sense of Gods love Use 3. You who have this saluifical sanctifying knowledge flourishing in you bless God for it this is the Heavenly Anointing the most excellent objects cannot be seen in the dark but when the light appears then every flower shines in its Native beauty So while men are in the midnight of a natural estate the Beauty of Holiness is hid from them but when the light of the Spirit comes in a saving manner then those truths they slighted before appear in that glorious lustre as transports them with wonder and love Bless God ye Saints that he hath taken off your Spiritual Cataract and hath given you to discern those things which by Natures Spectacles you could never see How thankful was Christ to his Father for this Mat. 11. 25. I thank thee O Father Lord of Heaven and Earth that thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent and hast revealed them unto babes How should you admire Free-grace that God hath not only brought the light to you but given you eyes to see it that he hath inabled you to know the truth as it is in Iesus Ephes. 4. 21. That he hath opened not only the eye of your understanding but the eye of your Conscience This is a mercy you can never be enough thankful for that God hath so enlightned you that you should not sleep the sleep of death SECT II. 2. The godly man is a man acted by Faith as gold is the most precious among the metals so is Faith among the Graces Faith cuts us off from the wild Olive of Nature and inoculates us into Christ Faith is the vital artery of the Soul Hab. 2. 4. The just shall live by his Faith Such as are destitute of Faith though they breathe yet they want life Faith is the quickner of the Graces not a Grace stirs till Faith sets it awork Faith is to the soul as the animal spirits are to the body they excite lively operations in the body Faith excites Repentance it is like the fire to the Still which makes it drop When I believe Gods love to me this makes me weep that I should sin against so good a God Faith is the Mother of Hope first we believe the Promise then we hope for it Faith is the Oyl which feeds the Lamp of Hope Faith and Hope are two Turtle-graces take away one and the other languisheth If the sinews be cut the body is lame if this sinew of Faith be cut Hope is lame Faith is the ground of Patience He who believes God is his God and all Providences work for his good doth patiently yield up himself to the Will of God thus Faith is a living Principle And the life of a Saint is nothing else but a life of Faith his prayer is the breathing of Faith Iam. 5. 15. His obedience is the result of Faith Rom. 16. 26. A godly man by Faith lives in Christ as the beam lives in the Sun Gal. 2. 20. I live yet not I but Christ lives in me A Christian by the power of Faith sees above Reason trades above the Moon by Faith his heart is finely quieted he trusts himself and all his affairs with God As in a time of War men get into a Garrison and trust themselves and their treasure there So the Name of the Lord is a strong Tower Pro. 18. 10. and a Believer trusts all that ever he is worth in this Garrison 2 Tim. 1. 12. I know whom I have believed and I am perswaded he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day God trusted Paul with his Gospel and Paul trusted God with his Soul Faith is a Catholicon or remedy against all troubles it is a godly mans sheat-anchor that he casts out into the Sea of Gods mercy and is kept from sinking in despair Si modo firma fides nulla ruina nocet Use. Let us try our selves by this Character Alas how far are they from being godly that are destitute of Faith such as are altogether drowned in Sense Most men are spiritually purblind they can see but just before them 2 Pet. 1. 9. I have read of a people of India who are born with one eye such are they who are born with the eye of Reason but want the eye of Faith who because they do not see God with bodily eyes they do not believe a God they may as well not believe they have Souls because being Spirits they cannot be seen O where is he who lives in Excelsis who is gotten into the upper Region and sees 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 things not seen Heb. 11. 27. Did men live by Faith would they use sinful policy for a livelihood Were there Faith would there be so much fraud Did Faith live would men like dead fish swim down the stream In this Age there is scarce so much Faith to be found among men as there is among the Devils for they believe and tremble It was a grave and serious speech of Mr. Greenham that he feared not Papisme but Atheisme would be Englands ruine But I shall not expatiate having been more large upon this Head in another discourse SECT III. 3. A godly man is fired with love to God Psalm 116. 1. Faith and Love are the two Poles on which all Religion turns A true Saint is carried in that Chariot the midst whereof is paved with love Cant. 3. 10. As Faith doth quicken so love doth sweeten every duty The Sun mellows the fruit so love mellows the services of Religion and makes them come off with a better relish A godly man is sick of love Ioh. 21. 16. Lord thou knowest I love thee Though dear Saviour I did deny thee yet it was for want of strength not for want of love God is the Fountain and Quintessence of goodness his beauty and sweetness lay constraints of love upon a gracious heart God is the Saints portion Psalm 119. 57. And what more loved then a portion I would hate my own Soul saith Austin if I found it not loving 〈◊〉 A godly man loves God therefore delight to be in his presence he loves God therefore takes comfort in nothing without him Cant. 3. 3. Saw ye him whom my Soul loveth Lilia nigra videntur Pallentesque rosae nec dulce rubens hyacinthus Nullos nèc myrtus nec laurus spirat odores The pious Soul loves God therefore thirsts after him the more he hath of God the more still he desires a sip of the Wine of the Spirit provokes the appetite after more The Soul loves God therefore rejoyceth to think of his appearing 2 Tim. 4. 8. He loves him therefore longs to be with him Christ was in Pauls heart and Paul would be in Christs bosome Phil. 1. 23. When the Soul is once like God it would fain be with God A gracious heart cries out O that I had wings that I might flie away and be
grace shine in his soul and the next day his light put out in obscurity This would spill a Christians comfort and break asunder the golden Chain of Salvation but be assured O Christian he who hath begun a good work will ripen it into perfection Christ will send forth judgement unto victory he will make grace victorious over all opposite corruption If grace should finally perish what would become of the smoaking flax And how would that title properly be given to Christ Finisher of the Faith Object No question this is an undoubted priviledge to such as are smoaking flax and have the least beginnings of grace but I fear I am not smoaking flax I cannot see the light of grace in my self Answ. That I may comfort the smoaking flax why dost thou thus dispute against thy self What makes thee think thou hast no grace I believe thou hast more than thou wouldst be willing to part with thou valuest grace above the gold of Ophir How couldst thou see the worth and lustre of this Jewel if Gods Spirit had not opened thy eyes Thou wouldst fain believe and mournest that thou canst not believe are not these tears the Initials of Faith Thou desirest Christ and canst not be satisfied without him this beating of the pulse evidenceth life The iron could not move upward if the Loadstone did not draw it the heart could not ascend in holy breathings after God if some heavenly Loadstone had not been drawing it Christian canst thou say sin is thy burden Christ is thy delight and as Peter once said Lord thou knowest I love thee This is smoaking flax and the Lord will not quench it thy grace shall flourish into glory God will sooner extinguish the light of the Sun than extinguish the dawning light of his spirit in thy heart 2. Let a Christian pursue his duty There are two duties required of believers 1. Love 2. Labour 1. Love Will not the Lord quench the smoaking flax but make it at last victorious over all opposition how should the smoaking flax flame in love to God Psal. 31. 23. love the Lord all ye his Saints The Saints owe much to God and when they have nothing to pay it is hard if they cannot love him O ye Saints it is God who carries on grace progressively in your souls He is like a Father who gives his son a small stock of money to begin with and when he hath traded a little he adds more to the stock So God adds continually to your stock he is every day dropping oyl into the lamp of your grace and so keeps the lamp burning This may inflame your love to God who will not let the work of grace miscarry but will bring it to perfection The smoaking flax he will not quench How should Gods people long for heaven when it will be their constant work to breathe forth love and found forth praise 2. The second duty required of Christians is labour Some may think if Christ will not quench the smoaking flax but make it burn brighter to the Meridian of glory then we need take no pains but leave God to bring his own work about Take heed of drawing so bad a Conclusion from such good premises What I have spoken is to encourage Faith not to indulge sloath Do not think God will do our work for us and we sit still As God will blow up the spark of grace by his spirit so we must be blowing it up by holy endeavours God will not bring us to heaven sleeping but praying The Lord told Paul all in the Ship should come safe to shore but it must be in the use of means Act. 27. 21. Except ye abide in the Ship ye cannot be saved So the Saints shall certainly arrive at Salvation they shall come to shore at last but they must abide in the Ship in the use of Ordinances else they cannot be saved Christ assures his Disciples None shall pluck them out of his hand Ioh. 10. 28. But yet he gives that counsel Watch and pray that ye enter not into temptation Mat 26. 41. The seed of God shall not die but we must water it with our tears the smoaking flax shall not be quenched but we must blow it up with the breath of our endeavour The second comfort to the godly is that godliness advanceth them into a near and glorious union with Jesus Christ But of this in the next CHAP. XII Shewing the Mystical union between Christ and the Saints CANT 2. 16. My beloved is mine and I am his IN this Book of the Canticles we see the love of Christ and his Church running toward each other in a full torrent The Text contains three general Parts 1 A Symbol of affection my beloved 2 A term of appropriation is mine 3 An holy resignation I am his Doct. That there is a conjugal union between Christ and beleevers The Apostle having treated at large of marriage he windes up the whole chapter thus Eph. 5. 32. This is a great mystery but I speak concerning Christ and the Church what nearer than union what sweeter there is a twofold union with Christ 1 A natural union this all men have Christ having taken their nature upon him and not the Angels Heb. 2. 16. but if there be no more than this natural union it will give little comfort thousands are damned though Christ be united to their nature 2 There is a sacred union whereby we are mystically united to Christ the union with Christ is not personal if Christs essence were transfused into the person of a beleever then it would follow that all which a beleever doth should merit But the union between Christ and a Saint is 1 Faederal my beloved is mine God the Father gives the bride God the Son receives the bride God the Holy ghost tyes the knot in marriage he knits our wills to Christ and Christs love to us 2 This union is vertual Christ unites himself to his spouse by his graces and influences Iohn 1. 16. Of his fulness have we all received and grace for grace Christ makes himself one with the spouse by conveying his Image and stamping the impress of his own holiness upon her This union with Christ may well be called mystical it is hard to describe the manner of it as it is hard to shew the manner how the soul is united to the body so how Christ is united to the soul but though this union be spiritual it is real Things in nature work often insensibly yet really Eccles. 11. 5. we do not see the hand move on the Dial yet it moves the Sun exhales and draws up the vapours of the earth insensibly yet really so the union between Christ and the soul though it be imperceptible to the eye of reason yet is real 1 Cor. 6. 17. Before this union with Christ there must be a separation the heart must be separated from all other lovers as in marriage there is a leaving of
godly man loves the Word written Chrysostom compares the Scripture to a garden set with knots and flowers A godly man delights to walk in this garden and sweetly solace himself he loves every branch and parcel of the Word 1. He loves the counselling part of the Word as it is a Directory and Rule of life The Word is the Mercurial Statue which points us to our duty it contains in it credendae and facâ—enda things to be believed and practised A godly man loves the Aphorismes of the Word 2. A godly man loves the Minatory part of the Word The Scripture like the Garden of Eden as it hath a Tree of Life in it so it hath a Flaming Sword at the Gates of it this is the threatning of the Word it flasheth fire in the face of every person that goes on obstinately in wickedness Psal. 68. 21. God shall wound the hairy scalp of such an one as goes on still in his trespasses The Word gives no indulgence to evil it will not let a man halt between God and Sin The true Mother would not let the Childe be divided and God will not have the heart divided The Word thunders out threatnings against the very appearance of evil it is like that flying Roll full of curses Zac. 5. 1. A godly man loves the menaces of the Word he knows there is love in every threatning God would not have us perish therefore doth mercifully threaten us that he may scare us from sin Gods threatnings are as the Sea-mark which shows the Rocks in the Sea and threatneth death to such as come neer the threatning is a curbing bit to check us that we may not run in a full careir to hell there is mercy in every threatning 3. A godly man loves the consolatory part of the Word the Promises he goes feeding upon these as Sampson went on his way eating the honey-comb Iudg. 14. 8. The Promises are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all marrow and sweetness they are our Bezar-stone when we are fainting they are the conduits of the Water of Life Psal. 94. 19. In the multitude of my thoughts within me thy comforts delight my Soul The Promises were Davids Harp to drive away sad thoughts they were the breast which milked out Divine Consolation to him A godly man shows his love to the Word written 1. By diligent reading of it The Noble Bereans did search the Scriptures daily Act. 17. 11. Apollos was mighty in the Scriptures Act. 18. 24. The Word is our Magna Charta for heaven we should be daily reading over this Charter The Word is index sui obliqui it shows what is truth and what is error it is the field where the Pearl of Price is hid How should we dig for this Pearl A godly mans heart is the Library to hold the Word of God it dwells richly in him Col. 3. 16. It is reported of Melancthon that when he was young he carried the Bible always about him and did greedily read in it The Word hath a double work to teach us and to judge us They that will not be taught by the Word shall be judged by the Word Oh let us make the Scripture familiar to us What if it should be as in the â—imes of Dioclesian who commanded by Proclamation the Bible to be burned or as in Queen Maries daies wherein it was death to have a Bible in English by diligent conversing with Scripture we may carry a Bible in our head 2. A godly man shows his love to the Word by frequent meditating in it Psalm 119. 97. It is my meditation all the day A pious Soul meditates of the Verity and Sanctity of the Word he hath not only a few transient thoughts but lays his mind a steeping in the Scripture by meditation he suckâ— from this sweet flower and concocts holy truths in his mind 3. He shows his love to the Word by delighting in it it is his recreation Ier. 15. 16. Thy wordâ— were found and I did eat them and thy Word waâ— unto me the Ioy and rejoycing of my heart Never did a man take such delight in a dish that he loved as the Prophet did in the Word And indeed how can a Saint chuse but take great complacency in the Word because all that ever he hopes to be worth is contained in it Doth not a son take pleasure in reading over his Fathers Will and Testament where he makes a conveyance of his Estate to him 4. He shows his love to the Word by hiding it Psal. 119. 11. Thy Word have I hid in my heart As one hides a treasure that it should not be stoln away The Word is the Jewel the heart is the Cabinet where it must be locked up Many hide the Word in their memory but not in their heart And why would David inclose the Word in his heart That I might be kept from sinning against thee As one would carry an Antidote about him when he comes neer an infected place so a godly man carries the Word in his heart as a spiritual antidote to preserve him from the infection of sin Why have so many been poysoned with error others with moral vice but because they have not hid the Word as an holy antidote in their heart 5. He shows his love to the Word by desending it A wise man will not let his Land be taken from him but will defend his Title David looked upon the Word as his Land of Inheritance Psal. 119. 111. Thy Testimonies have I taken as an Heritage for ever And do you think he would let his Inheritance be wrested out of his hands A godly man will not only dispute for the Word but die for it Rev. 6. 9. I saw under the Altar the souls of them that were slain for the Word of God 6. He shows his love to the Word by preferring it above things most precious 1. Above food Iob 23. 12. I have â—esteemed the words of his mouth above my necessary food â— Above riches Psal. 119. 72. The Law of thy mouth is better unto me then thousands of gold and silver 3. Above worldly honor Memorable is the story of King Edward the Sixth who upon the day of his Coronation when they presented before him three Swords signifying to him that he was Monarch of three Kingdomes the King said there is yet one Sword wanting being asked what that was he answered the Holy Bible which is the sword of the Spirit and is to be preferred before these Ensigns of Royalty 7. He shows his love to the Word by talking of it Psal. 119. 172. My tongue shall speak of thy Word As a covetous man is talking of his rich purchase so a godly man is speaking of the Word what a treasure it is how full of beauty and suavity they whose mouths the Devil hath gagg'd who never speak of Gods Word it is a sign they never reaped any good by it 8. He shows his
how many have sown pillows under their people making them sleep so securely that they have never waked till they have been in hell 5 A Minister must bee holy in heart and life 1 In heart How sad is it for a Minister to preach that to others which he never felt in his own soul to exhort others to holiness and himself a stranger to it O that it were not thus too often how many blow the Lords Trumpet with a foul breath 2 In Life The Priests under the Law before they served at the Altar washed in the Lavor such as serve in the Lords house must first bee washed from gross sin in the Lavor of repentance The life of a Minister should be a walking Bible Basil said of Nazianzene he did thunder in his doctrine and lighten in his conversation A Minister must imitate Iohn Baptist who was not only a voice crying Isa â— 3. but a light shining Ioh. 5. 35. they disgrace this excellent calling who live in a contradiction to what they preach they turn their codices into calices their books into cups and though they are Angels by office yet are Devils in their lives Ier. 23. 15. 3. Hee is godly who is good as an Husband he fills up that relation with love Eph. 5. 25. Husbands love your Wives The Vine twisting its branches about the Elm and embracing it may be an emblem of that intire love which should be in the conjugal relation a married condition would be sad if it hath cares to imbitter it and not love to sweeten it Love is the best diamond in the marriage Ring Isaac loved Rebeckah Gen. 24. 57. Unkindnesses in this near relation are very unhappy Wee read in Heathen Authors that Clitemnestra the wife of Agamemnon to revenge an injury received from her Husband first rent the Vail of her chastity and afterwards consented to his death The Husband should shew his love to his Wife by covering infirmities by avoiding occasions of strife by sweet endearing expressions by pious counsel by love-tokens by incouraging what he sees amiable and vertuous in her by mutual prayer by associating with her unless detained by urgency of business The Pilot that goes from his ship and quite leaves it to the merciless waves declares that he doth not esteem it or reckon any treasure to be in it The Apostle gives a good reason why there should be mutual love between Husband and Wife 1 Pet. 3. 7. That your prayers bee not hindred where passions prevail there prayer is either intermitted or interrupted 4 He is godly who is good as a Father 1 A Father must drop holy instructions into his Children Eph. 6 4. Bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord Thus did Abraham Gen. 18. 19. I know Abraham that hee will command his children and his houshold and they shall keep the way of the Lord. Children are young plants which must be watered with good education that they may with Obadiah fear the Lord from their youth up 1 Kings 18. 12. Plato saith in vain doth he expect an harvest who hath been negligent in sowing nor can a parent look to reap any good from a childe where he hath not sown the seed of wholesome instruction and though notwithstanding all counsel and admonition the childe should dye in sin yet it is a comfort to a godly Parent to think that before his childe dyed he gave it spiritual physick 2. A parent must pray for his Children Monica the Mother of Austin prayed for his Conversion and one said It was impossible a Son of so many Prayers and Tears should miscarry The soul of thy Childe is in a snare and wilt not thou pray that it may bee recovered out of the snare of the Devil 2 Tim. 2. 26. many Parents are careful to lay up portions for their children but they do not lay up prayers for them 3 A Parent must give his children discipline Prov. 23. 13. Withhold not correction from the childe for if thou beatest him with the rod he shall not dye The rod beats out the dust and moth of sin a childe indulg'd and humoured in wickedness will prove a burden instead of a blessing David cockered Adonijah 1 King 1. 6. His Father had not displeased him at any time saying why hast thou done so and hee afterwards was a grief of heart to his Father and would have put him besides his throne correction is a hedge of thorns to stop Children in their full Carâ—eir to hell 5 He is godly who is good as a Master a godly man promotes religion in his family he sets up piety in his house as well as in his heart Psalm 101. 2. I will walk within my house with a perfect heart Ioshua 24. 15. I and my houshold will serve the Lord. I find it written in the honor of Cranmer his Family was Palaestra Pietatis a Nursery of Piety A godly mans house is a little Church Col. 4. 15. The Church which is in his house 1. A good man makes known the Oracles of God to them who are under his roof he reads the Word perfumes his house with prayer It is recorded of the Iews that they had sacrifices in their Family as well as in the Tabernacle Exod. 12. 3. 2. A godly man provides necessaries he relives his servants in health and Sickness he is not like that Amalakite who shook off his servant when he was sick 1 Sam. 30. 13. But rather like the good Centurion who sought to Christ for the healing of his sick servant Mat. 8. 5. 3. A godly man sets his servants a good example he is sober and heavenly in his deportment his virtuous life is a fair glass for the servants in the family to dress themselves by 6. He is godly who is good in the Relation of a Childe He honours his parents Philo the Jew placed the fifth Commandment in the first Table as if Children had not performed their whole devotion to God till they had given honour to their Parents This honouring of Parents consists in two things 1. In reverencing their persons which reverence is shown both by humility of speech and gesture The contrary to this is when a Childe doth behave himself unseemly and proudly Among the Lacedemonians if a Childe had carried himself imperiously towards his parent it was published by Authority that it was lawful for the Father to appoint whom he would to be his Heir and to dis-inherit that Childe 2. Honoring of Parents lies in obeying their Commands Eph. 6. 1. Children obey your Parents in the Lord. Duty is the Interest money which children pay their Parents for the Principal they have had from them Christ hath set all Children a pattern of obedience to their Parents Luke 2. 51. He was subject unto them The Rechabites were eminent for this Ierem. 35. 5. 1 set before the Rechabites pots full of wine and said to them drink ye wine but they said we will
nothing for Works like the Lawrel that makes a flourish but bears no fruit 10. A godly man will suffer persecution he will be married to Christ though he settle no other Joynture upon him but the Cross he suffers out of choice and with a spirit of gallantry Argerius wrote a Letter to his friend dated From the pleasant Garden of the Leonine prison The blessed Martyrs who put on the whole Armour of God did by their courage blunt the edge of Persecution The Juniper Tree makes the coolest shadow and the hottest coal So Persecution makes the coal of love hotter and the shadow of death cooler Thus a godly man goes round the whole Circle of Religious Duties and obeys God in what ever he commands 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Object But it is impossible for any one to walk according to the full bredth of Gods Law and to follow God fully Answ. There is a two-fold obeying Gods Law the first is perfect when all is done that the Law requires this we cannot arrive at in this life Secondly There is an incompleat obedience which in Christ is accepted This consists in four things 1. An approving of all Gods Commandments Rom. 7. 12. The Commandment is just and holy and good and ver 16. I consent unto the Law that it is good There is both assent and consent 2. A sweet complacency in Gods Commands Psal. 119. 47. I will delight my self in thy Commandments which I have loved 3. A cordial desire to walk in all Gods Commands Psal. 119. 5. O that my ways were directed to keep thy Statutes 4. A real endeavour to tread in every path of the Command Psal. 119. 59. I turned my feet unto thy Testimonies This God esteems perfect obedience and is pleased to take it in good part Zacharias had his failings he did hesitate through unbelief for which he was strucken dumb yet it is said he did walk in all the Commandments of the Lord blameless Luke 1. 6. Because he did cordially endeavour to obey God in all things Evangelical obedience is true for the essence though not perfect for the degree and wherein it comes short Christ puts his Merits into the Scales and then there is full weight SECT XXIII 23. A godly man walks with God Gen. 6. 9. Noah walked with God The Age in which Noah lived was very corrupt ver 5. The wickedness of man was great in the earth But the iniquity of the times could not put Noah out of his walk Noah walked with God Noah is called a Preacher of Righteousness 2 Pet. 2. 5. Noah preached 1. By Doctrine his preaching was say some of the Rabbins after this manner Turn ye from your evil ways that the waters of the Floud come not upon you and cut off the whole seed of the Race of Adam 2. Noah preached by his life he preached by his humility patience sanctity Noah walked with God Quest. What is it to walk with God Answ. Walking with God imports five things 1. A walking as under Gods eye Noah did reverence a Deity A godly man sets himself as in Gods presence knowing his Judge looks on Psalm 16. 8. I have set the Lord always before me Here was Davids Opticks 2. Walking with God implies the familiarity and intimacy the soul hath with God Friends walk together and solace themselves one with another The godly make known their requests to God and he makes known his love to them There is a sweet intercourse between God and his people 1 Iohn 1. 3. Our 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 our Communion is with the Father and his Son Iesus 3. Walking with God is a walking above the earth A godly man is elevated above all sublunary objects that person must ascend very high who walks with God A Dwarf cannot walk among the Stars nor can a dwarfish earthly soul walk with God 4. Walking with God denotes visible piety walking is a visible posture grace must be conspicuous to the beholders He walks with God who discovers something of God in his carriage he shines forth in a Bible-Conversation 5. Walking with God imports a continued progress in Grace it is not only a step but a walk there is a going on towards perfection A godly man doth not sit down in the middle of his way but goes on till he comes at the end of his Faith 1 Pet. 1. 9. Though a good man may be extra semitam yet not extra viam He may through infirmity step aside as Peter did but he recovers himself by repentance and goes on in a progress of holiness Iob 17. 9. The righteous also shall hold on his way Use 1. See from hence how improper it is to call them godly who do not walk with God They would have Noahs Crown but they do not love Noahs walk Most are found in the Devils black walk Phil. 3. 18. Many walk of whom I tell you weeping that they are the Enemies of the Cross of Christ. 1. Some will commend walking with God and say it is the rarest life in the world but will not set one foot in the way all that commend Wine do not come up to the price many a Father commends virtue to his Childe but doth not set him a pattern 2. Others walk a few steps in the good old way but they retreat back again If the ways of God were not good why did they enter into them If they were good why did they forsake them 2 Pet. 2. 21. For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness than after they have known it to turn from the holy Commandment 3. Others slander walking with God that it is a melancholly walk and such as are less zealous are more prosperous this God accounts blasphemy 2 Pet. 2. 2. The way of truth shall be evil spoken of In the Greek it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it shall be blasphemed 4. Others deride walking with God as if it were a way of foolish preciseness What you will be of the Holy Tribe You will be wiser than others There are some persons if it were in their power would jeer Holiness out of the world The Chair of the Scornful stands at the Mouth of Hell 5. Others instead of walking with God walk 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 after the flesh 1. They walk by Fleshly Opinions 2. They walk after Fleshly Lusts. 1. They walk by Fleshly Opinions There are six of these 1. That it is best to do as the most do to steer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 after the course of the World to be in the Mode not to get a new heart but to get into a new fashion 2 That Reason is the highest Judge and Umpire in matters of Religion we must beleeve no farther than we can see for a man to become a fool that he may be wise to be saved purely by the righteousness of another to keep