ruine to themselves The second use is an use of instruction If wee must try all things then must we learne to get wisdome rightly to apply the rule to every particular which is to be regulated 1 Cor. 2.13 Comparing spirituall things with spirituall for to try is nothing else but to apply the rule or touch-stone to the thing to be tryed And when I speake of wisdome I meane that spirituall wisdome whereby the spirituall man comparing spirituall things with spirituall discerneth all things This man led by the Spirit acknowledgeth Christ and followes him in all things takes faith his companion and sets in his eye Gods glory the end and scope of all things Quest. Can you helpe us to some directions or Rules by which we may be guided in this application which is the onely difficulty now to be opened in this Treatise Answ. Yes and these Rules are of two sorts 1. Generall Preparative 2. Speciall Practicall The generall or preparative Rules to application are foure 1. We must be industrious to know and be acquainted with the Scriptures in their right sence of them whether historicall and litterall or allegoricall and figurative For this is to have our Rule at hand and in our hand without which it must be with us as with the Sadduces of whom our Lord said Ye erre not knowing the Scriptures And because true Scripture is not in words and sillables but in the true sence of it wee must be carefull not to rest in the words without the true signification of them The Papists heare our Saviour saying of the Sacramentall bread This is my body and sticking to the words and applying them without the sense runne into infinite absurdities and errours on one hand and so the Lutherans on the other Against both which wee may not unfitly mention one of the two rules of Augustine in his bookes of Christian Doctrine Si praeceptiva locutio videtur flagitium aut facinus jubere aut utilitatem aut beneficentiam vetare figurata est It is not a proper but a figurative speech which seemes either to injoyne a thing unlawfull or to hinder a lawfull So this speech of our Lord Vnlesse ye eate the flesh of the Sonne of man and drinke his blood ye have not life in you seemes at the first to impose on us a kinde of cruelty therefore it is figurative So Augustine 2. If we would be fit for this tryall we must lay up and hide in our hearts such Scriptures as wee understand that they may be neare us to serve our severall uses The Prophet David professeth that hee had hid the word in his heart that he might not sinne against God And Mary was commended that shee pondered all the sayings concerning Christ and hid them in her heart A Carpenter or Mason whose worke is squared or laid by rule is never without his rule in his hand or at his backe so should it be with Christians 3. We must absolutely submit our judgement to the word of God without reasoning or disputing though it be never so difficult and dangerous unto us for what is else the use of a rule but to rule Abraham left his owne Countrey and went he knew not whither at Gods commandement Heb. 11.8 One would thinke this were folly in Abraham but that the Scripture acquits him and saith he did it by faith And in a more difficult commandement hee rose earely went three dayes journey to kill his onely sonne whom he loved and reasoned no cases but went Good Moses would weigh the word of God in his owne ballance fixing his eye rather upon the impotency and impossibility of the meanes than upon the strength of Gods word which cleaves the hardest rockes therefore he sinned in striking the Rocke when God bade him onely speake to it and for it was barred out of Canaan 4. We must ayme at an absolute conformity betweene the whole word and our whole man This Rule takes place above all mens rules and lawes which rule the outward man but this the inner man the soule and the conscience the heart and the will yea the affections and thoughts which in regard of mens lawes are free but the word captivateth every thought and brings it into subjection 2 Cor. 12.5 It rules the whole outward man also our speeches and actions even the least our lookes and behaviours our callings and conditions our sports and recreations and as David saith of the Sunne Psal. 19.6 there is nothing hid from the heate and discoverie of it so nothing in man is exempted from the rule of the word We must therefore bring our practise thereto and thinke it not enough to be a rule in it selfe unlesse it be a rule to us also And lay this for a ground in our soules that there must be a proportion betweene the rule and the thing ruled Now we come to the speciall rules for the application of this Rule And they concerne 1. Doctrines 2. Actions and Practise Rules for the Tryall of Doctrines are sixe First all Doctrines must be brought to the analogy of faith and squared thereby Rom. 12.6 Whether wee prophecie let us prophecie according to the analogy of faith By analogy of faith the Apostle meaneth the measure of faith and Doctrine which is indeede the holy Scripture the heads of which Doctrine or the summe of which faith is contained in the Creede the Decalogue and the Lords Prayer If any Doctrine agree not with these which are the key and rule of faith it is unsound and to be rejected As for example 1. The Church of Rome teacheth that the bread in the Sacrament is turned into the very body flesh blood and bone of Christ which was borne of the Virgin We hold the cleane contrary Now bring this Doctrine to the analogie of faith that teacheth that Christ was born of the Virgin true man with a true humane nature like ours in all sinne things sin onely excepted visible circumscribed palpable in one place only at once as is ours that teacheth that he ascended into heaven in that humane nature and there fitteth at the right hand of God untill his second comming and therefore cannot be really and locally in the Sacrament 2. Romish Doctrine teacheth that a man may merit by his good workes remission of sins and eternall life they establish the merit of mans workes in the matter of justification we utterly exclude them Bring we this Doctrine to the analogie of faith The ten Commandements say The Lord sheweth mercy to thousands that love him and keepe his commandements If the reward be given by mercy then not for the merit of the worke done The Lords prayer teacheth us to pray for forgivenesse of debts and therefore we are farre from meriting The same prayer teacheth us to pray for every morsell of bread Is it not madnesse to thinke wee can merit the kingdome of heaven if we cannot merit a morsell of bread The Creede
against the teacher which is an usuall bait of Satan to make all good things carelesly rejected Micaiah for this was turned out of dores as no fit Counsellor for King Ahab So the itching eare which is still desirous of novelties as the young man having heard the olde commandements would still heare more new And a tediousnesse in hearing the same things often which the Apostle calls a safe thing The latter are 1. Hardnesse of heart cast as much seede as you will among stones and cover them therewith no fruite followes for the stones hinder the rooting as we see in Pharaoh Mollifie the heart throughly and the word wil abide in it 2. Cares of the world which are as thornes to choake it All seede sowne among thornes getteth no strength but perisheth The Pharisies mocked Christ in his doctrine because they were covetous Luke 16.14.3 Voluptuous living makes men heare onely for fashion and to be like those widdowes which are ever learning but never come to the knowledge of the truth 2 Tim. 3. or at least not to joyne vertue to their knowledge as the intemperate patient that heares the physitian but will not follow him II. Provide and furnish the soule with helpes to hold that which is good These helpes respect 1. Intention 2. Attention 3. Retention First the Intention must must bee cleane and sincere we must not heare for envie as the Pharisies and Iewes in Paules time nor for newes as the Athenians nor for gaine or curiosity as Felix but to receive as babes the sincere milke of the word to grow in grace thereby 1 Pet. 2.2 This intention shall be the better furthered by premeditation of the force use and efficacy of the word that it is the power of God to salvation the incorrupt seede the word of life the instrument of faith the sword of the spirit the bread and water that preserveth eternall life Secondly Attention must be used Acts 8.6 the people of Samaria gave heede to the things that Philip spake This attention is a keeping of the heart and affections to the word deliuered Acts 16.14 when Paul preached Lydia attended and the Lord opened her heart When Christ preached all the peoples eyes were fastened upon him Luke 4. Attention is the doore by which the word enters It is much furthered by a due estimation of the word Thy word saith David is wonderfull therefore my soule keepeth it Men will attend to their learned counsell when their free-hold is in question so here conceive aright of the word as a matter of life and death a matter that concernes thy inheritance in heaven thou wilt carefully attend it Thirdly Retention must follow In the body there are two nutritive powers one Attractive to draw meate into the stomacke the other Retentive to hold it there till it be turned into nourishment so in the soule And if the former draw too little the latter holds little and so the body pines and if the former draw too much that the body is not able to hold it the body pines still So here the soule must be still drawing but it must also forcibly holde it till the soule be refreshed Now this Retentive faculty is strengthened by 4. meanes 1. Meditation cleane beasts chew the cud Deut. 11 2. Consider the workes of the Lord Psal. 1.1 Meditate in his Law both day and night The acts of God must be in the mouthes of them that feare him Psal. 149. and 39.3 while David mused his heart was warmed Phil. 4.8 whatsoever things are honest just and pure thinke on those things men have therefore evill thoughts because they nourish not the good 2. Conference which is a whetting of holy lessons both on our selves and others Deut. 11. the Iewes are commanded to conferre of the word early and late Acts 17. The Bereans are commended for comparing the Apostles doctrine with Scripture 3. A full purpose of heart to practise good things Psal. 119.106 I have sworne to keepe thy law and 50.16 Why takest thou my word into thy mouth and hatest to be reformed 4. Fervent and constant prayer which is the key of knowledge gets the hearing eare and the soft heart it is a key to open the coffers of God out of which we may take those treasures which are not from our selves but from above our reach III. Chuse sure and safe places to hold good things in First in memory we must remember good things we heare Deut. 4.9 Take heed to thy selfe and keepe thy soule diligently that thou forget not the things thine eyes have seene Psal. 119.16 I will not forget thy word and ver 93. I will never forget thy precepts because by them thou hast quickened me Secondly keep them in the faith of thy heart else all is unprofitable Heb. 4.2 for that onely gives them rooting in our hearts Col. 2.7 Prov. 4.21 Keepe them in the midst of thy heart then shall they be as alight in the lanthorne shining through every part of thy life This was the coffer that Abraham locked up the promises of God in and held them fast without reasoning though it was difficult and seemed impossible Rom. 4.20 and David Psal. 119.11 I have hid thy word in my heart Thirdly keepe it in the affections of thy soule love earnestly the word of God and all good things for the things that wee like not or affect not we care not for keeping The great commandement is to love the Lord with all thy heart And every Christian ought to appeale to the Lord himselfe as Peter to Christ Lord thou knowest that I love thee Iohn 21.16 And the tryall of our love to him is to keepe his commandements chap. 14.15 Fourthly keepe them in the practise of thy life and whole conversation 1. By professing good things as Christ himselfe professed a good profession before Pontius Pilate 2. By promoting all good causes to thy utmost power 3. By maintaining and defending all good things and causes 4. By suffering for good things and every way giving testimony and setting seale to them if neede be with thy dearest heart blood IV. If we would hold good things let us furnish and arme our selves against theeves and robbers 1. Our owne carelesnesse Many times we care not to understand the things of God vanity of minde worldly lusts and desire of riches partly take up the roome partly choake good things so as they are neither received nor held But if we understand not let us not be ashamed to enquire and seeke out till wee doe understand 2. Satans slynesse who steales the word and good purposes out of mens mens hearts strangely even while they looke on and consent Doe as Abraham who drave away the birds that troubled him in sacrificing Gen. 15.11 so doe thou drive away these ravenous birds that are sent by Satan 3. Temptation and persecution Much ground keeps the seede till the heate of persecution comes and in persecution falls away and
but a veniall thing This will please the carnall man farre better than to tell him that he may not lye for Gods greatest glory and that the very first thought of stealing the least trifle is damnable But what is all this but to speake peace to the wicked man to whom the Lord saith there is no peace Esay 57. ult 5. Who would not be a Papist if that Doctrine were not prooved false by this Rule which offers release from sinnes and from hell yea offers the whole kingdome of heaven for money who would not sweare whore profane the Lords day rise up against Magistrates oppresse riot and addict himselfe to all villany if for a little money he may have a pardon for all his sinnes or suppose hee must needes goe a while into the kitchin of Purgatory yet for a little money or lands to the Church and Priests for Masses he is sure to be remooved to Gods parlour in heaven 6. In our whole courses let one Preacher come and call men to a diligent study of the word or to a strict observing of the whole Saboth let him seeke to pull out of mens mouthes their owne words out of their hands their cards or cuppes and injoyne them a constant sanctification of the Lords rest let him call them to the often receiving of the Sacrament and strict preparation to it let him call them to circumspection against the least sinne to zeale and profession in holinesse oh what a tedious and irksome Doctrine is all this Now farewell liberty sports and all good company what a precise fellow have wee gotten to make fooles of us c Let another Preacher as some such there be come and tell us A man may doe well enough without so much preaching and what should private men meddle so much with the Scripture That to spend the Saboth so religiously and strictly is Iewish and not so necessary That men may take some liberty to play and recreate themselves on the Saboth day That it is not good to be overforward in religion for that were to smell of purity and be too strict yea wise overmuch That Ministers may doe well and winne their people by being good companions That men be men not Angels nor God so strict in so small matters Here 's a man indeede that winnes the spurres hee carries Townes and Countries after him Here is a Preacher for our people as was once said of the Prophet that prophecies of wine and strong drinke But who is the true Preacher now by our Rule hee that carries the generall applause of the multitude or he that is the greater enemie to the liberty of the flesh Oh were we wise to apply this Rule Gods pure ordinances would get strength apace and our selves should thrive apace by the Doctrine we heare The sixth and last Rule for tryall of Doctrines is this That Doctrine which most soundly comforteth distressed consciences is the soundest and to be embraced For the end of all Scripture Rom. 15.4 is That we through patience and comfort might have hope and the Prophet Psal. 19.8 saith The testimonies of God rejoyce the heart The reason why God hath given learned tongues is to speake words of comfort to the weary And most excellent is that in Gal. 6.16 Peace shall be to him that walkes by this rule and mercy and upon the Israel of God The Gospell is a word of peace and glad tidings of salvation And therefore that Doctrine which brings the most welcome message to a distressed conscience is the true Doctrine most agreeable to the Gospell To make some application 1. We teach that a man may be certaine of his salvation in this life by an ordinary and speciall faith because faith assureth the soule of pardon of sinne and present favour of God and brings in comfort as Matth. 9.2 Iesus seeing their faith said Sonne be of good comfort thy sinnes are forgiven thee it brings peace and boldnesse with God Rom. 5.1 2. it brings in joy of faith unspeakable and glorious 1 Pet. 1.8 But the Papists and some amongst our selves hold there can be no such certainty of salvation but conjecturall and probable and deceitfull Bring this Doctrine to this Rule A poore soule afflicted in conscience sees nothing but Gods wrath and hell ready to swallow him hee is afraid of damnation which hee knowes he hath deserved whether hath more comfort for a Papist to tell him of the unspeakable love of God here is an emplaster and remedy but you must not be so presumptuous as to apply it all this increaseth the torment or for him that brings the emplaster to say here is the unspeakable love of God the unsearchable grace and merit of Christ here take and apply it holde the comfortable possession of Christ which enrighteth and entitleth you into the unchangeable love of God Here the heart rests not in the emplaster but in the application of it Popish Doctrine is like an emplaster to a broken bone but kept in the pocket 2. What uncomfortable Doctrine is it that they teach us to seeke life in the Law which is to seeke life in death because of our weaknesse Gal. 3.21 If there were a Law that could have given life righteousnesse should have beene by the Law Rom. 8.3 The Sonne of God supplyed what was impossible to the Law by the infirmity of our flesh What an uncomfortable Doctrine then is it that wee must place our hope in our owne righteousnesse and that the Gospell is nothing else but a more perfect Law than Moses was Surely if we ground our joy in our selves it shall be like that of Israel dancing before the Calfe of their owne making Exod. 32.16 as short and unsound 3. What an uncomfortable Doctrine is that of falling away from grace and out of Gods favour What comfort can I have of my faith and hope if of a true childe of God to day I may become a childe of the Divell and be cast into hell to morrow What glorious and unspeakable joy can there be in such a perswasion but rather a desperate feare of finall rejection No it is the continuance of our joy that makes it so unspeakable and this is the sure anchor of our hope that Gods love is unchangeable and he preserves us by his power to salvation saying as Isaac He is blessed and hee shall be blessed Gen. 27.33 and as Pilate in Christs superscription What I have written I have written Iohn 19.22 His Decrees are as the Lawes of the Medes and Persians which cannot be altered Dan. 6.8 Whom he once loves he loves to the end Ioh. 13.1 and also upholds them to love him to the end 4. What an uncomfortable Doctrine is it to a wounded soule that he must come upon paine of damnation once in a yeere and confesse all his sinnes to a Priest against whom hee hath not sinned hee must confesse a debt to him to whom he owes nothing and to him
not all is well when thou hast gotten grace righteousnesse and holinesse but keepe thy selfe pure for know it is no lesse vertue to keepe grace than to get it Iude 21. Keep your selves in the love of God and againe Keep that thou hast obtained lest another take thy crowne And the rather First because this is the effect of true religion for true religion unspotred and undefiled before God is to keepe a mans selfe blamelesse and unspotted without just crimes in the world and this is to keepe himselfe blamelesse Secondly no part of man can be kept blamelesse without great care and industry Adam in innocency could not keepe himselfe blamelesse as hee was created and much lesse the sonnes of Adam now in corruption No watch is sufficient against that subtill Serpent that windes himselfe into us insensibly every faculty as an eare and every sense as a window lets him into us to come in and spoyle us and therefore it is necessary wee should labour to keepe that we have gotten 3. Excellent and precious things are to be kept most charily mens gold silver jewells and treasures are carefully kept but their lives much more because they are precious unto them But of all treasures our spirits soules and bodies are of most incomparable value nothing so worth keeping as this First what a precious blood was shed for to redeeme them Secondly if these be lost what price can recover them what shall a man give for the recompence Nothing but the blood of Christ tread that under foote nothing can recover it a treasure must be kept most carefully but a godly mans heart is a good treasurie sending out good things A worldlings treasure is without him and that he holds fast but the godly mans treasure is within him he layes hold upon faith and grace in Christ and these hee holdes worth the keeping but for the things of the world they are not worth the keeping in safe custody If they be not kept till the day of Christ they are lost eternally there is no time of keeping them but the present neglect that there is no salvation 4. The necessity of keeping our selves blamelesse is exceeding great 1. If we looke upon our selves in our naturall inclinations to soyle and blacke our selves or whether we looke upon our whole or parts First the whole frame of mans heart is evill the whole naturall spirit imagineth evill continually Gen. 6.5 Secondly and for the parts 1. The conscience is darkened by the blacke darknesse of ignorance and impured by a thousand sinnes of most ugly hue 2. The thoughts which in the day of Gods appearing shall either accuse or excuse Rom. 2.15 are naturally vaine roving and stragling from God 3. The affections which are of great force to good or evill If they be sinfull they are as wings to carry us as slaves to the most barbarous and unnaturall evills and ever pulling us aside to the world and lusts As Cain to hate and murder his innocent brother C ham to lay open his fathers nakednesse Iudas to betray the most righteous Sonne of God But if they bee rightly ordered they are powerfull instruments of excellent duties and as wings to carry us to the high pinnacles of Christianity All excellencies have beene brought out of the strong affections of grace Thirdly Looke upon our selves in the presence of grace the cleanest house will gather soyle if it be not daily swept the brightest vessells take rust if not often scoured and oyled enemies chased will turne head againe trees lopped will grow againe nature expelled returnes againe fire quenched will kindle againe and therefore all watch is little enough Fourthly Looke on our selves in that to which we are called and set apart by grace to be sonnes of God Temples of the Spirit of God mansions for God and Iesus Christ to come into us and suppe with us How carefull are we to cleanse our houses from all filth when we are to give entertainment to an honourable friend whom wee are sure will be ready to pry into every corner as the Lord will surely doe when hee commeth into us This serves to discover the generall errour of men who if they had innocency it selfe could not stand by themselves without watchfulnesse yet can keepe any thing better than themselves their horses their swine cattle their money their wares but very few thinke they neede to be so carefull to keepe themselves They keepe no watch over their thoughts they are free nor over their words words are but winde nor did they ever see their soules and therefore care not to keepe them How carefull are wise men to keepe themselves out of the lurch of the law lest by word or deed they should forfeit any of their outward estate much more their liberty lives c But how carelesse are the same men of keeping themselves out of the lurch of Gods law and out of the actions which forfeit the whole estate of grace the liberty and life of their soules And yet 1. Is not thy charge straighter to keepe thy soule than any thing else 2. Is any thing so exposed to robbers and spoylers so many so vigilant so resolutely bent to mischiefe thee 3. Is any losse so irrecoverable so irrepairable 4. Can any thing thou keepest so fast doe thee good when thou hast lost thy selfe whatsoever thou most carefully keepest else that thou receivest not for thy selfe but for others and wilt thou fondly save all for others with the losse of thy selfe Alas our folly that needes so many warnings and motives for the keeping of our selves Be we incited to keepe our selves blamelesse Wherein observe 1. The generality 2. The time 3. The order 4. The rules First for the generality our Apostle saith the whole man consisting of soule body and the whole spirit soule and body for bonum est ex causis integris malum ex quolibet defectu if any part be blemished the whole is blamed Secondly keepe all or none God will have all or none no polluted part shall get into his presence hee will have no part of a divided man Thirdly the Saints tooke themselves bound to keepe all Above all David will looke to his heart and looke to his thoughts and hee will have an eye to his will I have vowed and will performe and then to his mouth he will keepe that as with a bid and bridle and to his wayes Psal. 39.1 Then he will lift up his hands to the Law and then refraine his feete from every evill way Fourthly The danger of not looking to the whole a thorne in the foote may fester a gangrene in one part is deadly one poyson in the body one part without armour is the ruine of the whole 2. For the time We must now keepe our selves Men thinke they can never be Saints till they come to heaven and professe they cannot bee blamelesse here But our Text saith we must be blamelesse till
curse but blesse and pray nor walke in their way for as wilde beasts cannot hurt him that keepes out of their walke so wicked men cannot seize on us to wrong us if we enter not into their way and walke Consider the praise the comfort of all religious duties Yea First that the practise of all religion it selfe stands in affection and desire Christian perfection is in affection not in action much lesse speculation and contemplation and hence receives his denomination Iob 28.28 The feare of the Lord is wisdome All wise and religious walking is included under the affections of the feare of the Lord to the duties of the whole law are all comprized under the affection of Iob. Secondly the comfort of these duties riseth out of the affection rather than action Art thou a Minister whether is thy comfort more to speake of good things than to affect them what if thou hast Angelicall abilities to discourse of faith love zeale hatred of evill and thy selfe scorne and hate these things when and where thou seest them If I had all gifts and want love saith Paul I were nothing knowledge puffeth up but it is love that edifieth Art thou a hearer and wouldest have comfort of hearing what doest thou affect in hearing to censure the Preacher curiously to feede thy judgement or to enable thy discourse this will not doe it But to heare with pure intentions of feeding the soule of doing duties to get our hearts sanctified our affections whetted our obedience bettered and to get the power of godlinesse and the power of the life to come within us all which the Lord knowes is the intent of a very few Thirdly the acceptance of these duties is more by the affection than the action and the action without the affection is as a body without a soule yea where the action was gloriously performed the Lord still wanted some proportion of affection as in many of the Kings of Israel Such a one did such and such good things but not with all his heart and affection and then all the labour is lost the reward perisheth and thy expectation is frustrate And in the feeblest actions of his children the Lord sees a good compensation made of the defect by the sincerity of the affection Consider the fruite of this care worth all our labour in it for First As one disordered affection drawes on another pride begets anger anger begets envie and envie begets hatred and so murther So one good affection begets another love begets feare feare begets humility and humility is a fruitfull mother of many vertues So good affections beget good actions good actions good habits good habits a good unblamable life Secondly this care settles and fastens the affections upon solid objects and comforts if the matter of our joy love feare desire and delight be God the fruite is internall and eternall this joy none shall take away But the wicked mans heart in laughter is sorrowfull and for continuance is as of thornes crackling under the pot and so are all affections displaced on wrong objects so they lose both affections and objects Thirdly looke what way we will the well guiding of our affections seasons our lives with much sweetnesse 1. Looke at God it holds Gods affection to us how well is the Lord pleased when our desires and affections are conformable to his How acceptable is our obedience to him when wee are holy as hee is holy mercifull as hee is mercifull when we walke in love as he hath loved us when his affections are the rule of ours and so are framed to his will for all his affections flow from his righteous will 2. It holds Gods presence with us in his ordinances Rev. 2. the Church of Ephesus had fallen from her first love and yet a little sparke was left shee hated the doctrine of the Nicholaitans which he hated and therefore the Lord will not remove the Candlesticke at least if shee recover her affection And this is our case the Church of England is wonderfully fallen from her first love and why doth the Lord spare our Candlesticke and holde up our light and peace and the Gospell above all Countries about us surely though wee are fallen from our first love and zeale yet a little sparke of love is left in some poore despised ones which holds life and soule in us and some hatred of Romish Nicholaitans for by the blessing of God the body of the kingdome the lawes and doctrine of the kingdome hates the doctrine and workes of the Nicholaitans and for this weake affection yet God spares our Candlesticke But let us quicken our hatred more for as our first love is in great part gone so if our hatred of evill goe to all is gone God shall see nothing to spare our Candlesticke 3. It holds us with God in the sweete fruition of his ordinances it kindles and keepes in us love feare zeale in his service which is the life of our service and soules and in all these the affection is more respected than the action It holds us fast to the truth What is it but zealous affection that will make us buy the truth at any rate what is the truths keeper but love what else but love makes us labour for it suffer for it die for it 4. Strong and earnest affections to God make us profitable to men provokes us to mercy compassion beneficence helpefull to all that neede us 5. It makes us enjoy our selves by patience wee possesse our soules love holds God in possession charity makes us possesse our brethren and patience puts us in possession of our selves Sanctified affections uphold the heart with joy unspeakable and glorious and leade a man happily to an happy estate 6. The well guiding of affections begins the life of heaven upon earth for the life of heaven is when the soule so cleaves unto God as to become like him when wee shall never love any thing but what he loveth nor hate but what hee hateth and this perfection wee must begin even here upon earth III. Now after the spirit and soule we are to consider these directions by which the body and outward man may be kept blamelesse All of them may bee reduced to that precept in the 1 Tim. 4.12 Be examples unto others in conversation and in communication the outward man must exercise inward grace First for conversation that is either private or publicke and in both a Christian must set himselfe a patterne of godlinesse 1 Pet. 1.15 Be holy in all manner of conversation in Gods house thine owne house in thine owne closet and privacy Psal. 101.2 David walked wisely in the midst of his house Isaac in the field alone meditates and prayeth Gen. 24.63 yea the women must be in such behaviour as becommeth holinesse 2 Tit. 2.3 Rules for conversation are 1. Generall 2. Particular The generall rules are five Glorifie God in your bodies and spirits for they are his 1 Cor. 6.20
and make some offers but to purchase the pearle what ever it cost he heares this voice not to taste onely some sweetnesse of Christ and the heavenly gift which an ineffectuall calling may doe but to digest it and live by it Ineffectuall calling may enlighten many may affect many but this perswades the heart and justifieth many Esay 53.11 By his knowledge shall my righteous servant justifie many That may consent to the word and and receive it with joy but not with faith not with love That may taste it but digest it not as beleeving Christ rather the Saviour of others than their owne or if they say their owne they cannot prove it but this mingles all with faith assenteth and truly applieth and constantly retaines it when all the other blaze is quite put If God speake in the Sacraments hee heares his voice there First in Baptisme to obey his first call to be gathered into the Church as the creatures into the Arke But with this difference Hee heares this voice to be admitted not onely into the externall society of the Church among true beleevers as Simon Magus may Demas and Iudas and every uncleane beast but to put on Christ and to be justified by faith to be set into the head and so are both in the Church and of it He heares the voice effectually not onely to the washing of his body with water but to the washing of his soule with the water of regeneration and first fruites of sanctification He heares this voice not onely to make a profession but an actuall renunciation of Satan of lusts of the fashion of the world and to binde himselfe an houshold servant of Christ all his dayes Secondly in the Sacrament of the Supper hee heares the voice and discernes it to feede not his body onely with the Lords bread but his soule with the bread which is the Lord. He heares the voice to renew his Covenant and set his seale unto it to eate and drinke worthily the flesh of Christ which is meate indeede and the blood of Christ which is drinke indeede and so growes up in the Covenant as a true member of Iesus Christ. He feedes his faith by this Sacrament the hypocrite feedes his hypocrisie The second way of Gods externall calling is by the voice of his mercies and crosses The heart effectually called heares the voice of his mercy 1. To inflame it selfe with the love of God but not as hirelings for wages but as children for himselfe and his goodnesse Psal. 116.1 2. To make him cleave to his worship not outwardly onely as Cain and the Pharise but inwardly and sincerely 3. To frame him to cheerefull obedience whereas ineffectuall calling can make men say Lord Lord but they doe not things commanded 4. To make him zealous for religion and hate corruptions not in others as Iehu but in himselfe and that not by a fit as a burning ague but with a constant temperate heate against all evill because of love of good 5. To make him thankfull to God and mercifull to men as God hath beene to him Secondly when the Lord calls by afflictions and crosses this heart heareth the voice of the rod to open keep open the door that is the eare which was sealed It is the Lord as saith Eli and not as Pharaoh Who is the Lord Hee heares this voice to make him stoope and inquire and hearken further as Manasseh and as Paul stricken downe Lord what wilt thou have me to doe Hee heares it to make him feare the more but not servilly and slavishly by the spirit of bondage as the Israelites at the giving of the Law lest they should be stricken through with darts but with a childlike feare lest they further offend him He heares the voice of the Spirit purging and cleansing him by afflictions as by the Lords fanne and whitening him by this sope of afflictions Dan. 12.10 II. The Lord speakes inwardly by a still voice in the heart sometimes by the motions of his Spirit when the elect heare the voice behinde them saying this is the way they heare the voice cherish and foster the motion and walke in the way Many are the motions of ineffectuall calling but they are not followed but either resisted or neglected and at last utterly quenched Sometimes the Lord speakes by the secret checkes of their owne conscience which the hypocrite by all meanes would choake and stifle but effectuall calling listens to this voice to the humbling of the heart making the sense of one or more grosse sinnes to be as a weight of lead on their hearts to keepe them under to the shunning of them and terrifying of them from the like for time to come so as by sinne a way is made out of sinne and a passage made to reconciliation and grace which is given to the humble Thus have we described the first and most assured and infallible note of effectuall calling namely the true discerning of every voice and call of God with a gracious fruite and effect following the same A second infallible note of effectuall calling is a manifest and continuall change by this voice great and wonderfull is the change in a man truly called He is not the same man he was before Gods voice and calling makes things that are not as if they were Rom. 4.17 Was there not a great change in Lazarus when he was called out of the grave yet the difference betweene Lazarus dead and alive is not more than betweene a man effectually called and uncalled God hath quickened a dead man This change will bewray it selfe sundry wayes I. In respect of sinne Before effectuall calling oh how did he delight and joy in his sinne who was a more busie actour in sinne than he he could runne to excesse of riot as fast as any hee was a loving partner and companion of evill men hee hated none so much as those who would have reclaimed him from his sin or if sometime he were stung and pricked in conscience he could confesse and sorrow for sinne but not hate it not leave it Perhaps some sinister respects might cause him to restraine himselfe as Haman but to a thorow reformation he could never attaine But now he is called not onely out of the curse and guiltinesse of sinne but out of the bondage and service of sinne that now hee serves not in the oldnesse of the letter but in newnesse of spirit the more dearely hee loved his lusts the more deadly hee hates them as Ammon did Thamar Now he hates that which he doth Hee dearely accompts of him now whom God useth as an instrument to helpe him out of his sinne so the Iaylour Act. 16. He gives his sinnes a passe and saith as Ephraim to his Idols Get yee hence hee loathes his beloved sinnes past hates the present and avoides sinne to come with all the occasions be they never so secret gainefull and pleasant II. In respect
on our faithfulnesse whereas our Apostle makes it wholly depend upon Gods 2. This devise makes Gods faithfulnesse dependant upon ours which is as absolute as his owne unchangeable essence is and no unfaithfulnesse of man can make him unfaithfull 2 Tim. 2.13 3. This conceit plainly dissolves our Apostles Argument which he hath so firmely knit together God is faithfull and therefore hee will doe it and God hath already called and he will glorifie And if wee looke into the Scripture wherein this faithfulnesse of God manifests it selfe wee shall see it descrying it selfe in two things neither of which will suffer his end to be frustrate First in keeping the Saints from evill 2 Thess. 3.3 The Lord is faithfull who will stablish you and keepe you from evill Doth Stapleton still doubt that those that have received true grace shall fall away see here the faithfulnesse of God puts it out of doubt for it shall keepe them from all such evills as might frustrate their perseverance Secondly in confirming the Saints in grace received Who shall confirme you to the end that yee may be blamelesse in the day of the Lord Iesus Christ. Papists doubt whether the Saints shall lose their grace but where then is Gods faithfulnesse who shall confirme them in grace to the end This faithfulnesse stirres them up to the meanes excites them in their dulnesse raiseth them after their falls and leades them by the hand to eternall life Object The Arminians drawing the same line with these Bellarminians object That God in all his decrees implies some conditions and deales with a man as a physitian doth in restoring a patient He tells him he will cure him conditionally that he follow his directions keepe good dyet abstaine from the feeders of his corrupt humour But Answ. There is a difference betweene these Physitians one cannot rule his patient but the Lord can and will keepe his patient temperate his grace shall remove all lets and impediments of cure 2. Gods promises of perseverance imply conditions of holinesse watchfulnesse unblameablenesse But Gods faithfulnesse enables him to keepe these conditions Iohn 6.3 Whosoever are given unto Christ shall be raised up at the last day III. In his will God is unchangeable he hath bound himselfe by his promise and oath to effect the salvation of the heires of life Heb. 6.17 God being willing to shew to heires of promise the stablenesse of his counsell bound himselfe by an oath that by two immutable things wherein it is impossible that God should lie we might have strong consolation Object I finde my will so mutable and so inclinable to grosse evills that I have great cause to feare my falling away Answ. But art thou effectually called then is this will of thine by Gods over-ruling will confirmed to perseverance unto the end IV. For Gods affection to the Saints it is perpetuall Iohn 13.1 Whom he loved once he loveth to the end Ier. 31. His love it is everlasting love This love causeth him to keepe them as the apple of his eye This love makes them love him and it will uphold them in his love This is the first reason Secondly The second reason is drawne from the power of God which preserves them to salvation 1 Pet. 1.5 His strength is such as none can plucke them out of his hands The Father is stronger than all Iohn 10. 2 Tim. 1.28 I know he is able to keepe that I commit to him Object I know hee is able too But will hee keepe me Answ. Yes if thou beest effectually called this brings thee within compasse of Christs intercession Ioh. 17.14 15. They are not of the world I pray that thou shouldest keepe them from evill Hath Christ prayed his father to keepe thee certainly then he will keepe thee safe for he was heard in all things Object God is strong enough I know but I am weake Satan is strong against mee sinne is strong in me how then may I holde out Answ. 1. No mans weaknesse shall disappoint the strength of God but manifest it rather 2. No strength of Satan can prevaile against the faith of him that is effectually called for God is faithfull and will not suffer him to be tempted above his strength 1 Cor. 10.13 Thirdly The third reason may be taken from the gifts and calling of God which are without repentance Rom. 11.29 that is such peculiar gifts as flow out of Gods eternall love and election whereas naturall morall and many spirituall gifts are sometimes lost This calling of God according to purpose is never frustrate Object But though God repent not of his gifts yet the gifts of God are in themselves changeable and men may cast away their gifts and fall from their faith and repentance and shake off the calling Answ. 1. The gifts are indeede in themselves changeable for nothing is simply unchangeable but God himselfe But they are all kept by another gift namely of perseverance which crowneth all the rest 2. If the elect should cast away the gifts received then should they be tempted above their strength and God should be unmindfull of his promise which is impossible Nay Gods strength suffers them not to cast away their gifts 3. For shaking of the calling if you speake of the inward calling it is false for then how should God abide constant to them or his word be true which saith Whom he calleth he glorifieth Or how holdes he under his hand in their falls Besides he giveth these gifts to none but such as know the worth and use of them and not to such as will reject them or cast them away Fourthly The last reason is taken from the stat◠of a Christian who as a member must be conformed to Christ his head for as Christ being once risen from the grave never returnes againe or dieth any more so the life of grace in his members once called out of the grave of sinne never dies more no not in death nor in the grave It is the Apostles reason Rom. 6.8 9 11. As Christ raised dieth no more so thinke ye Object The prodigall sonne after a sonne was dead and alive againe a sonne lost and found againe Answ. It is a Parable and nothing but the maine scope proves any thing 2. The prodigall is every man lost in Adam who by creation was the sonne of God but in Adam lost and dead and in the second Adam found and quickened if by faith set into him 3. This lost and dead childe was so both in his fathers opinion and in his owne seeming So may the childe of God even after conversion seeme lost and dead in his owne sence and others conceit but is indeede alive and found First This serves for humiliation of us who are so weake and wretched as having our salvation put into our hands yet cannot keepe it so many temptations from without and corruptions frō within that it is Gods great mercy that keeps us in grace unto
beleeves remission of sinnes now the law of workes and the law of faith are as contrary as fire and water in matter of justification for faith leaneth onely upon Christ. 3. Romish Doctrine teacheth a man to doubt of his salvation and that no man can be assured of it without speciall revelation it were presumption We holde the cleane contrary A man may be assured by a speciall faith Bring it now to the Canon Our Creed teacheth us to beleeve remission of sinnes to beleeve our selves to be true members of the Church and life everlasting to belong unto us for else we beleeve no more than the Divells doe so as every one must give all diligence to make his election sure 2 Pet. 1.10 and to know that Christ is in him 2 Cor. 13.5 This is the first Rule Secondly all sound Doctrine tyeth the two Tables together for as the two Tables stand in relation one to the other so that Doctrine must needes be unsound which combineth not justice with piety and with faith charity This Rule is taken out of Levit. 6.5 If a man have wronged his neighbour either by open robbery or secret defrauding of him hee must come and offer to the Lord for his trespasse and he shall be forgiven but on this condition that he bring the whole summe which he hath defrauded and adde a fifth part more unto it and restore it to the owner the same day that he offereth for his trespasse According unto which our Saviour wisheth to leave the gift at the Altar and goe and be first reconciled to our brother Matth. 5.23 The Lord rejects all sacrifices abstract from mercy Esay 1.12 What have I to doe with the multitude of your sacrifices while your hands are full of blood and Ierem. 7.9 10. Will ye steale and murder and commit adultery and yet come and stand before me in this house wherein my name is called upon And our Saviour reprooveth the grosse conceit of the Pharisies who taught the people that if they did give oblations to the Church though they releeved not their poore parents yet God was well pleased with them This Doctrine tryed by this touch-stone was found counterfeit Matth. 15.5 Hence we inferre if any Doctrine be prejudiciall to men it is false and unsound As for example First the Church of Rome maintaineth a Monkish life wherein their cloystred persons must leave the societies of men and sequester themselves from all companie to give themselves to fasting and prayer Bring this Doctrine to this tryall and we shall finde it most unsound because God is served not onely in the duties of the first Table but also of the second and this kinde of life is against the light of nature and the good of all societies both in Church and Common-wealth and family all which claime part in every man and is a thrusting of men out of their callings in which they are commanded to abide 1 Cor. 7.20 Luther de votis Monasticis prooveth It is against the whole first Table As placeing confidence in it As setting up a will-worship As taking Gods name in vaine by an unlawfull vowe c. So against the whole second Table 1. Impeaching the honour of parents and exempting themselves from civill authority so against the fifth Commandement 2. They eate not their owne bread against the sixth Commandement 3. They raise Sodome and Gomorrah from their ashes against the seventh Commandement 4. They live in idlenesse and are unprofitable burdens of the earth contrary to the eighth Commandement 4. They beare false witnesse of the merit of single life against chastity and holy wedlocke contrary to the ninth Commandement 6. They teach that burning is no sinne as Pigius But a condition under which divina bonitas et sapientia that is Gods goodnesse and wisdome hath put us as under hunger and thirst cleane contrary to the Apostle Paul 1 Cor. 7. who saith It is better to marry than to burne 2. In cases of trespasse the same Church appoints auricular confession and canonicall satisfaction in which they must give oblations and satisfie the Church But if it were sound Doctrine it would appoint reconciliation and restitution to the parties wronged which is the least part of their thoughts 3. The same Church appoints a great number of fasts and penances for offences But so long as they fast to strife and debate and smite with the fist of wickednesse anathematizing and cursing Prince and people excommunicating all such as walke not in their rules yea patronizing and pardoning cut-throat villaines sent from them to murder Christian Kings and blow up Parliament houses all the world sees these are not the fasts which God hath chosen This Rule condemnes all Iesuitisme which is the rebells Catechisme But we must distinguish Popish Sinonimaes between excommunicating out of Churches and excommunicating out of Kingdomes betweene keyes of the kingdome of heaven and keyes of the kingdomes of the earth betweene absolving sinners from sinnes and absolving of subjects from duties betweene fishing of men and fishing for kingdomes betweene teaching of soules and killing of bodies betweene power directive and power coactive betweene ministration and domination betweene the sword spirituall and civill This Iesuiticall confusion of phrases hath beene the confusion of the world 4. The same Church hath a long time challenged a power of the keyes of binding and loosing over all other persons but wickedly changed the Ecclesiasticall power into a meere Civill power to the great mischiefe of the world for thereby they doe unjustly and tyrannically take upon them to depose Kings and Queenes from their regency to deprive them of their Crownes and Scepters to free subjects from all oathes of allegiance and binde them to become their executioners where ever they can take them at advantage And all this by the power of the keyes 5. The same Church hath ratified by decree that the vowes of children undertaking their religious orders shall be in force and that close and clandestine marriages made betweene children without all consent of wise and carefull parents are allowable and indissoluble Which Doctrine brought to this Rule is proved most prejudiciall to the power of parents given them in the fifth Commandement which injoynes children to honour their Parents especially in matters of moment such as are their marriage and choyce of their callings 6. Some Divines have undertaken the defence of some kinde of usurie especially to the rich and so have animated some in that course But this Doctrine brought to this tryall will not holde seeing it is such a consumer of mens estates and so uncharitable as the Lord would not admit of it in Israel but among his enemies whom he would have quite consumed Besides men deceive themselves in their distinction for God in the case of usurie distinguisheth not betweene the rich and poore of Israel but betweene the Israelites and Canaanites betweene strangers and brethren The poore indeede are mentioned but onely