saint Paule which he wrote to them yet did they increase mightily as may be seene in the second for thus he writeth to them We ought to giue thankes to God alwaies for you brethren forasmuch as your faith increaseth exceedingly and the loue of euery one of you each to other aboundeth so that we reioice yea we boast of you to other churches because of your patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations that yee suffer And therefore from so many testimonies which in this matter so hardly beleeued haue beene alledged I thinke I may boldly affirme that this is another yea and that a most worthie priuiledge which the Lord granteth out vnto his children and he that is wise wil regard it That they may grow and multiplie daily in the graces of his spirit yea that they may excell themselues by manie degrees except we will say that Gods hand is shortened in these latter daies more than in former times or his promise vntrue But I confesse I am glad to know this priuiledge for mine owne comfort and to speake of it to the stirring vp of many my good brethren in this colde and frozen age that we may take some triall of our selues what part we haue in this so great a prerogatiue which we may inioy aswell as any other And as well for their iust rebuke I speake it who thinke it madnesse for men to contend and striue to goe before others in godlinesse faith and the fruits thereof though we are commanded to excell one another as also to awaken them