our good workes which they shall see may be moued more readily to hearken to that truth that worketh so mightily in vs. Therefore Peter counselleth faithfull wiues by their good workes to winne their vnbeleeuing husbands 1 Peter 3. 1. Also 1 Cor. 7. 16. For how knowest thou O woman whether thou shalt saue thy vnbeleeuing Husband But if any be vnconuerted and belong not to God these by our good workes shal haue their mouthes stopped that they cannot speake euill of vs or of our Religion For so is the will of God that with well doing we may stop the ignorance of foolish men 1 Peter 2. 15. Towards such as be already conuerted and become faithfull our good workes haue their proper vse either to confirme and strengthen them if they be weake in the faith as Christ saith to Peter Confirme thy brethren Luke 22. 32. Or else to comfort and reioyce such as be strong as Iohn reioyceth because the elect Lady and her children walked in the truth 2 Iohn 2. And Paul is greatly comforted by the faith and godlinesse of the Philippians Philip 3. 5. Insomuch as that which is spoken of the Vine and the fruite thereof Iudg. 9. 13. agreeth better to good workes the fruites of our faith that by them God and men are cheered Which should exceedingly worke preuaile with all good men to doe them and to doe them yet more cheerefully and plentifully not onely because as we vse to say of things we buy there is the more to put into the Inuentory so the more good workes we haue the more there is to further our reckoning but that our name may shine as the Sun in brightnesse our faith and saluation be sealed our God glorified our Religion beautified our Neighbour edified in his soule by godly admonition refreshed in his body and bowels by the fruits of our mercy and loue finally Sathan and our aduersaries confounded And for the better furthering of our selues in the practise of them let vs further remember these few things that our life is short oportunity will be taken away from vs therefore while we haue time let vs doe all the good we can considering that we haue lost much time already and heretofore haue done many things to the displeasure and discredite of so gracious a God Moreouer we haue receiued many fauours from God namely remission of all our sinnes and adoption by Christ sanctification by his Spirit with infinite other benefits for soule or body Let these mercies encrease constraine our loue to well doing and set vs on fire with zeale of good workes seeing Christ purgeth vs from our iniquitie to the end that we should be a peculiar people feruently giuen to doe good Titus 2. 14 15. And as we like to see other things fruitfull our Kine and Sheepe our Orchards our Fields so let it be our care and loue to see our selues fruitfull as it were our shame and reproach to be barren that wee may be like vnto Iesus Christ our head of whom it is written in the Gospell That he went about dooing good c. and that hee did all things well that we treading now in the steps of his faith and loue obedience and patience wee may at length reigne with him in glory For such as follow him now in the pathes of godlinesse shall hereafter sit with him at his Table in his Fathers Kingdome whither Christ Iesus safely and speedily bring vs for his name sake Amen The ninth part of the Dialogue Of particular good Workes first concerning God Of the Loue of God Apollos NOw Neighbour Aquila your constancy in following this conference makes me thinke you are like him of whom it is written That where hee beginnes a good worke he will finish it You haue taken in hand a good worke and you are desirous to accomplish it and to tell you truth so am I too and now that we draw toward an end let vs keepe close to it till we arriue where we would be there is nothing so hard but constant labour will ouercome it at last Aquila Constancy in any thing aduisedly taken vp is a very commendable thing but Sir according to your counsell let vs fall to our workeâ— Wee haue spoken of good workes generally wee are now to handle some especiall good workes which are more excellent and necessary and whereupon all the rest doe depend what choyce shall we make what good workes shall we single out from the rest therein to spend our time Apollos My aduice is this Whereas good works be all duties whereby either God or our neighbour be serued and benefited and the duties which we owe to God are cheefe as cause and ground of the rest first we will cull out such principall good workes as concerne God immediately namely the loue of God 2. his feare 3. of trust in him 4. thankesgiuing 5. prayer 6. reuerence towards his name 7. sanctifying his Sabbach and lastly of patience in suffering and then wee will descend to such fruites of faith and repentance as do belong to our neighbour For the first and great commandement is to loue God with all the heart and next to loue my neighbor as my selfe Aquila I do well approne of this order not onely because I know no better but because I iudge it to bee the best and fittest Let me then heare you tel me what it is to loue God wherefore wee stand bound to loue him and what it is that begets in vs the loue of God And then if ye wil declare the measure and manner of this loue how much it ought to bee and how it may be discerned to be in vs withall of the effects which this loue will be get in his children Apollos Loue is such an affection of the heart as desireth to be knit and neerely ioyned to the thing or party loued This is the nature of loue so to carry the heart with desire vnto that which is loued as nothing will content till it be enioyed and had The trueth of this may appeare in that loue which is inordinate and also in all well gouerned loue The theefe the adulcerer the gamester the couetous are by their loue such as they beare to their booty their whores their game and gaine so possessed as they are then quyet and not before when they haue and bee ioyned in one to that which they loue as their parting from the thing loued and losing it is their greefe yea sometime their death so their being with it and hauing it is their contentment and ioy and life Stories and experience afford vs sufficient proofe heereof We see the Gamester neuer well but when hee is at dice or cardes or other game The Fornicator is neuer at rest vnlesse he bee with his harlot The Couetous man is best pleased when he lookes vpon or fingereth money Now in well-gouerned loue it is right so whether it bee naturall or humane or
all duties of loue towards the brethren in all chearefulnesse vp rightnesse and constancy and to striue mightily against all the lets and obstacles of loue both within vs and without vs whatsoeuer they be they are all by these cōsiderations to be vanquished Apollos Your reasons be of good weight There remaineth that you shew vs the properties and actions of loue and withall wherein faith and loue doe differ one from the other Aquila The properties of loue were touched before when wee heard that we must loue as Christ loued but he that will be further instructed in the properties and effects of loue let him thinke vpon the first to the Corinthians 13. 5 6 7 8. where the Apostle affirmeth of Christian charity that it is kind and not enuious neither boasting nor proud doing no vncomely thing seeking not her owne things not suddenly angry nor thinking euill reioycing in the truth not in iniquity suffering all things beleeuing all things hoping all things enduring all things the neerer that our loue is to these qualities the holier it is the further off the worse and none at all it is if it be voide of them Touching the workes and actions of loue I find they be either inward which wee conceiue in our hearts or outward which we expresse in our liues words and deeds either towards the soules or bodies of our Neighbour The inward workes of loue be these to thinke no euill but good of others for loue thinketh no euill to wish them well and desire their good euery way to reioyce with them for their welfare being so cheared with their good things as with our owne to mourne with them for the aduersities and euils which befall them according to the counsell of Paul Reioyce with them that reioyce and mourne with them that mourne This fellow feeling when we pity others infirmities and miseries and be glad for their prosperity and well doing it is the maine mentall duty of loue Now for outward actions of loue they concerne others in their person substance or name they be all the workes commanded in the second Table of the Law which be innumerable but briefly to giue you a short sum of them to the substance of our neighbour we owe this duty to encrease and maintaine it by all good meanes giuing lending to such as need and that freely without any compact or bargaine to haue the principall with increase yea euen where there is no hope to haue the principal restored prouided that need not riot do driue them to borrow and that their want of ability and not of good will doe hinder them from payment Also if we haue found ought which is others or if any thing be of trust committed to vs or that wee haue wrongfully got into our hands any portion of our Neighbours substance that we carefully restore if we be able Eze. 18. in all bargaines and contracts dealing iustly and plainely without fraude or oppression Ephe. 5. Finally practising the workes of our particular callings with faithfulnesse and diligence that we may be profitable to all with whom we liue seruing others through loue and affoording our counsell and paines and whatsoeuer else we can do to further others welfare in their estate both of goods and body if it be in our power not onely to feede him when hee is hungry refresh him with drinke being thirsty harbouring the harbourlesse visiting him in prison but ministring to him being sicke not onely out of our purse but also of our skill if we know any thing that may ease or cure his paine Acts 24. 4 5. As concerning his name neuer speaking of our Neighbour but in loue not for the empairing but for the maintaining of his name when with reason and truth we may alwayes vttering an vpright sentence of all men auoyding slanders lies false reports in our selues and beating them downe in others especially as concerning his soule neuer to be wanting to the good thereof but aboue and before all other duties to preferre such as wee are to doe to his saluation endeauouring vpon all occasions offered to admonish our brother with wisedome loue exhorting his slownesse and quickening his dulnesse to good things comforting the feeble minded strengthening the weake in an hearty compassion of their infirmities instructing the ignorant rebuking the froward with all patience and long suffering bearing for bearing giuing forgiuing wrongs in our prayers remembring the wants of the Saints continuing thus to doe in all humblenesse and meekenesse knowing that Christian loue most of all consists in these duties because they concerne the better part of man which is his soule tend to the chiefest good that is the attainement of euerlasting life To be 〈◊〉 in this point of Loue to answer your last demand as in many other things this Christian charity differeth from faith it being the fruite faith being the roote faith beleeuing the promise loue fulfilling the commandement Ro. 13. Faith iustifying vs before God Loue declating vs before men to bee iust persons So in other things also as namely faith receiueth something to it selfe to wit Christ and his benefits whereas Loue giueth out it selfe in all the former duties we haue spoken of and many more whereof we shall speake hereafter Faith looketh properly to Christ and profiteth our selues Loue looketh to God and Angels and men both good and bad and endeuoureth to profit many Hence it is that the Apostle preferreth loue before faith 1 Corinthians 13. as also for that faith ceaseth at the end of this life whereas loue endureth after this life 1 Cor. 13. verse last Apollos I perceiue by your discourse of Loue that you confound loue and brotherly kindnesse as if they were but one grace whereas the Apostle Peter doth distinguish them and make them twaine 2 Pet. 1. 7. Aquila I doe handle them together for that I find the Scripture doth often comprehend brotherly kindnesse vnder loue when loue is taken in the largest sense as it reacheth to all men whatsoeuer howbeit I doe not denie but the Apostle doth seuer them 2 Peter 1. In which place he considers loue as it doth embrace men as men because they are our Neighbours and of our kind and brotherly kindnesse as it is a more neere and inward affection such as is expressed to men as they be our brethren Christians and fellow Citizens This difference I may thus set it downe I may compare our hearts to a great large house whose hall is loue and the parlour brotherly kindnesse as then a great man admits all friends strangers one and other into his hall so our loue is to lie open vnto all men without respect or difference but our brotherly kindnesse we communicate onely to such as are our euen Christians as we doe allow our nearest acquaintance onely to haue accesse into our parlour Thus I conceiue the meaning of the Apostle Peter when he doth seuer these two graces But now
religious Beasts which out of narall instinct do loue their yong how do they fare what discontentment they shew when their yong are taken from them How doe Parents greeue and take on for the death or absence of their children whom they loue being well pleased and delighted when they enioy their presence and company In that humane loue which is amongst friends it fareth after the same manner Let the example of Ionathan and Dauid teach it 2 Sam. ch 1. What pleasure tooke they in each others presence and wel-fare And how bitter was it to Ionathans heart that it should go amisse with Dauid and to Dauids to misse Ionathan his friend whom he loued as a wife her husband This is also the nature of religious loue Such as loue God or Christ or his word or people they couet to be linked vnto them as neerely as may bee delighting themselues in the partaking with them being much troubled for the want of them as is to be seene in the example of the Church in the Canticles Cant. 5 6. when her beloued was for a time gone from her and euery faithfull soule findeth it to bee their griefe to be held a while from the word or from their presence or conference with God See Psal. 42. also Psa. 84 1 2 3. vpon all which I conclude That the loue of God is that affection which maketh the christian soule take comfort contentment in the communion with God desiring and delighting to be more and more streightly knit to him and more fully to participate in him and in his gracious blessings and loue tokens Sundry are the causes for which Gods people ought to loue him thus For they are his creatures he their maker they his seruants hee their Lord they his friends and which is more his children he their deere Father in Christ yea they his spouse hee their husband so as they are tyed and bound to him by all bonds of loue and duty God beeing vnto them in a most speciall manner all these things wee haue sayde Moreouer he loued them first before they loued him yea being his enemies hee loued vs when wee hated him and gaue vs a sufficient pawne of his loue euen his owne Sonne to be a man to bee a seruant yea to be a slaine sacrifice for vs. And withall hath by his holy Spirit which he hath giuen vs shed abroad this loue in our hearts Vnto all which if we will adde the consideration of all the good which he hath already done to vs in our bodies and mindes in earthly and heauenly things and the great things which we hope to haue heereafter and the straite commandement which it laide vpon vs to loue the Lord our God and that if we loue him the commodity is not to him but to our selues then will it easily appeare how diuerslie and greatly we are obliged to this God to render him this duty of loue where in that we may proceede well we are to know that as our measure of louing him must be to loue him aboue measure as he hath loued vs infinitely and is that most perfect goodnes and beauty worthy of perfect loue so our rule to guide our loue is to loue him not for his benefites and good things onely or cheefe but to loue all other things in God and for God and God for himselfe euen for his most sweete and gracious mercies and for his vnmeasurable holinesse and truth This is ingenuous and filiall loue such as becommeth children The other being that which ariseth from his blessings principally or solely is mercenary and meete for slaues or seruants For though the blessings of God bee such as deserue at our hands not onely thankfulnesse but encrease of loue and obedience yet wee may not loue him either onely or cheefely in regard of them but principally because he is that Soueraigne goodnesse worthy of all our loue though he should neuer do vs good as godly persons are loued of vs albeit we neither presently haue not hope for any benefit from them This pure loue and vnfeigned it is engendred from the sense of Gods loue towards vs whence ariseth in our hearts a loue towards him as it is written We loue him because he first loued vs 1 Iohn 4 ver 19. Thus it is saide of the woman Luke 7 47. that because many sins were forginen therefore she loued much Thus it is when the loue of God is manifested vnto vs in the forgiuenes of all our sins and so in our reconciliation with God by Christ this loue constraines vs to loue God ardently Because he hath so loued vs as to giue his Son for vs we are moued and that most iustly to loue this most louing and mercifull God And this is it which is written that Faith worketh by loue Galat. 5. 6. For after that once we beleeue the promise of grace and by faith haue laide hold on Gods mercies offered in Christ this faith sets on worke our loue to God-ward first and afterwards towards such as God would haue vs loue euen to our enemies And this is the proper effect of our loue towards God namely that it bringeth forth another loue wherewith we loue and be ready to do good to all men especially his Children it being so that we cannot loue him which begetteth but wee must needs loue them which are begotten 1 Iohn 5. 1. For as it must needs follow of Gods loue to vs that it stirre vs vp to loue him so it is necessary that our loue wherewith we loue him doe cause vs to loue all that beare his Image especially such as beare it by regeneration Insomuch that if any man say He loueth God and yet hateth his brother surely that man is a lyar and hath no truth in him 1 Iohn 4. And this loue of others is such a fruite and effect of our loue to God as it is a speciall token whereby to iudge of the truth and sincerity of it Whosoeuer then loueth other men namely such as are Gods Children in this respect as they belong vnto God and because he commandeth loue towards them I say whosoeuer vpon these grounds vnfeinedly loues his Neighbour friend or enemy this is an euidence of a man truly louing God for he that saide That hee cannot loue God whom he seeth not who loueth not his Neighbor whom he doth see 1 Iohn 4. 20. hath also saide If we loue one another his loue 〈◊〉 perfect in vs 1 Iohn 4. 12. That is herein we haue a testimony of our loue where with we loue God that it is not counterfeit but sincere because we doe by loue embrace one another for his sake euen to please him Aquila It is an easie and common thing to dissemble the loue of God insomuch as they which be furthest from louing him in truth are found most forward to protest it in words Therefore howsoeuer this which you say doe much auaile
portion of our loue from him to any creature Aquila Not at all for the loue where with wee loue our Neighbour is not a seuerall loue from that with which we loue God but a branch or streame of it in louing of men for Gods sake wee loue God in our Neighbour Euen as it is the same Sunne which giueth light in the field and in the house vpon land and in the water so it is the same loue which imbraceth God and our neighbour in louing whom we witnesse and shew how well and truly we loue God so long as our Neighbour is loued for God and in God because he belongs vnto him and beares his likenesse and that our loue of him is referred to Gods glory we may neuerthelesse loue God with all our heart I say if wee loue our Neighbour after and for God Indeede if we loue our Neighbour before God or more then God or for our owne sake and profit then our heart is diuided and our loue it is not right and this is one thing which distinguisheth false loue from true worldly charity from Christian. This loueth man after God and for him whereas worldly loue respects not God in the louing of our Neighbour Apollos Doe you esteeme your enemy as your neighbour whom ye ought to loue Aquila Yea. If euery one who commeth of Adam be my Neighbour then my enemy cannot be excluded from my loue especially seeing Christ hath so strictly commanded it Luke 6. Loue your enemies Yea and most highly commended it as a speciall marke and note of Gods Child to distinguish him from others who can and doe loue their louers Euery wicked man can doe that to be friendly to their friends but to be louingly affected to such as hate vs doing good readily to such as hurt vs and that for Gods sake because he will haue it so this declareth vs to haue him to our Father who is kind to the vnkind and doth good to the euil giuing his Sonne to die for his enemies Rom. 5. 8. and to haue him for our Head and Sauiour who made intercession for his crucifiers and finally to be brethren to him who prayed for his persecutors Acts 7. 60. Againe we know not but that our enemy may be the Childe of God in truth either he is already so or he may be so howsoeuer it be if he be a Christian we are sure he is our brother and in that regard we are bound to loue him being not onely a Neighbour neere vnto vs in nature comming of the same bloud hauing the similitude of God but a brother also professing the same Lord and so linked vnto vs by band of Religion hauing the same Baptisme faith hope and inheritance all which should worke in me a louing mind towards such yea though I knew they did abhorre me Apollos Ye say very right And indeed this is the tryall and touchstone of our loue to proue it by whether it be counterfet or sound for he that can loue his enemy vpon these grounds doth certainely approue himselfe to be endued with Christian charity and to be indeede the childe of God led by his Spirit forsomuch as none saue such can loue their enemy in such sincere sort as hath beene saide But you haue shewed me that my Neighbour is my enemy no lesse then my friend let me heare now whether ye put any difference betweene a neighbour and brother and whether there be any degrees in our loue Aquila There is this difference A Neighbour is more generall for euery brother is a neighbour but not on the contrary A Neighbour is euery man or woman whether they be Christians or Infidels Iew Turk Heathen Barbarian Papist or whosoeuer but a brother is that person who onely is a Christian professing with mee the same Christian doctrine and agreeing with me in the same worship of God The company and society of these are called the Houshold of faith the Church of God so as a Christian is both my brother and my neighbour whereas one may be my neighbour who is not my brother As the Samaritane was to the Iew and as Paul was to Publius and the Barbarians mentioned Acts 28. Now according to this difference are the degrees of loue as the holy Apostle Paul hath taught vs Galat. 6. 10. Doe good to all but especially to the Houshold of Faith for wee are tyed to these by more and also by more streight bonds If a Turke be in necessity I am bound to helpe him so as I helpe him not against Christ but if a Turke and a Christian both want and my store will releeue but the one I am bound to shew my loue rather to my Christian brother I may pity the misery of a Turke when I cannot releeue him because he is my flesh I must releeue a Christian before him who is both my flesh and my brother Likewise amongst Christian brethren there is a great oddes which will make a great oddes in our loue Apollos Well you then doe thinke that there are degrees of loue towards the Brethren and that of them some are to be loued before and more then others Aquila I doe thinke so and I thinke it not without reason for amongst the Brethren some be also our kinsfolkes our brethren sisters parents c. Also some of them haue receiued more excellent gifts and be enabled with power and will to doe more excellent things for the common good Now where there be more causes of loue there ought our loue more to shew it selfe herein we must follow God and it is a sure way to set our loue most on them towards whom God hath most exprest his loue When we reade of Iohn that he was the Disciple whom Iesus loued me thinkes it intimates and declares thus much vnto vs that he did prefer him in his loue for it is out of doubt that he loued the rest which were good yet Iohn more then the rest because of some notable grace that hee had aboue the rest for Christs loue was not partiall neither must ours be But there is some difference to be put betweene the affection and fruites of our loue oftentimes these must be extended to some brethren more plentifully by reason of the great wants towards whom yet wee haue not such a feruent affection of loue as to others which be more perfect As fathers will most affect their best children yet will take greatest paines about the worst because they neede most greatest care must be vsed towards greatest infirmities but greatest graces must haue greatest affection of loue Godly men doe sometime faile herein as we may see in Isaac towards Esau and Dauid towards Adoniah Absalon howbeit good men may not be followed in their euill but in their good things Apollos Now let mee heare of the manner of our loue by what rules it must be guided towards Neighbours and Brothers friends and enemies Aquila For the well gouerning of
Saints by Calling OR Called to be Saints A Godly Treatise of our holy Calling to Christ by the Gospell With the seuerall gifts proper vnto the Called And their Counterfeits in the Hypocrites which are not partakers of this Effectuall Calling Written by Thomas Wilson Minister of Gods Word at S. Georges Church in Canterbury Ephes. 4 2. Walke worthy of the Vocation whereunto ye are called 2. Pet. 1 10. Make your Calling and Election sure and giue all diligence thereunto Printed by W. Iaggard dwelling in Barbican 1620. TO The Right Honourable the Countesse of Leycester widow all health and happinesse of soule and body from Christ our Lord both now and for euer Right Honourable AFter many Children Bookes I meane which are a fruite that springeth out of wit as out of a wombe eleuen in number which God hath giuen me in the few and euill dayes of my pilgrimage hee hath now at length of his goodnesse added vnto them a twelfth a Beniamin like the twelue sonnes of Iacob It is my last and youngest child begotten and brought forth in my old age being fast forward to the yeeres of a man In naturall generation the first borne Reuben-like is the beginning of Parents strength the excellency of dignity and the excellency of power Gen. 49. 3. But it is otherwise in this spirituall birth where the first that come into the Christian World by weakenesse of iudgement in the parents and want of yeeres and experience they are commonly the feeblest and vnworthiest those prouing most strong and excellent which be last borne Good Madam I could wish that I might so speake of this my Beniamin the sonne of my right hand and of my old age and surely I haue some little reason to hope it will proue so pardon the ouermuch indulgence of a father euen holy Dauid could ouer fancy Adoniah his childe and good Elie could ouerualew two not good sonnes because this is the off spring and issue that proceeded from me in the greatest infirmity of my body but in the best strength of my mind when I had in an ancient City and a great people for the space of thirty foure yeeres and aboue beene exercised in my Ministery from Sabboth to Sabboth so as I may trust this Treatise wil haue more perfection then his brethren Which howsoeuer it may proue for manner of handling yet hereof I am well perswaded that the matter and argument is most worthy and weighty for it is about our holy and effectuall calling to our celestiall and eternall King by the Ministery of the Gospell which is the beginning and first step into the state of grace after wee are entred into this elementary world and our most excellent dignity therein As Constantine the Great acknowledged that to be a true Christian by diuine vocation was more esteemed of him then his Crowne and Empire which are corruptible the other being vncorruptible and neuer perishing as the worke of Gods exceeding great power wherein he vttered no lesse strength and might then in the creation of the World or in the resurrection of Christ from the dead Ephe. I. Verse 19 20. For in this worke of effectuall calling the Elect being by nature dead corrupt and blind in minde peruerse in their will and affections are by a wonderfull force yet sweetely and with delight drawne to the life of faith being enabled to see Christ and to loue and obey him as their Sauiour calling them out of darkenesse into his maruellous light The reasons mouing me to single out your Honour from among many both honourable and worthy friends of all rankes vnto whom I might dedicate this Christian Dialogue are two First the report of your true calling to Christ and of your sound loue obedience to your caller and great affection ye beare to all about you called to be Saints both faithfull Ministers and Christians Secondly for that ye haue been the chiefe instrument vnder God to call my eldest sonne to be the first that euer actually enioyed that great exhibition a good while sithence giuen by your right noble and most honourable Husband the Earle of Leycester for the maintenance of two Schollars for euer in the Vniuersity Colledge at Oxford for the which if I should not euery way as I am able shew my selfe thankefull to your Honour I should be most vnworthy of such a benefit being so freely conferred vpon one vnknowne to your Honour The daily prayers of my Family which are all the better for this good turne both haue beene and shall be offered vp vnto God the Father through Christ his Sonne for his gracious and powerfull guiding and keeping of your Honour in his comfortable and holy seruice and feare for euermore Amen Your Honours most bounden Thomas Wilson To the Right VVorshipfull his approued Friends Sir George Newman Knight and his vertuous Lady and Master Doctour Bancroft Master of Vniuersity Colledge in Oxford Grace and peace from Iesus Christ be multiplied RIght worshipfull the maine and chiefe vse to be made of this Booke or Treatise it is to direct as by an hand euery Christian which of all other things is most carefull of his owne saluation how to iudge and discerne of himselfe whether hee haue any part in that sauing holy calling which bringeth to Christ by such gifts of the Spirit as be peculiar to persons effectually called The cause is not better knowne by the effect or a tree by the fruite then a true calling by the Gospell is manifested by such graces as doe accompany it in all the faithfull necessarily but not equally as the good fruits of a good tree be some bigger some lesser And lest any should be deceiued in iudging themselues for likenesse is the mother of errour which makes copper other glittering things to be sometime taken for gold I haue therefore in the passage of this Booke discouered such things as be like vnto the true workes of grace and are but the counterfets and images of them Now the same causes which induced mee to dedicate this tract and Christian Dialogue primarily to that most Honorable Christian Lady my Sonnes Benefactor in the Vniuersity Colledge at Oxford excited and moued me likewise to ioyne you three to her in a secondary Dedication as hauing thorow the grace of Christ obtained like precious faith in your heauenly calling thorow the blessed Gospell and being by Gods prouidence stirred vp to be the meanes of my sonnes preferment both to his place and in his learning The first motion to this good exhibition which he partly hath to the great ease of my charge and wholly I trust shall enioy by your fauourable furtherance began at Canterbury by you Madam and was seconded and holpen forward at Oxford by you the worthy Master of that Colledge where my sonne is Student and finally perfected by that Right Honourable Countesse Widow to the founder her most Honourable Husband the Earle of Leycester long since deceased Accept I humbly pray you
the meanes of Christ absoluing him from sinne and reconciling him to God he is set in the estate of Gods fauour hath thereby his conscience sweetly quietted enioying this liberty that he may vpon all iust occasions with holy boldnesse and reuerence come to the gracious God and enter into his presence So hee is established to abide and remaine in this happy condition for all eternity so as though through the malice of the Diuell and by his owne vnwarinesse and infirmity hee may be sore assaulted and shaken and take some deepe and dangerous fall yea so farre as for a time and in part hee may lose sundry tokens fruites and gifts and feeling of grace as peace of conscience ioy of the Spirit touching the sense of them cleerenesse of vnderstanding affection to goodnesse feruency of loue boldnesse in confession of God and such like as is very manifest in Dauid and Peter Psal. 51. 7 8 9. Mat. 26. yet he is preserued so sure as hee cannot possibly fall wholly and vtterly or for euer from that grace of attonement and such effects as necessarily depend thereon which they haue attained by the faith of our Lord Iesus Christ. Because God who loueth the Elect in his Sonne is vnchangeable louing to the end also he hath receiued them into an euerlasting couenant promising so to put his feare in them as they shall not haue the will to goe from him as hee neuer hath the will to cast out whom hee hath once embraced being also of almighty power to maintaine them in his fanour committing them to the custody of his Sonne to be kept who will lose none whom the Father hath giuen him by election and which come to him by faith And though they doe often of frailety sinne and that greeuously whereby they deserue to be forsaken perpetually yet are they kept from that vnrecouerable downefall Mathew 12. Hebrewes 6. and by the intercession of Christ haue all their other falles of weakenesse couered and pardoned His Spirit moreouer which is in them and which they haue of God in due time quickening that is dead strengthening that is weake raysing them vp from their falles stirring vp their repentance and faith and enabling them to keepe on their way vntill they come to the goale And therefore this I cōfidently hold vpon the promised grounds would haue all to receiue it as a truth of God which cannot deceiue the Elect being once by a liuely faith vnited to Christ through his Spirit iustified by his righteousnes hauing their sins forgiuen them by his death and reconciled to God to the sound pacification of their conscience before him and enioying this liberty of hauing accesse into the gracious presence of God can neuer by all the powers of hel be quite and wholly pluckt from this grace Howsoeuer they may as I saide lose for a space many fruites of grace and bee further worthy for their offences to lose all for euer if God should deale in rigor as he neuer doth nor will doe with those to whom he is become so propitious in Christ as to iustifie them to be reconciled to them and to admit them as children to come to him as to their kind Father The consideration hereof it is so farre from being to be feared or suspected lest it should breede security and Iull men asleepe in a carnall presumption as on the contrary it is very auailable to quicken and prouoke Gods children to all Christian care and watchfulnesse both because the faithfull are so preserued of God in the estate of Grace as that the same word which teacheth this doth teach also that their owne feare endeuour and vigilancy in the carefull vse of all good meanes and in diligent heed-taking to all their owne wayes is required heereunto as the means of their standing Let him that standeth take heed lest he fall 1 Cor. 10 12. And againe Bee not high minded but feare Rom. 11 20. And againe He that is borne of God preserueth himselfe 1 Iohn 5 18. And secondly because the elect vpon calling to minde such mercies of God towards them as they haue with their calling to faith will be moued vnto great thankfulnes to loue and honor such a God as hath brought them and setled them in such a blisseful sure and steddy condition so as they will not grow bold to offend liue securely if it were but in this regard that they will not bee found ingratefull to such a most kinde Father But when his honour and their owne safety lyeth vpon it that they eschew security and stand vpon their guard this double corde will strongly holde them vnto theyr dutie Aquila Now I would gladly heare you speak something to the fift fruit of our iustification by faith which ye called after the Apostle a Reioycing vnder the hope of the glory of God Where if it please you I wold haue you distinctly to shew mee these three things First what he meaneth by the glory of God Secondly then what is the hope thereof And lastly of reioycing vnder that hope so this fifte fruite will bee euidenced to me the better what it is Apollos In all these I will seeke to satisfie you and that with so few words as such things may well be vttered The glory spoken of Rom. 5 2. it is that blessed celestiall glory which beleeuers shall enioy in Heauen with God and it consistes first in a remoouing from them all manner of sinne and miserie from which they shall be absolutely free the euill of sin and paine shall touch them no more then it shall touch God Secondly in the presence and hauing of al good for soule and body and that in all perfection their bodies being made incorruptible strong bright and glorious as the Starres or Sunne in the Firmament their soules filled with holinesse abounding in all loue of God his Angels and Saintes and God mutually louing and delighting in them And all this as without measure so without all terme or end Earehath not heard eye hath not seene heart cannot conceiue and thinke of the greatnesse of this glory None know it saue such as receiue it This is called the glory of God not only in this regard for that it is his free gift which hee bestoweth on his sonnes and daughters but also for that himselfe liues in it and is infinitely cloathed with this celestial glory He dwels in inaccessible glory his children being made partakers of some beames of it as they are capable yet so farre as to their absolute felicity for euer For the second thing what may bee the hope of that glory It is that certaine and sure expectation of the beleeuing iustified soule to enioy in due time this heauenly glory and whatsoeuer serues to leade thereto as it is certaine of such good things as it enioyeth already For seeing the faithfull do hope for heauenly glory and their hope shall
the Riuer makes not the Fountaine sweete but the person being first good that which he doth according to Gods will becomes good And as it is amongst men that we cannot like a gift when wee brooke not the giuer so it is with God hee neuer accepts any thing that is done how good soeuer in the nature of the thing done except the doer be first accepted Now that which maketh the doer good it is his faith in Christ whereby hee is purged from all his iniquities and hath the righteousnesse of Christ accounted to him to make him righteous in the sight of God Hence it is that no worke of ours can please God vnlesse it come from faith Hence also it is that the works which wee doe borrow all their commendations euen from hence that they are the children of faith begotten and brought forth by it See Hebrewes 11. throughout From hence it was that Caine and Abel offering each sacrifice vnto God Caines sacrifice was reiected and Abels receiued and pronounced to be better then Caines because it was offered in faith Abraham offering his sonne though the work were strange exceeding wondrous yet it had had no grace nor respect with God except it had come from faith What shall I say more a poore Kitchen-maid an Hostler a Chimney-sweeper or any other how base soeuer their trade be being a lawfull vocation if he doe his worke out of a true faith in God through Christ and out of obedience of Gods will his worke is more glorious and pleasing in Gods sight then the best and most goodly worke of a King or of a Preacher being not faithfully and obediently performed Whereof it is written that many things which are great glorious amongst men are abominable before God for if faith 〈◊〉 vs not a worke to doe our workes let them be how bright or glittering soeuer for shew and appearance to men yea and very profitable for fruite toward men yet they are no better then beautifull sinnes So the holy Ghost teacheth that what is done without faith it is sinne Rom. 14. 23. And that without faith it is impossible to please God Heb. 11. 6. Now wee are here to consider that faith in euery good worke doth set it selfe a worke three manner of wayes Or thus if ye will the act of faith in a good worke it is threefold The first is to enable vs to know that the thing which we doe it is such as God alloweth of being commanded of him The perswasion hereof it is called Faith Rom. 14. 22 23. He that doubteth sinneth if he eate because he eateth not of faith that is out of a perswasion and certainty that he doth well The second act of faith it is to assure the minde that this worke which wee are resolued of to be in it selfe lawfull to be done it is such as God will accept through Christ pardoning the spots and imperfections of it freely for his merit for all out workes hauing their staines and defects as wee haue touched in our Treatise of vnperfect Sanctification and shall hereafter declare it is of necessity that there be an application of Christs merits to our workes for the cleansing of them that so they may please God This is done by faith whereby the heart is assured that God who hath graciously loued vs in his beloued will also vouchsafe for his sake to be pleased with that wee doe after his will Thirdly and lastly there is another worke of faith and that is it which Saint Paul speaketh of Galat. 5. 6. Faith worketh by loue for it quickeneth and stirreth the heart to the loue of God and man in our good workes which we doe to be led not by selfe-loue and carnal respects but by this charity and louing affection of our good God and of our Neighbour which is a thing very necessary in euery good thing which we doe that all be done in loue This being the end of the Commandement euen loue out of a pure heart and faith vnfeined 1 Tim. 1. 5. Now whosoeuer truly beleeueth in Christ Iesus that through him hee is reconciled vnto God and hath his offences forgiuen him this faith will moue him to loue that God againe sincerely and his Neighbour for Gods sake who commanded it to be so and hath put his Image in him and vpon him that all our workes comming out of this sound loue to God and our brethren wee may abandon all by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pleasing or profiting our selues or of our owne praise or of shame or feare or whatsoeuer it is that preuaileth with hypocrites and end eauour to referre all wee doe to Gods glory and the welfare of our Neighbour This is a third maine condition in euery good worke that the end and marke whereat the doer aimeth be good and right the badnesse of the end marres the goodnesse of the action He that takes a good thing in hand and propounds a wrong scope he is like to one who hath a good bow and arrowes to shoote withall but looketh from the marke when he shooteth such an one shall neuer shoote well Here is the priuiledge of faithfull persons that by the Spirit of God they are carried in their willes and affections to desire and seeke in all that they doe Gods glory and the edification of their brethren euen in truth and singlenesse of heart and not in profession onely as hypocrites who will talke much of glorifying God when their eye is neuer bent to this marke but rather is cast-vpon their owne glory which as the hearbe Colloquintida marreth euery worke that is spiced with it but the Child of God hauing learned that all his workes must come from God as the Authour and looke vnto God as their end like as the Riuers which come originally out of the Sea and returne thither again Therefore as he desireth to please his neighbour in that which is good for his edifying minding this still in all such things as doe concerne his brethren how hee may better and helpe them either to God-ward or some other wise so he desireth that by his obedience good workes which he doth euen in the least of them in his eating and drinking and in his honest recreations and not onely in the serious businesse of his calling and seruice of God but in euery thing which he doth he may doe them to Gods glory that others vppon sight and knowledge of his carriage in his duties may be occasioned if they be conuerted to acknowledge Gods worke in him to the glory of God if not that then by his example they may be won drawne to godlinesse and so to glorifie God in the day of their visitation Finally in the doing of a good worke besides all the former conditions it is needfull that the meanes be good when meanes are needfull Men may not imagine that if the thing be good they doe then it is lawfull and free to
vse what meanes they list good or bad without choyse Good things must be compassed by good meanes Good hath no neede of euill to helpe it And the Apostles rule is sound that euill is not to be done that good may come of it Rom. 3. 8 no not the least euill to procure the greatest good It was 〈◊〉 sinne that shee would draw the promised blessing vppon Iacob by a deceit And Dauids sinne that he would counterfeit himselfe an Idcot or franticke man against the dignity of his person to deliuer himselfe from the Philistines Also it was Lots infirmity to seeke to deliuer the men which came vnto him by prostituting his Daughters to the Sodomites lust A good action is spoyled by wicked meanes as well as by a bad ende Howsoeuer God at his pleasure may so order the successe of such actions as it shall proue good yet the party must be more humbled for the sinne doing amisse then lifted vp with the happy issue of the deede Moreouer it would not be forgotten that in doing good duties a great care is to be had of circumstances as time place persons and such like Wherein great wisedome is required to be able to discerne of these how to doe good things meetely and fitly according to time and other circumstances for the missing or failing but in a circumstance through lacke of discretion and good insight or fore-sight rather hath caused many good workes to miscarry and haue full heauy successe Of all this it followeth that no euill man can do a good work If the tree be euill the fruite will be euill Mal. 12. And that good men neede wonderfull care and circumspection as also feruent prayer for great aide from God to be enabled to doe such things as shall be good when they are done but here withall let it be obserued that when they haue done all and brought with them all the conditions of a good worke yet their worke will still haue both wants and blemishes As cleere water that passeth thorow a muddy chanell or pure liquour put into a musty caske takes corruption from them so our workes as they passe through our vnderstanding and will which are not renewed but in part and are partly flesh therefore draw filth and vncleannesse from our inbred corruption to the defiling of them yea and iustly deseruing that they should be refused and we also the doers as certainly they would be if with the eye of rigorous and exact iustice God should behold them Whence it is that no godly man can be iustified by his workes for the workes of the Law doe make vs righteous before God when they are fully performed without any the least default for then euen by the compact of Gods owne mouth saying Doe this and liue Gal. 3. there belongs vnto them as a debt eternall life But sithence none euer kept the Law thus since mans fall saue Christ therefore Righteousnes is not to be sought by the Law which rather reuealeth our vnrighteousnesse and Gods wrath against the same And as it is impossible the Law should iustifie vs because of the infirmity which is in vs whereby we are hindered from answering the strictnesse of it so we neede not fetch Righteousnesse from the Law because we haue it by grace imputing freely to the beleeuers the doings and sufferings of Christ for our perfect iustice with God besides our good workes following our Iustification as fruites effects they cannot goe before as causes of it Wherfore all Christians are to be admonished to lay aside all opinion of their owne Righteousnesse as not thinking euer to obtaine life from God by their good doings be they neuer so many or worthy when as one sinne alone spoyles all the righteousnesse of our workes euen as one droppe of Inke doth spoyle a whole goblet of Wine And hauing vtterly renounced all affiance in our works to put no manner of confidence in them for saluation let them striue to catch fast hold vpon that Righteousnesse of Christ which alone hath power to merit eternall glory to euery one that beleeueth in the name of Christ that abandoning the righteousnesse which is by the Law wee may be found in Christ hauing bis Righteousnesse which is by faith Rom. 10. 2. Aquila But Sir if it be so that such 〈◊〉 doe sticke to out best workes as you say that they cannot 〈◊〉 vs and merite ought at Gods hand vnlesse it 〈◊〉 eternall death how commeth it that God is so much pleased with them as to liken them to a fruite and to an odour of sweet smell and to sacrifice and sweet 〈◊〉 and many other such comparisons there bee in holy Scripture which declare the workes of godly Christians to be highly pleasing to God And withall seeing we cannot if we had a world of good workes by them all obtain purchase forgiuenes of one sin or the possession of heauenly ioy no not so long as for one hour to what purpose then are we so to labour in the doing of them as we are often commanded to doe with very great charge of great care to be shewed vsed in the working of them and there to come no good of them towards our saluation it should seeme it is labour lost Apollos Though there be in the most perfect worke of any Child of God here vpon earth so much fault both through the want that is in it and the blot that sticketh to it selfe loue pride hypocrisie and other corruptions being blended and mixt with it as that God might worthily cast the doer into hell if mercy set apart he should iudge it extremely and therefore iust cause of being deeply humbled is ministred to euery godly man for his choysest actions euen for them to entreate the Lord not to enter into iudgement with him marking narrowly that which is amisse yet the good workes of the faithful euen the very least of them are very pleasing and acceptable to God as the Word euery where beareth good witnesse both in particular of some of his childrens workes as that of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 4. 4. God had respect to Abel and to his offering and Noahs sacrifice that God smelt a sauour of rest Gen. 8. 21. Of Abrahams offering his sonne ye see likewise what testimony there is of it Gen. 22. verse 12. 16. And also in generall of all good workes done by which of his Children soeuer that they are sacrifices accepted of him through Christ 1 Pet. 2. 5. And such sacrifices as God is well pleased withall Heb. 13. 16. And certaine it is that God would not command the doing of them not make such liberall promises to them being done were it not that hee hath a pleasure in them and liked well of them and sundry are the respects for which he is so delighted euen with the vnperfect and stained workes of his Children First because they are his owne worke in them as it is written Ye are the
workemanship of God created to good workes c. Ephe. 2. 10. His owne Spirit framing them to doe good inspiring them with the motions and will and enabling them with the power to doe them As it is written The will and the deede are both of God Phil. 2. 13. Hence are good workes called Fruites of the Spirit Galat. 5. 22. Thereby to teach vs that good workes being wrought in the regenerate by the operation of the Spirit therefore they are accepted and pleasing to God euen as fruite is pleasant to the taste Secondly he liketh them as parts of his owne Image which he loueth wheresoeuer he findeth euen as a father doth loue a sonne that is like himselfe Beside as they are done of his faithfull children in whom he is pleased and be testimonies of their faith and tend to the setting foorth of his owne glory so they are gratefull to him And to the end that he may take delight in them he purgeth away all the spots which through our corruption doe sticke vnto them wiping them away by the effectuall application of the bloud and death of Christ which hath the force of intercession in Heauen comming between the iustice of his Father and mans 〈◊〉 which still abideth in his members So as being cleansed by the imputation of Christ his sacrifice and perfect obedience to the working beleeuer hereof it commeth to passe that God beholdeth in their workes nothing saue that which is his owne being all forgiuen and couered the rest being his he is maruellously delighted in it yea so farre as to crowne it with an euerlasting reward First hee giues the power to doe good then crownes his owne gift The places of Scripture are well knowne to euery one exercised therein where the Lord promiseth reward yea great reward not alone to the greatest workes of Christianity as suffering reproaches scornes losses death for Christ but euen to the meanest and lowest as to the feasting of the poore Luke 14. 12. to the giuing of a 〈◊〉 of cold 〈◊〉 to a Disciple or Prophet for Christ his sake Mat. 10. 42. And at the last day the feeding of the hungry clothing the naked visiting the imprisoned Christians shall haue the Crowne of immortall glory and blessing Mat. 25. awarded to them no lesse then to the feeding and guiding the Church which is the weightiest and worthiest worke of godlinesse 1 Pet. 5. 5. Whereby it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 well God liketh of the voperfect good deede of his Children when for a few workes done in a moment and of no great value he is content to render glory euen an immortall weight of it Aquila This it is that moueth many to thinks that there is in good workes a power to merit because a reward is promised to them but what may be the reason that seeing there is no merite in any mans worke yet workes should be rewarded Apollos Besides the consideration of imperfections spiritual pollutions which be in our best workes as we haue heard which hath caused the godly that they would not trust to their owne godlinesse but haue euer appealed to the mercy seate of Christ Iesus furthermore our workes are not our own but come from his free Spirit and are a due debt which wee owe to God our Creator and Redeemer so as we haue done but what we ought when wee haue done all Luke 17. There being also no equality betweene the infinitenesse of heauenly blisse and our finite labours in well doing therefore there can be no merite in them neither is there any cause to looke for any merite from them there is sufficiency enough of merit in the works and passions of our Lord to deserue for vs eternall glory Howbeit it pleaseth God to make vnto our workes a gracious promise of reward in his Word which speaking according to our capacity who giue rewards to men in the end of the day after all their labour and worke is finished as in them who wrought in the Vineyard Mathew 20. Thence it is that eternall life being bestowed on the faithfull after all their labours and trauaile taken in the seruice of their most good God in the end and euening of their life is called a reward and a reward it is not a merite A reward freely giuen for his goodnesse promise sake to them that beleeue in his Sonne there being not any temporall benefit no not a peece of bread which otherwise commeth to their hand then by free mercy and not a reward of debt and desert as if either the worthinesse of the worke simply considered or as it is dipped and died in the blood of Christ could binde God to vs make him a debter it being that which Christ hath done in himselfe and not that which he hath wrought in vs that hath merited our saluation in heauen and all things which belong thereunto Yet such is the bounty of our heauenly Father that as naturall Parents by promised gifts and rewards stirre vp their children to do what otherwise is their duty so hee prouokes and quickens the slow dulnesse of his children and by rewards as spurres in their sides egges and excites thē to the doing of that which otherwise by duty they are manifoldly and strongly bound to doe And these rewards they are neither meane nor few but both worthy and many yea sundry and of diuers kinds first bodily or worldly for godlinesse hath euen the promises of this life secondly spirituall to wit encrease of spirituall graces as it is written To him that hath more shal be giuen and he shall haue abundance Lastly eternall euen the Crowne of life the Paradise of God rest from labour the tree of life which are promised to such as ouercome Reuel 2 7. and 3 5. and 14 13. Now the intention of God in offering such great manifold recompence being this to quicken his owne vnto all manner of loue and obedience towards him it is therefore very meete and lawfull yea necessarie that Gods children should by such encouragements hearten themselues in their course For howsoeuer it be fit and requisite that the will of our heauenly Father and his glory be first lookt vnto that our loue to his word and to the praise of his name do set vs on worke to do our duties as we may haue this testimony that in our seruice of God and in all the good workes which wee do we seeke not our selues but the pleasing and praise of God by doing that which he commandeth yet afterward and as it were in the second place we may turne our eyes vnto the reward promised vs thereby to helpe our slacknesse and slownesse to good considering that our labour in the Lord shall not bee in vaine but bring foorth a great haruest of comfort and blisse in the end wee reaping eternall ioyes of those things which heere we did sow to the spirit As Moses encouraged himself to care
vs to discerne it for the loue of others especially of our enemies which proceeds from the loue of God it is the true touchstone and triall of it yet may it please you to deliuer some more and more plaine notes and tokens of our loue to God as euery one who will not bee deceiued may haue wherewith to proue to himselfe the soundnesse of his affection this way and in declaring of this ye shall make knowne what workes and duties are fitting for them to doe who haue and professe to haue the loue of God and so by one bush stop two gappes and plaster two walles with one trowell Apollos It is true which you say the proper effects are best meanes to iudge of the cause and the selfe-same effects which be markes of our loue be also duties and workes which such as loue God are bound to doe which if they be not done will testifie that all profession of the loue of God is but dissimulation Such persons as doe in truth beare a louing heart to God it will leade them to an hearty loue of his Word which is to be seene in Dauid a man if any other very full of loue towards God the zeale of whose name had euen eaten him vp Psalme 119. 139. And this hee witnesseth herein that his Word was his delight Oh saith he how doe I loue thy Law Psalme 119. 79. My delight is in thy Commandements verse 47. Thy Testimonies are better to mee then thousands of gold or siluer verse 72. They were as sweete to his soule as hony is to his mouth verse 103. Now whereas hypocrites seeme to haue the loue of the Word it is but in seeming for they loue it onely for knowledge sake the desire whereof is a thing agreeable to Nature but Gods Children loue it because it is the trueth of God and their appointed food and nourishment whereby they are to be fed to life eternall And further their loue to it doth breed which is not to be found in any hypocrite an earnest and vnfeined desire care and endeauour to doe it and practise it wherein they well declare how well they loue God As it is written If ye loue me keepe my Commandements Iohn 14. 15. And yet more plainely afterwards verse 21. Hee that hath my Commandements and keepeth them that is to say striueth what he may to keepe them this is he which loueth me see verse 23. to the same purpose All which signifying thus much that Christ Iesus taketh triall of our loue towards himselfe by our louing and out of loue labouring to doe his will reuealed in his Word As on the one side our loue to him is manifested by hating and flying such euils as he hath forbid according to that is saide in the Psalme Ye that loue the Lord hate the thing that is euill Psalme 97. 10. And Psalme 119. 128. I esteeme all thy Precepts most iust therefore I hate euery euill way So on the other side the delight we haue in seeking to know the Word for this end that wee may be the doers of the good things commanded therein it is a good and sound proofe of our loue to God the Authour of the Word who will be loued in his Word and trusted in his word and feared according to his word whereof wee conclude That loue of God which is seuered from loue and obedience of his Word to be hypocriticall It is also an infallible marke and duty of sound loue towards God to loue him in his Children and his children in him as was touched before when not for pleasure we haue in them or profit by them or for alliance or acquaintance sake or any morall perswasion but principally for their adoption sake and for the likenesse which they haue with God by their grace of sanctification wee haue our affections more set towards them then towards any other which are not such yea though they be our naturall brethren and sisters Moreouer all loue hath a simpathy or fellow-feeling causing mutual ioy or griefe according to the nature of the things which happen so it is here Gods Children as they greeue to see God disobeyed and dishonoured his Word hindered or abused so they reioyce to haue him pleased and honoured or his Word and kingdome aduanced Example whereof we haue in Dauid Psal. 69. 9. also in Iohn 2 in Paul and Barnabas and others who haue beene moued in Gods cause as in their owne and more taking to heart things which hapned either with or against Gods name then their owne a true note of true loue This is also a property of loue willingly to praise whom wee heartily loue as hatred appeares by discouering faults and fraileties and vpbraiding in reprochfull sort such as offend with their infirmities so loue delights to lay open and commend the perfection of that which is loued This is to be seene in mariage loue and in the loue of friends so it is also in Christian loue it stirreth vp to the searching out and commending of the excellencies of God I will loue thee dearely O Lord my strength saith Dauid the Lord is my rocke my fortresse and he that deliuereth me Psal. 18 1. Dauids loue which he bare to God in his heart filled his mouth and his Pen too with the praises of his God Whereof also there is an example in the Spouse of Christ in Canticles 5. 10. My beloued saith he is white and ruddy the fairest of ten thousand shee loued much and therefore shee praised much Adde vnto all this that loue doth not onely mention with ioy gladnesse the praises of God but as we vse to say shew me your loue by your gifts it is content to be at cost with God and to bestow gifts for his sake for Gods Children out of their loue vnto God they doe first giue themselues vnto God euen their soules and bodies to doe him seruice in practise of all duties commanded Euen as the Israelites brought their sacrifices freely to offer them vnto God vnder the Law so the faithfull willingly offer themselues a liuing sacrifice vnder the Gospel Rom. 12. 1 2. They giue also their graces and set them on worke towards him and their brethren as they receiue of God whatsoeuer graces they haue so they doe returne them vnto him to honour him and serue their brethren with them The hypocrite as he loues God for his benefits and so long as hee doth bestow good things on him but let God once take away his blessings the cause of his loue and then his loue faileth him his blessings and the hypocrites loue liue and die together so the gifts and graces which the hypocrite hath are referred not vnto God to glorifie him therewith but to the pleasing profiting and praysing of themselues as their owne conscience will tell them if they will hearken vnto it and beleeue the testimony thereof It is otherwise with the godly who in the
vse of their gifts seeke not themselues but God whom they loue and vpon whom they are ready to bestow not themselues alone and their graces but their goods too which albeit God hath no need of because gold is his and siluer is his Hag. 2. 9. Psal. 50. Yet when we giue forth his goods to the maintenance of his worship or the place of his worship or the Ministers of his Word or to the reliefe of others the Saints members of Christ then we doe honour the Lord with our substance and doe giue it vnto himselfe As he will openly acknowledge at the last day What ye did to one of these ye did it to me Mathew 25. Martha loued Christ Iohn 11. and the woman spoken of Luke 7. 37. Also the women mentioned Luke the 8. 23. and all they declared their loue to him by their charges and cost which they put themselues to for his sake That we cannot doe to him in his person as they did because he is gone to Heauen and hath now no need we are to doe it to him in his seruants and people which is taken as a fruite of our loue to himselfe And as our cost about him so our labour and paines for him doth speake forth our loue for true sincere loue is diligent and sticketh at no paines to please or pleasure the party loued What labour did not Christ endure that he might expresse his loue to his Church and what paines ought we to beare to expresse our loue towards him Such as loue riches or pleasures or honours it is a wonder to see how exceeding great their paines be to compasse them And such as truly loue God as they loue nothing aboue him so their paines which they take to glorifie him in the inward mortification of sinfull lusts and the outward performance of all outward obseruations doth farre surpasse the paines which they take in all other things of their owne The indefatigable and intollerable labour and toyle of body mind which Christ did vndergoe and which Paul also did endure about the redeeming and instructing of the Church the incredible paines which in prayer and preaching and liuing well both Iames and the rest of the Apostles haue suffered it clecrely demonstrateth that the loue of God and his Church is painfull and laborious There is nothing so hard which loue will not ouercome all paines to it seeme pleasure and pastime As they then which sticke at their paines and with-draw their hand from labour in the things which concerne Gods glory and their owne eternall good doe sufficiently tell vs how little and poore their loue is so the great and constant paines which neither of vaine-glory nor of any corrupt respect but in vprightnesse of heart Gods Children put themselues vnto that they may execute the will of God in their callings is their acquittance and testimoniall of the great measure of their loue to God-ward Finally they make it appeare yet more thorowly herein that there is nothing greeueth them so much as the want of Gods presence and fauour if at any time he with draw his louing countenance from them It is not the losse of any worldly thing how precious or commodious soeuer doth afflict them so much with heauinesse as the displeasure of God conceiued against them for sinne King Dauid banished by Absolon wept bitterly not so much for losse of his Kingdome as for Gods anger against him Whereas such as doe but onely pretend to loue God they doe not chiefly ioy in his fauour but in their outward comforts neither is their greatest griefe for the displeasure of God against them but for outward damages and harmes wherein they bewray that other things are more loued of them then God himself whatsoeuer they say It is cleane otherwise with the godly for in them the holy Spirit of loue doth engender more ioy in the perswasion and feeling of Gods fauour then worldly men haue when their Corne and Oyle and Wine doth abound and more hearts sorrow in missing of Gods gracious presence then a mother conceiueth for the death of her onely sonne a strong euidence that God is their cheefe loue Aquila These things shall moue me I trust to preferre God and Christ his Sonne his Word and Children in my loue and to straine my selfe by all meanes to declare that I account of God and delight in him aboue all things endeauouring how I may attaine neere vnto that which is commanded euen to loue him with all my heart and strength and though I cannot perfectly yet I will pray for grace that I may loue him yet more feruently and lesse fainedly Now Sir may it please you that wee passe forwards vnto that other worke of fearing this God which after his loue is next to be spoken of Apollos Well pleased so to doe If I first aduertise you of something which almost I forgot namely that as our loue to God is approued by our praises of those good things which are in himselfe and be done for vs so hee takes it as a great fruite and signe of our loue in our necessity to make him our refuge and helpe by calling vpon him alone in all our distresses Aquila Ere ye set vpon your new worke doe make this point plaine for me thinkes God doth rather herein witnesse his loue to vs in that he would be found of vs when we seeke and in affording vs liberty and leaue to come vnto him then we which seeke and come vnto him doe thereby testifie our loue vnto him Apollos One would thinke that it were so that our suing and begging things needfull of God should more vtter our need and want of him then our loue to him yet so it is that our prayers are good proofes of our loue for seeing vpon the good successe of our prayers when they are heard and granted according to Gods promise there doth follow the demonstration of Gods great mercy and truth in keeping touch with his Children to the praise of his name therefore Gods Children out of a loue they beare vnto his name doe seeke and sue vnto God not so much to be holpen and succoured as that in the fulfilling of his Word made to their prayers his goodnesse and truth may appeare to his glory For God himselfe saith that when he heareth his people that cal vpon him in their trouble they are bound to glorifie him Psalme 50. And the loue of this glory moueth them to pray rather then the desire and hope of their owne good happy is the soule with whom it is thus Henceforth we will speake of his feare for of the loue of God enough hath beene spoken already Aquila Doe ye iudge of the feare of God to be such a worke as is peculiar vnto the Elect regenerate persons We reade of many wicked men who haue feared God Foelix an Heathen feared and trembled at the hearing of God and his Word Acts 24. 25.
patience and no worke more proper to an elect man then this therefore called The patience of the Saints Reuel 13. 10. To teach vs that it is peculiar to them alone and it is there annexed to faith as also in Heb. 6. 12. as a fruite thereof Also to hope as an vnseparable companion of it 1 Thes. 1. 3 Remembring the patience of your hope And very worthily is hope matcht with patience and that for two respects seeing the thing we hope for which is eternall blisse and rest from our labours in Heauen is not onely deferred and put off but derided and scorned 2 Pet. 3 4 yea and we afflicted too 1 Tim. 4. 10. Therefore hope hath neede of patience to sustain it Secondly thus yoking hope with patience we are admonished that as hope cannot consist without patience so neither can patience exist or be where there is not hope Hope bringeth forth encrease of patience and patience encreased doth confirme hope Rom. 5. 3 4. Finally there is no worke wherein wee more resemble and shew our selues like vnto Christ the president and patterne of true patience then this as we are plentifully taught Heb. 12. 1 3. Also 1 Pet. 1. 20 21 22. Which places of Scripture teach vs thus much that Christ in patience abiding his Fathers will suffering willingly the shame and smart of the Crosse became an example to vs that we should follow his steps Insomuch as the Apostle Paul Rom. 8. and 2 Tom. 1. affirmeth that such as doe sallow Christ in patient suffering shall partake with him in reigning and glory It will therefore be very fit that this grace of Patience be distinctly and fully entreated of and feuered from that shadow of patience which is in the wicked who seeme to haue it and yet are nothing lesse then patient Apollos This had beene spoken of before when we entreated of Hope whose supporter patience is as hope is the prop of Faith but that I thought it sit to place it amongst those workes of godlinesse and to the last place I haue referred it because it being a large argument it will aske vs more time then at this our meeting could well haue been affoorded to such a copious theame and spacious matter Therefore if it seeme good to you we will let it alone till our next comming together The tenth Part of the Dialogue Of Patience in affliction Apollos FRiend Aquila since we first entred vpon our conference of effectuall Calling and of the fruits of it you neuer tryed my patience till now I haue here expected you a good while and if you had not come iust thus as you did surely I had returned whence I came somewhat discontented with you Aquila Sir I am but quit with you for thus you serued me once but you that haue seene me so forward in keeping times for prosecuting this businesse might haue imagined in your selfe that it was something more then ordinary which kept me thus long from you Apollos Nay I tell you that very thought held me and so ruled my mind at that as I did not grow vnpatient Aquila Sir I pray you lay aside your quarrell to me about my long tarrying and now we are so well met let me heare you speake of the nature and property of the obiect and office of Patience Apollos There is no Christian grace but it hath his speciall obiect to worke vpon and whereabout it is exercised Promises of saluation are the obiect of faith whose property is to beleeue and receiue them by the mind and will 〈◊〉 to them and embracing them for most true the thing promised is the obiect of hope whose office is to expect it till it be giuen vs. The office of loue is to knit our affections to God who is the proper obiect of our loue Repentance is busied about sinnes and the vse of it to greeue after any sinne with a purpose to offend so no more Temperance gouernes our mind about pleasures of life meckenesse about iniuries from men Mercy is exercised about miseries of others Humility bridles the mind about praises and honours And to be short the power of moderating the heart in crosses and afflictions which are put vpon vs by Gods appointment doth belong to Patience which hath afflictions or aduersities for his proper obiect for this is the will of God that no man should liue in this World without crosses and afflictions Our dayes are few they are also euill and very euill Our yeeres are few but miseries are not few they are many and manifold and some of them great and doe continually follow vs as the shadow doth the body These miseries when they happen they stirre and moue the mind to griefe euen as presence of pleasure delights tickle the mind with ioy to sorrow assaults the mind in the presence of afflictiue and heauy things wherewith it should be ouerturned were it not for the helpe of patience which doth temper our griefe and stay the mind steddy and quiet in good contentment vnder the hand of God This then is the office of patience to confirme settle the mind against the force of sorrow arising from the sence of tribulations Aquila I perceiue well by this ye haue vttered that the office and power of patience will better be declared if withall and first of all afflictions and the kindes thereof which be the matter whereabout patience is set on worke shall be opened and saide forth Will it please you then to follow this course to speake generally of afflictions to acquaint vs with those grounds of patience which be common to all afflictions and after that to handle the seuerall sorts of afflictions and the speciall grounds of patience 〈◊〉 to euery kind of afflictions 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 grounds whereon worldlings build the frame of their 〈◊〉 patience Apollos Aquila you haue well chalked out away wherein we may walke Thus then the 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 the Scripture saith That death 〈◊〉 into the World by sinne Rom. 5. 12. By death is vnderstood not onely that dissolution of soule and body but all troubles and afflictions as the 〈◊〉 of death men are not 〈◊〉 sinne 〈◊〉 able to death then to afflictions It was not onely saide to Adam To 〈◊〉 thou shall returne but that in sweate of his browes 〈◊〉 should 〈◊〉 his bread and to Eue That 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 bring forth children 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 These with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 afflictions 〈◊〉 vpon Adams 〈◊〉 among whom some may be found haply which neuer knew what prosperity meant but not one which hath not tasted of afflictions Our entrance into the World is with danger cryes our passage out of the World is by fearefull painfull death the middle between birth and death cradle and graue is full of vanity and vexation affliction being a cup which all men are to drinke of some more some lesse God measuring vnto each person a portiō of trouble as drinke was wont to be measured in cups that each in the Family
place and degree Honour thy father c. Apollos Indeede friend Aquila you say well and this platforme had not beene amisse for the decalogue or ten Commandements of the Law as they doe immediately come from God so they are most perfect for matter and most exquisite for order and manner of deliuery the chiefest and greatest duties first mentioned and after the meaner and lesser and that both in the first and second Table howbeit we are not bound so strictly and precisely to follow that order in our teaching and instruction but that it may be altered without fault A president of which alteration is the Apostle Paul himselfe both in his fift Chapter to the Ephesians and the 3. and fourth Chapter to the Colossians wherein after doctrine he descendeth to morall duties and he affordeth the first place to such as be common and then commeth vnto the peculiar and proper duties in which steppes I thinke it fit for vs to tread in speaking first of generall and next of speciall duties Aquila I mislike not your purpose and yet ere you deale with such particular graces as enable vs to doe duties to other men and to our selues let me call to mind that which you saide before of the workes which we are to doe towards God that truth and sincerity is an affection common to them all to distinguish them from the workes of piety done by Hypocrites who haue a certaine feare of God and loue of God c but it is seuered from truth it being the mercy done to sanctified persons that they should truly loue and feare God and doe all duties towards him in soundnesse right so is it in these duties which belong to men As in our natural body bloud is dispersed through all the body and where bloud is there is spirit too so sincerity and truth runneth through all duties as bloud in the body and where any grace is there is truth with it and all the good things which the godly doe are done in truth and godly vprightnesse They loue their Neighbour in truth and are truly mercifull and truly meeke and truly sober and truly chaste and not in appearance onely to the eye of men but be such before God as they seeme to be before men in all duties seeking to honour and obey the name of God wherein lyeth the grand difference betweene them and the vngodly who doe the same things for matter and substance which holy men doe but not in the same manner because they are voide of sincerenesse Apollos You say right As euery Starre doth partake in the light of the Sunne to take brightnesse from it so truth and sincerity passeth through all Christian graces euen as the soule that doth animate and quicken euery part of the body for all graces if they lacke truth and soundnesse they be as rotten members or as shadowes and dead carkases which carry the semblance of graces and are not the true fire doth not more differ from the painted then grace from grace that is the sincere graces from such as be but counterfet A Man or a Lyon pictured artificially seemes a man or a lyon and is not so vertues seuered from truth and sincerity haue a goodly shew but are not the liuely things themselues But now it were meete that we did set vpon that amiable grace of loue which is the glue and band that linkes all other graces together and holds vs Chistians fast tyed and linked as many stickes in one bundle Therefore worthily it is called the band of perfection without which all humane things fal apeeces and come to ruine Let me heare what you haue heard and learned of this worthy grace of loue wherewith we loue one another whose gift it is whence it springs what it is what are the properties and effects of it the manner and measure thereof and what are the duties of loue whom we are to loue and by what perswasions we may be incited to the exercise of this vertue wherein it differs from faith and finally how we may ouercome the lets and hinderances of loue with such other things as shall come to your remembrance not forgetting to tell vs along as you goe how true loue differs from the counterfet Aquila Sir ye haue enioyned mee taske enough which I had rather it had happened to your selfe but sithence ye haue put it on me I will performe my endeuour be you ready to helpe defects and by your patience I will first tell you what it is I take Loue or Charity to be that grace whereby wee are moued to hold our Neighbour deare vnto vs also to desire and seeke his good in all things that be deare vnto him euen as we would haue our selues and our things deare vnto others This grace it is the free gift of God who is Loue himselfe and author worker of loue in all others Therefore Paul prayeth God for this gift and prayseth him for it as in his salutation of the Churches is to be well perceiued no man nor other creature can worke loue in vs and by nature we haue it not it is God onely who out of his free mercy doth both plant and continually vphold it in vs. And let this generally be spoken of loue and all the other vertues following that they grow not in the barren soyle of our hearts but come from without being the fruites and gifts of Gods Spirit Galat. 5. 22. This Loue giuen vs of God is alwayes linked with the loue of God whose Daughter it is being bred and brought forth by it for therefore we loue our Neighbours because we first loue God Thus the Apostle Iohn teacheth 1 Ioh. 4. 21. Our mutual loue being a beame of our loue to God as our loue to God is a sparkle of his loue to vs neither can any man loue God but because he is first loued of him neither can any loue man who first doth not loue God neither can any but loue men who haue in them the loue of God for this enforceth vs for Gods sake to loue such as he will haue vs loue hauing put his Image and likenesse in them and neerely linked them to vs the parties whom wee are to loue are our Neighbour that is euery one that commeth of Adam of what Countrey Religion Language soeuer euen euery man and woman being so neere to vs as to be of our kind and bloud and hauing any need of vs in any sort euery such is our Neighbour vpon whom we must bestow our loue not as commonly men thinke them onely to be our Neighbours who dwelles in the same streete or burrow The parable of the Samaritan quitteth this who acknowledged the wounded Iew for his Neighbour Luke 10. 33. Christs example also doing good to Samaritans as well as Iewes Iohn 4. 26. cleareth this point Apollos But seeing God onely is to be loued and that with all the heart is it not a wrong to God to giue any
our loue as touching the manner and measure and end we haue sundry rules giuen vs in Scripture the first is to loue our Neighbour as our selfe Now as the Apostle saith No man hateth himselfe but wisheth all good to himselfe Mat. 22. Now such as with a right ruled loue doe loue themselues they doe not onely wish but procure such things to themselues as indeed be wholsome and good for them both for their bodies and soules abandoning such things as be euill and noysome to either haue they neuer such apparance and shew of good and profit euen thus ought euery man to loue his neighbour And according to the second rule looke what things by the iudgement of sound reason wee would haue done or not done to our selues these things wee should be willing to haue done or not done to another be he friend or foe Mat. 7. Also in what measure and degree we desire that our Neighbor should loue our selues in the same we ought to loue them againe The third rule is to loue as brethren 1 Pet. 1. 22. That is such loue as naturall brethren ought to beare both for manner and measure one to another such euen such so hearty and vehement ought the loue of Christians to be amongst themselues knowing that they are brethren by a brotherhood consecrated and ratified in the bloud and death of Christ our elder brother who hath charged vs as one who may command vs to loue one another as he hath loued vs Iohn 13. 15. Loue one another as I haue giuen you example And againe a new commandement I giue you that ye loue one another as I haue loued you Iohn 13. 15. That so ye loue one another this is our fourth and best rule to direct vs in our brotherly Christian loue which must be vnfained without hypocrisie or counterfeiting earnest without coldnes indifferency constant without change or wearinesse free without respect of our owne pleasure or profit and very great not small and meane for thus Christ loued vs for in that he would besides his doctrine his miracles his example of life his prayers in all which he witnessed his loue vouchsafed also to giue himselfe to such a death and that for his enemies This declareth how sincere free constant and exceeding great his loue was towards vs wherein though we cannot equall him by attaining to his perfection which is not possible nor required of vs yet wee must be like to him in our loue and striue to come so neere as wee may which is both required and possible And herein the true Christian doth differ from the false that the one in his loue looks vpon Christs loue as his patterne and thereto frameth his owne but the other hath no thought at all to imitate Christ as he hath him for no Sauiour so he makes him no example The godly Christian who beleeueth him to be a Redeemer doth labour to follow him as a guide and sampler as in this duty of loue so in all other Offices of Christianity Apollos I haue heard your rules of neighbourly and brotherly loue let me heare some of your best reasons to moue and perswade both to begin and to perseuere in exercising of this loue for it is as needfull to haue good grounds of our loue as a good guide of our loue He is as much too blame that loues without reason as he that loues without rule Aquila As there be certain common reasons which may perswade our loue towardes all men whatsoeuer they are to wit because they are the creatures of God our flesh and bloud of one kind with vs our Neighbours also being made after Gods Image hauing a commandement to loue them and the examples of godly men who haue done good to all out of an affection of loue and because wee would haue others to loue vs so there be peculiar and speciall reasons to moue vs vnto the loue of our brethren which hold the same faith that we doe and of these I will giue you but a light touch it shall be sufficient to name them our labour ought to be more in practising them then in speaking of them It were enough that it is the will of our Father which is in Heauen that his Children should dwell in loue and that he hath by his example gone before vs first louing and still louing vs and that he hath made vs partakers of the same grace to be all euen Christians brethren fellow heires members of Christ his seruants his friends his children his Spouse his inheritance also that except we truly loue one another we cannot loue God nor be loued of him nor haue any assurance that wee be his people or looke for any blessing but for all wrath from him yet vnto all this if wee adde the sweete pleasure and delight which is in brotherly loue behold how pleasant and the great and manifolde commodities which arise and grow thereby behold how good it is for brethren to dwell together in vnity our loue being for comfort and delight like that precious oyntment and for profit like that deaw of Hermon and withall if wee doe consider the bitternesse of hatred being as gall and wormewood and the hurt which it bringeth all this would greatly preuaile with vs to stirre vp and encrease mutuall loue Apollos Let me stop you a little in your course what be these profits which loue brings and the discommodities which follow the wants of it Aquila Whiles Christians are ioyned together they are strong as an army where the Souldiers keepe euery one his ranke or as a wall where the stones be all ioyned together Also we may boldly come with our selues seruice vnto God vnder hope of acceptance wee thereby greeue the aduersaries of God which see our accord through loue and reioyce the godly we spite Sathan whose kingdome is more hindered by vs the more that loue doth abound we glorifie the word of God and glorifie our profession our prayers haue more feruency and fruit As on the other side through lacke of loue amongst brethren God and his Gospell be dishonoured Sathan pleased and the wicked made glad our safety hazarded because a house diuided cannot stand our prayers hindered and reiected with infinite discommodities which lamentable experience teacheth men better to know then any mans speech can doe The Apostle aymeth at the great commodity and necessity as also at the excellency of loue when he bids vs aboue all things to put on loue and when hee likeneth it to a bond calling it the bond of perfection Colos. 3. 14. because it knitteth our selues and our duties together and vnto sinewes and ioynts Ephe. 4. As being of that vse and force in the mysticall body as sinewes and ioynts in our naturall body be to ioyne and fasten all the members together these things as also to consider that loue remaines in heauen when faith and hope faile must much prouoke vs both to esteeme and to exercise
and vaine glory anger hatred couetousnesse desire of reuenge taking things in the euill part which are the very bellowes of variance and break-neckes of all peace On the contrary it is filled with a quiet spirit with humility contentment gentlenesse long-sufferance meekenesse forgiuing offences interpreting things in good part when with reason and truth they may which be the very Nurses of Peace and break-neckes of all contentions their words also being not greeuous but few soft and vpright far from false reports or tale-carrying not vsing scornefull nor brawling speeches Iudges 8. 2 3. And finally they containe their hands from striking violent and vniust dealings and they doe well know how to vse a wise silence when speaking may kindle or encrease anger by this meanes it commeth to passe that they easily gaine concord and agreement with their brethren and as easily maintaine it All being quite contrary in wicked men who furthermore doe herein differ from the righteous that as they will not haue peace with whom they should so they will sometimes haue it with whom they should not as they study not to seeke peace with all but with such as themselues list so they are ready for sinister respects there to liue peaceably where the godly doth not find it possible vnlesse hee would haue warre with God by hauing peace with his enemies Whereas this is the way of Gods Children that if it lie in them and be possible they will haue peace with all if there be not peace it is because it is not in their power or because they hold a iust warre better then an vngodly peace But on the other part euill men as they giue no diligence to haue agreement when they might and ought so they are content to accord with them with whom they ought to haue no fellowship for what communion can the Christian which is Christs friend haue with an Idolater or with any other of Gods enemies Yet I am far off from condemning those leagues of concord which Christian Princes doe make with Infidels and Idolaters vpon necessity of commerce and trafficke for the better maintenance of this life by exchanging of commodities or for common defence where there is no league of amity stricken to agree and accord with them in their superstitions and vngodlinesse Such leagues of peace we reade of betweene Abraham and Abimelech Geneses 23. betweene Salomon and Hyram King of Siria 1 King 5. 1. between Dauid and the King of the Ammonites 2 Sam. 10. 1. Apollos Now that you haue spoken thus much of peace you may proceed to those other vertues which either be Parents to beget or props to sustaine Christian peace Aquila Yet by your good leaue I meane to adde this one thing namely that Gods Children are of such a peaceable temper as they will not fall out no not with the worst men till it come to this that they must differ from them in some wicked cause and euen then they doe so refraine to haue communion with them in the cause as that if it may be and doe lie in them they will not haue warre with their persons but when they must breake off fellowship with their persons they and their bad cause being so linked that he that will like the one must allow or seeeme at least to allow the other yet then they so breake off society and stand off from their company as it is with pity and griefe for their follie and with prayer to God for their repentance this is it whereunto they aime being sorry if they faile Now Sir I am well pleased that we step forwards to conferre of those graces which a little before we haue seene to goe together with this peaceable heart of the godly man whereof one is Humility for as the child of God walkes humbly with his God giuing him all glory for all good things acknowledging and feeling in himselfe nought saue sinne and misery so hee carrieth himselfe humbly towards his brethren whose graces and good works he doth reuerence and with loue make mention of them in like loue couering wants and euils And being priuy to such a number of corruptions in himselfe he adiudgeth himselfe the meanest of all and worst of all others and esteemeth others better then himselfe being ready not out of the basenesse of mind but out of a lowly spirit to doe any seruice how troublesome or meane soeuer to the comfort or helpe of any Christian after the example of Christ abasing himselfe to wash his Apostles feete and also humbling himselfe for his enemies euen to the death of the Crosse Phil. 3. 5 6. The like mind hath euery godly Christian who forgets and denies himselfe that he may stoope to euery duty whereby hee may be helpefull to his euen Christians and yet so farre from looking after any praise as if he be praised especially in his owne presence hee is ready to blush Prou. 27 2. being more desirous to heare of his fallings that hee may be the more humbled then to be commended for his well doings lest he waxe proude As for those stirrings of pride which none of Gods Children are wholy freed from they much dislike them in their iudgement and loath them in their hearts striuing and praying against them with crauing of pardon for them knowing how much God abhorreth the high minded to depresse them and that the way to glory is paued and prepared by humility it being written that God will lift vp the humble 1 Pet. 5 5. Now this is further to be considered that with this singular humility there is ioyned in the godly a comely and reuerent grauity staying and ordering their affections within and mode rating their gestures words countenances and actions without according to the dignity of their persons and callings that as their humble carriage gaineth them loue so of their graue behauiour there ariseth much reuerence towards them It is not so with the euil and vnrighteous men who be vaine and light hauing no grauity at all or none but affected grauity little considering the excellency of their estate and place They be voide also of true humility because they forget the worthinesse of others therefore either out of the pride of their hearts they doe 〈◊〉 and disdaine others thinking themselues better then they as the Pharises in the Gospell did or out of basenesse of mind yeelding to all persons in all things without difference not respecting what in duty they owe but being forwards to doe any thing which may please or procure themselues respect and praise whereof if they happen to faile and misse they are thereby more daunted and troubled then they are comforted by the seruice which they did as appeareth in Achitophell Apollos It is a thing that you haue very well obserued that Gods Children doe so remember the worthinesse of others to be humbled lowly towards them as withall they doe not forget their owne worthinesse to cause in them a godly
bee in them but for that they doe such outward actions as men endued with these graces do and vse to do My particular answer is this That all vnregenerate men do faile three seuerall wayes as touching this vertue of contentment which causeth it to bee in them a contentednesse rather in seeming then in truth The first is though they confesse themselues well apayde with their estate yet indeede their heart doth not rest in it as in a good and sufficient lot assigned vnto them in the which they can surely trust to finde God good gracious vnto them For they doe not depend vpon God because they lacke a liuely faith 2. And withall because they doe want the grace of true contentment therefore it cannot be but that they still wish for more and would haue their estate bettered being of the quality of the Horse-leech which 〈◊〉 Giue giue and like vnto the graue and the fire which hauing consumed much matter and corpses are ready to deuoure more 3. Lastly as their present estate is neuer so pleasing to them but a better would be more welcome so if any decay of their present condition either for wealth or estimation liberty or health do happen fal forth which commonly doth mens estates being like to the Sea which ebbeth and floweth and vnto the Moone which waxeth and waineth they are there with much disquieted and discontented as appeareth in the example of Saul and Achitophel both which in their prosperity made shew of contentation but in their aduersity they were sore troubled as also was Nabal Wheras such as be endued with true godlinesse they do in euery estate submit themselues quietly and contentedly vnto the good will of God beeing well satisfied with that which he appointeth vnto them whatsoeuer it is more or little better or worse alwayes accounting the basest and meanest estate too good for them because of their sinnes vnworthinesse being pleased contented euen with food and rayment because they are assured that that condition of life is best for them that the most wise God sets them in And nothing doubting such is his goodnesse but that he will maintaine their life giuing them sufficient to enioy though he deny them abundance and turning all things to the best for them according to his most true promises Neither alone are they well pleased with their owne portion without wishing or desiring in thought or wordes the goods and estates of other men without vnfained forrow if they doe but furthermore they take good delight and pleasure in the comforts and good things which their neighbours do enioy euen as thogh it were their own striuing to follow that precept which commands them to reioyce with them that reioyce to Loue others as themselues mourning with them in their heauinesse Apollos Here I haue three things to aske you First whether ye thinke any godly person free from all couetousnes And then whether the desire of more wealth and a better estate be couetousnesse Lastly whether a man may be couetous in his owne goods Aquila To the first I answer negatiuely There is no person by grace of regeneration wholly freed from couetousnesse or any other sinne in this life It is enough for this time of their pilgrimage that they are deliuered from the curse and power of sinne so as neither couetousnesse nor any other sinne shall reigne in them or haue force to condemn them Howbeit as the remainder of other sinnes is in Gods children so they are molested with the stirring and ticklings of couetousnesse more or lesse The holy Prophet found an euill inclination of his heart to desire earthly things inordinately which made him pray that God would not encline his heart to couetousnesse Psal. 119. that is giue him ouer to that lust Of this fault Christ often warned his own Apostles amongst whom one was ouercome by this vice and the rest no doubt were tempted with it else Christs warning had beene in vaine It is well therfore when resistance is made against the motions of Couetousnesse for none shall altogether lacke the egging of this Lust. 2. To your second demand I answer affirmatiuely That the desire of worldly wealth is couetousnesse The nature whereof is expressed by three words of the Grecians as I haue heard you say One signifieth the loue of money another the desire of riches and the third signifieth the lust of hauing more And seeing the blessed Apostle Hebr. 13 4. doeth set couetousnesse as the flat contrary vnto contentednesse Let your conuersation saith he be without couetousnesse and Be content with that ye haue therefore if our being satisfied and resting pleased with our present estate be contentednesse then the desire of more or of a better estate in the World must needs be couetousnesse Euery man indeede is bound to follow the duties of his calling vppon which he may desire and pray for a blessing with condition exception of Gods will so much and so far as he thinks meete leauing the successe thereof to his good pleasure 3. To conclude as a man may be a theefe in his own if he husband and employ it otherwise then God hath appointed whose seruant he is and to whom hee must giue account so he may be couetous euen in his owne goods if he loue them set his heart vpon them and desire the bettering and encreasing of them otherwise then by submitting himselfe to the will of God beeing ready to receiue more if God wil adde and cast in more with all thankfulnesse yet being well apaide with that which is already when God shall thinke it good not to encrease or amend it Apollos This is indeede the summe of all that which ye haue bene taught of this grace of contentment and of all the other graces of the new man which wee haue in our conference run thorow What letteth now but that we may come to the last fruite of an effectuall calling which consists in the speciall duties which wee are bound to do and performe towards others in respect of some degree which is of God put vpon vs or them and so to finish this our worke Aquila One impediment and let there is namely that wee haue I know not how saue that in such a heape of duties some might easily be slipt by neglected to speake of certaine graces of regeneration The one is Wisedome so much commended in Scripture charging vs that we be wise as Serpents Mathew 10. that we be wise concerning that which is good Rom. 16. that wee serue and loue our brethren in meeke wisedome Iames 1. This being one speciall part of Gods Image and such a grace as guideth vs in the vse and practise of all the former graces for so much as it is not onely a fore-sight or fore-cast of things which may happen gathering effects by causes and iudging of present and future euents by precedent accidents and occurrences but it is also a faculty directing
to her husband in respect of his prehemmence in graces and authority Ephesians 5 verse last the husband loueth his wife as a daughter of Israel and member of Christ and out of this holy affection of loue careth for her I Peter 3. 7. beareth with her infirmities cherisheth instrusteth her and protecteth her Fathers are not bitter to their children but in mildnesse wisedome bring them vp in the instruction and nurture of the Lord Ephesians 6. 3. Children doe loue reuerence obey their Parents for the Lord Ephesians 6. 1. witnessing their honour towards their Parents especially in this that they make no choyce of their trades and matches without their priuity and counsell Seruants not out of feare with eye seruice but in singlenesse of heart study to please their bodily Masters Ephesians 6. 5. 6. and these againe are willing to doe that which is equall and iust both touching the bodies and soules of their seruants knowing that they also haue a Master in Heauen Calosians 3. verse last The Pastor feedes his flocke not for filthy luker nor by constraint 1 Peter 5. 2 3 4. but out of a willing minde shewing himselfe an example to the flocke The flocke and people on the other side acknowledge him and haue him in singular loue for his worke sake I 〈◊〉 5. The Magistrate kindly tendreth his inferiours as his children Iob 29. and mildly ruling with iustice giueth praise to such as doe well and punisheth those that doe euill 〈◊〉 13. 2 3 4 5. And finally inferiours and subiects obediently submit themselues vnto their Rulers as vnto Fathers doing with readnesse their iust commandements and with patience bearing euen their vniust punishments Thus haue I giuen you a certaine taste of these singular and speciall duties for neither time nor your infirmity wil permit vs more largely to discourse them onely this I thinke good to adde that it is the property of all sauing graces which wee haue named and of the others which we haue forgotten for who can remember all to waxe and encrease till they come to perfection as the young fruites groweth till they be ripe it pleasing God to follow his first graces with new supplies till he haue finished the worke which he hath begun 〈◊〉 1. 4. So it is not with the wicked whose gifts decrease and at last 〈◊〉 and fall away as leaues in winter fall from the trees they being as the chaffe and dust which hauing no stedfast firmenesse be therefore soone 〈◊〉 Psalme 1. 5. Whereas the godly which are as a tree planted by the Riuers side brings forth fruite in due season whose leaues are alwayes greene and look whatsoeuer they doe it prospereth Psalme 1. 3 4. And now good Sir if it please you we will shut vp this our conference with this short Prayer O eternall most wise mighty and mercifull God we giue thee thankes for all thine Elect whom thou hast according to thine eternall will called effectually by the Ministry of the Law and Gospell to thy Son opening their eyes to see him to be their Sauiour and their hearts to embrace him with affection being satisfied with him and so working in them that most worthy gift of faith whereby being vnited and incorporate into him they partake with his iustice both actiue and passiue for their perfect iustification before thee and with his Spirit for their vnperfect sanctification in this life hauing power giuen them both to abide the combate with remaining corruptions and vpon wounds and foyles receiued in that encounter to arise by repentance and also to be able to witnesse the truth of their repentance by the constant exercise of all good workes furnishing them with needfull graces of all sorts for the sincere seruice of thy Maiesty and of their brethren according to their seuerall estates and degrees good Father we blesse thy blessed name for these workes of thy grace in them all and pray thee heartily both for their continuance in grace vnto the end til they be perfectly glorified in heauen and that the rest of thine Elect who as yet are not gathered thou wouldst hasten their conuersion and calling to fulfill in them also the good worke of thy pleasure with power encreasing them in all goodnesse protecting them against all enemies and euils till the great glorious appearing of thy Son Iesus to whom with thee and thy holy Spirit be all praise honour and glory now henceforth and for euer Amen Finis laus Christo nescia finis Errata IN Page 6. Line 20. Reade capable p. 13. l. 6. r. seruice for shew it p. 16. l. 31. let the comma be after them p. 19. l. 3. r. desert l. 17 r. for a certaine time as they c. p. 21. l. 26. r. Sacrament p. 29. l. 15. r. calling p. 36. l. 13 after proceed r. and goe l. 19. r. it after vpon p. 37 l. 14. after keepe r. all p. 51 put comma out in l. 5 8. after mind and will p. 55. l. 8 r. as for is p. 59 l. last r. wrought p. 611 l. 9. r. belong p. 69 l. 6 r. matter p. 91 l. 27 r. effects worke p. 111 l. 5 r. against the first Table after sinne l. 24 after Christ r. because they are such p. 116 l. 8 r. vnexpressible p. 110 l. 27 r. onenesse l. 28 r. so is Christ p. 151 l. 13 r. premised p. 161 l. 10 r. hard for yours p. 162 l. 22 r. friend p. 179 l. 26 r. worke p. 188 l. 22 r. after then to be exalted p. 190 l. 11 r. falles p. 192 l. 32 r. comfort p. 201 l. 26 r. is after it p. 202 l. 6 r. of sinister death p. 223 l. 26 r. rich man for Diues p. 248 l. 16. r. halted l. 27 r. renewed p. 250 in the margin r. meetnesse p. 263 l. 10 r. that euill which is our owne afore being p. 287 l. 27. r. awefull p. 290 l. 7 r. gardian p. 303. l. 13 r. outward rest p. 307 l. 8. r. these p. 308 l. 2 r. as that after mind p. 328 l. 10 strike out the latter onely 2. workes of the Spirit proper to the elect Calling and Gifts A double calling 1. Outward common to all 2. Inward peculiar to some Difference between inward and outward calling Effectuall calling hath 3. inseparable cona panions first vnion with Christ 2. Iustification 3. Sanctification Effectuall calling what it is Inward means No name giuen c. Outward and inward Law Spirit of feare Gospell Spirit of adoption The time of Calling 1 Tim. 4. 6. 2 Tim. 3. 1. 2 Kings 22 1. Persons Who not 1. Pagans Creatures teach somewhat of God but nothing of Christ. 2. Proud Iusticiaries 3. Scorners 4. Impenitent or obdurate finners 5. Worldly wise 6 Worldlyrich Example in the Laodiceans Reuel 〈◊〉 7. Idiots Lunaticke 8. Borne deafe and dumbe Who