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
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
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
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
care ouer their hearts to keepe them well ordered they should shew it in their talke and dealings at the market in their buyings and sellings in their families and among their neighbours as well as among strangers and in all things about which they may lawfully be occupied In all these I say men should behaue themselues plainely and simply iustly peaceably patiently meekely kindly gently faithfully temperatly and humbly of what state and degree so euer they be and yet without any disgrace to them nay the greatest honour and credit yea and mercifully also as occasion should be offered which I thinke if they were found in christians as where else are they to be looked for they would no lesse ioy the hearts of them who should behold them then adorne and beautifie them who should be paterns of them And who can say otherwise but that it were a little heauen to deale with and liue among such Euen as we see it is a peece of hell to dwell with them that are of the contrarie disposition As Iacob must haue been constrained to abide with Esau and as Gods people in their captiuitie did with the Edomits God of his singular loue I confesse restraineth many from the excesse of euill that they would otherwise doe seeing otherwise none could be able to liue by them But whereas some are thus bridled by good lawes and some for shame and vaine glory doe depart from much iniquitie and thus patch vp a kinde of life among men yet know they that without religion that is a feare of breaking out of christian bounds which onely is to be found in an heart well gouerned they shall neuer please God nor haue fauour nor approbation no not euen of common men But of this we may complaine and cry out till we haue worne our tongues to the stump without redresse For the fowle staines and shamefull blots which are contrary to the forementioned vertues are still vsuall as they haue been almost euery where both in many of the ministery and people and so will bee as though godlinesse were tied to the Church walles and to the pulpit And for a further illustration and proofe of the benefit of the well guiding of the heart this I haue said Thus we may see that the heart being well ordered will neither suffer the affections to stray farre nor willingly harbour euill lusts and though they may creepe in by stealth yet by examination we shall finde out many of them and shall be readie when they are found to purge them out and expell them also before they shall being so nestled in vs be able to poison our liues Oh gaine vnualuable for who can say lesse of it that by the benefit of a well ordered heart we may conquer many daungerous sinnes which others for want of it doe vsually commit with shame and much sorrow accompanying them Now when we see the fruite of this well seasoning and keeping of our hearts in frame what should be in more account with vs yea what should hinder it from being so or what should we thinke more needefull to be done then the labouring for it when we see it so great a treasure and such fearefull bondage for want of it to come vpon vs But alas this looking to our hearts by fittes now and then when the good moode taketh vs as it is too common so it is most daungerous and suffereth not christians to see much lesse to inioy one halfe of the sweetenes which God bequeatheth to them I meane if we gouerne and looke to them but as men in the world commonly looke to their outward seruing of God that is to pray when night commeth goe to the Church when the Sabboth commeth to fast when Lent commeth and repent when death commeth And so the wisedome of the flesh counselleth vs to looke to our hearts sometime but that we resolue and arme our selues that the heart bee thus looked to in all that we doe as frailty will permit and care had ouer it that it follow the light of knowledge going before it oh that is thought too heauie a burthen and an estate too vncomfortable To reioyce alwayes to pray continually in all things to be thankefull as the Apostle commaundeth 1. Ephes 5.16 Day and night to be meditating on the word of God and the varietie of the infinit good things contained in it and aiming at it as at a marke how we may walke after it oh that is counted tediousnes and bondage intolerable And yet none of all these precepts can be vnderstoode of the outward actions of our life the eare and tongue cannot doe these things alwayes but the heart may meditate reioyce praise and pray at all seasons and vpon all occasions if once it hath gotten a pleasure in them for it shall neuer want occasion And if we can obtaine to haue God in our remembrance more vsually then we were wont or then others desire to doe and spend our thoughts and set our delight on him shall we thinke any thing too good for him should we not constantly take vp our hearts in heauenly cogitations as we are willed Col. 3.2 when we see that all other are but vanitie and vexation of spirit If it pleaseth him to aske our hearts as he doth when he saith My sonne giue me thine heart should we not thinke our selues happie that he will take any thing at our hands when Dauid being a King wished that he had any thing that would please him This taking vp of our delight in the looking to our hearts as we are able should the more be sought after of vs if it were but for this cause that if wee haue not rule ouer them in our common actions thorough our life we cannot haue them at commaundement in the chiefe seruices of God And from hence it is that christians of good hope doe complaine and that oftentimes with bitternes that their hearts are so swarming vsually with vaine thoughts euen whiles they are in hearing and praying the reason is because at other times they are vsually so occupied throughout the day feeding vpon their delights that God is almost wholy out of their remembrance especially to direct and leade their hearts and therefore also their actions and speeches are much offensiue in lightnes rashnes and vnreuerence The which being common with them in the daily course of their life they cannot possibly haue them otherwise at hearing or praying All which yet are contrarily done when the strength of concupisence I meane the corruption of the heart which is without measure euill is mortified and asswaged first and then still subdued after and restrained and daily seasoned with good meditations and watched ouer that it may be kept cleane and fit to dutie And thus I conclude that the onely way to curbe vp and hold in our intemperate lusts and euill desires that they breake not out into further vngodlines is
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
is a greater honour that he hath of a rude vnbridled and vncleane diuell made a well ordered sober and meeke Christian yea a sanctified person as the Scripture calleth him for by his holy spirit through the worke of the Gospell he hath made of an extortioner and oppressor a liberall and bountifull giuer as Zaccheus of an adulteresse a penitent woman reclaimed from the course of vncleane life as the woman in Luk. 7.47 and of a persecutor a preacher yea himselfe a persecuted man euen Paul the Apostle And how doth such a change thinke we when it is seene of men and the reporte of it heard among such as knew them before cause them to say The Lord hath done great things And such grace doth God giue to them I meane that feare him that he causeth by their light which shineth among men euen their very enemie to be at one with them yea to speake well of them and to glorifie their father which is in heauen And yet their beautie is to speake as the truth is chiefly within and not seene with eye As all was not heard of Salomon a farre off which was to be seene at home and yet not all seene that might be knowne to be in him The faithfulnes innocencie and rare continence of Ioseph with other graces which were in him when they brought him into such fauour credit and admiration amongst men how thinke we was God honoured who was the giuer of them Thus doth God honour them that honour him that he may be all in all and by them shewed to be most honourable And to speake of our owne time wherein we liue notwithstanding it affoord not so many examples of so excellent gifts and graces of holy life though in learning and knowledge few haue gone beyond it as so long libertie vnder the Gospell might iustly challeng which sinne I pray God be not laide to our charge but speedily repented of so yet we will not be ashamed to affirme to the great praise of God that both many gratious and godly people since the raigne of our most noble Prince haue been alreadie gathered to their fathers who in the dayes of their flesh did honour God highly and many remaine God be blessed amongst vs who haue and doe and to their end shall we doubt not to the great comfort of many weake ones commend the power of the Gospell preached amongst vs and cause that vnfained thankes be giuen to God by many for them And that both of the ministerie though nothing be more ridiculous to the Papists our aduersaries the Lord hath raised vp many who both preach sincerely and diligently and walke warily and worthie the Lord Col. 1.10 and vnoffensiuely seeking to please him in all things and of the people he hath drawne not a fewe who doe beautifie their profession and carrie themselues vnrebukeable among them who can iudge aright and are free from reprochfull and daungerous euils In such as I haue said is the Lord made admirable As it is written In Sion his Church shall God be praised and why because for them he hath done great things The Lord maketh the weake strong the ignorant prudent and such as sate in darkenes to see great light holy and glorious is his name Yea further the Lord teacheth his beloued ones in their prosperitie to count themselues but strangers in this world he causeth the things of greatest price to be little set by of them in comparison of his treasures which are not seene This honour haue many of his Saints The Lord giueth strength in tribulation aboue hope and maketh anguish and sorrow to become comforts false accusations and contumelious reports to be crownes to their heads and chaines of golde to their neckes which beare them And to be short he teacheth his to sucke sweetenes out of sowernes and to make good vse of all estates and they are able to doe all things through him that maketh them able yea persecution it selfe he maketh tolerable and ioyfull and when our weakenes can see so farre the greatest aduancement If these gifts of God with other such doe not greatly honour the Lord in the congregation of the righteous and if they which inioy them being gratious and of high estimation doe not most highly commend the giuer which is God where will men say that God is honored at all And so doth the Apostle require that it should be with Gods people Haue your conuersation honest among the Gentiles that they which speake euill of you as of euill doers may glorifie your father which is in heauen And yet I haue said nothing of their peace of conscience which Salomon saith is as continuall banquetting to them Saint Paul saith it passeth all vnderstanding euen in this one thing which the vngodly because they haue not they therefore know not for the stranger is not partaker of the childrens ioy know not I meane as it is felt and knowne of them which haue it In this one thing I say doth God get himselfe great glorie For they beleeuing in their hearts they cannot choose but vtter with their mouthes their deliuerances and the wonderfull things that he hath done for them And though they be for the most part contemptible in the world yet is the meanest of them more happie then the greatest of the world And if these things be well weighed which haue been said of this matter it shall not be marueiled at that the Prophet thus speaketh in the Psalme Glorious things are spoken of thee O thou citie of God! Yea glorious indeede as we here inioy them though we haue but a small part of our glorie in this life and so glorious that if they could be seene with eye they would so inflame men with the beautie of them that they would force them to set all their loue vpon them And thus by the graces which are in the life of Gods seruants and which are not to be found in other men it may be seene how God is honoured of them the contrarie whereof is done most apparently by the vngodly as much as lyeth in them Therefore to conclude this first reason except we can like to see Gods name ill spoken of his Gospell lightly accounted of and his person dishonoured and that by our selues the recompence whereof cannot be borne nor abidden of vs let vs not onely come out from the vncleane conuersation of the vnbeleeuers but let vs so lay hold on eternall life that we presse hard vnto the marke for the price that is set before vs and let the words of the wise be as goades to pricke vs forward out of our slouthfulnes and as nailes to fasten vs ioyntly and closely to Christ our head without hypocrisie that we faint not neither fall away but grow vp vnto the perfect age of Christians that so we may giue good testimonie that God is truely honored of vs
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
pride worldlines anger malice reuenge vniust dealing and lying that as euery man is more easily ouercome of or hurt by them more then of other sinnes so hee should haue a more continuall feare of them watchfulnes against them and bestow more time in seeking the rooting out of them that so the wealth and safetie of the whole life may be preserued when such noysome sores as did most of all impaire the same be cured But if men be either ignorant of this dutie or cannot be perswaded to set themselues to the entertaining of it and to get acquaintance with it they must looke to liue destitute of a chiefe part of godlines or if it be but now and then in some especiall actions and parts of our life regarded and looked vnto as it is done of them who are not greatly experienced in the practise of Christianitie it will make the godly life in great part to be bereaued both of her gaine and beautie Our hearts must not range where they list nor our delights bee fastned where we please but our eyes our tongues our eares hands feete and the whole powers of our mindes and members of our bodies must beholden within compasse In so much that if we see we haue but broken out of our constant course a little that our consciences begin to checke vs we should tremble to thinke what we haue done and feare alwayes for the time to come least we should offend We must watch when we are well to keepe well and when we haue been deceiued to returne speedily againe we must watch in trouble against triefnes and impatience in prosperitie against wantonnes and lightnes Iob. 31.1 If we could frame to this we should doe well enough as he that looketh to his foote in a slippery place shall not be hurt And if we may by watching ouer our selues haue our whole life in safety and welfare are we not worthie to smarte if we cannot doe so much for so great a benefit Therefore most worthily doe such suffer hardnes and sorrow who will in no wise be brought to take heede to their waies but cry out that it is precisenes and a kinde of death vnto them to be restrained from their noysome and dangerous liberties From whence ariseth boldnes and wilfulnes which cannot want much sinne But this watchfulnes doth God require to be in vs and to be accounted no tediousnes but had in high price and he that with an honest heart and good conscience submitteth himselfe hereunto he shall be able to proue by good experience that watchfulnes is a great meane to maintaine a godly life Thus much for the more plaine and full handling of this first priuate helpe called watchfulnes CHAP. 6. Of Meditation the second priuate helpe NOw followeth the second which is Meditation And that is when we doe of purpose separate our selues from all other things and consider as we are able and thinke of some poynts of instruction necessarie to leade vs forward to the kingdome of heauen and the better strengthening of vs against the diuel and this present euill world and to the wel ordering of our liues I say of purpose seeing we both must minde such things in good aduisednes and set our selues about them resolutely when we take them in hand that they may be done with more reuerence and profit and also seeing it falleth out for the most part that we seldome enter into meditation of heauenly things when we doe not intend them but are ledde by the obiects of our mindes eyes or eares an hundred waies amisse or if any good thought arise it is repelled by and by and goeth no further To proceede I say that when we meditate we ought to separate our selues from all company and troublesome occasions as our Sauiour commaundeth vs to doe when we pray priuately these two being companions as in our chamber priuatly or in the field or some commodious place that we may the better performe it the smallest occasions soone breaking vs off from such seruice of God And I say lastly that we must there set our minds on worke about the cogitation of things heauenly by calling to remembrance some one or other of them which we knowe and so debate and reason about the same that our affections may thereby be moued to loue and delight in or to hate and feare according to that which we meditate on so that we may make some good vse of it to ourselues And this spirituall exercise of meditation is euen that which putteth life and strength into all other duties and parts of Gods worship And this the holy Ghost reporteth of Isaac the Patriarke that he went out into the field toward the euening to meditate Which had not been commendable if he had not vsed so to doe seeing it is the right kinde of such holy duties to be oft in vse being taught of his father Abraham who was the friend of God and very familiar with him and therefore we may be sure had much communion and talke with him As also our father Enoch did who for proofe hereof is said in his whole life to haue walked with God And this are all such as desire to take any good by it to know that they must be acquainted throughly with this sweete and heauenly communing with the Lord and themselues which was called of the Fathers of ancient time their Soliloquie that is the talke which they vsed to haue alone by themselues That as men wearied desire rest so wee by the varietie and multiplicitie of busines in this world being troubled and distracted may seeke ease to our mindes by meditation For otherwise wee may muse and thinke vpon any good things and ponder our words and actions which wee doe to see them done aright which yet is not this kind of meditation that I now speake of but that watchfulnes mentioned before which is a warie regarding and taking heede to our waies in one thing after another Which yet the Prophet calleth meditation also as where he saith All the day long doe I meditate on thy word and in Iosua Thou shalt meditate day and night on the booke of the law which wee know could not be vnderstood of meditation by intermission of companie or other actions and busines but in their whole course a circumspect care and regard that they might bee done after the word And the matter of this our meditation may be of any part of Gods word on God himselfe his wisedome power his mercie or of the infinite varietie of good things which wee receiue of his free bountie also of his workes and iudgements or on our estate as our sinnes and the vilenes of our corruption that wee yet carrie about vs our mortalitie of the changes in this world or of our deliuerance from sinne and death of the manifold afflictions of this life and how wee may in best manner beare and goe through them and the benefit thereof
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
well as on that And to conclude if our conuersation must be in heauen euen whiles we liue here on earth that is if our whole practise and course not some part of it ought to bee squared out after the heauenly patterne of the word of God then who seeth not that we must be setled after som godly directiō one day as another to glorifie God in our conuersation Neither let any obiect that because the seuerall actions of our life are many and infinit therefore no certaine rules can bee propounded to bee followed of vs for as many as they are both throughout the daie and the whole yeare yea our life yet may they all be brought vnder and fitly referred to a few rules which will shew when we be well gouerned and when it is otherwise with vs. And if it were not thus that we both may and ought to be daily guided by some certaine and good direction and haue our hearts also readily disposed ordinarilie and for the most part throughout the daie vnto euery good worke then in vaine should that be written which being spoken of Dauid must be practised of all the faithfull I beheld the Lord alwayes before me that is I liued by faith that I might not be shaken Act. 2.25 Or if we will say we neede not that constant heede taking it must needes follow that our hearts would be ranging out so many waies amisse that we should be driuen to exceeding toyle to bring them backe againe and yet should not alwaies obtaine it neither though wee laboured for it earnestly And so we should make a deadlie and endles toyle of godlines and yet be farre from the power of it and fall so oft and so dangerously that it would breede sore discouragement from seeking to rise vp and recouer our selues againe much lesse should we perswade other by our example to feare God and we must of necessitie leaue vndone many duties which ought to be done and so breede miserable distractions so that the life of God in vs should weakely and litle be discerned Lo such effects would follow this loosenesse and libertie-taking when according to that which we know of God we should not honour him as God As I am my selfe priuie to it that it is the case of many weake brethren who yet it is to be hoped feare God and yet for that they will oft take libertie which God alloweth them not stolne waters being sweete to them they purchase for an inch of vaine pleasure an elle of sorrow and when they would after come backe againe to an holy course either they dare not or know not how to do it or be ashamed as the idle scholar is to goe to his booke againe when through his negligence his fellowes are got before him And by this which hath bene said it may easily appeare that the Lord doth require in his word that such as beleeue vnto saluation shall renew their care to glorifie him in their Christian conuersation and therefore euery day to be constant therein and set themselues earnestly thereto and if they fall by infirmitie not to lye still but speedily recouer He will also haue them to know that it is a sore blemish in them to be loose and vnstable in a godly life sometime hauing their hearts in awe and sometime not and so their tongues and liues after the same manner which seruice God abhorreth And therefore we may be sure that much more the disordered life of many professors and ciuill persons whose irreligious liues are couered with some outward exercises of religion are nothing lesse then pleasing to God but vtterly abhominable Now seeing all duties cannot be practised euery day and yet euery day must be passed holily we must of necessitie see how to be guided daily so that neither we neglect those which must be done daily nor our consciences be not troubled for omitting those which we are by no necessarie bond of Gods word tyed to performe Act. 23.1 And of the reasons why the beleeuer should be directed euery day to liue godly which are the summe of the first part of this treatise thus much CHAP. 8. Of the description of the daily direction I Hauing now prooued that the word of God setteth out vnto vs direction for our liues euery day it followeth to shew what this directiō is And although it may in some sort be gathered by that which hath bene spoken alreadie yet to the end we may more clearely see the will of God and our duties for the more easie guiding of vs through euery part of our life I will further lay foorth and describe the same Yet let none think that I meane to set downe to thē particularly what actions they shall doe euery day for they are for the most part variable innumerable on the sixe daies especially therfore impossible to be inioyned but only such as bind the conscience euery day cannot without sin be omitted yet such as are neither too many to be learned to the troubling of the memorie nor so few but that they yeeld great furtherāce to the true Christian for the well passing of the day This daily direction then of a Christian is a gathering together of certaine rules out of Gods word by which we may be enabled euery day to liue according to the will of God with sound peace and therefore the following of such direction is a faithfull and constant indeuour to please God in all things euery day as long as we liue here to the peace of our conscience and to the glorifying of him Let this description be opened more plainely and then I will set downe the parts thereof And before I go further I thinke meete to giue the Reader to vnderstand that I set not downe this as prescribing any other direction then Gods word hath taught but whereas through common ignorance and negligence in obseruing that which God hath taught the most do faile this may be an helpe to bring them to see the light after which they ought to walke It is first called an indeuour to please God to teach vs that neither full perfection is required by God nor to be looked for in the best Christians nor to be thought that it is intended of me to feare any weake conscience with it or thrust it vpon him but onely to shew that the will and desire of the heart and the indeuour of the life in the beleeuer is accepted of him through Christ and as well pleasing to him as our actions themselues should be when they cannot be performed 2. Cor. 8.12 And if it were not so what comfort could we haue who see daily that we are holden backe from many duties which yet because we know we desire with all our hearts and striue to performe them we haue peace to God-ward And thus are the places to be vnderstood which make mentiō of keeping the commaundements that they are blessed which
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
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
the earth in comparison of him So that it may be seene of all such as desire to be satisfied that God hath not giuen to his faithfull seruants earthly prosperitie to naile their hearts to it but to proue them whether any thing be sweeter to them then he himselfe who hath giuen it that is whether the gift or the giuer be in greatest request with them and that all which he giueth them might be an occasion to knit them nearer vnto him who will yet giue much more to them which depend vpon him to this end I say all Gods benefites serue And I haue not denyed in all that I haue said but that it becommeth the best of Gods seruants to labour for earthly maintenance that they may be able to giue rather then to receiue and that without any iust offence they may do it and that they ought to acknowledge it for a great mercie of God that he reacheth out his hand to helpe them with necessaries euen here where they be straungers and to prouide for their bodily necessities and therefore to be thankefull yea and ioyfull in this respect that they are freed from much care and distrust and haue the way made more easie thereby to the heauenly life for want whereof many of their deare brethren are in much pensiuenesse and sorrow But yet may they not in any wise take such sweetnesse in those things that they forget or neglect better but alwaies remember that they serue to a further end that is to seeke better and are not themselues the end of their hope in which they should rest And so to conclude it remaineth that we in no wise reioyce nor put our delight in any transitorie thing but with most great diligence we vse all earthly benefites of God daily and throughout our life moderately And this is to enioy our prosperitie aright and to make that part of our life sweet and sauorie to vs indeed which is passed therin And this is that which I haue thought conuenient to be said of this sixt rule namely that it is a great part of godlinesse euery day to looke to this with due regard that we moderately and fruitfully vse our lawfull liberties and all the commodities earthly of this present life CHAP. 18. Of the declaration of the seuenth duty Of bearing afflictions rightly euery day they come THE next part of our life not yet mentioned is that which is vnder the crosse and in affliction Our dutie here is that when and so often as it shall please the Lord to trie vs therewith and to chaunge the course of prosperitie or any part of it yet that with the same well ordered heart which I haue said should accompanie our other actions and parts of our liues with the same I say we be prepared to receiue it from him and count it no straunge thing to be exercised with it and the rather for this reason as the Apostle admonished the godly of his time that we are predestinate thereunto euen to be like vnto Christ in afflictions also seeing through many of thē our way lyeth to the kingdome of heauen And all may see how needfull it is for vs to hearten on our selues by these and such like perswasions to be willing to beare our crosses meekly with chearefulnesse because we do so soone shrinke backe at the hearing of them as the Apostles did when they heard that their maister would go into Iury againe where the Iewes before had sought to stone him and seeing they be so vnwelcome to vs by nature although we be subiect to many and sundrie and that daily It must not be with vs as it is with the most that is that we loue not to heare of them when we haue bene awhile free from them and so hope still for earthly peace of the which we haue no promise but rest perswaded euery day that our heauenly Father knoweth what is best for vs and as he seeth affliction or freedome from it to be meetest so he will alwaies bring it to passe To this end we are admonished of the Prophet to accustome our selues to beare the yoke in our youth that we may be the better acquainted with it when it shall be put vpon vs that so we being tamed and subdued by it and our proud and rebellious hearts brought vnder of him we may beare it with the more ease and comfort encouraged hereby that if we be able to beare afflictions contentedly and with quiet and meeke spirits which is the hardest part of our life we may easily prouide to haue our whole life sweet and ioyfull Furthermore to this end that we may be readie to waite vpon the Lord patiently in our chastisements we must consider that euery day Sathan intendeth mischiefe against vs and he knoweth our weakenesse to be greatest in bearing the crosse and therefore will not leaue vs vnassayed as much as in him lyeth and not so onely but also will terrifie vs with this perswasion that they be greater then they are and feare vs with the oft and much thinking of them that our sorrow may be increased Against all which his cursed vndermining of vs we hauing so great encouragement from the Lord ought to be thus stayed that such of them as we can we may auoide and the rest we may go vnder contentedly waiting for a good issue euen as in faith we pray for it seeing our God will haue vs perswaded that of very loue and faithfulnesse he correcteth vs whensoeuer we be corrected of him But because we faile many times in obseruing these rules and therefore find not grace then to beare them aright whiles they are vpon vs nor afterwards get any wisedome experience or comfort thereby we must diligently and faithfully marke how we be affected vnder them that if we should be oppressed with confused and vnprofitable heauinesse distrust or any other daungerous passions we might learne before that they be no fit companions for vs and sooner get out of them after we espie them in vs and so betake our selues to better gouernment And that this labour be thought no more then necessarie we must know that by Troubles we do not onely meane great vnwonted losses long sicknesses persecutions and such like but those also which fall out verie oft and commonly as vnkindnesse and discourtesie in neighbours vnthriftinesse vnrulinesse and disobedience in children vnfaithfulnesse and negligence in seruants discommodities and harmes in family matters with such like all which to beare without vnquietnesse impatience and vnsetling our selues out of the Christian course must be thought no meane nor smal gift of God nor without daily and continuall watchfulnesse and wise regard to be attained vnto And I do the rather make mention of these troubles which for the most part arise in our families as well as other waies because many Christians do thinke through ignorance that we are not to be
some in feare that they haue none at all who yet somtime haue felt the contrary drawing others to presume c. keeping others from confirming it and growing therein daily whether we respect faith in the particular promises of this life or of life eternall And these last mentioned though they are not sayd properly to presume as the former yet as it is hard to hold any good thing long they letting loose their hearts and being much occupied in the world and hauing many dealings being also in many companies and meeting with many crosses besides their owne forgetfulnesse and frailtie are darkened and distracted in themselues and not being feruent and diligent in vsing good meanes do doubt and feare And this is the estate of many and those of long profession vnder the Gospell Which sort of people till they settle themselues constantly to walke with God and will be content to keepe a narow watch ouer their hearts and liues can be at no better stay For by these meanes they preserue their faith and keepe peace with God ordinarily as we see by experience or easily recouer themselues againe if they be dimmed and ouer-shadowed CHAP. 5. Of Sathans hindring the beleeuer from liuing godly and how many wayes and namely by keeping him in a wandring and vnsetled course and also of the remedie against it and first by occasion of that how he holdeth backe the wicked NOw it followeth that it be likewise shewed how he letteth the beleeuers from a godly life so that euen good Christians and they who feare God shall yet be kept backe from many duties which both they would do and are heauie and wounded for not doing them he deceiuing them with some sinnes which do afterward fill them with deadly discouragement But because there are some who are holden vnder of dangerous and damnable lets and yet thinke themselues the people of God for discouering of such by the way before I speake of the impediments which hinder Gods children I will as I promised briefly set downe some of those lets whereby he hindreth such altogether from practising a godly life though they thinke themselues sound Christians and yet are not but do lie that they may glory in themselues no further then they haue cause that is nothing at all but may know that they who are letted by these are not godly and that true christians indeed may know that though they are sundry wayes letted yet not like them Now these haue an heart long accustomed to euill which were not hard for them to see if they would enter into the sifting of it and by meanes of this they cannot giue themselues ouer to be readie to do Gods will in one thing as in another but thinke it foolishnesse to do so and the best of these do but performe some outward taske of prayer and confession of their sinnes for fashion or feare or some such like cause but not looking for any strength thereby to be any whit the more godly neither in their actions will be tied to be otherwise directed then as seemeth good to themselues Againe they neither attaine to sound and cleare sight of the forgiuenesse of their sinnes neither will they labour for it by applying to themselues the promises of God but hope their state is good without that so that their life when they be at the best is but a bold presuming of Gods mercy without any warrant and therefore either in that false confidence they die whose estate yet cannot be good or else when it pleaseth God to awake them out of that spirituall sleepe they confesse the truth plainely that they are in wofull estate And therefore they are vnwilling to enter into consideration of the annoyances which sin bringeth but if they do yet it shall not touch nor greatly trouble them neither will they trie to the full which of their actions be sinnes but they haue soone done with such matters though they be neuer wearie of that which likes them I speake of the forwardest sort of them which are vnrenewed Neither are they long perswaded saue onely in their good mood which lasteth not that the godly life is the onely happie life that is to liue as I haue described it namely to haue our conuersation in heauen and to mind such things especially aboue all other whiles we are abiding here on earth but are strongly setled in this opinion for the most part that their owne though all may see vpon how weake ground is the best course when yet daily care of holinesse is irkesome to them and that all such as go further then they are but precise and foolish and full of fantasies for so are they for the most part accounted of who in particular draw the rules of religion into practise and yet they do not so easily rest herein but oft their conscience will they nill they telleth them that the godly life is best To conclude either they are snared in sects and opinions aboue their reach which cannot stand with godlinesse or else they are so ignorant of the will of God in the Scriptures that if they had no other incombrance that were enough to hinder them from so much as entring into a godly course or so hollow loose-minded and wilfull that none can perswade them to do better And therefore what the comfort of such is may be easily coniectured These that I rehearse no more which are infinite yea euen some of them are sufficient hinderances from a godly life in whom soeuer they be found so that although the most will put themselues foorth for godly yet being branded with any of these markes of Sathan they shall sufficiently be knowne to be farre off from such as they would be taken for namely true Christians For remedie such as are willing to seeke after any I referre them to the first Treatise of this booke wherein I haue shewed what way such should take to be deliuerred out of their miserie Now I will proceed to set downe the lets whereby Gods children are holden from practising the godly life And seeing many weake Christians can easilier tell that they are hindred from it then they can tell what hindreth them as it is in bodily sicknesse I will therefore lay open some of the lets whereby the Diuell doth chiefly stay and hold them backe from going forward and direct such as are troubled with them how they may in some sort be helped against the same And these generally are three to the which the particulars shall be referred For either the Diuell keepeth them in the wanting of some good things without which they cannot constantly proceed in a godly life or he presseth them downe with some euill things as inward or outward sinnes which take away their courage from godlinesse or else vnsetleth them so by occasion of things lawfull that they are holden thereby from a Christian life Of the first sort I set downe
and if we did wisely shunne the sinnes which by riches we are prouoked vnto as needlesse spending and nigardly sparing and their affinities and take benefite to our soules and by more religiousnesse looke after the life to come we should bind this sinne in bands and chaines which will otherwise breake our hearts with griefe and drowne both soules and bodies in vtter destruction And the poore whom in this argument I haue litle mentioned who are not therefore free from couetousnesse though they haue no great store of riches shall best testifie that they be not as the most of their condition tainted with this sin if they hold fast innocency contentation yea thanksgiuing that is if they hurt not others by ill seeking goods but be content with their estate though it be meane and thankefull to God for it seeing they deserue not euen the poorest estate For of both this may be sayd If their conuersation be in heauen that is gouerned by heauenly rules then may they well go through their dealings on the earth And seeing the snare is in vaine set for that which hath wings therefore they flying and mounting with the wings of watching meditation and prayer ouer the snares which are layd for them shall safely auoid the deceipts of him who seeketh to intrap them And this be sayd of the remedies against worldlinesse and couetousnesse the reasons follow briefly which should disswade vs from the same The first is seeing we cannot inioy them long but either they shall be taken from vs or we from them and yet this short time is also vncertaine as in the parable of the steward is declared to whom it was sayd euen as it were vnlooked for Come giue an account of thy stewardship for thou mayest be no longer steward This is the slipperie estate of all things here below as by Scripture is proued all to be vanity and by experience which teacheth what alterations and changes there are euery where both by death and otherwise which while it is layd to heart and seriously thought on doth much quaile the pride of life in vs and therefore also will weane vs from the loue of the world and to the contempt of it The second reason is seeing the riches of this world are not our owne but borrowed as our Sauiour Christ saith If ye haue not bene faithfull in another mans goods who will giue you that which is yours where he likeneth them to things that a man borrowes of his neighbour Now we see that no man maketh reckoning of that which is another bodies as his goods substance if he valew his estate he counteth himselfe neuer the richer for that which he oweth and is euer about to pay it backe and the honester man will be the more carefull to restore it but to flourish and beare it out with another mans goods and occupie with them when they are required and called for it is neither the part of a wise man nor of one which loueth quietnesse and peace Now then for vs to busie our selues endlessely and griply about wealth as though it were our proper heritage when the owner is euery day calling for it what madnesse is it to be counted And yet if it were our owne it were the smaller riches godlinesse is the great and though we are occupied about many things yet that one is necessarie And if he that goeth to warre doth not intangle himselfe with the affaires of this life ought not we much more to be free from snaring of our selues with the goods of this world when neither they are our owne and when we are called to another maner of battell where they are sure to get no victory who are intangled in the world But these words mine and thine are so commonly in our mouths that we giue manifest proofe thereby that although we know that our goods be borowed yet we do not greatly remember or thinke vpon it and that we are tied with such loue and liking to them that we price them farre aboue those which are our owne proper goods indeed I meane knowledge and grace But let this be inough to the wise that for this very cause they should loue them litle because they be but borrowed The third reason which ought to perswade vs to vse the world soberly that so we may not be tainted with worldlinesse is this For that if we be not faithfull in this which is but litle in respect of the great and pretious treasures of saluation and happinesse we will not neither shall be faithfull in them but shall shew our selues not too meane as we beare the world in hand when we professe that we seeke eternall life by the Gospell preached but shall proue that all our prayers confessions of our sinnes and hearings are in vaine and that we shall be neuer the better for them And what a point of madnesse were that And yet our Sauiour affirmeth it to be so saying He that is faithfull in the least he is also faithfull in much and he that is vniust in the least is vniust also in much And who doth not see it to be so For he that will wound and trouble his conscience for a litle commoditie will he not much easilier do it for a greater and he that will ieopard his saluation for a penny will he not much more do it for a pound and he that will hazard it for a pound will he not do as much for an hundred Neither let any obiect this That some will indanger themselues by a great robberie who will not haue their hand in small pilfring For as that is no proofe of faithfulnesse in the persons so it cannot ouerthrow Christs words which cannot be resisted that is to say If a man will make shipwracke of conscience and credite for a small benefit he will do it much more for a greater A great and maine reason doubtlesse why a man should be true and trustie plaine and simple in and about worldly things and commit no vnrighteousnesse neither offer any iniurie to inrich himselfe thereby when that shall be an vtter discharging him of the fauour of God and a frustrating of all his hope of heauen and happinesse Therefore if we looke for any benefit by Christ any comfort by the Gospell and any communion with the Saints and in a word if we looke to reape any fruite of our holy profession looke we to it that we be reformed in this part of our conuersation and if we desire to vse well and rightly things spirituall which are the chiefest let vs not be loose or which is worse vnconscionable in these earthly things which are the meanest The fourth and last reason to perswade hereto is this that we shall giue an account as of other things which we haue done in our life whether they be good or bad so especially of our getting vsing and forgoing of our goods and commodities